MONARCHS NOTES : THE ROAD TO THE PLAYOFFS GOES THROUGH SO CAL

 

                                          PHIL NIEKRO:  STAFF ACE 

The Monarchs finished the 71 season in 3rd place in the Western Division and upset the Jackson Heights Metros 3 games to 0 in the Wild Card Series  before being ousted  by the Chicago Colts 4 games to 2 in the Western Divisional Championship.  The Monarchs internal scouting data indicated they have a shot at winning it all in 72.  The 72 season is at the half way point and a 13-15 record is not what the Monarch front office expected. 

There are lots of reasons the Monarchs are below 500 at the half way point.  The 6 game series against the Chicago Colts was a disaster.  The Colts shutout the Monarchs twice and won 5 of the 6 games between the teams. Jon Matlack lost two heart breakers by scores of 2-1 and 1-0.  A negative 6 run differential did not help either.  Injuries to Carlton Fisk and Scipio Spinks damaged the team's prospects.  Top it off with six  1 run losses and you have the recipe for a 13-15 record.

There have been glimmers of hope. Among pitchers with at least 28 IP, Phil Niekro has lived up to his HOF credentials with a 2.38 ERA, a 1.17 WHIP and 45 innings in 6 starts, including a complete game.  Scipio Spinks not only has the best name in the league but also has a complete game and 2 wins, surprising the rest of the league.  Dave Guisti posted 6 saves and Rick Reuschel has 31 Ks and 5 walks in 40 innings.

The hitting has been suspect to say the least.  Despite his injury , Carlton Fisk has a 233/278/507 slash line while Dusty Baker posts a 339/393/384 line.  There is a traffic jam at first base.  Ed Goodson 312/358/438, Ron Blomberg 318/354/545 and Joe Pepitone 417/462/667 all swing the bat but they are all left handed and you can only play them one at a time.  There is a reason Blomberg was the first DH hitter in MLB history and he has lived up to that reputation by committing 6 errors while manning first base. 

Bobby Tolan has 6 SBs in 7 attempts but the word is out on Campy. Campaneris only has 5 steals in 8 attempts.  Johnny Bench is responsible for that dismal result.  One can only hope Campy learns some humility and hope that catchers like Sanguillen are not as lethal when Monarchs are on the base paths.

The front office has attempted to address the hitting woes.  Pepitone has made a solid case for more playing time given his hot streak and his superior glove compared to the other two candidates.  Reggie Jackson is in a dreadful slump.  In 50 PAs, Reggie has a 128/180/191 slash line. I would hope that the regression to the mean theory kicks in against the So Cal Stingers but this team's experience with this theory has caused losses.  In a recent discussion with Justin Ludwig, Lancaster owner and stat man by trade, I pointed out that it made sense to walk Hank Aaron given he was on a cold streak and Bobby V was white hot, not to mention Aaron hit 30 bombs compared to Valentine's 5. It made perfect sense to walk Hammerin Hank to set up the double play until Bobby V hit a 3 run shot which led to a Reds victory. 

Reggie Jackson could hold the key to the road to the playoffs.  He has tremendous ability but lets bad streaks effect his psyche.  At one point Buck O'Neill almost pulled him from a game after Jackson committed a 2 run throwing error but Satchel Paige told Buck to hold back and let the man work out of his funk.  Guess that is what you have to do sometimes. 

I have a boyhood crush on Reggie Jackson that goes all the way back to his rookie year with the old Kansas City A's.  I think I finally convinced my father that the As were on the path to respectability, a hard sell given he had put up with all their losing for many years and thought my ideas about the old town team were  based on a lack of experience and wishful thinking.  I am not sure what hurt worse, the fact I was right and I failed to convince my father of my baseball scouting skills or the fact the team shipped out to Oakland, leaving me with a broken spirit.   Perhaps that is why I cling to the idea Reggie Jackson will save this club in 72. 

The front office will continue pursuing trades to improve the ball club.  In theory, moving one of the 3 first basemen or moving a pitcher for a superior infield bat makes all the sense in the world but it has to work for the team on the other end of the deal.  Time will tell if the Monarchs make the moves needed for another trip to the tournament of randomness in the 1972 Liberty League season.