[kenyan_cheena]

BASEBALL WEEKLY

Monday 20 September 1958

VOLUME 24, ISSUE 39

YANKEES TO WIN SERIES IN SIX

World Series preview by Howard Notts, as it appears
in the 20 September 1958 issue of BASEBALL WEEKLY

After one of the more extraordinary regular seasons of recent years, we now sit just two days away from the start of the 55th contesting of Major League Baseball's World Series. It's been an exciting road we've taken to get to this point, a journey full of surprises, triumph and misery. But it now comes down to two teams and (possibly) seven games.

I have to say, it's one World Series that I didn't expect and didn't predict. Back in the late days of March I said it right here, said that the Yankees would be taking on the Pirates in the Fall Classic. Yes, I came pretty close with my prediction, but I was wrong. Like so many others, I didn't believe that the Braves would be able to make it back. Really, I didn't. I looked at their '57 campaign as one of those seasons that comes along for an average organisation once every thirty years. But they've proven me wrong, I'll give them that.

And so we have a rematch, the third World Series rematch of the '50s, making the decade unique in that sense. Let's take a look inside the numbers these two Champion ballclubs have produced this year, because they make for some interesting reading.

New York Yankees (American League Champions): 101-53

Team Batting AVG: .285 (1st in MLB)
Team Runs scored: 869 (2nd)
Team Homeruns: 203 (2nd)

Team Pitching ERA: 3.97 (5th)
Team Opponents AVG: .250 (3rd)
Team Runs Allowed: 688 (T-4th)
Team HR Allowed: 119 (2nd)

Team Fielding %: .981
Team Fielding Errors: 119

Milwaukee Braves (National League Champions): 93-61

Team Batting AVG: .283 (3rd in MLB)
Team Runs scored: 883 (1st)
Team Homeruns: 222 (1st)

Team Pitching ERA: 4.16 (10th)
Team Opponents AVG: .255 (6th)
Team Runs Allowed: 704 (8th)
Team HR Allowed: 137 (6th)

Team Fielding %: .981
Team Fielding Errors: 120

A cursory glance shows that the Braves enjoy only the slightest of edges in offense while the New Yorkers possess what is clearly a superior pitching staff. As far as defense is concerned, the two rosters cancel each other out.

There was much talk during the season of Milwaukee's vaunted offense, and a look at the NL leaders confirms that they dominated. But to say it's superior to that of the Yankees is an incorrect assessment. One only has to look at the ERAs of the two leagues to see this.

American League ERA: 4.00
National League ERA: 4.27

The fact is that the Yankees produced a better batting average against pitching that was superior to that which the Braves faced. Taking that into account it's no surprise that the Braves scored more runs and hit more home runs, and from that we can conclude that their offense was not as "explosive" as it first appears.

Here's each ballclub's premier hitters:

New York Yankees

Yogi Berra: .343, 169 hits, 37 home runs, 126 RBI
Mickey Mantle: .326, 159 hits, 57 home runs, 120 RBI
Norm Siebern: .307, 158 hits, 14 home runs, 75 RBI

Milwaukee Braves

Hank Aaron: .366, 208 hits, 45 home runs, 135 RBI
Joe Adcock: .339, 191 hits, 56 home runs, 150 RBI
Eddie Mathews: .297, 154 hits, 47 home runs, 136 RBI

Let's take a look at the pitching matchups, because as is always the case they'll be vital in determining who claims the Championship. Both teams have confirmed that they'll be going with a three-man starter rotation.

Game 1 @ Milwaukee (22/09): Bobby Shants (Yankees, 16-10, 3.28) vs Joey Jay (Braves, 16-11, 4.24) (matchup to be repeated in game 4 and game 7 (if required))
Game 2 @ Milwaukee (23/09): Ryne Duren (Yankees, 20-8, 3.73) vs Carl Willey (Braves, 7-2, 3.52) (matchup to be repeated in game 5 (if required))
Game 3 @ New York (25/09): Bob Turley (Yankees, 16-4, 3.62) vs Bob Rush (Braves) 17-10, 4.21) (matchup to be repeated in game 6 (if required))

The Yankees look to have the edge in all three matchups, so it's clear that the Braves will need their batters to be performing at the peak of their powers if they want to emerge victorious.

Personally, I think the Yankees will win it in six. It's the matchup of their offense against the Braves pitching that convinces me, although I would advise everyone to look out for one of the most exciting Fall Classics for some time.

After that unprecedented, golden run from '49 through to '53 the Bronx Bombers have found it much more difficult during these past four seasons, winning just one World Series in three attempts over that period. I'm confident that they'll make it two from four and claim their 18th World Series Championship...