For those of you embarking this trolley along the route, the premise of the exercise can be found HERE.
OVERVIEW
No organisational or structural changes for the 1929 season.
OFFSEASON / PRESEASON
Two new modded NeLers added, giving us 65 active:
P Leroy Matlock (22); Black Barons SABR BIO
P Ramon Bragana (19); Monarchs SABR BIO
New rookies include Zeke Bonura (White Sox); Tommy Bridges (Tigers); Lefty Gomez (Yankees); Doc Cramer (Athletics); Bucky Walters (Browns); and Bob Klinger (Pirates).
My Dodgers get Van Mungo.
The Blackbirds take pitcher Curt Davis first overall in this year’s Rookie Draft.
Orchestrated moves: Hack Wilson and Sheriff Blake to the Cubs; George Uhle, Pinky Hargrave, and Harry Rice to the Tigers; Lance Richbourg to the Braves.
Other game-generated moves include Sammy Hale to the Black Sox; Val Picinich to the Black Barons; Johnny Gooch to the Cubs; Dave Bancroft and Joe Hauser to the Grays; Leo Mangum and Carmen Hill to the ABCs; Elam Vangilder to the Monarchs; Jackie Tavener to the Bears; Chaney White to the Giants; Jackie Hayes to the Athletics; Dick Redding to the Senators.
We trade Rabbit Maranville and pitcher Norman Stitt to the Pirates for shortstop Glenn Wright, and sign Johnny Frederick to a six-year extension.
Smoky Joe Wood makes it into the HoF second time around, with Mordecai Brown narrowly missing out again.
OPENING DAY PREVIEW
The top-ranked position player is Jays SS Alex Goto.
The top-ranked pitcher is Satchel Paige of Birmingham.
Age-24 Jays SS Alex Goto is also the top position player prospect; age-23 Matt Johnson of the Bears the top pitching prospect.
The top-ranked farm system belongs to the Yankees.
BNN sees the races looking like this:
- AL East: 118-44 Yankees 37 clear of the Black Sox, with the 67-95 Red Sox in the cellar
- AL North: 101-61 Athletics 3 clear of the Tigers, with the 55-107 White Sox in the cellar
- AL South: 77-85 Senators and Bears 2 clear of the Monarchs, with the 70-92 Browns in the cellar
- NL East: 105-57 Grays 11 clear of the Giants, with the 65-97 Phillies in the cellar
- NL North: 92-70 Pirates 11 clear of the ABCs, with the 71-91 Reds in the cellar
- NL South: 93-69 Blackbirds 7 clear of the Cardinals, with the 59-103 Braves in the cellar
That AL South race, even if for all the wrong reasons, should be a fascinating one to watch unfold. Whatever the case, let’s hope BNN is right and these expansion clubs have a better year.
FYI, active rosters have been increased from 24 to 25.
REGULAR SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
04/07: A very early first no-hitter for the year from Giants hurler Bill Walker.
04/23: He’s gone close so many times it has long seemed an inevitability, and Willie Foster finally fulfills his no-hit destiny—against the Yankees, no less.
05/05: The Babe clips the Browns for the cycle in a 17-4 win, then follows that up a few days later with a 3-HR / 7-RBI game against the A’s.
05/10: Rogers Hornsby becomes the third player in this timeline to reach 400 career HR, with Harry Heilmann reaching the 300 mark a week or so later. However, the Rajah has his season ended not long after that by a concussion.
06/02: Turkey Stearnes hits safely in 29 straight games.
06/19: After 13 straight winning decisions, a 3-2 loss to the Cubs ends Bullet Rogan’s perfect season.
06/03: Bill Terry rocks the Cardinals with a 3-HR, 10-RBI performance in a 21-0 demolition job by the rampaging Giants.
06/07: Jack Quinn notches his 200th Win in this timeline.
07/06: Giants pitcher Bill Walker – 14-1 on the season to this point – will miss a full year after blowing out his elbow.
08/05: We get yet another no-hitter, from Bobby Burke for the Sens against the Bears.
08/27: Bill Terry certainly has found his power swing of late—after just 8 HR in the seasons spanning 1922-26, he has belted 51 in the past two seasons and another 3-homer game against Atlanta takes his total for this campaign to 24.
09/13: John Beckwith reaches the 300 HR milestone, the 11th player and third NeLer to do so.
09/15: Wilson Redus collects the cycle against Memphis.
09/22: Harry Heilmann joins the 3000-Hit Club, its 13th member so far.
REGULAR SEASON RECAP
Another season almost entirely devoid of late drama in the standings.
The Yankees, Athletics, and Black Barons clinch within a day of each other and certainly look the main hopes this year.
The Giants are another fancied club, and they cruise to their 13th division title—the most of any to this point.
It takes them a while, but the Monarchs eventually see off the Senators in the AL South and the Pirates eventually shake free of the ABCs and take the NL North.
At the time, Indy looks like it will miss out altogether, with Homestead on the cusp of taking the NL Wild Card. But then the Grays stop completely and, with a couple to play, the gap has closed to just one game. We are actually the ones doing the damage to the Grays, and when we beat them again in the next-to-last game only an Indy loss to the Pirates keeps their nose in front, guaranteeing them a tie at worst. A fourth straight loss to us opens the possibility for that tie, but the ABCs lose late at Pittsburgh to allow the Grays to sneak home by the barest margin.
The Tigers have no such problems once again claiming the WC across in the AL—the club’s third in seven years.
Babe Ruth mashes a couple taters in his final game to finish with 57 for the season—the second-highest total to this point.
Andy Cooper becomes the first pitcher in this timeline to throw 10 shutouts in a single season.
NeLER NOTES
At age 36, Bullet Rogan puts together one of the greatest all-round single-season performances we’re likely to see. He goes 24-7 with a 1.94 ERA on the mound, and slashes 321/393/455 with 11 HR and 50 RBI at the plate, while also contributing almost 6 ZR in the field. 17.1 total WAR across the two disciplines, and he now has nearly 150 all up for his career.
Willie Wells leads all modded hitters with 9.5 WAR, just ahead of John Beckwith. Big Beck is back near his best, leading the group with 39 HR and 112 RBI. Turkey Stearnes, Rap Dixon, Charlie Smith, and Jud Wilson each more than post 7 WAR.
Satchel Paige is just two wins off taking the NL pitching Triple Crown this season, leading the MLB in ERA (1.89) and strikeouts (249). His 10.5 rWAR trails only Bullet’s 12.6, while Luis Tiant, Willie Foster, Jim Willis, and Andy Cooper log 8 or more. I mentioned Andy’s new mark with 10 shutouts earlier.
Albert Davis is the pick of the non-modded subset, along with Cliff Bell and Steel Arm Tyler.
Two from the modded NeL group retire at the end of 1929; doubtful either will make much of an impression come HoF voting.
JOSE ACOSTA: Always a fringy type, as it has come to pass in this timeline. Did win the 1916 relief award and that year also saw his sole ASG appearance.
CHARLIE BLACKWELL: Rucker’s WAR total in this universe almost exactly matches his raw MLE total as calculated by Eric Chalek. A nice career indeed, with about 1800 Hits and more than 200 HR. Took out the 1915 R0Y, made two ASG appearances, and won two titles.
FINAL MLB STANDINGS
AL STAT LEADERS
NL STAT LEADERS
PLAYOFFS
Any number of viable chances but I do really like the look of Birmingham this year. Sorry Black Barons fans, the kiss of death has been laid upon thee!
DS
A leaky bullpen costs the Yankees in Game 1 as visiting Detroit tags them late to steal an 8-5 victory, but they have no such trouble in G2 as Waite Hoyt delivers them a 4-hitter in a 4-0 series-equalling win. The Tigers edge ahead once again with a 7-4 win, but can’t close it out as the Yankees send the series back to NYC with an 8-2 victory. The New Yorkers get a massive scare but advance on the back of a 7-run 7th en route to a 9-3 final.
Lefty Grove just gets the better of Willie Foster as the A’s open their series against the Monarchs with a 3-2 win in Philly, and another close victory in Game 2 sends them to KC two to the good. Bill Shores 3-hits the Mons to complete the sweep with a 1-0 win.
Division rivals go head to head here as the Giants take on the Wild-Card Grays, who stun their hosts 8-7 in the opener at the Polo Grounds. New York gets back to level pegging with a gritty 7-4 win the next day and shows plenty of class with an 8-2 G3 win in Homestead as Mel Ott shines. They finish off the Grays with a clinical 5-1 win behind Larry Benton.
Satchel Paige twirls a 5-hitter, outduelling Bill Drake to give the Black Barons a 2-0 win over the Pirates in G1, and they double their lead with another hard-won 5-4 decision the following day. The Bucs barely stay alive with a walkoff 3-2 win in 10, but take their leave of the competition as Birmingham advances with a 6-2 win.
LCS
The Yankees stumble out of the blocks again with a 5-2 home loss as Grove beats Hoyt, and are far from convincing despite winning Game 2 by 9 to 5, with Lefty O’Doul homering twice.
As the series moves to Philly, the hosts are disciplined in taking a low-scoring G3 but the Yanks draw level again with a nery 5-4 victory in 10 the next day.
A 3-2 Athletics win behind Lefty Grove sets up this engrossing series for a big finale at Yankee Stadium, with the stakes even higher after a blowout Yankees win necessitates a Game 7.
Just a top-notch contest from go to whoa, but it is the Yankees who prevail, hanging on for a nail-biting 6-4 win to take their title defence to the final stage.
Another Satchel Paige gem against King Carl Hubbell sees the Black Barons edge their hosts 1-0 in the opener at the Polo Grounds but Freddie Fitzsimmons pitches effectively enough the next day, earning a 4-0 win to square the series.
Birmingham takes the lead again with a 5-2 win in Game 3, but Bill Shores keeps up his strong post-season form with a CG 3-1 decision and a late flurry of runs in an 8-3 G5 win puts the Giants ahead heading home.
They are just too good in the end, locking down a with a 3-0 win as MVP Freddie Fitzsimmons notches his second shutout of the series.
WORLD SERIES
Just the second “Subway Series” so far in this timeline, with the Giants victorious in 1921. Giants SP Bill Walker the only notable absentee. A veritable constellation of stars on show in this one.
An instant classic sees the Yanks win Game 1 walkoff, then go two up with a 6-1 win behind Schoolboy Hoyt.
The Giants rebound strongly in G3 with a 10-4 home victory, only to fall further behind as the Yanks take Game 4.
The final game of the season at the Polo Grounds proves to be the final game of the season, full stop, as the Yankees go back-to-back by dint of a manic 15-8 victory.
While Earle Combs takes the MVP, a special mention must be made regrading Lou Gehrig’s playoffs, with the Iron Horse belting 8 HR and driving in 18 across the three series.
1929 RECAP
Babe Ruth notches MVP number nine.
Bullet Rogan sees off Mel Ott to win the AL MVP vote, his fourth.
Willie Foster and Satchel Paige both repeat as CYA winners.
Some solid enough careers among this year’s retirees, although I expect only Scoops Carey will even go close to HoF entry.
NeL-obsessed member from Sydney, Australia who spends an inordinate amount of my free time running simulations of various natures on Out of the Park Baseball.