Time Warp Baseball

[DamnYankees]

Matt, I'm sure this has been asked before, but why don't you run this league through the CatoBase ringer? I realize its too late now, but I weas curious as to why you didn't at the start. I'd love to see who is definitively (at least according to Bill James) the best statistical player of all time. Woodson? Miller? Vancini? Who knows.

[metsgeek]

Originally Posted by DamnYankees

Matt, I'm sure this has been asked before, but why don't you run this league through the CatoBase ringer? I realize its too late now, but I weas curious as to why you didn't at the start. I'd love to see who is definitively (at least according to Bill James) the best statistical player of all time. Woodson? Miller? Vancini? Who knows.

Nothing like rubbing salt in the wound

[Matt from TN]

Originally Posted by jdw

But that's *nothing* on the nuttiness of the Yanks. They moves long time all star 2B "Swervin'" Ervin Skjerly to CF. They did this so that 35 year old Murray Hofer could start at 2B after 13 seasons with the Yanks of NEVER being a regular. Granted, he is responding, but I just don't get the OOTP AI more than half the time. Remind me not to upgrade to 6.0 if I'm going to see goofy stuff like this in my replays.

Actually, I'm responsible for that one... I though Hofer was better than Laubach, who the cpu had going in RF.

Originally Posted by jdw

One thing that would be nice on the webpage as we do historical work would be to have the "retired" player profiles available of the major players - with an index. Some of them we can get to off the career leader boards, but some of those guys are rolling off all the time. Dark Horse, for example, isn't anywhere on the leader board.

When the league goes live in '46, you'll be able to view everyone thru the league file by going to the HOF page & viewing all retired players.

Originally Posted by DamnYankees

Matt, I'm sure this has been asked before, but why don't you run this league through the CatoBase ringer? I realize its too late now, but I weas curious as to why you didn't at the start. I'd love to see who is definitively (at least according to Bill James) the best statistical player of all time. Woodson? Miller? Vancini? Who knows.

Yes, metsgeek and other longtime TWB followers have heard me lament this situation many times before... I forgot to save some of my initial league files, so a complete catobase is out of the question...

*kicks self once more for good measure*

[Matt from TN]

BOX SCORE from Punchy Cote's 300th Win

BOX SCORE from David Wickersham's 300th Win

[Matt from TN]

June 1942

Cleveland went 18-8 and powered ahead of a slumping Yankees squad. New York went 9-16 and fell 5 games behind the Tribe and nearly into 3rd place. Just a half-game behind New York are the Browns, who went 16-10 in June. The defending champion Senators are reeling, now in 5th place and 13 games back.

The Giants went 16-12, maintaining their lead. The Cubs went 14-13 and dropped another 1.5 games back. They received the kind of news they had dreaded all season when David Wickersham was lost for the season on June 25th with a torn bicep. The top of their rotation is still solid, but 2nd-year pitcher Harry Springer has been called on to be the 4th starter. He is 3-3 with a 3.29 ERA thus far. Dodgers ace Frank Smith recorded his 300th win on June 19th against the Cardinals. View the BOX SCORE here. The Dodgers and Cardinals have had somewhat disappointing seasons so far, but they are both tied for 4th at 7.5 games back. Brooklyn's Oscar Vancini hit 7 homeruns this month, but he and other players are bemoaning the low-voltage ball.

IRL: HRs were down for the season by more than 25 percent, and the NL averaged less than four runs a game per team for the first time since 1920.

The biggest news this month was made by the Pirates. They rolled off an amazing 17-game winning streak, which started back on May 26th at Boston. During the streak, the Pirates swept the Braves and Cardinals in two series each and the Reds once. They won two games against the Cubs before Chicago snapped the streak on June 14th in a 6-1 defeat of Bradford Rust. Prior to that loss, Rust had been one of the most spectacular Pirates by throwing a 2-hit shutout of the Reds on June 5th followed by a 1-hit shutout of the Cardinals on the 10th. Perhaps the most bizarre fact of the streak is that the 6-1 loss to Chicago actually started a 6-game losing streak. After snapping that streak with a 3-2 win over the Phillies on June 21st, Pittsburgh was swept by the Giants and then swept the Reds. It was a strange month indeed for Pittsburgh, but when the dust settled, they found themselves in 3rd place and 6 games behind New York.

War Update

On June 6th, former White Sox minor leaguer Gene Stack became the first professional baseball draftee to die on active duty after suffering a heart attack following an Army ball game.

Several major leaguers will miss the rest of the season after joining the war effort, either after volunteering or via the draft. Cincinnati first baseman Hank Faver has already departed after joining the Army. Yankees pitcher Hale Scheepers leaves for the Navy in a few days after being drafted earlier this year. Senators outfielder Wolter Tjeenk-Willink also volunteered in hopes of helping the people in his native Netherlands. Other well-known players due to leave soon are recently acquired Tigers first baseman Rik Kaladimos, who was drafted just weeks after being traded to Detroit, A's outfielder Peaches Badeau, Cardinals outfielder Morton Chamblee and Browns second baseman Vern Piernatzski.

FYI: I took 1/2 the players for 1942 before the season started and the other 1/2 now to simulate players leaving mid-season, as some did IRL. All players who left will be posted soon for all to see.


American League-Pitcher of the Month:
David Cubit (SLA)!
He had a record of 5-0 in 6 games started, with an ERA of 2.38 and 1 shutouts.

American League-Batter of the Month:
Al Arsenault (BOS)!
He batted .337 in 95 AB, with 3 homers and 16 RBI.

National League-Pitcher of the Month:
Remmy Paul (BKN)!
He had a record of 3-3 in 7 games started, with an ERA of 1.33 and 3 shutouts.

National League-Batter of the Month:
Dale Lamberty (NYG)!
He batted .313 in 83 AB, with 6 homers and 12 RBI.

American League Standings 
  
Cleveland        47 28 .627 -
New York (A)     41 32 .562 5.0
St. Louis (A)    42 34 .553 5.5 
Chicago (A)      35 40 .467 12.0
Washington       35 42 .455 13.0
Philadelphia (A) 34 41 .453 13.0
Detroit          34 42 .447 13.5
Boston (A)       33 42 .440 14.0
 
National League Standings 
 
New York (N)     49 28 .636 -
Chicago (N)      43 33 .566 5.5
Pittsburgh       42 33 .560 6.0 
Brooklyn         40 34 .541 7.5 
St. Louis (N)    41 35 .539 7.5
Philadelphia (N) 30 45 .400 18.0
Boston (N)       29 47 .382 19.5  
Cincinnati       28 47 .373 20.0

AL AVG
.353 Ping Hung, Yankees
.350 Murray Hofer, Yankees
.333 Blake Crocitto, Senators

NL AVG
.320 Reggie Woodson, Pirates
.317 Andy Martineau, Giants
.316 Pat Dorsey, Pirates

AL HOMERUNS
9 Carl Kahle, Senators
8 Pokey Dorsey, Red Sox
8 Denny Caneer, Tigers

NL HOMERUNS
11 Oscar Vancini, Dodgers
10 Hank Faver, Reds
10 Dale Lamberty, Giants

AL RBI
48 Bill Berry, Indians
40 Daniel Lutzke, Indians
40 Danny Lazo, White Sox

NL RBI
49 Morton Chamblee, Cardinals
49 Elmer Menard, Pirates
45 Oscar Vancini, Dodgers

AL STEALS
34 Ping Hung, Yankees
24 Joe Campbell, Indians
23 John Shears, Senators

NL STEALS
38 Jonny Perly, Dodgers
28 Francis Gilmartin, Braves
26 Bud Breckenridge, Pirates

AL ERA
2.12 Al Weidenheimer, Indians
2.21 Alex Footwangler, Tigers
2.35 Jethro Lee, Senators

NL ERA
1.46 Remmy Paul, Dodgers
1.72 Frank Smith, Dodgers
2.42 George Cone, Giants

AL WINS
13 Cotton Simson, Browns
11 Art Booth, Yankees
11 David Cubit, Browns

NL WINS
12 Bradford Rust, Pirates
12 Mike Buntain, Cubs
12 Otto Kahle, Cardinals

AL STRIKEOUTS
107 Jethro Lee, Senators
84 Luke Riley, Yankees
82 Micky Guyton, Senators

NL STRIKEOUTS
97 Frank Smith, Dodgers
92 Peyton Arana, Reds
89 Gerald Saxton, Cardinals

Ancestors:

As mentioned above, Frank Smith became the 3rd pitcher (and 2nd ancestor) this season to win his 300th game. Cote & Wickersham are both 35, but Smith is just 32 and having one of his finest seasons.

The webpages will be updated after next month's report.

[rogmax11]

D00D! Yeehaw for 300 wins and all, but the mind-blower was Dad hit a freaking double and drove in two runs to boot! LOL! I know which event he'd have been most interested in talking about to the press.

Pretty unusual season thus far, to say the least: THREE pitchers hit the 300 mark in the same year. Pirates go zig-zag. The ball goes limp.

And Dad smacks a double...

[jdw]

Matt - you might want to edit the date to "June 1942" rather than "June 1941".


John

[Ankhiel]

i was about to want to murder both arsenault's brother...

but one got BOTM.. yay

[tward13]

Matt, can you tell me how many hits for The General? Assuming he didn't get hurt he should be pretty close to 3000 now.

[Matt from TN]

WEB PAGES UPDATED...


July 1942

The Indians went 15-11 and maintained their lead over the AL, but the Browns became a major factor in the race and actually got within a half-game of the lead. St. Louis went 17-8 and leapfrogged the Yanks for 2nd place.

The Giants went 10-15, but despite their struggles, they have managed to remain in first place. That is largely due to the fact that the next four teams in the league have pounded each other so much that no single team can gain significant ground. The Cubs, Dodgers and Cardinals are within 2 games of the lead, and the Pirates are just 5 back.

On July 17th, The Red Sox and White Sox traded aging pitchers with Babe Hardin going to Boston and Mitchell Haynam to Chicago. Haynam was later dealt to the Browns in a 5-player deal. The Yankees acquired Rollie McCord from the White Sox and plan to move him behind the plate. The Giants shored up their rotation by acquiring Randall Bray from the Phillies.

In The News

July 15: "There is no rule, formal or informal, against the hiring of Negro players," says Judge Landis in response to an editorial in the New York Daily Worker newspaper.

July 27: The New York Daily Worker announced that Pittsburgh Pirates owner Benny Benswanger arranged a tryout for three Negro League players.


American League-Pitcher of the Month:
Mark Ponfick (SLA)!
He had a record of 3-1 in 6 games started, with an ERA of 0.78 and 2 shutouts.

American League-Batter of the Month:
Daniel Lutzke (CLE)!
He batted .329 in 85 AB, with 7 homers and 27 RBI.

National League-Pitcher of the Month:
Frank Smith (BKN)!
He had a record of 5-1 in 6 games started, with an ERA of 1.90 and 1 shutouts.

National League-Batter of the Month:
Jeff Bundy (BKN)!
He batted .358 in 95 AB, with 2 homers and 19 RBI.

American League Standings 
  
Cleveland        62 39 .614 -
St. Louis (A)    59 42 .584 3.0 
New York (A)     54 45 .545 7.0
Chicago (A)      49 53 .480 13.5
Washington       49 53 .480 13.5
Boston (A)       44 57 .436 18.0
Philadelphia (A) 44 57 .436 18.0
Detroit          43 58 .426 19.0
 
National League Standings 
 
New York (N)     59 43 .578 -
Chicago (N)      58 45 .563 1.5
Brooklyn         56 44 .560 2.0 
St. Louis (N)    57 45 .559 2.0
Pittsburgh       54 48 .529 5.0 
Cincinnati       41 59 .410 17.0 
Philadelphia (N) 41 61 .402 18.0
Boston (N)       40 61 .396 18.5

AL AVG
.356 Ping Hung, Yankees
.340 Blake Crocitto, Senators
.332 Bill Berry, Indians

NL AVG
.313 Reggie Woodson, Pirates
.312 Kip Opitz, Cubs
.306 Pat Dorsey, Pirates

AL HOMERUNS
13 Daniel Lutzke, Indians
10 Carl Kahle, Senators
10 Denny Caneer, Tigers

NL HOMERUNS
14 Dewey Mickelsen, Cubs
13 Oscar Vancini, Dodgers
12 Dale Lamberty, Giants

AL RBI
67 Daniel Lutzke, Indians
63 Bill Berry, Indians
55 Carmack Alford, Browns

NL RBI
59 Elmer Menard, Pirates
56 Oscar Vancini, Dodgers
56 Dave Arkless, Cubs

AL STEALS
46 Ping Hung, Yankees
28 Joe Campbell, Indians
26 Ray Dimeo, Tigers

NL STEALS
52 Jonny Perly, Dodgers
37 Francis Gilmartin, Braves
33 Bud Breckenridge, Pirates

AL ERA
2.32 Al Weidenheimer, Indians
2.41 Alex Footwangler, Tigers
2.43 Mickey Lonergan, A's

NL ERA
1.77 Frank Smith, Dodgers
1.79 Remmy Paul, Dodgers
2.47 Scottie Allen, Braves

AL WINS
18 Cotton Simson, Browns
15 David Cubit, Browns
15 George Bowers, Indians

NL WINS
17 Bradford Rust, Pirates
16 Otto Kahle, Cardinals
15 Mike Buntain, Cubs

AL STRIKEOUTS
114 Jethro Lee, Senators
111 Luke Riley, Yankees
110 Cotton Simson, Browns

NL STRIKEOUTS
126 Frank Smith, Dodgers
122 Punchy Cote, Cubs
119 Gerald Saxton, Cardinals

Ancestors:

On July 3rd, George Ward collected his 3000th hit against fellow ancestor Frank Smith.

John Skoropat was traded to the White Sox in the deal for Mitch Haynam.

Walt Gustafson was shipped to the A's in a swap for Sloppy Mosich. These were two underachieving pitchers who once were top prospects.

[Matt from TN]

All players who have left for WWII can be viewed here. If someone wanted to, I'd be interested to read on how these departures have affected some teams more than others. You can view each team's transaction report to see who was promoted when these guys went "on the DL."

[jdw]

Matt wrote:

> On June 6th, former White Sox minor leaguer
> Gene Stack became the first professional
> baseball draftee to die on active duty after
> suffering a heart attack following an Army ball game.

Darn, Matt... you could have given poor Gene something more heroic like being at Midway on board the Yorktown:

Attacks on USS Yorktown, 4 June 1942

Heart attack... yow!

John

[jdw]

Matt - I note that Frank Smith had a streak of nine straight POG's from 6/14 - 7/24. Did that streak go back further?

Also among the odd things on Frank this year - he had an ERA of 1.95 in June and went just 3-2. Not, that's not what was odd. He had an ERA of 1.94 in *May* and went just 1-0.

Oscar looks like he's hit the wall - .240/.332/.387/.718. Chalk a lot of it up to the air out of the ball, but not all of it. Despite being #2 in HR and #6 in BB, he's not in the Top 10 in OBP, SLG or OPS.

He is 27 HR short of 500, so that's something for next year. But with the air out and a decline, he may have a tough time catching Kass for the RBI record unless he gets a "bump" relative to the poor quality of the replacement talent coming into the league (which may or may not be reasonable).


John

[Matt from TN]

Originally Posted by jdw

Darn, Matt... you could have given poor Gene something more heroic like being at Midway on board the Yorktown:

Attacks on USS Yorktown, 4 June 1942

Heart attack... yow!

Actually that's a true-to-life event... Gene Stack was the real name of the player and that's how he died... Since I'm not taking minor leaguers, I thought I should use the real one.

As for Frank's streak, I'll have to look that up later.

[jdw]

Matt wrote:

> Actually that's a true-to-life event... Gene Stack was
> the real name of the player and that's how he died...
> Since I'm not taking minor leaguers, I thought I should
> use the real one.

I guessed it was and I was just gentley poking at you. I don't think any of us are expect the "Took out an enemy fox hole before carrying his mates back through enemy lines to safety before taken out by a lucky sniper shot" type of heroic deaths. :P


> As for Frank's streak, I'll have to look that up later.

Looks like Frank is trying to pack away another Murphy Award before going off to war. Going to miss being able to watching him the next few seasons.


John

[haggis007]

Originally Posted by Matt from TN

All players who have left for WWII can be viewed here. If someone wanted to, I'd be interested to read on how these departures have affected some teams more than others. You can view each team's transaction report to see who was promoted when these guys went "on the DL."

I saw that Hale Scheepers (NYA) went to war, then signed a five-year contract extension. How does that get sorted out (if at all)?

[fvamos]

Well my dad's short minor's career is over, torn tricep muscle...career over, very disappointing

[metsgeek]

That SUCKS. I nominate him to become a manager.....as soon as possible.....with a good team.

[fvamos]

Thanks Mets! Its kinda funny I've been watching this board waiting for him to appear and when he finally does, 1.5 seasons and out. If he could become a manager at the age of 18-19 that might make him the winningist coach ever, lol

[Matt from TN]

Originally Posted by haggis007

I saw that Hale Scheepers (NYA) went to war, then signed a five-year contract extension. How does that get sorted out (if at all)?

Extensions are meaningless because financials are turned off prior to proceeding to the next season, because I don't want free agents... Extensions are an unwanted byproduct of me having financials on, which I use simply for fan interest fluctuation and realistic income totals.

Originally Posted by fvamos

Well my dad's short minor's career is over, torn tricep muscle...career over, very disappointing

I'll step in here & say he got a 2nd opinion... He'll be out for the year & come back next year... If I had been paying attention, no one would've even known this injury even happened.