The Bucs Start Here - A Pirates Do-Over

[luckymann]

A fairly thin group coming through this year with just the five Legacies among them.

These are the Legacy Players for the 1949 Season:

Boston Braves: Del Crandall (28.1; 1394)
Brooklyn Dodgers: Don Newcombe (38.9; 258)
Chicago White Sox: Minnie Minoso 53.8; 1373)
Cleveland Indians: Bobby Avila (28.4; 1207)
Philadelphia Athletics: Bobby Shantz (34.7; 220)


Concerned once again about running out of players, with only 91 scheduled to come in via the game, I have decided to do another MiLB warm body dump, leaving us with 189 rookies for this season. The Draft will consist of 10 rounds.

The Draft order will be as follows (winning percentage from 1948 IRL season in brackets; bold indicates Legacy Pick in 1st Round):

Round 1

1. Chicago White Sox (336) – Minnie Minoso
2. Brooklyn Dodgers (545; dice roll) – Don Newcombe
3. Philadelphia Athletics (545; dice roll) – Bobby Shantz
4. Cleveland Indians (626) – Bobby Avila
5. Boston Braves (595) – Del Crandall
6. Washington Senators (366)
7. St. Louis Browns (386)
8. Chicago Cubs (416)
9. Cincinnati Reds (418)
10. Philadelphia Phillies (429)
11. Detroit Tigers (506; dice roll)
12. New York Giants (506; dice roll)
13. Pittsburgh Pirates (539)
14. St. Louis Cardinals (552)
15. New York Yankees (610)
16. Boston Red Sox (619)

Rounds 2 thru 10

1. Chicago White Sox (336)
2. Washington Senators (366)
3. St. Louis Browns (386)
4. Chicago Cubs (416)
5. Cincinnati Reds (418)
6. Philadelphia Phillies (429)
7. Detroit Tigers (506; dice roll)
8. New York Giants (506; dice roll)
9. Pittsburgh Pirates (539)
10. Brooklyn Dodgers (545; dice roll)
11. Philadelphia Athletics (545; dice roll)
12. St. Louis Cardinals (552)
13. Boston Braves (595)
14. New York Yankees (610)
15. Boston Red Sox (619)
16. Cleveland Indians (626)


No real joy with regard to our pick position this year. Then again, we go into this Draft with no plan whatsoever other than a broad idea of what we need and a desire to find players who have the best chance of fulfilling those requirements.

We add the following players to our club:

1. 1B Luke Easter, 33

• Well, this kind of changes everything. So many red flags here but even though his star doesn’t shine for long it is an absolute supernova for the time it does and I simply cannot resist the temptation, especially given the 3-year recalc setting could string him out a bit longer than IRL.

2. P Saul Rogovin, 25

• There are a few sneakily underrated pitchers in here that I’m hoping the others overlook. Saul is the pick of them.

3. IF Fred Marsh, 24

• Roster depth at best.

4. P Lloyd Hittle, 24

• Hittle is another decent enough hurler who comes in under the radar.

5. C William Robertson, 21
6. OF Billy Barrett, 21
7. P Morrie Martin, 26
8. C / SS Leland Browning, 19
9. P Hector Azamar, 19
10. P Levi Fleshman, 19

• Martin might bear further consideration at some point; the rest are purely organisational depth pieces.

Someone’s got some tweaking of strategy to do…




FULL DRAFT LOG

[luckymann]

Two legends are added to the C-Town Wall, one of them from among the NeL ranks.

[luckymann]

The first year with Casey Stengel in charge is basically the perfect year for the Yankees, as they first break the Red Sox’ hearts winning the final two games of the season to seize the AL pennant, then easily see off the Dodgers – who themselves only get past the Cards by a single game as well – in five in the World Series.

AL CHAMPIONS: New York Yankees (97-57)
NL CHAMPIONS: Brooklyn Dodgers (97-57)
WORLD SERIES: Yankees 4, Dodgers 1

AL MVP: Ted Williams (Red Sox)
NL MVP: Jackie Robinson (Dodgers)


Top Ten Lists (courtesy of thisgreatgame.com)

NL Hitters

1. STAN MUSIAL, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: 157 games, .338 average, 128 runs, 207 hits, 41 doubles, 13 triples, 35 home runs, 123 RBIs, 107 walks, .438 on-base percentage.
• For the seventh straight year, Musial achieved baseball’s triple-double with at least 10 doubles, triples and home runs each; he also collected the lone cycle of his storied career.

2. RALPH KINER, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: .310 average, 116 runs, 170 hits, 54 home runs, 127 RBIs, 117 walks, .658 slugging percentage.
• Kiner blazed to the finish with 16 September homers to become the NL’s first player to reach 50 twice.

3. JACKIE ROBINSON, BROOKLYN

• Key Numbers: .342 average, 122 runs, 203 hits, 38 doubles, 12 triples, 16 home runs, 124 RBIs, 86 walks, 17 sacrifice hits, 37 stolen bases, 16 caught stealing.
• Robinson was never better than in 1949—and despite towering numbers by Stan Musial and Ralph Kiner (above), he was still a worthy choice for the NL MVP.

4. ENOS SLAUGHTER, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: .336 average, 92 runs, 191 hits, 34 doubles, 13 triples, 13 home runs, 96 RBIs, 79 walks.
• It was only fitting that Slaughter and Musial tied for the NL lead in triples; they were the pacesetters in that department for all of the 1940s.

5. BOBBY THOMSON, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: .309 average, 99 runs, 198 hits, 35 doubles, 9 triples, 27 home runs, 109 RBIs, 10 stolen bases.
• As we all found out in 1951, Thomson loved pulling the ball to the cozily-placed left-field bleachers at the Polo Grounds; 19 of his 27 homers came at home.

6. CARL FURILLO, BROOKLYN

• Key Numbers: .322 average, 95 runs, 177 hits, 27 doubles, 10 triples, 18 home runs, 106 RBIs.
• From August 8 on, Furillo hit a mind-boggling .431 to finish the season over .300 for the first time in his career.

7. DEL ENNIS, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: .302 average, 92 runs, 184 hits, 39 doubles, 11 triples, 25 home runs, 110 RBIs.
• Offensively, Ennis’ superior numbers were one of the prime reasons the Phillies recorded their first winning record in 17 years.

8. DUKE SNIDER, BROOKLYN

• Key Numbers: .292 average, 100 runs, 28 doubles, 7 triples, 23 home runs, 92 RBIs, 12 stolen bases, 92 strikeouts.
• The breakout campaign for the 22-year-old Snyder included a nifty .338 average with runners in scoring position—telegraphing to veteran pitchers that intimidation tactics against him were useless.

9. PEE WEE REESE, BROOKLYN

• Key Numbers: .279 average, 132 runs, 172 hits, 27 doubles, 16 home runs, 73 RBIs, 116 walks, 26 stolen bases.
• The emergence of Brooklyn’s “Boys of Summer” roster clearly rubbed off on the veteran Reese, who set career marks in runs, home runs and walks.

10. GIL HODGES, BROOKLYN

• Key Numbers: .285 average, 94 runs, 170 hits, 23 doubles, 23 home runs, 115 RBIs, 66 walks, 10 stolen bases.
• Like Duke Snider, Hodges hit top stride and knocked in at least 100 runs for the first of seven straight years; 10 of his 23 homers came against the Pirates.

AL Hitters

1. TED WILLIAMS, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: 155 games, .343 average, 150 runs, 194 hits, 39 doubles, 43 home runs, 159 RBIs, 162 walks, .490 on-base percentage, .650 slugging percentage.
• Amazing as it may seem to the casual baseball fan, Williams never cranked out 200 hits in any one year—but he came closest in 1949. His shot at an unprecedented third triple crown was thwarted on the last day by George Kell, who took the AL batting title by a .00016 margin.

2. VERN STEPHENS, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: 155 games, .290 average, 113 runs, 177 hits, 31 doubles, 39 home runs, 159 RBIs, 101 walks.
• Partnering with Williams, Stephens became the fourth duo—and last, to-date—to each knock in 150+ RBIs in one season; Williams volunteered that Vern Stephens protected him in the lineup better than any other hitter he played with.

3. EDDIE JOOST, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: .355 average, 116 runs, 199 hits, 34 doubles, 6 triples, 18 home runs, 106 RBIs, 98 walks.
• With more walks than hits, Eddie Joost led the invasion of the leadoff hitters named Eddie (Stanky, Yost) who lived for ball four.

4. VIC WERTZ, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: 155 games, .304 average, 96 runs, 185 hits, 26 doubles, 6 triples, 20 home runs, 133 RBIs, 80 walks.
• Channeling former Tigers star Hank Greenberg, Wertz was averaging over one RBI a game into early July before ‘cooling’ off.

5. BOBBY DOERR, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: .309 average, 91 runs, 167 hits, 30 doubles, 9 triples, 18 home runs, 109 RBIs, 75 walks, 31 grounded into double plays.
• After a terribly slow start that saw him hitting .213 on June 25, Doerr cranked it up with a .367 mark afterward.

6. TOMMY HENRICH, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 115 games, .287 average, 90 runs, 24 home runs, 85 RBIs, 86 walks.
• Henrich was tied with three other players for a distant third on the AL home run charts (behind Ted Williams and Vern Stephens); he might have been much closer had he not missed 40 games.

7. DOM DIMAGGIO, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: .307 average, 126 runs, 186 hits, 34 doubles, 5 triples, 8 home runs, 60 RBIs, 96 walks.
• It wasn’t 56, but DiMaggio’s 34-game hit streak from 1949 is certified as the longest in Red Sox history.

8. LARRY DOBY, CLEVELAND

• Key Numbers: .280 average, 106 runs, 25 doubles, 24 home runs, 85 RBIs, 91 walks, 7 hit-by-pitches, 10 stolen bases.
• The AL’s first African-American was hit more often than any other ballplayer (excepting Washington’s Eddie Robinson, who tied Doby) and began a troubling trend in which black players topped the HBP lists for all but one of the next 13 years.

9. GEORGE KELL, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: 134 games, .343 average, 97 runs, 179 hits, 38 doubles, 8 triples, 3 home runs, 59 RBIs, 71 walks.
• The future Hall of Famer snared his lone career batting title on the final day by going 2-for-3—while Ted Williams, who led by three batting points going into the day, went hitless in two at-bats.

10. JOHNNY PESKY, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: .306 average, 111 runs, 185 hits, 27 doubles, 7 triples, 2 home runs, 69 RBIs, 100 walks.
• Pesky wasn’t collecting up and over 200 hits any more, but he was making up for it by attracting more walks—which explains how his on-base percentage remained stable.

NL Pitchers

1. HOWIE POLLET, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: 2.77 ERA, 20 wins, 9 losses, .690 win percentage, 39 appearances, 28 starts, 5 shutouts, 230.2 innings.
• Almost too scared to throw hard after two off-years complicated by elbow injuries, Pollet swallowed his fear and neared his superb 1946 form.

2. WARREN SPAHN, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: 3.07 ERA, 21 wins, 14 losses, 38 starts, 25 complete games, 302.1 innings, 151 strikeouts.
• Spahn provided the only upside to a Braves team plagued by dissension and a horrid off-year for staffmate Johnny Sain.

3. DON NEWCOMBE, BROOKLYN

• Key Numbers: 3.17 ERA, 17 wins, 8 losses, .680 win percentage, 38 appearances, 31 starts, 5 shutouts, 244.1 innings.
• Newcombe threw the first shutout by a NL pitcher in his debut since 1938.

4. DAVE KOSLO, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 2.50 ERA, 11 wins, 14 losses, 38 appearances, 23 starts, 212 innings, 43 walks.
• Not only did Koslo become the first ERA leader without a shutout, he also had the lowest win percentage by such a titlist since 1902.

5. RUSS MEYER, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: 3.08 ERA, 17 wins, 8 losses, .680 win percentage, 37 appearances, 28 starts.
• Not to be confused with the risqué indie movie director of the 1960s, the occasional turbulent Meyer was at his best in 1949—with four of his wins coming against the Cubs, a team he’d collect a 24-3 record over his career.

6. KEN RAFFENSBERGER, CINCINNATI

• Key Numbers: 3.39 ERA, 18 wins, 17 losses, 41 appearances, 38 starts, 20 complete games, 5 shutouts, 284 innings, 15 intentional walks.
• The 32-year-old southpaw began a belated reign as the Reds’ workhorse, struggling hard to earn a winning record on a fairly lousy team.

7. GERRY STALEY, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: 2.73 ERA, 10 wins, 10 losses, 6 saves, 45 appearances, 17 starts, 171.1 innings.
• The Cardinals’ home at Sportsman’s Park was typically a tough place for pitchers to maintain good numbers, which made Staley’s home-away splits—1.69 ERA at home, 4.22 on the road—all the more confounding.

8. PREACHER ROE, BROOKLYN

• Key Numbers: 2.79 ERA, 15 wins, 6 losses, .714 win percentage, 212.2 innings, 44 walks.
• His pitches likely never wetter—his numbers certainly never better—the occasional spitball artist began a five-year run in which he’d post a collective 78-25 record.

9. KEN HEINTZELMAN, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: 3.02 ERA, 17 wins, 10 losses, 32 starts, 5 shutouts, 250 innings.
• In a tenure lost amid a Phillies revival, Heintzelman briefly fell into sync with his team’s fortunes.

10. ROBIN ROBERTS, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: 3.69 ERA, 15 wins, 15 losses, 43 appearances, 31 starts, 226.2 innings.
• The future Hall of Famer enjoyed a solid warm-up to his superlative run of success in the 1950s.

AL Pitchers

1. MEL PARNELL, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: 2.77 ERA, 25 wins, 7 losses, .781 win percentage, 39 appearances, 33 starts, 27 complete games, 295.1 innings, 134 walks, 48 grounded into double plays.
• Fenway Park, so much loved by hitters, was equally adored by Parnell (16-3 at home).

2. BOB LEMON, CLEVELAND

• Key Numbers: 2.99 ERA, 22 wins, 10 losses, .688 win percentage, 33 starts, 22 complete games, 279.2 innings, 137 walks, 10 intentional walks, 35 grounded into double plays.
• In securing his second of seven 20-win campaigns, some of Lemon’s best support at the plate came from himself—hitting seven homers over 100 at-bats. The Indians were so impressed, they called on Lemon to occasionally pinch-hit—and he responded by going 4-for-8.

3. VIRGIL TRUCKS, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: 2.81 ERA, 19 wins, 11 losses, 4 saves, 41 appearances, 32 starts, 6 shutouts, 275 innings, 124 walks, 153 strikeouts.
• Trucks, who once struck out 420 batters in a single minor league season, became the first peacetime AL strikeout leader not named Bob Feller since 1937.

4. MIKE GARCIA, CLEVELAND

• Key Numbers: 2.36 ERA, 14 wins, 5 losses, .737 win percentage, 41 appearances, 20 starts, 5 shutouts.
• The Big Bear didn’t exactly explode on the scene—half of his appearances came out of the bullpen—but it was efficient enough to earn him his first of two AL ERA crowns.

5. HAL NEWHOUSER, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: 3.36 ERA, 18 wins, 11 losses, 35 starts, 22 complete games, 292 innings, 111 walks.
• As an achy shoulder increasingly reminded him that his best years were behind him, Newhouser labored well to collect 18 more wins in a decade in which he’d easily be tops in the majors (170).

6. AL BENTON, CLEVELAND

• Key Numbers: 2.12 ERA, 9 wins, 6 losses, 10 saves, 40 appearances, 11 starts.
• With an expansive longevity that included giving up home runs to Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle, Benton provided great support from the Cleveland bullpen at age 38—and acting support (along with much of the rest of the Indians) in The Kid from Cleveland, starring Russ Tamblyn in the title role.

7. ELLIS KINDER, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: 3.36 ERA, 23 wins, 6 losses, .793 win percentage, 4 saves, 43 appearances, 30 starts, 6 shutouts, 252 innings.
• Like Parnell above, Kinder was hardly kind to opponents at home—posting a 15-1 record at Fenway.

8. FRED HUTCHINSON, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: 2.96 ERA, 15 wins, 7 losses, 33 appearances, 21 starts.
• The veteran right-hander turned in the best ERA of his career.

9. VIC RASCHI, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 3.34 ERA, 21 wins, 10 losses, 37 starts, 274.2 innings, 138 walks.
• Raschi hit blackjack and won 21 for the first of three straight seasons on the mound.

10. BILL WIGHT, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 3.31 ERA, 15 wins, 13 losses, 33 starts, 245 innings.
• After a dreadful debut for the White Sox in which he lost 20 games—intensifying the fans’ wrath given that Chicago sent Ed Lopat to the Yankees to obtain him—Wight turned his game around in 1949, if even briefly.

[luckymann]

[luckymann]

Another fairly quiet offseason, with the following being the major moves of interest:

• 2B Jerry Priddy: Cardinals, 6 years / $266400
• 3B Ken Keltner: Senators, 5 years / $217000
• OF Willard Marshall: Reds, 3 years / $152400
• 3B Billy Johnson: Dodgers, 4 years / $144800
• P Schoolboy Rowe: Cubs, 3 years / $142200
• OF Al Zarilla: Cardinals, 4 years / $140000
• P Harry Feldman: Cubs, 3 years / $108000
• P Bill Donovan: Tigers, 3 years / $102600
• P Dutch Leonard: Cubs, 2 years / $91600
• 3B Arky Vaughan: Tigers, 2 years / $64400

• P Ken Raffensberger and 1B Ed Stevens from Reds to Yankees for OF Charlie Keller
• P Stan Ferens and P Lou Brissie from Cubs to Red Sox for 2B Bill Rigney
• OF Dick Wakefield and C Joe Ginsberg from Giants to Phillies for 1B Preston Ward and P Rex Barney

ALL TRANSACTIONS


We go 12-6 in ST but even before it has begun, we lose Johnny Wyrostek to an off-field injury that will keep him out until at least August. Both races will be frantic and are totally up for grabs, if the boffins are to be believed.

FULL PRESEASON PREDICTIONS

[CubMariner]

Easter is a nice pickup. Like you say, the recalc might make him more viable for longer than RL. I always feel you can't go wrong with another lefty power bat

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by CubMariner

Easter is a nice pickup. Like you say, the recalc might make him more viable for longer than RL. I always feel you can't go wrong with another lefty power bat

Yeah, and we are incredibly right-sided at the moment. In fact, Wertz is our only LHB starter and, with Wyrostek on the IL we only have Sherry Robertson coming off the bench from the left-hand side.

So I'll be looking to try and acquire one if I can get the right guy. But our mix is so good it can only be the right guy. If not, we'll just have to make do.

Despite which, I'm still starting Luscious at AAA just to try stretch out the AAV. But I reckon he'll be with us sometime this season.

[luckymann]

On the eve of Opening Day, we spend our offseason trade ticket in the following manner:




Dark for Boone is about as straight up a swap as you can get, with the advantage of Alvin also playing 2B and a bit of 3B in a pinch, even more important for us after we lose Rojek on waivers. We flip age-35 Wilson for a low-end rotation / spot starter / LR guy a decade his junior in Kellner. Wyrostek was already kind of the odd guy out after the Easter add and, while there's no denying this is a downgrade to Coleman, he gives us a 3-slot lefty OF for the year whereas Johnny was unlikely to contribute until September, if at all this year. It got the deal over the line, for which reason the ostensibly steepish price becomes less so, especially with all three having varying amounts of TC remaining.

[luckymann]

Our team page can be accessed HERE.


With the Dodgers reaching their peak and the Cards also looking on the up, I'm not sure we will be getting a "window" in the traditional sense anytime soon. I see our chances being more of a "sliding door" nature, where we remain as competitive as we can, year-in and year-out, and - a la 1947 - strike whenever other clubs don't take their chances or live up to expectations.

We've certainly built our squad with this philosophy in mind and, while it might not be the most naturally-talented bunch we've had here at Pittsburgh, it is certainly one of the most balanced and well-rounded. Even more so after that little last-minute tweak.

I am not planning under any circumstances to get too cute with Luke Easter - he'll be with us post haste if injuries or form necessitate it, and soon enough if we look like we're ready to give it a shake this year.

For now, however, this is how the squad looks as at Opening Day, 1949.

[luckymann]

A fun day in the sun for Dick Wakefield, with this effort leading the Phils to a 4-1 win over the Cards.

[luckymann]

I'm the first to admit that 30 games is a minuscule sample size and that this could be construed as a kneejerk reaction. But sadly, with the Dodgers in red-hot form and us in danger of falling too far behind to have any reasonable chance of catching them if the present situation worsens, I ring the changes.

It is, in the classic sense of the word, a pivot.

Clyde Vollmer is hitting 167 and contributing little, so he'll go back to a bench role and Luscious Luke gets the call-up, with Sibby Sisti sent down to make room for him.

Paf slots back into CF, Elliott shifts across to 3B and Easter becomes our everyday 1B.

Let's see if that gets us headed in the right direction.

[luckymann]

Hard to even remotely convey my profound disappointment with how this campaign has begun.





A sloppy 5-6 April is merely the preface for our disastrous mid-May section that precipitates the changes laid out in the previous post. The 1-8 homestand in early May that includes a combined 3-22 scoreline in a pair of carve-up losses to Brooky shows us with extreme prejudice our place in the grand scheme of things as they stand right now. The boys display their usual grit as they bounce back to win four straight at the Cards, but even at only 3 games sub-500 and with 110-odd games to go you can’t help but feel our utterly dire start will prove a season-killer.




Clearly the altered structure of our offence hasn't had enough time to be assessed just yet. That said, Easter makes an immediate impression with a PotW win his first week, before an injury puts him on ice for a wee while. Kiner hasn't done much, which is perhaps our most optimistic factor of all. If he can catch fire, maybe that will ignite a run.




Apart from Raschi (whose 2.06 ERA leads the NL) and perhaps Kellner, our pitching - both in the spin and BP - has been the Rolling Thunder Revue but with scenes from disaster movies where Dylan concert footage should be. This group is better than what we've seen to this point. At least, I hope it is.


The White Sox win spurt shouldn't come as a total surprise. They've been putting together a nice little squad over the past few years, with guys like Billy Pierce, Hoot Evers and the great Nellie Fox. All the same, Bob Lemon's breakout is outrageous and a huge part of why they sit atop the AL at 30-11. Whether it is sustainable is yet to be seen. The Tribe look good early but lose eight of their last nine in May to get shuffled down the standings. The Dodgers just look invincible, worst luck. Our 6-12 home record has done us no favours whatsoever. As was the case this time last year, if our next move isn't strongly positive then we can kiss this season goodbye.




Monthly Award Winners

May

American League

• Batter – Joe DiMaggio (Yankees): 440 / 7 HR / 15 RBI
• Pitcher – Bob Lemon (White Sox): 6-0 / 3.06 / 11 K / 47 IP
• Rookie – Al Rosen (Indians): 271 / 6 HR / 16 RBI

National League

• Batter – Ted Kluszewski (Reds): 333 / 10 HR / 23 RBI
• Pitcher – Preacher Roe (Dodgers): 4-2 / 2.06 / 32 K / 48 IP
• Rookie – Walt Dropo (Phillies): 301 / 8 HR / 24 RBI

News and Leaders

• Former Pirate Bill Bevens, late with Washington, suffers a career-ending torn labrum and retires.
• Joe DiMaggio reaches 2000 career hits, and he and brother Dom are currently tied with most bWAR in the AL at 2.8.
• Harry Eisenstat gets his 100th career save.

S+ HOME

REPORTS HOME

PIRATES HOME

[luckymann]

Most HRs over a 5 year span

[luckymann]

So with Fred Hutchinson in his walk year and looking for the sort of coin we don't have for him, it's time to make a sayonara deal if we can before his cachet disappears entirely.

In the end the out comes very easily, as we tie in another walker in Pinky Woods and convert them into a couple really nice adds for us with my in-season trade ticket.




Bill Wight is still on the min and projects to a lovely lower-spin guy, although he is prone to a touch of nibbling which we'll try beat out of him with a stick.




Bruce "Bull" Edwards offers the sort of flex that we know I like and will slot in as our backup C to Mike Batts, but also plays a decent enough 3B and LF. Arb-eligible at year end.




Slightly cash positive to boot, with a MiLB infielder thrown in for good measure - a sweet move, if I do say so myself.

[luckymann]

All-time leader is Ty Cobb with 12174.

[luckymann]

... of how this season's playing out, with us neither getting much of the rub nor deserving to. Futility personified, right here in the late game of a DH after we've given up late runs to blow a 2-0 lead in the opener.

[luckymann]

Jerry Coleman's been making waves for all the right reasons - this fine game won't change that one bit.

[luckymann]

Four of our lads get a gong this year.




One of those, Bob Elliott, makes it to the final of the HR Derby but is beaten by Del Ennis.

In the main event, boom Cleveland rookie Al Rosen leads the AL to a 9-4 win.

[luckymann]

As you'll see in my imminent June-July recap, this is some season currently in progress. The Cards obviously see their chance here and are going to try take it, trading future value for present with this trade of boom prospect Mickey McDermott for walk-year rental Howie Pollet from the Tigers.

[luckymann]

The 1949 season to date has been - and by some margin - the most frustrating I’ve ever endured. There have been times I’ve been so enraged it has left me unable to see straight.

And yet, somewhat perversely, it has also been - and by some margin - the most enjoyably challenging. In the end, I believe this is because more than at any time prior to this what I'm experiencing is as close as I've yet come to how things work running a baseball club IRL. Or at least my preconceived notion of what that might be.

The boys have put up a mighty effort these past two months, going a combined 33-24 to put us at 52-46. At 7 GB the Dodgers, we aren't out of it just yet. But we'll need pretty much EVERYTHING to fall our way from this point onward.

Ahhh, but it could have been so much different.

I try to keep my life and my managerial style here as loose as possible, with as few roadblocks along the way. I try not to apply too many aphorisms or tenets to how I do things or how I approach them. I, as one wag put it, try to avoid clichés like the plague.

One of the few I do wholeheartedly endorse and embrace is the following:

Scared money never wins.

Our season to date has proved this in spades.

Not once, but twice, the lads have fought tooth-and-nail to get themselves within a a handful of games of the Dodgers entering into a homestand series against them.

Not once, but twice, we have played in that series with money so scared you couldn't prise it out of your wallet with needle-nose pliers. Both times they swept us handily. Of the 14 games we have played so far against Brooklyn, we have won 2.

We are 11-20 in one-run games for the year. We are also at -4 vs our Pythag Record and have the best RD in either division, at +69 - 12 better than Brooky, who are +4 v their Pythag.

Numbers don't lie.





The individual performances back up those strong metrics.

Every position player currently sits above replacement value. Elliott, Dark, Wertz and Joost (sounds like a sketchy Prohibition Era Detective Agency) have led the way, each with > 3 bWAR. Kiner has been belting his share of homers but has also frustrated with long bouts of quietude. We need a big stretch run from Ralphy Boy.




This mix of young and old pitching staff of ours has tried hard with varying levels of success. Sadly, we've lost Russ Meyer for the better part of a year to a UCL tear, which will test our depth. We've put young Chuck Stobbs into the spin first-up but Herm Wehmeier has been fantastic at AAA and is pushing for a call-up.




Alex Kellner, whom we acquired in the Boone-Dark trade, has had one of the most extraordinary starts to a career I have ever seen, giving up just 1 ER in his first 46 IP in the bigs.




While the two leading teams do each have a nice break entering August, something tells me there's a twist or two left in this fascinating tale.




News, Leaders and Top 20s

Big Klu is giving the NL Triple Crown a serious nudge, but has a ways to catch George Kell in BA. Ewell Blackwell is also looking a chance for the pitching version.








Monthly Award Winners

June

American League

• Batter – Joe DiMaggio (Yankees): 384 / 5 HR / 22 RBI
• Pitcher – Billy Pierce (White Sox): 4-0 / 2.89 / 27 K / 43.2 IP
• Rookie – Al Rosen (Indians): 312 / 6 HR / 23 RBI

National League

• Batter – Ted Kluszewski (Reds): 343 / 12 HR / 33 RBI
• Pitcher – Harry Brecheen (Cardinals): 4-1 / 1.66 / 23 K / 43.1 IP
• Rookie – Johnny Antonelli (Giants): 3-2 / 3.00 / 25 K / 48 IP

July

American League

• Batter – Vern Stephens (Browns): 347 / 7 HR / 29 RBI
• Pitcher – Mel Parnell (Red Sox): 3-0 / 1.36 / 15 K / 46.1 IP
• Rookie – Al Rosen (Indians): 267 / 4 HR / 20 RBI

National League

• Batter – Ted Kluszewski (Reds): 348 / 11 HR / 31 RBI
• Pitcher – Dutch Dietz (Dodgers): 4-1 / 1.27 / 5 SV / 4 K / 21.1 IP
• Rookie – Bob Porterfield (Reds): 4-1 / 1.55 / 18 K / 40.2 IP

Milestones and Observations of Note

• The Phillies lose 3B Billy Cox for the season after he breaks a bone in his elbow. The same fate befalls Browns young gun Carl Erskine due to some elbow problems. The need for elbow surgery curtails Cubs SP Red Munger’s season. Veteran Giants hurler Cliff Melton blows out his elbow and is also set to miss the rest of the season, as is Browns catcher Harry Danning after he injures a shoulder. The A’s recent run of injury woes continues as they lose key relievers Charlie Gassaway and Steve Roser for the year within a couple days of each other, then a third when Fred Martin also gets hurt. After initially being ruled out for 5 weeks with torn ankle ligaments, a subsequent setback ends Cleveland OF Dale Mitchell’s season. In late July, the Phillies lose young star Curt Simmons for a couple months to a hamstring tear.
• Keen to keep the magic going for as long as possible, the Dodgers lock down Preacher Roe on a 5-year deal for $231k.
• Johnny Mize reaches 300 HR, Paul Derringer 300 wins and Bill Sayles 100 saves.

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