BASEBALL MONTHLY
March 1887
Chicago Determined to Bounce Back in '87
The Chicago White Stockings must have felt like the new spring and baseball season would never get here. The team which has won the National League pennant 7 times suffered through its worst season and finished 20 games behind first place Brooklyn. Few fans in Chicago care to hear of excuses such as injury or youth, everyone from Madison to Lake Shore Drive expect the Whites to turn things around in 1887.
The team was not inactive in the offseason and made front office moves in hopes of producing their old form. The team made a big trade to get a starting pitcher in October parting ways with Fred Goldsmith and Jim McTamany to Detroit for starter Pete Conway. This mobve became more important as Chicago did not renew the contract of starter Stump Wiedman, who has suffered from numerous injuries and was still recovering from shoulder problems as the new season dawned. Thirty eight year old Candy Cummings was also allowed to go, Cummings was traded to New York for 30 year old outfielder Dave Foutz who is a .241 career hitter.
The big move however came on the free agent front as the Whites spent the money to bring in a power bat to their lineup. Left fielder George "Dandy" Wood joins Chicago after 11 seasons in the league, six of them in Detroit. Wood got a very large contract rumored to be among the top five in the league and the hope is that the 28 year old Wood can bring much needed pop and suppport to King Kelly and the Chicago offense. Wood is a .270 career hitter and has hit 13 home runs while driving in 328 runs in his career. Wood bats from the left side and will patrol left field while batting in the middle of the order. The full return of Billy Sunday and Fred Dunlap should give the offense the balance it needs.
Dandy Wood
Finally the team wasted no time this off season in showing team trainer Gabe Carpenter the door. Carpenter was blamed for much of the misery the team suffered on the injury front, he was said to be less then comforting to the players in their rehabilitation and lacked a conditioning program for the team in general. New head trainer Salvador Moya takes the helm and much is expected from the Texas native. The team needs to be healthy to compete.
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Scouting Report Top Players of 1887
Scouts across the nation compiled a report of the top players in the game of baseball going into the new year, the top five hitters and batter were as follows:
Top batters:
Dan BrouthersDan Brouthers- Brooklyn Grays 1B 28 years old
King Kelly - Chicago White Stockings C 29 years old
Sam Thompson - Washington Nationals RF 22 years old
Tip O'Neill - Philadelphia A's LF 28 years old
Mike Griffin - Boston Americans CF 22 years old
Top pitchers
George Geggus Charlie Geggus - Washington Nationals 24 years old
Bob Black - Boston Americans 24 years old
Ed Dugan - Cincinnati Reds 22 years old
Charlie Ferguson - Pittsburgh Alleghanys 23 years old
Alex Voss - Detroit Wolverines 28 years old
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League Notes
As expected the league took measures to try and curtail the excessive home runs hit last season. League officials met in the offseason owners meeting and set minimum requirements and ground rules for all profesional ball parks. Each line needs to be at least 300 feet which will make the easy home runs a thing of the past. Many teams and stadiums have made offseason adjustments to fall under league regulations as to make them playable.
Al Spalding may have reached the end of the road. Spalding while pitching for the Grays ruptured a ligament in his throwing arm and will miss the entire season. Spalding had a comeback season last year but at his age, it will be very difficult for him to make a full recovery. Spalding is said to be contimplating retirement say those closest to him.