Cleveland: Baron Arms (and a little bit more)
Despite of series of trades throughout the ’73 season that saw talented hurlers leaving town in exchange for much-hoped-for offensive punch (for now and the future), it was once again the Barons stellar pitching that finally found their way back to the fall classic. Much of that success of the league’s #2 staff had to do with the emergence of youngsters "Big Daddy" Rick Reuschel (17-7, 2.66) and Burt "Who Give’s A" Hooton (15-8 3.35), as well as the continued rise of fireballer J.R. Richards (14-12, 2.41, 249 Ks), all of whom helped make up for subpar performances by one-time Cy winner Jim Palmer and trade target Mike Cuellar. The bullpen was also extremely strong, sporting a tiny 2.84 ERA and anchored by their star-in-the-making closer, Steve Mingori (28 saves, 2.13).

It wasn’t just the young hurlers that made a big splash this year, there were also some (gasp, dare we say it) offense stars for the Barons as well. Mostly notable was third year first baseman Cecil Cooper who belted 28 dingers, drove in 99 runs and notched a .498 slugging percentage (all good for the #4 spot of the UL’s year end leader board). Sophomore corner outfielders Jorge Orta and Ben Oglivie also made strong contributions to the Barons’ offensive side. Each knocked in 50+ runs, while Orta carried 76 runs across home plate, second on the team to Cooper. Despite expectations of a power surge for veteran slugger Don Demeter, it was the other guy in that early season trade, Ron Hunt, who helped his new squad the most, chipping in 77 RBIs from the shortstop position. Even though the Barons’ batting average was nearly identical in 1972 and 1973, the team managed to score 69 more runs this season due mostly to an upswing in overall power. Cleveland also turned around their run differential from -24 in 1972 to +72 a year later, and the 96-run swing made a world of difference in a league that continues to increasing populated by stellar pitchers.

While 1973 saw the Brown and Orange pitchers hold strong and steady as the #2 staff in the UL, it was the teams rise for the league’s worst hitting team in 1972 to #8 overall a year later that made it known that they could do more than just hold their opponents offenses down. It was the better mix from both sides of the ball that proved to be the difference maker in ’73, helping the Barons land their third East Division pennant. Now it’s time to find out if they’ve got the right combination to finally bring the UL title home to Cleveland.

Record: 85-77 (-4)
6th in Batting - 4th in Pitching
Stud: Don Wilson (19-7, 2.35)
Dud: Dave Cash (.238-1-30)
Top Rookie: Jim Colborn (5-5, 2.37)
 
On paper, the '73 Washington Monuments looked just like the pennant-winning '72 Monuments, and '71 Monuments, and the '70 Monuments, except with Frank Robinson added.  What could go wrong?

As the dream of a four-peat was ended by a runaway Cleveland side, it's worth reflecting that '70 now represented a high-watermark in many of the side's careers.  While like a fine wine, Don Wilson gets better with age, like a cheap cider, the rest rot. Rookies like Fosse and Cash who had a standout debut campaign have never seemed the same since, and alongside Gene Alley, the three have become black holes in the batting order, hitting .238, .245 and .215 respectively. For a while Fosse looked like the next Joe Torre, and Cash the next Grammy Hamner; now they look like the next Johnny Romano and Ron Hansen (Mons fans take note!).

Yet not all is blue.  Don Wilson came back strong and won 19, Clay Kirby looks like the next in the long line of good pitchers coming through the ballclub, Carbo and Blomberg both topped 20 homers (not easy in Griffith Stadium).  For three months, Johnny Podres rolled back the years and looked a dominant ace, before he broke down, earning a new contract into the bargain.  More than that, the ballclub remains surprisingly young, with almost all it's key players under 29, and not quite at the point where finances will break up the team.  But whither a middle-infielder that can hit?

Record: 82-80 (-2)
2nd in Batting - 7th in Pitching
Stud: Bobby Grich (.271-22-83)
Dud: Dick Allen (.243-18-58)
Top Rookie: Brian Downing (.267-12-46)
 
The Flyin' Lions posted a winning record and finished within shouting distance of the division leaders for a fourth straight year in 1973. That is either a solid achievement, or a disappointment for a team that seems to be perennially on the verge of doing something big. In prior years, at least one pundit tabbed them for the division title, but first Joey Jay and then Pete Ramos regressed badly and all bets were off. It was much the same in 1973, when new ace Dock Ellis looked like he might be able to lead the mythic creatures to the baseballing promised land; unfortunately, Ellis managed only 10 (brilliant) starts in a season marred by injury. Funny that pitching should be the problem in an era so rich in hurlers, but it is undeniably true that Griffin management has been remarkably good at acquiring hitting talent, but has had much less success on the pitching front. Indeed, continuing with the theme of four straight years, 1973 once again saw the Griffs finish with an above average offense and below average pitching staff. But perhaps help is on the way--Detroit sports two top-10 pitching spects, who may be ready for the bigs next year after making the briefest of appearances in the majors at the end of the season.

While pitching has been problematic, scoring runs has not. The slugging core of Bonds-Allen-Jackson-Grich was supplemented in 1973 by the free agent acquisition of Tony Perez, who produced more than fifty extra base hits and a hundred ribs at the hot corner. The team also drafted slugging catcher Brian "Go" Downing in the first round. Another notable draft success was the late-round swoop of talented corner OF Otto Velez. Recently departed GM John Horsch even acquired tubby lefty poker Willie Stargell for a laugh. Some teams can't buy a hitter; Detroit has more than they can possibly use. Add it all up and you get a bunch of runs scored, a sizable Pythagorean underperformer, and a lump of coal in your stocking come playoff time. Perhaps a new GM, a full season of Dock Ellis, and the call-up of some talented pitching spects can reverse the curse in '74. Certainly, the team looks to be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the switch to a four-team playoff format--the Griffs don't have to clear that final hurdle and actually win the division, just keep on keepin' on and they could well manage the first-ever playoff appearance in franchise history. (Boston and Dallas are the league's only other franchises to have never played a postseason game.)
 

Record: 78-84 (-1)
7th in Batting - 8th in Pitching
Stud: Steve Garvey (.317-15-62)
Dud: Carl Yastrzemski (.190-6-25)
Top Rookies: Steve Rogers (13-8, 2.85), Ken Griffey (.323-6-30)

'73 was a year of transition at Yankee Stadium, with superstars of a previous era leaving town, and a promising crop of rookies beginning to prove themselves in the Bigs.  When all was said and done, the Gray Sox finished a few games below .500 -- about where they have the past few years, but with a much reduced payroll, which bodes well for the potential of seasons to come. 

Out with the old: Willie Stargell, Vada Pinson, Cecil Upshaw, and Phil Niekro all left town for contenders, while two legitimate rookie of the year candidates: Ken Griffey and Steve Rogers excited fans with significant playing time towards the second half of the season.  The Sox maintained their reputation as a slugging powerhouse, taking advantage of the Stadium's favorable dimensions, ranking 3rd in the UL in SLG and 3rd in extra base hits.  However, plating runs with all that firepower remained a problem, with the team next to last in the league in OBP, and finishing with the lowest batting average in team history (.246).  Fixing the "on base" problem will be a focal point in the offseason.  Still, were it not for a terrible June (8-15), the Sox would have finished above .500 for only the 3rd time in club history, and the first time since the '60s.

In a year where pitching dominated, the Gray Sox staff struggled.  The only constant was inconsistency, with eight different starters appearing in the rotation during the season, and only two of them ending up with a winning record.  The lone bright spot was the emergence of Rogers as a would-be ace, finishing with a sub-3.00 ERA, five shutouts, and with nearly 200 innings pitched.

On a plus note, AAA Havana made the International League playoffs for the first time in awhile, but failed to capture the league title after most of the core of the team vacated to the majors for September call-ups.
 

The 1973 season was another tough one for the Texans with them again posting the league’s worst record.  As is generally the case with the Texans their pitching is terrible.  Gaylord Perry underperformed and was sent to the minors for a large portion of the year.  One of the few bright spots was Pat Jarvis who ended up being the workhorse of the staff with 8 complete games on the season. SP Randy Jones also pitched well in limited time with the team and looks to be developing into a solid mid-rotation SP.  SP Dick Tidrow has really not merited his selection in the first round of last year’s draft.
 

Probably the most surprising area of ineptitude in Dallas was the lack of production on the offensive side, sporting the league’s 11th best squad in batting despite a number of alleged offensive stars.  In fairness they were hampered by injuries to Bob Bailey and Cesar Cedeno, but with all the emphasis that has been placed on this team’s offense this lack of production is inexcusable.

Dallas has one of the youngest teams in the league and has some time to get going but it seems as though we say that every year. Hopefully some of the later picks last year (Tanana, etc) will continue to develop and of course they have another high draft pick this year.  Rumor has it the Texans are looking to shake things up a bit this off-season but only time will tell if they can get this pathetic franchise back on track.
 

Record: 70-92 (+9)
4th in Batting - 9th in Pitching
Stud: Dick McAuliffe (.302-20-75)
Dud: Ray Lamb (4-10, 6.90)
Top Rookie: Mike Schmidt (.261-15-67), Elias Sosa (7-9, 2.95)

Nothing is easy, you'll find. So says Ian Anderson, and after 1973 in charge of a rebuilding Brooklyn side, I am inclined to agree--90+ losses, the league's biggest Pythagorean underperformer, a whopping 15 losses from the closer position, 13 games under .500 in one-run games, and the least power of any team on the circuit. Life's a bitch, and then you go manage an expansion team.

But there are some positives shining through the gloom. After two consecutive years of finishing 11 and 12, respectively, in runs scored and runs allowed, the screaming bats jumped to 4 and 9. Attempts to address the utter lack of average, power, and walks were successful on two of three fronts, powered by a truly epic season from Dick McAuliffe and a sweet debut from Schmidt. And while this is oversimplifying, many of the team's problems relate to a single position--closer, where Goose is developing into a potential future studler. Bring on Joaozinho.
 

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

CY YOUNG AWARD

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

GOLD GLOVE AWARD

ALL-UL TEAM

ATTENDANCE 

TOTAL REVENUE

PLAYER EXPENSES

NET PROFIT

BATTER of the MONTH

PITCHER of the MONTH

ROOKIE of the MONTH

MILESTONES

Bill Singer, CHI
20-win season
(3rd of career, 1st since 1970)

Joe Torre, ATL
5th batting title
#2 all-time (1 behind Granny Hamner)

Orlando Cepeda, BOS
HR and RBI title
(record 5th HR title, 3rd HR title tied for 1st)

GM Doug Aiton
15 seasons, 1,000 games, 10,000 runs

PLAYER of the WEEK