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AMERICAN BASEBALL JULY RECAP

NORTHEAST U.S.A. (Aug. 1, 1877) – July has come to an end, and as always that means there just a couple of weeks left in the regular phase of the baseball season. Here are how the competitions stand going into the final stretch:

A.P.B.L. STANDINGS

COLONIAL – St. John’s was just okay during July, but they have a solid grip on first place going into the final two and a half weeks of the season because only Niagara was better. Alleghany had chances to close the gap with St. John’s, but their middling offense fell short in four one-run losses. Inconsistent Niagara went from 7-17 in June to 17-7 in July thanks to great pitching & defense. Flour City fizzled with a 7-16 month, and they’re back down in fourth as a result. Mass. Bay & Shamrock are tied for the bottom spot in the standings – Mass. Bay thanks to a good offense but poor fielding and Shamrock thanks to good pitching & defense but an 11th-ranked offense. Not a great time for Boston baseball.

METROPOLITAN – Finally some separation at the top, but it's only one game as Knickerbocker was just a bit better than Excelsior in July. Knick looks like a title winner, ending the month with six regulars batting .300 or better while Robert Goodman is 24-9. Both Creighton & Seabold have hit twenty Wins for Excelsior, while they have both Hill & Oberst batting above .350. The two teams play each other on the final weekend, and that could very well be when the pennant is won. Kings Co. continued its relatively fine season with a 12-10 July, while American continued its slide from 4x champion with the same monthly mark. Gotham & Orange are afterthoughts, and everything that could go wrong for Orange this year has.

A.P.B.L. MONTHLY AWARDS

BATSMAN OF THE MONTH
James Burke (LF, StJ) – .469, 1.142 OPS, 31 R, 46 H, 6 2B, 5 3B, 29 RBI, 6 BB, 26 SB, 2.7 WPA, 1.9 WAR

PITCHER OF THE MONTH
Robert Goodman (StJ) – 9-2, 2.79 ERA, 11 K, 84.0 IP, 7 CG, 1 SHO, 1.6 K/BB, 1.12 WHIP, 1.0 WAR, 1.9 rWAR

GREENHORN OF THE MONTH
Herman Stanley (LF, StJ) – .439, 1.029 OPS, 35 R, 47 H, 8 2B, 4 3B, 24 RBI, 1 BB, 2 SB, 1.9 WPA, 1.3 WAR

American has had a relative struggle this year, but Burke most definitely hasn’t. One of Burke’s best single months in the A.P.B.L. ended with his fifth monthly award, and as of right now he looks very likely to beat out Joseph Evans for what would be Batsman of the Year award number four over the last five years. Troy Oberst (.433) & Herman Stanley (.439) both hit over .430 and Fred Bartholomew (1.017) had an OPS over 1.000, but Burke was superior to all three.

Goodman had two more Wins than any other Pitcher during July and he did so with an ERA under 3.00, so he was the clear P.o.t.M. Nicholas Banfield was 6-2 with a 2.22 ERA, but with three fewer Wins he wasn’t going to get the award. With his current totals of 24 Wins and a 2.97 ERA, Goodman is the slight favorite for Pitcher of the Year.

Stanley broke Joseph Evans’ grip on G.o.t.M. with a July that showed exactly why he was the other P.C.B.L. player transferred in over the winter. He was flawless with the bat and good in the field, and Stanley’s work saw him finish the month with a .347 Batting Average. Evans was very good in July (.369, .926 OPS, 23 RBI), but Stanley was spectacular.

A.P.B.L. STATISTICAL LEADERS

Average: .403 by James Burke (CF, American)
OPS: .944 by James Burke
Home Runs: 3 by Robert Golden (CF, Alleghany) & Charles Whitehead (2B, Orange)
Runs Batted In: 83 by Eamonn Todd (3B, St. John’s)
Runs: 107 by Konrad Jensen (1B, St. John’s)
Stolen Bases: 87 by Konrad Jensen
Batsman WPA: 5.9 by Fred Bartholomew (LF, Kings Co.)
Batsman WAR: 5.2 by James Burke

Wins: 24 by Robert Goodman (Knick)
ERA (150+ IP): 2.17 by William Haney (Alleghany)
Strikeouts: 132 by Elmer Seabold (Excelsior)
Complete Games: 26 by Elmer Seabold
WHIP (150+ IP): 1.12 by Robert Goodman
Pitcher WAR: 5.9 by Howard Burns (St. John’s)
Pitcher rWAR: 5.9 by Nicholas Banfield (Kings Co.)

N.B.B.O. REGIONAL LEADERS

BROOKLYN: Atlantic at 41-19 (Eckford 2 GB; Bedford 9 GB; Cont’l 10 GB)
NEW YORK CITY: New York Athletic Club at 46-14 (clinched pennant)
UPSTATE N.Y.: Utica at 28-11 (Minuteman 2 GB; Syracuse 4 GB; Victory 8 GB)
COASTAL: Newark at 45-15 (Pt. Jersey 8 GB; Quaker St. 10 GB)
INLAND: Susquehanna at 45-15 (Pioneer 8 GB)
NEW ENGLAND: Portland at 45-15 (Cantabrigians 5 GB; S.o.t.O. 10 GB)

BROOKLYN – The Brooklyn lead traded hands from Atlantic to Eckford during June, and it went back the other way during July thanks to an Atlantic offense that ranks #8/48 in Runs and #4 in Batting Average. Over the final two weeks the schedule advantage goes to Eckford, as they start August with a home series against last-place Marathon (21-39).

NEW YORK CITY – N.Y.A.C. had a blistering-hot 17-4 July, and as a result they ran away from the rest of the pack and clinched the pennant, a very rare thing to see in N.Y.C. before the final week. Their offense is only #13/48 in Runs and #18 in Batting Average, but their pitching, led by Charles Rhodes & George Cerven, has unquestionably been the best in the competition.

UPSTATE N.Y. – Utica’s 14-7 July saw them open up more space at the top of the Upstate standings, and with an upcoming series against last-place Columbia (18-42) they look very likely to take the pennant. Syracuse finishes the season against Columbia, but they have to make up five games in ten against a team playing .700 baseball. Defending champions Minuteman need a miracle.

COASTAL – Newark is playing their best baseball of the season at the perfect time, and after a 16-5 July it looks like the Coastal Championship will be theirs for the first time. Their lead was just three games a week and a half ago, but Pt. Jersey was 4-6 ten over their last while Quaker St. has lost six in a row, including all five games of their series at Newark to end July.

INLAND – Susquehanna and their offensive machine (11.0 R/G) have a hand on the pennant after a 17-4 July. Their final two series are vs Merrimack (30-30) and at Lake Erie (26-34), so it should just be a matter of time before they clinch their sixth trip to the playoffs in ten years. Pioneer has put up a good fight, but it’s not going to be good enough.

NEW ENGLAND – Cantabrigians gained one game on Portland during July, but the gap between first & second remains five games with two weeks to play. The two play each other in Maine to start August, so that will decide whether Portland has pennant #5 or if New England is up for grabs. S.o.t.O.’s season was undone when defending B.o.t.Y. Jesse Craig tore knee ligaments on July 11th.

N.B.B.O. MONTHLY AWARDS

BATSMEN OF THE MONTH
NYL: Clarence Jones (LF, MER) – .404, .936 OPS, 30 R, 36 H, 5 2B, 1 HR, 26 RBI, 4 BB, 25 SB, 1.7 WPA, 1.5 WAR
NEL: Frank Thomas (2B, PIO) – .460, 1.077 OPS, 26 R, 46 H, 7 2B, 3 3B, 30 RBI, 8 BB, 4 SB, 1.4 WPA, 1.6 WAR

PITCHERS OF THE MONTH
NYL: Charles Rhodes (NYAC) – 10-2, 2.06 ERA, 48 K, 109.0 IP, 9 CG, 6.0 K/BB, 0.91 WHIP, 2.8 WAR, 3.1 rWAR
NEL: William Hawk (SUS) – 10-0, 2.88 ERA, 30 K, 112.2 IP, 8 CG, 7.5 K/BB, 1.30 WHIP, 2.6 WAR, 1.9 rWAR

GREENHORNS OF THE MONTH
NYL: Vernon Mickey (2B, UTI) – .418, .998 OPS, 20 R, 38 H, 7 2B, 2 3B, 13 RBI, 4 BB, 1 SB, 1.8 WPA, 1.0 WAR
NEL: Howard Boley (LF, RAC) – .406, .962 OPS, 27 R, 39 H, 6 2B, 2 3B, 32 RBI, 5 BB, 0 SB, 1.1 WPA, 0.8 WAR

N.B.B.O. STATISTICAL LEADERS

Average: .413 by Julius Tierney (LF, Star)
OPS: .961 by Julius Tierney
Home Runs: 3 by five different batsmen
Runs Batted In: 70 by Chester Alexander (2B, Syracuse) & Moriarty Murray (2B, Bedford)
Runs: 93 by William Buschmann (CF, Utica)
Stolen Bases: 65 by Clarence Jones (LF, Mercury)
Batsman WPA: 5.1 by Manuel Romeiras (CF, N.Y.A.C.)
Batsman WAR: 3.7 by Francis Smith (CF, Metro)

Wins: 28 by William Hawk (Susquehanna)
ERA (150+ IP): 1.97 by John Ratican (Newark)
Strikeouts: 128 by Earl Quinn (Maryland)
Complete Games: 26 by Howard Budd (Empire)
WHIP (150+ IP): 1.00 by Charles Rhodes (N.Y.A.C.)
Pitcher WAR: 8.9 by John Ratican
Pitcher rWAR: 9.2 by Charles King (Pt. Jersey)

P.C.B.L. LEADERS

EAST: Frankford Arsenal 36-24 (Queen Village 2 GB; Minerva & Spartan 4 GB; Keystone & Pt. Richmond 5 GB)
WEST: Philadelphia B.C.C. at 45-15 (Mercantile 9 GB)

EAST – Two weeks left to play, and six of eight teams still have viable claims to the pennant. Spartan has the easiest finish to the season, as they play last-place Sons of Ben (21-39) at home to start August before playing at Minerva. This is the tightest East Philadelphia has been to start August, so if Frankford is to remain the only pennant winners from the eastern half of the city it is going to take some hard work, and possibly good luck.

WEST – P.B.C.C. was 17-4 in July, leaving only Mercantile able to catch them. However, the two teams play each other during the final week and simply defies belief to imagine P.B.C.C. losing their final ten games and Mercantile winning their final ten to take the pennant. The league’s #1 pitching & defense will rule West Philadelphia once again.

P.C.B.L. MONTHLY AWARDS

BATSMAN OF THE MONTH
George Oman* (2B, PBCC) – .396, .915 OPS, 22 R, 40 H, 8 XBH, 1 HR, 19 RBI, 2 BB, 9 SB, 1.1 WPA, 1.1 WAR

PITCHER OF THE MONTH
Arthur Lipscomb (PBCC) – 8-0, 2.61 ERA, 10 K, 79.1 IP, 7 CG, 1 SV, 1.4 K/BB, 1.20 WHIP, 1.3 WAR, 3.0 rWAR

GREENHORN OF THE MONTH
Bud Forster (P, FRA) – 10-3, 3.72 ERA, 17 K, 104.0 IP, 7 CG, 1.5 K/BB, 1.29 WHIP, 1.4 WAR, 1.9 rWAR

*Oman won B.o.t.M. for May

P.C.B.L. STATISTICAL LEADERS

Average: .374 by Jonathan Bagwell (1B, Germantown)
OPS: .937 by William Norman (1B, Merion)
Home Runs: 2 by thirteen different batsmen
Runs Batted In: 74 by James Howard (RF, Frankford)
Runs: 88 by James Harris (LF, Frankford)
Stolen Bases: 49 by Jonathan Auriemma (2B, Minerva)
Batsman WPA: 5.6 by William Norman
Batsman WAR: 3.8 by James Harris

Wins: 24 by Robert Benson (P.B.C.C.)
ERA (150+ IP): 2.10 by Robert Benson (P.B.C.C.)
Complete Games: 24 by Robert Benson
Strikeouts: 82 by Robert Benson
WHIP (150+ IP): 1.13 Jonathan Atkins (Merion) & Arthur Lipscomb (P.B.C.C.)
Pitcher WAR: 5.5 by Robert Benson
Pitcher rWAR: 6.7 by Arthur Lipscomb