1975 Oakland A's: What Should Have Been

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Association Stolen Base Leaders (did motnahp play Billy Ball ?)

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...and now the pitchers:

Association ERA Leaders:

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Association Wins Leaders:

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Association Saves Leaders:

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Association Shutouts Leaders:

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Association Strikeouts Leaders:

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Association Innings Pitched Leaders:

Obviously, there needs to be some XML tweaking done. This association was with "modern closer usage" OFF. Innings pitched and complete games are too high.

One thing I'm not sure is handled properly by the AI in real MLB leagues: AI seldom (never?) seems to dip into the bullpen for a spot starter. If a team has a few doubleheaders, a very common thing in the 70's and into the 80's, the AI will just continue with the 4-man rotation, even though a selected starter may have only two days' rest. There seems to be no provision for a 5th starter to be worked in without selecting 5-man rotations from the team roster screen.

This results in all of those innings for the starters. I know this "complaint" is in contrast to a previous one of mine regarding reliever innings and decisions. I just feel there needs to be a happy medium, and AI use of spot starters would clear this up, IMO.

[motnahp]

Oh, by the way, since I mentioned it:

Association Complete Games:

[motnahp]

It's getting late. As much as I want to start the postseason, it will have to wait a day or two.

AL: Boston vs Oakland (same as real MLB 1975)

NL: Pittsburgh vs Cincinnati (same as real MLB 1975)

That's cool ! ! !

[motnahp]

I made my postseason roster before going to bed the other night. It was pretty easy. I'll go with Hunter, Holtzman, and Blue as starters. Fingers, Lindblad, Todd, Bahnsen, Bosman, Abbott, and Siebert will be in the pen.

The position players were pretty much the same ones I used from August forward. Tommy Harper, who missed the last 10 days of the season, is back at full strength. I chose to leave Cesar Tovar off the roster because he wasn't acquired until Sep 1st. My opponents, those crafty AI Red Sox, chose to KEEP Deron Johnson on THEIR roster, despite the fact that he wasn't on the team until Sep 22nd. That's all right, beaneaters, break the rules[:-] Do I need to look for cameras in the scoreboard when we visit Fenway?

Let's get this thing started. Game One will be Luis Tiant (25-13, 2.82) against Catfish Hunter (20-13, 2.73).

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The Gods smiled on the A's today, as a 20 MPH wind was blowing in from right field. With Boston's power game stifled, the A's took the opener of the ALCS 7-1. Catfish Hunter went all the way, allowing only 4 hits. Luis Tiant also went the distance for Boston.

The A's opened the scoring in the last of the 3rd, after Claudell Washington singled, stole 2nd, then scored on a Bill North single. Oakland broke things open in the 4th, scoring on a Sal Bando sac-fly and a two-run single by Washington, making the score 4-0. Reggie Jackson homered against the wind in the 5th, a solo shot giving the A's a 5-0 advantage. Boston's lone run came in the top of the 7th, scoring on Rick Burleson's infield single. The A's answered right back in the bottom of the 7th, as a Billy Williams RBI single increased the lead to 6-1. Oakland added one more in the 8th on a Bill North RBI double.

MON OCT 6 (ALCS GAME ONE)

BOS_____1___4___0
OAK_____7__11___0

Oakland leads series 1-0

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In Cincinnati, the powerful Reds are down one game to the Pirates, following the Bucs' 6-4 victory. Pittsburgh broke a 4-4 tie in the top of the 9th on a Richie Hebner RBI double and an Al Oliver RBI single. Cincinnati threatened in the 9th, loading the bases on two singles and an error, but reliever Dave Giusti got Joe Morgan to fly out to end the game.

MON OCT 6 (NLCS GAME ONE)

PIT_____6___13___1
CIN_____4__10___0

Pittsburgh leads series 1-0

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ALCS Game Two: Bill Lee (19-19, 4.51) vs Ken Holtzman (20-10, 3.40).

Fair weather this time, with only a slight breeze out to left. Boston's bats remained cold, as Holtzman (8 IP, 4 H, 0 BB, 4 K) and Fingers (1-2-3 9th) combined to blank the BoSox 2-0.

Oakland scored in the bottom of the 6th on three straight singles by Tommy Harper, Reggie Jackson, and Joe Rudi. They added another run in the 8th on a Sal Bando RBI double. Jackson was 3-3 with a walk. Now, it's on to Boston, up two games to none.

TUE OCT 7 (ALCS GAME TWO)

BOS_____0___4___0
OAK_____2___9___0

Oakland leads series 2-0

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Shocking developments in Cincy, as the Pirates have taken both games from the Reds. Pittsburgh scored the game's only run in the top of the 8th and won 1-0. Jim Rooker went 7 innings for the win. Larry Demery finished up with the save. Cincy's Clay Kirby, from the bullpen, has been saddled with the loss in both games. Cy Young Award contender Don Gullett started and went 6 scoreless innings for the Reds.

TUE OCT 7

PIT_____1___3___1
CIN_____0___6___1

Pittsburgh leads series 2-0

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The Oakland A's are one game away from their 4th straight World Series, as they again blanked Boston. Vida Blue held the Red Sox to only 6 hits, walked one, and struck out 4 in the A's 3-0 win. Blue went all the way and retired the last seven batters in orderGene Tenace knocked a solo homer in the 2nd. Reggie Jackson matched Tenace's blast with one of his own in the 7th. Later in the 7th, Sal Bando drove home the final run with his RBI single. Boston's Rick Wise also went the distance and took the loss.

THUR OCT 9 (ALCS GAME 3)

OAK_____3___6___1
BOS_____0___6___1

Oakland leads series 3-0

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The Cincinnati Reds got back into the NLCS with a 3-2 win in Pittsburgh. Johnny Bench swatted a 2-run homer for the Reds. Fred Norman was the winning pitcher, while John Candelaria took the loss. Clay Kirby allowed a run in the bottom of the 9th, but held on for the save.

THUR OCT 9 (NLCS GAME 3)

CIN_____3___8___1
PIT_____2__13___0

Pittsburgh leads series 2-1

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The Boston Red Sox fought off elimination winning a 9-8 slugfest over Oakland. Fred Lynn's bases-clearing double in the bottom of the 6th provided the winning margin.

Boston jumped on A's starter Catfish Hunter early. Carlton Fisk drive in a run with a single in the 1st. Cecil Cooper's 3-run homer in the 2nd gave the Sox a 4-0 lead. Sal Bando's solo homer in the 3rd made the score 4-1, before Fisk homered in the bottom of the 3rd to put Boston on top 5-1. The A's chipped away, cutting the gap to 5-3 on Billy Williams' 2-run homer in the 4th. Boston made it 6-3 on an RBI single by Cooper in the bottom of the 4th. Sal Bando connected for his second solo homer of the game in the 5th, cutting the Boston lead to 6-4. The A's then took the lead in the 6th. Joe Rudi cut the lead to 6-5 with an RBI single. Billy Williams then blasted his second 2-run homer of the contest, giving the A's a 7-6 lead. Catfish Hunter gave way to Paul Lindblad with two on and one out in the 6th. After retiring Denny Doyle for the 2nd out, Lindblad walked Cooper, loading the bases and setting the stage for Lynn's dramatic double, which gave Boston a 9-7 lead. The A's would stage a 9th inning rally, as Phil Garner's solo homer made it a 9-8 game. The game ended with pinch runner Matt Alexander on 2nd as Claudell Washington grounded out to end the game.

FRI OCT 10 (ALCS GAME 4)

OAK_____8___8___1
BOS_____9__11___1

Oakland leads series 3-1

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Tony Perez' RBI double in the top of the 10th drove in the eventual game-winner as the Reds evened the NLCS with a 2-1 win over the Pirates. Rawly Eastwick picked up a relief win, while Pirate reliever Ken Brett took the loss.

FRI OCT 10 (NLCS GAME 4)

CIN_____2___7___0
PIT_____1___8___1

Series tied 2-2

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The Oakland A's are World Series bound following a 4-2 win over the Red Sox. The A's took the series 4 games to 1.

Sal Bando opened the scoring in the 4th with an RBI single. Reggie Jackson made it 2-0 in the 5th with his own RBI single. Joe Rudi added two more in the 7th with his 2-run double. Boston staged one last rally, cutting the lead in half in the bottom of the 8th on an RBI triple from Jim Rice, followed by an RBI single by Carlton Fisk.

Kenny Holtzman earned his 2nd win of the series, going 7 1/3 solid innings. Rollie Fingers recorded the final 5 outs to earn the save.

The A's now await the winner of the NLCS, which is tied two games apiece.

SAT OCT 11 (ALCS GAME 5)

OAK_____4___11___0
BOS_____2___10___1

Oakland wins series 4-1

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Cincinnati will head back home needing only one win to join the A's in the World Series. The Reds got a complete game performance from Don Gullett and beat the Pirates, 4-1.

SAT OCT 11

CIN_____4___9___0
PIT_____1___6___1

Cincinnati leads series 3-2