June 16, 1976

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Sun 3/1 (to Jul 16)
Fr 3/6 (to Aug 1)

STANDINGS

 EAST           W  L GB  Last
•Brooklyn      45 26  -   8-6
•Washington    41 30  4   5-9
•Cleveland     40 31  5   9-5
 Manhattan     38 33  7   9-5
 Montréal      36 35  9   8-6
 Detroit       31 40 14   6-8
 Boston        28 43 17  2-12


 WEST           W  L GB  Last
•San Francisco 41 30  -   7-7
 Los Angeles   39 32  2   9-5
 Seattle       36 35  5   7-7
 St. Louis     34 37  7   8-6
 Chicago       33 38  8   8-6
 Denver        28 43 13   7-7
 Atlanta       27 44 14   5-9

ON THE MEND

BRO 1B Craig Kusick      8 wk
CLE 2B Rennie Stennett   2 wk
DEN SP Dave Goltz        4 mo
    SP Vern Ruhle        2 mo
DET LF Cldll Washington  4 wk
MAN SP Bill Gogolewski   2 mo
MON SP Mike Nagy         8 mo
    SP Ernie McAnally    2 mo
    CF Rich Coggins      2 wk
STL MR Jim Barr          3 mo
SF  LF Jim Rice          4 wk
SEA SP Ron Schueler      8 wk

CAREER HOME RUNS

   Mickey Mantle      634
  *Orlando Cepeda     629 +2

  *active player  + this sim

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Smiths Emerge From Cellar
Detroit and Denver Move Up
DENVER (June 16) -- Detroit and Denver lifted themselves out last place in their respective divisions with mini-hot streaks, while Boston and Atlanta assumed the cellar position in their respective divisions.  Detroit started the month of June with a three-game sweep of Denver and a series win at San Francisco, and Denver snapped an eight-game losing streak May 8 at Manhattan, and have won seven of their last eight, including five straight wins over Washington and L.A.

Gary Nolan pitched back-to-back shutouts in 1-0 and 2-0 wins over the 14ers and Spiders and is second in the league with a 2.10 ERA.  But the starting pitching has been inconsistent and Opening Day starter Jerry Reuss (1-8, 4.83) was demoted to the #4 slot.  The biggest disappointment for the defending champions has been their sputtering offense.  The Griffins are second in home runs, but 11th in runs thanks to the lowest OBP in the league.  Brian "The Incredible Hulk" Downing's batting average is down 100 points and his OPS nearly 250 points, and he is on pace for 40 RBI after 92 last year. Denis Menke's (.267-2-19, .677) OPS is also down 100 points from last year and big FA signing Bob Bailey has shown nothing at the plate other than isolated power (.174-7-15, .610 OPS).
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Denver's fortunes turned on June 8 at Yankee Stadium with an 11-run outburst against the Gray Sox that featured a three-homer game by Johnny Bench. It was the league's first homer hat trick since Denver's Tom Grieve (since traded to Manhattan) hit three against Dallas (since moved to Seattle) on Sept. 4, 1974.  The 14ers five-win streak included four straight runs allowing two or fewer runs--an unprecedented run of pitching prowess for the league's second worst pitching team.  Roger "Spider" Nelson has a 2.25 ERA in 3 June starts, and closer Ray Lamb has three saves and a 1.80 ERA.  Denver's 13-4 win over the Outlaws on June 15 featured a five-hit game by Mickey Rivers and lifted their season winning percentage over .385--their win rate for the last two seasons.
Brooks Pull Ahead, Mons Falter in East
Brooklyn ended a run of three series losses to Seattle, St. Louis, and Chicago with a three-game sweep at Detroit June 8-10.  Eddie Solomon opened the series with 7.1 shutout innings en route to a 5-0 win.  Fred Lynn and Mike Schmidt each had three hits including a homer.  The second game was an 11-4 rout that saw pitcher Dick Ruthven drive in four runs and Keith Hernandez's first home run of the year.  Rick Wise starred in the finale, a 3-1 pitchers duel against the Griffins' Jim Hardin.  Wise (8-3, 2.78) is one of three Bas starters with eight wins.

Meanwhile in D.C., the Monuments have lost 8 of their last 10 and have scored two or fewer runs in 9 of their last 11.  The offensive blackout struck the heart of the order with #3 hitter Ron Blomberg batting .042 (1-24) in his last 7 games, and cleanup man Bernie Carbo batting .222 in June. The starting pitching has kept the games close, suggesting that the Mons will soon return to their winning ways. Mike Torrez is 0-3 in 4 starts despite a respectable 3.18 ERA. Washington ranks 2nd in starters ERA.
L.A. Closes on S.F., Rainiers Still in Hunt
The league's best rotation turned in 11 quality starts in 14 games so far in June, led by Larry Dierker's 3-0, 1.03 and Fritz Peterson's 1.88 in his last four starts, including a four-hit shutout at Cleveland June 1.  The Outlaws won five straight June 9-13, allowing just eight runs.  Dierker, Peterson, and Dennis Leonard have a combined 37 quality starts in 48 starts, and Dierker is an early favorite (with Cleveland's Rick Reuschel) for his third Cy Young Award.  Closer Goose Gossage leads all relievers with a 0.61 ERA and 0.57 WHIP, and has allowed no runs and just five hits in his last 20 appearances. San Francisco lost four of their last five, allowing their archrivals to close within two games in the West.

The Seattle Rainiers have kept pace with the division leaders, thanks to an offensive outburst that produced 8+ runs in 5 of their last 11 games. Recent additions Bobby Bonds (.296-3-12 in June) and Aurelio Rodriguez (.380) have sparked the offense, as well as sixth-year first baseman Chris Chambliss (.346, 1.073 OPS), who has hit in 11 straight, including five multi-hit games.

EAST DIVISION - DOWN ON THE FARM

Monterrey's Larry Parrish is slugging a league best .569 and has a .957 OPS and homered in five straight games June 4-8.
 

Havana (46-26) has the best record in the International League, led by slugging LF Leroy Stanton (.343-13-43) and ace Glenn Abbott (11-2, 3.00).  Abbott is 23-5, 2.58 in 34 starts in the last two seasons.  Dave Gullet (2-1, 1.61, 18 SV) leads the league in saves.
 
Willie Wilson's 15 stolen bases for Philadelphia has him tied for the league lead, but the speedy center fielder hasn't done much else offensively (.204-3-25, .599 OPS).
Baltimore's Steve Swisher leads all rookies with 10 home runs.  #5 starter Eric Rasmussen has emerged as the best starter, leading the Terrapins in wins (8) and ERA (3.13).

Dennis Blair leads the league with 104 Ks and struck out 15 on April 9.  Jerry Hairston (.297-7-25) won Batter of the Month in April.
Jose Morales leads Pittsburgh with a .361 average and 38 RBI.  The Maulers are 2nd in batting average, with six regulars batting .289 or better.

Ron Swoboda (Twin Cities) leads AAA with 15 home runs, and won Batter of the Month in May.  Odell Jones (9-2, 2.38) was Pitcher of the Month in May, and the Trappers are tied for first in the IL North.

WEST DIVISION - DOWN ON THE FARM

The Spiders and their Triple-A affiliate Las Vegas Aces are both leading their division. Aces ace Mark "The Bird" Fidrych is 8-2, 1.72 and leads the league in ERA, WHIP, and VORP.


Don Baylor (.304-12-45, .892 OPS) leads all Portland batters.  Tom Phoebus (9-3, 3.68, 68 K) leads the rotation.  Tom Hausman (1.96) leads the IL's best bullpen (3.22 bullpen ERA).

Joe Wallis had a 20-game hitting streak and is batting .288 after a promotion from AA Charleston last year.
3B Ray Knight (.329-5-37) is adapting well to the new setting in Salt Lake, batting 100 points over his average in San Diego last year. Steve Blass, age 34, is having a standout season, as the worst pitcher in Triple-A (3-9, 8.86 in 14 starts).

Richie Hebner, who hit .341 for Washington in 1971, co-leads AAA in RBI with 50, and Steve Braun leads the circuit with a .373 batting average.
Gail Hopkins (.322-7-44) in on pace for his third straight .300 season for Memphis. SS Mario Mendoza is batting .257, a full 42 points over the "Me" line.


Rookie SP Pete Redfern, the 44th overall pick in this year's rookie draft, is 7-5, 3.13 in 14 starts and was nearly called up in response to Denver's pitching crisis.


BATTING LEADERS

 BATTING AVERAGE

 Craig Robinson, MAN  .375
 Greg Luzinski, BRO   .352
 Willie Randolph, DEN .345
 Al Oliver, WAS       .319
 Fred Lynn, BRO       .318
*Cecil Cooper, CLE    .318
 Bake McBride, BOS    .313
 Ron Blomberg, WAS    .313
*Carlos May, CHI      .306
*Steve Ontiveros, DEN .305
*Dave Parker, ATL     .305

 HOME RUNS

 Otto Velez, DET        25
 Orlando Cepeda, CLE    22
 Dave Kingman, CLE      20
 Tom Grieve, MAN        19
 Greg Luzinski, BRO     19
 Dick Allen, DET        18
 Johnny Bench, DEN      17
 Ron Blomberg, WAS      17
 Craig Robinson, MAN    17
 Gene Tenace, LA        17

 RUNS BATTED IN

 Greg Luzinski, BRO     58
 Ron Blomberg, WAS      56
 Al Oliver, WAS         54
 Dave Kingman, CLE      53
 Steve Garvey, MAN      52
 Tom Grieve, MAN        52
 Orlando Cepeda, CLE    51
 Otto Velez, DET        49
 George Foster, SF      47
*Reggie Smith, STL      47
 Fred Lynn, BRO         46

 VORP

 Craig Robinson, MAN    46.4
 Greg Luzinski, BRO     32.3
 Ron Blomberg, WAS      31.4
 Al Oliver, WAS         30.4
 Otto Velez, DE         27.3
 Orlando Cepeda, CLE    25.0
 Fred Lynn, BRO         23.1
 Ken Singleton, LA      21.8
 Gene Tenace, LA        21.7 
*Graig Nettles, STL     20.4

PITCHING LEADERS

 EARNED RUN AVERAGE

 Rick Reuschel, CLE     1.86
 Gary Nolan, DET        2.10
 Larry Dierker, LA      2.15
*Vida Blue, WAS         2.29
 Bert Blyleven, BOS     2.33
 Bob Moose, SF          2.42
*Fritz Peterson, LA     2.74
*John Denny, STL        2.75
 Rick Wise, BRO         2.78
 John Montefusco, SEA   2.80

 WINS

 Vida Blue, WAS         11
 Larry Dierker, LA      10
 Bert Blyleven, BOS      9
 Rick Reuschel, CLE      9
 Vincente Romo, SF       9
*Ken Holtzman, DET       8
*Burt Hooton, CLE        8
*Bill Parsons, CHI       8
 Tom Seaver, BRO         8
 Eddie Solomon, BRO      8
 Don Wilson, WAS         8
 Rick Wise, BRO          8

 STRIKEOUTS

 Larry Dierker, LA    129
 Rick Reuschel, CLE   116
 Fergie Jenkins, SF   113
 Tom Seaver, BRO      110
 Don Wilson, WAS      109
 Bert Blyleven, BOS   106
 J.R. Richard, SEA    104
 Jon Matlack, STL      98
 Rick Wise, BRO        93
*Vida Blue, WAS        89

 VORP

 Rick Reuschel, CLE   40.9
 Larry Dierker, LA    37.1
 Bert Blyleven, BOS   31.4
 Vida Blue, WAS       31.0
 Gary Nolan, DET      30.2
*Fritz Peterson, LA   26.2
 Rick Wise, BRO       25.1
*Bob Moose, SF        24.7
 J. Montefusco, SEA   24.2
*Jon Matlack, STL     23.1

AWARDS

MILESTONES

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

4/12 Ollie Brown, MAN
4/19 Johnny Bench, DEN
4/26 Tony Soltaita, BOS
5/3  Roy Smalley, LA
5/10 Fred Lynn, BRO
5/17 Mike Hargrove, STL
5/24 Butch Hobson, ATL
5/31 Lee May, SF
6/7  Ollie Brown, MAN (2)
6/14 Johnny Bench, DEN (2)
6/21
6/28
7/12
7/19
7/26
8/2
8/9
8/16
8/23
8/30
9/6
9/13
9/20
9/27

  BATTER OF THE MONTH

APR Ron Blomberg, WAS
MAY Orlando Cepeda, CLE
JUN  
JUL  
AUG  
SEP 


PITCHER OF THE MONTH

APR Tom Seaver, BRO
MAY Vida Blue, WAS
JUN  
JUL  
AUG  
SEP 


ROOKIE OF THE MONTH

APR Garry Templeton, DEN
MAY Butch Hobson, ATL
JUN  
JUL  
AUG  
SEP  

Johnny Bench, DEN
3 home runs in a game (6/9)
first since 1974

Larry Dierker, LA
2,000 strikeouts (5/23)
#14 all-time

Orlando Cepeda, CLE
3,000 hits (5/8)
#2 all-time

Bernie Allen, WAS
1,000 career runs (4/27)

FIELDING LEADERS

 ZONE RATING

  C Bill Freehan, ATL    9.5
 SS Tim Foli, BOS        8.6
*CF Gorman Thomas, MAN   7.9
 CF Larry Herndon, ATL   6.2
 CF Mickey Rivers, DEN   6.2
 CF Amos Otis, CHI       6.2
*3B Darrell Evans, SF    6.2
  C Carl Taylor, CHI     6.0
* C Thurmon Munson, SF   5.9
 3B Buddy Bell, MAN      5.9
*3B Mike Schmidt, BRO    5.8
 3B Eric Soderholm, WAS  5.8
*CF Elliott Maddox, CLE  5.4
* C Johnny Bench, DEN    5.1
*2B Don Money, DET       4.6

TRADES

February 1 (358)
BOSTON gets
MR Mike Stanton
SP Jerry Koosman
CF Rick Manning
1976 SF 4th rd pick
SAN FRANCISCO gets
P Jack Aker

February 1 (359)
BOSTON gets
SS Tim Foli
SP Randy Lerch
1977 CLE 2nd rd pick
CLEVELAND gets
SP Frank Reberger
MR Dick Selma
2B Davey Lopes
LF Mike Lum

February 1 (360)
MANHATTAN gets
3B Roy Howell
MONTREAL gets
3B George Brett

April 1 (361)
DENVER gets
C Johnny Bench
RF Steve Hovley
1977 SEA 3rd rd pick
SEATTLE gets
C Duke Sims
3B Aurelio Rodriguez
CF Darrel Thomas

May 16 (362)
BOSTON gets
LF Ruppert Jones
MONTREAL gets
1977 MAN 2nd rd pick

June 16 (363)
ATLANTA gets
LF Bernie Carbo
SP Andy Messersmith
MR Fred Beene
1B Bob Watson
1977 WAS 1st rd pick
1977 WAS 3rd rd pick
1978 WAS 2nd rd pick
WASHINGTON gets
1B Joe Torre
MR Randy Moffitt

June 16 (364)
ATLANTA gets
SP Pat Zachry
1977 SEA 2nd rd pick
SEATTLE gets
MR Mark Littell
1977 ATL 3rd rd pick