The Golden Pennant

[Nick Soulis]

Welcome - It may be ancient history by many fans of the game today as league expansion and the inevitable wild card system has changed the way the best in baseball are crowned every season.

There was a time however when the only thing that really mattered over the course of a baseball season, was who would bring home the pennant. With the two different leagues so exclusive, winning your leagues pennant was the ultimate destination for any city with the World Series just being a bonus. Thus comes to us the term pennant race, and pennant chase.

Bobby Thompson, Fred Merkle, and Bucky Dent were all names that remain in baseball lore not because of their World Series feats, but because what they did or didnt do (sorry Fred) when the biggest prize of the pennant was on the line.

So in my new format and competition, it will be all about one thing, the pennant. There will be no post season, no World Series and yes some races will be done by early September.

The format will be simple and as follows:

• 2800 baseball clubs
• 350 seasons of 8 teams each
• Teams drawn in seasons completely randomly
• 162 game balanced schedule
• All pennant winners advance to the next round
• The best 162 second place teams also advance to the next round
• 64 seasons of 8 teams each
• 8 seasons of 8 teams each
• 1 season of 8 teams to determine the GOLDEN PENNANT WINNER

All seasons will be set at 1986 settings. To me 1986 was the perfect baseball season when it came to statistics. When a home run really mattered, teams were not afraid to steal bases, and starters would go the distance. Also this will allow for a fascinating statistical comparison from season to season on a level playing field.

I will not update month to month, but rather will make one post previewing a season and one post with the results, unless the pennant race is just too juicy to pass up. There will be tiebreaker games if teams finish even. Injuries will be on and set on low.

[Nick Soulis]

GOLDEN PENNANT STATS LAB

Offensive Leaders

Batting Average

1. J. Mauer (2010 Twins - .358
2. M. Vernon (1953 Senators) - .349
3. F. Thomas (1997 White Sox) - .347


OBP

1. F. Thomas (1997 White Sox) - .453
2. B. Caruthers (1885 Browns) - .437
3. R. Hornsby (1929 Cubs) - .428


HR

1. R. Derry (1945 Yankees) -52
2. M. Ott (1940 Giants) - 47
3. K, Kelter (1938 Indians) - 46

RBI

1. R. Derry (1945 Yankees) - 144
2. N. Arenado (2017 Rockies) - 143
3. K. Kelter (1938 Indians) - 141

SB

1. E. Yielding (1990 Astros) - 115
2. H. Collins (1890 Bridegrooms) - 108
3. B. Camperneris (1969 Athletics) - 107

Runs

1. K. Cuyler (1929 Cubs) - 134
2. L. Lary (1938 Indians) - 134
3. M. Ott (1940 Giants) - 134

WAR

1. R. Hornsby (1929 Cubs) - 10.1
2. K. Cuyler (1929 Cubs) - 9.8
3. A. Pujols (2001 Cardinals) - 9.5


Pitching Leaders

Wins

1. J. Page (1945 Yankees) - 27
2. C. Root (1929 Cubs) - 25
3. P. Malone (1929 Cubs) - 25

ERA

1. B. Duensing (2010 Twins) - 2.26
2. H. Gornicki (1943 Pirates) - 2.48
3. R. Porcello (2010 Tigers) - 2.53

WHIP

1. D. Vance (1929 Robins) - 0.99
2. R. Porcello (2010 Tigers) - 1.00
3. J. Bunning (1970 Phillies) - 1.07

Strikeouts

1. M. Scherzer (2010 Tigers) - 295
2. B. Feller (1938 Indians) - 280
3. R. Johnson (1992 Mariners) - 279

Innings Pitched

1, P. Malone (1929 Cubs) - 352
2. B. Caruthers (1885 Brown) - 346
3. A. Terry (1890 Bridegrooms) - 339


Shutouts

1. B. Caruthers (1885 Browns) - 7
2. J. Page (1945 Yankees) - 6
3. C. Root (1929 Cubs) - 5


Team Statistics

Wins

1. 1929 Chicago Cubs - 103
2. 2017 Tampa Bay Rays - 103
3. 1945 New York Yankees - 100

Runs scored

1. 1938 Cleveland Indians - 904
2. 2017 Colorado Rockies - 889
3. 1992 Seattle Mariners - 862

Run Diff

1. 1929 Chicago Cubs - 219
2. 1945 New York Yankees - 218
3. 1992 Seattle Mariners - 165

Home Runs

1. 1992 Seattle Mariners - 246
2. 2005 Texas Rangers - 217
3. 2017 Tampa Bay Rays - 214


Batting Average

1. 2017 Colorado Rockies - .296
2. 1938 Cleveland Indians - .291
3. 1945 New York Yankees - .275

ERA

1. 1943 Pittsburgh Pirates - 3.15
2. 2010 Detroit Tigers - 3.25

[Nick Soulis]

Pennant Winners

Season 1. 1943 Pittsburgh Pirates - 93-69
Season 2. 1929 Chicago Cubs - 103-59
Season 3. 2017 Colorado Rockies - 99-63
Season 4. 2017 Tampa Bay Rays - 103-59
Season 5. 1963 St. Louis Cardinals - 97-65
Season 6. 1992 Seattle Mariners - 97-65
Season 7. 1985 Kansas City Royals - 88-74



Second Place Teams (including wins and run diff)
Best 162 advance)


1. 1945 New York Yankees - 100 (218)
2. 2010 Detroit Tigers - 97 (148)
3. 2004 Houston Astros 92 (156)
4. 2013 New York Mets - 91 (47)
5. 2005 Chicago White Sox - 82 (-43)
6. 2010 Minnesota Twins - 89 (146)
7. 2015 New York Yankees - 85 (56)

[Nick Soulis]

The First season is ready to begin. Here are the participants:

1. 1931 Philadelphia Phillies


Record: 66-88
Finish: 6th in National League
Manager: Burt Shotton
Ball Park: Baker Bowl
Runn Diff: -144
Team Average: .279
Team ERA: 4.58
WAR Leader: Ray Benge (6.1)
Hall of Famers: (1) Chuck Klein

2. 1997 Chicago White Sox



Record: 80-81
Finish: 2nd in AL Central
Manager: Terry Bevington
Ball Park: New Comiskey Park
Run Diff: -104
Team Average: .273
Team ERA: 4.73
WAR Leader: Frank Thomas (7.3)
Hall of Famers: (2) Harold Baines, Frank Thomas

3. 1943 Pittsburgh Pirates



Record: 80-74
Finish: 4th in NL
Manager: Frankie Frisch
Ball Park: Forbes Field
Run Diff: 64
Team Average: .262
Team ERA: 3.08
WAR Leader: Rip Sewell (5.7)
Hall of Famers: (0) None

4. 1970 Philadelphia Phillies



Record: 73-88
Finish: 5th in NL East
Manager: Frank Lucchesi
Ball Park: Connie Mack Stadium
Run Diff: -136
Team AVG: .238
Team ERA: 4.17
WAR Leader: Dick Selma (5.2)
Hall of Famers: (1) Jim Bunning

5.2005 Chicago White Sox



Record: 99-63
Finish: WORLD CHAMPIONS
Manager: Ozzie Guillen
Ball Park: US Cellular Field
Run Diff: 96
Team AVG: .262
Team ERA: 3.61
WAR Leader: Mark Buerhle (4.8)
Hall of Famers: (1) Frank Thomas

6. 1995 Cincinnati Reds



Record: 85-59
Finish: Lost in NLCS
Manager: Davey Johnson
Ball Park: Riverfront Stadium
Run Diff: 124
Team AVG: .270
Team ERA: 4.03
WAR Leader: Reggie Sanders (6.6)
Hall of Famers: (1) Barry Larkin

7. 1975 Montreal Expos



Record: 75-87
Finish: 5th in NL East
Manager: Gene Mauch
Ball Park: Parc Jarry
Run Diff: -89
Team AVG: .244
Team ERA: 3.72
WAR Leader: Steve Rogers (4.8)
Hall of Famers: (1) Gary Carter

8. 1929 Brooklyn Robins



Record: 70-83
Finish: 6th in NL
Manager: Wilbert Robinson
Ball Park: Ebbets Field
Run Diff: -133
Team AVG: .291
Team ERA: 4.92
WAR Leader: Watson Clark (5.6)
Hall of Famers: (3) Dave Bancroft, Max Carey, Dazzy Vance

[Nick Soulis]

SEASON 1



Pirates A Huge Surprise To Lift Opening Pennant
White Sox Struggle As Bucs Lead Almost Wire To Wire

In a most unexpected outcome, the 1943 Pittsburgh Pirates ran away with the season one pennant and become the first club to clinch a spot in the next round. The Bucs lead by feisty manager Frankie Frisch took second place to no one this season. The Pittsburgh pitching was consistent all year and im sure you have not heard of most of their crew. Wally Herbert won 20 games with a 2.71 ERA and Hank Gornicki lost only five games with his 2.48 mark. Johnny Lanning was an unbelievable closer saving 41 games with an ERA of 1.08. The all around star of the team was Vince DiMaggio who hit 26 home runs and drove in 97 runs while playing an outstanding centerfield proving that Joe isnt the only genuine talent in the family.

The biggest disappointment of season one came in the form of Ozzie Guillen and the 2005 White Sox. The Sox just couldnt come up with the magic they needed and especially offensively just didn't come through. Jermaine Dye did drive in 100 runs but when the rotation lost Mark Buerhle in August for the season, all hope was lost. The 1931 Phillies finished with the same record as the White Sox at 82-80 as Chuck Klein hit 29 home runs and drove in 100 runs.

The 1929 Dodgers finished at .500 despite a huge season from Babe Herman. Herman hit 41 home runs to lead the league and drove in 106 runs as Brooklyn scored the most runs in the league. Johnny Fredrick lead the league with 120 RBI in the blue and gray. The 1975 Expos had a good season winning 80 games as Gary Carter hit .311 and showed his skill at just 21 years of age,. The 1995 Reds were expected to be much better but it never materialized as Barry Larkin had a below average season hitting .271 with 60 RBI.

Chris Short won 20 games for the 1970 Phillies but the offense struggled and the pen was a touchy subject all season long. Finally Terry Bevington and the 1997 White Sox had a good first half of the season but tanked in the second. The 1997 Six did have the batting champion and best hitter in the game as Frank Thomas finished second in the MVP voting.

[Nick Soulis]

CHAMPIONS - 1943 Pittsburgh Pirates



LEADERS



CY YOUNG AWARD



MOST VALUABLE PLAYER



Accomplishments

Three Home Run Games

Babe Herman - 1929 Dodgers

No Hitters

Ray Benge - 1931 Phillies
Wally Hebert - 1943 Pirates
Jose Rijo - 1995 Reds
Steve Bolen - 1931 Phillies

Cycles

Jerry White - 1975 Expos
Tony Taylor - 1970 Phillies

Hitting Streak

Babe Herman - 1929 Dodgers - 25 games

[Nick Soulis]

Season 2

1. 2013 New York Mets



Record: 74-88
Finish: 3rd in NL East
Manager: Terry Collins
Ball Park: CitiField
Run Diff: -65
Team AVG: .237
Team ERA: 3.77
WAR Leader: David Wright (5.2)
Hall of Famers: (0) None

2. 1953 Washington Senators



Record: 76-76
Finish: 5th in AL
Manager: Bucky Harris
Ball Park: Griffith Stadium
Run Diff: 73
Team AVG: .263
Team ERA: 3.66
WAR Leader: Mickey Vernon (5.5)
Hall of Famers: (0) None

3. 1991 Los Angeles Dodgers



Record: 93-69
Finish: 2nd in NL West
Manager: Tommy LaSorda
Ball Park: Dodger Stadium
Run Diff: 100
Team AVG: .253
Team ERA: 3.06
WAR Leader: Brett Butler (5.1)
Hall of Famers: (2) Gary Carter, Eddie Murray

4. 1945 Brooklyn Dodgers



Record: 87-67
Finish: 3rd in NL
Manager: Leo Durocher
Ball Park: Ebbets FIeld
Run Diff: 71
Team AVG: .271
Team ERA: 3.70
WAR Leader: Augue Galen (5.9)
Hall of Famers: (0) Zero

5. 1929 Chicago Cubs



Record: 98-54
Finish: Won NL Pennant: Lost in WS
Manager: Joe McCarthy
Ball Park: Wrigley Field
Run Diff: 224
Team AVG: .303
Team ERA: 4.16
WAR Leader: Rogers Hornsby (10.1)
Hall of Famers: (4) Rogers Hornsby, Hack Wilson, Gabby Hartnett, Kiki Cuyler

6. 2001 St. Louis Cardinals



Record: 93-69
Finish: Lost in NLDS
Manager: Tony Larussa
Ball Park: Busch Stadium
Run Diff: 130
Team AVG: .270
Team ERA: 3.93
WAR Leader: Albert Pujols (6.6)
Hall of Famers: (0) None

7. 1930 St. Louis Browns



Record: 64-90
Finish: 6th in AL
Manager: Billy Killifer
Ball Park: Sportmans Park
Run Diff: -135
Team AVG: .268
Team ERA: 5.07
WAR Leader: Lefty Stewart (7.8)
Hall of Famers: (3) Goose Goslin, Heinie Manush, Rick Ferrell

8. 1959 Detroit Tigers



Record: 76-78
Finish: 4th in AL
Manager: Jimmy Dykes
Ball Park: Tiger Stadium
Run Diff: -19
Team AVG: .258
Team ERA: 4.20
WAR Leader: Al Kaline (5.9)
Hall of Famers: (3) Al Kaline, Larry Doby, Jim Bunning

[Nick Soulis]

Season 2 Final Standings



Cubs Run Away Amongst Strong Group
McCarthy's Men Take Pennant By 12 Games



Many were excited to see season two materialize as the winning percentage for the teams involved was over 52%. Joe McCarthy however knows quite a bit about winning pennants and the game plan for the Cubs was getting on base and high command pitching which allowed them to lift the flag and pull away from the competition.

The Cubs won 2013 games and had two starters that won 25 games each throwing over 300 innings. Pat Malone took home the Cy Young award going 25-10 with a 2.63 ERA and Charlie Root matched him at 25-10 with a 3.18. The pen was scarely used and the Chicago starters proved that sticking with your starters is a formula that works. Rogers Hornsby was the other difference for the team going .345/34/128 in the middle of the order scoring 126 runs ahead of Hack Wilson who drove in 125 and hit 36 home runs. The Cubs were 49-32 on the road and won 20 games in August.

The 2013 Mets finished the year strong and finished in second place 20 games over .500. Matt Harvey and Jonathon Niese both won 19 games and Bobby Parnell had 40 saves. Ninety one wins however may not be enough in the long run for a second place team. Don Mossi won 20 games for the 1959 Tigers but after a hot July, the club really fell off in August and couldnt catch the Mets in the end.

The 2001 Cardinals let alot of people down finishing 4th despite having a monster MVP season from Albert Pujols. The Cardinal bullpen struggled as did most of the pitching staff other then Rick Ankiel who won 21 games with a 3.00 ERA. The 1991 Dodgers fell way out of the race in the second half as they were not good defensively and the offense did not have a .300 hitter. Age may have been an issue ultimately for this team. The likes of Darryl Strawberry and Gary Carter did not get the job done. The 1953 Senators had the player who won the batting title in Mickey Vernon but the pitching was poor and Senators failed to have a winning month all season.

Leo Durocher had no magic for the 1945 Dodgers. Luis Olmo had 107 RBI and some little known talents like Goody Rosen and Hal Gregg had nice seasons but overall it may be that the talent level for the war year clubs may be too much to overcome. St. Louis avoided losing 100 games and the 1930 Browns stole the most bases in the league but had the worst overall hitting and never really made a competitive run.

[Nick Soulis]

Season 2 Champions
1929 Chicago Cubs



Season 2 Leaders



Season 2 Cy Young



Season 2 MVP



Accomplishments

Three Home Run Games

8/4 - Goody Rosen (1945 Dodgers) vs 1959 Tigers
8/29 - Jim Edmonds (2001 Cardinals) vs 1930 Browns

Cycles

4/11 - Mickey Vernon (1953 Senators) vs 1929 Cubs
9/29 - Kiki Cuyler (1929 Cubs) vs 1959 Tigers

No Hitters

6/29 - Frank Lary (1959 Tigers) vs 1945 Dodgers

[Nick Soulis]

Season 3

1. 2017 Colorado Rockies



Record: 87-75
Finish: Lost in AL Wildcard
Manager: Bud Black
Ball Park: Coors Field
Run Diff: 67
Team AVG: .273
Team ERA: 4:51
WAR Leader: Nolan Arenado (6.7)
Hall of Famers: (0) Zero

2, 1975 St, Louis Cardinals



Record: 82-80
Finish: 3rd in L East
Manager: Red Schoendinest
Ball Park: Busch Stadium
Run Diff: -67
Team AVG: .273
Team ERA: 3.57
WAR Leader: Bob Forsch (6.7)
Hall of Famers: (2) Bob Gibson, Lou Brock

3. 2005 Texas Rangers



Record: 79-83
Finish: 3rd in AL West
Manager: Buck Showalter
Ball Park: Ameriquest Field
Run Diff: 7
Team AVG: .267
Team ERA: 4.96
WAR Leader: Mark Teixeira (7.2)
Hall of Famers: (0) None

4. 1990 Houston Astros



Record: 75-87
Finish: 4th in AL West
Manager: Art Howe
Ball Park: Astrodome
Run Diff: -83
Team AVG: .242
Team ERA: 3.61
WAR Leader: Danny Darwin (5.2)
Hall of Famers: (1) Craig Biggio

5. 2010 Detroit Tigers



Record: 81-81
Finish: Third in AL Central
Manager: Jim Leyland
Ball Park: Comerica Park
Run Diff: +8
Team AVG: .268
Team ERA: 4.30
WAR Leader: Miguel Cabrera (6.5)
Hall of Famers: (0) None

6. 1944 Brooklyn Dodgers



Record: 63-91
Finish: 7th in NL
Manager: Leo Durocher
Ball Park: Ebbets Field
Run Diff: -142
Team AVG: .269
Team ERA: 4.68
WAR Leader: Augie Galan (6.3)
Hall of Famers: (2) Lloyd Waner, Paul Waner

7. 2021 Texas Rangers



Record: 60-102
Finish: 5th in AL West
Manager: Chris Woodard
Ball Park: Globe Life Field
Run Diff: -190
Team AVG: .232
Team ERA: 4.79
WAR Leader: Joey Gallo (4.2)
Hall of Famers: (0) Zero

8. 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates



Record: 95-59
Finish: Won World Series
Manager: Danny Murtaugh
Ball Park: Forbes Field
Run Diff: +141
Team AVG: .276
Team ERA: 3.49
WAR Leader: Dick Groat (6.1)
Hall of Famers: (2) Roberto Clemente, Bill Mazeroski

[Nick Soulis]

Season 3 Final Standings



Rocky Mountain High
2017 Rockies Take Pennant With Explosive Offense



Everyone knew that having a team that plays in Coors Field would make any season more interesting. The 2017 Colorado Rockies used their home field to great advantage going 48-33 and doing enough to win a very close race by only 2 games. Nolan Arenado was the star winning the batting title and driving in 143 runs. German Marquez found a way to win 18 games while Kyle Freeland went 14-5 with a 3.69 ERA. Colorado went 23-3 in July to stun the division and their battle with the 2010 Tigers lasted to the final weekend where the Rockies closed it all out at, where else, Coors Field.

The Tigers were lead by electric pitching as Max Scherzer was a dominant force striking out 295 batters with a 3.14 ERA. Justin Verlander won 24 games and started 41 times making his duet with Scherzer and thing of beauty. Miguel Cabrera hit .325 with 34 home runs to carry an offense that didnt have to do much too win. The Tigers did win 97 games so will be in the mix for a second round wild card and came very close to catching the Rockies by the end of the 162.

The biggest let down no doubt comes from the 1960 Bucs. The Pirates did have a strong season winning 93 games but the race was just too hot for them and they could not even finish in the top two. Bob Friend won 23 games and was quite good while Dick Groat hit .321 and Bob Skinner drove in 89. Just like the 2005 White Sox in season one, Pittsburgh will not be moving on. The 1975 Cardinals won 85 games as Ted Simmons and Reggie Smith had huge seasons. Smith hit 38 home runs and drove in 123 runs while John Denny went 19-3 with a 2.80 ERA and probably should have won the Cy Young.

The 2005 Rangers hit 217 home runs and started the season as the early leader of the division. Texas however wilted in the summer heat and won only 7 games in July. The pitching could not keep pace and performances like 32 home runs from Richard Hidalgo and 29 more from Gary Matthews Jr. all went to waste. The 1990 Astros were another Texas sad story as they won only 69 games even as Franklin Stubbs lead the league with 39 home runs and drove in 111 runs. Houston also lead the league in steals with 285 as Eric Yelding stole 115.

Leo Durocher had another down year as the 1944 Dodgers lost 99 games. More evidence that the war years just were not as competitive as the Dodgers were dead last in runs and had little to no power. The 2021 Rangers had the same record as the Dodgers as Joey Gallo hit 27 home runs but hit just .204 while Jordan Lyles managed to lose 21 games.

[Nick Soulis]

Season 3 Champions
2017 Colorado Rockies



Season 3 Leaders



Season 3 MVP



Season 3 Cy Young



Accomplishments

Cycles

9/13 - Don Hoak (1960 Pirates)

[Nick Soulis]

Season #4

1. 1890 Brooklyn BrideGrooms



Record: 86-43
Finish: Tied in World Series
Manager: Bill McGunnigle
Ball Park: Washington Park
Run Diff: +264
Team AVG: .264
Team ERA: 3.06
WAR Leader: Adonis Terry (6.2)
Hall of Famers: (0) Zero

2. 1989 Montreal Expos



Record: 81-81
Finish: 4th in NL East
Manager: Buck Rodgers
Ball Park: Olympic Stadium
Run Diff: +2
Team AVG: .247
Team ERA: 3.48
WAR Leader: Mark Langston (4.9)
Hall of Famers: (3) Randy Johnson, Larry Walker, Tim Raines

3. 2017 Tampa Bay Rays



Record: 80-82
Finish: 3rd in AL East
Manager: Kevin Cash
Ballpark: Tropicana Field
Run Diff: -10
Team AVG: .245
Team ERA: 3.97
WAR Leader: Kevin Kiermaier (4.8)
Hall of Famers: (0) Zero

4. 1917 Chicago Cubs



Record: 74-80
Finish: 5th in NL
Manager: Fred Mitchell
Ball Park: Weegham Park
Run Diff: -15
Team AVG: .239
Team ERA: 2.62
WAR Leader: Hippo Vaughn (6.5)
Hall of Famers: (0) Zero

5. 1938 Cleveland Indians



Record: 86-66
Finish: 3rd in AL
Manager: Ossie Vitt
Ball Park: League Park
Run Diff: +65
Team AVG: .281
Team ERA: 4.60
WAR Leader: Earl Averill (5.4)
Hall of Famers: (3) Bob Feller, Lou Boudreau, Earl Averill

6. 1940 New York Giants



Record: 72-80
Finish: 6th in NL
Manager: Bill Terry
Ball Park: Polo Grounds
Run Diff: +4
Team AVG: .267
Team ERA: 3.79
WAR Leader: Mel Ott (5.4)
Hall of Famers: (2) Carl Hubbell, Mel Ott

7. 1915 Cincinnati Reds



Record: 71-83
Finish: 7th in NL
Manager: Buck Herzog
Ball Park: Crosley Field
Run Diff: -69
Team AVG: .253
Team ERA: 2.84
WAR Leader: Fred Toney (7.3)
Hall of Famers: (0) Zero

8. 1945 New York Yankees



Record: 81-71
Finish: 4th in AL
Manager: Joe McCarthy
Ball Park: Yankee Stadium
Run Diff: +70
Team AVG: .259
Team ERA: 3.45
WAR Leader: Snuffy Stirnweiss
Hall of Famers: (2) Paul Waner. Red Ruffing

[Nick Soulis]

Pennant Chase Alert!



With one week left in the standings for season the pennant was on the line. The 1945 New York Yankees and the 2017 Tampa Bay Rays are both tied with 97 wins and six to play. The two clubs face off at Tropicana Field for three before they finish the last weekend of the season. Here is a day by day summary of the race.

Monday September 29
Chris Archer gets his 18th win of the season and the Rays defeat the Yankees 5-1 to take a game lead in the race. Logan Morrison hits his 40th home run of the season and the Yankees lose with their ace Joe Page on the mound.
Tampa Bay Leads By One Game

Tuesday September 30
Logan Morrison and Kevin Keirmaier break a scoreless tie in the 7th inning each hitting two run home runs as the Rays win again and extend their lead in the race by 2. Chase Whitley gets the win and the Yankees picked a terrible time to have their bats silenced.
Tampa Bay Leads By Two Games

Wednesday October 1
Tampa Bay completes the sweep of the Yankees as catcher Jesus Sucre hits only this third home run of the season but Alex Cobb has more then enough and Alex Colome saves the 4-2 victory. Now going into the last weekend of the season, the magic number for Tampa sits at one.
Tampa Bay Leads By Three Games

Thursday October 2
Off Day

Friday October 3
Tampa wins their 101st game to clinch the pennant with a convincing 8-1 lead against the 1915 Reds. Evan Longoria and Wilson Ramos go deep and even as New York won their game, the pennant is wrapped up.

[Nick Soulis]

Rays Win One For Modern Game
Tampa Outlasts Yankees For Flag



Many old school thinkers have alot to say about the modern game. The beauty of the golden pennant is that all such arguments and what the best way to play the game is will be solved on the field.

Tampa Bay ended the season winning seven games in a row and taking the pennant from the 1945 Yankees including sweeping New York in the last week of the season. Winning 103 games is nothing to laugh at as players like Logan Morrison hit 42 home runs and drove in 106 runs. Chris Archer won 19 games while Jose Alvarado saved 41 games with a special 1.67 ERA. Bring on Sabermetrics as the Rays proved that for one season they could bring it home.

For the Yankees they were on another crusade. The 1945 club wanted to prove that even during the thin war years, the Yankees were still great. Russ Derry was incredible hitting 52 home runs with 144 RBI while Nick Etten hit 41 and drove in 125. Joe Page won 27 games with a 2.62 ERA and the Yankees won 100 games and still have hopes they can advance as a great second place club. Depth in the end may have gotten to this team, but Joe McCarthy raised his reputation as a great manager.

The 1938 Indians won 87 games and were lead by Bob Feller who struck out 280 batters but had a worrisome 4.64 ERA. Indians hitting was the best in the league scoring 904 runs but the pitching could not keep up and seasons like the 46 home runs by Ken Kelter and the 140 RBI by Jeff Heath were wasted. The 1940 Giants had a 20 games winner in Hal Schumacher but Carl Hubbell struggled at 37 years old losing 16 times and the team had only 33 steals on the season. Mel Ott was awesome hitting 47 home runs with 126 RBI but the Giants could not finish wiith a winning record.

The 1915 Reds scored the fewest runs in the league and had no one hit over .300. Tommy Griffith drove in 88 runs for a team high but the Giants could not keep pace with the big bats in this division. Fred Toney did win 20 games and Rube Benton 19, small ball however was not the answer to compete. The Cubs of 1917 won only 69 games and had a league worst .250 team average while Hippo Vaughn managed to lose 20 games. Chicago finished the season with a 20 loss September and had many of the same problems as the Reds did.

Finishing 35 games out of first were the 1989 Expos who started off slow and never got back on their feet. Andres Galarraga did drive in 107 runs and Tim Wallach hit .304 but a weak pen and a 22 game loser in Bryn Smith made it a long season for Montreal. Behind everyone were the 1890 Bridegroom who many had hoped could have competed as one of the better teams of the late 19th century. Adonis Terry did win 23 games and threw for 339 innings but the depth was not there and poor Mickey Hughes lost 28 times in his 306 innings. Three players did drive in more the 100 runs with Dave Foutz leading the club with 114 RBI.

[Nick Soulis]

Season 4 Champions
2017 Tampa Bay Rays

League Leaders



Most Valuable Player



Cy Young Award



Accomplishments

6/20 - Bob Feller (1938 Indians) 16 Strikeouts
6/16 - Johnny Lindell (1945 Yankees) Cycle

[Nick Soulis]

Season #5

1. 1972 Houston Astros



Record: 84-69
Finish: 3rd in NL West
Manager: Harry Walker
Ball Park" Astrodome
Run Diff: +72
Team AVG: .258
Team ERA: 3.77
WAR Leader: Cesar Cedeno (8.0)
Hall of Famers: (0) Zero

2. 1963 St. Louis Cardinals



Record: 93-69
Finish: 2nd in NL
Manager: Johnny Keane
Ball Park: Busch Stadium
Run Diff: +119
Team AVG: .271
Team ERA: 3.32
WAR Leader: Dick Groat (7.1)
Hall of Famers: (2) Bob Gibson, Red Schoendiest

3. 2004 Houston Astros



Record: 92-70
Finish: Lost in NLCS
Manager: Jimy Williams
Ball Park: Minute Maid Park
Run Diff: +105
Team AVG: .267
Team ERA: 4.05
WAR Leaders: Lance Berkman (6.0)
Hall of Famers: (2) Craig Biggio, Jeff Bagwell

4. 1965 Kansas City Athletics



Record: 59-103
Finish: 10th in AL
Manager: Haywood Sullivan
Ball Park: Municipal Stadium
Run Diff: -170
Team AVG: .240
Team ERA: 4.24
WAR Leader: Ed Charles (3.3)
Hall of Famers: (2) Catfish Hunter, Satchel Paige

5. 1969 Oakland Athletics



Record: 88-74
Finish: 2nd in AL West
Manager: Hank Bauer
Ball Park: Oakland Coliseum
Run Diff: 62
Team AVG: .249
Team ERA: 3.71
WAR Leader: Reggie Jackson (9.2)
Hall of Famers: (4) Reggie Jackson, Catfish Hunter, Rollie Fingers, Tony LaRussa

6. 1946 Philadelphia Athletics



Record: 49-105
Finish: 8th in AL
Manager: Connie Mack
Ball Park: Shibe Park
Run Diff: -151
Team AVG: .253
Team ERA: 3.90
WAR Leader: Jesse Flores (4.3)
Hall of Famers: (1) George Kell

7. 1971 Chicago White Sox



Record: 79-83
Finish: 3rd in AL West
Manager: Chuck Tanner
Ball Park: Comiskey Park
Run Diff: +20
Team AVG: .250
Team ERA: 3.12
WAR Leader: Wilbur Wood (11.0)
Hall of Famers: (0) Zero

8. 1962 Minnesota Twins



Record: 91-71
Finish: 2ns in AL
Manager: Sam Mele
Ball Park: Metropolitan Stadium
Run Diff: +85
Team AVG: .260
Team ERA: 3.89
WAR Leader: Camilo Pascual (6.1)
Hall of Famers: (3) Jim Kaat, Harmon Killebrew, Tony Oliva

[Nick Soulis]

Birds Of A Different Feather
Gibson and Musial Lead Cards To Pennant



The 1963 Cardinals leaned on their legendary names to break away in September and win the season 5 pennant. The Cards finished 21-10 to finish the season doing enough to hold off the 2004 Astros. Bob Gibson won 20 games and struck out 236 batters and was joined by 21 game winner Curst Simmons to hand cuff the opposition.

There are few competitors you would father have then Gibson who was especially strong down the stretch. In the lineup was the impressive season of 42 year old Stan Musial who proved he truly is a legend hitting .313 on the season with 25 home runs and 88 RBI. The Cards lead the league in runs and hit .286 for tops in the league. The Cards swept the 1971 White Sox and took two out of three from Houston to raise to the top as the season came to a close.

The Astros also had two 20 game winners in the anchors of Roy Oswalt and Roger Clemens. Oswalt threw 316 innings and won 20 games to compliment Roger Clemens who won the Cy Young and had a 23-8 record. Richard Hidalgo lead the team with 100 RBI but the offense could not carry the load as Jeff Bagwell hit .235 while Jeff Kent and Lance Berkman also had subpar seasons. Brad Lidge did end with 30 saves but at the crucial point, the Astros could not do enough to lift the flag.

The 1971 White Sox hit the most home runs in the season as Bill Melton lead the way with 33 home runs and 113 RBI. The Chicago defense was rated the last in the division but the Sox pitching still treaded water and the Pale holes were right there in the mix by late September. A losing June and September did the club in but still many people were not expecting the Sox to do as well as they ended up finishing.

Jim Kaat and Camilo Pascual headed up the pitching staff for the 1962 Twins who won 86 games but could not do better then 4th. Don Mincher muscled up this season with 37 home runs and 115 RBI in the middle of the order Much more was expected from the 1969 Athletics as they finished close to .500 and in 5th for a club loaded with talent. Reggie Jackson drove in 108 runs and Bert Campeneris lead the league with over 100 steals. Catfish Hunter struggled and actually lost his rotation spot late in the season.

The 1971 Astros had issues with their pitching and allowed the most runs in the league as Don Wilson lost 20 games. The offense had no real run producer and after a red hot June, this Astros team lost 19 games in July. The 1965 Atheltics hit .243 as a team losing 97 games but finished with the most steals in the league also lead by a guy named Camperneris but the lack of a closer and no continuity guaranteed that this club would not threaten for a top four finish.

In the cellar were the 98 loss Philadelphia Athletics and a mature but reserved Connie Mack. Herman Besse ended up being quite the closer in the few outings that he actually came in with a lead and wrapped up 27 saves. Sam Chapman hit 30 home runs and drove in 97 to lead the offense but otherwise the A's were last in almost every offensive catagory including that slightly important stat of scoring runs.

[Nick Soulis]

Champions
1963 St. Louis Cardinals

Most Valuable Player



Cy Young Award



Batting Title



Accomplishments

5/18 - Reggie Jackson (1969 A's) 3 HR
6/14 - Bill Melton (1917 White Sox) 3 HR

[Nick Soulis]

Season 6

1. 2010 Minnesota Twins



Record: 94-68
Finish: Lost in ALDS
Manager: Ron Garedenhire
Ball Park: Target Field
Run Diff: +110
Team AVG: .273
Team ERA: 3.95
WAR Leader: Joe Mauer (5.9)
Hall of Famers: (1) Jim Thome

2. 2011 Kansas City Royals



Record: 71-91
Finish: 4th in AL Central
Manager: Ned Yost
Ball Park: Kauffman Stadium
Run Diff: -32
Team AVG: .275
Team ERA: 4.44
WAR Leader: Alex Gordon (7.3)
Hall of Famers: (0) Zero

3. 1890 Baltimore Orioles

Record: 15-19
Finish: 6th in AA
Manager: Billy Barnie
Ball Park: Oriole Park
Run Diff: -10
Team AVG: .229
Team ERA: 4.00
WAR Leader: Sadie mcMahon (2.0)
Hall of Famers: (1) Wilbert Robinson

4. 2019 Texas Rangers



Record: 78-84
Finish: 3rd in AL West
Manager: Chris Woodward
Ball Park: Globe Life Park
Run Diff: -68
Team AVG: .248
Team ERA: 5.06
WAR Leader: Mike Minor (7.9)
Hall of Famers: (0) Zero

5. 1991 Cleveland Indians



Record: 57-105
Finish: 7th in AL East
Manager: Mike Hargrove
Ball Park: Cleveland Stadium
Run Diff: -183
Team AVG: .254
Team ERA: 4.23
WAR Leader: Greg Swindell (3.8)
Hall of Famers: (1) Jim Thome

6. 1885 St. Louis Browns

Record: 79-33
Finish: Tied World Series
Manager: Charlie Comiskey
Ball Park: Sportsmans Park
Run Diff: +216
Team AVG: .246
Team ERA: 2.44
WAR Leader: Bob Carruthers (10.0)
Hall of Famers: (1) Charlie Comiskey

7. 2006 St. Louis Cardinals



Record: 83-78
Finish: WON WORLD SERIES
Manager: Tony LaRusa
Ball Park: Busch Stadium
Run Diff: +19
Team AVG: .269
Team ERA: 4.54
WAR Leader: Albert Pujols (8.5)
Hall of Famers: (0) Zero

8. 1992 Seattle Mariners



Record: 64-98
Finish: 7th in AL West
Manager: Bill Plummer
Ball Park: Kingdome
Run Diff: -120
Team AVG: .263
Team ERA: 4.55
WAR Leader: Edgar Martinez (6.5)
Hall of Famers: (3) Randy Johnson, Edgar Martinez, Ken Griffey Jr