The League spent the winter months gauging the fan response to the 9 game championship series. The fan review led to the league deciding that 9 games was to long for a final series. They have decided that for the 1904 season they will reduce this back to 7 games.
The league still wanted to find a way to capitalise on the extra fan interest and decided that instead of going with the 9 game final series they would go with the other option they discussed the previous season and will up the season length to 154 games. There were a few grumbles about this from the players but with most under contract to the clubs there was very little they could do about it.
Notable Retirements for the end of 1903.
RF Steve Brodie
RF Sam Dungan
Pitcher Red Ehret
Pitcher Duke Esper
C Duke Farrell
CF Billy Hamilton
2B Bobby Lowe
C Deacon McGuire
Pitcher Jock Menefee
RF Mike Smith
Pitcher Brickyard Kennedy
1B Tommy Tucker
CF Walt Wilmot
The Hall of Fame Committee reviewed the above player retirements but decided that only 1 of the players was worthy of joining the hall of fame. The selection was of CF Billy Hamilton who has the biggest batting WAR of any retired batter either pre MLB or from the current MLB league.
Off Season Transactions
St. Louis Cardinals swap LF Jesse Burkett with Cincinnati Reds Pitcher Phil Deller, 2B Arthur Pennell and CF Bill O'Hara.
New York Highlanders swap 1B Mike Kelley and 1B Tim Jordan with St. Louis Browns Pitcher Doc Adkins.
Chicago Cubs swap Pitcher Frank Kitson and Catcher Red Dooin with Cincinnati Reds CF Harry Bay.
Brooklyn Superbas swap RF Willie Keeler, 3B Tom Downey and Pitcher Jack Fitzgerald with Pittsburgh Pirates CF Ginger Beaumont.
Washington Senators swap Pitcher Bob Ewing with Philadelphia Athletics C Ed Phelps.
St. Louis Cardinals swap 1B Dan McGann with Boston Americans LF Frank Huelsman and C Larry McLean.
St. Louis Cardinals swap RF Patsy Donovan with Cleveland Naps Pitcher Rube Vickers and 2B Harry Arndt.
Washington Senators swap Pitcher Jack Sutthoff and RF Bob P Hall with Hew York Highlanders 2B John Atz.
New York Highlanders swap SS Bill Keister with Brooklyn Superbas SS Ross Thornton.
Brooklyn Superbas swap 2B Tom P Daly and Pitcher Gene Wright with St. Louis Cardinals Pitcher Jack Lundbom.
Chicago White Sox swap Pitcher Bill Reidy, Pitcher Cy Falkenburg and SS Otis Johnson with Philadelphia Phillies C Fred Jacklitsch.
Boston Beaneaters swap pitcher Togie Pittinger with Chicago Cubs CF Herm McFarland.
St. Louis Browns swap SS Monte Cross and C Ballplayer Dobie with Philadelphia Athletics Pitcher Wiley Piatt.
Brooklyn Superbas swap C Hughie Hearne with New York Giants RF Sammy Strang.
Washington Senators swap 1B Jack McAleese with Philadelphia Phillies Pitcher Cy Vorhees and Pitcher Doc Scanlan.
Chicago White Sox swap Pitcher Libe Washburn with Boston Beaneaters CF Emil Batch.
Brooklyn Superbas swap Pitcher Clark Griffith with New York Giants C Frank Bowerman and Pitcher John Halla.
St. Louis Browns swap Pitcher Pink Hawley and SS Henry Scharnweber with Philadelphia Athletics LF Newt Randall.
Cincinnati Reds swap C Lou Criger and LF Bob Edmondson with Brooklyn Superbas Pitcher Sam Leever.
Chicago White Sox swap Pitcher Roy Patterson and C Hugh Leach with Cleveland Naps LF Denny W Sullivan.
First Year Player Draft (first 3 rounds)
Round 1
Boston Beaneaters CF Ty Cobb
Chicago White Sox LF Sherry Magee
St. Louis Cardinals Pitcher Orval Overall
Washington Senators Pitcher Fred Brown
New York Highlanders 1B Jake Stahl
Cleveland Naps 2B Miller Huggins
New York Highlanders 2B Bill Sweeney
St. Louis Browns 2B Solly Hofman
New York Giants Pitcher Frank Corridon
Brooklyn Superbas Pitcher Bugs Raymond
Chicago Cubs Pitcher Ballplayer O'Brien
Philadelphia Phillies RF Harry Lumley
Detroit Tigers Pitcher Lyle Cromley
Philadelphia Phillies Pitcher Nap Rucker
Cleveland Naps Pitcher Elmer Stricklett
Boston Americans Pitcher Dick Rudolph (Did not sign)
Cincinnati Reds Pitcher Hal Chase
Philadelphia Athletics LF Pete Hill
Pittsburgh Pirates Pitcher Joe W Harris
Round 2
Boston Beaneaters 2B Amby McConnell
Chicago White Sox Pitcher Doc Reisling
Chicago White Sox Pitcher Mike Lynch
St. Louis Cardinals Pitcher George Suggs
Washington Senators Pitcher Chick Robitaille
New York Highlanders CF Clyde Engle
St. Louis Browns Pitcher Charley Hall
New York Giants Pitcher Tom C Fisher
Brooklyn Superbas Pitcher Vive Lindaman
Chicago Cubs Pitcher George G Bell
Detroit Tigers CF Claude Rossman
Philadelphia Phillies Pitcher Gene W Ford
Cleveland Naps Pitcher Rip Ragan
Boston Americans Pitcher Glenn J Liebhardt
Cincinnati Reds RF Spike Shannon
Philadelphia Athletics Pitcher Lew Brockett
Pittsburgh Pirates Pitcher Buster Brown
Boston Americans Pitcher Lefty Leifield
Philadelphia Athletics Pitcher Walter Clarkson
Round 3
Boston Beaneaters CF Del Howard
Chicago White Sox Pitcher Nick Williams
Chicago White Sox Pitcher Stoney McGlynn
St. Louis Cardinals Pitcher John Fisher (Did not sign)
Washington Senators Pitcher Carl Druhot
New York Highlanders Pitcher Dode Paskert
St. Louis Browns Pitcher William Robertson
New York Giants Pitcher Ed Kinsella
Brooklyn Superbas LF Fred Odwell
Chicago Cubs LF George Stinson
Detroit Tigers RF Otis Clymer
Philadelphia Phillies Pitcher Lou Fiene
Cleveland Naps Pitcher Jesse Reynolds
Boston Americans Pitcher Claude Elliott
Cincinnati Reds Pitcher Lou Schettler
Philadelphia Athletics Pitcher Del Mason
Pittsburgh Pirates Pitcher Rudy Schwenck