National League Round 1-Group 2
2. 1902 Pittsburgh Pirates (1st in NL)
v.
127. 1889 St Louis Browns (Cards) (2nd in AA)
-The '06 Pirates are already in the field of 64; four years younger versions of Honus Wagner (28) and Fred Clarke (29) look to join them. They take on a 21 year old Silver King, a 29 year old Charlie Comiskey, and the future St Louis Cardinals.
C Browns-Boyle
1B Pirates-Bransfield
2B Pirates-Ritchey
SS Pirates-Wagner
3B Pirates-Leach
LF Pirates-Clarke
CF Pirates-Beaumont
RF Browns-McCarthy
SP1 Browns-King
SP2 Browns-Chamberlain
SP3 Browns-Stivetts
Cl Push
Double: Bat WAR Pirates
Double: Pit WAR Browns
Pirates 8 Browns 7 - this was a clear battle between the Pirate bats and the Browns arms; in the end, the Pirates escape the early ouster to move to the next round.
63. 1922 New York Giants (Won WS)
v.
66. 1952 Brooklyn Dodgers (Lost WS)
-it's the first Giants/Dodgers matchup of the tournament - the '20 Giants got bounced in Round 1, they're back two years later - Frankie Frisch is 24, Dave Bancroft is 31; there's Ross Youngs/Irish Meusel - a 31 year old Casey Stengel's on this team. They meet the Dodgers - 33 year old Jackie Robinson/33 year old Pee Wee Reese/28 year old Gil Hodges/25 year old /Duke Snider/30 year old Roy Campanella. We got Giants/Dodgers, let's do it.
C Dodgers-Campanella
1B Dodgers-Kelly
2B Dodgers-Robinson
SS Giants-Bancroft
3B Giants-Groh
LF Dodgers-Pafko
CF Dodgers-Snider
RF Giants-Youngs
SP1 Dodgers-Erskine
SP2 Dodgers-Loes
SP3 Giants-Douglas
Cl Dodgers-Black
Double: Bat WAR Giants
Double: Pit WAR Dodgers
Dodgers 10 Giants 6 - The Dodgers have the offensive advantage and the top end pitching edge and move to the next round.
31. 1997 Atlanta Braves (Lost NLCS)
v.
98. 1936 Chicago Cubs (2nd in NL)
-The '97 Braves: 31 year old Greg Maddux/31 year old Tom Glavine/30 year old John Smoltz. Andruw Jones is 20, Chipper's 25, Kenny Lofton is 30 - it's the '97 Braves taking on the 1936 Cubs: Stan Hack and Billy Herman are both 26; Gabby Hartnett is 35 - the Cubs might be fighting uphill here, can they knock off the Braves?
1B Braves-McGriff
2B Cubs-Herman
SS Braves-Blauser
3B Push
LF Push
CF Braves-Lofton
RF Cubs-Demaree
SP1 Braves-Smoltz
SP2 Braves-Glavine
SP3 Braves-Neagle
Cl Braves-Wohlers
Double: Bat WAR Braves
Double: Pit WAR Braves
Braves 12 Cubs 2 - the methodology favors more modern teams, and when you add that to a modern team who was better anyway, you get a runaway Braves win.
34. 1972 Pittsburgh Pirates (lost NLCS)
v.
95. 1923 New York Giants (lost WS)
37 year old Roberto Clemente and 32 year old Willie Stargell pace the Bucs; these 1920s Giants teams have struggled so far, losing twice in the tournament, they're back - 25 year old Frisch, 32 year old Bancroft, heck, Travis Jackson's on this team at 19.
C Pirates-Sanguillen
1B Pirates-Stargell
2B Giants-Frisch
SS Giants-Bancroft
3B Pirates-Hebner
LF Pirates-Davalillo
CF Pirates-Oliver
RF Pirates-Clemente
SP1 Pirates-Blass
SP2 Pirates-Moose
SP3 Pirates-Briles
Cl Pirates-Giusti
Double: Bat WAR Pirates
Double: Pit WAR Pirates
Pirates 14 Giants 2 - the biggest blowout of the tournament; take a more modern team that is also better than their opponent - and this is the result.
15. 1975 Cincinnati Reds (Won WS)
v.
114. 1886 St Louis Browns (Cards) (Won WS)
-The '76 Reds already advanced; the '89 Browns did not. Morgan/Rose/Perez are all in their 30s (31/34/33) while Bench/Foster/Griffey are in their 20s (27/26/25). 22 year old Bob Caruthers leads the Browns - given trends, it would be startling to see an upset here.
C Reds-Bench
1B Reds-Perez
2B Reds-Morgan
SS Reds-Concepcion
3B Browns-Latham
LF Browns-O'Neill
CF Push
RF Reds-Griffey
SP1 Browns-Foutz
SP2 Browns-Caruthers
SP3 Browns-Hudson
Cl Reds-Eastwick
Double: Bat WAR Reds
Double: Pit WAR Browns
Reds 8 Browns 7 - Considering the Reds were heavily favored and then won the first four matchups, this was significantly closer than anticipated. That pitching weakness is gonna catch up to Cincinnati in a tournament like this.
50. 1977 Los Angeles Dodgers (lost WS)
v.
79. 1962 San Francisco Giants (lost WS)
-more than a little excited about this one; it's the first appearance of a San Francisco Giants team and they are taking on the Los Angeles Dodgers. This is fantastic. Steve Garvey's 28, Ron Cey's 29, Davey Lopes is 32 and Reggie Smith is as well to lead the Dodgers. For the Giants it's 31 year old Willie Mays, 24 year old Willie McCovey, 24 year old Juan Marichal, 24 year old Orlando Cepeda. Giants/Dodgers!
1B Giants-Cepeda
2B Dodgers-Lopes
SS Dodgers-Russell
3B Giants-Davenport
LF Dodgers-Baker
CF Giants-Mays
RF Dodgers-Smith
SP1 Dodgers-Sutton
SP2 Dodgers-Hooten
SP3 Dodgers-John
Cl Dodgers-Hough
Double: Bat WAR Giants
Double: Pit WAR Dodgers
Dodgers 10 Giants 6 - pitching won this one; LA swept all four pitching matchups and easily won the overall pitching battle. San Francisco's bats couldn't make up the difference and it's LA who moves on.
18. 1908 New York Giants (2nd in NL)
v.
111. 1886 Chicago Cubs (White Stockings) (lost WS)
-The 1912 Giants have already advanced, we back up 4 years to see 27 year old Christy Mathewson lead his club into battle. They face Cap Anson (34) King Kelly (28) and John Clarkson (24).
C Giants-Bresnahan
1B Cubs-Anson
2B Giants-Doyle
SS Giants-Birdwell
3B Giants-Devlin
LF Cubs-Dalrymple
CF Cubs-Gore
RF Giants-Donlin
SP1 Giants-Mathewson
SP2 Giants-Wiltse
SP3 Cubs-Flynn
Cl Cubs-Ryan
Double: Bat WAR Giants
Double: Pit WAR Giants
Giants 11 Cubs 5 - the matchups were close, with the Giants extending that edge on the team results. Another McGraw team hits the field of 64
47. 1935 St Louis Cardinals (2nd in NL)
v.
82. 1978 Los Angeles Dodgers (lost WS)
-We've already seen the '43 Cards advance into the next round; 8 years prior it was a 23 year old Ducky Medwick, a 37 year old player/manager Frankie Frisch, and the Dean Brothers (Dizzy, 25 and Paul, 22) leading the charge. And we just saw the '77 Dodgers advance into the bracket; this team is basically that team - Reggie Smith's 33 - Garvey/Lopes/Cey are 29/33/30. Can the Dodgers give this squad two shots at this bracket?
C Dodgers-Yeager
1B Push
2B Dodgers-Lopes
SS Dodgers-Russell
3B Dodgers-Cey
LF Cards-Medwick
CF Cards-Moore
RF Dodgers-Smith
SP1 Cards-Dean
SP2 Push
SP3 Dodgers-John
Cl Push
Double: Bat WAR Dodgers
Double: Pit WAR Cards
Dodgers 8 Cardinals 5 - the Dodger infield didn't lose a matchup and the overall Dodger bats were just too strong for the Cardinal squad. The '78 team joins the '77 team.
Group 2, Round of 64:
2. 1902 Pirates
v.
66. 1952 Dodgers
31. 1997 Braves
v.
34. 1972 Pirates
15. 1975 Reds
v.
50. 1977 Dodgers
18. 1908 Giants
v.
82. 1978 Dodgers
Back to the AL we go for Round 1, Group 3 and the third overall seed in the AL- the 1942 Yankees.
