The Excellence Project - Baseball's Greatest

[Nick Soulis]

Season 11
July Review

STANDINGS

Season 11	W	L	PCT	GB
Cincinnati Reds 1974	62	46	.574	-
Minnesota Twins 2006	60	48	.556	2.0
Baltimore Orioles 1971	60	48	.556	2.0
Atlanta Braves 1999	58	50	.537	4.0
Houston Astros 1986	51	56	.477	10.5
Brooklyn Robins 1916	51	58	.468	11.5
Kansas City Royals 1977	48	60	.444	14.0
New York Giants 1933	42	66	.389	20.0

Awards

Batter of the month: Andruw Jones - 99 Braves (.354, 4 HR, 11 RBI, 25 R in July)

Pitcher of the month: Mike Scott - 86 Astros (4-0, 1.39 ERA, 6 BB, 36 K, 45.1 IP in July)

- Hal McRae hit in 26 straight games for the 77 Royals
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Team Notes

1974 Cincinnati Reds - The Reds hold their ground and built a tiny lead of two games from the rest of the pack with two months to play. Four players in the lineup have over 50 RBI and the Reds are also the most patient team in the league getting on base most often. The Reds have been dominant at home with a 34-18 record at Riverfront. The Reds have erased all memory of their slow start.

2006 Minnesota Twins - Jason Tyner came out of nowhere and pushed his average to .340 as the Twins have the best average at the plate. The Twins gave been able to overcome 14 losses from Brad Radke who has gotten no support while Johan Santana and Francisco Liariano have combined for over 250 strikeouts. The Twins are a disciplined club and remain a viable team that could work itself to the pennant.

1971 Baltimore Orioles - Its fun to watch the Orioles work with their gloves as their defense keeps them in games often. Frank Robinson finally made his late return to the lineup but Boog Powell and Davey Johnson have done well in wait for him. Eddie Watt as the closer has been dominant with 26 saves and only seven runs allowed off the mound this season. The Orioles are just about where they want to be only two games back of the lead.

1999 Atlanta Braves - Noone in Atlanta is nervous yet but then again noone is taking their hold on 4th place for granted. John Smoltz wont be back until September and the backend of the rotation has really suffered. With Terry Mulholland and Mike Remlinger out of the pen, the Braves have some of the better short range arms in this league. Atlanta still has a 6.5 game lead but August will be a telling month for a team that deserves better if they could have stayed healthy.

1986 Houston Astros - The Astros twice lost 6 of 7 games in July and have not given themselves a real chance to make a run at the top. The starters have done better with even Nolan Ryan settling down but Larry Andersen has blown some saves and the offense outside of Glenn Davis has been very pedestrian. Davey Lopes at 41 years old is still a threat from the top of the lineup hitting .301 but Jose Cruz has only 12 RBI in 76 games played. The Stros need to get hot.

1916 Brooklyn Robins - The Robins have rallied around the loss of their ace Marquard and played their best baseball of late. Brooklyn won 17 games and has put themselves in a spot to compete in the final two months. Jeff Pfeffer and Larry Cheney have kept the rotation tops when it comes to the numbers and good pitching always gives a team a chance to win. The Robins have stole and even 100 bags so far and are a small ball opportunistic team, however it hasnt helped them much in close ballgames this season.

1977 Kansas City Royals - Time is really running out for the Royals as another losing month keeps them 12 games under .500. The Royals have allowed the most runs in the league and have had no luck finding a closer or getting help from their pen. Hal McRae has had a season to remember hitting everything in sight while George Brett hit .368 in the month. The Royals are still paying for their 18 loss month of May and the hole remains deep. Dennis Leonard has 14 wins and has a decent shot at winning 20 games for a losing team.

1933 New York Giants - Twenty games back going into August has the Giants wondering where it all went wrong. The fewest runs scored and the most men stranded leaves the Giants unassuming. Lefty O'Doul has 16 home runs but only a .320 OBP from the leadoff spot. A 20-35 record at the Polo Grounds says it all to what Giant fans have seen from this team this season.

[Nick Soulis]

Season 11
August Review

STANDINGS

Season 11	W	L	PCT	GB
Cincinnati Reds 1974	78	57	.578	-
Minnesota Twins 2006	76	59	.563	2.0
Atlanta Braves 1999	75	60	.556	3.0
Baltimore Orioles 1971	75	61	.551	3.5
Brooklyn Robins 1916	65	70	.481	13.0
Houston Astros 1986	59	76	.437	19.0
Kansas City Royals 1977	58	77	.430	20.0
New York Giants 1933	55	81	.404	23.5

Awards

Batter of the month: Joe Mauer - 06 Twins (.500, 52/104, 3 HR, 13 RBI, 23 R in August)

Pitcher of the month: Pat Dobson - 71 Orioles (6-1, 1.96 ERA, 46 IP, 21 K, 15 BB, .250 OBA in August)

- Boog Powell hit in 20 straight games during the month
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Team Notes

1974 Cincinnati Reds - The Reds are 42-20 at Riverfront Stadium and seem to play at another level on their turf. Four players in the lineup have over 70 runs driven in and the Reds are dangerous because they are so balanced. Clay Carroll has 32 saves and no manager works his staff better then Sparky Anderson. The Reds look the best bet to finish first and in truth deserve to.

2006 Minnesota Twins - No player has had a month like Joe Mauer had in August. Mauer hit a legitamite .500 for the month and helped the Twins rest well to advance. Justin Morneau will be well over 100 RBI and the Twins have the most runs and the best offense in the game. The stuff of Johan Santana and Francisco Liriano is at its brightest and other then a rocky bullpen at times, this Twins team is as well put together as any.

1999 Atlanta Braves - Greg Maddux will come back to finish the season for the Braves who with him could very well take the pennant. The Braves however have showed their muscle with the most home runs in the league including a combined 50 for Chipper and Andrew Jones. The real hero of this team is Bobby Cox, who has pieced together a team with a number of issues into a good position that still may sprout a pennant.

1971 Baltimore Orioles - The Orioles stood on their pitching arms and hold a more then 10 game lead on the important fourth spot. Pat Dobson has won 17 games and has been among the best pitchers in the second half, Jim Palmer has a 3.10 ERA but a losing record. The Orioles have been consisted all season without a losing month and no one would be shocked to see this team end up winning the pennant.

1916 Brooklyn Robins - The Robins have had a good second half to the season and, even though they are a longshot to get back into it, they can be proud of their efforts. A lack of punch at the plate is the real weakness of this team with only 16 home runs as a unit and likely no one on the team will finish with over 100 RBI. Brooklyn can dream of a miracle to make a run at fourth place but the top four teams in this division seem to have been established for a long time now.

1986 Houston Astros - Dismay for the Astros who lost 20 games in August and limp to the finish line. Nolan Ryan is 5-20 and has been hit hard all season including only 117 strikeouts. There was a time this year when many thought this team would really contend but the way they are finishing shows little resolve. Glenn Davis is a legitimate candidate for the MVP although even he has been pitched around and has prduced less as the season has gone on.

1977 Kansas City Royals - Dennis Leonard has been gritty and very good on the mound for KC but beyond him the Royals have shown nothing. The Royals are speedy on the bases with 127 stolen bases but this team never got hot and won only 10 games in August. In another odd stat, the Royals are also first in the league with 414 extra base hits.

1933 New York Giants - Likely two, maybe three starters with 20 losses for the Giants who have been at the bottom since May. A big reason for all the losses has been the lack of hitting and even speed as the Giants were last in both stolen bases and on base percentage. The Giants are likely the least impressive team we have seen that has a World Series title on their resume.

[Nick Soulis]

Red Machine Head Non Dramatic Season 11

Everyone knows the reputation and lore the Big Red Machine has around baseball for their dominance of the 1970's. The 1974 team from Cincinnati may not be the best of these teams but all the major players are there and in Season 11 it was Sparky Anderson's team that took the pennant by a single game over Atlanta. The Reds did it for the most part without Joe Morgan who was limited due to numerous injuries but the likes of Pete Rose who hit .305 and Dan Driessen who hit .321 lead the charge. The 91 wins by a pennant winner are the least number of wins we have seen for a first place team thus far.

The 1999 Braves took second place and had to play games a bit differently as they leaned on their bats when injuries stymied the pitching staff. The Bravos ofthis era know what winning is all about. The 2006 Twins won 88 games and were in the mix all season even leading up to a weaker finish in September. Justin Morneau drove in 121 runs. Finally in the top four were the 1971 Orioles as Pat Dobson won 21 games and Boog Powell drove in 110 runs. The top four teams were written in stone as early as August making this season one of very little drama down the stretch.

The 1916 Robins played hard all season and did even better after their ace Rube Marquard went down. The Dodgers just couldnt win a one run game to save their lives. The 86 Astros had a nightmare in the second half of the season and never could make a run. The Astros were also nine games under .500 at the AstroDome.

As champions the 1933 Giants really disapointed but in the end it was clear this team just didnt have the talent they needed. The Giants were proud enough to keep fighting as not to finish in last place alone. Finally the 1977 Royals didnt play like a team hungry to win and allowed the most runs of anyteam. Even George Brett and his .306 average were quite underwhelming.

[Nick Soulis]

Teams Advancing to Next Round

1. 1974 Cincinnati Reds
2. 1999 Atlanta Braves
3. 2006 Minnesota Twins
4. 1971 Baltimore Orioles

League MVP

Chipper Jones - 1999 Braves

.326, 29 HR, 100 RBI, 54 2B, 106 BB, .426 OBP, 7.9 WAR



League Cy Young

Mike Scott - 1986 Astros

20-7, 2.62 ERA, 285 IP, 218 K, 58 BB, 8.9 WAR, 1.14 WHIP

[Nick Soulis]

Season 12

1. 2002 New York Yankees



Record: 103-58
Finish: Lost in ALDS
Manager: Joe Torre
Ball Park: Yankee Stadium
Hall of Famers: None

2. 1965 Baltimore Orioles



Record: 94-68
Finish: 3rd in AL
Manager: Hank Bauer
Ball Park: Memorial Stadium
Hall of Famers: (4) Luis Aparicio, Jim Palmer, Robin Roberts, Brooks Robinson

3. 1936 Detroit Tigers



Record: 83-71
Finish: 2nd in AL
Manager: Mickey Cochrane
Ball Park: Navin Field
Hall of Famers: (5) Mickey Cochrane, Charlie Gehringer, Goose Goslin, Hank Greenberg, Al Simmons

4. 1992 Toronto Blue Jays



Record: 96-66
Finish: World Champions
Manager: Cito Gaston
Ball Park: Sky Dome
Hall of Famers: (2) Dave Winfield, Roberto Alomar

5. 1939 Cincinnati Reds



Record: 97-57
Finish: NL Pennant; Lost in World Series
Manager: Bill McKechnie
Ball Park: Crosley Field
Hall of Famers: (2) Al Simmons, Ernie Lombardi

6. 1935 Chicago Cubs



Record: 100-54
Finish: Won NL Pennant; Lost in World Series
Manager: Charlie Grimm
Ball Park: Wrigley Field
Hall of Famers: (5) Kiki Cuyler, Gabby Hartnett, Billy Herman, Chuck Klein, Freddie Linstrom

7. 1941 Boston Red Sox



Record: 84-70
Finish: 2nd in AL
Manager: Joe Cronin
Ball Park: Fenway Park
Hall of Famers: (5) Joe Cronin, Bobby Doerr, Jimmy Foxx, Lefty Grove, Ted Williams

8. 2005 St. Louis Cardinals



Record: 100-62
Finish: Lost in NLCS
Manager: Tony LaRussa
Ball Park: Busch Stadium
Hall of Famers: None

[Questdog]

1941 Ted Williams!....this will be cool....

Is it just my imagination (and faulty memory) or have the teams from the 1930's been underwhelming?.......

[Nick Soulis]

Originally Posted by Questdog

1941 Ted Williams!....this will be cool....

Is it just my imagination (and faulty memory) or have the teams from the 1930's been underwhelming?.......

Yes the 1930's havent been great as of yet. Out of the five teams that have competed only one had a winning record and advanced, the 1932 Yankees. Of course there are still more great teams to come from the era.

Teams from the 1930's have had the following results:

• 1937 Cubs (80-82) 5th did not advance
• 1930 Philadelphia A's (75-87) did not advance
• 1932 NY Yankees (82-80) 4th advanced
• 1936 St. Louis Cardinals (76-86) Did not advance
• 1933 New York Giants (71-91) 7th (Did not advance)

[Nick Soulis]

Season 12
April Review

STANDINGS

12	W	L	PCT	GB
Toronto Blue Jays 1992	17	10	.630	-
Detroit Tigers 1936	17	11	.607	.5
Cincinnati Reds 1939	16	11	.593	1.0
New York Yankees 2002	15	12	.556	2.0
St. Louis Cardinals 2005	12	15	.444	5.0
Baltimore Orioles 1965	12	17	.414	6.0
Boston Red Sox 1941	11	16	.407	6.0
Chicago Cubs 1935	10	18	.357	7.5

Awards:

Hitter of the month: Ted Williams - 41 Red Sox (.368, 7 HR, 21 RBI, 18 BB, .465 OBP, 25 R in April)

Pitcher of the month: Schoolboy Roy - 36 Tigers (6-1, 1.71 ERA, 58 IP, 16 K, 14 BB in April)

Injuries

Pete Fox - 41 Red Sox (4 months)
Todd Stottlemyre - 92 Blue Jays (6 weeks - pie incident)
Goose Goslin - 36 Tigers (5 weeks)
Bernie Williams - 02 Yankees (2 to 3 months)
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Team notes

1992 Toronto Blue Jays - The Blue Jays finished the month on a 14-2 run including a 9 game winning streak. Davi Cone is 6-0 while Jimmy Key is 4-0 as both starters are pitching with confidence. Roberto Alomar is hitting .400 and the Jays are second in the league in hitting with a .314 average. The Jays are 10-3 away from home.

1936 Detroit Tigers - The Tigers are hitting at the amazing pace of .324 going into May. Marv Owen had a 27 game hitting streat snapped as the team has covered for the losses of Goose Goslin and Billy Rogel. Schooboy Rowe was the pitcher of the month while Chief Hogsett had a very tough month and was replaced by Jake Wade for the time being.

1939 Cincinnati Reds - The Reds have done it with their pitching as Paul Derringer leads a staff that allowed only 109 runs in the month and dont tend to walk many. Other then being swept by the Blue Jays the Reds have won most of their series including 6 out of 8 games from the 65 Orioles. The Reds sport the best defensive percentage in the league as well.

2002 New York Yankees - The most home runs and the most stolen bases for the Yankees have produced runs. The big question however is Roger Clemens who has been just terrible allowing 37 runs in 30 innings and an ERA over 11, the Rocket has been anything but great. Bernie Williams is hurt but young Alfonso Soriano leads the team with 24 RBI. The Yankees unfortunately have the lowest rated defense in the month of April.

2005 St. Louis Cardinals - A pithing staff as talented as this one should have a better ERA then 4.88 but the Cardinals will be patient even as Chris Carpenter has an ERA at 5.75; this season has as expected been one for the hitters early. Tony Larussa has been trying Jim Edmonds at the leadoff spot but he is only hitting .222. while the St. Louis bullpen has been the most hammered thus far. The Cards surely will eventually pitch better and are in a decent spot going into May.

1965 Baltimore Orioles - Unlike most all other teams in the league the Birds just havent hit the baseball that well as has been the trend with most Oriole teams we have seen; the highest average on the team is Norm Siebern at .289. The pitching has been good with 38 year old Robin Roberts taking the role of the ace with a 3.16 ERA. Twenty three year old Boog Powell hasnt seen much time on the field so far.

1941 Boston Red Sox - Ted Williams started a little slow but quickly heated up to finish April at .368 even as most of his teamates are not hitting. Jimmie Foxx does have 7 home runs and 32 RBI but the long term loss of Pete Fox in the lineup doesnt help. The Sox started with a 13 game road trip to start the year and hope the schedule among other things turn in their favor. The Sox did take 4 out of seven from the rival Yankees including three of four to start the season.

1935 Chicago Cubs - The Cubs have hit only 10 home runs and stolen only 5 bases which really doesnt give you an identity and Charlie Grimm is the type of manager who wont stand for an 10-18 record. The Cubs lost 12 games at Wrigley Field and havent pitched to their strengths. The backend of the rotation especially for the Cubs has really been mashed. Not a single player in the Cubs lineup has over 20 RBI and things need to turn around soon.

[Nick Soulis]

Season #12
May Review

STANDINGS

12	W	L	PCT	GB
Detroit Tigers 1936	35	18	.660	-
New York Yankees 2002	31	25	.554	5.5
Toronto Blue Jays 1992	30	25	.545	6.0
Cincinnati Reds 1939	29	26	.527	7.0
St. Louis Cardinals 2005	25	30	.455	11.0
Baltimore Orioles 1965	25	32	.439	12.0
Chicago Cubs 1935	23	32	.418	13.0
Boston Red Sox 1941	23	33	.411	13.5

Awards

Batter of the month: Ted Williams - 41 Red Sox (.409, 9 HR, 25 RBI, 32 R in month of May)

Pitcher of the month: Schoolboy Rowe - 36 Tigers (5-0, 55 IP, 20 K, 2.62 ERA in May)

Injuries

Wally Berger - 39 Reds (entire season)
Ed Joost - 39 Reds (4 months)
Roger Clemens - 02 Yankees (4 months)

Albert Pujols hit three home runs in one game against the 2002 Yankees at Busch Stadium in a 13-3 win.
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Team Notes

1936 Detroit Tigers - After a 17 win month the Tigers came back in May and were even better winning 18 games. The club did lose some pitching depth when Jake Wade was lost for the season but Schoolboy Rowe and the staff and still capable with Rowe compiling an 11-1 record so far. The Tigers have a very impressive .380 OBP and are a sabermetric dream on the field. The Tigers are obviously the team to beat for the pennant.

2002 New York Yankees - The loss of Roger Clemens and the way he was throwing may be a blessing in disguise as the Yankees won 16 games in May. David Wells will take the Rockets place in the rotation as Mike Mussina leads the way with 7 wins. Alfonso Soriano has 44 RBI and Raul Mondesi has a surprising 9 home runs. The Yankees bullpen is best in the league lead by the 10 saves from Mariano Rivera.

1992 Toronto Blue Jays - David Cone continues his strong season as the Blue Jays have 30 wins in two months. Roberto Alomar is challenging Ted Williams for the batting title with his .390 average while Devon White has 41 RBI's from the leadoff spot. The Jays have the most steals in the league although they haven't played all that great on the turf at home. Todd Stottlemyre is pushing Jack Morris for a rotation spot as both men have struggled early on.

1939 Cincinnati Reds - The Reds were hit with the most injuries in the month but are hanging in well thanks almost entirely to their pitching. Ernie Lombardi has been doing more with his glove then with his bat and the Reds have the best defense in the league. The Reds finished the month losing 5 of 7 and have a losing record at Crosley Field. Milt Shoffner has adapted well to his role of closer and has won the close ones with 12 saves.

2005 St. Louis Cardinals - When So Taguchi is leading your team in hitting you know that the Cardinals are having issues on offense. Albert Pujols did have a big month and has double digit home runs but the support has been very unreliable. The Cards are only four games out of fourth and as the temperature warms up at Busch Stadium and players like Jim Edmonds and Larry Walker get over some small nagging injuries. The 5.61 bullpen ERA for the Cardinals isn't helping much at all.

1965 Baltimore Orioles - Brooks Robinson has bashed seven home runs and but the Birds have the worst offense in the league so far. Milt Pappas is dealing with a rotator cuff strain and will miss most of June with Dave McNally and Robin Roberts being stretched for innings. The .258 average for the Birds is lowest in the league and the nine stolen bases makes things even more predictable. Baltimore has won only 9 games on the road and the 60's era of Oriole baseball continues to disappoint.

1935 Chicago Cubs - The Cubs have a clean bill of health but the wins just haven't come. The team is hitting .305 but have been hit almost harder as teams have enjoyed the visitors box at Wrigley Field with 15 wins. The Cubs have lost 5 of 6 extra inning games and have a patchwork bullpen with no clear stopper. Gabby Hartnett and Stan Hack are high reputation players and the guess is that these Cubs will be pushed to get back in the race over the summer. The Cubs lost 5 of 6 to the 36 Tigers in May.

1941 Boston Red Sox - Ted Williams remains a joy to watch and still is a decent bet to hit .400. The Red Sox however have no poise or command on the mound and even had a game at Fenway where the Cubs scored 25 runs. Forty one year old Lefty Grove cant throw like he used to while Mickey Harris has a 6.48 ERA in a division that can really swing the bats. The Red Sox did win the last three games they played in May and have indeed scored the most runs in the league with 323.

[Nick Soulis]

Season 12
June Recap

STANDINGS

12	W	L	PCT	GB
Detroit Tigers 1936	47	34	.580	-
New York Yankees 2002	46	37	.554	2.0
Toronto Blue Jays 1992	45	37	.549	2.5
Cincinnati Reds 1939	41	41	.500	6.5
Chicago Cubs 1935	40	43	.482	8.0
Boston Red Sox 1941	40	44	.476	8.5
St. Louis Cardinals 2005	38	45	.458	10.0
Baltimore Orioles 1965	34	50	.405	14.5

Awards

Batter of the month: Ted Williams - 41 Red Sox (.443, 10 HR, 31 RBI, 27 R, 32 game hitting streak in June)

Pitcher of the month: Bill Lee - 35 Cubs (5-1, 2.60 ERA, 52 IP, 13 K, 2 CG in June)

Injuries

Jimmy Foxx - 41 Red Sox (3 weeks)
David Wells - 92 Blue Jays (7-8 weeks)
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Team Notes

1936 Detroit Tigers - A losing month for the Tigers but they are still holding on to first place. Al Simmons need to get over a bad elbow and Mickey Cochrane would love to see that average up above .259. The Tigers are last in the league in home runs but do pick it with the glove better then anyone; Charlie Gehringer is a big part of that. Detroit has kept their cool and are 15-8 in the Motor City.

2002 New York Yankees - The Yankees believe and have their sights on first place. Robin Ventura has continued to help the Yanks be the most injured team in the league as he is out with a hip pointer. Opposite to the Tigers the Yanks have hit the most home runs and played the poorest defense. Raul Mondesi has been a revelation with 16 long balls while Alfonso Soriano has the most RBI of anyone outside of Boston with 64. The Yankees have their work cut out for them as Mo Rivera has 14 saves but has blown three of them.

1992 Toronto Blue Jays - Seventy five stolen bases for the Blue Jays as the power has come and gone but the Jays have found a way to win games. David Cone is now 12-2 where on the other hand Jack Morris is sitting on a 5.02 ERA, some are expecting Pat Hentgen to get a call from Cito Gaston. The Jays have played 10 extra inning games already but their pen has been good and their veterans have played smart. A good number of people are expecting this unit to leap frog into first in the second half.

1939 Cincinnati Reds - A second straight losing month for the Reds and now teams are nipping at their heels for fourth place. The starters lead by Paul Derringer and his 11 wins are still the best in the league but the bats have turned cold even as the weather has warmed up. A tough four games in Chicago marred the month where the Reds lost all four and scored 10 runs in those games. The Reds will face Boston six times in July and St. Louis another three, both teams right behind them, so the next month will indeed be telling. Lonny Frey should help as he will be back from injury at around Independence Day.

1935 Chicago Cubs - Seventeen wins for the Cubs and Charlie Grimm has his team finally clicking on all cylanders. The Cubs are healthy and have the best average in the division at .310 as well as the second most runs at 441. After 10 wins in April the Cubs have played progressively better and even more important have been the healthiest team around. Bill Lee has found his form of late and won five games while showing great command. With grinding veterans like Gabby Cochrane and Stan Hack, the Cubs wont settle for anything less then moving on.

1941 Boston Red Sox - Ted Williams is simply ridiculous with the bat and has his average at .406 after hitting .443 in the month including a 31 game hit steak. Williams leads the best offense in the division that finally has the Red Sox winning and in contention. Bobby Doerr has 77 RBI to lead the league with Williams while even Joe Cronin is looking young and capable at the plate with 66 driven in. With Williams on pace to win the triple crown, no one wants to face this offense, while the Boston pitching still has a ways to go to even get to average. Boston is the most fun team to watch we have seen yet and Williams the funnest player maybe next to Cobb.

2005 St. Louis Cardinals - The Cards arnt out of the fight or the race by any means but their pitching has to get better. Jason Marquis has been lost for most of the season while Jeff Suppan is an eye-opening 3-13. The Cardinals are not playing well away from Busch and the likes of Larry Walker only have 22 RBI going into July while Jim Edmonds has only 27. The Cards are too good to continue this pace and with the majority of teams still finding their form, St. Louis should be heard from as the summer heats up.

1965 Baltimore Orioles - The lowest hitting offense in the league doesn't seem to be getting better but the Orioles are not putting up the white flag yet. Things could not have gone worse with only nine wins in June but the Birds are still within seven games of the 4th place Reds. The Orioles are 12-24 away from Memorial Stadium and have 18 more road games in July. Jerry Adair is the only Oriole who has been able to hit over .300 while no hitter has drive in over 43 runs or stole more then 5 bases.

[Nick Soulis]

Season 12
July Review

STANDINGS

12	W	L	PCT	GB
New York Yankees 2002	60	48	.556	-
Detroit Tigers 1936	58	50	.537	2.0
Toronto Blue Jays 1992	56	51	.523	3.5
Boston Red Sox 1941	56	52	.519	4.0
Cincinnati Reds 1939	54	54	.500	6.0
St. Louis Cardinals 2005	52	56	.481	8.0
Chicago Cubs 1935	50	58	.463	10.0
Baltimore Orioles 1965	46	63	.422	14.5

Awards

Batter of the month: Ted Williams - 41 Red Sox (.458, 4 HR, 24 RBI, 21 R in July)

Pitcher of the month: Andy Pettitte - 02 Yankees (5-2, 1.68 ERA, 26 K, 52.2 IP in July)

Injuries

Mike Mussina - 02 Yankees (Out for season)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Notes

2002 New York Yankees - After watching Clemens go down the Yankees lost Mike Mussina for the duration of the season. El Duque has stepped into the fray for a team that has shown great depth when they have needed it. The Yankees have risen to the top with the help of veterans Jason Giambi and Bernie Williams who is hitting .400 since his return from injury. The Yanks really enjoyed a three game sweep of rival Boston this month, one of the few teams to beat the red hot club.

1936 Detroit Tigers - Not many have noticed but the Tigers have been slipping since May and now have some serious concerns. The pitching especially has failed to carry its load and the back end of the rotation has been battered; the team ERA is 4.66. Elden Aucker will be transformed from closer to starter to try and get some outs. The lineup remains up for the fight with the top of the order especially strong as Gee Walker and Marv Owen are both hitting over .340 and scoring a ton of runs.

1992 Toronto Blue Jays - Still a favorite to right the ship and take the pennant by many the Jays suffered another losing month. Kelly Gruber is only hitting .231 and the entire team needs to start hitting with runners in scoring position. Juan Guzman throws hard as everyone knows but he has issued 70 walks and has 11 losses already. Joe Carter is still the man in the heart of the order, but his 56 RBI going into August are not overly impressive. The Jays need to play better soon.

1941 Boston Red Sox - Putting the foot on the pedal the Red Sox have made their move and no team wants to face their lineup. The Sox battled through their pitching woes and won 16 games in July including sweeping the Tigers and taking 10 of 11 games in one stretch. Williams is of course on his triple crown pace and his .418 average is astounding but likely wont approach the .440 we saw Ty Cobb hit in season 3. Ted has also walked 88 tines and has a .521 OBP.

1939 Cincinnati Reds - Ernie Lombardi hit .376 in July and has found his stroke in a big way putting his critics behind him but the Reds are still out of the top four with their .500 record. Lombardi has also handled staff well as the Reds have the best team ERA in the division. A sweep of the 02 Cardinals to end the month helped their confidence and their standing and if the Reds start to hit they will be dangerous. The Reds also lead the league in defense.

2005 St. Louis Cardinals - Despite their slow finish at the end of it, the Cardinals had a good month and no doubt Tony LaRussa has prepared a strong finish. Reggie Sanders has 82 RBI and Albert Pujols has his average at .352. Chris Carpenter has won 14 games and has taken to role of ace well, on the other hand Jeff Suppan has 14 losses. Julian Tavarez for all his antics, has a 7.09 ERA out of the bullpen, something the Cardinals have been terrible at so far. The Cardinals open August with four crucial games at Fenway Park.

1935 Chicago Cubs - Ten wins in July is not what the Cubs had in mind including a losing record in one run games. The Cubs are now six games back of fourth place but have the best on base percentage in the league and are paced by Chuck Klein and Gabby Hartnett who have hit 25 home runs and driven in 132 runs. The Cubs don't strike out but are a team that makes you beat them, timely hitting has been missing of late. The Cubs are trying not to fade at the worst time.

1965 Baltimore Orioles - The only team on the outside looking in the Orioles have just never put it together especially at the plate. Brooks Robinson leads the team with only 11 home runs and sixty driven in, and beyond this all of the help dries out. An irony is that the Orioles have actually won close games with a 24-17 record when the going gets tough. Still the Birds need a miracle final two months in a division that has been as competitive that we have seen yet.

[Nick Soulis]

Season #12
August Report

STANDINGS

12	W	L	PCT	GB
New York Yankees 2002	77	59	.566	-
Detroit Tigers 1936	74	61	.548	2.5
Toronto Blue Jays 1992	72	63	.533	4.5
St. Louis Cardinals 2005	68	68	.500	9.0
Chicago Cubs 1935	65	70	.481	11.5
Boston Red Sox 1941	65	70	.481	11.5
Cincinnati Reds 1939	62	73	.459	14.5
Baltimore Orioles 1965	58	77	.430	18.5

Awards

Batter of the month: Alfonos Soriano - 02 Yankees (.405, 9 HR, 30 RBI, 29 R in August)

Pitcher of the month: Bill Lee - 35 Cubs (5-2, 51.1 IP, 13 K, 2.63 ERA in August)
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Team Notes

2002 New York Yankees - Alfonso Soriano has had quite a season and averaged over one RBI per day in August. The Yankees started the month slowly but caught fire in a big way and won 12 of their last 14 games in the month to settle on top of the standings. David Wells is a real Cy Young award candidate and believe it or not Roger Clemens will make a return before the end of the season hopefully to contribute to a pennant.

1936 Detroit Tigers - The Tigers are well on their way to moving on as they had a productive month thanks to a .301 team average and major production from Charlie Gehringer and Goose Goslin in the middle of the order. School Boy Rowe has 19 wins going into September and the Tigers still feel good of even taking the pennant at the stretch. August was crucial in many ways for this team as they built back up their confidence after two losing months. A lack of a closer has hurt this team all season long as starters have been stretched.

1992 Toronto Blue Jays - The Jays are not about to let their season slip away and showed good things of late. David Cone has close to 200 strikeouts and has an impressive 16-7 record. Roberto Alomar has his average up to .360 and remains the heart of the team with the glove as well. Devon White has 10 home runs and 65 RBI from the leadoff spot and also has impressed with his range in the spacious SkyDome. The Jays have also stole the most bases in the league with 123 and they as well have hopes of stealing the pennant.

2005 St. Louis Cardinals - The Cardinals will welcome back Jason Marquis early in September as they try and find stability to their rotation that has struggled behind 17 game winner Chris Carpenter. Albert Pujols and Reggie Sanders both have over 100 RBI already and this team is showing why they won 100 games before and have fought back into 4th place. The Cardinals cant rest as the race remains tight and their 25-40 record on the road is an eyesore. Alberto Reyes leads the league with 30 saves.

1935 Chicago Cubs - If the Cubs make it to 4th it will be thanks to their bats that lead the league in hitting and from Bill Lee who has dazzled for most of the season. The Cubs will finish the season with six games against the Cardinals and the Red Sox which should help determine where they finish, a close Cubs - Cardinals finish would be fun. The Cubs have stayed healthy all season long and are sure to get their best from true stars like Gabby Hartnett and Stan Hack. The Cubs have hit only 55 home runs all season.

1941 Boston Red Sox - A horrible time to slump, the Red Sox saw their hitting cool off and their already bad pitching get even worse. Ted Williams for his part of course wont let up and has 113 RBI to sparkle with his .414 average; expect him to finish strong. It is however hard to fathom that this team can make a push for 4th without an arm they can depend on having allowed 809 runs; Dick Newsome with his 10-10 record is as good as it gets. Bobby Doerr leads the league with his 124 RBI, a luxury for batting behind Ted Williams who has scored 131 runs.

1939 Cincinnati Reds - If one thought the Red Sox had a bad month, just have a word with the Reds. Eddie Joost who missed most of the season will come back soon the the five game gap just may be too much. Sweeps by the Cubs and the Yankees hurt team confidence and exposed a tired and slipping pitching staff. Frank McCormick sure isn't the blame as the first baseman is hitting .322 with 93 RBI. The Reds need a minor miracle but the current form isn't good and the hot start of April is a long memory.

1965 Baltimore Orioles - Every month with a losing record little is expected to change for the Birds heading into September. The Orioles are not the worst team we have seen but for whatever reason they have underachieved with players like Robin Roberts and Loui Aparicio old and very mediocre. Brooks Robinson is the only player with over 10 home runs and the team .258 average is about 50 points behind the leaders. The Birds of course can do their parts to be spoilers but overall the performance of Oriole teams in the Excellence project has been shockingly poor.

[Nick Soulis]

Playoff For 4th As Williams Stars But Sox Sink in Season 12

Season 12 saw Joe Torre and his team overcome injuries to Bernie Williams and Roger Clemens to take then pennant. The 2002 Yanks played great in the final two months and showed the balance and the patience that it takes. Alfonso Soriano was the best bat on the team driving in 124 runs while Andy Pettitte won 17 games.

The 1992 Blue Jays played like the championship team that they are even though they faded a bit in the end. John Olerud drove in 101 runs and Roberto Alomar lead the league in steals with 59. The 1935 Cubs made an incredible run to go from 5th to tied for second all over the last month of the season. The Cubs won 19 games in September including 9 of their last 10. For fourth place the season needs an extra game as the 36 Tigers and the 05 Cardinals came down to the last day of the season where St. Louis lost and opened the door for a Tigers win and a tie in the standings. Both teams have struggled in September and the one game playoff should be full of drama.

The 39 Reds swept the 05 Cardinals in a four game series to end the season on a high note but the Reds just didn't have enough to make it into the top four. The bats never really came together for the Reds. Ted Williams had an incredible season but the Red Sox faded like a sunset in September losing their last seven games as the pitching was just never good enough for a great offense. Finally the 65 Orioles continue the puzzling trend of poor performances from Oriole teams as they finish in last place and were really out of it by midseason.

[Nick Soulis]

SEASON 12 ST. LOUIS CARDINALS 2005 AT DETROIT TIGERS 1936 GAME ID: 649 - TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1ST, 2013 - GAME LOG 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E St. Louis Cardinals 2005 2 0 1 0 0 0 6 2 0 11 16 0 Detroit Tigers 1936 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 8 11 2 [IMG]file:///C:/Users/New/Documents/Out%20of%20the%20Park%20Developments/OOTP%20Baseball%2014/saved_games/Season%2012.lg/news/html/images/team_logos/detroit_tigers_1936.png[/IMG]

ST. LOUIS BATTING LINESCORES DETROIT BATTING LINESCORES

Player AB R H RBI BB K LOB AVG HR RBI J. Edmonds CF 5 0 1 1 1 1 3 .267 15 79 D. Eckstein SS 5 1 1 0 1 0 5 .331 3 49 A. Pujols 1B 5 1 1 0 1 0 3 .354 32 120 R. Sanders LF 5 3 2 0 1 1 3 .272 19 123 L. Walker RF 5 1 4 3 1 0 1 .289 8 53 A. Nunez 2B 2 0 1 0 1 0 1 .284 5 75 b-S. Taguchi PH 1 1 0 1 0 0 2 .322 3 55 d-J. Mabry 3B 2 1 1 0 0 1 1 .310 1 17 S. Rolen 3B, 2B 3 1 1 2 1 0 3 .279 7 55 Y. Molina C 5 1 2 2 0 0 3 .293 11 67 M. Mulder P 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .129 0 7 a-M. Grudzielanek PH 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .327 3 52 A. Reyes P 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .571 0 0 c-J. Rodriguez PH 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 .226 0 13 B. Thompson P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 1 e-H. Luna PH 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 .271 2 25 R. Flores P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 A. Reyes P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .400 0 0 Totals 43 11 16 10 7 4 27 a - M. Grudzielanek pinch hit for M. Mulder in the 4th b - S. Taguchi pinch hit for A. Nunez in the 7th c - J. Rodriguez pinch hit for A. Reyes in the 7th d - J. Mabry substituted for S. Taguchi in the 7th e - H. Luna pinch hit for B. Thompson in the 8th BATTING Doubles: L. Walker (22, 1st Inning off V. Sorrell, 2 on, 2 outs) R. Sanders (35, 3rd Inning off V. Sorrell, 0 on, 2 outs) J. Mabry (8, 8th Inning off C. Kimsey, 1 on, 0 outs) Triples: D. Eckstein (3, 1st Inning off V. Sorrell, 0 on, 1 out) Total Bases: M. Mulder , L. Walker 5 , R. Sanders 3 , S. Rolen , D. Eckstein 3 ,A. Pujols , A. Nunez , Y. Molina 2 , J. Edmonds , J. Rodriguez , J. Mabry 2 2-out RBI: , L. Walker 2 Runners left in scoring position, 2 outs: R. Sanders , S. Rolen , D. Eckstein ,A. Pujols , A. Nunez , Y. Molina GIDP: A. Pujols Team LOB: 13 Player AB R H RBI BB K LOB AVG HR RBI C. Gehringer 2B 5 0 0 0 0 1 1 .292 11 90 M. Owen 3B 5 2 2 0 0 0 1 .308 4 67 G. Walker RF 5 1 1 0 0 1 1 .329 2 77 G. Goslin LF 4 3 3 4 1 0 0 .346 18 96 A. Simmons CF 4 1 1 1 1 0 1 .343 5 70 R. Hayworth C 3 0 1 1 2 1 1 .241 3 33 H. Greenberg 1B 3 1 2 2 0 0 3 .293 2 30 S. Parker SS 4 0 1 0 0 0 4 .229 4 51 V. Sorrell P 2 0 0 0 0 0 4 .161 0 5 J. Sullivan P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .273 0 0 C. Kimsey P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 R. Phillips P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 1 a-P. Fox PH 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .309 5 63 C. Hogsett P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .143 0 2 Totals 36 8 11 8 4 3 16 a - P. Fox pinch hit for R. Phillips in the 8th BATTING Doubles: G. Walker (76, 1st Inning off M. Mulder, 1 on, 1 out) A. Simmons (32, 1st Inning off M. Mulder, 1 on, 1 out) G. Goslin 2 (38, 1st Inning off M. Mulder, 2 on, 1 out; 3rd Inning off M. Mulder, 0 on, 0 outs) Home Runs: H. Greenberg (2, 8th Inning off R. Flores, 0 on, 0 outs) G. Goslin(18, 9th Inning off R. Flores, 1 on, 1 out) Total Bases: G. Walker 2 , A. Simmons 2 , S. Parker , M. Owen 2 , R. Hayworth, H. Greenberg 5 , G. Goslin 8 Runners left in scoring position, 2 outs: , V. Sorrell 2 , M. Owen Sac Bunt: J. Sullivan Sac Fly: H. Greenberg Team LOB: 6 FIELDING Errors: M. Owen 2 (26) Double Plays: 1 (Parker-Gehringer-Greenberg)

ST. LOUIS PITCHING LINESCORES DETROIT PITCHING LINESCORES

Player IP H R ER BB K HR PI PS ERA M. Mulder 3.0 7 5 5 2 1 0 56 36 4.75 A. Reyes W (4-1) 3.0 1 0 0 1 0 0 32 20 7.49 B. Thompson 1.0 0 0 0 1 0 0 15 10 4.15 R. Flores 1.1 3 3 3 0 1 2 20 13 6.80 A. Reyes SV (37) 0.2 0 0 0 0 1 0 4 4 2.28 PITCHING Game Score: M. Mulder 22 Batters Faced: M. Mulder 18, A. Reyes 11, B. Thompson 4, R. Flores 7, A. Reyes 2 Ground Outs - Fly Outs: M. Mulder 5-3, A. Reyes 7-2, B. Thompson 1-2, R. Flores 1-2, A. Reyes 1-0 Pitches - Strikes: M. Mulder 56-36, A. Reyes 32-20, B. Thompson 15-10, R. Flores 20-13, A. Reyes 4-4 Player IP H R ER BB K HR PI PS ERA V. Sorrell 4.0 6 3 3 4 1 0 80 46 4.64 J. Sullivan L (7-8) 2.1 2 3 3 3 1 0 58 29 5.64 C. Kimsey BS (5) 0.2 6 5 4 0 0 0 32 23 5.14 R. Phillips 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 13 9 7.30 C. Hogsett 1.0 1 0 0 0 2 0 16 9 5.09 PITCHING Game Score: V. Sorrell 35 Batters Faced: V. Sorrell 21, J. Sullivan 12, C. Kimsey 10, R. Phillips 4, C. Hogsett 4 Ground Outs - Fly Outs: V. Sorrell 2-7, J. Sullivan 3-3, C. Kimsey 1-1, R. Phillips1-2, C. Hogsett 1-0 Pitches - Strikes: V. Sorrell 80-46, J. Sullivan 58-29, C. Kimsey 32-23, R. Phillips 13-9, C. Hogsett 16-9 Inherited Runners - Scored: J. Sullivan 1-0 , C. Kimsey 2-2 , R. Phillips 2-1 HB: V. Sorrell

GAME NOTES

Player of the Game: Goose Goslin Ballpark: Comerica Park Weather: Clear skies (56 degrees), wind blowing in from center at 9 mph Start Time: 7:05 pm EST Time: 3:15 Attendance: 38823

[Nick Soulis]

Teams Advancing to Next Round

1. 2002 New York Yankees
2. 1992 Toronto Blue Jays
3. 1935 Chicago Cubs
4. 2005 St. Louis Cardinals

League MVP

Ted Williams - 1941 Red Sox

.422, 38 HR, 130 RBI, 248 H, 148 BB, .537 OBP, 154 R, 14.7 WAR, 26 K



League Cy Young

Schoolboy Rowe - 1936 Tigers

21-9, 3.26 ERA, 301 IP, 85 K, 10 CG, 2 SH, 29 QS

[Questdog]

In that Cardinals-Tigers playoff game, how did A.Reyes end up with the win AND the save??

edit: nevermind....looked it up....Alberto and Anthony....though Anthony only pitched 4 games in real life....

[Nick Soulis]

SEASON 13

1. 1982 Baltimore Orioles



Record: 94-68
Finish: 2nd In AL East
Manager: Earl Weaver
Ball Park: Memorial Stadium
Hall of Famers: (3) Jim Palmer, Cal Ripken Jr, Eddie Murray

2. 1945 Detroit Tigers



Record: 88-65
Finish: World Champions
Manager: Steve O'Neil
Ball Park: Briggs Stadium
Hall of Famers: (2) Hank Greenberg, Hal Newhouser

3. 1977 LA Dodgers



Record: 98-64
Finish: Won NL Pennant; Lost in WS
Manager: Tom Lasorda
Ball Park: Dodger Stadium
Hall of Famers: (1) Don Sutton

4. 1903 Pittsburgh Pirates



Record: 91-49
Finish: Won NL Pennant; Lost WS
Manager: Fred Clarke
Ball Park: Exposition Park
Hall of Famers: (2) Honus Wagner, Fred Clarke

5. 1950 Boston Red Sox



Record: 94-60
Finish: 3rd in AL
Manager: Joe McCarthy
Ball Park: Fenway Park
Hall of Famers: (2) Bobby Doerr, Ted Williams

6. 2000 St. Louis Cardinals



Record: 95-67
Finish: Lost in NLCS
Manager: Tony LaRussa
Ball Park: Busch Stadium
Hall of Famers: None

7. 1928 New York Giants



Record: 93-61
Finish: 2nd in NL
Manager: John McGraw
Ball Park: Polo Grounds
Hall of Famers: (6) Burleigh Grimes, Rogers Hornsby, Travis Jackson, Freddie Lindstrom, Mel Ott, Ed Roush, Bill Terry

8. 1997 Cleveland Indians



Record: 86-75
Finish: Won AL Pennant; Lost in WS
Manager: Mike Hargrove
Ball Park: Jacobs Field
Hall of Famers: None

[ShagVT]

That's a lot of hall of famers on the NY Giants to be a 7 seed!

[Nick Soulis]

Originally Posted by ShagVT

That's a lot of hall of famers on the NY Giants to be a 7 seed!

Yes we will see how they do, keep in mind however the teams are not seeded going into the season, the numbering i introduce them are irrelevant. All teams play a 162 game season on a level playing field.

Thanks for following!

[Nick Soulis]

Season 13
April Review

STOBBS IS PERFECT!!



Chuck Stobbs of the 1950 Boston Red Sox did something in April of this season that we haven't seen yet and is a true novelty in the game. Stobbs pitched a perfect game at the age of 20 against the 1903 Pirates in a 10-0 win. Stobbs struck out 10 and is maybe the most unlikely man one would expect perfection from.

STANDINGS

13	W	L	PCT	GB
Pittsburgh Pirates 1903	16	11	.593	-
Cleveland Indians 1997	17	12	.586	-
Los Angeles Dodgers 1977	15	12	.556	1.0
New York Giants 1928	15	13	.536	1.5
Boston Red Sox 1950	14	13	.519	2.0
St. Louis Cardinals 2000	13	14	.481	3.0
Baltimore Orioles 1982	10	17	.370	6.0
Detroit Tigers 1945	10	18	.357	6.5

Awards

Batter of the month: Manny Ramirez - 1997 Indians (.400, 12 HR, 27 RBI, 25 R in April)

Pitcher of the month: Doug Rau - 1977 LA Dodgers (5-0, 2.03 ERA, 29 K, 0.94 WHIP in April)

Injuries

Cal Ripken - 82 Orioles (4 weeks)
Bip Roberts - 97 Indians (6 weeks)
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Team Notes

1903 Pittsburgh Pirates - Sam Leever has won his first four starts of the season and the Pirates pitching staff has helped this team start well. Fred Clarke as the player manager hit .352 for the month to lead by example while Honus Wagner drove in 21 runs from the cleanup spot. Other then a three game sweep at Fenway Park, the month was the start everyone might have expected from this team. The Pirates played 11-5 ball at Exposition Park.

1997 Cleveland Indians - Manny Ramirez had one of the best months we have seen as he hammered pitching and hit 12 long balls. Jim Thome gave him the support he needed with 10 home runs of his own and the 155 runs the Tribe scored in April has pitchers cringing. The Cleveland bullpen has also been strong pulling close games out of the fire with the likes of Paul Assenmacher as precise as ever. Quick infielder Bip Roberts will spend some time on the DL but Omar Vizquel takes over in the leadoff spot and the hot Manny moves up to the two spot.

1977 LA Dodgers - The Dodgers lost three of four games in Cleveland to start the season but played well enough to stay near the top. Spot starter David Rau mixed his command on the mound and won five starts after Tommy Lasorda put him in the rotation, he was the pitcher of the month in what appears to be an offensive season. The hitting needs to pick things up as Steve Yeager is hitting only .200 and no player has driven in over 18 runs. The Dodgers are also playing the best defense in the league and have 10 wins on the road already. Many still like this team for the pennant.

1928 New York Giants - A nice five game winning streak near the end of the month helped the Giants keep their confidence up. The team has the second best average in the league at .273 but are only 6th in runs scored as they have failed to hit the long ball or slug with much authority; Mel Ott is someone who isn't going to see much to hit this season. Ben Cantwell in the rotation hasn't impressed with five losses so a change may be in the works, Bill Walker is another option for the role. Carl Hubbell is still eating innings and throwing as hard as anyone.

1950 Boston Red Sox - The big news was the perfect game thrown by Chuck Stobbs that really came out of nowhere and carried this team early. The Sox came out red hot to start the season winning 8 of 10 before they crashed out late losing six of seven. The opposite could be said of Ted Williams who started slow but heated up later in the month to get his average to .306. Birdie Tebbetts has been a leader early in the season calling great games from behind the dish and hitting .333. with 14 RBI.

2000 St. Louis Cardinals - In the pre Pujols era the Cardinals could still swing the bats quite well and scored 149 runs in the opening month. Jim Edmonds is in the prime of his career and hit 11 home runs in the month while playing centerfield like no one else. Will Clark at the age of 36 is still a hitting force in the third hole as St. Louis is content to play near .500 baseball for the time being. Mark McGwire has 4 home runs but is only batting .245 and to many peoples surprise hasn't started everyday as he has platooned with Clark.

1982 Baltimore Orioles - Of all people Cal Ripken Jr. is spending some time of the disabled list as the Orioles and Earl Weaver are again underperforming in this project. The pithing has been the main issue with a team ERA at around 5.50 and a group of starters with no confidence. Storm Davis has just been drilled in his six starts allowing 25 earned runs in 34 innings of work. Without Ripken for much of the month the Orioles defense has been poor while the offense is hitting only .233 for last in the league. It was truly a month to forget for the Birds a fresh bill of health will hopefully build some confidence and bring some wins.

1945 Detroit Tigers - The Tigers lost 7 of 8 to end the month and are looking far from a team that was once a champion. Hal Newhouser has been what everyone has expected but behind him the rotation has been playing pinball with hitters; Dizzy Trout especially has his 6.20 ERA as something to be shy about. Hank Greenberg is hitting .351 while Roy Cullenbine has driven in 20 so hope at the plate may still be coming. The Tigers do need to play better with their gloves and need to support an already weak pitching staff with some support.