[Questdog]

Monday, May 27, 1889

Okay, I made some trades last night and everything is confirmed and our new ball players are in town for tomorrow's game or (mostly) in Syracuse to play for the Stars.

First I sent 2B Reddy Daley (25-6.8) and 1B Kid Stapleton (24-10.1) to Brooklyn for P Joe Hoyt (23-5.3). Daley was our 1st round pick in the draft before last and he is 25 and not hitting like I'd hoped yet. He strikes out too much for my tastes. Stapleton is a great kid and hitting well at Syracuse, but just has no where to play for me. Jack Irwin (40-7.3), Brooklyn's manager, says he'll bring them both up to the big league club and use them on his bench for now.

Joe Hoyt was drafted by the Gladiators this past winter in the 2nd round. He's a right-hander with not too many brains, but throws hard enough and seems to have good control. He only gave up 1 home run in B Ball last year in 323 innings. He'll go to Syracuse and get some seasoning.

Second, I sent CF Fred Negus (25-6.7), 3B Jesse Flanders (29-5.4), C Cliff Robinson (31-6.1) and C Henry Newman (35-3.6) to Chicago for RF Fred Floyd (22-6.0) and P John Novack (24-7.9). The Colts manager, Jim Richardson (48-5.1), insisted that I add Henry Newman to the package, so I did. But I found out that Richardson released him today, so I sent word to Newman that he could come back and play at Syracuse. He agreed and so I gave C Joe Garner (30-5.5) his release. Knowing Newman, he probably said something as soon as he stepped off the train to get Richardson's goat. Trading away Robinson hurt, since he was the best hitter on our team so far this year and we have not exactly been hitting all that great. But his defense had driven me to distraction and had cost us a game or two, at least. Whether his receiving cost us more games than his hitting helped us win, I can't say. Probably not, but I think everyone knows I can tolerate poor hitting more than I can tolerate poor fielding. Negus has performed well in the little playing time he has gotten this year, but ever since he lost the center field job to Ren Dunbar last season, he has been unhappy in Detroit. So I hope he thrives in Chicago. Flanders just has not performed up to the big contract he has. Last year, he was a huge disappointment with his bat and this year he is hitting even worse. His glove has never been an issue though. Hopefully, the change of scenery will suit him better than the last time he switched clubs. Richardson says that all 3 players will be put on his major league roster and that Robinson would be his main catcher and Negus will start in left for him. Flanders will be on the bench, at least until he shows that his slump is over.

Fred Floyd was the Colts' 2nd round pick this past winter. He looks to be a ballplayer that will hit for a good average and draw some walks and has the speed to steal some bases. Not much power. He has a good solid right fielder's arm, though it is nothing to get awed by. His range could be a little better for someone with his speed, but maybe that will come with more experience. He is smart and seems to be a nice enough kid, but not a take charge sort. He seems to work hard enough, but is not a fanatic about it. If he develops, he'll give us a true right fielder, something we have not had since Joe Kraus (32-7.9) was here.

John Novack is the reason I was willing to give up all that talent. He was the 5th player taken in the last B Leagues Draft. He is a big tall fella with some meat on his bones. Every bit of six foot in his stockings and weighs 190 lbs. But that is irrelevant to his pitching because he has come up with the derndest pitch I have ever seen. His own invention, he claims. He does not throw the ball hard at all but sort of lobs it at the hitter. But he can make it dance ever which way and the hitter has the toughest time to make solid contact with it. I asked him how he does it and he says it is a secret he'll keep, thank you very much. He says nobody else could throw it right anyhow, even if he told them how to do it.

Editor's Note: Novack is a knuckleball pitcher. Some sources cite Toad Ramsey as the originator of the pitch and he twirled in the 1880's, so Novack will be our Toad. Only one other pitcher in our universe is a knuckler and that is John Linhoff (21-6.0) who was just drafted in the 1st round this past winter as well, by Indianapolis. I do not think any retired players used it. I am not certain, but I am pretty sure these are the 1st two we have ever had.

Both Floyd and Novack will go to Syracuse to get some experience, but I expect Novack to be in Detroit before the year is out.

CF Sam King (23-6.0), our own 1st round pick this past winter, has been sent for and should arrive this evening and be ready to face Louisville tomorrow.

I made one more trade to get some catchers, since I sent 2 of them to Chicago (though I got one back). I sent two minor leaguers with a little talent for 2 catchers with very little talent. LF Cub Jackson (25-7.2) and P Lemuel Joy (23-5.3) went to St. Louis for C's Heinie Fitzgerald (27-7.8) and Pony Lanza (29-4.9). Lanza is an excellent receiver with a strong arm, but cannot hit a lick, and he'll be in Detroit as our 3rd catcher. Fitzgerald will be the #2 catcher at Syracuse and if he ever shows up in Detroit, something bad has happened.

I am pretty certain I have made our club stronger for the future, but the question is basically whether our club is stronger right now with the subtraction of Cliff Robinson. Objectively, probably not. And even good catchers make a ton of errors and let a lot of passed balls through the wickets, so the only thing I have really accomplished in the short term is that I will be driven to distraction slightly less in return for a pretty big dip in offense. Sounds stupid, but Sam King, Reddy Daley, Kid Stapleton and Cub Jackson will all get to play in the big leagues thanks to these trades and Fred Negus gets the starting job he wanted and Novack is gonna win us a lot of ball games and maybe even some this year.

Grand National Association:
Providence (2) at Buffalo (4): Wild Bill Perrell (25-7.3) (6-5) over Jimmy Harrison (22-4.6) (2-6). Perrell allowed 12 hits, no walks and struck out 4. Harrison allowed 10 hits, 5 walks and struck out 4. At bat, he hit a triple and had an RBI. SS Pussy Wise (27-6.8) had 3 hits with 2 doubles and a walk, stole 2 bases and had an RBI.

Omaha (11) at St. Louis (6): Tom Lee (31-6.0) (5-4) over Ed Copeland (23-6.0) (3-8). RF Tom Nelson (23-5.2), playing with a bruised hip, had 3 hits with a double and his 2nd home run of the year, scored 2 runs and had 3 RBIs. CF Dave Todd (23-5.5) got beaned on his elbow and should be feeling it for a good week.

Milwaukee (4) at Chicago (3): Tom McWilliams (27-4.3) (5-6) over Skyrocket Howard (24-5.4) (6-3). McWilliams allowed 9 hits, 2 walks and struck out 1. At bat, he had a hit and 2 walks and had an RBI. Howard allowed 7 hits, 8 walks and struck out 3. At bat, he had 2 hits with a double.