A poor start to June sees us shut out in our first two games of the month by the Dodgers and from there the inexorable weight of gravity drags us back to 500.
We’re not playing particularly badly but nor are we playing especially well—it’s just the sort of club we are right now. To the boys’ credit, they don’t let us dip under break-even and after 60 games we sit at 31-29 and 5 back of the Cubs.
A nice little string of five wins – including back-to-back 13-2 and 17-3 victories over the Phils and the 12-2 Steve Carlton’s Cubs – takes us safely back into the black for the time being and shows just what this lineup is capable of at its best, but our pitching struggles flare up again with Ron Guidry having his worst season for us to date and we regress once more.
Only a couple lucky late wins against the Expos keep us from falling under 500 but doing so eventually seems inevitable to me. I say that just as the lads rattle off five straight wins.
It’s going to be that sort of season, methinks.
After yet another horror show in which he helps us blow a 7-run lead to the Cubs, Odell Jones and his 7+ ERA are banished to AAA via the WW as he’s out of OY. We shop him first but it’s still a bit early to use that last transaction pass on a nothing trade, so we run the gauntlet and he gets taken by the Phillies. Young Cecilio Guante comes up for his MLB debut.
We reach the All-Star break at 46-41 and, after after we finish July with a nifty 7-1 flourish, enter August at a surprisingly competitive 56-46 and just 3 ½ back of the Expos.
Just one more extension signed, as we re-up with reliever Victor Cruz on a 1/245 deal.
The Tigers ride an 11-game win streak to take control of the AL East, although they slip up late just to let the others catch up a wee bit and so all four races are still very much undecided.
Monthly Award Winners
June
American League
Batter – George Hendrick (Royals): 480 / 5 HR / 17 RBI
Pitcher – Bob Knepper (Yankees): 5-0 / 2.25 / 24 K / 48 IP
Rookie – John Stuper (Orioles): 3-1 / 2.22 / 10 K / 28.1 IP
National League
Batter – Greg Walker (Mets): 412 / 7 HR / 21 RBI
Pitcher – Larry Christenson (Phillies): 4-1 / 1.26 / 35 K / 50 IP
Rookie – Greg Walker
July
American League
Batter – Jason Thompson (Yankees): 343 / 11 HR / 27 RBI
Pitcher – Ray Burris (Indians): 4-0 / 1.08 / 19 K / 41.2 IP
Rookie – Pete O’Brien (Angels): 345 / 6 HR / 15 RBI
National League
Batter – Dale Murphy (Braves): 330 / 8 HR / 19 RBI
Pitcher – Eric Show (Cardinals): 4-0 / 1.58 / 32 K / 51.1 IP
Rookie – Tim Conroy (Phillies): 3-0 / 1.65 / 23 K / 32.2 IP
News, Leaders and Top 20s
Milestones and Observations of Note
250 Wins: Phil Niekro
2500 Hits: Reggie Smith
2000 Hits: Cecil Cooper
The Tigers lose pitcher Rick Sutcliffe for the season to a UCL tear, while a nice move by the Cubs faces some headwinds in the form of an injury to young gun Ryne Sandberg, who will have to take the maximum Legacy Player stretch on the sidelines after suffering a fractured knee.
An ACL tear ends the season early for Giants catcher Ernie Whitt and fellow backstop Tim Laudner of the Brewers will also miss the rest of the campaign thanks to a concussion. Teammate Robin Yount suffers a broken foot that keeps him on ice for a month or so, while O’s veteran Lee Lacy (elbow break) and Montreal outfielder Reid Nichols (labrum) are also done for the year.
Doc Medich pitches a no-hitter for our AAA Lincoln club against Ottawa.
Deadline trades of note:
