Before the 1973 World Series gets underway let's take a quick look at the two teams and how they match up.
The 1973 WPK World Series is something of a classic match-up as it features the same two teams as the first two World Series in WPK history (1965, 1966). And while the SJL's Jacksonville Wolf Pack beat the MGL's Los Angeles Spinners in both of those Fall Classics, both series were nail-biters which required the full seven games to reach a conclusion.
Jacksonville has been back to the post-season just once since, when they lost to the Denver Brewers in the 1970 World Series. L.A., meanwhile, fell all the way to last place by 1970 but have been working their way back up since and finally find themselves with a chance for redemption against the Wolf Pack.
Let's take a quick look at each team.
The Jacksonville Wolf Pack are a very good power hitting club with double digit home run totals in their lineup from lead-off through the 8th slot. Jesus Casiano, their 31-year old first baseman, is the anchor of the lineup in the clean-up spot, but he has a pair of very fine young sluggers in front of him in Greg Koenig and Hector Alvares, and a great contact hitter in Ricky Salinas hitting right behind him. The Wolf Pack also had a fine starting rotation this season and while they may lack a true ace (though mid-season acquisition Reece Vaughan comes awfully close) they are strong 1 through 4. And their bullpen finished with the best ERA in the SJL and is led (on the field anyway) by the universally hated and feared closer Jamel McNeil. The Wolf Pack also finished the season with the best Zone Rating in the SJL and the fewest defensive errors.
Does the Jacksonville club have any weaknesses? Well, nothing terribly significant. They did finish tied for 5th in stolen bases, so they are not supremely gifted in that area, and they finished 4th in batting average, FIP, and pitching WAR. So they aren't perfect. But they are pretty darn good and very well balanced.
They also enter the WS with no significant injuries although they do have several injury prone pitchers on the their staff so if they lose someone during the series that could alter things.
What about the Spinners? Well, one thing that is pretty evident is that this is a World Series that will feature great pitching match-ups. The Spinners have legitimate aces in veteran iron man and team captain Jose Santos (18-8 with league leading 2.47 ERA) and 34-year old Jason Wilson (20-9, 3.83). And with veterans Jesse Hartong and Juan Soto filling out the rotation, this is an experienced and talented staff. It is such a good rotation that 26-year old Kerry Krieg, who tossed a no-hitter on September 10th and finished the season 16-8 with a 2.77 ERA, finds himself in the bullpen for the series.
The bullpen is one of the weaker areas of the team but Krieg should help shore that up a bit. The Spinners lineup isn't as strong from top to bottom as Jacksonville's, but they have some real impact bats in 2-time MVP Travis Johnson and superstar third baseman Jesus Hernandez (himself the 1966 MGL MVP.)
How they match-up:
Pitching: I think we can call the starting rotations a virtual toss-up though the Spinners have the more durable staff and their best pitchers are more likely to completely shut down an opponent when they have their best stuff. The Wolf Pack win the bullpen contest, if for no other reason than the presence of Jamel McNeil, who is not only dominant but is an iron man with great stamina who often works multiple inning appearances.
I'm going to give this one to Jacksonville, slightly. Though they are also more likely to have an injury sideline one of their starters.
The Lineups: I think this one has to go to Jacksonville also, just for depth. The X factor might be that the Wolf Pack have only 2 left-handed hitters in their regular lineup and the Spinners are right-handed pitcher heavy (not a single lefty in their bullpen). But 2 of the best hitters in Jacksonville's lineup are left-handers and switch-hitting Jesus Casiano feasts on right-handed pitching.
Defense: The Spinners have 7-time Gold Glover Jesus Hernandez at third base. And the extremely gifted defender (and former Brewer farm-hand) Joost Poot in left field. And catcher Greg Foster had a fine season behind the plate. But they are a bit underwhelming up the middle with 23-year old shortstop Jeremy Jones, who should develop into a plus defender, still getting experience, and veteran second baseman William Lara solid but not top of the line. And with 34-year old Luke Van Dusen in center and the plodding veteran Rigby Muckenfuss in right, the outfield is weak outside of Poot. (Van Dusen won 2 Gold Gloves earlier in his career and he is a still an acceptable center fielder but probably more suited for a corner outfield spot at this time. It will be interesting to see if perhaps L.A. ends up giving Poot more time in center a slides Van Dusen into left, but the reality is that Van Dusen doesn't have much experience there and that might just exacerbate the problem.) As a first baseman Travis Johnson is a truly gifted hitter. 'Nuff said.
The Wolf Pack have 2 former Gold Glovers at second and short and while neither is quite a good as they once were, the team is still very solid up the middle with center fielder Greg Koenig's only defensive weakness being an arm only slightly above average. Their young catcher Bryan Wojtach is excellent behind the plate. Jesus Casiano has won 3 Gold Glove awards at third base and another 3 at first and remains a solid defender. The corner outfielders both have multiple Gold Gloves and not too far in the past. Third baseman Juan Mendoza should have a GG in his future, very possibly quite soon.
So, in other words, advantage Jacksonville.
Bench: The Spinners have a pair of fine backup infielders in Juan Moreno, who is also a pretty fine contact hitter, and veteran Shigetsugo Nakasone, who also provides some outfield depth. Veteran Jody Cussen gives them another good right-handed bat off the bench (though with not a great deal of power and no defensive skills.) Landon Hodges may split time at short with young Mr. Jeremy Jones, but while Hodges can still hit he is a bit of liability in the field. They have very little outfield depth (injuries to Pat Davis and Bob Hernandez, starters during the regular season, have really put the Spinners in a tough spot.)
The Wolf Pack have 4-time Gold Glove winning veteran catcher Carlos Rivera backing up Wojtech. They have some potent left-handed bats off the bench in Joe Esman and Kurt Penn. They also have the speedy left-handed hitter Alex Vazquez, who at the least could provide value in a pinch-running role. They also have captain Ryan Jaramillo on the bench as the primary second base backup
I'm going to call this one even.
Overall, it looks like the Spinners have their work cut out for them if they are going to finally claim their 1st WPK Championship and avenge their earlier World Series losses at the hands of the Wolf Pack. It might be a very different story if they didn't have key position players on the IL. But hey, in a 7-game series under the intense national spotlight anything can happen. And with that talented and experienced L.A. starting pitching, it would be foolish to count them out before the thing even starts.