Spring Training Report
Legends League
by "Scoops" Mibble
Legends League Freelance Sports Reporter
My first assignment with the Legends League is to examine the
spring exhibition results. My conclusion is that some of these boys can
really play ball!
Ayep. They can get there from here.
The
Metropolitans of New York won the Spring title with 32 wins. That
is not too surprising considering they stole The Bambino from Boston
after the inaugural draft. Babe led the club with 19 home runs, 38 RBI,
42 Runs, 39 Walks, 54 Hits, 10 Doubles, 3 Triples, a .346 Batting
Average, .477 On Base Average and a .814 Slugging Percentage.
Ayep. He led the Mets in all those categories plus a few others as well.
He
did have some competition in his own division from one Pops Stargell
of the cross-town rival Giants. The regular New York variety
Giants not the new-fangled western variety, that is. Pops tied the
Sultan of Swat for the Spring Home Run Title, and absolutely bushwacked
him in the RBI title -- leading the Legends League with a sparkling 45
RBI, while putting up good numbers elsewhere as well; .313 BA (7th),
.382 OBA (7th), .776 SLG (2nd) and 34 Runs (3rd). Ruth had good backup helping him out
as well, with old timer Jesse Burkett (.340 BA, .423 OBA) and Japanese
hot corner specialist Fumio Fujimura (.333 BA, .421 OBA). Where was
Mickey Mantle, you ask? Solid but unspectacular (.293 BA, .400 OBA, 5
HR) -- his knees must have been acting up a little.
Ayep. Did I say they both are in the same East division? Along with the
Pirates?
This
Pittsburgh club innocently came in with the third-most wins of the
Spring, and that was good enough to win the duel with the Giants for
second place behind Ruth's Team. The Iron City boys think they have a
way to take the shine off the Big Apple boys. That would be with young
Rapid Robert Feller (6-2, 2.33), spitballer Big Ed Walsh (3-2, 2.23),
old Negro Leaguer William Bell (3-0, 1.54) and a relief pitcher well
acquainted with Shea Stadium and its vagrant breezes, John Anthony
Franco (2-1, 1 Save, 0.51). It isn't all pitching in the Smokey City,
there's solid, all-around, good, old time fun-a-damental type hitting
going on in Forbes Field as well.
Ayep. But there was a team that outpitched everyone in the Legends
League, and they came from the North Division.
The
Westerns from Keokuk will be spending a lot of time north of the
border this year, and they will bring with them a pitching staff that
came in with the only congregate ERA under 3.00 in this league's
spring. To top off that stellar 2.94 Team ERA is also the crown
for most Complete Games. Think about that for a bit 'cause it's mighty
important, especially considering it is not because they don't have
relief. The starting trio of the indomitable Lefty Grove (5-4, 2.81,
3CG), the uncontrollable Grover Alexander (5-2, 2.02, 3CG), and the
control-artist Deacon Phillipe (4-3, 2.18, 3CG) is backed up when
necessary by a relief trio of lefty Jesse Orosco (2-0, 6 Sv, 0.64),
righty Kent Tekulve (4-0, 5 Sv, 1.15) and setup man Bill Hands
(2-0, 1.26). Also mighty important to think about in Keokuk is the
league-worst team batting average, at an anemic .223. Bottomed out only
by their league worst On Base Average, the only one below .300 (.287)
Ayep. So that's one side of the coin. The other is not so pretty.
The South division captured the Flag of Ineptitude. Houston and the now
ownerless Cincinnati ballclubs tied for the division lead with a
disapointing .478 winning percentage. Herald of things to come, I say,
though the boisterous Houston owner would be quick to disagree. As
well, the only thing hot in Cuba was the weather. The ballclub there
posted the weakest mark in the circuit, but even at .391 they were only
4 games back of the lead and still in the race. Pitiful.
The French-Canadians from Montreal in the North and the well-dressed
Bridegrooms of Brooklyn of the East slid into the Legends regular
season tied with the second worst record. Do we really need to say
more? I am sure their hometown cranks are saying quite enough.
Chicago? Toronto? Homestead? Ayep, they are in this league also.
Probably waiting for the real season to start.
Legends
League Exhibition Final Standings
EAST
W L Pct GB
New York
Mets
32 14 .696 -
Pittsburgh
Pirates
27 19 .587 5
New York
Giants
24 22 .522 8
Brooklyn
Bridegrooms
20 26 .435 12
NORTH
W L Pct GB
Keokuk
Westerns
29 17 .630 -
Chicago
Cubs
25 21 .543 4
Toronto Blue
Jays
22 24 .478 7
Montreal
Royales
20 26 .435 9
SOUTH
W L Pct GB
Houston
Astros
22 24 .478 -
Cincinnati
Reds
22 24 .478 -
Homestead
Grays
21 25 .457 1
Havana
Leones
18 28 .391 4
