Posted by oldtimer59 on 3/20/2025 3:53:00 PM (view original):
redcped, here are your boxes:
1) CIN at PITT - 4/19/1952
https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PIT/PIT195204190.shtml
2) CLE at NYH - 5/15/1906
https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYA/NYA190605150.shtml
3) STL at CLE - 5/28/2023
https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CLE/CLE202305280.shtml
4) BOS at CHW - 6/10/1996
https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHA/CHA199606100.shtml
5) DET at NYY - 4/30/1958
https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYA/NYA195804300.shtml
6) CLE at KC - 7/19/1986
https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/KCA/KCA198607190.shtml
7) CHC at NYM - 7/26/1979
https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYN/NYN197907260.shtml
8) BKN at NYG - 8/4/1942 - NL - Polo Grounds V
https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NY1/NY1194208040.shtml
OF Dick Hall, 1952 Pirates (yes, the same Dick Hall who later became an ace RP in Baltimore)
OF Brandy Davis, 1952 Pirates
P Jim Waugh, 1952 Pirates
P Bill Bernhard, 1906 Naps
OF Elmer Flick, 1906 Naps
C Deacon McGuire, 1906 Highlanders
P Ryan Helsley, 2023 Cardinals
3B Jose Ramirez, 2023 Guardians
P Hunter Gaddis, 2023 Guardians
1B Frank Thomas, 1996 White Sox
C Mike Stanley, 1996 Red Sox
OF Jose Malave, 1996 Red Sox
P Whitey Ford, 1958 Yankees
P Frank Lary, 1958 Tigers
OF Mickey Mantle, 1958 Yankees
1B Harry Simpson, 1958 Yankees
P Bud Black, 1986 Indians
2B Tony Bernazard, 1986 Indians
3B Greg Pryor, 1986 Royals
P Dick Tidrow, 1979 Cubs
P Tom Hausman, 1979 Mets
3B Mick Kelleher, 1979 Cubs
P Kirby Higbe, 1942 Dodgers
SS Pee Wee Reese, 1942 Dodgers
OF Mel Ott, 1942 Giants
So as usual I started with pitching, which was clearly going to be a weak spot. I basically used the best staff I could build, including the only 5 pitchers under 3.00 ERC# (and two of those are over 2.90). The rotation features a solid Whitey Ford and an obviously-not-his-best-season Bill Bernhard, who at least doesn't give up homers. After that it's Frank Lary and Kirby Higbe, who are highly mediocre.
The only stalwart reliever I have is Ryan Helsley (1.81 ERC#), and just 37 innings of him at that. The setup men ahead of him are highly vulnerable pieces: Tom Hausman, Dick Tidrow and Bud Black. It's going to be a tough bridge in those middle innings, assuming the starters even make it that far. I had $50M left over for hitting, which is a healthy amount and allowed me to think about using lots of my best options.
I started out seeing how good a team I could build around the $10M Nap Lajoie, who has ++ ratings and 2B and 3B and can bang doubles around Polo Grounds all day. And the answer is: a pretty good team, really. I could use a few of the best guys at other positions and really only had to settle at a couple positions. Then I built a second version without Nap, saving $5M by dropping to Tony Bernazard at 2B (.804) and losing only 100 OPS# points in the process. And Tony has better speed, switch hits and still has A range. Not much of a downgrade for $5M in savings. That allowed me to get a better bat at 4 other spots, so I went with that version instead for lineup depth. Nap could have won a batting title and led the league in 2B with a GG nearly assured, but it's tough to drop a fifth of your offensive salary on one guy.
The revised lineup should be able to produce enough runs to balance our questionable pitching. C Mike Stanley (.845) is 130 points better than the guy he replaces, though the down side is he has a wet noodle of an arm. 1B Frank Thomas (1.042) is 83 points better than Mo Vaughn, who was no slouch but still it's prime Big Hurt. 3B Jose Ramirez (.822) and SS Pee Wee Reese (.706) are holdovers, and Reese has A+ range. Mickey Mantle (1.038) should earn his $8M easily, and he's flanked by Mel Ott (.939) and Elmer Flick (.861). So Reese is really the only light bat in the lineup. Mantle-Thomas-Ott will draw tons of walks and hopefully Ramirez and Stanley can drive them in often.
Of course the bench is a total sacrifice, aside from two guys who can be decent defensive replacements and one 92 speed guy. There's not a dangerous bat among the 6 riding the pine. It's kind of amusing to have one of Dick Hall's hitting seasons down there. He slashed .138/.159/.150, so you get the idea of why he became a pitcher.
I don't think I'm taking great advantage of Polo Grounds' doubles emphasis, unfortunately. The best options at their positions aren't necessarily big doubles guys, notably Mantle and Ott. But they hit HR, so that should more than make up for it. As always in these leagues, division draw determines a lot. If we play in a lot of HR-suppressing parks or against lots of deadball hurlers, that will make it tough. If we see a lot of pitchers prone to walks, that will help. Always fun to build these things. GL, all.
3/22/2025 2:33 PM (edited)