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TOP STORIES
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Washington clinched the East Division, becoming
just the third team in UL history to win three
consecutive pennants.
Chicago won four
straight to stay within a game of West-leading
St. Louis, but will be without its top hitter
Roger Maris for the final seven games.
Rod Carew hit 5-for-5 for the third time this
season became the first player to reach 200 hits
in five seasons--something not even Granny
Hamner or Dick Howser have done--at the tender
age of 25.
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ON THE MEND |
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ATL |
2B Joe Morgan (5 wk)
RF Oscar Gamble
(3 wk) |
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BOS |
RF Chuck Hinton
(2 wk) |
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BRO |
MR Clyde Wright
(3-4 mo)
RF Pat Kelly (2-3 wk) |
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CHI |
MR Harry Parker (7 wk)
RF Roger Maris (2
wk) |
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CLE |
-- |
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DAL |
CF Cesar Cedeno
(4 mo)
MR Sparky Lyle (8-9 wk)
SP Spaceman Lee (8
wk)
RF Willie Crawford (2 wk) |
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DET |
3B Dick Allen
(3-4 mo)
SP Bill Hands (7
wk)
RF Billy
Williams (2 mo) |
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LA |
SS Charley Smith (3 mo)
C Johnny Romano
(6 wk)
SP Joe
Gibbon (5-6 wk) |
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MAN |
RF Jim Holt
(6 mo)
LF Dusty Baker (3
wk) |
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STL |
-- |
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SF |
MR Barry Lersch
(11-12 mo) |
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WAS |
1B Ron Blomberg
(3-4 mo)
RF Bernie
Carbo (3 mo)
CF Cito Gaston
(2 wk) |
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min 2 weeks
new injury |
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| TRADES |
August 1
(264)
CHICAGO gets
3B Pete Ward
MR Joe Decker
MANHATTAN
gets
CHI '73 3rd round pick
CHI '74 2nd
round pick
CHI '74 3rd round pick
August 1
(265)
ST. LOUIS gets
MAN '73 3rd
round pick
WASHINGTON gets
1B Jim Gentile
August 1
(266)
BOSTON gets
SP Chuck Dobson
MR Don Gross
C George Mitterwald
LOS ANGELES gets
C Johnny Romano
CL Ray Crone
BOS
'73 1st round pick
$700k cash |
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 Third Termers
Monuments Clinch with a Week to Spare
WASHINGTON (Sept. 24) -- The
Washington Monuments pulled an FDR and won a third term
as East Division champions, clinching the pennant with
seven games to go. The title was little more than
a foregone conclusion,
as Washington has led the division since
early May and commanded it since mid-July. And
befitting one of the weakest divisions in UL history,
the clincher came when all three remaining contenders
lost on the same day. But backing into the pennant
or not, Washington fans celebrated a rare feat, a third
consecutive title, as the modern-era Monuments continue
to earn comparisons with the early 50s club that won
four UL titles in five years (including, it should be
noted, three straight championships in 1952-54). All eyes now
turn to the thrilling race in the West Division, where
both St. Louis and Chicago are putting together strong
finishes in what is shaping up to be a photo finish.
The only remaining suspense in the East Division is
whether another team besides Washington can manage to
finish with a winning record.
 Mantle In,
Maris Out
Mick Returns from DL,
as Roger Sits with Ankle Sprain
ST. LOUIS (Sept. 24) -- The West Division race may very
well come down to the final two games of the season,
when the Maroons visit Comiskey, but if so the Colts'
top hitter will be in street clothes. Roger Maris
(.283-27-84)--the team leader in batting, home runs, and
RBIs--suffered a high ankle sprain on Sept. 16 that
wipes out his regular season and most of the World
Series, if the Colts eke out a division title after
squandering a division lead they held for three months.
The Colts have all seven of their remaining games at
home (vs. Atlanta, Los Angeles, and St. Louis), while
the Maroons have three at home against Dallas before
four away games at Atlanta and Chicago. Probably
starters for the potentially critical Friday and
Saturday showdowns are Wilbur Wood (13-12, 3.26) and
Bill Singer (18-9, 2.19) for Chicago and Nolan Ryan
(15-7, 3.57) and Dave Roberts (18-9, 4.03) for St.
Louis.
The race evokes memories of the UL's
inaugural season in 1951 (at least in St. Louis), when
GM Lance Mueller's Colts had a 58-29 record and an
11-game lead in mid-July, only to finish 23-44 and drop
to third place while the surging Maroons, led by Stan
Musial and Cy Young winner Sam Zoldak, grabbed the
title. Twenty-one years later, Maroons fans are
hoping its deja vu all over again.
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Dave Roberts continued his torrid
second half with his best gem yet, a four-hit shutout of
Detroit Sept. 21. The rookie southpaw is 12-1 in
his last 15 starts and is 5-0, 1.56 in September. . .
Dave LaRoche is the first closer in 14 years to get 40
saves. He has 13 saves and a 0.45 ERA in his last
17 appearances.
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Andy Messersmith was 17-3 heading
into September, but was 2-3, 3.86 in his last five
starts, but if he wins his final start he will be the
Mons' first 20-game winner since 1964 (Johnny Antonelli).
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Bill Singer, once flirting with the
Triple Crown, may end the season empty-handed--by the
slimmest of margins. He trails Bob Moose by .03 in
ERA, Andy Messersmith by 1 win, and J.R. Richard by 1
strikeout.
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Dick McAuliffe won the Feds'
seventh Player of the Week, and fourth different player,
after batting .550-2-6 the week ending Sept. 18. . .
4-time POW Orlando Cepeda needs 5 RBIs in the final week
to tie Dick Allen's 1965 RBI record.
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The Toppers can blame their waning
pennant hopes on Steve Carlton's wobbly arm. Lefty
is 1-2, 8.31 in his last four starts.
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J.R. took the lead in the strikeout
race, leapfrogging Bill Singer and Johnny Podres with a
season-best 12-K performance against L.A. on Sept. 21.
Only 16 strikeouts separate the top six K men.
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Bob Moose snapped a seven-start
winless streak with seven shutout innings at Washington
Sept. 19 and overtook Bill Singer to position himself
for his second ERA title.
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"Sweet Swingin'" Billy Williams'
season ended on Sept. 16, when he left the game with a
concussion after colliding with San Francisco third
baseman Darrell Evans.
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Ken Singleton moved up to 4th in
batting and VORP with a .413 average in his last 21
games. . . Fritz Peterson (18-8, 2.64 with two more
starts coming) has a shot at the Outlaws first 20-win
season since himself in 1968.
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Billy Grabarkewitz is angling for
the starting shortstop job next year after hitting .281
with a .356 OBP with better range than Zoilo Versalles.
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Frustrated GM Eric Clemons said
"bye bye Nye", releasing lefthanded reliever Rich
Nye 10 days after he suffered a torn labrum.
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Frank Robinson has salvaged his
season. The 37-year-old slugger spent two months
on the DL and hit just .188-3-5 in the first half, but
is hitting .305-15-45 since July 1, including .367-5-13
in September.
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LEADERBOARDS |
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BATTING AVERAGE
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HOME RUNS
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RBI
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VORP
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RUNS/GAME
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Joe Torre, ATL
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.373
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Sal Bando, ATL
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.350
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Rod Carew, DAL
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.347
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Ken Singleton, LA
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.329
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Orlando Cepeda, BOS
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.320
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Dick McAuliffe, BOS
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.319
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Oscar Gamble, ATL
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.308
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Thurmon Munson, SF
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.306
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Manny Sanguillen, BOS
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.302
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Bill Russell, ATL
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.298
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Orlando Cepeda, BOS
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55
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Joe Torre, ATL
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47
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Sal Bando, ATL
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43
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Larry Hisle, SF
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34
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Ken Henderson, LA
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32
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Reggie Smith, STL
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32
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Joe Morgan, ATL
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31
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Rico Petrocelli, BOS
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31
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Willie Stargell, MAN
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30
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Boog Powell, STL
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29
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Orlando Cepeda, BOS
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146
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Sal Bando, ATL
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128
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Joe Torre, ATL
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127
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Reggie Smith, STL
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108
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Roy Foster, ATL
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107
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Johnny Bench, DAL
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100
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Al Oliver, WAS
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98
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Rico Petrocelli, BOS
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95
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Ken Henderson, LA
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93
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*Reggie Jackson, DET
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93
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Joe Torre, ATL
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101.9
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Sal Bando, ATL
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88.4
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Orlando Cepeda, BOS
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69.3
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Ken Singleton, LA
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65.7
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Rod Carew, DAL
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63.8
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Bernie Carbo, WAS
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62.5
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Dick McAuliffe, BOS
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58.6
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Vada Pinson, MAN
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46.7
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Al Oliver, WAS
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46.0
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Roger Maris, CHI
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42.0
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ATLANTA
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5.4
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ST. LOUIS
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5.0
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DETROIT
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4.6
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BOSTON
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4.6
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WASHINGTON
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4.4
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MANHATTAN
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4.3
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CHICAGO
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4.1
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LOS ANGELES
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4.1
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DALLAS
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4.0
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BROOKLYN
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4.0
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SAN FRANCISCO
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4.0
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CLEVELAND
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3.6
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EARNED RUN AVERAGE
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WINS
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STRIKEOUTS
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VORP
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RUNS ALLOWED/GAME
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Bob Moose, SF
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2.16
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Bill Singer, CHI
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2.19
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Jim Palmer, CLE
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2.44
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Dave Boswell, CHI
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2.53
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Fritz Peterson, LA
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2.64
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Jon Matlack, STL
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2.78
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*Marcelino Lopez, BOS
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3.00
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Rick Wise, WAS
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3.01
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*Frank Reberger, CLE
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3.03
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Bob Friend, CHI
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3.07
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Andy Messersmith, WAS
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19
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Fritz Peterson, LA
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18
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J.R. Richard, CLE
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18
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Dave Roberts, STL
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18
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Bill Singer, CHI
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18
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Larry Dierker, LA
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16
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*Ken Holtzman, DET
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16
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Fergie Jenkins, SF
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16
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Mike Hedlund, SF
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15
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*Nolan Ryan, STL
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15
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J.R. Richard, CLE
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215
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Bill Singer, CHI
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214
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Johnny Podres, WAS
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211
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Bert Blyleven, BOS
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205
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Steve Carlton, ATL
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200
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Tom Seaver, MAN
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199
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Andy Messersmith, WAS
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194
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*Don Wilson, WAS
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189
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Jim Palmer, CLE
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185
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*Nolan Ryan, STL
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182
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Bill Singer, CHI
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66.7
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Jim Palmer, CLE
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63.3
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Fritz Peterson, LA
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58.0
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Bob Moose, SF
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48.4
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Dock Ellis, DET
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48.4
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*Dave Boswell, CHI
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45.1
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Ken Brett, MAN
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44.5
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*Frank Reberger, CLE
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39.9
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Fergie Jenkins, SF
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39.8
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Jon Matlack, STL
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39.4
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Chuck Dobson, BOS
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38.8
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CHICAGO
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3.6
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CLEVELAND
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3.7
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SAN FRANCISCO
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3.9
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LOS ANGELES
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4.0
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WASHINGTON
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4.0
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ST. LOUIS
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4.3
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BOSTON
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4.4
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DETROIT
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4.5
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ATLANTA
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4.6
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MANHATTAN
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4.8
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DALLAS
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5.0
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BROOKLYN
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5.2
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AWARDS & MILESTONES |
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BATTER of the MONTH
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PITCHER of the MONTH
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ROOKIE of the MONTH
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MILESTONES
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APR
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Joe Torre, ATL |
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MAY
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Orlando Cepeda, BOS |
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JUN
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Orlando Cepeda, BOS |
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JUL
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Joe Torre, ATL |
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AUG
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Sal Bando, ATL |
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SEP
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APR
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Bob Moose, SF |
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MAY
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Ken Holtzman, DET |
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JUN
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Stan Bahnsen, CHI |
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JUL
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Jon Matlack, STL |
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AUG
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Ken Tatum, MAN |
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SEP
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APR
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Juan Beniquez, ATL |
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MAY
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Tony Horton, BRO |
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JUN
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Gary Matthews, DAL |
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JUL
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Jon Matlack, STL |
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AUG
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Rick Miller, BRO |
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SEP
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Lou Brock,
SF
1,000 runs (Sept. 4)
#19 all-time
Pedro Ramos, DET
3,000 strikeouts (Sept. 7)
#7 all-time
Rod Carew, DAL
5
200-hit seasons (Sept. 21)
#1 all-time
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PLAYER of the WEEK
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4/10
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Felix Mantilla, CHI |
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4/17
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Mickey Mantle, STL |
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4/24
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Sal Bando, ATL |
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5/1
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Joe Torre, ATL |
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5/8
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Johnny Bench, DAL |
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5/15
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Orlando Cepeda, BOS |
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5/22
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Willie Stargell, MAN |
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5/29
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Darrell Porter, LA |
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6/5
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Orlando Cepeda, BOS (2) |
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6/12
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Orlando Cepeda, BOS (3) |
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6/19
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Roy Foster, ATL |
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6/26
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Joe Torre, ATL (2) |
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7/3
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Orlando Cepeda, BOS (4) |
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7/10
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Bernie Carbo, WAS |
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7/17
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Joe Torre, ATL (3) |
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7/24
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Rico Petrocelli, BOS |
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7/31
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Roger Maris, CHI |
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8/7
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Ken Singleton, LA |
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8/14
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Joe Torre, ATL (4) |
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8/21
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Rocky Colavito, BOS |
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8/28
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Elliott Maddux, CLE |
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9/4
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Boog Powell, STL |
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9/11
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Boog Powell, STL (2) |
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9/18
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Dick McAuliffe, BOS
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9/25
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