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APBL SHOCKER! BotY JAMES KELLER TRADED!
KELLER WAS .004 OF AVG FROM WINNING 1902 TRIPLE CROWN

Boston, MA (October 18, 1902) – The baseball world was left in stunned disbelief on Saturday afternoon after telegrams shot out to offices around the Northeast and Midwest stating that the just-named APBL Batsman of the Year, Massachusetts Bay’s James Keller, had been traded to the MWBA’s Minneapolis Lakers for one of the top young prospects in the sport.

Keller won the 1902 APBL Batsman of the Year Award after coming just four points of Batting Average short of taking the Triple Crown. As it was, he hit .360 while leading the league with a dozen home runs and a record-setting 115 RBIs. The achievement came in only his second season as a pro regular after he was purchased from the Vermont Green Stockings in the New England Baseball Association:

Given the massive improvement between his first year with Mass. Bay and his second, it had been presumed that the 24-year-old would be the central fixture of the Pilgrims’ lineup for years to come. However, the team was only able to follow up its 52-80 season in 1901 with a 62-70 record in ’02 even though they were in the top half of the APBL in every basic offensive category. The reason: pitching was a major problem, as the Pilgrims allowed the most runs in the 16-team league and they were in the bottom quarter in ERA, strikeouts, walks, and opponents’ average.

To remedy this, the Mass. Bay front office decided to act before signing any free agents by trading the APBL’s reining BotY to Minneapolis for Levi Butcher, a recent signee from the University of Missouri. Butcher, a 21-year-old lefty, is considered a five-star potential talent and one of the top prospects in the ABA. Those who watched the Lakers’ reserve team have responded to his role in the trade by saying that if Butcher can develop an off-speed pitch then he could be a credible starter for Mass. Bay next year as a 22-year-old.

On one level there is logic to the trade as Mass. Bay has 26-year-old Clarence Riggs, who’s been able to reach base at least 40% of the time in each of the last five seasons (3 NBBO, 2 APBL) and can move from left field to first base. However, he lacks Keller’s power and hasn’t hit as well with men on base.

If this incredibly bold move is to work out, the Mass. Bay front office will have to make a notable free agent signing at a corner outfield spot, hope Butcher is able to join their pitching rotation next season, and perhaps add other signings to help #1 George Roundtree in what was otherwise the worst group of pitchers in the league. If they don’t, we know of at least one team’s fanbase that will spend the 1903 season in a very curmudgeonly mood.