1946
Changes- Expand FA - Players will now become free agents after 10 years of service.
- Hurt random prospect - Ed Stevens (Detroit), the #10 prospect in baseball, had his ratings reduced.
- Free agent draft - I will hold a free agent draft in the next off-season. (I have decided that this is a better way to implement this option.)
Off-Season
- The Red Sox traded catcher Birdie Tebbetts to Minnesota for ace Johnny Vander Meer.
- Brooklyn traded veteran outfielder Mel Ott to Louisville for Beau Bell.
- The Tigers traded three-time AL Cy Young winner Cy Blanton to Baltimore for two infield prospects.
- Catcher Rick Ferrell moved to the Durham Bulls in free agency.
- Catcher Gabby Harnett and third baseman Freddie Lindstrom signed with the Philadelphia Athletics.
American League East
Philadelphia Athletics (96-72)
Boston Red Sox (92-76)
Washington Senators (90-78)
Baltimore Orioles (83-85)
Cleveland Indians (73-95)
New York Yankees (69-99)
American League West
Chicago White Sox (95-73)
St. Louis Browns (92-76)
Dayton Angels (89-79)
Minnesota Twins (80-88)
Detroit Tigers (76-92)
Kansas City Royals (73-95)
AL MVP: Ted Williams (Philadelphia) (5th award)
AL CYA: Marius Russo (Detroit)
AL ROY: Bobby Thomson (Boston)
National League East
New York Giants (105-63)
Brooklyn Dodgers (103-65)
Durham Bulls (100-68)
Newark Bears (74-94)
Boston Braves (73-95)
Montreal Expos (73-95)
Philadelphia Phillies (65-103)
National League West
Cincinnati Reds (96-72)
Chicago Cubs (89-79)
St. Louis Cardinals (84-84)
Louisville Colonels (81-87)
Pittsburgh Pirates (80-88)
Nashville Sounds (79-89)
Milwaukee Brewers (74-94)
NL MVP: Hank Sauer (Brooklyn) (2nd award)
NL MOP: Howie Pollet (New York)
NL ROY: Ralph Kiner (Philadelphia)
Statistical Leaders
Batting Average: Ted Williams (Philadelphia) .273, Stan Musial (Durham) .290
Home Runs: Ted Williams (Philadelphia) 58, Hank Sauer (Brooklyn) 84
Runs Batted In: Bobby Thomson (Boston) 135, Hank Sauer (Brooklyn) 195
Stolen Bases: Augie Galan (Washington) / Al Gionfriddo (Detroit) 19, Thurman Tucker (Milwaukee) 19
WAR: Ted Williams (Philadelphia) 13.5, Stan Musial (Durham) 14.4
Wins: Marius Russo (Detroit) 20, Steve Gromek (Cincinnati) 20
ERA: Cy Blanton (Baltimore) 1.76, Hank Borowy (Cincinnati) 2.08
Strikeouts: Johnny Vander Meer (Boston) 178, Virgil Trucks (Brooklyn) 177
Saves: Clarence Pickrel (Chicago) 30, Dave Mauney (Durham) 31
WAR: Marius Russo (Detroit) 10.4, Howie Pollet (New York) 10.1
Notes
- The Athletics finally won their division, as they led the AL in runs. Williams, Wally Judnich and Mike Chartak all had strong seasons.
- The Browns collapsed down the stretch, allowing the White Sox to ride pitching and defense to the AL West title. Mickey Harris and Bob Klinger both won 18 games for Chicago.
- The NL East race was tight again, with the Giants just coming out on top. A strong pitching staff was supported by Rudy York, Bobby Doerr, and Bob Elliott.
- The Reds rode their pitching staff to a second straight NL West championship, though Eddie Stanky and pitcher Tex Carleton would miss the postseason.
- Ted Williams was four RBI away from winning the Triple Crown. He hit .273/.475/.688.
- Hank Sauer broke the all-time single-season home run record, previously held by Babe Ruth, who hit 81 in 1927.
- Joe DiMaggio (Louisville) hit 71 home runs, the fifth-most ever.
- Ralph Kiner (Phillies) led the NL in OPS, slugging .726.
Achievements & Milestones
- Ted Williams (Athletics), Sid Gordon (Cleveland), Yogi Berra (Kansas City), Snuffy Stirnweiss (Cardinals), Danny Gardella (Cincinnati), and George McQuinn (Montreal) all hit three home runs in a game.
- Ken Keltner (Washington) hit for the cycle.
- Hank Borowy (Cincinnati) threw a perfect game.
- Red Embree (Nashville) threw a no-hitter despite walking eleven batsmen.
- Tony Lazzeri (Browns) reached 2000 hits.
- Gabby Hartnett (Athletics) and Jimmie Foxx (White Sox) both passed 2500 hits.
- Rudy York (NY Giants), George Puccinelli (Minnesota), and Frankie Hayes (White Sox) homered for the 300th time.
- Van Mungo (NY Giants), Hal Schumacher (Washington), Gene Schott (Milwaukee), Snipe Hansen (Browns), Paul Dean (Cubs), and Johnny Babich (Minnesota) won their 200th games.
- Fred Frankhouse (Red Sox) won his 250th game.
- Larry French (Cincinnati) became the ninth pitcher to win 300 games.
ALCS
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Chicago defeated Philadelphia, 4 games to 0.
- Joe Cronin was the series MVP. He was 5-11 with eight RBI.
- Game One was a blowout. Mickey Harris (Chicago) threw a three-hit shutout, while his teammates exploded for 14 runs. Jimmie Foxx scored four times.
- The White Sox shutout the A's again in Game Two. Paul Erickson threw eight scoreless frames before Clarence Pickrel got the save. Chicago won 2-0.
- Cronin doubled, tripled, and homered in Game Three, a 6-5 White Sox win.
- The Pale Hose last won the pennant in 1931.
NLCS
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Cincinnati defeated New York, 4 games to 0.
- Billy Cox won MVP. He was 5-15 with two home runs.
- Danny Gardella (Cincinnati) and Cox hit back-to-back homers in the tenth inning of Game Two, as the Reds won 3-1.
- Larry French (Cincinnati) threw a shutout in Game Three, allowing just four hits in a 2-0 Reds victory.
- Cincinnati's first pennant since 1932.
World Series
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Chicago defeated Cincinnati, 5 games to 0.
- Catcher Frankie Hayes (Chicago) was series MVP. He was 7-19 with five homers.
- Hayes hit two homers in Game Three, a 4-2 White Sox win.
- Joe Cronin (Chicago) was 7-15 with three round trips.
- Ron Northey (Chicago) had three home runs.
- Mickey Harris (Chicago) won Games One and Five.
- Clarence Pickrel (Chicago) had saves in four of the five games.
- Jimmie Foxx (Chicago) won his first World Series in his 22nd season.
- The White Sox went through the postseason without losing a game.
- Chicago's fifth title. (1913, 1915, 1933, 1934)
Retirements
- Don Bradman. Australian second baseman won three Gold Gloves. A ring with Washington in 1940. 97 career OPS+, and only 28 HR in more than 2300 games.
- Carlton Fisk. 1935 NL MVP. Five-time All-Star, with rings in 1932 and 1936. 136 OPS+ and two Gold Gloves.
- Dutch Leonard. 1939 NL MOP. Six-time All-Star and five Gold Gloves. 231-156 record, with a 148 ERA+.
Free Agent Draft
- Nashville picked Joe Cronin (White Sox) first.
- Carl Fischer (Cubs) went second to Cleveland.
- The Twins chose Phil Cavarretta (White Sox) at three.
- Pinky Higgins (Pittsburgh) went at #4 to Kansas City.
Draft
- The Phillies picked Duke Snider first overall.
- Al Rosen went second to the Yankees.
- The Royals chose Ted Kluszewski at #3.
- Nellie Fox was the seventh pick for Milwaukee.
(NOTE: I'm not sure why, but Jackie Robinson and Larry Doby didn't import as draft eligible.)
Frankie Hayes was the World Series MVP.
Howie Pollet was the NL Most Outstanding Pitcher.