ALLTIME ALLSTAR ASSOCIATION
Wednesday, April 9, 1902
OPENING DAY JUST ONE DAY AWAY IN THE AAA
NATIONAL LEAGUE ROSTER CHANGES FOR THE NEW SEASON, PART 2
NEW YORK GIANTS - 2ND PLACE (TIE) (83-71)
The New York Giants are ready for the season to begin. Manager John McGraw's charges were a very balanced ballclub...second in the AAA with a 3.33 ERA...second in home run production with 140, only 2 behind the powerful Yankees...and in a second place tie with the Phillies in the National League race. Manager John McGraw was not happy with last year's finish. He says nothing less than World Series champions will make him happy. He has added 3 players that should make his bench much better than last year. McGraw chose outfielder Chino Smith in the Special Draft. Smith, reputed to be the best pure hitter in the Negro Leagues, will have to break into a solid group of outfielders. He is a line drive hitter with a little power. Smith will have to move out some slugging ourfielders to win a regular job. Barry Bonds, Willie Mays and Mel Ott all hit over 20 homers and each had nearly 100 RBIs. One thing Smith gives the Giants according McGraw is a fine lefthanded pinchhitter, something they were lacking last season. The NY skipper also picked up fine backups in OF-1B Orlando Cepeda and C Harry Danning. Pitching-wise he added Jeff Tesreau, who will be used in middle relief. The Giants shipped pitchers Gary Lavelle and Frank Linzy, C Wes Westrum, 3B Matt Williams and shortstops Rich Aurilia and Dick Bartell to the minors.
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES - 2ND PLACE (TIE) (83-71)
No one in his right mind would have ever thought the Phils would challenge for the National League title, but they did, and almost won it, falling short by one measly game. In the Special Draft skipper Danny Ozark got him a starting pitcher in Japanese star righthander, Jiro Noguchi, who has good stuff and great control. He will initially split starts with Steve Carlton. RHP Erskine Mayer was also added to the roster in an attempt to get some pitching help for Pete Alexander and Robin Roberts, who carried the club last year. A good hitting outfielder Bobby Abreu made the club with a fine spring and he may share playing time with Del Ennis in leftfield. Juan Samuel, a second baseman with some pop in his bat and excellent speed may give last year's first stringer, dependable Fresco Thompson, a battle for that spot in the lineup. OF/1B Von Hayes will be a very good backup. Ozark is optimistic about the coming campaign, thinking he has a much improved club over last year. He will have returning stars Chuck Klein, Mike Schmidt and Dick Allen, all who hammered over 20 homers apiece. Ozark will also have catcher Biz Mackey for the whole season. He hit .337 in half a year last year. No longer with the parent club are pitchers Al Orth, Tug McGraw and Larry Christensen, infielders Pinky Whitney, Granny Hamner, Scott Rolen and outfielder Gavvy Cravath. Ozark said he really hated to send the talented Rolen and Cravath down, but he just ran out of roster slots.
PITTSBURGH PIRATES - 1ST PLACE (84-70)
Last year's National League champ and almost World Series champ, the Pittsburgh Pirates are back and raring to go. They led the NL in batting average by a wide margin with a .267 team average, but really struggled in the longball department. Roberto Clemente hit 10 to lead the club. All season long the Bucs hit only 55 home runs, worst in both leagues. In the World Series the Yankees outhit them 15-2 in homers. So it was Manager Danny Murtaugh's highest priority to find some help in the power area. He found it in Japanese star, Sadaharu Oh, who was expected to be the first selection in the Special Draft. Lo and behold he was still on the board when the Pirates picked him number 15. Murtaugh couldn't believe his good fortune. Murtaugh also went to his farm system for OF Dave Parker, who will add some smack to the arsenal. Parker will platoon in left with Ralph Kiner. C Manny Sanguillan, a free-swinging .300 hitter will get a shot a catcher. Pittsburgh's pilot didn't concentrate totally on hitting, he also added a fine southpaw, Lefty Leifield, and a good righthander, Howard Camnitz. Both are control pitchers with plenty of junk in their repertoire. Leifield with be a spot starter and Camnitz will be in the bullpen for middle relief. Cut this spring were pitchers Kent Tekulve, Wilbur Cooper, John Candelaria and Leon Day. Infielders Glenn Wright and Jay Bell also failed to make the team and were shipped down.
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS - 4TH PLACE (82-72)
Manager Tony Larussa's Redbirds spent the first half of the season in the second division, but came on strong at the end and fell only 2 games short of taking the NL pennant. They finished a solid fourth. Larussa tried to address the club's biggest needs: more home run power, better-hitting shortstop and more consistent starting pitching. In the Special Draft he got a power-hitting shortstop and a superb fielder in Dobie Moore, a Negro League standout. Last season "good field-no hit" Ozzie Smith and good hitter, Edgar Renteria split time at the position. He added some home run power in the outfield with Jim Edmonds and good backups with utility infielder Charlie Gelbert and defensive catcher Mike Matheny. Larussa promoted reliever Jason Isringhausen to help ace fireman, Todd Worrell. Isringhausen will be the setup guy. The Cardinal pilot decided to stay with last year's starters and hopes the year of experience will give them more consistency. Bob Gibson and John Tudor are the mainstays of the mound staff. Larussa is looking for marked improvement from Satchel Paige and Dizzy Dean, two fireballers with much potential. Stan Musial, Rogers Hornsby, Chick Hafey and Frankie Frisch had fine seasons and will be back again to lead St. Louis. Missing from this year's roster are pitchers Joe Hoerner, Al Hrabosky, Harry Brecheen and Max Lanier, as well as infielders Red Schoendienst, Edgar Renteria, Marty Marion and Ken Boyer. Larussa thinks the Cardinals can win it this year.
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