MLHR: Major League Historical Replay... what if?

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AL Mid-Season Report

The Red Sox were actually in first place for most of the season, staying a few games ahead of Oakland, until they hit a rough patch in June where they went 10-14 while the A's lost only 4 games in June and are currently riding a 16-game winning streak. That will change the standings in a hurry! The A's are first in offense, defense and overall pitching again this season, although their bullpen ranks just 5th in the league. I mean, just look at this team:



The Red Sox rank second in pitching and offense, although their defense ranks just 5th. Tris Speaker (.361, 17 HR, 48 RBI) and Gavvy Cravath (.285, 37 HR, 73 RBI) are again having superb seasons at the plate while the pitching rotation is led by the trio of Joe Wood (12-4, 2.25 ERA), Elmer Steele (8-2, 2.14 ERA) and Fred Anderson (11-4, 2.87 ERA). Meanwhile, Nick Altrock (3-0, 21 Sv, 2.51 ERA) is one of the top closers in the league while Ray Collins (2-1, 3 Sv, 1.99 ERA), who was demoted to the bullpen halfway through last season as a rookie, may get the call to return to the rotation soon.

Detroit ranks 3rd in offense, but their pitching transformation has not panned out. Instead, their starting rotation ranks last in the league, their bullpen ranks 6th and the defense isn't helping matters with a 7th place ranking. The Yankees pitching staff is doing much better than Detroit's, ranking 3rd overall and highlighted by the top bullpen in the league. Their offense ranks 5th, which may be enough to help them surpass Detroit in the standings. Hippo Vaughn (10-5, 2.78 ERA) leads the New York rotation.

The Orioles are having fun this season. They have remained solidly in 5th place for the past two months while their offense has ranked 4th in the league - a big step up for this team. The revamped bullpen ranks 2nd and the team is even playing good defense. All of that is masking the fact that their starting rotation ranks 7th and needs an overhaul of its own.

Minnesota's Walter Johnson (5-6, 2.28 ERA) and Bob Groom (6-3, 2.21 ERA) are both among the five best ERA's in the AL this season, but they are a combined 11-9 thanks to a 7th ranked Twins offense. They even have the worst bullpen in the league, which could be enough to help the young White Sox leapfrog them, sending the Twins to the cellar for the first time in team history.


Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders

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NL Season Wrap-up

The Reds kept climbing the second half of the season and made this a three team race between them, the Pirates and the Cubs. At the end of August, the other NL teams had faded below .500 while only 4 1/2 games separated the three top teams. By September 15th, the Pirates and Cubs were tied for first with the Reds just 2 1/2 games back. The race continued to tighten and with just one week left to play, the Cubs led Pittsburgh by 1 game and Cincinnati by 1 1/2 games.

The Cubs opened the final week at home against the Reds. Chicago won 2 of the 3 matchups while Pittsburgh won only 1 of 3 games in San Francisco. That gave Chicago a commanding 2-game lead over Pittsburgh and a 2 1/2 game lead over the Reds. On the following day, the Cubs and Pirates enjoyed a final day off while the Reds traveled to St. Louis where they would lose 11-5, falling a full 3 games out with 3 to play. That meant that in order for the Reds to tie for first place and force a playoff, they would need to win their remaining 3 games in St. Louis while the Cubs would have to lose all 3 games at home against the Phillies AND the Pirates would have to lose at least 2 of their final 3 games at home against the Braves.

September 27th




Pittsburgh held on in a nail-biter after Atlanta's Chick Stahl hit a 2-run homer in the 9th off closer Cy Falkenberg. Cincinnati came from behind to tie St. Louis with two runs in the 9th and then won it when Cards reliever Jack Harper walked in the go-ahead run in the 10th before closer Martin Glendon shut the door with a 1-2-3 bottom of the 10th. Meanwhile, Philadelphia rookie Ad Brennan shutout the Cubs in Chicago. That kept the Reds alive for another day and drew the Pirates to within one game of first.

September 28th




Vive Lindaman and the Braves defeated the Pirates 4-2. Cincinnati's Jesse Tannehill 3-hit the Cardinals, and the Phillies staged a massive comeback against the Cubs by scoring two runs in the 8th and three in the 9th to win 5-4. Now, the Reds and Pirates found themselves tied at just one game behind the Cubs with one game left to play.

September 29th




Pittsburgh's Nick Maddox did his part by shutting out the Braves. The Reds staged a comeback against the Cardinals after being down 5-0 after seven innings. They scored 2 in the 8th and 4 in the 9th to take a 6-5 lead only to see it go up in flames when Glendon walked the first two batters he faced and then allowed the tying and winning runs to score off a Red Murray double, ending Cincinnati's season.

In Chicago, the Cubs found themselves down 1-0 to the Phillies in the bottom of the 9th with just three outs separating them from an unwanted one-game playoff for the pennant with Pittsburgh. However, the resilient Cubs tied then game with one out in the 9th when Johnny Evers hit a solo homer off Phillies closer Johnny Lush. The Phillies retook the lead with a run in the 10th, but Frank Schulte hit a pinch-hit solo home run on the first pitch he saw from Lush to lead off the bottom of the 10th, tying the game yet again. Cubs reliever Buttons Briggs held the Phillies scoreless in the 11th and in the bottom of the inning, Danny Green hit a 1-out single off reliever Jerry Nops that scored Fred Luderus from second base to win the game and the pennant for Chicago.

This is the first pennant the Cubs have won since they took back-to-back pennants in 1905 and 1906, winning both World Series. With 88 wins, this is the fewest wins ever by a pennant winner. They now face off against a mighty American League team, but the Cubs have the best offense in the NL. They led the league in batting average, runs scored and home runs while ranking second in OBP. Their pitching staff was a surprising success this season, but they did rank just 4th overall in the NL in runs allowed. In terms of ERA, the starting rotation ranks 2nd and the bullpen 3rd in the league, but their defense is a bit of a liability at 5th. Meanwhile, Luderus became just the second major leaguer to ever surpass 60 home runs. He also became just the second National Leaguer to surpass 150 RBI, falling just 3 RBI shy for former Cubs legend Cap Anson's 157 from 1876.


Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders




National League Rosters

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AL Season Wrap-up

Over the course of the second half of the season, the Athletics never looked back and never held a lead of fewer than six games over the Red Sox. They cruised to 117 wins and a 5th straight pennant - their 6th pennant over the last seven seasons actually. The mighty Phillies dynasty that spanned from 1888-1902 won ten pennants over fifteen season and set the record of six consecutive pennants. If the A's win the pennant next season, they will tie that record.

As for this season, the A's have to do something that only one of those ten pennant winning Phillies teams had to do - win a World Series. So far the A's have won two of their five World Series. In fact, they lost the 1906 World Series to the Cubs and are hoping for some redemption. This Athletics team is much more powerful offensively than the 1906 version that lost to the Cubs. Interestingly, this World Series will pit the top offense from each league against one another. The biggest difference going into the Series is the fact that Oakland's pitching staff is deeper and has much more World Series experience. That said, Chicago has essentially been playing playoff games for a month now while the A's have coasted.

In Boston, slugger Gavvy Cravath (.278, 64 HR, 136 RBI) tied his MLHR record from last season by hitting another 64 longballs this year. Otherwise, the Red Sox are still quite disappointed in their finish. They won 110 games but are bridesmaids to Oakland once again. Of note is the fact that Tris Speaker (.350, 33 HR, 110 RBI) had another phenomenal season while "Smoky Joe" Wood (20-7, 2.64 ERA) was likely the best pitcher in the AL this year and closer Nick Altrock (5-1, 46 Sv, 2.46 ERA) had another fine season.


Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders




National League Rosters

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1910 World Series

Game 1

The Cubs appeared to be cruising early on until starting pitcher Ed Reulbach fell apart in the 4th inning. He allowed a walk and two singles, scoring one run, to lead off the inning. After a fly out, centerfielder Danny Hoffman hit a painful 3-run homer giving Oakland the lead. Reulbach then allowed a double and then a single to opposing pitcher Chief Bender, which was the final nail in the coffin for him. This game featured 19 runs and 7 home runs - a fitting start to a series featuring the top two offenses in the MLHR.




Game 2

This time the A's jumped out to a quick lead, scoring two runs in the first inning off Cubs starter Carl Lundgren. They added another run in the 4th, but in the top of the 6th veteran Cubs centerfielder - the old man on the team at age 39 and a 3-time BoY - drove a 3-run home run to left field off Jimmy Dygert. The lift that shot gave the Cubs was short lived however as the A's scored two more runs in the bottom of that same inning thanks to a leadoff double from Stuffy McInnis, a 2-out pinch hit RBI single from Amos Strunk and an RBI double by Eddie Collins. The Cubs couldn't get anything else going offensively and now find themselves travelling home down two games to none.




Game 3

The A's got on the board first with yet another home run. This one was a 3-run shot in the second inning from Stuffy McInnis - his second homer of the series after hitting just nine all season. In the top of the 8th, Cubs starter Frank Corridon was replaced by reliever Fred Glade who gave up two walks and a single to the first four batters he faced. Then with one out, Ed Lennox sent a grand slam into the stands to put the game away. Oakland starter Tom Walker got in a little trouble in the 9th, but he settled down to finish off a 6-hit, 1-walk, 3-strikeout complete game shutout.




Game 4

This slugfest saw another six home runs. The Cubs hit two homers in the first inning off Eddie Plank - one from Vin Campbell and another from Fred Luderus - to take a 3-0 lead, but the A's scored two runs in the 2nd inning to keep the score close. Both teams scored two runs in the 4th inning. The A's took a 7-5 lead with a 3-run 5th inning that saw Frank Baker homer off Cubs starter Bob Rhoads. Then Vin Campbell hit his second long ball of the day for Chicago to make it a 7-6 game.

Then came the 6th inning. Once again, the wheels came off for the Chicago pitching staff and they coughed up 6 runs. To the delight of the home crowd, the Cubs managed to scrape across 5 runs in the 7th inning to make it a 13-11 game. However, in the top of the 8th, Cubs closer Buttons Briggs entered the game and promptly gave up a solo homer to Ed Lennox. He allowed another run later in the inning, taking the wind out of Chicago's sails as they went on to a 15-11 loss and a sweep at the hands of the mighty A's.




Recap

The Cubs offense proved to be dangerous at times, but their pitching staff just simply could not handle the Athletics. Meanwhile, Oakland's pitching - especially their bullpen - was able to hold the leads they were given. This was Oakland's most dominant World Series performance yet.

Series MVP

Danny Hoffman, CF: .467 AVG, .529 OBP, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 5 SB

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Season Awards


NL Batter of the Year




NL Pitcher of the Year




NL Rookie of the Year




NL Fireman Award




NL Gold Gloves
P - Harry Coveleski, PHI (2nd overall)
C - Tommy Clarke, CIN
1B - Fred Luderus, CHN
2B - Jimmy Williams, PIT (5th overall)
3B - Hans Lobert, PIT (3rd overall)
SS - Mickey Doolin, PHI
LF - Fred Beck, ATL
CF - Hi Myers, LAD (2nd consecutive)
RF - Chief Wilson, PIT


AL Batter of the Year




AL Pitcher of the Year




AL Rookie of the Year




AL Fireman Award

Set a new MLHR record with 46 saves, topping the record set by the only reliever in the Hall of Fame - former Dodgers closer Jack Cattanach - who saved 45 games in 1892.




AL Gold Gloves
P - Glenn Liebhardt, CLE
C - Claude Berry, CHA (2nd overall)
1B - Hal Chase, NYA (2nd overall)
2B - Eddie Collins, OAK (2nd overall)
3B - Frank Baker, OAK (2nd consecutive)
SS - Donie Bush, DET (2nd overall)
LF - Birdie Cree, NYA
CF - Tris Speaker, BOS (2nd consecutive)
RF - Burt Shotton, BAL

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End of Decade Recap

We have finished the first decade of the 20th century and the first decade of American League play. A lot has happened in the past decade. Here are the new leaderboards. Some of the 'ratio' stats like AVG, ERA, WHIP, etc are skewed toward the AL since it is a very top-heavy league and the pitchers were up against an offense-starved league for much of the decade.


Batting Records




Pitching Records




Key Batting Leaderboards

Average




Hits




Doubles




Home Runs




RBI




Runs




Stolen Bases




Walks




WAR




Key Pitching Leaderboards

Wins




ERA




WHIP




Shutouts




Complete Games




Innings Pitched




Strikeouts




Saves




Games Pitched




WAR

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1900's Wrap-up
(The Decade, not the Century!)


National League Pennants

Cardinals - 3 in MLHR (3-0 in WS), 0 in MLB
Cubs - 3 in MLHR (2-1 in WS), 4 in MLB
Pirates - 2 in MLHR (1-1 in WS), 4 in MLB
Phillies - 1 in MLHR (1-0 in WS), 0 in MLB
Reds - 1 in MLHR (0-1 in WS), 0 in MLB
Giants - 0 in MLHR, 2 in MLB

The Cardinals were the most successful MLHR team this decade when compared to their MLB results. They won three MLHR pennants and went 3-0 in those World Series while they were a bottom-dwelling team in MLB. However, that MLB lack of talent is beginning to show it's face as the Cards decline in MLHR with their 19th Century stars now retiring.

The Cubs had similar success in MLHR. They are still a force going into the coming decade. Not only did they win the most recent pennant with the best offense in the NL, they added more top talent this offseason (to be revealed in a later post!).

The Reds and Phillies each won a MLHR pennant while their MLB counterparts did not. The Pirates and Giants failed to live up to their MLB success. Honestly, the Pirates should have been more dominant but they were just so inconsistent. The Giants, on the other hand, did not have much talent throughout the 1890's and the first half of the 1900's. That tells me that their MLB pennant winners were likely not home-grown, but the MLHR Giants are finally coming into their own and should be a dominant force for many years to come.


American League Pennants

Athletics - 6 in MLHR (3-3 in WS), 3 in MLB
Tigers - 2 in MLHR (0-2 in WS), 3 in MLB
Twins - 1 in MLHR, 0 in MLB
Indians - 1 in MLHR, 0 in MLB
White Sox - 0 in MLHR, 2 in MLB
Red Sox - 0 in MLHR, 2 in MLB

The early years of the American League are nearly impossible to compare to the actual MLB teams because the MLB teams were comprised of many stars that jumped from the NL. That did not happen in MLHR, so I partially dismiss the pennants won by the Twins, Indians and Tigers. That said, they clearly had the best home-grown talent at that time.

The White Sox and Red Sox have not lived up to their MLB expectations. The White Sox have been pitiful in MLHR and have only recently begun adding some significant talent. The Red Sox really don't have an excuse. They had some talent for over half the decade and have so far failed to win a pennant.

On the other hand, the Athletics have been the most dominant franchise we've seen so far. It almost feels unfair to the rest of the American League, but this team is loaded. I wonder how many more pennants they will win before this dynasty ends. I also wonder how long it will be until they are unseated. They have currently won the last five consecutive pennants.


Franchises

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1910's Preview


National League Pennants

Giants - 4
Dodgers - 2
Braves - 1
Cubs - 1
Phillies - 1
Reds - 1

In MLB, the Giants dominated the first half of the 1910 decade. The other top teams were the Cubs and Pirates with the Reds and Phillies right behind. That is very similar to what is going on right now in MLHR with the exception of the Giants being dominant. However, they should be dominant in MLHR. We'll see if that happens.

In the second half of this decade in MLB, parity is in full effect as the Dodgers are the only team to win two pennants over the final seven seasons. At this point, MLB's standings have nearly turned upside-down with the former doormat Braves and Dodgers experiencing some success while the Cubs and Pirates struggle. Even the Giants have some poor seasons mixed in between their four pennants.


American League Pennants

Red Sox - 4
Athletics - 3
White Sox - 2
Indians - 1

This should be interesting to watch play out. In MLB, the Athletics started out the decade by winning three of the first four pennants, which sounds like what we can expect in MLHR. However, they went right to the cellar after Connie Mack sold off his stars. That won't happen in MLHR, so expect a decade of dominance by the A's.

The MLB Red Sox actually had the most success in this decade with four pennants. They are certainly loaded in MLHR as well, and we should expect them to eventually break past the A's and finally win a pennant. The question is, which team will be the most dominant for this decade. Don't forget that there's an outfielder known as the Bambino who might have something to say about that soon.

In MLB, the Twins (Senators) had some successful teams despite never winning a pennant. The MLHR version is currently a long way off, so we will see if they have some talented young players coming soon.

The White Sox won two MLB pennants, but they still need a lot of talent in MLHR to compete with the likes of the Red Sox and A's. Also in MLB, the Indians ended the decade with the final pennant. Perhaps the MLHR Indians or White Sox can capitalize at the end of the decade on the fact that the MLHR A's and Red Sox will be aging by then. We will have to wait to see what kind of reinforcements those teams will have over the course of the next 10 seasons to prevent a decline.

In MLHR, the biggest difference I have noticed is the fact that the Yankees are assembling a talented group, but had little to no success during this time period in MLB. It will be interesting to see what comes of them and the Tigers in this decade.

[darnoff]

1911 National League Rookies


Grover Cleveland Alexander, SP, Age 23, Phillies

The lone MLB Hall of Famer on this list, Alexander was a superb pitcher in his heyday. He should make an immediate impact atop Philadelphia's rotation. This team has some talent, and if their bullpen holds up and their offense produces like it should, they could be in the pennant mix. However, their window of opportunity is very small as many of their top players are in their mid-to-late 30's. Alexander should immediately be one of the best pitchers in the NL.




George Burns, LF, Age 21, Giants

Burns will likely jump into the regular lineup in left field, taking over for 34-year-old Danny Murphy (.274, 26 HR, 83 RBI), who is a second baseman that was forced to move to the outfield in 1907. Burns should make an immediate defensive impact, which the Giants sorely need. He is also a talented batter with a great deal of speed as well.




Claude Hendrix, SP, Age 21, Pirates

The Pirates have long been known for their pitching talent, but that strength has waned in recent seasons as the team ages. The addition of Hendrix, Hank Robinson (below) and Sherry Smith (4-6-8 ratings) should provide a large boost. Hendrix should be part of the rotation this season.




Hank Robinson, SP, Age 23, Pirates

Along with teammate Hendrix above, Robinson hopes to make an immediate impact on the Pirates pennant hopes with a spot in the once-vaunted rotation. They will likely take the spots of veterans Sam Leever (11-16, 4.42 ERA, Age 37) and Jack Pfiester (14-11, 3.82 ERA, Age 32), although Deacon Phillippe's (12-9, 4.36 ERA, Age 36) rotation spot is in danger as well.




Vic Saier, 1B, Age 19, Cubs

The Cubs already have the top offense in the NL, and they already have 1910 BoY Fred Luderus (.309, 62 HR, 154 RBI) entrenched at first base. I have no idea how they will get Saier into the regular lineup, but they certainly will want to since he has immense power potential. Man, I am starting to wish I had added the DH.




Hank Severeid, C, Age 19, Reds

The Reds added talented catcher Tommy Clarke (.212, 4 HR, 33 RBI) just two seasons ago, but he struggled in his sophomore year. Severeid is a little more talented offensively and will likely take on most of the playing time this season. Both backstops are defensive standouts, so the best offensive producer will get the job.




Red Smith, 3B, Age 20, Dodgers

Smith is an all-around good ballplayer. He will provide a slight offensive upgrade over 31-year-old Emil Batch (.249, 15 HR, 75 RBI) at third base. Smith also plays better defense and has more speed. He should help an offense that was once the laughing stock of the NL but has shown much improvement recently. They scored just 24 fewer runs than the 2nd best offense from Cincinnati last season. Now, if only their pitching can improve.




Fred Toney, SP, Age 22, Cubs

The Cubs have honestly been known for their dominant offenses for their entire 35-year existence. They have also been known for perpetually getting by with little pitching help. The addition of Toney and fellow rookie Larry Cheney (7-6-5 ratings) just might separate the defending NL champions from the rest of the contenders this season. Toney will almost certainly replace Bob Rhoads (17-12, 4.77 ERA) in the rotation. Cheney may be best suited for the bullpen, but expect the team to move him to the rotation quickly if the inconsistent Frank Corridon (10-15, 3.61 ERA) or Carl Lundgren (17-10, 2.97 ERA), both now 30 years old, show any signs of slumping after fine bounce-back performances last season.

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1911 American League Rookies


Joe Benz, SP, Age 24, White Sox

While the White Sox have one of the best pitchers in the game in Ed Walsh (18-12, 2.68 ERA), they desperately need more pitching depth. The addition of Benz and George Mogridge (below) should give that to them. One of those pitchers will definitely move into the rotation to displace Roy Patterson (5-21, 5.23 ERA). The question is whether or not the once-capable Frank Smith (5-19, 4.93 ERA) will have a shot to rebound, or if he too will be moved to the bullpen in favor of the rookies.




Ping Bodie, CF, Age 23, White Sox

Bodie is a solid hitter with power. He has average speed and plays average defense, but then again, average is an upgrade for Chicago. Sophomore Dutch Zwilling (.233, 23 HR, 70 RBI) has more range and will stay in center field, so Bodie will likely take over in left field.




Vean Gregg, SP, Age 24, Indians

Gregg is a hard thrower with a good fastball and nasty curve, but he has some occasional wildness. People often forget how talented Cleveland's pitching rotation is, and with his stuff, Gregg can be a dominant reliever. The Indians are in need of more reliable arms out of the bullpen, from top to bottom, so that may be where he makes his living.




Earl Hamilton, SP, Age 19, Orioles

The Orioles made major upgrades to their bullpen last season. They are still looking for upgrades to their starting rotation, though. Enter Hamilton and fellow rookie Jeff Pfeffer (6-6-6 ratings). Neither of those pitchers will blow you away, but both are gritty competitors and should be successful for Baltimore. Both are likely to enter the season in the starting rotation.




Red Hoff, RP, Age 19, Yankees

The Yankees continue to assemble one of the best pitching staffs around. Hoff may be the finest rookie relief pitcher we have seen in MLHR yet. Yankees closer Walter Clarkson (5-9, 28 Sv, 2.97 ERA) is still finding success in the late innings, but the team is nervous now that he is 31. If he struggles for any reason - and he has shown no signs up until now that he will - then Hoff should be waiting in the wings to take over. Plus Hoff is just 19, so he should be around for a very long time.




Jimmy Johnston, 3B, Age 21, White Sox

The multi-talented Johnston could literally play just about anywhere for Chicago. He is best as a third baseman, but the Sox may not want to displace Pep Clark (.236, 53 RBI, 21 SB) even though he had a down year in 1910. Johnston could provide an offensive and defensive upgrade at third base, second base or first base so it is hard to say where Chicago will play him. In fact, he may just split time at all three positions.




George Mogridge, SP, Age 21, White Sox

Like Joe Benz above, Mogridge is likely to move into the White Sox starting rotation this season. The team hopes that the addition of these two rookies helps not just the rotation but also the bullpen by moving some former starters into relief.




Buck O'Brien, SP, Age 24, Red Sox

O'Brien, who once got into a fist fight with teammate Joe Wood during the World Series, will have a tough time cracking the Red Sox rotation in MLHR. Frank Arellanes (13-9, 3.68 ERA) is the most vulnerable starter, but he will likely be kept in the rotation. That would mean that O'Brien would improve an already strong bullpen this season, probably by replacing the once-dominant George Winter (9-7, 4.93 ERA).




Tillie Walker, LF, Age 23, Twins

With the Twins two best hitters, first baseman Tim Jordan (.197, 26 HR, 73 RBI) and right fielder Jake Gettman (.275, 26 HR, 81 RBI, 22 SB), showing their age, the team needs a shot of young talent. Walker has a ton of defensive skill to go along with immense power. That defensive skill will likely earn him the job in centerfield instead of left field where Jack Lelivelt (.308, 43 RBI, 58 R) did a fine job last season. That will make centerfielder Clyde Milan (.239, 29 RBI, 71 R, 47 SB) a super-sub at all outfield positions.




Guy Zinn, LF, Age 23, Yankees

Zinn should provide some much needed power to the offensively-challenged Yankees lineup. His defense and speed are average at best and he will likely move to right field to replace Clyde Engle (.246, 51 RBI, 59 R, 13 SB). The Yankees hope this little injection of power will be enough to help them and their mighty pitching staff finally compete for a pennant.

[darnoff]

1911 Key Retirees - Batters


John Anderson, LF/1B, Dodgers

Was a key member of the Dodgers offense earlier in his career. Won one Gold Glove in left field. Ranked in the Top 10 in doubles five times and triples eight times.




Jimmy Barrett, CF, Reds

Didn't play regularly until age 29, but he won a Gold Glove in center field that season. Finished in the Top 10 in batting average and OBP those first two seasons as a regular.




Zaza Harvey, RF, White Sox

The best player of the White Sox first decade. Granted, that isn't saying a lot, but Harvey had a good career. He won three Gold Gloves in right field. He led the AL in hits for three straight seasons from 1902-04. He led the league in triples in 1903, and he won the 1904 AL batting title. He finished in the Top 5 in WAR in the AL five times in his first seven seasons.




Hugh Hill, LF, Indians

Hill was never supposed to do much, but he proved his doubters wrong. He didn't field well and he didn't hit for average. However, he was the man for the offensively-starved Indians from 1904-08, belting 167 home runs over that five year span. As the league got better around him, his weaknesses showed and he was out of the major leagues by age 30.




Bill Keister, 2B, Braves

A solid batter for the Braves throughout his career, Keister twice led the NL in triples. He also finished in the Top 10 in doubles seven times.




Joe Kelley, LF, Braves

A 6-time Gold Glove winner in left field, Kelley was known for his glove as well as his bat. He was an all-around threat who collected over 3,000 hits, over 350 home runs and nearly 600 doubles and stolen bases. He finished in the Top 10 in hits eight times, doubles seven times, triples seven times, stolen bases sixteen times and runs seven times.




Bill Lange, CF, Cubs

Lange was able to play much longer in MLHR than MLB and was able to become one of the best players of his generation. He was a 3-time Batter of the Year and a 6-time Gold Glover in centerfield. He retired with 3305 hits, 550 doubles, 411 home runs, 1841 runs scored, 1663 RBI and 827 stolen bases. He is also one of only three players to retire with a career average over .300, joining Hall of Famers Ross Barnes and Willie Keeler. Among many other accomplishments, Lange led the NL in OPS twice, VORP four times and WAR an impressive seven times.




Harry Lumley, RF, Dodgers

A 2-time Gold Glove right fielder known primarily for his bat. Lumley made a big first impression with 32 home runs as a rookie and 42 homers the following year. However, he also flamed out quickly, never playing again after age 29. By then he couldn't hit for a high average and his strikeout rate was too much for the Dodgers to stomach after acquiring several talented young outfielders such as Zack Wheat and Hi Myers.




Claude Ritchey, 2B, Reds

A 2-time Gold Glove second baseman.




Admiral Schlei, C, Reds

A 2-time Gold Glove winner.




Irv Waldron, RF, Orioles

Finished in the Top 4 in the batting race twice. Was a very reliable bat for the Orioles in their early days.

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1911 Key Retirees - Pitchers


Bill Dinneen, Braves

Dinneen actually had a solid career under the radar in Atlanta. Eight of his first nine seasons were at or above league average. Due to his pitching for the Braves though, he finished in the Top 10 in losses seven times. He also led the NL in shutouts in 1899 and finished third in the ERA rankings twice.




Red Donahue, Giants

Won three Gold Gloves, the most of any pitcher. Played for some awful Giants teams. Had he been anywhere else, he probably would have moved to the bullpen much earlier in his career and had much better results.




Gus Dorner, Indians

Was the Indians closer for four seasons. Led the AL in saves as part of a superb 1903 season.




Jim Hughes, Dodgers

Won the 1906 Fireman Award. After a brief stint as a closer, Hughes went on to lead the league in holds in 1908 as a setup man.




Sam Leever, Pirates

Leever was perhaps the least recognized member of the vaunted Pirates pitching staff of the early 1900's. He finished in the Top 10 in ERA five times, WHIP five times and quality starts seven times.




Jerry Nops, Phillies

Nops was an exciting young member of the Phillies dynasty when he broke in as a rookie closer in 1896. He went on to lead the NL in saves twice before eventually giving up that role. He had a long career as a middle reliever with Philadelphia, even spending the 1905 season - his only season - as a full-time starter.




Cy Swaim, Twins

Swaim was a little known pitcher who had quite a bit of early success for the Twins. He led the AL in wins in it's inaugural 1901 season as the Twins won the league's first (and Minnesota's only) pennant. Later in his career, he twice led the AL in home runs allowed, leading to his eventual move to the bullpen. However, he was a key part of the Twins rotation for eight seasons.




Pop Williams, Cubs

Williams is the perfect example of a player who consistently out-performed expectations. He won 67 games from 1899-1902. He then moved in and out of the rotation for three seasons. Then after earning his starting job back late in 1905, he didn't give it up for five more years. He even won 22 games the very next season in 1906. He was always looking over his shoulder at younger pitchers with more talent, but none of them could perform the way the wily Williams could.




George Winter, Red Sox

Winter was Boston's top pitcher for many seasons. He pitched well above league average for most of his first 8 seasons. He led the AL in innings pitched in 1901 and shutouts in 1907.

[darnoff]

1911 Hall of Fame Induction


Fred Clarke, LF, Pirates

2553 H, 409 doubles, 117 triples, 295 HR, 1195 R, 1355 RBI, 784 BB, 1683 K, 124 SB, .281 AVG, .340 OBP, .450 SLG, .790 OPS, 121 OPS+, 9075 AB, 2427 G

1894 ROY
5 Gold Gloves
2 Pennants
1 World Series titles

All-time leaderboards Top 10: Triples (1st)


Hughie Jennings, SS, Dodgers

2686 H, 420 doubles, 65 triples, 137 HR, 1254 R, 875 RBI, 510 BB, 1925 K, 586 SB, .271 AVG, .311 OBP, .368 SLG, .679 OPS, 92 OPS+, 9913 AB, 2460 G

7 Gold Gloves
1 Pennant

All-time leaderboards Top 10: NONE


Cupid Childs, 2B, Phillies

2529 H, 289 doubles, 49 triples, 144 HR, 1572 R, 876 RBI, 1557 BB, 994 K, 165 SB, .277 AVG, .383 OBP, .367 SLG, .749 OPS, 116 OPS+, 9134 AB, 2429 G

5 Gold Gloves
10 Pennants
1 World Series titles

All-time leaderboards Top 10: OBP (3rd), Walks (4th)


Sadie McMahon, SP, Dodgers

200-144, .581 Win%, 699 G, 391 GS, 3274.0 IP, 79 CG, 23 SHO, 924 BB, 2.5 BB/9, 2072 K, 5.7 K/9, 3170 HA, 219 HRA, 3.50 ERA, 116 ERA+, 1.25 WHIP

1889 ROY
3 Gold Gloves
3 Pennants

All-time leaderboards Top 10: SHO (9th)

[darnoff]

1911 NL Preseason Predictions

Last season was remarkably tight in the National League with all teams within 9 games of first at the season's halfway point. This season should have a similar level of parity with no team truly standing above the rest. While the Cubs won last season's pennant, they are predicted to only finish 4th in my rankings below. That surprises me considering the fact that they added rookie Vic Saier (5-6-9-7-4 ratings) to an already formidable lineup. However, the Cubs don't have anywhere for him to play regularly at this point. They are forced to get him as many at-bats as possible while splitting time between his natural first base and left field, a position he is trying to learn.

The team's lineup has also seen a considerable amount of turnover this season. Future HoF centerfielder Bill Lange retired and veterans Frank Chance (.234, 16 HR, 47 RBI, 42 SB), Joe Tinker (.275, 9 HR, 46 RBI) and Roger Bresnahan (.277, 10 HR, 43 RBI) are all slated for backup roles. The change is partly due to the trio's fading offensive skills but also a need for improved defense, although Tinker is still strong defensively. The other two are not. The Cubs also added exciting rookie pitchers Fred Toney (7-6-7 ratings) and Larry Cheney (7-6-5 ratings) to their rotation. Part of the reason Chicago is expected to slip to fourth place is the fact that their pitching staff fired on all cylinders last season and outperformed expectations. That is unlikely to happen again, even with the new additions.

The Pirates have finished in second place in five of the past six seasons. They were embarrassed by the Athletics in their only World Series appearance over that time frame. Fans are frustrated with what appears to be the team's inability to reach their full potential. They are expected to win the pennant again this season, and the team is feeling the urgency with so many veterans beginning to show their age. Star prospect Max Carey (.248, 11 HR, 42 RBI, 36 SB in 319 AB) gets a full-time job in left field and he is expected to give the offense a boost. Rookie Claude Hendrix (7-6-7 ratings) takes over the rotation spot vacated by the recently retired Sam Leever, and fellow rookie Hank Robinson moves into a key middle relief role. He will be called upon quickly if any of the aging starters falter. This team has plenty of pitching depth in the minors as well where several pitchers who would make most teams' rosters wait for their chance.

On paper, the Giants pose the biggest threat to Pittsburgh. However, their pitching rotation has never yet lived up to its immense potential. That is partly due to a porous defense. The organization has attempted to improve that defense with the additions of third-year player Art Fletcher (.257, 29 RBI in 265 AB) at shortstop and rookie George Burns (7-7-6-7-6 ratings) in left field. Burns will also provide additional offense and speed. He has 20+ home run power with 30+ stolen base potential and will be batting 3rd in the lineup ahead of 2-time BoY Larry Doyle (.285, 27 HR, 91 RBI). However, a .500 finish two seasons ago is still the best performance this franchise has seen in 24 years. I will believe in their pitching rotation when I see some results. That unit is again the key to the Giants' season.

The Reds won their first pennant two seasons ago and missed a second pennant last season by just 3 games. That second place finish a year ago came after a miserable start to the season. So over the second half of last year, the Reds were the best team in the NL. They hope to build on that momentum this season and get off to a fast start. They certainly have the talent to do it. The pitching rotation needs a bounce back performance from 3-time PoY Noodles Hahn (11-15, 5.03 ERA), who is just 31 but had his second poor season in the past three years. Oddly enough, the one good season he had over that three year period was good enough to earn him his third PoY award. Closer Martin Glendon (7-5, 30 Sv, 1.43 ERA) proved his doubters wrong by having another superb season at age 33 and winning his 6th Fireman Award.


Predicted Standings
(Scale of 1-12)

Rank	Team	Rotation	Bullpen	Offense	Bench	Speed	Defense	Totals	Grade	Predicted Wins
1	Pittsburgh Pirates	7	9	7	8	7	9	7.8	B+	92	70
2	San Francisco Giants	8	7	8	9	7	7	7.6	B	90	72
3	Cincinnati Reds	7	7	7	9	7	9	7.5	B	89	73
4	Chicago Cubs	6	6	8	12	6	7	7.0	B-	83	79
5	St. Louis Cardinals	8	6	5	6	9	7	6.8	C+	80	82
6	Philadelphia Phillies	7	8	5	2	5	7	6.2	C	73	89
7	Los Angeles Dodgers	6	7	5	7	5	7	6.1	C	72	90
8	Atlanta Braves	6	5	8	4	5	5	6.0	C	70	92

MLB results for the NL in 1911

Champs: New York Giants, (99-54, .647)
World Series: Athletics defeated Giants 4-2

Combined WAR: Honus Wagner, Pirates, 6.5
Offensive WAR: Larry Doyle, Giants, 6.1
Defensive WAR: Joe Tinker, Cubs, 2.5
Batting Title: Honus Wagner, Pirates, .334
Runs: Jimmy Sheckard, Cubs, 121
RBI: Chief Wilson, Pirates and Frank Schulte, Cubs, 107
SB: Bob Bescher, Reds, 81
OPS+: Frank Schulte, Cubs, 157
AB/HR: Frank Schulte, Cubs, 27.5

Pitching WAR: Nap Rucker, Dodgers, 8.7
Win%: Rube Marquard, Giants, .774
WHIP: Babe Adams, Pirates, 1.006
K/9: Rube Marquard, Giants, 7.682
Innings: Grover Cleveland Alexander, Phillies, 367.0
Shutouts: Grover Cleveland Alexander, Phillies, 7
K/BB: Christy Mathewson, Giants, 3.711
ERA+: Christy Mathewson, Giants, 167
FIP: Christy Mathewson, Giants, 2.44


MLHR Milestone Watch

2500 Hits
Mike Donlin, STL, Age 32, 2465 Hits
Charlie Hickman, ATL, Age 34, 2338 Hits

600 Doubles
Honus Wagner, PIT, Age 37, 569 doubles

100 Triples
Honus Wagner, PIT, Age 37, 98 triples

500 Home Runs
Charlie Hickman, ATL, Age 34, 486 HR

400 Home Runs
Mike Donlin, STL, Age 32, 383 HR

1500 RBI
Charlie Hickman, ATL, Age 34, 1459 RBI

200 Wins
Joe Corbett, STL, Age 35, 199 Wins

4000 Innings
Jesse Tannehill, CIN, Age 36, 3931.1 IP

3000 Innings
Buttons Briggs, CHN, Age 35, 2872.2
Noodles Hahn, CIN, Age 31, 2835.0
Bill Donovan, LAD, Age 34, 2820.0

4000 Strikeouts
Rube Waddell, PIT, Age 35, 3860 K

3000 Strikeouts
Bill Donovan, LAD, Age 34, 2916 K
Joe Corbett, STL, Age 35, 2899 K
Noodles Hahn, CIN, Age 31, 2799 K
Christy Mathewson, SFG, Age 30, 2775 K

700 Games Pitched
Doc McJames, LAD, Age 36, 696 Games

[darnoff]

1911 AL Preseason Predictions

The Athletics are once again expected to win the pennant. If they do, they will tie the great Phillies dynasty for the most consecutive pennants with six. The A's made a few tweaks this offseason to their team which has averaged 116 wins over the past three seasons. They removed Highball Wilson (14-7, 4.25 ERA) from the setup role in favor of former closer Weldon Henley (2-4, 3.22 ERA). Despite solid performances, outfielders Matty McIntyre (.283, 17 HR, 78 RBI) and Danny Hoffman (.245, 8 HR, 41 RBI, 17 SB) are expected to take a back seat to 22-year-old Amos Strunk (.271, 2 HR, 19 RBI in 218 AB) and 29-year-old Harry Armbruster (.231, 10 HR, 33 RBI in 234 AB). We'll see if that decision holds water and if the veterans retake their starting roles by season's end.

While the A's continue to stand pat, the Red Sox have again bolstered their roster. This time they have added pitcher Buck O'Brien (7-6-6 ratings). He would be a starter on just about any other team, but on Boston's talented staff he begins his career in the setup role. The Red Sox hope that this is the year they finally unseat Oakland.

No other team really has a shot at surpassing these two juggernauts. Detroit hopes the pitching changes that blew up in their faces last season finally pay the dividends they were hoping for. New York added some power to the lineup with left fielder Guy Zinn (6-6-7-6-4 ratings). They also added one of the most talented relievers we have ever seen in rookie Red Hoff (11-7-8 ratings). Just when we thought the Yankees bullpen couldn't get any better, they find the one rookie on the planet that could unseat 31-year-old Walter Clarkson (5-9, 28 Sv, 2.97 ERA) from his closer's role.

In the bottom half of the league, the White Sox continue their upward trend. They added left fielder Ping Bodie (6-6-7-6-5 ratings) to the lineup and super infielder Jimmy Johnston (7-5-4-6-8 ratings) to the bench - at least until he inevitably takes one of the starters' jobs. They also made big improvements to their pitching staff with rookies Joe Benz (6-6-7 ratings) and George Mogridge (6-6-7 ratings). At this rate, the Sox could find themselves in the company of the Tigers and Yankees in the middle of the standings in a few years.

The Orioles also improved their poor pitching rotation with the additions of Earl Hamilton (6-6-6 ratings) and Jeff Pfeffer (6-6-6 ratings). At the same time, the Indians added Vean Gregg (8-6-5 ratings), a rookie phenom in his MLB debut, to their bullpen and centerfielder Tim Hendryx (6-6-3-7-5 ratings) to the #2 slot in their lineup. Even the Twins bolstered their aging lineup with slugging centerfielder Tillie Walker (6-6-9-6-4 ratings).


Predicted Standings
(Scale of 1-12)

Rank	Team	Rotation	Bullpen	Offense	Bench	Speed	Defense	Totals	Grade	Predicted Record
1	Oakland Athletics	8	6	12	8	8	9	9.0	A	110	52
2	Boston Red Sox	8	8	12	8	7	8	8.9	A	109	53
3	Detroit Tigers	6	6	9	5	7	6	6.9	B-	84	78
4	New York Yankees	8	9	4	7	8	6	6.7	B-	81	81
5	Chicago White Sox	7	6	3	4	7	8	5.7	C-	70	92
6	Minnesota Twins	6	4	3	8	6	9	5.6	C-	68	94
7	Baltimore Orioles	4	7	3	9	8	6	5.4	C-	66	96
8	Cleveland Indians	7	6	3	4	5	5	5.0	D+	61	101

MLB results for the AL in 1911

Champs: Philadelphia Athletics, (101-50, .669)
World Series: Athletics defeated Giants 4-2

Combined WAR: Ty Cobb, Tigers, 10.7
Offensive WAR: Ty Cobb, Tigers, 10.2
Defensive WAR: Lee Tannehill, White Sox, 2.6
Batting Title: Ty Cobb, Tigers, .420
Runs: Ty Cobb, Tigers, 147
RBI: Ty Cobb, Tigers, 127
SB: Ty Cobb, Tigers, 83
OPS+: Ty Cobb, Tigers, 196
AB/HR: Frank Baker, Athletics, 53.8

Pitching WAR: Vean Gregg, Naps (Indians), 9.1 (rookie!)
Win%: Chief Bender, Athletics, .773
WHIP: Vean Gregg, Naps (Indians), 1.054 (rookie!)
K/9: Joe Wood, Red Sox, 7.542
Innings: Ed Walsh, White Sox, 368.2
Shutouts: Walter Johnson, Senators (Twins) and Eddie Plank, Athletics, 6
K/BB: Ed Walsh, White Sox, 3.542
ERA+: Vean Gregg, Naps (Indians), 189 (rookie!)
FIP: Joe Wood, Red Sox, 2.13

[darnoff]

NL Mid-Season Report

The Pirates are leading the National League pack halfway through the 1911 season despite an offense that is ranked just 6th overall in the 8-team league. 37-year-old shortstop Honus Wagner (.251, 3 HR, 31 RBI, 6 SB) and 34-year-old second baseman Jimmy Williams (.212, 5 HR, 20 RBI) are scuffling. The offensive leaders so far have been third baseman Hans Lobert (.294, 13 HR, 45 RBI, 54 R, 11 SB), left fielder Max Carey (.275, 10 HR, 35 RBI, 19 SB) and right fielder Chief Wilson (.268, 13 HR, 48 RBI). Meanwhile, the team's pitching and defense are both ranked #1 in the league. This is despite the fact that 35-year-old Rube Waddell (3-13, 5.02 ERA), a 5-time Pitcher of the Year, is having by far his worst season. Fortunately, rookie Claude Hendrix (9-3, 2.76 ERA) is picking up the slack.

Sitting in second place are the Cubs who lead the NL in offense again. Several players are having fine seasons, but none more so than reigning NL Batter of the Year Fred Luderus (.289, 23 HR, 51 RBI). Rookie Vic Saier is playing part time but has 16 home runs in just 147 at bats! However, the pitching staff ranks 6th in the league and the defense is 7th, which causes a lot of concern about the team's true chances of winning a second straight pennant.

In contrast to the Pirates and Cubs, the third place Reds are balanced with a 2nd ranked offense and 3rd ranked pitching staff. Their biggest weakness so far is an underperforming defense ranked just 6th. Their offense leads the league in OBP and stolen bases, while their bullpen is also tops in the league. Just one year after being benched mid-season, 32-year-old second baseman Miller Huggins (.388 AVG, .449 OBP, 5 HR, 34 RBI, 27 SB) is back in the #2 spot in the lineup and having the best season of his career. Leadoff hitter Bob Bescher (.271 AVG, .360 OBP, 6 HR, 71 R, 41 SB) is also having a fine season. Huggins leads the NL in AVG and OBP while Bescher leads the entire MLHR in stolen bases. On the pitching side, Noodles Hahn (8-5, 3.35 ERA) has bounced back from a lousy 1910 season and ranks 5th in the NL in ERA.

The Braves have been a big surprise this season. Their offense is 3rd in the NL and is led once again by first baseman Buck Freeman (.315, 30 HR, 78 RBI). Second baseman Charlie Hickman (.289, 21 HR, 51 RBI), right fielder Fred Beck (.267, 25 HR, 50 RBI), center fielder Johnny Bates (.285, 12 HR, 57 R, 13 SB) and rookie left fielder George Jackson (.263, 12 HR, 52 RBI, 20 SB) make up an impressive offensive attack. Meanwhile, the team's defense is a respectable 4th in the NL and their pitching rotation has the best ERA in the league. Unfortunately, their bullpen is ranked 7th and could cost them a shot at their first pennant if they don't improve.


Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders

[darnoff]

AL Mid-Season Report

The White Sox have been the surprise of the American League this season. They finished April in first place thanks to a 17-9 record. At the end of June, they are 46-35 and in third place ahead of both New York and Detroit. This is a team that has lost 411 games over the past four seasons. This season, they have the best pitching staff in the AL along with the 4th best offense and 3rd best defense in the league. Everyone knows that Ed Walsh (10-5, 2.17 ERA), Jim Scott (9-4, 2.88 ERA) and closer Harry Suter (4-4, 21 Sv, 3.40 ERA) can pitch, but rookie Joe Benz (8-5, 2.91 ERA) is showing what he is made of as well. Even former starter Frank Smith (3-3, 3.07 ERA) is performing well in his new setup role. The offensive showing may be an anomaly, but rookie Ping Bodie (.284, 14 HR, 40 RBI) looks like the real thing.

The other Sox from Boston are actually leading the AL standings half way through the season though. Boston's offense leads the league thanks to the outfield of Tris Speaker (.363, 25 HR, 71 RBI), Gavvy Cravath (.315, 32 HR, 66 RBI) and Harry Hooper (.319, 13 HR, 50 RBI). The team's defense ranks just 5th and their pitching staff 4th, which reveals a potential weakness going forward. However, Elmer Steele (11-4, 2.28), Fred Anderson (10-2, 2.97 ERA) and Ray Collins (6-3, 2.52 ERA) are each having superb seasons on the mound. Likewise for closer Nick Altrock (4-3, 16 Sv, 2.25 ERA), who continues to impress in his third season in the bullpen.

In their attempt to tie the MLHR record with six consecutive pennants, Oakland has the 2nd best offense in the AL. Joe Jackson (.381, 18 HR, 64 RBI), Frank Baker (.301, 31 HR, 73 RBI), Eddie Collins (.336, 9 HR, 66 R, 34 SB) and Ed Lennox (.278, 16 HR, 43 RBI) continue to do most of the damage. Centerfielder Harry Armbruster (.206, 8 HR, 22 RBI) has struggled, so you can expect Danny Hoffman (.354 in 48 AB) to take back his starting job in center. On the pitching side, Jimmy Dygert (11-2, 1.99 ERA) leads the American League in ERA. Teammate Tom Walker (7-5, 2.74 ERA) isn't far behind.


Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders

[darnoff]

NL Season Wrap-up

The Cubs, Pirates, Reds and Braves tussled throughout the second half of the season. At the end of August, only four games separated the four teams. Twelve days later, the Cubs held a 6-game lead over the Reds, 6.5-game lead over Pittsburgh and 7-game lead over Atlanta. But from September 13-21, the Cubs went on an 8-game losing streak, dropping games to the Braves, Phillies and Dodgers. That should have been the end for Chicago but the Pirates went just 5-4 and actually did the best of the three challengers in capitalizing on Chicago's struggles.

Now with 10 days left in the season, Chicago held a 2-game lead on Pittsburgh, a 3-game lead on Atlanta and a 3.5-game lead on Cincinnati. The Cubs went on to sweep the Giants in San Francisco and they then swept the Reds at home in Chicago. By the end of that stretch, the Cubs had a magic number of 1. On the following day, they defeated the Phillies 10-4 in front of a raucous Chicago crowd to clinch their second straight pennant and 4th pennant in seven years. The Cubs won both the 1905 and 1906 World Series, but they lost last season and will have their hands full again this year.

The Cubs offense finished as the best in the NL. However, going into the World Series, they must be worried about their pitching staff, which ranked just 6th. That pitching staff failed them in last year's World Series. That unit will be key and must step up if the Cubs have any hopes of winning a world championship.

Cincinnati's Bob Bescher passed Hall of Famer Billy Hamilton for the second highest single season total of stolen bases with 93, just nipping Hamilton's total of 92 from 1888. The all-time record still belongs to Cardinals great John McGraw, who swiped a whopping 102 bases in 1903. Pittsburgh's Honus Wagner may have had a down year by his standards, but he did tie for 5th all-time with 57 doubles in a single season.

Rookies ruled the pitching ranks in the NL. Pittsburgh's Claude Hendrix led the NL with a 2.91 ERA. He also led the NL in H/9, HR/9, OAVG and FIP. Philadelphia rookie Grover Cleveland Alexander had the misfortune of having his fine rookie season spoiled by the Phillies finishing last for the first time since they set a still-standing MLHR record with 119 loses in 1880 - yes, 31 years ago. However, Alexander did his part and led the NL in innings, BB/9, K/BB, K's and WHIP. Pretty impressive debuts for both hurlers.

The Braves had their first winning season since an 82-80 record in 1899. Meanwhile, the talented Giants still haven't had a winning season since 1886.


Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders




National League Rosters

[darnoff]

AL Season Wrap-up

Oh Boston, it is just one disappointment after another. The Red Sox were in first place the entire season. Then they did this in September:

Lost 2-of-3 to Oakland
Won 2-of-3 vs Cleveland
Lost 2-of-4 to Minnesota
Lost 3-of-4 to Baltimore
Lost 2-of-3 to Detroit
Lost 2-of-3 to Cleveland
Lost 2-of-3 to New York

By that point, there was just a week left in the season and Oakland held a 2 1/2 game lead. On September 25th, the Red Sox defeated the White Sox, but on the next day they lost a 1-0 heartbreaker as Chicago's Jim Scott threw eight innings of 5-hit, shutout ball. That loss put the final nail in Boston's coffin and two days later on an off-day, they were eliminated when Oakland beat the same White Sox 6-0.

To their credit, Oakland didn't have their best season, winning "only" 103 games but they fought hard in the second half and took advantage of Boston when they could. In fact, the A's were 7-3 over the final two months when playing the Red Sox head-to-head.

Boston's Tris Speaker set a new MLHR record with his .472 OBP and another record with a stunning 15.2 WAR.

Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders




National League Rosters

[scott1964]

Please, don't let Hell freeze over.