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Eugene Church · 03-13-2006, 09:20 PM

Monday, April 21, 1902

NATIONAL LEAGUE

CONTENDERS FLOP IN FIRST WEEKS...REDS AND CUBS SURGE

Sparky Anderson's Cincinnati Reds are playing like they were supposed to last year and are co-leaders with the Chicago Cubs in the National League after the first 10 days of play. Both clubs were in the second division last season with the Reds mired in last place and one of the worst teams in the Alltime Allstar Association. Both teams are 7-3 and a game and a half up on third place Brooklyn. Last year's NL champs Pittsburgh is 5-6 and tied for fourth with the Phillies. Pulling up the rear at 4-6 are the New York Giants, St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Braves.

Cincinnati is doing everything right. Hitting an outrageous .323 as a team and sporting a splendid 2.83 ERA. The Cubbies are doing it with power with 13 homers, tops in the AAA and tied with Cleveland. Chicago pitching has not been as successful with an inflated 4.55 ERA.

Manager Anderson has six .300 hitters: Ted Kluszewski (.359/3/7), Tony Perez (.368/0/10), Ed Roush (.375/0/7), Vada Pinson (.366/1/5), Dave Conception (.382/0/3) and Pete Rose (.317/0/4). On the pitching side of the ledger, he has gotten super starts from Gary Nolan (2-0), Japanese rookie import, Kazuhisa Inao (2-0) and Jim Maloney (1-1).

Cholly Jolly Charlie Grimm is overjoyed at the Bruins fine start with some outstanding power hitting and run production from Turkey Stearnes (.474/4/12), Hack Wilson (.235/2/7) and Ernie Banks (.324/1/8). Mark Grace has chipped in with a .378 average, 3 RBIs and scored 10 times. Ed Reulbach (2-0) and Larry French (2-0) heads his mound staff.

The third place Dodgers' pitching has been woeful with an astronomical 5.82 ERA. How they have managed to stay at the .500 mark is mystifying. Good power and clutch hitting has saved them. Duke Snider (.297/2/9), Jackie Robinson (.366/2/6), Pee Wee Reese (.341/1/4), Cristobel Torriente (.364/1/4) and Zach Wheat (.276/0/6) have come through in the clutch. Only Don Sutton (1-1) on the pitching staff has had any success this season.

Pittsburgh and Philadelphia are both 5-6 and in a tie for fourth place, but is is bewildering how the Phillies and the Pirates have the same records, when you look at their stats. The Bucs are hitting a lofty .297 to the Phils lowly .231 and its pitching staff has compiled a fine 2.74 ERA to Philadelphia's out-of-sight 4.97 ERA.

Manager Danny Murtaugh of Pittsburgh has no less than seven .300 hitters in the lineup: Arky Vaughan (.381/0/3), Roberto Clemente (.343/0/6), Paul Waner (.333/0/4), Japanese newcomer, Sadaharu Oh (.326/4/12), Jason Kendall (.313/0/1), Pie Traynor (.306/1/3) and rookie Dave Parker (.292/1/5). On the hill he has a rock solid staff: Ray Kremer (.2-0), Deacon Phillippe (2-1), Vic Willis (1-1) and Sam Leever (0-1). With stats like that, you wonder how the Pirates lost a game, let alone six.

You really wonder how Philadelphia won 5 games, too. Only Dick Allen (.361/1/6) and Chuck Klein (.268/2/8) have any kind of respectable numbers in the batter's box. And only one pitcher, lefty Curt Simmons (1-1) has an ERA under 4.00.

Pulling up the rear and deadlocked in last place are three teams with lousy pitching up to now. The Giants' ERA is 4.25, the Braves 4.62 and the Cards with a 5.02 ERA.

John McGraw's New Yorkers are pounding the ball at a .296 clip, but it is not enough to overcome the bad relievers. Carl Hubbell (2-0), Christy Mathewsonn (1-0), Jim Perry (0-1) and Joe McGinnity (1-1) have done a decent job as starters. Giants batting stars thus far are: Roger Bresnahan (.387/1/7), Mel Ott (.333/1/6), Martin Dihigo (.313/2/6), Freddie Lindstrom (.310/1/5) and Bill Terry (.302/2/10). Barry Bonds (.162/2/3) and Willie Mays (.216/0/2) have yet to start hitting.

Bobby Cox of the Boston has gotten good starts from Greg Maddux (1-0), Lew Burdette (1-1) and Tom Glavine (0-1), but zilch from the bullpen. The Braves have improved over last year when they hit only .231. This year it is .251 with 11 homers, second in the NL and the AAA. Chipper Jones (.378/2/8), rookie Joe Torre (.306/1/4), Eddie Mathews (.257/3/6), Buck Leonard (.286/2/7) and Hank Aaron (.235/2/5) have kept them in the ballgame with their power.

The St. Louis Redbirds couldn't be any worse. Manager Tony Larussa has no hitting and no pitching. Only Dizzy Dean (1-1) and Mort Cooper (1-1) have been effective for him. Batting-wise only Frankie Frisch (.343/0/4), Roger Hornsby (.289/2/4) and rookie Jim Edmonds (.300/3/3) have done anything at all offensively.

See league reports here:

http://aaa.allsimbaseball.com/lgreports/

03-13-2006, 09:20 PM	#395 (permalink)
Eugene Church Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 16,947 Thanks: 92 Thanked 96x in 50 posts	Monday, April 21, 1902 NATIONAL LEAGUE CONTENDERS FLOP IN FIRST WEEKS...REDS AND CUBS SURGE Sparky Anderson's Cincinnati Reds are playing like they were supposed to last year and are co-leaders with the Chicago Cubs in the National League after the first 10 days of play. Both clubs were in the second division last season with the Reds mired in last place and one of the worst teams in the Alltime Allstar Association. Both teams are 7-3 and a game and a half up on third place Brooklyn. Last year's NL champs Pittsburgh is 5-6 and tied for fourth with the Phillies. Pulling up the rear at 4-6 are the New York Giants, St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Braves. Cincinnati is doing everything right. Hitting an outrageous .323 as a team and sporting a splendid 2.83 ERA. The Cubbies are doing it with power with 13 homers, tops in the AAA and tied with Cleveland. Chicago pitching has not been as successful with an inflated 4.55 ERA. Manager Anderson has six .300 hitters: Ted Kluszewski (.359/3/7), Tony Perez (.368/0/10), Ed Roush (.375/0/7), Vada Pinson (.366/1/5), Dave Conception (.382/0/3) and Pete Rose (.317/0/4). On the pitching side of the ledger, he has gotten super starts from Gary Nolan (2-0), Japanese rookie import, Kazuhisa Inao (2-0) and Jim Maloney (1-1). Cholly Jolly Charlie Grimm is overjoyed at the Bruins fine start with some outstanding power hitting and run production from Turkey Stearnes (.474/4/12), Hack Wilson (.235/2/7) and Ernie Banks (.324/1/8). Mark Grace has chipped in with a .378 average, 3 RBIs and scored 10 times. Ed Reulbach (2-0) and Larry French (2-0) heads his mound staff. The third place Dodgers' pitching has been woeful with an astronomical 5.82 ERA. How they have managed to stay at the .500 mark is mystifying. Good power and clutch hitting has saved them. Duke Snider (.297/2/9), Jackie Robinson (.366/2/6), Pee Wee Reese (.341/1/4), Cristobel Torriente (.364/1/4) and Zach Wheat (.276/0/6) have come through in the clutch. Only Don Sutton (1-1) on the pitching staff has had any success this season. Pittsburgh and Philadelphia are both 5-6 and in a tie for fourth place, but is is bewildering how the Phillies and the Pirates have the same records, when you look at their stats. The Bucs are hitting a lofty .297 to the Phils lowly .231 and its pitching staff has compiled a fine 2.74 ERA to Philadelphia's out-of-sight 4.97 ERA. Manager Danny Murtaugh of Pittsburgh has no less than seven .300 hitters in the lineup: Arky Vaughan (.381/0/3), Roberto Clemente (.343/0/6), Paul Waner (.333/0/4), Japanese newcomer, Sadaharu Oh (.326/4/12), Jason Kendall (.313/0/1), Pie Traynor (.306/1/3) and rookie Dave Parker (.292/1/5). On the hill he has a rock solid staff: Ray Kremer (.2-0), Deacon Phillippe (2-1), Vic Willis (1-1) and Sam Leever (0-1). With stats like that, you wonder how the Pirates lost a game, let alone six. You really wonder how Philadelphia won 5 games, too. Only Dick Allen (.361/1/6) and Chuck Klein (.268/2/8) have any kind of respectable numbers in the batter's box. And only one pitcher, lefty Curt Simmons (1-1) has an ERA under 4.00. Pulling up the rear and deadlocked in last place are three teams with lousy pitching up to now. The Giants' ERA is 4.25, the Braves 4.62 and the Cards with a 5.02 ERA. John McGraw's New Yorkers are pounding the ball at a .296 clip, but it is not enough to overcome the bad relievers. Carl Hubbell (2-0), Christy Mathewsonn (1-0), Jim Perry (0-1) and Joe McGinnity (1-1) have done a decent job as starters. Giants batting stars thus far are: Roger Bresnahan (.387/1/7), Mel Ott (.333/1/6), Martin Dihigo (.313/2/6), Freddie Lindstrom (.310/1/5) and Bill Terry (.302/2/10). Barry Bonds (.162/2/3) and Willie Mays (.216/0/2) have yet to start hitting. Bobby Cox of the Boston has gotten good starts from Greg Maddux (1-0), Lew Burdette (1-1) and Tom Glavine (0-1), but zilch from the bullpen. The Braves have improved over last year when they hit only .231. This year it is .251 with 11 homers, second in the NL and the AAA. Chipper Jones (.378/2/8), rookie Joe Torre (.306/1/4), Eddie Mathews (.257/3/6), Buck Leonard (.286/2/7) and Hank Aaron (.235/2/5) have kept them in the ballgame with their power. The St. Louis Redbirds couldn't be any worse. Manager Tony Larussa has no hitting and no pitching. Only Dizzy Dean (1-1) and Mort Cooper (1-1) have been effective for him. Batting-wise only Frankie Frisch (.343/0/4), Roger Hornsby (.289/2/4) and rookie Jim Edmonds (.300/3/3) have done anything at all offensively. See league reports here: http://aaa.allsimbaseball.com/lgreports/ Last edited by Eugene Church; 03-13-2006 at 09:31 PM.