This Week in Stratball - 7/14/17

This Week in Stratball

7/14/17

NATIONAL LEAGUE CATCHES UP

The Pittsburgh Crawfords enjoyed a week's respite as the schedule-makers provided an opportunity for the rest of the National League to engage in internecine battle - the seven NL teams took turns hosting one another in single-game action.

Brooklyn got surprising pitching from Johnny Babich and Boom-Boom Beck as, early on, they moved to a 4-1 record. Babich pitched into the 9th against the Cincinnati Reds before faltering and allowing the Rhinelanders to tie it up at 5. The Dodgers prevailed in the 11th when Len Koenecke's 4th hit of the game drove in the go-ahead run.

Babich's performance was a pleasant surprise: Beck's effort was shocking! "Boom-boom" earned his nickname from contemporary observers who tried to describe the sound of balls hitting bats ... and then outfield walls in rapid succession! His 7.42 ERA for 1934 seems to corroborate this description.

Larry "Boom-boom" Miller

Boom-boom, as portrayed by comedian Larry Miller

In Beck's start against the Boston Braves, the first inning went according to script. Wally Berger, slugging Boston CF, drove one of Beck's offerings into the seats for a 2-0 lead. But Beck settled down and, remarkably, held the Braves scoreless for the rest of the game: Boom-boom went the distance while striking out 7, surrendering 6 hits, and walking only 2.

In other news from around the league ...NY Giants screwballer Carl Hubbell  subdued the St, Louis Cardinals in a 4-2 victory. Mel Ott homered for the Giants. The Phillies outslugged the Reds 11-8 as Bucky Walters drove in 4 runs on a homer and a double. Walters, later to transform into an outstanding PITCHER for the Reds, was the Phillies' third baseman in 1934.

Bucky Walters, seeing into his future as a Red

The Cubs' Lon Warneke won his second game of the year, outpitching the Cards' Dizzy Dean, 6-1. Both of these top-notch clubs are struggling in the early going and are looking forward to playing the softer spots on the schedule.

The early standings:

Pittsburgh Crawfords               13-8
Brooklyn Dodgers                     5-2
New York Giants                       4-2
Philadelphia Phillies                  4-3
St. Louis Cardinals                    2-4
Chicago Cubs                            2-4
Boston Braves                           2-5
Cincinnati Reds                         1-5

NEWS FROM OTHER LEAGUES

The New York teams are claiming the top spots in the Top Teams of the 90s league. The 1988 Mets and their vaunted pitching rotation are leading the "Early 90s" division with an 8-4 record. The 1998 Yankees, with their 9-3 record, lead the "Late 90s" division.

In the Roaring Twenties league, the 1927 Yankees sport a 24-11 record, good for the top ranking in the "Mostly AL" division. In the "Mostly NL" division, the 1920 Cleveland Indians, led by Tris Speaker, have an identical 24-11 record, two games better than the 1911 New York Giants. Though dormant since this past December, play should be resuming in this league quite soon.

Speaking of dormant, the Johnson-Nixon league has been suspended since May of 2014!! It features a dog-fight in the 1964 (Johnson) division - both the Minnesota Twins and New York Yanks are 33-22. In the 1971 (Nixon) division, the Baltimore orioles are 5 games ahead of the LA Dodgers with a 35-17 record.

The Depression Era league has the 1941 Brooklyn Dodgers atop the "Pre-War"division with a 23-12 record, comfortably ahead of the 1941 Red Sox (with .406-hitting Ted Williams) and the 1941 Yanks (with 56-game hitting streak Joe DiMaggio). In the "Dust Bowl" division, the 1930 A's (23-12) are a game ahead of the 1934 Pittsburgh Pirates and 2 ahead of the 1934 Detroit Tigers.

Finally, with a 15-9 record, the 1953 Brooklyn Dodgers lead the 50s division of the NL Pennant Winners league, while the 1962 San Francisco Giants (16-8) are one game up on the 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates in the 60s division.