ANDY'S 15-SEASON Franchise League--SEASON RECAPS

[FAaron]

Assume write-up. I'm looking forward to the Season 5 write up since I will get more than a "league leader" mention for a change. Just hope my Expansion Team does better in the playoffs than exhibited my Season 1 Giants who went 3 and out.

[errormagnate]

I LOVE these write-ups! Great job

[andycummings65]

EXTRAS---AFTER 4 complete Seasons

[b:e1565d2ec1]Teams[/b:e1565d2ec1]
A's 357-291 .551 3 playoffs, 2 championships
Giants 352-296 .543 3 playoffs
Cubs 350-298 .540 3 playoffs, 1 championship
Yankees 342-306 .528 2 playoffs
White Sox 334-314 .515
Indians 329-319 .508 1 playoffs
Tigers 321-327 .495 2 playoffs, 1 championship
Red Sox 235-251 .484 1 playoffs
Reds 310-338 .478 1 playoffs
Cardinals 155-169 .478
Dodgers 296-352 .457
Pirates 218-258 .449
Beltway 143-181 .441
Expansion 71-91 .438
Braves 65-97 .401

[b:e1565d2ec1]Managers[/b:e1565d2ec1]
2cityfan 351-297 2 playoffs
bontomn 350-298 1 championship, 3 playoffs
joekendall 346-302 2 championships, 2 playoffs
Red Beards 332-306 1 playoffs
warrenbob 328-320 2 playoffs
FAaron 326-322 1 playoffs
andycummings 321-327 1 championship, 1 playoffs
errormagnate 320-328 1 playoffs
zimharry 320-328 1 playoffs
majicmg 317-331 1 playoffs
jamesgang 314-334 1 playoffs
papasturgeon 263-385

[JOSEPHKENDALL]

Did anyone compile any team records?

[andycummings65]

what do you mean Joe, franchise records? I will work on it....

[JOSEPHKENDALL]

Record number of HR, SB, W, SV, etc. by a franchise for a season.

[andycummings65]

[size=18:70a8b78924][b:70a8b78924]SEASON #5 RECAP[/b:70a8b78924][/size:70a8b78924]

New blood in pennant races, a tightly contested Batting Title, and pitching immortality pumped another year’s worth of excitement into Season Five.
Expansion’s George Brett had an injury-plagued campaign, yet had enough at-bats to qualify for the batting title when manager Casey Stengel chose to preserve him for the playoffs and sat him with 4 games remaining and a .367 batting average. At that point, the Cardinals’ Rogers Hornsby held the lead with a .370 average. Rogers only batted 3-12 over the next 3 games, but still led Brett by a .368 to .367 margin with one game to play. Game 162 was really a meaningless game for the Cardinals, but Hornsby chose to play. An 0-4 day against the A’s dropped Hornsby to .366, and handed the batting title to Brett.

Jack Chesbro reached pitching’s Mount Olympus in Game 157, when he defeated the rival Giants to win his 30th game of the campaign. Chesbro finished 30-7 with a 3.32 ERA and won the Cy Young Award by a unanimous vote.

The Eastern Division was a season-long dogfight between the Indians and the upstart Expansion squad. The Expansion team finally won the division behind the bats of Brett (.367, 31 HR, 103 RBI), Mike Schmidt (53 HR, 133 RBI), Jeff Bagwell (34 HR, 107 RBI), Robin Yount (34 HR, 107 RBI), Gary Carter (50 HR), and Tony Gwynn (109 Runs, .306 AVG). Woodie Fryman was the pitching stalwart, saving 45 games while amassing a 13-7 record and a 2.83 ERA. Chris Short was the squad’s lone 20-game winner, with a 23-9 record and 3.41 ERA.
The Indians played in spacious League Park and took full advantage of the pitching-friendly park. Three of the four starters one 20 games, with only Addie Joss falling one win short, finishing with a 19-17 mark, a 3.59 ERA, and an amazing 7 Shutouts. Satchel Paige (25-10, 3.82 ERA) paced the staff, with great seasons also by Stan Coveleski (23-14, 4.46 ERA) and Bob Feller (20-15), 296 K). On the rare occasion that the starters did not finish what they started, Johnny Klippstein stepped in, to the tune of 39 saves. The small-ball Tribe was led offensively by centerfielder Tris Speaker (150 runs, 16 HR, 94 RBI, .337 AVG), secondbaseman Nap Lajoie (.333 AVG, 111 RBI), designated hitter Riggs Stephenson (.357 AVG, 101 RBI), shortstop Lou Boudreau (13 HR, 107 RBI, .318 AVG), and leftfielder Jeff Heath (19 HR, 102 RBI, .320 AVG).
The Cubs and the Pirates were eliminated early, though the Cubs got solid performances from Jack Pfiester (21-14) and Hack Wilson (46 HR, 105 RBI) and the Pirates had strong performances as well from ERA champion Nick Maddox (3.27), Roy Face (41 saves), and Ralph Kiner (55 HR, 144 RBI). One statistical oddity was the Pirates’ Deacon Phillippe, who compiled a record of 20 wins and 20 losses.

The Central was the domain of the most dominant team of the regular season, the Yankees. The Bronx Bombers were bombers indeed, led by MVP Babe Ruth, who scored 164 runs, bashed 57 home runs, drove in 150 runs to go along with a .320 batting average. Mickey Mantle was right behind, with 59 home runs and league-leading 165 RBI and a .315 average. Lou Gehrig (46 HR, 132 RBI), Joe DiMaggio (29 HR, 134 RBI, .313 AVG), Roger Maris (55 HR, 120 RBI), and Joe Gordon (40 HR) made sure that plenty of runs scored for the Yankee pitching staff, not that Jack Chesbro and the rest of the pitchers needed much help. In addition to Chesbro’s season for the ages, Ron Guidry won 19 games (19-12), Whitey Ford won 16 (16-9), and Dave Righetti saved 25 games. The Yankees led from wire to wire and finished 20 games over the second place Tigers.
Hank Greenberg turned in another MVP-type season for the Tigers, hitting 68 HR, driving in 163 runs and scoring 128. Secondbaseman Charlie Gehringer scored 123 runs and played flawless defense, and Rocky Colavito produced 39 home runs and 100 RBI.
Carl Hubbell (19-15), 3.75 ERA) was the best of the Giants’ hurlers, while Barry Bonds (50 HR, 141 RBI) and Willie Mays (45 HR, 127 RBI) provided offense for John McGraw. McGraw favorite Bill Terry batted .321 as well.
The Reds hit a lot of home runs, but couldn’t keep the ball in Riverfront Stadium enough to win. Frank Robinson(51 HR, 119 RBI), George Foster(51 HR, 124 RBI), Ted Kluszewski (40 HR), and Johnny Bench(39 HR) hit 191 home runs between them, but the pitching staff allowed 251.

The Western Division saw the defending champion Athletics struggle and argue, yet win just enough to hold off the Cardinals and the Braves. Rube Waddell won 21 games and Dennis Eckersley saved 45, while Jimmie Foxx(49 HR, 107 RBI) and Al Simmons(.332 AVG, 101 RBI) were offensive stalwarts. Leadoff man Rickey Henderson had a fine year, scoring 139 runs, hitting 36 home runs, driving in 98, and stealing 65 bases. Jose Canseco (39 HR, 30 SB) joined Rickey in the 30-30 club, while Reggie Jackson launched 53 round-trippers.
Rogers Hornsby spent Season 5 reminding everyone that why he is considered the most potent right-handed offensive force in the game. His .367 average was .001 off the league lead, he scored 128 runs, tallied 248 hits, 40 home runs, 162 RBI, while stealing 20 bases. Stan Musial (29 HR, 141 RBI, .332 AVG), Mark McGwire (61 HR, 135 RBI), Chick Hafey (31 HR, 106 RBI), and Dizzy Dean (21-12) helped out, but it wasn’t enough to overtake the A’s.
The Braves were led by the one-two punch of Eddie Mathews (54 HR, 133 RBI) and Hank Aaron (.341, 39 HR, 126 RBI), while Frank Thomas (32 HR, 107 RBI) and Dick Allen (33 HR, 91 RBI) led the hapless White Sox.

The Semi-Finals saw the Expansion squad get to A’s closer Dennis Eckersley twice, in Games 1 and 2. Gary Carter singled home Billy Hatcher in the 13th inning off Eckersley to win Game 1, spoiling a great comeback by the A’s to send the game into extra frames. Then, Game 2 ended in extremely dramatic fashion to bring the Expansion team to within one game of the World Series. Expansion trailed 2-1 going into the bottom of the 9th, when Eckersley entered the game. George Brett singled, then surprised Eck when he stole 2nd. Jeff Bagwell then doubled Brett in to tie the game, and Mike Schmidt crushed Eckersley’s next offering, sending it into the left field seats for an exciting Expansion win. Eckersley failed to record an out in the inning. The A’s staged a brief comeback in the 8th inning of Game 3, scoring 3 runs to win 7-5, but Jerry Koosman and the Expansion squad would not be denied. Koosman went 8 innings, limiting the A’s to 1 run on 4 hits, and Fireman of the Year Woodie Fryman closed the series out by setting down the A’s in the last of the 9th.

The other Semi-Final matchup was the Yankees and the Indians. Just as the A’s-Expansion Series started off with a 13-inning, 9-8 win for the home team, so Game 1 went to the Yankees 9-8 in 13 innings. Babe Ruth of the Yankees and Jeff Heath of the Indians each hit 2 home runs to pace their team, and the lead changed hands 6 times. In the bottom of the 13th, Joe Gordon doubled to center then Red Rolfe singled hard up the middle, but Tris Speaker’s strong throw held Gordon at 3rd. Phil Rizzuto hit a scorching liner to thirdbaseman Toby Harrah, who almost doubled Gordon off at 3rd. Lou Gehrig then came through for the Yankees as he has done so many times before, singling Harrah in and giving the Yankees a Game 1 win. The Yankees took an early 2-0 lead in Game 2, with home runs by Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris off of Indians starter Satchel Paige. That seemed to start the Indians’ bats, as they scored four runs in the top of the 5th, keyed by Toby Harrah’s triple. An Elmer Flick triple started the Tribe’s scoring in the 7th, follwed by Nap Lajoie’s single, Lou Boudreau’s double, and Riggs Stephenson’s home run to deep centerfield. The Indians then blew the contest wide open with an 8-run 8th. Thirteen Indians batted in the inning, with 6 straight singles and the first eight batters reaching base. The Indians certainly felt like they had made a statement against the mighty Yankees, and it carried over to League Park, as the Indians scored four times in the bottom of the 1st to stake Stan Coveleski to a lead he would not relinquish. Every Indian had a hit in the 9-4 Indians victory. Game 4 was a matchup of Bob Feller and White Ford. Feller struck out 14 Yankees, but Red Rolfe doubled and homered, and the Yankees won 4-2 behind a strong performance from Ford. The Yankees turned to 30 game winner Jack Chesbro in Game 5 as they sought to return to the World Series. The Indians manufactured runs in the 1st and 3rd, while Roger Maris homered in the 2nd, giving the Indians a 2-1 lead. The 4th inning was not kind to the Cy Young award winner, as singles by Flick, Boudreau, and Stephenson were followed by a by a triple from Jeff Heath, chasing Chesbro from the game. The Indians kept the pressure on from start to finish, led by 4-hit days from Stephenson and Boudreau, and Eddie Murray drove in 4 runs with a 3-run homer and a sacrifice fly, as the pitching-rich Indians bashed their way into the World Series.

The World Series began with controversy, as Bob Feller and Addie Joss were suspended for the first two World Series games by player-manager Lou Boudreau for missing curfew. It was reported that other Indians were with the two pitchers, but that fact was not validated despite a frenzied press corps. Boudreau turned to Stan Coveleski for Game 1, who was opposed by Expansion ace Chris Short. After 9 innings, the score was deadlocked at 6-6. The 10th inning was uneventful, but in the top of the 11th, Riggs Stephenson worked a walk and then Nap Lajoie lined a home run into center, before catcher Steve O’Neill rounded out the Tribe’s scoring by singling in Boudreau, who had doubled. The Expansion squad loaded the bases with one out, so Boudreau called on Satchel Paige, who it had been rumored was out with Joss and Feller the night before (though his suspended teammates denied it). Paige picked up the save, giving the Indians a Game 1 victory.
With Coveleski and Paige pitching Game 1 and Feller and Joss still suspended, Boudreau was forced to go with untested Ed Farmer in Game 2. Farmer pitched like a veteran for 4 innings, matching Mike Scott pitch for pitch through four innings. In the bottom of the 5th, however, Farmer’s carriage turned back into a pumpkin, and he gave up two singles and a walk to load the bases. Belve Bean entered the game and struck out Jimmy Wynn on 3 pitches and then induced George Brett into an inning-ending double play, preserving the 0-0 tie. In the top of the 8th, Elmer Flick laced a one-out double into the left-centerfield gap. Tris Speaker, when he noticed how deep firstbaseman Jeff Bagwell was playing in an effort to cut off a run-scoring base hit, executed a perfect drag bunt up the first base line. The Grey Eagle then stole second, giving the Indians men on 2nd and 3rd, when Boudreau gambled and called for a squeeze bunt from Nap Lajoie, who bunted softly back to Scott as Flick scored. The Tribe then called on closer Johnny Klippstein who maintained the shutout to give the Indians a 2-0 series lead heading back to Cleveland.
Game 3 saw Satchel Paige face off against J.R. Richard. The Indians scored in the first in similar fashion to their Game 2 win, as Speaker singled, stole second, was sacrificed to third by Lajoie, then scored on Boudreau’s ground out to second. Richard then settled down until the 5th inning, when Richard hit Toby Harrah and walked Speaker before Lajoie singled in Harrah for the Indians’ second run. Riggs Stephenson walked, then Jeff Heath cleared the bases with a double, staking the Tribe to a 5-0 lead. Paige kept the Expansion squad off the scoreboard until the 9th inning. Bagwell walked and Mike Schmidt singled, and Boudreau turned to Belve Bean again. Bean was not as efficient as his Game 1 appearance, and Big Ed Delahanty tripled just over Speaker’s outstretched glove in deep center. Robin Yount hit a sacrifice fly to score Delahanty, but Fritz Coumbe shut the door for the Clevelanders, picking up the save.
Game 4 saw Jerry Koosman turn in another postseason gem. After holding the A’s to one run in the Semi-Finals, Koosman dueled Addie Joss, culminating in a 1-0 Expansion win. The only run was scored in the 1st inning. Tony Gwynn walked, then took second on a hit and run groundout to second by Roberto Alomar. George Brett then doubled Gwynn in, but was stranded at second. The Indians threatened in the first with back to back singles, then placed two men on base in the second, but never really could best Koosman. In addition to the loss, the Tribe also lost catcher Steve O’Neill for the rest of the postseason when a Koosman fastball broke O’Neill’s wrist. O’Neill was replaced by Fritz Buelow.
Game 5’s matchup was a replay of Game 1, with Coveleski and Short taking the mound for their respective teams. Expansion put some singles and walks together, scoring 3 runs in the top of the 3rd, but then Baby Doll Jacobson answered with a 2-run home run into center. The Expansion squad scored in the 4th on Delahanty’s triple and a squeeze by Robin Yount, and in the 5th on a double by Bagwell. Through 6 it looked like the Series would move back to Shea behind Short’s strong outing, but the 7th inning, and really the whole series, belonged to player-manager Lou Boudreau. Lajoie led off the bottom of the 7th with a sharp single to left, and then Boudreau took one strike, then blasted a home run into a throng of cheering fans in League Park’s centerfield bleachers. Boudreau then went to Klippstein, and through 9 complete, the score remained tied 5-5. Expansion manager Casey Stengel, though known as a bullpen artist, stuck with his ace in the 10th inning. Toby Harrah singled to center to lead off the frame, and Short got Fritz Buelow to hit a sharp grounder to third. Stengel had removed Mike Schmidt for a pinchrunner in the top of the 9th when he thought he had a scoring opportunity, and backup catcher John Stearns was at third. Stearns inexperience at the hot corner caused him to bobble what appeared to be a sure double play, and he could only force Harrah at second. Short, clearly irritated with his new thirdbaseman and his manager, got Elmer Flick to fly out to center for the second out, but Tris Speaker worked a walk, and Stengel removed Short and went to Mark Clear out of the bullpen. Clear walked Baby Doll Jacobson on 5 pitches, loading the bases, and placing the series-winning run 90 feet from home plate in the person of Fritz Buelow. Riggs Stephenson stepped in and worked a 3-2 count. Clear’s next pitch missed high, and Buelow danced home with the winning run to the delight of the home fans, and to the pleasure of player-manager and Post-Season MVP Lou Boudreau, whose play and managerial decisions brought the Indians their very first World Championship.


[img:70a8b78924]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab13/andycummings/tiny%20logos/wnyd2zhh84f50ux4uxyqbktbh-1.gif[/img:70a8b78924][color=red:70a8b78924][size=18:70a8b78924][b:70a8b78924]WORLD CHAMPION CLEVELAND INDIANS[/b:70a8b78924][/size:70a8b78924][/color:70a8b78924][img:70a8b78924]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab13/andycummings/tiny%20logos/wnyd2zhh84f50ux4uxyqbktbh-1.gif[/img:70a8b78924]


[size=18:70a8b78924]MVP—Babe Ruth(3), Yankees [img:70a8b78924]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab13/andycummings/supersmall%20Logos/7205-1-1.gif[/img:70a8b78924]

CY YOUNG AWARD—Jack Chesbro, Yankees [img:70a8b78924]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab13/andycummings/supersmall%20Logos/7205-1-1.gif[/img:70a8b78924]

FIREMAN OF THE YEAR—Woodie Fryman, Expansion [img:70a8b78924]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab13/andycummings/supersmall%20Logos/223dptvgsgxaazhwbkhflbz7f-1.gif[/img:70a8b78924]

[b:70a8b78924]League Leaders[/b:70a8b78924][/size:70a8b78924]

[size=18:70a8b78924]Batting Average—George Brett, Expansion .367 [img:70a8b78924]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab13/andycummings/supersmall%20Logos/fmrl2b6xf5hruiike42gn62yu.gif[/img:70a8b78924]

Home Runs—Hank Greenberg, Tigers 68 HR [img:70a8b78924]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab13/andycummings/supersmall%20Logos/txtu234jlffk0q5l62uhnwm3q-1-1.gif[/img:70a8b78924]

RBI—Mickey Mantle, Yankees 165 RBI [img:70a8b78924]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab13/andycummings/supersmall%20Logos/7205-1-1.gif[/img:70a8b78924]

Runs—Babe Ruth(3), Yankees 164 R [img:70a8b78924]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab13/andycummings/supersmall%20Logos/7205-1-1.gif[/img:70a8b78924]

Hits—Rogers Hornsby, Cardinals 248 H [img:70a8b78924]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab13/andycummings/supersmall%20Logos/wsulgavxp8d0szhyh8oh-1-1.gif[/img:70a8b78924]

Doubles—Tris Speaker(2), Indians 59 2b [img:70a8b78924]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab13/andycummings/supersmall%20Logos/wnyd2zhh84f50ux4uxyqbktbh-1-1.gif[/img:70a8b78924]

Triples—Frankie Frisch, Giants 20 3b [img:70a8b78924]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab13/andycummings/supersmall%20Logos/cpqj6up5bvgpoedg5fwsk20ve-1-1.gif[/img:70a8b78924]

Stolen Bases—Rickey Henderson, A’s 65 SB [img:70a8b78924]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab13/andycummings/supersmall%20Logos/fbf8agpcrht8b1wlh5el22hba-1-1.gif[/img:70a8b78924]

Hit Streak—Hank Aaron, Braves 28 games [img:70a8b78924]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab13/andycummings/supersmall%20Logos/3kgwjp6heowkeg3w8zoow9ggy-1-1.gif[/img:70a8b78924]

[b:70a8b78924]Pitching Leaders[/b:70a8b78924]

Wins—Jack Chesbro, Yankees 30-7 [img:70a8b78924]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab13/andycummings/supersmall%20Logos/7205-1-1.gif[/img:70a8b78924]

Saves—Woodie Fryman, Expansion 45 SV [img:70a8b78924]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab13/andycummings/supersmall%20Logos/223dptvgsgxaazhwbkhflbz7f-1.gif[/img:70a8b78924]

Dennis Eckersley, A’s 45 SV [img:70a8b78924]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab13/andycummings/supersmall%20Logos/fbf8agpcrht8b1wlh5el22hba-1-1.gif[/img:70a8b78924]

Strikeouts—Tom Seaver(4), Reds 325 K [img:70a8b78924]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab13/andycummings/supersmall%20Logos/2919-1-1.gif[/img:70a8b78924]

ERA—Nick Maddox, Pirates 3.27 ERA [img:70a8b78924]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab13/andycummings/supersmall%20Logos/7xkp9hnp9jq11e1zia4tdcqjh-1-1.gif[/img:70a8b78924]

Shutouts—Addie Joss, Indians 7 ShO* [img:70a8b78924]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab13/andycummings/supersmall%20Logos/wnyd2zhh84f50ux4uxyqbktbh-1-1.gif[/img:70a8b78924]


* Indicates Single Season Record[/size:70a8b78924]

[errormagnate]

again, I had almost as much fun reading this as I had playing ... actually considering I managed the pitching-challenged Reds I might have had MORE fun reading this than playing. Thanks, Andy ! :D

[FAaron]

Great job Andy and congratulations to your Indians. Rumor has it that a number of Indian players were treated to a celebratory visit to the infamous Copacabana by members of the Yankees, following the Indians 5 game playoff victory over the Bombers. Although the rumors couldn't be confirmed, it appears that Babe, Mickey and company hoped to mess up the Cleveland crew as an assist to their cross-town rivals at Shea. All anyone know for sure is that Addie and Bob got suspended by Boudreau, Ed Farmer got a Series start (after not appearing at all during the regular season), some unfortunate travelling marshmallow salesman ended up at Lennox Hill Hosplital with a broken jaw, and Billy Martin was taken to central booking.

[andycummings65]

this one was not fun for a couple of reasons

#1- Though it was NOT the better team, my team flat out choked after taking a 3-0 lead

#2--it was the Yankees

However, congrats Joe on a well deserved win :D