MLB Replay....A new History

[HerbertMcHoover]

Weak draft. Atlanta nabbed both Chambliss and Goose. Yankees are one pick behind getting two real good players yet again. Expos got a nice pick in Dave Parker.

Detroit looks like they will be horrible this year. Five seasons really make the difference in baseball. San Diego also looks like a mess.

Reggie developed in a hurry.

[George_Bell]

1970 MLB Regular Season

Top 10 Prospects


Wednesday, April 22^nd. The Giants were visiting Philadelphia for a afternoon tilt. Harmon Killebrew had just hit his 628^th home run last night, putting him 1 behind the great Lou Gehrig in career home runs. A record that has stood for 36 years.

With Hank Aaron on 1^st base, Mickey Lolich threw a 1-2 fast ball that did not fool Harmon Killebrew. The flyball cleared the left field fence, 387 feet. Killebrew has tied Lou Gehrig!!

In his next at-bat, with the world watching, Mickey Lolich threw another fastball on the first pitch. An almost identical swing brought an almost identical result. Flyball over the left field fence, 376 feet.

Ladies and Gentleman, we have a new home run king.
HARMON CLAYTON KILLEBREW!!!


Offense is up all over baseball. The AL era is 4.11, up from 3.32 in 1969. The NL is upto 3.86! Runs haven’t been scored at this rate since 1961, which happened to be the final year of 16 team baseball.

Andy Kosco, who the hell is this guy!! Kosco is the breakout star of baseball. After an amazing 1969, where he recorded 41 home runs and 127 RBI’s, he’s reached both those marks again……and there’s still a month to play! Kosco was a 2^nd round pick by the Dodgers in the 58 draft. He was traded to Philly a year later, then dealt to Milwaukee a year after that in 1960. He spent a few years in the Braves system before being picked up by the Mets in the 1963 rule 5 draft. At this point in his career, he started getting it.

As you can see, each year in NY, Kosco was getting better. Playing more and producing more. The Mets traded him after a very strong 1967 season. Cleveland parted with a young pitcher named Wayne Simpson, who, while only 21 today, looks like a future AAAA pitcher. Kosco went from a good hitter to a break out star last year, and is even better this year. I will be following this guy now.

Andy Kosco!!

September 1^st standings update. The Reds have a 7 game lead on Atlanta. I’m thinking they are safe. The White Sox are up 15 games, so that’s pretty much a clinch. Cleveland and Baltimore are separated by 2 games, while the battle of Pennsylvania will ensue this month, with the Pirates chasing the Phillies in the NL east. 2 games separate them.

The only drama that ensues takes place in the AL east. The Orioles win 8 in a row, and 10/13 in the final 2 weeks to make up a 5 game deficit on the Cleveland Indians. The Indians meanwhile lost 8 of 10 during that stretch and are lucky to be tied with Baltimore on the last day of the season. The Orioles host Washington, while Cleveland is visiting last place Detroit with Bob Gibson on the mound.



With a 2:05 start, the Indians beat the Tigers on a ninth inning home run by none other then Andy Kosco, to take a half game lead on the division. The Orioles must win to force a 1 game playoff.



Rick Monday is the hero, hitting a 2 run walk off home run in the tenth inning, forcing a 1 game playoff to determine the AL east champs.

AL EAST PLAYOFF



Baltimore’s Larry Hisle gets thrown out at home plate in the top of the first inning! An exciting start to this game. The Orioles still manage to strike first in the next inning, thanks to a Bobby Cox RBI single. Andy Kosco and Cap Peterson hit back to back homers, to give Cleveland their first lead of the game. Larry Hisle ties it in the next inning, and after 3, it’s 2-2.

Bill Robinson and Hal McCrae each drive in a 5^th inning run to give Cleveland a 4-2 lead. Alfredo Ortiz would shut the door, and Indians closer Lloyd Allen records his 34^th save of the season. Cleveland repeats as AL East Champions!!

[HerbertMcHoover]

The AL Home Run leaders are exciting. Solid year. Lots of drama the past two seasons coming down the wire.

Also, listen to this: 17 games seperates the White Sox and Angels. Then, the Twins have 89 wins and the A's have 97 losses. 24 game difference! Holy moly. Big differences throughout baseball! Padres lost the division by 51 games and lost twenty four more games than the Giants!

I was hoping the Yanks were going to have a bigger season, since they had some of the better performing players in the ASG. Oh well. 1971?

[George_Bell]

Originally Posted by HerbertMcHoover

The AL Home Run leaders are exciting. Solid year. Lots of drama the past two seasons coming down the wire.

Also, listen to this: 17 games seperates the White Sox and Angels. Then, the Twins have 89 wins and the A's have 97 losses. 24 game difference! Holy moly. Big differences throughout baseball! Padres lost the division by 51 games and lost twenty four more games than the Giants!

I was hoping the Yanks were going to have a bigger season, since they had some of the better performing players in the ASG. Oh well. 1971?

Biggest problem in New York is their pitching. It's terrible. They got Catfish Hunter, who is a star. They got Steve Carlton, who has not developed like a star, but is still effective. Thats it.

Believe it or not, this is Deckers best season so far. He lost 21 each of the last 2 years. Steve Carlton was hurt for most of the year, which is why he doesn't appear.

[George_Bell]

[George_Bell]

This will be the 17^th time the Phillies will play in a World Series. They have never played the White Sox before. Both these franchises have had amazing runs, and have been disappointed with the amount of times they won. Chicago won 5 AL pennants in a row during the early 50’s, but only managed one championship. The Phillies have most recently lost 3 straight World Series to the Tigers before beating the Red Sox in their 4^th straight trip to the show.

Harmon Killebrew will again showcase his talent in front of a national audience. He anchors a lineup that still includes Hank Aaron, Carl Yastrzemski, Pete Rose, and now Eddie Mathews, who came over from Detroit during the middle of the 69 season. Bert Blyleven was the #2 overall pick just 2 years ago, and a former top prospect in baseball. He’s rebounded from a devastating injury in his rookie season to go 21-4, leading the Sox to their first pennant in almost 20 years.

[HerbertMcHoover]

Originally Posted by George_Bell

Biggest problem in New York is their pitching. It's terrible. They got Catfish Hunter, who is a star. They got Steve Carlton, who has not developed like a star, but is still effective. Thats it.

Believe it or not, this is Deckers best season so far. He lost 21 each of the last 2 years. Steve Carlton was hurt for most of the year, which is why he doesn't appear.

Oh lord, that is atrocious. Hopefully they can get someone who can outpitch Decker next season. Catfish and Carlton are two legendary pitchers, but they can't carry the team. Thanks for posting that. Didn't know the pitching was a problem and that bad.

Wow, a different World Series for a change. Two very big surprises in 3-2 series!

Really like the blue and maroon for the respective teams. I would expect the Phillies take the series. Not rooting in favor for either team.

[George_Bell]

19 year old Phillies lead off hitter Rich Coggins goes 3/5, scoring two runs. The Phillies also take advantage of catcher Frank Fernandez’s throwing error to score the eventual winning run. Philly wins the opener 3-2.

Roy Foster gets Chicago started on the right foot, with a first inning, two out, bases loaded single that scores 2. Bert Blyleven takes it from there, and cruises. White Sox tie the series with a 5-2 win.

Bob Bailey hits a 2 run shot to give the home team Phillies a 2-0 lead. Chicago responds with a single runs in the 5^th and 8^th innings, and we head to extras. The twelfth inning was kind of eventful.



Huge Tom Hutton single gives the White Sox a 2 run lead.

Hank Aaron almost ties the game with his single, but Dick Schofield is thrown out at the plate. Elrod Hendricks does tie the game 1 batter later, and Rich Reese, who hit 1 homer all year, ends the game with a monster 3 run home run!! The Phillies grab all the momentum with a dramatic 7-4 win!

The White Sox build a 5-3 lead, keyed by a 3 run, 5 hit inning. With 2 outs in the eighth, Carl Yastrzemski doubles, and Harmon Killebrew goes deep! With 4 outs remaining, the Phillies tie the game. Extra innings on back to back days.

Pete Rose leads off the 10^th with a single. With the hit and run on, Carl Yastrzemski pokes a shot through the right side, Rose rounds second. Ken Singleton fires the ball towards third. It’s airmailed though, way over third. Pete Rose ain’t gonna stop. He gets up after sliding into the base, and hustles home, sliding across the plate without a throw. The Phillies win it 6-5!

Toby Harrah gets the Sox started right again, tripling home 2 runs. It's another early White Sox lead. Carl Yastrzemski draws a bases loaded walk in the 6^th inning, and the lead is cut to 1. In the eighth inning, Pete Rose singles, and lefty Mike Kekich, who blew game 3, comes in to pitch to Yaz. Yaz takes the 0-2 delivery deep to right field. 424 feet, IT IS GONE!!!! Phillies lead 3-2! Warren Bogle gets 3 easy outs in the ninth, and the Philadelphia Phillies have won the 1970 World Series!

[George_Bell]

[rjl518]

how about those fightin' phillies?

[HerbertMcHoover]

Best game ever.
Best World Series ever.

[George_Bell]

[George_Bell]

1970-71 Offseason News and Notes

The San Diego Padres are very excited to make Mike Schmidt the first pick in the 1970 draft. Somehow, George Brett falls to fifth overall. I like Guidry and Rogers, but passing on George Brett, I’m not good enough at this game to do that.

No Hall of Fame inductees this year. I’m noticing I’m getting very strict on who is getting in. Nominees Gene Woodling and Robin Roberts get in 10 years ago.

Here is a comparison I will start doing each offseason. A look at how real life MVP's did in this universe.

I don’t know why Boog Powell retired. He never played a professional game. I don’t see any news story about him, any injury listed. He just retired and I missed it.

Here's a look at the best playoff performers in baseball history. First, the hitters.

Here are the pitchers

Players listed in green are in the Hall of Fame. Players listed in caps are on my shortlist, indicating they were nominated for the Hall of Fame and were not inducted.

[rjl518]

great draft

[HerbertMcHoover]

It is a shame Boog did not play long.

[George_Bell]

1971 MLB Preview

Top Player

Top Pitcher

Top Prospect

[George_Bell]

1971 MLB Regular Season

Top Prospects


Fergie Jenkins has drafted by the expansion Houston franchise a decade ago. Beginning your career with a losing team can be tough. Jenkins lost 21 games as a 21 year old in 1964. Two years later though, he posted a career best 2.38 era. In 4 of his last 5 years, his era has been under 3. Jenkins has been one of baseball’s top pitchers, and no one knows about him.

In his time with the Astros, he went 98-120. That’s pretty terrible for a pitcher who barely allow 3 runs a game. This off-season, Jenkins was traded to the Orioles, a team with a winning tradition. In his first 10 starts, playing for the most talented team in his career, he’s 8-2, with a 2.15 era! Change of scenery has unleashed this beast. With his prime years ahead, I expect Fergie to really show us he’s a #1 starter.

Jenkins

He’s probably not an impact player anymore, but the Phillies have traded Hank Aaron, and that’s newsworthy to me.

Aaron, a starter on last years championship team, is still a good major leaguer. He hit well platooning in Philly, and will probably start in Los Angeles. Reichardt, who goes to Philly, is a better defensive option, with a very average bat.

33 year old Willie McCovey is starting to slow down, but he still hit his 500^th career home run. He’s the sixth person to enter the club. At this point, id doubt he hits 600, but this is a ticket to the Hall of Fame!!

McCovey

That just looks weird to me. Mickey Mantle is picked up on waivers by the Phillies. The 39 year old has some power left. That’s about it. He’s so close to 500 home runs. I really hope he gets there.

The second place Reds make a great trade deadline deal, picking up 22 year old Vida Blue!


Blue lost 20 game as a rookie, but has been pitching pretty good in the 3 and a half season since. He probably falls short in the ace category, but for Oakland to let him go at this age is crazy. The Reds add a very viable arm for their playoff drive.

Baltimore and the Chicago Cubs have their divisions all but clinched entering September. The White Sox though are in a race with the Angels, and the Reds have taken a slight lead on the Braves. Reggie Jackson has 50 home runs. He’ll need an excellent month to approach 65, but it’s not impossible. Harmon Killebrew is approaching 700 career home runs!

The Braves and Angels faltered and were out of contention quick. Reggie Jackson’s bat slowed down, and didn’t bring the "will he or won’t he" drama, and Harmon Killebrew fell just short of the milestone. This season kinda ends in a wimper.

[George_Bell]

[George_Bell]

IF looks like this series should come down to the long ball. The Reds hit alot of home runs, the White Sox, not so much. I think the Reds are the better and deeper team, but the White Sox probably have better starting pitching. Should be a good series. Since 1953, only the Dodgers, Reds and Phillies have represented the NL in the World Series. Since 1941(30 years), there has only been 3 season's where one of those teams did not player for the title!!!

[rjl518]

damn...the reds just wont go away...

but my mets had a winning season though...

they are on the way