Dombrov Baseball '11

[TDalton]

The last few months of my life have been crazy, and since I don’t have significant time to devote to LOW right now, I looked at a baseball computer sim I had downloaded a long time ago to fill some time. It’s called Dombrov Baseball and is based upon the old Sports Illustrated tabletop baseball game.

I played a 162 game season using the ATAS (All-Time All Stars) players. The ATAS group was set up in the mid-70s, so more contemporary stars like Mike Schmidt, Kirby Puckett, Barry Bonds, Cal Ripken, etc. were not included. I “managed” the New York Yankees and used a five man pitching rotation. I also took over game play for the last place Chicago Cubs around mid-season, and took them absolutely nowhere. All other teams were played by the computer, which used four man starting staffs. I had injury option turned off so everyone would be able to play a full season. Here were the results:

AMERICAN LEAGUE...Won......Lost......GB
New York Yankees.....94..........68
Oakland Athletics.......93..........69........1.0
Detroit Tigers.............82..........80......12.0
Baltimore Orioles.......75...........87......19.0
Chicago White Sox.....75..........87......19.0
Minnesota Twins........75..........87......19.0
Boston Red Sox..........73.........89.......21.0
Cleveland Indians......65.........97........29.0

NATIONAL LEAGUE....Won.......Lost.......GB
Pittsburgh Pirates......101........61
San Francisco Giants....98.......64...........3.0
St. Louis Cardinals.......97.......65...........4.0
Philadelphia Phillies.....79........83.........22.0
Cincinnati Reds............75........87.........26.0
Atlanta Braves.............72........90.........29.0
LA Dodgers..................72........90.........29.0
Chicago Cubs..............70.........92........31.0

The Yankees barely hung on to win the American League, losing 7 of their last 10 while the Athletics were surging. The Pirates, Cardinals and Giants traded the NL lead all season, with the Pirates winning 8 of 10 down the stretch to take the pennant.

The Yankees were led by Babe Ruth, whose 54 homers and 127 RBIs led the majors. The Yanks also got good production from Joe DiMaggio (.283, 24, 88), Lou Gehrig (.265, 24, 84) and Mickey Mantle (270, 30, 80). The pitching staff saw Whitey Ford have a hard luck year (12-16, 3.36) but Lefty Gomez (17-6, 2.38) and Allie Reynolds (19-5, 2.88) were fantastic. Red Ruffing (16-10, 3.01) started strong but faded later in the year while Jack Chesbro (11-9, 3.45) did the opposite.

Pittsburgh’s success was a real team effort. All sixteen position players appeared in at least 40 games. Only two had less than 150 at bats. Honus Wagner (.313, 6, 65) was outstanding, playing five positions and stealing 63 bases while Roberto Clemente (.289, 13, 67) was a rock in right field. Willie Stargell (.269, 20, 61 in 103 games) and Ralph Kiner (.229, 17, 61) were the only consistent power threats in a balanced lineup. Wilbur Cooper (20-16, 2.81 with 7 shutouts), Jesse Tannehill (20-8, 2.85) and Ray Kremer (22-8, 3.43) all won 20+ games while Sam Leever (16-9, 2.68) posted the lowest ERA among the starters. Workhorse reliever Elroy Face may have been the team’s most valuable pitcher, appearing in 93 games, posting a 2.75 ERA in 160.1 innings and saving 23 games.

Other noteworthy performances in the National League saw Rogers Hornsby (.323, 30, 93) of the Cardinals just one homer shy of winning the NL triple crown, while also leading the league in runs scored and slugging % and the majors in OPS and runs created. Ernie Banks (.259, 31, 88) of the Cubbies led the NL in home runs, spoiling Hornsby’s bid. San Fran’s George Davis (.315, 15, 65 with league leading OBP and 42 steals) put together an impressive season, as did Jackie Robinson (.298, 14, 64 with NL leading 65 steals) of the Dodgers. The Giants’ starting rotation was the envy of baseball, with Christy Mathewson, Carl Hubbell and Juan Marichal each winning 23 games and posting ERAs under 3.00. Phillies pitcher Robin Roberts led the league in ERA (2.33) and posted a 19-17 record. Sandy Koufax (18-13, 2.52) of the Dodgers led the majors in strikeouts with 278 over his 314 innings pitched.

The American League had some outstanding players of its own. The Tigers led the league in scoring mainly due to three incredible performances from batting champ Ty Cobb (.339, 13, 69 and led AL in runs created and majors with 76 steals), outfielder Harry Heilmann (.331, 16, 93 with highest AL OBP) and first baseman Hank Greenberg (.301, 33, 102 with highest AL OPS). The Athletics were known more for their pitching, but outfielder Al Simmons (.300, 18, 78) put up some big offensive numbers as well. The AL’s best pitcher was a no brainer. Oakland’s Lefty Grove (26-8, 2.07) paced the majors in wins and ERA, and led the AL in WHIP (0.97) and innings pitched (317.1). Reliever Stu Miller of Baltimore led the majors in appearances and saves with 102 and 27, respectively. Walter Johnson (21-11, 2.26) of Minnesota was probably the most reliable starter in the majors other than Grove.

So all this leads us to the ATAS World Series, which will open in Pittsburgh. The visiting Yankees will send Whitey Ford to the hill in Game 1. Ford had a rough regular season, but the Yankees are hoping his legendary post-season tenacity will kick in. The Pirates will counter with Wilbur Cooper and once again rely on everyone in the lineup to produce timely hits, run the bases hard and play great defense.

Lineups for Game 1:

AL CHAMPION NEW YORK YANKEES
1. Tony Lazzeri, 2B - .242, 10, 48
2. Gil McDougald, 3B - .277, 5, 22
3. Babe Ruth, RF - .261, 54, 127
4. Mickey Mantle, LF - .270, 30, 80
5. Lou Gehrig, 1B - .265, 24, 84
6. Joe DiMaggio, CF - .283, 24, 88
7. Yogi Berra, C - .264, 13, 60
8. Phil Rizzuto, SS - .219, 3, 29 (and 31 sacrifice hits – Holy Cow!)
9. Whitey Ford, P – 12-16, 3.36

NL CHAMPION PITTSBURGH PIRATES
1. George Grantham, 2B - .245, 15, 58
2. Roberto Clemente, RF - .289, 13, 67
3. Paul Waner, 1B – .251, 3, 59
4. Ralph Kiner, LF – .229, 17, 61
5. Pie Traynor, 3B - .256, 0, 26
6. Smoky Burgess, C - .211, 7, 35
7. Arky Vaughan, SS - .320, 6, 57
8. Max Carey, CF – .338, 2, 11
9. Wilbur Cooper, P – 20-16, 2.81

Will the Bucs take the first game Series in front of their home fans, or will the Yankees spoil the party?

Results to follow!

[TDalton]

Ford Shines as Yankees Roll in Game 1

Yankees 11, Pirates 0

Tony Lazzeri led off the game with a triple into the right centerfield gap of Forbes Field as the Yanks plated four in the first inning. Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle had three hits apiece to back the shutout pitching of Whitey Ford. The Bronx Bombers pounded out fourteen hits while Ford scattered just eight hits, three by Pirate shortstop Arky Vaughan. Honus Wagner, the Pirates' biggest star during the regular season, was inexplicably absent from the starting lineup, but did see action later in the game. Buc’s starter Wilbur Cooper lasted only two innings and took the loss.

Lineups for Game 2:

AL CHAMPION NEW YORK YANKEES
1. Red Rolfe, 3B - .229, 4, 31
2. Tony Lazzeri, 2B - .242, 10, 48
3. Babe Ruth, RF - .261, 54, 127
4. Mickey Mantle, LF - .270, 30, 80
5. Lou Gehrig, 1B - .265, 24, 84
6. Joe DiMaggio, CF - .283, 24, 88
7. Yogi Berra, C - .264, 13, 60
8. Phil Rizzuto, SS – 219, 3, 29
9. Red Ruffing, P – 16-10, 3.01

NL CHAMPION PITTSBURGH PIRATES
1. Matty Alou, CF - .277, 1, 17
2. Honus Wagner, 3B - .313, 6, 65
3. Paul Waner, 1B - .251, 3, 49
4. Willie Stargell, LF - .269, 20, 61
5. Roberto Clemente, RF - .289, 13, 67
6. Dick Groat, SS - .293, 4, 28
7. George Grantham, 2B - .245, 15, 58
8. Manny Sanguillen, C - .254, 4, 25
9. Sam Leever, P – 16-9. 2.68

[TTX]

Cool stuff and some great players...wouldn't have picked Pittsburgh to win the NL, but nice to see.

[jasonjaconetti]

Since it is all time greats, the Pirates are able to use all those older greats. Wagner and the Waner brothers are some of the elite stat hitters in baseball history.

[TDalton]

I really expected the Giants or Cardinals to win the NL.

Giants pitching, along with guys like Willie Mays, Orlando Cepeda, Willie McCovey etc. looked hard to beat. They had a great balance of players. The computer rarely used first baseman Bill Terry who was a great hitter and fielder, though not much of a power threat. Cards had a powerhouse lineup as well with Hornsby, Stan the Man, Johnny Mize, Ducky Medwick amongst a cast of many.

I was also shocked by the finishes of Boston and Cleveland in the AL. Boston's pitching staff was loaded and I figued they would be in the hunt. Cleveland looked stacked with pitching and hitting, but just lacked some power threats. The computer manager hardly ever used Early Wynn, who would have been one of my starters for sure.

The team I hated playing the most was the White Sox. They had a team filled with guys who would single, steal second, steal third and score on a sac fly. I usually put Bill Dickey behind the plate in an attempt to slow them down, as he was a little better defensively than Yogi.

[TDalton]

Leever Quiets Yankee Bats as Bucs Even Series

Pirates 7, Yankees 1

After a lopsided Game 1 loss, the Pirates came back strong, batting around and scoring five times in the first against New York’s Red Ruffing. Roberto Clemente and Dick Groat each drove home two runs in the inning. Ruffing settled down, but Bucs hurler Sam Leever never let the Bombers get back into the game. He only surrendered six hits, including a run scoring single by Babe Ruth in the sixth. The Pirates tacked on two runs against lefty reliever Herb Pennock on a sac fly by Ralph Kiner in the seventh and a run scoring double by George Grantham in the eighth.

The Series now moves to the Bronx with a battle of southpaws scheduled for Game 3.

Lineups for Game 3:

NL CHAMPION PITTSBURGH PIRATES
1. George Grantham, 2B - .245, 15, 58
2. Roberto Clemente, RF - .289, 13, 67
3. Honus Wagner, 1B – .313, 6, 65
4. Ralph Kiner, LF – .229, 17, 61
5. Pie Traynor, 3B - .256, 0, 26
6. Manny Sanguillen, C - .254, 4, 25
7. Dick Groat, SS - .293, 4, 28
8. Lloyd Waner, CF – .262, 1, 27
9. Jesse Tannehill, P – 20-8, 2.85

AL CHAMPION NEW YORK YANKEES
1. Tony Lazzeri, 2B - .242, 10, 48
2. Gil McDougald, 3B - .277, 5, 22
3. Babe Ruth, RF - .261, 54, 127
4. Mickey Mantle, LF - .270, 30, 80
5. Lou Gehrig, 1B - .265, 24, 84
6. Joe DiMaggio, CF - .283, 24, 88
7. Yogi Berra, C - .264, 13, 60
8. Phil Rizzuto, SS - .219, 3, 29
9. Lefty Gomez, P – 17-6, 2.38

[stu]

Good stuff Mr. D! I am a long time player of baseball sims myself, so this is right up my alley. Is this similar to the old Superstar Baseball game? Where did you find this little gem, if I may be so bold to ask?

Enjoying the Pirates in the Series. I'm something of a long-time Pirates fan, and up until this year, well, its been a rather lean time.

Of course, my main love is/are the BoSox.

Yea, yea, I know....September kinda sucked this year.

Keep up the great work, 'tis fun to read.

[tystates]

Go Pirates!

[TDalton]

Yankee Bats Silenced Again as Tannehill Outduels Gomez

Pirates 2, Yankees 1

Jesse Tannehill retired the first nine batters he faced before giving up a homer to Tony Lazzeri and a double to Gil McDougald. Then he retired ten straight. Lefty Gomez was almost equally effective, yielding only an RBI single to Lloyd Waner in the third. In the eighth, Ralph Kiner led off with a single against Gomez, moved to third on a single by pinch hitter Arky Vaughan and scored the go ahead run on a sac fly by Manny Sanguillen. Roy Face came on in the eighth and pitched flawless relief to pick up the save in a tight pitchers duel.

After pounding out fourteen hits in Game 1, the Yankees were held to just eight total hits in Games 2 and 3. The home run by Lazzeri was the first of the Series for either team. We’ll see the winningest pitcher for both sides on the bump in Game 4 when Bucs 22 game winner Ray Kremer faces Yanks 19 game winner Allie Reynolds!

Lineups for Game 4:

NL CHAMPION PITTSBURGH PIRATES
1. Matty Alou, CF - .277, 1, 17
2. Honus Wagner, 3B - .313, 6, 65
3. Paul Waner, 1B - .251, 3, 49
4. Ralph Kiner, LF - .229, 17, 61
5. Roberto Clemente, RF - .289, 13, 67
6. Arky Vaughan, SS - .320, 6, 57
7. Bill Mazeroski, 2B - .226, 1, 25
8. Smoky Burgess, C - .211, 7, 35
9. Ray Kremer, P – 22-8, 3.43

AL CHAMPION NEW YORK YANKEES
1. Red Rolfe, 3B - .229, 4, 31
2. Joe Gordon, 2B - .215, 9, 20
3. Babe Ruth, RF - .261, 54, 127
4. Mickey Mantle, LF - .270, 30, 80
5. Lou Gehrig, 1B - .265, 24, 84
6. Joe DiMaggio, CF - .283, 24, 88
7. Bill Dickey, C - .259, 7, 28
8. Phil Rizzuto, SS - .219, 3, 29
9. Allie Reynolds, P – 19-5, 2.88

[TTX]

Some great pitching from Pittsburgh