The Base Ball Life of Patrick O'Farrell

[Big Six]

Boston Herald, August 11, 1940

RED HOT O’FARRELL WINS SEVENTH STRAIGHT GAME

ST. LOUIS—With the New York Yankees winning games at a furious pace, the pressure on each member of the Boston Red Sox has been intensified.

One player who has risen to this challenge is righthander Mike O’Farrell, who yesterday pitched the Sox to a 3-2 victory over the Browns here in St. Louis. The win was the seventh in a row for O’Farrell, who has been beaten only once since the All-Star break. His record now stands at a sparkling 16-6, and he has only one fewer win to his credit than ace Ray Brown.

O’Farrell and Browns knuckleballer Johnny Niggeling traded zeroes for five innings, until O’Farrell took matters into his own hands at the plate. With two out and Fumio Fujimura on first, he banged a Niggeling floater over the head of center fielder Wally Judnich and raced all the way around to third. A Martin Dihigo single plated O’Farrell, and the Red Sox took a 2-0 lead.

O’Farrell’s batting average now stands at .286, and while that mark pales in comparison to those posted by his famous father, it ranks him second to the Browns’ Schoolboy Rowe among major league pitchers. And no slabman has driven in more runs than O’Farrell’s ten.

The Browns gamely tied the score with single runs in each of the next two innings. Then, in the top of the eighth, Ted Williams produced the blow that ended up making the difference. Ted ripped a line drive into the teeth of a brisk wind, and the ball barely cleared the right-field barrier for a home run.

“That one felt good,” Williams said. “I’m not pleased with the way I’ve hit this year”—his batting average stands at .291—“and I’ve been anxious to help the Red Sox win this pennant.” The home run was Williams’ twenty-first of the year, and he has driven in 83 runs.

O’Farrell was nothing but smiles in the Red Sox clubhouse after the game. “The Yankees keep winning, so it’s very simple. We have to keep winning too.

“I’ve faced tense moments plenty of times before. Playing football for Notre Dame, being part of an NFL championship team, and taking part in a pennant fight last year have all prepared me to face what’s happening now,” he explained…

[Big Six]

August 24, 1940

"A Day With Mike O’Farrell” Contest Winner Announced


BOSTON—The Holsum Bread “A Day With Mike O’Farrell” contest drew over one thousand entries from all over New England. From the many, many outstanding submissions, the selection committee has chosen the essay written by Clarence Flippen, age 9, of Revere, Massachusetts. Clarence will have the chance to spend an entire day with Red Sox pitcher O’Farrell on Saturday, September 23.

Clarence’s special day will begin at 11:00 a.m., when he will visit the Red Sox dugout. There he will meet O’Farrell and other members of the Red Sox. Then, Clarence and his family will be the O’Farrell family’s guests in a special box. Red Sox general manager Pat O’Farrell, Mike O’Farrell’s father and a Red Sox Hall of Famer himself, will host the Flippen family during the game.

That evening, the Flippens will join Mike O’Farrell for a delicious seafood dinner at the Union Oyster House. The fun-filled day promises to be a special one for Clarence, who is an avid Red Sox (and Mike O’Farrell) fan.

Following is Clarence’s prize-winning essay:

Why I’m Mike O’Farrell’s Biggest Fan
by Clarence James Flippen

I know Mike O’Farrell has thousands and thousands of fans who cheer for him every time he pitches for the Red Sox. All of us would love to spend a day with him and get to know him, but I think I’m the fan who would enjoy it the most.

I decided Mike was my favorite player the day I saw my first Red Sox game. Mike pitched that day and the Red Sox won the game. My dad told me that night that when he was my age, his favorite player was Pat O’Farrell, Mike’s dad. That was what made me decide I would root for Mike no matter what. My dad and I listen to the Red Sox on the radio whenever we can. I try to never miss one game Mike pitches.

Another reason I’m a big fan of Mike’s is because I’m a pitcher, just like him. I have seen and listened to games when things are not going well for Mike, but he never gives up. I have learned from him that I shouldn’t give up either. So when things don’t go right for me, at school or in a baseball game, I remember that lesson and keep trying my best.

I hope I get the chance to meet Mike and tell him that I really appreciate the way he helps me do my best. That’s the biggest reason why I think I should win the “Day With Mike O’Farrell” contest.

[AZTarHeel]

Originally Posted by Big Six

“I’ve faced tense moments plenty of times before. Playing football for Notre Dame, being part of an NFL championship team, and taking part in a pennant fight last year have all prepared me to face what’s happening now,” he explained…[/FONT]

Talk about a dream life ... Notre Dame, NFL champs, Boston Red Sox star pitcher ... wow...

[AZTarHeel]

Originally Posted by Big Six

August 24, 1940

"A Day With Mike O’Farrell” Contest Winner Announced


BOSTON—The Holsum Bread “A Day With Mike O’Farrell” contest drew over one thousand entries from all over New England. From the many, many outstanding submissions, the selection committee has chosen the essay written by Clarence Flippen, age 9, of Revere, Massachusetts. Clarence will have the chance to spend an entire day with Red Sox pitcher O’Farrell on Saturday, September 23.

Clarence’s special day will begin at 11:00 a.m., when he will visit the Red Sox dugout. There he will meet O’Farrell and other members of the Red Sox. Then, Clarence and his family will be the O’Farrell family’s guests in a special box. Red Sox general manager Pat O’Farrell, Mike O’Farrell’s father and a Red Sox Hall of Famer himself, will host the Flippen family during the game.

That evening, the Flippens will join Mike O’Farrell for a delicious seafood dinner at the Union Oyster House. The fun-filled day promises to be a special one for Clarence, who is an avid Red Sox (and Mike O’Farrell) fan.

Following is Clarence’s prize-winning essay:

Why I’m Mike O’Farrell’s Biggest Fan
by Clarence James Flippen

I know Mike O’Farrell has thousands and thousands of fans who cheer for him every time he pitches for the Red Sox. All of us would love to spend a day with him and get to know him, but I think I’m the fan who would enjoy it the most.

I decided Mike was my favorite player the day I saw my first Red Sox game. Mike pitched that day and the Red Sox won the game. My dad told me that night that when he was my age, his favorite player was Pat O’Farrell, Mike’s dad. That was what made me decide I would root for Mike no matter what. My dad and I listen to the Red Sox on the radio whenever we can. I try to never miss one game Mike pitches.

Another reason I’m a big fan of Mike’s is because I’m a pitcher, just like him. I have seen and listened to games when things are not going well for Mike, but he never gives up. I have learned from him that I shouldn’t give up either. So when things don’t go right for me, at school or in a baseball game, I remember that lesson and keep trying my best.

I hope I get the chance to meet Mike and tell him that I really appreciate the way he helps me do my best. That’s the biggest reason why I think I should win the “Day With Mike O’Farrell” contest.

A very nice link between your stories ... i love stuff like this...

[Big Six]

Thanks, AZ. I was hoping someone would pick up on that. I almost didn't put in the link to the KL page, just to see if anyone recognized the connection without the "hint."

[Big Six]

12 Lowell Road
Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts

Mr. Roy Hitt
1105 St. Gregory Street
Cincinnati, Ohio

August 25, 1940

Dear Roy,

Thank you so much for your letter of last week, and your kind words about my mother’s illness. I should have answered it sooner, but now I am very glad I waited.

First of all, my mother seems to be improving somewhat. She is feeling a little stronger; I think the cooler weather we’ve had in New England lately has made a difference. She enjoys sitting on the front porch on sunny days, but until about a week ago it has been too hot for her to stay outside for very long.

Honestly, I think the fact that the Red Sox have been playing so well—and that her grandson has been pitching so superbly—has quite a bit to do with her current good spirits and “pep.” I suppose you read in today’s paper that Mike pitched a shutout against St. Louis yesterday? Mike has now won ten consecutive decisions! It was a game we absolutely had to win if we were to keep up with the Yankees. They won too, which means we’re tied for the lead once again.

I could not be prouder of the way Mike has handled the pressures of the pennant fight. He is the youngest of the four pitchers in our starting rotation; in fact, he’s the only one in his twenties. It has become clear, however, that the players have as much faith in him as they do in Jim Weaver or Ray Brown. In fact—between the two of us—I think the men would rather see Mike on the mound than any of the other fellows!

Thank you, too, for your advice concerning Charlie Banfield. I know you have watched him pitch since he was a kid, and I trust your judgment concerning pitching talent implicitly—even when the pitcher in question is married to your daughter! It took a lot to persuade the Braves to trade Charlie to us—we had to give them George Dickey, who is the best reserve catcher in the league—but I think Banfield will be a wonderful pitcher one day.

If it were not for my mother’s health, I know I would be enjoying this baseball season as much as any I have ever experienced. Archie Graham, whom we have both known since that wonderful trip we made out West, has been a wonderful addition to the team, and as you know, he’s a splendid fellow, too. Bill Carrigan is, of course, my oldest friend in baseball; we go all the way back to ’06 in Richmond! And I simply cannot find the words to express how special it has been to share the experience with Mike, watching him pitch so well.

I know that there are no guarantees the season will end with us on top. The Yankees have exactly the same mathematical chance of winning the pennant that we do, after all. I also know that if the Yankees end up winning, I might look back at the season very differently one day. For now, however, I’m taking your advice and enjoying every moment for what it is worth. There are, as we both know, many things that are more important than winning pennants.

I’m looking forward to seeing you in Cooperstown this fall, old friend. Please give my best to your lovely family.

Your pal,
Pat

Note: No matter how encyclopedic your knowledge of major league baseball in 1940 might be, you won’t recognize Charlie Banfield. Nor will you be able to recall anything about John Fritsch or Kelby Beton.

Banfield, Fritsch, and Beton are three of the “mystery players” who suddenly appeared last season. Since I control the Red Sox myself, the team missed out on “signing” any of the phantoms, and that seems to put them at a bit of a disadvantage. So, I decided to see if I could acquire a couple of them in trades.

[Big Six]

Boston Globe, August 30, 1940

O’FARRELL SHAKY, BUT WINS #20 ANYWAY
Eleven Consecutive Wins For Red Sox Righty

CHICAGO—If a pitcher is a winner, he finds a way to get a victory for his team on days when his stuff is not its best.

Mike O’Farrell yesterday demonstrated that he is, indeed, a winner. The White Sox hit him harder than he’s been hit in some time, but like a boxer with a granite jaw, he took the best shots his opponent could give without falling.

O’Farrell kept his Boston team in the game long enough for its bats to awaken in the eighth inning, when they scored four runs to ice a 7-5 victory over Chicago.

The victory was O’Farrell’s eleventh in a row, and it was his twentieth of the 1940 season. He is now tied with Gene Schott of the Yankees and Hugh Mulcahy of the Senators for the league lead in victories.

O’Farrell left the game in the top of the eighth inning, when manager Bill Carrigan did something he rarely does. Carrigan pinch-hit for O’Farrell, a .277 hitter for the season. Babe Dahlgren made Carrigan look like a Svengali when he roped a double that plated the two-run margin of Boston’s victory.

“Mike was tired, and I played a hunch with Dahlgren,” Carrigan said. “Babe is a .300 hitter, after all, and he’s been very good coming off the bench.”

Indeed, Dahlgren has been a pinch hitter deluxe for the Red Sox this season, hitting .359 in that role with fourteen hits and twelve RBI.

Jim Henry and John Fritsch pitched a scoreless inning each to preserve O’Farrell’s victory. Fritsch earned his sixth save of the season and, despite his callow youth, is now clearly Carrigan’s choice when a game is on the line in the final innings.

The Red Sox and the Yankees, therefore, finish the day where they started, and where they have been almost every day for two weeks now: in a flat-footed tie for first place.

Said O’Farrell about his big day: “Sure, it’s swell to win twenty games in a season. I’ve never done it, at any level. It’s even more fun to match Hugh Mulcahy, because we played against each other in high school.

The best part, however, is the fact that we didn’t let the Yankees get ahead of us.”

Spoken like a true winner, Mike.

[sflcat]

Continue to love the vintage writing style. Sportswriting today is so blah...
Depending on how long you continue this dynasty do you plan on updating your writing style to reflect the era?

[Big Six]

Originally Posted by sflcat

Continue to love the vintage writing style. Sportswriting today is so blah...
Depending on how long you continue this dynasty do you plan on updating your writing style to reflect the era?

Thanks for stopping by, sflcat. I'm glad you're enjoying my attempts to write like some of the great sportswriters of the past.

As the dynasty continues, I think you'll find me using less of the colorful metaphors that were common years ago. I hope, however, that I never let my writing become too "blah." I'll certainly do my best to avoid that. There are still a few storytellers left among today's sportswriters, and if I manage to convince anybody that I've come come anywhere close to "copying" their style, I'd be honored.

[giantsfan07830]

Im working on this one im currently on page 5 or 6

[AZTarHeel]

Originally Posted by giantsfan07830

Im working on this one im currently on page 5 or 6

keep reading - it's great work!

[Big Six]

56 Claremont Park
Boston, Massachusetts

Miss Eleanor Flaherty
303 East University Street
Wooster, Ohio

October 3, 1940

Dearest Ellie,

I wanted to write you sooner to let you know how sorry I was for being so short with you on the telephone the other night, when you called to console me after we lost the pennant. I was sullen and moody, I took my mood out on you, and you in no way deserved that.

You're right; there are so many positive things about this past season, and I should think about them more often than I do. Right now, it's very difficult for me to look past the fact that we lost the pennant to the Yankees. Deep inside, I know that I can't win every game I pitch, and I suppose I should take more satisfaction in my record than I do. I can't help thinking that if I'd won a couple more games in September, we'd be playing in the World Series, and not the Yankees.

Thank you for your efforts to help me stop being so critical of myself. It will be a difficult lesson for me to learn, and I'm very lucky that you're so patient. Your patience with me has been remarkable, Ellie, and I hope you know now how much I've always appreciated it.

I've decided what I'm going to do if my grandmother's illness grows worse. I'll be moving back to Stockbridge to help take care of her and my grandfather, at least during the off-season. I always loved visiting their house when I was growing up, and now it looks like I'll be living there.

Of course that means I won't be playing football again this season. While there are some things about football that I miss very much, my "gut" tells me that I've made the right decision. I had so much more success as a pitcher this year than I ever had, and I felt much stronger at the end of the season. I have the satisfaction of knowing I did everything I could to make myself into a better baseball player, and that I did all I could to help the Red Sox win.

I enjoyed my day with the Flippen family very much, and I wish you and your family could have come out to Boston to be there. Clarence had the opportunity to play catch with us before the game, and he has quite an arm! He wanted to throw a couple of pitches to a real major league catcher, so Josh Gibson put on the mask and pads and grabbed his mitt so Clarence could pitch to him. Josh later said that the kid popped his mitt pretty good!

On that more positive note, I'll close my letter. I hope you'll write to me again soon, even though we're talking on the telephone much more often now. I can't save a telephone conversation, after all.

Affectionately, always,
Mike

[Big Six]

One fine season does not a star make, but if Mike O'Farrell keeps producing seasons like the one he had in 1940, he'll certainly earn that title.

Here are Mike's stats for 1940:

 G  GS  W   L   SV   ERA   IP   H   R  ER   HR   BB   SO   CG  ShO   WHIP  BABIP  
36  36 23   8    0  3.51 300.0 300 140 117  16   58  119   25   5    1.19   .279

Mike tied teammate Ray Brown for second place in the league in wins, one behind Gene Schott of the Yankees.

His five shutouts earned him a tie with Brown and his former high school rival, Hugh Mulcahy, for the league lead.

Mike placed sixth in complete games, tenth in strikeouts, and sixth in WHIP. He also demonstrated some of the aggressiveness he displayed as a hard-hitting safety in football, nailing ten batters with pitches--the second most in the American League and tied for third in all of the majors.

His component ERA of 3.05 was considerably better than his real figure, indicating that he probably suffered more than his fair share of bad luck. His ERC mark was tenth in the American League...and amazingly, it was the worst figure among the Red Sox' four starters.

Mike was much more effective against lefthanded batters than he had been in 1939. Look how similar his lines against righties and lefties were:

vs. LHB  .259/.295/.378
vs. RHB  .260/.297/.374

Finally, Mike was quite the road warrior in 1940. He ended up pitching more often away from Fenway than he did at home, and among all major league pitchers, only the Dean brothers--Dizzy with 17, and Paul with 14--won as many road games as Mike did.

Home   9-4, 3.56
Road  14-4, 3.48

Mike is now 25 years old, a young veteran with over 1000 major and minor league innings under his belt. It's tough to say that any young pitcher who produces one excellent season has "made it," but I think it's safe to conclude that a lot of teams would like to have Mike O'Farrell on their side for the next decade or so.

[AZTarHeel]

Like I've said before, the all-American family ...

[Big Six]

Originally Posted by AZTarHeel

Like I've said before, the all-American family ...

I confess; I like seeing the good guys win once in a while.

[Big Six]

St. Louis Post, October 7, 1940

CARDS WIN SERIES!!

SEVENTH GAME AN 18-INNING, 2-1 THRILLER
One Of Greatest Games In Baseball History

ST. LOUIS—One of the greatest of all World Series ended yesterday with one of the most thrilling games in history. The St. Louis Cardinals dueled the New York Yankees for eighteen full innings before a soft single by Johnny Hopp drove Rick Ferrell across with the run that decided the game and the championship and triggered a celebration that has barely calmed down twelve hours after it began.

Both starting pitchers—Dizzy Dean of the Cardinals and Gene Schott of the Yankees--entered the game with the desire to redeem themselves for less-than-sterling performances in Game Four. Under the pressure of a Series-deciding contest, both Dean and Schott were sharp, allowing only a single run apiece during their stints upon the hill.

Schott surrendered only four hits in nine innings, and the run he allowed was unearned, coming as it did with the assistance of a throwing error by catcher Joe Glenn. Dean was slightly more generous, giving up seven hits to the Yankees over ten stanzas.

Both managers may one day need to answer for their decisions to remove their most dangerous hitters from the game for pinch-runners. The Yankees’ Buck O’Neil, the Series’ leading batsman at .517, left the contest in the top of the eighth. Teammate Joe DiMaggio, who hit .370 for the Series with two home runs and seven RBI, exited in the same inning. The Cardinals’ Willard Brown, who had already smacked four homers, driven home eight runs, and batted .393 during the Series, was pulled in the twelfth.

None of the three players are base-cloggers; DiMaggio is, in fact, a superlative baserunner, though not a threat to steal. Do the Yankees, today, regret the fact that they gave eight plate appearances—eight trips to the plate during extra innings—to Red Rollings, Max West, and Jesse Hill instead of Buck O’Neil and Joe DiMaggio?

These managerial foibles should not, however, distract us too much from the proper appreciation of the yeoman work each team’s bullpen delivered yesterday. Max Lanier and Mort Cooper pitched eight innings of two-hit, shutout baseball for the Redbirds, while the New York trio of Joe Beggs, Johnny Lanning, and Lefty Gomez allowed only five hits and the single, Series-deciding run in eight-plus innings.

Nor should anyone call Gomez a goat, simply because he was unfortunate enough to be on the hill when the Cardinals scratched out the run that clinched the victory. “He made a very good pitch,” said Hopp. “I barely got my bat on it, and the ball barely cleared the second baseman’s glove. I was lucky. That’s baseball.”

The Cardinals, then, become the first repeat World Series champions since Bill Carrigan’s Red Sox of 1932-1933. Only the Red Sox have won more Series titles than the Cardinals’ five…

[Big Six]

Here's a bit of information about the players who won major awards in 1940, and a few others whose outstanding performance set them apart from the crowd.

Fans in Boston had the opportunity to watch both Most Oustanding Batter award winners all season long. The American League's top slugger was, once again, the Red Sox' Lou Gehrig. Still going strong at age 37, Lou posted a .363 average that was the third best of his career, and added 35 homers and 119 RBI. Gehrig won the batting title, placed third in home runs, and second in RBI. He also drove in and scored over 100 runs for the sixteenth consecutive season. Lou's .463 OBP and .682 slugging average were both better than his career averages. With seven MOBs to his credit now, it's possible to make a case for Gehrig as the greatest hitter of all time. Only Oscar Charleston, with eight, has won the award more times; Babe Ruth won seven MOBs during his career, too.

The Braves' Mel Ott won the second MOB of his career. Ott's .328/.429/.568 line was accented by 28 homers, 115 runs scored, and 91 RBI. Mel's counting stats were, of course, affected by a relatively weak Braves offense. At the age of 31, Ott has hit 377 career home runs, and has an excellent chance to crack the 500-homer barrier and challenge for the all-time home run crown.

Jimmie Foxx of the Athletics was the only hitter in either league to hit at least 40 home runs, leading the American League with 45. Like Ott, the 32-year-old "Beast" should end his career with well over 500 homers (he has 431 already). Besides Foxx and Gehrig, the American League 30-homer club contained Willie Wells (38) and Hank Greenberg (35) of the Tigers, Joe DiMaggio (35) of the Yankees, and Hal Trosky of the Indians (31).

The National League's top home run hitters were a pair of Cardinals, Willard Brown and Johnny Mize, who belted 36 each. In a season in which power was down throughout the National League, Brown and Mize were the only sluggers to go deep at least 30 times.

Greenberg once again led the American League in RBI with 124. Right behind him was the potent Red Sox trio of Gehrig (119), Ted Williams (116) and Josh Gibson (113). Wells (113) and Foxx (106) also drove at least a hundred runners home.

Over in the National League, Mize easily took the RBI title with 123, twenty more than Brooklyn's Goody Rosen. Only those two men broke the century mark, and only five--all Cardinals and Dodgers--drove in at least ninety runs.

The Tigers' Barney McCosky (.344) finished second in the AL batting race, ahead of Washington's Mickey Vernon (.326) and John Kinsella (.316), New York's Buck O'Neil (.325) and Chicago's Zeke Bonura (.318).

Rosen hit .336 to win the senior circuit batting crown, with the Pirates' Tony Cuccinello (.329), Ott (.328) and Dodgers rookie Jackie Robinson (.317) right behind.

Vernon and Robinson were their league's Rookies of the Year. Each player placed among the top ten in a number of statistical categories; at 22 and 21 years of age respectively, both should have many productive years ahead fo them.

The top four spots on the AL stolen base list were monopolized by Tigers and Red Sox. Boston's Martin Dihigo won the title with 38, and his teammate Archie Graham tied for third with 27. Tigers Willie Wells (28) and Lyn Lary (27) were the only other American Leaguers with over 20 thefts.

Charlie Gelbert of the Cardinals won the NL steals title with 32, with the Reds' Charlie Bates right behind him with 30. Another Dodger rookie, Pee Wee Reese, stole 27 bags to place third.

The Red Sox boasted the junior circuit's Most Outstanding Pitcher, too. Ray Brown's 23-11 record and 2.58 ERA were good enough to claim the prize. He led the league in ERA and tied for second in wins behind the Yankees' Gene Schott, and placed sixth in strikeouts. Ray becomes the seventh Red Sox pitcher to win the MOP award, a list that includes Hall of Famer Joe Wood and likely Cooperstown enshrinees Neal Brady and Waite Hoyt.

Two more Red Sox pitchers won at least 20 games: Mike O'Farrell (23) and Bucky Walters (22). Rounding out the American League 20-win fraternity were Schott (24) and Lon Warneke (21) of the Yankees and Hugh Mulcahy of the Senators (22).

Dizzy Dean of the world champion Cardinals was an easy winner of the National League Most Outstanding Pitcher award. His accomplishments included a 29-12 record, a 2.64 ERA, a sparkling 0.97 WHIP, and 258 strikeouts. He finished first, third, second, and second in these categories, respectively. Like Brown, Dean is a first-time MOP; he and Hall of Famer Pol Perritt are the only Cardinals to win this award (Perritt took the prize four times).

Chicago's Satchel Paige (26), St. Louis' Paul Dean (25), New York's Victor Starffin (22) and Pittsburgh's Bob Logan (22) also won over 20 games in the National League.

Paige (283) and Boston's Hilton Smith (237) placed second and third to Ol' Diz in the strikeout race, while finishing ahead of Dean, in the same order, in the ERA competition. Satchel's mark was 2.36, while Hilton's was 2.56.

The Senators' Jake Winters was the only pitcher in either league to whiff at least 300 men, easily outdistancing his AL rivals for the title. His teammate, Emil Yde, placed second with 190.

Finally, with the increasing use of relief pitchers, especially in the American League, the save is becoming a far more important and interesting statistic to track. Cleveland rookie Dixie Howell set a new major league record by saving 24 games, with Detroit veteran Uel Eubanks finishing second with 17. No National League pitcher finished with more than ten saves.

[AZTarHeel]

Originally Posted by Big Six

I confess; I like seeing the good guys win once in a while.

amen, brother --

[sflcat]

The Yanks' manager pulled Joltin' Joe out of the lineup??!!

If I were the owner, I'd George Steinbrenner his butt!!!

[Big Six]

Originally Posted by sflcat

The Yanks' manager pulled Joltin' Joe out of the lineup??!!

If I were the owner, I'd George Steinbrenner his butt!!!

I had to look at the box score and the game log twice to believe it.

I'm glad the computer manager realizes when it's time to play for one run, but in this case, it went overboard. DiMaggio and O'Neil are the Yankees' two most dangerous hitters, and they're both tremendous fielders too. Neither one of them is a lumbering oaf on the basepaths; they're each at least better than average.! I can't think of a single situation, unless they were hurt and couldn't run at all, in which I'd pull either of them for a pinch runner in the top half of an inning.

I often take a look at players after they import to see if their subjective ratings match up with what I've learned about their skills. I remember reading in several places about what a great baserunner DiMaggio was, and my dad--who was an avid Red Sox fan and not inclined to praise anyone wearing Yankee pinstripes--said the young DiMaggio was one of the best baserunners he ever saw. He imported as only a little better than average, so I bumped him up. Still, the computer pulled him for a guy whose rating for base stealing is five points better!!

The computer did the same thing to the Cardinals when it replaced Willard Brown. The player who ran for him has a base stealing rating of 2.

That's on a 100-point scale.

It's possible to program the AI to stop pinch-hitting for a player, but there doesn't seem to be anything you can do to stop the computer from inserting pinch runners except to adjust the team's overall strategy.