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1966 Deluxe Past Season with transaction and lineups available now!

The 1966 Major League Baseball Season:

The Baby Birds Soar Eight Miles High

by Steve Ehresman

When The Byrds debuted their smash single “Eight Miles High” in March 1966, the Baltimore Orioles, aka The Baby Birds, were a young, aspiring pennant contender, who had finished third in the American League the previous season, behind the champion Minnesota Twins and the runner-up Chicago White Sox. By the end of the World Series in October, the Orioles reigned supreme, sweeping the Los Angles Dodgers in a four-game upset and setting the stage for the greatest era in Baltimore baseball.

Needing a power bat to bolster their line-up, the Orioles traded the star of their starting rotation, Milt Pappas, to the Cincinnati Red for a thirty-year-old outfielder supposedly in decline, Frank Robinson. This trade turned out to be one of the most lopsided in Major League history, as erstwhile ace Milt Pappas struggled (12-11 4. 29 ERA) and American League MVP Frank Robson sizzled (.316, 49 HR, 122 RB), becoming the first player to win an MVP award in both leagues.
Frank Robinson was not a one-man wrecking crew for the Orioles, as first sacker Boog Powell (34 HR, 109 RBI), slick-fielding hot corner man Brooks Robinson (23 HR, 100 RBI), and sophomore slugger Curt Blefary (23 HR, 64 RBI) combined to give Baltimore a formidable offense.

On the mound, The Baby Birds were led by Jim Palmer (15-10, 3.46) and Dave McNally (13-6, 3.17), but both Steve Barber and Wally Bunker missed parts of the season with bad arms. To compensate, the Orioles relied on a lockdown relief corps, led by Stu Miller, who appeared in 51 games, recording 18 saves, and Eddie Fisher, who appeared in 44 games, recording 13 saves, after he was acquired from the Chicago White Sox.

In the National League, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the defending World Series champions, road to the pennant, thanks to Sandy Koufax’s Cy Young Award season. Whereas the Orioles crushed their competition in the American League, coasting to victory by 9 games over the runner-up Minnesota Twins, the Dodgers did not win the pennant until the final day, slipping past the San Francisco Giants and the Pittsburgh Pirates by razor-thin margins of 1.5 and 3 games, respectively.

Although Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale staged a joint holdout during spring training, when the season began, Koufax was superlative (27-9, 41 GS, 27 CG, 323 IP, 317 K, 1.73). Koufax chalked up these staggering numbers with an arthritic pitching arm. At only 30 years old, he retired after the season. Drysdale, on the other hand, was mediocre by his standards (13-16, 3.42). Taking up the slack on the mound were Claude Osteen (17-14, 2.85), youngster Don Sutton (12-12, 2.99), and relief ace Phil “The Vulture” Regan (65 games, 21 SV, 14-1, 1.62).

Beyond these noteworthy performances, the 1966 National League featured MVP Roberto Clemente (.317, 29 HR, 119 RBI); his Pittsburgh teammate, batting champ Matty Alou (.342); home run and RBI leader Hank Aaron (44 HR, 127 RBI); his Atlanta teammate, Joe Torre (36 HR, 101 RB); stolen base whiz Lou Brock (74 SB); and an impressive array of offensive threats: Willie Mays (37 HR, 103 RB), Willie McCovey (36 HR, 96 RBI), Jim Ray Hart (33 HR, 93 RBI), Willie Stargell (33 HR, 102 RBI), Dick Allen (40 HR, 110 RBI), and Ron Santo (30 HR, 94 RBI).

In addition to the unrivaled excellence of Sandy Koufax, the Senior Circuit boasted four 20-game winners: Juan Marichal (25-6, 2.23); his Giant teammate, Gaylord Perry (2-18, 2.99); Chris Short (20-10, 3.54); and Bob Gibson (21-12, 2.44). Although they did not win 20 games, Jim Bunning (19-14, 2.41) and Jim Maloney (16-8, 216 K, 2.80) enjoyed fine seasons.

Over in the American League, Harmon Killebrew (39 HR, 110 RBI, .281); his Minnesota teammate Tony Oliva (25 HR, 87 RBI); Norm Cash (32 HR, 93 RBI); his Detroit teammates Al Kaline (29 HR, 88 RBI) and Willie Horton (27 HR, 100 RBI); Rookie of the Year Tommie Agee (22 HR, 86 RBI, 44 SB), Rocky Colavito (30 HR, 72 RBI), Tony Conigliaro (28 HR, 93 RBI), and stolen base leader Bert Campaneris (52 SB) all put impressive offensive numbers on the board.

On the mound, the American League featured two 20-game winners: Jim Kaat (25-13, 41 GS, 19 CG, 305 IP, 2.74) and Denny McLain (20-14). Two other Junior Circuit hurlers contributed greatly in 1966: Gary Peters (1.98) and Sam McDowell (225 K), despite McDowell’s missing some starts with a sore arm.

In the year when The Beatles released “Revolver,” Julie Andrews celebrated “the sound of music,” “Batman” featured 85 different bat-fight words, “Star Trek” vowed “to boldly go where no man has gone before,” and the Grinch “stole Christmas,” Major League Baseball was experiencing the ebb and flow of history. In 1966, as baseball neared its Centennial season, as iconic stars aged and perennial dynasties passed into history, our National Pastime would face the uncertain years that lay ahead and pass its legacy to a new decade and, ultimately, to a new generation of fans.

The 1966 Deluxe Past Season database contains everything you need to play games using teams and players from the 1966 season -- a full set of ratings and statistics for every player who appeared in the big leagues that year, plus team rosters, manager profiles, ballpark ratings and league schedules. Statistics include official batting, pitching and fielding totals with left/right splits for all batters and pitchers.

Also included is a complete set of real-life player transactions -- trades, disabled list moves, promotions, demotions, suspensions, and more -- plus the actual starting lineups for every regular season game played.

If you are a registered owner of the 1966 Classic Past Season, you are eligible for upgrade pricing for this item. Send an email to dmb_info@imaginesports.com to request your discount promotion code.

Note: This season database is a companion product for the Diamond Mind Baseball version 11 game. To use this database, you must also have Diamond Mind Baseball version 11. The game software provides you with all of the tools you need to play simulated games, make roster moves, produce dozens of statistical reports, generate league schedules, and more.

2018 Projection Season - ZiPS Available Now!

The 2018 Projection Season database includes projected statistics and ratings for over 2500 players generated using Dan Szymborski's ZiPS (sZymborski Projection System) projection system, including many top prospects; the 2018 MLB schedule; opening day rosters; and manager profiles set up with pitching rotations, batting lineups, and depth charts representing our assessment of how the players are expected to be used during the 2018 season.

At mid-season, we will update the player projections to reflect performance in the season to that point and projected through the remainder of the season.  At the end of the season, we update them again for the playoff teams.

The 2018 Projection Season database is available for order in the Diamond Mind online store now. The price is $29.95 and includes the initial Opening Day release, the mid-season update, and the playoff database when they become available.

Note: This season database is a companion product for the Diamond Mind Baseball version 11 game. To use this database, you must also have Diamond Mind Baseball version 11. The game software provides you with all of the tools you need to play simulated games, make roster moves, produce dozens of statistical reports, generate league schedules, and more.

1920 Classic Past Season with transactions and lineups available now!

1920:  Transition, Tragedy, and the Big Bam Theory

by Steve Ehresman

 In 1920, Major League Baseball introduced the so-called “rabbit ball; the Cleveland Indians struggled to overcome the death of their star shortstop Ray Chapman; and the New York Yankees launched an experiment that arguably gave birth to modern baseball.  Having obtained star left-handed pitcher and part-time outfielder Babe Ruth from the financially-strapped Boston Red Sox, the Yankees installed the 6’ 2” 215 pound 1919 home run champion (29 bombs) in their outfield full time, and the rest, as the saying goes, was history.  All the Babe did for his new team was slug 54 home runs, score 156 runs, drive in 137 more, and bat .378, an offensive outburst unprecedented in the annals of early twentieth century baseball.  The Dead Ball Era was over, and the Roaring Twenties had begun. 

The American League of 1920 featured a tight pennant race between the eventual champion Cleveland Indians, the tainted Chicago White Sox, and the hard-charging New York Yankees.  Despite the untimely death of shortstop Ray Chapman, the Indians slipped into the World Series, where they defeated the National League’s representative, the Brooklyn Dodgers, led by star outfielder Zack Wheat and spit-baller Burleigh Grimes.

The 1920 baseball season featured a cast of stars seldom seen in the history of our National Pastime.  In the Junior Circuit, Tris Speaker of the Cleveland Indians, “Shoeless Joe” Jackson and Eddie Collins of the Chicago White Sox, George Sisler of the St. Louis Browns,  and Ty Cobb of the Detroit Tigers provided plenty of offensive fireworks to keep the cranks buzzing.  Over in the less explosive Senior Circuit, the aggressive play of Frankie Frisch of the New York Giants, Ed Roush of the Cincinnati Reds, and Rogers Hornsby of the St. Louis Cardinals helped to make the turnstiles click. 

Superb pitching performances were very much in order in 1920, as ten pitchers recorded 20 or more victories in the American League, while seven hit this magic figure in the National League.  Among these ace hurlers were Jim Bagby of the Cleveland Indians (31-12) and Pete Alexander (27-14) of the Chicago Cubs.

Diamond Mind is proud to introduce our brand-new 1920 baseball season, taking you back to a time when legendary players were shaping the National Game, taking it in a whole new direction.  With our 1920 season, DMB gives you the opportunity to re-live this bygone era and recreate New York’s Big Bam Theory for yourself.         

The 1920 Classic Past Season database contains everything you need to play games using teams and players from the 1920 season -- a full set of ratings and statistics for every player who appeared in the big leagues that year, plus team rosters, manager profiles, ballpark ratings and league schedules. Statistics include official batting, pitching and fielding totals for all batters and pitchers.

Also included is a complete set of real-life player transactions -- trades, disabled list moves, promotions, demotions, suspensions, and more -- plus the actual starting lineups for every regular season game played.

Note: This season database is a companion product for the Diamond Mind Baseball version 11 game. To use this database, you must also have Diamond Mind Baseball version 11. The game software provides you with all of the tools you need to play simulated games, make roster moves, produce dozens of statistical reports, generate league schedules, and more.

1950 Deluxe Past Season with transaction and lineups available now!

1950: Baseball Enters a New Era

by Steve Ehresman

When the 1950s dawned, our nation was on the cusp of dramatic changes in life-style, popular culture, sporting events, and world affairs--all of which would lay the foundation for the world we live in today.  The Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944 (the G.I. Bill) had helped to create a post-World War II era in which more Americans could enjoy a standard of living undreamt of in the 1930s and 1940s. Big gas-guzzling cars, suburban houses, consumer goods, and—of course—babies were booming, as Americans felt confident that the future held nothing but peace and prosperity.

The 1950s were characterized by burgeoning industry, increased take-home pay, and a national mania to own the best gadgets our new-found expendable income could buy.  Television signals could reach almost anywhere in America, creating a shared national experience.  Celebrities such as Bob Hope made appearances on television, thus adding luster to America’s latest entertainment medium.  Soon, sporting events would follow, with Bobby Thompson’s “Shot Heard ‘round the World” becoming the first coast-to-coast television broadcast of a baseball game on October 3, 1951.

In addition to the rise of television, 1950 was the year Charles Schultz published a new comic strip in nine newspapers, introducing America to Charlie Brown in “Li’l Folks” (later “Peanuts”).  Rogers and Hammerstein lit up “The Great White Way” of Broadway, winning the Pulitzer Prize for “South Pacific.”  Building on the success of “Snow White” and “Pinocchio,” Walt Disney debuted another animated feature-length film, “Cinderella.”

Although their impact was still in the future, professional football and basketball had begun jostling for positions in America’s sporting universe.  The National-American Football League decided to shorten its somewhat unwieldy moniker to the more manageable National Football League (NFL).  Thanks to rule changes implemented in January, the NFL opened the way for the 2-platoon system.  Chuck Cooper (the man who integrated professional basketball), Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton, and Earl Lloyd became the first black players in the National Basketball Association.

In the face of this all-American optimism, ominous forces were stirring in the world, setting the stage for conflicts that still resonate in the American consciousness.  Despite grave misgivings by no less a personage than Albert Einstein, President Harry Truman supported development of the hydrogen bomb.  The Israeli Knesset decided that Jerusalem was the capital of the newly-formed State of Israel.  Senator Joseph McCarthy claimed to have a list of 205 communist government employees.  Vietnamese forces led by Ho Chi Minh threatened peace in Southeast Asia.  And, the United States committed combat troops to Korea, as Curt Simmons (17-8, 214.2 innings, 3.40), ace left-hander for the Philadelphia Phillies, was called to active military service in September 1950.

In the volatile world of 1950, baseball promised its own innovations and surprises.  Jackie Robinson signed the highest contract in Brooklyn Dodger history (a whopping $35,000).  On April 18, the first opening night game was played, with the St. Louis Cardinals downing the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-2.  Also on April 18, Sam Jethro (18 home runs, 35 SB, .273), the National League Rookie of the Year, became the first black ball player for the Boston Braves, and the New York Yankees roared from behind, overcoming a 9-0 deficit in the sixth inning, to defeat the Boston Red Sox 15-10, presaging a year of good old-fashioned slugging in the major leagues.

To use an anachronistic term, batters in 1950 simply “raked.”  Billy Goodman of the Boston Red Sox led the American League with a batting average of .354, while Stan “The Man” Musial of the St. Louis Cardinals (41 2B, 28 HR, .346 BA, .596 SLG) paced the National League.  George Kell of the Detroit Tigers compiled the best season of his Hall of Fame career, batting .340 with 218 hits and 56 doubles.

Al Rosen of the Cleveland Indians paced the Junior Circuit with 37 homers, while American League Rookie of the Year Walt Dropo slammed 34 long balls on his way to a .322 average and a league-leading 144 RBI to tie Vern Stephens of the Boston Red Sox.  Over in the National League, Ralph Kiner launched 47 home runs, while Del Ennis of the surprising “Whiz Kid” Philadelphia Phillies accumulated 126 RBI. 

Nevertheless, the 1950 American League season belonged to the Yankees beloved Phil Rizzuto, “The Scooter.”  Outpacing a host of sluggers, including teammate Joe DiMaggio (32 home runs, .301 BA, 122 RBI, .585 SLG), Rizzuto made 735 plate appearances, batted .324, and played a nearly flawless shortstop.

Rizzuto’s MVP counter-part in the National League did not slam long balls.  Rather Jim Konstanty of the Philadelphia closed out games for the pennant-winners.  Combining with Robin Roberts (20-11, 39 starts, 304.1 IP, 21 CG, 5 SHO), Konstanty appeared in a record 74 games, finished 62, saved 22, and posted a sparkling 2.66 ERA in 152 innings, setting the Phillies up to clinch the pennant over the Brooklyn Dodgers on October 1 at Ebbets Field, thanks to a tenth inning 3-run home run by Philadelphia outfielder Dick Sisler.  Konstanty’s year brought national attention to the value of relief pitchers to deliver pennants to their teams.

Although the 1950 Philadelphia Phillies were swept 4-0 in the World Series by the powerful New York Yankees, the grit shown by this version of “The Fightin’ Phils” belongs on the short list of Cinderella teams who made baseball history.

The 1950 baseball season was characterized by superb individual performances.  On the mound, Bob Lemon (23-11, 37 starts, 22 CG, 288 IP) and Early Wynn (18-8, 213.2 IP, 3.20) of the Cleveland Indians, as well as Warren Spahn (21-17, 39 starts, 25 CG, 3.16) of the Boston Braves, added superlatives to their Hall of Fame careers.  At the plate, Larry Doby (25 home runs, .326 BA, .442 OBP) of the Cleveland Indians, Andy Pafko (36 home runs, .304 BA, .591 SLG) of the Chicago Cubs, and Yogi Berra (28 home runs, .322 BA, 124 RBI, .533 SLG) of the New York Yankees supplied fire-power for their respective teams.

This list would not be complete without Ned Garver, toiling in near anonymity with the hapless St. Louis Browns.  Garver (31 GS, 22 CG, 260 IP, 3.39) deserves more than a footnote when one remembers the stars of 1950.

In the new decade, three baseball teams--the Brooklyn Dodgers, the New York Giants, and the New York Yankees--would make New York “The Capital of Baseball.”  For years, their exploits would be celebrated, and the names of their players would read like a “Who’s Who” of Olympians:  Roy Campanella, Gil Hodges, Pee Wee Reese, Jackie Robinson, and Duke Snider of the Dodgers; Al Dark, Monte Irvin, Sal Maglie, Eddie Stanky, and Bobby Thompson of the Giants; Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio, Whitey Ford, Vic Raschi, and Phil Rizzuto of the Yankees.  If the 1950s started great for baseball, it would only get better when a young slugger from Spavinaw, Oklahoma and a Negro League star from Westfield, Alabama arrived in 1951 to elevate our national game to even greater heights.

For Major League Baseball and its millions of fans, the 1950 season supplied countless thrills and indelible memories.  It showcased peak seasons by players who have long been forgotten.  It highlighted all-star performances by players whose stars have only grown brighter as the years have passed.

As Roger Kahn says in The Era, the 1950s were “the most exciting time for baseball.  You should have been there.”  Now, with Diamond Mind’s updated 1950 season, you CAN be there to celebrate one of the greatest seasons and one of the greatest eras in the annals of our national pastime.

The 1950 Deluxe Past Season database contains everything you need to play games using teams and players from the 1950 season -- a full set of ratings and statistics for every player who appeared in the big leagues that year, plus team rosters, manager profiles, ballpark ratings and league schedules. Statistics include official batting, pitching and fielding totals with left/right splits for all batters and pitchers.

Also included is a complete set of real-life player transactions -- trades, disabled list moves, promotions, demotions, suspensions, and more -- plus the actual starting lineups for every regular season game played.

If you are a registered owner of the 1950 Classic Past Season, you are eligible for upgrade pricing for this item. Send an email to dmb_info@imaginesports.com to request your discount promotion code.

Note: This season database is a companion product for the Diamond Mind Baseball version 11 game. To use this database, you must also have Diamond Mind Baseball version 11. The game software provides you with all of the tools you need to play simulated games, make roster moves, produce dozens of statistical reports, generate league schedules, and more.

2017 Season Database Update

Ratings
J.D. Martinez (Comb)    RF:  Av -> Fr
Jake Smolinski (Oak)    LF:  Vg -> No rating


Transactions
Micah Johnson (Atl)     DL:      4/4/2017 -> 4/3/2017
Sean Rodriguez (Atl)    DL:      4/4/2017 -> 4/3/2017
Daniel Winkler (Atl)    DL:      4/4/2017 -> 4/3/2017