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luckymann · 05-09-2022, 07:42 AM

Here's a quick look at how each of the teams in the EL is faring so far in season 1969.

New York Black Yankees

Began the season slowly and took a losing record into May, but like the good sides usually do they found a way to get back on the winning tip and really look to have a head of steam going now. All the big guns are firing again - Sabathia, Walker and Scantlebury in the rotation; Durazo and Baylor at the plate - but Hank Thompson's return was the catalyst to their turnaround and he remains their key driver. Their class stands them in excellent stead for the remainder.

Newark Dodgers

Well the next 80 games or so will give a fair indication as to whether this is a good team or a great one. No doubt they've cooled as the BYs have heated up, and they've already fallen three GB. I retain my high opinion of this group, but just feel they are another year off really taking it up to their neighbours from across the Hudson. To simply remain competitive and push New York would make this season a positive one.

Pittsburgh Crawfords

The Crawfs are there or thereabouts, as has been the case the two previous seasons, and yet it feels like they are miles away from truly competing. Coggins has been fantastic again, but Dihigo is hitting under 200 and, given he isn't exactly killing it on the mound (7-8 / 4.40) and they have both Jose Rijo and Leroy Matlock in the BP and ready to step up, I honestly believe using him solely as a position player is the way to go from here. Only 6 1/2 back despite being sub-500, but I don't see them keeping pace with the other two.

Brooklyn Royal Giants

Eternal underachievers since that what now seems fluke run to the playoffs in '68, the RGs continue to drift aimlessly like a tumbleweed in a dust storm. Singleton's rookie year has been an excellent one, as has Franmil Reyes' sophomore campaign, but they are the only real bright spots in a fairly grim picture.

Atlantic City Bacharach Giants

Another regressive season for the BGs, who seem to have completely lost their way these past two years. With their key metrics mainly entrenched in the nether-rankings, it comes as little surprise they are so far off the pace. Lord knows how much further that would be without Ruben Quevedo's 9-2 / 3.32 contribution. Or, then again, how much less if not for Hideki Irabu's ugly 0-10 / 5.68. With that sort of volatility among the staff the last thing a club needs is a Closer who's forgotten how to close, as Mariano Rivera's 71 ERA+ seems to indicate has happened with him (although, somewhat remarkably, he has only blown 4 saves). With all the excess they have by way of outfielders, it's hard to understand why they haven't traded for one or two pitchers to get that side of their squad at least headed in the right direction, because they have no up-and-coming arms at Columbus. A club in disarray.

Birmingham Black Barons

What a real bunch of gamers this current BBs squad is proving itself to be. Showed plenty of cheek last season before gassing to finish mid-standings and are doing it again in '71. Still lacking that polish that you usually need to get over the hump - especially around the infield and in the BP - and the West are coming hard, but if any team can upset the applecart I reckon these guys can.

Cuban Stars West

A 24-29 April and May put the West a bit behind the eightball, but they are firing now and it looks almost inevitable that they'll regain top spot and go on to take the Association. Their pitching has been the key, and it's a little bit frightening to think they are where they are in spite of their 9th-ranked 240 BA. Dwayne Murphy has been a fantastic add and will be in the mix for RoY honours, while Juan Soto has been his usual reliable self. If Big Papi (slashing just 209/311/366 to this point with 10 HR and 33 RBI) can catch fire, this club is a genuine contender. Even if that doesn't happen, they are in this up to their earlobes.

Kansas City Monarchs

Still undoubtedly a couple of key adds and some tinkering away from mixing it with the big boys, but the Mons keep ticking along in the right direction. Spot Poles is hitting just 228 to this point from the leadoff spot, which hasn't helped their run production (309, 9th), and you feel if he can find form and their rotation (especially Juan Marichal) can tighten up a bitthen a winning season should be a formality. That said, in this tight FC National, a winning season might still mean a second-division finish, but I'm not sure that really matters in the bigger scheme of things.

Memphis Red Sox

The Bonds add hasn't quite had the explosive effect MeSox fans might have been expecting, but it has still improved them out of sight, up from a last-place 93-loss 1970 season to basically being at 500. But they are still a fairly average side across the board, with the pitching in particular a real problem. Ricky Nolasco started with his hair on fire but the honeymoon period is well and truly over for him now, while Laymon Yokely is probably not up to being part of a big-league rotation. A work in progress, no doubt, but the next few moves they make will be crucial to their immediate future.

St. Louis Giants

Such a strong lineup, such a poor staff - that's the story for this Giants club, who have actually done fairly well to stay as close as they are. You'd have to think reliever Eduardo Rodriguez is close to a call-up, but the BP is kind of irrelevant when the rotation is as weak as this club's is. Sug Cornelius (1.02 ERA in 41.2 IP) has been great and probably deserves a chance to prove himself in the spin. It's not as if these guys will lose 100 games or anything, but nor do I see them finishing much, if any, above 500.

Philadelphia Liberty Stars

Their +11 PR - about the highest I can ever recall seeing - tells you all you need to know about how the LibStars have played out of their skins in the first half of the season. The fact that they are excelling neither individually or collectively with regard to metrics is merely corroboration of this. No batter among them is either hitting 300 nor has more than 11 HR. Their run diff is an astonishing -22 for a side with a 49-31 record. Their 3.75 ERA is 8th of 10 in the WC. How, then, can this be happening? Perhaps the more pressing question might be Can it keep happening? I have as little idea about the latter question as I do the former, but it will be fun to watch all the same.

Homestead Grays

When they bounced back from a losing opening month with an 18-10 July, the Grays looked headed back to the top of the standings. Even though they cooled off a bit with a barely 500 June, they still look the most likely to profit should Philly stumble. 2B Aledmys Diaz is having a fantastic sophomore season, Tanaka and Person are doing well at the top of the rotation and the Wiz remains their driving force, but they'll need some of the others to step up if they want to give themselves every hope. Jimmie Lyons is going great guns down at Akron and should get the call-up fairly soon one would think, especially with none of the incumbents exactly setting the world on fire.

Baltimore Elite Giants

The EGs enter the second half of the season barely above 500 and yet not without hope. Eric Davis has been a huge add for them, leading the team with a 307 BA and 16 HR, but George Bell - despite 15 dingers of his own - has seen his BA drop 80 points from last year and needs to be getting on base more, as Davis' paltry 38 ribbies attests. I'd like to see Irvin Brooks called up from the AAA club ASAP. He has hit a ton there and, in addition to 2B, plays all three OF slots, which would really improve this group's coverage around the field. C Ameal (no relation) Brooks should also be with the parent club, as they look weak at that position. Don Newcombe into the spin to replace Jim Proctor is the other move I'd make. This is a decent group and could make a run at it if they can just pull it together.

Hilldale Athletics

The A's continued underperformance remains perhaps the EL's biggest mystery to me. When they won it all in '69, they looked to me as if they were going to dominate well into the new decade, a belief only solidified by their strong start last year. But then they just lost their winning ways and haven't looked the same since. For the life of me I cannot piece together why. They lead the WC in runs scored and BA. They added one of the league's brightest prospects in Pop Lloyd to their already stacked lineup. Their pitching - Dave Brown aside; he's been sensational - has slipped a bit but not enough to explain how they find themselves in 4th spot and 9 GB. It's almost as if one of those scientific experiments you used to see in movies where the two patients have the steel cap placed on their heads and an electric current run between them has been performed on them and Philly. Time for a bit of soul-searching at Darby, methinks.

New York Lincoln Giants

I pretty much give up with these guys for now. When a club already thin in the pitching ranks with no prospects knocking on the door trades away an age-25 hurler who is 9-6 / 2.74 on the season and still has a year of team control left for three guys unlikely to ever make any real impact at the top level, why would you waste your time on them? A shame, too, as I really felt they were moving on up. I, apparently, was wrong.

Cleveland Buckeyes

Arguably the most well-rounded performance in the season's first half has come from a Buckeyes side that seems to have finally got it together. Top 3 in all the key offensive and defensive metrics save HR and SB, the what must be imminent arrival of gun IF Ketel Marte from AAA would plug one of the few remaining holes this Cleveland unit has. The AGs will be tough and I'm not ruling the East out of it just yet, so no let-up for the remainder. But if they can keep on keeping on they'll go far.

Chicago American Giants

Another side that is incredibly even across the board, this dogfight with the Bucks they look set to be in should be absolutely engrossing. Were I running this club I'd be on the hunt for a couple high-quality relievers to beef up a BP that has been outstanding so far but will be really tested over the duration, and swap out an OF or two to get them on board. Other than that, this is a good side that I think still has some upside left in it.

Cuban Stars East

Disappointing to say the least so far, with some spotty pitching being their main bugbear. This problem is exacerbated because this is the strongest part of this club's game, with the offence somewhat pedestrian outside of Ruppert Jones and a couple of others. Lloyd Moseby simply has to come up ASAP to spark up their OF, as I believe Carlos Lezcano is of much better use off the bench and in a backup role than as the everyday LF. While I see them getting closer to the leading duo, I'm not sure they'll be able to bridge all 8 games they need to.

Indianapolis ABCs

The main danger involved with building a team around long-term prospects is those prospects not prospecting as planned. Which, for the most part, seems to be the fate that has befallen this ABCs club. Their 84-78 runner-up finish last year now looks to have been a false dawn and, while I'm not ready to totally write them off just yet, Indy is going to need to get creative in the trade and Draft market to try and fill some of those holes left by the unprospected or else the dry spell will continue well beyond the timeframe their strategy would have been catering for.

Detroit Motown Stars

There's no gentle way of putting it - this is straight up a poor squad that shows little sign of ever being anything else. Last in both BA and ERA tells you everything you need to know. They'll get a high pick this year but they have had them before and the club's management just don't seem to know how to use them. If success ever comes, it will be from a long way off and with a totally different bunch of players to those currently wearing a MoStars uniform.

05-09-2022, 07:42 AM	#311
luckymann Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2019 Posts: 13,455	1971 EL Mid-Season Report Card Here's a quick look at how each of the teams in the EL is faring so far in season 1969. New York Black Yankees Began the season slowly and took a losing record into May, but like the good sides usually do they found a way to get back on the winning tip and really look to have a head of steam going now. All the big guns are firing again - Sabathia, Walker and Scantlebury in the rotation; Durazo and Baylor at the plate - but Hank Thompson's return was the catalyst to their turnaround and he remains their key driver. Their class stands them in excellent stead for the remainder. Newark Dodgers Well the next 80 games or so will give a fair indication as to whether this is a good team or a great one. No doubt they've cooled as the BYs have heated up, and they've already fallen three GB. I retain my high opinion of this group, but just feel they are another year off really taking it up to their neighbours from across the Hudson. To simply remain competitive and push New York would make this season a positive one. Pittsburgh Crawfords The Crawfs are there or thereabouts, as has been the case the two previous seasons, and yet it feels like they are miles away from truly competing. Coggins has been fantastic again, but Dihigo is hitting under 200 and, given he isn't exactly killing it on the mound (7-8 / 4.40) and they have both Jose Rijo and Leroy Matlock in the BP and ready to step up, I honestly believe using him solely as a position player is the way to go from here. Only 6 1/2 back despite being sub-500, but I don't see them keeping pace with the other two. Brooklyn Royal Giants Eternal underachievers since that what now seems fluke run to the playoffs in '68, the RGs continue to drift aimlessly like a tumbleweed in a dust storm. Singleton's rookie year has been an excellent one, as has Franmil Reyes' sophomore campaign, but they are the only real bright spots in a fairly grim picture. Atlantic City Bacharach Giants Another regressive season for the BGs, who seem to have completely lost their way these past two years. With their key metrics mainly entrenched in the nether-rankings, it comes as little surprise they are so far off the pace. Lord knows how much further that would be without Ruben Quevedo's 9-2 / 3.32 contribution. Or, then again, how much less if not for Hideki Irabu's ugly 0-10 / 5.68. With that sort of volatility among the staff the last thing a club needs is a Closer who's forgotten how to close, as Mariano Rivera's 71 ERA+ seems to indicate has happened with him (although, somewhat remarkably, he has only blown 4 saves). With all the excess they have by way of outfielders, it's hard to understand why they haven't traded for one or two pitchers to get that side of their squad at least headed in the right direction, because they have no up-and-coming arms at Columbus. A club in disarray. Birmingham Black Barons What a real bunch of gamers this current BBs squad is proving itself to be. Showed plenty of cheek last season before gassing to finish mid-standings and are doing it again in '71. Still lacking that polish that you usually need to get over the hump - especially around the infield and in the BP - and the West are coming hard, but if any team can upset the applecart I reckon these guys can. Cuban Stars West A 24-29 April and May put the West a bit behind the eightball, but they are firing now and it looks almost inevitable that they'll regain top spot and go on to take the Association. Their pitching has been the key, and it's a little bit frightening to think they are where they are in spite of their 9th-ranked 240 BA. Dwayne Murphy has been a fantastic add and will be in the mix for RoY honours, while Juan Soto has been his usual reliable self. If Big Papi (slashing just 209/311/366 to this point with 10 HR and 33 RBI) can catch fire, this club is a genuine contender. Even if that doesn't happen, they are in this up to their earlobes. Kansas City Monarchs Still undoubtedly a couple of key adds and some tinkering away from mixing it with the big boys, but the Mons keep ticking along in the right direction. Spot Poles is hitting just 228 to this point from the leadoff spot, which hasn't helped their run production (309, 9th), and you feel if he can find form and their rotation (especially Juan Marichal) can tighten up a bitthen a winning season should be a formality. That said, in this tight FC National, a winning season might still mean a second-division finish, but I'm not sure that really matters in the bigger scheme of things. Memphis Red Sox The Bonds add hasn't quite had the explosive effect MeSox fans might have been expecting, but it has still improved them out of sight, up from a last-place 93-loss 1970 season to basically being at 500. But they are still a fairly average side across the board, with the pitching in particular a real problem. Ricky Nolasco started with his hair on fire but the honeymoon period is well and truly over for him now, while Laymon Yokely is probably not up to being part of a big-league rotation. A work in progress, no doubt, but the next few moves they make will be crucial to their immediate future. St. Louis Giants Such a strong lineup, such a poor staff - that's the story for this Giants club, who have actually done fairly well to stay as close as they are. You'd have to think reliever Eduardo Rodriguez is close to a call-up, but the BP is kind of irrelevant when the rotation is as weak as this club's is. Sug Cornelius (1.02 ERA in 41.2 IP) has been great and probably deserves a chance to prove himself in the spin. It's not as if these guys will lose 100 games or anything, but nor do I see them finishing much, if any, above 500. Philadelphia Liberty Stars Their +11 PR - about the highest I can ever recall seeing - tells you all you need to know about how the LibStars have played out of their skins in the first half of the season. The fact that they are excelling neither individually or collectively with regard to metrics is merely corroboration of this. No batter among them is either hitting 300 nor has more than 11 HR. Their run diff is an astonishing -22 for a side with a 49-31 record. Their 3.75 ERA is 8th of 10 in the WC. How, then, can this be happening? Perhaps the more pressing question might be Can it keep happening? I have as little idea about the latter question as I do the former, but it will be fun to watch all the same. Homestead Grays When they bounced back from a losing opening month with an 18-10 July, the Grays looked headed back to the top of the standings. Even though they cooled off a bit with a barely 500 June, they still look the most likely to profit should Philly stumble. 2B Aledmys Diaz is having a fantastic sophomore season, Tanaka and Person are doing well at the top of the rotation and the Wiz remains their driving force, but they'll need some of the others to step up if they want to give themselves every hope. Jimmie Lyons is going great guns down at Akron and should get the call-up fairly soon one would think, especially with none of the incumbents exactly setting the world on fire. Baltimore Elite Giants The EGs enter the second half of the season barely above 500 and yet not without hope. Eric Davis has been a huge add for them, leading the team with a 307 BA and 16 HR, but George Bell - despite 15 dingers of his own - has seen his BA drop 80 points from last year and needs to be getting on base more, as Davis' paltry 38 ribbies attests. I'd like to see Irvin Brooks called up from the AAA club ASAP. He has hit a ton there and, in addition to 2B, plays all three OF slots, which would really improve this group's coverage around the field. C Ameal (no relation) Brooks should also be with the parent club, as they look weak at that position. Don Newcombe into the spin to replace Jim Proctor is the other move I'd make. This is a decent group and could make a run at it if they can just pull it together. Hilldale Athletics The A's continued underperformance remains perhaps the EL's biggest mystery to me. When they won it all in '69, they looked to me as if they were going to dominate well into the new decade, a belief only solidified by their strong start last year. But then they just lost their winning ways and haven't looked the same since. For the life of me I cannot piece together why. They lead the WC in runs scored and BA. They added one of the league's brightest prospects in Pop Lloyd to their already stacked lineup. Their pitching - Dave Brown aside; he's been sensational - has slipped a bit but not enough to explain how they find themselves in 4th spot and 9 GB. It's almost as if one of those scientific experiments you used to see in movies where the two patients have the steel cap placed on their heads and an electric current run between them has been performed on them and Philly. Time for a bit of soul-searching at Darby, methinks. New York Lincoln Giants I pretty much give up with these guys for now. When a club already thin in the pitching ranks with no prospects knocking on the door trades away an age-25 hurler who is 9-6 / 2.74 on the season and still has a year of team control left for three guys unlikely to ever make any real impact at the top level, why would you waste your time on them? A shame, too, as I really felt they were moving on up. I, apparently, was wrong. Cleveland Buckeyes Arguably the most well-rounded performance in the season's first half has come from a Buckeyes side that seems to have finally got it together. Top 3 in all the key offensive and defensive metrics save HR and SB, the what must be imminent arrival of gun IF Ketel Marte from AAA would plug one of the few remaining holes this Cleveland unit has. The AGs will be tough and I'm not ruling the East out of it just yet, so no let-up for the remainder. But if they can keep on keeping on they'll go far. Chicago American Giants Another side that is incredibly even across the board, this dogfight with the Bucks they look set to be in should be absolutely engrossing. Were I running this club I'd be on the hunt for a couple high-quality relievers to beef up a BP that has been outstanding so far but will be really tested over the duration, and swap out an OF or two to get them on board. Other than that, this is a good side that I think still has some upside left in it. Cuban Stars East Disappointing to say the least so far, with some spotty pitching being their main bugbear. This problem is exacerbated because this is the strongest part of this club's game, with the offence somewhat pedestrian outside of Ruppert Jones and a couple of others. Lloyd Moseby simply has to come up ASAP to spark up their OF, as I believe Carlos Lezcano is of much better use off the bench and in a backup role than as the everyday LF. While I see them getting closer to the leading duo, I'm not sure they'll be able to bridge all 8 games they need to. Indianapolis ABCs The main danger involved with building a team around long-term prospects is those prospects not prospecting as planned. Which, for the most part, seems to be the fate that has befallen this ABCs club. Their 84-78 runner-up finish last year now looks to have been a false dawn and, while I'm not ready to totally write them off just yet, Indy is going to need to get creative in the trade and Draft market to try and fill some of those holes left by the unprospected or else the dry spell will continue well beyond the timeframe their strategy would have been catering for. Detroit Motown Stars There's no gentle way of putting it - this is straight up a poor squad that shows little sign of ever being anything else. Last in both BA and ERA tells you everything you need to know. They'll get a high pick this year but they have had them before and the club's management just don't seem to know how to use them. If success ever comes, it will be from a long way off and with a totally different bunch of players to those currently wearing a MoStars uniform. __________________ HISTORICAL DO-OVERS A'S RED SOX DODGERS CUSTOM SAVES ECLIPSE LEAGUE MOON SHOT LEAGUE EVERYMAN LEAGUE GULF LEAGUE USBA Last edited by luckymann; 05-20-2022 at 06:41 AM.