The New England Baseball League

[Big Six]

July 1, 1985

NORTHERN      W   L   PCT  GB
Worcester    46  37  .554  --
Burlington   44  39  .530   2
Portland     41  42  .494   5
Manchester   36  47  .434  10

SOUTHERN      W   L   PCT  GB
Bridgeport   47  36  .566  --
Providence   41  42  .494   6
Hartford     39  44  .470   8
Springfield  38  45  .458   9

The Worcester Indians and the Bridgeport Orators remain atop the division standings as the calendar turns to July. Bridgeport appears to be in control of the Southern Division race, while Worcester has a tough Burlington Blue Sox club right on their heels.

The Indians and Orators use two different formulas for success. Worcester's key is its pitching staff--best in the league with a sparkling 2.96 ERA. Dallas Dundee (10-5, 2.65) and Ed O'Meagher (9-4, 2.30) provide a great righty-lefty combo at the top of the Indians rotation. Amazingly, closer Stephen Steward failed to make the All-Star Team, despite a 1.20 ERA and 24 saves.

Bridgeport batters opponents into submission with the league's most potent offense. The Orators have a team OPS of .747, 46 points higher than the league. They have clubbed 92 home runs, 15 more than any other team.

Mark O'Sullivan continues to hit home runs at a prodigious rate. With 34 homers right now, he projects to hit 63 for the year; he's slugging a robust .724; and he's driven in 87 runs in 83 games. The Orators hope to get injured 2B Jeremy Payne and his .346 bat back in the lineup soon, as his broken thumb appears nearly healed.

Last-place Springfield had a bright spot to enjoy during June. All-Star LF Abraham Lawson was chosen the league's Batter of the Month. He hit .423 with 6 homers and 22 RBI, and got on base 47 percent of the time.

The NEBL's Pitcher of the Month came from the team that passed the Oaks to escape the Southern Division basement: the Hartford Senators. Mark Wells went 5-0 with a 2.23 ERA. He's evened his season record at 6-6, with a fine 3.02 ERA.

Rookie sensation Paul Lott of Manchester fired a five-hit shutout against the Providence Grays on June 26. The win was Lott's first career victory. His record now stands at 1-1, with a solid 3.44 ERA in three starts.

[PhillieFever]

Talk about a lack of run support! Burlington's Jose Diaz is just 7-5 despite a 1.67 ERA, normally you would see this kind of thing with a last place team that has trouble scoring runs, but Burlington is in 2nd place. Talk about bad luck!

[Big Six]

Originally Posted by PhillieFever

Talk about a lack of run support! Burlington's Jose Diaz is just 7-5 despite a 1.67 ERA, normally you would see this kind of thing with a last place team that has trouble scoring runs, but Burlington is in 2nd place. Talk about bad luck!

Jose Diaz has lost THREE 1-0 games so far this year. The Blue Sox score 2.5 runs per game when he starts.

On April 16, Hartford's Mark Wells threw a five-hit shutout against the Sox with Diaz on the mound. Jorge Trevino led off the Burlington fifth with a triple, and Wells stranded him there with a popup, a strikeout, and a fly ball to right.

On May 1, Jose had the bad luck to face Bryce Murphy of Providence on the day Bryce decided to throw a one-hitter. I should have probably mentioned Murphy's performance earlier, because it's the best-pitched game of the NEBL season so far, and I'd overlooked it. Thanks for causing me to find it so I can give Bryce his props.

Then, on May 11, Diaz dueled Bridgeport ace Brian Aldridge. Both pitchers threw three-hit shutout ball through nine innings, when Aldridge was relieved by closer Bill Kelly. Kelly retired the Sox in order in the 10th, and Diaz went back out to pitch the bottom of the inning. He'd only thrown 90 pitches, so I think leaving him in was a great decision.

Jose got the first batter, and Mark O'Sullivan stepped to the plate. You've probably heard of him.

One pitch; one swing.

Ballgame.

This is why I appreciate it when people post in my dynasty threads. I might have missed Bryce Murphy's one-hitter until the end of the season, and I'd completely overlooked the classic Burlington-Bridgeport game because I was simming week-to-week. Now, I get to experience a few more of the events that make a league like this come truly alive, and I get to make them part of the league's story, shared with you here on the forums.

Good stuff.

P.S. Jose allowed 12 earned runs in 11 innings in his first two starts after the All-Star break. He's now 7-7, with a 2.27 ERA.

[bwburke94]

Great read, as usual!

[Big Six]

August 1, 1985

NORTHERN      W   L   PCT  GB
Burlington   61  50  .550  --
Worcester    59  52  .532   2
Portland     52  59  .468   9
Manchester   52  59  .468   9

SOUTHERN      W   L   PCT  GB
Bridgeport   60  51  .541  --
Providence   55  56  .495   5
Hartford     54  57  .486   6
Springfield  51  60  .459   9

New England League fans have been treated to a very competitive first season of baseball so far this year. As August begins, no NEBL team is more than nine games below .500, and none is more than nine games off the division lead.

The Burlington Blue Sox enjoyed a 17-11 month in July, and surged past the Worcester Indians into first place in the Northern Division. Big months from SP Brendon Ellis and Jose Diaz, who both went 5-1 during July, fueled the Sox' surge. Diaz, whose hard luck had been chronicled earlier, now boasts a 12-8 record, while his ERA still sparkles at 2.29.

Burlington backstop Frank Cooper is hitting only .223, but he's reeled off the NEBL's longest hitting streak of the year. Cooper hit safely in 23 consecutive games until he went 0-2 against the Pilots on July 28.

Ed O'Meagher of Worcester did his best to keep the Indians on top, winning five of six starts and pitching to a 1.88 ERA during July. O'Meagher earned the Pitcher of the Month prize, his second of the season. He's now 14-5 for the year, his victory total trailing only that of Kevin Cole, who's won 15 games for a struggling Manchester club.

On July 17, the Indians attempted to shake things up by making a blockbuster trade. They sent RHP Dallas Dundee and minor league OF Clay Thomas to Portland in exchange for 3B Nicola Donatello. Donatello was thrilled by the news and immediately started swinging a hot bat. He's homered twice and driven in nine runs in his first 14 games as an Indian. Meanwhile, Dundee, who went 11-7 for Worcester, lost his first two decisions in Portland and continued a slump that's lasted since the All-Star break.

The Worcester-Portland trade was the only deal of any significance during the weeks before the trade deadline; most clubs feel like they're still in the pennant chase and weren't trying to unload veteran stars in return for young talent.

The final six weeks of the NEBL season look like they'll be exciting ones!

Pilots CF Felix Lopez, whose fine season has been largely overlooked, stepped into the spotlight during July and grabbed the Batter of the Month Award. Lopez hammered nine homers and drove in 25 runs last month, giving him season totals of 16 and 52, respectively. He's hitting .333 for the year, following a .364 month.

[Big Six]

September 1, 1985

NORTHERN      W   L   PCT  GB
Burlington   74  66  .529  --
Worcester    73  67  .521   2
Portland     68  72  .486   6
Manchester   64  76  .457  10

SOUTHERN      W   L   PCT  GB
Providence   76  64  .543  --
Bridgeport   72  68  .514   4
Hartford     70  70  .500   6
Springfield  63  77  .450  13

It's September, and the pennant races are on!

The Providence Grays got hot at the same time the Bridgeport Orators slumped and, as a result, there's a new leader in the Southern Division. The Grays went 21-8 in August, riding the hot bats of 2B Dennis Webb (.324-3-14 in August) and 1B Michael Miller (.338-4-20). Starters Ray Anderson and Tom Cannon combined to go 11-0. Providence took first place on August 19, and have had the lead since.

The Grays got bad news when they learned that ace LHP Bryce Murphy would miss the remainder of the season with a bone spur in his elbow; they could certainly use him as they battle Bridgeport for the division championship.

Burlington and Worcester are still battling tooth and nail for the Northern Division lead. The teams haven't been separated by more than three games all season.

The Blue Sox' outfield now features two dynamic rookies, as 20-year-old Charlie Butler, their first round pick in the recent draft, has seized hold of the ccenter field job. Butler hit a cool .383 in August, raising his season average to .312, and he's stolen 32 bases in 59 games.

Butler would have been a fine choice for the Batter of the Month prize, but instead it went to Springfield's Abraham Lawson, who smacked nine homers and drove in 34 runs. Lawson (.307-25-92), who also won the June BOM award, continues to be one of the few bright spots for the Oaks this year.

The Pitcher of the Month award also went to a repeat winner, Hartford's Mark Wells (5-0, 1.24 during August). Wells is now 15-8, with a 2.76 ERA.

[Big Six]

September 16, 1985

NORTHERN      W   L   PCT  GB
Worcester    85  69  .552  --
Burlington   80  74  .519   5
Portland     75  79  .487  10
Manchester   66  86  .442  17

SOUTHERN      W   L   PCT  GB
Hartford     82  72  .532  --
Providence   80  74  .514   2
Bridgeport   77  77  .500   5
Springfield  69  85  .448  13

Yes, you read those standings right.

The Hartford Senators and Worcester Indians are on their way to the New England Series!

The Senators caught fire in early September, winning eight straight games and moving within one game of division-leading Providence. The Grays came to Hartford on September 9 for a three-game series.

That night, the Senators beat the Grays, 4-2, and the division race was tied. On the 10th, both teams sent their ace to the mound: Tom Cannon for Providence, Mark Wells for Hartford. Wells and the Senators won a classic pitchers' duel, 3-1, and Hartford took over the lead.

The Senators completed the series sweep the next day, and although their winning streak ended on the 13th with a loss to Manchester, the Senators clinched the title by beating the Minutemen yesterday while Providence was losing to Worcester.

As happy as Hartford rooters are, their counterparts down in Bridgeport are just as miserable. The Orators led the Southern Division by six games on July 1, eleven games over .500. Their summertime swoon left them in third place with a 77-77 record.

Orators slugger Mark O'Sullivan couldn't have been expected to maintain his otherwordly home run pace all season long. After going deep 28 times before the All-Star break, he connected "only" 18 times the rest of the way. Still, his total of 46 easily led the league, as did his 131 RBI.

Meanwhile, Worcester overtook Burlington in less dramatic fashion. The Blue Sox suffered a costly injury on September 10, when Jorge Trevino injured his Achilles tendon. Trevino couldn't return to the lineup, but by then, Worcester was already comfortably in front. The fact that Jorge won the batting title with a .330 average did little to help him feel better.

The Indians went 11-2 in September, surging past the Blue Sox and coasting to the pennant. Ed O'Meagher went 3-0 during the month, securing the pitchers' Triple Crown. His 21 wins, 208 strikeouts, and 2.25 ERA were all tops in the league.

Now, it's on to the New England Series, where two teams that have played great baseball over the past two weeks will battle for the honor of being the first champion in NEBL history.

[Big Six]

September 21, 1985

After a particularly thrilling last few weeks of the regular season, some NEBL fans might feel let down by the fact that the inaugural New England Series resulted in a four-game sweep by the Worcester Indians over the Hartford Senators.

Game One, played in Worcester on the 17th, was a thriller that featured a fine pitching performance by Indians righthander Raul Herrera (8.2 IP, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K). Worcester closer Stephen Steward came on to record the final out with the tying run on second base.

The next night, the Indians came from three runs behind to win Game Two, 5-4. Worcester 3B Nicola Donatello, whom the Indians acquired in July, blasted a home run and drove in three runs. Indians ace Ed O'Meagher wasn't sharp, but his teammates bailed him out with their bats.

The series moved to Hartford, and the Senators sent their ace, Mark Wells, to the hill in Game Three. Wells allowed three earned runs in 6.2 innings, but he atoned for them by hitting a three-run homer off Indians starter Sam Sims. The game remained a 3-3 tie through nine innings, but the Indians scored in their half of the tenth--Dan Bergeron singling home Donatello--and Steward slammed the door shut on the Senators again.

Worcester sent Herrera back to the mound to close out the Series in Game Four, and he did so in style, pitching all nine innings of a 4-1 victory. Slugging SS Ron Curtis was the offensive star for Worcester, going 3-4 with a triple and a home run.

Congratulations to the 1985 New England Series Champion
Worcester Indians!!