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Matt from TN · 05-04-2005, 12:57 PM

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1955 Season Preview

American League

Last year was the first time ever that two teams won 100 games in the same league. At the same time, the White Sox tied the major league record of 108 losses, set by the Senators one year earlier, and finished a ML record 60 games out of first. The AL is a classic case of the have's and have not's. The Tigers, Yanks and A's will battle all year. Last season Detroit opened with a huge lead only to see it evaporate in the summer thanks to a smoking hot Yankees club. The Red Sox do not seem to be able to put a winning formula on the field, the Indians seem content to stay young and Baltimore is on the rise. Both Washington and Chicago will once again battle for last and one of them is bound to loose 100 games again.

1. Tigers (106-48, 1st) - Detroit cemented their legacy as one of the greatest teams of all-time with a third straight world championship. This year they are out to tie the major league record with four straight. They may be aging, but they are certainly not old. At least not yet. With an amazing assortment of talent, they are still kings until knocked off their perch.

2. Yankees (100-54, 2nd) - The Yanks showed their mettle with a late season charge of near-epic proportions last season. With an exciting core of players in their mid-to-late 20's, they look like the heir apparent to the Tigers' throne. Could this be their year to move on top?

3. Athletics (85-69, 3rd) - The move to Kansas City was almost inevitable as the team continued to struggle at the box office despite successful rosters over the years. As one local sports writer said recently, "Philadelphia has always been a one team town." The folks in Kansas City should be thrilled with the product they will be getting on the field. It will be the smallest market in the majors, but fans will get their money's worth. Their pitching staff is younger than New York's but the A's have a veteran presence in the lineup with Peaches Badeau, Hershel Cooley and Hershel Lee. This team could be a big surprise.

4. Indians (74-80, 5th) - They continue to stay young which gives them longevity but does little to improve their chances of winning a pennant this season. They should be a fun team to watch, but they are still outclassed by the major players in the league.

5. Red Sox (79-75, 4th) - The Red Sox have fallen a long way since their last world title a decade ago. Their top performers are all over 30, and the farm system is thin. They will struggle to stay over .500 this year, and their is no immediate help on the way.

6. Orioles (66-88, 6th) - New manager Carmack Alford will have his hands full getting this team above .500 this season, but he should be salivating over the exciting prospects coming through the system. He is a well-respected hitting guru, and young batters like Doug Williams, Boris Zimyanin, Ken Whitt and Chet Pardue can only benefit from his presence. The team is lacking in the pitching department, but there are signs of life there too with Sid Metcalf and Alter Sennelnekoff plus highly touted Bill Lovely at AAA Toronto. This system is loaded with top prospects, so it's only a matter of time until they contend.

7. Senators (60-94, 7th) - People within the organization do not believe Robert Gelder and Van Melbourn will pitch as poorly as they did last year. If that is true, they could form a solid rotation behind young stars Lukas Dietrich and Bob Netsky. The lineup is just plain ugly, but perhaps some young guys like Sam Kreitenberg and Leo Emig could get some major league experience.

8. White Sox (46-108, 8th) - The White Sox should not lose 108 games again this year, but 100 is not out of the question. Little has changed from last year, but they are hoping for improvement from youngsters Ernest Cohen, Champagne Allen, Robbie Rael and Henry Thomas.

05-04-2005, 12:57 PM	#4468
Matt from TN Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: In a funk.... Posts: 3,413	WEB PAGES UPDATED... INCLUDING PLAYER PAGES 1955 Season Preview American League Last year was the first time ever that two teams won 100 games in the same league. At the same time, the White Sox tied the major league record of 108 losses, set by the Senators one year earlier, and finished a ML record 60 games out of first. The AL is a classic case of the have's and have not's. The Tigers, Yanks and A's will battle all year. Last season Detroit opened with a huge lead only to see it evaporate in the summer thanks to a smoking hot Yankees club. The Red Sox do not seem to be able to put a winning formula on the field, the Indians seem content to stay young and Baltimore is on the rise. Both Washington and Chicago will once again battle for last and one of them is bound to loose 100 games again. 1. Tigers (106-48, 1st) - Detroit cemented their legacy as one of the greatest teams of all-time with a third straight world championship. This year they are out to tie the major league record with four straight. They may be aging, but they are certainly not old. At least not yet. With an amazing assortment of talent, they are still kings until knocked off their perch. 2. Yankees (100-54, 2nd) - The Yanks showed their mettle with a late season charge of near-epic proportions last season. With an exciting core of players in their mid-to-late 20's, they look like the heir apparent to the Tigers' throne. Could this be their year to move on top? 3. Athletics (85-69, 3rd) - The move to Kansas City was almost inevitable as the team continued to struggle at the box office despite successful rosters over the years. As one local sports writer said recently, "Philadelphia has always been a one team town." The folks in Kansas City should be thrilled with the product they will be getting on the field. It will be the smallest market in the majors, but fans will get their money's worth. Their pitching staff is younger than New York's but the A's have a veteran presence in the lineup with Peaches Badeau, Hershel Cooley and Hershel Lee. This team could be a big surprise. 4. Indians (74-80, 5th) - They continue to stay young which gives them longevity but does little to improve their chances of winning a pennant this season. They should be a fun team to watch, but they are still outclassed by the major players in the league. 5. Red Sox (79-75, 4th) - The Red Sox have fallen a long way since their last world title a decade ago. Their top performers are all over 30, and the farm system is thin. They will struggle to stay over .500 this year, and their is no immediate help on the way. 6. Orioles (66-88, 6th) - New manager Carmack Alford will have his hands full getting this team above .500 this season, but he should be salivating over the exciting prospects coming through the system. He is a well-respected hitting guru, and young batters like Doug Williams, Boris Zimyanin, Ken Whitt and Chet Pardue can only benefit from his presence. The team is lacking in the pitching department, but there are signs of life there too with Sid Metcalf and Alter Sennelnekoff plus highly touted Bill Lovely at AAA Toronto. This system is loaded with top prospects, so it's only a matter of time until they contend. 7. Senators (60-94, 7th) - People within the organization do not believe Robert Gelder and Van Melbourn will pitch as poorly as they did last year. If that is true, they could form a solid rotation behind young stars Lukas Dietrich and Bob Netsky. The lineup is just plain ugly, but perhaps some young guys like Sam Kreitenberg and Leo Emig could get some major league experience. 8. White Sox (46-108, 8th) - The White Sox should not lose 108 games again this year, but 100 is not out of the question. Little has changed from last year, but they are hoping for improvement from youngsters Ernest Cohen, Champagne Allen, Robbie Rael and Henry Thomas.