1966 NL replay update: April is in the books

Tim McCarver provides color commentary in one dimension while at the same time he goes 2 for 4 with a triple and double in another.  Pretty meta.

Last night, I visited my friend, John “Brando” Brandeberry to play some APBA while we watched the World Series.  We played enough of my 1966 NL replay that the month of APBA is now finished!!

A quick run through of last night’s action…

Cardinals get a good look at ‘Baby Bull’

The Giants and Cardinals played a two-game set.  The Cardinals eked out a 6-5 win on April 29th thanks to pitcher Ray Sadecki.  It wasn’t his pitching skill necessarily but his bat was indispensible.  The former Monster Card of the Week went 3 for 3 with two homers and five rbis.  He did pitch well enough to win too giving up four runs in 7 1/3 innings.  Joe Hoerner picked up the save.

On April 30th, the Cards and Giants went into extra innings tied 3-3.  It was Hoerner in relief again for St Louis.  Orlando Cepeda who got a pinch hit the day before got the start at first base and he rewarded the Giants with a solo walkoff homer.  The Cardinals are paying close attention, I’m sure.  In a week or so, they’ll trade for Cepeda to fill in their gap at first base.

Dierker continues his dominance

Pitch for pitch, Larry Dierker (B) has been one of the most dominant pitchers in my 1966 NL replay.  He continued that trend against the Atlanta Braves by pitching a three hit shutout.  Jim Wynn contributed with a two-run homer for Houston’s only runs.

Dierker now leads the NL in ERA with a 1.00 ERA in 27 IP.  He also leads with two shutouts and has allowed just 1.0 BB/9 IP and just 4.0 hits/9 IP.

The Cubs win!

Yes, that warrants a headline.  The Cubs came in with a 3-11 record so every win counts.  The Cubs had a 4-0 lead but starter Ken Holtzman and closer Ted Abernathy did everything they could to try to sabotage that lead.  By the bottom of the ninth it was tied 6-6.  With two outs, I roll a 26 on Ron Santo which happens to be a 14.  Ernie Banks then raps a single leaving it up to outfielder Byron Browne.  Browne responds with a walkoff double winning a rare one in front of the home crowd.

Abernathy, who gave up three runs in one inning, gets a cheap win but a win nonetheless.

Koufax No-no

When Brando and I play our replay games, we usually randomly determine who gets what team.  Last night, I just held the two teams behind my back and asked him “Right hand or left hand??”.  But he’s a Dodgers fan and when I saw Koufax was pitching against the Reds, I just let him managed LA.  I’m glad I did.

Duly noted in my highlights section of my spreadsheet

Koufax pitched his heart out.  I noticed by the fourth inning that the normally tough Reds didn’t have a hit and kept close track.  Keep in mind, that Los Angeles didn’t exactly hit the cover off the ball.  Maury Wills hit a single in the first and Sweet Lou Johnson drove him home but Dodger bats were pretty quiet with the Reds’ Joey Jay on the mound.  By the fourth inning or so, Brando made a comment that “this run may be all that Koufax needs”.  Indeed, that was the case.  Sandy Koufax pitched a 1-0 no-hitter.   He walked four and struck out 11 batters.

Noteworthy… Top ten hitters Lou Brock (.391) and Tim McCarver (.375) went a combined 3 for 19 so they slid down in the league leaders.  They’ve been replaced by a new crop of leaders.  After Bob Bailey (.474), we have Philly Tony Taylor (.429) and SF’s Orlando Cepeda (.429).   Willie Mays hit a dinger in the first game and he sits alone with the lead with six homers.

Koufax’s lead in strikeouts only gets more pronounced (48 to teammate Don Sutton’s 32 who is in 2nd).  So does Larry Dierker’s 1.00 ERA (Jim Maloney is at 1.80).  Koufax is making his move with a 1.88 mark.

What next?

What now that I’ve finished a full month of my replay?

First, I’ll do some housecleaning.  I’ll fully back up my stats and label them as April stats.  I’ll also double check my numbers.  I’ll make sure that every team has played the right amount of games for the month of April.  There will be some mistakes with some stats here and there, I’m sure but I won’t sweat the minor stuff.

Finally, I’ll certainly do a write-up soon.  I post it of course but it will be for my own benefit as well.  Down the road, it will be nice to look back and read what I wrote about my first month into the replay.

Thanks to Brando for great night playing APBA!