As we get set to embark on the 1929 season our third annual preview sees a very competitive season shaping up. After two consecutive seasons with the same four playoff teams look for new blood to take at least three of the four playoff spots in very competitive pennant races. In contrast to last season there is no dominant club looking to make a run at 100 wins as no single team projects to win even as many as 90 games.
We start our preview with the defending champion Expos. After last season's dominant campaign led by both league leading hitting and pitching the Expos, while still good, are poised for a major regression. All of the big players are back but everyone is one year older and just a little bit worse. They have solid pitching, led by the dynamic duo the 1927 season Red Lucas and Ray Kremer, and solid hitting featuring the perennial all-stars Earle Combs and Mickey Cochrane. However neither group is likely to lead the league. If the Expos make the playoffs for the third straight season it will be on the basis of their consistency and their ability to avoid long losing streaks.
After two seasons on the outside looking in this could be the year for the Bandits. Last season's pre-season favourite suffered through a disappointing season amidst management turmoil. With new management looking at its first full season hopes are high in Beaver Falls . Backed up by another solid pitching staff this could be their year and with an offense led by the Rajah they have a good chance at 1000 runs and their first division title. This is their year to make a move, with the Red Sox temporarily down, and time running out on Hornsby's hall of fame career.
The noise out of Brooklyn is that management thinks they are going to stomp on the competition. While they have a solid nine and are in good position to compete, this commentator believes that whispers of dominance are an overreach. The offense, led by Jimmie Foxx and Babe Herman, could lead the league but the pitching is only average. It's good enough for the playoffs and a shot at the World series but not nearly enough to run away with things.
One of the reasons the Dodgers won't run away with the East is an unheralded and surprisingly solid Giants squad. After two solid, but unspectacular, seasons this is the year the Giants make a real move. Their pitching, led by Burleigh Grimes, Red Faber and Charlie Root, is the class of the league while Lefty O'Doul and Al Simmons will provide enough offense to get it done. Expect the Dodgers and Giants to take it to the wire with the wildcard going to the loser.
Last season the Knicks won the West division, and an entry into the playoffs, with a sub .500 record. That won't get it done this year as both the Pisces and the Pilgrims look to field strong clubs. After two straight seasons of fielding pitching staffs that were repeatedly shelled, this season the Pisces will do a much better job of keeping runs off the board. Firpo Marberry is an early Cy Young favourite and they go five deep in the rotation, which will certainly be a rarity in these offensive times. If they falter it will be because of an offense that doesn't quite have the heavy hitters of the other contenders.
After two straight years of ownership turmoil the Pilgrims finally have consistent management in place. It couldn't come at a better time as the team that had the worst record in the league in 27 and well below .500 again in 28 has all the pieces coming together at the right time. The offense is a real strength led by a breakout campaign by Mel Ott. I don't know whether it will be enough to get by the Pisces but it will surely be enough to give the fans in Boston an exciting pennant race.
Predictions: Dodgers, Bandits and Pisces take the divisions while the Giants squeeze into the wildcard.
After two straight trips to the playoffs the Knicks look to be on the outside looking in this year. They squeezed in last season on the backs of a strong pitching staff and a division in a down year. The pitching, helped greatly by a superb defensive team, is good enough to keep the team over .500. However the offense is average at best and the division is much improved. The Knicks are the best of the pretenders but they'll need the Pisces and Pilgrims to falter if they want to make the playoffs for a third straight year.
Like the Knicks, the Red Sox have made it to two straight playoffs defeating the Knicks twice on the way to back-to-back World Series appearances. Alas, for Boston fans, there won't be a third straight appearance. The offense still has Gehrig and Ruth and a chance to score 1000 runs. Unfortunately while the offense might score 1000 runs the pitching probably will allow 1000 runs as well. That will keep them a solid third place in the Central division.
The fourth team looking for their third straight appearance in the playoffs is the Cuyahoga Falls Collusion. They put together a solid season last year with a little help from the fates. It will take some Juventus style chicanery to get them there this year. This team screams average in every facet of the game. Look for them to finish in the second division in both pitching and hitting competing with the Red Sox and Knicks for valuable draft positions.
Our last three teams find themselves in tough entering the season. Of the three the Redlegs have the best pitching but their offense has too many holes in it for a league where it's going to take over 900 runs to get things done. The Bruisers find themselves with the opposite problem. Their offense is at least average but they could allow that magic 1000 runs that destines teams to the basement. The best that can be said about both those teams is that at least they aren't the Tigers. First year owner Tom Coy takes over a team that lost 113 games while allowing 1089 runs last season. It could be even worse this year as the team projects to lose over 100 games while being outscored by over 300 runs, even though the division is without a dominant team. I hate to think what will happen if things go badly. If this team wins more than 65 games then Tom deserves a medal.