The Bucs Start Here - A Pirates Do-Over

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Our first no-no in a couple seasons as Herb Score dominates, fanning 15 Athletics in a 9-0 flogging.

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Some late signs of finally blowing the cobwebs away after a dodgy start, with 5 straight wins to finish off the period leaving us at 26-20 and well in contention again.




As has kind of become our SOP, we are doing most things well - but none spectacularly so far, with a slight skewing away from pitching to hitting. Still, all things considered, I am satisfied with where we're at.




Maris is struggling to assert himself so far, while Simpson is on the verge of being sent down in favour of Alou. Only service time considerations will forestall that for the moment, but it is an inevitability at some point. Clemente, on the other hand, is on the cusp of superstardom.




The move to keep Connie J in light of the McKinnon offload (not looking quite so smart just for now...) pays early dividends as he wins the may pitching award. He is under TC for one more season and we'll keep him for that duration one would think, unless a deal presents itself of which he forms a part. Ryne Duren steps up as Morehead regresses to some realistic level of mortality. We have been blessed in the relief department for some time now.

We've extended Jim Lemon thru 1961 and Larry Jackson for next season. This time a year hence will be crucial for LJ's future with the club. Obviously we're aware it'll cost us beaucoup coin to keep him, but we're not in a position to go too crazy and he needs to understand that.




The Red Sox have flown out the gates and look the team to beat. The Cubbies do likewise but just cool off a bit the past fortnight or so. The Dodgers and Jints West Coast experiences have so far been vastly different.


Monthly Award Winners

April

American League

• Batter – Curt Flood (Tigers): 352 / 4 HR / 17 RBI
• Pitcher – Frank Sullivan (Red Sox): 4-0 / 2.23 / 17 K / 32.1 IP
• Rookie – Mike McCormick (Athletics): 2-1 / 2.42 / 20 K / 22.1 IP

National League

• Batter – Eddie Mathews (Braves): 367 / 5 HR / 19 RBI
• Pitcher – Bob Rush (Cubs): 3-0 / 1.46 / 14 K / 24.2 IP
• Rookie – Orlando Cepeda (Giants): 304 / 5 HR / 15 RBI

May

American League

• Batter – Jerry Lynch (Indians): 340 / 6 HR / 18 RBI
• Pitcher – Early Wynn (White Sox): 4-2 / 2.25 / 39 K / 60 IP
• Rookie – Mike McCormick (Athletics): 4-1 / 2.20 / 32 K / 41 IP

National League

• Batter – Stan Musial (Cardinals): 378 / 6 HR / 19 RBI
• Pitcher – Connie Johnson (Pirates): 4-0 / 1.55 / 21 K / 40.2 IP
• Rookie – Orlando Cepeda (Giants): 269 / 8 HR / 27 RBI

News and Leaders






Milestones and Observations of Note

• A strained rib cage sidelines Athletics young gun Ed Bouchee for 5 weeks, while the season of White Sox pitcher Joey Jay is derailed in his first start by a partial UCL tear and the Sox also lose veteran reliever Bud Byerly for the year with a fractured elbow.
• The Cardinals will have to manage without pitcher Art Ditmar for the rest of the campaign after he is felled by elbow trouble, while a labrum tear pulls the curtain down on Ned Garver of Baltimore’s 1958 season.

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Highest Career H/K ratio (Minimum 100 Hits)

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Walter Johnson is the all-time leader with just shy of 163.

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A couple huge performances in this AAA game as Austin's Hobie Landrith goes an astonishing 7-for-7 with 2 homers and 8 ribbies and Frank Torre (big brother of Joe) belts 2 homers as well and knocks in 7 in a 24-10 thrashing of San Antonio.

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Five of our lads in this year's Midsummer Classic. How Camilo Pascual isn't among them I do not know.




Rocky Colavito bests Eddie Mathews in the Derby, while Cleveland's Jerry Lynch leads the AL to a 3-0 whitewash in the main event.

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He's just about to hit 40 and has slowed down somewhat of late, but there's still an outside chance Ted Williams can chase down Lou Gehrig's mark. Whatever the case, he becomes just the fourth player after Lou, Babe and Master Melvin Ott to reach 500.

It's been a more laborious chase than I'd anticipated, given Teddy got all those extra seasons back in this save that he missed IRL due to the wars. Even with them, he's yet to even reach his historical total of 521. He should also make it to 3000 hits before the season is done - he's currently at 2974.

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Bit of a struggle to say the least and only a late flourish saves the sectional from verging on disaster. It is in July and particularly the first three weeks when most of the damage is done, as we follow our strong 18-10 June with a 7-13 stretch that briefly sees us fall to third. 6 straight wins to close out the month get us back into second with a 57-43 record.




Once again, you need not be a stats savant to figure out our main issue here: not enough runs being scored. The paradox is our high BA. The relatively flat WPA across the board speaks volumes. We simply aren't getting the big and timely hits like we were last season, with the 22-21 record in one-run and XI games its corollary.




No doubt in my mind Piersall is the main problem here. His productivity has tapered off dramatically again this year after a disappointing 1957. Little surprise that as we go 6-0 this past week, he hits 357. By dint of his elite defence and amenable contract, he remains our everyday CF for the remainder. But with Alou murdering AAA his hold on the position is becoming more and more tenuous. If he goes cold again, however, we'll have no choice but to shuffle him down the order.





Podres has been unlucky, but has also slipped some. The others have once again been ironclad. Friend, in particular, has been a (much overdue) revelation, and we'll likely push him up a slot in the spin sometime soon, replacing Johnson. Connie is making such moves hard, however, sitting at 9-4 with a team low 2.51 ERA. The BP is having another stellar season, led by Duren and Roy Face. I try everything to get us a couple more relievers just to line us up nicely for next year, but can't swing it and the deadline passes with no action or, more to the point, transaction.




The Red Sox are in control over in the AL, but certainly not home and hosed just yet. Each division has a very bunched midsection, so if the top teams stumble it could be bedlam.


News, Leaders and Top 20s








Monthly Award Winners

June

American League

• Batter – Gil Hodges (White Sox): 361 / 6 HR / 23 RBI
• Pitcher – Billy Hoeft (White Sox): 3-0 / 1.62 / 27 K / 39 IP
• Rookie – Mike McCormick (Athletics): 3-2 / 2.89 / 29 K / 46.2 IP

National League

• Batter – Frank Robinson (Reds): 435 / 7 HR / 29 RBI
• Pitcher – Ike Delock (Giants): 4-2 / 1.59 / 22 K / 45.1 IP
• Rookie – Bob Hazle (Giants): 286 / 5 HR / 12 RBI

July

American League

• Batter – Jackie Brandt (Senators): 333 / 9 HR / 19 RBI
• Pitcher – Whitey Ford (Yankees): 5-1 / 2.33 / 39 K / 54 IP
• Rookie – Earl Averill (Red Sox): 325 / 8 HR / 26 RBI

National League

• Batter – Hank Thompson (Giants): 315 / 8 HR / 15 RBI
• Pitcher – Turk Farrell (Giants): 5-0 / 2.34 / 27 K / 42.1 IP
• Rookie – Jim Coates (Phillies): 2-0 / 3.75 / 3 SV / 10 K / 12 IP

Milestones and Observations of Note

• 2000 Hits: Larry Doby
• 200 Wins: Warren Spahn
• The Braves lose veteran Red Schoendienst for the remainder after he suffers a knee fracture, while the Red Sox suffer another big loss with young gun Tony Kubek ruled out for the season courtesy of a torn labrum.
• A sprained knee puts Tigers OF Curt Flood on ice for 6 weeks.
• Cincy flips 2B Ted Lepcio to the Sens for P Don McMahon and 1B prospect Jim Gentile.
• The Cubs, who are looming dangerously just off the lead, tweak their roster by acquiring 3B Eddie Yost and OF Don Demeter from the Yanks for 2B Frank Bolling.
• A fairly baffling move that highlights the depth of the Dodgers' problems, as they swap OF Bob Cerv and 2B Bobby Richardson for a pretty average pitcher in Jay Hook.

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Most Plate Appearances without Starting a Game

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The boys look to be making their move, 12-3 over their last 15 to put some serious pressure on Cincy. This one at Milwaukee isn't pretty with a rare shocker by our pitchers, but the bats refuse to give in and somehow get us home in the end for a cracking win in 12. John Roseboro leads the way and is having a really solid sophomore season.

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Such a great pitcher but gets more than his share of owies and will miss yet another stretch run and beyond this year.

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Kinda cool that the two premier hitters from this post-WW2 era each racks up his 3000th hit in close proximity. Even cooler that they are both currently sitting on a 335 lifetime BA. (For the pedants, Ted is actually .3354 and Stan .3345, 3rd and 5th all-time, respectively.)

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Another season of frustration and futility for the Yanks, who just can't get it right. Their main man, while slipping some from the lofty peaks of 1958, is nonetheless putting together another stellar campaign, with this a fine exclamation point upon it.

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Despite both clubs seemingly being intent on throwing it away, the status quo holds and we will indeed be facing off against the BoSox for the third straight year.



The White Sox and Cards both loom, draw within a game or two, then just can't get over the hump. Looking at the final standings and metrics, they'd be the first to admit the missed opportunity.


We fairly limp home again - if that is all part of the lads' strategy, then power to them.





Every one of our position player group gives us at least replacement value, which is something. The spread is something we both want and need, given our dearth of offensive firepower and outright superstars with the bat. Four of our starters with double-figure HR yet none with more than 20. Even more remarkable is the tight bunching of our RBI totals, top to bottom: a low of 46; a high of 69.



But, again, 660 runs scored is freakishly low for a side going for its third title win on the trot. This has to start tracking higher if we want to keep this (ahem) run going.


Especially given the real Goldilocks Zone for our pitching staff is not far from topping out. For now, however, I can only marvel at another superb season from this group, rotation and bullpen alike.




Maiden batting titles to Harvey Kuenn and Elston Howard, with Mickey Mantle just edging Frank Robinson with 37 HR to lead all comers. The Judge does, however, lead the league with 121 RBI, and misses the Triple Crown by one little BA pip in another dominant performance.

Ike Delock, who at one point looks headed for a sub-2.00 finish, blows out a bit down the stretch but still leads either league with a 2.50 ERA. Sandy Koufax is the King of K with 226, while Jim Bunning, Billy O'Dell and Frank Sullivan tie with 19 wins. Lindy McDaniel's 27 saves are the most of all.


Final Top 20s and Leaders







Monthly Award Winners

August

American League

• Batter – Wally Moon (Athletics): 383 / 5 HR / 17 RBI
• Pitcher – Ralph Terry (Orioles): 5-2 / 2.96 / 47 K / 54.2 IP
• Rookie – Gary Bell (White Sox): 3-1 / 2.03 / 21 K / 31 IP

National League

• Batter – Gus Triandos (Phillies): 375 / 11 HR / 37 RBI
• Pitcher – Don Drysdale (Dodgers): 5-1 / 2.25 / 38 K / 52 IP
• Rookie – Orlando Cepeda (Giants): 317 / 5 HR / 17 RBI

September

American League

• Batter – Mickey Mantle (Yankees): 356 / 9 HR / 21 RBI
• Pitcher – Jimmy Ochoa (Senators): 4-0 / 2.20 / 31 K / 32.2 IP
• Rookie – Dick Stuart (Orioles): 355 / 6 HR / 18 RBI

National League

• Batter – Frank Robinson (Redlegs): 395 / 8 HR / 25 RBI
• Pitcher – Camilo Pascual (Pirates): 4-1 / 2.52 / 30 K / 35.2 IP
• Rookie – Tony Taylor (Redlegs): 342 / 3 HR / 8 RBI

Milestones and Observations of Note

• 300 HR: Ted Kluszewski, Larry Doby
• Felipe Alou puts together arguably the greatest AAA season in history, winning the Triple Crown with a 439 BA, 27 HR and 131 – good for nearly 9 bWAR.
• A hamstring tear ends the season of Baltimore’s Joe Cunningham a few weeks before time.

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Pittsburgh Pirates (87-67) v Boston Red Sox (87-67)
Best-of-seven, Pirates with the home-field advantage.


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Neither of these sides are ever going to be mixed up for the best in history, and as I mentioned in the season recap, had all the other clubs not been as incompetent as they were we’d be analysing two completely different combatants.

That doesn’t mean this series will be any less fascinating.

You’d have to think the Red Sox will be desperate to avoid a third-straight loss here and there’s no doubt whatsoever we are vulnerable. It’s not our offensive shortcomings but how badly our guys want it, with most of them being part of our two previous wins, that worries me most. We have – to use the horse-racing parlance – been up a frightfully long while. One has to wonder how much is left in the tank.

The two sides match up in very similar ways, with deep if not overly productive lineups and quality pitching. I have no doubt there’ll be a few key plays that decide this one way or another, because there is almost nothing between the players and groups involved. Should be a good one for the neutrals.

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Game 1 in Pittsburgh

Camilo Pascual (16-8, 3.14) v Frank Sullivan (19-8, 3.08)

An opening game matchup that is very much reflective of just how even these to squads are, with Camilo Pascual taking on the excellent Frank Sullivan. Our bats have been abysmal this past week and we’ll need that to change if we are to do what’s needed and go 2-for-2 here at home to get things underway in Chapter 7 of this storied rivalry.

The boys do come out to play, staking us to a 4-run lead in the 1st – only the first of which we end up needing as Camilo and Bob Purkey combine for an 8-hit shutout. Patata is brilliant over 7+, any nervousness presumably quelled by that early barrage, while Smith and Groat lead the bats. Boston will rue some early missed chances after they leave the bases full in the 2nd and waste a leadoff triple in the 3rd.

Game 2 in Pittsburgh

Larry Jackson (13-8, 2.96) v Billy Pierce (16-12, 3.54)

Pirates lead series 1-0

More quality pitching on offer here as Larry Jackson faces a guy among the fraternity he has expressed his great respect for in southpaw Billy Pierce, who won the Johnson-Waddell in 1951 and has finished runner-up the past two seasons. Larry has also told me how keen he is to atone for being on the hook for our only loss a year ago. He’ll need to tamp down his fandom to do so.

It nearly doesn’t work out that way as LJ gets into all sorts of 1st-inning trouble and they return the favour by posting 4. But he hangs tough and the offence gets to work, putting 2 in the frame for both the 5th and 7th to give us a 5-4 lead, then adding another pair in the 8th for a fantastic comeback win. Larry eventually goes 7 and Morehead gives us a six-out save. The loss of Piersall to back spasms proves fortuitous as Felix Mantilla bombs out a 2-run homer, while Vic Power also has a couple hits and a couple ribbies.

Game 3 in Boston

Lew Burdette (5-3, 3.97) v Bob Friend (10-8, 3.45)

Pirates lead series 2-0

Funny how it works sometimes – IRL Lew was part of the great Braves team that did so well thru this interregnum Milwaukee period bridging Boston and Atlanta, and here he is reprising his role, but for Boston instead. Obviously he’s got a lot riding on today’s contest, with the road back from 0-3 one that is rarely taken. We’ve got Bob Friend up, and he has finally started delivering on all that promise with a solid regular season and was especially key after Johnny Pod went down with injury. Let’s hope he can continue doing so here. We’re being extra cautious with Piersall and will start Mantilla in CF.

Sadly, Bob never seems to be able to find his rhythm and gives up 5 solo longballs all told as the bats stay quiet this time and we lose it 5-3. Homers to Maz and Maris keep us close but we are generally poor in the clutch and pay for it.

Game 4 in Boston

Billy Loes (10-9, 4.22) v Connie Johnson (13-9, 2.99)

Pirates lead series 2-1

We actually drafted Billy Loes back in 1949 but traded him to the Browns (for Roy Sievers and Carl Erskine) before he’d ever played a game for us in the bigs. He’s gone on to have a solid career including a somewhat unexpected Johnson-Waddell in 1955, entering this game with a career 76-65 mark. He takes on Connie Johnson, in what is almost certainly his final assignment for us. He has been great, but at 36 and in his final – expensive – arb year, we’ll try move him on once this series is done, or non-tender him otherwise. Love for his farewell to end up in the W column.

It, emphatically, does not go how he or we would have liked, as they jump on him early and pound away for 7 over 5+. While we never stop trying and it ends up looking fairly close on the scoreboard, we are never really in the contest as the series goes to 2 games apiece. Once again it is the longball that gets us as Jensen belts two out and drives in 6 runs, including a 3-run jam in the 1st that really sets the tone; one of 4 in total. Maz – who is having one heck of a series – puts another one in the sets, as does Roseboro, but there are few high-scoring games we come out on top of and this isn’t one of them. Ladies and gentlemen, I do believe we have ourselves a series.

Game 5 in Boston

Frank Sullivan (0-1, 10.50) v Camilo Pascual (1-0, 0.00)

Series tied 2-2

Certainly not expecting the Game 1 cakewalk again in this one – quite the opposite as they certainly seem to have their tails up and the wind at their backs. Can our boys dig deep one final time and win two of the next three?

And we’re right to have been concerned as we get the pitching gem we were expecting in the first go-around, with it scoreless until they finally tag Camilo for a deuce in the 8th and close it out to send us back to Pittsburgh on the verge of elimination. Sullivan exorcises the ghosts of poor playoff performances past with a sublime 2-hitter that we simply have no answers for and we’re going to need every trick at our disposal to somehow find a way back into this series.

Game 6 in Pittsburgh

Larry Jackson (1-0, 5.14) v Billy Pierce (0-1, 9.00)

Red Sox lead series 3-2

Been a while since we’ve been in this position, which in itself is perhaps the biggest obstacle to be overcome. There’s a certain mindset that needs to be applied for elimination games that makes them different from the others. The threat of extinction is a sword of Damoclean proportions. Jackson v Pierce, Round 2.

Jackson pitches the game of his life, allowing just one run on hit over 7 and Morehead closes it out to send us to a decider. We score 2 in the 1st and - while we never take complete control of the game as Jackson does walk 5 to provide some nervy moments - are never headed, with an insurance run in the 5th the end of the scoring.

Game 7 in Pittsburgh

Lew Burdette (5-3, 3.97) v Bob Friend (10-8, 3.45)

Series tied 3-3

Once again we echo the historical here, with Burdette the Game 7 starter (and eventual loser) of the IRL Game 7. However this ends up, it has been a fantastic series and our boys have done themselves proud.

An anticlimactic denouement to say the very least as we bash out 6 in the 1st to pretty much end things before they’ve begun. A 3-run homer to Maris followed by another to Roseboro with one on close the book on Burdette real early and we are relentless almost to the end, allowing just the one late run in a 7-1 final. Friend gives up just 3 hits over 8 for the biggest win of his career and Maz is deservedly named MVP. Three on the go is such a difficult thing to do, and these boys have been magnificent.

PITTSBURGH WINS SERIES 4-3

SERIES MVP: Bill Mazeroski (Pittsburgh)

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Scranton, who puts together a superb 90-36 season, finishes off the job with a win over Beaumont in the AAA World Series for their 5th title. For the Exporters, it is their third fall at the final hurdle in the past four seasons.

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We do indeed move Connie Johnson on, to the Cubbies for a couple organisational pieces. We non-tender Frank House and send Harry Simpson and Bob Miller to arbitration. Leo Kiely walks.

Just the one Manager loses his job – Milwaukee’s Harry Matuzak. I get a 3-year extension with a nice bump from $25k to $60k per.

This year’s retiree class includes Phil Rizzuto, Steve Gromek, Don Mueller, Sam Mele, Del Rice, Pee Wee Reese, Enos Slaughter, Bobby Doerr (who has his #1 retired by the BoSox), Ralph Kiner - whose #4 we retire and who never plays for another club than ours – and one other I’ll cover separately.