The standings tell the tale - both leagues are enjoying tight pennant races with more than half of all the competing teams still having an excellent chance to take home the flag and earn a berth in the World's Series this October.
The American League race, of late a runaway for the Washington club, has now become a wide open chase for the pennant. Boston (39-29) and Cleveland (41-31) are tied at the top, with the Pilgrims enjoying a slight edge in percentage. Detroit is 40-32, one game off the pace, while Philadelphia (38-33), St. Louis (37-35) and Chicago (35-35) are all very much alive. And the other AL clubs need to be wary. The Washington nine has turned things around, and are rapidly approaching a winning record: their 17-9 mark in June has raised their record to 34-37 and there is a lot of base ball left to play.
The National League, which has featured exciting races for the past several years, continues to provide fans with an exciting pennant chase in 1907. St. Louis remains atop the standings, with Boston a pair of games behind. Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and New York are all right there in the mix as well.
Injuries may well play a large role in determining which clubs take the flags. Cincinnati is doing admirably without ace pitcher Jasper Ellis. The Baxter Bullet injured his shoulder in April and isn't due back until September, yet the Reds remain on the fringes of the chase even without Ellis. His return could provide a great boost. Likewise, New York (N) is missing defensive star Mark Chesson. The shortstop is out with a knee injury and like Ellis probably won't be back until the final month of the season. One injured player who may soon be back and impacting the race is Washington's Emory Howard. The aged second baseman, out since the third game of the season, should be back in the Senators lineup soon and his defensive prowess and leadership have been sorely missed in the nation's capital.
2B EMORY HOWARD
The Newark Sailors continue to be the class of the Eastern League. Newark has opened up a seven-game lead over the Buffalo Bisons. The Sailors' boast the top pitching in the league with Jim Hackney (13-3, 1.83 ERA), Roger Stewart (13-3, 1.68) and Ron Johnson (6-2, 1.52) leading the way. The hitting isn't half-bad either with Vernon Beveridge (.313) and Charlie Worley (.312) setting the pace.
SP ROGER STEWART
The Columbus Senators are about to hit a snag in their chase of the Milwaukee Brewers for the American Association pennant. Columbus is six games back, but star pitcher Chuck Flinn (9-4, 0.80 ERA) has been acquired by the New York Giants where he expects to start impacting the National League pennant race instead. Without Flinn, Columbus may not have a shot at the Brewers (46-24) who feature the league's top hitter, Steve Lund (.318) and top pitcher, Daniel Sessions (12-7, 1.96 ERA).
SP CHUCK FLINN
"Nervous" Ned Jones is packing his things and heading east - and with his speed, it shouldn't take him long to get there. Jones, a career .298 hitter in the Pacific Coast League (and the undisputed king of the stolen base), was acquired by St. Louis of the American League. His Portland Giants will certainly miss his services, though they have established a six-game cushion over Los Angeles in the pennant race. The larcenous Jones has swiped 49 bases in 60 games for Portland so far in 1907. How he'll handle the bigger arms of American League catchers is a question that will undoubtedly soon be answered.
CF NED JONES