Earl Weaver Baseball League

Newest 3 Star Admiral: Brad Robertson

September 6th, 2008 by Admirals GM

On Saturday, the 4th of July, prior to our home game vs. the Las Vegas Renegades, the Washington Admirals will be inducting the newest 3 Star Admiral: former starting pitcher Brad Robertson.  There will be a hot dog-eating contest for fans and players' families before the game, ceremonial coins celebrating Robertson's career (and especially his 1978 and 1980 seasons), and a fireworks ceremony after the game, in which Brad presses the button that gets things started.  Below are some of the highlights of Robertson's biography.

 

1. Robertson is one of the few Admiral greats to be originally drafted by the team.  The draft involved some controversy though.  In 1972, the Admirals selected Robertson with their 10th round pick.  Half an hour later, at the beginning of the 11th round, the San Antonio Aztecas announced Robertson as their 11th round selection, not realizing he was already off the board.  (This story is not made up.  Check out Robertson's personal page.)  This (a) helped establish San Antonio's reputation for managerial incompetence, (b) added to the Admirals' myth of edging out other teams, given Robertson's later success, and (c) helped sour relations between Washington and San Antonio.  Azteca fans are convinced that the Admirals consistently screw them over.

 

2. Robertson made his big league debut late in 1975, and pitched well as the Admirals coasted to the division title.  Despite the 21-year-old's inexperience, the Admirals counted on him in a big way in the playoffs, and Robertson responded with a 2-1 record in 4 starts.  It was enough to help the Admirals win the 1975 World title, the Admirals' second straight.  Robertson also was a big playoff contributor during the 1977 and 1978 World Championship runs, going 3-0 in 3 starts each year.  Like just about every Admiral, Robertson seemed to have a knack for playing well during crunch time.  He won 3 World Championships over his career.

 

3. Robertson was at his peak in 1978, when he went 23-6 and 3.39, and also in 1980, when he went 20-7 and 2.59.  Both years, he was edged out by teammate Gizmo Delgado in Bob Gibson Award voting.  (The 1980 vote was especially controversial.  Some Admiral officials acknowledge that Delgado won that award on reputation, and that Robertson was more deserving.  This complaint doesn't get aired a lot though, for obvious political reasons.)

 

4. At his peak, Robertson was an 11 point pitcher with 6 different pitches and solid strikeout ability.  He led the league in K's once and in K's/9 on another occasion.  According to my system, an 11 point pitcher is a solid ace or an exceptional #2 pitcher.  What was remarkable about the 1970s Admirals was that Robertson was their *third* starter, after ace Gizmo Delgado and #2 Forest Thomas.  As good as Sherwood Johnston was on offense, the strength of the team, hands-down, was their starting pitching.  That's a tradition the team has tried to keep to this day: the team strength of the 1992 Admirals is also their starting pitching, and their AL leading starters' ERA.

 

5. Like Forest Thomas, Robertson made exactly 2 All Star games in his life: 1978 and 1980.  Unlike Thomas, the lack of adulation never really bothered him much.  Robertson was well known for his no-nonsense, workman like approach to his job.  He thinks that the spectacle Forest Thomas makes of himself is something of an embarrassment.

 

6. Gizmo Delgado and Forest Thomas are both especially known for their longevity.  Robertson is not.  After that excellent season which he posted as a 26-year-old in 1980, Robertson started to lose a step just about each year.  Throughout the 1980s, he would win about 15 games a year for the Admirals, and post an ERA in the high 3.00s or low 4.00s.  Not horrible, too be sure, but a far cry from competing for the Gibson award, as he had done earlier in his career.  Robertson is one of those players whose career trajectory starts great in their early to mid 20s, is okay but not great in their late 20s and early 30s, and then is bad in their mid 30s.

 

7. The Admirals signed Robertson to a big 4 year, $14M contract after the 1986 season.  Immediately, this loooked like a mistake, as Robertson struggled through the worst year of his career so far in 1987, going 10-18 and 4.92.  In an effort to dump his salary, the Admirals traded him after the year to Omaha, in exchange for outfielder Roberto Elias (presently with Carolina) and pitching prospect Wayne Gary (making his major league debut with Memphis this year).

 

8. Robertson did not enjoy his time in Omaha.  Not one bit.  He struggled through a 7-13, and 5.32 year in 1988, then got demoted to the bullpen in 1989 where he posted a 4.32 ERA.  His worst year, though, was 1990, when he went 3-8 with a 6.33 ERA while splitting time between the rotation and the bullpen.  Even worse, Robertson quarreled with the new Wolverines' management.  He thought they were a Mickey Mouse organization, and didn't hesitate to say as much.  He thought the team was too enamored with youth and with trying to start things from scratch, which led them to undervalue their veterans.  Even during a rebuilding period, Robertson would say, veterans have an important role to play.  Rather than dealing with a disgruntled Robertson for another year, Omaha released him prior to 1991, eating the last year of that big salary the Admirals had signed him to.

 

9. After being released, Roberton harbored some hopes of catching on with another team -- maybe even the Admirals -- but it was not to be.  Just getting used to retirement at this point, Robertson rarely travels or makes any baseball appearances.  Instead, he spends much of his time in his brother's upholstery store back in his hometown of West Little River, Florida, and at his modest home.  Most customers at that store have no idea they're dealing with a Washington Admirals' legend.  Robertson prefers it that way.

Rebels 1978: A Memoir

September 4th, 2008 by Banditos GM

Cincinnati Enquirer

June 21, 1992

by Jay O'Donnelly

The All Star Game hype and galantry has been bombarding Cincinnati for days now.  The Ballpark of Cincinnati is being primped and preened for the annual exhibition of Earl Weaver Baseball League's finest.  This is my fifth year as a beat writer and columnist, 8th year working at the Enquirer and 22nd year as a bonafide, die hard Rebel fan.

Some times the grind and pressure of covering and writing about the team everyday can take away from the awe and wonder that one feels as a fan.  With the All Star Game coming to Cincinnati I want to take an opportunity to reminisce about the magical year of 1978, when I was only a 14 year old fan.

The Rebels and EWB were still in their infancy in 1978, only eight years old.  It helps to know the factors that lead up to the 1978 Rebel Season.  Especially that the Rebels were almost the team that never was.  In 1969, when EWB was still in planning, there was only one Ohio team, the despised Cleveland Rockers.  In fact Cincinnati was shut out of a coveted EWB slot.  The sixth team in the Ohio Valley was to be in Nashville, Kentucky led by a conglomerate which included 40% stake by Elvis.  This rankled many Cincinnatians, since many consider it a historical home of baseball and the fact that Cleveland had a franchise fueled the fire. 

When many in Cincinnati were writing letters to the editor and sulking about what could have been, one entrepreneurial spirit started rallying to find a way.  Marge Schott was a well known and somewhat disliked member of Cincinnati's business elite.  Known for being outspoken and misspoken, known for her racist leanings, and but also known as someone not be messed with.  Schott liquidated most of her assets and businesses in order to become a White Knight and rescue the Cincinnati populace from a nihilistic existence without their favourite past time.  Schott raised enough to propose an offer to the Kentucky congomerate which would double their initial investment.  The Kentucky group, including Elvis, was pleased to sell, considering the success of EWB was still highly in doubt.  In December of 1969 Ballpark of Cincinnati was finished and in April the first pitch was tossed.  In honor of Schott's moxy against the EWB brass the team was nicknamed the Rebels.

In 1971 the Rebels won 93 games and made the playoffs.  This would be their only postseason appearance until 1978.  In the 1970's Cincinnati was very mediocre, of course this didn't stop the fans from piling in.  Cincinnati populace love their baseball and chili.  Growing up a Rebel fan from the infancy of the organization I collected all their baseball cards, listened to their radio broadcasts, and savoured the few Saturday afternoons when they were broadcast on NBC's Game of the Week.  It was usually a game against rival Cleveland.  I remember getting the Rick "Cincinnati Kid" Mooney uniform on Christmas morning on my tenth birthday.  The following summer I wore my #16 uniform every day, literally!  Family trips to Ballpark of Cincinnati were a delight, it was a tradition to get some Cincinnati Rebel Chili every time we went, even in the searing dog days of August.

1978 was a watershed year in many respects for me.  I was now 14 about to enter high school, things were changing.  It was the year of Ted Bundy, The Hillside Strangler, Israel invading Lebanon, and the peak of Jimmy Carter's presidency.  The Soviets were evil and bomb drills were still held regularly.  Throughout all the changes in my pubescent life and in world affairs there was still one constant, EWB Baseball and the Cincy Rebs.

1977 was a bad year for Cincy.  In 1976 new manager Joel Daniel had turned around the 5th place club of 1975 into a winner, going 84-78 and claiming 3rd in the Ohio Valley.  1977 was a let down going 71-91.  Daniel was on the ropes as Schott was known for meddling quite often in the affairs of the team.  There were also several question marks.  Cincy acquired young catcher Pedro Rivera who was high on promise but short on production.  Dong-kyoon Kim, a lifetime Rebel, was to return at 1B after a horrible year in '77.  Old standy by Rick "Cincinnati Kid' Mooney was the only constant.  Mooney to this day owns most of the franchise records and was the face of the organization.

Star pitcher Willie Thomas was trying to recover from an injury plagued '77 where he went 13-11, 3.34.  SP Barry Brown was brought in from San Antonio to fill a much needed #2 role.  Finally, CL Pepe Salazar also was questionable.  After several excellent years as the Rebel closer Salazar was trying to recover from a 4.26 ERA in 1977.

Many outside of Cincinnati considered the Rebels an afterthought and who was to blame them.  The Washington Admirals were America's team, winning 3 of the last 4 World Series.  Within the Ohio Valley Division, the Blackjacks, Crusaders and Savages were dominating year in and out.  Only the firm, or fanatical, Rebel fans saw a chance.  "Mooney was done for," they'd whisper, "his legs are shot."  "You think ol' Willie Thomas can pitch?  Maybe, but him and who else?  Brown's a bum."  These were the conversations floating through my classrooms in March, and I assume in the Cincinnati taverns too.

I never doubted the Rebels and Mooney.  What 14 year old fan does?  This was the year, I would proclaim loudly to anyone who would listen.  What began as unabashed faith started to become reality.  The Rebels shot out of the gate in April and never looked back.  Sure, Indianapolis was playing well and trying to parry with the powerful Rebels.  In fact the Blackjacks were the only true threat to the Rebels that year in the whole NL.  Cincinnati kept chugging though, with the powerful 1-2-3 combo of Thomas, Brown and Valdez in the rotation.  All 3 won 20 games or more.  Both Thomas and Brown made the All Star team.

Thomas finished 23-9, 2.92 and 207 K's.  Brown finished 21-8 3.02 and Valdez 20-8 3.42.  Ace Closer Salazar had a career year with 41 saves and a 1.43 ERA.  On the offensive side Mooney was Mooney and had a good year .277/10/73.  Kim recovered from his poor 1977 going .279/12/105.  Pedro Rivera the 25 year old catcher coming from the Iron Horses finally broke out going .292/6/57.

The Rebels finish 100-62 the best record in the AL and only surpassed by the 113 win Admirals.  This was the year!  Who was going to stop a front 3 like Thomas, Brown and Valdez?  Indianapolis?  The Blackjacks finished 2nd going 92-70 to claim the Wildcard.  Philadelphia won the Colonial going 87-75 and El Paso won the weak Texas Division beatin Houston in a play in game and finishing 82-81.

Cincinnati was to host El Paso in the first round.  In those days the EWB playoffs were almost always day games.  My first month of high school was racked with anxiety, baseball anxiety that is.  The Rebels played tough and defeated the Iron Horses 4-2.  Better yet, Philly somehow managed to knock off the strongest threat to a Rebel AL pennant by beating Indianapolis in 7 games.  It was ours for the taking.

With the off days the Rebel rotation was set to go 1-2-3 with the Three Aces.  They did not let us down.  Cincinnati won the first 3 games handily, Philadelphia was on the ropes.  The Quakers were finished for!  They had no stars, no offense and no pitching.  Ron Day was the only player on the team that qualified as notable.  Their top starter had won only 17 games.  They had burnt through their best pitchers and now down 0-3 were floundering.

The next game in Philly we lost 4-2.  Perhaps it was a weak moment, the team looked off.  Mental errors occured, they looked lackadaisical.  They looked like it was already in the bag and the game was a formality.  Even Rick Mooney appeared more ready to pop champagne bottles than to catch a pop up.

Game 5 was abominable.  Philly, playing with a nothing to lose, hard nosed style destroyed the Rebels 18-4.  Panic crept into the hearts of all Cincinnati fans.  Manager Joel Daniel kept the players from the media and reassured everyone that they will wrap up the series.  Thomas was to start Game 6.  He would have the team ready mentally.  This team is too good to fold now he kept comforting us.  His words were what we wanted to hear.  This team was too good to lose.

Thomas started.  Thomas crumbled.  After giving up four runs in the 3rd, Thomas left the game complaining of a sore wrist.  Was this an excuse to get off the mound?  Could he not handle the pressure?  Our hero, the main candidate for the 1978 Bob Gibson Award leaving the mound when we needed him the most?  Mooney, to his credit, played on and hard.  Rallying the Rebs back to within one with his 3 run HR blast to CF.  I still had one hero to count on.  In the 9th the Quakers brought on Eric "E" Gibson, one of the most dominating AL closers of 1978.  Gibson was sporting a 1.76 ERA with 39 saves that year and had a slider that was nearly unhittable.  My heart bounced with every inflection in Rebel play by play man Al Michael's voice.  Finally Michael's shrugged, "...and he struck him out..."  Gibson had struck out the side, ending Game 6.

This was too much to take.  I could not attend school the next day, there was no way.  Somehow I knew that if I could cheer on my beloved Reds on TV I could coax them to victory.  This Philadelphia team was nothing, they were not worthy.

Game 7 arrived in Cincinnati.  The heart and soul of the city was at Ballpark of Cincinnati that day.  The city literally shut down.  I was not the only kid in high school to miss that day, apparently over 2/3 of the high school had a touch of the flu.  I invited my friends over to watch the game with my family.  The Rebels and Quakers kept it close all game, finally in the 8th Kim hit a 2 out double to drive in a run and take the lead by one.  Quakers got out of the inning and we went to the bottom of the ninth.  CL Pepe Salazar was brought into the game to close it out.  I felt it, 3 outs from the AL Pennant and a trip to the World Series, nothing could stop us.  Salazar quickly retired the first two batters before walking Raul Acosta.  Oh No, big mistake!  Acosta was a baserunning fiend, stealing 52 for the Quakers.  Of course Joel Daniel had to know that and be prepared.  The problem is the Rebs were too prepared.  The nervous young C Rivera was so ready for Acosta to steal that once Acosta jumped Rivera bobbled the pitch and made no throw.  Shit!  I yelled as my dad glared at the TV, apparently so pissed himself that he felt that he forgot to reprimand my epithet.

Now Salazar had Acosta at 2nd and the most dangerous Philly hitter up, Ron Day.  Joel Daniel decided to walk Day and put him on 1st and face Jimmy Clear instead.  This is a decision that still is avidly discussed this day.  In my favourite local pub, Leroy's, you can find Artie and Lenny argue every night after they get 3 shots of Jim Beam in them.  Jimmy Clear was no slouch, he hit .311 in '78 but had significantly less power than Day, only hitting 5 HR's.  Salazar and Clear battled to a 2-2 count when SMACK I heard the ball hit the bat as vividly as if I were there.  Clear had sent a shot back into center where Rick Mooney was chasing it down on a mission.  Mooney's excellent defense and Gold Gloves assured me he would get to it and in a snap second Mooney dove laying his body out like a hawk diving for prey.  The ball careened on the outside of his closing, coned glove....in and out.....FUCK.  With Mooney laid out in deep CF the ball kept going, the LF and RF racing towards it... Acosta scored, Day rounding third heading home.....the throw.......SAFE!

That game ended the most wonderful, magical baseball season ever for me.  Philly went on to lose the World Series to the Washington Admirals.  The Cincinnati Rebels went on to mediocrity, not reaching the playoffs again until 1986.  Joel Daniel eventually left the Rebels in 1979 and is now managing the hated Rockers.  Willie Thomas is in the Hall of Fame, a Rebel Legend.

Rick "Cincinnati Kid" Mooney, my hero, finished out a great career.  Mooney after missing that catch got up, walked to the clubhouse, addressed the press and stated  "I gave it my all, I came up short, I will return."  Mooney was my hero before the game in a juvenile admiration fashion, after that game, after his worst career moment, he became a hero in a different way.  I respected his dedication to his profession and his love for the game.  Mooney became an inspiration to how I want to work and live.  That season, 1978, is what inspired me to become a sports writer.  I made it my goal to watch the Rebels for a living and relate what I see and feel to my audience.

With the All Star Game coming, the Cincinnati Rebel fans should reflect on the history and impact this franchise has made.  My memories of the 1978 season is one part of this collective celebration of The Cincinnati Rebels.  GO REBS!!!

Porter Scott

July 18th, 2008 by Admirals GM

I had long meant to do a write up on Porter "Swan" Scott but never got around to it.

 

Scott has spent his entire career in Cleveland.  During much of that stretch, Cleveland has been horrible.  They never made the playoffs from their origin up until recently.  But then, in 1988, Cleveland finally made it, led by Gibson Award winner Sergio Garcia. That season, Scott struggled badly, hitting around .250 (he's usually a +.300 hitter).  The press in Cleveland was convinced that he was all washed up; he was finally getting into the playoffs, but well past his prime, when he was no longer a contributor.

 

No one expected much from Cleveland in the playoffs: they only won around 85 games during the regular season, and everyone expected the NL to be won by the dominant Boston Irish.  But then something funny happened.  The veteran Scott caught fire, hitting around .350 or so (I don't have the numbers in front of me), and leading Cleveland all the way to the World Series, where they took on the young and powerful Miami Banditos.  A heavy underdog, Scott led Cleveland to a series victory over Miami, and his Hall of Fame credentials were complete. After years in the wilderness, Scott had his title.  The media loved the story: you had this excellent player who spent his entire career with a horrible team, everyone thought he was washed up, and then he captures the World Series at around 36 years old.

 

That offseason, Sergio Garcia left Cleveland to sign with the Washington Admirals, and Cleveland consequently dropped back to being very bad.  Scott, was shifted from a SS to 1B, where he started hitting again thanks to less stress on his aging body.

 

This offseason, Scott was projected to be a free agent.  Rumor was, Cleveland wasn't going to sign him.  With this injury, it may well turn out that Scott retires with the one team for whom he's played his entire career.

Sherwood Johnston: 4 Star Admiral

June 22nd, 2008 by Admrirals GM

Admirals legend Sherwood Johnston will be inducted as the first Four Star Admiral during our home opener on Wednesday, 4/3, against the Portland Fog Devils.  In addition to throwing out the first pitch, Johnston will participate in a short ceremony in his honor prior to the game.  Here is some of Johnston's bio.

 

1. As is well known, Johnston won 7 MVPs: 1972, 1974-1975, and 1978-1981.  This is the most of any player in the history of EWB, though Don Kelly is quickly gaining on him with 6 *consecutive* MVPs, from 1985-1990.  Not incidentally, Johnston has been an outspoken critic of Kelly, accusing him of not doing enough on issues of social justice, particularly those concerning African Americans.  Also, Johnston portrays himself as more of a winner than Kelly, noting that he carried the Admirals to 4 World Championships whereas Kelly has won just one with El Paso.  Some EWB fans accuse Johnston of being petty -- he's trying too hard to defend his status as the greatest EWB player ever -- while others think he has a point.

 

2. As is also well known, Johnston was the first player in EWB history to capture the triple crown, which he did in 1981.  The only other player to win a triple crown is new Hall of Fame inductee Chris Henry, who did it in 1983.

 

3. Johnston was a 6th round draft pick in the 1970 EWB inaugural draft by the Austin Marshals.  The Marshals released him just 10 days after the draft, before Johnston ever played a single game with them. Washington signed him to a free agent contract 5 days later, and the rest is history.  Remember, the inaugural draft was conducted at a time when *no* player was on any EWB team yet.  Thus, a 6th round draft pick should, ideally, be the 6th most highly valued player in your entire organization.  The point is, Austin was crazy to release Johnston: releasing your 6th round pick in the inaugural draft is much more foolish than releasing a 6th round pick for an amateur draft (which, I know, a number of teams have done).  And I say this regardless of the sort of career Johnston went on to have.

 

4. Johnston led the AL in HR 5 times, in RBI 6 times, and in BA once.  His career HR numbers suffered because he was in his prime during the late 1970s "power outage": in 1977 he led the league with just 23 HR; in 1979 he led the league with just 26.  If not for the power outage, it's reasonable to think Johnston might have made a run at 500 HR, though I doubt he would have quite gotten there.  As it is, his career total was 369.

 

5. The most money Johnston ever made was a little less than $5M a year, after he signed a 3 year contract worth $14.5M following the 1982 season.  Ironically, Johnston fell apart after signing this contract: after going for .295/31/94 in 1982, Johston fell to .249/4/41 in 1983 (in 409 at bats) and .265/5/46 in 1984 (in 420).  Embarrassed by his performance, Johnston walked away from the final year of his mammoth contract, retiring after 1984 at the age of 37.  That Johston walked away from a guaranteed $5M tells you the kind of proud competitor that he was.

 

6. Johnston was a solid postseason player, with lifetime stats of .287/14/72.  Still, it should be noted that his postseason production was a bit below his regular season production.

 

7. Johnston was a 10 time All Star, which to my knowledge is the second highest total among position players, after Catcher Marcos Rodriguez, who went to 13 All Star games.

 

8. Today, Johnston is a senior advisor to the Admirals (which basiccally means he collects a paycheck from us and attends various charity functions) and owns multiple Ford Dealerships in the Seattle area.  He continues to be a significant Pacific Northwest celebrity, and you'll see him here and there on television, talking on radio sports shows, attending baseball card signings, etc.  You would regularly see television shots of him attending the 1989 World Series, won by the Admirals.  And in fact, during game 2 of the series Johnston participated in a notorious interview with NBC color commentator Joe Garagiola, during which he appeared to be drunk and slurring his words.  (Johnston denies that he had been drinking.)

How'd that work out? Volume 1

May 1st, 2008 by Banditos GM

There has been an enormous amount of trades in EWB in its 20 years of existence.  While browsing through the league I sometimes come across those big difference maker trades.  Here is one.

1974.  In 1974 the Los Angeles Gargoyles finished at the bottom of the division.  The powerhouse Admirals won the division and the World Series, LA front office knew they had to rebuild to compete.  Washington looked to be a threat for sometime.  LA had acquired Bill "Slush" Browning from the Portland Fog Devils before the season began.  Browning was the first overall pick in 1972 and considered the real deal.  After a rocky year in Portland in 1973, Browning was thrown into the LA rotation in '74. Browning went 11-14 with a 4.03 ERA as the Gargoyles went to the bottom of the Mountain West.  The prevailing wisdom in the league was that Browning will eventually be at least a solid #2, however, the LA front office thought differently and decided to shop him while his value was high.  They were concerned about his work ethic and just not having enough "heart."

Meanwhile, 1974 NL, the San Antonio Aztecs just finished 3rd in their division. But things were looking up, the GM felt they were just minor steps away from competing.  When he got wind that LA was willing to let Browning be traded, he hit the phones.  The LA GM was receptive to the Aztec's inquiry, in fact the Aztecs had a player LA coveted, young Geoff McKnight.  McKnight, a 2nd rd pick earlier in the year, was a highly prized prospect out of Minnesota.  LA knew that McKnight may be a couple of years down the road but felt like investing in the future was the right move.  San Antonio felt like the future was now, and Browning would be the link in the rotation for years to come to compete for the division.  The trade was made in November 1974.

Well, how'd that work out?  Slushing missed the first 8 weeks of the 1975 season with a strained elbow ligament.  When he came back he finished the season with a 7-8 record and and a 2.81 ERA, but San Antonio had already fallen out of the race.  In fact, since 1974 the Aztecs never finished higher than 4th.  Browning went on to never have a winning record, and never having another good season.  He finally retired in 1979 into obscurity.

McKnight, spent two more years in the minors developing before finally debuting in 1976 for the 58-104 Gargoyles.  However the Gargoyles year by year improved, until finally winning the division in 1982, but competing every year since 1978.  The Gargoyles won the World Series in '82 and finished first in '82,'83, and 1984.  McKnight won the Bob Gibson Award in  '81, '82 and 1983.  McKnight has put up one of the best careers of any pitcher in EWB and is a sure fire Hall of Famer.  After 5 yrs in Portland from 1983 to 1987 he returned to LA and at 34 years old is still dominant.  McKnight currently has 262 wins with a career 3.09 ERA. 

So Aztec fans and Gargoyle fans, How'd that work out?

Stars of the 1970s: Position Players

April 13th, 2008 by Admirals GM

Now with the 1980s in full swing, here is one last trip down memory lane.  The stories behind the offensive stars of the 1970s.

 

1.  Again, it goes without saying that Sherwood Johnston was the greatest offensive force of the decade.  His story has been documented elsewhere, so I'll pass over it here.

2. The 2 greatest Wolverine offensive players of the 1970s were both quite young as the decade ended: CF Mario Rodriguez (.314/18/115/31 in 1977) and 2-time batting champion RF David Kimble (.363/5/56/69), the best RF and leadoff hitter in the game.  (After the fact: Kimble was always plagued by injury troubles, and as the 1970s turns to the 1980s, his production falls off dramatically while Rodriguez continues on.)  With the Wolverines, though, you wonder what could have been.  The early 1970s Wolverine teams were awful, but they had 2 promising players in CF Roy Green (.306/18/74 in his peak year of 1973) and 3B Jeffery Lockhart (.266/31/94 in his peak year of 1973).  Both players careers were devestated in 1975: Green suffered a career-ending back injury that year, while Lockhart lost all his power when he tore a shoulder muscle.  Who knows how good the late 1970s Wolverines could have been if they had veterans Green and Lockhart alongside the youthful Rodriguez and Kimble.

3. Jack of all trades Billy Collier was "Mr. Bandito" during the decadee. A 5 time All Star, Collier twice led the league in RBIs, his top year coming in 1972 when he went for .290/27/100.  Collier's power production dropped off in the late 1970s, as it did throughout the league.  (If you check the leaderboards, you'll see Home Run leaders in the early 1970s and earl 1980s routinely had 40 or so a year; in the late 1970s, leaders often didn't have more than 30).  Still, Collier continued to be an offensive force, leading the league in RBIs in 1978.  Perhaps what's most notable about Collier is this: from 1970-1972, he was the Banditos' starting 3B; in 1973, he was primarily a SS; in 1974, he was the starting 2B; in 1975, he was at 1B; in '76 and '77, it was back at 2B; in '78 and 79, it was back at 1B; in 1980, he split time between 1B, 3B and SS.  Collier retired after 1981, a Bandito to the end.

4. As was documented in the post on the Pittsburgh Crusaders, Edward Rice (1972 MVP) and Mark Brennan (1973 MVP) were dominant young players who saw there careers ruined before they had a chance to fully capitalize on their potential.

5. George Jones was either the 2nd or 3rd greatest offensive player in the 1970s behind Sherwood Johnston and possibly Arturo Reyes (to be discussed below).  Jones won the 1971 MVP with Austin, going .320/19/79/94, and then won another in MVP with the Boston Irish in 1975 with .328/7/91/67 numbers.  But wait, how did Jones change teams between his 1971 and 1975 MVP campaigns?  He was acquired by the Irish in one of the biggest trades in league history: the Irish got Jones and 2 other players in exchange for Pancho Nevarez, 4 time All Star and one of the top HR threats in the decade.  (Nevarez never won an MVP though, and his story isn't notable enough to be included here.)  Jones is the all time league leader in SB.  Think of him as a Ricky Henderson type: primarily a speed merchant, but occasionally with solid power numbers mixed in.  (After the fact: Jones teamed up with Sherwood Johnston on the 1982 Washington Admirals.  At this point, though, Jones was well beyond his prime, and batted only .244.)

6. Arturo Reyes.  Reyes, like George Jones, Reyes won 2 MVPs in the decade with 2 different teams.  In the inaugurral 1970 season, Reyes captured the NL MVP while playing for El Paso Iron Horses, going .343/14/78. After the '71 season, Reyes left El Paso as a free agent to sign as a Carolina Colonial.  This would be one of the greatest free agent signings of all time, as with the Colonials Reyes would be a member of 7 All Star teams, winner of the 1973 MVP (.358/30/115), and a main contributor on the Colonials 1976 Wolrd Championship team.  (The team that denied the Admirals the chance to win 5 straight World Series.) Reyes ranks high on the all time leader list on RBIs and Hits (he's behind only Johnston on hits).  Reyes has a solid case to being the 2nd greatest offensive player of the 1970s, behind only Sherwood Johnston.

7. Marcos Rodriguez, Catcher.  Speaking of brilliant Carolina Colonials moves... In 1973, the Colonials acquired Rodriguez from the Los Angeles Gargoyles in exchange for SP Willie Thomas.  Now, Willie Thomas was no slouch.  In fact, after retiring in 1983, he became the first pitcher inducted into the EWB Hall of Fame.  The problem with the trade from Los Angeles' perspective that Thomas was about to be a free agent, and he ended up asking for more money than Los Angeles was willing to shell out, so he signed with Cincinnati after the year.  In effect, then, Los Angeles gave up Marcos Rodriguez for a mere 3 months of Willie Thomas. With Carolina, Rodriguez became the top catcher of the decade, capturing the 1977 MVP (.343/13/116) and, together with Reyes (#6 above), leading Carolina to the 1976 World Championship.  On the basis of acquiring both Reyes and Rodriguez, the Carolina GM is often regarded as one of the greatest in the game.

(After the fact: Los Angeles fans were devastated by the loss of the hispanic Rodriguez, and pressure built for the organization to reacquire him. This happened in 1978, when Los Angeles traded their starting 1B for Rodriguez.  Having righted their past wrongs, Rodriguez has turned the Los Angeles franchise around, leading them to 5 playoff appearances in his 6 years with the team, as well as the 1982 world championship.  By contrast, Carolina has made the playoffs only twice in 6 years after losing Rodriguez, after making them consistently when he was on their roster.  Because of this, Rodriguez is regarded as one of the greatest ever *winners* in EWB not to wear an Admirals uniform.)

Stars of the 1970s: The Pitchers

April 11th, 2008 by Admirals GM

Here are some of the more interesting stories behind the pitching stars of the 1970s.

 

1. First things first, the best pitcher of the decade is clearly Washington Admiral Luis “Gizmo” Delgado.  He has 4 Bob Gibsons, 190 career wins (most in the league), and a 2.60 career ERA.  Plus, he’s been excellent in the postseason.

 

2. The Wolverine’s (1977) Gibson Award winner is Sherman Jarvis, notable for being a 38^th round draft pick and for slowly working his way up the minors, spending 3 years in AAA Lincoln among other places.  Jarvis is still just 29 as the decade closes.

 

3. The Bandito’s (1972) Gibson Award winner is Luis Marquez.  When Marquez was at his height, he led the Banditos to 3 playoff appearances in 4 years during the early 1970s.  But age caught up to him.  In 1976, at age 39, his production fell sharply as      he went 8-17 with a 5.00 ERA.  Marquez took the Banditos down with him, as their win total dropped from 94 to 76.  That offseason, Marquez retired; since then, the Banditos have made the playoffs only once (1979).  Luis Marquez truly was the heart and soul of the 1970s Banditos.

 

4. Kevin “Coyote” Sutherland was the first overall pick in the entire draft in 1971, going to the Boston Irish.  One of the most heralded players ever to enter the league, in 1974, at just 21 years of age, he went 21-13 with a 1.93 ERA to win his one and only Gibson Award. The next season, 1975, he still showed signs of dominance at age 22, throwing two no hitters.  Since this auspicious start he’s been solid but unspectacular, never managing to win 20 games in a year and generally having an ERA above 3.00.  (Not great for the era.)  Might be partly due to a dead arm syndrome he has suffered on occasion.

 

5. Alex Hendrik: the reverse John Smoltz.  Playing for the Kansas City Wheat Kings throughout his career, Hendrik starred as a closer from 1970-1976, making 2 All Star appearances during the span.  Then, in 1977, with new closer Jim Clay emerging, the Wheat Kings gambled by moving Hendrik to the starting rotation.  The gamble paid off.  As a starter, Hendrik has been a 3 time All Star and led the Wheat Kings to the World Championship in 1979 while winning the Bob Gibson Award.

 

6. Pat Schneider.  Schneider has never been quite dominant enough to win a Gibson, but he routinely has gotten wins in the high teens with an ERA around 3.00.  Here’s what’s really newsworthy about him, though.  After spending 1970-1978 on the Boston Irish staff (mentoring young Coyote Sutherland, #4 above, among other things), the Irish decided to let the 37 year old go, figuring that his best years were behind him.  (He hadn’t won more than 15 games in the 4 previous years.)  Now a free agent, the Kansas City Wheat Kings offered him a huge 3 year, $7.6M contract – quite a commitment to a 37 year old.   In their history prior to this point, the Wheat Kings had been a pretty mediocre franchise, making only 2 playoff appearances in their previous 9 years.  But, in his first year on the team, a rejuvenated Schneider      went 20-10 with a 2.94 ERA (the first time in his career he managed 20 wins) and, together with Alex Hendrik (#5 listed above), led the Wheat Kings to their first World Championship with the best pitching in baseball.  No matter how Schneider spends the next years of his contract, the Wheat Kings look like geniuses for bringing him on board.

 

7. Enrico Molina.  In 1972, Molina had what was the      greatest EWB pitching season of all time, going 26-3 with a 1.09 ERA,      setting single season records for wins and ERA on his way to a Gibson      Award.  Come playoff time, though, Molina folded, going 0-2.  In      other words: during the entire regular season, Molina lost 3 games; in one      round of the playoffs, he lost 2.  This would be Dallas ’s only      playoff appearance in franchise history, and thus the only playoff for      Molina (who has spent his career in Dallas ) as well.

 

8. Millard Callahan.  Arguably, the 2^nd      greatest pitcher in league history after Delgado.  Callahan is the      only other multiple time winner of the Gibson, capturing awards in both      1970 and 1971 (before Delgado rose to prominence).  In the last      couple years, there’s been concern in the Atlanta organization (where      Callahan has spent his entire career) that he’s been embarrassing himself,      going 9-17 with a 5.10 ERA in 1978, and 8-15 with a 5.30 ERA in      1979.  Callahan has his reasons for hanging on: he’s living out the      last few years of an (ill-advised) fat contract he managed to squeeze from      Atlanta .  Expect Callahan to retire when his contract ends after      1980.

 

9. Brad Schmidt.  Schmidt has the good fortune to      play for the Denver Amigos, the winningest organization in EWB outside the      state of Washington (they’ve had 8 playoff appearances and 1 World      Championship in their history).  Because of this, Schmidt has racked      up lots of wins in his career, even though other pitchers are probably      more talented.  Schmidt is #2 on the league’s all time win list, only      behind Luis Delgado.

 

10. Victor Rivera.  The only reliever to win a Gibson      Award, Rivera started his career the Bandito closer, where he was a two      time All-Star.  In light of injury concerns, the Banditos let him go after      1972 and Rivera signed as a free agent with the Minneapolis Mutiny.      For the mutiny, Rivera was a disaster, collecting 10 saves together with a      5.63 ERA and suffering more of the back spasm injuries which worried the      Banditos.  Minneapolis subsequently let him go, and Rivera signed      another free agent contract, this time with the Detroit Cruisers.      With Detroit he spent a solid but unspectacular 3 years before being let      ago once again after 1976.  Up to this point, the Banditos’ decision      to let Rivera go was looking pretty good.  But then Rivera found      himself.  In 1977, Rivera signed with the Montreal Knights where he      righted his career by collecting the 1977 Gibson Award while leading the      Knights to the playoffs.  With the Knights, Rivera has found a home.      After making the 1979 All Star game, the Knights extended Rivera with a      new 3 year contract.

Team of the Decade: Washington Admirals

April 10th, 2008 by Admirals GM

At some time, the story of the Washington Admirals had to be told.  This is that time...

 

Without a doubt, the team of the 1970s has been the juggernaut Washington Admirals.  The Admirals won 4 World Championships in the decade: 1974, 1975, 1977, and 1978, while no other franchise has been a multiple winner.

 

Perhaps what's most amazing about their run is the extent to which their offensive production has been carried, almost single handedly, by Sherwood Johnston, 5 time MVP (a record in the pre-Bonds era) and greatest player in the history of the league.  For instance, in 1975, the year of the Admirals' second championship, Johnston went for .342/31/125, while the team's next best offensive player was veteran LF Clyde Schmidt at .261/12/80.  (No other Admiral reached double digits in home runs.)  In 1977, another world champsionship season, Johnston went for .300/23/118 (don't be misled by the 23 HR, it led the league), while the team's second best offensive player was Edward McNeil at .265/12/87.  (Again, no other Admiral reached double digits in homers.)  Then, in 1978, when the Admirals reached the highest win total in league history at 113-49, Johnston went for .337/22/113, while again only one other Admiral reached double digits in home runs: DH John Stone at 15.  (Trivia: Stone is one of the few players in the history of the league to play for all 3 human teams, Miami, Washington, and Omaha.  He's bounced around quite a bit.)  Never in the history of baseball has a dynasty's offense been carried so much by one single player.

 

How did the Admirals manage to be so dominant despite having only one offensive forcer?  Pitching, pitching, pitching.  The team ERA, across the entire decade, was 3.49.  Staff Ace Luis "Gizmo" Delgado has won 4 Bob Gibson Awards in the decade, and with 190 wins at age 33, he has an outside chance at 300 in his career.  (Trivia: He was the Admirals' first overall pick in the league's inaugural draft.) Just as Sherwood Johnston is no doubt the greatest overall player in the history of the leage, Delgado is no doubt the greatest pitcher -- Atlanta's Millard Callahan is the only other pitcher to win multiple Gibson awards, but Callahan has just 2 to Delgado's 4. Always one half step behind Delgado is #2 starter Forest Thomas, who was won between 17-21 games every year between 1973 and 1979.  (Thomas was aquired by the Admirals back in 1970 in a trade with the Boston Irish for Starter Brian Holland, a prospect who never made it to the major leagues.)  The 1978 team, which again won the most games in league history, featured 3 20-game winners: Delgado at 24-8, Thomas at 21-6, and youngster Brad Robertson at 23-6. (At this point, Robertson's 23 win season is looking like a bit of a fluke, but we'll see.)

 

As the 1970s transform into the 1980s, the question is, where do the Admirals go from here?  Their nucleus is starting to age.  Johnston, though still a force (he won the MVP again in '79), is now 33.  To help with his longetivity, the Admirals have begun DHing him the last couple years.  Luis Delgado is getting up there in years as well.  Maybe the 1980s will belong to some other dynasty?  Or maybe, as in the real world, it won't belong to any dynasty at all?  Or maybe, just maybe, the Washington Admirals will refuse to go away, and dominate the 1980s just as they dominated the 1970s.  Only time will tell.

What Might Have Been: The Pittsburgh Crusaders of the early 1970s

April 10^th, 2008 by Admirals GM

The second part in an ongoing series…

In the early 1970s , no team in Earl Weaver Baseball was more exciting – or more promising – than the Pittsburgh Crusaders.  The Crusaders improved each of their first 4 years in the league , culminating in a World Series appearance in 1972 (they lost 4-2 to the Denver Amigos) and a close NLCS loss in 1973.  The 1973 squad was especially loaded , with 25 year old 3B Mark Brennan going .307/43/141 and taking home the NL MVP while setting an Earl Weaver record for HR in a season; Edward Rice patrolling CF while batting .377 (to this day , Rice is the Earl Weaver League career leader in slugging percentage); and solid 1B Oscar Hines going .262/24/92.  On the mound , they were led by 21 game winner Bruce Brennan.  And in the dugout , their skipper was the legendary (but tragic) Bob Washington – that’s right , the same Bob Washington who later led the 1977 Omaha Wolverines to 108 wins and an ALCS appearance.  Though disappointed that their team had not yet won a world Championship , Pittsburgh fans were convinced that the future was theirs.  It was not to be…

Things started to unravel late in 1973 when CF Edward Rice , who was injury prone throughout his career , suffered a career-ending ruptured disk in his back.  Given his status as the greatest leadoff hitter in the game , it was remarkable that the Crusaders were able to slump into the playoffs without him.  Then , in the offseason between ’73 and ’74 , they declined to offer Oscar Hines a contract , even though he was coming off a career year and was a clubhouse leader.  Early in the 1974 season , reigning MVP Mark Brennan dislocated his shoulder.  Brennan , who was widely thought to be better to Sherwood Johnston at the time , was never the same again: after walloping 43 HRs in ’73 , he has reached double digits since then.  (Side note on Brennan: after the 1974 season , division rival St. Louis lured Brennan away from Pittsburgh with a massive 6 year contract for $15M.  Brennan ended up being a complete bust for St. Louis , hitting 4 HR in 5 seasons there.)  Flailing through the 1974 season with these various injuries and defections , Pittsburgh became desperate and traded their pitching ace Bruce Brennan to Detroit for prospect Tyrone Foster.  Foster never turned into anything , pitching all of 6 IP in his career in the majors.  Bruce Brennan , though , was a 20 game winner for Detroit .  Finally , after suffering through a horrible 71-91 (4^th place) finish in 1974 , the Crusaders let go of manager Bob Washington.  By the end of 1974 , none of the core members of that Crusader team which dominated their league in previous seasons was around anymore.

After that last playoff appearance in 1973 , the Crusaders finished 5^th or 6^th in their division every year until finally climbing up to 3^rd (with an 82-80 record) in 1979. Pittsburgh fans will always wonder , what might have been?

RE: A Season to Remember: The 1977 Omaha Wolverines

April 9th, 2008 by Admirals GM

One more fact about that 1977 dream season.  The manager of the Wolverines that year was Bob Washington.  Washington had led Pittsburgh to the playoffss in '72, and '73, but then was fired after a disastrous '74 season.  His first year with the Wolverines was that 1977 year, and he is widely credited as the impetus behind those 108 wins.  The next year, in 1978, he went 88-74, good enough for 2nd place and the 2nd greatest season in Wolverine history, but evidenty not good enough for Wolverine management, which let him go.  This move is still highly controversial in Omaha. At any rate, since that time Washington hasn't taken another major league job (presently, he's affiliated with the Gretna Dragons). Expect him to get another chance at some point though.  He's only 47, and scout's views of his ability as a manager is off the charts.  (In terms of manager ratings, he is much more highly regarded than my 4-time-World-Championship manager.)

A Season to Remember: The 1977 Omaha Wolverines

April 9th, 2008 by Admirals GM

The first part in a multipart series, to ensure that we do not forget the glorious 1970s baseball era.

 

Long the doormats of their division with 4 straight last place finishes from 1971-1974, the Omaha Wolverines started to turn things around in 1975 with a 77 win season, which they improved upon with 83 wins in 1976 (the first winning season in franchise history).  But the year they really broke through was 1977, when "America's Sweethearts" jumped forward with a stunning 108 wins, highest in the American League.  The Wolverines Offense was led that year by a pair of youthful outfielders, 23 year old RF David Kimble (greatest Wolverine of all time) who batted .363 (tops in the league) and stole 69 bases (3rd), and 24 year old CF Mario Rodrigues, who went for .314/18/115. The true strength of that Wolverine team, though, was on the mound.  They had a pair of 20 game winners in (Bob Gibson Award Winner) Sherman Jarvis, 20-7/2.83/210K, and (Rookie of the Year) Francisco Valentin, 22-10/3.03/166Ks.  (Incidentally, Valentin is a Greg Maddux-type, with 1 Stuff but 5 Movement.)

 

The 1977 Wolverines swept the Carolina Colonials 4-0 in the first round of the playoffs, but then were matched up against the dynasty of the Washington Admirals in the ALCS.  Across the country, people were sick of the Admirals, winners of the 1974 and 1975 World Series, and pulling for the Wolverines.  Nevertheless, a relatively run-of-the-mill Admirals squad, led by Sherwood Johnston (who had a down year), topped the Wolverines 4-2, before going on to win their 3rd World Series in 4 years.  (The Admirals would repeat in 1978 with a much stronger team.)

 

With a young nucleus, Wolverine fans were hopeful that the success of 1977 could be repeated in later years.  Thus far, it has not happened.  Instead, the Wolverines have regressed each year since then, falling to 2nd place in 1978 and 3rd place in 1979.