Welcome to the Losers League

Cue Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers:

Even the losers
Get lucky sometimes
Even the losers
Keep a little bit of pride 
They get lucky sometimes ...


This league will involve the eight teams from the 1969 set that lost more than 90 games: the four first year expansion teams (Kansas City Royals, Montreal Expos, San Diego Padres and Seattle Pilots) and four others (California Angels, Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians and Philadelphia Phillies).
Their records ranged from 71-91 (Angels) to 52-110 (Expos and Padres).

One of them is going to win the pennant. The idea makes me giddy.

Eight teams is, of course, the pre-expansion standard for a major league. My plan is to graft these eight teams onto a real-life schedule, specifically the 1924 American League, as found on Baseball Reference.

Cleveland and the White Sox will have their predecessor's schedule. The Phillies will have the Athletics schedule (both being Philadelphia teams in 1924). The Pilots will get Detroit's schedule because Detroit is the most northwest of the remaining 1924 clubs, and the Padres will get the Browns schedule because St. Louis is the most southwest of the 1924 clubs. The Expos will get the Senators schedule because the Expos eventually moved to Washington. The Angels get the Yankees and the Royals get the Red Sox because that's what left.

I'll follow the schedule as the games were actually played; if a game was rained out, I'll play it on the makeup date. If a game was tied, I'll skip it and play on the replay date.

I'm quite certain this will result in road trips that, if scheduled in real life, would have the player union filing grievances. I am grafting a continental selection of cities onto a schedule from the rail era of travel when the AL was limited to the northeast quadrant of the country. But these are cards, not people.

Not every game was played in 1924. The Yankees, Athletics and Browns had 152 decisions each, and the Indians and White Sox 153. Only the Senators, Tigers and Red Sox had 154 decisions. It will require some digging to find out who missed games with who, and I think I'll deal with that problem should it arise, If I don't need to play any of those games to get a champion, I won't. If I do, I'll play what needs to be made up at the end of the season.

Eight teams playing 152 or more games is more than 600 games, and in that regard this is the most daunting Strat project I've attempted in my solitaire career, One thing that should make it easier: I'm not going to do the accounting work I've done in the previous projects. Yes, I'd like to know if Rusty Staub is contending for the Triple Crown or how many strikeouts Sam McDowell is racking up. But it doesn't matter to me if Vern Fuller hits .203, .223  or .243, and I want to play the games, not accumulate data.

Instead of playing this season by series, I'll play it by dates. The first day of the 1924 season was Tuesday, April 15, and that day featured games involving all eight teams. I'll play those games, then post that date's recap, then move on to Wednesday, April 16.

Other rules: I'll use injuries. 25 man active rosters, demotions must last at least 10 days. I will use the weather ballpark ratings (1969 parks, obviously; only the schedule is 1924). Games will be presumed to be night games with the following exceptions:

All Saturday and Sunday games are day games
All double headers are day games
All holiday games are day games (without looking it up, I assume the holidays will be doubleheaders, so this may be redundant)
Other than in San Diego and Anaheim, the first two weeks of the season will be day games and the last two weeks will be day games.
Getaway games without a following offday will be day games.

Having written all that makes my head spin a bit, and I may well hold off starting the season until I have actually written out the full schedule.

Leftover League: Final thoughts

I came to think of this as the league that defied an elevator pitch. There was no simple way to describe this melange of second-and-third tier Hall of Famers and Negro League cards players backed up by a selection of 1924 players with one full 1969 team tossed in, with elements of theme teams and randomized rosters.

Some things worked. Some did not. Notes for review if (or when) I try to revisit this format:

* Even a great real-life team is simply not competitive in a league of Hall of Fame misfits.

The 1969 Baltimore Orioles are representative of one of the best multi-year teams in baseball history. They were in the cellar wire-to-wire.

One problem: The O's were coded defensively to the standards of 1969. The Hall of Fame lineups were coded to the defensive standards of the late 1990s. And there's a huge difference. Even though the Orioles of the late 1960s-early 70s were perhaps the greatest fielding team ever, in the context of this league they were second rate.

Mark Belanger, for example. He's a 2 e26. I suspect he should have been a 1, but I'm sure Strat has its reasons to stick him with a 2 for that season, He is one of the great defensive shortstops in in baseball history, and in this league he was the worst glove of the regular shortstops (behind Rabbit Maranville, Dave Bancroft, Phil Rizzuto, Dick Seay and Pee Wee Reese).

* Using the closer rule with 1924 cards is ... complicated.

The four HoF teams had two Hall of Fame starters apiece with the rest of the staff made up of 1924 pitchers. Three of the four teams wound up deploying one of their better "starters" as essentially full-time relievers. (Vic Keen did make two starts for the Quakers.) The fourth team, the Flashes, was paired with one of the few 1924 teams that had a semblance of a bullpen.

Upshot: I generally went deeper with starters for those teams than I did with the two non-HoF squads. Which is realistic.

* The HoF lineups were set in stone, and the only in-game substitutions allowed for the them were of pitchers and for injury. As noted above, circumstances limited pitching changes for those teams. That made managing them a bit dull.

The Black Caps were easily the most fun for me to manage because I could shuffle the lineup and pull pitchers aggressively. I probably overmanaged them as a result.

* The Quakers won the title by six games, a pretty solid margin for a 60-game season. They also had the most first-tier HoFers (in my estimation) and the league's best defensive middle infield; they had power; and they got more offense from the bottom of their lineup than I could have expected. Perhaps because of the quality of the middle infield, Red Faber and Ted Lyons were arguably the two most effective HoF starters (with Fergie Jenkins in the mix as well). They also had the league's shakiest bullpen and the single worst defensive regular (Hank Greenberg in left field); those weren't sufficient handicap.

* It was very much a hitters league. Only one ERA qualifier, Sam Streeter of the Black Caps, had an ERA under 3.00, and he barely made it. A majority of the HoF regulars had batting averages above .300. The Orioles pitchers in particular struggled.

On to the next league ... stay tuned.

Leftover League awards

Player of the Year: Hack Wilson, Raymond Rams

Pitcher of the Year: Red Faber, Guilford Quakers

All Star team:

Catcher: Rick Ferrell, Guilford Quakers
First base: Jim Bottomley, Fordham Flashes
Second base: Nellie Fox, Raymond Rams
Third base: Fred Lindstrom, Fordham Flashes
Shortstop; Phil Rizzuto, Raymond Rams
Left field: Heinie Manush, Ortonville Orators
Center field: Hack Wilson, Raymond Rams
Right field: Larry Doby, Guilford Quakers
Pitchers: Red Faber, Guilford Quakers; Ted Lyons, Guilford Quakers; Sam Streeter, Lincoln Park Black Caps; Ferguson Jenkins, Ortonville Orators

Leftover League leaders (pitchers)

Top 10 in Triple Crown categories, top five in others

WINS: 1. Faber (Quakers) 11; 2. Lyons (Quakers) 9; 3. Jenkins (Orators) and Perry (Rams) 8; 5. Haines (Flashes) 7; 6. Drake (Black Caps), Holland (Black Caps), Kaufmann (Quakers) and Sutton (Orators) 6

ERA (60 innings minimum): 1. Streeter (Black Caps) 2.97; 2. T Williams (Black Caps) 3.31; 3. Faber (Quakers) 3.65; 4. Nehf (Flashes) 3.84; 5. Jenkins (Orators) 3.87; 6. Lyons (Quakers) 3.89; 7. Whitehill (Rams) 3.91; 8. Drake (Black Caps) 3.98; 9. Perry (Rams) 4.05; 10. Cockrell (Black Caps) 4.07

STRIKEOUTS: 1. Jenkins (Orators) 77; 2. Perry (Rams) 73; 3. Ruffing (Rams) 70; 4. Sutton (Orators) 69; 5. Cuellar (Orioles) 48; 6. Faber (Quakers) and Palmer (Orioles) 46; 8. Grimes (Flahses) 39; 9. McNally (Orioles) 38; 10 T Williams (Black Caps) 35

LOSSES: Grimes (Flashes) 9; Cockrell (Black Caps), Cuellar (Orioles), Jenkins (Orators) and Ruffing (Rams), 7.

SAVES: Dauss (Rams) 10; Keen (Quakers) 9; Danforth (Orators) 8; three with six.

INNINGS: Ruffing (Rams) 126.6; Perry (Rams) 126.3; Sutton (Orators) 114.6; Jenkins (Orators) 114; two with 111.

GAMES: Hall (Orioles) 23; Watt (Orioles) 22; four with 20

GAMES STARTED: Eight with 15

HITS ALLOWED: Ruffing (Rams) 142; Haines (Flashes) 136; Perry (Rams) 131; Cuellar (Orioles) and Lyons (Quakers) 127

RUNS ALLOWED: Ruffing (Rams) 68; Sutton (Orators) 62; McNally (Orioles) 61; Perry (Rams) 60; Cuellar (Orioles) 59

EARNED RUNS ALLOWED: Ruffing (Rams) 68; McNally (Orioles) 60; Cuellar (Orioles) 59; Sutton (Orators) 58; Perry (Rams) 55

BASES ON BALLS: Ruffing (Rams) 55; Sutton (Orators) 40; Lyons (Quakers) 38; Perry (Rams) 37; Grimes (Flashes) 35

Leftover League leaders (hitters)

(Top 10 in Triple Crown categories, top five in others)

Hitters

BATTING AVERAGE (186 plate appearances to qualify): 1. Manush  (Orators) .382; 2. Bottomley, (Flashes) .356; 3. Carey (Quakers) .354; 4. Harris (Black Caps ) .350; 5. Combs (Rams) .349; 6. Cuyler (Orators) .345; 7. Rizzuto (Rams) .3421; 8. Lindstrom (Flashes) .3417; 9. Wilson (Rams) .340; 10. Doby (Quakers) .331

HOME RUNS: 1. Wilson (Rams) 20; 2. F. Robinson (Orioles) 17; 3. Perez (Quakers) 13; 4. Bottomley (Flashes); Hafey (Flashes) 12; 6. Greenberg (Quakers),Kelly (Flashes),and  Powell (Orioles) 11; 9. Blair (Orioles) and B. Robinson (Orioles) 10

RUNS BATTED IN: 1. Bottomley (Flashes) 60; 2. Wilson (Rams) 59; 3. Doby (Quakers) and Perez (Quakers) 51; 5. Cuyler (Orators) and Manush (Orators) 47; 7. Flick (Rams) and F. Robinson (Orioles) 44; 9. Greenberg (Quakers) and Medwick (Flashes) 41

AT BATS: Lindstrom (Flashes) 278; Carey (Quakers) 271; Herman (Orators) 263; Bottomley (Flashes) and Combs (Rams) 261

RUNS: Combs (Rams) 53; Wilson (Rams) 51; Lindstrom (Flashes) 50; Ashburn (Orators) and Carey (Quakers) 48

HITS: Carey (Quakers) 96; Lindstrom (Flashes) 95; Bottomley (Flashes) 93; Combs (Rams) 91; Wilson, (Rams) 86

DOUBLES: Hafey (Flashes) 21; Greenberg (Quakers) and Medwick (Flashes) 20; O'Rourke (Orators) 19; Sewell (Rams) 18

TRIPLES: Combs (Rams) and Maranville (Quakers) 10; Doby (Quakers) 6; Manush (Orators) and Youngs (Flashes) 5

BASES ON BALLS: Evers (Quakers) 39; Reese (Orators) 38; Doby (Quakers) 35; Combs (Rams) 33); three with 30

STOLEN BASES: Carey (Quakers) 13; Chance (Rams) 9; Benjamin (Black Caps), Evers (Quakers) and Flick (Rams) 5

Final stats: Guilford Quakers

Hitters

Name                AB     R     H   RBI   2B  3B   HR   BB   SB   Avg,
Adams                  8      1     1      1     0      0       0      0      0      .125
Carey                271    48   96   37    14     4       5     18    13      .354
Doby                 236    47   78   51    14      6      9     35      0      .331
Evers                237    44   58   25       6     2      1      39     6      .245
Ferrell               231    32   74   34     17     1      3      20     0      .320
Grantham           14      1     5     4       1     0      0      0       0      .357
Greenberg        241    47   70   41    20     3    11     26       0      .290
Grigsby               18      3     5     1       0     0      0      0       0      .277
Heathcote           10      1     4     0       0     0     0       1       0      .400
Maranville         228    32   66   21       8   10      0     14      4       .289
H Miller               11      1     1      1       0    0      0      0       0      .091
O'Farrell               3      1     1      2      0     0      0      1       0      .333
Perez                255   40    73   51     10     1   13    16       0      .286
Statz                   10      3     2     0       2     0     0      0       0       .200
Tinker               210    22   64   40     17     4     3     13       6       .305

Pitchers

Name                G    GS   IP        H    R    ER   BB    K     Sv.     W    L     ERA

Aldridge         10    10    68.6     72   35    33     34     23        0      3     2       4.33
Blake             20      0     24        34   18    17    13       7        6      1     2       6.38
Bush              12      0    19        23   10    10       6     10        0      1     1       4.74
Faber            15    15   111      109   50    45     34     46        0    11     4       3.65
Jacobs            9       8    60.3     70   31    28     26     16        0      3     1       4.18
Kaufmann     10     10   75.6      79   45    44     28     27        0      6     1       5.23
Keen             16      2    37.3      33   18    16     10       6        9      2     3       3.86
T Lyons         15   15   111       127   57    48     38     28        0      9     5        3.89

Milstead          8      0    10         18   18    18       7       1        0      0     1      16.20

Wheeler        16      0    23.6      29    11     8       5       3        2      1     2        3.04

Final stats: Raymond Rams

Hitters

Name                AB     R     H   RBI   2B  3B   HR   BB   SB   Avg,
Bassler                14      4     3     1       0    0      0      2       0      .214
Blue                     16      3     6     2       1    1      0      0       0      .375
Chance              237   44    64   26     11    4      1    24       9      .270
Combs               261   53    91   31       9  10      2    33       5      .349
Flick                   248   39    81   44       8    3      5    20       6      .327
Fothergill               9      2     3     8       0    1      0      0       0      .333
Fox                    229   27    71   38       9    3      3      6       2      .310
Haney                    4     1      2     1       0    0      0     0       0      .500
Pratt                     10     2      2     0      0    0      0      1       0      .200
Rizzuto              228    38    78   40     11    3      4    25       2      .342
Schalk               216    23    57   24       9    0      1    21       1      .263
Sewell               254    40    78   33     18    1      2    30       2      .307
Wilson               253    51    86   59     11    3    20    25       1      .340
Wingo                  20     0      5     2       1     1     0      2       0      .250
Woodall                 1     0      0     0       0     0     0      1       0      .000

Pitchers

Name              G    GS       IP      H    R    ER   BB    K     Sv.     W    L     ERA

Collins            10   10     62.6     64    36    33    28    22        0      4     5       4.74
Dauss            15     0      16        14      6      6      0      7      10      2     2       3.38
Holloway          9     9      57.3     80     45    41    18  19         0      5     2       6.43
Leonard           9      0     12        28    17    17      4       8       0      0      0     12.75
S Johnson     17      0     19        27    19    17      5       9        1      1     0        8.05
G Perry          15   15    122.3   131    60    55    37    73        0      8     5        4.05

Ruffing           15    15   126.6   142    69    68    55    70        0      5     7        4.83

Stoner            16      0    34        40    23    23     22      7        0      2     2        6.08
Wells              10      0    15.6     27    11     11      9      4         0     1      0       6.32

Whitehill         10    10    73.6     85    37     32    22     25        0      2     6       3.91

Final stats: Ortonville Orators

Hitters

Name                AB     R     H   RBI   2B  3B   HR   BB   SB   Avg,
Ashburn          257   48     77    28     11    2      2     30      2    .300
Brouthers        237   36    71    35     12   4      4    19      0     .300
Cuyler             238    46     82    47     15    3      7     26      4     .345
Herman          263    45    78    22     16    4      1     13      1     .297
T Jackson       228    27     71    35       9    1      6     14       1     .311
Jacobson             6      1      2     1       0    0      1        0       0     .333
Manush           241    32    92   47     15    5      3     10       1     .382
McManus           12      1      4     1       0    1      0      1       0      .333
McMillan               5      1      2     2       0    0      0      0       0      .400
O'Rourke         248    24    76   39     19    1      5      4       2     .306
Reese              205    15    51   16       6    1      2    38       2      .257
Rice                     4      1     1     0       0     0      0      1       0      .249
Severeid              7      1      1     0       0     0      0     0       0      .143
Tobin                  26      3    11    0      1     2      0       1       0       .423
K Williams          22      3      9    4      3     0     0       2       0       .409

Pitchers

Name                G    GS   IP        H    R    ER   BB    K     Sv.     W    L     ERA

Bayne            16      0     19.3      25   20    19    18    10        0      0     2      8.85
Danforth        11      0     12.6      15     6      6      6       4        8     1     2       4.26
Davis             10    10     62.6.     70   37    37    30     18       0       1     4      5.31
Jenkins          15    15   114       124   52    49    19     77       0      8     7       3.87
Kolp               18      0     28.3      53   35    33    11       9        1      0     0    10.48
G Lyons           2      0       3          2     0      0      3       2        0      0     0       0.00
Pruett            16      0     15.6     20    15    14    10       7        1      1     1      8.04
Shocker        10    10     76.3     93   41     38    11     34        0      5     4       4.48
Sutton           15    15   114.6   117   62    58     40     69        0      6     6       4.55

Vanguilder     20      0     27.6     37   13    11      8     13        3      2    1       3.58

Wingard         10    10    62.3     82   49    40    30      15        0      2     5      5.78

Final stats: Baltimore Orioles

Hitters

Name                AB     R   H   RBI   2B  3B   HR   BB   SB   Avg,
Belanger           226    17   52   34       5    2      2    21      3      .230
Blair                  255    37   72   36     14    1    10    14      5      .282
Buford              244     30   59    8     13     1      1    29      3      .241
Dalyrmple           13      2     4     2       1    0      1      0      0      .308
Etchebarren       32      0     8     1       1    0      0      1       0      .250
Floyd                    6      0     2     1       0    0      0      0       0      .333
Hendricks         184    19   31   20       2    0      6     19       0     .168
D Johnson        230    28   68   18     16    2      4     18      1      .296
D May                 37      5   10     1       2    0      0      1       0      .270
Motton                19      1     5     1       0    1      0      0       0      .263
Powell              237    28   65   40     14     1   11    24       0      .274
Rettemund           9      1     3     3       0    1     1      0        0      .333
B Robinson      241    29   53   24       6    4    10    13      0       .220
F Robinson      242    34   67   44       8     4   17    30      2       .277
Salmon              30      9   13     8       2     1     4      1       0      .433

Pitchers

Name              G    GS   IP        H      R    ER   BB    K     Sv.     W    L     ERA

Cuellar           15    15  109.3   127    59    59    26     48        0      4     7      4.86
D Hall             23      0    31.6    21       7      5      7       9        4      1     0      1.42
Hardin            12      8    60.6    90     47    44    10     22        0      2     3      6.53
Leonhard        16      1   32.6     43     18    17    13       9        0     1     4      4.68
Lopez             14      1   25        25     16    14     14    22       0      0     3       5.04
McNally           14   14   86     103     61     60    33     38        0      5     6      6.28

Palmer            10    10   73       75     43    43    28     46        0      4     4      5.30

Phoebus         12    11    64       74    52    47    24     25        0      2     6      6.61

Richert           16      0    16       23      9       9      3    19        6      3     0      5.06

Watt               22      0    24.3    40    19     18      8     19       5      2     1      6.66