1914 North Carolina State League — Season Recap
Raleigh roars to the finish line; Bulls back in playoffs
STANDINGS
Code:
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Raleigh Capitals 79 41 .658 - 76-44 3 39-21 40-20 6-4 26-16 Clinched W6 8-2
Durham Bulls 62 58 .517 17.0 54-66 8 31-29 31-29 4-3 30-17 L3 4-6
Asheville Mountaineers 60 60 .500 19.0 58-62 2 28-32 32-28 5-5 20-21 W4 5-5
Greensboro Patriots 58 62 .483 21.0 62-58 -4 26-34 32-28 6-9 22-24 L6 1-9
Winston-Salem Twins 57 63 .475 22.0 60-60 -3 28-32 29-31 4-3 15-20 L1 8-2
Charlotte Hornets 44 76 .367 35.0 49-71 -5 26-34 18-42 4-5 17-32 W1 4-6
As expected, the Raleigh Capitals closed out their first regular season championship triumph. The Caps finished with a roar, winning their last six and eight of their last 10.
In the final game of the regular season, Raleigh sent a statement to their soon-to-be playoff opponent, the Durham Bulls. The Capitals ripped their blue-clad neighbors 18-1 at Durham Athletic Park. The Caps scored six runs in the first inning and four more in the third to take command early. Wonder if the Bulls can recover in time for the playoffs? Looks doubtful.
The Bulls did way overachieve if you look at the Pyt. Record (eight games better than expected). And they went 30-17 in one-run contests, finding lots of ways to win tight ones.
Asheville finished strong, winning its last four. But the Mountaineers middled around during the last few weeks and weren’t quite able to overtake Durham for second place. The Patriots, Twins and woeful Hornets all finished below .500 for the season. Charlotte must just hate to go on the road. The Hornets were 18-42 away from the friendly confines of Field of the Hornets.
Baseball Carolina voters may have a tough time deciding who to pick for the Most Outstanding Pitcher Award. Check out these lines coming out of Raleigh’s bullpen:
Andy Owens (18-7),
Oliver “Skull” Jenkins (17-7) and
Mark Smith (16-7). And none of these three was the No. 1 pick in the 1913 inaugural draft. That would be lefty
Jerry Parker, who fashioned a 14-10 campaign with an ERA of 2.75. That's going to be some combination to stop in the playoffs.
Owens probably has the edge for post-season awards, considering he’s thrown a one-hitter, a two-hitter and a pair of four-hitters this season.
Raleigh is an aggressive team on the base paths, stealing a league-most 244 sacks. Second baseman
Troy Riley and LF
John Stewart nabbed 57 each. The Caps just look tough all the way around this year. Scary good.
In the developmental league, Winston-Salem edged Raleigh by two games to win the season title. Asheville was last, with Charlotte in fifth.