[ifspuds]

Welcome to a new era in Time Warp's Pittsburgh Pirates history. The previous thread covered most of the team's history from 1948 to 1966, when the Pirates won their first pennant since the 1912 season and their first World Series championship since the 1909 season. You need not have read the previous thread to enjoy this one (I hope), as I'll be including bits and pieces of Pirates history throughout the writing of this one.

You need not be a Time Warp devotee to enjoy this thread, either. I'll try to keep those of you not in the Time Warp loop informed and entertained as I detail this new era in Pirates baseball, in which they find themselves the defending champs. If nothing else, this will detail the goings-on of a fictional league, and I think most of us that frequent the dynasty forum can appreciate that on some level.

So sit back, grab some popcorn, and enjoy. Comments, requests and thoughts on the team, the thread, or anything else are always welcome.

[Vris]

Whoa, congrats on winning the Series Jeff!

One of my "things to give up" for Lent is my time spent on the TWB site, so I had no idea. A well deserved victory!

[canadiancreed]

The Pirates revisited! W00t!

[ifspuds]

Originally Posted by Vris

Whoa, congrats on winning the Series Jeff!

One of my "things to give up" for Lent is my time spent on the TWB site, so I had no idea. A well deserved victory!

Thanks, Vris. I'm still, days after it happened, pretty jazzed about the whole thing. Hard to believe it finally did happen.

[ifspuds]

A Pirates Primer

For those of you unfamiliar with the team or its fictional history, I present the following primer to get you up to speed. The men listed below are important names and personalities associated with the team in some capacity, past or present, that might come up in stories from here on out.

The Personalities

"Ray of Light" Brown: Perhaps the greatest player in Pirates history, Brown was a rookie in 1908, the year the Pirates won their very first pennant, and won a pair of Batter of the Year awards (1911, 1917). Considered to be the greatest fielding center fielder of all time, Brown won 10 Gold Gloves in center field and added one in left field toward the end of his illustrious career. Elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veteran's Committee in 1950 and passed away in spring of 1965 at the age of 77. After his retirement to Florida, Brown often acted as a coach during spring training for the Pirates and was the first player to have his number retired by the team, along with Jonathan Stobart (see below).

Jonathan Stobart: The Pirates have never had a pitcher elected to the Hall of Fame, but Jonathan Stobart remains, ten years after his sudden tragic passing, one of the favorites of long-time Pirates fans. Known as much for his work as the pitching coach for the 1950s Pirates that came within mere games of the pennant three times as for his own terrific work on the mound as a player (183-130, 3.11 ERA in 13 seasons). Stobart was a character, known for his honesty and colorful language, and had his uniform number retired by the team just after his passing in 1957. To this date, Brown and Stobart are the only Pirates awarded this honor.

Bud Breckenridge: Another in a long line of outstanding Pirates outfielders, Breckenridge was one of the most exciting players through the middle of Pirates history from his debut in 1929 to his retirement in 1948. Elected to the Hall of Fame by the writers in 1958, Breckenridge was an icon in Pittsburgh for his exciting play, his winning smile and his love for the game. After his retirement, Breckenridge remained with the Pirates organization as a coach and in 1955 was named the manager, later winning two Manager of the Year awards. Breckenridge passed away in November of 1965 after a valiant fight with cancer, just months before "Ray of Light" Brown died, marking a dark period in Pirates history.

Jack McKinley: Long-time Pirates beat reporter for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, McKinley grew up in Pittsburgh and began covering the team in September of 1927. Well-loved in the Steel City, McKinley has just retired at the age of 67 after the Pirates won the 1966 World Series. One of the old-time scribes of baseball, McKinley rarely wrote a bad word about anyone, and was nearly as much a member of the organization as many of the players and employees. McKinley was one of those instrumental in convincing the league to start the Bud Breckenridge Award to honor players who had struggled under long odds and shown outstanding character and dedication to the game of baseball.

Lang Thomason: Thomason joined Jack McKinley as a regular Pirates columnist in 1955, where he quickly differentiated himself from McKinley's more folksy style by immediately going after general manager Charles Bradley (see below) for perceived inaction on the trade front. Part of a newer generation of journalists, Thomason took on the role of being the cynical, demanding voice of the Post-Gazette, the one willing to slaughter sacred cows, until he went one step too far in 1964 in accusing Bud Breckenridge of being an alcoholic who didn't care about the team he was managing. This was before Breckenridge's cancer became public knowledged, and Thomason quickly apologized upon learning the truth. He's kept a lower profile since then, but now that his mentor McKinley has retired, Thomason will become the primary reporter (and the primary "writer" in this thread).

Charles Bradley: Former general manager of the club through the resurgent but ultimately disappointing 1950s. Bradley was initially signed as a teenager to be a player, but was permanently injured fighting in World War I and joined the team as a scout and later the general manager. Retired after the 1957 season.

[canadiancreed]

Originally Posted by ifspuds

Thanks, Vris. I'm still, days after it happened, pretty jazzed about the whole thing. Hard to believe it finally did happen.

it feels great doesn't it

[Matt from TN]

Looks great Jeff. Can't wait for this new era. Still my favorite read.

[ifspuds]

Pirates Coaching Staff Shuffled
by Lang Thomason
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Success, it seems, makes other teams take a second look and wonder if they can catch a bit of that lightning in a bottle. After being seriously considered for the Pirates managerial job that went instead to Vic Gorin, Pirates pitching coach Bob Bussman has apparently been offered the manager's job with the Minnesota Twins. The Twins recently lost manager Foster Hempkins to a sudden heart attack, the third manager in the past year to pass away unexpectedly. Bussman, hired by the Pirates prior to the 1962 season, was known to be looking toward a manager's position, and the team has allowed him to interview -- ultimately unsuccessfully -- for positions in past seasons. In addition, long-time Pirates outfielder and bench coach Cecil Reed has decided to retire and return to his home in Canada, meaning the team will be seeking to replace two well-respected coaches in the offseason.

General manager George Baldwin would not comment specifically on Bussman's status with the team, but had words of praise for both men when reached for comment. "I think a great deal of our team's recent success can be attributed to both Bob and Cecil. Both men are no-nonsense, hard-working individuals who refuse to accept complacency. I know Cecil has been thinking about retiring for a couple of seasons, but we're very glad he decided to stay and make Vic (Gorin, Pirates manager) at home on the Pirates bench. And I have always maintained that Bob Bussman will make an excellent manager if given the opportunity."

Reed's bench coach position has been offered to former Cardinal and Pirate catcher Chris Proverbs, currently managing at single-A for the Atlanta Braves organization. His ties to both organizations makes him a good fit with Vic Gorin, and he's known to Pirates fans for some late-inning heroics in the pennant race of 1953. He is considered to be a fine strategist and a future manager by some.

If Bussman does indeed leave the organization, some have speculated that the Pirates will offer the pitching coach position to Bourbon Allen, recently resigned from the same position with the Mets. Allen, 66, tendered his resignation after long-time colleague George "The General" Ward retired, but many expect Allen to stay in the game if offered the right position. The defending World Series champs might be just what the Hall of Fame hurler is looking for. It's widely expected that the organization is grooming AAA manager Russell Toledo for a future pitching coach position, but Toledo has already stated that he would prefer to remain at AAA for another few seasons. Under the circumstances, a man with more experience would almost certainly fit the bill better.

The remainder of the Pirates coaching staff remains intact under third year manager Vic Gorin and will go into the 1967 season hoping to build on the success that has so many people interested in the team for the first time in years.

[ifspuds]

The Hitters

Meet your 1967 Pittsburgh Pirates!

Catchers
Henry "Gato" Cruz
31 years old
8/5/4/4/7 (8/5/4/4/7)
1966: .288/.353/.392
Career: .313/.366/.435

Cruz arrived in a trade with Baltimore last season that sent prospects Ken Smolinski and Herb Garder to the Orioles. He adjusted slowly to the NL, but hit .333 in the World Series.

Joey Rustin
32 years old
5/7/6/7/6 (6/6/6/8/7)
1966: .204/.277/.315
Career: .234/.310/.361

Rustin's inability to get anything going at the plate led the Pirates to deal for Cruz. Despite playing backup after the trade, Rustin was still honored for his work behind the plate with a Gold Glove, his first.

First Basemen
Fletcher Jones
30 years old
6/6/10/5/6 (7/5/10/5/6)
1966: .267/.328/.493
Career: .252/.312/.458

Jones set the Pirates' team record for homers with 37, and led the team and league in RBI with 121 in the best season of his career. A strong candidate for Batter of the Year, he lost the award to San Francisco's Jed Williams.

Kenny Bluel
25 years old
5/6/6/3/5 (5/6/7/7/5)
1966: .316/.371/.561 at AAA
Career: No major league at-bats

Bluel will likely be shuttling back and forth between the majors and AAA, as Eric Wellman can back up at first base when need be. He could use some work on making better contact, which will probably only come in the minors.

Second Basemen
Alberto Val
31 years old
8/8/4/9/7 (8/8/4/10/7)
1966: .289/.388/.466
Career: .299/.377/.427

Val raced out of the gate, leading the league in offense the first couple months of the season. He cooled down in the second half, but still posted his best overall season, capped by hitting .409 in the World Series.

Brian McGee
32 years old
4/6/4/7/5 (5/7/4/8/5)
1966: .212/.326/.381 in 160 AB
Career: .246/.339/.393

McGee was once considered the second baseman of the future until suffering a season-ending elbow injury in 1961 that would open the door for Alberto Val. McGee is often a late-inning defensive replacement for Val.

Third Basemen
Ben Trome
29 years old
8/6/6/4/7 (8/7/5/5/6)
1966: .284/.361/.415
Career: .326/.380/.477

Trome hit under .323 for the first time in his career last season but drew a lot more walks than ever before, so was still productive. He also hit .348 in the World Series and continues to provide stellar defense at the hot corner.

Eric Wellman
29 years old
6/7/4/4/6 (7/7/4/5/6)
1966: .297/.324/.426 in 101 AB
Career: .244/.273/.373

Wellman is a versatile defensive backup, able to play 2B, SS, 3B and CF with varying degrees of success and has proven to be a capable pinch hitter when necessary as well.

Shortstops
Tim Crusher
28 years old
6/9/9/7/8 (6/9/8/7/7)
1966: .246/.323/.500
Career: .236/.315/.434

Crusher had his best season in 1966, pounding 26 homers, 30 doubles and 7 triples, enabling him to be quite valuable despite a .246 average. He's entering the prime of his career, and the Pirates hope he'll continue his improvement.

Vic Stokes
34 years old
7/7/3/3/7 (7/7/2/4/6)
1966: .324/.347/.381 in 139 AB
Career: .286/.342/.376

Stokes isn't much with the glove any more, but he remains a very valuable pinch-hitter and backup. He's been named by some in the organization as a future managerial candidate.

Outfielders
Al "Bash" Mahoney
25 years old
7/6/7/4/5 (8/7/9/5/6)
1966: .304/.339/.459
Career: .293/.336/.418

George Adkison may have won World Series MVP, but it was Bash Mahoney's dramatic game-winning homer in the bottom of the 14th in game 1 of the World Series that most Pirates fans will remember. Mahoney had a breakout season in 1966 and is still getting better.

Asa "Cannonball" Booker
31 years old
9/9/6/4/7 (8/8/6/5/7)
1966: .294/.349/.459
Career: .302/.351/.482

Booker's never matched his 1962 Batter of the Year numbers, but he remains a dependable hitter if not the outright star he was expected to be. He's becoming known as much for his civil rights work as for his baseball skills, a confidante and friend of Martin Luther King.

Cap Marcrum
26 years old
8/6/7/6/8 (7/6/7/7/8)
1966: .301/.355/.401
Career: .291/.349/.412

Marcrum's heading into his fifth full season in the majors, so it's hard to remember that he's still just 26 and growing into his early promise. After a dismal 1965, he bounced back with a solid 1966, though his power output has been disappointing to the team.

Ernest Baize
36 years old
5/4/2/3/5 (5/5/1/4/5)
1966: .355/.394/.484
Career: .296/.361/.378

Baize was once a starter, when the team's fortunes were down, but in the twilight of his career, he's become the pinch-hitter extraordinaire. He's clumsy at best in the outfield, so he's mostly just a professional hitter now.

Ray "Beanpole" Eshelman
24 years old
5/9/4/3/7 (6/9/4/4/6)
1966: .250/.281/.429 in 168 AB
Career: first season in the majors last year

Eshelman's a defensive whiz at all three positions and can come up with a big hit when necessary, a slap hitter with line drive power into the generous Forbes Field gaps.

[ifspuds]

The Pitchers

Starting Pitchers
Levi Sellers
32 years old
10/9/6 (10/10/6)
1966: 23-10, 2.62 ERA, 0.98 WHIP
Career: 169-112, 3.22 ERA, 1.02 WHIP

Sellers posted his 4th career 20-win season in 1966, but failed to win the strikeout title for just the 2nd time in the last 5 years, passing that honor on to teammate George Adkison. Sellers is expected to have a few years left in his right arm as he chases a potential spot in the Hall of Fame.

George Adkison
28 years old
10/7/8 (10/8/9)
1966: 21-5, 2.67 ERA, 1.01 WHIP
Career: 98-48, 3.09 ERA, 1.11 WHIP

The reigning World Series MVP was 2-0, 0.50 ERA with 21 Ks in 18 IP in the postseason, and came on blazing hot in September to push his season totals up to a 3rd career 20-win season. Rapidly becoming the ace of the staff, and perenially mentioned as a strong candidate for the NL Andrew Murphy Award.

Hipolito "The Hippo" Castillo
28 years old
5/10/6 (6/10/6)
1966: 22-9, 2.61 ERA, 1.00 WHIP
Career: 88-55, 3.15 ERA, 1.12 WHIP

Castillo was one of the front-runners for the Andrew Murphy Award last season until suffering arm pain in the final month that sent his ERA spiraling down. He still notched his 2nd 20-win season, and led the rotation for much of the season.

"Brushback Jack" Hassery
28 years old
9/7/7 (10/7/7)
1966: 13-13, 3.71 ERA, 1.22 WHIP
Career: 72-49, 3.47 ERA, 1.17 WHIP

When Hassery was signed by the Pirates, he almost immediately was branded a future Hall of Famer. He's got a nasty attitude and all the talent in the world, but after going 21-14, 2.87 in his first full season, he's been an enigma ever since. He threw very well in relief in game 1 of the World Series, and the Pirates hope that the experience of being left out of the postseason rotation will motivate him to work harder in the offseason and come in blazing in 1967.

The Fifth Starters
Shannon "Duke" Richardson
34 years old
8/5/3 (8/5/2)
1966: 8-5, 3.73 ERA, 1.28 WHIP in 17 starts
Career: 65-75, 4.50 ERA, 1.33 WHIP

Richardson has been toiling back and forth between the rotation and bullpen for several years, and after Mike Olinger proved to be unreliable in the fifth starter role, was pushed back into the rotation in 1966 where he performed adequately. Richardson is on the eventual decline, but he's one of the more popular players on the squad.

Mike Olinger
25 years old
7/8/6 (7/8/7)
1966: 3-6, 4.55 ERA, 1.46 WHIP
Career: 46-36, 4.01 ERA, 1.21 WHIP

Olinger came to the Pirates in a trade from their eventual World Series opponent, the Red Sox. Expected to take over the fifth starter role, Olinger struggled as a starter and ended the season in the bullpen. He'll get another shot to start 1967.

The Relievers
Nate Akin
37 years old
1966: 1-1, 4.37 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 1 SV
Career: 31-22, 4.30 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 32 SV

Akin's rapidly approaching retirement, and his role was reduced to just 22 innings last season. He won't get a whole lot more than that this season.

Tony Manley
29 years old
1966: 3-1, 1.69 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 4 SV
Career: 12-9, 2.38 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 8 SV

Manley had the best season of his career, even better than his very strong 1965 (5-3, 1.71 ERA, 0.98 WHIP). He's proven to be an outstanding, reliable reliever in the middle and late innings.

Lynn "Wild Man" Willmon
26 years old
1966: 7-0, 2.08 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 4 SV
Career: 20-13, 4.09 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 12 SV

Willmon took a big step forward last season, the sort of season the Pirates have been hoping for since he joined the organization. As the last remaining piece of the trade that sent famed former Pirates Herm Vardaman and Harold Perry to the Yankees, he's got a lot to live up to. It looks like he just might start to do so. If Rolf Costanza falters in the closer's role, Willmon will get the first stab at the job.

Rolf Costanza
30 years old
1966: 3-6, 4.37 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 17 SV
Career: 36-23, 3.24 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 92 SV

Costanza has, for the most part, been very reliable over past seasons. He's always allowed quite a few baserunners, but has been able to generally work out of those jams, making him a popular figure in Pittsburgh. Last season, however, a few bad games made his season numbers look particularly bad. His role may be changed a bit in 1967.

[ifspuds]

The Prospects

I'll only cover the Top 5 prospects here.

SP Harry Cutshall
23 years old
3/7/6 (6/10/7)
1966: 15-10, 3.77 ERA, 1.35 WHIP at AAA
6 years in the system, 2nd round pick in 1961

Cutshall has been on the radar of hardcore Pirates fans for some time. Always known for great control, last year he added some bite on his curveball and polished his changeup, helping him to keep the ball down a lot more. As a result, he's been getting a lot more groundballs and his stock among scouts has risen dramatically. Cutshall is ranked as the #8 prospect in the majors, and is considered the eventual replacement for Levi Sellers in the rotation.

1B Kenny Bluel
25 years old
5/6/6/5/5 (5/6/7/7/5)
1966: .316/.371/.561 at AAA (383 AB), .316/.393/.556 at AA (117 AB)
3 years in the system, 2nd round pick in 1964

Bluel's been up and down in his Pirates career, and has gone from being anonymous to being a star in the making to being a capable backup, all in the span of about a calendar year. Currently the #71 prospect in the league, Bluel worked hard on improving his plate discipline during spring training. He's an absolute butcher with the glove, and he'll need to improve his contact to have much of a shot at a job.

OF Melchior "Chucho" Cifuentes
24 years old
4/6/5/3/4 (5/7/7/5/3)
1966: .281/.325/.474 at AAA
6th year in the minors, 1st round pick of CLE in 1961

Cifuentes has had something of a checkered career. Once a highly-touted youngster out of Cuba, a series of injuries in 1961 gave him a slow start and he's never really recovered the potential he once flashed. Plenty of power and a good outfield glove, but in this low offense era, his ability to put the ball in play is hampering his progress. The #75 prospect in baseball.

OF Andy Johnson
20 years old
3/5/2/3/5 (5/8/5/5/6)
1966: .235/.310/.344 at A
2 years in the organization, 2nd round pick in 1965

Johnson is a quick, talented defensive centerfielder, but his offensive skills need a good deal of polish and improvement if he's ever going to have much of a career.

OF Ray "Beanpole" Eshelman
24 years old
5/9/4/3/7 (6/9/4/4/6)
1966: .250/.281/.429 in the majors (168 AB)
5 years in the organization, 2nd round pick in 1962

Eshelman is another in a long line of good defensive outfielders with suspect offensive skills in the Pirates organization. Eshelman can swipe a bag or two and he's Gold Glove-quality in 3 outfield spots, but he's never going to hit enough to be a full time starter for a contending team.

[canadiancreed]

You know, Cutshall would look great in Cleveland

[ifspuds]

Pirates Jump to Early Lead in National League
by Langford Thomason
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

When Pirates manager Vic Gorin stated this spring that the team's goals weren't yet accomplished after winning the 1966 World Series, some thought him boastful, or at least a little shaky in the head. As April comes to a close, the Pirates seem hellbent on proving the doubters wrong. With a sparkling 13-4 record, the Pittsburgh nine currently hold a 2.5-game lead over the second place Cincinnati Reds. No one knows just how long the season is better than a Pirates fan, but the early success is encouraging to those that might have feared a letdown after last season.

The pitching staff, as in seasons past, has carried the majority of the load. The first four starters in the rotation have all pitched a shutout already, and fifth starter Mike Olinger, who struggled badly upon joining the team last season, threw eight innings of scoreless ball in a sparkling 1-0 win over the St. Louis Cardinals just two days ago. Olinger's two starts have been completely unlike his efforts in 1966, allowing 3 earned runs in his 7-inning first outing, an 8-7 Pirates win over the Mets. If the youngster -- remember Olinger is still just 25 years old -- can right himself and provide these sorts of efforts the majority of the time, it might be hard to imagine a better rotation.

On the offensive side of the game, Asa Booker is off to a blazing start, reminiscent of his Batter of the Year season of 1962. Cannonball is hitting .382 with a pair of homers, but has already smacked five triples. Before you attribute that to Forbes Field's generosity toward the three-bagger, consider that two of those triples have come on the road. Had it not been for the otherworldly Jed Williams of San Francisco, Booker almost certainly would have won Batter of the Month honors in April. Tim Crusher has been Booker's sidekick in pitcher destruction. The Pirates shortstop, who turned on the offense last season, has taken it one step further so far in 1967, hitting .295 in the earlygoing with three home runs, three doubles and three triples. Perhaps the most encouraging sign from the lineup, however, is Cap Marcrum. The 26-year old has always shown tremendous promise, and has put up numbers to match that promise in the past, but a little more has always been expected of him. His power game might be returning after a two-season hiatus, as he's already got four longballs on the young season.

The Pirates face an uncertain schedule in the upcoming month. After finishing their series in St. Louis, they'll come home to Pittsburgh for a 13-day homestand, hosting the Dodgers, Giants, Cardinals and Braves. The Dodgers, who lost ace Wesley McGee for the season in a frightening incident this spring when he was shot twice in the arm by his wife, are not as formidable a foe as they once were, though they are far from pushovers. The same can be said for the Giants, who still have one of the top offenses in the game, and the Cardinals have reloaded for another run at the National League pennant. The second half of the month will see a pair of matchups with the Reds, so the fortunes of this incarnation of the Pirates will likely be much clearer at the end of this month.

-----

May 1, 1967
Overall Record: 13-4, 2.5 games ahead of CIN

Top Hitter: Asa Booker wins that honor this time around. I certainly don't expect him to post an 1.102 OPS for the whole season, but I'd be very pleased with a mark of .900 or better. He's certainly got the talent to do it, but he's never quite lived up to the very high expectations placed on him.

Top Pitcher: George Adkison picked up 1967 where he left off in 1966, tossing a 2-hit shutout of the Mets in his second start, winning all 4 of his starts in April despite a rocky outing against the Cubs in his 3rd start. He's currently 4-0, 2.43 with 6 walks and 33 strikeouts in 33 innings.

Injury News: Nothing of note.

Development News: Kenny Bluel just can't seem to decide what kind of hitter he is. He's one of the more volatile prospects I've had in a while, losing some plate discipline talent in the past sim.

High Points: We're in first. The highest point there can be.

Low Points: Outside of the guys mentioned above, the rest of the offense is sluggish. I'm sure some of those guys will pick up eventually. I hope.

[ifspuds]

Here's a new twist on Pirates baseball: it's June 1st, the Pirates are in first place by 2.5 games over the Giants, with several teams 4 to 6 games back, and we're picking last in the amateur draft. It's a whole new world for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Because I have the time and I'm lacking inspiration for a Lang Thomason article, let's do a recap of the first round of the June amateur draft.

1) Charlie "The Mayor" Smith, LF/RF, California Angels

Smith was far and away the top prospect available in the draft this season. The 18-year old out of Fly Creek, NY has no holes in his game: he hits for average, he hits for power, has decent plate discipline, plays good defense in the corner outfield spots and can swipe you a bag from time to time. He reminds me of Cap Marcrum, though better defensively.

2) Glen Campas, 2B, Philadelphia Phillies

Campas is a smart player, good defensively with an arm that might give him a shot at playing shortstop as well. He's above average with the bat, but a good student of the game. The college boy isn't particularly fast, but he's got a good eye for pitcher's moves and runs the bases well.

3) Dino Dinardo, CF, Chicago White Sox

A sweet-swinging lefty with serious pop in his bat. He's a bit of a free-swinger with an uppercut in his swing that allows him to elevate his line drives, but puts a bit of a hole in it for pitchers to potentially exploit. He's a capable defender with average speed. The worry is that he's a home-run hitter in an organization where home runs go to die at the major-league level.

4) Vic Lewisson, SP, Atlanta Braves

The first pitcher taken in the draft, Lewisson is a control artist with a ball that moves all over the place. Just 19, he's already got the skills to go directly to AA at least and could move quickly through a building Braves organization.

5) Bogey Heffner, 1B, Washington Senators

The Sens, whose top offensive prospects are all far down in the minors, picked up a major-league ready player in the 21-year old Heffner. It wouldn't be a surprise at all to see Heffner skip the minors entirely. With the Senators currently 18th in the league in runs scored, they don't have much reason not to try him out.

6) Dick Justus, 3B, New York Mets

The Mets, who have struggled mightily since breaking the .500 mark midway through last season, picked up a defensive wizard at the hot corner in Justus. Scouts are already raving about the 21-year old's defense. He's not too bad at the plate, though there are some that say he could stand to hack at a few more pitches. He's well-developed and could see major league action by the end of the season.

7) Chris Mikela, C, Baltimore Orioles

The Orioles are the surprise of the league this season, currently in first place in the AL. They got a nice looking player in Mikela, a capable offensive player with decent skills behind the plate. He's not Hall of Fame caliber, but he should be a quality backstop in a couple of years.

8) Jim Jayas, SP, Houston Astros

An extreme groundball pitcher, everything Jayas throws is down, down, down. The college product shouldn't spend too long in the minors, but is probably a couple of years away even still. The southpaw looks to have a good shot at a career in the Astrodome.

9) Barry Hartt, 2B, Kansas City Athletics

Hartt is typical of the sort of prospects available in this year's draft. After the top few players, we get into average bats and decent defense. Hartt is similar. Not much pop, but he makes good contact and won't embarrass himself going after rotten pitches.

10) Eddie Millan, SP, San Francisco Giants

As the Giants restock their farm system, Millan immediately becomes one of their better prospects. He's not going to strike out a lot of guys, but with a good defense behind him, the control and movement artist ought to be a successful pitcher. He's a few years away, but at age 19, he's got time.

11) Jerry Winslow, CF/RF, New York Yankees

Winslow's another nice player, nothing spectacular with the bat, but capable. Average speed, but good instincts on the basepaths. He's a better right fielder than center fielder, but he won't embarrass himself in either spot.

12) Montey Lewis, RF, Los Angeles Dodgers

A good defensive right fielder with above average speed, Lewis will hit enough to be a starter someday, but to really excel, he'll need to work on picking out his pitches and putting good wood on them.

13) Gabe Frau, 3B, Minnesota Twins

Frau is a little above average in all offensive areas, but he's a below-average defender at third base and might be better suited for the other corner. He's got decent power, but may not hit for a high average in the majors.

14) Garrett Shanks, SP, Chicago Cubs

Immediately after being drafted, the Cubs sent Shanks to the Cleveland Indians in a trade for Floyd McCumber. Shanks is more of a strikeout artist, and if he expects to see much success in Cleveland, might want to work on keeping the ball down. He's had some injury problems in the past that the Tribe will be keeping a close eye on.

15) Harry Hinze, 2B, Detroit Tigers

The rebuilding Tigers made a nice pick this late in the round with Hinze. He's a good defender with good speed and instincts, though he's going to need some work in the cage to have much of a career with the stick.

16) Don Potsworth, RP, St. Louis Cardinals

Potsworth has outstanding control and keeps the ball down, and will keep just enough batters off-balance to strike out a few guys as well. He projects as a middle reliever, with the ability to pitch quite a few innings out of the bullpen.

17) Floyd Cacy, SP, Cleveland Indians

The Indians get a back-of-the-rotation guy with their first round pick. He's slightly above average in all aspects, with good control. He has the potential to eat up a lot of innings, but will need a good outfield defense behind him, or he'll be watching a lot of baserunners end up on second and third.

18) Lamar Carbo, 1B, Cincinnati Reds

Carbo is an average offensive player with no outstanding secondary skills, but the most impressive thing about his game is that he almost never strikes out. Scouts say that they once watched Carbo foul off 15 straight pitches before dumping an RBI double to win a game in his high school state tournament.

19) Sandor Vajda, SP, Boston Red Sox

The New Jersey product is a strikeout pitcher who can get a little wild when he loses concentration. He could project out as a middle of the rotation guy if he works on his control.

20) Lou Hamberrez, P, Pittsburgh Pirates

Our pick in the first round is a swingman, who could either be an innings-eater out of the pen or a back-end rotation/spot starter depending on how he handles his workloads. His best attribute is his control, and if he can keep runners off the bags, he could project out as a starter, which is where he'll be slotted in the minors. Hamberrez is a tall drink of water (6'7", 215) from Texas and throws a slider from a three-quarters arm slot to go with a decent fastball.

[ifspuds]

Thanks to spring break and other things that kept me away from consistent computer access for a time, I wasn't able to update this thread for the 1967 season, but it was a momentous season to be sure:

* The Pirates are BACK-TO-BACK World Series champions! After weathering injuries to both George Adkison and Jack Hassery in the second half of the season, the Pirates were able to hang tough with the rival Reds through the dog days of summer and took advantage of a more favorable schedule in the final weeks to edge out Cincinnati by just one game for their second straight National League pennant. They faced the resurgent Cleveland Indians (1965 World Champs) in the World Series and quickly jumped out to a two games-to-none lead in the Series, taking both games in Cleveland. Expecting to come home and win the title in front of the home fans, the Indians instead kicked the Pirates all over Forbes Field in taking three straight against Hipolito Castillo, George Adkison and Levi Sellers.

The series went back to Cleveland with Castillo on the mound for game 6. The Hippo had struggled in his two previous postseason starts (1966 and 1967), so the Pirates were understandably concerned going into a must-win contest. Castillo came through in the clutch, however, pitching a masterful game: he took a 5-hit shutout into the 9th before getting touched up for 2 solo homers and a pair of singles before he got Andrew Vamos to fly out for the final out.

With all the marbles on the line in game 7, aces George Adkison and Roger Rembro faced off for the third time in the series. The two had split their earlier decisions, and the rubber game started off as an absolute classic, a dual shutout into the 6th, when Asa Booker led off with a single and later scored on Fletcher Jones' RBI double. The Tribe knotted the score in the bottom of the 7th when pinch hitter Billy Bogard dumped a single over Ben Trome's head to bring in Lucien Arbour, who had singled and stolen second earlier. But the tied would be short-lived, as Alberto Val led off the 8th with a double and scored on Asa Booker's 2nd hit of the game. Booker would later score on Tim Crusher's sac fly to give the Pirates a 3-1 lead, a lead they would never relinquish. The Bucs tacked on two more in the top of the 9th on a pinch-hit RBI triple from Beanpole Eshleman and another RBI single from Asa Booker, and took home their second straight world title after decades of frustration.

Al Mahoney won MVP honors, hitting .423/.464/.577 in the series with 8 RBI. In two World Series, the 26-year old left fielder, "Bash" as he's known to fans is hitting .388/.444/.633 with 14 RBI. He's rapidly gaining a reputation as a big game clutch player.

* Asa Booker, in another controversial vote, was named NL Batter of the Year, hitting .342/.387/.512 with 27 2B, 19 3B and 15 HR, 72 RBI and 113 runs scored to go with 53 steals. Some have stated that Booker, the NL batting champ, was an inferior choice to San Francisco's Jed Williams, but some writers have stated that Booker's performance in the heat of a pennant race sealed their votes.

* Manager Vic Gorin, brought in after the untimely death of Pirates legend Bud Breckenridge, won his second straight manager of the year award for his steady and calm hand on the rudder after suffering injuries to his pitching staff that threatened to sink the ship.

The Pirates enter 1968 again as one of the favorites for the NL crown, but they'll have to fend off the Reds and other surging rivals in order to win their third straight pennant, a feat never accomplished by a Pirates team in the franchise's history.

[ifspuds]

Aftermath of a Tragedy
by Langford Thomason
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The shock of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination on the morning of April 4th still reverberates through the nation. In many circles of our society, the mourning over the senseless loss of a man devoted to equality continues unabated, but perhaps few places quite like the Pittsburgh Pirates clubhouse, a place that, for Asa Booker, has become a refuge from the ugliness of the American underbelly.

The greatest active Negro star and possibly the greatest to play in the major leagues, Booker's profile among the average American skyrocketed back in 1962 when he won a controversial Batter of the Year award over John Degal, who had been traded midseason to the San Francisco Giants. At the same time, Booker became a public face for the civil rights movement, marching with Rev. King in the summer of 1963 in Booker's home town of Birmingham, Alabama. Booker's production tailed off that season, especially after the explosion at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, where four girls were killed, acquaintances of Booker and his family.

Asa Booker continued to participate when possible in the civil rights movement, though he remains to this day reluctant to discuss his involvement in public, preferring to keep his public statements confined to his simple presence, a presence that has become even more powerful as his baseball career continues to build toward a strong Hall of Fame candidacy. Always a target for vile commentary from hate-filled members of American society, Booker has now become the target of the worst sort of threats in the wake of Rev. King's untimely death.

Death threats directed not only at the quiet, dignified ballplayer, but his Negro teammates Ray Eshelman and Fletcher Jones have flooded the team's mailbag, threatening mortal harm not just to these men, but their families. These threats have been made before, but with King's assassination, they've taken on a new intensity, tied directly to the tragic events of April 4th. Through it all, Booker and his teammates have let their actions on the field be their response, taking the high road, as difficult as it has been to do so. True to form, Booker has refused to discuss the threats he's received, but his teammates have taken up the cause for him. "I don't know how he manages to put on that uniform every day and keep playing at that level," said third baseman Ben Trome. "We had that swing through Atlanta, and Gorin wanted to keep him on the bench for the first game, just to keep things calm, but Book wouldn't have any of it. Stole a base, had a pair of hits even though he came in as a pinch runner in the 9th."

Cap Marcrum gets an earful of the epithets flung toward his outfield mate. "You wouldn't believe the things that get yelled at him. It's all I can do to keep from going into the stands myself. I can't imagine how he can ignore it all. It's bad everywhere. The south, the north, the midwest, California. Nowhere's safe."

Except the Pirates clubhouse. The closeness bred by the team's recent successes has only amplified the family atmosphere, providing a haven from the harshness of the evil side of humanity that so many feel free to express in these troubled times. "I'll be the first guy to stand up for Cannonball," said Shannon Richardson, who hails from the state of Georgia and has experienced racial tensions first-hand. "He means everything to this team. He's the engine that drives us all. Any one of these cowards hiding behind anonymous mail's invited to come talk to us face-to-face. We'll gladly make an example out of them."

-----

May 16, 1968
Overall Record: 21-12, 3rd place, 2 games behind Houston

Top Hitter: Ben Trome suffered through a dismal April, but has been hotter than a blast furnace in May, hitting .415/.475/.736 with 4 homers and 15 RBI and now leads the team in OPS.

Top Pitcher: George Adkison remains one of the best pitchers in the entire league, and here's why: he's 5-2, 1.89 in 76.1 IP, with a 0.93 WHIP and more than a strikeout an inning (80 total, tops in TWB).

Injury News: Nothing of note.

Development News: Again, nothing of note. The core of the team is between 28 and 32, and we don't have much of a minor league system any more, so that's not a surprise.

High Points: The offense is slowly warming up and guys are starting to pop the longball, a strength of the team last season. Asa Booker picked up his 2000th career hit and has a good shot at hitting some significant milestones this season: 200 career HR (needs 13 more), 600 SB (needs 20 more), 300 doubles (needs 1 more) and 1000 RBI (needs 70 more).

Low Points: We're in third place. But not too far behind.

[Matt from TN]

Originally Posted by ifspuds

Asa Booker picked up his 2000th career hit

Where did he do it, at home? Would be a good "in your face" moment on the road.

[ifspuds]

I think it was a second-inning single on May 3rd at Philadelphia, part of a 4-hit PotG performance. If my back calculations are correct, anyway.

I can't decide just how he'd be thought of in Philly, which is where he started his major league career.

[Matt from TN]

Originally Posted by ifspuds

I think it was a second-inning single on May 3rd at Philadelphia, part of a 4-hit PotG performance. If my back calculations are correct, anyway.

I can't decide just how he'd be thought of in Philly, which is where he started his major league career.

Mostly positive I'd think, but some boos too - a mixture of some racial issues (Philly certainly had their share, even in TWB history. Read: our version of Jackie Robinson) and people who simply boo visitors & former Phils.

[ifspuds]

Sellers, Adkison Return From Suspension, Pirates In First
by Langford Thomason
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

After the ugly incident in Atlanta in early May that saw Pirates hurlers Levi Sellers and George Adkison go into the stands to confront a belligerent fan, leading to their joint suspension for the remainder of May, the Pirates have weathered the storm to have their rotation intact for the first time in two weeks and remain in first place by a game over the surprising Houston Astros. Ironically, Adkison and Sellers returned to action against the same Atlanta squad to start the month of June, but only Adkison got his measure of revenge on the field.

"Some people told me it was stupid, what I did," said Levi Sellers, the quiet, slow-drawling Tennessee boy. "Fact is, I started gettin' the same sorts a mail Book's been gettin', after I went into them stands in Atlanta. Folks back home, callin' me a traitor t' my race. Way I see it, my race and his race is all the same thin'. Hershel Lee, one of the greatest catchers ever, came from my hometown. I ain't afraid to call a Negro man my friend, and you ain't never met more honorable men than Hershel Lee and Asa Booker."

In the game of May 9th, at Atlanta's Fulton County Stadium, the Pirates and Braves were locked in a 2-2 tie after Sellers was lifted for pinch hitter Vic Stokes, who rapped an RBI single to tie the game. With another pinch hitter, Eric Wellman, at the plate, Asa Booker stood in the on-deck circle while Levi Sellers sat next to George Adkison in the dugout. As it turned out, this vantage gave the two men ample opportunity to overhear the vile taunts hurled Booker's way. "You can't print what they were saying in a family newspaper," said Adkison. "But it was the sort of thing no human being should ever say to another." Neither man will say whose idea it was to go into the stands after the heckler, but both went together. It took the remainder of the Pirates squad, stadium security and a fair number of Braves players to bring order.

With their suspensions past, Adkison took the mound for the June 1st game against the Braves with the Pirates licking their wounds after a 13-0 thrashing the day before. Like he's done so many times for the Pirates in his career, Adkison hung a brilliant complete game effort on the board, leading his teammates to a 5-1 win. He would go on to strike out 25 men in his next two starts, against the Dodgers and Giants. It took Sellers until the 12th of June to notch another win, but it was a sparkling 3-hit shutout of the Giants. All told, the Pirates pull into the second half of June in first place, but the team just a game behind is not the expected Cincinnati Reds, but the Houston Astros. The expansion team, in its 7th season of existence, is starting to make noise in the National League, and with two more games remaining in a 4-game tilt in Pittsburgh, the Pirates need to take one of the two remaining games to ensure they remain in first when the Texas nine leaves town.

The Pirates welcome the Dodgers and Giants next week before hitting the road for showdowns in St. Louis, Philadelphia and New York before they pull into the All-Star break with a 3-game set in Wrigley Field. The Pirates expect to place a number of players on the midseason classic roster, and a case can be made for every one of their starting pitchers to be included as well as a number of hitters. A few tickets remain for the two series against the California teams, but like most games in Pittsburgh these days, even the worst tickets are going fast.

-----

June 16th, 1968
Overall Record: 41-22, 1st place, 1 game ahead of HOU

Top Hitter: Asa Booker leads the team in OPS, with a .304/.346/.486 line, including a whopping 10 triples. Though he's just 16 steals away from 600 career swipes, he's been getting caught a lot this season and his attempts may be curtailed significantly.

Top Pitcher: Hipolito Castillo has the most wins (11), Levi Sellers has the lowest ERA (1.83), but George Adkison is the top pitcher. He's 7-3 this season, 1.86 ERA, but he still leads the NL in strikeouts (113) despite missing all of the second half of May with his suspension. And he's done that in 101.2 innings. He's holding hitters to a .190 average, and his WHIP is a miniscule 0.90.

Injury News: Tim Crusher's got a stiff shoulder, but he'll only be out another week.

Development News: Nothing of particular interest.

High Points: We snuck into first place in mid-May and we've stayed there. The Astros are a surprise, and most people (including me) have expected them to fade, but they're hanging tough.

Low Points: Not too many. Another exciting season in Pittsburgh. So this is what winning feels like...