Pastime Baseball League
July Review (cont.)
Northern League Review
We have hit August 1 with all four division races within five games. The top and bottom two have segmented themselves, it seems, in each division. We begin with the New York Heroes, who are desperately trying to hold off a tough Louisville squad.
New York has been the PBL's most steady team since the year began, going 4 or 6 games over .500 in each month. Roger Connor (.333-10-62) has a remarkable .448 OBP, also rapping 32 doubles already. But it remains pitching that rules the day, with Jim McCormick (15-4, 3.32) and Frank Killen (15-2, 2.49) each having 15 wins with two months remaining in the season. David Wright leads the team with 13 homers, despite batting only .221.
The Louisville Racers' Roy Oswalt (13-2, 2.98) has struck out more than 200 batters in each of his first two seasons. This year, he likely won't even strike out 150. Yet, it could end up his best season yet, having cut down on the gopher ball from 32 and 27 in his first two years to only 13 this season. Of possible concern: Dan Brouthers' (.281-21-72) has seen his slugging percentage drop in each of the last three months.
Outstanding Hitter candidate John O'Rourke (.290-27-86) of the Philadelphia Ringers tore his hamstring July 28 and is out until mid-September, effectively crippling the Ringers' hopes at a surge back into contention. Satchel Paige (7-9, 4.63) posted a 2.45 ERA in July, but even if he's coming back to form the offensive loss of O'Rourke will likely make the 8 1/2 game deficit insurmountable.
In 55 games with the Los Angeles Idols, Jay Gibbons had 10 homers, 34 RBI and 31 runs scored. In 48 games with the Wichita Brigade? Eleven homers, 41 RBI and 35 runs. Pretty even production. The difference? Gibbons hit .242 before the trade that brought him to Wichita...and has hit .332 since. Add Rube Waddell (12-4, 4.34) returning to form - he's 8-1, 2.88 since June 1 - and the Brigade are closing in on a .600 mark for the third straight year.
At the trading deadline, the Indianapolis Engines dealt power-potential laden Jonny Gomes (19 homers last season, but only 1 this year) to the Ringers for Charley Radbourn (9-9, 4.66). Old Hoss went 4-1 with a 2.30 ERA in July, and the Engines hope he can jumpstart the rotation. Stan Musial (.284-18-79) has been outstanding, seeming a shoe-in for Outstanding Rookie and driving in 29 runs in July alone. Key will be a 4-game set at home against Wichita August 8-11.
In many circles, the story remains the Chicago Hitmen. Despite their last-place status, they draw perhaps the most attention of any team in the PBL. Josh Hamilton (.322-7-30) is back off the DL, but went homerless in the three weeks since his return. Albert Pujols (.248-11-51) suffers from lack of protection, and Babe Ruth (.241-7-36) has sported a 54:6 strikeout-to-walk ratio since getting back in the lineup every day. How bad is it? Cy Young has a respectable 3.54 ERA. His record? How about 1-9? Simply, new skipper Bill McKechnie has a lot of talent, but a lot of work to do here in what seems to be a wash season.
AWARDS
Player of the Week
7/4 RF Fred Clarke - Indianapolis Engines
7/11 1B Jay Gibbons - Wichita Brigade
7/18 1B Jake Beckley - Indianapolis Engines
7/25 LF Abner Dalrymple - Indianapolis Engines
Batter of the Month
1B/OF Jay Gibbons - Wichita Brigade
Pitcher of the Month
Rube Waddell - Wichita Brigade
Rookie of the Month
3B Peanuts Lowrey - Philadelphia Ringers