April 16, 1976
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OPENING DAY ISSUE
Close games, pitchers duels, and late heroics highlighted Opening Day, as the United League kicked off its 25th anniversary season. Offseason moves paid early dividends as Johnny Bench, Joe Coleman, and Bruce Sutter made early contributions. Last season's World Series teams, Detroit and Manhattan, both under new GMs, stumbled out of the gate. 
Kings of the Dome
Richard Leads Texans to Win in Seattle SEATTLE (Apr. 1) -- On a day of high drama and nailbiting finishes, J.R. Richard turned in the most sparkling performance, striking out 13 Manhattan Gray Sox and leading the Seattle Texans to a 3-2 victory in the first indoor game in major league history. In Cleveland, Tom Seaver outdueled Rick Reuschel, striking out nine and contributing the game-winning two-run hit in the seventh. The two West Coasts games were both knotted up 4-4 in late innings and ended on the last play as the Outlaws and Spiders notched Opening Day wins. A hit batter by Chicago's Kent Tekulve and a throwing error by Bill Melton allowed Roy Smalley to score the winning run in Los Angeles, and Atlanta reversed 3-0 and 4-3 deficits, only to lose in the 12th inning on Thurmon Munson's dramatic walk-off two-run homer. Elsewhere, Don Wilson and Bill Bonham starred in 2-1 road wins for Washington and Denver, and Lyman Bostock hit three doubles and #1 overall pick Bruce Sutter notched his first save in Boston's 4-3 win at St. Louis. |
WEST DIVISION |
EAST DIVISION
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• Free agent signing Joe Coleman has a 2-hit shutout and a 1.66 ERA after 3 starts. It was Coleman's first shutout in 201 starts over nine seasons.
• 5-1 in one-run games despite league's worst bullpen (5.17). Game-winning walk-off hits for Dave Winfield on 4/6 and Gene Tenace on 4/11 
• #1 in defensive efficiency and starters ERA (2.94), led by Bob Moose (1.14) and Fergie Jenkins (2.22). Jenkins anchored 5-hit shutout of DEN on 4/11.
• Terry Forster solid in setup role (1.46 in 8 app). • League-best 8-3 vs. RHP. 
• Reggie Smith (.314-6-17, 1.100 OPS) is putting a dismal 1975 behind him (.199-20-60, .693) and leads the club in batting, HR, and RBI.
• John Denny hurled a 1-hit SHO at MAN on 4/4. • Doc Medich's pitching has been ill, allowing 4, 5, and 6 runs in his first three starts for a 7.79 ERA. 
• #2 starter Dave Roberts was 0-2, 5.52 in the first two weeks and shot himself in the foot, literally. He'll miss 3-4 weeks while his foot heels.
• Dave Parker, 23, is picking up where he left off last year (.322-26-95) with a .380 average and 10 RBI in 13 games. • League-high 13 wild pitches. 5 by Tom Bradley in 19.1 IP. 
• The Kingdome has been friendly to Bob Boone (.385 in 7 home games) and Rod Carew (.364). Boone had 7 RBIs in the opening series vs. Manhattan.
• John Montefusco leads the team in ERA (1.99) and is in the top 10 in the league in ERA and Ks (20). 
• The 1-3 starters (Boswell, Butler, and Figueroa) are a combined 0-4, 6.50 in 9 starts.
• Carl Taylor (.157) and Amos Otis (.164) are contributing the league's second lowest team batting average (.232). • Merv Rettenmund drove in 6 runs on 4/11 and leads the team with 10 RBI, almost half his season tally of 23 in 115 games last year. 
• The "Little General" Johnny Bench leads the club with 5 HR, including in each of his last three games.
• Snapped a four-game skid with 2-1 win over Brooklyn on 4/14; Mickey Rivers got the game-winning RBI in the 10th. |
• Tom Seaver beat Rick Reuschel on Opening Day and had a 1.07 ERA and 27 Ks in his first three starts.
• Greg "The Bull" Luzinski (.446-5-11) already has a third of his 1974 HR and RBI output in 109 games. • First round pick Lee Mazzilli ruptured his Achilles tendon in his 10th game at AAA Monterrey and could miss the whole season. 
• League's top offense (5.1 R/G). Cepeda/Kingman top power tandem (12 HR, 28 RBI).
• Cepeda had 2-HR games on 4/2 and 4/14 and leads league with 7 dingers. • Burt Hooton, touched for 9 runs in his first start, had a 6-hit CG and a 4-hit shutout in his next two starts. • Five-game winning streak, 4-0 vs. LHP. 
• Ernie McAnally team-best 2.25 ERA, 8 shutout innings in win over BRO 4/8.
• Andre Thornton (.263-5-11) leads team in HR, RBI. • 4-1 after a loss 
• #4 starter Clay Kirby is the league's first three-game winner. He has 2 CGs, including a 10-inning CG win over Seattle on 4/4.
• Ron Blomberg (.321-5-15) is tied for 5th in HR and 3rd in RBIs. 
• Blyleven (2-0, 2.84) is only bright spot in league's worst rotation (1-8, 7.16 minus Blyleven).
• SS Tim Foli leads the league in defense (3.0 zone rating), and surprisingly leads the club with a .360 average batting 9th behind the pitcher, including league-best .615 in close/late situations. 
• #5 starter Chuck Dobson posted the league's best ERA (1.06) and allowed just 8 hits in 17 IP.
• Craig Robinson (.451) had 6 multi-hit games in his last seven and leads the league in batting average. 
• Defending champs are league's weakest offense (2.8 runs/game), with four starters batting under .200. Already had losing streaks of 6 and 4 games.
• Reggie Jackson had 2 HR, 5 RBI on 4/2, hitting .162-0-2 in 12 games since. • 1-3 starters (Reuss, Holtzman, Kison) are 0-6 in 9 starts. • Brian Downing league-low .269 OPS, 0 RBI in 51 AB. |
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FIELDING LEADERS ZONE RATING
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