Week in Review - National League (June 3-9, 1929)

 

A couple of things jump out at me in these standings.  First, is the New York Giants staying firmly in the driver's seat of the National League and maintaining the best record in all of baseball.  The lead over the Cardinals was 4.5 games last week and has now moved to 5 after the Giants rattled off three straight wins to end the week.  The other thing I notice is the Pirates climbing up toward where they were expected to be, with the Waner brothers leading the way and getting them over the .500 mark and in sole possession of third place.

What jumps out most to me, though, and which I'm happy to see is the Chicago Cubs start to stabilize things after the 9-game losing streak they were in the midst of last week.  While they still sit a game below .500, it's certainly an improvement over the 4 games under .500 they were during the last Week in Review.  You have to figure they are going to continue to crawl their way back toward the top, as they might have the two best offensive players in the National League.

It's also shocking how bad the Phillies have been considering the offensive firepower in their lineup.  They are the second worst team in baseball, only besting the abysmal Boston Red Sox.

Here is the Baseball-Reference page showing the actual standings on June 9, 1929.

National League - Batting Leaders

 

 

 

 

 

 

National League - Top 10 Hitters

Outside of Hornsby retaining the #1 spot, it was very hard to rank the rest of this group - and to keep some guys (particularly Mel Ott) out of the Top 10.  I'd say everyone from #2 through #8 could probably be shaken up and listed in any order and it would be reasonable.  I suspect at the pace he's on, Ott will be debuting on this list next week, but for now I had to include Riggs Stephenson since he is the only hitter in the National League above .400.

Rogers Hornsby (CHC)

1. Rogers Hornsby, Chicago Cubs (Prev: 1) (.398/.448/.738, OPS: 1.186; Other highlights: 14 HR, 60 RBI, 76 hits) - Still the best player in the game, still flirting with a Triple Crown...unless his own teammate, Hack Wilson, out-powers him going forward.

2. Lefty O'Doul, Philadelphia Phillies (Prev: 2) (.378/.447/.622, OPS: 1.069; Other highlights: 12 HR, 40 RBI, 40 runs, 68 hits) - He stays at #2 for now, but Bottomley and Hack Wilson aren't far behind him.

Jim Bottomley (STL)

3. Jim Bottomley, St. Louis Cardinals (Prev: 5) (.325/.399/.618, OPS: 1.017; Other highlights: 14 HR, 49 RBI, 46 runs, 27 BB) - His slashes still aren't as gaudy as those around him, but Bottomley is the key force in the offense of a St. Louis Cardinals team that looks poised to stay in a pennant race and not let the Giants keep pulling away.  Bottomley's power numbers remain impressive.

4. Hack Wilson, Chicago Cubs (Prev: 5) (.347/.431/.707, OPS: 1.138; Other highlights: 15 HR, 37 RBI) - Hack hits behind Hornsby, which makes his 37 RBI even more impressive.  

5. Travis Jackson, New York Giants (Prev: 10) (.367/.426/.669, OPS: 1.095; Other highlights: 11 HR, 6 triples) - Jackson might be the hottest player in the game right now, packing quite a punch between himself and Bill Terry in the Giants lineup.

6. Kiki Cuyler, Chicago Cubs (Prev: 8) (.357/.441/.577, OPS: 1.018; Other highlights: 41 runs, 65 hits, 27 BB, 11 SB) - Mr. Do-It-All for the Cubs.  It's easy to see how he scores so many runs with Hornsby and Wilson hitting behind him.

7. George Harper, Boston Braves (Prev: 6) (.397/.508/.532, OPS: 1.040; Other highlights: 36 BB)

8. Babe Herman, Brooklyn Robins (Prev: 3) (.365/.411/.596, OPS: 1.007; Other highlights:65 hits, 17 doubles, 15 SB) - Cooled off a bit from how hot he was over the last two weeks, but still leads the league in stolen bases and is hitting at an elite level.

9. Bill Terry, New York Giants (Prev: 7) (.374/.421/.514, OPS: .935; Other highlights: 40 RBI, 67 hits)

Riggs Stephenson (CHC)

10. Riggs Stephenson, Chicago Cubs (Prev: NR) (.401/.476/.563, OPS: 1.039) - The unsung hero of the Cubs lineup and the fourth Cub to appear in this list - hitting .401 means you have to be included.  I ask again, though, with this many offensive stars, how have the Cubs managed to tumble so far in the standings over the last few weeks?

National League - Pitching Leaders

ERA - Min. Innings Pitched (44)
Name	Team	Innings	ERA
D. VANCE	Robins	52.2	1.37
J. PETTY	Pirates	57.1	2.2
R. LUCAS	Reds	94	2.39
R. KREMER	Pirates	49.2	2.54
C. ROOT	Cubs	84.1	2.77
F. FITZSIMMONS	Giants	73	3.08
J. MAY	Reds	45.1	3.18
B. SMITH	Braves	63.1	3.27
W. CLARK	Robins	77	3.27
S. JOHNSON	Cardinals	62	3.48
D. LUQUE	Reds	75.1	3.58
C. HUBBELL	Giants	75.2	3.93
J. HAINES	Cardinals	63.2	4.1
P. ALEXANDER	Cardinals	69.2	4.13
R. BENGE	Phillies	57.2	4.21
L. FRENCH	Pirates	56.1	4.31
C. HILL	Pirates	52.2	4.61
B. GRIMES	Pirates	87.1	4.64
G. BUSH	Cubs	67.2	4.66
H. HAID	Cardinals	63.1	4.69

Win Leaders
Name	Team	Wins
F. FITZSIMMONS	Giants	6
R. LUCAS	Reds	6
L. BENTON	Giants	6
C. MAYS	Giants	6
B. GRIMES	Pirates	6
8 Players Tied	NA	5

Strikeout Leaders
Name	Team	Strikeouts
P. MALONE	Cubs	39
C. ROOT	Cubs	34
C. HUBBELL	Giants	33
B. SHERDEL	Cardinals	33
S. JOHNSON	Cardinals	28
J. HAINES	Cardinals	28
D. McWEENY	Robins	26
W. CLARK	Robins	26

Innings Leaders
Name	Team	Innings
R. LUCAS	Reds	94
B. GRIMES	Pirates	87.1
C. ROOT	Cubs	84.1
C. WILLOUGHBY	Phillies	83.2
W. CLARK	Robins	77
C. HUBBELL	Giants	75.2
D. LUQUE	Reds	75.1
F. FITZSIMMONS	Giants	73

WHIP - Min. Inn. (44)
Name	Team	OBP
R. LUCAS	Reds	1.09
D. VANCE	Robins	1.1
J. PETTY	Pirates	1.17
R. KREMER	Pirates	1.21
C. ROOT	Cubs	1.22
D. LUQUE	Reds	1.23
C. HUBBELL	Giants	1.24
B. SMITH	Braves	1.26

National League - Top 5 Pitchers

Red Lucas (CIN)

1. Red Lucas, Cincinnati Reds (Prev: 1) (11 games, 10 starts, 6-3, 2.39 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 20 Ks; Other highlights: 8 CGs, 1 shutout, 94 IP) - Lucas is starting to distance himself from the field after taking over this top spot last week.

2. Dazzy Vance, Brooklyn Robins (Prev: 2) (6 games, 6 starts, 4-1, 1.37 ERA, 1.1 WHIP, 23 Ks; Other highlights: 2 CGs) - Dazzy needs to get more work in or he might start falling a bit in these rankings.

Jesse Petty (PIT)

3. Jesse Petty, Pittsburgh Pirates (Prev: NR) (9 games, 8 starts, 5-0, 2.2 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 17 Ks; Other highlights: 3 CGs, 2 shutouts) - Petty is establishing himself as the ace of a surging Pirates staff.

4. Charlie Root, Chicago Cubs (Prev: 3) (12 games, 9 starts, 5-2, 2.77 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 34 Ks; Other highlights: 5 CGs, 1 shutout, 84.1 IP)

5. Ray Kremer (Prev: NR) (12 games, 6 starts, 5-2, 2.54 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 6 Ks)