Browns/Orioles Prequel

[Pelican]

Browns/Orioles 1911

This simulated season came about by accident, or at least out of necessity, namely testing Hef’s minor league league and team files for the pre-affiliation era. I often play historical seasons, and it would be great to have the correct minor league teams and leagues available. [Unfortunately, as it turns out, the new Hef files won’t take effect until the 1912 Season, so I just have a bunch of minor league free agents now.]

I picked the 1911 Season because I had just read an article in Baseball Prospectus about baseball’s worst teams ever, one of which was the 1911 St. Louis Browns. Apparently, the Browns of that era drew well, but the owner was content to pocket the profits, rather that spend on players to improve the team. The fans showed up regardless, so why bother. This approach yielded a record of 47-107 for 1911.

I figured that I could do better, as GM and Manager, by investing more of the available revenue into the team, signing free agents, retaining existing players on new contracts, financing player scouting and development. As a fresh start, I decided to move the franchise to Baltimore, a mere forty-three years early, where they would play at Terrapin Park and enjoy broad support as the new Orioles.

Then I got down to business, starting with the reserve roster. I moved Art Bues up to the active roster, in place of Joe Kutina. Kutina, RF/1B, had been out of organized baseball for two years; although he would hit a respectable .257/.279/.446 in 101 AB for the 1911 Browns. He was saddled with 43/63/36 OOTP ratings. Bues, primarily a 3B, with no prior experience, was rated 49/72/41, but with Potential of 58/80/42. IRL he had a banner rookie year in the PCL with Seattle, .352/.275/.545 with 31 doubles, 27 home runs, and 108 runs batted in.

I signed minor league free agent George Cutshaw for $2,800 for one year. He was coming off a very lackluster year with the Oakland Oaks in the PCL [.222/.293/.265], but with OOTP ratings of 65/57/45, no doubt due to his much improved performance in the PCL for 1911. Cutshaw went on to a twelve-year MLB career, so he seemed like a good investment.

Rabbit Maranville, playing for New Bedford in the New England League, was signed to a one-year, $1,400 contract. At 19, he’s only on the threshold of a long major league career. OOTP gives him current ratings of 50/32/58 and fielding of 70 at SS. Plus he has good speed and basestealing ability, and Potential of 65/38/72.

Signed Assistant GM Alejandro Matus, because I liked the name. And his profile suggested he would be on board for all these moves.

I signed Jack Fournier to a minor league contract. Just 21, he had a cup of coffee with the San Francisco Seals in 1910. 1B with 42/65/42 Current ratings, but Potential ratings of 63/84/61. Wow! Looking at his IRL bio, he would have a long MLB career spanning the Deadball Era and the lively ball of the 1920’s. He led the AL in slugging in 1915 (.491), and the NL in HR in 1924 (27). And he was renowned as the worst fielder in baseball, especially in the OF. He’ll get needed experience with the Wilmington Quicksteps this year.

Scouting as far away as Cuba, signed Dole Luque to a minor league contract with a $350 bonus. Luque would of course IRL go on to win over 200 games spanning two decades, for Cincinnati and later the New York Giants. Due to his light skin, he was among the few Caribbean players not consigned to the Negro Leagues, under MLB’s curious version of bigotry. His Current OOTP ratings (based on a few innings pitched in Cuba) are only 33/38/23; but his Potential is an impressive 68/54/63!

Also in Cuba, signed C Mike Gonzalez, who IRL would have a long career in MLB as a back-up catcher and 1B. His Current ratings are 44/45/40 with a good 65 fielding rating at C. His Potential ratings are 56/59/52.

The Orioles scouted and signed teenager Bubbles Hargrave, a catcher, out of the Central League. IRL Hargrave would enjoy a long career, mostly with the Reds, in which he averaged over .300 and won a NL batting title. His Current OOTP ratings are 35/30/37; but his Potential ratings are 70/63/60. He’ll get some experience with the Quicksteps.

On April 15, signed free agent SP Phil Douglas to a $1,400 contract. Douglas would go on to a 94-93 record and a fine 2.80 ERA in the Major Leagues, before being suspended in 1922 for offering to throw a game. His career was marred by alcoholism. In OOTP, his Current rating is a modest 41/48/46 (at only 20 years old), but his Potential is listed at 74/50/98. When sober, he was dominant.

On April 16, signed Dr. Leonard McCoy as the team trainer. “Bones” promises to keep the guys limber and healthy, and to rehabilitate them from injuries. And to boldly go where no surgeon has gone before.

Mike Konnick was added for catching depth, on a minor league contract. In 1909 and 1910, he had three AB as a backup catcher for the Cincinnati Reds, never (IRL) to return to MLB. His Current OOTP ratings are 43/69/42, with decent fielding, and a Potential (at age 22) of 45/75/49. That power, in the deadball era, was too good to pass over.

On April 21, signed 26-year-od SP Al Demaree to a one-year contract for $2,800, beating out other suitors. IRL he was 80-72 with a 2.72 ERA in the Major Leagues, helping the Phillies win the 1915 NL pennant. He was known for a funky delivery and slick curve ball. In OOTP his Current ratings are 42/52/89, with Potential of 43/57/92.

OF Jimmy Walsh, who was born in Ireland and attended Niagara University, was signed on April 21. He had played for the minor league Orioles, and was previously in the Philadelphia A’s organization. IRL Connie Mack promoted him in 1912, and he played in the Majors until 1917, when he left for military service. Walsh was a superlative defensive outfielder, but not much of a hitter. His OOTP ratings are 49/30/51 (Current) and 50/32/65 (Potential), with a good 77 rating in CF, and even higher ratings in the corner OF positions.

After prolonged negotiations, the Orioles managed to resign SP Rube Waddell to a one-year contract for $8,600. The Hall of Famer was at the end of a distinguished career at 34 years of age in 1911. His eccentricities made him a huge box office draw, and, when sober, he could still pitch (20-17 for the Minneapolis Millers in 1911 IRL, though only 3-1 for the Browns in 1910). In OOTP his ratings are 86/57/64.

The Orioles signed free agent OF/1B Ham Hyatt to a two-year contract worth a total of $7,000. In 1910 Hyatt had been demoted by the Pittsburgh Pirates (.263/.306/.377) to the minor league Kansas City Blues, where he would hit .327 with 14 HR in 1911 IRL. Hyatt is the protagonist in Ted Orr’s lyrical “A Baseball Story - Hamilton Hyatt and the War Clubs”, including 1916, when Hyatt had been sent down to play for the Chattanooga Lookouts. Hyatt has 51/67/43 Current OOTP ratings, and his Potential ratings are close, 51/69/45. He’ll get a chance at 1B for the Orioles.

Ray Schalk was a slightly-built but durable and clever catcher, known for his defense during a long (1912-1929) MLB career, who was admitted to the HOF. In 1911, he was just 18, a 48/41/44 Current rating as a minor leaguer, with Potential ratings of 65/41/85 and good defense. He was signed to a minor league contract.

A note on the apparent “cherry-picking” of stars like Schalk, Maranville, Fournier, Hargrove, and Luque when they were young minor leaguers. For sure, I have the advantage of knowing their IRL achievements. But, there is no guarantee (other than the Potential ratings) that they follow their career MLB paths. I play with development on, no annual recalculation of ratings, and a high TCR (talent change randomness) factor. So I am taking the risk that some or all may not develop into stars. Each of them was a free agent in the minors, available for any of the other Major League teams to sign. The AI can surely see those Potential ratings, or whatever their scouts concluded. Level playing field.

“Gloomy Gus” Williams was already on the Browns/Orioles roster, and would debut IRL in 1911 for St. Louis as a twenty-two year old RF. He would hit a respectable .263/.327/.374 over five major league seasons. He was something of an atypical player for the dead-ball era, leading the AL in strikeouts in 1914 with 120. A slugger in an era of contact hitters. In OOTP he carries Current ratings of 50/62/55 and Potential ratings of 64/65/57. I signed Gus to a three-year contract extension worth $4,300. Perhaps less gloomy, now?

The 1911 AL Season had started on April 12, with the Orioles on the road in Cleveland. Four consecutive close losses to the Guardians. By Sunday, April 23, the boys had staggered to a 2-10 start, with twin five-game losing streaks sandwiched around two lonely wins over the White Sox. Both the hitting and pitching side of the equation needed help. For weeks, as GM I negotiated back and forth with two of the top Major League free agents still on the market. Offers came from competing teams, and the Orioles repeatedly upped the ante. It isn’t easy to attract stars to a losing team. Finally, success!

Monday, April 24, 1911 brought tremendous news for the Orioles. The team signed two veteran stars in one day. RHSP Orval Overall signed a three-year contract worth $30,000. At age 30, Overall is coming off a decent 12-6 year with the White Sox, with a 2.68 ERA. (He suffered a sore arm that was cured by “Bonesetter” Reese.). The prior year, he won 20 games with a minuscule ERA of 1.42. The “Big Groundhog” graduated from the University of California at Berkeley, starring in football and baseball. IRL Overall did not play in 1911 due to a contract dispute with Charley Comiskey, which is why he would be a free agent in OOTP. His ratings are a lofty 92/67/53, reflective of his considerable talent. He pitched and won for Baltimore the day he was signed.

The other monster signing on April 24 was slugger Gavvy Cravath, also thirty years of age in 1911. From Escondido, California, Gavvy was a star in the early Pacific Coast League, from 1903-1907. He then came east, for unsuccessful trials with the Red Sox, the White Sox, and the Senators. In 1910, he was relegated to the minor league Minneapolis Millers, for whom he hit .327/.388/.505 with 107 RS and 84 RBI, plus 35 SB. His OOTP ratings are 57/73/64 with good defense. Cravath signed a three-year deal for $25,800. Unlike Overall, whose career was effectively ended by an injury in 1912, “Cactus Gavvy” would to on IRL to a stellar career with the Philadelphia Phillies.

The final piece to the free agent puzzle was RHSP Heinie Berger, formerly of the Cleveland Indians (32-29 and a 2.60 ERA in four seasons), who IRL played at Columbus in the American Association in 1911. OOTP unaccountably favors Berger with Current ratings of 71/61/56 and Potential ratings of 88/61/60. He was known as a spitballer, when that pitch was legal. After a protracted bidding war, he signed for two years at $17,200. At just 29, he still has potential in the rotation.

[Pelican]

The bad news is, the Orioles finished the month at 6-11, last in almost every hitting category, and back of the pack in pitching; although quite good in defense. But the team that started the year lacked a number of pieces that were added later. and several guys have not yet warmed up.

The lineup is much improved:
Shotton CF
LaPorte 2B
Williams RF
Cravath LF
Hyatt 1B
Bues 3B
Phelps/Konncik C
Maranville SS

The rotation now consists of:
Overall
Waddell
Demaree
Burger

The signing of those four starters means that less capable arms have been shifted to the bullpen, and less capable relievers released or sent down to the minor leagues.

The Cleveland Naps lead the AL at 15-7, followed closely by Boston at 14-7 and Philly at 13-8. Then it's the White Sox at 10-10, Detroit at 10-12, the Senators at 8-13, the Orioles, and the Highlanders in last at 7-14.

Over in the NL, the Cubs lead with a record of 16-7. Next are the Phillies at 14-8. Farther back are the Dodgers at 12-9, Pittsburgh at 12-10, the Giants sat 10-11, and the Reds at 10-13. The Cardinals and the Rustlers bring up the rear at 7-15.

The Orioles have just begun a remarkable 22-game home stand, with games versus the Tigers, A's, Yankees, Senators, and Red Sox. We don't hit the road again until the end of May.

Fan support has been tremendous, with the home average at 5,772 fans a game. That represents an increase of over 2,500 per game over last year in St. Louis.

[Pelican]

[Lord Byron]

Good start to this sim; how are you drafting? If you do badly enough for a few years, you can get Babe Ruth on your team in two years--he was from Baltimore IRL...

[italyprof]

Dr. Leonard McCoy is a nice touch.

[Pelican]

Originally Posted by Lord Byron

Good start to this sim; how are you drafting? If you do badly enough for a few years, you can get Babe Ruth on your team in two years--he was from Baltimore IRL...

I have set up a draft of twelve rounds, with four regional rounds. Players appear according to history, but as free agents, rather than with the historical team or organization. So definitely hoping that the Orioles pick the local boy, George Herman Ruth, pitcher and outfielder. If I can pull that off, I'll have to choose whether to develop him as a SP or OF or both at once.

[Pelican]

Originally Posted by italyprof

Dr. Leonard McCoy is a nice touch.

LOL the team trainer position was vacant, for some reason, and he seemed like the logical choice. I have this persistent image of him using a tricorder on Rube Waddell's arm.

[Pelican]

Dr. McCoy's personality type is listed as "temperamental".

[Pelican]

MLB in 1911 was locked in a system that favored skinflint owners and did not compensate players fairly. The reserve clause bound most players to their teams. The two-year existence of the Federal League in 1914 and 1915 would give established players new leverage. But that leverage ended when the FL folded. Still, player salaries advanced, though everyday players were prey to gamblers, as evidenced by the Black Sox scandal.

I've pushed financials forward somewhat in this sim. The Orioles have a budget of $410,000, second-highest in the league (Cubs, $430,000). The average is around $300,000, and the other teams range down to $200,000 (Rustlers). Baltimore can afford the spending because the team's revenue is also highest, at $335,062. The A's are a distant second, at $268,470. The Orioles' largesse is largely a function of season tickets and solid gate revenue in their new home.

The Orioles' payroll is also highest, at $92,015. But the figure is bloated by the four big contracts: Overall at $10,000; and Waddell, Cravath, and Berger at $8,600 each per season. They are the four highest-paid players in the game. Baltimore, coming off a 47-107 1910 Season in St. Louis, had to outbid other teams, to convince these starts to come to Terrapin Park. No one else on the roster makes more than $4,000 annually, and most are at the MLB minimum of $1,000. The other teams have payrolls ranging from $40,175 (White Sox) to $60,970 (Athletics). The Orioles' average salary of $2211 is modestly more than the MLB average of $1535.

So, the bold moves for Baltimore were made within the financial constraints of the game, and the Orioles should draw well enough to make money. What is stunning is how the other owners were reluctant to spend even a bit more to improve the team. The prevailing way to advance was to scout the minor leagues ("beat the bushes") to find a young phenom. Team owners were patient, and gate receipts were good, even for mediocre teams. And the financial rewards of the post-season were basically limited to the extra gate receipts from the World Series games - not a huge incentive.

[thehef]

This is a pretty cool concept. Will be following

[Pelican]

Thanx. If only my time were unlimited, or I could persuade myself not to manage every game, I would love for this sim to continue much faster as a "bridge" to the Federal League in 1914 - or maybe earlier. My aggressive financial efforts seem already to be affecting other teams. I was nearly outbid for Cravath and Waddell and Overall by teams spending more than the highest present salary in MLB.

[Pelican]

What can a Manager say or do about a team that commits seven errors in a game, most on routine plays? In my case, I was infuriated enough to pull my second baseman and catcher after botched plays. As GM I sent them down to the minors. To me, errors of "commission" (literally, trying too hard to do too much) are forgivable, but errors of "omission" (failing to put forth the effort to make an easy play) simply cannot be overlooked. If guys can't make the routine plays, I'll find guys who can. Lackadaisical play won't be tolerated.

This was a game the Orioles woulda/coulda/shoulda won, if only the guys on the field could play ordinary defense. Rube Waddell did not pitch well (11 hits), but he deserved a better fate (only two or five runs were earned, and I think the AI got that wrong, under the rules). How many of his 112 pitches (73 strikes) in less than seven innings came about after plays that should have been made but weren't, extending innings?

Of course this Orioles team is very much a work in progress, moving parts assembled from a variety of sources. Baseball is a team game, and they need to learn to rely on one another on defense. Before this collapse, the team defensive metrics were good. It was a strong point. No more.

So, we somehow flush this one down the toilet, and move on to the next game. Enos Kirkpatrick (.320 at Wilmington) replaced George Cutshaw as reserve 2B. CF Danny Hoffman (also .320) replaced Phelps, going with two catchers for now. Al Demaree (0-2, 5.30) tries to get on track against the Naps, who are sending Vean Gregg (4-2, 2.77) to the mound. Gregg won 32 games last year in the Pacific Coast League.