Jim’s Corner
October 15, 2003
Both
of these highly charged seasons (our 47th and 48th) will
kick off on December 1st.
Each period for both leagues will have the same deadline dates so that
things will be pretty standard.
These
will be the 47th and 48th TML seasons as we move towards
our Golden season, which will be 1954.
Schedule
is on the web site!
Deadlines
for both seasons will be concurrent in order to eliminate any confusion.
Defending
1929 Champion is Wild. Defending 1939
Champion is New York. Both are fair
game!
Bill Jelks’ Wild Weasels won a franchise first TML championship by besting the New York Woodchoppers in 6 exciting games. This is not Bill’s first championship, but it is the first for the franchise line that started as the Oh Zee Rainbow of Nite Mahan in 1979!
Congratulations to Willie on his well deserved win. More on the 1953 season in our January issue where we will write up 1953, 1969 and 2002.
Until then, the 1954 draft will take place early next year. Just to whet your appetite for the Henry Aaron/Al Kaline draft, here is the draft order for 1954:
Auburn, Disney, Wabash, Savannah, Albany, Troy, Richmond, Mudville, Beach City, McGraw, Rainier, New York, Andrew’s Team, Wild.
Period 3 is now in the books as TML1969 hurtled past the halfway point with some great races.
The best record in the league belonged to the Wild Weasels who won 27 times to pick up 2 games on Fort Lauderdale and catch the Cubs for a flatfooted tie after 98 games. Beach City won 23 times but dropped back to 9 games behind the co-leaders.
North Adams won 26 times and hurled past both McGraw and Albany into sole possession of first place in the East. Nothing will come easy for the Bevers as McGraw sits just one game back and Albany 2. Albany ends the season with 14 games against North Adams so we will keep an eye on that race. 6 of the 8 Eastern teams remain within 9 games of the lead with 56 games to go so the race is still wide open. Only Disney and Commack appear to be out of the running.
Willie “Stretch” McCovey of Mudville paced the batters in period 3. McCovey hit .325 with a .747 slugging percentage (1.170 OPS) while launching 17 bombs and driving in 45 to create 48 runs. Jim Wynn of NY (15 bombs 42 RC 1.024) and Willie Stargell of NA (11 loads of Chicken on the Hill, 41 RC, 1.041) were deserving runners up along with Jim Northrup of Wild who hit .353 with 38 RC and 1.004 OPS).
Co-Winners of Pitcher of the Period were real life teammates Frank Linzy (MG) and Juan Marichal (SV). To sweep the awards for real life Giants both pitchers went out to an identical 8-0 records. Andy Messersmith of Wild was 6-1 with a period low 1.22 ERA. Don Wilson of Disney flamed out 98 batters in the period (10.1/9 innings).
On our Mickey Lolich watch…..
Poor Mickey Lolich of Disney improved his record to 7-13 with a 2.57 ERA for the cellar dwelling Yankees.
Phil Niekro of Albany is 16-1 through period 3. Dick Hall of NY leads the league in save percentage while not allowing an earned run this season.
Cleon Jones of Fort Lauderdale is pacing the league’s hitters at .364; Jim Wynn of NY and Willie McCovey of Mudville have both hit 32 bombs. On the swish side, Bobby Bonds of Beach City has fanned 113 times in 98 games. He is being pressed by Larry Hisle of Abrams who has 111.
Period 4 deadline is December 12th!
First round matchups have kicked off and 3 of the series have been completed. Both Kentucky and New York got off to first round sweeps as they topped Millennium and Rainier respectively. In a surprising upset, Tarpin Ridge bested the Mudville Bandits (who have been a very strong playoff team) in 6 games to advance. Computer problems are delaying the start of the Gotham City/Commack series.
Kentucky will now host Tarpin Ridge in the semi finals as New York awaits the winner of the Gotham City/Commack series.
Saturday, January 24,
2004. Noon Eastern!
Updated trades and picks have been sent along to Scott for posting on the web site.
Okay, how does this sound…….
Pittsburgh in the late Spring for our 25th anniversary bash.
Larry has been after me for years to move the site to a Major League City that will be closer than Albany. Several things have happened and it makes the place look more and more inviting. As most of you know, Mike Ameen’s Uncle is Steve Blass. Uncle Steve not only has agreed to meet with us for an evening, but he wants to (check his head!!!). Mike says that there is a possibility of a good rate for some games at PNC so, I say (quoting TML idol Bluto Blutarsky) “Let’s do it!!!!”
Mike and I will be checking out the Major League Schedule for the right weekend. If any of you have a preference, let me know.
Remember Pittsburgh is also the birthplace of charter member Doug Zuchowski, so that might be enough to get Doug in there also.
I really hope to have as many current and retro managers there as we can. Let’s face it, 25 years is a great achievement as we have been through so many social, baseball and personal changes together and are still going strong. Hell, Uncle Steve could be throwing out the first pitches for both our 49th and 50th seasons.
I would love to hear from you about this.
Saturday, January 24, 2004. Noon Eastern!
Although I write this every Jim’s Corner, they still come in all different forms. Here is the official form:
The standard TML series naming convention is HHRRYY (Home team initial, Road
team initial, TML Year) when reporting a series. (NYTG69)
Til next time, Happy Thanksgiving!
Jim Pertierra
11/25/03