The Bucs Start Here - A Pirates Do-Over

[luckymann]

Eight new Legacies including a very high-profile Marquee Player.

These are the Legacy Players for the 1939 season:

Boston Red Sox: Ted Williams (122.0 WAR; 2292 – one-club player) MARQUEE
Cincinnati Reds: Ken Raffensberger (31.0; 250)
Cleveland Indians: Early Wynn (61.0; 343)
Detroit Tigers: Hal Newhouser (52.7; 460)
New York Yankees: Charlie Keller (43.8; 1066)
Pittsburgh Pirates: Bob Elliott (51.0; 1047)
St. Louis Cardinals: Murry Dickson (46.1; 247)
Washington Senators: Mickey Vernon (35.6; 1805)


Joe Dobson (26.3; 259) was also eligible for the Red Sox, but Williams’ higher WAR makes him the selection.

Fred Hutchinson (26.0; 242) was also eligible for the Tigers, but Newhouser’s higher WAR makes him the selection.

Dizzy Trout (49.8; 493) was also eligible for the Tigers, but Newhouser’s higher WAR makes him the selection.


There are 128 rookies for this season, and the Draft will consist of 5 rounds.

The Draft order will be as follows (winning percentage from 1938 IRL season in brackets; bold indicates Legacy Pick in 1st Round):

Round 1

1. Boston Red Sox (591)
2. Cleveland Indians (566)
3. Detroit Tigers (545)
4. Pittsburgh Pirates (573)
5. St. Louis Cardinals (470)
6. New York Yankees (651)
7. Washington Senators (497)
8. Cincinnati Reds (547)
9. Philadelphia Phillies (300)
10. Philadelphia Athletics (349)
11. St. Louis Browns (362)
12. Chicago White Sox (439)
13. Brooklyn Dodgers (463)
14. Boston Bees (507)
15. New York Giants (553)
16. Chicago Cubs (586)

Rounds 2 thru 5

1. Philadelphia Phillies (300)
2. Philadelphia Athletics (349)
3. St. Louis Browns (362)
4. Chicago White Sox (439)
5. Brooklyn Dodgers (463)
6. St. Louis Cardinals (470)
7. Washington Senators (497)
8. Boston Bees (507)
9. Detroit Tigers (545)
10. Cincinnati Reds (547)
11. New York Giants (553)
12. Cleveland Indians (566)
13. Pittsburgh Pirates (573)
14. Chicago Cubs (586)
15. Boston Red Sox (591)
16. New York Yankees (651)


We get a nice Legacy this time around and that kind of changes our POA for the lower rounds.

Here are our picks in full:

1. OF Bob Elliott, 22

• From what I know of Bob, he moves into the IF a few years into his career, with 3B his main position from then on. But, with the Waner boys both showing signs of age his OF skills might just come in handy before that transition takes place.

2. P Joe Dobson, 21

• None of our pitching prospects have quite come on as hoped just yet, and with our staff getting a wee bit long in the tooth, we need to start stocking up for the next generation. Joe – who was, I’ll admit, our third choice behind Trout and Hutchinson – is unlikely to win a bunch of awards, but still projects as a solid mid-rotation guy.

3. IF Bill Nagel, 23

• One of quite a few decent enough IFs in this pool, will only ever be a backup but should give us good service in that role. If neither Pep Young nor Billy Jurges up their game from terrible 1938 campaigns, he may be doing so sooner than he thinks.

4. P Red Lynn, 23
5. P Bill Clemensen, 19

• Two for AAA.

Looking forward to what Bob brings to the table.

FULL DRAFT LOG

[luckymann]

After talks with our first target Tommy Bridges broke down over price (he eventually signs with the Tigers for 4/$90k), we switch our focus to a cheaper option and eventually sign Whit Wyatt to a 3+1/$49k deal.

He is the ideal SP4 who has to this point been used more in a relief / swing role. I've set Dave Brown onto him and hopefully he provides the solidity we need at that end of the rotation.

I have a bit of a sniff around the trade market but after last season want to keep both tickets and see how things pan out.

And, later, I learn a valuable lesson that might not be of any consequence at this very moment but is something to store away for the future.

The nature of this league in this era is that there are very few true "prospects" to consider. Usually, the good guys are on your Active Roster and the rest are AAA fodder. This allows me to run a really tight 40-man, with barely more than the 24 active players ever on there.

Of course, this means your AAA guys eventually become exposed at R5 time.

Now there is absolutely no need for me to operate like this other than it's how I like to, but I realise I'm going to need to be more careful and protective of our players moving forward as the economic factors tighten.

Case in point, I leave a pitcher by the name of Jack Wilson unprotected and the Indians take him. Jack is a borderline MLB type who would be in line for a call-up should injuries and / or form decree. Now, unless he is returned, we don't have him and will need to find reinforcement elsewhere - perhaps even use up a precious trade ticket.

So I need to improve in this regard moving forward.

Lesson learned.

[luckymann]

There's a lesson here for all of us - in a world without temptation, ex-boxers, gangsters, cheapskate owners and gambling, one can achieve great things and be properly honoured for achieving them.

Yeah, but would life be as much fun?


Lefty won 263 games all up here, just 23 of which were earned in the period that coincided with his IRL career, 1913-20. Fairly sure that wouldn't have got him a plaque had it ended there. If that perhaps means his enshrinement should come with some sort of asterisk, well I ain't the guy to affix it.

[luckymann]

In a season that sees the Browns lose 111 times, the Yanks become the first team to win four straight titles, racking up 106 Ws and cruising to the AL Pennant by 17 games then sweeping the Reds.

AL CHAMPIONS: New York Yankees (106-45)
NL CHAMPIONS: Cincinnati Reds (97-57)
WORLD SERIES: Yankees 4, Reds 0

AL MVP: Joe DiMaggio (Yankees)
NL MVP: Bucky Walters (Reds)


Top Ten Lists (courtesy of thisgreatgame.com)

NL Hitters

1. JOHNNY MIZE, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: .349 average, 104 runs, 197 hits, 44 doubles, 14 triples, 28 home runs, 108 RBIs, 92 walks, 18 intentional walks, .626 slugging percentage.
• Mize won his first and only batting title while raising his four-year career average to .346.

2. JOE MEDWICK, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: .332 average, 98 runs, 201 hits, 48 doubles, 8 triples, 14 home runs, 117 RBIs.
• Medwick finished off a five-year stretch in which he averaged 52 doubles per season.

3. DOLPH CAMILLI, BROOKLYN

• Key Numbers: 157 games, .290 average, 105 runs, 30 doubles, 12 triples, 26 home runs, 104 RBIs, 110 walks, 107 strikeouts.
• For the second straight year, Camilli topped the century mark in four categories: runs, RBIs, walks, and strikeouts.

4. FRANK MCCORMICK, CINCINNATI

• Key Numbers: .332 average, 99 runs, 209 hits, 41 doubles, 18 home runs, 128 RBIs.
• McCormick was clearly the unheralded hero of the Reds, playing stellar first base, notching 200 hits for the second straight year and racking up more homers (18) than strikeouts (16).

5. MEL OTT, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 125 games, .308 average, 85 runs, 27 home runs, 80 RBIs, 100 walks, .449 on-base percentage.
• The Giants’ slugger likely would have won his fourth straight NL home run crown had it not been for an injury that virtually sidelined him for the entire month of September; as it was, he finished one behind Johnny Mize.

6. IVAL GOODMAN, CINCINNATI

• Key Numbers: 124 games, .323 average, 85 runs, 37 doubles, 16 triples, 7 home runs, 84 RBIs, 7 hit-by-pitches, 22 sacrifice hits.
• Goodman’s home run output all but vanished, from 30 to seven—but he also produced a career-high batting average and grabbed a whole lot of other extra-base hits.

7. ENOS SLAUGHTER, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: .320 average, 95 runs, 193 hits, 52 doubles, 5 triples, 12 home runs, 86 RBIs.
• In his second year with the Cardinals, Slaughter developed the late groove by hitting .362 over his final 64 games while becoming the first National Leaguer in three years not named Joe Medwick to lead the circuit in doubles.

8. BILLY HERMAN, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: .307 average, 111 runs, 191 hits, 34 doubles, 18 triples, 7 home runs, 70 RBIs, 66 walks.
• Herman survived an early (but brief) benching and put together one of his finest of 15 major league campaigns.

9. COOKIE LAVAGETTO, BROOKLYN

• Key Numbers: .300 average, 93 runs, 176 hits, 28 doubles, 10 home runs, 87 RBIs, 78 walks, 14 stolen bases.
• Sporting an off-the-wall personality that might have led some to call him “Kooky” instead of “Cookie,” Lavagetto peaked with his lone season hitting .300 while collecting double-digit home run totals (though barely, in both cases).

10. HANK LEIBER, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 112 games, .310 average, 24 home runs, 88 RBIs.
• The former Giant was, along with the Red Sox’ Jim Tabor, the first pair of major leaguers to each hit three home runs on the same day, the Fourth of July.

AL Hitters

1. TED WILLIAMS, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: .327 average, 131 runs, 185 hits, 44 doubles, 11 triples, 31 home runs, 145 RBIs, 107 walks, 12 intentional walks.
• Enter the Splendid Splinter: Williams made it loud and clear that he’d be no rookie any pitcher could solve the second time around.

2. JIMMIE FOXX, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: 124 games, .360 average, 130 runs, 31 doubles, 10 triples, 35 home runs, 105 RBIs, 89 walks, .464 on-base percentage, .694 slugging percentage.
• In a year where durability took a break as Lou Gehrig stepped down and only seven American Leaguers played 150 or more games, Foxx was one of many on this list robbed of everyday play as he missed most of September—in his case, because of appendicitis. Still, Foxx finished an incredible decade in which he hit .336 and averaged 42 homers and 140 RBIs per year.

3. JOE DIMAGGIO, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 120 games, .381 average, 108 runs, 176 hits, 32 doubles, 6 triples, 30 home runs, 126 RBIs.
• Two years before Williams got past .400, DiMaggio nearly did it himself—but his average dropped 20 points over the final three weeks while suffering from a sinus infection. His 53 RBIs in August are the most ever by an American Leaguer in one month.

4. HANK GREENBERG, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: 138 games, .312 average, 112 runs, 32 doubles, 7 triples, 33 home runs, 112 RBIs, 91 walks, 95 strikeouts.
• After belting a Herculean 58 homers the year before, Greenberg experienced far more muted (but still excellent) numbers as protection in the lineup became more vulnerable.

5. BOB JOHNSON, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: .338 average, 115 runs, 184 hits, 30 doubles, 9 triples, 23 home runs, 114 RBIs, 99 walks, 15 stolen bases.
• The 1930s closed with Johnson once more proving his value as one of the decade’s most undervalued stars.

6. GEORGE SELKIRK, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 128 games, .306 average, 103 runs, 21 home runs, 101 RBIs, 103 walks, 12 stolen bases.
• Selkirk came as close to successfully emulating Babe Ruth—the man he replaced in the Yankee outfield four years earlier—as he ever would.

7. RED ROLFE, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: .329 average, 139 runs, 213 hits, 46 doubles, 10 triples, 14 home runs, 80 RBIs, 81 walks.
• The latter-day, leadoff reincarnation of Earle Combs put together his most potent season, setting career highs in nearly all of the above categories.

8. HAL TROSKY, CLEVELAND

• Key Numbers: 122 games, .335 average, 89 runs, 31 doubles, 25 home runs, 104 RBIs.
• At the age of 26, Trosky was named captain of the Indians and became the team’s primary threat with 1930s star Earl Averill dealt to Detroit in an early-season trade.

9. GEORGE MCQUINN, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: 154 games, .316 average, 101 runs, 195 hits, 37 doubles, 13 triples, 20 home runs, 94 RBIs.
• In his second full, very productive year—and on the heels of a first in which he fashioned together a 34-game hit streak—McQuinn proved so convincingly good that the Yankees tried (and failed) to land him in the following offseason. Such a shame for McQuinn, who labored through every game of the Browns’ 43-111 misery of 1939.

10. CHARLIE GEHRINGER, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: 118 games, .325 average, 86 runs, 29 doubles, 6 triples, 16 home runs, 86 RBIs, 68 walks.
• At age 36, Gehringer hit for the lone cycle of his career on May 27 at St. Louis against the Browns, jumping his average over the .300 mark after a slow start; he’d never go below the figure again the rest of the year.

NL Pitchers

1. BUCKY WALTERS, CINCINNATI

• Key Numbers: 2.29 ERA, 27 wins, 11 losses, .711 win percentage, 39 appearances, 36 starts, 31 complete games, 319 innings, 137 strikeouts.
• A sloppy third baseman over his first five years in the bigs, Walters reveled with a second calling on the mound—and proved he could still hit by batting .325.

2. PAUL DERRINGER, CINCINNATI

• Key Numbers: 2.93 ERA, 25 wins, 7 losses, .781 win percentage, 38 appearances, 35 starts, 28 complete games, 5 shutouts, 301 innings, 35 walks.
• The veteran Reds ace was just steps behind Walters in most category, despite career bests in wins, ERA and complete games.

3. BOB BOWMAN, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: 2.60 ERA, 13 wins, 5 losses, .722 win percentage, 8 saves, 51 appearances, 15 starts, 169.1 innings.
• The one-year wonder was at his best when he relieved, scoring a 6-0 record and 1.78 ERA.

4. GENE THOMPSON, CINCINNATI

• Key Numbers: 2.54 ERA, 13 wins, 5 losses, .722 win percentage, 42 appearances, 11 starts.
• Lost amid the cries of “wow” for Walters and Derringer was the 22-year-old rookie reliever who, like Bowman above, would also not last terribly long in the majors—thanks in part to his absence during World War II.

5. HUGH CASEY, BROOKLYN

• Key Numbers: 2.93 ERA, 15 wins, 10 losses, 40 appearances, 25 starts, 227.1 innings, 11 hit-by-pitches.
• The portly Casey, three years after a ho-hum trial with the Cubs, emerged as a top rotation asset at Brooklyn thanks to the development of a splitter—or, some theorized, a spitter.

6. CURT DAVIS, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: 3.63 ERA, 22 wins, 16 losses, 7 saves, 49 appearances, 31 starts, 248 innings, 48 walks, 14 intentional walks.
• Obtained in the deal that sent Dizzy Dean to the Cubs, Davis made the $185,000 the Cardinals also received seem like highway robbery.

7. LUKE HAMLIN, BROOKLYN

• Key Numbers: 3.64 ERA, 20 wins, 13 losses, 40 appearances, 36 starts, 269.2 innings, 54 walks.
• The Dodgers’ workhorse for the moment (before Whit Wyatt and Kirby Higbe arrived on the scene), Hamlin was just as effective as his previous two campaigns but, thanks to belated support, finally reached the promised land of 20 victories.

8. CARL HUBBELL, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 2.75 ERA, 11 wins, 9 losses, 29 appearances, 18 starts, 154 innings, 24 walks.
• Settled into his post-ace era after elbow injuries neutered his workhorse ethic, Hubbell enjoyed a worthy campaign at age 36.

9. CLAUDE PASSEAU, PHILADELPHIA-CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 3.28 ERA, 15 wins, 13 losses, 42 appearances, 35 starts, 274.1 innings, 137 strikeouts.
• Rescued from the Phillies—a familiar story for the time—Passeau was unsurprisingly at his best following an early-season trade to the Cubs.

10. BILL LEE, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 3.44 ERA, 19 wins, 15 losses, 37 appearances, 36 starts, 282.1 innings.
• A year after his star turn, Lee remained effective but began to feel the effects of leading the NL in games started for three straight years; it would get wobbly for him from here.

AL Pitchers

1. BOB FELLER, CLEVELAND

• Key Numbers: 2.85 ERA, 24 wins, 9 losses, .727 win percentage, 39 appearances, 35 starts, 24 complete games, 296.2 innings, 142 walks, 246 strikeouts, 14 wild pitches.
• Feller became the majors’ youngest 20-game winner until Dwight Gooden.

2. LEFTY GROVE, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: 2.54 ERA, 15 wins, 4 losses, .789 win percentage, 23 starts, 191 innings.
• Grove ended the 1930s just a win shy of 200 for the decade, and tallied his ninth and last career ERA title at age 39.

3. TED LYONS, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 2.76 ERA, 14 wins, 6 losses, .700 win percentage, 21 starts, 16 complete games, 172.2 innings, 26 walks.
• If it’s Sunday, it must be Lyons—who was given the ball roughly every seven days, usually at the end of the weekend, and continued to deliver sharp results at age 38. The routine would largely continue well into the 1940s.

4. RED RUFFING, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 2.93 ERA, 21 wins, 7 losses, .750 win percentage, 28 starts, 22 complete games, 5 shutouts, 228.1 innings.
• Ruffing continued to be as automatic as the Yankees, finishing the decade with records of 20-12, 20-7, 21-7 and 21-7 for the four-time champs; he also pulled off the rare feat of going the whole season without a no-decision.

5. DUTCH LEONARD, WASHINGTON

• Key Numbers: 3.54 ERA, 20 wins, 8 losses, .714 win percentage, 34 starts, 269.1 innings.
• Leonard set the mark for wins by anyone named Dutch Leonard—though his unrelated namesake still had him one up on ERA with an all-time low 0.96 mark in 1914.

6. BOBO NEWSOM, ST. LOUIS-DETROIT

• Key Numbers: 3.58 ERA, 20 wins, 11 losses, 41 appearances, 37 starts, 24 complete games, 291.2 innings, 126 walks, 192 strikeouts.
• Shipped at midseason from St. Louis to Detroit—he was used to it, as it was the third of his eight career mid-season trades—Newsom won 20 games for the second straight year, this time with a far more respectable ERA.

7. JOHNNY RIGNEY, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 3.70 ERA, 15 wins, 8 losses, 218.2 innings.
• The 24-year-old right-hander certainly enjoyed pitching at Comiskey Park (11-1 record, 2.66 ERA) and during July/August (9-0, 2.09 ERA).

8. LEFTY GOMEZ, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 3.41 ERA, 12 wins, 8 losses, 26 starts, 198 innings.
• An arm injury a month into the season quelled Gomez’s campaign and hastened his twilight at the age of just 30, but he remained mostly sharp throughout it all.

9. TOMMY BRIDGES, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: 3.50 ERA, 17 wins, 7 losses, .708 win percentage.
• A return to fine form, if while working fewer innings than his mid-1930s peak.

10. BUMP HADLEY, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 2.98 ERA, 12 wins, 6 losses.
• The veteran hurler and past two-time 20-game loser for the downtrodden Browns enjoyed his best of six late-career campaigns with the far more successful Yankees.

[luckymann]

Great to see the White Sox, Reds and Cards committing to long-term big-name signings, something they have each been reluctant to do in the past—to their detriment. Looks like the A’s got a bargain with The Big Cat when you compare it to what the Bees paid for Camilli, as good a player as he is. Amazingly, the Averill trade mirrors his departure from the Tribe IRL – albeit with a different destination here – and they ship out another stalwart in Mel Harder as well. Finally, both Ted Radcliffe and Lefty Grove go home.

Here are the big signings and moves:

• OF Willard Brown: Reds, 8 years / $161200
• P Barney Brown: Cardinals, 6 years / $144600
• C Babe Phelps: White Sox, 5 years / $121200
• P Red Ruffing: Browns, 5 years / $119000
• 1B Dolph Camilli: Bees, 5 years / $118000
• OF John Stone: Tigers, 4 years / $96800
• OF Sam West: Dodgers, 4 years / $96400
• 1B Johnny Mize: Athletics, 5 years / $87700
• P Lefty Grove: Athletics, 2 years / $47600
• P Ted Radcliffe: Dodgers, 2 years / $47200

• P Johnny Niggeling and SS Rusty Peters from Cardinals to Bees for 2B Emmett Mueller
• P Newt Kimball and C Hal Wagner from White Sox to Dodgers for 1B Harry Davis
• OF Earl Averill from Indians to Bees for C Norm Schlueter and C Mickey Livingston
• P Mel Harder and OF Harry Craft from Indians to White Sox for SS Lynn Myers and P Red Barrett
• 1B Babe Young from Senators to Reds for C Gabby Hartnett

ALL TRANSACTIONS


We go 12-6 in ST and have no injury concerns heading into OD.

A rematch is on the cards if the experts are to be believed, with ourselves and the Yanks tipped on top. Josh Gibson’s name is ominously absent from their featured players list. Even more so when he is named the Top-Ranked player. Nice, however, to see recruit Whit Wyatt at #11 among the pitchers.

FULL PRESEASON PREDICTIONS

[luckymann]

Our team page can be accessed HERE.


You can understand my trepidation going into the new season after what happened last year. That said, I think we are deeper throughout this year. In no rush to unnecessarily test that theorem, though.

We enter the season with the 4th-highest payroll ($273k) and next-to-smallest budget ($550k).

Our Opening Day squad will look like this:

Catchers

• C Josh Gibson (R)
• C Ken O’Dea (L)

Don Padgett will again see some time here.

Infielders

• 1B Jimmie Foxx (R)
• 2B Ray Dandridge (R)
• 3B Martin Dihigo (R)
• SS Arky Vaughan (R)

• Don Padgett (L)
• Pep Young (R)
• Billy Jurges (R)

Bordagary awaits the call-up at AAA, as does Bill Nagel.

Outfielders

• LF Hank Leiber (R)
• CF Wild Bill Wright (S)
• RF Paul Waner (L) / Bob Elliott (R) platoon

• Lloyd Waner (L)
• Doc Cramer (L)

Time will tell what happens with RF, but for now they’ll platoon with Big P holding onto the strong side for now.

Rotation

1. RHP Paul Derringer
2. RHP Ray Brown
3. RHP Whit Wyatt
4. RHP Bill Lee

Bullpen

• LHP Leroy Matlock (ST)
• LHP Max Lanier (MR)
• LHP Lefty Sunkel (MR)
• RHP Hugh Casey (LR)
• RHP Jim Tobin (LR)

A few guys at AAA to call upon if needs be.

[luckymann]

[luckymann]

This sort of deal will be more and more prevalent for us: one that may seem a bit on the high side right now but that should prove cheap over its full duration.

Danny is an integral player for us moving forward, so it's nice to know he'll be here for a while to come.

We have our core all locked down long-term on what are becoming increasingly reasonable deals comparative to the rest of the league with every passing season. With Elliott hopefully turning into a corner IF, we now just need two corner OFs to complete the set. One of whom might be coming sooner rather than later as both Waner boys look shot.

[luckymann]

Ty Cobb is the all-time leader with 281.

[luckymann]

Opening Day bodes ill as we lose Leroy Matlock for a month to a rotator cuff strain, and it is a generally unimpressive first week as our pitchers get battered about and our power void continues with just three home runs – and none from Leiber, Gibson or Foxx – in the first ten games. Vaughan, in particular, is looking ordinary hitting barely over 100. It isn’t until the 15th game of the season that our big three break their collective drought, with both Josh and XX going deep against Brooky.

We also lose Ken O’Dea to a min stint on the IL, but as is usually the case we manage to turn things around as a 5-game win streak puts us above 500 for the first time. But our pitching continues to really struggle with our Starter ERA ballooning to an NL-worst 4.50. and those homers just won’t come. Even in a 15-7 win against the Jints, our 15 hits include just two doubles and a triple. I have no idea what’s going on here. But I sure as heck don’t like it.

Despite all of this, we start grinding out the wins as the pitching slowly shows signs of coming around. It ain’t pretty, but is mostly effective and better than the alternative. We continue to improve as May winds down and end it with - all things considered - a really impressive 21-9 mark. With our somewhat less remarkable 6-7 April, that puts us 3 GB the red-hot Phillies at 27-16.





We might not be sending out many souvenirs, but we are hitting - leading the NL with a 291 BA. Gibson wins the monthly award for his stellar 411 / 4 HR / 16 RBI effort. Our pitching has settled right down, too, and rookie Max Lanier has been super impressive with an ERA of 0.40 over 22.1 IP. With our good D working its magic things look OK. Watch out if that power returns.





It’s not just our big bats grown minuscule – Lou Gehrig has two homers to his name so far this season. In fact, it has generally been a very subdued start to the 1939 campaign in every regard.




Awards, news and leaders. Ted Trent, Lefty Gomez and Red Ruffing each get career win number 200.






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[luckymann]

Some promising early form as we get an 18-1 hatchet job done on the Dodgers including – wait for it – 5 home runs! Glad to – hopefully – see the end of that nonsense.

We lose Dihigo for a month to a back injury, which kind of forces my hand with a move I’d been contemplating at any rate and I do the following trade:

TRADE 1 OF 2 (06/15/39)

P Max Macon traded to St. Louis (AL) for IF Jimmy Brown and P Alex Carrasquel.


With Martin looking like he’s losing a step and Billy Jurges unlikely to be re-signed, I’ve wanted to shore up our IF stocks for a while now, and this trade accomplishes that. He’s under TC until 1942 as well. Even if he is coming to the end of his run, Marty is a fantastic guy to have around given his versatility and he’s actually been back pitching BP and has expressed a desire to go back to playing two-way. So we’ll be seeing what sort of money he’s looking for to re-up, as he is also out of contract this year. If his demands are reasonable we’ll be looking to have him stay a Bucco for a few more seasons.

For now, Danny will move around to 3B and Jimmy and Pep will platoon at 2B.

The very next day, we play one of the wildest games I can remember – a 12-inning 14-13 slugfest that we win walkoff on a single by Little P – and then score 4 in the 9th the game after that to snatch another one. The next day, with the Phillies in town, we end their 10-game win streak with a strong 11-4 win. We beat them again the following day to make it six straight, but lose Wyatt for a min IL stint with a sore elbow in the process. Another win in the final game of the series narrows their lead to one.

We eventually run that string of wins to 12 (as our AAA Barons also put together 14 in a row and counting) before losing an epic 12-10 game in 12 innings to the Dodgers, the first game in ten we’ve lost to them this year.

Towards the end of the month, we nut out a 1-year / $11k extension for Martin Dihigo, extend Pep Young another season for 10K, claim Bobo Newsom on waivers from the Cubs and lose Bud Tinning via the same means to Cincy.

We close out an excellent sectional with a 19-6 record.





Some outstanding months among our hitters - most notably Arky Vaughan (whose 419 / 2 HR / 25 RBI performance wins him the monthly batting award), Josh Gibson and Bill Wright, with only Hank Leiber and Paul Waner underperforming. Sadly for the latter of these, the time has come and Bob Elliott will now be playing as our everyday RF. Big P still has three more seasons after the one in progress under contract to us and, as a Marquee, cannot be moved on. So he'll have to get used to being played more sparingly unless he can rediscover the form that has been slowly but surely deserting him over recent years.




On the other hand, June was a bit of a struggle for our rotation, with only Ray Brown holding his form. Duke Derringer just doesn't seem to like the first half of the season, so we hope he can do his usual trick and turn things around from here because he has been poor to this point. The BP has been solid if a little less consistent than we'd like.




The A's are keeping the Yankees honest in the AL, while the Phillies continue to hold sway - albeit narrowly - in the senior circuit. Even though we're yet to reach the midpoint, it does seem like the two races will involve these four teams.




Awards, news and leaders. Ted Williams has wasted no time in showing what a force he is set to be in this league, winning the hitting and rookie awards for June. Ray Brown earns career win number 200, Red Lucas career save number 100.






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[luckymann]

Seven Buccos get the nod, the most from any club.




Hal Trosky wins the HR Derby, beating Mel Ott in the final, while the AL continues its dominance in the game itself, winning 14-5 to make it a cumulative 5-2 line. Willie Wells is named MVP.

[luckymann]

The great man Satchel Paige becomes just the eighth 300-game winner in history and, given his longevity (and the fact that he is now playing with the Yanks...) 400 can't be ruled out, or at least a top three finish. One would also have to think he'll eventually haul in The Big Train as the all-time King of K as well.

[luckymann]

We start the month with the sort of game that is almost becoming our signature style – a 17-8 thumping of the Cards in which we have 22 hits – 5 by Bill Wright – and zero home runs. This pushes our team BA to an even 300.

This day marks the end of the Barons’ win streak at 14, but it sets us off on another one as well as we rattle off six in a row.
By the time we travel to Philly in mid-month we’ve just broken away a little, but a hard-fought split followed by a home series loss to them a week later reinforces how tough they are going to be to overcome this year.

In one of those games, Bill Lee cops his umpteenth caning for the season and, with Whit Wyatt ready to return from rehab, it costs him his spot in the side. Martin Dihigo also returns toward the end of the month, but will be used more as a roaming utility for the time being.

All in all it is another strong month, which we close out on a four-game win string to go 20-7.





A superlative month from our bats, led by Foxx who finally comes alive to win the monthly award with a 373/440/647 line and 5 HR, while driving in 23. Danny drives in two more than that courtesy of a couple big hauls, while WBW's outstanding season continues as he hits just under 400 for the sectional.




An improved showing from the staff, with the exception of the aforementioned Lee and Wyatt, who has come back from his IL stint in poor form. Matlock is once again proving invaluable from the pen, ably supported by Max Lanier.




We've put a bit of distance between ourselves and the Phils, but this is far from over. Same goes for the Yanks, who haven't been able to fully shake off the A's just yet.




Here are the Top 20s by WAR to the end of July:





Awards, news and leaders. The Yanks lose rookie sensation Charlie Keller for about three months to a torn labrum. Carl Hubbell gets career win number 250, Slim Branham gets his 200th, Gabby Hartnett his 200th home run. Ted Williams looks set to have a run at a rare RoY / MVP double. He is currently slashing 335/437/640 with 28 homers and 85 RBI.






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Most Innings Pitched without Starting a Game

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The all-time leader is Reggie Richter with 159.

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A rare bright spot in yet another season of futility for the Cards, and yet in typical fashion they still manage to lose the game. Their star outfielder hasn't been up to his usual high standard either, this game being the exception.

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Our purple patch continues as we win our first six games of the new month to stretch our streak to 10 before dropping one at St. Louis, but the Phils stay right with us by putting together a long string of their own.

From there it’s a bit of a struggle for us as we lose Elliott for a minimum IL stint and our bats go quiet. But, as they so often do, the group still finds the way to keep the wins rolling in. A massive 17-2 win over Brooky is a hopeful omen that we can get our offence together and see this through, and two wins at Philly to close out the month certainly help us in this regard, pushing our lead out to eight games and giving us another stellar 20-8 sectional. The heart of this group knows no limits.





A simply outstanding month by Josh Gibson, who slashes 388/476/635 with 5 HR and 21 RBI to win the NL hitting award. The Waner boys also show they still have something left to offer, with key contributions in Elliott's absence.




And oh how our pitching has come good, with all four starters in fantastic form over the month and Duke Derringer winning the pitching gong. When your highest ERA is under 3, you know things are going well with your staff. Of equal importance is how sparingly our BP was required over this period, as those earlier months had been taxing on them to say the least.




With around 30 games to go, both our and the Yanks leads are handy without either of us able to relax just yet. The Philly teams are each having a fantastic year and cannot be ruled out until the "e" sits beside their names in the standings.




Awards, news and leaders. It's almost scary how closely the game is replicating Lou Gehrig's decline. While his ratings remain untouched, he has only managed 6 HR this year and is hitting an unthinkable 243. He sits just 9 behind the Babe on the homers list now and I remain convinced he'll overhaul him eventually, but all of a sudden the 600 mark looks like a tough get. Chuck Klein reaches the 2000 hit plateau.






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Highest Batting WAR in Final Season (Retired Players)

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A fine exclamation point on another solid year for young Indians cornerman Ken Keltner, despite his club once again finishing well out of contention. Cleveland, along with Brooklyn, remain the only two clubs yet to taste playoff action.