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Week 5 Summary

Week five is in the books as the 1949 replay moves along. More than half of the teams have reached the 30 games level and the remainder will be there in a few days. Realizing it is early yet, but there are pennant races in both leagues as teams take turns beating up on each other and not letting anybody get too far ahead. Teams had gone through a period a few weeks ago where they were dropping players, and they appear to be going through another period right now. There have been different rules about cut down dates through the years and I am assuming this is somehow related.

Vern Stephens
The Boston Red Sox are still atop the AL. They are averaging more than seven runs scored per game and their pitching has held up so far. Cleveland is a good team and plays like it and they are second behind Boston for the number of homeruns hit. New York finally got its team ERA below 5.00 - no word from the Yankees on a return date for Joe DiMaggio yet, but the power numbers that were lacking earlier have begun to grow. Philadelphia currently has the third-best team ERA and combines that with timely hitting and have become a dangerous opponent. Detroit started the week in seventh place but has moved up into a tie for sixth and is hoping to continue their ascension. Chicago and St. Louis continue to be fighters, albeit underpowered ones. Since Washington had their 0-11 start they have gone 10-12, still last in the AL but no longer the worst record in the replay. They are not a good team, but like Chicago and St. Louis, if they can keep from getting blown out early they aren’t afraid to sneak away with a win.

St. Louis was in first place in the NL all week, but there are four teams bunched right behind them that could move up quite easily with a break or two. Boston has been on a hot streak of recent - this seems to coincide with Johnny Sain pitching well. Philadelphia has the best ERA in the NL but they have also scored the fewest runs. New York has run into a bit of a "homer-less" streak and they just aren't built to play any other way. The Giants do have a solid pitching staff and are rarely out of a game though. The Pittsburgh power twins of Ralph Kiner and Eddie Bockman has put the Pirates second in scoring in the NL, but holes in their pitching are starting to appear. Brooklyn still leads the NL in runs scored, but their team ERA is still in last place. Don Newcombe just appeared, so that will likely change. Cincinnati and Chicago have let the Senators catch them for the worst record, and neither team really has much hope.

Pee Wee Reese
Stan Musial (.395) has bolted to the top of the NL batting average leaderboard, ahead of Harry Walker (.362) and Ralph Kiner (.355). Kiner (35) leads in runs scored over Pee Wee Reese (32) and Musial (27), and Kiner (35) leads in RBI's over Eddie Bockman and Hank Sauer, both with 31. Jackie Robinson (46) leads in hits, just ahead of Musial (45) and Kiner (43). Del Ennis (12) leads on doubles over Roy Campanella (10) and four others with nine. Sauer (12) still has the homerun lead, but Kiner (10), Bockman (9) and Andy Pafko aren’t far behind. The NL pitching leaders continue to be Warren Spahn (7-0, 1.65), Harry Brecheen (6-0) and Sheldon Jones (6-2).

George Kell (.426) remains the only .400 hitter, but Luke Appling (.396) continues to hang around, and Vic Wertz (.387) is close also. Ted Williams (36) leads in runs scored, but Eddie Joost (32) is now second, with three more at 28. Vern Stephens (39) has the RBI lead, ahead of Bobby Doerr (33), Sam Chapman (32), and Gus Zernial (31). Hank Majeski (13) still leads in doubles, ahead of Kell (10), and Joost and Zernial, both with nine. Stephens (13) has the AL homerun lead, leading Williams (9), Tommy Henrich (8), and Larry Doby (8). Mel Parnell (6-1) and Bill Wight (5-0) lead in pitching, with five others with four wins right behind them


Monty Kennedy
I was tending to leave starters in too long once they start getting hit, so I have tried to be more pertinent with pulling them. I am still worried about running out of relief, but I have seen several cases already where a starter got pulled early one day but was used to relieve the next day, so I am keeping my eye on that as well. The success rate on sacrifice hit attempts must be around 50%. Foul tips, fielders choices, and even double plays all make me feel like I have made a sufficient number of attempts, but we are counting successful attempts, not just attempts.



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