This is an ongoing series of posts documenting my online baseball simulation team, the Northside G-Force, on their quest to win the 1969 GAPL Championship, along with the successes and struggles of my all-time favorite player, Bobby Murcer.
The 2nd place 6-3 G-Force take on the 5-4 River City Rhinos in a 3 game series. The Rhinos’ GM is Jerry C. and he is the Commissioner of the Great American Pastime League as well. He simulates all the games on his computer and sends out the respective box scores of all the games. The Rhinos have yet to win a GAPL championship.
GAME #1
The G-Force had a 5-4 lead with 2 outs and nobody on base for the Rhinos in the 9th inning when Matty Alou lifted a game ending flyball to Reggie Jackson in right field. Jackson dropped the ball for a 2 base error. Tony Perez made them pay with a 3 run home run, giving the Rhinos an 8-5 victory. Bobby Murcer ran his hitless streak to 25 at bats, and his throwing error in the 1st led to 2 unearned runs. Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit.
4/14/2013, Riv69-Nor69, Yankee Stadium
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP
1969 Rhinos 2 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 4 8 11 1 8 0
1969 G-Force 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 7 3 5 0
Rhinos AB R H BI AVG G-Force AB R H BI AVG
Alou M. lf 4 4 2 0 .295 Piniella lf 4 2 2 2 .227
Beckert 2b 5 1 2 1 .289 Murcer 3b 4 0 0 0 .095
Robinson,F rf 4 2 1 1 .282 Smith R. cf 4 1 2 0 .366
Perez T. 3b 4 1 2 5 .368 Jackson R. rf 4 1 2 3 .286
Reese 1b 4 0 1 0 .237 Oliver B. 1b 4 0 0 0 .083
Johnstone cf 5 0 3 0 .393 Helms ss 4 0 0 0 .282
Herrmann c 5 0 0 0 .000 Grzenda p 0 0 0 0 .000
Kekich p 0 0 0 0 .000 Aker p 0 0 0 0 .000
Patek ss 3 0 0 0 .162 Alomar 2b 3 0 0 0 .222
Pinson ph 1 0 0 0 .368 Johnson B. ph 1 0 1 0 .500
Hundley c 0 0 0 0 .143 Didier c 3 0 0 0 .300
Merritt p 1 0 0 0 .000 Drabowsky p 0 0 0 0 .000
Ray p 1 0 0 0 .000 Granger p 0 0 0 0 .000
Nettles ph 1 0 0 0 .143 Salmon ss 1 0 0 0 .222
Mikkelsen p 0 0 0 0 .000 Pizarro p 1 1 0 0 .000
McGraw p 0 0 0 0 .000 Thomas c 2 0 0 0 .333
Leon ph 1 0 0 0 .000 35 5 7 5
39 8 11 7
Rhinos INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA
Merritt 2.0 6 5 5 1 1 51 32 11.25
Ray 3.0 0 0 0 0 4 38 23 0.00
Mikkelsen 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 14 6 2.25
McGraw W 1-0 2.0 0 0 0 1 2 26 14 2.08
Kekich S 1 1.0 1 0 0 0 1 13 8 4.91
9.0 7 5 5 2 8 142 83
G-Force INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA
Pizarro 6.0 6 4 2 2 1 108 62 3.00
Drabowsky H 4 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 14 9 7.00
Granger BS 3, L 0-2 1.2 3 4 0 0 0 30 19 10.80
Grzenda 0.0 1 0 0 0 0 4 3 3.00
Aker 0.1 1 0 0 0 0 8 4 13.50
9.0 11 8 2 2 1 164 97
Riv: Nettles batted for Ray in the 6th
Pinson batted for Patek in the 9th
Leon batted for McGraw in the 9th
Hundley inserted at c in the 9th
Leon moved to ss in the 9th
Nor: Thomas inserted at c in the 7th
Salmon inserted at ss in the 9th
Johnson B. batted for Alomar in the 9th
E-Beckert, Murcer, Smith R., Jackson R.. 2B-Beckert(2), Johnstone 2(3).
HR-Perez T.(4), Piniella(1), Jackson R.(4). RBI-Beckert(3), Robinson,F(10),
Perez T. 5(11), Piniella 2(8), Jackson R. 3(13). K-Merritt, Piniella,
Murcer 2, Smith R., Jackson R., Oliver B., Thomas, Salmon. BB-Alou M., Reese,
Piniella, Pizarro. SF-Perez T.. HBP-Robinson,F. HB-Pizarro. WP-Pizarro.
GWRBI: Perez T.
Temperature: 46, Sky: clear, Wind: out to right at 16 MPH.
GAME #2
The G-Force took a 3-2 lead into the 8th inning, but the struggling Bobby Murcer, both offensively and defensively, threw away a groundball for his 2nd error of the game, allowing 2 unearned runs to score, and ultimately leading to a 5-3 G-Force loss. Murcer ran his hitless streak to 28 at bats. I know it’s a computer game, but do I give him a day off to get his digital head together? The Rhinos’ Denny McLain improved to 3-0 despite allowing 10 hits, none of which were by Bobby Murcer.
4/15/2013, Riv69-Nor69, Yankee Stadium
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP
1969 Rhinos 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 2 1 5 8 1 6 0
1969 G-Force 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 3 10 2 11 0
Rhinos AB R H BI AVG G-Force AB R H BI AVG
Pinson rf 5 0 2 1 .375 Piniella lf 5 0 1 0 .224
Johnstone cf 5 2 2 0 .394 Murcer 3b 3 1 0 0 .089
Robinson,F lf 4 2 2 2 .302 Smith R. cf 5 1 1 0 .348
Perez T. 3b 4 0 0 0 .333 Jackson R. rf 4 0 0 0 .256
Reese 1b 4 0 1 2 .238 Mincher 1b 5 1 4 3 .355
Herrmann c 4 0 1 0 .077 Helms ss 3 0 0 0 .262
Beckert 2b 3 1 0 0 .268 Salmon ph 1 0 0 0 .200
Leon ss 4 0 0 0 .000 Alomar 2b 4 0 2 0 .250
McLain p 3 0 0 0 .000 Rodriguez E. c 3 0 0 0 .190
Nettles ph 1 0 0 0 .125 Pagan ph 1 0 0 0 .250
Perranoski p 0 0 0 0 .000 Didier c 0 0 0 0 .300
37 5 8 5 Bunker p 2 0 0 0 .000
Thomas ph 1 0 1 0 .400
Grzenda p 0 0 0 0 .000
Granger p 0 0 0 0 .000
Johnson B. ph 1 0 1 0 .667
Drabowsky p 0 0 0 0 .000
Fingers p 0 0 0 0 .000
38 3 10 3
Rhinos INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA
McLain W 3-0 8.0 10 3 3 3 5 122 86 2.35
Perranoski S 3 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 19 13 0.00
9.0 10 3 3 3 6 141 99
G-Force INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA
Bunker 7.0 5 2 2 0 6 106 72 3.15
Grzenda L 1-1 0.0 1 2 0 0 0 8 6 3.00
Granger BS 4 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 12 6 9.00
Drabowsky 0.2 1 1 1 1 0 14 8 7.45
Fingers 0.1 0 0 0 0 0 4 3 0.00
9.0 8 5 3 1 6 144 95
Riv: Nettles batted for McLain in the 9th
Nor: Thomas batted for Bunker in the 7th
Salmon batted for Helms in the 7th
Salmon moved to ss in the 8th
Pagan batted for Rodriguez E. in the 8th
Johnson B. batted for Granger in the 8th
Didier inserted at c in the 9th
E-Beckert, Murcer 2. 2B-Pinson(2), Alomar(1). HR-Robinson,F(5), Mincher(1).
RBI-Pinson(1), Robinson,F 2(12), Reese 2(4), Mincher 3(5). SB-Alomar(1).
K-Perez T., Reese 2, Herrmann 2, McLain, Smith R., Jackson R. 3, Helms,
Salmon. BB-Beckert, Murcer 2, Jackson R..
GWRBI: Reese
Temperature: 47, Field: wet, Sky: threatening, Wind: right to left at 6 MPH.
GAME #3
Hurrah for the good guys. With 1 out in the bottom of the 9th, pinch hitter Chico Salmon singled to center, and scored the game winner when Jose Pagan bombed a triple off the center field wall. Bobby Murcer snapped an 0-29 slump with a 3rd inning double, while also playing error free ball at 3rd.
4/16/2013, Riv69-Nor69, Yankee Stadium
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP
1969 Rhinos 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 11 3 10 0
1969 G-Force 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 3 8 1 8 0
Rhinos AB R H BI AVG G-Force AB R H BI AVG
Alou M. lf 5 0 2 0 .306 Piniella lf 4 1 1 0 .226
Beckert 2b 5 0 2 0 .283 Murcer 3b 4 0 1 0 .102
Robinson,F rf 4 1 1 0 .298 Smith R. cf 3 0 1 1 .347
Perez T. 3b 4 0 0 0 .304 Jackson R. rf 4 0 1 0 .256
Reese 1b 3 0 1 0 .244 Oliver B. 1b 4 1 1 0 .125
Johnstone cf 4 1 3 0 .432 Helms ss 4 0 0 0 .239
Herrmann c 4 0 1 0 .118 Alomar 2b 3 0 0 1 .233
Patek ss 4 0 1 2 .171 Thomas ph 1 0 0 0 .364
John p 2 0 0 0 .000 Didier c 2 0 1 0 .333
Pinson ph 1 0 0 0 .360 Salmon ph 1 1 1 0 .273
May R. p 1 0 0 0 .000 Jackson G. p 3 0 0 0 .000
37 2 11 2 Grzenda p 0 0 0 0 .000
Pagan ph 1 0 1 1 .400
34 3 8 3
Rhinos INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA
John 6.0 5 2 0 2 4 101 60 4.86
May R. L 0-3 2.1 3 1 1 0 2 31 24 10.80
8.1 8 3 1 2 6 132 84
G-Force INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA
Jackson G. 7.2 9 2 1 2 3 115 72 2.66
Grzenda BS 1, W 2-1 1.1 2 0 0 0 0 10 10 2.45
9.0 11 2 1 2 3 125 82
Riv: Pinson batted for John in the 7th
Nor: Thomas batted for Alomar in the 9th
Salmon batted for Didier in the 9th
Pagan batted for Grzenda in the 9th
E-Alou M., Perez T., Reese, Alomar. 2B-Alou M.(4), Johnstone(4), Herrmann(1),
Murcer(1). 3B-Pagan(1). RBI-Patek 2(6), Smith R.(12), Alomar(4), Pagan(2).
CS-Beckert, Didier. K-Herrmann, Patek, Pinson, Piniella, Smith R.,
Jackson R., Jackson G. 3. BB-Robinson,F, Reese, Smith R., Didier.
GWRBI: Pagan
Temperature: 48, Sky: partly cloudy, Wind: left to right at 16 MPH.
The G-Force lose their 1st series of the season, thanks to some shoddy fielding and hitting from he that shall not be named. But at 7-5 we are tied for 2nd with 2 other teams just 1 game behind the Greenville Catfish. Next up, a 3 game series against the struggling but usually tough Walford Wallabies.
I need to make a roster move. Bobby Murcer is on pace for 90 errors at 3rd base. I can’t possibly win with that kind of defense. My only available move is to bench Lou Piniella and put Murcer in the outfield. Jose Pagan will take over at 3rd. Pagan doesn’t have enough abs to finish the season, and I lose Piniella’s bat, so I might need to make a trade.
Great American Pastime League
Year Team W L Pct GB L10 Strk
Julian Bailey Divis
1969 Greenville Catfish 8 4 .667 - 7-3 W3
1969 Minnesota Muskies 7 5 .583 1 5-5 L4
1969 Northside G-Force 7 5 .583 1 6-4 W1
1969 Mayan Knights 7 5 .583 1 6-4 W1
1969 River City Rhinos 6 6 .500 2 4-6 L1
1969 East Kenosha Lakers 6 6 .500 2 6-4 W2
1969 Walford Wallabies 4 8 .333 4 4-6 L1
1969 Brew City Barons 3 9 .250 5 2-8 L2
Larry Schilling Div
1969 Panama Mad Hatters 10 2 .833 - 8-2 W1
1969 Gotham City Ghosts 8 4 .667 2 7-3 W6
1969 San Francisco Gold Coast 6 6 .500 4 5-5 L1
1969 Crosstown Crackers 6 6 .500 4 6-4 L1
1969 Nashville River Cats 5 7 .417 5 5-5 W1
1969 Reservoir Dogs 5 7 .417 5 3-7 L1
1969 Wapwallopen Wolfpack 4 8 .333 6 3-7 W1
1969 Ottawa Senators 4 8 .333 6 3-7 L3
Meanwhile, freakin’ Panama may never lose again.
The Crackers will win that division again.