[Hendu Style]

Things hadn't quite worked out as planned for the Kinsella's in 1950. One had exceeded expectations by becoming an All-Star pitcher, the other had a disappointing rookie season as a pitching coach.

Buck Kinsella went an impressive 16-8 with a 2.76 ERA in his first full season in the big leagues. The Appaloosa Arrows righthander jumped from fringe reliever to the ace of the staff, finishing second in the Pioneer League Rookie of the Year vote to Seaside Pirates third baseman Slim Curry (.294, 32 HR, 96 RBI in 1950).

Meanwhile, Irontown's rookie league affiliate, the Ramblewood Black Pirates, struggled to a 27-41 mark with Maxx Kinsella as their pitching coach. Their pitching was some of the worst in the Lintz League, with their starting pitchers posting a 4.56 ERA, and the bullpen responsible for a 5.63 ERA... the worst of any team in the minors. Maxx's delayed arrival with the club and a season-ending injury to staff ace Mike Savage was partially to blame, but I'm sure my great grandpa wasn't about to make any excuses.

While father and son Kinsella reunited in Irontown for the offseason, change was afoot in baseball. The SimNation Baseball League had decided to expand to four additional markets for the 1952 season. For the first time since 1905, the Colonial League would add two teams to its fold, while two more teams would join the Pioneer League. Those cities were announced in 1951, but would have to wait another year to join the SBL.

Also a part of this change would be the creation of the Designated Hitter. Commissioner Randall Klein was a big proponent of the DH and seized the opportunity when the ever-popular Sam Crowley wasn't getting at-bats thanks to his diminished skills in left field. Crowley would be the perfect case study for the DH, but only in the Pioneer League. Fans wanted to see Crowley retire as baseball's all-time hits king, and he was hanging on by a thread over Marty Storms (3,203 to 3,200 entering the '51 season). The Colonial League would still have its pitchers hit, just as it had since its inception in 1871.

In an effort to counter balance this perceived advantage for the hitters, the powers that be decided to raise the mound across baseball, tipping the balance in favor of pitchers.

For the first time in 46 years, baseball was changing the game. And new teams were about to join the fray.