Time Warp Baseball

[tward13]

Congrats from the Wards!

I should have entered an ancestor earlier and maybe I wouldn't be buried in 7th place.

[Matt from TN]

July 1944

(I will update the league reports tomorrow, hopefully with the season being finished.)

The Red Sox went 19-7 in July and now have a 8-game lead over the Senators. Washington continues to struggle, and losing Jethro Lee for two starts with elbow stiffness did not help. However, Washington hopes to have made some improvements by acquiring rightfielder Donald Williams and shortstop Tuck Hugley from the A's in return for AA pitching prospect Don Vonkitzing.

Washington did start the month well with Jethro Lee tossing a mighty 1-hit shutout against the Browns on July 1st. The 10-0 slaughter earned Lee his 391st career victory, moving him past Bourbon Allen for 1st all-time. View the BOX SCORE here. Four weeks later, new Boston pitcher Mark Ponfick earned his 300th career win in a 6-1 defeat of the Yankees. The NL saw some great pitching performances too. On July 12th, Cardinals pitcher Vic Gorin tossed a no-hitter against the Braves. It was the first Cardinals no-hitter in 20 years, with the last one coming in 1924 by Fists Ubert. On July 16th, the first day after the all-star break, Cubs ace David Wickersham tied former teammate Punchy Cote for a team and NL record with 14 K's in a game. He performed this feat in a 3-2 win over the Giants.

Speaking of the Giants, they increased their lead to 7 games over the floundering Dodgers. Meanwhile, the Reds went 19-6 moving to within 10.5 games of New York. On July 20th, the Giants acquired slugging leftfielder John Storback from Detroit, giving New York quite a potent offense. Ten days later, Brooklyn traded one of their vaunted starting pitchers, Stephen Dzurik, and fellow pitcher James Bajofer to the Pirates in search of an offensive upgrade. In return, the Dodgers got all-star third baseman Hal Dumais, hitting .342, and first baseman Willie Young. Brooklyn's offensive struggles are well documented, and it did not help to lose Oscar Vancini for the last few days of the month with a knee problem. He is expected to return in a few days.

In The News

July 3 - 'Battle of the Hedgerows' in Normandy; Soviets capture Minsk.

July 9 - British and Canadian troops capture Caen.

July 18 - U.S. troops reach St. Lô.

July 20 - The Braves' Mathew McLellan became the first pitcher suspended for throwing a spitball. He was banished for 10 days for allegedly "putting an illegal substance on the ball." In his first game back after the suspension, McLellan allowed 6 runs on 12 hits in a loss to the Giants. However, in his next two starts, he combined to allow just 10 hits in two complete-game shutouts against the Cardinals and Dodgers.

July 20 - German assassination attempt on Hitler fails.

July 24 - Soviet troops liberate first concentration camp at Majdanek.

July 28 - Soviet troops take Brest-Litovsk. U.S. troops take Coutances.



American League-Pitcher of the Month:
Mark Ponfick (BOS)!
He had a record of 6-0 in 6 games started, with an ERA of 2.33 and 1 shutouts.

American League-Batter of the Month:
Danny Lazo (CHA)!
He batted .414 in 87 AB, with 2 homers and 14 RBI.

National League-Pitcher of the Month:
Schoolboy Emberling (CIN)!
He had a record of 6-0 in 7 games started, with an ERA of 1.16 and 2 shutouts.

National League-Batter of the Month:
Artie Albrecht (CIN)!
He batted .371 in 89 AB, with 4 homers and 22 RBI.

American League Standings 
  
Boston (A)       62 39 .614 -
Washington       54 47 .535 8.0
Philadelphia (A) 52 49 .515 10.0
St. Louis (A)    52 50 .510 10.5 
Detroit          49 52 .485 13.0
New York (A)     47 52 .475 14.0
Chicago (A)      45 56 .446 17.0 
Cleveland        43 59 .422 19.5
 
National League Standings 
 
New York (N)     66 36 .647 -
Brooklyn         59 43 .578 7.0 
Cincinnati       55 46 .545 10.5 
Boston (N)       48 54 .471 18.0  
Philadelphia (N) 46 54 .460 19.0
St. Louis (N)    46 56 .451 20.0
Chicago (N)      46 57 .447 20.5
Pittsburgh       40 60 .400 25.0

AL AVG
.355 Tony Monachino, SLA
.346 Fred Storey, CLE
.344 Jessie Holt, BOS

NL AVG
.380 James Lewis, PHI
.365 Pat Vega, BSN
.350 Foster Hempkins, CIN

AL HOMERUNS
17 Allen March, NYA
15 Jessie Holt, BOS
14 Howard Sheridan, BOS

NL HOMERUNS
19 Maurice Misisca, PHI
15 Dewey Mickelsen, CHN
14 John Storback, NYG

AL RBI
72 Carmack Alford, SLA
68 Allen March, NYA
65 Howard Sheridan, BOS

NL RBI
75 Foster Hempkins, CIN
72 Artie Albrecht, CIN
71 Maurice Misisca, PHI

AL STEALS
33 Hershel Cooley, PHA
31 Joe Campbell, CLE
28 Leroy Davis, DET

NL STEALS
49 Jonny Perly, BKN
33 Fuzz Allen, BSN
29 Bud Breckenridge, PIT

AL ERA
2.18 Bob Bussmann, CHA
2.43 Cotton Simson, SLA
2.52 Vance Marx, BOS

NL ERA
1.89 Remmy Paul, BKN
2.03 Frank Smith, BKN
2.37 Mathew McLellan, BSN

AL WINS
17 Mark Ponfick, SLA
16 Bill Finley, WSH
15 Jethro Lee, WSH

NL WINS
16 Randall Bray, NYG
15 George Cone, NYG
15 Remmy Paul, BKN

AL STRIKEOUTS
125 Jethro Lee, WSH
124 Bill Finley, WSH
123 Cotton Simson, SLA

NL STRIKEOUTS
142 Vic Gorin, STL
127 Frank Smith, BKN
120 Remmy Paul, BKN

Ancestors:
1B Willie Young was traded to the Dodgers where he will be their starting 1B. Hot 3B Hal Dumais was included in the deal, and in return for those two players, the Pirates received pitchers Stephen Dzurik and James Bajofer.

[Matt from TN]

1944 All-Star Game
Forbes Field, Pittsburgh

BOX SCORE

AL starter Jethro Lee led off the 2nd inning by allowing 2 singles and a walk before recording three straight outs. The second single, off the bat of Phillies outfielder James Lewis, drove in the first run of the day. The AL quickly countered with back-to-back RBI singles off Remmy Paul. In the top of the 7th, Red Sox catcher Chuck Rauch and A's second baseman Rem Kelley both entered the game as pinch hitters and hit back-to-back homeruns off George Cone to stretch the AL's lead to 4-1.

In the bottom of the 7th, Phillies rookie first baseman Lonny Arrendale hit a bases loaded sac fly off Vance Marx to make the score 4-2. After another out and a walk to reload the bases, Giants shortstop Tom Howard stroked a bases clearing double to give the NL a 5-4 lead. However, it would not last because with two outs and the bases loaded in the top of the 9th, A's shortstop Ted Stuart hit a 2-run single off Schoolboy Emberling to put the AL back on top 6-5. The NL got runners on 1st and 2nd with one out in the bottom of the 9th against James Basford, but Reds third baseman Foster Hempkins flied out to right and pinch hitter Benny Eremitani ended the game by popping up to the catcher.

            1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9    R  H E 
AL Allstars 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 0 2    6 13 0 
NL Allstars 0 1 0 0 0 0 4 0 0    5 12 0

American League Starters:
C Fred Storey, CLE
1B Jessie Holt, BOS
2B Pokey Dorsey, BOS
3B Carl Kahle, WSH*
SS Ted Stuart, PHA
LF Hershel Cooley, PHA*
CF Howard Sheridan, BOS
RF Tony Monachino, SLA
SP Jethro Lee, WSH

Reserves:
SP Bob Bussmann, CHA
SP Bill Finley, WSH*
SP Mark Ponfick, BOS
SP Cotton Simson, SLA
SP Vance Marx, BOS
SP James Basford, BOS*
RP Adam Heanue, NYA
RP Ken Binns, PHA
RP Rudolph Crago, BOS
C Chuck Rauch, BOS
1B Leonard Davie, CHA*
2B Rem Kelley, PHA
3B Steven Bussell, SLA
LF Allan March, NYA
CF Carlton Affee, DET
RF Carl Sandoz, DET

National League Starters:
C Lloyd Johnson, NYG*
1B Pat Vega, BSN
2B Bobby Martin, NYG*
3B Maurice Misisca, PHI
SS Tom Howard, NYG
LF James Lewis, PHI
CF Artie Albrecht, CIN*
RF Dewey Mickelsen, CHN*
SP Remmy Paul, BKN

Reserves:
SP Randall Bray, NYG
SP George Cone, NYG
SP Frank Smith, BKN*
SP Max Baxter, BKN
SP Schoolboy Emberling, CIN
SP Abe Dickens, STL
RP Jack DiCarlo, NYG
RP Eugene Lakin, CHN
RP Len Tye, CIN
C Benny Eremitani, CIN
1B Lonny Arrendale, PHI
3B Foster Hempkins, CIN
3B Hal Dumais, PIT
LF Mitch Leibowitz, CIN*
LF Gene Bucknam, STL
CF Mickey McWhorter, BKN

* denotes ancestor

[scprideandms]

and probably 1/2 my posts deal with Whiskey!!!

[tward13]

OK, a job I'm assigning myself.

Sometime in the future of this league, I'll come up with our own version of the song "Talking Baseball: Willie, Mickey and the Duke"

Just a matter of getting the lyrics to the original and finding our own star players and those with interesting nicknames who fit the pattern of the original.

I might have to look at a few other famous baseball songs that mention players specifically and get our TWB versions.

[metsgeek]

Originally Posted by tward13

OK, a job I'm assigning myself.

Sometime in the future of this league, I'll come up with our own version of the song "Talking Baseball: Willie, Mickey and the Duke"

Just a matter of getting the lyrics to the original and finding our own star players and those with interesting nicknames who fit the pattern of the original.

I might have to look at a few other famous baseball songs that mention players specifically and get our TWB versions.

Here's the Simpson's version:

Well Mr.Burns had done it.
The Power Plant had won it.
With Roger Clemens clucking all the while,
Mike Scioscia's tragic illness made us smile,
While Wade Boggs laid unconscious on the bar-room tile.

Chorus:
We're talking softball.
From Maine to San Diego.
Talking softball, Mattingly and Canseco,
Ken Griffy's grotesquely swollen jaw
Steve Sax and his run-in with the law,
We're talking Homer.....Ozzy and the Straw.

Chorus again.

[tward13]

Well, how can I improve on the Simpson's?

[m0ng00se]

Originally Posted by Matt from TN

Ancestors:
1B Willie Young was traded to the Dodgers where he will be their starting 1B. Hot 3B Hal Dumais was included in the deal, and in return for those two players, the Pirates received pitchers Stephen Dzurik and James Bajofer.

Willie starting at first for the Dodgers while his younger brother George is getting some innings at 1st for the hated Yanks. Better not let these guys play each other or you'll probably see some vicious and entirely unnecessary sliding into first.

Looks like (as of 9/1) Willie was putting together a solid season .302 is a big improvement for him.

[jdw]

Jethro looks to be three wins away from 400 as of 9/1. It doesn't look like he'll take the POY unless (i) Mark Ponfick falls off, and (ii) Jethro can seperate himself from a pack that's chasing Ponfick.

BTW - Ponfick has got to be one of the more unlikely POY winners of all-time if he holds on. An extremely long career of being sort of average, with literally a handful of good ERA's to get on the Leaderboard in that five times, none higher than 6th. He has consistently been a very good WHIP pitcher, and he has a 307-240 career record to date. All that said... when you look at his career you'd be hard pressed to find a season where he would have placed in the Top 5 of any single POY vote.

He's *40* this season, and on the verge of winning his first.

Again, I feel a sadness over Kaiser retiring in the off season. A far, far, far better pitcher, _younger_, and with major milestones right within his reach. Mets - you need to write somekind of backstory on why Kaiser retired. Perhaps tired of anti-German stuff on the road... or family issues (like the health of a child)... something. Maybe he doesn't want to talk about it, but perhaps the still active Dutch Kahle will final break down and explain it in a newspaper article.


John

[tward13]

Do we know who the all-time leaders are for games and at bats?

[Matt from TN]

Originally Posted by tward13

I might have to look at a few other famous baseball songs that mention players specifically and get our TWB versions.

Simon & Garfunkel's Mrs. Robinson:

Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio?
Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you. Woo-woo-woo.
What's that you say, Mrs. Robinson?
Joltin' Joe has left and gone away. Hey-hey-hey. Hey-hey-hey

Originally Posted by tward13

Do we know who the all-time leaders are for games and at bats?

I'll do some looking.

[jdw]

tward13 wrote:

> Do we know who the all-time leaders
> are for games and at bats?

These are the ones over 11,000 that I could quickly find off looking at the all-time hits list:

11606 - McAuliffe*
11406 - Miller
11160 - Fite*
11049 - Rossi

Pops would have passed Miller in late August, if Miller has the record.

I suspect that Pops is *probably* the record holder. He debuted *and* played a full season as a 17 year old. He's been a full-time starter every since with the exception of this season where he's on pace for about 250 AB. He's had remarkably good health, with only 1934-35 seeing him drop below 500 AB, and even then just down into the mid-400 range. He has not been a big walker (never in the Top 10 and just twice over 60). Given that early start, getting the job, keeping it, durability and longevity, he's likely close to the upper end. It's possible someone has more, but probably not far beyond. Low 12,000 range perhaps.



John

[Matt from TN]

WEB PAGES UPDATED... As some of you have already discovered....


August 1944

The Senators went 15-14 this month and have nearly dropped out of the race. They finished the month by losing 2-of-3 games to the Red Sox, and the two contenders do not face each other the rest of the season. Meanwhile, the newest Red Sox, pitcher Mark Ponfick, who was acquired in a trade with the Browns on July 1st, has been simply amazing since coming to Boston. The 40-year-old is having one of his best seasons, and he is 13-1 with a 1.80 ERA in 14 starts, including his only 3 shutouts of the season, since joining Boston. He has also won both AL POTM awards since joining the team.

New Washington shortstop Tuck Hugley drove in 8 runs against the Indians on August 7th, which is 1 RBI short of the major league record (9). Then 9 days later, Senators catcher Robert Reed accomplished the same feat also against the Indians.

The Giants went just 13-15 this month, while the Dodgers surged to within 3 games of the lead with a 17-11 record. The biggest matchups came at the end of the month when Brooklyn played 4 consecutive series against the 3rd place Reds and 1st place Giants. Brooklyn made a huge statement by sweeping the Giants in New York by a combined score of 18-6. They then opened a homestand where they won 2-of-3 against the Reds and 3-of-4 against the Giants. That is just half the story, though. In that 4-game series with New York, the first 3 games were decided by just 1 run each.

In the first game of the series, Remmy Paul and Guy Muir locked up for a scoreless duel until the bottom of the 9th when first baseman Willie Young scored from 3rd on a hard grounder with 1 out. In Game 2, the game was again scoreless going into the 9th with Kyle Stevens and Max Baxter going toe-to-toe this time. It was New York's turn to win as pinch runner Willis Meyerink scored from 3rd on a sac fly. The Dodgers had runners on the corners with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th, but Bob Boshernitsan enduced a shallow pop fly off the bat of pinh hitter Keith Stinson to end the game. Game 3 went to extra innings tied 5-5 until Brooklyn pinch hitter Wilbur Taylor ended the game with an RBI single in the bottom of the 12th. Game 4 went to Brooklyn 7-2, and the Dodgers then traveled to Cincinnati where they lost the first game of that series on August 31st 1-0 in 10 innings.

That 1-0 loss to the Reds brings up another fact about the Dodgers. Their two aces, Remmy Paul and Frank Smith, have combined to earn losses or no-decisions in 15 of 28 games where they allowed just 2 or less runs. The 1-0 loss to the Reds on the 31st saw Paul allow no runs and just 4 hits through 8 innings. Back on May 17th, Smith allowed no runs and 4 hits in 8 innings but saw the Dodgers lose 3-2 in 11 innings. Then on July 5th, Smith pitched 11 innings, allowing 1 run on 8 hits, but the team lost 2-1 in 12 innings.

In The News

Aug 15 - Operation Dragoon begins (the Allied invasion of Southern France).

Aug 19/20 - Soviet offensive in the Balkans begins with an attack on Romania.

Aug 20 - Allies encircle Germans in the Falaise Pocket.

Aug 25 - Liberation of Paris.

Aug 29 - Slovak uprising begins.

Aug 31 - Soviet troops take Bucharest.


American League-Pitcher of the Month:
Mark Ponfick (BOS)!
He had a record of 7-1 in 8 games started, with an ERA of 1.39 and 2 shutouts.

American League-Batter of the Month:
Jessie Holt (BOS)!
He batted .374 in 115 AB, with 5 homers and 23 RBI.

National League-Pitcher of the Month:
Frank Smith (BKN)!
He had a record of 5-2 in 7 games started, with an ERA of 1.31 and 2 shutouts.

National League-Batter of the Month:
Rudy Young (PIT)!
He batted .471 in 104 AB, with 1 homers and 16 RBI.

American League Standings 
  
Boston (A)       84 47 .641 -
Washington       69 61 .531 14.5
St. Louis (A)    68 63 .519 16.0 
Philadelphia (A) 66 64 .508 17.5
Chicago (A)      63 67 .485 20.5 
Detroit          61 69 .469 22.5
Cleveland        55 75 .423 28.5
New York (A)     55 75 .423 28.5
 
National League Standings 
 
New York (N)     79 51 .608 -
Brooklyn         76 54 .585 3.0 
Cincinnati       71 59 .546 8.0 
Philadelphia (N) 61 68 .473 17.5
Boston (N)       61 69 .469 18.0  
Chicago (N)      60 70 .462 19.0
St. Louis (N)    60 70 .462 19.0
Pittsburgh       51 78 .395 27.5

AL AVG
.351 Jessie Holt, BOS
.348 Tony Monachino, SLA
.345 Steven Bussell, SLA

NL AVG
.373 Pat Vega, BSN
.361 James Lewis, PHI
.353 Foster Hempkins, CIN

AL HOMERUNS
20 Jessie Holt, BOS
18 Allen March, NYA
17 Al Arsenault, BOS

NL HOMERUNS
24 Maurice Misisca, PHI
18 Oscar Vancini, BKN
17 Dewey Mickelsen, CHN

AL RBI
94 Carmack Alford, SLA
89 Al Arsenault, BOS
87 Howard Sheridan, BOS

NL RBI
97 Foster Hempkins, CIN
90 Artie Albrecht, CIN
88 Maurice Misisca, PHI

AL STEALS
40 Hershel Cooley, PHA
39 Leroy Davis, DET
38 Joe Campbell, CLE

NL STEALS
69 Jonny Perly, BKN
40 Fuzz Allen, BSN
38 Bud Breckenridge, PIT

AL ERA
2.48 Bob Bussmann, CHA
2.48 Vance Marx, BOS
2.63 Cotton Simson, SLA

NL ERA
1.81 Remmy Paul, BKN
1.87 Frank Smith, BKN
2.40 Max Baxter, BKN

AL WINS
24 Mark Ponfick, BOS
19 Bill Finley, WSH
19 Cotton Simson, SLA

NL WINS
19 Schoolboy Emberling, CIN
19 Frank Smith, BKN
19 Remmy Paul, BKN

AL STRIKEOUTS
162 Cotton Simson, SLA
157 Bill Finley, WSH
154 Jethro Lee, WSH

NL STRIKEOUTS
174 Vic Gorin, STL
169 Frank Smith, BKN
156 Remmy Paul, BKN

[Ankhiel]

Wow, Al is finally getting something done


just when i was about to want him dead...

[DamnYankees]

I think Art Bouring has to be fired unless the Dodgers win the World Series. To play so below your abilities, no matter your record, simply is not acceptable. Same can be said for Horace Tibbs. But especially Bouring.

Also, maybe Matt or jdw can shed some light on this for me. Why is it Morris Lutske is not starting against RHP? Teeuw's ratings don't compare to Lutske's, even against RHP. Any logic to this, or is Chip Houk just an idiot?

[Ankhiel]

Originally Posted by jdw

tward13 wrote:

> Do we know who the all-time leaders
> are for games and at bats?

These are the ones over 11,000 that I could quickly find off looking at the all-time hits list:

11606 - McAuliffe*
11406 - Miller
11160 - Fite*
11049 - Rossi

Pops would have passed Miller in late August, if Miller has the record.

I suspect that Pops is *probably* the record holder. He debuted *and* played a full season as a 17 year old. He's been a full-time starter every since with the exception of this season where he's on pace for about 250 AB. He's had remarkably good health, with only 1934-35 seeing him drop below 500 AB, and even then just down into the mid-400 range. He has not been a big walker (never in the Top 10 and just twice over 60). Given that early start, getting the job, keeping it, durability and longevity, he's likely close to the upper end. It's possible someone has more, but probably not far beyond. Low 12,000 range perhaps.



John

dont wanna sound like an ass... but shouldnt total AB be AB+BB?

if so, Rossi has over 12800.

[DamnYankees]

No. Why would we count walks in at bats? Unless you want to count plate appearences, which is more than just walks.

PA = AB + BB + HBP + SH + CI

That's a bigger pain to calculate, but it would be interesting. Rossi would still win, most likely.

[tward13]

No, AB+BB would be plate appearances. AB are only those plate appearances that count against your batting average.

[tward13]

Note: Pops McAullife got hit # 3500 on 8/24

[jdw]

Dang... I can't even get in here to defend myself before others come to my defense.

PA would be a pain to calculate, much as true Times On Base is. What we have is Approximate PA (AB+BB) and Approximate TOB (H+BB) since the HBP, SH and SF data isn't in the career record. One can get at it through the almanacs and looking at each team's batting data. It's how I've pulled some Home/Road split data.

For xPA, I've found going off my TOB sheet:

12,743 - Rossi
12,636 - Fite*
12,442 - McAuliffe*
12,274 - Miller
12,023 - Turley

It's unlikely that anyone else on my TOB sheet has enough HBP+SH+SF in their career to top Rossi - Bennarivo is the next one on the list with 11,782, and I'd be surprised if anyone in MLB history has had 1000 HBP+SH+SF... of is even close to it.

It's possible again that my TOB list and run through the Hits and BB Career Leaderboard is missing someone. Fite and McAuliffe are going to pass Rossi in AB+BB. For the overall PA record, we'd have to weed through the almanacs with the likely candidates.


John