So49 '55: Spring Dawns on Expansion Era...

[The Professor]

Summer of '49 is getting ready to embark on the 1955 campaign, our eighth season of OOTP play. Our two newest franchises, the Los Angeles Angels and Baltimore Constellations, are ready to take the field and fans are excited!

As always we're looking for any interested writers to help color the endeavor or just friends to stop by and visit...all are welcome!

As for the coming season, Major League Baseball finally stretches coast - to - coast, so lets go coast to coast and look at how things shape up.

The best fried clams in baseball and products of the Narragansett Brewing Co. can be had at the old Bee Hive, Braves Field. Unfortunately that may be the biggest draw for 'New England's Team' the Boston Braves. Manager Billy Southworth has seen the pinnacle (1948-49 World Championships) and the nadir (current Braves are a cellar dwelling bunch) of the Boston baseball world. Hometown favorite Harry Agganis will draw in fans, but most wait with bated breath for the debut of 3B Harmon Killebrew who may not make it out of AAA Milwaukee this year.

Down the coast in the Big Apple a pair of legendary franchsies look ahead to very different seasons. The one-time class of the Major Leagues, the pinstriped New York Yankees have deteriorated into the 'corpse' of the Junior Circuit. Yogi Berra and a few yeoman pitchers carry a disastrous hodge-podge of journeymen and geriatrics. Fans in the Bronx have grown bitter, greeting embattled skipper Monte Irvin with jeers of "Monteeeee!" throughout home games. Meanwhile, over in Brooklyn, the beloved Bums look to steer a course somewhere between contention and mediocrity. Leo Durocher hopes to bleed one final, solid, campaign from aging warrior Jackie Robinson, see another MVP year from Duke Snider, and manage to forge a decent pitching staff with some spit and wire.

Not too far away from Gotham, the City of Brotherly Love senses that is may just be the ascendent capital of baseball. The league's defending champions, the Phillies, return largely the same group that swept the Red Sox in the 1954 Classic. Aces Whitey Ford and Robin Roberts are as good a one-two punch as you'll find. Del Ennis is the only player in baseball who can steal the limelight from Duke Snider. The Splendid Splinter remains a shadow of his former self but looks to continue his assault on the 3000 hit mark.

Meanwhile, the once (maybe future?) pride of Philadelphia, the Athletics, stand poised to vault into contention after a surprising second place finish in 1954. With Don Newcombe and Fred Hutchinson heading up an impressive cast of veteran and young pitchers, and with sophomore star Hank Aaron carrying the offense, the A's relish the notion of Shibe Park hosting every World Series game in 1955. Bragging rights? You bet!

Just below the city where Liberty was struck, the nation's Beltway is rich in baseball, though winning won't come easy. Babe Ruth's long home, Baltimore, welcomes Major League Baseball for the first time since the pre-Highlander/Yankees Orioles played there. The expansion Constellations hope to spread shades of crimson and navy blue over their home. The Connies new fans can't wait to see coveted draft selection Sandy Koufax take the mound at Memorial Stadium.

...and in the District of Columbia, Washington, the hapless Senators remain first in everything but the standings. Other than the occasional Bobby Thomson bomb or the potentially impressive young slugging of 1B Norm Zauchin, there just isn't much to see at Griffith Stadium. At least, for the Nats, they have the Yankees to keep them from the cellar - or so their faithful hope. Joe Hardy, where are you?!?!

Across the mountains and into the Old Northwest one finds the state of Ohio split in its devotion.

Does one follow the classy, championship toting, Tribe of Cleveland? Do they wax partisan for the brash, hard-luck, perpetually short of the mark Reds?

In Cleveland former All-Star 2B Joe Gordon takes the reins from the retiring Bull Uhle. The Indians are no longer world beaters and the door shut on the dynasty in 1954. Gordon hopes it won't be locked in the coming year, but knows he has a lot of work to get his team younger. The usual cast: Boudreau, Doby, Clark and Rosen will carry the Indians wherever they go in 1955. A return to form by ace Bob Lemon wouldn't hurt.

The Queen City's Reds would like nothing more than not to finish the year in heart-breaking fashion. Kluszewski, Raffensberger and Co. have been robbed by walk-off homers, by underachievement, and by the unfortunate weakness of their league rivals. The National League flag hangs - perpetually - just beyond their grasp. The window is slowly closing on the veteran Reds championship aspirations. Their pitching is brilliant, the hitting isn't terrible. The breaks? They need them, and badly.

Then the Great Lakes. The should be contender, the would-be contender and the up-and-comer.

In Detroit the Motown Eight, a modern Murderer's Row, leads the Majors in just about all offensive categories. George Shuba, the AL's preeminent slugger and reigning MVP, with Willie Mays and Eddie Mathews, forms the core of a fearsome lineup. The pitching looks as good as anyone else's on paper. Yet, somehow, the Bengals just can't seem to do what everybody expects them to do. Baffling!

The beloved 'Slap-and-Dash Kids' of Chicago's southside seem to have lost direction. Their brand of baseball is small, their defense flawless, the pitching very good. The anticipation of contention has wilted in the heat of disappointment as injuries and overwhelming underachievement have derailed the AL's most promising 'Next Year' team. Still, fans hope that Chico, Cass and Mr. Kiner have enough to suprise the critics in the coming months.

In Wrigleyville, north of the White Sox Comiskey Park, the Cubs continue to fit the pieces into their young group. Great pitching is the order of the day with Stu Miller, Bob Buhl and Tommy Gorman throwing strikes. Young guns Mickey Mantle and Moose Skowron look to tow the offensive load with some big help from beloved 3B Andy Pafko.

From Chicago, south across the Illinois plains, the Mound City - Gateway to the West - has a contender. Surprisingly, it isn't the declining Cardinals. The young and talented Browns feature the best young slugger in the league (Steve Bilko) and an impressive starting group that should help them push closer to the top of the circuit in 1955. The Cardinals? The Redbirds remain the epitome of mediocrity, good enough to get people hoping before the certain collapse of September finds them back in the middle of the pack. Stan Musial remains a rare talent, though.

From St. Louis a steam-boat ride up the 'Mighty Mississippi' brings visitors to the new baseball-mad Twin Cities of Minneapolis-St. Paul. The transplanted Giants are a popular phenomenon despite the atmosphere of rebuilding. Fans cram into the shoebox-sized Nicollet Park to see youngster Paul Smith and hit-man Don Mueller work their magic. The Giants remain only a pitching staff away from becoming consistent winners.

...and from the Twin Cities its a long flight over the Rocky Mountains to the 'Left' Coast where American League baseball prepares for its debut.

In the hills by the Golden Gate the formerly N'eastern Red Sox - curseless at last, or so they hope - aim to bring a pennant to San Francisco in their first season there. Pitching is primo with Curt Simmons, Virgil Trucks and top prospect Johnny Podres hoping to twirl gems in Seals Stadium. Sluggers Wally Post and Frank Thomas hope to engage the throngs with some mammoth blasts while Richie Ashburn will dazzle them on the basepaths. It seems certain that San Francisco is in for a treat in 1955!

And down the coast, in the City of Angels, the cavernous Los Angeles Coliseum readies itself to play host to the expansion Angels. Former Browns ace Ned Garver peers ominously at the curious dimensions of the massive facility while slugging rookie Rocky Colavito - if he gets the call - considers taking aim at the net in the short reaches of left-field.

[JDScorch]

Awesome write-up Nathan as always! Keep an eye on those Giants, as noted, a pitching staff is what is needed. Take note that the recent draft supplied the Giants with 7 of their top 10 prospects, 6 of those 7 being pitchers--- Herb Score, Pedro(Pete) Ramos and Don Bessent all may find their way into the rotation quickly this year with the only concern being their youth. It could be a long year with 3 rookies in the rotation, but hopefully a year of seasoning may make the Giants a pennant contender for years to come. A move out of the Nicolett band box into the more comfortable Met stadium(currently being built) is also on the horizon.

[Michael Xavier]

Yes, the Reds are getting old, but our leathery nature will make us a tougher bunch to edge past. Great write up Nate.

[woody5254]

Nate: I loved the writeup. I can't wait to get the season started. It should be a very interesting one, once again.

[UKSubs]

A first rate writeup as always, but you should have saved the best for last.