The Bucs Start Here - A Pirates Do-Over

[luckymann]

[luckymann]

We put ourselves behind the eight-ball with a pretty ordinary month in all facets of the game.



While our 12-13 is in no way an unmitigated disaster, it coincides with the Jints going on a tear and the Braves and Cards also having strong sectionals, leaving us 8 ½ off the pace in mid-standings entering July. Which means we are going to have to start heading in the right direction, or at worst not lose any more ground on them, if we want to have any chance of competing at the pointy end.



Awards, news, leaders.







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[luckymann]

Detroit's Doc White becomes the first MLB pitcher with 300 career wins. That's a fair outperformance of his 189 IRL.

Eddie Plank currently sits at 295 while our own Christy Mathewson has 282. Walter Johnson, with 207, looks almost certain to eclipse them all in a few years.

[luckymann]

I grow tired of Al Bridwell’s moaning about a lack of game time, but we need an infield utility to replace him and there just aren’t that many around the traps. Finally, we strike a bigger deal with the Phils that both clubs are happy with.

TRADE 2 OF 5 (07/08/14)

IF Al Bridwell, C Miguel Angel Gonzalez, 2B Jimmy Whelan and OF Joe Gedeon traded to Philadelphia (NL) for IF Larry Kopf and C Frank Gibson

A fairly straight-up trade with Kopf to step straight into the squad in an IF backup role and Gibson one for later. Both are only 23, so hopefully there’s some untapped upside to be had.

[luckymann]

Unconvincingly at times, we do what is necessary and put together a 16-9 month that edges us up a bit closer to the contending teams.



The addition of Baker has been a key one as, after taking a little while to settle in, he has started hitting his straps. Carey is also having a fine season, competing for his first batting title. In fact, we've had no real underperformers on offence so far, touch wood.



Our pitching has a touch of the Jekyll and Hyde about it, with excellent performances offset by some absolute howlers. There's no doubt we are vulnerable in the SP4 slot with Mamaux struggling at this level, a problem that, try as I may via the trade route, I am simply unable to rectify without damaging us in some other unacceptable way. So we're just going to have to wing it and hope he can limit the damage with some good performances down the stretch.



This is a scrappy bunch, which has enabled us to be competitive without doing anything particularly well. Which is commendable, no doubt. But it also increases the chance of us being found wanting when put to the sterner tests down the stretch. Still, I like where we're at.



We have closed the gap to 6 GB, with the Giants, Braves and Cards all within a game or so of each other. The BoSox are still looking strong across the aisle. Nice to see the Yankees finally look like they are headed upward after a torrid time since their inception in 1902.



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[luckymann]

A huge game for Wally Pipp who unbelievably misses just a single from hitting for the cycle.

[luckymann]

Despite a 16-11 August, we actually lose ground on the Giants and remain tantalisingly close but oh so far away. September will really test the group's mettle, with 17 games without an off-day including three doubleheaders. But we aren't out of it just yet.





The Red Sox are home and hosed in the AL, but the senior circuit is still well and truly up for grabs.



Awards, news, leaders - back at season's end unless something dramatic happens.







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[luckymann]

Highest three true outcome rate per PA (min 100 PA)

[luckymann]

Batting Average on balls in play (hitters, 1914 season to date)

Batting Average on balls in play (pitchers, 1914 season to date)

[luckymann]

I guess one could say this falls within the broad definition of "something dramatic happening"...



The Braves and Jints play 4 in NY while all 5 of our remaining games are against the Reds, the only team against whom we have a losing record (7-10) this season.




This will not help the Giants' cause one bit:



While this one will have more ramifications next season than this:

[luckymann]

First blood to New York, we have the day off.





September awards.

[luckymann]

We take a tough loss...



... but the Giants do us a favour and keep us alive. Just.

[luckymann]

We all but seal our own fate with an absolute shocker, while the Braves edge ahead again.






The BoSox, meanwhile, fairly limp home to their second straight AL Pennant.

[luckymann]

A really weak finish that doesn't do justice to the magnificent effort the lads have put in this year sees us exit the race somewhat ignominiously. The Jints square it up again.

[luckymann]

October 5, 1914

The Braves lose 3-2 at Brooklyn while New York beats Philly 4-3.




October 6, 1914

The Jints clinch an enthralling race with a 4-2 win, while Boston comes up short with another loss to the Robins, denying them a rematch with their crosstown rivals.

[luckymann]

Not even that messy end can take anything away from the effort this group put in this year. It has been a big step forward for our franchise and hopefully the first step back to the mountaintop.





A career year for Carey, Baker huge since coming across, a star-making turn from Smith.



Vickers leads the way with 26 wins, while both Cooper and Dauss get 20. Even Mamaux does well and the pen keeps things tight in the latter innings.



Dutch Leonard wins the AL Pitching Triple Crown, while Shoeless Joe Jackson and George Burns with the AL and NL Batting Crowns, respectively.

Final standings, news and leaders.








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[luckymann]

New York Giants (91-63) v Boston Red Sox (99-55)

Best-of-seven, Giants with the home-field advantage.

NEW YORK GIANTS S+ PAGE

BOSTON RED SOX S+ PAGE

Don't get me wrong, the Giants are a quality unit, but especially without Marquard I just don’t see them getting past this Red Sox juggernaut. I mean, this is a side that has won nearly 200 games the past two seasons with Cristobal Torriente getting less than 100 ABs as Tris Speaker's backup in CF. One can only imagine how good they'd be if Ruth had qualified for them as a Legacy rather than the Yanks. That said, I don't see the Sox's victory being quite as clear-cut as their sweep of the Braves last season. My call is for them to win this in 5 or 6.

[luckymann]

Game 1 in New York, October 10th 1914
Dick Rudolph (29-9, 2.58) v Dutch Leonard (30-11, 1.75)

30-game and Triple Crown winner Dutch Leonard greets the Jints for Game 1, but they have a fairly handy type in Dick Rudolph going for them. This should, by the law of perversity, be a blowout.

It is not, as Leonard continues his scintillating form with a 4-hitter as the Sox win 3-0. Rudolph is good, allowing just 2 unearned on 5 hits over the full 9, just not good enough as the Sox score early and pad their lead in the 7th courtesy of a 2-run triple by shortstop Everett Scott. Leonard struggles a bit with his control, giving up 4 walks, but Ks his way out of it each time.

Red Sox 3, Giants 0

BOX SCORE


Game 2 in New York, October 11th 1914
Jeff Tesreau (17-20, 3.01) v Claude Hendrix (24-14, 2.43)
Red Sox lead series 1-0

Tesreau does well early, handcuffing the Sox through the early innings in defence of a 1st-inning Giants run on a Doyle trip. But eventually the Sox find their range and the dam bursts over the final four as they cruise to a 7-1 win. Duffy Lewis leads the way for the visitors with 3 hits including a triple, and Hendrix goes the distance allowing just 7 hits and striking out 5.

Red Sox 7, Giants 1

BOX SCORE


Game 3 in Boston, October 13th 1914
Earl Yingling (26-12, 2.58) v Dick Rudolph (0-1, 2.00)
Red Sox lead series 2-0

Bressler’s absence makes its presence felt as the Jints send Rudolph back out on 2 days’ rest to face Earl Yingling, who had another superlative season with very little fanfare.

It pays off big-time, as Rudolph quietens the Sox offence and the Giants bats finally come alive to let them lead wire-to-wire and end up taking the game comfortably. George Burns knocks in 3 with a 9th-inning double to seal the deal, while catcher Gus Fisher has three hits.

Giants 7, Red Sox 1

BOX SCORE


Game 4 in Boston, October 14th 1914
Dutch Leonard (1-0, 0.00) v Jeff Tesreau (0-1, 7.04)
Red Sox lead series 2-1

New York continues its two-man rotation policy for now as Tesreau gets a chance to atone for a poor Game 2 against the seemingly unstoppable Leonard.

Unstoppable doesn’t begin to describe it, as Leonard goes one better with a 3-hit shutout to put the BoSox just a game away from the Championship. Once again Tesreau holds his own in the early going, but a 3-run 6th is all the Sox end up needing.

Red Sox 3, Braves 0

BOX SCORE


Game 5 in Boston, October 15th 1914
Claude Hendrix (1-0, 1.00) v Fred Link (2-2, 3.25)
Red Sox lead series 3-1

It rests with little-used Fred Link to extend the series for the Giants and Claude Hendrix to put them away for the Sox.

The Giants blow it out early with 4 in the 1st and look to be cruising at 5-2, only for the Sox to tie it up on a 2-run double by Torriente in the 6th. But New York regroups, goes back ahead with a run in the 9th, and gets the win as Frank Lange closes it out to send the Series back to the Big Apple.

Giants 6, Red Sox 5

BOX SCORE


Game 6 in New York, October 17th 1914
Dick Rudolph (1-1, 1.50) v Earl Yingling (0-1, 7.00)
Red Sox lead series 3-2

Suddenly things even up a bit as the Giants have ace Dick Rudolph on the hill. Can they possibly take this to a decider?

They cannot.

Yingling finds his groove and shuts them out on 5 hits as the Sox go ahead for good with one in the 4th, add 3 more in the 7th and close it out without incident for their second straight World Championship.

Giants 4, Red Sox 0

BOX SCORE


BOSTON RED SOX WIN SERIES 4-2

SERIES MVP: Dutch Leonard (Boston Red Sox)





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[luckymann]

AL 1914 HISTORY INDEX

NL 1914 HISTORY INDEX

AWARDS HISTORY

Another NeL Player gets his just reward for some great play, with Andrew "Rube" Foster winning the NL CYA. Dutch Leonard, unsurprisingly, is a unanimous winner in the AL.

Tris Speaker wins his 3rd MVP, while our Frank Baker wins his 2nd.

Babe Ruth's career begins with RoY honours.




All good on the sim, 2B up a bit is all.

[luckymann]

Very few of these quality players are going to become available at the time in their career you feel they can still play at or near their best, and so I wasn’t going to let this opportunity pass without having a crack at signing one of the game’s truly elite guys, especially knowing who's coming down the Rookie pipeline over at the Cards. Lucky for us, he was amenable to the idea et voila, will now be a Pirate for the next 8 years.



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