[tm1681]

THE 1882 AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL LEAGUE PREVIEW

NORTHEAST U.S.A. (May 2, 1882) – It’s the second day of the month of May, and with it brings the beginning of the twelfth season of the American Professional Baseball League. The honor of hosting the first game goes to 2x defending champions St. John’s, who will welcome Port Jersey to Olneyville Field for a season opener that starts at 1:20 P.M.

Last season ended with another St. John’s triumph. Providence’s finest led the Colonial Conference from the middle of June onward, while it was uncertain who would finish atop the Metropolitan Conference. After Excelsior, Kings County, & Orange all took turns atop the standings, Excelsior won the Metro by defeating Orange in the first one-game playoff in A.P.B.L. history. St. John’s then beat Excelsior in six games to claim Founders Cup XI and earn their ninth top division title.

For the 1882 season, all eyes are looking toward Philadelphia after Tiger Social Club signed a trio of All-Stars over the winter – Gerald Burns, George Burroughs, & Samuel Eastman – to give them the league’s best infield and what the Writers Pool feels will be the A.P.B.L.’s #1 overall team. As for repeat champions St. John’s, after a winter without any major changes they are expected to take yet another Colonial Conference pennant, but it should be a close fight with 3-4 other teams.

The Writers Pool expects the top two individual honors to change hands this year, as St. John’s star Jonathan Evans appeared to be in the best shape of his career during April Training and the might of the Tiger S.C. Infield should make George Burroughs the league’s most successful Pitcher. There is one repeat winner expected, and that’s Martin Prince, the amazing Shortstop who’s favored to repeat as Fielder of the Year. There appears to be another bumper crop of first-year players this season, and at the top of that group Massachusetts Bay 2B Guy Penders & Knickerbocker LF Edward Dobbs are the favorites to win Greenhorn of the Year.

Numerous star players changed addresses over the winter, among them Gerald Burns, George Burroughs, J.B. Chessman, Jonathan Cobb, Louis Dyke, 1880 B.o.t.Y. Samuel Eastman, Pitcher of the Year Andrew Miller, & William Wimple. There are also numerous lower-league transfers who are expected to make a big impact for their new clubs.

The fields are ready, the players are prepared, and the fans can’t wait. And with that, it’s time to play ball!

PROJECTED STANDINGS & ANALYSIS

COLONIAL CONFERENCE

• #1: St. John’s (53-37)
• #2: Newark (52-38)
• #3: Flour City (49-41)
• #4: Alleghany (48-42)
• #5: Massachusetts Bay (46-44)
• #6: Shamrock (45-45)
• #7: Niagara (42-48)
• #8: Port Jersey (37-53)

ST. JOHN’S: Expected to take another pennant, but only by a hair. The stars remain, but they’ve moved veteran Thomas Smith back into the Pitching Duo after two years as a sub and they’re going with Richard Frazier at SS after he started for roughly half of last season.

NEWARK: Putting reining P.o.t.Y. Andrew Miller next to John Ratican gives them the strongest Pitching Duo in the league. Former reserve Houston James should add offense at 3B, and Thomas Ashley will add excellent defense at SS. The big problem: Corner Outfield, where neither new regular (Isaac Holm, Louis Law) ranks highly.

FLOUR CITY: Their only change is at C, where untested former reserve William Milota (2.0*) will be the new regular. The Writers Pool likes F.C.’s lineup everywhere else, so the Rochesterians could be dangerous.

ALLEGHANY: A brand-new Outfield is the big selling point for the Pittsburgh men ahead of the new season. While the trio of Kaulback, Dyke, & Wimple won’t be elite they should provide steady production, with all three having made one or both of the last two All-Star Games. Young new 3B Luther Isaacson has the potential to be a tremendous batsman.

MASS. BAY: The front office made two quality transfers from the lower leagues, with 2B Guy Penders the favorite for G.o.t.Y. and LF Henry Yoder likely to be good both with the bat and in the field. Pitching is their main issue, as former reserve Birch Glenn has taken over the P1 spot out of April Training.

SHAMROCK: James Bartell, in from the NBBO, should be a nice bat at RF, but the loss of All-Star P1 James Burroughs will hurt, as they could only replace him with two-star former SUB Claude Becker. As a result, they’ll likely be around .500 again.

NIAGARA: One would think that having won the winter’s biggest prize, RF Jonathan Cobb, they’d be in great shape, but former 3B Oliver Johnson is moving to a new position, 2B, bringing Charles Barrow back into the lineup at 3B after he lost his spot to Johnson, and 1882 will begin with a two-star SS: Clyde Lemmon. One plus, new C Levi Paulus has All-Star potential.

PT. JERSEY: They lost Ashley, Eastman, & Kanellopoulos over the winter, and the replacements won’t quite make up for their production. 1B Earl Henderson & CF Henry Hayes should be quality Greenhorns and they signed All-Star SS J.B. Chessman from Excelsior, but 3B Charles Ramer was let go by Newark and aging RF William Valentine should be just okay. New P2 George Scott should pair adequately with Robert Goodman.


METROPOLITAN CONFERENCE

• #1: Tiger Social Club (59-31)
• #2: Gotham (48-42)
• #3a: Excelsior (46-44)
• #3b: Knickerbocker (46-44)
• #3c: Orange (46-44)
• #6: Kings County (44-46)
• #7: Quaker State (33-57)
• #8: American (31-59)

TIGER S.C.: From expansion throw-ins to cup favorites in five years. The signings of All-Stars Gerald Burns & Samuel Eastman to man 1B & 3B gives Tiger the best infield in the league, while the signing of George Burroughs gives them an All-Star P1 to pair with the excellent Willie Gray. This should be the A.P.B.L.’s top outfit in 1882.

GOTHAM: Everything went wrong last year after being picked to finish at the top, but the Writers Pool is undaunted. Gotham transferred two players from the C.B.C.: 3B Jacob Overfield, the 2x B.o.t.Y., and SS Butler Stout. Both should be fine additions to a lineup that will enter the season with no clear batting weaknesses, but questionable defense.

EXCELSIOR: Last year’s Metro champs decided to bring in two new Pitchers, and the duo of Ross Gill & George Sturgis should be decent. The main issue facing the lineup: they lost SS J.B. Chessman, and he’s being replaced with untested former SUB William Hart, who’s highly regarded defensively but has a questionable bat.

KNICK: A season of major upheaval after Anthony Mascherino retired and the quartet of Burns, Dyke, Stoffers, & Strachan, all four All-Stars while in Knick shirts, left. New P2 Will Strickland is a bit of an unknown. Greenhorn 1B Ted Markezinis projects to have a decent bat. Mascherino was replaced well at 2B with Kings Co.’s Herman Stanley. New 3B Nico Atsidakos is regarded as light on bat and heavy on defense. LF Edward Dobbs from Minerva in the PCBL should battle Guy Penders for G.o.t.Y. Former backup William Watson is considered an average CF.

ORANGE: Only two lineup changes, but they came about due to the loss of P.o.t.Y. Andrew Miller and all-league RF Jonathan Cobb – two big steps backward. New P2 Walter Hoffman was a career-long St. John’s SUB, while new RF John Smith should be a fine Greenhorn after two seasons with an OPS over .900 in the P.C.B.L.

KINGS CO.: Promoting Graham Kessler to replace Herman Stanley at 2B is a downgrade. New LF William Napier played 2B in the N.B.B.O. but could still be very good. New CF Domenico Patriarco has questionable defense there. They brought Washington Kihlstedt back to take over at P2, but Paul Caldwell is still around if he falters. Tough to project this team.

QUAKER ST.: Another rough season in store. Promoting James Larson from SUB to be their new 3B and moving 21-year-old Raymond Richey from the RES unit to be their new SS gives them the league’s weakest infield. That means new P2 William Avery will have a lack of defensive help. That said, Art Kanellopoulos is a fine replacement for Will Wimple at CF.

AMERICAN: They enter the season with only one regular who rates above average, which is P1 Jimmy Everhart. Former Tiger backup Harold Roberts should hit some at 1B. New CF Stephen Gabriel lacks experience. There will be losses aplenty.

AWARD FAVORITES

• Batsman of the Year: Jonathan Evans of St. John’s (LF, age 29) – proj. .378, 1.004 OPS, 4 HR, 102 RBI, 33 SB
• Pitcher of the Year: George Burroughs of Tiger S.C. (age 33) – proj. 28-12, 3.26 ERA, 131 K over 366.2 IP
• Fielder of the Year: Martin Prince of Tiger S.C. (SS, age 32)
• Greenhorn of the Year: Guy Penders of Mass. Bay (2B, age 23)

TEAM OF THE YEAR FAVORITES

• P: George Burroughs of Tiger S.C. (age 33, 3.5/3.5*)
• C: Joseph Nalley of St. John’s (age 25, 5.0/5.0*)
• 1B: Charles Blaise of Excelsior (age 27, 4.0/4.0*)
• 2B: Babe Johnson of Gotham (age 36, 4.0/4.0*)
• 3B: William Dickerson of Shamrock (age 35, 4.0/4.0*)
• SS: Martin Prince of Tiger S.C. (age 32, 4.5/4.5*)
• OF: Joseph Evans of St. John’s (age 29, 4.5/4.5*)
• OF: John Meier of Orange (age 32, 4.0/4.0*)
• OF: Jonathan Cobb of Niagara (age 25, 4.0/4.0*)

TOP SENIOR ROSTER GREENHORNS (by position)

• P1: Birch Glenn of Mass. Bay (age 25, 3.0/3.5*)
• P2: Raymond Baker of American (age 29, 3.0/3.0*)
• C: Levi Paulus of Niagara (age 23, 3.5/4.0*)
• 1B: Earl Henderson of Pt. Jersey (age 24, 3.0/3.5*)
• 2B: Guy Penders of Mass. Bay (age 23, 3.5/3.5*)
• 3B: Luther Isaacson of Alleghany (age 23, 3.5/4.0*)
• SS: Butler Stout of Gotham (age 24, 2.5/3.0*)
• OF: Edward Dobbs of Knick (age 25, 3.5/3.5*)
• OF: James Bartell of Shamrock (age 26, 3.5/3.5*)
• OF: John Smith of Orange (age 26, 3.0/3.0*)

TOP RESERVE TEAM PROSPECTS (by position)

• P1: John Martin of Newark (age 23, 2.0/3.0*)
• P2: Arthur Montgomery of Alleghany (age 20, 1.5/3.0*)
• C: Alexander Singleton of Pt. Jersey (age 23, 2.5/3.5*)
• 1B: Joe Thompson of Shamrock (age 25, 2.0/2.5*)
• 2B: Clarence Bock of Kings Co. (age 21, 2.0/3.5*)
• 3B: William Blue of Niagara (age 22, 2.0/3.0*)
• SS: Samuel Reed of Newark (age 22, 2.0/3.0*)
• OF: William Haughton of Flour City (age 23, 2.5/3.0*)
• OF: Fred McCloskey of Kings Co. (age 22, 2.0/3.0*)
• OF: Robert Cowling of Knickerbocker (age 23, 2.0/2.5*)

OFFSEASON LINEUP CHANGES

ALLEGHANY

• 1B: Peter Hildebrand (age 28/3.5*; .299, .732 OPS 37 RBI, 1.4 WAR) moved from LF
• 3B: Luther Isaacson (age 23, 3.5/4.0*) transferred from Lake Erie (NBBO) for $4,400 on Nov. 13
• LF: Jacob Kaulback (age 35/2.5*; .252, 26 RBI, 0.4 WAR, 227 PA) in from Newark on Feb. 23
• CF: Louis Dyke (age 35/3.0*; .297, 777 OPS, 31 SB, 2.4 WAR) in from Knick on Feb. 23
• RF: William Wimple (age 32/2.5*; .319, .763 OPS, 51 RBI, 32 SB, 2.8 WAR) in from Quaker St. on Feb. 23

AMERICAN

• 1B: Harold Roberts (age 31/2.5*; .254, 27 RBI, 0.5 WAR, 203 PA) in from Tiger S.C. on Feb. 12
• CF: Stephen Gabriel (age 23, 2.0/2.5*) transferred from Nassau Co. (NBBO) for $1,500 on Dec. 20

EXCELSIOR

• P1: Ross Gill (age 39/3.0*; 0-2, 2.20 ERA, 2 K, 32.2 IP) in from Knick on Dec. 1
• P2: George Sturgis (age 32/2.5*; 20-20, 3.38 ERA, 70 K, 2.7 WAR) in from Pt. Jersey on Nov. 25
• SS: William Hart (age 26, 2.5/2.5*, 14 PA in 1881) promoted from SUB

FLOUR CITY

• C: William Milota (age 25, 2.0/2.0*) promoted from RES

GOTHAM

• 3B: Jacob Overfield (age 25, 3.0/3.0*) transferred from Bridgeport (CBC) for $3,000 on Mar. 12
• SS: Butler Stout (age 24, 2.5/3.0*) transferred from Sportsman’s (CBC) for $1,725 on Jan. 28

KINGS COUNTY

• P2: Washington Kihlstedt (age 36/3.0*; 4-2, 2.66 ERA, 22 K, 44.0 IP) in from Niagara on Dec. 10
• 2B: Graham Kessler (age 25, 3.0/3.0, 64 PA in 1881) promoted from SUB
• LF: William Napier (age 28, 3.5/3.5*) transferred from Bedford (NBBO) for $3,600 on Jan. 18
• CF: Domenico Patriarco (age 26, 2.5/2.5*, 40 PA in 1881) promoted from SUB

KNICKERBOCKER

• P2: William Strickland (age 32/2.5*; 1-2, 4.76 ERA, 1 K, 17.0 IP) in from American on Mar. 8
• 1B: Ted Markezinis (Greenhorn, age 23, 2.5/3.0*) signed on Nov. 6
• 2B: Herman Stanley (age 30/3.5*; .302, .782 OPS, 68 RBI, 2.5 WAR) in from Kings Co. on Nov. 25
• 3B: Nico Atsidakos (age 27, 2.5/2.5*, 82 PA in 1881) promoted from SUB
• LF: Edward Dobbs (age 25, 3.5/3.5*) transferred from Minerva (PCBL) for $3,800 on Mar. 7
• CF: William Watson (age 25, 2.5/2.5*, 74 PA in 1881) promoted from SUB

MASSACHUSETTS BAY

• P1: Birch Glenn (age 25, 3.0/3.5*) promoted from RES
• 2B: Guy Penders (age 23, 3.5/3.5*) transferred from Eagle (NBBO) for $3,800 on Nov. 11
• LF: Henry Yoder (age 26, 3.0/3.0*) transferred from Sons of Ben (PCBL) for $3,000 on Nov. 11

NEWARK

• P1: Andrew Miller (age 27/4.0*; 29-16, 2.92 ERA, 126 K, 8.9 WAR) in from Orange on Dec. 23
• 3B: Houston James (age 24, 3.5/3.5*) promoted from RES
• SS: Thomas Ashley (age 31/2.5*; .254, .620 OPS, +15.1 ZR, 1.5 WAR) in from Pt. Jersey on Dec. 30
• LF: Isaac Holm (age 35/2.5*; .250, 25 RBI, 0.1 WAR, 198 PA) promoted from SUB
• RF: Louis Law (age 29, 2.0/2.0*, 57 PA in 1881) promoted from SUB

NIAGARA

• C: Levi Paulus (age 23, 3.5/4.0*) transferred from Granite (NBBO) for $3,400 on Dec. 14
• 2B: Oliver Johnson (age 27/3.5*; .297, .756 OPS, 42 SB, 1.6 WAR) moved from 3B
• 3B: Charles Barrow (age 30/2.5*; .342, 33 RBI, 1.0 WAR, 206 PA) promoted from SUB
• SS: Clyde Lemmon (age 25, 2.0/2.0*, 13 PA in 1881) promoted from SUB
• RF: Jonathan Cobb (age 25/4.0*; .349, .898 OPS, 74 RBI, 4.5 WAR) in from Orange on Jan. 31

ORANGE

• P2: Walter Hoffmann (age 32, 2.5/2.5*, 4.0 IP in 1881) in from St. John’s on Jan. 15
• RF: John Smith (age 26, 3.0/3.0*) transferred from Independence (PCBL) for $3,000 on Mar. 12

PORT JERSEY

• P2: George Scott (age 32/3.0*; 5-3, 1.41 ERA, 19 K, 83.0 IP) in from American on Jan. 14
• 1B: Earl Henderson (Greenhorn, age 24, 3.0/3.5*) signed on Nov. 25
• 3B: Charles Ramer (age 32/2.5*; .263, .634 OPS, 36 RBI, 0.5 WAR) in from Newark on Feb. 18
• SS: J.B. Chessman (age 30/3.0*; .313, .751 OPS, +14.7 ZR, 4.4 WAR) in from Excelsior on Nov. 16
• CF: Henry Hayes (Greenhorn, age 26, 3.0/3.0*) signed on Nov. 9
• RF: William Valentine (age 38/3.0*; .307, .779 OPS, 41 RBI, 1.2 WAR) in from Newark on Feb. 3

QUAKER STATE

• P2: William Avery (age 29/2.5*; 17-24, 3.77 ERA, 79 K, 2.7 WAR) in from Knick on Nov. 24
• 3B: James Larson (age 28, 2.5/2.5*, 20 PA in 1881) promoted from SUB
• SS: Raymond Richey (age 21, 2.0/2.5*) promoted from RES
• CF: Art Kanellopoulos (age 27/3.0*; .314, .804 OPS, 78 RBI, 1.9 WAR) in from Pt. Jersey on Dec. 19

SHAMROCK

• P2: Claude Becker (age 33, 2.0/2.0*, 8.1 IP in 1881) promoted from SUB
• RF: James Bartell (age 26, 3.5/3.5*) transferred from Lord Baltimore (NBBO) for $3,800 on Dec. 9

SAINT JOHN’S

• P2: Thomas Smith (age 38/3.5*; 2-2, 3.19 ERA, 9 K, 31.0 IP) promoted from SUB
• SS: Richard Frazier (age 28/2.5*; .312, 20 RBI, 0.7 WAR, 174 PA) promoted from SUB

TIGER SOCIAL CLUB

• P1: George Burroughs (age 33/3.5*; 23-23, 2.90 ERA, 145 K, 5.5 WAR) in from Shamrock on Dec. 15
• 1B: Gerald Burns (age 29/3.5*; .329, .806 OPS, 58 RBI, 3.5 WAR) in from Knick on Feb. 23
• 3B: Samuel Eastman (age 26/4.5*; .326, .877 OPS, 63 RBI, 3.6 WAR) in from Pt. Jersey on Nov. 14