Rochester's Glory Years

This offseason Clay Davenport compiled historical EqA?s for the International League going back to Jackie Robinson?s debut year. EqA?s similar to wOBA ? a batting average like measure of overall offense. I poked through Rochester of the late 60?s and early 70?s on the position player side ? the talent there was amazing.

EQA?s and league ranks with 300 AB minimums

Rettenmund 1968 - .328 to lead league, runner up was .292

Crowley 1969 - .273 for only 5th in league

http://claydavenport.com/stats/webpages/1970/1970pageINTyearALL.shtml

Baylor 1970 - .305 to lead league, nipping teammate I?ve never heard of Roger Freed by .003. Red Wing newcomer Bobby Grich got 251 AB to miss qualifying, hitting merely .331. That fall, big club won 2nd World Series and these guys were stuck. I reckon both would be Top 50 prospects or higher, coming off age-21 seasons with that AAA performance. I imagine this like Gausman and Bundy being the AAA Cy Young and runner-up but not being able to get into next year?s rotation.

Grich 1971 - .321 to lead league by a whopping 23 points over runner-up slacker Don Baylor who was only .298. Tightening their hold on the top of prospect lists I guess.

Bumbry 1972 - .293 for 3rd, an old 25 that year, Bee was a Vietnam Vet.

DeCinces 1973 - .289 for 3rd, can?t say I?ve heard of Doug?s teammate Royle Stillman who went .306 also in his age-22 year

This offseason Clay Davenport compiled historical EqA?s for the International League going back to Jackie Robinson?s debut year. EqA?s similar to wOBA ? a batting average like measure of overall offense. I poked through Rochester of the late 60?s and early 70?s on the position player side ? the talent there was amazing.

EQA?s and league ranks with 300 AB minimums

Rettenmund 1968 - .328 to lead league, runner up was .292

Crowley 1969 - .273 for only 5th in league

http://claydavenport.com/stats/webpages/1970/1970pageINTyearALL.shtml

Baylor 1970 - .305 to lead league, nipping teammate I?ve never heard of Roger Freed by .003. Red Wing newcomer Bobby Grich got 251 AB to miss qualifying, hitting merely .331. That fall, big club won 2nd World Series and these guys were stuck. I reckon both would be Top 50 prospects or higher, coming off age-21 seasons with that AAA performance. I imagine this like Gausman and Bundy being the AAA Cy Young and runner-up but not being able to get into next year?s rotation.

Grich 1971 - .321 to lead league by a whopping 23 points over runner-up slacker Don Baylor who was only .298. Tightening their hold on the top of prospect lists I guess.

Bumbry 1972 - .293 for 3rd, an old 25 that year, Bee was a Vietnam Vet.

DeCinces 1973 - .289 for 3rd, can?t say I?ve heard of Doug?s teammate Royle Stillman who went .306 also in his age-22 year

Post more often.

Have a greenie.

Patrick (Oriole Fan From New York)

The whole reason I'm an Orioles fan is because my Dad was born in Rochester and followed the guys that made it to the big club. All the guys listed in the OP were all players I followed as a kid.

The whole reason I'm an Orioles fan is because my Dad was born in Rochester and followed the guys that made it to the big club. All the guys listed in the OP were all players I followed as a kid.

Must spread rep. Thanks for doing the legwork OrioleDog.

I grew up in Rochester following the O's and the Wings through that whole period. I probably started following in 1969. The Baylor/Grich combo was really something else.

Roger Freed was a big disappointment as a major leaguer, but it wasn't our problem, because we traded him after the 1970 season for Grant Jackson. He ended up as a 1.0 rWAR player who played 344 games in 8 seasons, while Jackson gave us 5.1 rWAR over 6 years in our bullpen. I remember Royle Stillman's name but I don't think he was as highly regarded as Freed. He was a throw-in by the Dodgers when we traded Frank Robinson to them. He only ended up playing 89 games in the majors.

The whole reason I'm an Orioles fan is because my Dad was born in Rochester and followed the guys that made it to the big club. All the guys listed in the OP were all players I followed as a kid.

I've heard that there is a pretty large contingent of those type of Oriole fans (fans from northwestern New York State that were geographically close to their long-time AAA-affiliate.)

From your experience, would you say that this is correct ???

I've heard that there is a pretty large contingent of those type of Oriole fans (fans from northwestern New York State that were geographically close to their long-time AAA-affiliate.)

From your experience, would you say that this is correct ???

Not really sure since I didn't grow up there my Dad did but he says he imagines things didn't change much. If you grew up in Rochester it was natural to pull for the guys that played in your hometown when they went to the big leagues.

It was the Cardinals for him when he was a kid and by the time they moved out west it was the O's. He taught me the game, I wasn't going against pops. Besides, the first WS I can remember watching was in 1970 and I was hooked.

I've heard that there is a pretty large contingent of those type of Oriole fans (fans from northwestern New York State that were geographically close to their long-time AAA-affiliate.)

From your experience, would you say that this is correct ???

Yes... and I am one as well.

I've heard that there is a pretty large contingent of those type of Oriole fans (fans from northwestern New York State that were geographically close to their long-time AAA-affiliate.)

From your experience, would you say that this is correct ???

Yes. I grew up near Rochester and their connection to the Orioles is why my family and I are fans. I know a lot of Orioles players were never thrilled with traveling there to play exhibition games against the Red Wings, and now that I'm older and realize the importance of off days I understand why. However being young and seeing the Orioles teams of the 90's all I know is it was very much appreciated they made the trip and it was magical.

I've always loved baseball and the Orioles but became slightly obsessed after high school. Unfortunately this was right around the time the AAA affiliation switched to Ottawa and it completely broke my heart and still does. I still go to Buffalo and Rochester when the Tides are in town and there is most definitely an Orioles fan contingent in Rochester. It was packed the night Cal went into the Red Wings Hall of Fame and I got this autograph. Needless to say it was one of the most exciting moments of my life.

Another Western New York Orioles fan here. I went to the Rochester exhibition game in 84 after the team had won the World Series. I was 8. For better or worse, I became a lifelong O's fan.

It is really a shame the Rochester affiliation ended. I know Norfolk is geographically more appropriate, but Rochester really did create an entire O's fanbase in a different area of the country that is now slowly being infested by MFY and Sux fans. There are still a fair amount of Orioles fans here but they are aging.

o

Tomorrow is Royle Stillman's birthday.

Earl Weaver mentions in his book Weaver on Strategy that when the rosters expanded in September he would put Stillman at the top of the batting order and list him as shortstop and after he had his at bat he would pull him from the game and put Mark Belanger in at shortstop. Looking at Stillman's offensive numbers in 1975 he was .429/.467/.429 with an OPS of .829 in 13 games played. The following year his numbers dropped like a rock. In 20 games he was .091/.200/.091 with an OPS of .291.

o

Happy birthday, Bobby Grich.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO