After each season, members of the Baseball Bloggers Alliance (an organization of 200+ bloggers dedicated to the national pastime) vote on a series of awards for each league.  Those recognitions include:

• Willie Mays Award (top rookie)
• Walter Johnson Award (top starting pitcher)
• Stan Musial Award (top player)
• Goose Gossage Award (top relief pitcher)
• Connie Mack Award (top manager)

BBRT will provide a link to the BBA site once all the winners are announced (later this month).  In this post, I’d like to share BBRT’s votes, as well as some background on my selections and those that were “close” to getting BBRT’s vote.  Your comments on the BBRT selections are welcomed.

William Mays Award (top rookie)

American League

BBRT vote:  Matt Shoemaker.

Contenders: 2. Jose Abreu   3. Yordano Ventura   4. Masahiro Tanaka

Thank you Matt Shoemaker – for closing out the year in a way that both: a) prevents me from having to split my AL rookie vote; and b) enables me to vote for a player who more closely fits my personal definition of an MLB “rookie.”

While the smart money may be on Jose Abreu as the AL’s top rookie, BBRT’s vote goes to Angels’ RHP Matt Shoemaker. Undrafted out of college, Shoemaker ran up a 50-42, 4.52 record in seven minor league seasons. He worked his way up to an MLB “cuppa coffee” in 2013 (one game, five scoreless innings), before sticking with the Angels this season.  The 27-year-old, bearded rookie turned in a 16-4 record, with a 3.04 ERA (20 starts, seven relief appearances), with 24 walks and 124 strikeouts in 136 innings. Shoemaker moved passed Abreu on the BBRT ballot thanks to his performance under the pressure of the pennant race.  From August 1 to season’s end, Shoemaker went 8-1, with a 1.66 ERA.

Among the contenders was another 27-year-old – but less traditional – “rookie,” who is a veteran of eight seasons in Cuba (and a former Cuban League MVP). White Sox rookie first baseman Jose Abreu finished in the American League’s top five with a .317 batting average (third-best), 36 homers (third), 107 RBI (fourth), .581 slugging percentage (first), and .383 on-base percentage (fifth).

Additional contenders for BBRT’s vote included:  Kansas City right-handed starter Yordano Ventura, who put together a 14-10, 3.20 season for the play-off Royals and a was key player in the Royals’ drive to the post-season (4-1, 2.41 in six September starts); and a second less traditional rookie, New York right-hander Masahiro Tanaka, who joined the Yankees after six seasons as a star in Japan (including a 24-0, 1.24 record in 2013) and finished an injury-interrupted season at 13-5, 2.77 with 151 strikeouts (versus just 21 walks) in 163 1/3 innings.

National League

BBRT vote:  Jacob deGrom

Contenders: 2. Ender Inciarte      3. Billy Hamilton

It’s a tougher call, with less spectacular rookie performances to choose from, in the NL.  BBRT’s vote goes to the Mets’ Jacob deGrom. The 26-year-old southpaw – who ran up a 21-11, 3.62 record in four minor league seasons – went 9-6, with a solid 2.69 ERA in 22 MLB starts.  DeGrom also missed a lot of bats, fanning 144 in 140 1/3 innings.

Finishing close, but behind deGrom in BBRT’s ballot considerations were: Arizona outfielder Ender Inciarte, who hit .278 with four home runs, 27 RBI, 54 runs scored and 19 steals (22 attempts) in 118 games; and Reds’ outfielder-speedster Billy Hamilton. Hamilton, who swiped 56 bases and scored 72 runs for the Reds.

Walter Johnson Award (top pitcher)

American League 

BBRT vote: Phil Hughes

Contenders: 2. Corey Kluber     3. Felix Hernandez

I expect to get some flack here, but my first-place goes to Twins’ righty Phil Hughes.  Why?  First, Hughes won 16 games for a team that went 70-92. Only three players in the AL won more games than Hughes (they each had 18 victories), and all three (Max Scherzer, Corey Kluber, Jered Weaver) pitched for teams with winning records.  Hughes, who went 16-10, 3.52, also set a new MLB record for strikeouts to walks ratio (11.63) and recorded the fewest walks ever for any hurler to reach 200 innings pitched in a season.  In 209 2/3 innings, Hughes fanned 186, while walking just 16.

The smart money goes on one of BBRT’s contenders – Indians’ righty Corey Kluber (18-9, 2.44).  Kluber was a strikeout machine, finishing with 269 K’s in 235 2/3 innings (just two strikeouts behind AL leader David Price). He also finished among the leaders in ERA (third), complete games (second, tie) and innings pitched (third).  Just behind Kluber, in BBRT’s estimation, was Seattle’s Felix Hernandez, the AL ERA leader at 2.14 (to go with a 15-6 won-lost record and 248 strikeouts in 236 innings pitched).

National League

BBRT vote: Clayton Kershaw (duh)

(Distant)  Contenders: 2 (tie). Adam Wainwright     2 (tie). Johnny Cueto

.

BBRT’s NL Walter Johnson Award vote goes (of course) to Dodgers’ southpaw Clayton Kershaw.  Not much explanation needed here.  Kershaw missed a month of starts and still led the NL in wins (21 against just 3 losses), ERA (1.77 – his fourth consecutive ERA title) and complete games (6), while also finishing third in strikeouts (239 in 198 1/3 innings).

BBRT sees a runner-up tie between the Cardinals’ Adam Wainwright and the Reds’ Johnny Cueto.  These two right-handed starters tied for second in wins (both at 20-9), finished two and three (behind Kershaw) in the NL in ERA and complete games, as well as one and two in the NL in innings pitched. In addition, Cueto tied the Nats’ Stephen Strasburg for the NL strikeout title (242), while Wainwright tied for the league lead in shutouts (three).

The Stan Musial Award (top player)

Note: In past award announcements, the Baseball Bloggers Alliance has referred to this award as recognizing the top or “premier” player in each league (as opposed to the Most Valuable Player). Makes this vote easier and less controversial.

American League

BBRT vote: Mike Trout

Contenders: 2. Jose Altuve     3. Miguel Cabrera

BBRT’s vote for the Stan Musial Award in the AL goes to the Angels’ Mike Trout. Pretty simple. How can you not vote for the player who led the league in runs scored AND runs batted in, while also flashing Gold Glove defensive skills.  Trout, who hit .287, finished in the top five in the AL in runs scored (115, first), RBI (111, first), home runs (36, third), slugging percentage (.561, third), walks (83, fourth) and triples (nine, third). He also added 16 steals in 18 tries. The only concern?  Trout also led the AL in strikeouts with 184.

Running behind Trout in BBRT’s considerations were: the Houston Astros’ five-foot-six second baseman Jose Altuve – like Trout a “plus” fielder, Altuve also was the spark at the top of the Astros’ lineup, leading all of MLB in batting average (.341) and base hits (225), wile also topping the AL in stolen bases; and Tigers’ first baseman Miguel Cabrera, with another solid season (.313, average, 25 home runs, 101 runs scored, 109 runs batted in).

National League

BBRT vote: Andrew McCutchen

Contender: 2. Giancarlo Stanton

With no one player dominating the statistics, the call on the NL’s premier player is a tough one.  BBRT  casts its vote for Pirates’ center fielder Andrew McCutchen (making my Stan Musial Award selections a center field sweep). Like Trout, Mccutchen takes Gold Glove skills into the outfield.  He also combines speed and power, finishing 2014 (146 games) with a .314 average, 25 home runs, 83 RBI and 18 steals (in 21 attempts). McCutchen also led the NL in on base percentage at .410.

Finishing just behind McCutchen is Marlins’right fielder Giancarlo Stanton, the NL leader in home runs (37), slugging percentage (.555) and total bases (299). Stanton, who hit .288, also drove in 105 runs (second in the NL) and had the second-best on-base percentage in the league (.395).

Goose Gossage Award (top reliever)

American League

BBRT Vote: Greg Holland

Contender: 2. Fernando Rodney

BBRT’s vote for the AL Goose Gossage Award goes to the Royals’ Greg Holland, who went 1-3, with 46 saves, a 1.44 ERA and 90 strikeouts in 62 1/3 innings pitched.

Right behind Holland is the Mariners’ Fernando Rodney, who tallied an MLB-leading 48 saves. Despite the leadership in saves, Rodney was less dominating then Holland, going 1-6, 2.85 with 76 whiffs in 66 1/3 innings.

National League

BBRT vote: Craig Kimbrel

Contenders: 2. Kanley Jansen     3. Aroldis Chapman

In the NL, BBRT likes Braves’ closer, right-hander Craig Kimbrel, for the Goose Gossage Award. Kimbrel, who led the NL in saves for the fourth-consecutive year,  finished 0-3, 1.61 with 47 saves and 95 strikeouts in 61 2/3 innings.  Over the past four seasons, Kimbrel has averaged just over 46 saves per year.

Based on strikeouts, walks and earned run average (always leery of closers with ERA’s over 3.00), others who merited BBRT’s consideration were: the Dodgers’ Kanley Jansen (2-3, 2.76, 44 saves, 101 strikeouts and 19 walks in 65 1/3 innings); and Reds’ closer Aroldis Chapman (0-3, 2.00, 36 saves, 106 strikeouts and 24 walks in 54 innings).   There is one more “vote”… an honorable mention, actually … for Colorado closer LaTroy Hawkins, just for the fact that he is still getting the job done (4-3, 3.31, 23 saves in 26 opportunities) at age 41.

Connie Mack Award (top manager)

American League

BBRT vote:  Buck Showwalter

Contender:  2. Ned Yost

BBRT sees the AL’s top manager as the Orioles’ Buck Showalter, who brought the Orioles home with a 12-game lead over the second-place Yankees.  Not only were the Orioles not found on too many analysts’ pre-season East Division champion predictions, Showalter had to manage around injuries to key players (Matt Weiters and Manny Machado), as well the sub-par season and later suspension for 2013 star Chris Davis.

BBRT also gave serious consideration to Ned Yost, who brought the Royals back to the post-season after a 29-year absence – despite being the only team in baseball with less than 100 home runs on the season. The Royals won under Yost with defense and speed (the fewest home runs, but the most stolen bases) – a formula that puts additional pressure on the manager (manufacturing runs with singles, steals, the hit-and-run).

National League

BBRT vote: Bruce Bochy

Contender:  2. Matt Williams

BBRT’s vote for NL Connie Mack Award goes to Bruce Bochy of the Giants, who led the squad to an 88-74 record (and Wild Card spot), despite the difficulties facing Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum and injuries to Brandon Belt and Angel Pagan.  Counting on youngsters like Joe Panik and Andrew Susac, Bochy kept a winning attitude on the San Francisco team.

Just behind Bochy is Matt Williams of the Nationals, who won 96 games and finished a whopping 17 games ahead of their nemesis (the Braves).  Like Bochy, Williams managed through significant loss of time to injuries (catcher Wilson Ramos, outfielder/face-of-the franchise Bryce Harper and third baseman Ryan Zimmerman).

Keep watching BBRT for the final results of the Baseball Bloggers Alliance balloting.

I tweet baseball @DavidBBRT

The Board of Directors of the Baseball Reliquary, Inc. recently announced that the organization has entered into an agreement with Whittier College administrators and faculty members to create the Institute for Baseball Studies, the first humanities-based research center of its kind associated with a college or university in the United States.

The Institute will be located on the third floor of the Mendenhall Building, Whittier College’s central administration facility (13406 E. Philadelphia St., Room 310B, Whittier, CA 90608).  The Baseball Reliquary is a Pasadena-based nonprofit, educational organization dedicated to fostering an appreciation of American art and culture through the prism of baseball history and to exploring the national pastime’s unparalleled creative possibilities.  It is currently projected that the Institute for Baseball Studies will open in the fall of 2014.  An announcement regarding a grand opening celebration will be forthcoming. For more on the Baseball Reliquary click here.

Terry Cannon, Executive Director of the Baseball Reliquary and Joe Price, Whitter College Genevieve S. Connick Professor of Religious Studies.

The Baseball Reliquary’s research collection will form the centerpiece of the Institute for Baseball Studies, which has been established to foster an intellectual community for creating and supporting interdisciplinary research and studies related to the cultural significance of baseball in American history.  Joseph L. Price, Genevieve S. Connick Professor of Religious Studies at Whittier College, and Terry Cannon, Executive Director of the Baseball Reliquary, will serve as co-Directors of the Institute for Baseball Studies.  Charles Adams, Professor of English at Whittier College, and Mike McBride, Professor of Political Science at Whittier College, will serve as Associate Directors.  An Advisory Board will soon be announced.

The Baseball Reliquary’s research collection includes books and periodicals, the papers of distinguished baseball historians and journalists, and a variety of materials that will support multifaceted and interdisciplinary studies at Whittier College, and will prompt the exchange of ideas, the development of research initiatives, and the creation of public symposia and programs highlighting baseball’s significance in American culture.  To supplement this collection of research materials, Whittier College professors Adams, McBride, and Price will be donating their archive of nearly 1000 baseball books to create an impressive resource for baseball studies.  The Institute for Baseball Studies will be accessible to students, scholars, and the general public.

In addition to books, photographs, and paper ephemera, the Institute for Baseball Studies will serve as the repository for the following collections:

• Author and historian Paul Dickson’s research materials and correspondence related to three of his major manuscripts: The Dickson Baseball Dictionary; The Joy of Keeping Score: How Scoring the Game Has Influenced  and Enhanced the History of Baseball; and Bill Veeck: Baseball’s Greatest Maverick.  Published originally in 1989, The Dickson Baseball Dictionary ranks as the most authoritative and comprehensive guide to baseball terminology ever compiled.  Now available in its third edition, the book was awarded the 1989 Macmillan-SABR Award for Baseball Research and has been hailed as “a staggering piece of scholarship” by the Wall Street Journal.

• The Tony Salin Research Collection, which includes photographs and reference materials from the late baseball author and historian, who dedicated much of his life to the study of unsung ballplayers and forgotten aspects of baseball history.  Included in this collection are research materials for his book, Baseball’s Forgotten Heroes: One Fan’s Search for the Game’s Most Interesting Overlooked Players, highlighting baseball icons such as Pete Gray, Chuck Connors, Bill Lange, Buzz Arlett, and Frenchy Bordagaray.

• Author and historian Tim Wendel’s research files for his books Summer of ’68: The Season that Changed Baseball—and America—Forever and High Heat: The Secret History of the Fastball and the Improbable Search for the Fastest Pitcher of All Time.  Wendel, who teaches writing at The Johns Hopkins University, was a founding editor of USA Today Baseball Weekly.

• The Henry Goldich Collection, an archive of Los Angeles Dodgers programs, scorecards, and ephemera dating from 1961 through the early 1970s.

• The Baseball Reliquary’s organizational history and documentation from its founding in 1996 to the present, including news releases, flyers, miscellaneous clippings, catalogs and correspondence.  Included are extensive files for its Shrine of the Eternals, the Baseball Reliquary’s alternative hall of fame, including all of the original ballots submitted by Baseball Reliquary members since annual voting began in 1999.

The Institute for Baseball Studies is supported, in part, by a POET Internship provided by Whittier College and by a grant to the Baseball Reliquary from the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Los Angeles County Arts Commission.

The Hall of Very Good (HOVG) – a fine baseball blog that appeals to BBRT’s taste for the game and its history – recently announced its 2014 inductees: Luis Tiant, Tony Oliva and the San Diego Chicken. The trio joins 2012 HOVG inductee Tommy John and 2013 inductees Dale Murphy and Steve Blass.  (I had the chance to chat with both Oliva and Tiant at the 2014 All Star Fan Fest. They are great ambassadors for the game.)  BBRT readers should enjoy the full story on the 2014 HOVG inductees and you can find it here.  And, while you’re at the HOVG blog, take a look at some of the other posts.  I think you’ll find them entertaining and informative.

I tweet baseball @DavidBBRT.

With July upon us, it’s time for BBRT’s monthly reflection on the MLB season to date.  Let’s start with a look at who stands where.   If the season were to end today, the play- off teams would be:

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Division Leaders: Blue Jays, Tigers and A’s – no change since May 31.

Wild Cards: Angels and Mariners – as of May 31, the WC leaders were the Angels and Yankees. The Mariners moved passed the Yankees into the WC spot thanks to an 18-10 June (while the Yankees went 12-15).

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Division Leaders: Braves, Brewers and Dodgers – The Braves and Brewers held their spots, while the Dodgers moved from 7 ½ games out to the West Division lead (posting a 19-10 June record, while the Giants went 10-17).

Wild Cards: The Giants and Nationals. A June slump dropped the Giants from the division lead to a WC spot, while the Nationals’ 18-11 June enabled them to overtake the Cardinals (15-13 for the month). *Note: You can find the complete standings through June 30 and each team’s June record at end of this post.

Teamwork

Lots to celebrate in Oakland

June’s Hottest Teams The AL’s hottest teams in June came primarily from the West Division:  the Oakland A’s had the best June record in all of MLB (17-8/.654), which was bad news for the Seattle Mariners (18-10/.643 and Los Angeles Angels (15-10/.600), who also played .600 ball for the month.  The only other AL team to top .600 for June was the Royals, who finished the month at 17-10/.630. The AL East, which boasts three of the AL’s top five opening day payrolls, faded during June, with only the Baltimore  Orioles playing above .500 (16-12/.571) for the month.  Texas had the AL’s worst June record at 9-17/.346.

In the NL, the Brewers, Dodgers and Reds tied for the best June results (18-10/.643). The Central Division – home to the Brewers and Reds – was MLB’s toughest; with every team finishing above .500 and the Pirates joining Milwaukee and Cincinnati above .600 (17-10/.630).  The only other NL team above .600 in June was the Nationals, who finished at 17-11/.607. The NL’s worst June Swoon?  The Rockies at 8-20/.286.

Rays’ Hurlers Team Up to Break Single Month Strikeout Record

The Tampa Bay Rays’ pitchers were missing bats in June – recording 287 whiffs (in 259 innings), the most ever for any MLB team in a single month (the Cubs had held the record – 286 – set in August of 2002).  For the month, nine members of the Ray’s staff averaged at least one strikeout per inning. Contributing for the Rays:

• Starters:  David Price (54 Ks/39 2/3 IP); Erik Bedard (34 Ks/31 IP); Jake Ordozzi (34 Ks/30 IP); Chris Archer (31 Ks/37 IP); Alex Cobb (29 Ks/33 2/3 IP); Alex Colome (3Ks/5 2/3 IP).
• Relievers: Brad Boxberger (23 Ks/13 1/3 IP); Jake McGee (16 Ks/11 2/3 IP); Grant Balfour (15 Ks/12 1/3 IP); Joel Peralta (15 Ks/11 IP); Cesar Ramos (12 Ks/12 IP); Kirby Yates (12 Ks/9  2/3 IP); Juan Oviedo (8 Ks/11 IP); Josh Lueke (1K/1 IP).

The Rays, by the way, took the record chase right down to the wire. Brad Boxberger notched the record-breaking strikeout (versus Ichiro Suzuki) in the bottom of the twelfth inning of a June 30 4-3 win over the Yankees.  It was Boxberger’s only whiff in two innings of work that game.

Playing .600 Ball for the Season

Through June, only two teams are playing .600 or better baseball – the Oakland A’s (51-31/.622) and the “no-longer-surprising” Milwaukee Brewers (51-33/.607).  The AL Rays and NL Diamondbacks are tied for the worst record in MLB (35-49/.417).

If you’re talking bang-for-the-buck, the A’s are baseball’s biggest bargain – boasting MLB’s best record (as well as the most runs scored at 422 and third-fewest runs given up at 288), with the fourth-lowest opening day payroll (in the AL, only the Astros have a lower payroll than the A’s).

2014’s biggest disappointment?

Perhaps the biggest disappointment – in terms of payroll versus performance are the last-place Phillies (36-46), with MLB’s third-highest (and the NL’s second-highest) opening day payroll and the fourth-place Red Sox (38-45) with MLB’s fifth-highest (AL’s third-highest) opening day payroll.

Other Team Notes

• The Colorado Rockies, with a 36-47 record, have scored the second most runs in MLB this season (418).  They have, however, also given up the most runs (436). Gotta love that mountain air.

• Only two teams have reached 100 home runs through June, and they are both in the AL East (Toronto 108, Baltimore 100).  Colorado leads the NL with 98 round trippers.  The Jays boast six players in double digits for long balls: Edwin Encarnacion (25), Jose Bautista (15), Brett Lawrie (12), Juan Francisco (12), Melky Cabrera (11), Colby Rasmus (11).

• The Dodgers, led by Dee Gordon with 40 steals, top MLB in that category with 81 through June.  Houston, led by Jose Altuve with 37 thefts, leads the AL with 70 steals.  Both league leaders are second basemen.  The A’s lead the major leagues in stolen base proficiency at 84 percent (48 steals in 57 attempts), followed closely by the NL Nationals at 83 percent (44 for 53).

• Washington lays claim to MLB’s lowest team ERA through June at 3.07. Oakland has the AL’s lowest mark at 3.19.  Key contributors  for the Nationals include starters Jordan Zimmerman (6-4/2.95), Tanner Roark (7-5/2.98) and Doug Fister (6-2/2.83). The bullpen has also pitched in, featuring a  quartet of hurlers with at least 25 innings pitched and an ERA of 2.00 or less: Drew Storen (1.03/26 1/3 IP); Rafael Soriano (1.09/33 IP); Aaron Barrett (1.93/28 IP); and Tyler Clippard (2.00/36 IP).  The A’s boast two starters with ERAs under 3.00 – Scott Kazmir (9-3/2.61) and Jesse Chavez (6-4/2.98) – and a trio of workhorse relievers (127 2/3 IP among them): Daniel Otero (2.10/51 1/3 IP); Francisco Abad (2.20/32  2/3IP); and Lucas Gregerson (2.27/43 2/3 IP).

Individual Achievements

 Clayton Kershaw – A Remarkable Month

The Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw had a remarkable June, leading MLB in wins (6-0), ERA (0.82), strikeouts (61 K’s in 44 innings) – and even tossing a no-hitter.  Kershaw’s outings for the month:

Date                                        IP          H        R         BB       SO

June 2 – CHW (5-2 win)          8          4          2          0          9

June 8 – @COL (6-1 win)        5          3          1          0          9

June 13 – ARZ (4-3 win)          7          8          1          1          7

June 18 – COL (8-0 win)          9          0          0          0          15

June 24 – @KC (2-0 win)         8          6          0          1          9

June 29 – STL (6-0 win)         7          5          0          2          13

Dodgers’ ace dominated in June.

On June 18th, Kershaw put the exclamation point on his blazing June, tossing the second no-hitter of the season in an 8-0 win over the Rockies.  It was also the second 2014 no-hitter by a Dodgers’ pitcher (Josh Beckett no-hit the Phillies on May 25), and the 22nd in Dodger franchise history (the most of any franchise).  The only base runner in the no-no was Drew Stubbs – safe on an error by LA shortstop Hanley Ramirez.

Kershaw struck out a career-best 15 batters in the no-hitter – tying the record for strikeouts in a no-hitter by a southpaw.  (Lefty Warren Spahn, tossing his first no-hitter on September 16, 1960 – at age 39 – struck out 15 and walked two in beating the Phillies 4-0.)  Only right-hander Nolan Ryan logged more strikeouts in a no-hitter (17 in 1973 and 16 in 1991). Kershaw’s 15 Ks were also the most ever in a no-hitter with no walks.

Another West Coast No-No

Just seven days after Kershaw’s no-hitter, the Giants’ Tim Lincecum no-hit the Padres in San Francisco.  Lincecum walked just one (Padres’ third baseman Chase Headley, with one out in the second inning) and struck out six in the 4-0 victory. Lincecum became only the second pitcher to throw two no-hitters versus the same team. (He no-hit the Padres on July 18, 2013 – walking four and striking out 13 in a 9-0 win.)  The other hurler with multiple no-hitters against the same team is the Cleveland Naps’ Addie Joss, who no-hit the White Sox on October 2, 1908 and April 20, 1910. (Both no hitters were 1-0 wins, with the 1908 no-no being a perfect game.) Lincecum also became just the 27th pitcher to toss multiple no-hitters; a list led by Nolan Ryan with seven no-hit performances.

Jose Altuve Leads the MLB June Hit Parade

Altuve topped .400 in June and flashed some leather.

Houston Astros’ 2B Jose Altuve raked MLB pitching in June, compiling a .411 average for the month (39 for 45) and moving into the AL batting lead with a season mark of .344.

Over in the NL, Troy Tulowitzki continued to hold his batting lead at .353 – after posting a June average of .354.

A look at the home/away splits of the two batting leaders is interesting.  Altuve’s numbers are relatively balanced.  Through June 30, he hit .347 at home and .341 on the road.  Tulowitzki clearly prefers home cooking –and the Rocky Mountain air – with his numbers through June showing .447 at home and .266 on the road.

June and Season Home Run/RBI Leaders

White Sox rookie 1B Jose Abreu led all of MLB with 10 June home runs, while putting up a .313-10-22 line.  Next on the June power list was Baltimore CF Adam Jones with nine June homers (.348-9-20).

Over in the NL, Phillies’ RF Marlon Byrd, Pirates’ CF Andrew McCutchen and Reds’ 3B Todd Frazier each notched eight June home runs.

Abreu’s ten June home runs moved him into a three-way tie for the AL and MLB lead at 25 homers on the season.  The other co-leaders are Baltimore LF Nelson Cruz (.281-25-66) and Toronto 1B Edwin Encarnacion (.278-25-65).  The NL leader in round trippers (through June) is Miami RF Giancarlo Stanton with 21 (.313-21-60).

Two NLers sit atop the RBI list for June with 25 runs plated during the month: Rockies’ 1B Justin Morneau (.327-3-25) and Pirates’ CF Andrew McCutchen (.343-8-25).  Leaders on the season (through June) are Baltimore LF Nelson Cruz with 66 driven in (.281-25-66) in the AL and Miami RF Giancarlo Stanton in the NL (.313-21-60).

June and Season Pitching Leaders

As noted earlier, the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw dominated in the month of June, recording MLB’s most wins (6-0), most strikeouts (61) and lowest ERA (0.82).  In the AL, June saw seven pitchers tie with four wins for the month, with the Orioles’ Bud Norris and the Angels’ Garrett Richards managing their four victories without a loss. Richards also took the June ERA crown at 1.05, while the Rangers’ Yu Darvish led in strikeouts with 57 in 43 innings.

For the season, the Yankees’ Masahiro Tanaka leads the AL and MLB in wins (11-3); while the Reds’ Alfredo Simon (10-3) , Cardinal’s Adam Wainwright (10-4) and Dodgers’ Zack Greinke (10-4) share the NL lead.  MLB’s lowest ERA goes to the Red’s Johnny Cueto at 1.88, while Tanaka has the lowest AL ERA at 2.10. Strikeout leaders through June are Tampa Bay’s David Price in the AL (144 in 124 innings pitched) and, in the NL, the Nationals’ Steven Strasburg (123 in 104 2/3 innings).

 Oddities

Trending – Pitchers as Pinch Hitters

Just a few more reasons why BBRT hates the DH – and a further argument against the “pitchers can’t hit” point of view. On June 16th, the Cubs and Marlins went into the 13th inning at Miami tied 4-4.  With two outs in the top of the inning and the Cubs’ LF Junior Lake on first – after a single – Cubs’ reliever Carlos Villaneuva was slated to bat.  Cubs’ manager Rick Renteria, running short of players, called upon pitcher Travis Wood (a .250 hitter) as a pinch-hitter. Wood delivered a double down the left field line to score Lake with what proved to be the winning run.

Just six days later, in the American League (which benefits on offense from the DH), a pitcher was again called upon to save a game (at the plate, not on the mound) in extra innings.  With the Oakland A’s down 7-6 to the Red Sox with two outs in the bottom of the tenth, A’s manager Bob Melvin called upon pitcher (closer) Sean Doolittle to pinch hit for pitcher Fernando Abad.  Unlike Wood, Doolittle did not come through, making the final out on a ground out to second.

Pitchers coming off the bench to hit in late innings – trending?  On May 27, with Milwaukee and Baltimore tied at six with two out in the bottom of the tenth, the Orioles intentionally walked Brewers’ 1B Mark Reynolds to get to pitcher Francisco Rodriguez.  Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke went to the bench for a pinch hitter – pitcher Yovani Gallardo – who proceeded to lash a game-winning, walk-off, RBI double to deep left center.

Trending – Walk-Off Grand Slams

On June 30, Tigers’ LF Rajai Davis hit a walk-off grand slam as Detroit topped Oakland 5-4 at Comerica Park.  It was the second walk-off grand slam in June and the fifth of the season (the single-season record for MLB is eight).  Here are 2014’s other walk-off, four-run blasts: April 5, by Mets’ 1B Ike Davis, as New York topped the Reds 6-3; April 18, by the Marlin’s RF Giancarlo Stanton, as Miami bested Seattle 8-4; April 25, by White Sox’ 1B Jose Abreu, as the Sox beat Tampa Bay 9-6; June 19, by Indians’ DH Nick Swisher, as Cleveland topped the Angels 5-3.

The nice thing about walk-off grand slams – they all come in front of the home town fans.

One-hitter Leads to a Loss

On June 4, Pittsburgh Pirates’ starter Francisco Liriano and a trio of relievers threw a one-hitter against the Padres in San Diego.  The only Padre hit was a first-inning bunt single by number-two hitter, SS Evereth Cabrera.  The Padres, in fact, didn’t get a ball out of the infield until the final out of the eighth inning.  Still, the Padres managed to defeat the Pirates and Liriano 3-2.

How did they do it?  How about with a total of nine walks, one hit batsman and one Pirate error?

The scoring went like this.  In the first inning, Liriano walked lead-off hitter RF Chris Denorfria, who stole second base and then took third on Cabrera’s  bunt base hit. Denorfia then scored on a short sacrifice fly, handled by Pirates’ 2B Josh Harrison.  Liriano then hit 3B Chase Headley with a pitch, moving Cabrera to second. Padres’ 1B Tommy Medica next hit a slow hopper to Liriano, who threw to 2B Josh Harrison for the force. Harrison attempted to complete the double play, throwing wildly to first, with Cabrera scoring on the error.

The third San Diego run came in the bottom of the fourth. Medica led off with a walk, Liriano struck out CF Cameron Maybin and got Ike Davis on a soft grounder back to the mound – with Medica moving to second.  Liriano then intentionally walked 2B Jace Peterson to bring up P Ian Kennedy – who also walked, loading the bases.  Liriano walked Denorfia to force in the final run of the game. The Pirates scored their two runs on seven hits, including four singles, a double, a triple and a McCutchen home run.

Just Like Little League – Moving Those Pitchers Around

On June 9, with the Astros up 4-3 on the Diamondbacks (in Arizona), Houston left-handed reliever Tony Sipp came on to start the bottom of the seventh inning and retired Arizona, giving up just one walk. Sipp came back out for the eighth and opened the inning by fanning left-handed hitting Diamondbacks’ RF Gerardo Parra. This brought right-handed, power hitting 1B Paul Goldschmidt to the plate. Houston manager Bo Porter brought in right-handed reliever Jerome Williams to face Goldschmidt, but with left-handed hitting C Miguel Montero on deck, he didn’t want to give up a favorable lefty-lefty match up. So, Porter sent Sipp to right field, moved RF Alex Pressley to left field and pulled LF Robbie Grossman. The best laid plans don’t always go as expected – Williams walked Goldschmidt.  Then Porter got back into the act, returning Sipp to the mound (to face lefty Montero, whom he fanned), moving Presley from left field back to right field and bringing in Marwan Gonzalez to play left.  After Sipp fanned Montero, he was replaced on the mound by Kyle Farnsworth, who struck out Diamondbacks’ 3B Martin Prado to end the inning.  The P-RF-P move apparently paid off, as the Astros held on to win.

Just six days later, it was nearly déjà vu all over again. This time, the Astros were at home, trailing Tampa Bay 4-3 in the eighth. Sipp came on to relieve Jerome Williams (with one run in and runners on second and third with one out).  Sipp got left-handed hitter RF Kevin Kiermaier on a fielder’s choice (2B-C).  Then with right-handed power-hitting 3B Evan Longoria coming up, Porter brought in righty Josh Zeid to pitch, moving Sipp to left field and pulling LF Robbie Grossman. Sipp returned to the mound in the top of the ninth, with Presley taking left field, and sandwiched a fly out and a strikeout around a single before again being relieved by Farnsworth, who fanned pinch hitter Sean Rodriguez to end the inning.  Seeing a pattern here?

Brotherly Love can be Powerful

On June 24, B.J. and Justin Upton tied an MLB record when the brothers both homered for the Braves in a 3-2 win over the Astros. It was the fourth time they homered in the same game as teammates – tying Vladimir and Wilton Guerrero and Jason and Jeremy Giambi for that distinction.  It looks like they’ll have plenty of time as Braves’ teammates to take sole possession of the record – and they may need it.

Last season, the Upton brothers roared out of the gate – homering in three of the first 20 games they played together. Then, however, there was a 217-game, 14-month, dry spell.  Hopefully, the wait for the fifth game in which they go deep as teammates will not be as long.  

Standings as of June 30

AL EAST

TEAM                W        L          PCT     GB       (June)

Toronto            45        39        .536                 (12-15)

Baltimore          43        39        .537     1.0       (16-12)

NY Yankees     41        40        .506     4.5       (12-15)

Boston             38        45        .458     6.5       (12-16)

Tampa Bay      36        49        .424     9.5       (13-16)

AL CENTRAL

Detroit              45        34        .570                 (14-13)

Kansas City      43        39        .491     3.5       (17-10)

Cleveland         39        43        .473     7.5       (13-13)

Chicago WS     39        44        .470     6.5       (11-18)

Minnesota        26        30        .464     8.0       (12-16)

AL WEST

Oakland           51        31        .622                 (17-9)

LA Angels        45        35        .563     5.0       (15-10)

Seattle             45        38        .542     6.5       (18-10)

Texas               37        45        .451   14.0       (9-17)

Houston           36        48        .429   16.0       (12-13)

NL EAST

Atlanta             45        38        .542                 (15-13)

Washington      44        38        .519     0.5       (17-11)

Miami               39        43        .476     5.5       (11-16)

NY Mets           37        46        .446     8.0       (11-17)

Philadelphia    36        46        .439     8.5       (12-17)

NL CENTRAL

Milwaukee         51        33        .607                 (18-10)

St. Louis           44        39        .530     6.5       (14-13)

Cincinnati         43        39        .524     7.0       (18-10)

Pittsburgh        42        40        .453     8.0       (17-10)

Chicago Cubs  35        46        .365     14.5     (15-13)

NL WEST

LA Dodgers     48        37        .565                 (18-10)

San Francisco  46        36        .519     0.5       (10-16)

Colorado          36        47        .434   11.0       (8-20)

San Diego        36        47        .455   11.0       (10-17)

Arizona            35        49        .404   12.5       (12-14)

I tweet baseball @DavidBBRT

On April 2, 1931, 17-year-old Chattanooga Lookouts’ hurler Virne Beatrice “Jackie” Mitchell Gilbert (the second woman to sign a professional baseball contract*) walked to the mound with no outs, one run in and Yankee shortstop Lyn Lary on first base – in the first inning of an exhibition game against the vaunted New York Yankees.  Watching the petite 5’5” lefthander’s sidearm warm-up pitches (primarily sinkers) was the next scheduled batter – Babe Ruth. On deck was Ruth’s partner in power, Lou Gehrig.

That Jackie Mitchell should be in this spot was a surprise to some, but not all.  Mitchell was a skilled athlete, adept in both basketball and baseball.  Her father, Joseph Mitchell, began schooling her in the basics of baseball almost as soon as she could walk.  The finer points of pitching, in particular how to throw the sinker or drop ball, were passed on to Jackie at a very young age by her next door neighbor – future Baseball Hall of Famer Dazzy Vance.

By the time Mitchell was 17, she was playing for a traveling basketball team in the fall and winter and a women’s baseball team in the spring and summer.   Joe Engel, president of the Southern Association’s (AA) Chattanooga Lookouts, apparently liked what he saw and, on March 28, 1931, signed Mitchell to a Lookouts’ contract for the upcoming season.  Just five days after signing that contract, Mitchell walked to the mound, before a roaring crowd estimated at 4,000 – to face the great Babe Ruth.

The March 31, 1931, Chattanooga News wrote this about Mitchell just two days before her appearance.

“She uses an odd, side-armed delivery, and puts both speed and curve on the ball. Her greatest asset, however, is control. She can place the ball where she pleases, and her knack at guessing the weakness of a batter is uncanny.”

Mitchell – using a deceptive side-arm delivery and her trademark “drop ball” – started Ruth off with ball one.  Ruth then swung and missed at the next two pitches (prompting the Bambino to ask the umpire to inspect the ball). Ruth took Mitchell’s fourth offering for a called third strike on the outside corner – tossing his bat to the ground and stomping back to the dugout.  Unlike Ruth, Gehrig was in no mood to “take” any pitches and wound up swinging and missing at three straight “drops.”   Mitchell then walked Tony Lazzeri and her first (and what proved to be final) appearance for the Lookouts was done.  A few days later, Baseball Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis reportedly voided Mitchell’s contract, on the grounds that baseball was too strenuous for women.

Note: Although Mitchell’s historic appearance, and the fact that this was an exhibition game, minimize the importance of the outcome, the Yankees won the contest 14-4.

Mitchell continued to play baseball, joining a number of amateur squads and popular “barnstorming” baseball teams. She spent four years (1933-37) with the barnstorming House of David team, which once again gave her the opportunity to face major leaguers.  On September 12, 1933, Mitchell was the starting pitcher in a House of David 8-6 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals at Sportsman’s Park.  Mitchell left baseball in 1937 and declined an offer to come out of retirement to join the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League in 1943.

There was some controversy after Mitchell’s historic appearance against the Yankees, with critics theorizing it was a publicity stunt cooked up by Engel and agreed to by Ruth and Gehrig. They cite Engel’s reputation for promotion, Mitchell’s signing just days before the contest, and the fact that the game was originally scheduled for April Fools’ Day (but delayed due to rain).  If Ruth and Gehrig were “in on it,” they never said so, and others assert that the rumors of their involvement surfaced to protect male egos; and that Ruth and Gehrig were fooled by Mitchell’s unusual delivery and the significant drop of her sinker. Mitchell later said the only agreement with the Yankees was that they would that they would try to avoid hitting line drives straight up the middle (back to the mound). Whatever side you come down on, it’s a great story – and Jackie Mitchell is a great charactor –  from the history of our national pastime.  BBRT says: Like Tug McGraw, “Ya Gotta Believe!”

*In 1898. Elizabeth Stroud (under the name Lizzie Arlington) played (pitched) in a game for the Reading Coal Heavers of the Class B Atlantic league.

Below: L-R: Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth and Jackie Mitchell before the Lookouts/Yankee contest. 

Baseball RoundTable’s “Happy Opening Day” gift to all BBRT fans.  Actually, it’s a re-gift from 2012, but this comedy  bit – at least for me – never gets old.  

No that you’ve had some fun, here’s BBRT’s rant.  This year, we’ve had Opening Continent (Australia); Opening Night (San Diego) and now, finally, Opening Day. Whew! Having one team (LA Dodgers) play 3 games, while 27 of the 30 MLB teams have played zero, makes as much sense as the three or four ceremonial “first” pitches we so often see. Maybe, I’m old school (certainly the “old” part), but I miss the days when the NL opener was always in Cincy, the AL in Washington D.C. and everyone else opened on Day 2. Oh, yeah, and there was just one first pitch and no “wave.”

Regardless, it’s great to have baseball and box scores (not to mention hot dogs, scorecards, Twins caps and 6-4-3 double plays) back. I’ll be at the Twins’ home opener April 7.  Hope all BBRT followers make their home openers.

I tweet baseball  @DavidBBRT