1909 American League Rookies
Fred Anderson, SP, Age 23, Red Sox
Anderson is a talented pitcher who should find a spot in the already talented Red Sox rotation. The real question is, who will he displace? Overall, the rotation performed very well last season. The most likely person to move to the bullpen to make room for Anderson is
Nick Altrock (13-12, 3.52 ERA), who turns 30 in September. Although, Altrock did win 21 games two seasons ago while posting an impressive 2.58 ERA. Despite going 19-6 with a 2.88 ERA last season, 30-year old
George Winter, the grizzled veteran of this young rotation, did struggle in 1907, so it's always possible that he could go to the pen at some point this season.
Ray Collins, SP, Age 21, Red Sox
Collins is a control artist that also has his sights set on the Red Sox rotation. Perhaps Boston will move both Altrock and Winter to the bullpen in favor of these two young arms. It is more likely that Collins will start in the pen and move to the rotation if any other pitcher slips.
Ted Easterly, C, Age 23, Indians
Easterly is a solid hitter in a time when most catchers start regularly due to their defensive prowess. However, Easterly is solid defensively as well. This comes at a good time for Cleveland as former starting catcher
Peaches Graham has slipped in recent years.
Russ Ford, SP, Age 24, Yankees
Ford is the first of a trio of exciting new pitchers for New York. All three should make the starting rotation for the Yankees, which tells you how much help the team needed in that department. They will join 25-year-old
Tom Hughes (11-14, 3.71 ERA) and 20-year-old
Hippo Vaughn (13-15, 2.94 ERA) to form a quintet of young, talented hurlers that could rival the rotations in Oakland and Boston.
Harry Hooper, RF, Age 21, Red Sox
The only MLB Hall of Famer in this year's crop of rookies, Hooper is solid all around - at the plate with both average and power, on the base paths and on defense. The problem for Boston is that they now have a logjam in the outfield. That may mean that 30-year-old
George Stone (.298, 16 HR, 83 RBI) may be relegated to the bench. Or he may initially split time in left field with Hooper.
George McConnell, SP, Age 24, Yankees
McConnell is the second of New York's three rookie starting pitchers. Their addition in New York will not only improve the rotation, but at least one former starting pitcher,
Bobby Keefe (13-11, 3.76 ERA) should move to the bullpen and provide an upgrade there as well.
Stuffy McInnis, 1B, Age 18, Athletics
Oakland finds themselves with a real challenge now that McInnis is on their roster. He is known primarily for his glove and his ability to hit for an above .300 average. He has little power to speak of, instead scattering singles around the field. With the addition of rookie
Frank Baker (.305, 51 HR, 148 RBI) at third base last season, the A's were forced to move
Ed Lennox (.274, 46 HR, 126 RBI) to first base to keep both bats in the lineup. I do not see how the team can get McInnis in the lineup on a regular basis unless he moves to shortstop, where defensive specialist
Jack Hannifin (.222, 10 HR, 35 RBI) holds down that job.
Willie Mitchell, SP, Age 19, Indians
The hard-throwing Mitchell is just what Cleveland's pitching staff needs after the consistent decline of
Otto Hess, whose ERA has gone from 3.64 in 1907 to 4.16 in 1908 and then 5.12 last season. Mitchell has a dominant fastball and a wicked curve. He is also proficient at preventing home runs.
Jack Quinn, SP, Age 24, Yankees
The final member of New York's trio of new pitchers, Quinn is the control artist of the group. He doesn't throw hard, but he has pin-point control. Hopefully, New York can field a strong defense behind these new hurlers. If they do, I expect them to find much success in preventing runs. New York's nagging weakness will be its offense, which means the young pitchers may find wins tough to come by.
Jim Scott, SP, Age 20, White Sox
Scott is a hard-thrower with a nasty fade-away pitch and a tough fastball. Chicago needs upgrades in a dozen places, but the bottom of their rotation boasted two 20-game losers last season, so this is as good a place to start as any. Scott joins talented pitchers
Ed Walsh (9-17, 3.01 ERA) and
Frank Smith (9-15, 3.69 ERA), whose win-loss records do not do them justice, atop the rotation. Chicago must add significant offense if they ever hope to be taken seriously though.
Burt Shotton, CF, Age 24, Orioles
Baltimore, like many AL teams, needs significant offensive help. Shotton is a beginning for them, but they will need more. Either he or veteran
Davy Jones (.252, 13 HR, 51 RBI) will move to right field and replace
Pinky Swander (.216, 8 HR, 41 RBI).
