September 1st, 1973
In the News
August 6: Boston Red Sox pitcher
Curly Roberts announces his retirement from the game of baseball. Roberts pitched mostly for the Red Sox in his 17-year career, spending 1969 and 1970 with the Atlanta Braves. Roberts' best seasons were 1961, going 25-9 with a 2.81 ERA and 1964, going 20-11 with a 2.48 ERA. A 4-time All-Star, Roberts finishes with a record of 206-198 with a 3.76 ERA, 933 walks, 2152 strikeouts and 22 career shutouts.
August 10: Cleveland catcher
Willie Diaz has a game to remember, going 5-5 with 6 RBI and 4 runs scored and hitting for the cycle. Two of the five hits are homers, one a grand slam. Diaz is the first player in just over a year to hit for the cycle.
August 12: It's a day for milestone hits, as Cincinnati catcher
Chris Bland pokes his 2500th career hit in a 4-2 win in St. Louis over the Cardinals. In Pittsburgh, the Pirates' three-time Batter of the Year
Asa Booker makes history by becoming the 23rd player in league history to record 3000 hits. Booker's 3rd inning single off Atlanta's
Frank Mora gave him the milestone and set off a celebration in Three Rivers Stadium.
August 28: Oakland's
Gary Blaise fans a career-high 16 Red Sox in a shutout win over Boston. Blaise was one strikeout away from tying the major league record, held by five players.
Code:
American League East
Team W L PCT GB Stk L10
Baltimore 88 45 .662 -- W5 8-2
Detroit 83 52 .615 6.0 W8 8-2
New York (A) 80 56 .588 9.5 L2 4-6
Cleveland 72 64 .529 17.5 L2 7-3
Boston 47 89 .346 42.5 L1 5-5
Milwaukee 45 90 .333 44.0 W1 2-8
American League West
Team W L PCT GB Stk L10
California 85 46 .649 -- L1 7-3
Oakland 72 62 .537 14.5 W1 6-4
Texas 67 68 .496 20.0 L1 2-8
Chicago (A) 66 68 .493 20.5 W3 5-5
Minnesota 58 76 .433 28.5 W1 5-5
Kansas City 44 91 .326 43.0 L4 3-7
National League East
Team W L PCT GB Stk L10
Pittsburgh 71 61 .538 -- L5 3-7
Chicago (N) 72 62 .537 -- W1 4-6
St. Louis 72 63 .533 0.5 W5 6-4
New York (N) 69 66 .511 3.5 L3 3-7
Philadelphia 59 75 .440 13.0 W2 4-6
Montreal 48 88 .353 25.0 L2 3-7
National League West
Team W L PCT GB Stk L10
San Francisco 84 49 .632 -- L1 6-4
Atlanta 84 53 .613 2.0 W5 9-1
Cincinnati 77 58 .570 8.0 L1 6-4
Los Angeles 64 72 .471 21.5 W2 7-3
San Diego 60 74 .448 24.5 W2 7-3
Houston 49 88 .358 37.0 L6 2-8
The American League is all but wrapped up, as the Orioles righted their ship and scratched their lead back to a more comfortable margin. Word out of New York is that new owner George Steinbrenner is disappointed with the direction of the club and is threatening to start shipping underperforming stars out of town. Detroit Tigers fans have to be frustrated, watching their defending AL champs win 8 straight and still sit 6 games behind the Orioles.
Remember when the upstart Texas Rangers were in first place? People are starting to wonder if the Angels front office got hold of some voodoo dolls, as Rangers players have been hitting the DL like the postgame buffet this season. Reliever
Julian Marshall, catcher
Bill Melancon, second baseman
Art Van Der Hoeck, center fielder
Jose Camacho and starting pitcher
Ramon Iglesias have all spent significant time on the shelf. Whatever the reason, the Rangers are now sinking below .500 and watching those Angels run away with the AL West.
The amazing race is in the National League East, where old-time rivals Chicago, Pittsburgh and St. Louis are all neck-and-neck for the crown. The Mets, at 3.5 out, are hardly out of it. All four teams play a number of games against each other in the final month of the season and it's anyone's guess who's going to come out of the scrum with the lead and a trip to the NLCS.
Whoever gets there is likely to face either the Giants or Braves, who continue to trade punches atop the standings. The Giants are riding fine seasons from Batter of the Year favorite
Dino Dinardo (.344, 30 HR, 125 RBI) and
Sal Fernandez (18-9, 2.65 ERA) with solid support from the rest of the pitchers, who comprise the top staff in baseball. The Braves continue to get it done with a veteran offense and solid pitching, but they're going to have to find a way to make up the loss of center fielder
George Jumper (.300, 10 HR, 69 RBI), one of their top hitters this season.
American League-Pitcher of the Month:
Eddie Millan (CHA)!
He had a record of 5-1 in 6 games started, with an ERA of 0.50 and 2 shutouts.
American League-Batter of the Month:
Willie Diaz (CLE)!
He batted .351 in 94 AB, with 7 homers and 24 RBI.
National League-Pitcher of the Month:
M.C. McCarter (CHN)!
He had a record of 5-0 in 6 games started, with an ERA of 1.15 and 3 shutouts.
National League-Batter of the Month:
Dino Dinardo (SFG)!
He batted .372 in 94 AB, with 5 homers and 25 RBI.