Working on some research for another piece, I came across LH Steve Carlton’s career.  His 1972 season was amazing, one of the top ever by a pitcher.

W   L  GS  CG   IP      H      R   ER    BB   SO    ERA   

27 10  41   30  346.3  257   84   76    87   310   1.97   

Steve produced career highs of wins, games started, complete games, shutouts, innings pitched, strikeouts, and lowest ERA.   What is remarkable is he accomplished all of this on a team that went 59-97, the lowest win total of any team Steve was on in his 24-year career. 

Peace, E Maj

bbheckler@yahoo.com

1)Detroit, even after a 3-game losing streak, has the best record in the Majors.

2)Toronto, even w/some injuries, is holding strong at 29-22.  Their thus far cohesive play has surprised this writer.  On watch.

3)No team in the NL West has a losing record.  This, after a 2005 in which San Diego had to win 5 of their last 6(82-80)to be the only team in that division with a winning record.

4)I reiterate the unanswered question: how can there be 6 teams in the NL Central and only 4 in the AL West?

5)Perennial losers Pittsburgh, Seattle, Kansas City are holding true to form.  The aforementioned Detroit Tigers(35-17), and the Colorado Rockies(27-25) are bucking that trend. 

6)The Washington Nationals(20-31) are looking like their Montreal Expos roots.

7)The Cubs?  20-31.  Will probably have an uptick w/Lee, Prior, Wood, Miller coming back.  Good enough for 79-82 wins, a Dusty extension, and 3 more years of baseball purgatory.

Peace, E Maj

reach me at bbheckler@yahoo.com