The Savoy Specials…Where is the lightning, Wonderboy?

Rabbit Ray Turns his attention to the National League West.

For those who have watched The Natural one too many times you’ll recognize the name “Savoy Special.” Batboy Bobby Savoy hands Roy Hobbs the Savoy Special bat after Roy splinters his bat in two with a long foul. The Savoy Special is then used to hit the climatic home run to end the film. Of course if you watch the film too carefully, you’ll notice that Roy actually still has his honed bat, Wonderboy with it’s visible lightning bolt, in his hands after hitting the homerun. The Savoy Special. Just an illusion. For a more boring interpretation of the name, Savoy Special was a beer in the 1930s.

What could work: Know thy park. The pitching staff has only two lefties, and they’re in the pen. That’s good since the Baker Bowl’s left field is only 340 feet from home with a four foot fence. All those batting left will need to clear a 35 to 47 foot fence in center and a 40 to 60 foot fence in right. No ball was ever hit over the centerfield clubhouse wall. The leadoff hitter will likely be third baseman John McGraw. He possessed the third-highest on-base percentage of all time. Once on, he’ll steal a base or two. He should finish the year with about 120 walks, 120 runs and half that number in steals. Mel Ott, Willie McCovey and Reggie Smith should do a good job bringing McGraw in. Once back in the dugout he can manage the team to victory. Ernie Lombardi, the recently titled “second” greatest hitting catcher ever and Brian Giles in left will also help. The starting rotation includes Smokey Joe Wood, who gave up just ten home runs in his CAREER, Kid Nichols, who won 30 games seven times, and Ed Walsh.

What could fail: Ott and McCovey are home run hitters but they’re both pull lefties and need to clear the 40 foot fences in right and center. Unlike their career numbers, they might hit more doubles than homeruns. Nothing wrong with a double, but that’s for hitters like Lajoie, Delahanty, and Wagner. Starting pitcher Ed Walsh once pitched five complete games and relieved twice in a span of ten days in 1908. That is the Herculean effort that will be needed on this squad. Four starters and five closers…in a designated hitter-less division.

Result: 74-88. John McGraw will be fun to watch. The pitching might be scary.

Editors Note: After week one, the Savoy Specials have abandoned the Baker Bowl and Moved to Tiger Stadium.