July 1, 1930
Code:
NATIONAL LEAGUE STANDINGS
NORTHERN W L PCT GB
Boston 49 30 .620 --
Pittsburgh 43 36 .544 6
New York G 38 41 .481 11
Brooklyn 34 45 .430 15
New York Y 34 45 .430 15
Philadelphia 30 49 .380 19
MID-EAST W L PCT GB
Cincinnati 51 28 .646 --
Baltimore 47 32 .595 4
Cleveland 44 35 .557 7
Washington 40 39 .506 11
Detroit 35 44 .443 16
Milwaukee 29 50 .367 22
AMERICAN LEAGUE STANDINGS
CONTINENTAL W L PCT GB
Chicago C 44 35 .557 --
Portland 43 36 .544 1
Chicago W 38 41 .481 6
St. Louis 38 41 .481 6
Seattle 36 43 .456 8
Kansas City 34 45 .430 10
PACIFIC W L PCT GB
Oakland 55 24 .696 --
Hollywood 39 40 .494 16
Sacramento 39 40 .494 16
San Diego 37 42 .468 18
Los Angeles 36 43 .456 19
San Francisco 35 44 .443 20
In the first year under the new four-division setup, baseball fans are being treated to lots of offense, some surprisingly successful teams, one runaway, and one very close pennant race.
At midseason, four hitters currently boast batting averages over .400. Oakland's
Jimmy Welsh leads the way at .414, with the Red Sox'
Buzz Boyle (.411), Portland's
Chuck Klein (.404) and Milwaukee's
Owen Hall (.401) in close pursuit. Boyle torched the Brooklyn Dodgers for five hits, including three homers, on June 19.
Plenty of batsmen are busting fences, too.
Dale Alexander of the Reds (.391-26-82),
Mule Suttles of the Senators (.366-26-79),
Lou Gehrig of the Pirates (.354-23-84) and
Klein (.404-22-72) lead the home run parade. All of these sluggers are driving in runs by the truckload, too.
Two veterans reached the 2000-hit plateau earlier this season. First to the milestone was Seattle first sacker
Joe Bazeley, with a May 19 single against the Cardinals. Bazeley, an original Rainier, has a .339 lifetime batting average.
On June 25, the Yankees'
Jigger Statz doubled against the Indians for #2000. Ironically, the New York left fielder has the same lifetime average as Bazeley.
The Oakland Oaks are running away with the Pacific Division, riding the powerful arms of four of the league's top hurlers.
Randall Malone (10-5, 2.76)leads the way, followed by
Stanford Cooper (13-1, 2.85),
Byron Farrell (9-6, 3.08) and
Ad Liska (4-6, 3.14). Cooper's win total is the best in the American League, and ties him with Reds ace
Tom Walker for the major league lead.
The Boston Red Sox have surprised everyone by vaulting to the top of the Northern Division heap. Righthander
Satchel Paige (12-3, 3.11, 122 K) continues to improve and is now regarded the best pitcher in baseball.
Long-suffering
Portland Beavers fans have had two reasons to smile in 1930. First and foremost, the Beavers are in contention for the first time in the team's history, and appear to be on their way to their best season ever. Then, on June 15, they received what could be a franchise-making gift via the rookie draft.
Eighteen-year-old catcher
Josh Gibson has been described as "the best prospect since
Lou Gehrig" and as a player who "could turn out to be the best power hitter this game has ever seen." Furthermore, Gibson is an above-average catcher with a good arm.
The
Kansas City Athletics held the first pick in the draft, and everyone expected them to quickly choose Gibson. Instead, the A's selected RHP
Paul Derringer. When the shock wore off, the Beavers immediately grabbed Gibson.
Derringer, 23, is a far more polished player than the teenaged Gibson, and he's expected to report immediately to Kansas City. The Beavers, however, think they've stolen a future Hall of Famer. Meanwhile, the fans of Minneapolis will get the first chance to see Gibson in action.
Pitchers
Ray Brown and
Chet Brewer were the #3 and #4 picks, going to the White Sox and Phillies respectively. Another catcher,
Ernie Lombardi, went to the Senators at #5.
Note: I don't know how I did it, but I forgot to tell OOTP to schedule a 1930 All-Star Game. I've already reached that point in the 1931 season, so I know for a fact there will be a Midsummer Classic in 1931. (I played ahead for that reason.) 