The 2019 season opened with some things you could count on, and a whole host of surprises.
The Los Angeles Idols opened the season with a solid first month, going 15-12, and closing out the stanza in first place in the Southern League West. Not only did they open the month well, but they quickly served notice that they plan on being strong for the forseeable future.
Dan Brouthers was set to be a free agent at season’s end. Rumors floated that the two sides were talking about an extension during spring training, but nothing materialized and the sides themselves said little. But on April 7, the Idols announced that Brouthers had agreed to a three-year extension. The agreement itself wasn’t surprising as much as the sum…$25.3 million. By no means chump change, the roughly $8.4 million average salary is less than most presumed the league’s best player would get on the open market.
“I am on a championship club,” Brouthers said after the deal was announced. “If they can use some of that money toward keeping us on top, I consider it an investment in my future as well.”
The Idols did just that, concurrently announcing the signing of young outfielder Dave Winfield to a 2-year extension, essentially buying out his final arbitration year and giving him another on top of it, for an annual salary just shy of $2 million, an increase from the $1.75 million he’ll earn this season.
The duo didn’t disappoint.
Winfield closed out the month batting .283 with 5 homers and 18 RBI for the Southern League’s best offense. He’s been hitting second in front of Brouthers, who shows no sign of slowing. The first baseman ended the month batting .322 with 8 homers and 28 RBI. He’s been getting protection from Ralph Kiner, who in the first month of the season showed his hot spring was no accident. Kiner is batting .324 with 9 homers and 21 RBI.
Considering that the Idols played the month without Yogi Berra for half of it (he’s since returned) and Ty Cobb (injured again, but returning the first week of May), that they are still producing as they are is quite remarkable. If that pair comes back strong, the Idols could be on their way to a record setting offensive season.
BEASTS IN THE EAST
Meanwhile, their opponent in the PBL Championship Series last season, the Philadelphia Ringers, stumbled out of the gate.
Over the first month of the season, the Ringers put up an unfathomable 6.35 ERA, including a stunning 6.91 from their starting rotation. Their top duo of Ed Walsh (1-5, 8.14) and Carlos Marmol (1-2, 6.42) has been putrid, and everyone else has followed suit. Over a 5-game losing streak that followed a 3-0 start, the Ringers allowed 52 runs. Still, they are 11-14, not 5-20, so it’s far from catastrophic. But their offseason complacency, or at least the inability to close the deals, has looked hurtful thus far. The Ringers need to get on track.
They should do quickly, because it appears the New York Heroes are finally back. Their spending during the offseason seems to be reaping dividends. After four years out of the playoffs following their six-year division title run, and two straight years of 90+ losses, the Heroes are 16-11 and on top of the Northern League East.
Len Barker (3-1, 4.76) has had two bad starts but otherwise been solid, including a complete game shutout his last effort against the offensive juggernaut that is the Indianapolis Engines, who we’ll get to in a moment. Buck Leonard (.303-2-14) has been as advertised, and Ruppert Jones (.344-3-16) has given more offense than expected while being the only defensive player capable of catching a ball, it seems.
The Heroes have started well despite a whopping 38 errors in the opening month. Jim Ray Hart has made 8 at third base. Wayne Gross was moved from third to short to make room for Hart. That experiment has failed, as Gross made 14 errors in 14 games, and has lost his position to 34-year-old Sam Wise, who manned the hole last season when he hit 23 homers and drove in 80 despite a paltry .213 average.
UNEXPECTED LEADERS
The real story so far, though, has been the PBL’s top two teams: The Indianapolis Engines and the Alabama Airmen.
We’ll start in Indianapolis, where the emergence of Alan Trammell (.361-5-27) and torrid start of prime breakout year candidate Stan Musial (.323-9-32) are pacing baseball’s best offense – which has scored a whopping 191 runs in 26 games. The Northern League ERA as a whole is 4.92 through April, up from 4.27 a year ago. Indianapolis is a big reason why. Catcher Les Nunamaker (.315-7-22) is playing out of his head right now – he’s never topped .267 in a season – and Charlie Maxwell (.323-8-20) and designated hitter Larry Doby (.360-4-18) are on fire as well. Last year’s Outstanding Rookie Willie Mays played only 8 games in April after suffering a knee injury. But he’s back, and the Engines could get even more offense. Now they just need to pitch.
Seven straight fourth-place finishes ended with a 17-game improvement for Alabama in 2017. They improved by 3 more games last season to finish second in the Southern League East. Now, the Airmen look ready to take the next step.
They aren’t pitching well, and perhaps the weakness of the Southern League East division across the board has set up their 17-9 start. But a big factor is Charley Jones, acquired in a trade from Boston during spring training for pitcher Johnny Schmitz. At 36, coming off a season in which he went .222-26-89 for Boston, Jones is currently batting .309 with 9 homers and 28 RBI as he carries Alabama. Buddy Kerr is batting .364, and Mike Tiernan – in Alabama since the inaugural 2009 season – seems to be revitalized (.289-8-18).
PLANS FALL APART
For disappointment, look to Chicago and Orlando.
The Hitmen have been plagued by injuries. In a span of two weeks, the Hitmen lost first baseman Roger Connor to a broken finger, rookie Charlie Gehringer to a knee injury and ace Ben Sanders to a shoulder injury. Connor should be back soon, but Gehringer is out until June, and Sanders could be out until the All-Star Break. Babe Ruth (.286-10-28) has been forging ahead, backed by Frank Baker – again hitting .300 – and supporting free agent pickup Dick Allen (.270-3-14). Johan Santana has returned after his second elbow surgery. After three bad starts, he went 8 innings, allowing 1 run in a win against division-rival Sacramento on April 28, offering at least a glimpse of hope.
For Orlando, everything has gone wrong. They are 8
th in offense in the Southern League, big pickup Rusty Staub batting only .250 to start the season. But their real problem is their bullpen…a 6.99 collective ERA having cost them a handful of victories already. The free agent pickup of Bert Campaneris, confusing to many given Ernie Banks’ strong rookie season, has worked out, as Campy hit in 24 straight and is batting .375. But Banks, who is batting .400, is playing irregularly, giving more credence to those who thought Orlando approached the draft and free agency without a real plan for how the team should be structured.
VEGAS, BABY!
Meanwhile, eyes around baseball are on Las Vegas, where the Bosses are showing signs of life. Rookie Lou Gehrig has taken the PBL by storm. In his first month, he rattled off a 20-game hitting streak, hit 6 home runs and drove in 24, earning Southern League Player of the Month honors (and, of course, Rookie of the Month honors as well). Confidence is growing in the pitching staff as well. Juan Cruz (3-2, 2.27), Bruce Hurst (2-1, 2.97) and Fernando Valenzuela (2-3, 3.35) have been strong.
HONUS HURT
In sad news, the hopeful revitalization of the Oklahoma City Scorpions' Honus Wagner appears to have taken a turn, as a separated shoulder has him disabled indefinitely. It appears Wagner, 34, may have truly ended his time as a useful player.
| Northern League Standings |
| East | W | L | PCT | GB |
| New York Heroes | 16 | 10 | .615 | - |
| Louisville Racers | 15 | 12 | .556 | 1.5 |
| Boston Riders | 14 | 12 | .538 | 2.0 |
| Philadelphia Ringers | 11 | 14 | .440 | 4.5 |
| Charlotte Cougars | 11 | 15 | .423 | 5.0 |
| West | W | L | PCT | GB |
| Indianapolis Engines | 18 | 8 | .692 | - |
| Wichita Brigade | 13 | 12 | .520 | 4.5 |
| Sacramento Stingers | 12 | 13 | .480 | 5.5 |
| Chicago Hitmen | 11 | 16 | .407 | 7.5 |
| Milwaukee Bangers | 9 | 18 | .333 | 9.5 |
| Southern League Standings |
| East | W | L | PCT | GB |
| Alabama Airmen | 17 | 9 | .654 | - |
| New Orleans Knights | 14 | 13 | .519 | 3.5 |
| Memphis Strummers | 11 | 15 | .423 | 6.0 |
| St. Louis Tides | 10 | 15 | .400 | 6.5 |
| Orlando Orcas | 10 | 16 | .385 | 7.0 |
| West | W | L | PCT | GB |
| Los Angeles Idols | 15 | 12 | .556 | - |
| Oklahoma City Scorpions | 14 | 11 | .560 | - |
| San Antonio Sheriffs | 13 | 12 | .520 | 1.0 |
| Las Vegas Bosses | 13 | 13 | .500 | 1.5 |
| Arizona Sandmen | 13 | 14 | .481 | 2.0 |
| League Leaders AVG | | | 2 | M. McCormick | OKC | .408 | | 3 | G. Richards | LV | .405 | | 4 | B. Terry | WIC | .394 | | 5 | L. Gehrig | LV | .387 |
| | League Leaders HR | | | 1 | M. Hegan | BOS | 11 | | 1 | J. Rice | LOU | 11 | | 3 | O. Krueger | CHA | 10 | | 3 | B. Ruth | CHI | 10 |
| | League Leaders RBI | | | 2 | M. Hegan | BOS | 30 | | 3 | D. Brouthers | LA | 28 | | 3 | C. Jones | ALA | 28 | | 3 | 3 more tied with | | 28 |
|
| League Leaders W | | | 2 | B. Fuentes | LA | 4 | | 2 | R. Gale | CHI | 4 | | 2 | L. Jansen | NO | 4 | | 2 | 4 more tied with | | 4 |
| | League Leaders ERA | | | 2 | J. Cruz | LV | 2.27 | | 3 | J. Lackey | NY | 2.31 | | 4 | L. Sorensen | IND | 2.36 | | 5 | M. Scott | ALA | 2.56 |
| | League Leaders K | | | 2 | C. Marmol | PHI | 42 | | 3 | J. Peavy | CHA | 38 | | 4 | N. Hahn | LV | 35 | | 5 | 2 tied with | | 34 |
|
PLAYERS OF THE MONTH
NORTHERN LEAGUE PLAYER OF THE MONTH: Mike Hegan, Boston Riders
NORTHERN LEAGUE ROOKIE OF THE MONTH: Bill Terry, Wichita Brigade
NORTHERN LEAGUE PITCHER OF THE MONTH: Leon Day, Indianapolis Engines
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PLAYER OF THE MONTH: Lou Gehrig, Las Vegas Bosses
SOUTHERN LEAGUE ROOKIE OF THE MONTH: Lou Gehrig, Las Vegas Bosses
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PITCHER OF THE MONTH: Larry Jansen, New Orleans Knights