July 23, 1912

A very bad Brooklyn team got a shutout from rookie lefthander Frank Allen to beat the second place Cubs at West Side Park, 6-0. The win improved Brooklyn's record to 32-55 and the team was 33 games behind the first place Giants in seventh place.

The Dodgers pounded out 10 hits and used 3 errors by the Cubs to produce their six runs. The Dodgers scored four runs in four innings off of Chicago starter Jim Moroney and added two more off of reliever Charlie Smith. After the game, Moroney was released. Apparently losing to Brooklyn that badly was grounds for termination in 1912.

The shutout was the high point of the season for Allen, who went 3-9 in his first season in the majors with a 3.63 ERA. He would go 4-18 the following year and 8-14 in 1914 before jumping to the Federal League. Allen had a 23-13 year in the 1915 Federal League pitching for Pittsburgh. He returned to the NL the next two years and was out of the majors at age 27.

The 1912 Brooklyn team had two good hitters in Zack Wheat, who batted .305 with 8 home runs, and Jake Daubert who batted .308 with 16 triples, which was only an incredible 20 triples fewer than league leader Owen Wilson of Pittsburgh who set a major league record for triples in a season with 36. Rookie Casey Stengel made his major league debut for Brooklyn and played in 17 games in September.

The pitching staff was not much to talk about, but what the heck. Southpaw Nap Rucker went 18-21 with a 2.21 ERA and led the NL with 6 shutouts. Pat Ragan was 7-18 with a 3.63 ERA.

When the dust settled, Brooklyn, under manager Bill Dahlen, finished 58-95 and were 46 games behind first place New York. Only the atrocious Boston Braves, who were 52-101, kept Brooklyn out of the cellar. Brooklyn appeared to be an aimless franchise drifting about in the lower reaches of the National League.

1912 would also be Brooklyn's last season at Washington Park. The home of the Dodgers from 1898 through 1912 was bounded by 1st and 3rd Streets on two sides and by 3rd and 4th Avenues on the other two. A picture of it can be seen here: http://www.ballparks.com/baseball/national/washin.htm
The next season owner Charles Ebbets was set to open a new park and he thought he had the perfect name for it. He'd call it Ebbets Field. Says it all doesn't it?

Thanks to New York Times, BaseballReference.com and Retrosheet

How does this move help either team?

And Sidney Ponson comes back to the NL West. His stay in San Francisco was so memorable!

I suppose that Kevin Towers feels that Ponson will give up lots of deep fly balls that will die on the warning track of PETCO.

However, I dont see how Ponson helps them? I suppose Ponson is better than the crap they've been sending out there for the 5th game (Stauffer, etc..)..

But this seems like a panic move to me.

Nevin always killed the Dodgers. Thats one less big bat to worry aobut, although I do like Xavier Nady.

Has Nevin waived his limited no-trade? He can veto a trade to Baltimore is he so chooses.

I'd still prefer to keep Odalis, only because average starters are tough to get on the open market. Who would replace him in the rotation next year?

"In the minors, Werth showed good plate discipline most of the time, and a major power spike at age 22, following the trade to Toronto. He looked like a future star at one point. Although that hasn't panned out, he should have a long career."

There's much more at the link, especially about Werth's early career as a catcher and a swing change that led to more loft.

http://www.minorleagueball.com/story/2005/7/22/20324/2244

If the poor guy doesn't make it back to the bigs, he will always have to remember how Scott Erickson's incompetence cost him his best shot at his first win. Hope Scott takes time out of his busy schedule in the bullpen to send the kid a get well card.

1. Robles
2. Izturis
3. Bradley
4. Kent
5. Ledee
6. Saenz
7. Werth
8. Phillips
9. Houlton

Not sure why Choi got benched after such a good performance yesterday, but I'm not surprised given Tracy's weird ways.

I have a lineup card from a game between LA and Houston Astros. Can't be older than 1980 because the starters for the respective teams are Don Sutton and J.R. Richard. I tried looking it up on retro sheet but it didn't help. should be a game in Houston

here are the lineups

LA
Lopes
Russell (North replaced)
Smith
Cey
Garvey
Baker
Monday
Ferguson
Sutton, Davalillo, Hough

Houston
Walling
Puhl
Cabell
Cruz
Watson(replaced by Berman)
Howe
Pujols
Fischlin
Richard

if someone can find the boxscore or can give me details where to find it, I would appreciate it. I'm not sure if this is a tough request so I apologize if it is.

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B07090HOU1978.htm

Without looking, I was almost positive that the Dodgers lost the game. They could never beat J.R. Richard. He owned the Dodgers.

Ahh, the vagaries of the divisions

I remember that. JR owned them. That is why I was thrilled as a kid when Dusty hit #30 off of him in the last game of the season in 1977 to complete the 4 teammates with 30Hr

(At least that is the way I remember it listening to Vinny on the radio)

He took Gooden deep in 88 playoffs to tie the game and keep mets from going up 3 games to one. He has a Pass with me. he had such warning track power, he would have hit 50 in wrigley.

I should have realized it had to be 1978 because of North and Lacy was in reserve on the lineup card. he went to pirates the next year.

An OPS+ of 100 is average.

Why would the Padres make a late season trade with one of the teams chasing them? The Dodgers and Padres have made a grand total of two trades.

Ever.

In 37 years. And one of them was because Jim Bruske ticked off Tommy Lasorda so he sent him to the Padres for a minor leaguer who never made it. Then Bruske made it to the Yankees later in 1998. He was one lucky guy that year.

what is Garvey, Cey, Lopes, Russell respctive OPS+?

I bet Regie Smith had a high OPS+

Weaver's being heavily scouted, and I think we still get mentioned in the list of names looking for Dunn. But we've definitely been off the radar screen, although that means nothing with DePo. He seems to like lightning strikes out of the blue.

WWSH

How F'ing dumb is Cincinatti anyways?

I think we need to go and get Adam Dunn right now, before San Diego finds some way to acquire him for next to nothing as well.

interesting. thanks

then beltran dropped Olmedo's fly on the warning track

yeah, he lost it in the wind and stumbled back and fell in front of beltran.

Oh, it's going to be one of those games today

Perhaps teams have had interest in Mora, and may use Nevin as a replacement at 3B.

As for the Padres... they get to play Nady and get to take a chance on Ponson.

wow. must have been a great night.

Something else from Rotoworld's analysis:

"Chick has been a disappointment this year, going 2-9 with a 5.27 ERA, 109 H and 92/40 K/BB in 97 1/3 IP for Double-A Mobile"

"Phil doesn't want to go anywhere," Axelrod told TSN. "He's from this area. He's building a new home in San Diego. He has three children in school here. His parents attend a good portion of the games -- they live 80 or 90 miles up the road. San Diego is where he wants to be."

....In agent-speak, this is called "Getting an extra year added to my contract, or at least a million bucks or so, in exchange for me not messing up your plans, and having to keep someone who knows you don't want."

Which should be good news for Giants and Dodgers fans since their team likely won't finish last now no matter what.