FSBL LINEUP FOR JUNE 1:
9 NOTES FROM AROUND THE LEAGUE
1
Is this the Yankees' year? They were expected, even with a - given their player pool - mediocre initial draft to immediately assert themselves as one of the league's top teams. But they were bounced in the wildcard of Year 1 by the Angels at Yankee Stadium, and were dumped by the eventual AL champion Indians in the ALDS in Year 2. But the Yankees enter June of Year 3 with baseball's best record (37-20), riding a 7-game winning streak and boasting the AL's best offense AND pitching. The offseason trade of prospect Willie Randolph and reliever Johnny Murphy to the Rays for Carl Crawford has paid immediate dividends as Crawford has been exceptional (.310, 14 steals). Rookie Joe Gordon was called up and AL Rookie of the Month honors and reigning batting champ Derek Jeter is raking again, batting .335. But it's been the pitching that has been the surprise, with presumed stalwarts Ron Guidry (6-3, 2.34) and Whitey Ford (8-3, 2.65) being outdone by Jack Chesbro, who has been impeccable (9-0, 1.44) to this point after a pair of mediocre seasons.
2
The Yankees' performance has distracted a bit from the AL's SECOND best team to this point, the Detroit Tigers! The "League's Most Disappointing Team" moniker has been shed as the Tigers have benefitted from a terrific rookie draft last season that netted them Schoolboy Rowe (6-1, 1.62) and Justin Verlander (5-3, 3.87) as well as offensive surges from the previously disappointing Al Kaline (.364-6-33) and Alan Trammell (.312-5-27). Kaline earned AL Player of the Month honors for May.
3
The National League East has been a dogfight between the Mets and Expos for the first two seasons of the FSBL, both teams riding strong pitching and somewhat surprisingly potent hitting as well to back-to-back postseason appearances. But, while the Mets have kept up their end of the bargain this season, they have a new dance partner...the Atlanta Braves! Atlanta has spent two seasons pitching well (shocking no one) but being offensively lacking as their player pool draw wasn't kind to them. But through the first two months, the Braves have scored the most runs in the National League, led by the emergence of Dale Murphy, whose development was slow but has led to a breakout Year 3 (.299-10-37). Add another strong season from Ronald Acuna (.291-15-41) and a stunning .340 mark from Lonnie Smith through the end of May and the Braves - who have pitched well but not great to this point - may be the new boss in the NL East, where they sit tied with the Mets at 36-23.
4
This could have really been 3a...but the implosion of the Montreal Expos, the biggest storybook squad of the first two seasons of the FSBL, has become a tale of woe here in Year 3. Their Year 1 NL East division title drew tons of support, but with an acknowledgment that "well, everything broke right for them" - seemingly everyone played to their peak and it turned into one of THOSE seasons before a grueling NLDS loss to the Cardinals after a pair of classics between Max Scherzer and Bob Gibson. When they made the postseason again in Year 2, this time as the wild-card, it made people think perhaps the Expos can be perennial contenders. Here in Year 3, they sit with the worst record in baseball (19-38) as losers of five straight, and the worst offense in baseball. Andre Dawson, off back-to-back 30-homer seasons, is batting .215 with 6 HRs. Jose Vidro, an all-star a year ago, is batting .217 with 7 RBI, and that took a hot streak over the final two weeks of May. Bryce Harper, an MVP candidate each of the FSBL's first two seasons, is batting .255, though he does have 10 homers. Add struggles from Stephen Strasburg (2-6, 4.80) and Steve Rogers (0-7, 5.60) and the Expos' fortunes have certainly turned.
5
The Pittsburgh Pirates' climb to a wild-card berth last season was one of the more impressive performances in the FSBL's first two years given that the Pirates, despite an obviously stellar 100-player pool full of Hall of Famers, got a miserable draw to start the FSBL and didn't get much to improve for Year 2. But their pitching - suspect on paper - shocked the league on their way to their first postseason appearance. They followed it up with a 9-0 start this season on their way to a 17-4 open to Year 3. They've cooled off a bit since then, but have to this point been able to hold off the two-time defending division champion Cardinals, doing it on both sides - tied for second in the NL in runs and a solid sixth in fewest runs allowed. Andy Van Slyke (.296-10-30) earned NL Rookie of the Month honors for May, and rookie Deacon Phillippe (7-2, 2.94) has combined with Babe Adams (6-3, 2.98) for a formidable 1-2 punch. The offense has clicked as well, led by catcher Manny Sanguillen who is batting .351 through the first two months. Can the Pirates last the season? Time will tell, but it may be time to believe they're not going to fade away.
6
The Oakland A's have won 111 games in each of the FSBL's first two seasons. It seems unlikely they'll reach that mark this year, as they have yet to click on all cylinders - by their standards - playing .600 ball instead of .700 ball. The winners of the first FSBL World Series were ousted in the ALCS by the Indians in Year 2, and their focus is on a second championship rather than regular season success. "If first place and .600 ball is disappointing, we've set a pretty high standard I think," said Reggie Jackson, who has put together a very strong first two months
(.299-13-41) to lead the A's along with Frank Baker (.272-18-34) while waiting for reigning MVP Jimmie Foxx (.278-10-34) and slugger Mark McGwire (.260-16-36) - the FSBL's all-time top two in RBIs - to get hot. Both started a bit slowly but have heated up the last two weeks, and the A's pitching has been there all season, bolstered by a return to form from Year 1 Outstanding Pitcher winner Rube Waddell (6-3, 3.38).
7
It's been very different stories for the two men who were the presumptive Rookies of the Year entering this season. In Los Angeles, Dodgers second baseman Jackie Robinson has performed as advertised, batting .311 with 6 homers, 27 RBI and 12 stolen bases while playing terrific defense as L.A. looks to wrest the throne from the reigning champion Giants. But north of the border it has been a different story for Blue Jays catcher Josh Gibson (.236-10-29) who was batting .297 three weeks into his rookie campaign but has gone cold since then. But he's driven in 9 runs with 4 homers in his last 9 games (8-for-32) and the Jays hope he may be ready to get hot as they try to stay in the playoff picture.
8
Jimmie Foxx became the fourth player in FSBL history to reach the 100-homer plateau, swatting a blast off the Orioles' Milt Pappas in an 8-3 Oakland win on May 5th. He now sits with 105, two behind teammate Mark McGwire who reached the mark in April. Ken Griffey Jr. remains the FSBL home run king with 119, followed by Willie Mays with 111. The next five on the list closing in on the 100-homer mark: Cardinals teammates Rogers Hornsby (98) and Johnny Mize (97), Manny Ramirez (94), Mel Ott (93) and Lou Gehrig (92).
9
Career position player WAR leaders to this point: Mays (24.9), Griffey (23.3), Trout (19.4), Eddie Collins (18.9), Beltran (18.4), Henderson (18.3), Harper (18.2), Edmonds (18.1), Jimmie Foxx (17.6), Slidin Billy Hamilton (17.5)
Career pitching WAR leaders to this point: Pedro Martinez (14), Grove (13.7), Randy Johnson (12.6), Blyleven (12.4), Jenkins (11.7), Seaver (11.7), Waddell (11.6), Santana (11.2), Kershaw (11), Sale (10.4)
Jack Chesbro posted a 3.78 ERA over the first two seasons of the FSBL but is 9-0 with a 1.44 ERA so far in Year 3 for the Yankees
Al Kaline was named American League Player of the Month for May and has the Tigers in first place in the AL Central
Dale Murphy's development was slower than the Braves hoped for, but he's broken out in Year 3 to have the Braves tied atop NL East
The Hawk, Andre Dawson, has failed to take flight this season, but that's been true for almost all his Expos teammates as well
The Pirates' Manny Sanguillen has been a driving force behind the Pirates early success, batting a robust .351 through the season's first two months while providing terrific defense behind the plate.
Reggie Jackson shrugged off talk of a disappointing start by the A's, who still sit atop the AL West despite not dominating as they had over the FSBL's first two seasons.
Rookie Josh Gibson has cooled off after a hot start, but has shown signs of catching fire once again for the Blue Jays.
The A's Jimmie Foxx became the fourth FSBL player to reach the 100-homer plateau.
Year 2 NL MVP Willie Mays currently sits as the FSBL's all-time WAR leader
AL TEAM PAGES
