The Excellence Project - Baseball's Greatest

[BabyLemonade]

Just found out....So nice you are back with yet another great project

Always a pleasure to read !

[Nick Soulis]

Originally Posted by BabyLemonade

Just found out....So nice you are back with yet another great project

Always a pleasure to read !

Thanks! It is great to have you back on the boards following.

[Nick Soulis]

Season #4
June Recap


Naps Forge Forward

Eastern Division	W	L	PCT	GB
Cleveland Naps 1906	50	33	.602	-
New York Yankees 1999	49	33	.598	.5
Pittsburgh Pirates 1924	46	34	.575	2.5
New York Giants 1912	42	39	.519	7.0
Cleveland Indians 2005	38	43	.469	11.0
New York Yankees 1957	37	45	.451	12.5
Chicago Cubs 1918	33	50	.398	17.0
Philadelphia Phillies 1964	32	50	.390	17.5

Awards

Batter of the month: Mickey Mantle - 57 Yankees (.434, 1 HR, 18 RBI, 21 R in June)

Pitcher of the month: Claude Hendrix - 18 Cubs (53.1 IP, 1.52 ERA, .219 OBA)

Injuries

Wes Covington - 64 Phillies (Remainder of season)
Jhonny Peralta - 05 Indians (6 weeks)
Grady Sizemore - 05 Indians (remainder of season)
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Team News

1906 Cleveland Naps - The Cleveland side has shocked the baseball world by surging to the front of the standings and passing the Yankees. The Naps have won 41 of 57 games over the last two months and have done so with great pitching as Otto Hess, Bil Bernhard, and Happy Townsend all have double digit wins. Can the Naps really do this all season?

1999 New York Yankees - A losing month for the Yanks who fell out of first place. The starting pitching has been a bit suspect as Joe Torre contimplates putting Orlando Hernandez back in the rotation. The Yankees do still have a .379 on base percentage making opposing pitchers work against them. Many feel the Yankees are too good and will get right back ontop.

1924 Pittsburgh Pirates - Pittsburgh stayed in the fight and are only 2.5 games out of first. They await the return of Kiki Cuyler and have only played .500 ball without him. Charlie Grimm and Pie Traynor have been clutch and strong for the offense that is hitting .300 as a team. Ray Kremer has won 10 games and Arnie Stone 13 saves.

1912 New York Giants - John McGraw and his men lost 15 games in June and have been very inconsistent. Doc Crandall has proved to be the ace of the staff and the only starter with a winning record; Mathewson just hasnt look great all season for some reason. Larry Doyle is the muscle of the lineup having stolen 24 bases and driven in 51.

2005 Cleveland Indians - The loss of Grady Sizemore has brought the Indians back to earth but they are still in the fight. Sizemore was hitting near .400 and was a force in center field before a concussion sidelined him. Kevin Millwood and Cliff Lee have combined for 17 losses but Rafael Betancourt has proven to be among the best closer's in the league. Overall the pitching remains last in the league in most catagories.

1957 New York Yankees - Mickey Mantle has carried this team and has an outside shot at the triple crown, but this Yankees team has lost it on the mound. Ace Whitey Ford is 3-11 while Johnny Kucks 6-12. The biggest mystery is that this team is 14-28 at home and 23-17 away from Yankee Stadium. Yogi Berra is only hitting .243.

1918 Chicago Cubs - The Cubs to their credit did not give up after losing 25 games in June and had a winning month in July. Charlie Holocher has had the Cubs faithful on their feet and dreaming of a strong finish and a run at 4th place. Manager Fred Mitchell has gotten away from Pete Alexander and is using him only as a spot starter much to his dismay.

1964 Philadelphia Phillies - The Phillies take the fewest walks in the league and have scored the least amount of runs. Dick Allen and Johnny Callison continue to have good seasons but no speed on the bases and very little from a bullpen have left Gene Mauch and his team with very little. A dream for redemption for this team after their history just isnt possible at this level.

[Nick Soulis]

Season #4
July Recap

STANDINGS

Eastern Division	W	L	PCT	GB
New York Yankees 1999	66	41	.617	-
Cleveland Naps 1906	65	42	.607	1.0
Pittsburgh Pirates 1924	59	48	.551	7.0
New York Giants 1912	54	53	.505	12.0
Cleveland Indians 2005	50	56	.472	15.5
New York Yankees 1957	47	60	.439	19.0
Chicago Cubs 1918	45	63	.417	21.5
Philadelphia Phillies 1964	42	65	.393	24.0

Awards

Batter of the month: Derek Jeter - 1999 Yankees (5 HR, 27 RBI, 21 R, .466 OBP in July)

Pitcher of the month: Andy Pettite - 1999 Yankees (5-1, 1.96 ERA, 46 IP, 26 K, .244 OBA)

- Harry Simpson has a current 22 game hitting streak
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Team Notes

1999 New York Yankees - The Yankees retake the lead in the division after a good 17 win month in which they still lead in almost all offensive catagories. Andy Pettite is making a run at a Cy Young as he has upped his record to 15-3 and has been the most dependable Yankee arm.

1906 Cleveland Naps - This team is no fluke and is still thinking pennant only one game behind the Yanks. Nap Lajoie is back in the lineup and is his same old self at .340 but the real strength of the team is their pitching that leads the league in ERA with Bill Bernhard tops in the league at 2.42.

1924 Pittsburgh Pirates - An up and down month for the Pirates as they endured an 8 game winning streak but finished the month winning 5 in a row and staying in the hunt. The Pirates have the best defense in the league and are fundamentally sound. Seven of the eight starting batters on the team have 50 RBI or more.

1912 New York Giants - The Giants need to be careful as they finished their second consecutive losing month. Their lead on the fourth spot is down to 3.5 games and some feel they are losing some momentum. A losing record at the Polo Grounds isnt helping matters and a strong August is almost a must for this seemingly nervous team.

2005 Cleveland Indians - Three of their starters are in double digits in losses but the Indians are still in the race and a true underdog in most peoples eyes. Travis Hafner has put together a strong season especially with his average at .330 and his power numbers coming around with 19 home runs. The Indians wernt suppose to be in the fight but are.

1957 New York Yankees - Hope is fading fast for these old Yankees despite a memorable season from Mickey Mantle who leads the league in WAR at 7.6. The team just hasnt played with the confidence that we all expected and the pitching staff just been lit up at Yankee Stadium. Sixty losses already is not something Yankee fans can be proud of.

1918 Chicago Cubs - The Cubs have done their best to make their season respectable again and a hot August can do wonders for anyteam. The lowest average in the league with the least amount of power and the Cubs dont get people on base enough to do damage. Claude Hendrix has 15 wins already and may end the year with over 20.

1964 Philadelphia Phillies - Dick Allen is having quite a year with his .335 average but the Phillies have been far from a clutch team all season. They have scored the least amount of runs in the league and lead the league in errors. Lack of depth in the bullpen has always been an issue and this time of year things wont get better as staring arms start to tire; Jim Bunning is in line for a 20 loss season.

[royalblue5]

Nicely done, I am enjoying thxis

[Nick Soulis]

Season #4
August Recap

STANDINGS

Eastern Division	W	L	PCT	GB
New York Yankees 1999	84	51	.622	-
Cleveland Naps 1906	79	55	.590	4.5
Pittsburgh Pirates 1924	73	61	.545	10.5
New York Giants 1912	73	61	.545	10.5
Cleveland Indians 2005	66	68	.493	17.5
New York Yankees 1957	61	74	.452	23.0
Chicago Cubs 1918	55	79	.410	28.5
Philadelphia Phillies 1964	46	88	.343	37.5

Awards

Batter of the month: Bernie Williams - 99 Yankees (.393, 6 HR, 34 RBI, 30 R in August)

Pitcher of the month: Otto Hess - 1906 Indians (2.53 ERA, 14 K, 12 BB, 57 IP, 5-1 in August)

Injuries

Ray Kremer - 24 Pirates (Remainder of season)

Acomplishments



CC Sabathia of the 2005 Cleveland Indians throws a no hitter against the 1964 Phillies. It is the first no hitter thrown in the excellence project. Sabathia struck out four and walked only one in the 1-0 victory.
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Team Notes

1999 New york Yankees - A legitimate shot at 100 wins the Yankees won 18 games in August and looked poised to finish first. Their hitting is a true wonder as the team is hitting .314 and has scored 906 runs already. Derek Jeter is having a season for the ages (.382, 17 HR, 122 RBI, 122 R).

1906 Cleveland Naps - The Naps are also cruising the the finish line and still have a shot at the pennant that no one thought they would have a chance at. The Naps shutodown even the best offenses in the league, with Otto Hess already at 18 wins the team could have three starters over 20.

1924 Pittsburgh Pirates - Earl Smith became the backbone of the offense as the Pirates are only second to the Yankees in offensive production. Pittsburgh did lose five in a row to end the month and picked a bad time to stumble. Emil Yde will fill in for Ray Kremer for the remainder of the season in the rotation.

1912 New York Giants - A light went on for Chrsity Mathewson and he has pitched dominant baseball over the past two months. The Giants hold a seven game lead on the final spot and look much less likely of losing it then the Pirates who have the same record. Fred Merkle has proved the faith of New York again with 81 RBI and a .306 average.

2005 Cleveland Indians - The magic of the Sabathia no hitter inspired this club that won nine games to end the month and will try for one last run at the fourth spot. The Indians are first in home runs with 134 and Victor Martinez leads the team now that Grady Sizemore is out for the season, Martinez is battng .362. Can the tribe make a miracle run?

1957 New York Yankees - With this team out of the race, the season of Mickey Mantle remains in the limelight at the legendery outfielder has had a season for the ages. Mantle has earned 10.3 WAR already and an OPS of 1.100. Harry Simpson and Yogi Berra on the other hand in the middle of the order have been a millstone to the offense.

1918 Chicago Cubs - The wildly inconsistent Cubs won only 10 games in August and any dreams for a miracle have ended for yet another Cubs team. Teams have paraded around the bases against the Cubs 748 times with the weakest pen in the league. Fred Merkle on this team is much less heralded then the younger version on the Giants and hit only .297 for the Cubbies; better to be 23 then 29.

1964 Philadelphia Phillies - The Phillies had almost as bad a month as the Cubs did earlier winning only four games. The Phillies are a shoein to lose 100 games and may be the most futile team we have seen yet. Last in almost every offensive catagory the Phillies hit bottom when Sabathia no hit them at Jacobs Field. A poor showing for a troubled team.

[Nick Soulis]

Season 4
Final Standings

Yankees Hits Resonate Season

The fourth season of the excellence project saw one of the better dynasties of the era play like kings and smash the baseball at a record pace. The 1999 Yankees hit .315 as a team and drove in 1098 runs. Seasons to remember by Derek Jeter and Bernie Williams made a true dynamic duo who drove in a combined 265 runs and scored 297 between them. On the mound Andy Pettite won 20 games and Roger Clemens 18, this team was challanged for a moment but never really had this pennant out of their reach.

Nap Lajoie lead his Cleveland side into the next round and even though the team ran out of a bit of gas in the end they were the surprise story of the season. The 1912 Giants hung tight and finished second as Christy Mathewson had a strong finish and the Giants have found confidence again. Rounding out the top four are the 1924 Pirates who a balanced side that should be watched moving forward.

Mickey Mantle had a monster season but the 1957 Yankees were the disapointment of this season never really making a run at the top, this Yankee team made much too many mistakes. The 2005 Indians could be proud about finishing .500 and really did better at this level then many had predicted, the Sabathia no hitter will remain a highlight. The 17 Cubs had an up an down season but played hard until the end while the 64 Phillies will be tough to top as far as futility is concerned.

[Nick Soulis]

Team advancing to the next round

1. 1999 New York Yankees
2. 1912 New York Giants
3. 1906 Cleveland Naps
4. 1924 Pittsburgh Pirates

League Most Valuable Player



Bernie Williams - 1999 New York Yankees
(.394, 21 HR, 129 RBI, 243 H, 139 R, .467 OBP, 40 2B)

League Outstanding Pitcher Award



Christy Mathewson - 1912 New York Giants
(21-10, 3.24 ERA, 299 IP, 171 K, 140 ERA+)

Gold Glove Awards

C - Bob O Farrell - 18 Cubs
1B - Tino Martinez - 99 Yankees
2B - Rabbit Marranville - 24 Pirates
3B - Pie Traynor - 24 Pirates
SS - Derek Jeter - 99 Yankees
LF - Jim Jackson - 06 Indians
CF - Bernie Williams - 99 Yankees
RF - Kiki Cuyler - 24 Pirates

[Nick Soulis]

Season 5

1. 1998 Atlanta Braves



Record: 106-56
Finish: Won NL Pennant; Lost World Series
Manager: Bobby Cox
Ball Park: Turner Field
Hall of Famers: (0) Zero

2. 1952 Brooklyn Dodgers



Record: 96-57
Finish: Won NL Pennant; Lost in WS
Manager: Chuck Dressen
Ball Park: Ebbets Field
Hall of Famers: (4) Roy Campanella, Jackie Robinson, Duke Snider, Pee Wee Reese

3. 2007 Arizona Diamond Backs



Record: 90-72
Finish: Lost in NLCS
Manager: Bob Melvin
Ball Park: Chase Field
Hall of Famers: (0) Zero

4. 1987 Toronto Blue Jays



Record: 96-66
Finish: 2nd in AL East
Manager: Jimy Williams
Ball Park: Exhibition Stadium
Hall of Famers: (1) Phil Niekro

5. 1967 St. Louis Cardinals



Record: 101-60
Finish: Won the World Series
Manager: Red Schoendiest
Ball Park: Busch Stadium
Hall of Famers: (4) Bob Gibson, Lou Brock, Steve Carlton, Orlando Cepeda

6. 2006 San Diego Padres



Record: 88-74
Finish: Lost in NLDS
Manager: Bruce Bochy
Ball Park: Petco Park
Hall of Famers: (0) Zero

7. 1984 Detroit Tigers



Record: 104-58
Finish: Won World Series
Manager: Sparky Anderson
Ball Park: Tiger Stadium
Hall of Famers: (0) None

8. 1992 Milwuakee Brewers



Record: 92-70
Finish: 2nd in AL East
Manager: Phil Garner
Ball Park: County Stadium
Hall of Famers: (2) Paul Molitor, Robn Yount

[Nick Soulis]

Season #5
April Recap

STANDINGS

Division	W	L	PCT	GB
Atlanta Braves 1998	18	8	.692	-
Arizona Diamondbacks 2007	17	9	.654	1.0
St. Louis Cardinals 1967	17	10	.630	1.5
San Diego Padres 2006	12	15	.444	6.5
Detroit Tigers 1984	11	15	.423	7.0
Milwaukee Brewers 1992	11	17	.393	8.0
Toronto Blue Jays 1987	10	16	.385	8.0
Brooklyn Dodgers 1952	10	16	.385	8.0

Awards

Batter of the month: Eric Byrnes - 07 Diamondbacks (.311, 7 HR, 25 RBI, 26 R, .388 OBP in April)

Pitcher of the month: John Smoltz - 98 Braves (6-1, 2.11 ERA, 52 K, 47 IP in April)

Injuries

Jackie Robinson - 52 Dodgers (3 weeks)
Orlando Hudson - 07 Diamondbacks (4 weeks)
Phil Niekro - 87 Blue Jays (Remainder of season)
Randy Johnson - 07 Diamondbacks (Remainder of season)
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Team Notes

1998 Atlanta Braves - The tone was set as the Braves took all four at Tiger Stadium to open the season. The Braves obviously leaned on pitching but the team also lead the month in home runs. Ryan Klesko is hitting .326 and Rudy Seanez has 8 saves. This team will be tough to beat.

2007 Arizona Diamondbacks - Even after losing aging Randy Johnson to arm trouble the DBacks and Bob Melvin have started well. Brandon Webb won 6 of his seven starts while Eric Byrnes won player of the month honors. This team feels it can play at this level and is playing loose and with high energy.

1967 St. Louis Cardinals - Lefty Steve Carlton proved to be the ace of the staff early as Carlton allowed only 13 runs in the month and Bob Gibson has only been average at best. Orlando Cepeda and his .315 average lead a lineup that has the best average in the league. St. Louis won 7 of 9 on the road.

2006 San Diego Padres - Jake Peavy is winless but the Padres bullpen along with Tervor Hoffman have been the most close town unit in the league. Chan Ho Park has pitched much better then many thought as well while Todd Walker leads the offense at .341. This team is under .500 but definaltey believes they can finish there.

1984 Detroit Tigers - Some panic in Detroit as the Tigers lost all four at home against the Braves to open the season and soon went from favorites to a question in this season. The hitting has lagged and the Tigers have scored the fewest runs so far; Lance Parrish is hitting only .186 with only a .320 team OBP. It is still very early however and the Tigers have plenty of time to show who they are behind Sparky Anderson.

1992 Milwuakee Brewers - Jaime Navarro and Chris Bosio both have ERA's over 7.00 as the Brewers look for some stability in their rotation. The team has also shown almost no power and doesnt have the big bat to clean the bases. Grag Vaughn and Robin Yount havent been a consistent part of the everyday lineup.

1987 Toronto Blue Jays - George Bell is a force in the middle of this lineup with 27 RBI in April and Tony Fernandez is a solid contributer at the top of the order at .327. The Jays however are 3-10 on their home field and the rotation is struggling with talk that Tom Henke may even be asked to start a game or two. Toronto needs more from Davod Wells and veteran Dave Stieb.

1952 Brooklyn Dodgers - The Dodgers were hit hard by injuries with Duke Snider and Jackie Robinson already missing significant time to injury. Once healthy the Dodgers should get back into it but confidence may be an issue. Gil Hodges is only batting .238 while Pee Wee Reese is only .231 at the top of the lineup.

[Questdog]

Still no Reds....

You said you had 6 Reds teams.....that seems a little slim.

Might I inquire as to which 6?

[Nick Soulis]

Originally Posted by Questdog

Still no Reds....

You said you had 6 Reds teams.....that seems a little slim.

Might I inquire as to which 6?

Looking at the list more closely there are a total of 17 Reds teams included. These teams and their rank are:

• 1976 Reds ranked 5th
• 1919 Reds ranked 35th
• 1975 Reds ranked 36th
• 1990 Reds ranked 60th
• 1940 Reds ranked 69th
• 1972 Reds ranked 147th
• 1970 Reds ranked 152nd
• 1974 Reds ranked 248th
• 1999 Reds ranked 274th
• 1962 Reds ranked 277th
• 1973 Reds ranked 305th
• 1956 Reds ranked 334th
• 1994 Reds ranked 379th
• 1995 Reds ranked 400th
• 1961 Reds ranked 421st
• 1981 Reds ranked 431st
• 1943 Reds ranked 439th

Obviously the Reds are well represented and rightfully so after their great history. How they come out in the season's is purely random and of course there is a chance that they will end up playing one another in a division.

Any other franchise questions please let me know.

[Questdog]

Thanks! I'll sleep much better tonight....

[Nick Soulis]

Season #5
May Recap

STANDINGS

Division	W	L	PCT	GB
Atlanta Braves 1998	39	16	.709	-
St. Louis Cardinals 1967	33	21	.611	5.5
San Diego Padres 2006	30	22	.577	7.5
Detroit Tigers 1984	26	29	.473	13.0
Arizona Diamondbacks 2007	24	30	.444	14.5
Brooklyn Dodgers 1952	23	31	.426	15.5
Toronto Blue Jays 1987	21	33	.389	17.5
Milwaukee Brewers 1992	21	35	.375	18.5

Awards

Batter of the month: Michael Tucker - 98 Braves (.371, 6 HR, 26 RBI, 20 R in May)

Pitcher of the month: Greg Maddux - 98 Braves (1.33 ERA, 46 K, 47.1 IP, 5-0 in May)

Injuries

Greg Maddux - 98 Braves (Out remainder of season)
Lloyd Moseby - 87 Blue Jays (4 weeks)
Kirk Gibson - 84 Tigers (4 weeks)
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Team Notes

1998 Atlanta Braves - The loss of Greg Maddux stunned the club and took away the player that likely had a lock on the Cy Young. Still the Braves wil lean on Kevin Millwood to fill the void and won almost 40 games in two months. Michael Tucker has made the most of the spotlight playing 5 tool ball so far; the Braves should be fine.

1967 St. Louis Cardinals - The Cardinals are right where they want to be and are just within striking range of the Braves. Roger Maris is having the type of season he dreams of, Maris has his average up at .365 and has been really in a groove in the 5th spot behind Cepeda. Bob Gibson is back on track with a dominant 8-1 record thus far.

2006 San Diego Padres - This team has everyone taking notice as they have 30 wins and mean business about moving on. Chris Young has stepped up as an ace of this team so far with a 3.22 ERA and the Padres pen is still the stingiest in the league. Dave Roberts has been the best lead off man in the league and even Mike Piazza has made a contribution.

1984 Detroit Tigers - Under .500 but still sitting in the fourth spot the Tigers are wating for their season to take off. Kirk Gibson and some injuries havent helped and the offense in general is still among the worst in the division; Darrell Evans is only hitting .227. Many however are expecting a hot summer for the club in MoTown.

2007 Arizona Diamondbacks - A disaster of a month in the desert for the DBacks as they managed only 7 wins. Chris Young is hitting under .200 and the offense was incapable of much all month. An injury to Mark Reynolds also hurts the team muscle as this team has too many questions it would seem. Other then Brandon Webb, none of their starters has impressed at this level.

1952 Brooklyn Dodgers - The Dodgers are finally healthy and Jackie Robinson along with Duke Snider have brought life to the lineup. Everyone however knows the time is now for this team to make a move and they should. Roy Campanella has been a real let down with only 15 RBI in the first two months. The starters need a confidence boost with no one in the rotation with over 4 wins to their name.

1987 Toronto Blue Jays - The Jays can swing the bat and George Bell still leads the league in both home runs and RBI. Manager Jimy Williams has likely played too much with the rotation in an effort to find the rigth formula and the closer role has also been an issue with Tom Henke losing his job wiht an ERA over six. Other then some nice moments, this club hasnt showed the winning stuff it would need to get back into the race.

1992 Milwuakee Brewers - There isnt much optimism with this team either that only has 21 wins. The team doesnt want to take a walk and lacks power to drive the ball out of the park, both bad combinations. The pitching staff is in shambles with Chris Bosio sporting a 7.14 ERA and few options to replace him. This may be an example of what we may see when some of these less talented clubs play in these divisions.

[Nick Soulis]

Season 5
June Recap

STANDINGS

Division	W	L	PCT	GB
Atlanta Braves 1998	55	28	.663	-
St. Louis Cardinals 1967	50	32	.610	4.5
San Diego Padres 2006	46	34	.575	7.5
Toronto Blue Jays 1987	39	42	.481	15.0
Arizona Diamondbacks 2007	37	45	.451	17.5
Detroit Tigers 1984	36	46	.439	18.5
Brooklyn Dodgers 1952	34	47	.420	20.0
Milwaukee Brewers 1992	30	53	.361	25.0

Awards

Batter of the month: Duke Snider - 52 Dodgers (.333, 9 HR, 29 RBI, 21 R, .377 OBP in June)

Pitcher of the month: Jim Clancy - 87 Blue Jays (2.30 ERA, 37 K, 4-0, 12 ER in June)

Injuries

Bob Gibson - 67 Cardinals (2 months)
Andy Pafko - 52 Dodgers (3 weeks, Pizza Parlor accident )
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Team Notes

1998 Atlanta Braves - John Smoltz stayed on track with his impressive 12-3 record as the Braves had another winning month and remain comfortably in first. Forty two year old Dennis Martinez had a couple of starts this month as Bobby Cox has picked and matched to replace Greg Maddux, the Braves still lead in league ERA with 3.39.

1967 St. Louis Cardinals - Like the Braves, the Cardinals lost their ace as Bob Gibson may not be ready to return until September. Still the Red Birds are red hot ending the month with seven straight wins only a handfull of games behind first.

2006 San Diego Padres - The Padres and their season is all anyone really is talking about as a dream season for this club continues. Sixteen more wins in a month and a rotation lead by Jake Peavy that leads the league in strikeouts. Adrien Gonzalez is hitting .330 and looks like an alltime great at the plate. The Padres are patient and lead the league in base runners. Dont wake up the fans in San Diego.

1987 Toronto Blue Jays - A huge month for the Jays as they won 18 games and find themselves in the golder fourth spot. Rookie Nelson Liriano has really stepped in at second base and played well with .348 average. Jim Clancy has gotten hot on the mound at the perfect time and this young team believes they can continue the trend of this underdog season.

2007 Arizona Diamondbacks - Hovering is Arizona as well as the fourth spot in this season will surely be a losing record. The DBacks have the worst hitting in the league but the Arizona hot start in April has given them a chance. Mike Schultz leads a good bullpen and has the most saves in the league with 20. Curious how a team with very poor numbers still has everything to play for.

1984 Detroit Tigers - Baseball seasons are said to be defined in June and if that is the case the Tigers are in trouble after losing 17 games. Kirk Gibson came back and has boosted the lineup and the Tigers continue to play well with the glove but still something is missing. The Tigers are seventh both in home runs and in stolen bases, with no player in double digits in either stat. Sparky Anderson insists the team wont panic but sitting in 6th place for a 104 win team has panic all over it.

1952 Brooklyn Dodgers - The Dodgers started June with great energy and played well before getting swept in Toronto and finishing the month losing 9 of 11 games. The Dodgers have allowed the most runs in the league and little Ebbets Field has been more of a foe then a friend. This Dodger team may have their fans call them the "Bums" again rather then Dodgers.

1992 Milwuakee Brewers - Robin Yount is only hitting .258 and the Brewers are playing out the string averaging only 10 wins a month. No one in the rotation is even average and whoever the pitching coach of this team is should be fired. Greg Vaughn in his typical self has 12 home runs but also brings a .220 average and no glove. The Brewers are lunch meat for the rest of the division.

[Nick Soulis]

Season 5
July Recap

STANDINGS

Division	W	L	PCT	GB
Atlanta Braves 1998	72	35	.673	-
St. Louis Cardinals 1967	66	41	.617	6.0
San Diego Padres 2006	58	49	.542	14.0
Toronto Blue Jays 1987	53	53	.500	18.5
Detroit Tigers 1984	51	56	.477	21.0
Brooklyn Dodgers 1952	45	62	.421	27.0
Arizona Diamondbacks 2007	43	64	.402	29.0
Milwaukee Brewers 1992	40	68	.370	32.5

Awards

Batter of the month: Chipper Jones - 98 Braves (.412, 4 HR, 12 RBI, 23 R in July)

Pitcher of the month: Dan Petry - 84 Tigers (6-0, 1.53 ERA, 53 IP, 24 K in July)
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Team News

1998 Atlanta Braves - Seventeen wins in July and the Braves have their sights on achieving the best record we have seen yet. Chipper Jones stepped up his game this month hitting .412 in the duration. The club is an incredible 40-16 at Turner Field and plays and pitches to their dimensions perfectly. Bobby Cox can rest easy.

1967 St. Louis Cardinals - Lou Brock revived his legs and batting eye to hit .400 and set up a slew of Cardinal scoring chances. Curt Flood also had a 25 game hitting streak as St. Louis to many peoples surprise are the most consistent hitting team in the league with a .310 average. Young Steve Carlton has been brilliant with his 15-6 record and 3.01 ERA.

2006 San Diego Padres - A losing month for San Diego but their cushion is still seven games from the 5th spot. Some of their weaknesses are being exposed including their poor defense and mediocore power. Clay Hensley just didnt work well in the rotation and Woody Williams are 39 years old will get his chance to keep the Padres magic season alive.

1987 Toronto Blue Jays - George Bell has an MVP season on his mind as he still leads the league in home runs and RBI, his 95 RBI tell you what he has done in the clutch. The club has played suburb since June and many expect them to overtake the Padres for third place soon. No team in this division has played more to their potential then this Jays side.

1984 Detroit Tigers - Jack Morris gives this team a boost when it needs it and Dan Petry especially had a stellar month with two shutouts and six wins. The Tigers are fighting to make a run and have the capacity to do so only 2.5 games back of fourth. This isnt the spot the Tigers wanted to be in, but they can show their greatness by coming all the way back in the last two months of the season.

1952 Brooklyn Dodgers - Chuck Dressen may want to take out an ad in the Brooklyn papers for a pitcher, All around the Dodgers have the worst pitching in the game with few to no answers remaining. Billy Loes was lost for the year and Joe Landrum is the next man to take his shot on the mound. The hitting has come around and the legends in the Dodger lineup do not disapoint from game to game.

2007 Arizona Diamondbacks - Only six wins in July for the Diamondbacks whose hot start to the season is a distant remote memory. Mark Reynolds will join Randy Johnson on the season ending injury list while finding a third and fourth starter are bigger issues; twenty four year old Micah Owens is 5-15 on the hard season. The snakes also have the lowest batting average in the league at .255.

1992 Milwuakee Brewers - The Brewers continued their pace of 10 wins a month and may be a lock for 100 losses. Paul Molitor has upped his average to .342 and is a tough out but has little support. The Brewers have won on 16 games away from hime and are lunch meat for most lineups. Although it is a privledge to take part in this project, the Brewers may now wish that they were left out to spare the humiliation.

[Nick Soulis]

Season 5
August Recap

STANDINGS

Division	W	L	PCT	GB
Atlanta Braves 1998	91	43	.679	-
St. Louis Cardinals 1967	84	50	.627	7.0
Toronto Blue Jays 1987	72	62	.537	19.0
San Diego Padres 2006	72	62	.537	19.0
Detroit Tigers 1984	61	74	.452	30.5
Milwaukee Brewers 1992	53	81	.396	38.0
Arizona Diamondbacks 2007	53	82	.393	38.5
Brooklyn Dodgers 1952	51	83	.381	40.0

Awards

Hitter of the month: George Bell - 87 Blue Jays (.415, 8 HR, 27 RBI, 51 H, 28 R, .442 OBP in August)

Pitcher of the month: John Smoltz - 98 Braves (5-0, 1.81 ERA, 44 K, 49.2 IP in August)

- Howard Johnson of the 84 Tigers hit three home runs in one game.
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Team Notes

1998 Atlanta Braves - John Smoltz won his 21 game of the season and the pitcher of the month award as the Braves havent missed Greg Maddux all that much. A 100 win season is almost a sure thing and the Braves have done it with all aspects of their team, they lead the league in pitching, home runs, and on base percentage. The 106 games the Braves won in their real season, could be a number they surpass here.

1967 St. Louis Cardinals - If it wasnt for the Braves, this Cardinal team that has won 84 games would be the talk of the season. Steve Carlton at 22 years old has 18 wins and almost 200 strikeouts already. The top three hitters in the league in average play for this team, with Tim McCarver leading the league at .371. Lou Brock leads the league with 32 steals and 92 runs.

1987 Toronto Blue Jays - A very strong August has the Jays moving up to third and heading for the finsih of a successful season. The Jays scored the second most runs in the league while three players have over 80 RBI with George Bell at a lofty 122. Jimmy Key has been a bulldog on the mound and has an outside chance at a 20 win season. Twenty four year old David Wells has performed well also.

2006 San Diego Padres - Adrien Gonzalez and Russell Branyan each have 85 RBI as the fairy tale season for this team has come true. The Padres have been so tough in one run games thanks to a dominant pen lead by a 38 year old Trevor Hoffman. Woody Williams really struggled in the rotation but his mates lead by Jake Peavy covered his weak outings.

1984 Detroit Tigers - Ten wins in the month of August and the fate of this team is set. Eleven games behind fourth place with a month left the letdown of this Tiger team has many scratching their heads. No player on the team has over 12 home runs or even 75 RBI as the Tigers watched other teams light up Tiger Stadium instead of their lineup. The starting rotation was not deep enough, and holes no one had anticipated came forth from all places for a stunned Sparky Anderson.

1992 Milwuakee Brewers - The Brewers did steal the most bases in the league with 118 and the club does have almsot 600 runs. Bill Wegman did win 14 games but lost another 14 while Cal Eldred and Christ Bosio each lost 16 games. The team hasnt stopped playing hard and still plays well especially at County Stadium.

2007 Arizona Diamondbacks - Last in the league in hitting and runs, Bank One Ballpark has had little to cheer about in this season, Arizona has had three months were they won 10 games or less. Injuries piled up and players like Tony Clark, Jeff Salazar, and Chris Young were depended on way too much. The desert heat will be quiet in September with no drama to speak of.

1952 Brooklyn Dodgers - No one could have expected the Dodgers to fall away as bad as they have. It all came down to the pitching for the Dodgers who had a atronomical ERA of 5.80. Gil Hodges does have 95 RBI and is a cinch to win the gold glove while Duke Snider is batting .342 heading downt the stretch. No doubt greater days and teams are waiting ahead for the Dodger franchise.

[Nick Soulis]

Season 5
Final Standings

BRAVES SET STANDARD AT 111 WINS

A statement was made to say the least and most likely the best Braves team of their dynasty lead almost from pole to pole and won an astounding 111 games to set the standard of excellence. The Braves lead the league in both hitting and pitching and won 61 games at home. John Smoltz won 26 games while the dominant offense scored 931 runs and hit 198 home runs. The Braves have left us all begging for more.

Roger Maris had a memorable year as did Steve Carlton and the 1967 Cardinals who won 98 games and, although a bit overlooked, still look like a super ball club. Both Maris and Tim McCarver hit .366.

The two surprise teams were the 87 Blue Jays and the 06 Padres who will both live another day to play again. The Canadian side were lead by George Bell who lead the league in home runs and RBI. Adrien Gonzalez drove in 100 runs while Russell Branyan hit 31 long balls at Jack Murphy Stadium.

The biggest flop belongs to the 84 Tigers who won only 75 games and looked far from a team that was a champion. The Tigers just did not score enough runs and even the grit of Jack Morris and Kirk Gibson was not near enough. The Tigers are the biggest favorites so far to crash out.

The 92 Brewers and the 07 Diamondbacks came up short of 70 wins. Neither side made a real run after April and were a big part to why teams like the Braves won so many games. The 52 Dodgers did finish with 100 losses and didnt have an arm to show for them selves with a 5.64 team ERA and 988 runs allowed.

[ShagVT]

Amazing -- I wonder what the Bravos would have done if Maddux had stayed healthy?

[Nick Soulis]

Originally Posted by ShagVT

Amazing -- I wonder what the Bravos would have done if Maddux had stayed healthy?

Yes indeed it was quite a season and it will be interesting to see if anyother team could surpass this win total. John Smoltz was just so dominant for the team posting a 26-4 record and winning the pitching triple crown.

This 1998 team was vastly overlooked because they lost in the series to the Yankees who my have been the best team ever. The Braves won 106 games that year and may have been the best Braves team of their run in the 90's.