What Could Have Been: An Alternate Baseball Reality

[Big Six]

August 24, 1936

Don't look now, but here come the Hollywood Stars!

At the All-Star break, the Stars found themselves in last place, and their dreams of defending their Pacific Division title seemed lost. Since July 1, however, the Stars have gone 34-16 and have propelled themselves into second, four games back of Oakland.

The Stars have put together a pitching staff that is as solid as any in the game. Familiar faces Carl Hubbell, Elden Auker, and Tex Carleton have been joined by Jesse Cooke, and when one of these starters needs help, 40-year-old veteran closer Ultse Spitsbaard is on hand to turn out the lights.

Third baseman Bobby Estalella has been swinging a hot bat, and rookie outfielder Dave LaPointe, a Canadian import, has a .906 OPS so far this month.

Did the Stars make their move too late, or will they continue their drive to the top of the standings and overtake the Oaks, who are continuing to play good, solid baseball?

We'll see...

[Big Six]

September 1, 1936

• Dale Alexander kept raking throughout the month of August and took home the NL Batter of the Month prize. Alexander's .352 average was fine, but his 11 home runs and 31 RBI for the month really set him apart from a crowd of other productive batsmen.
  
  
• As good as he was, Alexander couldn't match the feats of Portland favorite Chuck Klein. The Beavers continued to pull away from the field in the AL Continental Division during August and Klein, who whacked 14 homers and drove in 36 runs while hitting .363, was a huge reason why. Chuck's season line now reads .362-35-114, and he's scored 117 runs.
  
  
• Red Sox ace Satchel Paige enjoyed a 6-0 August, with a cool 1.22 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 51 innings. This work was good enough for the NL's Pitcher of the Month award, and it did much to keep the Sox on track for a division title.
  
  
• Oakland made some people wonder when they traded for lefty Ralph Birkofer at the deadline, but Birkofer made them look brilliant by winning his first six decisions in Oakland green and red. He posted a 1.59 ERA and won the AL Pitcher of the Month award.
  
  
• White Sox fans are pulling for Arky Vaughan to bring his batting average back over the .400 mark. He's at .399 as the season turns its final corner.

[Big Six]

September 14, 1936

Two of the busiest weeks many fans could remember have fans across the nation tuning in their radios and picking up their newspaper sports pages to find out what's happened next!

• On the morning of September 8, sharp-eyed fans noticed a change in the American League Pacific standings. The San Diego Padres, winners of six of their last seven games, slipped past the Hollywood Stars into second place behind Oakland. The Padres were four games off the pace, but they were closing fast.
  
  
• That day, Chicago White Sox second baseman Wilton Schmitt took a step toward baseball immortality when he singled off San Diego's Vic Sorrell for his 3000th career base hit. Schmitt, a fixture for the last 17 seasons at the top of the White Sox batting order, carries a .324 lifetime average, and has scored 1564 runs. Never a power threat, he's hit only 43 homers, but has accumulated over 1000 RBI. The red-hot Padres came from behind to win the game, 4-3.
  
  
• Schmitt's long-time teammate Oscar Eckhardt also passed the 3000-hit mark this season. It may be a long time before a pair of teammates racks up as many hits as this White Sox duo has accumulated while playing together.
  
  
• On September 10, Cleveland righthander Art Smith entered the ninth inning of the Indians' game against Pittsburgh without allowing a single baserunner. He got the first man out, but then he hit pinch-hitter Jonathan Brown with a pitch. Smith recovered to complete his no-hitter. Oddly enough, Smith did not strike out a single batter during his masterpiece. Art is a perfect example of a journeyman who, for one day, is almost as dominant as a pitcher can be. He has won 11 games this season against 14 defeats, and his ERA is 5.37. It just goes to show why baseball is such a fascinating game.
  
  
• A third player joined the exclusive 3000-hit fraternity today. Jigger Statz of the Cincinnati Reds had been scheduled for a day off, but when the Reds put two runners in scoring position in the eighth inning, his manager sent him up to pinch-hit. Statz delivered a game-winning single and made history at the same time. Statz, 38, is second all-time in runs scored (1696) and third in doubles (555), and he's a career .327 batsman. Philadelphia's Rusty Chandler gave up Jigger's historic hit.
  
  
• Out in San Diego, the Padres completed a three-game sweep of the Oaks that left the teams tied for first place in the Pacific Division. "I'm putting this team on my back and carrying it home," said San Diego star James "Cool Papa" Bell.

[Big Six]

September 20, 1936

There were plenty of intriguing stories coming from the world of baseball this month, but the most compelling of all was the magnificent stretch drive put together by the San Diego Padres.

Nine games behind the Oakland Oaks at midseason, the Padres caught fire in September, going 17-2 and capturing the Pacific Division title on the season's final day.

Had the Padres lost to the Hollywood Stars while the Oaks beat the Chicago White Sox today, the teams would have finished the regular season tied for first and a one-game playoff would have ensued. San Diego's 3-2 victory clinched the division, while the Sox beat Oakland 5-4.

As he said he would, "Cool Papa" Bell led the Padres to the title. He hit safely 37 times in 79 at-bats in September, good for a .468 average. Bell also edged the White Sox' Arky Vaughan for the AL batting title, .383 to .381.

A move to the #3 spot in the batting order suited Bell just fine. The Padres lack true power hitters, and Bell, the all-time leader in three-base hits, has as much pop as anyone in the lineup. Cool Papa drove in 22 runs in 19 September contests.

Bell wasn't alone in his excellence, however. Rookie infielder Buddy Lewis hit .394 with three homers and 20 RBI this month, and another freshman, pitcher Cliff Melton, went 3-0 with a 1.70 ERA in four starts.

The Padres will face the powerful Portland Beavers, runaway winners of the Continental Division, in the ALCS. Portland won a major league-record 106 games this season.

In the National League, a September swoon by the Washington Senators allowed the Detroit Tigers to slip past them and seize the Mid-East Division championship. The Tigers will contend with Northern Division champion Boston for the National League crown.

[Big Six]

September 29, 1936

The League Championship Series have been played, and Cinderella is still at the ball.

The San Diego Padres defeated the mighty Portland Beavers in seven games to capture the American League pennant. Now, the Padres will face the Boston Red Sox in the World Series, the Red Sox having swept the Detroit Tigers.

The Beavers began the ALCS with style, as Paul Baker fired a five-hit shutout in Game One. The next day, however, San Diego's Dutch Leonard matched Baker's feat exactly, tying the series.

The Padres could have won the series in Game Six, but Portland's Syl Johnson twirled a shutout and kept his team's chances alive for another day. However, the Padres called on Cliff Melton, who had already started Game One (a loss) and Game Four (a win), and the rookie beat the Beavers 4-1 to clinch the pennant. Buddy Lewis led the Padres attack with three hits in the deciding game, and he hit .393 in the series.

The Red Sox-Tigers series was much less exciting. Only one game was close; the Red Sox scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to beat the Tigers 9-8 in Game Two.

The stars for the Sox were catcher Dave Neal, who got ten hits in four games, including the decisive blow in Game Two, and Satchel Paige, the winning pitcher in Games One and Four.

[Big Six]

October 11, 1936

The World Series was first played (in this universe) in 1920, and the winners were the San Diego Padres. Until this season, the Padres had not been back to the Fall Classic, but this month they gave their long-suffering fans plenty of reasons to celebrate. The San Diegos defeated the National League champion Boston Red Sox in seven games to bring the World Series title back to the beautiful shores of Southern California.

The teams split the first two games. Boston ace Satchel Paige coasted to an easy win in Game One, while San Diego's Roy Weir fired a five-hit shutout the next day to even things up.

Cliff Melton, the star of the Padres' ALCS victory over Portland, took the mound for Game Three, and turned in a gutsy performance that did not look like the work of a rookie who was playing amateur ball in May. Melton allowed seven hits and seven walks, and seemed to spend the entire day pitching out of trouble. He allowed only one run to score, however, and the Padres got to Red Sox rookie Robert Hampton twice to win the game 2-1.

In Game Four, Satchel Paige proved once again that he is one of the most tenacious competitors the game has ever seen. Satch didn't have his best stuff, but he held the Padres off until his teammates' bats awakened and earned a 5-4 victory. The Sox won again in Game Five, with Ed Brandt pitching a gem, going the distance for a 3-1 victory. Padres starter Weir left the game in the second inning with shoulder trouble, which was later diagnosed as a minor rotator cuff strain.

The Padres faced elimination in Game Six, and once again they turned to Cliff Melton. He responded with a five-hit shutout, while his teammates battered Robert Hampton for 14 hits in an easy 9-0 win.

The league champions would now face a Game Seven showdown in Fenway Park. With Satchel Paige and Dutch Leonard in the box and a chilling wind blowing briskly in from left field, most fans expected a pitchers' duel. They got the opposite, as the Padres unloaded on Paige from the first inning on. The AL champions hammered eight doubles, and leadoff man Roy Johnson hit a home run into the teeth of the wind. Before Paige left with two outs in the seventh frame, the Padres were ahead 11-1, and that ended up as the final score.

One member of the 1936 World Champion Padres was also a member of the 1920 Series winners. Elton Kirkpatrick won 17 games as a 22-year-old rookie in 1920, and endured the long years of losing that followed the Padres' one championship. Elton finished the '36 season with a lifetime record of 115-156, and since 1933, has done most of his work from the bullpen. He appeared in 14 regular season games, working 33 innings this season.

In Game Seven, the Padres manager sent Kirkpatrick to the mound to pitch the ninth inning with his team leading by ten runs. "Elton is the only original Padre left," he said later. "I wanted him to be the man on the mound when the final out was made."

Kirkpatrick worked a one-two-three inning, retiring Red Sox shortstop Mickey Haslin on a pop foul to catcher Rick Ferrell for the final out. Then Kirkpatrick was surrounded by a joyful crowd of teammates. In the clubhouse after the game, Ferrell presented Kirkpatrick with the ball he'd used to end the Series.

"That might be the last inning I ever pitch," said Kirkpatrick, 39. "I can't think of a better way to go out, can you?"

[ifspuds]

Great ending to the season, even if the Beavs didn't take it all. Very cool to have Kirkpatrick finish it off.

[Big Six]

October 12, 1936

I meant to post the regular season standings before I wrote about the League Championship Series, but the end of the season was so exciting that I forgot. Here they are, and they haven't changed since mid-September.

NATIONAL LEAGUE STANDINGS

NORTHERN        W   L    PCT  GB
Boston          94  60  .610  --
Pittsburgh      80  74  .519  14
Brooklyn        77  77  .500  17
Philadelphia    73  81  .474  21
New York G      72  82  .468  22
New York Y      72  82  .468  22

MID-EAST        W   L    PCT  GB
Detroit         84  70  .545  --
Washington      82  72  .532   2
Cleveland       81  73  .526   3
Milwaukee       74  80  .481  10
Baltimore       72  82  .468  12
Cincinnati      63  91  .409  21


AMERICAN LEAGUE STANDINGS

CONTINENTAL     W   L    PCT  GB
Portland       104  50  .675  --
Seattle         88  66  .571  16
Chicago W       80  74  .519  24
Chicago C       74  80  .481  30
St. Louis       65  89  .422  38
Kansas City     61  93  .396  43

PACIFIC         W   L    PCT  GB
San Diego       86  68  .558  --
Oakland         84  70  .545   2
Hollywood       80  74  .519   6
Sacramento      72  82  .468  14
San Francisco   67  87  .435  19
Los Angeles     63  91  .409  23

Earlier, I wrote that Portland had won 106 games this season. That was an error; they won "only" 104. They're the second-winningest team of all time, behind the 1930 Oakland Oaks, who went 107-47.

• A superb second half propelled Portland outfielder Chuck Klein to the American League Outstanding Hitter Award. Klein has now won the OHA in six of the last seven seasons. He hit .359 with 41 home runs and 138 RBI, the latter two totals best in the league. His 1.036 OPS was second to that of his teammate, Josh Gibson (1.058).
  
  
• Klein's teammate, Pat Caraway, enjoyed the finest season of his career and won his second AL Outstanding Pitcher trophy. Pat went 24-4 with a 2.98 ERA, leading both leagues in victories. The humble lefthander seemed surprised by his selection, admitting that he rarely looks at his statistics until the season is over.
  
  
• Nobody was surprised when Buddy Lewis, the versatile infielder of the San Diego Padres, was named the 1936 American League Rookie of the Year. Buddy, who turned 20 late in the season, hit .358 with 16 home runs and 87 RBI, scoring 113 runs and lashing 215 base hits. His emergence was a big reason for the Padres' World Championship run.
  
  
• For the fourth time, the National League's Outstanding Hitter Award goes to Pittsburgh slugger Lou Gehrig. The Iron Horse hit .358, drilled 50 home runs, drove in 134 runs, and scored 167 runs to set a new major league record. Gehrig's 1.116 OPS is the highest of his career, and he has scored and driven in at least 100 runs in each of his 12 big league seasons.
  
  
• Boston's ace righthander, Satchel Paige, recieved his third National League Oustanding Pitcher Award this year. Satch produced a 21-9 record and a 2.65 ERA, and he struck out 234 batters. His K total broke his own major league record, but the Senators' Dizzy Dean whiffed 256 to beat him.
  
  
• The National League's top freshman was New York Giants shortstop Andrew Mann. He finally got his chance at a full-time job at age 26, and he made the most of it, hitting .295 with 11 homers, 78 RBI, and 90 runs scored. Mann also ranks among the slickest glove men in the business.

[Big Six]

January 1, 1937

Let's take a look at the list of the 20 best players in the big leagues:

PLAYER                 TEAM  AGE   LY    AVG  HR  RBI
 1  Josh Gibson         POR   24    1   .346  35   96
 2  Lou Gehrig          PIT   33    3   .358  50  134
 3  Harlond Clift       DET   24    6   .327  26  105
 4  Buck Leonard        NYY   29    2   .332  28   96
 5  Joe DiMaggio        SAC   22   13   .336  24  113
 6  Arky Vaughan        CHW   24   10   .381  17  112
 7  Bob McBryde         WAS   24   NR   .362   9   84
 8  Chuck Klein         POR   32    8   .359  41  138
 9  Jimmie Foxx         KC    29    7   .294  40  103
10  Earl Averill        STL   34    4   .321  24   78
11  Charlie Gehringer   WAS   33    5   .304  11   97
12  Hank Greenberg      MIL   26   NR   .375  34  100
13  Cool Papa Bell      SD    33   20   .383   2   83
14  Johnny Mize         DET   23   11   .299  29  101
15  Roy Weatherly       POR   21   NR   .353  22  126
16  Jim Bottomley       WAS   36   16   .355  27  129
17  Dave LaPointe       HOL   23   NR   .345   4   59
18  Ray Dandridge       POR   23   NR   .348   6   72
19  Buzz Boyle          BOS   28   18   .340  15   89
20  Joe Medwick         BRO   25   17   .363  21  116

• I can't understand how Chuck Klein can be so low on this list. The fact that his Contact rating has dropped from 18 to 16 must have something to do with it. Still, I'll be surprised if, at the end of next season, there are eight players I'd rather have on my team than Chuck Klein.
  
  
• McBryde and LaPointe are the only two fictional players on the list.
  
  
• Hank Greenberg had a monster year, didn't he? He slugged .655 and hit 64 doubles, only three behind Owen Hall's all-time single season record. It might not be a coincidence that both Hall and Greenberg were/are Milwaukee Braves first basemen. County Stadium allows more doubles than the average park by a factor of 1.082.
  
  
• Some of you might be wondering what happened to Al Simmons. He hit .304 with 24 home runs, 117 RBI, and an .850 OPS, which would be a great year for most players. For Simmons, a lifetime .345 hitter with a career OPS of .967, that qualifies as somewhat of a disappointment. He'll be 34 when the season begins and, like Klein, his bat is showing the first small signs of slowing down.

Next up: the 20 best pitchers in major league baseball:

PITCHER                TEAM  AGE   LY   W-L     ERA   K
 1  Satchel Paige       BOS   30    4   21-9   2.69  234
 2  Tommy Bridges       PHI   30    1   22-11  3.14  209
 3  Dizzy Dean          WAS   26    6   18-16  3.79  256
 4  Gene Schott         KC    23   12   17-11  3.45  113
 5  Whit Wyatt          SF    29    5   11-12  2.95  104
 6  Stephen Jennings    CHC   25   11   11-11  3.35  125
 7  Cliff Melton        SD    24   NR   12-5   2.73  109
 8  Carl Hubbell        HOL   33    2   18-14  3.83  134
 9  Quincy Dorst        CHC   37    3   13-7   2.66  120
10  Ed Brandt           BOS   31    7   21-10  3.60  147
11  Johnny Allen        SEA   32    8   14-12  4.17  127
12  Ray Brown           CHW   28   10   14-12  3.66  167
13  Spud Chandler       LA    29   NR   8-9    3.44   79
14  Mike Crawford       BAL   40   13   13-17  3.42   94
15  Dutch Leonard       SD    27   15   13-11  3.47   60
16  Roy Weir            SD    26   NR   14-8   3.69  140
17  Fred Barnes         SAC   28   16   11-19  3.96  121
18  Bill Swift          NYY   28    9   13-15  4.54   90
19  Paul Baker          POR   28   17   17-10  3.75  111
20  Jim Turner          NYG   33   NR   11-9   3.71   57

• What does this system have against Pat Caraway? I think he's one of the best five pitchers in the league. No offense to Paul Baker, who's good, but Caraway is the ace of the Portland staff.
  
  
• Melton, Chandler, and Turner were part of a fine group of pitchers who made their debuts immediately after they were chosen in the 1936 rookie draft. Another newcomer, Milwaukee's Lou Fette, went 13-6 and posted a 2.17 ERA. Fette barely worked enough innings to claim the NL ERA title. I almost slipped up and called this foursome a "fine group of young pitchers." That's not true; only Melton is young.
  
  
• Jennings, Dorst, Crawford, Barnes, and Baker are fictional players. I thought Barnes was real for the longest time, until I looked him up and didn't find him.
  
  
• Mike Crawford won exactly half the games he needed to reach 300 victories and currently stands at 287. His skills haven't eroded at all in several years, so I think he's got a shot at reaching his goal. The poor quality of the Orioles team is the biggest factor working against him, however. If he played for the Beavers, the Oaks, the Red Sox, or the Senators, he'd win 13 games with ease.

And here are the ten best prospects in the game:

PROSPECT               TEAM  AGE  POS
 1  Bob Feller          NYG   18   P
 2  Willard Brown       CHC   21   CF
 3  Ty Lewis            CHW   22   2B
 4  Valentyn Santos     NYG   22   P
 5  Chris McPhee        POR   23   CF
 6  Hal Trosky          CHC   24   1B
 7  Bobby Doerr         BOS   18   2B
 8  Tommy Henrich       STL   23   RF
 9  Al Cuccinello       OAK   22   2B
10  Bill Nicholson      SF    22   RF

• Feller pitched enough in the majors that I wouldn't put him on the list if he wasn't so young. He began the year at AAA Jersey City, where he went 4.3, 2.68, striking out 69 men in 57 innings. Promoted to a bad Giants team, Rapid Robert went 11-6 with a 4.16 ERA and struck out 132 men in 180 innings. He walked 102 batters, but I think that's the price you'll have to pay for Bob's electrifying stuff. Oddly enough, I just noticed that Feller imported with a 87-89 MPH fastball. I played Great Baseball Deity and bumped his velocity up 10 MPH or so.
  
  
• Brown spent half the year with the Nashville Vols (AAA), hitting .279-9-60. Upon his promotion to the Cubs, he was even better (.297-2-13 in 111 AB). He needs to learn to command the strike zone better, but that can be said for almost every hitter his age.
  
  
• Ty Lewis spent the entire season with the White Sox, who found 142 at bats for him as a reserve infielder and a pinch hitter. He did well, hitting .310 with 24 RBI, and he stole nine bases. Look for him to play every day at second next year, because all-time great Wilton Schmitt plans to retire.
  
  
• Santos doesn't have as much stuff as Feller (who does?) but his command and control are both more refined. This Venezuelan righthander won five of six decisions with Jersey City (AAA) and earned a promotion to New York, where he went 5-6 with a 4.64 ERA.
  
  
• McPhee, too, spent a lot of time in the big leagues, hitting .303-5-52 in 264 AB for Portland, stealing bases, and fielding brilliantly. He's a keeper, and as he develops his batting eye, he should be a prototypical leadoff man.
  
  
• I don't know what the Cubs are thinking. Trosky hit .364/.431/.580 for Nashville, with 20 homers and 114 RBI. He's been named the Oustanding AAA Hitter for two straight seasons. Unless the Cubs plan on grooming Hal to be the governor of Tennessee instead of their starting first baseman, they need to get him to the majors, and soon. Gus Suhr isn't that good, folks. (Should the Deity force a trade?)
  
  
• Doerr toyed with AA pitchers down at Hartford, hitting .326 in 13 games, and won a promotion to Birmingham. Facing AAA competition as an 18-year-old, Bobby held his own (.247-3-22 in 186 AB). The Red Sox have Joe Jones at second right now, and he's good, so they can take their time with Doerr and let him develop.
  
  
• Henrich brought his sweet lefty swing directly to St. Louis after the draft and hit .285 with six homers and ten doubles in 239 AB. He also drew 30 walks, striking out only 18 times. The Cards have a surplus of outfielders, with Wally Berger, Earl Averill, Turkey Stearnes, and Henrich on their roster. Note to Cardinals: Trade one of the first three for a pitcher or two .
  
  
• Cuccinello played well when he got a chance late last season, hitting .322 and showing some power. The Oaks need all the offense they can get, and there's a position open for him now that Luke Appling has been traded.
  
  
• Big "Swish" Nicholson moved up a level in 1936 and found AA ball to his liking. He hit .344-24-70 for Augusta, slugging .515 and making the All-Star team. He'll likely begin the 1937 season in Dallas (AAA), but the Seals probably have a train ticket to San Fran ready for him.

[PhillieFever]

I have to give a shout out to Mr. Art Smith!,way to go Art.I love it when journeyman type players pull off fantastic feats.A perfecto would have taken the cake,though wouldn't it have?

[Big Six]

Originally Posted by PhillieFever

I have to give a shout out to Mr. Art Smith!,way to go Art.I love it when journeyman type players pull off fantastic feats.A perfecto would have taken the cake,though wouldn't it have?

I'm often bad about checking for feats like no-hitters, but Smith's happened to catch my eye because I'm doing more frequent write-ups now.

I haven't had a perfect game in this dynasty, so I wish Smith had turned the trick. Three other pitchers have allowed only one baserunner, but none went nearly as far with a perfecto as Art did.

There have been 15 no-hit games pitched in my universe so far. No pitcher has thrown more than one. Here's a list of the men who have thrown no-hitters, along with some statistics from the year they performed their feat and from their careers.

PITCHER             DATE        RECORD       YRS  CAREER RECORD
Jonathon Vance      7/31/1921   6-20, 3.94    16  210-196, 3.77
Dave Bell           6/9/1923    19-8, 2.96     4  63-51, 3.62
Ernie McLeod        6/24/1923   14-10, 3.30   11  108-102, 4.19, 24 SV
Mike Crawford       5/12/1924   21-12, 2.43   17  287-182, 2.88
Dominic Mulrenan    6/12/1925   15-5, 3.70    10  87-66, 4.17
Frank Shellenback   6/21/1925   12-19, 4.73   17  193-245, 4.73, 26 SV
Rafael Perez        7/11/1926   14-14, 4.26   17  236-232, 4.27
Bill Walker         7/4/1931    11-9, 4.04     8  71-65, 4.23, 28 SV
Tommy Bridges       8/26/1931   20-12, 2.59    7  113-79, 3.08
Ad Liska            9/28/1933   18-9, 2.23     7  110-67, 2.94
Dick Barrett        6/29/1934   17-7, 2.87     6  89-60, 3.32
Paul Hopkins        8/16/1935   14-5, 2.81     8  79-73, 3.24
Satchel Paige       9/10/1935   21-9, 2.25    11  188-108, 3.19
Elden Auker         8/5/1936    14-8, 4.47     3  33-31, 4.11
Art Smith           9/10/1935   13-14, 5.27    2  26-30, 5.21

Every pitcher from Perez on down, plus Crawford, are active as the 1937 season begins.

The list contains pitchers with a variety of career paths. Crawford, Bridges,and Paige are superstars. Between them, they have seven Outstanding Pitcher Awards to their credit. Crawford is the all-time leader in victories, and Paige might surpass his total one day. Satch and Tommy each won the Oustanding Pitcher Award in the year he threw his no-hitter.

Liska and Barrett are All-Star caliber pitchers, and so was Vance in his prime. Hopkins is good, and Auker, the youngest man on the list, looks like he should enjoy a nice career. The others are journeymen. Perez and Shellenback have been good enough to take a regular turn in someone's rotation for a long time, and that says something.

Shellenback and Walker have been converted into relievers. Shellenback is angry about the change, but Walker seems to be adjusting well to his new role. Bill saved 19 games for the Dodgers in 1936.

Dave Bell seemed to be on his way to an outstanding career, but he tore his labrum in spring training in 1924 and he was all through at age 24.

McLeod and Mulrenan's careers were cut short because they were created as veterans when the league began in 1920.

Art Smith broke in to pro ball in 1928, and didn't make his major league debut until 1935. Art, then, is without doubt the least distinguished pitcher to have thrown a no-hitter.

Thanks for the post, PhillieFever. I had fun researching the no-hit pitchers.

[Big Six]

April 5, 1937

Today is Opening Day, and 'm going to do something a little different to kick off the season. It certainly won't be a regular feature, but I thought it would be fun to do every once in a while.

I'm going to run down the Positional Strength reports, one position at a time. That way, we'll all know where our favorite players are plying their trade, and we'll have a sense of where our team stands as the 1937 season begins.

First, we'll look at the catchers. Who's the best behind the dish? If you've been paying attention, the name at the top of the list shouldn't be a surprise.

1. Josh Gibson, Portland
2. Bob McBryde, Washington
3. Mickey Cochrane, St. Louis
4. Felix Guerrero, Detroit
5. Ted Radcliffe, San Francisco
6. Tommy Heath, Seattle
7. Ernie Lombardi, Hollywood
8. Bennie Tate, New York Giants
9. Gus Mancuso, Chicago White Sox
10. Bill Dickey, Brooklyn
11. Jimmie Wilson, Philadelphia
12. Henry Harris, Cincinnati
13. Rudy York, New York Yankees
14. Dave Neal, Boston
15. Billy Raimondi, Baltimore
16. Rick Ferrell, San Diego
17. Gabby Hartnett, Cleveland
18. Ray Mueller, Oakland
19. Charlie Berry, Sacramento
20. Walt Lerian, Kansas City
21. Tim Anderson, Chicago Cubs
22. Clyde Sukeforth, Los Angeles
23. Billy Hopper, Milwaukee
24. Melvin McFetridge, Pittsburgh

The five best young catchers in the league are:
1. Gibson
2. McBryde
3. York
4. Raimondi
5. Guerrero

Raimondi and Guerrero are both excellent catch-and-throw receivers with some pop in their bats. Guerrero is a slightly better hitter than Raimondi.

[Big Six]

Many of the league's most dangerous hitters call first base their diamond home. Which one of the many star first sackers is considered the best right now, and which teams badly need an upgrade here?

1. Buck Leonard, New York Yankees
2. Lou Gehrig, Pittsburgh
3. Jimmie Foxx, Kansas City
4. Johnny Mize, Detroit
5. Hank Greenberg, Milwaukee
6. Jim Bottomley, Washington
7. Hal Trosky, Chicago Cubs
8. Dale Alexander, Cincinnati
9. Zeke Bonura, Brooklyn
10. Jack Cummings, San Diego
11. Del Bissonette, Los Angeles
12. Don Hurst, St. Louis
13. Chris Clark, Portland
14. Stu Martin, Hollywood
15. Ripper Collins, Chicago White Sox
16. George McQuinn, Sacramento
17. Kenny Hopkins, San Francisco
18. Dolf Camilli, Philadelphia
19. Nathan Smith, Oakland
20. Billy Myers, Baltimore
21. Joe Kuhel, Boston
22. Harry Davis, New York Giants
23. Bill Sweeney, Cleveland
24. Jose Montoya, Seattle

Montoya has huge shoes to fill in Seattle. The Rainiers and their fans just said goodbye to Joe Bazeley, who retired after 17 wonderful seasons.

The top young talent at first base includes:
1. Danny Smith, Boston
2. Trosky
3. Babe Dahlgren, St. Louis
4. Mize
5. Buck O'Neil, Baltimore

Danny Smith is a big, strong kid out of Amherst, Massachusetts who reminds a lot of people of Hank Greenberg, except he's a little better with the glove. Is he really going to be better than Mize? If he is, the Red Sox are set at first base for a long time.

The Cubs finally got wise and will give Trosky a shot at a major league job this year. The O's should do the same with O'Neil.

[Big Six]

Many experts believe there's a shortage of talent at the keystone right now. The names at the head of this list have star power, but I'd say half the teams in baseball wouldn't mind having a stronger player at second base than the one they have now.

1. Charlie Gehringer, Washington
2. Stan Campbell, Chicago Cubs
3. Luke Appling, New York Giants
4. Tony Lazzeri, Pittsburgh
5. Billy Herman, Hollywood
6. Brian Benton, New York Yankees
7. Aaron Luxton, San Francisco
8. Al Cuccinello, Oakland
9. Odell Hale, San Diego
10. Fresco Thompson, Cleveland
11. Joe Jones, Boston
12. Ty Lewis, Chicago White Sox
13. Alex Kampouris, Baltimore
14. Cookie Lavagetto, Sacramento
15. Ben Chapman, Detroit
16. Mickey Haslin, Philadelphia
17. Les Mallon, Milwaukee
18. Miguel Rios, Portland
19. Nig Lipscomb, Cincinnati
20. Jay Green, Brooklyn
21. Chuck Sheerin, Los Angeles
22. Tracy Miller, Seattle
23. Gregory Miller, St. Louis
24. Rodney Green, Kansas City

Brian Benton appeared on the scene as a 33-year-old free agent in 1936. he was briefly with Hollywood, before the Yankees acquired him a trade. He hit .314 in 153 AB in 1936. His ratings indicate that performance might not have been a fluke.

Luxton, also a free agent who debuted in 1936 at age 27, hit .309 in limited action for the Seals. Upside: .340/.440/.450.

The best young second basemen are:
1. Lewis
2. John Mihalic, Sacramento
3. Bobby Doerr, Boston
4. Kampouris
5. Eddie Joost, Hollywood

Mihalic and Doerr are similar players, but I think Doerr is actually a little bit better. Mihalic is a dazzling fielder, however.

[Big Six]

Third base was perhaps the weakest position in baseball until the past few years, when several outstanding young players debuted at the hot corner. Now, it appears that we'll be enjoying the exploits of a bumper crop of star third basemen until 1950 or so.

1. Harlond Clift, Detroit
2. Ray Dandridge, Portland
3. Joe Stripp, Sacramento
4. Ed Morgan, Chicago Cubs
5. Buddy Lewis, San Diego
6. Dan Preble, Kansas City
7. Bobby Estalella, Hollywood
8. Art Scharein, Oakland
9. Pinky Higgins, Boston
10. Josh Murray, New York Giants
11. Judy Johnson, Seattle
12. Billy Sullivan, Washington
13. Jimmy Brown, Pittsburgh
14. Bill Akers, Los Angeles
15. Harry Rice, St. Louis
16. Frankie Crosetti, New York Yankees
17. Steve Cain, Cleveland
18. Jesus Lopez, Milwaukee
19. Roy Smith, Cincinnati
20. Bill Cissell, San Francisco
21. Rick Mann, Baltimore
22. Ralph Winegarner, Philadelphia
23. Lee Handley, Chicago White Sox
24. Billy Urbanski, Brooklyn

Rick Mann and Judy Johnson both have about 2800 major league hits. Mann, who is 38, has a decent shot at getting to 3000, and Johnson, 35, almost certainly will.

The best of a nice collection of young third basemen are:
1. Dandridge
2. Clift
3. Preble
4. Merv Connors, Sacramento
5. Lewis
6. Ken Keltner, Oakland

I suppose Dandridge and Clift are reversed here because Dandridge might have more potential, while Clift is closer to his peak talent. Harlond has also brought real power to the third base position; power is the only tool Dandridge doesn't possess. Preble projects to hit for both power and average, and he's a plus defender. Connors' mediocre glove might necessitate a position change. Yeah, I know I ran the list to six instead of five, but Keltner is better than any of the #5 men at the other positions I've featured.

[Big Six]

The game seems to have generated a ton of fictional shortstops, which might mean that the "real" ones were pretty bad. Honestly, looking at this list, I'm not going to disagree...

1. Arky Vaughan, Chicago White Sox
2. Andrew Mann, New York Giants
3. Ed Montague, Los Angeles
4. Lyn Lary, Cincinnati
5. Joe Cronin, Milwaukee
6. Valentin Gallo, Seattle
7. Jesus Lopez, New York Yankees
8. Frank Reed, Boston
9. Lonny Frey, Cleveland
10. Charlie Gelbert, Baltimore
11. Miguel Rincon, Portland
12. Bill Knickerbocker, Oakland
13. Cecil Travis, Sacramento
14. Paul Thomas, Detroit
15. Steve Adkins, Hollywood
16. Ace Parker, Chicago Cubs
17. Billy Werber, San Francisco
18. Jimmy Jordan, Pittsburgh
19. Jake O'Neal, Philadelphia
20. Les Bell, San Diego
21. Stu Clarke, Kansas City
22. Boob Fowler, Brooklyn
23. Norm Davis, St. Louis
24. Ollie Bejma, Washington

Vaughan, Lary, Cronin, Frey, Gelbert, Knickerbocker, Travis, Werber, and Bell are the only names on this list I recognize as quality major leaguers. Ace Parker is much more distinguished as a quarterback than a baseball player, and I would have sworn he was an outfielder in real life. I wonder if this Ed Montague is the father of the umpire by the same name.

Among the fictional guys, Gallo looks like he could be fun to watch; he can hit at the top of the order, steal bases, and play solid defense. Lopez is good enough that the Yankees were willing to trade Bill Swift for him, straight up. Mann was the NL ROY in '36.

The best of the young shortstops are:
1. Vaughan (yes, he's still only 24)
2. Javier Guerrero, Cleveland
3. Lopez
4. Rincon
5. Parker

Guerrero's name on this list puzzles me, because he's absolutely awful defensively. Rincon, on the other hand, can pick it with the best shortstops in baseball history.

[Big Six]

Most teams have a masher playing left field, and if they don't, they're trying to find one. The name at the top of this list is NOT a mistake, however. His team has an outfielder who is good enough defensively to force him out of center field.

1. Joe DiMaggio, Sacramento
2. Dave LaPointe, Hollywood
3. Buzz Boyle, Boston
4. Roy Weatherly, Portland
5. Joe Medwick, Brooklyn
6. Mule Suttles, Washington
7. Wally Berger, St. Louis
8. Al Simmons, New York Yankees
9. Buzz Arlett, Kansas City
10. Augie Galan, Cleveland
11. Len Koenecke, Philadelphia
12. Heinie Manush, Oakland
13. Bob Johnson, Detroit
14. Dixie Walker, Pittsburgh
15. Debs Garms, Chicago Cubs
16. Bunny Roser, Seattle
17. Harvey Hendrick, Los Angeles
18. Jo-Jo Moore, Milwaukee
19. Roy Johnson, San Diego
20. Chet Laabs, Cincinnati
21. Johnny Moore, Chicago White Sox
22. George Case, San Francisco
23. Leon Ramos, Baltimore
24. Moose Solters, New York Giants

The best young left fielders are:
1. DiMaggio
2. LaPointe
3. Laabs
4. Medwick
5. Salvador Flores, Boston

Medwick is 25; I guess that's still considered "young." Flores might not ever be more than a fourth outfielder, but he is nothing short of amazing in the field.

[Big Six]

Most teams use a speedster in the center garden, but the player at the top of the list is a home run threat.

1. Earl Averill, St. Louis
2. Cool Papa Bell, San Diego
3. Lloyd Waner, Cincinnati
4. Wally Moses, Detroit
5. Mule Haas, New York Giants
6. Frank Demaree, San Francisco
7. Hank Leiber, Philadelphia
8. Jo-Jo White, Washington
9. Hersh Martin, Cleveland
10. Terry Moore, Portland
11. Willard Brown, Chicago Cubs
12. Buster Mills, Brooklyn
13. Johnny Frederick, New York Yankees
14. Tom Field, Boston
15. Dan Shackleford, Hollywood
16. Nelson Elliott, Oakland
17. Larry Rosenthal, Baltimore
18. John Kinney, Pittsburgh
19. Lou Chiozza, Chicago White Sox
20. Denny Sothern, Seattle
21. Doug Dickey, Kansas City
22. Tom Oliver, Milwaukee
23. Mike Kreevich, Sacramento
24. Paco Hernandez, Los Angeles

As good a defensive outfielder as Joe DiMaggio is, Mike Kreevich seems just a little better. I agree with the AI manager of the Solons. I'd play Kreevich in center and Joe D in left, too.

The top young talent in center field includes:

1. Chris McPhee, Portland
2. Brown
3. Vince DiMaggio, New York Yankees
4. Brad Johnston, Detroit
5. Harry Craft, Oakland

It's entirely possible that Joe DiMaggio is the third best fielding outfielder in his family. Vince has a howitzer for an arm. We'll see how good Dominic turns out to be in a couple years.

[Big Six]

None of you will be shocked to see who tops this list, but several of the other names high in the rankings will be more surprising. The list mixes battle-tested vets, stars in their prime, and up-and-coming youngsters in an interesting way.

1. Chuck Klein, Portland
2. Bob Fothergill, Washington
3. Jose Sanchez, Cleveland
4. Paul Waner, Detroit
5. Pete Fox, Brooklyn
6. Tommy Henrich, St. Louis
7. Arturo Reyes, Sacramento
8. Joe Marty, New York Yankees
9. Oscar Eckhardt, Chicago White Sox
10. Goody Rosen, Hollywood
11. Don Padgett, Kansas City
12. Ival Goodman, San Francisco
13. Eddie Wilson, Cincinnati
14. Zack Bennett, Seattle
15. Dennis Miller, Chicago Cubs
16. Jimmy Welsh, Oakland
17. Jon Norman, Boston
18. Ralph Adams, Baltimore
19. Hank Steinbacher, San Diego
20. Dusty Cooke, New York Giants
21. Estel Crabtree, Milwaukee
22. Tuck Stainback, Los Angeles
23. Jonathan Brown, Pittsburgh
24. Roy Kinsey, Philadelphia

You won't see Fatty Fothergill modeling suits for Nordstrom's, but at age 39, he's still a dangerous man with a bat in his hand. Long-term observers swear Arturo Reyes' arm is as good as Chick Hafey's was (now you know why the Solons play DiMaggio in left).

If you're wondering why you haven't seen Mel Ott's name, it's because he's no longer a regular player. His ratings took a terrible nosedive over the past two years, and the Dodgers benched him.

Here are the most talented of the young right fielders:

1. Luke Easter, San Francisco
2. Henrich
3. Frankie Kelleher, Brooklyn
4. Steinbacher
5. Jim Gleeson

You've met Henrich already. Easter features light-tower power, Kelleher the ability to spray line drives all over the park, Steinbacher a well-rounded skill set and a great attitude, and Gleeson tremendous athletic ability.

[Big Six]

Here are the top four starters for each major league team. One ace wasn't enough to place a team toward the top of this list--the best rankings go to the teams that can send to the mound each day a starter with the ability to keep his team in the game.

1. Chicago Cubs--Stephen Jennings, Quincy Dorst, Mace Brown, Grady Price
2. San Diego Padres--Cliff Melton, Dutch Leonard, Roy Weir, Will Green
3. Chicago White Sox--Ray Brown, Gordon Rhodes, Gabriel de Klerk, Tom Sunkel
4. Seattle Rainiers--Johnny Allen, Ricardo Morales, Buck Ross, Hal Schumacher
5. Philadelphia Phillies--Tommy Bridges, Enrique Hernandez, John Colon, Rafael Perez
6. Boston Red Sox--Satchel Paige, Ed Brandt, Robert Hampton, Rusty Chandler
7. New York Giants--Jim Turner, Bob Feller, Valentyn Santos, Al Hollingsworth
8. Hollywood Stars--Carl Hubbell, Jesse Cooke, Elden Auker, Tex Carleton
9. Washington Senators--Dizzy Dean, Mike Haley, Tommy Thomas, Euel Moore
10. Brooklyn Dodgers--Kyuchi Abe, Ralph Elliot, Al Smith, Rob Browne
11. Portland Beavers--Paul Baker, Pat Caraway, Syl Johnson, Steve Larkin
12. Sacramento Solons--Bill Swift, Fred Barnes, Vince Shields, Eric Hudson
13. Pittsburgh Pirates--Johnny Broaca, Buster Ross, Fay Thomas, Russ Van Atta
14. Oakland Oaks--Ralph Birkofer, Ad Liska, Skip Campbell, Paul Hopkins
15. Kansas City Athletics--Gene Schott, Paul Derringer, Phil Webster, Benny Frey
16. St. Louis Cardinals--Vito Tamulis, Ben Hunter, Bill Shores, Jorge Guerrero
17. Baltimore Orioles--Mike Crawford, Ted Lyons, Ed Walsh, Dick Barrett
18. Detroit Tigers--Jim Tobin, Del Ellis, John Jackson, Cole Barrett
19. San Francisco Seals--Whit Wyatt, Ivy Andrews, Palmer Foley, Dutch Ulrich
20. Los Angeles Angels--Spud Chandler, Peaches Davis, Ray Lucas, Skinny Graham
21. Cincinnati Reds--Vallie Eaves, Joe Heving, Monte Weaver, Clint Brown
22. New York Yankees--Brian Whaley, Bill Dietrich, George Earnshaw, Milt Gaston
23. Milwaukee Braves--Lou Fette, Schoolboy Rowe, Cy Blanton, Joe Cascarella
24. Cleveland Indians--Howie Krist, Art Smith, Chris Bradley, Alvin Crowder

The five teams with the best young starters are:
1. New York Giants--Feller, Valentyn Santos
2. Kansas City--Schott, Victor Starffin
3. Philadelphia--Johnny Vander Meer
4. Cleveland--Krist
5. Chicago Cubs--Jennings

The Giants' duo give them far and away the most tantalizing prospects in MLB. Starffin is only 20, and the A's aren't rushing him.