Mel’s 1967 AL replay: Halfway done!

Not too long ago, Mel M updated us on his 1967 replay with a great recap of the National League.  Good news!  He just sent me a similar update of the American League.  Both leagues are played up to the All-Star break in Mel’s replay now.  Here’s the update that Mel sent me. 

Boston’s Carl Yastrzemski leading the AL with a .337 batting average

1) Detroit Tigers     54-29
     The Tigers were threatening to open up a big lead on the Red Sox, they had a four and a half game lead going into the final series before the all-star break.  In game one of the four game series the Tigers fell behind 8-2 before roaring back and winning 9-8 on a Norm Cash 3 RBI double in the 9th.  The Red Sox won the remaining 3 games.

The Tigers have the uncanny ability to come from behind and pull games out, 5 of their 6 July wins were won after falling behind.  Al Kaline is hot (.332-15-45) and is 3rd in the AL batting average.  Bill Freehan (.263-12-44) has been clutch.  Dick McAuliffe (.239-22-46) has hit a lot of big home runs, I call him Mr. 66.  Willie Horton (.251-12-46) Norm Cash (.229-10-41) and Jim Northrup (.282-4-25) are other regular contributors.  On the bench Eddie Mathews (.303-5-21) Dick Tracewski (.337-1-14) and Lenny Green (.308-0-5) help with clutch hits.

The Tigers have a deep pitching staff with Earl Wilson (1.88-12-3) Denny McLain (2.43-10-7) Joe Sparma (3.44-9-3) and Mickey Lolich (2.41-8-8) forming the rotation.  Wilson and McLain have thrown no hitters.  The bullpen is solid with Fred Gladding (2.41-5-3-11svs.) Dave Wickersham (2.99-6-2-2) and Mike Marshall (3.32-1-1).  John Hiller has 2 complete games in 3 starts and is 3-1 overall with a 2.31 era.  Detroit’s defense is the best in the league and they’re proving they’re going to be hard to beat.

2) Boston Red Sox 52-32 2 1/2 GB
Boston has defeated Detroit in 9 out of 11 games so far this year.  Carl Yastrzemski is tearing the league apart, (.337-21-62) he’s 19 for 34 (.559) with six homers and ten RBI in July and has surged in to the lead for batting average and is second in RBI and tied for fourth in HRs.  Tony Conigliaro is pounding the ball (.271-21-57).  George Scott (.294-11-42) Rico Petrocelli (.230-13-44) Reggie Smith (.248-6-49) all knock in key runs.  At the top of the order Mike Andrews (.293-4-17) and Joe Foy (.283-12-25) had brutally slow starts to the season but have really heated up.

On the bench Dalton Jones (.302-3-20) and Ken Harrelson (.321-1-12) come up with big hits.  The Sox are weak at catcher with Elston Howard (.178-3-11) getting most of the playing time.  Jim Lonborg (13-4-2.03) leads the pitchers, he has 14 complete games and 4 shutouts, including a no hitter.  Lee Stange (10-3-2.70) and Gary Bell (9-6-3.21) have been steady.  Bucky Brandon (8-4-3.58) and Gary Waslewski (5-1-3.15) have been pleasant surprises.  In the bullpen Johnny Wyatt (1-6-3.68-8svs) has been erratic.  Dan Osinski (1-2-1.94-2svs) Jose Santiago (1-3-2.69-3svs) and Sparky Lyle (3-0-3.27-1sv) have been reliable.  The Red Sox are a legitimate contender.

3) Chicago White Sox 45-39 9 1/2 GB
The Chi-sox are doing their best to stay in the race, they just took 3 out of 4 against the Twins to pick up some ground on the Tigers.  Pitching is the name of the game for this team.  Gary Peters (7-10-2.94) has three shutouts, but gets knocked around more than he should.  Joe Horlen (8-5-1.42) has 3 shutouts and leads the AL in era.  Tommy John (9-4-2.53) has 3 shutouts, they were consecutive.  Jim O’Toole has been a decent 5th starter (5-3-3.48) and has 2 shutouts.  The bullpen is deep.  Bob Locker (2-2-4.05-4svs) is inconsistent.  Don McMahon (1-2-3.06-2svs) and Wilbur Wood (3-3-2.54-1sv) are good and there is always old reliable Hoyt Wilhelm (4-1-1.87-3svs).

Hitting is the problem.  Tommy McCraw (.238-5-37) leads the team in RBI and bats cleanup against right handers.  McCraw recently had an 8 RBI game with 2 hrs including a grand slam.  It took Tommie Agee (.215-9-29) a long time to get over .200, he leads the team in hrs and steals (24), he also has hit for the cycle.  Ken Berry (.248-3-16) is rebounding from a slump, he has 8 triples.  Don Buford (.247-4-29) has 9 triples and 9 steals, but has been thrown out 12 times.  Rocky Colavito (.226-7-28) was hot for a while.  Ron Hansen (.211-8-23) has only 4 errors at short.  At catcher Duane Josephson (.263-3-13) 9 errors and J.C. Martin (.216-1-11) 12 doubles, split playing time.  Off of the bench, Smokey Burgess (Grandma’s favorite player when he was a Pirate) (.161-3-8) is a pinch hitter only.
It’ll be tough for the White Sox to keep up with the Tigers and Red Sox.

4) Minnesota Twins  43-41  11 1/2 GB
When you think Twins you think great hitting.  Not so with this club.

It took Harmon Killebrew (.253-30-61) a while to get above .200.  His 30 hrs in 84 games are impressive and his OBP is .388.  Tony Oliva (.305-9-47) has had some hot streaks but is now slumping.  Rod Carew (.282-3-36) had a nine game hitting streak.  Cesar Tovar (.257-2-23) has 10 steals.  After those four, it’s pretty weak.  Bob Allison (.231-5-24) can’t get it going power wise.  Ted Uhlaender (.259-2-21) and Zollio Versalles (.177-1-30) have no power.  The catchers, Jerry Zimmerman (.217-0-8) and Earl Battey (.217-0-6) are terrible Tuesday types, as is the rest of the bench except for Rich Reese (.290-4-19).

The pitching staff is led by workhorses Jim Kaat (13-7-2.09) 16 complete games and Dean Chance (9-8-1.70) 11 complete games.  Jim Merritt (7-5-3.22) has been ok, while Dave Boswell (4-8-6.37) gets hammered.  The bullpen is led by Al Worthington (5-2-1.91).

Killebrew has half of the teams 60 home runs.  Unless the hitting picks up the Twins aren’t going anywhere.

5) Baltimore Orioles 44-33 12 GB
The Orioles bats and bullpen have helped overcome inconsistent starting pitching and kept the team somewhat in the race.  Frank Robinson is having MVP-type year (.334-21-75).  He’s second in average and leads in RBI, his OBP is .419.  Brooks Robinson (.256-12-49) has only two errors at the hot corner.  Since moving to second in the batting order on July 2nd, Curt Blefary (.292-14-43) has hit .400 with 4 doubles 5 home runs and 11 RBI in 9 games.  Paul Blair (.280-9-32) has 57 runs scored.  Boog Powell (.261-11-39) and Davey Johnson (.269-6-31) with 21 doubles have done well.  Catcher Andy Etchebarren (.177-2-9) was benched in favor of Larry Haney (.318-4-24).  Sam Bowens (.171-7-21) and Russ Snyder (.237-4-10) are good off the bench.  Looie Aparicio (.227-3-21) has picked it up since being dropped to eighth in the order, he had two 3 RBI games but also made 3 errors in one game.  He leads the club with 11 steals.

Pete Richert leads the O’s with a 9-4 record in 13 starts and 8 relief appearances, his era is 2.88.  Tom Phoebus (5-10-3.38) leads the team with 19 starts.  Dave McNally (7-4-3.83) has 3 complete games.  Brad Dillman (5-6-5.43) has 1 complete game, a shutout.  Fifth starter Gene Brabender (4-4-4.61) has 13 starts and leads the team with 4 complete games and two shutouts.  Spot starter Wally Bunker is (3-3-4.99).  The bullpen is top notch and overworked.  Eddie Watt (5-3-1.61-8svs), Moe Drabowsky (0-2-2.48-6svs) recently had a two inning 6 strikeout outing.  Eddie Fisher (2-2-1.84-1sv) has the knuckle ball going.  Stu Miller (1-2-4.34-2svs).  Jim Hardin (3-2-3.00) in ten games, 1 start, will join the starting rotation in the second half.  If the starting pitching improves, the O’s could make a move for third place.

6) Cleveland Indians 43-45 13 1/2 GB
The Indians started the year with 6 straight wins, it’s been a gradual downhill slide since then.  Cleveland’s main problem is very mediocre hitting.  The overachieving Duke Sims (.254-17-41) and third baseman Max Alvis (.213-18-41) have produced surprising power.  Fred Whitfield (.244-9-31) will lose playing time to Tony Horton (.336-4-18) at first base.  Vic Davalillo (.251-0-14) has underachieved.  Chuck Hinton (.244-4-16), Lee Maye (.231-4-22) and Leon Wagner (.224-4-11) don’t help much.  Catcher Joe Azcue (.248-5-12) is hitting better lately.  Larry Brown (229-4-31) is decent at shortstop.  Second base is a black hole, Pedro Gonzalez (.163-3-6) and Vern Fuller (.178-2-9) just can’t hit.  Super sub Chico Salmon (.232-4-20) has been good at times, he leads the team with 5 steals.

Don Demeter just back from an injury, has been producing at the plate, (.288-7-19).  The starting staff has Sam McDowell (5-13-5.55) with a league leading 172 strike outs and Luis Tiant (5-11-3.35) third in K’s with 144, as the under achievers.  Steve Hargan (11-4-1.96) with 5 shutouts and Sonny Siebert (8-5-2.68) lead the starters.  John O’Donoghue (5-3-4.00-1 sv- 2 complete games-1 shutout) has been a good swingman while Stan Williams (5-0-1.62) has been great in spot starts.  The bullpen is ok with Orlando Pena (1-3-1.67-3svs) Bob Allen (2-1-1.86-2svs) and George Culver (1-4-4.04-1sv).

This team could finish anywhere from 5th to 10th.

7) California Angels 41-46 15 GB
Another team that struggles offensively.  Jim Fregosi (.253-5-25) has 50 runs scored and 5 steals.  Don Mincher (.260-15-46) supplies the power.  Rick Reichardt (.249-6-45) is in a slump.    Jose Cardenal (.261-3-15) has missed 25 games, mostly due to injuries.  Jimmy Hall (.255-8-26) is mired in a deep slump.  Bobby Knoop (.217-3-16) has started all 87 games and has struck out 88 times.  The second baseman has only 3 errors.  Tom Satriano has excelled in his part-time role as catcher and third baseman (.295-8-29).  Bubba Morton (.339-0-19) 15 doubles and Woody Held (.224-4-11) have helped off the bench.

Pitcher Jim McGlothlin leads the staff (10-3-2.05), he has 7 complete games with 4 shutouts.  Ricky Clark (8-9-4.38) has 3 completions with 2 shutouts, including a one-hitter against the Red Sox in which he retired the final 25 batters in a row.  George Brunet (5-11-4.46) struggles.  Minnie Rojas (4-4-2.05-14 svs)
Leads in saves and appearances (35).  The Angels shouldn’t move up much.

8) Washington Senators  36-51 20 GB
Frank Howard (.271-26-48) is the main man on the ‘Nats.  Ken McMullen (.248-9-48) is decent.  Fred Valentine (.268-4-20) has 12 steals.  Mike Epstein (.228-8-29) has been hot.  Paul Casanova (.208-6-24) has disappointed.

Phil Ortega (8-6-3.02) has thrown a no-hitter.  Cam Pascual (6-5-2.80) has 3 completions and 1 shutout.  Frank Bertaina (4-7-3.29) has 1 complete game in 16 starts.  Barry Moore (0-9-6.73) and Joe Coleman (3-8-5.34) are bad.  Dave Baldwin (8-4-1.08-6svs)  Darold Knowles (0-6-3.18-7svs) lead a good bullpen.

The only interest here is to see if Hondo can hit 50.

9) Kansas City Athletics 35-51 20 1/2 GB
The A’s last year in KC.  Danny Cater (.318-5-42) has 100 hits.  Mike Hershberger (.275-1-17) has 18 doubles.  Bert Campaneris (.251-2-16) leads the league with 46 stolen bases.  Ramon Webster (272-8-25) has 10 errors at first base.  Rick Monday (.241-12-28) has a grand slam.  Phil Roof (.247-6-31) has been consistent.  Reggie Jackson (153-1-5) has struggled.

Catfish Hunter (10-8-3.49) leads a young staff.  Jim Nash (5-9-3.77). Chuck Dobson (2-8-5.31) and Lew Krausse (4-3-3.81), with 2 shutouts and 3 homers, are the main starters.  Jack Sanford (4-7-3.34) adds a veteran presence.  In the pen, Diego Segui (5-0-2.98-1sv). Tony Pierce (3-3-3.06-4svs) and Jack Aker (1-2-2.98-2svs) have been solid.

The A’s have a chance to finish out if the basement.

10) New York Yankees 34-50. 20 1/2 GB
How the mighty have fallen, the Yankees in last place, percentage points behind the A’s.

Mickey Mantle is still the star of the team (.277-17-43).  Mantle hit number 500 this year and also passed Mel Ott on the all-time home run list.  Horace Clarke (.289-0-30) has 23 steals.  Joe Pepitone (258-4-33) only 11 extra base hits.  Tom Tresh (.219-14-44) just had a 3 homerun game.  Bob Tillman (.253-6-20) has displaced Jake Gibbs (.161-1-8) as the regular catcher.  Steve Whitaker (.246-7-21) is the only other offensive player worth mentioning.

Mel Stottlemyre (5-10-2.21) is a victim of the anemic offense, as is Al Downing (7-9-2.25). Fritz Peterson is (6-6-3.74). Dooley Womack (5-6-2.56-10 svs) and Steve Hamilton (0-2-2.45-2svs) lead the bullpen.  The Yankees have been no-hit twice this year and have lost four 1-0 games.  New York could very easily finish last.

Next stop, Anaheim, California for the July 11th all-star game.

Have fun with the All-Star Game and the second half of the season, Mel!