The American Professional Baseball Association

[Mel Ott]

The American Professional Baseball Association

Fake baseball inspired by the early history of the National Football League!

While baseball was unquestionably the National Pastime and the only truly successful professional sport in the US in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, American football (especially the college game) gradually developed a following of its own. As it happens, many of the early football clubs were affiliated with teams that played other sports. Several of the early independent professional and semi-pro teams were founded as athletic clubs, and it was not unusual for a player to compete in different sports during the year. Although a few guys, such as Jim Thorpe, actually did play in the major leagues as well as the NFL, for the most part their exploits off the gridiron were limited to these loosely affiliated semipro teams.

This league is an attempt to imagine what a league of baseball teams affiliated with the early football clubs might have looked like had it continued. Because the early APFA and NFL was pretty chaotic - many clubs joined and played only one season, or part of a season, or in a couple of cases just one game - I've simplified the real history of the clubs. However, the players on the teams (and in future years, the draftees) are named after real football players from the early days of the NFL.



For the 1920 season, the following clubs will play in the APBA:

Akron Pros
Buffalo All-Americans
Canton Bulldogs
Chicago Cardinals
Dayton Triangles
Decatur Staleys
Rochester Jeffersons
Rock Island Independents

There is no DH. The top two teams will meet after the end of the season to contest the President's Cup. I'll be running the Buffalo All-Americans.
Let's play ball!

[Mel Ott]

1920 Akron Pros

Starters

Frederick "Fritz" Pollard - A 25-year-old righthander, Pollard is a real workhorse who should lead the team in complete games. He gets outstanding movement on his pitches, although his command of the strike zone is sometimes a little weak. His outstanding pickoff move makes it difficult for any but the very best baserunners to steal a bag on him.
Ed Watkins - One of two lefties in the Pros' rotation, Watkins doesn't quite have Pollard's stamina, and doesn't have much of a pickoff move. However, his curveball has a lot of bite to it, and he's an expert at keeping the ball on the ground. At 34, he also contributes to the all-important Veteran Presence in the clubhouse.
Russ Bailey - A 33-year-old southpaw who's showing some signs of an impending decline, Bailey's still a formidable pitcher. Although his fastball tops out in the mid-80s, he's so adept at changing speeds and disguising his changeup that opposing hitters can't really get their timing down. His biggest weakness as a starter is his poor conditioning, and the Pros will need their relievers most when Bailey's on the mound.
William Glenn - At 24, Glenn's the youngest member of the Pros rotation and looks likely to have a productive career. He has outstanding command of the strike zone and can throw five different pitches for strikes. Coaches for the Pros praise his work ethic and his team-first attitude as well as his on-the-field skills.

Relievers

Ken Tate - Tate's a hard-throwing lefty who relies mainly on his outstanding slider to keep opposing hitters off the bases. He's also got enough in the tank to make the occasional spot start, and could move into the rotation if one of the starters goes down with an injury.
Van Turner - Turner's a mediocre pitcher who, at just 30 years old, may already be heading for the exit. He does know how to throw five different pitches for strikes, and his 12-6 curveball still drops like an anvil on its way to the plate, so he can still be effective in a limited role.

Infield and Catcher

C - Alf Cobb - Just 19 years old, Cobb looks to have a very bright future with the Pros. He's a little clumsy behind the plate, but he has a strong arm and rarely lets a ball get past him. As a batter, Cobb is blessed with a good eye and a tight, powerful swing that should produce lots of drives to deep left field.
1B - Bob Nash - Nash is an awkward fielder and a mediocre hitter. He doesn't swing at a lot of bad pitches, but his long, looping swing has a tendency to drive the ball into the infield grass. His biggest contribution to the team may be in the clubhouse, where a natural leader like Nash can keep his teammates focussed and ready to play.
2B - Frank Johnson - Johnson's an outstanding glove man who can play all four infield positions with grace and verve. Not much of a hitter, although he's patient at the plate and has a little pop in his bat when he does make contact.
3B - Scotty Bierce - Bierce is a very mediocre player at the hot corner and not much better at the plate. He has very little power and a tendency to swing at the first pitch that looks close to the strike zone.
SS - Charlie Copley - Copley's not an impressive defensive shortstop. He has good range and a decent arm, but he's frequently out of position and has a tendency to boot the ball when he's rushed. However, his performance at the plate more than makes up for his fielding deficiencies. He's not a patient hitter, but he seems to be able to drive even pitches well off the plate deep into the outfield.

Outfield

LF - Kevin Oliver - Oliver is an outstanding left fielder, smooth in the field and dangerous with the bat. He's also an outstanding team player, and at 29 is probably right at his peak as a player.
CF - Andrew "Rip" King - Rip King is an outstanding outfielder, able to play all three outfield positions well, with fantastic range and a cannon for an arm. He's got a great approach at the plate, too. Almost alone on the Pros, King is a fast and dangerous baserunner. A potential MVP candidate.
RF - Harry Harris - Harris is a butcher in the field, but King's range in center masks his Harris's most glaring deficiencies. As a pure hitter, though, Harris may be the best in the game, with a sweet, quick stroke and some real thunder in his bat.

Overall, the Pros have a steady pitching staff and a really dangerous lineup. The team's big weaknesses seem to be a certain nonchalance about fielding, particularly in the left side of the infield, and a near-total lack of speed on the bases. However, with batters this good, it may not matter much that the team won't be stealing too many bases.

[Mel Ott]

1920 Buffalo All-Americans

Starters

Oscar "Ockie" Anderson - At his best, Anderson is an overpowering pitcher whose sinkerball and curve are almost unhittable. He also has excellent command of the strike zone. Unfortunately, he starts to lose his edge after about 90 pitches, which is one reason the All-Americans have such a robust relief corps. The other flaw in his game is his lack of attention to baserunners; fortunately for Buffalo, he doesn't allow very many in the first place.
Henry "Heinie" Miller - Miller's a hardnosed competitor with a real mean streak. He's known to be a little wild; whether he hits opposing batters on purpose or accidentally is always open to question. When he can find the strike zone, he can be very effective. His best pitch is probably his curve, a tantalizing pitch that drops dramatically just at the plate. He should lead the team in complete games this season.
Jake Lewis - Lewis is an extremely uneven pitcher whose best pitch is probably his changeup, which looks almost identical to his fastball when he delivers it. He's prone to walking batters and is sometimes afraid to challenge good hitters. Because he throws so many pitches per batter, he's unlikely to finish many of the games he starts.
Carlos Sierra - Sierra's another weak link in a shaky All-Americans rotation. His pitches don't have much break to them and his command of the strike zone is erratic. Although he's unquestionably the best fielder on the Buffalo staff, he has an unusually slow move to the plate, and good baserunners can usually swipe a bag when he's on the mound.

Relievers

Pat Gary - Gary relies on a fastball that can hit the mid-90s and a so-so changeup to get batters out. He usually works the upper half of the strike zone, so he gives up more than his share of fly balls.
Brad Bailey - Bailey would be an outstanding pitcher if he didn't start to lose command of his pitches after a few innings. His out pitch is a screwball that looks like it ought to rip his arm off when he lets it go. Some scouts speculate that it's his reliance on this pitch that keeps him from being able to start.
Ben Hill - Hill learned to throw the screwball from Bailey this spring, but so far he lacks the control Bailey has over the pitch. Sometimes, not even he knows where it's going to wind up when he lets one loose. He relies more on an above-average fastball to get ahead of batters.
Mark Boucher - Boucher, at 36, is well past his starting days, but he's still got enough in the tank to throw a couple of innings every couple of days. He throws a fastball, changeup, and slider very effectively, and should do well as Buffalo's first man out of the bullpen.

Infield and Catcher

C - James "Lud" Wray - Wray splits the starting catching duties with Seth Adams. Wray's got a good power stroke, although he's a little impatient as a hitter. Behind the plate, he's nothing special; an average arm and an average glove.
C - Seth Adams - Adams, by contrast, is an excellent catcher defensively, with a strong, accurate arm. As a batter, he'll walk more than Adams, but probably won't get as many hits.
1B - Adolph "Swede" Youngstrom - Youngstrom's an excellent hitter, with a good approach at the plate and decent strike zone judgment. He's got a little bit of pop in his bat, too, although he's better at hitting 'em where they ain't than hitting 'em out of the park. As a fielder, Swede's got all the range of an oak tree, so he may get lifted late in close games.
2B - Murray Shelton - Shelton's a very ordinary player. He's adequate in the field, but he's not going to make many spectacular plays. With the bat, he's got a good grasp of the strike zone, but he's got an erratic swing and should hit at the bottom of the order all season.
3B - Joseph Spagna - Fan favorite Joe Spagna is a slightly-above-average third baseman. Like Shelton, he's no artist with the glove, but he makes the routine plays consistently. He's a pretty decent hitter, with a compact, powerful swing. A solid, dependable player who, at 26, should be entering his prime.
SS - Bill Brace - Brace is an outstanding defensive shortstop with great range and a good arm. Just 20 years old, he's already a good hitter who might develop into one of the top batsmen in the league with a little more seasoning. Almost alone on the All-Americans roster, Brace is an excellent baserunner and should easily lead the team in stolen bases.
Outfield
LF - John Weldon - Weldon's a superb left fielder. He's got good range and takes good routes to the ball. Although his arm is nothing to write home about, he's almost never out of position and understands how to play balls to minimize his deficiencies throwing the ball in. At the plate, he's outstanding. He rarely strikes out and is always a threat to drive a pitch deep into the outfield.
CF - Pat Smith - Smith's a mediocre center fielder, but luckily for Buffalo their starting corner outfielders somwehat disguise Smith's lack of range in the field. Smith's real value to the team is as a hitter, where he excels, making good contact regularly and frequently sending the ball into the right-field stands. At 35, the All-Americans can probably expect his performance to decline over the course of the season, but for now Smith's still at the top of his game.
RF - Tommy Hughitt - Hughitt's an average fielder, with slightly above-average range and a subpar arm. As a hitter, though, he completes possibly the hardest-hitting outfield in baseball, regularly mashing pitches into the farther reaches of the outfield. Like Smith and Weldon, he's also got excellent strike zone judgment, and should continue to perform well for seasons to come.

The All-Americans, overall, have a pretty good offense. It remains to be seen whether they can win with a hard-hitting lineup and a distinctly underwhelming starting rotation. Also, because of they rely more than most teams on their relief pitching, the All-Americans' bench is somewhat smaller, which may be a factor as the summer wears on. Defensively, with just a couple of exceptions, they're average at best, and like the Pros don't have many good runners on the squad. The All-Americans appear to be a deeply flawed team with a little potential, if they can keep their pitchers out of big innings.

[Mel Ott]

1920 Canton Bulldogs

Starters

Howard "Cub" Buck - Cub Buck is an outstanding pitcher, loved by Canton fans and feared by opposing batters. Although he's well known for his heavy fastball and a big rainbow of a curveball, his most devastating pitch may be his screwball, which looks almost as dangerous to Buck's arm as it is to opposing hitters. The strain on his arm from throwing it may cost him the opportunity to complete a lot of his starts, but he's tremendously effective when he's on the mound.
Tim Willis - Like Buck, Willis is an extremely good pitcher. He can throw four different pitches for strikes and can pitch deep into ballgames. He may lead the team in complete games this season. The only real flaw in his game is a certain nonchalance about baserunners, and a smart, fast runner can probably swipe some bags while Willis is on the mound.
Glenn "The Bemidji Barber" Barnes - Barnes is in most respects an adequate pitcher, but the enigmatic southpaw earned his nickname from the occasional wild spells he goes through, in which he's prone to throw higher and tighter than any sane batter would be comfortable with. When he's able to keep the ball near the plate, though, he can be very effective, and is very difficult to run on.
Ike Martin - Another lefthander, Martin rounds out the Bulldogs' rotation with an eclectic assortment of pitches. His command of the strikezone is imperfect at best with all of them. He relies on hitters' unfamiliarity with his split-finger fastball and something he calls a "knuckle curve" to keep them from timing his mediocre fastball. Like Barnes, he's tough to run on, but (also like Barnes) that may be the product of extensive experience with men on base.

Relievers

Quentin Gray - Gray has shown indications that he may eventually be a talented pitcher, but for now he's a somewhat unimpressive reliever. He's strictly a fastball-slider man, and isn't particularly accurate with either. The number of innings Gray pitches should be an indication for Bulldogs fans about where the season is headed - if he's getting a lot of work, Canton is probably in trouble.
Fred Crouch - Crouch is a much better reliever than Gray, and should take most of the work for the bullpen this season. He gets good late motion on his pitches, and throws harder than anyone else on the Bulldogs' staff. Still, he's not nearly in the class of Buck and Willis as a hurler, so Canton fans should probably hope that the top of the Bulldogs' rotation doesn't get lifted too often.

Infield and Catcher

C - Al Feeney - Al Feeney's a smart young player - just 23 this season - who should prove to be one of the better backstops in the league, both at the plate and behind it. He has an uncanny knack for hitting the ball just beyond a fielder's reach, and is more than capable of driving balls deep into the outfield. He's also very tough to run on, with a strong arm and a quick release that should limit the opportunities for other teams to take advantage of Willis's lack of attention to runners.
1B - Joe Guyon - Guyon is an elite hitter, with a terrific batting eye and a whip-fast bat. He's also one of the better-fielding first basemen in the league. The only worry with Guyon is whether he'll hold up through the season - at 38, he's among the oldest players in the league, and it's probably only a matter of time before his age catches up with his bat.
2B/3B - Pete Henry - In an unusual move, the Bulldogs have Henry starting at second base against right-handed pitching and at third against lefties. In neither case is he much of a fielder, although he's somewhat more capable manning the hot corner than he is at second. In a pinch he can play any of the infield spots, but he's first and foremost a hitter. A relative youngster at 24, Henry already has the smooth swing and steady eye of a veteran slugger. He's just as dangerous on base as he is at the plate, a heady and fleet-footed baserunner who should keep opposing pitchers nervous and off-balance when he's on.
2B - Tom Delmonico - Delmonico starts at second when Henry plays third. He's only an average fielder and an impatient, free-swinging batter. When he does make contact, he's mainly a singles hitter. He's not exactly a black hole, but his proper role is probably on the bench.
3B - Howard "Cap" Edwards - A natural leader and a gifted fielder, Cap Edwards can play all four infield positions with style. At the plate, he's a decent enough hitter with a little bit of power. He starts at third when Henry plays second, but he's such a good glove man that some Bulldogs fans think he should be given the job at second base full-time while Henry takes his natural spot at third. At 37, Cap may not have many seasons in front of him, but as long as he can flash the leather he should be able to find a job somewhere.
SS - Bob Higgins - At 22, Higgins is the youngest starter on the Canton roster, and he's still got room to develop. Even so, he's one of the better hitters on a club with some outstanding batters. He plays an adequate shortstop, but his real value to the club is in providing a lot of offense from a typically underpowered position. He'll probably never have Guyon's raw power, but he might have an even better batting eye than the star first baseman.

Outfield

LF - Cecil "Tex" Grigg - Tex Grigg, the pride of El Paso, is yet another fantastic hitter in a fearsome Canton lineup. In terms of raw power, Grigg is one of the most dangerous batters in the league, and he could challenge for the batting title as well. He doesn't have much of an arm for an outfielder, but he's otherwise competent in the field. Strangely, though, Tex only starts against right-handers, and some observers speculate that the Canton fondness for "platooning" thier hitters might be hurting the club.
LF - Pete Calac - Calac starts in left against southpaws. He's not in Grigg's class as a hitter, but then few are. Calac is instead an exceptional fielder and a baserunning threat. When he and Henry are both in the lineup, it's probably going to ba long and uncomfortable afternoon for the other side's pitcher.
CF - Jim Thorpe - He may be the World's Greatest Athlete, but that doesn't mean the Bulldogs are giving Thorpe a full-time starting job. He starts in center against right-handed pitching. Allthough he might be better suited to a corner-outfield spot, the Bulldogs are unusually blessed with good corner outfielders, so Thorpe takes the tougher field. He's still adequate in the field, and is another dangerous power hitter. If he started every day, he'd have a real shot at leading the league in home runs, but in a platoon with Franklin, he may be lucky to hit 10 or 15.
CF - Ronnie Franklin - As noted, Franklin takes the field in center against left-handers. He's a pretty good hitter and won't embarrass himself in the field, but he's not really as good as Thorpe overall and - again - it seems like the platoon experiment that Canton is running might not be making the best use of their available players. Franklin isn't as fast as Calac or Henry, but he's a smart baserunner and absolutely fearless about swiping a bag if he sees the chance. The Bulldogs will be very tough on the nerves of lefty pitchers this season.
RF - Henry Lowe - Lowe is an outstanding fielder who does a lot of things well. He's a good hitter and has some speed on the basepaths, and he's not afraid to sacrifice himself to move the runners along. He does have a reputation as a bit of a layabout, and occasionally seems to lose focus in the field, but his fans maintain that he's just lulling the opposition into a false sense of superiority. A solid player who will certainly contribute to the club's success this season, and for many to come.

The Bulldogs are one of the league's better clubs, with a collection of fearsome power hitters and two stellar starters. Although they don't have any glaring weaknesses, apart from perhaps their infield defense, they could still run into problems if some of their good veterans start acting their age. Until that happens, though, the Bulldogs have to be considered a favorite to win the most games this season.

[Mel Ott]

1920 Chicago Cardinals

Starters

Tom Riley - A tall, hard-throwing right-hander, Riley's a workhorse who gets incredible movement on all his pitches. He's a little wild, although some coaches think that works in his favor - batters are so uncertain about where the ball will wind up, they sometimes swing at really bad pitches, "just in case."
John "Paddy" Driscoll - Driscoll is cut from the same cloth as Riley - tall, hard-throwing, gets lots of movement on his pitches. Driscoll may have a little bit better command of the strike zone, and is if anything more durable than Riley. Unlike Riley, who's got a pretty good pickoff move, Driscoll is slow to the plate and good baserunners could probably swipe a few bags from him in the right situations.
Willis Brennan - Brennan, in contrast to Driscoll and Riley, is more of a control pitcher, able to place the ball pretty much wherever he wants. He has a good sinker and curve to complement his so-so fastball. Brennan's also good at the little things - fielding, holding runners on base, sacrificing to move batters along. He lacks the intimidating mound presence of Riley or Driscoll, but he's still a very effective pitcher.
Paul Florence - At 29, the oldest and least-talented member of the Cardinals' staff, Florence is there to soak up some innings and, if they're lucky, keep the team close. It'll be a surprise if he wins more than he loses, and it's likely that his turn in the rotation will get skipped when the schedule permits. He's the weak link in an otherwise-solid rotation.

Relievers

Ben Page - Page is strictly a mop-up guy, although at 24 he might conceivably become more than that eventually. He does have the stamina to start and a pretty fair pickoff move, so in the event one of their starters goes down Page could fill in for a few games. On the whole, though, the Cards are best off if Page is pitching as little as possible.
Michael Cross - Yet another young (25), talented pitcher, Cross seems to have found his niche as the kind of hurler who can get the team out of tight spots. He throws five pitches for strikes, with good velocity on his fastball and remarkable movement on his breaking stuff. If he didn't tire so easily, he'd be one of the elite pitchers in the game. As it is, the Cardinals are fortunate to have him available when their starters can't finish up.

Infield and Catcher

C - Charlie Knight - A hard-nosed player with a great arm, Knight is an outstanding catcher. Although he's a little impatient at the plate, often swinging at the first pitch in the general area of the strike zone, his fast, compact swing puts a real charge on the ball when he does make contact. He's just entering his prime as a player, and will be a force to be reckoned with in the Cardinals' lineup this season.
1B - Paul La Rosa - La Rosa is a pretty one-dimensional player: not much of a fielder, can't really run, throws like a sick child. What he can do is hit the ball, which he does as well as anyone in the APBA. Like Knight, he's rarely seen a pitch he didn't like, but he has an uncanny knack for hitting the ball well regardless of whether the pitch was even close to the plate. He'll be a tough out for the Cards' opponents, more than making up for his other deficiencies with his bat.
2B - Fred Gillies - The Cardinals seem to have cornered the market on good, young players, and Gillies is a perfect example. Just 23 year old this season, he already has a smooth, classic swing and a terrific batting eye, which should make him a feared hitter in the league for years to come. He's no slouch with the glove, either, and can play capably at either second or third base.
3B - Noel Ross - An exception to the Cardinals' youth-first rule, Ross (at 34) is the oldest man on the team. Although his smarts and his unusually rigorous training regimen have kept him in the game, he's at best a mediocre player. He's a slow baserunner and a below-average fielder. At the plate, he has a little bit of power but not enough to make him an exceptional hitter.
SS - Leo Chappell - Perhaps the Cardinals' biggest star, Chappell is an unusually good hitter for a shortstop. He makes good contact with the ball and almost never strikes out. In some ways, he's very similar in his approach at the plate to La Rosa, and like the first baseman should be a hard man to get out. In the field, he's adequate, with a good arm and decent range.

Outfield

LF/RF - Nick McInerney - The Cardinals have gone with an unusual outfield alignment, in which Nick McInerney is the linchpin. He plays left field against right-handed pitching, and right field against southpaws. In the field, he has good range but a so-so arm, and doesn't always get a good read on the ball as it goes to the outfield. At the plate, however, he's outstanding. He possesses a unique combination of power and speed - he could easily hit 40 doubles and steal 40 bases in a season, and might crack double digits in home runs.
LF - Jeff Drake - Drake plays left field against lefties, and unsurprisingly he's not in McInerney's class as a hitter. He is, however, a somewhat better fielder, with a great arm and good instincts for where a ball will land. He's probably best suited to a part-time or bench role, and that's exactly how Chicago is using him.
CF - Dave Albert - Dave Albert is a terrific fielder, with great range, a powerful arm, and an uncanny ability to turn sure doubles into fly outs. His batting skills are only so-so, but when he gets on base he's always a threat to steal a bag or advance two bases on a single. He's been known to score from first on a single to left. Perhaps fortunately for the sanity of opposing pitchers, he only starts against right handed pitchers.
RF/CF - Bernie Halstrom - Halstrom, like McInerney, changes his position depending on the other team's pitcher. He plays right against right-handers, and center when a lefty is on the mound. He's not quite Albert's equal as a fielder, although it should be said his more subdued style of play leads to fewer errors than the more aggressive Albert makes. Like Albert and McInerney, he's an absolute terror on the bases, both fast and fearless and willing to take advantage of a slow pickoff move or a weak-armed catcher. Although not in McInerney's class as a hitter, he's still very good, with a good eye and a quick, savage swing.

The Cardinals have a strong team overall. Their starting pitching is mainly excellent, and they have an outstanding reliever in Michael Cross. Their lineup will give other teams fits - even their worst starters are only mediocre, and McInerney is a rare talent indeed. Their biggest weakness is probably the infield defense, but the quality of their pitching and hitting should more than counterbalance that flaw.

[Mel Ott]

1920 Dayton Triangles

Starters

Frank Bacon - Bacon's the staff ace, although with the Triangles that's a bit of a misnomer. Bacon is a fair starter, and gets good movement on his slider. Like most of the rest of the staff, though, his command of the strike zone is erratic on his good days, and he simply doesn't throw hard enough to blow the ball past hitters. He's not a bad pitcher, but if Bacon's the best a team has, the team is probably in trouble.
Dick Abrell - Like Bacon, Abrell gets good movement on his pitches, but has trouble getting them over the plate. He doesn't have the stamina to complete many of his starts, so he puts added pressure on the bullpen. On the plus side of the ledger, he's pretty good about keeping runners honest.
Curt Wagner - Wagner's an iron man who takes a lot of pride in finishing his starts. He'd do it more often if he was a better pitcher, though. Like nearly all the Triangles' pitchers, Wagner struggles with his control. His out pitch is a really good curve that drops like a rock just before it reaches the plate. The rest of his repertoire is less impressive, but he should soak up some innings for Dayton and isn't awful for a bottom-of-th-rotation starter. Dayton's real problem isn't that Wagner's not that great; it's that Bacon and Abrell aren't a whole lot better.
Herb Prince - Rounding out an unimpressive starting rotation, Prince throws some amazing pitches - his screwball is particularly nasty - but seems to have no ability to keep them anywhere near the plate on a consistent basis. When he's good, he can be excellent, but wise batters know that he's unlikely to string together more than a couple of strikes in an at-bat. The Triangles are gambling that they'll see more good stretches than bad out of Prince, but it's anyone's guess how well this erratic but talented hurler will perform.

Relievers

Gregg Dodson - Dodson's a smart, hard-working pitcher who's made the most out of his limited abilities. He's not really much worse than Wagner or Prince, so the Triangles can at least rest easy knowing that they won't be seeing much of a drop-off in talent when the bullpen is called on. He doesn't throw very hard, but he does have an above-average slider that should help keep him out of the worst jams.
Fitzgerald Young - Fitz Young is the exception to the general mediocrity (or worse) of the Dayton pitching staff. He throws hard, can keep his pitches near the strike zone, and has a truly nasty slider that allows him to strike out more than his share of batters. Unfortunately he's old - 36 this season - and has a slow move to the plate, so the runners he does allow can pretty much run free if they have even decent speed. Still, he's unquestionably the most talented pitcher on the team, and if the Triangles are fortunate enough to turn the ball over to him with a lead, they can be pretty sure he'll keep it.

Infield and Catcher

C - George "Hobby" Kinderdine - Hobby Kinderdine is a reasonably good catcher and singles hitter. The biggest flaw in his game is an unimpressive throwing arm, which could become an issue with a staff as shaky as Dayton's. He doesn't have a lot of power, but he does make good contact with the bat and should do a respectable job batting eighth.
1B - Carl "Dutch" Thiele - Dutch is an OK first baseman, but he's not the kind of player you build a team around. He has a little bit of power at the plate, but he's also got a reputation as a free swinger. Defensively, he's probably below average. Although he's got OK range for a first baseman, he has hard hands and a weak arm. He'll probably need to play at the top of his game all season for the Triangles to have a real shot at the title, and even then, given the team's other problems, it might not be enough.
2B - Harry Cutler - Cutler is a very good defensive second baseman and an erratic, though occasionally powerful, presence at the plate. He'll be the starter when righthanders pitch for the other side. His range at second partially mitigates Dutch Thiele's more limited skills. Although he has a lot of strength, his swing has a pronounced uppercut to it that gives him a better shot at both home runs and fly outs. He's a solid player, but his focus on hitting home runs keeps him from being one of the league's best second basemen.
2B - Ron Vincent - Against lefties, Ron Vincent gets the nod at second. He's not a great fielder, though he certainly won't embarrass himself and has no trouble making the routine plays. As a batter, he lacks good judgment of the strike zone, so he swings wildly and sometimes at pitches that weren't particularly near the plate. He's more of a line-drive hitter than Cutler is and should hit a lot of doubles, which partially offsets the flaws in his undisciplined batting style.
3B - Larry Dellinger - At the hot corner, Larry Dellinger is maybe the best-known and best-liked member of the team. At 34 his best years are probably behind him, but he's still an excellent singles hitter (he has almost no power to speak of) and an average fielder. It's an indication of the Triangles' troubles that they have him batting fifth in their usual lineup.
SS - Charlie Winston - Winston's a good young (24) shortstop who may yet have some room to improve. He's a slightly better-than-average fielder - he covers a lot of ground and rarely makes errors, but has a somewhat weak arm for a shortstop. At the dish, he's quite good - a switch hitter with an outstanding batting eye and good power. He can run a little, too. He'll bat third for Dayton.

Outfield

LF - Al Mahrt - Al Mahrt is probably the fastest man on the Dayton club and should put some pressure on opposing defenses when he reaches base. He's a very capable fielder, with a pretty good arm to go with his sure hands. He's a competent if not outstanding hitter, which makes him one of the stronger bats on the club. He's no superstar, but he is overall a very solid player.
CF - Henry Horridge - Horridge has all kinds of talent, but it's not clear that the 21-year-old phenom will have the discipline to put that talent to use. He's a lackadaisical fielder and might be the slowest man on the team. As a batter he's got real potential, but again it remains to be seen whether he can take advantage of his natural gifts as a power hitter.
RF - Norbert Sacksteder - Sacksteder, like Mahrt, is a real burner on the basepaths, and the two of them should spend most of the season at the top of the order. His biggest asset in the field is his remarkable arm - from deep right he can sometimes throw to the catcher on one hop. He's not an extremely talented batter, although he shouldn't embarrass himself at the plate, either.

The Triangles are a deeply suspect team. Their starting pitching is a mess, and their lineup doesn't have a really dominant hitter in it. They look likely to give up a lot of runs and not score too many themselves, which is not a recipe for success in the APBA. Time will tell whether they can overcome some of those holes through trade or the minor leagues. If they can't, Dayton may have a very long season indeed.

[Mel Ott]

1920 Decatur Staleys

Starters

Carlton Washington - Washington is an outstanding young pitcher. He doesn't throw especially hard, but his breaking stuff is so good it doesn't matter much. He also has an unusually good command of the strike zone, and can throw any of his four pitches for strikes consistently. He should be a top-of-the-rotation starter for the Staleys for a long time to come. Interestingly, Washington is the only right-hander in the Staleys' starting rotation.
Walter "Pard" Pearce - Pard Pearce is a harder thrower than Washington, and can pitch all day long and into the evening on his best days. He doesn't get the same kind of break on his pitches, though, and relies more on changing speeds to keep hitters off-balance. He complements his pitching with solid fielding and a slick pickoff move that keeps opposing baserunners honest. He's a solid mid-rotation starter who could probably head up the rotation of a couple teams in the league.
Roy Adkins - Adkins is a very similar pitcher to Pearce, with a little less stamina and an iron glove. Like Pearce, he's a southpaw who depends on changing the velocity on his fastball and changeup to get batters out. He has a so-so slider that he breaks out from time to time, although not always with the best results.
Jerry Jones - At 32, Jones is the eldest of the Staleys' starters. He's another lefty, but unlike Pearce or Adkins, he's got a lot of snap on his pitches - particularly his nasty slider, which gives left-handed batters fits. He's accustomed to pitching deep into ballgames, and if he isn't the slickest fielder, he won't embarass himself with the glove, either.

Relievers

David Butler - With the quality of the Staleys' starters, it's unlikely that Butler will get very many opportunities to pitch. He's still polishing his game, but he can be very effective in short stints, throwing harder than any of the Decatur starters and getting good action on his pitches. He has a tendency to be a little wild - if he can master the strike zone, he could take his place among the elite relief pitchers in the league.
Woody Wright - Wright is a two-pitch guy who relies heavily on his fastball to be effective. He and Butler should split what relief opportunities the Staleys provide fairly evenly. Some scouts think Butler may already be Wright's equal on the mound.

Infield and Catcher

C - George Trafton - Trafton is a solid if unspectacular player who should post a solid average. He won't strike out too much, and he has a little power, but he's definitely not one of the better hitters on the team. Behind the dish, he's at best competent. He has an average arm, but the game's top baserunners shouldn't have much problem stealing off of him, although the surprising number of left-handed starters on the Decatur staff should help compensate for that weakness.
1B - George Halas - The Staleys' best hitter, with an outstanding eye and a sweet stroke, Halas will unfortunately spend the first part of the season on the disabled list, recuperating from a torn abdominal muscle he suffered in Decatur's last Spring Training contest. When he returns, he'll be a force to be reckoned with, one of the league's finest players. That should happen in late May or early June.
1B - Bart Martins - In the meantime, Decatur will go with young Bart Martins at first base. Martins is a decent enough utility player, but he's not a good enough hitter to be playing regularly. The Staleys will definitely miss Halas' bat in the lineup. Martins isn't really an improvement defensively, either, so Decatur fans will be counting the days until Halas can rejoin the team.
2B - Ross Petty - At second base, the Staleys wil start Ross Petty, who is an outstanding defensive player and a less impressive batter. His grace with the glove may make up for his problems at the plate, although with Halas out of the lineup the deficiencies of some of the other Decatur batters is more apparent.
3B - Hugh Blacklock - At the hot corner, Blacklock will provide a below-average glove. However, he's a pretty good hitter, with a little power and an excellent batting eye. As a baserunner, he's hopeless, and will do well just to keep close enough to the bag to keep from getting picked off.
SS - Burt Ingwersen - At 37, Ingwersen is clearly a player on the downside of his career, but he still has enough talent to contribute, both at the plate and in the field. The Staleys will field one of the best middle-infield combinations in the league, which combined with their generally good pitching will make them very tough to score on. Ingwersen also has some impressive skills as a batter, though at his age it wouldn't be surprising to see that aspect of his game decline as the season moves on.

Outfield

LF - Jake Lanum - Lanum is an outstanding player still in his prime at 33. He has good range in the outfield and a surprisingly strong arm. It wouldn't be surprising to see him lead the league in outfield assists, unless the rest of the league realizes how good his arm is and stops challenging it. As a hitter, he's nearly as good as Halas, and has the advantage of not being on the DL for the start of the season. He can hit with authority to all fields, and might well lead the team in extra-base hits.
CF - Bob Koehler - Koehler's a fair fielder and a better-than-average batter. He covers a lot of ground in center, and can fill in capably in either of the corner spots if needed. He doesn't have a lot of power, but he's got a great swing for a singles hitter and picks up the ball very well as it leaves the pitcher's hand. Koehler's no superstar, but he's a quality player.
RF - Edward Sternaman - Right field is the only position for which the Staleys use a platoon. Ed Sternaman starts against righties. He's a little bit of a free swinger at the plate, though in his defense he has a lot of pop in his bat, so when he makes contact he frequently goes for extra bases. As a fielder, he's more than capable, with a so-so arm but fantastic instincts for positioning himself and reeling in deep flies.
RF - Rob Fisher - Fisher starts against left-handed pitching, and it's easy to see why he gets those opportunities. Although he's not much of a hitter - poor judgment and a lack of power keep him from being an everyday starter - he's just about the only Decatur player with speed and good baserunning skills. At just 22 years old, the Staleys hope he'll develop into a better hitter, but for now most of his value comes as a baserunner and, to a lesser extent, as a fielder, where he exhibits good range but seems to have a hard time picking the ball up when it's hit to right.

The Staleys are a solid team, and with Halas are probably contenders for the league title. Their pitching staff is above-average, and there are several good hitters in the starting lineup. They get good defense up the middle, partiuclarly from their shortstop and second baseman. The only causes for concern for the club heading into the season are the near-total lack of team speed, and the absence of their best player from the lineup. If they can keep close until Halas returns, they have an excellent chance to be among the best teams in the APBA.

[Mel Ott]

1920 Rochester Jeffersons

Starters

Gerald "Red" Quigley - Red Quigley is a top-flight starter, one of the better pitchers in the league. He combines pinpoint control of his pitches with impressive movement on his breaking pitches. His screwball is particularly nasty, but his less exotic pitches are also quite good. He also has a rubber arm and makes a point of finishing off his starts. He should lead the team - and could lead the league - in complete games.
Erik Thurman - Thurman is a bit of a work in progress. He has really baffling stuff - his slider is among the most difficult pitches to hit in the league, according to several hitters - but goes through periods where he can't quite find the plate with it. He's got a slowish delivery to the plate, so the better baserunners can swipe a bag from him with relative ease. More positively, he's got the stamina to finish most of his starts, assuming he can keep the score close.
Bob Argus - Like Thurman, Argus is still coming into his own as a pitcher. He depends on his admirable variety of pitches to keep hitters off-balance, although most scouts agree that his heavy sinking fastball is his best pitch. He has a fair pickoff move, and enough stamina to pitch deep into ballgames, though it's unlikely that he'll finish most of his starts.
Silas Swint - Swint is definitely a bottom-of-the-rotation guy. He'll pitch all day if you let him, and he's good at keeping runners honest, but his pitches tend to be served up right in the middle of the plate or way off of it. He tries to compensate by throwing a variety of pitches, but none of them are terribly effective on their own. Rochester fans can expect the team to skip as many of his starts as the schedule allows.

Relievers

Rich Jones - One of the youngest players on the Jeffs' roster at just 20 years old, Jones might also be one of the most talented pitchers on the team. There's no question that if he had a bit more stamina he'd be a first-class starter. As it is, while many teams have a relief corps that isn't on the same level as their starters, the Rochester bullpen is every bit as good or better than their starters. Although the team's starters are largely workhorses who can complete a lot of games, the team will be in good hands whenever it needs Jones to take the mound.
Alan Wright - Wright is an effective pitcher with a good fastball. Unfortunately, he has an unorthodox delivery that makes it difficult to consistently hit the strike zone. When he's on, he's very good, but he's best used in short stints that limit the damage he can do if he loses the plate.

Infield and Catcher

C - Joe Bachmaier - Bachmaier is almost a prototypical catcher - slow, a mediocre hitter, but with an outstanding arm and real skill at keeping even the wilder tosses from the pitching staff in front of him. He won't be huge offensive threat, but he's a solid, capable player at a tough position.
1B - Bart Carroll - Carroll is a one-dimensional player. He can hit pretty well, but he's got bad footwork around the bag at first and hands of stone. Although he's not a slug on the basepaths, he's no threat to steal and will rarely take an extra base if the play looks close. Even at the plate, although he hits with authority to all fields, he's prone to hacking at pitches a more disciplined hitter would lay off.
2B - Henry "Hank" Smith - Hank Smith is a very talented player who should be a prominent part of the Jeffersons' lineup for a long time. Although he's only so-so with the glove, he's a smart, fast baserunner and a tremendous hitter. While he's not the power threat that the league's top batsmen pose, he has a knack for placing the ball just beyond a fielder's glove and simply refuses to swing at a bad pitch.
3B - Mike Gamble - Gamble's an all-field, no-hit type of player who starts against right-handers. He can play all four infield spots in a pinch, although he's much more comfortable at the corners. He won't embarrass himself with the bat, but he's not going to win any awards from his performance at the plate, and the less said about his skills as a baserunner, the better.
3B - Art Webb - Webb is a very similar kind of player to Gamble, with a little less grace in the field and a little more discipline at the plate. The Jeffersons will probably give each of the two players an opportunity to take the full-time starting job, and it would surprise almost nobody in Rochester if either Webb or Gamble were riding the bench by June.
SS - Lou Usher - Usher is a good fielder, with outstanding range. He's capable of making amazing throws from the short outfield, where he sometimes plays to keep the ball in front of him and give him the best shot at gunning down a runner going to first or home. Despite his speed, he's not a great baserunner - he seems to lose concentration while he's on base sometimes, and is prone to being picked off if he strays too far from the bag. As a hitter, he makes good contact and doesn't expand the strike zone too much, but he's got almost no power and depends to an unusual extent on beating out infield hits to get on base.

Outfield

LF - Jim Laird - Starting in left against right-handers, Laird is an excellent fielder despite having a below average arm. He's a mediocre batter, particularly for a corner outfielder, but his grace in the outfield almost makes up for the holes in his swing. Almost.
LF - John Dixon - Against southpaws, John Dixon takes Laird's spot in left. Dixon is, overall, a slightly better player than Laird - he has a far better arm and has a sweet approach at the plate that is perfectly designed for sending bad pitches into the outer reaches of the ballpark. He's also a savvy baserunner. If he gets the chance to show that he can hit right-handed pitching, he might challenge Laird for the full-time job in left.
CF - Mike Purdy - Purdy is one of the better hitters on the team, and should do well hitting second in the Rochester lineup. In the field, he's probably better suited to be a corner outfielder, so the Jeffersons will gamble that his unquestioned skills with the lumber will make up for his flaws with the glove.
RF - Darby Lowery - Lowery is one of the best right fielders in the league, with outstanding range and a strong, accurate arm. His only fielding flaw is a tendency to showboat - he knows how good he is, and he's not shy about letting everyone else know it. Sometimes, that means he makes an easy play look harder than it is, and sometimes he winds up not making the play at all. That's unusual, though. As a hitter, Lowery is quite good, with better-than-average pop in his bat and excellent strike zone judgment. On the basepaths, he lacks the kind of speed the great base theives have, but his attentiveness to opposing pitchers sometimes lets him take deceptively large walking leads, and he'll swipe his share of bags against careless pitchers.

The Jeffersons are an uneven team. They have a pretty good starting quartet, and their relievers are among the best in baseball. They have a couple of possible stars in Lowery and Smith, but not too many teams will be intimdated by their lineup, and the right side of the Jeffs' infield has some real defensive shortcomings. If their pitching can keep Rochester close, the team will probably be all right, but they don't have the hitters to get into too many high-scoring shootouts.

[Mel Ott]

1920 Rock Island Independents

Starters

Fred Chicken - Chicken is, despite his unfortunate name, one of the better pitchers in the league. He throws a fairly standard fastball-slider-changeup mix, but he gets surprising action on all of them and rarely throws an unintentional ball. He's got the stamina to finish games out, and helps himself in that regard by pitching to contact. He's an expert at getting batters to swing just a little off of his pitch, either driving the ball into the infield grass or turning a line drive into a harmless popup.

Jim Wilcox - Wilcox is an enigmatic left-hander. He throws harder than almost anyone on the team, sometimes reaching the mid-90s with his fastball, but he's much more likely to throw one of his myriad breaking pitches to most batters. He has a pretty good move to first, so only the bravest (or most foolhardy) baserunners will try to steal when Wilcox is pitching. He tires somewhat easily, though, so it will be a suprise if he finishes more than a handful of games this season, and his starts are likely to put some pressure on the Independents' relievers.

Scott Watson - Watson's another southpaw, with a totally different approach to pitching than Wilcox has. Watson doesn't throw as hard as Wilcox, but he saves his excellent breaking balls for tough spots, when they're more likely to disrupt a batter's timing. Watson's also a workhorse, capable of pitching deep into ballgames without losing his effectiveness.

Kelley Brown - Rounding out the Independents' starting rotation Brown is a marginal starter who depends on his use of somewhat esoteric pitches (the forkball and the screwball most prominently) to keep hitters from teeing off on his eminently hittable fastball. He has erratic control under the best of circumstances. He has a pretty good pickoff move for a right handed pitcher, and might be the best fielder on the Rock Island pitching staff, which partially compensate for his occasional bouts of wildness.

Relievers

Ed Wright - Wright is a solid reliever as long as he's not overused. He doesn't have the durability of even a top-notch relief pitcher, but when he's rested he's quite good, hitting the low 90s with his fastball and mixing in enough splitters and chanegups to keep batters on their toes. When he does allow a hit, though, the better baserunners should be able to take an extra base with relative ease.

Mario Perez - A hard-throwing right-hander, Perez could probably start in a pinch if one of the Rock Island rotation were injured. His biggest limitation on the mound is that he's only mastered the fastball and the slider, so if he has to face the same batters more than once, they've probably seen what he has to offer. Still, the team is in good shape with Perez as a quality reliever and insurance for the starters.

Infield and Catcher

C - Freeman Fitzgerald - Fitzgerald is a so-so player. He's not a terrible catcher defensively, but he doesn't have a great arm and he has a hard time fielding popups. As a hitter, he's got a pretty fair eye and quick hands, but not a lot of power.

1B - Okla "Oak" Smith - Oak Smith is a free-swinging masher, prone to chasing wild throws but also capable of hitting them a long, long way when he makes contact. He's a better-than-average fielder, although he doesn't get to a lot of difficult balls and he has a hard time getting a double-play started. Overall, a slightly better than average first baseman.

2B - Ed Shaw - Shaw's a very good player, able to play well enough to start at all four infield spots and with a smooth, balanced swing at the plate. He's also the best baserunner among the Rock Island starters, although nobody on the team is particularly fast or aggressive in that regard.

3B - Guido "Pudge" Wyland - Pudge Wyland is a great defensive third baseman, maybe one of the best fielders in the league. He has soft hands and a truly remarkable arm - some scouts think he could have been a pretty good pitcher if he'd applied himself there. As a batter, he's not great - he swings too wildly and too often to be one of the league's elite batsmen - but he does have some power and makes good contact more often than a man with his loopy swing has any right to expect. He'll start at third against right-handed pitching and ride the pine against lefties.

3B/SS - Dewey Lyle - Lyle starts at third against left-handers and at short against righties. It's not entirely clear why this is - he's no better a batter than Pudge, with less power, and is at best Pudge's equal defensively - but the team has decided on the platoon at third and that's how the season will start. It would not surprise Rock Island fans to see Pudge Wyland getting all the starts at third by midseason, because the team badly needs whatever offense it can muster and Lyle just doesn't have the same potential to drive the ball that Wyland does.

SS - Bobby Marshall - Against lefties, Marshall gets the call at shortstop. He's a good defensive player, and a tough, determined batter. Like most of the Independents, he's no great shakes as a baserunner, though, and he's not likely to play enough against right-handers to get a shot at the full-time shortstop gig.

Outfield

LF - Arnie Wyman - Wyman's a mediocre fielder but an outstanding hitter, something Rock Island really needs if they're going to be competitive this year. He's a tough out and seems to always get the ball in play, one way or another. He's a tremendous line-drive hitter, and could lead the team in doubles. However, he's not a speedy baserunner, and will have a hard time scoring from second on a single.

CF - Reuben "Rube" Ursella - Rube Ursella is possibly the finest-fielding center fielder in the league, and more than compensates for the relative fielding mediocrity of Wyman and Novak. He's a better-than-average batter, though he's not the kind of batter that strikes fear into opposing pitchers. Still, he's a good guy for the top of the lineup, and he'll lead off for the Independents at least to start the season.

RF - Eddie Novak - Novak is a pretty fair hitter, though not in Wyman's class, and an adequate if unspectacular fielder whose deficiencies in that area should be largely hidden by Rube Ursella's phenomenal range. On the basepaths, he's strictly a station-to-station guy, and won't unduly trouble opposing pitchers once he gets on base.

The Independents are in some ways quite similar to the Jeffersons. Each team has a solid pitching staff and a somewhat more questionable lineup. The Independents should do all right if the pitching is consistent and Wyman, Ursella, and Shaw play to their potential. If one of those three gets injured for any significant period of time, though, it could turn into a long season for the club.

[Mel Ott]

Opening Day, 1920

The All-Americans open the 1920 season with a two-game set against the Decatur Staleys in Decatur.

Game 1: Monday, April 5, 1920

Carlton Washington (0-0, 0.00) vs. Oscar "Ockie" Anderson (0-0, 0.00)

Opening Day in Decatur started off with some offensive fireworks, as the visiting All-Americans got to Washington early and often, rolling up five hits and four runs. Bill Brace led off the game with a triple, and Buffalo never looked back. Anderson had a 1-2-3 first inning, and retired the first batter in the bottom of the second before giving up a double to Hugh Blacklock. Anderson was injured on the play, and could miss up to two weeks. Buffalo's fourth starter, Carlos Sierra, stepped in to pitch the rest of the game for Buffalo. Blacklock eventually scored, with the run charged to Anderson.

The All-Americans were held scoreless in the second, but notched two more runs against Washington in the third, chasing the Decatur starter with an ugly 18.00 ERA. David Butler and Woody Wright finished the game for the Staleys, with Butler giving up a run in the fourth. Sierra pitched very well, giving up runs in the fourth (a home run by George Trafton with the bases empty) and sixth but scattering the Staleys' eight hits over the 7 2/3 innings he pitched. He finished with three strikeouts, no walks, and an ERA of 2.35.

Overall, an auspicious start to the new season for Buffalo, although the injury to Anderson is a bit of a concern.

Final Score: Buffalo 7, Decatur 3

[Mel Ott]

I put Anderson on the 15-day DL and promoted AAA prospect Jason Dukes to take his place. Dukes is still figuring some things out as a pitcher, but he's the best option available right now for the All-Americans, and he's no worse than Carlos Sierra, who did just fine yesterday.

[Mel Ott]

Game 2: Tuesday, April 6, 1920

Pard Pearce (0-0, 0.00) vs. Heinie Miller (0-0, 0.00)

The second game of the season started off a a pitchers' duel. Neither the Staleys nor the All-Americans could get much going against Miller or Pearce through three innings. In the bottom of the third, Miller experienced back spasms after retiring Hugh Blacklock on a grounder to short. He was replaced by Buffalo reliever Bill Bailey, who finished the inning without allowing a baserunner.

In the fifth, though, Decatur finally broke through, with a double by C George Trafton putting him in scoring position and a double down the third-base line by Pearce scoring him. The teams then traded blank frames until the eighth, when Bailey was replaced by Mark Boucher (after Lud Wray pinch hit for Bailey in the top of the inning). Boucher allowed a single to CF Bob Koehler, who then advanced to second on a passed ball and scored on an error by second baseman Murray Shelton. The Staleys scored twice more on a double up the middle by SS Bill Ingwersen before ending the inning.

In the top of the ninth, Buffalo mounted a comeback, scoring three runs and putting the tying run on third before Shelton ended the game by grounding out meekly to second.

All in all, a disappointing game, particularly for Shelton, who committed the error that led to the big eighth inning by Decatur and then grounded out with the tying run on third in the next inning. Buffalo fans also have to be concerned with the second injury to a starter in as many games - the All-Americans will be in sad shape if their best pitchers can't stay healthy.

Final Score: Buffalo 3, Decatur 4

[Mel Ott]

Heinie Miller joins Anderson on the 15-day DL, and I promote Billy Simpson to Buffalo to take his spot in the rotation. Simpson's got a lot of potential, but he's still pretty green to be pitching in the big leagues. Hopefully Jake Lewis, tomorrow's starter, will be able to get through the game without hurting himself - the pickings are getting pretty slim for fill-in starters and we're not even through the first week of the season.

[Mel Ott]

Game 3: Wednesday, April 7, 1920

The All-Americans continue their road trip with a stop in Chicago to play the Cardinals.

Willis Brennan (0-0, 0.00) vs. Jake Lewis (0-0, 0.00)

This one started off a little rocky for both pitchers. Willis Brennan walked the first two Buffalo batters, and Bill Brace eventually came around to score on a sac fly by Swede Youngstrom. Lewis responded by giving up a single and a walk to his first two batters, but managed to get a double play ball from Paul LaRosa and a flyout by Leo Chappell to end the threat. He was less fortunate in the bottom of the second, when he gave up a leadoff single and a triple, followed by a groundout that scored Charlie Knight from third. The Cardinals plated another run in the bottom of the third as Nick McInerney singled, stole second, stole third, and scored on a sac fly by LaRosa.

That would be the end of the scoring until the top of the eighth, when Buffalo finally struck back with three singles, a double, and an error against a tiring Brennan. That was enough to tie the score and after an uneventful ninth, the teams went into extra innings. Buffalo struck early in the top of the tenth, with Butch Spagna walking and then scoring from first on a double by Murray Shelton. That's how the game would end, with reliever Ben Hill making his first appearance for the All-Americans and setting the Chicago batters down in order to nail down the victory.

Buffalo fans should be pleased that the team finally played a game without losing a starting pitcher to injury, although relief pitcher Brad Bailey was injured while pitching and will miss three weeks of action. In more positive news, Murray Shelton went 3-for-5 and drove in 2 runs as the middle of the Buffalo lineup continues to hit well in the early going.

Final Score: Buffalo 4, Chicago 3

[Mel Ott]

I place Brad Bailey on the 15 day DL; hopefully he'll be back by the end of the month. To take his roster spot, I promote LF Manny Ortega, who's already a solid player and might develop into a superstar. He's going to see some action both as a defensive replacement and as a pinch runner. I'll have a hard call to make when Bailey comes off the DL; Ortega is probably ready to play in the big leagues and Buffalo is probably keeping too many relievers on its 22-man roster.