[FuzzyRussianHat]

The American League West Division remains absurdly top heavy with Detroit at 60-26, the best record in Major League Baseball entering the all-star break. The Tigers notably won only 69 games all of last year, and only 62 the year before that. Detroit’s top draft picks of the last two seasons, Honus Wagner and Elmer Flick, have the top two WAR marks in MLB at the break (6.2 and 5.8).

Despite that, both Milwaukee (55-31) and Minnesota (53-33) are very much in the divisional fight. The Brewers got within a game of the Tigers in June, but they took a four-game sweep defeat at Minnesota heading into the break. With those teams dominating from the West, there’s still no one taking charge in the AL East. At one point in June, all six teams had a losing record. Washington is the only one above .500 at the break at 44-42, but they’re only separated by seven games to last place Cleveland.

Pittsburgh built up a six-game lead for the National League East Division and a four-game lead for the top seed at 55-31. New York (49-37) and Boston (47-39) are still giving chase, while Philadelphia (43-43) and Brooklyn (41-45) both lost ground in the East. The Giants took a six-game losing streak into the break, including losing all four on the road to the Braves.

New Orleans sits atop the NL West at 51-35 trying to complete their own worst-to-first turnaround. Chicago is second at 48-38, while there’s an eight game distance to both Cincinnati and Indianapolis at 43-43. Both the Reds and Clowns posted losing records from June onward.



AL Batter of the Month for June was Minnesota RF Dick Johnson with a .410 average, 10 home runs, 27 RBI, and 20 runs. Johnston also had a 23-game hitting streak snapped in late June. New Orleans RF Jocko Halligan was the NL’s top bat with a .366 average, 7 home runs, 23 RBI, and 18 runs.

AL Pitcher of the Month was Washington’s Ed Doheny with a 4-1 record, 43 strikeouts, and 1.92 ERA in 51.2 innings. The Braves’ Rube Waddell won the NL honor on a 1.88 ERA, 5-0 record, and 42 Ks in 48 innings. Detroit RF Elmer Flick was AL Rookie of the Month on a .379 average, 36 hits, 6 homers, 18 runs, and 16 RBI. Pelicans 1B Frank Chance, the #1 draft pick, won the NL honor with a .292 average, 6 doubles, 3 homers, 18 runs, and 15 RBI.

In milestones, Braves 1B Jumbo Schoeneck became the seventh to 2500 hits. Phillies OF Charlie Duffee was the fourth to 400 home runs. Home run leader Mike Tiernan of Pittsburgh was the first to 550. No one else has 500+ yet, although Minnesota’s Hugh Duffy is now at 484. Indianapolis’ Frank Gilmore and Buffalo’s Adonis Terry were the fourth and fifth pitchers to 2500 career strikeouts.

Phillies RF Bug Holliday and Red Sox OF/P Charlie Ferguson both reached 2000 hits. Getting to 1000 runs scored were Braves C Jack Rowe and Yankees CF Marty Sullivan. Cardinals C Doggie Miller reached 1000 RBI. Athletics CF Jim McTamany and Brooklyn CF Jim Fogarty became the second and third to 900 stolen bases. Cubs OF Curt Welch and Washington 2B Ed Delahanty each earned their 700th swipe.