Season Preview: New York Giants

Last Season: 81-73, 4th in NL

Manager: Mel Ott (7th season in New York, 7th total)Offseason: New York purchased Jack Conway from Cleveland, who will start the year as the leadoff hitter due to an injury at second base. They also signed a pair of veteran pitchers in their 40's to help out one of the worst pitching staffs in the league last year. Thornton Lee and Bobo Newsom have a combined 321 wins in their two careers. The Giants hope this experience can help out their under-performing group of arms on the mound.Catcher: During the war, Walker Cooper was an MVP-caliber backstop who had the rare combination of hitting ability and expertise calling pitches behind the plate. But last year, he added something new to his game: power. Cooper nearly equaled his 38 career homers that he started the season and at one point in the year hit a home run in six consecutive games, tying the all-time record. With Ernie Lombardi gone, the Giants will now turn to rookie Wes Westrum when Cooper rests.
Infield: Johnny Mize gave up three prime seasons of his career in the war. If not for that, he could very well be headed to 500 homers. In perhaps his greatest campaign yet, Mize eclipsed the 50 home run barrier and became the first player ever to do so without striking out at least 50 times in the process. Mize is now 35 and could start declining soon, but the National League is a better place now that one of its most dominating sluggers is back at the top of his game. The rest of the infield is a puzzle, though, that Mel Ott will have to work out to have a shot at the pennant. Conway will hit leadoff and fill in at second base for Bill Rigney until he returns. Conway is not expected to do much, but Rigney is after a breakout sophomore season last year. His 17 homers were only fifth on the team, but combined with solid defense it made him one of the most important contributors on the team. The left side of the infield is the big weakness and does not have the experience compared to the rest of the team. Jack Lohrke did not do much to secure the third base job in his rookie campaign and the Giants may look to replace him with someone else if he continues to struggle. Rocky Rhawn will start at shortstop on Opening Day, but it is Buddy Kerr's position, as it has been for the last four years. Kerr hasn't done much at the plate but his defense is top notch. Buddy Blattner can fill in in the middle infield and veteran Johnny McCarthy makes the roster to back up Mize as needed.Outfield: Utility man Sid Gordon will bounce back and forth between left field and third base as the Giants try to get him in the lineup most days. Whitey Lockman will go for his first full season starting the year in left field but able to play anywhere out there. He made his debut as an 18-year-old in 1945, playing 32 games for the Giants and impressing with a .341 average. The Scotsman Bobby Thomson had an amazing rookie campaign, slugging 29 home runs at the age of 23, and has adjusted well to covering center field. Willard Marshall is the old man in the outfield at 27, but he only has three seasons of experience due to the war. He was an All-Star as a rookie six years ago and then again last year, when he finished third in the league in homers and fifth in RBIs. In addition to Gordon, rookie Les Layton will see some time in the outfield. He hit 20 home runs in Jersey City at the AAA level and looks to make the jump like Thomson, though he is actually two years older.Rotation: If not for Jackie Robinson, Larry Jansen would've been the runaway Rookie of the Year. In his first season, he had the best winning percentage in baseball, going 21-5 even though he didn't make his first start or get his first decision until mid-May. In his final 22 starts of the year, Jansen went 17-1 in one of the most memorable summers ever by a rookie pitcher. There is certainly no way his success can be entirely a fluke, but the Giants have to be prepared in case he does regress as the luck did go almost entirely his way in that stretch. Last year's number two starter, Dave Koslo, is still recovering from elbow surgery and will not be in the rotation to start the year. This will be a problem for New York, as he was the only pitcher other than Jansen to win at least ten games for the Giants last year. Veterans Lee and Newsom will be called upon frequently to help fill this hole. Sheldon Jones and Ray Poat, who have a combined total of 31 career starts, will be given chances to start, as well. Clint Hartung will see some action, too, though his underwhelming results in 20 starts last year may relegate him to the bullpen if he cannot improve.Bullpen: With 110 total appearances, Ken Trinkle has led the majors in games pitched in both of the last two seasons. That has resulted in 244 innings of work as one of the most trusted relievers in the league. New York will continue to turn to him with its limited options in the bullpen. Like Hartung, Andy Hansen will make some starts but will mostly pitch late in games as he cannot be trusted to start. In three seasons, he has a 4.98 ERA, though there's plenty of room to grow at age 23. Veteran Joe Beggs never had a bad season this decade until last year, when Cincinnati traded him to New York and he struggled to limit runs. Barring injury, rarely should the Giants use anyone else out of the bullpen.Outlook: The Giants absolutely shattered the team record for home runs last year, beating the previous record by 39 for a total of 221. Unfortunately, that did not correlate with success as the crosstown Dodgers cruised to the pennant even with just 83 total. Even with the historic season at the plate, their pitchers could not keep up and allowed the second most runs in the National League. The offense would need to have another incredible season, Jansen would need to win another 20 games, and the remaining pitchers would have to significantly improve their game for the Giants to have a shot at the pennant. While one or two of these things seems possible, it is nearly impossible all three happen at the same time. Games at the Polo Grounds will surely be the most exciting in baseball with all the runs scored by both teams, and it would seem New York will finish either above or below .500 depending on whether their offense can succeed more than their pitching, minus Jansen, struggles.

Season Preview: Cincinnati Reds

Last Season: 73-81, 5th in NL

Manager: Johnny Neun (2nd season in Cincinnati, 3rd total)Offseason: The Reds got a little younger in the offseason with the few deals they completed. First, they sold Elmer Riddle to the Pirates. All-Star Bert Haas, nearing the end of his career, was traded to the Phillies for Tommy Hughes, a pitcher who probably would've finished a whole lot better than 4-11 last year on a more competitive team. Another one-for-one trade with the Phillies saw Eddie Miller swapped for new center fielder Johnny Wyrostek. Almost no one is left from the World Series champions squad in 1940 as Cincinnati moves to embrace the future with these moves.Catcher: Ray Lammano was an All-Star in 1946 and only needs one or two days of rest per week. Lining up sixth in the batting order to start the year, Lammano is better than the typical catcher batting. He took the job from Ray Mueller, who is still on the team but is now 36 and four years removed from his own All-Star appearance in 1944.
Infield: The youth movement in the infield seems to have Cincinnati set up for the years to come. Grady Hatton has 30 homers in his first two seasons while hitting .276. He also draws a lot of walks compared to his strikeout rate. With Miller out of the picture, rookie Virgil Stallcup takes over. He had just one at bat last year in his debut. He also hit .338 for Jersey City at AAA level. With Benny Zientara sidelined to start the season, Bobby Adams will get the chance to make second base his. Adams has already played a full season's worth of games at the position over the last two years and handles himself well on defense and at bat. The lone veteran is Babe Young, who came over from the Giants last year. He has some power but the Reds may still look to deal him themselves. Rookie Ted Kluszewski has already worked his way up to the majors at 23 and Cincinnati would like to get him on the field. The only place they can do this is at first base.Outfield: Wyrostek will bat in the two spot behind right fielder Frankie Baumholtz. Neither have shown much power but both have speed and solid batting averages. The wild card is Hank Sauer, who is 31 but only appeared in 47 games in his major league career. Sauer slugged 50 homers and 141 RBIs last year in Syracuse at the AAA level, but how much of a drop off there is when he moves up to Cincinnati is anybody's guess. Veteran Augie Galan survived all the trades but will enter his fifteenth season primarily in a reserve role. Galan has hit over .300 in each of the last four seasons and is great at getting on base, drawing walks far more often than striking out, but he is a liability on defense and the Reds believe he may be slowing down.Rotation: They expected big things from him, but Cincinnati was stunned by the sudden emergence of Ewell Blackwell as one of the top pitchers in all of baseball. A year after going 9-13 in his rookies season, Blackwell led the majors with 22 wins, led the National League in strikeouts, and had the third best ERA in the MLB. He finished second in MVP voting at the age of 24. Unfortunately for Cincinnati, the rest of the team's starters are far worse. No other returning pitcher who started for this team last year had an ERA below 4.00. Johnny Vander Meer was once the ace of this team and is still only 33, but he hasn't had a winning record since 1942. Ken Raffensberger was probably the number two starter after he was traded from the Phillies last June, but he has never had a winning season with a career record of 36-60. Howie Fox will get a shot in the rotation. He wasn't on the team last year and pitched just five innings in 1946. Hughes, another starter who has never had a winning record in four years with the Phillies, will round out the rotation. Still around is Bucky Walters, who is coming off the worst season of his career. Walters more than doubled his ERA from the year before, signalling his playing days may be coming to an end.Bullpen: Veteran Harry Gumbert moved full time to the bullpen and found some success finishing games for the Reds. He averaged about two innings per appearances and was the pitcher at the end of 34 games. The team also like to turn to Kent Peterson last year, who started 17 games but also made 20 appearances out of the bullpen. Peterson is only 22 and should continue to get plenty of work whether starting or as a reliever. The same goes for Buddy Lively, who is just a year older.Outlook: The Reds are a hard team to read for 1948. Several significant moves have shaken up the roster. With their team getting younger, there is more uncertainty. However, they still have possibly the best pitcher in baseball in Blackwell and a strong core in the middle of the lineup. The Reds now sit at three straight losing seasons, and the range of possibilities goes from that streak ending to a last place finish depending on how all of the question marks are answered.

Season Preview: Chicago Cubs

Last Season: 69-85, 6th in NL

Manager: Charlie Grimm (12th season in Chicago, 12th total)Offseason: The downward trajectory of the Cubs may continue as the club only made one trade during the offseason. In March, they sent utility infielder Bobby Sturgeon to the Braves for veteran third baseman Dick Culler and reliever Walt Lanfranconi. Neither should make any real impact on the team and are not even on the roster to start the season.Catcher: The batter for the catcher spot in the lineup has gone back and forth between Bob Scheffing and Clyde McCullough since 1941. Scheffing played in 110 games last year, but it is McCullough, who appeared in 86 games, who will start the year as the number one backstop. Both are decent and the catcher unit in Chicago is one of the better ones in the National League. Rookie Rube Walker should also enter the mix after tearing up the minors.Infield: For a couple of weeks, the Cubs will have to make do without Peanuts Lowrey. Lowrey moved to third base last year from the outfield, which also describes his replacement. Andy Pafko moves from center field to third for an interesting experiment. When Lowrey returns, one will likely be sent back to the outfield. Veteran Don Johnson has been replaced at second by rookie Hank Schenz. Schenz hit .331 in Nashville at the AA level and has had limited playing time in each of the last two seasons. The time for the change comes as Johnson turned 36. It's a similar story at shortstop as Lennie Merullo heads to the PCL, opening the spot for another rookie Roy Smalley. Smalley is just 21 and slots at the bottom of the lineup but plays solid defense. Eddie Waitkus returns at first base. He doesn't have a lot of power for someone who plays at first, but he hits for a high average and has a little bit of speed, too.Outfield: Pafko's move opens up center field, at least for the time being. Rookie Hal Jeffcoat will make his MLB debut on Opening Day as the new starter after batting .346 in Nashville last year. Once again, Bill Nicholson will start in right field. He's been there for a decade and rightly so as a two-time home run champion during the war. Since then, though, he has lost his power and contact. His 26 homers last season were more than his previous two seasons combined, so maybe he has found a way to recapture his youth. Phil Cavarretta has been here even longer and will start the year in left field but can play any position here or even first base. He's been an All-Star in three of the last four years, with the only exception being his MVP campaign in 1945. At age 31, Cavarretta has spent nearly half his life in a Cubs uniform as he gears up for his 15th season. He is starting to require more rest but otherwise does not show immediate signs of slowing down. Cliff Aberson will also help back him up in left field.Rotation: The Opening Day starter will be Russ Meyer, a young prospect who pitched 45 innings last year mostly out of the bullpen. Johnny Schmitz is the closest thing to an ace on the team with his relatively low ERA, but he led the majors in losses last year with 18. Hank Borowy was a hot commodity just a few years ago but is now coming off his worst season by far. A pair of rookies who have never played in the majors, Bob Rush and Cliff Chambers, round out the rotation. Chambers went 24-9 for Los Angeles in the PCL last year.Bullpen: A pair of starters from last year, Bob Chipman and Doyle Lade, are expected to work mainly out of the bullpen. They are the only two relievers on the roster to start the season who pitched in the majors last year. Emil Kush should be ready to pitch by the end of April, as well. The Cubs have nothing to lose and will keep trying to find pitchers they can trust by giving experience to rookies Jess Dobernic and Dutch McCall.Outlook: Their pennant in '45 is a distant memory now as the Cubs face a grim future. It only took two years for the Cubs to fall to sixth place in the league, and in 1948 they could very well finish last. Rebuilding will take longer than it took for this team to fall this far, so Chicago will likely continue to struggle as they enter the 1950's. If their abundance of rookies come through, the Cubs could fight to finish at .500, but fans will mostly be attending games to see the veterans from that '45 campaign to relive the good times since the product on the field is lacking.

Season Preview: Brooklyn Dodgers

 

Last Season: 94-60, 1st in NLManager: Leo Durocher (9th season in Brooklyn, 9th total)Offseason: Brooklyn was very active in the offseason with Pittsburgh, making several different deals. The one with the biggest impact for 1948 was a three-for-three deal. The Dodgers gave up right fielder Dixie Walker along with pitchers Hal Gregg and Vic Lombardi in exchange for third baseman Billy Cox, middle infielder Gene Mauch, and pitcher Preacher Roe. Cox and Roe should see plenty of playing time while Walker will need to be replaced in the outfield. Then, in March, they traded Eddie Stanky to the Braves to make room at second base. Along with cash, they received Bama Rowell, who they then sold to the Phillies later in the month. Not wanting to mess with success, Brooklyn did not make any major additions to the lineup that won them the pennant last year.Catcher: Bruce Edwards finished fourth in MVP voting last year, but his job is in jeopardy after injuries. He should still see plenty of playing time when healthy, but it is rookie Gil Hodges who will start at catcher on Opening Day. Hodges did appear in 28 games last year but with a crowded catcher's unit may see some playing time at first base during the year. It's crowded because another rookie, Roy Campanella, will also look to get plenty of playing time this season. Campanella played in the Negro National League for nine years and also spent all year in Montreal last season for Brooklyn's AAA team. Bobby Bragan, the starter for two seasons during the war, is also still around on the roster.Infield: Stanky was dealt so Jackie Robinson could move over to his natural position at second base and show off his glove. Brooklyn's big experiment to integrate the majors was a resounding success, as Robinson withstood the negativity directed at him and thrived, winning Rookie of the Year and finishing fifth in MVP voting. He played nearly every day and led the league in steals while hitting just shy of .300, the perfect number two hitter. With last year's leadoff man Stanky gone, Robinson will take his spot at the top of the batting order. Taking over Robinson's old position at first is 20-year-old rookie Preston Ward. If Ward is not up to the task, Hodges may move to first. Spider Jorgensen did pretty well for himself in his rookie year last year, but the Dodgers have made the move for Cox to start. Jorgensen should still see some playing time but the move has to come as a blow. Pee Wee Reese is the anchor of this infield and helped make Robinson feel welcomed to the club last year. Now, they will work together in the middle infield. Reese is an amazing fielder and excels at getting on base. The starting shortstop for the Dodgers for the whole decade minus his time in the Navy, he should remain so for the foreseeable future. Mauch and Eddie Miksis can both play any position and will be available off the bench.Outfield: Arky Vaughan returned from retirement last year and was rewarded with his first World Series appearance. He did not see much playing time but will be out in left field on Opening Day. Carl Furillo returns in center field for the third straight season. With Walker gone, the Dodgers turn to Dick Whitman in right field. Whitman had experience in the outfield for the team in 1946 but only appeared in four games last year. This outfield situation is fluid and the Dodgers have a deep bench to back them up. Pete Reiser was a batting champion and led the league in steals twice in his career, but the injuries have added up and he is not capable of being an everyday starter anymore. Gene Hermanski has seen plenty of playing time the last couple of years and started in left field in all seven World Series games last fall. Rookies Duke Snider, Don Lund, and Marv Rackley will also be in the mix.Rotation: He had just eight wins in his first three years with the Dodgers, starting 26 games in that time, so Ralph Branca's performance last season came as an unexpected but delightful surprise. Branca won 21 games, one for every year he had been alive, as one of the youngest players in the majors. For a franchise with some great pitchers in its history, Branca may very well be the next to join that list. Joe Hatten at age 31 actually has time in the majors than Branca but has won 31 games in the two years he's been with Brooklyn. They were the only two pitchers with more than 20 starts on this club last year. With exactly 20 were Lombardi and Harry Taylor. Taylor won twice as many games as lost last year in his rookie season. Rex Barney joins the rotation and will actually start on Opening Day. One year older than Branca, Barney has not had many chances to start but did so once in last year's World Series (losing game five) and appeared out of the bullpen two more times. The first time the Dodgers need a fifth starter, they will turn to rookie Jack Banta, but expect that to change over the course of the season unless he can stand out. Roe had plenty of experience starting in Pittsburgh, but his ERA has been above 5.00 in each of the last two years. He will start the year in the bullpen for this reason.Bullpen: In a close game, the Dodgers know they can turn to Hugh Casey. Casey has made 91 relief appearances, normally around two innings at a time, in the last two years and given up just 54 earned runs in that span. Clyde King also stood out last year with a lower ERA than anyone on the team other than Branca. Hank Behrman should also get plenty of work but was not quite as successful as his teammates out of the bullpen. The Dodgers continue their youth movement with a plethora of rookies to call upon, as well.Outlook: Even though they won the pennant, the Dodgers are calling upon many rookies to help turn their run into a dynasty. There are so many questions marks this year, though, that the Dodgers may not even be the favorites in the NL. Their success will depend on these young players to live up to their expectations. Leo Durocher returns after being suspended last year but is on a tight leash. His job depends on the team matching its run from last season since he was not around for it.

Season Preview: Boston Braves

Last Season: 86-68, 3rd in NLManager: Billy Southworth (3rd season in Boston, 10th total)Offseason: It was a busy offseason as the Braves made a flurry of moves to improve on their third place finish from last season. In November, Boston dealt Johnny Hopp and Danny Martaugh to Pittsburgh. In return they received Hopp's replacement in center field, Jim Russell; backup catcher Bill Salkeld; and reliever Al Lyons. December's big move was purchasing Jeff Heath from the Browns. Heath becomes the top slugger on the team after crushing 27 homers last year. But the biggest move of all had to wait for March. With Heath on the roster, the Braves could afford to move last year's left fielder, Bama Rowell, along with Ray Sanders and cash for Eddie Stanky. Stanky is one of the best second basemen in the game, but the Dodgers needed to make room for Jackie Robinson to play his natural position. In the end, the Braves will roll out three new starters in the lineup on Opening Day.Catcher: Longtime catcher Phil Masi returns for his tenth season with the organization. He has caught in 373 games over the last three years as one of the most dependable backstops in the game. Salkeld will be the only other catcher needed on the roster so long as he and Masi are healthy.Infield: Connie Ryan has been a solid second baseman for the Braves over the past few years, but there was no way the team could pass up a deal to acquire Stanky. Ryan will now spend most days on the bench as a reserve infielder. Stanky has been nearly automatic at getting on base, hitting a mediocre .260 over the last three seasons but drawing over 100 walks each time. He also has a good glove and his coming off of his first All-Star Game appearance. Sibby Sisti, who primarily played at third base for the team before the war, will start the season as his double play partner at shortstop. Sisti can play anywhere in the infield, though, which may be useful as rookie Al Dark will be gunning for the job this campaign. Dark starts the year in a reserve role but will surely see playing time after hitting .303 at Milwaukee in AAA level ball. Earl Torgeson returns at first base for his sophomore season, after finishing as the second best slugger on the team last year. He was still nowhere as good as Bob Elliott. In Pittsburgh, Elliott never hit more than ten home runs in any of his eight seasons. But the Pirates now regret trading him before 1947 after Elliott had a career year with 22 homers on his way to winning the MVP award. Frank McCormick will get plenty of playing time platooning with Torgeson at first and Bobby Sturgeon can be used as a utility infielder like Sisti when needed.Outfield: With Heath and Russell joining him in the outfield, the only returning starter is Tommy Holmes. Holmes was runner-up in MVP voting in 1945, when he led the league in hits, doubles, homers, and slugging percentage, but has since declined in power. He is still hard to face at the plate, where he has hit .310 and .309 over the last two seasons while hardly missing a game. The right fielder led the league in hits for the second time last year, but otherwise had a disappointing season by his high standards. Mike McCormick has normally played in center field, but Billy Southworth can put him anywhere as the fourth outfielder. Veteran Danny Litwhiler returns, as well, but the Braves may look to move him with nowhere to play him if everyone stays healthy.Rotation: Between Warren Spahn and Johnny Sain, the Braves have the best one-two combo in the majors. The problem is figuring out which one is which. Both pitchers won 21 games last season.  It was Spahn's breakout year, as he led the majors with a 2.33 ERA in the first season he pitched the minimum number of innings needed to so. He also had a majors-best seven shutouts. Sain is 30 but only has two full seasons himself due to the war. He's made the best of them, also winning 20 in 1946. Boston wishes either could pitch every day, but someone else will have to to in at least half of the team's games. Red Barrett led the league with 23 wins in '45 and had an ERA almost identical to Sain last year, but he ended up with a losing record. Bill Voiselle won 21 games for the Giants in 1944 but has not had a winning record since. Southworth would like to avoid using a fifth starter too often, so don't expect to see Johnny Beazley much at the start of the game. He will still get a few chances to start the year and is the fifth starter with a 21-plus win season at some point, doing so back in 1942 for the Cardinals. 27-year-old rookie Vern Bickford may also get a chance to start if one of the men in the rotation doesn't work out.Bullpen: It's a good thing Spahn and Sain finish most of their starts because the Braves do not have a dependable bullpen to support them. Veteran Clyde Shoun is the best bet, but he hasn't had a sub-4.00 ERA since the war. Other than the top four starters and Shoun, the only returning pitcher with at least 30 innings on this team last year is Ed Wright, who had major control issues on the mound. Newly acquired Lyons was even worse. Boston needs someone to step up and so will also turn to some rookies such as Bobby Hogue, who won 16 games last year in the minors.Outlook: Boston's 86 wins last year were the most they've earned in a season since 1916, which was also the last time they finished third in the standings. The Braves were not content with this, though, and have made the trades that may be the key to improving their finishing position. Any game that Spahn and Sain start should be a great chance at a victory, and the Braves will hope their improved offense can get the job done when they need to rest. St. Louis and Brooklyn both seem to be within reach in their race for a pennant.

Season Preview: Washington Senators

Last Season: 56-97, 7th in ALManager: Joe Kuhel (1st season in Washington, 1st total)Offseason: It took two deals for Washington to send Jerry Priddy to the Browns after their swap for Johnny Berardino was voided when he announced his retirement the same day. Two weeks later, the Senators sent Priddy to St. Louis straight up for cash. Two days later, they acquired his replaced at second base, rookie Al Kozar, and also outfielder Leon Culberson from Boston for Stan Spence. Then, in spring training, the Senators made a splash by bringing back catcher Jake Early, purchasing him from the Browns after a one-year stint there.Catcher: Early played six seasons in Washington before he was traded to St. Louis last year. Now that he's returned, the starting gig at catcher is once again his. Early was an All-Star in 1943 but has struggled since the war. His backup the entire time he played in the nation's capital, Al Evans, was the primary backstop last season and will still see plenty of playing time.Infield: Cleanup hitter Mickey Vernon, who won the batting title in 1946, came back down to earth in 1947, hitting 88 points worse. He is still the star of the team and the Senators will hope he can find that form again to keep them out of last place. The Senators have another promising player in Eddie Yost, the third baseman who will bat leadoff. Yost, only 21, made his debut for Washington at age 17 without playing in the minors. His rookie season last year was disappointing but his youth leaves plenty of room for improvement. Shortstop Mark Christman does not hit as well as he did when he was the starter for the '44 Browns and his defensive ability is slipping as the oldest hitter on the team's roster. Kozar takes over for Priddy after hitting .339 in New Orleans last year.Outfield: It's a whole new outfield for Washington. Buddy Lewis, who started in right field alongside Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio in last year's All-Star Game, retired. Joe Grace and, of course, Spence are gone, too. That leaves all three starting spots up for grabs early in the season. Culberson will start at center field on Opening Day but has never played a full season. Neither has Sherry Robertson in right field even though he's been with the team since 1940. Gil Coan is an unknown as he is basically a rookie with just 70 games of experience over two years. None of them are safe in the lineup as the Senators carry multiple outfielders on the roster to play around with. Tom McBride and rookie Junior Wooten will see plenty of playing time, as well.Rotation: Washington sent two starters to the All-Star Game in 1947. Early Wynn won 17 games, the second time has had that many wins in a season in his short career, and Walt Masterson had a breakout season despite his losing record with the best ERA on the team and third most strikeouts in the AL. After Bobo Newsom was traded during the season last year, the rotation has remained the same even through the offseason. Mickey Haefner has amassed a winning record and a 3.09 ERA in his five seasons as a Senator. Ray Scarborough struggled with a lack of run support but could be due for a big year if the luck goes his way this year. Sid Hudson, the two time All-Star for Washington before the war, struggled last season but returns to the rotation once again.Bullpen: Tom Ferrick was saddled with seven losses in his 31 appearances last year, but he was otherwise the only dependable reliever on the roster. Maybe some stability can help him as he has played for four different AL clubs in four seasons. Occasional starter Marino Pieretti returns, as does Milo Candini. Rookie Ramon Garcia from Cuba also makes the Opening Day roster and will make his debut at some point in April out of the bullpen.Outlook: An underrated pitching staff could have Washington surprisingly competitive. The ceiling is still low, especially with a brand new outfield, but the Senators will look to beat the White Sox and Browns to avoid the cellar.

Season Preview: St. Louis Browns

Last Season: 59-95, 8th in ALManager: Zack Taylor (2nd season in St. Louis, 2nd total)Offseason: The Browns held a fire sale in the offseason after their first last place finish of the decade. Gone are most of their big names such as Vern Stephens, Jack Kramer, Wally Judnich, Bob Muncrief, Jeff Heath, and Jake Early. St. Louis added so many players it might be easier to list the players who are returning. Only two position players that took at least one at bat with the team last year will be starting on Opening Day.Catcher: With Early gone, the Browns will use a combination of Roy Partee and Les Moss. Partee was one of many players received from Boston in the Stephens trade and will get the start given Moss's terrible time at bat last year. Partee has played in 285 games for the Red Sox and earned the spot after Moss's .157 average last year. Moss is better backstop, though, so the Browns will have to alternate between players with major holes in their game.Infield: Speedy Bob Dillinger is the only returning starting infielder on the team. Dillinger had a breakout year last season, leading the majors with 34 steals. He is a great leadoff hitter who is one of the few starters on this team that could start on any other team in the league. Chuck Stevens returns as starting first baseman following the departure of Judnich. He was the starter in 1946 but spent all of last year in the minors. The middle infielders are both new to the team. Jerry Priddy had some solid seasons in Washington but is coming off a bad year last season. Eddie Pellagrini is a decent fielder but nowhere near the hitter Stephens was. That loss will be nearly impossible to make up. Sam Dente, also received from Boston, will be a backup in the infield.Outfield: Al Zarilla can play anywhere in the outfield and will start on Opening Day in right field. He was an important player for the Browns in 1944 when they won the pennant. However, he is coming off his worst season in the majors. Zarilla hopes to find his form again as one of the few Browns retained from last year. Whitey Platt was called up to start in left field after a strong season at Toledo in AAA ball. Rookie Pete Layden will also get a chance to start in center field. At 28, he will make his debut in the majors on Opening Day. Ray Coleman returns to the team after his rookie season last year but will have to earn a starting spot after an unimpressive campaign. Paul Lehner returns, as well, but will miss at least a month with a fractured shoulder blade. His seven home runs last year lead all returning Browns now that any players with power have been traded.Rotation: Kramer was the only Brown with double digit wins last year but also one of six with double digit losses. Now that he, Muncrief, and Ellis Kinder have been traded to Boston, the Browns have four pitchers with at least ten losses on the roster following the addition of Bryan Stephens. Stephens had a disappointing rookie season in Cleveland and will get plenty of relief work but starts the year as the number five starter. Fred Sanford was much better than his 7-16 record suggests as he had no hope for a winning record on a last place team. Sam Zoldak has been a good pitcher in four years for the Browns, as has Cliff Fannin for three. Rounding out the rotation is veteran Nelson Potter. Potter has lost a step since winning 19 games for the pennant winners of '44.Bullpen: Outside of using the starters listed in the previous section, the Browns have only one player that appeared in a game last year: Al Widmar, who recorded four outs over two games for Boston last year but also gave up two runs. Frank Biscan has about fifty innings of work in a Browns uniform but did not pitch last year. Rookie Ray Shore will get some work too with the shortage of arms. St. Louis starters will need to go the distance if they want to be sure a rare lead holds with this bullpen.Outlook: The Browns blew up a last place team after their third straight season with a worse record than the year before. The fall from the top in '44 came quick but making the same climb does not look like an easy fix. The Browns could very well lose over 100 games, but a few of the new guys working out could lead to a better finish since it will be hard to do worse. St. Louis will also likely be involved in the trade market during the season to help out teams fighting for the pennant to help bolster their rebuilding effort.

Season Preview: Philadelphia Athletics

Last Season: 78-76, 5th in ALManager: Connie Mack (48th season in Philadelphia, 51st total)Offseason: Philadelphia will roll out a new starter in right field on Opening Day after acquiring Don White from San Francisco in the Pacific Coast League. White is a 29-year-old rookie from Washington who has helped make the Seals the team to beat in the PCL. They also signed Rudy York, the slugger who has had four 30 homer seasons. York has aged quickly and is not the player he once was, but he was signed only to back up at first base. The Athletics also sold reliever Russ Christoper to the Indians, possibly in response to a holdout in the offseason.Catcher: Buddy Rosar has been an All-Star for the Athletics in each of the last two seasons, and also received the honor in his days playing for the Yankees and Indians. He has caught over 100 games in both of his last two seasons, helping mentor Philadelphia's young pitching staff. Age is catching up to him, though, and he will still see his share of days on the bench, when he will be replaced by Mike Guerra or Herman Franks.Infield: The Athletics return the same starting infield that they put in the lineup almost every game last season. Ferris Fain made a run at Rookie of the Year honors and is showing plate discipline most veterans don't even have. He finished in the top five in the league in walks at 95 but only struck out 34 times. Connie Mack hopes Fain can play every day but signed York just in case. More patient than Fain, perhaps too patient, is shortstop Eddie Joost. Joost drew 114 walks but also struck out a majors-worst 110 times. His .206 average is not ideal for a leadoff hitter, but with more walks than hits he is still adept at getting on base. Pete Suder has been used at every spot in the infield during his career but will return to second base after the position became his primary spot last year. Hank Majeski has bounced around multiple teams and missed four years during the war but made third base his last season. At age 30, it was his first full season in the majors. Philadelphia doesn't really have anyone to turn to, besides perhaps York at first base, if any of their starters are injured, so their health will be directly linked to the team's success.Outfield: Though White will start in right field at the beginning of the season, Elmer Valo should still see plenty of playing time. Valo has hit at least .300 in each of the last two seasons and could also see time in left field if needed. However, that may not happen often with Barney McCosky on the team. McCosky patrolled center field for the Tigers before the war and was well respected but was traded to Philadelphia in 1946 following a slow start. He bounced back to hit .318 that year and improved by ten points this past year. His skills are not needed at center in Shibe Park, though, as Sam Chapman has held the starting job since 1938 barring his time in the Navy. Chapman led the team in home runs last year and has hit 20+ three times this decade. He also reduced the number of strikeouts taken in his early years. Another outfielder on the bench is George Binks, who was an everyday starter on the '45 Senators team that missed the pennant by just one game.Rotation: Philadelphia has a young pitching staff with one veteran to lead them. Phil Marchildon won 19 games for the Athletics during their unlikely run last year. Back in 1942, he won 17 games even while the team lost 99, so who knows how well he could do if the team continues to defy expectations. Lou Brissie will be the second starter after an incredible comeback story. Brissie was injured in Italy a little over three years ago after a German artillery shell exploded near him. Field surgeons discussed amputation and his playing career certainly seemed over. Against the odds, Brissie has worked his way up to the majors and made his debut against the Yankees in the final game of the year last year. Joe Coleman, Carl Scheib, and Bill McCahan return for their second full year in Philadelphia after their rookie campaigns last year. McCahan won ten games in about half the starts of Marchildon in  '47. Dick Fowler is also part of the rotation and had the lowest ERA on the team last year.Bullpen: With six men getting regular starts, Philadelphia will regularly turn to some of them to come out of the bullpen. The only primary reliever on the roster at season's start is Bob Savage, who pitched 146 innings mostly out of the bullpen last year as one of two options alongside Russ Christopher. With Christopher gone, the Athletics may call up Bubba Harris as a second option out of the bullpen.Outlook: It was a dream season, within reason, for the Athletics last year. They were in second place on July 4th and held on to finish with a winning record for the first time since 1933. Connie Mack didn't want to mess with success and has brought back nearly the same roster to try and catch lightning in a bottle again. The team has one of the younger rosters in the league thanks to their pitchers, so the room for improvement is there. The pennant may be a bit too much to hope for now, but a first division finish is certainly within reach.

Season Preview: New York Yankees

Last Season: 97-57, 1st in ALManager: Bucky Harris (2nd season in New York, 22nd total)Offseason: With some of their competitors making changes in the offseason, New York could not rest on its laurels. With a crowded outfield, they had no need for Allie Clark and shipped him to Cleveland in December for Red Embree. Embree is a solid starter but will also work out of the bullpen after another addition to the rotation. The Yankees released 40-year-olds Bobo Newsom and Spud Chandler, but there was still no room for Embree as a regular starter after they acquired Ed Lopat from the White Sox. Lopat was 50-49 in four years in Chicago, but that record is misleading as the team had a losing record every single year during that stretch. The only significant player they gave up in the trade was catcher Aaron Robinson.Catcher: Losing an All-Star catcher is never easy but the Yankees made the move to trade Robinson because they believe they have the men to replace him. Rookie Gus Niarhos, who had a brief debut in 1946, will be the Opening Day starter, but he will split time with Yogi Berra, who can also play in the outfield. Niarhos spent all of 1947 in AAA ball, where he hit .321 and also showed great plate discipline. Berra had a great rookie year last season backing up Robinson at catcher and starting some games in in the outfield. He then made history in the World Series by becoming the first pinch hitter ever to hit a home run. Berra is not as good of a fielder as Niarhos, but his bat is too good to just play catcher so Bucky Harris will mix him into the lineup some days in the outfield.Infield: New York rolls out the same infield as last season with no changes. Of the four starters, the only one to miss more than ten games was third baseman Bill Johnson, and he only missed 22 at that. Johnson was still an All-Star and would've eclipsed 100 RBIs had he played in just a few of those games he missed. His absence did give some playing time to young Bobby Brown, who will be the primary backup in 1948 for the entire infield as he can play multiple positions. Veteran George McQuinn finished sixth in MVP voting after a strong comeback season at 37. McQuinn was a solid player on the Browns when they won the pennant in 1944 but played a bigger role for the Yankees last year. Middle infielders Snuffy Stirnweiss and Phil Rizzuto both have amazing gloves and can hold their own at the plate. Stirnweiss was an elite player during the war with many stars serving, but he is still one of the top leadoff hitters in the league. Rizzuto is 30 but missed three prime years in the Navy, so it feels like he still has plenty of room to improve. The man he replaced, Frankie Crosetti, is still on the roster even though he played in just one game last year. He will tie Lou Gehrig at 17 total seasons in pinstripes when he appears in his first game this year.Outfield: With this third MVP award, Joe DiMaggio ties Jimmie Foxx for most in either league in the short history of the award. DiMaggio has not been the same player he was before the war, but he is still unquestionably one of the best players in baseball as evidenced by the honor. He may never have another season like 1941, but only Ted Williams can compete with him at the plate in the American League. Playing alongside him for nearly his entire career is Tommy Henrich, who is coming into his own even at the age of 35. Henrich led the league in triples last year and led the team in RBIs with a career-high of 98. Left field will see a platoon of Charlie Keller and Johnny Lindell. Keller has power and a lot of patience at the plate but has only played in 50 games one time since 1943. He missed most of last season with a back injury and was not able to return after June. Lindell was a pretty good player during the war but would ideally be the backup to Keller except against lefties if Keller could stay healthy. Berra will also see playing time in the outfield and rookie Cliff Mapes is also available on the bench after hitting 21 homers, 117 RBIs, and a .308 average in AAA ball last season.Rotation: Chandler and Newsom are gone, as is Bill Bevens, who is injured and not back on the roster this season. Over a third of the games from last year were started by one of those three last year, leaving plenty of starts up for grabs. Lopat will pick up about half of them as the new number two starter behind Allie Reynolds. Reynolds, himself traded from Cleveland a year ago, won 19 games in his first year in pinstripes. Also in his first season with the team, because he was a rookie, Spec Shea had the best winning percentage of all eligible pitchers in the league and was sent to the All-Star Game. Another rookie last year, Vic Raschi, went 7-2 in 14 starts and will now be a regular starter in the rotation. The seventh pitcher to start at least ten games last year for the Yankees that hasn't been mentioned yet is Karl Drews, who will certainly start some but also work out of the bullpen.Bullpen: The Yankees have a strong rotation, but the strength of their pitching is the bullpen. Specifically, one man: Joe Page. Page was called upon to pitch multiple times a week all season, appearing in 56 games at over two and a half innings per appearance. Page actually had the fourth most innings pitched on the team as the Yankees needed him to finish off games when the starter couldn't make it the whole way. The addition of Embree also allows he and Drews to split starts and work out of the bullpen. The Yankees will also work in Tommy Byrne, who has pitched 45 innings over three short seasons of work.Outlook: It's going to be tough to knock off the champions. Boston in particular is making a strong case for an upset, but the Yankees may very well be at the start of a new dynasty. The road to the pennant runs through the Bronx until someone can prove otherwise.

Season Preview: Detroit Tigers

Last Season: 85-69, 2nd in ALManager: Steve O'Neill (6th season in Detroit, 9th total)Offseason: It was dead silent in Detroit this winter as the Tigers feel confident in the squad that finished second last year. Starting first baseman Roy Cullenbine was sold to the Phillies, opening a spot in the starting lineup for rookie Sam Vico. Other than that, the Tigers are doubling down on their roster and think they can still compete for a pennant with what they already have.Catcher: A few years ago for the Athletics, Hal Wagner was the primary catcher and Bob Swift was the number two backstop. Now, the roles on reversed in Detroit. Wagner has the edge at the plate, helping him get selected to two All-Star games over the years, but Swift is a better defensive catcher. Both will see plenty of playing time this year.Infield: Journeyman Cullenbine had a couple of memorable seasons with the Tigers, including hitting .335 in 1946. However, that number crashed last year to .224, prompting the Tigers to ship him to the Phillies for cash. Vico will thus be one of two Opening Day starting infielders who has never played in the majors beforehand. The other is Neil Berry, filling in for Eddie Lake. Lake signed late in the spring and will miss more time due to his wife's illness. There are also rumors swirling that he may be traded, especially if Berry can take the job. The two returning starters are second baseman Eddie Mayo and third baseman George Kell. Mayo peaked during the war, finishing second in MVP voting during the Tigers' pennant run in 1945, but is still a solid hitter even as he turns 38 the weeks before the start of the season. Kell was received via trade in 1946 from the Athletics, but he has already become the offensive star of the team. He always hits for a high average and almost never strikeouts, only doing so 74 times in 570 career games.Outfield: Detroit has four outfielders worthy of starting, so one man will get the day off each game. Pat Mullin is the oldest at 30 and also hits for the lowest average of the quartet, but he also holds all the power as he led all returning Tigers in homers last season. Hoot Evers had a breakout season and will almost exclusively play in center field. Dick Wakefield, the first bonus baby, was a star for the Tigers during the war but missed their '45 run serving in the Navy. Vic Wertz had an impressive rookie season last year and will start in right field on Opening Day because of it. 42-year-old Doc Cramer is still on the roster but will struggle to find playing time in this crowded outfield.Rotation: From 1944 to 1946, Hal Newhouser had a historic run, winning at least 25 games and only losing exactly nine in each of the three seasons. Newhouser took a slight step back last year, but going 17-17 was still a surprise, especially on a second place team. Newhouser kept Bob Feller's throne warm as top pitcher in the league during the war, but the battle went in Feller's favor in '47. The Tigers have a stronger rotation overall than the Indians, though. Fred Hutchinson led the team in wins with a stat line not far off from Newhouser. Dizzy Trout has matched Prince Hal in several seasons over the last few years, but those days seem to be over. He is still a solid pitcher but will lose as many games as he wins barring a resurgence. Virgil Trucks struggled last season but can eat innings at the bottom of the rotation. The fifth man when needed will be Art Houtteman, who will also be available out of the bullpen. Houtteman is 20 but entering his fourth season in the majors.Bullpen: It's a good thing the Tigers have such a good bullpen, because the bullpen cannot be trusted. Stubby Overmire started 30 games over the last two years but moves to the bullpen to help out the team's weakest unit. The only returning relievers with any experience are Hal White and Al Benton. Maybe rookie Ted Gray can breathe new life into this squad.Outlook: Failing to add any significant players to the roster makes it hard to believe Detroit can overcome the twelve game deficit to the Yankees from last season. The Tigers are confident, but Newhouser might need to win 30 games for the team to have a shot. They do have a lot of young talent on the roster, so they should still compete this year and in the near future, even if another World Series seems out of reach.

Season Preview: Cleveland Indians

Last Season: 80-74, 4th in ALManager: Lou Boudreau (7th season in Cleveland, 7th total)Offseason: Though they missed out on the Vern Stephens sweepstakes, the Indians still made a couple of trades with the Browns to bolster their roster. For a trio of young players and prospect, plus some cash, the Indians netted Wally Judnich and Bob Muncrief. Judnich will come off the bench and is a natural center fielder. Muncrief was an All-Star on the '44 pennant winners and can be the fifth starter as needed. Then they made another trade and receive Johnny Berardino, who will be a utility infielder for the team. Later on in the offseason, Cleveland got young Allie Clark, who will start in left field on Opening day, from the Yankees; Thurman Tucker, who will start in center, from the White Sox; and reliever Russ Christopher from the Athletics.Catcher: Jim Hegan is capable of being an every day starter with only occasional days of rest. Hegan's bat is not as strong as the other top catchers, but his pitch calling and defensive ability behind the plate has received high praise from Cleveland's talented pitching staff. The Indians do not have a plan if Hegan goes down. Rookie Joe Tipton will spell Hegan as needed but Cleveland hopes that is not often.Infield: Cleveland rolls out the same infield that they did in 1947. First baseman Eddie Robinson is the weak link, though he showed some promise in his rookie season last year. The other three starters in this unit appeared in over 150 games apiece last season. Joe Gordon's first season since being traded from New York went very well, as he bounced back from his first post-war season in '46 that saw him hit .210. Ken Keltner had a disappointing campaign, missing the All-Star Game for the first time this decade outside of his time in the Navy. However, he is gaining some pop in his bat and remains a fine defensive third baseman. Boudreau rounds out the group at shortstop. He finished third in MVP voting and led the league in doubles for the third time in his career (all three times with 45). Owner Bill Veeck reaffirmed Boudreau's role as player-manager, putting faith in the 30-year-old to call the shots from the field.Outfield: Save for Robinson, the Indians infield is the most steady in the majors. However, the outfield is anything but. Newcomer Tucker is the only Opening Day starter that is not a rookie, but he has never been an everyday player. Clark flashed in the 24 games he played for the Yankees in the late season, hitting .373, earning him a chance to start in left field. Another rookie, Larry Doby, will start in right field until he has proven he is ready to move to center. Unlike Clark, Doby underwhelmed in his majors debut last season. However, Doby has a proven track record in the Negro National League and no longer has the weight of integrating the American League on his shoulders as enters season two. Cleveland's fluid outfield includes Judnich; Dale Mitchell, who hits for a high average but had a mediocre glove and no power in his first full season last year; and both Hank Edwards and Hal Peck, who both played in over 100 games last year for Cleveland in the corner outfield.Rotation: It took until the final week of the season, but Bob Feller earned 20 wins for his fifth consecutive full season, leading the league in victories each time. In his six full seasons, he has led the league in strikeouts each time, as well, though for the first time he failed to hit 200 last year. Needless to say, Cleveland has one of the best rotations in the majors even if they had a random assortment of starters to pair with him. Luckily, they do have a solid crew that can win games even when Feller is resting his arm. Bob Lemon got his first start last year on July 31st after spending most of the season in the bullpen, but he returns as the second option thanks to a 10-3 record as a starter. Al Gettel and Don Black were both decent men at the middle of the rotation last year, and Muncrief will only be used as needed since the Indians will want to start Feller (and Lemon) as often as possible. Rookie knuckleballer Gene Bearden may also make starts as needed if one of the starters falters or if there is an injury.Bullpen: Christopher was a big addition to this bullpen, which already had plenty of options. Ed Klieman appeared in a league high 58 games on the mound, finishing off 34 of them for the Indians. Now, he and Christopher can split this duty. Former starter Steve Gromek transitioned well to his new role last year and can still make the occasional start when needed.Outlook: The Indians are on the upswing, and their infield and bullpen can go toe-to-toe with anyone in the American League. That doesn't even mention their best player, Feller. This year's success will count on Cleveland's outfield, which is a complete question mark, to sort itself out and for the bottom of the rotation to win some games even when the two Bob's aren't pitching. If they can do this, Cleveland could win the pennant, something they've only done once (1920) in franchise history.

Season Preview: Chicago White Sox

Last Season: 70-84, 6th in ALManager: Ted Lyons (3rd season in Chicago, 3rd total)Offseason: Chicago's two big offseason moves both came in February. On Groundhog Day, Rudy York was given his walking papers. York was the starting first baseman for back-to-back AL pennant winners in '45 and '46 for the Tigers and Red Sox, respectively, but he has quickly declined and has now found a home coming off the bench for the Athletics. Then, near the end of the month, Chicago coordinated with New York to trade Eddie Lopat for three players. Lopat was a successful pitcher in Chicago, but was limited by a lack of run support. The trade netted them All-Star catcher Aaron Robinson, the young pitcher Bill Wight, and strong AAA pitcher Fred Bradley. Robinson will take over behind the plate most days, Wight will immediately join the starting rotation as he could not find a spot in New York, and Bradley will likely make his major league debut at some point in the year.Catcher: Robinson will be expected to start around 100 games barring injury. Longtime White Sox catcher Mike Tresh will now be his primary backup with rookie offseason acquisition Ralph Weigel also getting some reps.Infield: Mainstay Luke Appling is still not ready to retire, and for good reason as he finished 10th in MVP voting last year despite being a 40-year-old shortstop. For 1948, Ted Lyons has moved Appling to third base over Floyd Baker. Appling can be counted upon to play nearly every day, hit .300, and play solid defense even at his age. Unfortunately, his final years are being wasted on a losing team with no hope of turning it around in the near future. With the release of York, Chicago will bring in Tony Lupien at first base. Lupien was a solid player during the war, but he has not played in the majors for three years. At least the unknowns with Lupien leave a chance of success. Starting shortstop Jack Wallaesa has hit below .200 in each of the last two seasons, and his glove doesn't begin to make up for it. Only second baseman and leadoff hitter Don Kolloway is safe along side Appling in the starting lineup for this infield. Should anyone falter, Baker and Cass Michaels will return to the starting lineup.Outfield: 36-year-old Taffy Wright did not make his debut until he was 26 and missed three seasons in the war, but when he has taken the field he's been phenomenal. Wright's career average sits at .320 and he's only struck out 131 times, including just 17 last year. Bob Kennedy and Dave Philley, early in their careers and solid but unimpressive, round out the outfield.Rotation: With Lopat gone, Joe Haynes will start on Opening Day. Haynes spent years working out of the bullpen, but his move to the rotation has been successful. His 2.42 ERA was best in the AL in 1947. After that, Lyons has his hands full. Frank Papish would be a solid number two starter, but he will be out for the start of the season. This leaves Orval Grove as the de facto second starter since he is the only other pitcher on the roster at the start of the season who started at least five games last year. Rookie Howie Judson tore up the minors last year and earns a place this year with Chicago in need of arms. Wight will also get a spot despite minimal experience. Earl Harrist will also be used as he was strong out of the bullpen last year and was called upon to start as needed.Bullpen: The oldest active player in the majors is Earl Caldwell, who turned 43 at the start of April. Like Appling, age hasn't slowed him down. Caldwell has been in his 40s for all three seasons he's suited up for Chicago, and he's been a reliable reliever the whole time. That's good, because he's the only returning player from '47 in this bullpen. Glen Moulder is on this third team in as many years and Ike Pearson has only pitched 14 innings over the last five seasons.Outlook: The White Sox have finished between 70 and 75 wins for each of the last four seasons, but 1948 may be the season to end the streak... And not for the better. Lopat could only do much to help this team, but without him things may get even worse. That trade signals the team is looking to rebuild for the 1950s and fans will have to suffer another poor season on the South Side of Chicago.

Season Preview: Boston Red Sox

Last Season: 83-71, 3rd in ALManager: Joe McCarthy (1st season in Boston, 22nd total)Offseason: Boston won the offseason by pillaging the Browns over two days in November. The Red Sox sent six unremarkable players and $310,000 to St. Louis for Vern Stephens and Jack Kramer. Stephens will take over at shortstop. A former home run champ who also led the league in RBIs for the '44 pennant wining team, Stephens could be in line for more RBI titles batting fifth in this lineup. Kramer has been an All-Star the last two years for the Browns and will be an important man near the top of the rotation once he is healthy. That may not be until May as he recovers from the flu and a bad leg in spring training.Catcher: The Tigers shipped longtime catcher Birdie Tebbetts to Boston last May, and he responded with an All-Star caliber performance behind the plate. Tebbetts is likely to be a manager one day after his playing career winds down. His backup will be rookie Matt Batts, who came up for a cup of coffee last September. The Red Sox hope Batts can live up to his name, which he did in his limited appearances last season by getting a hit in half of his 16 at bats.Infield: Stephens isn't the only new addition to the infield. In December, the Red Sox made another move to acquire Stan Spence from Washington. Spence will bat cleanup at first base, as his mediocre defense in center field is not needed for this roster. This will put Jake Jones coming off the bench, who nearly had 100 RBIs last year but struggled getting on base himself. With Stephens slotted at short stop, this will allow Johnny Pesky to move over to third. The Red Sox started eight different players at the position last year, none more than 44 games. Now they start a guy who has had at least 600 at bats in all three of his seasons and has led the AL in hits every year he has been active. Bobby Doerr at second is the only constant, but that has been the same every year since his debut in 1937 minus his year of service in 1945. Doerr has managed 100+ RBIs three times and has also hit at least 15 homers every season he's played in this decade.Outfield: The Red Sox may have one of the best infields in baseball, but their best player is patrolling left field. Ted Williams earned the second triple crown of his career in 1947, even though it was only his sixth season after giving up three prime years in the war. Williams will turn 30 at the end of August but one must think his career is only just beginning. Playing next to him in center field is the brother to the only player who can contest him for the title of best player in the American League. Dom DiMaggio is more than just Joe's little brother, though, as he has become a three-time All-Star in his own right. DiMaggio is a good lead off hitter with solid contact and speed, and also is speedy on the base paths. The notable part of Joe's game that he lacks is power, but his teammates certainly make up for that. Sophomore Sam Mele will look to build on his strong rookie season in right field, but can be used anywhere in the outfield as needed like he did in ' 47. When he does play elsewhere or is on the bench, McCarthy can turn to veteran Wally Moses to take over right.Rotation: Joe Dobson was a capable starter before the war, but since then he has settled into the role of team ace. His '47 campaign was his best season yet and he has been rewarded with being named the Opening Day starter for the first time. For the last two years that honor went to Tex Hughson, but an injury last year led to offseason surgery and his absence from the rotation to start the season. Even though Kramer and Hughson will be out in April, Joe McCarthy has plenty of options to turn to in the rotation. Veteran Denny Galehouse had two unremarkable seasons in Boston nearly a decade ago, but he finally found success playing for the Browns and returned to the Red Sox last season a new pitcher. Dave Ferriss won 46 game in his first two years in the majors, though he did come back to earth in '47. If he can find his form from the 25-6 season when Boston won the pennant in 1946, the Red Sox will be just fine. Mickey Harris also went 17-9 that season before missing most of last year. Windy McCall is slated to be the fifth starter the first time through the rotation, but a second start is not guaranteed for the young rookie.Bullpen: After being called on to start a career 17 times last year, the Red Sox want to keep Earl Johnson to be called on out of the bullpen only this season. The lefty was one of two relievers the Red Sox primarily turned to, with the other being righty Harry Dorish. Dorish struggled in his rookie year, but ended on a high note with a strong September, pitching 32 innings at a 3.38 ERA. Fellow sophomore Mel Parnell will start the campaign as a reliever, but he is expected to be one of the first names called upon if a starting role opens up.Outlook: In 1948, we may find out just how important Joe McCarthy was to the Yankees dynasty while he was in pinstripes. He faced off against Joe Cronin countless times in the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry, but now he has teamed up with him since Cronin moves up to the general manager role. Most of 1946's pennant-winning squad is still on the roster, and those that aren't have been replaced by some aggressive moves in the offseason. Boston will be expected to battle New York for the pennant, and anything less will be a disappointment.

1947 Season Review

American League

New York ran away with the American League pennant, topping Detroit by twelve games. The biggest surprise of the season came farther down in the final standings. Philadelphia was still in the second division after finishing in fifth place, but their 78-76 record marked their first winning season since 1933. This was especially impressive as the Athletics had just lost 105 games in 1946. Taking their place at the bottom of the league were the St. Louis Browns, who finished in last place for the first time since 1939.

Joe DiMaggio won his third MVP award and first since 1941. He beat Ted Williams, who won the triple crown but played for the third place team, by just one point as Williams was also left entirely off of one ballot. One of the other top vote getters was Joe Page, reliever extraordinaire. Page appeared in 56 games, going 14-8 with a 2.48 ERA almost entirely out of the bullpen.

National League

Brooklyn made history when Jackie Robinson started on Opening Day, breaking baseball's color barrier. There may not have been a better man to do it, as Robinson survived the hostility fans and fellow players showed him and won Rookie of the Year. He then continued to set new firsts as the first black player in the World Series when the Dodgers won the pennant by five games over St. Louis. The most exciting team in town may have been the Giants, however, as they scored the most runs in the majors but also allowed the second most. Pennsylvania fans were very disappointed as the Pirates and Phillies tied for last place.

Boston's Bob Elliott was named MVP in his first season since being traded from Pittsburgh. However, he may not even have been the best player on his team as Warren Spahn and Johnny Sain both won 21 games. Neither pitcher could catch Ewell Blackwell, though, as he won 22 times and would have earned a triple crown had Spahn not edged him out for a better ERA. Blackwell did all those while playing for a Cincinnati team that finished with a losing record. Johnny Mize and Ralph Kiner tied for the home run crown at 51 homers apiece.

World Series

The Yankees ended a four year World Series drought, tied for the longest since winning the franchise's first in 1923, by defeating the crosstown Dodgers in seven games. The most iconic moments of the series actually went against the eventual victors. In game four, Bill Bevens was one out away from a no-hitter when Cookie Lavagetto hit a pinch-hit, walk-off double for a 3-2 Dodgers win. Then, in game six, Brooklyn left fielder Al Gionfriddo caught a deep blast from Joe DiMaggio before crashing into the bullpen gate to preserve an 8-6 Dodgers win. But in the end, it wouldn't matter as New York took game seven. The first ever televised World Series, it was able to seen live in New York, Philadelphia, and Washington DC.

Welcome to 1948

I have bounced around Strat-O-Matic season replay projects for the last two years since completing one of 1957. I have made attempts at 1968, 2010, and 1911, and hope to one day finish these as I only completed a couple of weeks combined between the three. Absolutely loving 1957, I've found that I would like a season similar to that era of baseball. At the same time, playing another season within a year or two of that season would feel too similar and might be stale for my taste. This led to my choice of 1948.

Other than '57 and again in 1958, the only time the Braves franchise won the pennant and made it to the World Series between 1914 and 1991 is the '48 season. Having a strong Braves team is important to me, though in the end I just hope for an entertaining project. This is almost guaranteed in the American League, which saw a tie at the end of the season between the Indians and the Red Sox, with the Yankees finishing just two games behind them. In the National League, the Braves will have to fight to repeat history. The best player in all of baseball that year was Stan Musial on the second place Cardinals, who also had arguably the best pitching performance that season by Harry Brecheen. There are also a few dark horse teams in each league capable of pulling off the upset.

For this replay, I will be conducting it as if I am in 1948 and do not have any future information. Rookies will have to prove themselves to earn playing time over veterans. Players in slumps may be pulled from the lineup whereas in real life they started. I don't know that the Yankees will go on to win five World Series in a row from 1949 to 1953, or that in 1950 they will beat the bottom tier Phillies after their youth movement pays off. Injuries will take out players only when they are rolled on the cards. Eddie Stanky may not miss nearly the entire second half of the season with a broken ankle, but maybe instead will miss multiple stretches of games through the season or even get the major injury early on.

To enhance my replay, for the first time I will be using computer players even though this is a cards and dice replay. I have copied the computer cards for every uncarded pitcher with 10 innings pitched and every uncarded batter with 30 at bats plus walks and added them to the cards offer by Glen Head. This total of 36 cards (28 pitchers and 8 batters) helps lead to a more complete season with only fringe players making very few appearances being missed out. Included in these three dozen players are men like Jim Konstanty, the 1950 NL MVP who allowed just one run in 10 innings of relief work at the end of the season for the Phillies, and Bobo Newsom, the journeyman who won over 200 games in his career and started four games for the Giants as part of the team's original starting rotation. Any uncarded player who did not meet these minimum amounts will instead be represented using one of the blank player cards offered by Strat-O-Matic.

Before we can get started, I am going to write up the typical recap of the previous season and then a preview for each team and what to look for in 1948.