1914 North Carolina State League — Aug. 1 Update
Capitals surging toward pennant; three teams still vying for runner-up spot
STANDINGS
Code:
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Raleigh Capitals 69 39 .639 - 66-42 3 34-20 35-19 4-4 22-16 1 W1 7-3
Durham Bulls 57 51 .528 12.0 53-55 4 29-25 28-26 3-3 27-17 L1 3-7
Asheville Mountaineers 55 53 .509 14.0 56-52 -1 24-27 31-26 5-4 18-20 W1 6-4
Greensboro Patriots 55 53 .509 14.0 57-51 -2 25-32 30-21 6-9 20-20 W1 4-6
Winston-Salem Twins 49 59 .454 20.0 50-58 -1 25-29 24-30 4-2 14-18 L1 5-5
Charlotte Hornets 39 69 .361 30.0 42-66 -3 23-31 16-38 3-3 16-26 L1 5-5
Going into the final two weeks of games, a few things are clear -- Raleigh will win the league’s regular season title. Charlotte will finish last again. And the defending champion Winston-Salem Twins won’t get a chance at a title repeat.
The No. 2 spot in the playoffs is still up for grabs, though, between the Durham Bulls, Asheville Mountaineers and Greensboro Patriots.
Fans in the mountains are much more excited about their club this year. Asheville’s
Merlin McNeill has fashioned 14 wins from the mound, while
Norm Ross has won 13 times.
Tom Parker has hit seven homers thus far to lead the league. The crowd gets such a rush when they see a ball get knocked completely out of Asheville Grounds. Some say it’s the thinner air up in the mountains that does it. Regardless, the team is growing in popularity and may have a chance at the playoffs in year two of its existence.
Here is one of the reasons Charlotte is struggling so bad — poor talent evaluation. The Hornets traded catcher
Vincente Nieves to Raleigh after just one at-bat this season (he was a reserve roster guy in 1913). Nieves has since blossomed into the Capitals’ starting backstop, recording a batting average of .293 and two Rookie of the Month awards for 1914. The players that Charlotte got in return? Well, pitcher
Javier Guerra is 3-12 and 2B
Tim Matheny is batting .175 -- for the Junior Hornets club. Not exactly a winning combo…
Raleigh pitchers
Oliver “Skull” Johnson (15-7, 2.36 ERA, 118 Ks) and
Andy Owens (16-7, 2.60 ERA, 92 Ks) are all over the league leader boards. Caps starters
Mark Smith (14 wins) and
Jerry Parker (12 wins) also are throwing well. Raleigh looks tough to beat in the playoffs… but you never know with a three-game series...