[Whitesox]

I'm loving this. Doesn't look like the White Sox are doing too great though. Any info on them? I haven't read everything to the exact letter (kind of busy), but I didn't see much info on them. I like that you put them and the cubs in the same division.

[Big Six]

Originally Posted by Whitesox

I'm loving this. Doesn't look like the White Sox are doing too great though. Any info on them? I haven't read everything to the exact letter (kind of busy), but I didn't see much info on them. I like that you put them and the cubs in the same division.

The White Sox have certainly taxed their fans' patience over the years. They have managed only three winning seasons (1920, 1922, 1926) and are still awaiting their first taste of the playoffs.

The 1931 club combined the third-best pitching staff in the majors with the worst offense in either league. Sox pitchers compiled a staff ERA of 3.30 and allowed only 4.0 runs per game, but their hitters were far and away the least productive in the game.

You may have noticed three White Sox pitchers on the latest list of the top 20 hurlers in the league. The long-time ace of the White Sox staff is Eugene Wise, who's still going strong at age 34. Seventeen more wins in 1932 will give him 200 for his career.

Young Ray Brown has all the makings of an ace. He battled through some injuries in 1931, but still managed to take a huge step forward. Gordon Rhodes isn't as well-known as Brown, but he, too, is demonstrating the ability to get major league hitters out with regularity. Brown is 23 and Rhodes is 24, so the best is probably yet to come for both of them.

On the other hand, the White Sox offense was, in a word, pathetic. Eight of the 12 players who got the most at-bats finished the season with negative VORPs.

RF Oscar "Ox" Eckhardt was the most productive White Sox hitter, as he has been during most of his 12-year career. The Ox hit .312, a little below his career .319 average, but his 20 home runs tied a career high and he drove in 96 runs. At age 29, Eckhardt has over 2200 career hits, and should have a very good chance for 3000.

The team's first round choice in the June 1931 draft came straight to the majors and made a positive impact right away. He's 19-year-old shortstop Arky Vaughan, who hit .338-2-38 in 76 games. Vaughan is among the game's very best prospects, a potential future batting champion with line drive power and a better-than-average glove.

2B Wilton Schmitt is the only other hitter who did anything worth mentioning in 1931. He hit .312, giving him eleven seasons with a batting average over .300 Schmitt doesn't hit for power, but in a better offense his ability to get on base regularly would produce a ton of runs. At 34, the stocky Baltimore native has retained much of his ability and should remain productive for a few more seasons.

If I were running the White Sox, I'd probably trade a pitcher for a power hitter. The team has absolutely nobody who can hit the long ball at any level (Eckhardt's Power rating of 8 is the best in the system). There are two good power hitting prospects in the 1932 draft class: first basemen Hal Trosky and Dolf Camilli. The Sox have the tenth pick in the draft, and if either Trosky or Camilli are still on the board when their turn comes around, the Sox should take him, and quick.

Thanks for your comments, Whitesox. I'm glad you're enjoying the story.

P.S. I'm sure you enjoyed the exploits of Messrs. Buehrle and Wise yesterday.

[Whitesox]

Thanks for the detailed write up! I saw from looking at the top pitchers and hitters that they were a more pitching oriented team, lets hope that Arky is a future hall of famer .

Yes, I throughly enjoyed the game yesterday. I could have been there, but we couldn't go. Watched the whole thing on TV though.

[Big Six]

June 26, 1932

NATIONAL LEAGUE STANDINGS

NORTHERN        W   L    PCT  GB
Pittsburgh      50  26  .658  --
Brooklyn        46  30  .605   4
Boston          44  32  .579   6
New York G      34  42  .447  16
Philadelphia    34  42  .447  16
New York Y      32  44  .421  18

MID-EAST        W   L    PCT  GB
Washington      48  28  .632  --
Cleveland       38  38  .500  10
Baltimore       37  39  .487  11
Detroit         34  42  .447  14
Milwaukee       30  46  .395  18
Cincinnati      29  47  .382  19


AMERICAN LEAGUE STANDINGS

CONTINENTAL     W   L    PCT  GB
Chicago W       42  34  .553  --
Kansas City     42  34  .553  --
Portland        41  35  .539   1
Chicago C       36  40  .474   6
Seattle         36  40  .474   6
St. Louis       33  43  .434   9

PACIFIC         W   L    PCT  GB
Oakland         47  29  .618  --
Hollywood       38  38  .500   9
Los Angeles     36  40  .474  11
San Francisco   36  40  .474  11
San Diego       35  41  .461  12
Sacramento      34  42  .447  13

A couple of posts ago, regular commentator NYY #23 mentioned something called the Curse of Jesse Hester. It's far too soon to conclude that such a thing definitely exists...but Red Sox Nation can't be too happy when they look at the latest standings.

Among the Curse-like events that have befallen the Sox is a spate of injuries. Pitcher Larry French, who had a fine 7-4 record, is currently sidelined with a balky knee. All-Star 3B Paul James has been banged up and is hitting .233. Even Satchel Paige (6-3, 4.84!) has been affected, as a case of strep throat and a blister have kept him in the trainer's room far more than Sox fans would like.

Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Pirates have taken the Red Sox' place as the kings of the Northern Division. Righthander Sloppy Thurston leads the National League in wins, veterans Mark Chappell and Maxime Beaumont are hitting like it's 1924, and Lou Gehrig is on pace to challenge Wally Berger's records for homers and RBI in a single season. (Of course, to set the RBI record, he'll have to outpace Brooklyn's Mel Ott and Washington's Mule Suttles, both of whom are driving runners home even more often than Lou.)

Speaking of Suttles, he and his Capital Punishers have bashed the Senators into first place in the NL Mid-East. The Senators have deposited 82 balls over outfield fences already, best in the league. Their new ace, Frank Shellenback, whom they acquired from Hollywood at the 1931 trade deadline, has teamed with Claude Jonnard and another newcomer, Tommy Thomas, to give the team some much-needed pitching.

Once again, the Oakland Oaks appear to have the AL Pacific race under lock and key. Shortstop Luke Appling (.328-2-26) who should be on the All-Star team, and 3B Art Scharein and C Roberto Reyes, who are, have added even more punch to the Oakland lineup. And RHP Ed Walsh, acquired from the White Sox, is pitching as well as any starter has in a long, long time. He and Ad Liska (9-3, 2.57) give the Oaks a good chance of winning every time they take the mound.

The AL Continental Division is treating its fans to a great three-team race, featuring teams who have experienced very little success. The Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Athletics are tied for the lead, with the Portland Beavers only a game behind.

The White Sox will have to manage without pitcher Gordon Rhodes for the remainder of the season; he succumbed to back problems last week. However, if Willis Hudlin (4-0, 2.14) continues to pitch as well as he has so far, the Sox will be able to keep up their early pace. And, if Ray Brown (7-8, 4.32) turns things around, the race might be theirs for the taking.

LF Johnny Moore, once a first-round draft pick of the Giants, has given the Chisox a much-needed jolt of offense (.327) while Arky Vaughan (.320-2-40) and Ox Eckhardt (.316-10-50) are also hitting the ball well.

All-Stars Jimmie Foxx and Rick Mann are pacing the Athletics; for Mann, a classy veteran who has played his entire career in relative obscurity, the club's strong showing has been particularly satisfying. Bill Foster (11 wins) and Paul Derringer (9 wins) are the key members of the KC staff.

The success of the Portland Beavers has been an even bigger surprise. Everyone knew how good Chuck Klein is, and catcher Henry Harris has been a solid pro for a long time. Pitcher Pat Caraway has been regarded as one of the league's most talented pitchers for a while, so his nine wins aren't entirely a surprise. But who would have expected a journeyman pitcher like Ronald "Cabfare" MacLagan to emerge as a stopper? Vaughn Street Stadium has never seen so much excitement, as fans fill it day in and day out to cheer their team in its pennant fight.

On a more somber note, the stellar career of San Francisco pitcher Colton Blanton hangs in the balance. He tore a hamstring in early April and, at age 41, will he be able to make a comeback?

The rookie draft was held on June 15. The Milwaukee Braves held the first pick, and chose righthander Schoolboy Rowe. Next, the San Diego Padres drafted another righthander, Dutch Leonard. 3B Ray Dandridge was the first position player chosen; he went #4 to Portland. Other notable draftees included OF Bob Johnson (#5, Detroit), 1B Hal Trosky (#6, Chicago Cubs), 1B Dolf Camilli (#7, St. Louis), SS Cecil Travis (#14, Sacramento) and 1B Buck O'Neil (#15, Baltimore).

The National League won the 1932 All-Star Game at Comiskey Park by a 6-2 score. Surprisingly, in a year that's seen so many home runs, no player on either team went deep.

Here are the rosters for the National and American League All-Stars:

NATIONAL LEAGUE ALL-STARS

SP  Sloppy Thurston     PIT  11-3, 2.44
SP  Frank Shellenback   WAS  10-6, 3.33
SP  Mike Crawford       BAL  9-7, 2.99
SP  Jim Jessup          CLE  9-5, 3.27, 78 K
SP  Rob Browne          BKN  8-4, 3.19, 82 K
SP  Ray Prim            BOS  10-4, 3.33
RP  Mike McMoran        BKN  3-5, 3.12, 12 SV
RP  Wilcy Moore         MIL  5-2, 3.29, 4 SV
RP  Pat Richardson      DET  4-1, 2.81, 4 SV

C   Gabby Hartnett      CLE  .323-10-49
C   Jimmie Wilson       PHI  .311-5-36
1B  Mike Dickey         BKN  .399-5-59
1B  Jim Bottomley       WAS  .346-20-60
1B  Lou Gehrig          PIT  .365-26-81
1B  Dale Alexander      CIN  .346-14-67
2B  Charlle Gehringer   WAS  .324-7-27 
3B  Larry Bettencourt   BKN  .348-8-38
3B  Mark Chappell       PIT  .311-1-36
SS  Jason Alexander     WAS  .338-1-19
LF  Mule Suttles        WAS  .353-21-93
LF  Ken Rich            CLE  .381-1-50
CF  Maxime Beaumont     PIT  .364-1-36
CF  Jo-Jo White         WAS  .351-5-41
RF  Mel Ott             BKN  .373-24-84
RF  Ripper Collins      CLE  .343-16-69



AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL-STARS

SP  Ed Walsh            OAK  10-2, 1.43
SP  Carl Hubbell        HOL  12-4, 3.13, 58 K
SP  Syl Johnson         CHC  11-3, 3.03
SP  Ronald MacLagan     POR  9-5, 2.53
SP  Eugene Wise         CHW  10-4, 3.29, 67 K
SP  Hal Schumacher      SEA  9-4, 2.62
RP  Jesus Perez         POR  0-5, 0.57, 2 SV
RP  Luis Rodriguez      CHC  4-3, 2.84, 9 SV
RP  Bernardo Gutierrez  SD   3-3, 2.73, 10 SV
RP  Brennan Thomas      SEA  3-1, 3.17, 5 SV

C   Henry Harris        POR  .350-3-42
C   Ricardo Reyes       OAK  .335-6-37
1B  Joe Kuhel           SAC  .349-9-51
1B  Joe Hauser          HOL  .312-18-51
1B  Jimmie Foxx         KC   .307-26-75
2B  Wilton Schmitt      CHW  .315-5-30
3B  Ed Morgan           CHC  .337-12-57
3B  Art Scharein        OAK  .357-0-32
3B  Rick Mann           KC   .301-7-43
SS  Buddy Myer          CHC  .339-1-34
LF  Wally Berger        STL  .351-21-74
LF  Arnold Burns        HOL  .331-4-53
CF  Francisco Zavala    LA   .338-6-39
RF  Chuck Klein         POR  .372-23-50
RF  Jordan Schneider    CHC  .371-2-36
RF  Jimmy Welsh         OAK  .344-13-44

[Whitesox]

White Sox tied for first? I like, I like...

Also it looks like Oakland is dominating the Pacific again.

[NYY #23]

Thanks for taking a deeper dive into the Yankees for me, and thanks for explaining the process of importing the Negro Leaguers. Down in last place again in 1932? I really liked the segment on Hack Wilson and others, great stuff as usual! Hopefully Dizzy Dean can get his career back on track though.

[ifspuds]

Let's hope Josh Gibson doesn't suffer the same curse as other notable Beavers' draftees you alluded to earlier. One game out! Go Beavs!

[Big Six]

Originally Posted by Whitesox

White Sox tied for first? I like, I like...

Also it looks like Oakland is dominating the Pacific again.

The Continental Division race looks like it will be exciting. You might be happy to see that the White Sox made a trade that strengthens their lineup considerably. He's not a power hitter, but he'll step right in and play every day. And, even better, they didn't have to give up one of their best young pitchers to do it.

You're right about Oakland. Their moves always seem to work out well. The Oaks had the last pick in the first round of the 1931 draft, and they used it on Art Scharein, who made the All-Star team as a rookie. When Randall Malone suffers a career-ending injury, they get Ed Walsh from the White Sox in a trade, and he blossoms into an ace. Their great catcher, Tim Stephens, starts to slow down, and they uncover another All-Star, Roberto Reyes.

If the Oaks make the postseason again--and barring a catastrophe, they will--it will be their fourth straight playoff appearance, and their fifth in six years. They're very close to overtaking Baltimore as the winningest franchise in MLB history. And, if the Oaks defend their World Series title, they'll tie the Orioles with four Series championships. Right now, they're the standard by which all teams should be judged.

P.S. The player the Sox got for Walsh, outfielder Alex Metzler, is hitting .303, so the Sox actually got a decent return for Walsh. If I were running the Sox, I'd have traded Walsh for Metzler, too.

[Whitesox]

Wow, seems like some good moves for the Oaks...

I agree with you on Walsh, the White Sox have enough pitching, that trade makes me happy

[Big Six]

Originally Posted by NYY #23

Thanks for taking a deeper dive into the Yankees for me, and thanks for explaining the process of importing the Negro Leaguers. Down in last place again in 1932? I really liked the segment on Hack Wilson and others, great stuff as usual! Hopefully Dizzy Dean can get his career back on track though.

You're welcome. Diz is a lot of fun, so I'm rooting for him, too. His talent hits weren't as severe as some I've seen, and he actually seems to be regaining some of what he lost. The Senators are doing just fine with the pitching staff they have...if they add Dean, he and the Capital Punishers might be able to challenge the Oaks' dominance...or exceed it.

As for the Yankees, they've had problems keeping Al Simmons healthy. You may have noticed he didn't make the All-Star team; he's been banged up off and on all season long.

They just traded one of their long-time stars, Jigger Statz, to the Reds for a veteran pitcher, Jorge Barron. Jorge has pitched well, with an ERA just over 3.00, but he's 36 years old. On the other hand, although Statz is still a very good hitter, he is 35, and the Yanks need to make room in their outfield for Dixie Walker. I don't think it's a bad trade, except for the fact that Jigger was an original Yankee and a fan favorite. If he goes into the Hall of Fame, he'll wear a Yankees cap on his plaque.

[Big Six]

Originally Posted by ifspuds

Let's hope Josh Gibson doesn't suffer the same curse as other notable Beavers' draftees you alluded to earlier. One game out! Go Beavs!

The Beavers have had a mixture of hits and misses with their first round draft picks over the years. Let's look at the players on whom the Beavs have spent their first round choices:

YEAR  PLAYER          POS   DP   MAJOR LEAGUE STATS   STATUS
1920  Dutch Henry      P     8   3-20, 7.08           Retired in 1929
1921  Ken Holloway     P    14   3-3, 3.24, 4 SV      Minneapolis (AAA)
1922  Earl Whitehill   P     9   114-129, 4.14        Minneapolis (AAA)
1923  Ted Radcliffe    C     7   .294-58-482          San Francisco*
1924  Ownie Carroll    P     8     ---                Minneapolis (AAA)
1925  Adam Comorosky   LF   16   .289-13-142          Retired in 1931
1926  Wes Ferrell      P     1   36-59, 5.76, 10 SV   Omaha (STL/AA)
1927  Chuck Klein      RF    2   .377-227-693         Portland
1928  Art Herring      P    11   7-7, 4.91            Utica (AA)
1929  Pat Caraway      P     8   44-49, 4.16          Portland
1930  Josh Gibson      C     2   .256-5-35            Portland
1931  Bill DeLancey    C    12     ---                Minneapolis (AAA)
1932  Ray Dandridge    3B    4     ---                Minneapolis (AAA)

• Henry was an absolute bust. He wasn't even good in the minor leagues. Grade: F.
• Holloway has been just fine on the rare occasions he's been given a chance. He's been successful both as a starter and a reliever, and I think he deserves at least one more opportunity. Grade: D.
• Whitehill was a good choice. He developed into a front-line starter, and that's not a bad return for the #9 overall pick. He's at the end of the line now, but he shouldn't be ashamed of his career. Grade: B+.
• Radcliffe couldn't beat out Henry Harris, who has a .331 average and will make the Hall of Fame. That's no knock on Double Duty, whom the Beavers traded to the Seals in 1927. However, the Beavs should have gotten more for him than Jason Steele, a utility man who never got more than 223 at-bats in a single season. Grade: A- if they'd kept him; D because they didn't.
• Carroll is a fixture in Minneapolis, but your first round pick shouldn't be an organization man. Grade: F.
• Comorosky was a starter for three years, but his talent took an unexpected, precipitous fall, and that was that for Adam. Grade: C-.
• Ferrell's travails have been recounted already. Grade: F.
• Klein is the face of the franchise, and is the best player in the American League. Grade: A+.
• At age 26, Herring had an excellent season in 1932. He tore up two minor league levels and went 4-1, 3.38 in five starts for the Beavers. The jury's still out on this one. Grade: Incomplete.
• Caraway, 26, appears on the Top Twenty Pitchers list every year. The definition of the "stylish lefty," Pat looks like he's going to stick around a while. Grade: B+.
• Gibson stuck with the big club all year as Harris' backup. In 166 at bats, he hit .271-5-31...not bad at all for a 20-year-old. His skills are developing nicely, and he'll force his way into the lineup before long. Grade: A (so far).
• Drafting another catcher in the first round the year after taking Gibson might have been a mistake. DeLancey has been hurt a lot, but he projects as a solid backup with a bit of pop. Grade: Incomplete.
• Dandridge is one of the top five prospects in the game. He looks like he'll hit for a high average and get on base regularly, and he is a superb fielder. He has a long way to go, but the upside is fantastic. Grade: Incomplete.

I might have been a bit generous with Holloway, and if the Beavers don't let him have another shot, we'll downgrade that pick to an F.

[Whitesox]

A #1 pick being an F? Tough luck...

[Big Six]

January 1, 1933

NATIONAL LEAGUE STANDINGS

NORTHERN        W   L    PCT  GB
Boston          92  62  .597  --
Pittsburgh      91  63  .591   1
Brooklyn        82  72  .523  10
New York Y      74  80  .481  18
New York G      68  86  .442  24
Philadelphia    67  87  .435  25

MID-EAST         W  L    PCT  GB
Washington     101  53  .656  --
Baltimore       77  77  .500  24
Cleveland       75  79  .487  26
Detroit         74  80  .481  27
Cincinnati      62  92  .403  39
Milwaukee       61  93  .396  40


AMERICAN LEAGUE STANDINGS

CONTINENTAL     W   L    PCT  GB
Chicago W       95  59  .617  --
Portland        86  68  .558   9
Kansas City     79  75  .513  16
Seattle         75  79  .487  20
Chicago C       71  83  .461  24  
St. Louis       61  93  .396  34

PACIFIC         W   L    PCT  GB
Oakland         98  56  .636  --
San Diego       79  75  .513  19
Los Angeles     74  80  .481  24
Hollywood       73  81  .474  25
Sacramento      68  86  .442  30
San Francisco   65  89  .422  33

The 1932 season witnessed a clash between two of the finest teams Major League Baseball had ever seen, and an unforgettably dramatic ending to a divisional race that might have produced the first true "goats" in this dynasty's history.

As they had during the first half of the season, the National League's Washington Senators and the American League's Oakland Oaks continued to punish their opponents after the All-Star break.

The Senators, led by their Capital Punishers, scored more runs (1046) than all but one team in baseball history (the 1930 Cardinals, 1088). Mule Suttles smashed the RBI record that had been set by Wally Berger, the star of that Cardinals team, and finished the season with 194 RBI. The addition of 3B Willie Wells (.292-12-106) and Rookie of the Year CF Jo-Jo White gave the Senators two more fearsome bats.

The Oaks once again boasted the stingiest pitching staff in either league. Ed Walsh won the Outstanding Pitcher Award in his first season as an Oak, and six Oakland pitchers won at least twelve games. Among them was ace reliever Ken Smith, who appeared in 83 contests, racking up 14 wins and a single-season record 26 saves. AL Rookie of the Year Art Scharein hit .340 and fielded brilliantly at third base.

Over in the AL Continental, the Chicago White Sox heated up with the weather, going 37-12 in August and September. The Sox pulled away first from the Athletics and then from the Beavers to win the division by nine games.

The acquisition of outfielder Joe Vosmik from Brooklyn solidified the Sox lineup; Vosmik hit .337 after the White Hose acquired him for promising reliever Richie Taylor.

The Beavers played almost exactly as well during the second half as they had before the break, but that was clearly not enough to keep pace with the White Sox. However, the Beavers' star, Chuck Klein, won his third straight AL Outstanding Batter award. The highlight of Chuck's second half came on July 26, when he smacked three home runs in a victory over the Cubs.

The Oaks, Senators, and White Sox all knew they'd made the postseason by the second week in September, so they and the rest of the baseball world turned their attention to the great race between the Pirates and the Red Sox for the NL Northern flag.

All summer long, the two teams battled back and forth. The Pirates were three games ahead on July 18, but that was as much space as either team could open up on its rival.

The Pirates held the lead throughout August, but the Red Sox stayed right on their heels--despite the loss of Buzz Boyle to a torn abdominal muscle on August 2. In fact, the Red Sox, with Satchel Paige and Ed Brandt mowing down hitters right and left (literally), caught the Pirates in early September. Brandt, who led both leagues with 22 victories, won the NL Outstanding Pitcher Award.

That set the stage for a three-game series between the two teams at Fenway Park, beginning on September 13. Before wild, capacity crowds, the Sox took two out of three, giving them their first lead in a month. Lou Gehrig homered in each of the games, running his major-league-leading total to 52 and clinching his third Outstanding Batter award.

Both teams finished their seasons with three-game sets at home; the Pirates faced the Baltimore Orioles, while the Red Sox took on the New York Giants. The teams both split the first two games of their series, so as they prepared for the final game of the season, they found themselves tied--91 wins and 62 losses apiece.

That day, the Red Sox scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth to beat the Giants. Pitcher Ray Prim scored the winning run when veteran Giants 3B Wilfred Losoya bobbled a ground ball off the bat of Maurice Archdeacon.

Meanwhile in Pittsburgh, the Orioles and Pirates took a 5-5 tie to the ninth inning. The Orioles loaded the bases, and with two outs, Pirate relief pitcher Brandon Mill threw a wild pitch that allowed Monk Sherlock to race home with the go-ahead run. When Baltimore's Stephen Jones retired the Pirates on five pitches in the bottom of the ninth, the Red Sox claimed the division crown.

The Red Sox' run ended there, however, as the Senators beat them in six games for the National League pennant. Meanwhile, the Oaks swept the White Sox, setting up a World Series rematch between Washington and Oakland.

The Oaks won their second consecutive World Series in seven games, as Ed Walsh and Ad Liska won two games apiece.

Almost overlooked as the baseball world focused on events in Pittsburgh and Boston were a pair of veterans who reached important career milestones in August. Cleveland outfielder Ken Rich and Seattle first baseman Joe Bazeley both stroked their 2500th career hits.

Rich continued to spit in the face of Father Time, hitting .383 to win the second batting title of his career--two weeks before his 42nd birthday. Bazeley, 35, hit .336 for the Rainiers, a point above his career average.

However, despite the heroics of players like Rich and Bazeley, Klein and Suttles and Walsh and Gehrig, the names of Wilfred Losoya and Brandon Mill were being heard every bit as often as baseball fans discussed the unforgettable season they had just watched unfold.

[Big Six]

Originally Posted by Whitesox

A #1 pick being an F? Tough luck...

Three of them, in fact. I'm basing those grades on the fact that a team really ought to obtain the services of a major league regular with its first round pick--especially if it's an early first round pick.

By that standard, Whitehill, Caraway, and Radcliffe were good selections. Klein, of course, was the best possible choice the Beavs could have made. Incidentally, the player taken ahead of Klein, Carl Hubbell, is also a star--but the player taken right behind him, Jim Moore, is an AAA pitcher for the Braves.

Gibson looks like he can't miss, and if Dandridge also makes it big, then the Beavers will have a core of home-grown players that could make them contenders for a while. They certainly seem to have made better choices than they did in the early '20s.

[Big Six]

January 1, 1933

It's time for the annual Best Players, Best Pitchers, and Best Prospects lists. First, the top players and pitchers in the big leagues as the 1933 season approaches:

PLAYER                TEAM  AGE  POS   LY    AVG-HR-RBI
 1  Lou Gehrig         PIT   29   1B    3   .352-51-150
 2  Chuck Klein        POR   28   RF    2   .380-49-121
 3  Al Simmons         NYY   30   CF    1   .329-15-59
 4  Jimmie Foxx        KC    25   1B    4   .323-44-137
 5  Charlie Gehringer  WAS   29   2B    9   .348-16-96
 6  Buck Leonard       NYY   25   1B   14   .328-15-84
 7  Bob Fothergill     WAS   33   RF    6   .368-15-95
 8  Mel Ott            BKN   23   RF   10   .338-41-154
 9  Mule Suttles       WAS   31   LF   11   .344-43-194
10  Wally Berger       STL   27   LF    8   .318-43-148
11  Jim Bottomley      WAS   32   1B    5   .333-38-116
12  John Kinney        PIT   38   LF    7   .318-11-73
13  Buzz Boyle         BOS   24   LF   13   .327-9-52
14  Cool Papa Bell     SD    29   CF   12   .313-2-75
15  Mark Chappell      PIT   39   3B   17   .330-5-86
16  Arky Vaughan       CHW   20   SS   NR   .326-4-87
17  Jason Alexander    WAS   35   SS   16   .343-3-55
18  Dale Alexander     CIN   29   1B   20   .356-30-133
19  Peter Smith        NYY   33   LF   NR   .334-4-62
20  Jo-Jo White        WAS   23   CF   NR   .375-8-78


PITCHER               TEAM  AGE   LY   W-L     ERA   IP     H    K
 1  Satchel Paige      BOS   26    2  18-7    3.45  250.1  249  204
 2  Tommy Bridges      PHI   26    3  18-17   3.16  290.1  272  219
 3  Jim Jessup         CLE   36    1  19-11   3.49  273.2  309  143
 4  Carl Hubbell       HOL   29    4  21-11   3.71  281.2  321  135
 5  Jesse Hester       CHC   32    5  11-15   3.94  239.2  307   63
 6  Ray Brown          CHW   24   11  17-12   3.53  267.2  238  165
 7  Jonathon Vance     SAC   35    8  16-11   3.63  228.0  253   50
 8  Mike Crawford      BAL   36   10  15-18   3.48  292.0  302  116
 9  Bill Swift         NYY   24   12  18-15   3.91  292.0  322  127
10  Ed Brandt          BOS   27    6  22-8    3.51  281.2  302  152
11  Eugene Wise        CHW   36   14  21-9    3.18  271.1  255  137
12  Rob Browne         BKN   33   13  14-6    3.45  206.0  214  115
13  Whit Wyatt         SF    25    9  9-17    3.58  226.1  210  102
14  Ricardo Morales    SEA   26   NR  17-11   2.99  249.2  238  146
15  Johnny Allen       SEA   28   NR  15-15   3.72  270.2  249  192
16  Pat Caraway        POR   27   16  15-11   3.65  278.2  303  139
17  Gordon Rhodes      CHW   25   15  5-9     4.10  116.1  123   55
18  Tex Carleton       HOL   26   NR  16-13   3.71  262.1  273  165
19  Ad Liska           OAK   26   20  15-7    2.72  218.0  189   63
20  Bernardo Piniella  PHI   36    7  10-15   4.07  232.1  267   94

And now, the best young prospects in the game:

PROSPECT              TEAM  AGE  POS
 1  Josh Gibson        POR   20   C
 2  Bob McBryde        WAS   20   C
 3  Ray Dandridge      POR   19   SS
 4  Dutch Leonard      SD    23   P
 5  Vicente Ortiz      PIT   21   P
 6  Frank Reed         BOS   22   SS
 7  Stan Hack          SD    23   3B
 8  Dizzy Dean         WAS   22   P
 9  Ralph Birkhofer    NYG   24   P
10  Chet Brewer        CWS   25   P

• I hesitated before I listed Gibson here, because he's had some big league experience, but he's so young, and he's such a long way from his potential. I thought he probably belonged on this list one more time.
• McBryde, Ortiz, and Reed are fictional players.
• Dizzy's back on the radar after going 14-1, 1.38, 137 K/142 IP at Class A.

[Whitesox]

Playoffs!

Stupid Oaks....

How did the draft turn out?

EDIT: Just saw the list above, glad to see Arky is playing well.

[Big Six]

Originally Posted by Whitesox

Playoffs!

Stupid Oaks....

How did the draft turn out?

EDIT: Just saw the list above, glad to see Arky is playing well.

I think I gave a few draft highlights in an earlier post. If I didn't, I'll do that in a minute.

Your Pale Hose took RHP Johnny Marcum with the #10 pick in the first round. Marcum went 3-1, 1.27 for York (A) and, not surprisingly, was promoted to Fort Worth (AA). He went 3-4 in seven starts with the Cats, pitching to a 4.22 ERA. He doesn't have much Stuff (potential 3), so he'll have to get by with Movement (potential 17) and Control (potential 13).

Their second round pick was 2B Burgess Whitehead. He hit .220 with Memphis (AAA) at age 21. He's a decent prospect who projects as a decent hitter and a very good fielder.

As for Arky, he's a stud. He should develop a little more power, but otherwise he's pretty much playing to his potential already. He could be a fixture in the Windy City into the 1950s.

And did you notice the Sox picked up Chet Brewer? He could be a terrific #3 starter in 1933, behind Ray Brown and Eugene Wise, with the potential for an even more important role when age catches up with Wise.

[Big Six]

June 20, 1933

NATIONAL LEAGUE STANDINGS

NORTHERN        W   L    PCT  GB
New York Y      44  29  .603  --
Brooklyn        41  32  .562   3
Pittsburgh      36  37  .493   8
Boston          34  39  .466  10
Philadelphia    27  46  .370  17
New York G      26  47  .356  18

MID-EAST        W   L    PCT  GB
Washington      45  28  .616  --
Baltimore       43  30  .589   2
Detroit         43  30  .589   2
Cleveland       36  37  .493   9
Cincinnati      33  40  .452  12
Milwaukee       30  43  .411  15


AMERICAN LEAGUE STANDINGS

CONTINENTAL     W   L    PCT  GB
Chicago C       40  33  .548  --
St. Louis       40  33  .548  --
Chicago W       38  35  .521   2
Seattle         36  37  .493   4
Portland        35  38  .479   5
Kansas City     28  45  .384  12

PACIFIC         W   L    PCT  GB
San Francisco   43  30  .589  --
Oakland         40  33  .548   3
Hollywood       39  34  .534   4
San Diego       36  37  .493   7
Los Angeles     32  41  .438  11
Sacramento      31  42  .425  12

For the first time since the two-league, four-division setup was put in place, baseball fans have an exciting race to follow in each of the divisions.

There are two new contenders battling it out in the NL Northern, and they're both from the Big Apple. The Yankees, led by a host of good young players like pitchers Bill Swift and Bill Dietrich and first baseman Buck Leonard, are setting the pace, but the Brooklyn Dodgers are right on their tail.

For a veteran star like Dodgers first baseman Mike Dickey, a pennant race is a chance to grab the limelight for a while. Dickey, who enters the All-Star break with 2999 career hits, has never been on a team that has contended this far into the season.

Three teams are locked in a fierce battle for first in the NL Mid-East. Perennial contender Washington is joined by resurgent Baltimore and upstart Detroit. The Senators, as usual, rely mostly on their fearsome Capital Punishers, while the Orioles are getting vintage work from long-time ace Mike Crawford. All-Star Paul Waner is the biggest name on a likeable Tigers team that is full of blue-collar players, as befitting the city they represent.

No fewer than five teams are still in the running over in the AL Continental. The surprising Cubs and Cardinals have climbed from the cellar to the upper stories, where they join the defending champion White Sox. For the Cardinals, it's been a matter of keeping stars like Earl Averill, Mickey Cochrane, and Wally Berger healthy. All three spent considerable time on the sidelines in 1932. The Sox' young players continue to mature, and their veterans remain productive--a combination that usually leads to success.

One White Sox veteran enjoyed a special moment on June 16. Outfielder Oscar "Ox" Eckhardt drilled a single in the Sox' 8-0 victory at Kansas City for career base hit #2500. The Kansas City crowd gave him a nice ovation; perhaps they recognized that, at age 31, Oscar's the youngest player to reach that plateau.

And for the first time in a long time, there's someone on top of the Pacific Division besides the Oakland Oaks! The two-time World Series champions are still in the hunt, but if they're going to have a chance for a three-peat, they'l need to overtake the San Francisco Seals.

The Seals have been inspired by the return of ace Colton Blanton, who missed much of the 1931 and 1932 seasons with a badly torn hamstring. Blanton, who turned 42 right before the season began, has pitched as well as he ever has.

Don't count out the Oaks, however, who continue to roll out ace pitchers like cars off an assembly line. This year's new models are Ivy Andrews and Elton Warner, a 39-year-old career journeyman who is suddenly pitching like an Outstanding Pitcher candidate.

In a season that has witnessed a turn away from the explosive offense we'd seen for the past three years or so, it's perhaps fitting that the first nine players taken in the June 15 rookie draft were pitchers. Many experts believe this year's draft class is weaker than most we've seen lately, but there could be some future aces among the lot.

Cy Blanton went to the Milwaukee Braves with the first overall pick. The Phillies selected Paul Dean, younger brother of Dizzy, at #5, while the Solons snapped up Hilton Smith at #7. The Tigers chose 3B Harlond Clift with the #10 pick, right before the Yankees grabbed C/1B Rudy York. Another interesting first-round selection was catcher Billy Raimondi, who went to the Orioles at #15.

Today's All-Star game will be played at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles. Here are the players who will represent their leagues:

NATIONAL LEAGUE ALL-STARS

P   Mike Crawford      BAL   11-3, 2.62
P   Bill Swift         NYY   10-6, 2.64
P   Bill Dietrich      NYY   11-4, 3.41
P   Joe Brown          DET   10-4, 4.00
P   Tommy Thomas       WAS   11-4, 3.13
P   Satchel Paige      BOS   7-8, 2.39, 88 K
P   Mike McMoran       BKN   5-4, 3.18, 15 SV
P   Wilcy Moore        MIL   2-2, 1.80, 8 SV
P   Steve Swetonic     CIN   2-5, 2.81, 7 SV
P   Pat Richardson     DET   3-1, 2.25, 7 SV
P   Don Brennan        BAL   1-4, 2.45, 8 SV

C   Walt Lerian        BAL   .273-5-35
C   Charlie Dorman     NYY   .301-0-19
1B  Lou Gehrig         PIT   .302-21-71
1B  Buck Leonard       NYY   .370-15-45
1B  Jim Bottomley      WAS   .317-16-56
2B  Charlie Gehringer  WAS   .332-9-53
2B  Ben Chapman        DET   .327-3-40
3B  Mark Chappell      PIT   .379-4-21
SS  Lyn Lary           CIN   .337-4-32
SS  Willie Wells       WAS   .297-6-42
LF  John Kinney        PIT   .315-6-34
LF  Ken Rich           CLE   .371-1-28
LF  Mule Suttles       WAS   .329-19-69
CF  Jo-Jo White        WAS   .384-9-38
RF  Dave McBride       BAL   .360-1-38
RF  Paul Waner         DET   .372-6-42


AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL-STARS

P   Ivy Andrews        SF    11-3, 1.81
P   Elton Warner       OAK   8-4, 1.53
P   Ad Liska           OAK   10-4, 1.83
P   Ray Brown          CHW   11-6, 2.87, 82 K
P   Colton Blanton     SF    8-5, 2.64
P   Roy Trent          SD    8-4, 3.51
P   Ultse Spitsbaard   HOL   6-1, 2.72, 8 SV
P   Dick Barrett       LA    4-1, 1.26, 9 SV
P   Ken Smith          OAK   5-2, 1.89, 9 SV
P   Lorenzo Garcia     SAC   3-3, 2.28, 6 SV
P   Art Evans          CHW   4-4, 2.59, 6 SV
P   Jesus Perez        POR   2-1, 2.30, 6 SV

C   Dave Neal          SEA   .317-1-40
C   Mickey Cochrane    STL   .305-1-24
1B  Jimmie Foxx        KC    .314-18-56
1B  Joe Bazeley        SEA   .385-1-46
1B  Gus Suhr           CHC   .328-8-35
2B  Billy Herman       CHC   .356-4-57
3B  Stan Hack          SD    .301-1-33
3B  Chris Clark        POR   .322-0-38
SS  Arky Vaughan       CHW   .326-3-38
SS  Jose Carlos        SF    .332-1-28
LF  Wally Berger       STL   .308-9-56
CF  Cool Papa Bell     SD    .300-1-38
CF  Earl Averill       STL   .383-7-26
CF  Francisco Zavala   LA    .337-3-33
RF  Chuck Klein        POR   .312-15-47
RF  Ox Eckhardt        CHW   .365-7-54

[NYY #23]

Finally some hope for the Yankees! I'm hoping they can hold on for the rest of the season though.

[Whitesox]

Good updates. Sorry if you did cover the draft, if you did I missed it.

My Sox are only 2 games out, not that bad. Ill believe the Oaks not winning the devision when I see it.