1964 NL End of April Report

Hot on the heels of the American League report for April 1964, we have the NL report! The Giants have the top spot at month's end, but are closely pursued by several clubs. The Pirates feasted on Met, Brave and Cub pitching to post some gaudy offensive numbers. The Reds, on the other hand, are unlike any Reds team I have ever used. They pitch brilliantly, but can't score. Then we have the incredibly punchless Houston Colt .45's in last place averaging one and a third runs per game. 

The standings:

SFG 11-4  --- 
STL  10-4  0.5
PHI  9-6  2
PIT  9-6  2
CIN  9-7  2.5 (best 1-run record 5-0)
LAD  7-9  4.5
CHC  6-8  4.5
MIL  6-8  4.5 (worst 1-run record 2-6)
NYM  4-11  7
HOU  4-12  7.5

The Cardinals and Reds showed off superb moundsmen, while the Mets gave up nearly 7 runs per game.  The pitching: (league ERA 3.39)

STL  1.81 (most CG 7, least runs against 29, least HR against 5)
CIN  2.17  (most K's 125)
HOU  2.63  (tie most shutouts 3, least CG 1)
SFG  3.01  (tie most shutouts 3, most saves 5)
PIT  3.15  
PHI  3.33  
LAD  3.61  (most HR against 17)
MIL  3.99  (tie most shutouts 3)
CHC  4.80  (least K's 59, tie least saves 1)
NYM  5.69  (most runs against 102, tie least saves 1)

As noted, the Pirates feasted on weak opposition pitching, while Houston can't hit for average or power and can't run either. What's a mother to do? Batting: (league avg. .234)

PIT  .291  (most runs 95, tie most doubles 25, most triples 10)
CHC  .265
SFG  .259  (most HR 19, tie least triples 0, tie most GIDP 17, least times shut out 0)
PHI  .252  
STL  .249  (least GIDP 5)
MIL  .237  (tie most doubles 25)
CIN  .214  (most caught stealing 7)
LAD  .213  (most steals 15, least HR 4)
NYM  .205  (least caught stealing 0, tie least doubles 15, tie most GIDP 17)
HOU  .161  (least runs 22, tie least doubles 15, tie least triples 0, most times shut out 5, least steals 1)

Fielding (avg is IP divided by errors)
PHI  17.25  (least errors 8)
LAD  14.20  (least DP turned 4)
SFG  13.47  
HOU  12.53
MIL  11.27
STL  11.27
PIT  10.77
NYM  9.71
CIN  8.54  (most errors 18)
CHC  8.13  (most DP's turned 24)

The margin by which the Dodgers and Cubs are last and first respectively in DP's is wide. The NL shows much more fielding balance than the AL. This may be because the AL is the weaker offensive league and so the Bases Empty board is used more. That board yields more errors than the others. The NL is where it should be, but the AL is error-happy so far.

There are some surprises on the leader boards!

Jim Maloney, the Jack Kralick of the NL!

ERA (14 IP):  Maloney-cin 0.79, O'toole-cin 0.82, Gibson-stl 0.84, Gibbon-pit 0.90, Johnson-hou 1.07, Bruce-hou 1.17, Marichal-sf 1.38, Law-pit 1.82, Jay-cin 1.90, Craig-stl 1.93

WINS:  Gibson-stl 4-0, Maloney-cin 3-0, Stallard-ny 3-0, Marichal-sf 3-1

All 3 of Bob Bruce's losses have been 1-0.

LOSSES: Bruce-hou 0-3, Cisco-ny 0-3, Farrell-hou 0-3, Nottebart-hou 0-3, Jackson-chi 1-3, Tiefenaur-mil 1-3

CG:  Maloney-cin 3, Marichal-sf 3

IP:  Maloney-cin 34, Koufax-la 32.2, Marichal-sf 32.2, Gibson-stl 32, Short-phi 32

K's:  Maloney-cin 36, Short-phi 33, Koufax-la 28, Gibson-stl 27, Bruce-hou 26, Drysdale-la 26

The Baldy contemplates Gene Mauch's brilliance.

SAVES:  Baldschun-phi 4, Larsen-sf 3, Schultz-stl 3, Henry-cin 2, R.Miller-la 2, Tiefenaur-mil 2

He cannot be stopped! Despite a very ordinary card, he just keeps getting on base.

BATTING (38 ab):  Clendenon-pit .410, Carty-mil .400, Brock-chi .389, Bertell-chi .388, Bailey-pit .377, Clemente-pit .373, Mota-pit .368, Gonzales-phi .360, Cepeda-sf .345, Callison-phi .316

HR:  McCovey-sf 5, Brock-chi 4, Javier-stl 4, Lynch-pit 4, Menke-mil 4, Pinson-cin 4

RBI:  Pagliaroni-pit 17, Menke-mil 15, Cepeda-sf 14, Santo-chi 13, Taylor, phi 12, Alley-pit 11

He scores runs for SF.

RUNS:  Brock-chi 16, Mays-sf 14, J.Alou-sf 13, Bailey-pit 13, Callison-phi 13, Clemente-pit 12, Gonzales-phi 12

DOUBLES: Menke-mil 8, Clendenon-pit 7, W.Davis-la 6

TRIPLES:  Johnson-cin 3, Santo-chi 3

STEALS:  Wills-la 9, 5 tied with 3. (Amazingly, Brock has none, though he's been caught once.)

GIDP:  Rojas-phi 5, 4 tied with 4.

ERRORS:  Cardenas-cin 6, Pagan-sf 5, Rojas-phi 5

Surely the Cubs will never trade this Brock kid! See you next time for the end of May report.

KEEP CALM AND ROLL 66's!

 

1964 End of April AL Report

April is finished in my 1964 AL, and although the Yankees are, to no one's surprise, in first place, the story of the early going is the challenge by the upstart Washington Senators, not to mention the Cleveland Indians as well!

The AL standings through April 30th, 1964: 

NYY  9-3  ---
CLE  9-5  1
WAS  9-6  1.5  (best 1-run record 5-1, best x-inn record 2-0)
DET  7-6  2.5
LAA  8-7  2.5
BAL  6-6  3
CHW  6-6  3
KCA  5-8  4.5
BOS  4-10  6
MIN  4-10  6

Washington began the season 0-3, but have won 9 of 12 to move up to third. It's been a very rough start for the Twins, who can't get anybody out, and the Red Sox, who dealt with a rash of injuries. Roman Mejias is no Tony Conigliaro--that much has been established!

Special for Dave: WAS, DET, BAL, BOS and MIN have yet to toss a shutout. NYY, LAA, BAL, CHI and KCA have yet to be shut out. Interesting, because offense was down in April and yet shutouts stayed low. Just 7 league-wide so far. 

PITCHING (league 3.55)
LAA  2.32
NYY  2.58  (most saves 5, least runs against 34)
WAS  3.02  
CHW  3.20  (least K's 67)
CLE  3.31  (most CG 7, tied for least saves 1)
BAL  3.77  (least CG 0, least HR against 5)
DET  3.80  
KCA  4.00  (tied for least saves 1)
BOS  4.46
MIN  5.14  (most K's 102, most runs against 74, most HR against 19)

BATTING (league .224)
NYY  .249  (least caught stealing 1)
DET  .244  (most runs 62, least GIDP 4)
CHI  .244  (least doubles 9, least HR 6) 
BAL  .238  
CLE  .228  (tied for most steals 9)
LAA  .225  (tied for most steals 9, tied for most GIDP 15)
MIN  .215  (most HR 16)
BOS  .210  (most doubles 26, least steals 0, least runs 41)
KCA  .201  (tied for most GIDP 15)
WAS  .192  

FIELDING (avg is IP divided by errors)
BAL  26.25  (least errors 4, no unearned runs given up)
NYY  18.00
CHW  15.67 (least DP's turned 6)
MIN  14.00
WAS  10.00  
BOS  6.94  (most DP's turned 17)
DET  6.69
LAA  6.48  (tie most errors 21)
CLE  5.95  (tie most errors 21)
KCA  5.57 tie most errors 21)

Errors are high. I had too many pitcher errors in my '67 AL replay, so I made adjustments and my '69 NL came out perfect. But my '56 NL was short on errors, so I tweaked again, and perhaps should not have; so far '64 is looking like '67 again. 10 of LAA's 21 errors have been by pitchers.  Over many replays, even the worst teams clear 6, but here I have two teams below 6.  Stay tuned. 

Check out Rudolph, who barely made the 12 inning requirement. It's Washington magic!

ERA (12 IP):  Chance-la 1.64, Pizarro-chi 1.69, Aguirre-det 1.84, Kralick-cle 2.06, Kline-was 2.13, Rudolph-was 2.13, Downing-ny 2.45, Roberts-bal 2.50, Peters-chi 2.59, Belinsky-la 2.61 

WINS:  Kralick-cle 3-1, Wickersham-det 3-1

LOSSES:  Arrigo-min 0-3, Kaat-min 1-3, Pena-kc 1-3

IP:  Kralick-cle 35, Chance-la 33, Wickersham-det 32, Osteen-was 31

"Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!"

CG: Kralick-cle 4, several tied with 2 

K's :  Kralick-cle 29, Kaat-min 23, Wilson-bos 23, Chance-la 22, Tiant-cle 21, Ford-ny 20, Pena-kc 20

SHUTOUTS:  Kralick-cle 1, Newman-la 1, O'donoghue-kc 1, Pizarro-chi 1, Segui-kc 1

"In the mornin'...in the evenin'...ain't we got fun?"

SAVES:  Kline-was 4, Radatz-bos 3, Stafford-ny 3, Wilhelm-chi 3 

BATTING (32 ab):  Piersall-la .465, Aparicio-bal .394, Fregosi-la .392, Maris-ny .375, Hall-min .354, Richardson-ny .327, Howard-ny .308, Whitfield-cle .308, Hinton-was .304, Fl. Robinson-chi .304

A giant astride the Earth.

HR:  Gentile-kc 6, Powell-bal 5, Fregosi-la 4, Killebrew-min 4, Mantle-ny 4, Oliva-min 4, B.Robinson-bal 4 

RBI:  Fregosi-la 14, McAuliffe-det 13, Whitfield-cle 13, Gentile-kc 12, Hall-min 12, B.Robinson-bal 12

RUNS:  Tresh-ny 12, Davalillo-cle 11, Fregosi-la 11, McAuliffe-det 11

"Wingy" terrorizes AL hurlers.

DOUBLES:  Bressoud-bos 6, Piersall-la 6, Whitfield-cle 6

TRIPLES:  7 tied with 2.

STEALS:  Hinton-was 5, Aparicio-bal 4, Davalillo-cle 3, Pearson-la 3

GIDP:  Knoop-la 4, Colavito-kc 3, Jimenez-kc 3, Yaz-bos 3

ERRORS:  Causey-kc 5, Green-kc 5

Coming soon: 1964 NL report.