The Bucs Start Here - A Pirates Do-Over

[luckymann]

Big Beck rightfully gets his plaque first ballot.

[luckymann]

Tight pennant wins to the Cubs and Tigers, with Hank Greenberg’s return – and Hal Newhouser’s Triple Crown effort – keys to the latter club’s success. The Tigers run it all the way to a World Championship, beating the Baby Bears (with the help of an irate goat-owner…) in seven after trailing 3-1 for the club’s second title.

AL CHAMPIONS: Detroit Tigers (88-65)
NL CHAMPIONS: Chicago Cubs (98-56)
WORLD SERIES: Tigers 4, Cubs 3

AL MVP: Hal Newhouser (Tigers)
NL MVP: Phil Cavaretta (Cubs)


Top Ten Lists (courtesy of thisgreatgame.com)

NL Hitters

1. TOMMY HOLMES, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: .352 average, 125 runs, 224 hits, 47 doubles, 8 triples, 28 home runs, 117 RBIs, 70 walks, 15 stolen bases, .577 slugging percentage.
• Holmes managed a feat more impressive than his 37-game hitting streak: Leading the NL in home runs while striking out just nine times.

2. PHIL CAVARRETTA, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: .355 average, 94 runs, 177 hits, 34 doubles, 10 triples, 6 home runs, 97 RBIs, 81 walks, .449 on-base percentage.
• The longtime Cubs first baseman continued his ascent from star to superstar against weakened wartime pitching.

3. AUGIE GALAN, BROOKLYN

• Key Numbers: .307 average, 114 runs, 177 hits, 36 doubles, 7 triples, 9 home runs, 92 RBIs, 114 walks, 13 stolen bases.
• Though he’d still be an effective player for the remainder of the decade, the thirtysomething Galan completed his late-career rebirth thanks to inferior wartime competition.

4. DIXIE WALKER, BROOKLYN

• Key Numbers: .300 average, 102 runs, 182 hits, 42 doubles, 9 triples, 8 home runs, 124 RBIs, 75 walks.
• Walker became the last player to date to lead either league in RBIs with less than 10 home runs.

5. WHITEY KUROWSKI, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: 133 games, .323 runs, 84 runs, 165 hits, 27 doubles, 21 home runs, 102 RBIs.
• While some players listed on this page went from stud to scrub once the real major leaguers returned from war, Kurowski would prove over the next few years that his wartime numbers were no padded fluke.

6. GOODY ROSEN, BROOKLYN

• Key Numbers: .325 average, 126 runs, 197 hits, 24 doubles, 11 triples, 12 home runs, 75 RBIs.
• The Toronto native’s second stint with the Dodgers—he played at Brooklyn from 1937-39, then vanished to the minors for four seasons—peaked with an impressive array of numbers.

7. MEL OTT, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 135 games, .308 average, 21 home runs, 79 RBIs, 71 walks, 8 hit-by-pitches.
• In essentially his final year as a player before taking on sole managerial duties in 1946, the 36-year-old Ott led the Giants for the 18th straight year in home runs.

8. STAN HACK, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: .323 average, 110 runs, 193 hits, 29 doubles, 7 triples, 99 walks, 12 stolen bases.
• Enjoying his final hurrah as an everyday player before assuming part-time postwar duty, Hack became the first modern-era Cub to amass 2,000 hits.

9. BUSTER ADAMS, PHILADELPHIA-ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: .287 average, 104 runs, 182 hits, 29 doubles, 22 home runs, 109 RBIs.
• Adams did his best to impersonate the absent Stan Musial after being traded early in the year from Philadelphia; he’d hit .185 in 1946 against the regulars returning from war.

10. JOHNNY BARRETT, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: .256 average, 97 runs, 29 doubles, 15 home runs, 87 RBIs, 79 walks, 25 stolen bases.
• Another feast-to-famine subject: Barrett finished a productive two-year reign with the Pirates, but was bumped out of a starter’s role the following year by Ralph Kiner, was traded to the Braves, and hit .193 in scant play in 1946; he’d never make it back to the majors again.

AL Hitters

1. SNUFFY STIRNWEISS, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: .309 average, 632 at-bats, 107 runs, 195 hits, 32 doubles, 22 triples, 10 home runs, 64 RBIs, 78 walks, 33 stolen bases, 17 caught stealing, .476 slugging percentage.
• Stirnweiss capped his brief wartime reign as the AL’s best by winning the batting title on the final day.

2. ROY CULLENBINE, CLEVELAND-DETROIT

• Key Numbers: .272 average, 83 runs, 28 doubles, 5 triples, 18 home runs, 93 RBIs, 113 walks.
• After an early-season trade to the Tigers, Cullenbine hit full gear once inserted in the #5 spot of the lineup, hitting .302. Reason: The recently returned Hank Greenberg was hitting fourth.

3. NICK ETTEN, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: .285 average, 77 runs, 161 hits, 24 doubles, 18 home runs, 111 RBIs, 90 walks.
• In his last full year, Etten admirably held the fort for the Yankees as their premier slugger until the late-season return of Charlie Keller.

4. VERN STEPHENS, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: .289 average, 90 runs, 165 hits, 27 doubles, 24 home runs, 89 RBIs.
• Stephens hit nearly 100 points better at home (.332 at Sportsman’s Park vs. .246 on the road) and became the only AL home run leader the Browns/Orioles could boast between 1922 (Ken Williams) and 1965 (Frank Robinson).

5. JOE KUHEL, WASHINGTON

• Key Numbers: .285 average, 29 doubles, 13 triples, 2 home runs, 75 RBIs, 79 walks, 10 stolen bases.
• It’s true: The 39-year-old Kuhel hit the one and only home run hit by the Senators at Griffith Stadium all year long. It was an inside-the-park job.

6. EDDIE LAKE, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: 133 games, .279 average, 81 runs, 27 doubles, 11 home runs, 51 RBIs, 106 walks, .412 on-base percentage.
• A .220 career hitter minus his 1945 numbers, Lake was going to miss that diluted pitching.

7. JEFF HEATH, CLEVELAND

• Key Numbers: 102 games, .305 average, 15 home runs, 61 RBIs, 56 walks, 13 intentional walks, .508 slugging percentage.
• Heath was ‘officially’ the only American Leaguer to slug over .500, though with today’s eligibility requirements he would have fallen short of the 3.1 plate appearances per game to qualify.

8. WALLY MOSES, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: .295 average, 79 runs, 168 hits, 35 doubles, 15 triples, 69 walks, 11 stolen bases.
• The end of the war would also bring an end to the inflated, belated stardom of aging vet Moses.

9. BOB JOHNSON, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: .280 average, 27 doubles, 7 triples, 12 home runs, 74 RBIs, 63 walks.
• A muted but worthy farewell season for the 39-year-old Johnson, another once-stellar player whose career was prolonged by war; in only three of his 13 big-league seasons, his team finished above .500.

10. JOHNNY DICKSHOT, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 130 games, .302 average, 19 doubles, 10 triples, 18 stolen bases.
• One-year stardom came to the man self-described as the ugliest in baseball—and you’d also have a sense of humor if your name was Johnny Dickshot.

NL Pitchers

1. CLAUDE PASSEAU, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 2.46 ERA, 17 wins, 9 losses, 34 appearances, 27 starts, 5 shutouts, 227 innings.
• The veteran right-hander, at age 36, cleared 15 wins for the seventh straight year after failing to do it once in his early campaigns with the pitiful Phillies of the 1930s.

2. HANK WYSE, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 2.68 ERA, 22 wins, 10 losses, .688 win percentage, 38 appearances, 34 starts, 23 complete games, 278.1 innings, 55 walks, 30 grounded into double plays.
• In his one glorious campaign before the returning regulars turned him back into a frog, Wyse anchored baseball’s toughest pitching staff in Chicago.

3. PREACHER ROE, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: 2.87 ERA, 14 wins, 13 losses, 31 starts, 235 innings, 46 walks, 148 strikeouts.
• Relatively poor run support—especially within his home base at Forbes Field, where he only won five games—kept the second-year Roe from garnering a better record. He’d make up for it in the years to come at Brooklyn.

4. RED BARRETT, BOSTON-ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: 3.00 ERA, 23 wins, 12 losses, 45 appearances, 34 starts, 24 complete games, 284.2 innings, 54 walks.
• The Braves anted up $60,000 and gave it to St. Louis along with the unsung pitcher in exchange for established ace Mort Cooper; Barrett shined, Cooper floundered, and the Cardinals laughed all the way to the bank.

5. RAY PRIM, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 2.40 ERA, 13 wins, 8 losses, 34 appearances, 19 starts, 165.1 innings, 23 walks.
• Nicknamed “Pop” for his gray-haired appearance, the 38-year-old Prim reserved his spot as a one-year wartime wonder by mixing a decent fastball with a nasty screwball.

6. HARRY BRECHEEN, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: 2.52 ERA, 15 wins, 4 losses, .789 win percentage, 24 appearances, 18 starts, 157.1 innings.
• Almost a decade after Cardinals slugger Johnny Mize laid claim to the nickname “The Big Cat,” Here came “The Cat”—though at 5’10” and 160 pounds, it might have been more apt to go with “Little Cat.” Nevertheless, Brecheen finished a three-year stretch resulting in a composite 40-18 record and 2.58 ERA; more success lay ahead.

7. KEN BURKHART, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: 2.90 ERA, 18 wins, 8 losses, .692 win percentage, 42 appearances, 22 starts, 217.1 innings.
• The same could not be said for Burkhart, whose rookie effort would not translate to a stable future at the major league level.

8. HAL GREGG, BROOKLYN

• Key Numbers: 3.47 ERA, 18 wins, 13 losses, 42 appearances, 34 starts, 254.1 innings, 120 walks.
• Yes, the tall, second-year right-hander led the NL walks for a second straight season—but at least he didn’t also lead in runs allowed, wild pitches and hit batsmen as he did in 1944.

9. BUCKY WALTERS, CINCINNATI

• Key Numbers: 2.68 ERA, 10 wins, 10 losses, 22 starts, 168 innings.
• The 36-year-old veteran’s W-L dropped from 23-8 to 10-10, despite an ERA that barely inched upwards; being given a full run less of support had much to do with it.

10. NICK STRINCEVICH, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: 3.31 ERA, 16 wins, 10 losses, 36 appearances, 29 starts, 228.1 innings, 49 walks.
• A solid wartime asset for the Bucs, Strincevich would stick it out and pitch decently in 1946—before his career fell apart.

AL Pitchers

1. HAL NEWHOUSER, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: 1.81 ERA, 25 wins, 9 losses, .735 win percentage, 40 appearances, 36 starts, 29 complete games, 8 shutouts, 313.1 innings, 110 walks, 212 strikeouts, 10 wild pitches.
• Newhouser thoroughly dominated the AL stat charts and deservedly became the only pitcher conquer back-to-back MVPs.

2. ROGER WOLFF, WASHINGTON

• Key Numbers: 2.12 ERA, 20 wins, 10 losses, 33 appearances, 29 starts, 250 innings, 53 walks.
• Wolff won 20 at Washington a year after a 4-15 mark, and a year before finishing at 5-8.

3. DUTCH LEONARD, WASHINGTON

• Key Numbers: 2.12 ERA, 17 wins, 7 losses, .708 win percentage, 29 starts, 216 innings, 35 walks.
• Leonard’s knuckleball wasn’t only effective, it was, by knucklers’ standards, very much in control; he only walked 35 batters. Still, he made life rough for Senators catchers, who committed 14 total passed balls when he pitched.

4. STEVE GROMEK, CLEVELAND

• Key Numbers: 2.55 ERA, 19 wins, 9 losses, .677 win percentage, 30 starts, 251 innings.
• Gromek was the Indians’ best pitcher…until Bob Feller returned late in the year.

5. NELS POTTER, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: 2.47 ERA, 15 wins, 11 losses, 32 starts, 255.1 innings, 13 intentional walks.
• Potter produced the Browns’ best ERA since 1919 and the end of the Deadball Era.

6. BOO FERRISS, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: 2.96 ERA, 21 wins, 10 losses, .677 win percentage, 35 appearances, 31 starts, 26 complete games, 264.2 innings.
• Ferriss set the pace for his magnificent rookie year by not being scored upon over his first 22 innings of work.

7. AL BENTON, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: 2.02 ERA, 13 wins, 8 losses, 31 appearances, 27 starts.
• Let go by the Navy after two years with migraine issues, Benton authored the year’s longest consecutive scoreless inning streak (33) and didn’t allow more than two runs in either of his first 15 starts—setting a record that would be tied by Hyun-Jin Ryu in 2019.

8. THORNTON LEE, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 2.44 ERA, 15 wins, 12 losses, 28 starts, 228.1 innings, 10 hit-by-pitches.
• A brief return to form for the 22-game winner and ERA champ from 1941, after posting a 10-24 record from 1942-44 with numerous injuries resulting in several operations.

9. ALLIE REYNOLDS, CLEVELAND

• Key Numbers: 3.20 ERA, 18 wins, 12 losses, 44 appearances, 30 starts, 247.1 innings, 130 walks.
• An example, more rare than not in 1945, of a pitcher whose career was on the rise as opposed to being a stopgap arm before the real players returned from wartime duty.

10. AL HOLLINGSWORTH, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: 2.70 ERA, 12 wins, 9 losses, 26 appearances, 22 starts, 173.1 innings.
• A rare case of winning for a pitcher who otherwise compiled a 58-95 record over 10 other major league seasons.

[luckymann]

The Dodgers are front and centre – let’s hope this is them finally getting their act together for a playoff run – but, of course, it is the Yanks who make the biggest splash with one of our offcuts. The A’s are also prominent.

Here are the major moves of interest:

• OF Wild Bill Wright: Yankees, 6 years / $27600
• 3B Augie Galan: Cubs, 5 years / $222000
• P Leon Day: Cardinals, 5 years / $172000
• 1B Elbie Fletcher: Athletics, 4 years / $139400
• 1B Phil Weintraub: Red Sox, 5 years / $113800
• P Denny Galehouse: Athletics, 4 years / $111400
• P Paul Derringer: Phillies, 3 years / $103000
• P Luis Tiant: Braves, 3 years / $102600
• OF Jim Russell: Browns, 5 years / $99000 (extension)
• P Dutch Leonard: Indians, 3 years / $96000
• P Thornton Lee: Yankees, 3 years / $92800
• 3B Jim Tabor: Dodgers, 3 years / $89400
• OF Les Fleming: Giants, 3 years / $70800 (extension)
• P Ray Brown: Dodgers, 2 years / $70000
• P Satchel Paige: Red Sox, 2 years / $68800
• P Barney Brown: Reds, 2 years / $67200
• 1B Jerry Priddy: White Sox, 4 years / $65300 (extension)

• C Kenneth Raddant, P Dick Conger, P Ben Cardoni and 2B John Sullivan from Dodgers to Reds for P Al Javery
• C Al Montgomery, P Lefty Wallace and 2B Connie Ryan from Dodgers to Athletics for P Johnny Gorsica
• 1B Jake Jones and P Sandy Ullrich from Dodgers to Cardinals for P Fritz Ostermueller
• C Ernie Lombardi from White Sox to Phillies for P Joe Coleman, 1B Tommy Byrne, OF Bill Sinton and 2B Ray Hamrick
• OF Dom Dallessandro, and 2B Ray Hamrick from White Sox to Athletics for OF Wally Moses and 3B Putsy Caballero
• P Milo Candini from Reds to Yankees for OF George Metkovich

ALL TRANSACTIONS


We go a surprising 13-5 for ST but lose MiLB FA signing Kirby Higbe for a month to elbow soreness.

Less surprising is our being expected to finish well down the standings. The pundits - and, I might add, with good reason - do not like our pitching.

FULL PRESEASON PREDICTIONS


Top 20 ranked players in which none of our players feature.

[luckymann]

A reminder that our team page can be accessed HERE.


OK, so our one offseason FA acquisition was to lock down pitcher Bob Muncrief down on a 2+1/55 deal. He's no world beater but should offer us an affordable bridge to those who have better chances of being so.

We also consummate the following trade with the Braves.

Buddy Rosar offers us some much-needed defensive heft at catcher, to work in conjunction with bat-heavy starter Andy Seminick.

Peanuts Lowery just gives us some of my much-cherished flexibility around the IF in a backup role.


The squad as it sits on OD may change quickly, as we have a couple waiver claims in. I'll advise of their progress in my first update at the end of May.

We have a fairly solid position player group, but we are back in that dangerous situation where we have very ordinary defence behind junkball pitchers. I expect a lot of 8-6 results and, unfortunately, more that end up 6-8. To go 500 for the year is the goal, nothing more. Higbe will be back, fingers crossed, by mid-May.

At OD, our 550k budget is the next-to-lowest, while our $327k payroll is 7th-highest.

[luckymann]

Remarkably, today's no-hitter by the Yankees' Al Hollingsworth is the league's first in seven years! It is also the 39th overall, still far fewer than one might expect.

Still yet to see a Perfect Game.

[luckymann]

Well it has been an eventful return to the fold for yours truly. With the WW2 historical schedule in place and my rustiness with regard to the everyday requirements of a GM / Manager in this game, it's fair to say I've struggled to keep up and have made some bonehead mistakes in my roster management. Which makes our encouraging start to the season - derived solely from the fantastic effort the lads have put in - even more of an achievement.







As you can see from those metrics and stats, our game mix has pretty much gone to script - strong offence while our pitching has struggled, with our D around the middle of the diddle.

I always knew I'd spend my in-season trade ticket on a pitching upgrade, but was planning to hold off a while before doing so. A season-ending injury to Kirby Higbe puts paid to that strategy, and we end up making the following swap with the Cards:




Even using 5-year recalc, the imminent dropoff for Pistol Pete is set to be anything but graceful and, with plenty of options at his slots, I decide to get some while the going is good with him. Sain is a good long-term get for us, while Grant is a cheap IF option. This move also allows us to shift Danny Dandridge from 2B to 3B - where he is better, albeit still no longer great - with Grant and Buddy Kerr splitting time at 2B along with Bobby Bragan.





It may only be early but you can already sense this season is set for its share of drama. Both divs, but ours in particular, look super competitive.




Monthly Award Winners

May

American League

• Batter – Ted Williams (Red Sox): 364 / 5 HR / 28 RBI
• Pitcher – Joe Page (Red Sox): 6-0 / 2.12 / 23 K / 46.2 IP
• Rookie – Cy Buker (Red Sox): 3-0 / 1.17 / 7 SV / 5 K / 15.1 IP

National League

• Batter – Ray Dandridge (Pirates): 373 / 2 HR / 28 RBI
• Pitcher – Preacher Roe (Dodgers): 3-1 / 1.44 / 31 K / 50 IP
• Rookie – Jackie Robinson (Dodgers): 291 / 1 HR / 12 RBI

Milestones

• 2000 hits: Wild Bill Wright
• 400 HR: Hank Greenberg

Other Observations and Points of Interest

• A fractured foot in the season’s first week will keep Yankee star Johnny Mize off the field for its first month, while Stan Musial goes down for 5 weeks not long after with a strained hamstring.
• The Giants lose pitcher Jack Kramer for the season to a torn labrum.

News and Leaders






S+ HOME

REPORTS HOME

PIRATES HOME

[luckymann]

Most RBIs without Scoring a Run (Does not include pitchers)

[luckymann]

A nice game for promising Braves OF soph Al Gionfriddo, but they'll need more along similar lines if they hope to feature in this tough NL race.

[luckymann]

A really pleasing five of our guys get the nod this season.




Hank Greenberg wins the HR Derby, his third, while Bus Clarkson leads the AL to a 2-1 ASG win, their first since 1940.

[CubMariner]

Really enjoying reading through this. This thread has inspired me to give OOTP a go (longtime SOM player) as I love the idea of a long historical franchise. I'm admittedly going to steal a lot of your setup ideas, but was curious...is there anything (if you started over again) you would have done differently from the beginning?

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by CubMariner

Really enjoying reading through this. This thread has inspired me to give OOTP a go (longtime SOM player) as I love the idea of a long historical franchise. I'm admittedly going to steal a lot of your setup ideas, but was curious...is there anything (if you started over again) you would have done differently from the beginning?

Glad to hear, and thanks for following along!

OK, so most of the things I'd change if I were starting again aren't necessarily game settings but personal sorts of aspects. I've done a lot more work on the NeL guys since this started which would almost guarantee more realistic performances from them and I'd have the league integrated from the beginning in 1901 rather than in 1909 like I did here. I would have done some more work on the finances to make things more challenging from the get-go. With the NeL players being treated better in 23 I'd most likely have scouting pulled right back, rather than at 100% to monitor the NeL ratings. That sort of thing.

A setting I have recently changed to the one I'd use from the off were I starting again is 3-year recalc rather than 5-year. Just tightens up the accuracy a bit while still keeping some fog of war.

One thing to watch out for is having enough players - starting pitchers, in particular. I wanted players playing rather than withering away on the reserve roster, so I added just the AAA level. I would have loved to have invoked historical minors but the file size for a 120-season game scared me off doing so. This means only players who made the bigs enter the save as rookies. This worked OK for a while, but then in the late 1930s I started seeing a dearth of SP, obviously because I have 32 teams and only rookies for 16 are being produced. It got to the point where I had to manually import a bunch of MiLB pitchers and have recently changed pitcher stamina on import from 3-YEAR to CAREER. Not even sure that will fix it, as perhaps just as many guys switch one way as the other. We'll see. It is a major concern right now and I'll report back as to how things proceed post-WW2. I'll also be unretiring as needed, but only in a reasonable fashion.

The only other advice of a general nature I have for you is to take your time in setting things up and save as templates and as files along the way to ensure you don't have to go back and redo things multiple times. Trust me, even though you'll be champing at the bit to get underway, you'll be glad you took your time.

Any other help, feel free to hit me up on DM.

Good luck!

G

[CubMariner]

Originally Posted by luckymann

A setting I have recently changed to the one I'd use from the off were I starting again is 3-year recalc rather than 5-year. Just tightens up the accuracy a bit while still keeping some fog of war.

One thing to watch out for is having enough players - starting pitchers, in particular. I wanted players playing rather than withering away on the reserve roster, so I added just the AAA level. I would have loved to have invoked historical minors but the file size for a 120-season game scared me off doing so.

Totally makes sense on the recalc change to keep the accuracy.


Out of curiosity, what size file backup do you have with what you are currently doing? That way I'm prepared! Thanks!

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by CubMariner

Totally makes sense on the recalc change to keep the accuracy.


Out of curiosity, what size file backup do you have with what you are currently doing? That way I'm prepared! Thanks!

Yeah, but from 1950 onward when I switch this bad boy over to v23 I'll be pulling the scouting accuracy back to LOW so in fact the ratings shown will be LESS accurate!

At the start of 1945 the size was 3.6 GB with 107k files. Not too bad considering I use full FG and keep record logs for 2 years. I have recently switched BB cards OFF and purge messages every third year. This should keep it a fair bit below 10GB at the end I am hoping.

Will you be doing a thread for yours?

[CubMariner]

Originally Posted by luckymann

Yeah, but from 1950 onward when I switch this bad boy over to v23 I'll be pulling the scouting accuracy back to LOW so in fact the ratings shown will be LESS accurate!

At the start of 1945 the size was 3.6 GB with 107k files. Not too bad considering I use full FG and keep record logs for 2 years. I have recently switched BB cards OFF and purge messages every third year. This should keep it a fair bit below 10GB at the end I am hoping.

Will you be doing a thread for yours?

Thanks for the file size info...helps in preparation! Possibly on the thread posting...depends on how long it takes to actually get it up and running. Sounds like I might have a lot of prep in front of me, but of course, that's half the fun

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by CubMariner

Thanks for the file size info...helps in preparation! Possibly on the thread posting...depends on how long it takes to actually get it up and running. Sounds like I might have a lot of prep in front of me, but of course, that's half the fun

Indeed. Good luck with it bud.

G

[luckymann]

We've been hanging in OK, albeit with some incredibly streaky play, until a horror road series at St. Louis in which we need to win the final game to avoid an 0-5 sweep puts paid to whatever faint hopes we might still have had. That leaves us at 29-30 over the sectional and 52-49 overall, well out of contention now at 12 GB.





Little change to our good offence / bad pitching profile, with Sam Jethroe winning July's batter award. He's been by far our best player all year with close on 5 bWAR to this point.





Plenty of jockeying for position across in the AL, with both the Yanks and A's - the latter led by a rampant Willard Brown - putting together long win streaks. They and the Red Sox look the likely trio to fight this out. Meanwhile, the Cubs have put their foot down, going 39-16 since June 1 to take control of the NL.




News, Leaders and Top 20s








Monthly Award Winners

June

American League

• Batter – Whitey Kurowski (Athletics): 379 / 3 HR / 23 RBI
• Pitcher – Eddie Lopat (Yankees): 6-0 / 2.41 / 22 K / 52.1 IP
• Rookie – Ken Gables (Indians): 3-1 / 1.54 / 1 SV / 3 K / 11.2 IP

National League

• Batter – Bill Nicholson (Cubs): 311 / 6 HR / 30 RBI
• Pitcher – Ewell Blackwell (Reds): 5-0 / 1.37 / 32 K / 46 IP
• Rookie – Ewell Blackwell

July

American League

• Batter – Johnny Mize (Yankees): 416 / 5 HR / 28 RBI
• Pitcher – Al Hollingsworth (Yankees): 4-1 / 1.72 / 20 K / 47 IP
• Rookie – Dave Ferriss (Senators): 4-0 / 3.99 / 7 K / 38.1 IP

National League

• Batter – Sam Jethroe (Pirates): 449 / 1 HR / 17 RBI
• Pitcher – Ewell Blackwell (Reds): 4-1 / 0.85 / 33 K / 53 IP
• Rookie – Ewell Blackwell

Milestones and Observations of Note

• Pinky Higgins and our own Arky Vaughan each get his 2000th career hit, while Leroy Matlock notches his 100th save.
• An ACL tear prematurely ends Phillies OF Al Libke’s season.

S+ HOME

REPORTS HOME

PIRATES HOME

[luckymann]

Most Ks in Debut Season (pitching)

[luckymann]

A second no-hitter for the season, this time from Al Gerheauser of the A's against the Sens.

[luckymann]

All-time leader is Lou Gehrig with 2039.

[luckymann]

Ohboyohboyohoyohboy....

OK, let's get the boring stuff out of the way - by which, I mean our season. Despite being grossly overmatched for the most part, the lads never stop trying and only miss out on playing 500 ball by the minimum. In fact, if not for a horror August and first half of June, we would have finished a lot closer - though, at 23 GB come the end of the season, nowhere near close enough to threaten the Cubs, who cruise to a second-straight NL pennant.





A near-7 bWAR campaign should see Sam Jethroe in the MVP mix, while Ray Dandridge's final season with us is another good one in which he charges home late to pip Jackie Robinson for his third straight NL batting title.




With regard to the pitching, of the few bright lights Bob Muncrief and Ken Heintzelman try hard and Leroy Matlock is once again a Rock of Gibraltar in the Stopper role. I do hold great hope that Johnny Sain has plenty of improvement in him but we need a few more like him to get back to being competitive.




While the NL is uneventful, the AL more than makes up for it with the Yanks, A's and Red Sox at it to the very end. And I mean, very. The quirky schedule means the A's finish their games early as the clubhouse leader on 90 wins while the BoSox and Yanks still have a 4-game matchup left to play. By the final day, the A's are out of it because Boston and New York are both also on 90 wins with one to play, meaning one of them must finish on 91 after they play what is essentially a Game 154 tiebreaker, which pans out thus:

I bet there's a few from Red Sox Nation following along who wish the historical BOS-NYY results more closely followed those in this save - the Sox do seem to have the wood on the Evil Empire in this timeline, don't they?

So the final standings are as follows:




Johnny Pesky takes the AL batting title, Bus Clarkson leads the league with 29 HR and Ted Williams gives the Sox a trifecta with a league-leading 112 ribbies.

An amazing pitching performance by Cub Johnny Schmitz, whose 19-3 record sets a new all-time win% mark with .863, while Jack Hallett of the Yanks again ticks up the saves record with 29. Bob Feller is the King of K with 203 (and only 120 BB this time around), while Cincy's Ewell Blackwell might lock down the rare bird of a Johnson-Waddell / RoY double, although Jackie Robinson might have something to say about that.


Final Top 20s





Final Leaders




Monthly Award Winners

August

American League

• Batter – Danny Litwhiler (Indians): 330 / 3 HR / 20 RBI
• Pitcher – Max Lanier (Red Sox): 4-1 / 1.28 / 24 K / 42.1 IP
• Rookie – Augie Bergamo (Browns): 278 / 1 HR / 13 RBI

National League

• Batter – Jackie Robinson (Dodgers): 381 / 3 HR / 17 RBI
• Pitcher – Spud Chandler (Cubs): 6-0 / 3.88 / 17 K / 48.2 IP
• Rookie – Jackie Robinson

September

American League

• Batter – Whitey Kurowski (Athletics): 380 / 6 HR / 31 RBI
• Pitcher – Howie Pollet (Detroit): 5-0 / 1.55 / 23 K / 40.2 IP
• Rookie – Dave Ferriss (Senators): 3-2 / 3.95 / 13 K / 41 IP

National League

• Batter – Augie Galan (Cubs): 311 / 5 HR / 21 RBI
• Pitcher – Warren Spahn (Braves): 4-2 / 1.84 / 23 K / 49 IP
• Rookie – Ewell Blackwell (Reds): 2-2 / 1.93 / 29 K / 42 IP

Milestones and Observations of Note

• 250 wins: Paul Derringer
• 3000 hits: Mel Ott
• 2000 hits: Stan Hack

S+ HOME

REPORTS HOME

PIRATES HOME