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

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1917 AL Preseason Predictions

For the second straight year, the White Sox are coming off a World Series appearance and are predicted to finish in second place. Eventually, people should learn to not underestimate the Pale Hose. One thing is for sure, no bullpen is better. They posted an ERA below 2.00 last year, setup man Mellie Wolfgang (8-2, 0.99 ERA in 118.1 IP) won the Fireman Award and closer Harry Suter (4-7, 48 Sv, 2.55 ERA) finished 3rd in the Fireman Award voting after setting a new MLHR record for saves.

However, Boston can't help but feel like they have underperformed the past two years and I believe they are poised to recapture the pennant this season. Ray Collins (13-11, 4.11 ERA) regressed after winning the PoY Award in 1915. He is bound to bounce back. They also expect big things from 25-year-old Carl Mays (14-7, 2.49 ERA in 162.1 IP) who should pitch his first complete season in the starting rotation.

Oakland has lost a step in recent years due to some aging players. However, they still have a great core of talent, especially in the lineup and starting rotation. Their biggest weakness will be the bullpen, so they will need strong seasons from the starting rotation. However, four of their five starters performed below league average last year. They will need to do much better this year if they plan to compete for the pennant.

Detroit has one of the top offenses in the league, but as usual, their pitching is one of the poorest groups in the league. It begs the question, will they ever address this need and will they address it while core players like Ty Cobb (.335, 38 HR, 120 RBI, 131 R, 61 SB) and Harry Heilmann (.334, 42 HR, 144 RBI) are still in their prime? In an attempt to further boost their offense, Heilmann was moved from his more familiar right field position to second base. This allows Cobb, now age 30, to move to right field and 26-year-old Baby Doll Jacobson (.296, 8 HR, 36 RBI in 250 AB) to take his superb range into center field.


Predicted Standings
(Scale of 1-12)

Rank	Team	Rotation	Bullpen	Offense	Bench	Speed	Defense	Totals	Grade	Predicted Record
1	Boston Red Sox	9	8	12	8	5	9	8.8	A	102	60
2	Chicago White Sox	8	9	8	7	8	7	8.0	A-	93	69
3	Oakland Athletics	7	6	10	8	7	7	7.7	B+	89	73
4	Detroit Tigers	6	6	10	12	7	6	7.4	B	87	75
5	New York Yankees	7	10	6	6	7	5	6.5	C+	76	86
6	Minnesota Twins	8	7	5	5	7	7	6.2	C+	72	90
7	Cleveland Indians	6	7	5	5	6	7	5.9	C	68	94
8	Baltimore Orioles	6	8	1	8	7	7	5.2	C-	61	101

MLB results for the AL in 1917

Champs: Chicago White Sox, (100-54, .649)
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: Ty Cobb, Tigers, 11.3
Offensive WAR: Ty Cobb, Tigers, 10.6
Defensive WAR: Everett Scott, Red Sox, 2.4
Batting Title: Ty Cobb, Tigers, .383
On-Base%: Ty Cobb, Tigers, .444
Slugging%: Ty Cobb, Tigers, .570
Runs: Donie Bush, Tigers, 112
RBI: Bobby Veach, Tigers, 103
SB: Ty Cobb, Tigers, 55
OPS+: Ty Cobb, Tigers, 209
AB/HR: Wally Pipp, Yankees (Tigers), 65.2

Pitching WAR: Eddie Cicotte, White Sox (Tigers), 11.4
Win%: Ed Klepfer, Indians (Yankees), .778
WHIP: Eddie Cicotte, White Sox (Tigers), 0.912
K/9: Walter Johnson, Twins, 5.190
Innings: Eddie Cicotte, White Sox (Tigers), 346.2
K/BB: Walter Johnson, Twins, 2.765
ERA+: Eddie Cicotte, White Sox (Tigers), 174
FIP: Walter Johnson, Twins, 1.98


MLHR Milestone Watch

100 Triples
Ty Cobb, DET, Age 30, 95 Triples

500 Home Runs
Gavvy Cravath, BOS, Age 34, 490 HR

1500 Runs
Ty Cobb, DET, Age 30, 1497 Runs

1000 Walks
Ty Cobb, DET, Age 30, 929 Walks

200 Wins
Jimmy Dygert, OAK, Age 32, 193 W

3000 Innings Pitched
Eddie Cicotte, DET, Age 32, 2922.1 IP

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NL Mid-Season Report

Until the last week of June, the Braves had held first place for about two months. They are driven by a starting rotation that ranks 2nd in the league. Lefty Tyler (7-3, 2.27 ERA) and Jesse Barnes (5-6, 2.75 ERA) lead the team in ERA while 5th starter Bill James (11-4, 3.01 ERA) is tied for the MLHR lead in wins. However, the team's bullpen is ranked 8th and is a big concern. The offense is below league average after a recent slump, so there are serious doubts about whether or not the team can maintain their success as they strive for their very first pennant.

The Cubs are currently on a 6-game winning streak and have surged ahead of the Braves for first place. Their offense has hit the most home runs and scored the most runs in the league despite the fact that their #3 and #4 hitters, Cy Williams (.181, 24 HR, 50 RBI) and Fred Luderus (.205, 21 HR, 57 RBI), are performing below their typical levels. While the team's overall pitching staff is ranked just 5th in the league, ace Fred Toney (8-3, 2.01 ERA) is among the top ERA's in the league, George Pierce (11-3, 3.23 ERA) is tied for the most wins in MLHR and closer Zip Zabel (3-4, 21 Sv, 1.91 ERA) is having his finest season.

The Cardinals have the #2 offense in the NL thanks in large part to Rogers Hornsby (.333, 26 HR, 51 RBI), who leads the league in just about everything! Meanwhile, the team is playing great defense and their bullpen is ranked 3rd overall, led by closer Slim Sallee (2-1, 23 Sv, 1.73 ERA).

While seven of the NL's eight teams are honestly in the pennant race, the biggest surprise has been the sluggish play of the 4-time NL champion Giants. Their offense has done well as 27-year-old left fielder Dave Robertson (.296, 23 HR, 54 RBI) continues to improve every season. However, the team's pitching has really struggled and must show improvement if they hope to return to the World Series for the 5th straight year. Fortunately, they are only six games off the pace, which must make the other NL teams quite nervous.

Speaking of underperforming, the Reds have the top pitching staff and defense in the NL but they are just 2 games above .500. You can place blame for that record on the offense's shoulders since they rank just 7th in the league. Like the Giants, if Cincinnati gets rolling, they will provide some major competition for the teams currently atop the league.

It is also worth mentioning that the 1917 Phillies are currently on pace to break the dubious record for most losses in NL history. To make things worse, that record (43-119, .265) was set by the Phillies own franchise back in 1880.


Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders

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AL Mid-Season Report

The Red Sox led the AL for a significant portion of the season before going 14-14 in June. That allowed the White Sox to climb back into first place. Chicago is once again led by pitching and defense as Phil Douglas (9-5, 2.21 ERA) and Joe Benz (8-2, 2.59 ERA) have two of the top three ERA's in the league. Meanwhile, their bullen is not as dominant as last year, but they are still #1 in the AL with closer Harry Suter (2-1, 19 Sv, 1.21 ERA) finishing games. Boston has the #2 pitching staff, led by Rube Foster (9-3, 2.29 ERA) and Joe Wood (8-4, 2.74 ERA). However, their entire offense outside of superstars Tris Speaker (.343, 15 HR, 52 RBI, 13 SB) and Babe Ruth (.318, 35 HR, 72 RBI) is struggling.

The Oakland offense is hot and ranks 2nd in the AL, but their pitching staff continues to struggle and is ranked dead last in runs allowed. That's good news for Detroit, whose pitching staff has improved to an overall ranking of 4th, which is a big accomplishment for this group. Their offense is ranked #1, and they believe that they can win the pennant if their pitching holds up.


Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders

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NL Season Wrap-up

On August 1st, the Cubs and Cardinals were tied for first with the surging Reds just one game behind. However, the Cubs went 21-6 in August including a streak that saw them win 17 of their final 18 games in the month. The fulcrum for their outburst was centerfielder Cy Williams, who broke out of his early season funk and hit .327 with an incredible 19 home runs in the month!

Meanwhile, St. Louis went 12-15 in August and fell out of contention. The Reds went 16-7 to remain in the race, but four of their seven losses were to the Cubs. Cincy then lost 7 of their first 11 games in September and were eliminated shortly thereafter.

This marked the first pennant won by the Cubs in five years - the last time a pennant was not captured by the Giants. In fact, the Cubs and Giants have accounted for all of the last 8 NL pennants, with each team winning four. Chicago's pitching staff was good enough for the team to win 96 games thanks to an incredible offense, but the pitching staff was still ranked just 6th in the NL, which is a concern going into the World Series. The bullpen was the best part of the staff, ranking 3rd in the league. The Cubs offense hit the most home runs in the MLHR and they outscored the nearest NL opponent by 48 runs.


Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders




National League Rosters

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AL Season Wrap-up

As of August 1st, the Tigers were just 5 games off the lead. They then faltered inexplicably with a 12-15 record in August and never recovered. It is hard to put a finger on the team's primary issue in the second half because they finished the season ranked 2nd in offense and 3rd in pitching, which is no small feat for this team.

The big story was made by other teams though. With just one week left in the season, the White Sox led the Red Sox by 1.5 games and the two teams headed to Boston for a 3-game series. Chicago won the first game 5-2 behind ace Reb Russell (19-7, 3.44 ERA). Then Boston's Carl Mays (16-9, 3.38 ERA) shut out the White Sox 5-0 and on Day 3, Boston's Rube Foster (20-6, 2.41 ERA) recorded win #20 in a 6-2 victory that put the Red Sox just a half game back.

On next day, Chicago began a 4-game series in Oakland against an Athletics team that had gone 19-4 so far in September! Chicago's Jim Scott (14-6, 3.05 ERA) battled Oakland's Jimmy Dygert (19-9, 3.41 ERA) to a 0-0 tie that wasn't broken until the 12th when Chicago won 3-0. That gave them a 1-game lead over the idle Red Sox and a 3-game lead over Oakland with 3 games left to play.

On September 28th, Boston scored 4 in the 7th and 1 in the 9th to beat Detroit 6-5 while the White Sox lost to Oakland 8-4, putting the two Sox teams in a tie for first. On the 29th, Detroit beat Boston ace Joe Wood (15-11, 2.37 ERA) 9-1 and Oakland scored 1 run in the 7th to beat Chicago 4-3. On final day of the season, Boston scored in the 8th and 9th innings but lost to Detroit 4-3. Then Chicago, needing a win to clinch the pennant, scored in the 8th and 9th as well to take a 4-3 lead but Oakland tied the game in the 9th on a pinch hit home run by Ed Lennox and won in the 10th after Chicago closer Harry Suter (7-8, 36 Sv, 3.18 ERA) gave up a walk and two singles with two outs.

Those two scores forced the first ever 3-way tie in MLHR history!!! In the first playoff game, the White Sox beat Boston 3-1 behind Phil Douglas (14-13, 3.15 ERA) and Suter, who bounced back to earn the save.




On the next day, Jim Scott allowed just 1 run off 2 hits and 3 walks while striking out 6 in a complete game win that saw the Chicago offense clobber Oakland 14-1 to clinch their 3rd straight pennant!!




Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders




National League Rosters

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1917 World Series

Game 1

In the first ever intra-city World Series, the Cubs scored 4 runs in the 4th inning off Joe Benz to take a quick 5-0 lead. However, the White Sox hit two home runs in the bottom of the inning off Dutch Ruether to narrow the score to 5-3. The score remained that way until the bottom of the 8th when Ping Bodie hit a 3-run homer to give the White Sox 6-5 lead. Harry Suter then came on to get the save.




Game 2

White Sox starter Reb Russell tossed a 4-hit complete game in which he allowed just 1 earned run and no walks. His opponent, Ed Reulbach was hammered for 7 runs in just 4 innings. Six of those runs came off two Jack Fournier home runs, including a grand slam in the 3rd.




Game 3

The White Sox offense jumped on Cubs starter Jimmy Lavender quickly in this one, scoring 8 runs in the first five innings. Meanwhile, White Sox starter Ed Walsh allowed just 3 runs over 8 1/3 innings. Cubs left fielder Vic Saier did hit two home runs, but both were solo shots. The White Sox hit three homers as a team with Bodie's 3-run shot in the 5th being the nail in the Cubs' coffin.




Game 4

This game was very exciting with the score going back and forth. Both teams sent out some of their best pitchers. The White Sox threw out Phil Douglas as a starter with top-notch relievers Mellie Wolfgang and Harry Suter following him. The Cubs sent Fred Toney to the hill with closer Zip Zabel getting his first World Series action. With the score tied 3-3 in the bottom of the 8th, the Cubs took a lead when Saier hit a solo homer off Wolfgang. In the top of the 9th, the White Sox got the run back with a solo homer by Bodie off Zabel. None of it mattered though after Cubs pinch hitter Doc Miller led off the bottom of the 9th with a single off Suter. After he was bunted to second, Miller scored the winning run when catcher Bubbles Hargrave singled into left-center field.




Game 5

Game 5 was a pitching duel between Jim Scott of the White Sox and George Pierce of the Cubs. The only runs came in the top of the 6th when the White Sox scraped across a pair, including an RBI single by Scott himself. Scott then went on to finish a complete game shutout, allowing just 4 hits and 2 walks along with 7 K's as the White Sox clinched their second World Series win in three years!




Recap

Jack Fournier and Ping Bodie were both impressive, combining to hit 7 home runs and drive in 18. But, we already knew the Cubs pitching was a question mark. I am most impressed by how decisively the White Sox pitching staff shut down the mighty Cubs offense. They tossed two complete games and Ed Walsh pitched into the 9th in his start. This was a completely dominating performance by the White Sox.

Series MVP

Jack Fournier, 1B, CHA: .471 AVG, .545 OBP, 1.176 SLG, 4 HR, 11 RBI, 7 R

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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 - Eddie Stack, PHI
C - Hank Severeid, CIN (2nd overall)
1B - Ed Konetchy, STL (5th overall)
2B - George Cutshaw, LAD (2nd consecutive)
3B - Tony Boeckel, PIT (rookie!)
SS - Lee Magee, STL
LF - Ken Williams, CIN (2nd overall)
CF - Jack Smith, STL
RF - Walton Cruise, STL (2nd overall)

AL Batter of the Year




AL Pitcher of the Year




AL Rookie of the Year




AL Fireman Award




AL Gold Gloves
P - Howard Ehmke, DET
C - Ray Schalk, CHA (2nd consecutive)
1B - Babe Ruth, BOS
2B - Eddie Collins, OAK (6th overall)
3B - Ray Chapman, CLE
SS - Charlie Pick, MIN
LF - Tillie Walker, MIN (2nd overall)
CF - Tris Speaker, BOS (5th overall)
RF - Edd Roush, CHA (2nd overall)

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1918 National League Rookies


Jesse Haines, SP, Age 24, Reds

Haines is a solid pitcher with good control. He was a HOF'er who pitched 554 games for the Cardinals in his MLB days, but will begin his career in MLHR with the Reds thanks to 1 game that he pitched with them in 1917. He joins an already solid Reds rotation as the #4 starter. The question is whether or not the Reds will have enough offense. They didn't have enough last season.




Charlie Hollocher, SS, Age 21, Cubs

Hollocher takes over at shortstop for the defending NL champion Cubs from 2-time Gold Glover Bill Sweeney (.260, 45 RBI, 52 R). Hollocher plays solid defense, but his primary skill is at the plate where he projects to have a high OBP with 15+ stolen bases. That's why Chicago plans to bat him in the leadoff spot.




Waite Hoyt, SP, Age 18, Giants

Hoyt, another HOF'er, will join a Giants rotation that has plenty of talent but significantly underperformed in a disappointing 84-78 season in 1917. Even though Al Demaree (13-8, 3.41 ERA) was one of the few bright spots on the pitching staff last season, he will move into a setup role in the bullpen to make room for Hoyt.




Austin McHenry, LF, Age 22, Cardinals

Here is an excerpt from his SABR bio:

"By the time he was 25 years old, St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Austin McHenry was considered one of baseball’s best outfielders and hitters, especially after enjoying a 1921 season that saw him finish with a .350 batting average, second only to teammate and future Hall of Famer Rogers Hornsby. McHenry also finished second to Hornsby in slugging at .531, placed among the top five National League hitters in doubles, home runs, RBIs, total bases, and extra-base hits, and was one of only six N.L. hitters with 200 hits that season. Combined with a strong arm and an easy gait that was sometimes mistaken for indifference, McHenry was considered not only one of baseball’s best outfielders and hitters after his remarkable 1921 campaign, but one of the ten best left fielders of all time to that point in baseball history.

His performance tailed off in 1922 as he battled inconsistency at the plate and in the field, caused mostly by problems with his vision that had McHenry fearing he was going blind. Concerned about his health, Cardinals manager Branch Rickey sent McHenry to his Ohio home to rest, where it was discovered the star outfielder had a brain tumor. He died four months later."

Fortunately, McHenry will have a shot at a long career in MLHR. He will begin his career as the cleanup hitter in a good Cardinals lineup and will be expected to provide some protection for 2-time BoY Rogers Hornsby (.344, 57 HR, 125 RBI, 133 R).

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1918 American League Rookies


Jimmy Dykes, 3B, Age 21, Athletics

Dykes is a solid offensive talent with 20+ home run power and above average defensive ability. He will have a tough time finding playing time with the loaded Oakland offense. He will likely get most of his action this season at shortstop, surprisingly, where he should start 50+ games in place of Stuffy McInnis (.252, 63 RBI, 55 R), whose offense has never quite lived up to what the A's had hoped.




Johnny Mostil, CF, Age 21, White Sox

Mostil is a superb defensive outfielder who should be a regular in center field. However, the White Sox already have Happy Felsch (.283, 22 HR, 69 RBI, 90 R), who has won two Gold Gloves in three seasons as their everyday centerfielder. For the time being, Mostil will have to take a back seat, possibly getting most of his playing time in left field alongside Ping Bodie (.250, 26 HR, 91 RBI), who rebounded last season after two down years.




Tom Zachary, SP, Age 21, Athletics

Zachary is a ground-ball pitcher with good control. He will help improve the A's rotation as their #5 starter and could provide the extra boost the team needs to return to the World Series for the first time in five years.

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1918 Key Retirees - Batters


Johnny Bates, CF, Braves

Led the league in OBP in 1911. Finished in the Top 10 in triples three times and walks five times.




Sam Crawford, RF, Reds

Won four Gold Gloves. Retired with 3,016 hits, 406 home runs and 1,604 RBI. He won the 1910 batting title. He also finished in the Top 10 in hits six times, doubles eight times, triples nine times, home runs four times, RBI five times, batting average six times, SLG five times, OPS four times and WAR four times.




Solly Hofman, 1B, Pirates

Won one Gold Glove.




Miller Huggins, 2B, Reds

Was 1904 Rookie of the Year. Won three Gold Gloves. Finished in the Top 10 in stolen bases ten times and walks ten times.




Rube Oldring, CF/RF, Yankees

Won one Gold Glove. Led the league in triples in 1907. Finished in the Top 10 in doubles three times and triples seven times.




John Titus, RF, Phillies

Finished in the Top 10 in triples three times and walks four times.

[darnoff]

1918 Key Retirees - Pitchers


Babe Adams, Cardinals

Led the NL in WHIP once, K/BB once, BB/9 twice and most HR allowed twice. Finished in the Top 10 in wins five times, ERA four times, WHIP four times, K/BB nine times, BB/9 twelve times, VORP four times, quality start percentage four times and complete games five times.




Red Ames, Giants

Like all Giants starting pitchers of the early 1900's, Ames pitched with some awful defenses behind him. He was a hard luck starting pitcher early in his career. Then he excelled once moved to the bullpen in 1910. He was the 1912 Fireman Award winner in his first season as a closer. He led the NL in saves in 1912 and 1913. He went to four World Series, and was the team's closer in three of them.




Glenn Liebhardt, Indians

Won the 1910 Gold Glove. Finished among the Top 10 in fewest HR/9 three times as a starter. He later finished in the Top 10 in holds twice as a reliever.




Carl Lundgren, Cubs

Named the 1902 NL Rookie of the Year. Was a successful starting pitcher and led the NL in wins, ERA, VORP and quality starts in 1910. He finished in the Top 10 in wins five times, innings five times, walks nine times (twice leading the league), strikeouts six times, ERA five times, HR/9 five times, H/9 five times, K/9 four times, VORP six times, quality starts five times, complete games five times and WAR five times. As a reliever, he would also lead the NL in holds in 1912.




Christy Mathewson, Giants

Like his teammate Ames above, Mathewson was the victim of some awful defensive teams early in his career. I was disappointed that his career did not wind up better than it did. That said, he still won the 1904 Pitcher of the Year award and recorded 241 career wins and 4,034 career strikeouts. He finished in the Top 10 in wins eight times, innings nine times, home runs allowed six times, strikeouts fourteen times, ERA six times, WHIP fourteen times, BB/9 sixteen times, K/9 fourteen times, VORP six times, quality starts eight times, complete games thirteen times and WAR fourteen times. He led the league in several categories, most significantly the eight times he led in NL in K/BB.




Orval Overall, Reds

Finished in the Top 10 in losses seven times, HR allowed five times, and BB allowed six times, but also in strikeouts twelve times, WHIP three times, K/BB six times, H/9 eight times, K/9 twelve times and quality starts three times.




Ed Summers, Tigers

Finished in the Top 10 in wins four times, HR allowed three times and complete games seven times (leading the AL twice).

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1918 Hall of Fame Induction


Mike Donlin, LF/1B, Cardinals

3495 H, 603 doubles, 79 triples, 506 HR, 1707 R, 1871 RBI, 890 BB, 2381 K, 221 SB, .305 AVG, .354 OBP, .504 SLG, .858 OPS, 137 OPS+, 11452 AB, 2839 G

2 BoY
1899 RoY
1 Triple Crown
4 Pennants
3-0 in World Series

All-time leaderboards Top 20: AVG (3rd), OPS (3rd), SLG (4th), RBI (4th), Hits (5th), Triples (9th), Doubles (10th), Runs (11th), Home Runs (11th), VORP (12th), WAR (15th)


Martin Glendon, CL, Reds

65-87, 778 G, 1010.2 IP, 344 BB, 3.1 BB/9, 1120 K, 10.0 K/9, 809 HA, 81 HRA, 2.70 ERA, 166 ERA+, 1.14 WHIP

7 Fireman Awards
1 Pennant
0-1 in World Series

All-time leaderboards Top 20: ERA (1st), Saves (1st), Games Pitched(8th), WHIP (9th), K/9(14th)


Noodles Hahn, SP, Reds

236-197, 54.5 Win%, 580 G, 558 GS, 4010.1 IP, 96 CG, 23 SHO, 1306 BB, 2.9 BB/9, 3828 K, 8.6 K/9, 3684 HA, 441 HRA, 3.77 ERA, 110 ERA+, 1.24 WHIP

3 PoY
1 Pennant
0-1 in World Series

All-time leaderboards Top 20: Games Started (7th), Strikeouts (8th), Wins (10th), Innings Pitched (10th), Shutouts (13th), WAR (15th), Complete Games (18th)

[darnoff]

1918 NL Preseason Predictions

The Giants had a disappointing season last year, finishing in 6th place with an 84-78 record. Their defense was last in the league and their pitching staff struggled, allowing the most runs in the NL. The team's defense displayed very little range last season, which was a big part of the problem. They made one defensive change this season by replacing shortstop Milt Stock (.274, 4 HR, 26 RBI in 475 AB) with defensive specialist Gene Paulette (.239 AVG in 163 AB). This team is built around their offense, but that offense comes with the price of limited defensive range. That said, the pitching staff still underperformed significantly with or without the poor defense. They will be expected to step up and pitch much better this season. Despite all the struggles last year, the Giants still have the most talent on paper and are expected to bounce back and win the pennant. After all, they did win the previous four pennants in a row before last season.

The Cubs will have something to say about that though. They are the defending NL champs, although they were drubbed in the World Series by their cross-town rivals, the White Sox. The Cubs offense scored the most runs in the NL last season even with down years from two of their sluggers. They could be even more dangerous offensively this year. However, for the first half of the season, their pitching staff performed much better than expected. They will need to perform well again if the team has hopes of returning to the World Series this year.

The Reds and Cardinals tied for 3rd place last year and those two teams are considered to be serious contenders this year. The Cardinals offense should keep getting better and their pitching staff was surprisingly efficient last year. The Reds, on the other hand, are built around a superb pitching staff that ranked 2nd in the NL last year. Their offense, though, is medicore and needs some sort of a boost in order to surpass the other top teams in the league.

Speaking of superb pitching staffs, the Pirates may have the best in the league, as usual. They were #1 in that category last year as they finished in 2nd place in the NL. However, their offense has a lot of issues and most likely does not have the firepower needed to capture the pennant.


Predicted Standings
(Scale of 1-12)

Rank	Team	Rotation	Bullpen	Offense	Bench	Speed	Defense	Totals	Grade	Predicted Wins
1	San Francisco Giants	6	6	11	11	8	8	8.5	A	97	65
2	St. Louis Cardinals	7	7	11	7	7	8	8.1	A-	92	70
3	Chicago Cubs	7	6	11	8	7	6	7.9	B+	90	72
4	Cincinnati Reds	8	7	7	6	9	9	7.8	B+	89	73
5	Pittsburgh Pirates	10	9	5	6	7	8	7.5	B	85	77
6	Atlanta Braves	7	8	4	8	6	8	6.4	C+	73	89
7	Los Angeles Dodgers	5	7	8	7	6	4	6.2	C+	70	92
8	Philadelphia Phillies	6	7	1	1	6	7	4.6	D+	52	110

MLB results for the NL in 1918

Champs: Chicago Cubs, (84-45, .651)
World Series: Red Sox defeated Cubs 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, 5.4
Offensive WAR: Charlie Hollocher, Cubs, 5.2 (rookie!)
Defensive WAR: Art Fletcher, Giants, 3.5
Batting Title: Zach Wheat, Dodgers, .335
On-Base%: Heinie Groh, Reds (Giants), .395
Slugging%: Edd Roush, Reds (White Sox), .455
Runs: Heinie Groh, Reds (Giants), 86
RBI: Sherry Magee, Reds (Phillies), 76
SB: Max Carey, Pirates, 58
OPS+: Edd Roush, Reds (White Sox), 151
AB/HR: Gavvy Cravath, Phillies (Red Sox), 53.3

Pitching WAR: Hippo Vaughn, Cubs (Yankees), 7.8
Win%: Claude Hendrix, Cubs (Pirates), .741
WHIP: Hippo Vaughn, Cubs (Yankees), 1.006
K/9: Hippo Vaughn, Cubs (Yankees), 4.588
Innings: Hippo Vaughn, Cubs (Yankees), 290.1
K/BB: Slim Sallee, Giants (Cardinals), 2.750
ERA+: Hippo Vaughn, Cubs (Yankees), 159
FIP: Hippo Vaughn, Cubs (Yankees), 2.25

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1918 AL Preseason Predictions

The White Sox have surprised a lot of people outside of Chicago by winning three straight pennants in a very tough American League. They have done it with superb pitching and a strong offense. However, last year was their biggest challenge as they finished the season in a 3-way tie with the Red Sox and A's. Chicago won both tiebreaker games to clinch that 3rd pennant and then went on to rout the Cubs. This year, they are expected to be at the top of the standings again, but it will be another tough fight. The White Sox pitching staff is still amazing and their offense is quite productive, led by first baseman Jack Fournier (.296, 39 HR, 119 RBI).

However, the Red Sox cannot be overlooked. They have been disappointed by the past three seasons, feeling as if they are the ones who should have been atop the AL each year. Perhaps that chip on their shoulder will give them an edge. Boston also has a great pitching staff, second only to Chicago's. While their offense was ranked just 4th in the league last year, many still believe it is the best in the league. The Red Sox will have to prove that to be true. Without the explosive offense they expect, this team could be sitting home watching another team play in the World Series yet again.

The Tigers and Athletics have something to say about the top offense in the league. Both teams ranked ahead of both Boston and Chicago in that category last year. In fact, it was Oakland who led all of MLHR with 803 runs scored. They still feature the three-headed monster of Eddie Collins (.321, 15 HR, 122 R, 64 SB), "Shoeless Joe" Jackson (.320, 30 HR, 102 RBI, 17 SB) and "Home Run" Baker (.280, 43 HR, 138 RBI). However, their pitching staff must do better if they hope to win the pennant. After all, their bullpen ranked last in the league in 1917.

As for Detroit, they were near the top of the standings for much of last season before faltering late in the summer. They still have a deadly offense, but pitching is the big question for them. Their pitching staff performed well last year and ranked 3rd overall, but that is not what fans in Detroit have come to expect for the Tigers pitching staffs in the past. But, if they are to surpass the other American League titans, Detroit's pitching must have a season as strong, if not stronger, than last year.


Predicted Standings
(Scale of 1-12)

Rank	Team	Rotation	Bullpen	Offense	Bench	Speed	Defense	Totals	Grade	Predicted Record
1	Chicago White Sox	9	8	8	7	8	9	8.3	A-	97	65
2	Boston Red Sox	9	7	11	6	5	8	8.2	A-	96	66
3	Detroit Tigers	6	5	10	12	7	8	7.8	B+	92	70
4	Oakland Athletics	8	6	10	10	6	6	7.8	B+	91	71
5	New York Yankees	7	9	5	7	7	6	6.4	C+	75	87
6	Cleveland Indians	7	6	5	6	6	7	6.1	C	71	91
7	Minnesota Twins	8	6	4	5	7	6	6.0	C	70	92
8	Baltimore Orioles	5	7	1	3	8	6	4.8	D+	56	106

MLB results for the AL in 1918

Champs: Boston Red Sox, (75-51, .595)
World Series: Red Sox defeated Cubs 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: George Sisler, Orioles, 6.8
Offensive WAR: Ty Cobb, Tigers, 6.8
Defensive WAR: Roger Peckinpaugh, Yankees (Indians), 3.0
Batting Title: Ty Cobb, Tigers, .382
On-Base%: Ty Cobb, Tigers, .440
Slugging%: Babe Ruth, Red Sox, .555
Runs: Ray Chapman, Indians, 84
RBI: Bobby Veach, Tigers, 84
SB: George Sisler, Orioles, 45
OPS+: Ty Cobb, Tigers, 194
AB/HR: Babe Ruth, Red Sox, 28.8

Pitching WAR: Walter Johnson, Twins, 10.2
Win%: Sad Sam Jones, Red Sox (Indians), .762
WHIP: Walter Johnson, Twins, 0.954
K/9: Guy Morton, Indians, 5.157
Innings: Scott Perry, Athletics (Orioles), 332.1
K/BB: Eddie Cicotte, White Sox (Tigers), 2.600
ERA+: Walter Johnson, Twins, 214
FIP: Eddie Cicotte, White Sox (Tigers), 2.02

[Mike45]

Hate to hijack your dynasty with this post but was wondering if you could tell me how you went about having the setting reflect those of modern day baseball from inception, and also what you doing (if anything) with player skills?

I have toyed with the idea of a dynasty similar to what you have set up, atleast from a stat perspective. I would still have players come in via draft and have Free Agency and such as I think that adds an interesting twist on historical leagues. But I wouldn't mind having a league where 1901 stats looked the same as 1965 looked the same as 2005, etc. Just to kind of get a level playing field.

So my questions are:
- What do you do for the league global settings? Do you pick the year you want the stats to resemble, and then lock that in place for the duration of the league?
- If so, do you need to do something on a year to year basis so the game knows to always have 5 man rotations and always have closers and always have lefty/right platoons, etc.
- At the beginning, when the rosters are thin, did you need to have fictional players fill roster spots? IE be a 5th starter for a team with only 4 pitchers?
- And finally, do you need to do anything with the players them selves so that when they import, their ratings reflect current ball players? What i mean is most hitters before Babe Ruth, on a normal historical league with the actual year in place for statistics, will come in with a 2/20 in power. And all SPs will come in with a 20/20 in stamina. Does changing the year the game stats/modifiers are drawn from automatically change the players skill sets? Or do you have to manually edit them?

Sorry, very long winded and you might prefer to answer via PM and delete this so it doesnt take up much space in the middle of your dynasty reports

[darnoff]

Originally Posted by Mike45

So my questions are:
- What do you do for the league global settings? Do you pick the year you want the stats to resemble, and then lock that in place for the duration of the league?

Yes, I think I picked 2013. Go to the League Leaders screen & click on Historical Simulation Accuracy. I compare these numbers throughout the season to the actual ratios I wanted to achieve and manipulate the League Totals from time to time to make sure they stay in line.

- If so, do you need to do something on a year to year basis so the game knows to always have 5 man rotations and always have closers and always have lefty/right platoons, etc.

I think this is all controlled by league settings but I also put all teams under my control and don't let the AI make changes. It's more work, but things stay organized the way I want them to.

- At the beginning, when the rosters are thin, did you need to have fictional players fill roster spots? IE be a 5th starter for a team with only 4 pitchers?

Yes, unfortunately. I hated it but there wasn't much else to do. That may not be as difficult in 1901 like it was for me in 1876, but I imagine the bullpens will be difficult to fill out at first. As soon as a team had a player to take the spot of a fictional player, no matter how bad the real player might be, I immediately deleted the fictional player. I guess another option would be to sim all seasons, or even a few seasons, prior to 1901 to give you some extra players.

- And finally, do you need to do anything with the players them selves so that when they import, their ratings reflect current ball players? What i mean is most hitters before Babe Ruth, on a normal historical league with the actual year in place for statistics, will come in with a 2/20 in power. And all SPs will come in with a 20/20 in stamina. Does changing the year the game stats/modifiers are drawn from automatically change the players skill sets? Or do you have to manually edit them?

If you find the right database, I believe all that work can be done for you. However, I didn't take the time to look for one, so I manually edit them every season and base ratings on ratios from the time period the players played in compared to 2013. That why it takes me so long to prepare every season, but it's pretty accurate.

[darnoff]

NL Mid-Season Report

After a mediocre start that included a 15-12 record in April, the Giants have taken off. Half way through the season, they are in full control with an impressive 16-game lead on the second place Cardinals and Pirates. While their defense is ranked just 5th in the league, that's still an improvement from 8th last year. Every other part of the team in excelling. The offense is ranked first in the league. Left fielder Dave Robertson (.302, 32 HR, 92 RBI) has nearly 100 RBI half way through the season! Chief Meyers (.330, 3 HR, 33 RBI) and Ross Youngs (.324, 7 HR, 39 RBI, 12 SB) are 2nd and 3rd in the NL batting race. Meanwhile, the starting rotation has made a big turnaround and is ranked 2nd in the league. Dick Rudolph (11-2, 2.76 ERA) is pitching like an ace again, and rookie Waite Hoyt (10-4, 2.93 ERA) is the early Rookie of the Year favorite.

Little seems to be going right for any other team in the NL, as the Giants are actually the only team with a winning record! The Pirates pitching staff has been outstanding with Dazzy Vance (9-3, 1.72 ERA), Elmer Ponder (6-5, 1.85 ERA) and Al Mamaux (5-5, 2.14 ERA) ranked 1-2-3 in ERA in the league. Unfortunately, the team's offense is so bad that those three pitchers are a combined 20-13 on the season. If anyone can mount a comeback, perhaps it is Chicago. Despite their record, the Cubs are actually 2nd to the Giants in offense. Their pitching staff has performed well, but they are 5th in runs allowed because of a last ranked defense. This team normally plays good defense, so that should turn around and benefit the pitching staff.


Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders

[Mike45]

Can I ask one last favor? Can you screen shot your league settings/modifiers? I started my dynasty up but there has been 1 home run total in the entire league thru April.
Pitching seems ok. Not a lot of complete games, plenty of bullpen use and saves. Batting average is ok but too early to tell as it's not a counting stat category. Home runs are. And 1 for the entire league thru the first month clearly means something is off

[darnoff]

Originally Posted by Mike45

Can I ask one last favor? Can you screen shot your league settings/modifiers? I started my dynasty up but there has been 1 home run total in the entire league thru April.
Pitching seems ok. Not a lot of complete games, plenty of bullpen use and saves. Batting average is ok but too early to tell as it's not a counting stat category. Home runs are. And 1 for the entire league thru the first month clearly means something is off

Here you go. These aren't perfect, but they are close. I am constantly tweaking them.


Save the picture because I'll eventually delete the image.

Let me know if you need anything else. And btw, I can't send you PM's. Apparently you don't allow them.

[darnoff]

AL Mid-Season Report

As the Red Sox and Athletics got off to slow starts, the Detroit Tigers have been the talk of the American League. They lead the AL in offense while ranking a surprising 2nd in pitching. The pitching turnaround is due in large part to a defense that has ranked #1 in the AL. Lefty Williams (9-3, 2.29 ERA) has taken the biggest advantage of the team's play and is ranked 2nd in ERA. Rotation-mate Hooks Dauss (9-5, 2.83 ERA) isn't far behind. As we have come to expect, the Tigers offense is led by Ty Cobb (.322, 15 HR, 53 RBI, 28 SB) and Harry Heilmann (.311, 11 HR, 56 RBI).

The White Sox are currently in 2nd place with the best pitching rotation in the AL but a bullpen that has struggled to rank 6th. The team's offense is also ranked just 4th. Closer Harry Suter (4-4, 18 Sv, 4.65 ERA) is at risk of losing his job, but no other reliever has performed at a level that would warrant the move. Offensively, right fielder Edd Roush hit .409 in April, but then dipped to .233 in May and currently holds a .308 average on the season with 10 HR and 42 RBI. Jack Fournier (.273, 21 HR, 53 RBI) is performing well.

Oakland looms large at 6.5-games out of first. They rank second in offense and 4th in pitching. Their defense has also struggled, but their bullpen is the biggest problem, ranking last in the AL. As for Boston, after a 13-14 record in April, they have come on strong lately. They are 3rd in offense but just 5th in pitching. Their bullpen has also faltered this year, but the team's defense has been ugly too.

Baltimore has been a pleasant surprise with a .500 record. Believe it or not, they rank 3rd overall in pitching thanks to the best bullpen and 2nd best defense in the league. Meanwhile, first baseman George Sisler (.348, 14 HR, 46 RBI, 30 SB) leads the AL batting race.


Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders