Comments on: Phillies Pitchers: 1918-1948 http://www.baseball-reference.com/blog/archives/408 This and that about baseball stats. Fri, 11 Nov 2011 16:57:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: jackfish http://www.baseball-reference.com/blog/archives/408/comment-page-1#comment-2065 jackfish Wed, 07 Nov 2007 14:46:17 +0000 http://www.baseball-reference.com/sotd/archives/408#comment-2065 The Phillies pitching staff was so torrid between 1918-48 that they had the highest ERA in the National League in 26 seasons over that 31 year span. In fact, five times between 1923-30 their EAR was more than a full run higher than the team with the next highest ERA. They also had the highest ERA in 17 consecutive seasons between 1918-34. And the main reason that streak ended as early as it did was the Boston Braves were in such disarray in 1935 that they managed to win only 38 games in 1935, an all time low for the 20th century. If not for that horrendous Boston team the Phillies streak would have lasted nearly another decade. Jack The Phillies pitching staff was so torrid between 1918-48 that they had the highest ERA in the National League in 26 seasons over that 31 year span. In fact, five times between 1923-30 their EAR was more than a full run higher than the team with the next highest ERA. They also had the highest ERA in 17 consecutive seasons between 1918-34. And the main reason that streak ended as early as it did was the Boston Braves were in such disarray in 1935 that they managed to win only 38 games in 1935, an all time low for the 20th century. If not for that horrendous Boston team the Phillies streak would have lasted nearly another decade.

Jack

]]> By: Andy http://www.baseball-reference.com/blog/archives/408/comment-page-1#comment-2061 Andy Wed, 07 Nov 2007 01:06:33 +0000 http://www.baseball-reference.com/sotd/archives/408#comment-2061 It's really amazing to me how poor the Phillies franchise has been. I'm someone who has followed them closely for 20 years or so, and they have made more than the average number of mistakes in drafting, trades, and free-agent signings. I've also felt they've made some key mistakes with personnel, including ever having Ed Wade as GM (sorry Astros fans) and having guys like Nick Leyva as manager. The Devil Rays remind me of the Phillies in many ways. It seems they just make so many mistakes, time after time, with decisions from the top to the bottom of the organization. The importance of good organizational decisions is really apparent in the NFL, where all teams spend the same on players due to the salary cap. The places where teams CAN spend extra money are on scouting, coaches, facilities, etc. The Patriots spend a lot more than the NFL average on all these other things, which is probably the biggest reason why they are so successful. (Insert "videogate" joke here, I guess...but I don't think videotape explains what Tom Brady, Randy Moss, and Wes Welker are doing this year.) It's really amazing to me how poor the Phillies franchise has been. I'm someone who has followed them closely for 20 years or so, and they have made more than the average number of mistakes in drafting, trades, and free-agent signings. I've also felt they've made some key mistakes with personnel, including ever having Ed Wade as GM (sorry Astros fans) and having guys like Nick Leyva as manager.

The Devil Rays remind me of the Phillies in many ways. It seems they just make so many mistakes, time after time, with decisions from the top to the bottom of the organization.

The importance of good organizational decisions is really apparent in the NFL, where all teams spend the same on players due to the salary cap. The places where teams CAN spend extra money are on scouting, coaches, facilities, etc. The Patriots spend a lot more than the NFL average on all these other things, which is probably the biggest reason why they are so successful. (Insert "videogate" joke here, I guess...but I don't think videotape explains what Tom Brady, Randy Moss, and Wes Welker are doing this year.)

]]> By: Chris J. http://www.baseball-reference.com/blog/archives/408/comment-page-1#comment-2059 Chris J. Tue, 06 Nov 2007 21:19:54 +0000 http://www.baseball-reference.com/sotd/archives/408#comment-2059 King Turtle, The only one I know of is "Occassional Glory," a history of the entire Phillie Phrancise. You do remind me, though, I've always intended to do a column about this 31 year hell period for The Hardball Times . . . . Fun fact: if you take the Phillies' best April, best May, best June, best July, best Aug, & best Sept/Oct from that period together . . . you'd have a 91-63 team. Or a 93-61 team. I forget exactly. That's still not good enough to win most pennants in those years. King Turtle,

The only one I know of is "Occassional Glory," a history of the entire Phillie Phrancise.

You do remind me, though, I've always intended to do a column about this 31 year hell period for The Hardball Times . . . .

Fun fact: if you take the Phillies' best April, best May, best June, best July, best Aug, & best Sept/Oct from that period together . . . you'd have a 91-63 team. Or a 93-61 team. I forget exactly. That's still not good enough to win most pennants in those years.

]]> By: kingturtle http://www.baseball-reference.com/blog/archives/408/comment-page-1#comment-2058 kingturtle Tue, 06 Nov 2007 21:16:29 +0000 http://www.baseball-reference.com/sotd/archives/408#comment-2058 Chris, the data you've put together is fascinating. Are there any books on this era of Phillies ball? Or does one need to be written? -KT Chris, the data you've put together is fascinating. Are there any books on this era of Phillies ball? Or does one need to be written? -KT

]]> By: kingturtle http://www.baseball-reference.com/blog/archives/408/comment-page-1#comment-2053 kingturtle Tue, 06 Nov 2007 17:11:56 +0000 http://www.baseball-reference.com/sotd/archives/408#comment-2053 Egads! In 21 of those 31 seasons the Phillies won 40% of their games or less - including seven seasons in a row (1936 to 1942). During that span they went through 16 managerial changes. Here are their efforts in futility: 0. Pat Moran: 55-68, .447 1. Jack Coombs: 18-44, .290 2. Gavvy Cravath: 91-137, .399 3. Bill Donovan: 25-62, .287 4. Kaiser Wilhelm: 83-137, .377 5. Art Fletcher: 231-378, .379 (4 seasons) 6. Stuffy McGinnis: 51-103, .331 7. Burt Shotton: 370-549, .403 (6 seasons, one being their 1932 .506 4th place finish; Shotton later managed the Dodgers to their 1947 and 1949 pennants). 8. Jimmie Wilson: 280-477, .370 (2 games short of 5 seasons, mostly as a player manager) 9. Hans Lobert: 0-2, .000 (the last two games of Wilson's 5th season) 10. Doc Prothro: 138-320, .301 (three 100 game loss seasons in a row) 11. Hans Lobert (again): 42-109, .278 12. Bucky Harris: 38-52, .422 (the first part of the 1943 season. Harris had previously (at age 27!) led as a player/manager the Senators to the 1924 World Series victory, following it up with a 1925 AL pennant; and he would later lead the 1947 Yankees to a World Series victory over Burt Shotton's Dodgers) 13. Freddie Fitzsimmons: 105-181, .367 14. Ben Chapman: 196-276, .415 15. Dusty Cook: 6-6, .500 16. Eddie Sawyer: 23-40, .365 (the end of a season) (Sawyer went 81-73 with the Phillies the next season for 3rd place, and 91-63 the season after that for the pennant. Go Whiz Kids!). It would be another 20-some years for Danny Ozark to take the helm. Egads! In 21 of those 31 seasons the Phillies won 40% of their games or less - including seven seasons in a row (1936 to 1942).

During that span they went through 16 managerial changes. Here are their efforts in futility:

0. Pat Moran: 55-68, .447
1. Jack Coombs: 18-44, .290
2. Gavvy Cravath: 91-137, .399
3. Bill Donovan: 25-62, .287
4. Kaiser Wilhelm: 83-137, .377
5. Art Fletcher: 231-378, .379 (4 seasons)
6. Stuffy McGinnis: 51-103, .331
7. Burt Shotton: 370-549, .403 (6 seasons, one being their 1932 .506 4th place finish; Shotton later managed the Dodgers to their 1947 and 1949 pennants).
8. Jimmie Wilson: 280-477, .370 (2 games short of 5 seasons, mostly as a player manager)
9. Hans Lobert: 0-2, .000 (the last two games of Wilson's 5th season)
10. Doc Prothro: 138-320, .301 (three 100 game loss seasons in a row)
11. Hans Lobert (again): 42-109, .278
12. Bucky Harris: 38-52, .422 (the first part of the 1943 season. Harris had previously (at age 27!) led as a player/manager the Senators to the 1924 World Series victory, following it up with a 1925 AL pennant; and he would later lead the 1947 Yankees to a World Series victory over Burt Shotton's Dodgers)
13. Freddie Fitzsimmons: 105-181, .367
14. Ben Chapman: 196-276, .415
15. Dusty Cook: 6-6, .500
16. Eddie Sawyer: 23-40, .365 (the end of a season) (Sawyer went 81-73 with the Phillies the next season for 3rd place, and 91-63 the season after that for the pennant. Go Whiz Kids!).

It would be another 20-some years for Danny Ozark to take the helm.

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