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!