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

[darnoff]

1916 American League Rookies


George Harper, RF, Age 23, Tigers

Harper rarely strikes out and should have a high on-base percentage due to his ability to both make contact and draw walks. He also has 25+ home run power. Unfortunately, he joins an overloaded outfield playing behind Ty Cobb (.335, 33 HR, 112 RBI, 129 R, 77 SB), the 1915 BoY Harry Heilmann (.348, 54 HR, 147 RBI) and Bobby Veach (.280, 16 HR, 65 RBI).




Urban Shocker, SP, Age 24, Yankees

After a very disappointing 1915 season, the Yankees could use a shot in the arm. They hope that, in addition to some other pitchers bouncing back from down seasons, rookie Shocker can help give the team a boost. He should be an upgrade with Russ Ford (13-13, 4.53 ERA) moving to the bullpen.

[darnoff]

1916 Key Retirees - Batters


Dave Brain, 3B/SS, White Sox

Won two Gold Gloves at third base. In the early days of the White Sox franchise, Brain was one of their few good hitters. He was a slugging third baseman who was also a superior fielder. So good was he in the field that he was moved to shortstop in 1906 at age 27. He was a superior fielder there, posting a zone rating of +8 or better in his first five seasons in his new position. As a hitter, he slugged at least 24 home runs in each of his eleven seasons as an everyday player. He finished in the Top 10 in homers eight times, RBI six times, SLG six times and WAR six times.




Bill Coughlin, 3B, Twins

Coughlin was slightly above league average offensively during the prime of his career and then slightly below average for the remainder. However, he won two Gold Gloves at third base and was considered one of the finest defenders of his day, which explains why he got so much playing time late into his career.




Elmer Flick, RF, Phillies

Won one Gold Glove. Finished in the Top 10 in doubles four times, triples six times, batting average six times, OBP eight times and OPS four times. He was a mainstay in Philadelphia's lineup for 18 years. He played for the last three pennant-winning Phillies teams and may be one of the most underrated players of his day.




Nap Lajoie, 2B/1B, Phillies

Won two Batter of the Year awards and two Gold Gloves. Some say he should have won closer to ten Gold Gloves. He had the best range of any National Leaguer in his day at either second base or first base. He retired as the all-time leader with 902 doubles and the second most hits all-time with 3,698. He was also an RBI-machine in his prime and is 2nd all-time with 2,040 RBI - joining former teammate and HOF'er Ed Delahanty as the only two men to reach the 2,000 RBI mark. He led the league in doubles an amazing 12 times, hits five times and RBI six times. He won two batting titles and led the league once in each of the following categories: triples, SLG, OPS, VORP and WAR.





Joe Tinker, SS, Cubs

The Tinker to Evers to Chance double play combination did not turn out a single Hall of Fame career in MLHR. However, Tinker was one of the top offensive shortstops in the NL during the first decade of the 1900's. He was also one of the top defensive shortstops early in his career but never quite earned a Gold Glove. However, he was part of five pennant winning Cubs teams and two World Series champions.

[darnoff]

1916 Key Retirees - Pitchers


Nick Altrock, Red Sox

Was a top starting pitcher in Boston's early days, then became a closer later in his career. Won the 1910 AL Fireman Award. Led the AL in saves twice. As a starting pitcher, he finished in the Top 10 in ERA three times and WHIP five times, but also in HR allowed four times and even led the league in 1904.




Walter Clarkson, Yankees

Won two Fireman Awards.




Cy Falkenberg, Pirates

Was the 1909 NL Fireman Award winner. Led the NL in saves in 1905.




Tom Hughes, Cubs

At age 34, amazingly led the NL in games pitched with 91. He also won 12 games as a reliever that year.




Cy Morgan, Orioles

Won two Gold Gloves. In 1907, he led the AL in quality start percentage. It was also that year when he was the favorite to win Pitcher of the Year until being defeated in his last start by rookie Walter Johnson, who would end up winning the award. 1907 was by far Morgan's best season in a career that never quite panned out to be what the Orioles had hoped.




Jack Pfiester, Pirates

Pfiester was a key starting pitcher for some very good Pirates teams. He finished in the Top 10 in wins six times, innings four times, ERA five times, WHIP four times, fewest H/9 eight times and quality starts five times. He led the league with 103 walks in 1909 but also with 23 holds in 1915 - his final season and only season as a reliever.




Eddie Plank, Athletics

Plank was the American League's very first Rookie and Pitcher of the Year in 1901. He won a second PoY Award in 1904 and finished 2nd in the PoY voting in 1908, 1909 and 1912. He was the first great pitcher of the American League. He had the benefit of pitching for some amazing offensive clubs later in his career, but before age 30, most of the clubs he pitched for were renowned for their offensive ineptitude. His 1.86 ERA in 1901 is still the best ever for a pitcher, albeit in a poor offensive era in the AL. His career 2.95 ERA is the best ever by a starting pitcher, beating Rube Waddell's 3.02. He won two AL ERA titles and led the league in wins four times, WHIP twice, fewest HR/9 once, fewest H/9 twice, most K/9 four times, VORP once, quality start percentage twice, shutouts once and WAR three times.




Jake Thielman, Cardinals

Led the NL in saves in 1908.

[darnoff]

1916 Hall of Fame Induction


Charlie Hickman, 1B/2B, Braves

2640 H, 566 doubles, 29 triples, 548 HR, 1358 R, 1629 RBI, 501 BB, 2550 K, 35 SB, .268 AVG, .310 OBP, .499 SLG, .809 OPS, 122 OPS+, 9837 AB, 2514 G

4 Gold Gloves

All-time leaderboards Top 20: HR (5th), SLG (6th), Doubles (11th), RBI (12th), K's (12th)


Will Sawyer, CL, Pirates

63-94, .401 Win%, 793 G, 0 GS, 953.0 IP, 0 CG, 0 SHO, 419 BB, 4.0 BB/9, 1329 K, 12.6 K/9, 714 HA, 99 HRA, 2.92 ERA, 152 ERA+, 1.19 WHIP

1 Fireman
2 Pennants

All-time leaderboards Top 20: K/9 (1st), Saves (2nd - 1st at time of retirement after 1898 season), ERA (2nd), Games (4th)

[darnoff]

1916 NL Preseason Predictions

Once again, there is no truly dominant team in the NL this season. However, the Giants have won three straight pennants and are the odds-on favorite to win a fourth. They have a very good combination of offense and pitching, although their defense is a bit of a question. Centerfielder Fred Snodgrass (.192 AVG, .272 OBP, 70 R, 43 SB) had a lousy 1915 season and will be replaced in center by sophomore George "High Pockets" Kelly (.254, 26 HR, 63 RBI in 331 AB). Kelly is a downgrade defensively and does not have anywhere near the speed Snodgrass has, but the team wants Kelly's bat in the lineup every day. Left fielder George Burns (.271 AVG, .357 OBP, 12 HR, 61 RBI, 34 SB) will take over as the team's primary leadoff hitter. After taking over as closer in the middle of last season, Louis Drucke (8-8, 24 Sv, 2.92 ERA) will be the team's primary closer this year.

The Cubs are again expected to be San Francisco's top competition. They still have the best offense around, but their pitching is perhaps the worst in the league. However, they do have 2-time PoY Fred Toney (13-8, 2.90 ERA) atop the rotation. It is the rest of the rotation that is an issue. 25-year-old Zip Zabel (3-8, 25 SV, 5.34 ERA), the 1914 Fireman Award winner, blew up last season. This year may be his last shot to straighten things out and keep his job as closer.

The Pirates, Reds and Cardinals are all considered to be 2nd tier teams. Any of those teams could be a legitimate contender this season, but any of them could also face a losing season. The Pirates have the most to prove after posting a losing record last year at 80-82. This team still has the best overall pitching around, but they need their offense to be much more productive. The Reds are good all around but not really great anywhere. If their pitching staff can step up and perform at their best, I believe that their offense has enough talent to win games, especially with center fielder Bob Bescher (.245 AVG, .333 OBP, 90 R, 63 SB) setting the table and sophomore left fielder Ken Williams (.315, 49 HR, 107 RBI) and veteran third baseman Jim Doyle (.269, 25 HR, 94 RBI) driving in runs. As for St. Louis, they have the most upside of any of these three teams. They have a powerful offense led by BoY Rogers Hornsby (.344, 52 HR, 139 RBI). They just need their pitching staff to improve and they could easily move up to the Cubs' level as a serious challenger to the Giants' throne.


Predicted Standings
(Scale of 1-12)

Rank	Team	Rotation	Bullpen	Offense	Bench	Speed	Defense	Totals	Grade	Predicted Wins
1	San Francisco Giants	9	7	10	10	7	5	8.1	A-	92	70
2	Chicago Cubs	6	5	12	6	7	7	7.9	B+	90	72
3	Pittsburgh Pirates	10	9	6	6	8	6	7.6	B	86	76
4	Cincinnati Reds	7	6	6	9	9	8	7.5	B	85	77
5	St. Louis Cardinals	7	6	8	9	6	8	7.2	B	82	80
6	Atlanta Braves	7	6	6	9	6	10	6.9	B-	79	83
7	Los Angeles Dodgers	6	6	7	7	6	8	6.5	C+	74	88
8	Philadelphia Phillies	9	8	1	1	5	8	5.3	C-	60	102

MLB results for the NL in 1916

Champs: Brooklyn Robins (Dodgers), (94-60, .610)
World Series: Red Sox defeated Robins 4-1

Combined WAR: Art Fletcher, Giants, 6.3
Offensive WAR: Rogers Hornsby, Cardinals, 5.6
Defensive WAR: Rabbit Maranville, Braves, 3.2
Batting Title: Hal Chase, Reds, .339
On-Base%: Gavvy Cravath, Phillies, .379
Runs: George Burns, Giants, 105
RBI: Heinie Zimmerman, Cubs and Giants, 83
SB: Max Carey, Pirates, 63
OPS+: Hal Chase, Reds, 155
AB/HR: Cy Williams, Cubs, 33.8

Pitching WAR: Grover Cleveland Alexander, Phillies, 10.6
Win%: Tom Hughes, Braves, .842
WHIP: Grover Cleveland Alexander, Phillies, 0.959
K/9: Larry Cheney, Robins (Dodgers), 5.905
Innings: Grover Cleveland Alexander, Phillies, 389.0
K/BB: Dick Rudolph, Braves, 3.500
ERA+: Grover Cleveland Alexander, Phillies, 172
FIP: Rube Marquard, Robins (Dodgers), 1.96


MLHR Milestone Watch

3500 Hits
Mike Donlin, STL, Age 37, 3380 Hits

700 Home Runs
Buck Freeman, ATL, Age 35, 691 HR

500 Home Runs
Mike Donlin, STL, Age 37, 498 HR

1000 Walks
Miller Huggins, CIN, Age 37, 991 BB

600 Stolen Bases
Bob Bescher, CIN, Age 32, 558 SB

800 Games Pitched
Martin Glendon, CIN, Age 39, 763 G

200 Wins
Mordecai Brown, STL, Age 37, 186 W

4000 Innings Pitched
Noodles Hahn, CIN, Age 36, 3973.2 IP

3000 Innings Pitched
Mordecai Brown, STL, Age 37, 2929.1 IP

3000 Strikeouts
Doc White, PHI, Age 36, 2846 IP

[darnoff]

1916 AL Preseason Predictions

After a disappointing second place finish last year, the Red Sox are again the class of the American League. They posess a superb offense and arguably the best pitching staff around. Tris Speaker (.303 AVG, .400 OBP, 27 HR, 108 RBI, 20 SB) has been moved to the #2 slot in the lineup. He is followed by the best slugging duo in MLHR with Babe Ruth (.294, 59 HR, 131 RBI) and Gavvy Cravath (.230, 51 HR, 133 RBI) batting 3rd and 4th. On the pitching side, Joe Wood (17-11, 2.99 ERA) is the team's ace but it was Ray Collins (20-8, 2.16 ERA) who won last year's PoY Award. 23-year-old Dutch Leonard (3-6, 43 SV, 2.55 ERA) returns as closer after a stellar first season in that role.

Despite the star-studded lineup in Boston, it was the White Sox who won the 1915 AL pennant and then the World Series. Everyone in Chicago believes that they are the better team. They certainly take offense at the idea that Boston has a better pitching staff. After all, Chicago had four of the best pitchers in the league last year with Reb Russell (18-8, 2.40 ERA), Ed Walsh (16-10, 3.27 ERA), Phil Douglas (15-7, 2.69 ERA) and Jim Scott (14-7, 2.80 ERA). They also boast perhaps the best setup and closer bullpen tandem in the MLHR with Mellie Wolfgang (16-1, 2.37 ERA in 84 games) and Harry Suter (4-6, 39 Sv, 2.28 ERA). Offensively, they are led by right fielder Edd Roush (.313, 21 HR, 86 RBI, 101 R) and first baseman Jack Fournier (.333, 45 HR, 131 RBI).

Oakland is now considered to be the #3 team in the AL, thanks largely to a decline in pitching. Chief Bender (16-8, 3.09 ERA) is still their ace and Harry Krause (3-8, 37 Sv, 3.24 ERA) is still a solid closer. Beyond those two, the team has several concerns. The good news for A's fans is that the team still has a top notch offense with Eddie Collins (.329 AVG, .413 OBP, 12 HR, 67 RBI, 113 R, 68 SB) leading off, "Shoeless Joe" Jackson (.310, 31 HR, 127 RBI) batting third and Frank "Home Run" Baker (.278, 41 HR, 118 RBI) batting cleanup.

With Harry Heilmann (.348, 54 HR, 147 RBI) joining teammate Ty Cobb (.335, 33 HR, 112 RBI, 129 R, 77 SB) as a BoY winner, the Tigers clearly have one of the top offenses in the league. However, they have perhaps the worst pitching staff in the AL, and that fact consistently prevents the team from ever mounting a serious run at the pennant.

The Yankees and Indians both hope to post winning records this year. That will be no small feat after New York suffered an embarassing 101-loss season last year. Their pitching staff should be much better than they performed last year, but offense remains a concern. As for Cleveland, they too have a solid - but not spectacular - pitching staff with Vean Gregg (8-12, 3.00 ERA) and Guy Morton (18-6, 3.22 ERA) slowly taking over the leadership of the staff from 35-year-old veteran Addie Joss (12-16, 3.69 ERA). However, the Indians also have a mediocre offense with some strengths but also some glaring weaknesses.


Predicted Standings
(Scale of 1-12)

Rank	Team	Rotation	Bullpen	Offense	Bench	Speed	Defense	Totals	Grade	Predicted Record
1	Boston Red Sox	8	10	12	9	4	9	9.0	A	105	57
2	Chicago White Sox	9	9	8	7	7	10	8.2	A-	96	66
3	Oakland Athletics	7	6	11	8	6	6	7.7	B+	89	73
4	Detroit Tigers	5	6	8	12	7	9	7.4	B	87	75
5	New York Yankees	7	9	4	7	9	8	6.6	B-	77	85
6	Cleveland Indians	7	6	4	5	9	7	6.4	C+	75	87
7	Minnesota Twins	7	6	4	5	7	4	5.4	C-	63	99
8	Baltimore Orioles	5	8	2	5	6	5	4.8	D+	56	106

MLB results for the AL in 1916

Champs: Boston Red Sox, (91-63, .591)
World Series: Red Sox defeated Robins 4-1

Combined WAR: Tris Speaker, Indians, 8.7
Offensive WAR: Ty Cobb, Tigers, 8.7
Defensive WAR: Ossie Vitt, Tigers, 2.5
Batting Title: Tris Speaker, Indians, .386
Runs: Ty Cobb, Tigers, 113
RBI: Del Pratt, Browns (Orioles), 103
SB: Ty Cobb, Tigers, 68
OPS+: Tris Speaker, Indians, 186
AB/HR: Frank Baker, Yankees, 36.0

Pitching WAR: Walter Johnson, Senators (Twins), 9.7
Win%: Nick Cullop, Yankees, .684
WHIP: Reb Russell, White Sox, 0.942
K/9: Walter Johnson, Senators (Twins), 5.551
Innings: Walter Johnson, Senators (Twins), 369.2
K/BB: Walter Johnson, Senators (Twins), 2.781
ERA+: Babe Ruth, Red Sox, 158
FIP: Walter Johnson, Senators (Twins), 1.82


MLHR Milestone Watch

500 Home Runs
Gavvy Cravath, BOS, Age 33, 447 HR

1500 Runs
Ty Cobb, DET, Age 29, 1366 Runs

1000 Walks
Eddie Collins, OAK, Age 28, 995 BB

600 Stolen Bases
Eddie Collins, OAK, Age 28, 599 SB

200 Wins
Addie Joss, CLE, Age 35, 197 Wins

3000 Innings Pitched
Ed Walsh, CHA, Age 34, 2984.0 IP

3000 Strikeouts
Chief Bender, OAK, Age 31, 2919 K
Ed Walsh, CHA, Age 34, 2835 K

[darnoff]

NL Mid-Season Report

This has been another close race in the NL with several teams getting a taste of first place. Currently, the Cubs sit in first place with four teams within three games of them. Surprisingly, the Chicago offense is ranked just 5th in the league this season. Their team batting average (.239) and team OBP (.295) are poor and they are only 4th in home runs. The sluggers in the middle of their lineup are struggling: Cy Williams (.244, 21 HR, 44 RBI), Vic Saier (.204, 15 HR, 30 RBI) and Fred Luderus (.243, 19 HR, 36 RBI). Only third baseman Heinie Zimmerman (.279, 14 HR, 48 RBI) is hitting up to his normal standards, although even he would tell you that his batting average is a little low. But he won't complain after posting his worst offensive season last year. The good news for Chicago is that their pitching staff is 3rd in the league despite the 2nd worst starting rotation ERA (3.98). Their bullpen is ranked second with closer Zip Zabel (1-3, 23 Sv, 2.51 ERA) on track after a poor season last year.

Cincinnati sits just one game behind Chicago. They have the 2nd best offense in the NL right now. They rank 2nd in just about everything except home runs, although left fielder Ken Williams (.326, 26 HR, 79 RBI) is trying to rectify that all on his own. The rest of the team is lean on power, but they are getting on base at a good rate (.323) and moving runners up with timely base hits, bunts and stolen bases. Their pitching staff is ranked 4th in ERA but ranked 6th in runs allowed due to the worst rated defense in the NL. They will need to see improvement there if they hope to capture the pennant.

The Cubs and Reds must be nervous to see the 3-time defending champion Giants just 2-games off the lead. They have the #1 offense in the league with several players having fine seasons. Second baseman Larry Doyle (.301, 23 HR, 81 RBI) has been on fire. George Kelly (.279, 18 HR, 53 RBI) has performed well as a full-time player, although his range in centerfield has been an issue at times. Right fielder Dave Robertson (.304, 19 HR, 39 RBI) has been hitting well too. The pitching staff has been the Giants' problem. They are ranked 5th in the league and the bullpen has struggled. The best performer on the pitching staff thus far has been Rube Marquard (11-3, 2.90 ERA).

The Dodgers have been a bit of a surprise in 4th place. Their offense has been the key, ranking 3rd. They even lead the NL in home runs thanks to players like Zack Wheat (.294, 24 HR, 51 RBI), Casey Stengel (.255, 16 HR, 45 RBI), Jake Daubert (.286, 12 HR, 35 RBI) and others. Unfortunately, the team's defense ranks 7th which is part of the reason that the team has allowed the 2nd most runs, despite a good bullpen. The fact that the starting rotation is last in the league with a 4.04 ERA doesn't help.

In Atlanta, the Braves rank 4th in offense, defense and pitching. At age 35, first baseman Buck Freeman (.249, 16 HR, 44 RBI) is still a threat at the plate. In fact on June 1st, Freeman became the first player to ever reach 700 home runs when he hit a blast off Ed Reulbach to lead off the 2nd inning in an eventual 11-6 loss in Chicago. Right fielder Tommy Griffith (.284, 16 HR, 38 RBI) has been a big help to the offense as well, batting 5th and providing Freeman with protection. The pitching rotation is 3rd best in the league and no starter has an ERA of 4.00 or higher. Closer Hub Perdue (5-5, 18 Sv, 3.38 ERA) has performed admirably, but the bullpen as a whole ranks next to last in the NL with a 4.00 ERA as a unit.

The Phillies have the #1 pitching staff in the league, but the worst offense. St. Louis' offense has underperformed and their pitching staff has allowed more runs than any other team in the NL. Pittsburgh's starting rotation and defense has performed very well, but their bullpen has been a big problem, which is unusual for this team. Plus their offense has been poor and are ranked 7th out of the eight teams.


Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders

[darnoff]

AL Mid-Season Report

The White Sox are making an argument that they are the best team in the AL. With the Red Sox and A's getting most people's attention, the other Chicago team (next to the popular Cubs) is changing all that. They finished the first half of the season on a 12-game winning streak, and they had a 10-game winning streak a month earlier in May. They currently hold a 4 1/2 game lead on Oakland. Chicago's superb pitching staff is ranked #1 in the league thanks to ace Reb Russell's (9-2, 2.38 ERA) performance and a bounce-back season by 30-year-old Joe Benz (10-2, 2.68 ERA). The White Sox also have the 3rd best offense in the league led by Jack Fournier (.316, 26 HR, 66 RBI) and Braggo Roth (.293, 15 HR, 42 RBI, 18 SB). Meanwhile, the bullpen has an incredible 1.77 ERA led by closer Harry Suter (4-2, 25 Sv, 1.52 ERA) and setup man Mellie Wolfgang (5-2, 1.03 ERA).

Oakland is right on Chicago's heels thanks to the #1 ranked offense that is hitting .288 as a team. Eddie Collins (.330 AVG, .413 OBP, 56 R, 28 SB) is setting the table while Joe Jackson (.373, 17 HR, 57 RBI, 12 SB) and Frank Baker (.300, 20 HR, 66 RBI, 10 SB) are driving in runs. Meanwhile, the A's pitching has slumped in recent seasons but this year they have allowed the 2nd fewest runs in the league to Chicago. Ace Chief Bender (10-3, 2.65 ERA) leads the rotation, but Bob Shawkey (8-4, 3.03 ERA) and Stan Coveleski (9-4, 3.17 ERA) are right behind.

Detroit, powered by their offense, is making noise. Ty Cobb (.360, 22 HR, 69 RBI, 27 SB) and Harry Heilmann (.322, 19 HR, 71 RBI) continue to form a mighty duo. Their pitching staff is ranked 6th in the league, but that's actually a little better than expected. 26-year-old Hooks Dauss (8-5, 2.72 ERA) is having his best season. If the rest of the staff can show some improvement, the Tigers might have enough to give Chicago a serious challenge.

The big news this season has been the fact that Boston finds themselves just one game above .500. Their mighty offense has slumped to 4th in the AL with the two lone standouts being Tris Speaker (.359, 19 HR, 49 RBI, 10 SB) and Babe Ruth (.305, 38 HR, 81 RBI). The pitching staff has been disappointing up to this point, despite being ranked 3rd overall. Even the team's defense is disappointing, ranking 5th overall.


Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders

[darnoff]

NL Season Wrap-up

This season saw a bitter pennant race between Chicago and San Francisco. The Cubs led the Giants by just 1 game at the end of July, and in August the other NL teams began to fall off the pace. By the end of August, the Cubs had a slight 3-game lead. However, the Cubs went 5-5 over the first 10 days in September while the Giants went 7-2, moving to within a half-game of first. The two teams went back-and-forth for the next two weeks and on September 22nd, they began their final head-to-head series of the season.

The series was in San Francisco and the two teams were tied for first. The first game saw the rivals go into extra innings with a 2-2 tie. Both teams scored in the 10th to make it 3-3, but then the Cubs hit two homers in the 11th off closer Louis Drucke to win 5-3. In the second game, the score was tied 4-4 in the bottom of the 9th and Cubs closer Zip Zabel walked pinch hitter Josh Devore to lead off the inning. After a fly out, Devore stole 2nd on the first pitch to George Burns and then stole third on the very next pitch. Burns was then intentionally walked by Zabel. After Burns stole second on a 2-0 count, Heinie Groh was also intentionally walked. Then, on an 0-1 count, Larry Doyle hit a walk-off single to tie the two teams for first place again. In the rubber match, the Cubs trailed 4-3 but then tied it with a run in the 8th. The game went to extra innings, and in the top of the 11th, closer Drucke entered the game for San Francisco and on his second pitch gave up a solo home run to Fred Luderus. Cubs reliever Jimmy Lavender pitched a 1-2-3 11th to save the game and put Chicago back on top by one game in the standings.

With just a week left in the season, Chicago lost 2-of-3 games at home versus Cincinnati and the Giants lost 2-of-3 while hosting the Pirates. The Cubs then won the first two games in their final series of the season at home against the Phillies while the Giants won two games in Los Angeles. On the final day of the season, still trailing by one game, the Giants beat L.A. 8-1. Needing a win to clinch the pennant, the Cubs were shutout 5-0 by Doc White and the Phillies bullpen. That put the Cubs and Giants in a tie for first and forced a 1-game playoff. The Cubs would host the game and it was close, but San Francisco prevailed 2-0 behind eight shutout innings by Rube Marquard and a save by Drucke. The win gave San Francisco their 4th straight pennant, making them just the third team to win at least four straight. The other two teams were the Phillies from 1893-1898 and the Athletics from 1906-1911.

On the milestone watch, Atlanta first baseman Buck Freeman (.240, 34 HR, 95 RBI) finished the season with 725 career home runs. The question now is whether or not the 36-year-old will return for another season. In St. Louis, a new National League home run champ has emerged in Rogers Hornsby (.326, 60 HR, 119 RBI), who reached the 60-HR mark on the final day of the season with a solo homer off Cincinnati's Orval Overall.


Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders




National League Rosters

[darnoff]

AL Season Wrap-up

After two winning streaks of 10 games or more in the first half of the season, the White Sox won 10 of 11 games over a 12 day stretch in early September to seal their second straight AL pennant. Boston heated up late in the second half, but the White Sox still managed to capture the pennant by a wide 10-game margin. The Chicago offense had a down year, ranking just 4th in the league, but the team's pitching was outstanding and posted an amazing 2.84 team ERA that easily out paced the rest of the MLHR. Reb Russell (18-5, 2.41 ERA) led the American League in ERA and finished second in wins to teammate Joe Benz (19-6, 2.92 ERA). Meanwhile, the Chicago bullpen finished the season with an incredible 1.96 ERA. Setup man Mellie Wolfgang was the best reliever in the league this season, posting an 8-2 record with a 0.99 ERA in 118.1 innings!

The Red Sox were disappointed with a second straight 2nd-place finish, but they were just one game above .500 going into July. They led the AL with an impressive 230 home runs, thanks primarily to the slugging prowess of Babe Ruth (.305, 68 HR, 144 RBI). Ruth set a new MLHR record with 68 home runs. He also broke his own record for walks in a season with 154. The Red Sox also ranked 2nd in pitching, but reigning AL PoY Ray Collins (13-11, 4.11 ERA) struggled to match the fantastic season he had last year. However, "Smoky Joe" Wood (19-6, 2.78 ERA) pitched superbly, as did sophomore Carl Mays (14-7, 2.49 ERA), who moved into the rotation in July after losing his rotation spot late last year.

In Oakland, the team led the AL in offense with the trio of Eddie Collins (.325, 66 RBI, 108 R, 58 SB), Joe Jackson (.340, 30 HR, 102 RBI, 21 SB) and Frank Baker (.302, 43 HR, 136, RBI, 16 SB) continuing to lead the charge. Unfortunately, the team's pitching staff backslid to an overall 4th place ranking. The bullpen was their primary issue, ranking 5th overall. 28-year-old closer Harry Krause (7-7, 27 SV, 4.28 ERA) had the fewest saves and worst ERA of his career as a reliever.

Detroit's pitching staff got worse in the second half of the season and wound up ranked 7th in the league. Only one starting pitcher, Hooks Dauss (14-10, 3.59 ERA), posted an ERA below 4.00. The offense ranked 2nd in the league, and everyone in Detroit knows that if this team had decent pitching, they would be a legitimate pennant contender every year. For the second straight season, right fielder Harry Heilmann (.344, 42 HR, 144 RBI, 102 R) had arguably a better season than his more well-known teammate Ty Cobb (.335, 38 HR, 120 RBI, 131 R, 61 SB).


Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders




National League Rosters

[darnoff]

1916 World Series

Game 1

Well, if Game 1 was any indication, this should be a wild World Series. Starting pitchers Jeff Tesreau of the Giants and Reb Russell of the White Sox both pitched well. In the top of the 4th, the White Sox got on the board with a solo home run from centerfielder Happy Felsch. Then in the bottom of the 4th, third baseman Braggo Roth committed a throwing error with one out, allowing the tying run to score. Errors would be the theme of the night for Chicago.

In the bottom of the 6th, Fred Merkle bunted and Reb Russell fielded it but threw the ball away at second base, allowing runner Dave Robertson to advance to third. After a walk loaded the bases, pitcher Tesreau chopped a ball toward third that Roth could not field quickly enough, allowing Robertson to score. The White Sox avoided any more damage with an inning-ending double play. An inning later, the Giants had runners on first and third with two outs. Reliever Frank Miller entered the game and got Merkle to fly out to left, but Ping Bodie dropped the ball, allowing another run to score.

In the top of the 8th, Chicago finally benefitted from a Giants error as pinch hitter Ernie Johnson reached first on a bad throw and then advanced to second as the ball rolled to past the Giants dugout. With two outs, Tesreau walked Felsch and he was lifted from the game in favor of the Giants only lefty, Hooks Wiltse, who has a history of struggling in the World Series. Sure enough, he coughed up a 3-run dinger to Edd Roush, giving the White Sox a 4-3 lead.

In the 8th, Chicago went to their vaunted bullpen, a unit that posted an ERA under 2.00 for the entire season. Setup man Mellie Wolfgang did not disappoint, setting the Giants down 1-2-3. Then in the top of the 9th, Chicago piled on with back-to-back solo home runs from Bodie and Roth, atoning for their errors. In the bottom of the 9th, Chicago turned to their great closer, Harry Suter, but on this day Suter was not himself. He walked the first batter he faced and then struck out the next. He then gave up a single and the following batter reached base on yet another error by Roth at third. Suter then walked shortstop Milt Stock, driving in a run and narrowing Chicago's lead to 6-4. Catcher Chief Meyers then singled in two runs, tying the game. Pinch hitter Hank Gowdy hit the first pitch he saw for a game-winning single, sealing an impressive come-back win for San Francisco and ending a miserable day of fielding for the normally sure-handed White Sox - a team that posted the best fielding percentage in all of MLHR this season.




Game 2

This game was a pitching duel. Both Ed Walsh of Chicago and Dick Rudolph of San Francisco were outstanding. The two pitchers allowed no runs and just three combined hits through the first six innings. Walsh was the first to crack when he allowed back-to-back solo home runs to George Kelly and Dave Robertson in the bottom of the 7th. However, Chicago came right back in the top of the 8th to tie the game off Rudolph thanks to doubles by Ping Bodie and Buck Weaver, followed by a clutch two-out single by pinch hitter Dutch Zwilling, who last year went 3-for-3 with a home run, 2 runs scored and 3 RBI in three pinch hitting opportunities in last year's World Series! But in the bottom of the 8th, new White Sox pitcher Joe Benz allowed a solo homer to pinch hitter Walter Holke and Giants closer Louis Drucke shut the door in the 9th for a second Giants victory.




Game 3

Pitching was again the name of the game on this day as Chicago's Phil Douglas squared off against Giants lefty Rube Marquard. The game was scoreless until the bottom of the 5th when Marquard allowed three straight singles to give Chicago a 1-0 lead. Then in the 7th, Chicago first baseman Jack Fournier got his first hit of the series in grand style with a solo home run. That was all that Shufflin' Phil Douglas would need as he tossed one of the very few complete game shutouts (perhaps the first?) in World Series history.




Game 4

This game literally went back and forth beginning with the very first batter of the game, Giants left fielder George Burns, who led off the game with a solo home run. The game was thrilling, not just because of the scoring but also because there were many fantastic catches made in the outfield for both teams. In the bottom of the 9th, Chicago got to San Francisco's closer Louis Drucke for two runs, tying the game at 5-5. In the top of the 11th, Giants pinch hitter Fred Snodgrass drew a leadoff walk from reliever Red Faber. Snodgrass moved to second on a bunt and then scored on a single after Heinie Groh battled Faber through eight pitches before earning the RBI. In the bottom of the 11th, Chicago drew two walks off Red Ames, and with two outs, centerfielder George Kelly saved the game for the Giants with a running catch in the left-center alley near the warning track.




Game 5

Jeff Tesreau and Reb Russell faced off again and the game was scoreless for five innings. Until the 6th, Russell had pitched 11 2/3 scoreless innings during this World Series. But in the 6th, he was touched up thanks to a bases loaded walk to Fred Merkle followed by a sac fly from Milt Stock. In the bottom of that inning, Chicago came back, scoring a run from third base on a wild pitch and then tying the game at 2-2 on a single from Ping Bodie. In the bottom of the 8th, Chicago second baseman Jimmy Johnston drew a 1-out walk, then stole second during the next at-bat. Then with two outs, he scored on a single by Edd Roush. In the 9th, Chicago turned to setup man Mellie Wolfgang to face the righty-heavy lineup instead of left-handed closer Harry Suter. Wolfgang got three straight outs and earned his first World Series save.




Game 6

The Giants jumped out to a big lead quickly with 3 runs in the first inning off Ed Walsh. Walsh would settle down and not allow another run over the next 5 2/3 innings. The White Sox offense scored one run off Dick Rudolph in the 2nd inning, but Rudolph would not allow another run until his 8th and final inning when Chicago narrowed the Giants lead to 3-2. In the top of the 9th, Hooks Wiltse came in to face lefty slugger Jack Fournier and struck him out. Then Giants closer Louis Drucke came in and struck out both Ping Bodie and Braggo Roth to seal the game and clinch the World Series for San Fran.




Recap

Chicago's defense put them in an early hole in Game 1, making it very difficult to claw back against a scrappy Giants club. Both teams had very good pitching, particularly from the starters. San Francisco's offense performed better during the Series though, always getting that key hit that they needed. After winning four straight pennants, the Giants have their second World Series title after beating Oakland three years ago.

Series MVP

Dick Rudolph, SP, SFG: 2 GS, 2-0, 16.0 IP, 10 HA, 2 BB, 9 K, 2.25 ERA

[darnoff]

Season Awards


NL Batter of the Year




NL Pitcher of the Year




NL Rookie of the Year




NL Fireman Award




NL Gold Gloves
P - Claude Hendrix, PIT
C - Jimmy Archer, PIT (4th overall)
1B - Fred Luderus, CHN (2nd overall)
2B - George Cutshaw, LAD
3B - John Dodge, PHI
SS - Bill Sweeney, CHN (2nd overall - one at 2B and one at SS)
LF - George Burns, SFG
CF - Fred Osborn, PHI
RF - Vin Campbell, CHN


AL Batter of the Year




AL Pitcher of the Year




AL Rookie of the Year




AL Fireman Award

This is the first time in either league that this award has ever been given to a non-closer. Wolfgang was just amazing!




AL Gold Gloves
P - Urban Shocker, NYY (rookie!)
C - Ray Schalk, CHA
1B - George Sisler, BAL (2nd consecutive)
2B - Larry Gardner, BOS
3B - Frank Baker, OAK (5th overall)
SS - Stuffy McInnis, OAK
LF - Billy Southworth, CLE
CF - Happy Felsch, CHA (2nd consecutive)
RF - Elmer Smith, CLE

[darnoff]

1917 National League Rookies


Hod Eller, SP, Age 22, Reds

Eller gives the Reds pitching staff the boost it needed. As some of their veteran stars are fading away, the team needs to stay young and they have done that this offseason. Eller will likely begin the season as the #2 starter. Now the team just needs to add some more offense.




Jakie May, SP, Age 21, Cardinals

The Cardinals have been in need of pitching for several seasons now. May should help them improve in that area. The only knock on May is his occasional lack of control, but he throws hard and can limit the damage from walks by holding hitters to a low batting average and by allowing fewer home runs than most pitchers.




Herman Pillette, SP, Age 21, Reds

Pillette joins Hod Eller (above) as a rookie in this season's starting rotation in Cincinnati. The two pitchers should help provide the Reds with one of the best rotations in the NL this season. The team finished in 3rd place at 84-78 last season, and they hope that the pitching additions help them win the pennant this year.




Elmer Ponder, SP, Age 23, Pirates

The Pirates pitching rotation will be tough to crack, but Ponder just may have the stuff to do that as a 5th starter this year. If not, he will certainly earn a spot in the bullpen where he can wait for his shot at starting. After a very disappointing 1916 season that saw the Pirates lose 93 games, they hope to get back on track this season.




Dutch Ruether, SP, Age 23, Cubs

Ruether is just what the Cubs and their prolific offense needs - additional pitching help. Ruether should begin the season as the team's #3 starter. He is known for allowing few home runs, which will be tested in hitter-friendly Wrigley Field. Chicago expects Ruether to be a big contributor this season. They also believe that an improved pitching staff will help them to win their first pennant in five years after faltering down the stretch last season and losing the pennant in a 1-game playoff to San Francisco.




Ross Youngs, RF, Age 19, Giants

Speaking of San Francisco, they have added another top notch outfielder in Ross Youngs. This provides the team with a tough decision to make as they try to find Youngs a place to play. However, he should be a top offensive producer for a team that already had the best offense in the NL last season.

[darnoff]

1917 American League Rookies


Ira Flagstead, CF, Age 23, Tigers

The Tigers have added two exciting young outfielders this season in Flagstead and Fred Nicholson (8-5-4-4-5 ratings), which is the one thing they don't need. The Tigers' outfield is already loaded with stars, which is why Flagstead may be asked to play shortstop. The Tigers already have 4-time Gold Glover Donie Bush (.246, 59 R, 32 SB) at shortstop so perhaps Flagstead will be moved to second base instead.




Bill Lamar, LF, Age 19, Yankees

Lamar is an interesting young outfielder for New York. He is a free swinger who should post a high batting average but draws few walks. To make room for Lamar, the Yankees might move right fielder Joe Harris (.310, 21 HR, 105 RBI) to first base, reducing the playing time for 12-year veteran Hal Chase (.256, 16 HR, 63 RBI, 87 R, 34 SB).

[darnoff]

1917 Key Retirees - Batters


Mike Donlin, LF/1B, Cardinals

Donlin was the 1899 RoY and won two BoY Awards. However, he is best known as the only player in MLHR history to win the Triple Crown, batting .331 with 43 HR and 141 RBI in 1903. He led the league in hits an impressive six times and recorded 200 or more hits ten times. Donlin also won four batting titles. He retired with a .305 average (3rd all-time), 3495 hits (5th all-time), 603 doubles (8th all-time), 506 HR (10th all-time), 1871 RBI (4th all-time) and 1707 Runs (9th all-time).




Johnny Evers, 2B, Cubs

A solid all-around player for the Cubs, winning five pennants. He was a top defender, but fell just short of winning a Gold Glove.




Hans Lobert, 3B, Pirates

Won three Gold Gloves. Led the league in runs twice and finished in the Top 10 six times. Finished in the Top 10 in hits five times, triples five times, stolen bases ten times, batting average twice and WAR four times.




Red Murray, RF, Cardinals

Won 1906 RoY Award and one Gold Glove. Finished in the Top 10 in triples four times and stolen bases five times.

[darnoff]

1917 Key Retirees - Pitchers


Mordecai Brown, Cardinals

Won the 1903 RoY Award and the 1910 PoY Award. He led the league with the best K/BB ratio three times, RA/9 four times and BB/9 five times. He also finished in the Top 10 in wins six times, ERA six times, WHIP ten times, Quality start percentage seven times and WAR ten times.




Martin Glendon, Reds

Perhaps the best closer thus far in MLHR history. He won seven Fireman Awards. He led the league in saves three times and retired with the most career saves all-time with 463.




Noodles Hahn, Reds

Won three PoY Awards. Led the league in innings three times, shutouts four times, complete games three times, VORP three times and WAR twice. He also finished in the Top 10 in wins six times, strikeouts fourteen times, ERA nine times, WHIP eight times, HR/9 six times, H/9 nine times and quality starts six times.




Doc White, Phillies

Won one Gold Glove. Finished 2nd with a 2.69 ERA in 1908. Led the league in WHIP twice.

[WeagleWeagle]

Finally caught up on this dynasty. Really awesome work man! Keep it up!

[darnoff]

Originally Posted by WeagleWeagle

Finally caught up on this dynasty. Really awesome work man! Keep it up!

Awesome, thanks!

[darnoff]

1917 Hall of Fame Induction


Nap Lajoie, 2B/1B, Phillies

3698 H, 902 doubles, 68 triples, 430 HR, 1699 R, 2040 RBI, 580 BB, 2469 K, 97 SB, .296 AVG, .330 OBP, .482 SLG, .813 OPS, 125 OPS+, 12495 AB, 3113 G

2 BoY
2 Gold Gloves
5 Pennants
1-0 in World Series

All-time leaderboards Top 20: Doubles (1st), Hits (2nd), RBI (2nd), AVG (7th), WAR (9th), Runs (10th), VORP (13th), Strikeouts (14th), SLG (15th), Home Runs (15th), Triples (17th), OPS (20th)


Eddie Plank, SP, Athletics

213-133, .616 Win%, 542 G, 421 GS, 3126.2 IP, 39 CG, 12 SHO, 828 BB, 2.4 BB/9, 3222 K, 9.3 K/9, 2643 HA, 275 HRA, 2.95 ERA, 130 ERA+, 1.11 WHIP

1 RoY
2 PoY
4 Pennants
4-4 in World Series

All-time leaderboards Top 20: ERA (1st for starters), WHIP (2nd), OAVG (2nd for starters), OOPS (2nd for starters), Win% (4th for starters), OSLG (4th for starters), K/9 (7th for starters), OOBP (7th), VORP (11th), WAR (13th), Strikeouts (17th), Wins (18th)

Single-season records: ERA (1.86, 1901)

[darnoff]

1917 NL Preseason Predictions

After winning four straight pennants and capturing their second World Series title last season, the Giants are once again the favorite to win the NL this year. The team remains largely intact from last season with the biggest change being 36-year-old Christy Mathewson (13-12, 4.21 ERA) moving to a setup role in the bullpen while 26-year-old Ernie Shore (6-1, 2.30 ERA in 68 games) takes the vacant spot in the rotation. Offensively, the arrival of rookie Ross Youngs (8-7-6-7-5 ratings) has led the team to make room for him in the outfield by moving George Kelly (.260, 33 HR, 111 RBI) to first base, displacing 28-year-old veteran Fred Merkle (.245, 31 HR, 71 RBI, 20 SB).

The Reds made big changes to their pitching staff by adding rookie starters Hod Eller (7-6-7 ratings) and Herman Pillette (6-7-6 ratings) to their rotation. That should, in turn, improve the bullpen as former starters Orval Overall (11-15, 4.47 ERA) and Jim Bagby (12-9, 3.69 ERA) move into setup and middle relief roles respectively. Those changes are what propelled the team ahead of the other NL contenders in the preseason power rankings. However, these changes must pan out and the offense must produce. If that happens, I believe the Reds can be a big surprise this season after finishing 84-78 last year.

The Cubs are getting a little older, but they really helped themselves by bolstering their pitching rotation with a fine looking young rookie in Dutch Ruether (6-7-6 ratings). The team is still built on offense, but any pitching improvement will provide a dramatic boost for the Cubs - assuming their powerful offense bounces back from a down year.

The Cardinals and Pirates are both coming off disappointing seasons, but both teams have the talent to be competitive this year. The Cardinals lost 13 more games in 1916 than they did the year before - an unexpected regression. The Pirates fell by 11 games as almost no one on the club seemed to produce up to expectations. Both teams expect to be much better this year. However, both the Dodgers and Braves had winning seasons last year and are out to prove that it was no fluke.


Predicted Standings
(Scale of 1-12)

Rank	Team	Rotation	Bullpen	Offense	Bench	Speed	Defense	Totals	Grade	Predicted Wins
1	San Francisco Giants	7	8	11	11	7	6	8.4	A-	94	68
2	Cincinnati Reds	8	8	6	8	9	9	7.9	B+	89	73
3	Chicago Cubs	7	6	12	5	6	5	7.6	B	86	76
4a	St. Louis Cardinals	6	6	9	7	6	9	7.5	B	85	77
4b	Pittsburgh Pirates	10	9	6	5	7	7	7.5	B	84	78
6	Los Angeles Dodgers	6	6	8	8	6	8	7.0	B-	79	83
7	Atlanta Braves	7	7	5	8	6	9	6.5	C+	73	89
8	Philadelphia Phillies	8	8	1	1	5	8	5.2	C-	59	103

MLB results for the NL in 1917

Champs: New York Giants, (98-56, .636)
World Series: White Sox defeated Giants 4-2

For players who appear below on a team they are not playing with in MLHR, their MLHR team is listed in parenthesis

Combined WAR: Rogers Hornsby, Cardinals, 9.9
Offensive WAR: Rogers Hornsby, Cardinals, 7.7
Defensive WAR: Art Fletcher, Giants, 5.1
Batting Title: Edd Roush, Reds (White Sox), .341
On-Base%: Heinie Groh, Reds (Giants), .385
Slugging%: Rogers Hornsby, Cardinals, .484
Runs: George Burns, Giants, 103
RBI: Heinie Zimmerman, Giants (Cubs), 102
SB: Max Carey, Pirates, 46
OPS+: Rogers Hornsby, Cardinals, 169
AB/HR: Gavvy Cravath, Phillies (Red Sox), 41.9

Pitching WAR: Grover Cleveland Alexander, Phillies, 9.3
Win%: Ferdie Schupp, Giants, .750
WHIP: Fred Anderson, Giants (Red Sox), 0.963
K/9: Hippo Vaughn, Cubs (Yankees), 5.936
Innings: Grover Cleveland Alexander, Phillies, 388.0
K/BB: Grover Cleveland Alexander, Phillies, 3.571
ERA+: Fred Anderson, Giants (Red Sox), 177
FIP: Grover Cleveland Alexander, Phillies, 1.84


MLHR Milestone Watch

3000 Hits
Buck Freeman, ATL, Age 36, 2933 Hits
Sam Crawford, CIN, Age 36, 2929 Hits

2000 RBI
Buck Freeman, ATL, Age 36, 1933 RBI

4000 Innings Pitched
Christy Mathewson, SFG, Age 36, 3973.2 IP

4000 Strikeouts
Christy Mathewson, SFG, Age 36, 3922 K