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

[darnoff]

1921 NL Preseason Predictions

The Pirates continued to beef up their offense and even their bullpen after winning last year's pennant. At this point, I believe they are much better than the Giants. The biggest addition for Pittsburgh was right fielder Kiki Cuyler (8-8-6-6-4 ratings), who will bat third in an offense that is suddenly one of the best in the NL. Their pitching staff is great, as always, but the key move is the addition of rookie reliever Moses "Chief" Yellow Horse, who is the latest youngster to take over as his team's closer in his rookie season. Other notable rookie closers have been the Giants' Rosy Ryan in 1919 and Baltimore's Hal Haid in 1920, both of whom were first or second in the Fireman Award voting as rookies.

San Francisco was disappointed with their 5th place finish last year and will be looking to rebound this year. In 1918, they rebounded from a 6th place finish to win the pennant but key elements of their roster are beginning to show their age. I believe they are better than last year's 87-75 finish, but it will be difficult for them to unseat the Pirates.

The Reds, Cubs and Cardinals are in a virtual tie for 3rd place in my preseason ratings. The Reds have a slight edge thanks to their superior pitching rotation, defense and team speed. Their offense is still one of the weakest in the NL, but the addition of rookie second baseman Lew Fonseca (8-8-4-4-8 ratings) batting 3rd ahead of slugger Ken Williams (.338, 50 HR, 109 RBI) helps make the lineup a little more complete.

The Cubs fell just short of the pennant last year as their pitching staff slumped late in the year. That pitching staff will again be their Achilles' heel in 1921. Their below average defense doesn't help, either. They will once again count on a powerful lineup that perenially leads the NL in home runs.

As for the Cardinals, they never seem to do enough to get over the hump of being just a contender. They haven't won a pennant since 1908, but they have not had a losing season the past four years. However, they always fall a little short. Their offense continues to be their primary weapon, but the pitching staff is average. Fortunately, they have a good defense to back the pitchers up. One key move to watch will be the transition of 27-year-old Oscar Tuero (9-3, 2.98 ERA) into the closer's role and 36-year-old former closer Slim Sallee (7-12, 40 Sv, 3.13 ERA), who has 334 career saves, into the setup role.


Predicted Standings
(Scale of 1-12)

Rank	Team	Rotation	Bullpen	Offense	Bench	Speed	Defense	Totals	Grade	Predicted Wins
1	Pittsburgh Pirates	10	10	9	11	8	7	9.0	A	102	60
2	San Francisco Giants	7	9	11	10	9	6	8.6	A-	98	64
3a	Cincinnati Reds	9	5	7	4	10	9	7.7	B	88	74
3b	Chicago Cubs	6	6	11	8	7	6	7.7	B	88	74
3c	St. Louis Cardinals	7	6	9	8	8	9	7.7	B	88	74
6	Atlanta Braves	7	9	1	9	5	11	5.9	C	68	94
7	Los Angeles Dodgers	4	7	6	5	6	5	5.3	C-	61	101
8	Philadelphia Phillies	7	7	2	1	5	6	4.7	D+	54	108

MLB results for the NL in 1921

Champs: New York Giants, (94-59, .614)
World Series: Giants defeated Yankees 5-3

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, 10.8
Offensive WAR: Rogers Hornsby, Cardinals, 9.9
Defensive WAR: Dave Bancroft, Giants (Phillies), 3.2
Batting Title: Rogers Hornsby, Cardinals, .397
On-Base%: Rogers Hornsby, Cardinals, .458
Slugging%: Rogers Hornsby, Cardinals, .639
Runs: Rogers Hornsby, Cardinals, 131
RBI: Rogers Hornsby, Cardinals, 126
SB: Frankie Frisch, Giants, 49
OPS+: Rogers Hornsby, Cardinals, 191
AB/HR: George Kelly, Giants, 25.5

Pitching WAR: Burleigh Grimes, Dodgers (Pirates), 7.8
Win%: Babe Adams, Pirates (Cardinals) and Whitey Glazner, Pirates, .737
WHIP: Babe Adams, Pirates (Cardinals), 1.081
K/9: Burleigh Grimes, Dodgers (Pirates), 4.048
Innings: Wilbur Cooper, Pirates, 327.0
K/BB: Babe Adams, Pirates (Cardinals), 3.056
ERA+: Babe Adams, Pirates (Cardinals), 145
FIP: Babe Adams, Pirates (Cardinals), 3.08


MLHR Milestone Watch

500 Home Runs
Zack Wheat, LAD, Age 32, 472 HR

700 Games
Slim Sallee, STL, Age 36, 677 G

3000 Innings Pitched
Nap Rucker, LAD, Age 36, 2944.2 IP

[darnoff]

1921 AL Preseason Predictions

Despite a dominant 104-win performance last season and a 5th pennant over the past seven seasons, the White Sox are expected to face a tough battle for the pennant this year. Perhaps the White Sox do not get enough credit, or perhaps the rest of the American League really did underperform last season. Only time will tell. One thing we know for sure is that the White Sox can pitch. In my opinion, their offense is better than what the ratings show. If that pans out, then the White Sox are the easy favorites.

Chief among Chicago's competition this season is Oakland and New York. The A's came on strong last season to finish in 2nd place, but they were 15-games off the pace. They hope their pitching staff can continue to improve, and they moved last season's rookie starter Roy Moore (13-13, 3.84 ERA) to the closer's role, believing he is best suited for relief. In his place in the rotation will be rookie Fred Heimach (5-7-7 ratings). The team's below average defense will be the biggest hurdle for the A's to overcome. Their offense is powerful and should provide plenty of pop.

The Yankees won 83 games last year for their first winning season in ten years. That was a good start for a franchise who has yet to win a pennant. But they expect bigger and better things out of this team, and they already finished with the best offense last season. They expect additional improvement from their pitching staff, even though the unit finished 3rd in the AL last season. The starting rotation has slowly declined over the past decade. However, their biggest issue is that they have the worst ranked defense in the league.

What makes the American League extremely interesting is that seven of the eight teams have an honest shot at the pennant. The Tigers have an impressive offense, as always. The Red Sox still have a very good pitching staff and some serious power in their lineup, and they expect to improve after a flop of a season last year. Personally, I am excited to watch the Indians and Twins this year. The Indians finished in 5th place last year, just four games below .500 and ahead of the defending World Series champion Red Sox. This offseason they added rookie starting pitcher Jesse Petty (6-5-8 ratings) to their rotation and have asked 40-year-old Addie Joss (9-16, 4.59 ERA) to take on the role of closer. They have also added rookie Riggs Stephenson (9-8-6-6-8 ratings), who will play second base and bat 3rd in the lineup. Cleveland should have one of the deepest and most productive offenses in the league.

As for the Twins, they were disappointed with a last place finish last year but they feel that they are much better than how they performed. Then consider the fact that the offense added rookie left fielder Goose Goslin (8-8-8-6-7 ratings) to the lineup and rookie outfielder Bing Miller (8-8-6-4-8 ratings) to the bench. They also have 6-time Pitcher of the Year Walter Johnson (17-10, 2.41 ERA), who heads up an otherwise mediocre pitching staff. The Twins can now claim one of the top offenses in the league to go along with one of the better defenses around. Now if they can just add some more strong pitching around the now 33-year-old Johnson, they could be considered a top contender.


Predicted Standings
(Scale of 1-12)

Rank	Team	Rotation	Bullpen	Offense	Bench	Speed	Defense	Totals	Grade	Predicted Record
1	Oakland Athletics	8	7	9	9	8	6	7.8	A-	88	74
2a	Chicago White Sox	9	7	5	9	7	10	7.7	A-	87	75
2b	New York Yankees	6	8	11	6	8	5	7.7	A-	87	75
4	Boston Red Sox	8	6	8	5	6	9	7.5	B+	84	78
5	Cleveland Indians	8	5	10	3	7	6	7.3	B+	82	80
6	Detroit Tigers	6	6	8	10	7	8	7.2	B+	82	80
7	Minnesota Twins	8	7	5	9	7	8	7.0	B	79	83
8	Baltimore Orioles	6	9	1	5	7	7	5.2	C-	59	103

MLB results for the AL in 1921

Champs: New York Yankees, (98-55, .640)
World Series: Giants defeated Yankees 5-3

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

Combined WAR: Babe Ruth, Yankees (Red Sox), 12.9
Offensive WAR: Babe Ruth, Yankees (Red Sox), 12.2
Defensive WAR: Everett Scott, Red Sox, 2.6
Batting Title: Harry Heilmann, Tigers, .394
On-Base%: Babe Ruth, Yankees (Red Sox), .512
Slugging%: Yankees (Red Sox), .846
Runs: Babe Ruth, Yankees (Red Sox), 177
RBI: Babe Ruth, Yankees (Red Sox), 168
SB: George Sisler, Orioles, 35
OPS+: Babe Ruth, Yankees (Red Sox), 238
AB/HR: Babe Ruth, Yankees (Red Sox), 9.2

Pitching WAR: Red Faber, White Sox, 11.3
Win%: Carl Mays, Yankees (Red Sox), .750
WHIP: Red Faber, White Sox, 1.149
K/9: Walter Johnson, Twins, 4.875
Innings: Carl Mays, Yankees (Red Sox), 336.2
K/BB: Dutch Leonard, Tigers (Red Sox), 1.905
ERA+: Red Faber, White Sox, 170
FIP: Sad Sam Jones, Red Sox, (Indians), 3.33


MLHR Milestone Watch

3500 Hits
Ty Cobb, DET, Age 34, 3384 hits

3000 Hits
Eddie Collins, OAK, Age 33, 2982 hits
Joe Jackson, OAK, Age 33, 2798 hits

118 Triples (Good enough for #1 all-time!)
Ty Cobb, DET, Age 34, 116 triples

80 Triples (Top 8 all-time!)
Joe Jackson, OAK, Age 33, 74 triples

500 Home Runs
Ty Cobb, DET, Age 34, 484 HR
Babe Ruth, BOS, Age 26, 448 HR

1000 Walks
Donie Bush, DET, Age 33, 980 BB

1000 Stolen Bases
Ty Cobb, DET, Age 34, 956 SB

700 Games Pitched
Harry Suter, CHA, Age 33, 672 G

300 Wins
Chief Bender, OAK, Age 36, 289 W

300 Saves
Red Hoff, NYA, Age 29, 299 Sv

4000 Innings Pitched
Eddie Cicotte, DET, Age 36, 3868 IP

3000 Innings Pitched
Joe Wood, BOS, Age 31, 2988 IP

4000 Strikeouts
Chief Bender, OAK, Age 36, 3838 K

3000 Strikeouts
Hippo Vaughn, NYA, Age 32, 2887 K
Eddie Cicotte, DET, Age 36, 2920 K

[darnoff]

Just returned from a long vacation... now on with 1921 !!

[darnoff]

NL Mid-Season Report

The Pirates went on a 9-game winning streak in late June and have pulled out to a 4 1/2 game lead on the second place Cubs. As expected, the Pirates pitching staff leads the NL. Their ace, Dazzy Vance (10-2, 2.31 ERA), leads the league in ERA, K's, WHIP, and several other key categories. Rookie closer Moses Yellow Horse (0-3, 25 Sv, 2.10 ERA) has been a sensation. Offensively, the Pirates are tied with the Giants for most runs scored and they lead the NL with 80 stolen bases.

The Cubs remain within striking distance with a 3rd ranked offense and pitching staff. The Cubs' .257 team batting average is just 4th in the league, but they have hit the second most home runs led by Cy Williams (.218, 26 HR, 54 RBI) and Vic Saier (.241, 21 HR, 63 RBI). Closer Zip Zabel (1-3, 22 Sv, 1.53 ERA) is having a fine season.

The Giants are in third place in their attempt to get back on top of the NL standings. Their offense is doing well and first baseman George Kelly (.306, 26 HR, 62 RBI) is having a career year. However, the team's pitching rotation has the second worst ERA (4.12) in the NL.

The Reds' pitching staff is ranked second this season but their offense is struggling and ranked 7th. Then you have the Cardinals who are struggling from the mound and have allowed the most runs in the league. However, their offense is led by perhaps the best hitter in the game, Rogers Hornsby (.364, 31 HR, 66 RBI), who leads the NL in AVG, OPS, hits, home runs, RBI, runs and more!


Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders

[darnoff]

AL Mid-Season Report

The American League has been turned upside down all season. Currently three of the preseason favorites - the White Sox, Red Sox and Athletics - are at the bottom of the standings. Those three teams have accounted for all but five of the AL pennants in the league's 20-year history. Chicago's offense is dead last in the league and their pitching staff has struggled. Boston's pitching staff is ranked 2nd in the league, but their offense is just 6th overall despite the fact that 33-year-old Tris Speaker (.419, 16 HR, 64 RBI) is hitting over .400 at the end of June. Meanwhile, Oakland's pitching staff has not performed to the level that they had hoped, and their offense is ranked just 5th.

That leads us to the Minnesota Twins, who currently lead the AL standings. Their offense is ranked just 4th, but rookie Goose Goslin (.315, 26 HR, 55 RBI) has been stellar, as has veteran right fielder Irish Meusel (.327, 20 HR, 70 RBI). The team's pitching staff ranks just 3rd overall but Walter Johnson (10-6, 2.69 ERA) is as tough as ever.

Detroit is in second place with the top offense in the AL. Ty Cobb (.332, 14 HR, 41 RBI, 70 R, 32 SB) and Baby Doll Jacobson (.332, 6 HR, 30 RBI, 45 R) are hitting well at the top of the batting order. However, the team's pitching staff is next to last in the AL in runs allowed and their starting rotation has the worst ERA (4.35) in the league.

The Indians' 3rd ranked offense and 4th ranked pitching staff has been good enough to put the team in 3rd place. Billy Southworth (.328, 16 HR, 58 RBI) leads the offense while rookie Jesse Petty (7-4, 2.87 ERA) has actually been their top pitcher. Meanwhile, 40-year-old Addie Joss (1-1, 15 Sv, 2.53 ERA) has been great as a first-time closer.

The Yankees offense is ranked 2nd in the league thanks in large part to Lefty O'Doul (.344, 21 HR, 56 RBI). But their pitching staff is last in the AL. Even Baltimore has been in on the action, only recently dropping back below .500. Their offense is struggling, but they actually have the top pitching staff and defense in the league. Carl Weilman (4-4, 2.82 ERA) and former closer Alex Malloy (5-6, 2.82 ERA) are tops in the rotation.

I believe this may be the most exciting season in the AL to date with all teams in the race. Even the last place White Sox are defending World Series champs and at 12 1/2 games back, they could get red hot and be right back in the race.


Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders

[darnoff]

NL Season Wrap-up

With the pennant race still hot in September and three weeks left in the season, the first place Pirates put some distance between themselves and their challengers by winning 2-of-3 games at home against the Cubs and then 2-of-3 against the Giants. That gave them a 3.5-game lead. However, they then stumbled by losing 2-of-3 in Atlanta and 2-of-3 in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, the Giants went 5-2 against those same teams that week, and the Cubs went 5-1 versus the Phillies and Cardinals. That meant that with one week left in the season, Pittsburgh led the Giants by just one game and the Cubs by 1.5 games.

The Pirates would then sweep a 3-game series in Philadelphia while the Giants won 2-of-3 against the Cardinals, sliding to two games behind. The Cubs lost 2-of-3 to Atlanta, dropping them to 3.5 games off the pace. On September 29th, the Giants opened a final 4-game series against the Pirates and won the first game 2-1 thanks to a 1-out RBI single by infielder Milt Stock in the 12th inning. The next day, the Pirates won 3-2 behind Whitey Glazner (15-11, 2.92 ERA). That win eliminated the Cubs from the pennant race and also gave the Pirates a 2-game lead over the Giants with two games remaining. On October 1, the Pirates beat the Giants 6-4 thanks to a grand slam by Beals Becker (.223, 32 HR, 86 RBI) in the first inning off Waite Hoyt (12-13, 4.22 ERA). That gave the Pirates their second straight pennant and a chance to win their first World Series since winning the very first World Series ever played in 1901.


Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders




National League Rosters

[darnoff]

AL Season Wrap-up

The Indians trimmed Minnesota's lead to just one game by the end of July, but by the end of August, the Twins had expanded that lead to three games. The two teams faced each other for the final time in the first series of September with the Indians winning 2-of-3 games at home. However, the Twins then went on to win 19 of their next 23 games and finished the season with a commanding 7-game lead over the Indians and Tigers. This is the first pennant the Twins have won since the inaugural 1901 season. How oddly fitting that they would now face off against the Pirates, the same team who beat them in 1901 and have not won another World Series since.

It's also worth mentioning that the last time the Twins came close to winning the pennant was in 1907. That was Walter Johnson's rookie season in which he set a record with 25 wins. The team lost in a 1-game playoff to the Athletics for the pennant that year and they have not had a winning season since, until now. Twins rookie Goose Goslin (.315, 54 HR, 121 RBI) was a huge reason why the team won this year's pennant. The Twins also have Irish Meusel (.306, 43 HR, 129 RBI) and sophomore first baseman Frank Brower (.283, 32 HR, 84 RBI) in their lineup, but they have little pop elsewhere. Instead, it was their pitching staff that led the way this year. Johnson (20-8, 2.49 ERA) led the staff as usual, but Marv Goodwin (16-9, 3.28 ERA) and Doc Ayers (14-10, 3.18 ERA) also pitched well.

Cleveland rookie Riggs Stephenson (.356, 25 HR, 107 RBI) fell just one double short of the MLHR record of 66. He also won the batting title and led the AL in hits. Voters will have a tough time picking between him and Minnesota's Goslin for Rookie of the Year. The Indians offense was impressive this season. If they can improve their last-ranked bullpen, I believe they could be the team to beat next year.

There were other exciting milestones in the AL to mention:

Oakland pitcher Chief Bender (13-13, 2.93 ERA) got his 300th win, becoming just the second pitcher to ever reach that mark. He is now just 5 wins away from tying Bill Vinton's all-time record of 307.

Detroit's Ty Cobb (.324, 23 HR, 68 RBI, 127 R, 69 SB) became the all-time triples leader with 120. He also surpassed 3500 hits, 2000 Runs and 1000 SB this season. He is now 3rd all-time in hits and on pace to be the first player to reach 4000. He is also now 2nd all-time in runs and 3rd in stolen bases.

Babe Ruth (.317, 56 HR, 135 RBI) passed the 500 HR mark at the amazingly young age of 26!! That is just astounding, but keep in mind that he began his career as a hitter, not a pitcher as he did in MLB. Also, remember that there are no injuries in MLHR (but they do get tired), so players are able to play more often in MLHR.

Ruth's teammate Tris Speaker (.333, 23 HR, 94 RBI, 106 R) passed Hall of Famer Ross Barnes for 3rd on the all-time Doubles list with 748, but Ty Cobb is right behind with 731 of his own.

And finally, little known Indians reliever Oscar Harstad (5-12, 5.02 ERA) became the first pitcher to ever reach 101 games in a season. It is particularly astounding that the Cleveland skipper kept turning to Harstad considering his ERA. That is something the Indians need to remedy in their last ranked bullpen.


Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders




National League Rosters

[darnoff]

1921 World Series

Game 1

This was a great pitching duel between Minnesota's Walter Johnson and Pittsburgh's Elmer Ponder. The game was scoreless through five innings, but the Twins broke out with four runs in the 6th to take a big 4-0 lead. Meanwhile, Johnson was throwing a no-hitter. It was broken up in the 7th with a 2-out double from Pirates catcher Cliff Lee, but the Pirates would get no other hits and the Twins won Game one behind their ace.




Game 2

Another thrilling game! Both teams started pitchers who had been successful this season, but were not very well-known. Marv Goodwin went for the Twins and Johnny Morrison opposed him for the Pirates. The game was tied at 1-1 after seven well-pitched innings. In the top of the 8th, Morrison got in trouble with two 1-out walks. The Pirates went to Hank Robinson from the bullpen and he got two outs to end the threat. In the bottom of that inning, Minnesota setup man Jim Shaw came in to pitch. After a strike out to open the inning, he walked pinch hitter Johnny Mokan. Shaw then struck out the next batter, but with two outs, he allowed another walk. That was followed by a single from rookie outfielder Kiki Cuyler, scoring pinch runner Doug Baird and giving the Pirates a 2-1 lead. After another walk to load the bases, Shaw struck out slugger Beals Becker, who had homered in the 2nd inning, to get out of the jam.

In the top of the 9th, Pittsburgh's rookie sensation Moses Yellow Horse came in to close the game. After a quick out, he gave up a single to Irish Meusel. After the second out, catcher Patsy Gharrity reached base on a fielding error by shortstop Wally Gerber. Twins second baseman Bucky Harris singled, but the runner at third was held. So Yellow Horse now faced a bases loaded situation with two outs and he struck out pinch hitter Joe Judge to give the Pirates their first win of the series.




Game 3

This game started off poorly for the Twins as Doc Ayers coughed up three runs in the first inning (two of them unearned) and two more in the second. The team stuck with him and he threw three more scoreless innings before eventually being lifted from the game. By the bottom of the 9th, the Pirates were winning 6-2 and everyone expected the game to end. Reliever Carmen Hill had entered the game in the 8th inning in relief of starter Dazzy Vance and pitched well, despite one walk. Then with two outs in the 9th, Hill allowed a seemingly innocent single to Frank Brower, but it was followed by another single from catcher Patsy Gharrity and a third single by second baseman Bucky Harris, which scored a run. Suddenly, the Twins had the tying run at the plate and up stepped pinch hitter Tillie Walker.

Walker was the 1911 Rookie of the Year with 436 career home runs under his belt, but at age 34 with the appearance of rookie sensation Goose Goslin, he had be relegated to a part time role. To counter Minnesota's move, Pittsburgh brought in closer Moses Yellow Horse to get the final out. The first pitch was a called strike, but Walker drilled the second pitch deep to left field and over the fence for a clutch game-tying 3-run homer. The crowd went crazy and Yellow Horse finished out the inning. Minnesota had the momentum now, but Pittsburgh appeared to have the advantage with a stronger and more experienced bullpen.

The game remained tied at 6-6 until the bottom of the 12th when Pittsburgh setup man Claude Hendrix came in to pitch. He hit the first batter he faced and then allowed a single and a walk to load the bases with nobody out. With the infield in, Goose Goslin grounded to shortstop Wally Gerber, who threw home for the force out. Then Irish Meusel popped out. Now with two key outs, Hendrix faced Frank Brower. They battled through six pitches but Brower drew a walk which forced home a run to win the critical game.




Game 4

Minnesota scored often against Pittsburgh starter Whitey Glazner and had a 5-0 lead after five innings. However, in the top of the 6th, pinch hitter Tony Boeckel hit a solo home run off Twins starter Jack Bentley on the first pitch of the at-bat. Later in the inning with two outs and two runners on base, catcher Cliff Lee hit a 3-run homer to suddenly make it a close game with the score now 5-4. Pirates second baseman Cotton Tierney tied the game with an RBI double in the 8th off reliever George Dumont. In the top of the 9th, Pirates pinch hitter Doug Baird singled off Dumont. He moved to second on a ground out and then to third on a wild pitch. He would then score the go-ahead run on a Max Carey single. In the bottom of the 9th, Moses Yellow Horse came in to close the game just one day after giving up a crucial home run to Tillie Walker in an eventual loss. He would face Walker as a pinch hitter again on this day, but Walker hit a loud fly out to right field and Yellow Horse recorded a 1-2-3 inning for a Pirates comeback win.




Game 5

The Twins jumped out to a 3-0 lead on Elmer Ponder in the first inning. That seemed to be all the runs they would need with ace Walter Johnson on the mound. Johnson did not allow a hit until the 4th inning, but the Pirates would score two runs that inning. The Pirates tied the game in the 6th when Pie Traynor hit a lead off homer off Johnson.

In the bottom of the 7th, the Twins gambled by pinch hitting for Johnson, who was leading off the inning. The gamble worked out out because Joe Judge drew a walk from Ponder. Sam Rice reached base on catcher's interference and the two runners advanced a base on a Doc Prothro ground out. After Goose Goslin struck out looking, Irish Meusel hit a clutch single to score two runs. The Pirates got one run back in the 8th off reliever Jim Shaw, but the Twins added two more runs in the next frame. Twins closer Harry Harper saw his first action and got three straight outs in the 9th inning to seal the win for Minnesota.




Game 6

The Twins jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning off Johnny Morrison thanks to singles by Sam Rice and Doc Prothro to start the inning and a clutch 2-out single by Frank Brower to drive in both runners. After that, it was all pitching with the two teams combining for just 8 hits on the day. Morrison tossed eight innings and only allowed those two first inning runs. However, Marv Goodwin was even better, dealing a complete game shutout with 10 strikeouts in which he allowed no walks and just two hits! What a way for the Twins to win their first ever World Series title!




Recap

This was a tight World Series full of suspense, but it boiled down to Minnesota simply scoring more runs. Pittsburgh's offense could do very little. They scored 18 runs to Minnesota's 28. Plus 16 of those 18 runs came in three games, and the Pirates were shutout twice - once by Johnson in Game 1 and then by Goodwin in Game 6.

Series MVP

Doc Prothro, 3B, MIN: .360 AVG, .407 OBP, 4 RBI, 4 R

[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 - Elmer Ponder, PIT
C - Mike Gonzalez, ATL
1B - George Kelly, SFG (3rd consecutive)
2B - Bernie Friberg, CHN (2nd consecutive)
3B - Russ Wrightstone, PHI
SS - Armando Marsans, CIN
LF - Austin McHenry, STL (2nd overall)
CF - Cy Williams, CHN
RF - Kiki Cuyler, PIT (rookie!)


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 (2nd overall)
C - Patsy Gharrity, MIN (2nd overall)
1B - Frank Brower, MIN
2B - Bucky Harris, MIN
3B - Doc Prothro, MIN
SS - Buck Weaver, CHA (3rd overall)
LF - Joe Jackson, OAK
CF - Happy Felsch, CHA (5th overall)
RF - Edd Roush, CHA (3rd overall)

[darnoff]

1922 National League Rookies


Ray Blades, LF, Age 24, Cardinals

Blades is a solid all-around batter who will help solidify an already strong Cardinals lineup. He will bat 2nd in the lineup ahead of superstar Rogers Hornsby, so he should get plenty of opportunities to score as long as he gets on base. Blades is expected to upgrade the right field position offensively, but his average defensive abilities will be a downgrade from Cliff Heathcote (.283, 10 HR, 48 RBI) who nearly won a Gold Glove last season.




Ike Boone, RF, Age 22, Giants

Boone is expected to take over in left field from perennial slugger Dave Robertson (.261, 31 HR, 95 RBI), who despite his great power numbers, only got on base at a .285 rate last year. Boone is a more well-rounded offensive talent, but if he struggles, expect Robertson to take over full-time. However, this position is Boone's to lose.




Jim Bottomley, 1B, Age 21, Cardinals

Bottomley is the top rookie offensive talent this year. His presence will force Rogers Hornsby back to second base, where he is a bit of a defensive liability. Along with Austin McHenry (.283, 31 HR, 100 RBI), Bottomley will provide plenty of pop behind Hornsby in the lineup.




Fred Fussell, MR, Age 24, Cubs

I've been writing for most of MLHR's 46 seasons that the Cubs need more pitching. This season, they seemed to finally do something about it by adding the three pitchers below. Ed Morris and Tiny Osborne will assume roles in the starting rotation while Fred Fussell will pitch in long relief - at least initially. If Fussell performs well, he could eventually take over as the team's closer. These additions (as well as the batting additions listed below them in this report) could be enough to boost the Cubs ahead of the Pirates in this year's pennant race.




Ed Morris, SP, Age 22, Cubs




Tiny Osborne, SP, Age 24, Cubs




George Grantham, 2B, Age 21, Cubs

The Cubs offense has undergone a small makeover this offseason spurred on by the additions of George Grantham and Gabby Hartnett, as well as the retirement of 2-time Batter of the Year Fred Luderus (.217, 28 HR, 67 RBI). Vic Saier (.262, 52 HR, 128 RBI) takes over at first base from Luderus, which is a huge benefit for Chicago defensively because Saier was one of the worst defensive outfielders in MLHR. However, Saier is a natural first baseman and should be adequate back at home on the infield.

Two-time Gold Glover Bernie Friberg (.300, 13 HR, 53 RBI) moves from his preferred position into the vacant left field spot. That move allows rookie George Grantham to start at second base. He is a downgrade defensively at second base, but Friberg is a huge improvement in the outfield over Saier. Fellow rookie Gabby Hartnett is slated to take over as the everyday catcher despite the fact that Chicago already had Bubbles Hargrave (.300, 6 HR, 60 RBI) there. The main reason for that move is the fact that Hartnett has one of the best arms behind the plate that we have seen in a very long time - not to mention the fact that he is talented offensively. It is always possible, though, that Hartnett could eventually move to first base if the team misses Hargrave's offensive productivity.




Gabby Hartnett, C, Age 21, Cubs




Travis Jackson, SS, Age 18, Giants

Jackson is a solid offensive performer but he is very strong defensively. He should be the top overall shortstop in the entire MLHR. His addition moves the game's former top shortstop, Frankie Frisch (.314, 14 HR, 68 RBI, 92 R, 45 SB), back to his preferred spot at second base. The presence of Jackson and fellow rookie Ike Boone gives the Giants a very deep offense. However, the team failed to address the issue with the decline in their starting rotation.

[darnoff]

1922 American League Rookies


Jim Brillheart, MR, Age 18, Twins

The Twins will face a tough road in defending their first World Series title, but their biggest need last season was additional pitching depth. The additions of Brillheart and fellow rookie Ray Francis (6-7-6 ratings) will go a long way in helping the team's pitching improve. Brillheart will serve as the team's setup man and insurance in case 26-year-old closer Harry Harper (6-5, 36 Sv, 1.96 ERA) stumbles, as he did in 1918. The addition of Francis to the bullpen also allows Minnesota to experiment with Jim Shaw (8-2, 6 SV, 2.97 ERA in 115 innings) as their #5 starter. If he performs well, he will be a major upgrade over Minnesota's long line of poor #5 starters that have come before him.




James Edwards, MR, Age 24, Indians

Cleveland came very close to capturing a pennant last season and their biggest weakness was a lousy bullpen. The addition of Edwards and fellow rookie Jim Lindsey (9-6-5 ratings) should go a long way toward improving that group. Edwards may be the better talent, but Lindsey will actually get a shot to close games while Edwards sets him up. That could potentially change if Lindsey struggles, but the team felt that Lindsey's propensity for walks was better suited for a one-inning appearance as closer over the larger workload of a setup man.




Joe Hauser, 1B, Age 22, Athletics

In MLB Unser was one of the top power hitters of his day and actually set the minor league record for 70 dingers in a season, but he had difficulty sticking in the majors. In MLHR, he is still a low average, high power guy and should provide extra production for an offense that was once the pride of the American League but has begun to thin out somewhat over the past few seasons.




Syl Johnson, MR, Age 21, Tigers

Detroit is always searching for pitching help to go along with their top ranked offense. This offseason, Detroit added rookie Lil Stoner (6-6-6 ratings) to the starting rotation along with Suds Sutherland (2-0, 3.12 ERA in 52 innings), a sophomore who pitched out of the bullpen last year. But the big news was the overhaul of the bullpen. Former starter Bernie Boland (9-14, 4.54 ERA) takes his experience to the closer's role, but the future of that spot may belong to rookie Ole Olsen, who will be the setup man this year, or fellow rookie Syl Johnson, who pitches in long relief along with some potential spot starting work. If this new configuration works, Detroit could be a major force in the AL pennant race this season.




Ole Olsen, MR, Age 24, Tigers




Dixie Leverett, SP, Age 24, White Sox

Chicago's once-vaunted pitching staff is in flux, as age takes its toll on the arms that once helped them win four pennants from 1915-1920. After winning the 1920 World Series, the team plummeted to last place as both their offense and pitching slumped. Now Phil Douglas (2-11, 4.53 ERA) and Jim Scott (8-15, 4.88 ERA) move to the bullpen and youngsters Dixie Leverett and Charlie Robertson (6-7-5 ratings) try to remake the back end of the rotation.




Hub Pruett, MR, Age 21, Orioles

Oddly enough, the Orioles have consistently found talented relief pitchers on an ongoing basis for a decade. Unfortunately, they can't seem to find starting pitchers. They have made a few offensive upgrades in recent years, but it has been too little to make a major impact. In comes Pruett, the latest in the long line of talented relievers in Baltimore. The good news is that Baltimore also brought in rookie starting pitcher Heinie Meine (4-8-7 ratings), whom they hope can stabilize the #5 starter's role.




Joe Shaute, SP, Age 22, Indians

Shaute should help solidify a pretty darn good Indians pitching rotation. Plus, his arrival will finally allow Cleveland to move Sad Sam Jones (11-11, 4.56 ERA) out of the rotation where he has struggled. The team believes that Jones can be a very valuable addition to a previously weak bullpen.

[darnoff]

1922 Key Retirees - Batters


Bob Bescher, LF/CF, Reds

Bescher was the top leadoff man and base-stealer of his day in the National League. He retired with the 5th most steals of all-time, including a career high 93 in 1911. In 1912, arguably his best season, he stole 84 bags while hitting 20 home runs and drawing 99 walks. He won two Gold Gloves and led the NL in steals six times. He also finished in the Top 10 in triples eight times, runs six times, walks eight times, OBP five times, VORP three times and WAR three times.




Donie Bush, SS, Tigers

Won four Gold Gloves. Finished in the Top 10 in stolen bases 12 times and walks nine times.




Gavvy Cravath, LF/RF/1B, Red Sox

Cravath was the first in a long line of super sluggers over the past 15 years. Due to their power ability being significantly higher than the average player from this era, their home run totals were much higher. Cravath hit over 60 home runs three time with a personal best of 64 in both 1909 and 1910. In his late 30's, his low batting average and propensity for strikeouts finally cost him some playing time. He retired after hitting 28 homers in just 291 at bats last season but with a .199 batting average. His 679 home runs are 2nd most all-time. Cravath led the AL in home runs six times and Slugging percentage four times. He also finished in the Top 10 in RBI 12 times, runs five times, walks seven times, OBP five times, OPS eight times, VORP five times and WAR five times.




Larry Doyle, 2B, Giants

Doyle was the 1907 Rookie of the Year and a 2-time Batter of the Year. He was the offensive leader for the Giants for a number of seasons. He lost playing time later in his career - probably sooner than he should have - due to his poor fielding. Players like Doyle have actually made me reconsider adding the DH in MLHR. Regardless, he was a superb hitter who finished in the Top 10 in hits five times, doubles four times, triples five times, home runs nine times, stolen bases four times, RBI eight times, runs seven times, walks four times, batting average four times, OBP five times, SLG six times, OPS seven times, VORP eight times and WAR six times!!




George Jackson, CF/LF, Braves

Jackson was an important part of the Braves offense throughout his career. Unfortunately, his high strikeout rate cost him playing time. He led the league in K's three times and finished in the Top 10 in triples three times and stolen bases eight times.




Fred Luderus, 1B, Cubs

Luderus was a 2-time NL BoY and won two Gold Gloves. He was a critical component of Chicago's annual pennant chase during his tenure. His teams won four pennants, but lost each World Series primarily due to their lack of pitching. Luderus led the NL with 62 home runs, 154 RBI, a .667 SLG, 1.036 OPS, 78.2 VORP and 8.3 WAR in 1910. He finished in the Top 10 in hits three times, home runs 12 times, RBI 11 times, runs six times, walks three times, OBP four times, SLG 12 times, OPS ten times, VORP six times and WAR six times. He also finished 2nd in the batting race in both 1910 (.309) and 1913 (.327).




Hub Northern, LF/CF, Orioles

Won the Gold Glove in left field in 1912.




Burt Shotton, CF/RF, Giants

Won the Gold Glove for RF in 1910. Finished in the Top 10 in stolen bases eight times and walks three times.




Bill Sweeney, 2B/SS, Cubs

Won a Gold Glove at second base in 1914 and then another at shortstop in 1916 after supplanting both Joe Tinker and Johnny Evers in the Cubs' middle infield.

[darnoff]

1922 Key Retirees - Pitchers


Joe Benz, White Sox

Pitched in three World Series with the White Sox. Led the AL with 19 wins in 1916. Finished in the Top 10 in fewest HR/9 four times.




Larry Cheney, Cubs

Pitched in three World Series with the Cubs. Finished in the Top 10 in fewest HR/9 three times, H/9 three times, most K/9 five times but also most walks allowed five times.




Eddie Cicotte, Tigers

Won 1905 Pitcher of the Year Award. Won one Gold Glove. Led the AL in wins twice, shutouts four times and in complete games an amazing nine times. Finished in the Top 10 in wins seven times, innings pitched 16 times, HR allowed five times, walks allowed three times, ERA three times, WHIP three times, K/BB five times, VORP five times, quality start percentage four times and WAR seven times.




Russ Ford, Yankees

Led the AL with 19 losses in 1921 and also led the league in home runs allowed three times.




Vean Gregg, Indians

As a reliever, Gregg led the AL in game pitched twice and finished in the Top 10 in holds five times. As a starter, he finished in the Top 10 in walks allowed five times, strikeouts three times, ERA four times, fewest HR/9 three times, fewest H/9 three times, most K/9 three times and quality start percentage three times.




Tom Hughes, Yankees

Led the AL with 17 losses in 1915. Finished in the Top 10 in walks four times, strikeouts four times, WHIP three times, K/BB four times, H/9 six times, K/9 six times and quality start percentage three times.




Rube Marquard, Giants

Won the 1916 Pitcher of the Year Award when he led the NL with a 2.78 ERA. Pitched in six World Series with the Giants. Finished in the Top 10 in wins six times, most HR allowed four times, strikeouts nine times, K/BB eight times, H/9 four times, K/9 ten times, quality start percentage four times and WAR four times.




George Pierce, Cubs

Led the NL with 20 wins in 1917. Finished in the Top 10 in walks allowed seven times, fewest HR/9 four times and H/9 five times.




Slim Sallee, Cardinals

Sallee began his career as a starter, but he later thrived as a closer, where he won the 1916 Fireman Award. He led the NL in saves three times.




Harry Suter, White Sox

As a rookie in 1909, Suter won the Fireman Award and finished 3rd in the Rookie of the Year voting. He won another Fireman Award in 1912 and he led the league in games finished twice.

[darnoff]

1922 Hall of Fame Induction


Jimmy Dygert, SP, Athletics

223-118, 65.4 Win%, 471 G, 435 GS, 2882.2 IP, 17 CG, 6 SHO, 946 BB, 3.0 BB/9, 2901 K, 9.1 K/9, 2404 HA, 317 HRA, 3.31 ERA, 116 ERA+, 1.16 WHIP

1 PoY
7 Pennants
4-3 in World Series

All-time leaderboards Top 20: Winning percentage (1st among starters), H/9 (4th), K/9 (11th), ERA (12th), WHIP (13th) Wins (20th)


Tom Walker, SP, Athletics

200-110, 64.5 Win%, 685 G, 338 GS, 2968.2 IP, 79 CG, 19 SHO, 998 BB, 3.0 BB/9, 2674 K, 8.1 K/9, 2488 HA, 281 HRA, 3.14 ERA, 120 ERA+, 1.17 WHIP

1 Gold Glove
8 Pennants
4-4 in World Series

All-time leaderboards Top 20: Winning percentage (2nd among starters), ERA (4th), H/9 (5th), WHIP (17th)


Sam Crawford, RF, Reds

3016 H, 622 doubles, 77 triples, 406 HR, 1397 R, 1604 RBI, 870 BB, 2385 K, 119 SB, .280 AVG, .333 OBP, .465 SLG, .798 OPS, 121 OPS+, 10764 AB, 2945 G

4 Gold Gloves
1 Pennant
0-1 in World Series

All-time leaderboards Top 20: Doubles (11th), Triples (13th), Strikeouts (15th), Hits (16th), RBI (17th)

[darnoff]

1922 NL Preseason Predictions

The Pirates are coming off two consecutive pennants, but also two consecutive disappointments in the World Series. They are still favored to win the NL pennant this season, but by a much slimmer margin because the Cubs and Giants made major additions to their already-talented rosters. In fact, depending on who you ask, the Cubs or Giants would be favored to win this year's pennant. As for Pittsburgh, they still have the best pitching staff in the NL with five starters that any team would love to have and a young closer in Moses Yellow Horse (2-4, 49 Sv, 2.09 ERA) who had a breakout rookie season. At age 30, ace Dazzy Vance (20-6, 2.57 ERA) won his fourth PoY Award. Offensively, the Pirates are less productive than the Cubs and Giants but their offense is still a good one. However, both Chicago and San Francisco upgraded their offense this winter, so it remains to be seen if the Pirates can keep up.

The changes made over the winter in Chicago impressed me the most. They improved their pitching staff, which has needed some work for years, and now they could have one of the best staff's in the NL. If that is true, and their offense is as dominant as it usually is, the Cubs could actually run away with the pennant. The Giants also made some big additions, but their starting rotation is still suspect. If that unit does not improve from last season, you can expect the Giants to be battling the Cardinals for 3rd place instead of competing for first place.

If there's a darkhorse this season, it is the Cardinals. They also made two big additions to their offense this winter. They expect to be among the best - if not the best - offenses in the league. Pitching is the big question for this team, especially their bullpen which was weak last year.


Predicted Standings
(Scale of 1-12)

Rank	Team	Rotation	Bullpen	Offense	Bench	Speed	Defense	Totals	Grade	Predicted Wins
1	Pittsburgh Pirates	9	10	10	8	10	6	8.8	A	100	62
2a	San Francisco Giants	6	8	11	11	7	9	8.7	A	99	63
2b	Chicago Cubs	8	8	12	8	8	6	8.7	A	99	63
4	St. Louis Cardinals	7	5	12	8	6	6	7.8	B+	90	72
5	Cincinnati Reds	9	5	3	6	9	8	6.5	C+	74	88
6	Los Angeles Dodgers	4	6	7	7	6	7	5.9	C	68	94
7	Atlanta Braves	7	9	1	7	5	9	5.4	C-	62	100
8	Philadelphia Phillies	6	6	3	1	5	8	4.9	D+	55	107

MLB results for the NL in 1922

Champs: New York Giants, (93-61, .604)
World Series: Giants defeated Yankees 4-0

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, 10.0
Offensive WAR: Rogers Hornsby, Cardinals, 11.2
Defensive WAR: Dave Bancroft, Giants (Phillies), 2.7
Batting Title: Rogers Hornsby, Cardinals, .401
On-Base%: Rogers Hornsby, Cardinals, .459
Slugging%: Rogers Hornsby, Cardinals, .722
Runs: Rogers Hornsby, Cardinals, 141
RBI: Rogers Hornsby, Cardinals, 152
SB: Max Carey, Pirates, 51
OPS+: Rogers Hornsby, Cardinals, 207
AB/HR: Rogers Hornsby, Cardinals, 14.8

Pitching WAR: Wilbur Cooper, Pirates, 6.4
Win%: Pete Donohue, Reds, .667
WHIP: Phil Douglas, Giants (White Sox), 1.199
K/9: Dazzy Vance, Dodgers (Pirates), 4.909
Innings: Eppa Rixey, Reds (Phillies), 313.1
K/BB: Babe Adams, Pirates (Cardinals), 2.600
ERA+: Phil Douglas, Giants (White Sox), 153
FIP: Babe Adams, Pirates (Cardinals), 2.96


MLHR Milestone Watch

600 Home Runs
Cy Williams, CHN, Age 34, 576 HR

[darnoff]

1922 AL Preseason Predictions

Last year we saw the best pennant race in AL history with all eight teams having some impact on the race. This year may be a repeat of the same thing. To show the volatility in the American League right now, the Red Sox won the 1919 pennant and then fell to 6th place the following season. That year, 1920, the White Sox won the pennant, and then they plummeted to last place the next year. Now the Twins are the defending champs and they face very stiff competition in their attempt to repeat. The Twins have a solid, but not spectacular, offense but also one of the deepest benches in MLHR. They upgraded their bullpen in the offseason, but their starting rotation is a bit of a concern. We all know that 7-time PoY Walter Johnson (20-8, 2.49 ERA), at age 34, is still one of the best pitchers on the planet. The question for Minnesota's pitching rotation is two fold: first, can former reliever Jim Shaw (8-2, 6 Sv, 2.97 ERA) solidify the back end of the rotation and second, can Doc Ayers (14-10, 3.18 ERA) and Marv Goodwin (16-9, 3.28 ERA) repeat their solid performances from last season?

Every team except Baltimore can honestly say they have pennant hopes this season, so let's look at the contenders beginning with the two teams who tied for second place last year: Cleveland and Detroit. These two teams made some strategic offseason upgrades to their pitching staffs and they are actually tied for first place in my preseason rankings. This year's staff may be the best one Detroit has ever had. Both teams have great offenses, but surprisingly, the Indians actually have a slightly better starting lineup. However, Detroit's bench is much deeper than Cleveland's. It is a toss up between these two, but in a pinch I would choose Detroit to win the pennant simply because they have the experience of being a contender for multiple seasons plus the significantly deeper bench. But, a lot of that potential rests on the ability of Detroit's starting rotation to perform up to expectations. As for Cleveland, they are young and getting better every year. The future is certainly bright for them.

Next, you have two old faithful franchises in Boston and Oakland. Both are consistently in the pennant mix and they both have plenty of pennant race and World Series experience. However, they also both have plenty of age. The Red Sox have added a few new players to the mix, but Oakland has been better over the past two years in keeping the roster somewhat young. This season, the addition of slugging first baseman Joe Hauser (6-6-9-6-5 ratings) should go a long way in supporting aging veterans Joe Jackson (.320, 28 HR, 110 RBI) and Frank Baker (.259, 38 HR, 113 RBI) in the middle of the order.

Finally you have two teams with something to prove. I have been singing the Yankees praises for several seasons now, but they have never quite fulfilled their promise. This year, their starting pitching rotation may prevent them from making much noise in the pennant chase. Their offense is deadly, but they need several solid performances from their pitching staff if they hope to compete. Then you have the White Sox, who have a chip on their shoulder after winning 104 games in 1920 and then winning just 66 last year - a 38 game slide! They made some changes to their pitching staff, which they hope will make a difference this year. On paper, their offense is very weak and that's how they performed last season. However, I think their offense is potentially better than they look, but we will have to wait to see if they can put it all together.


Predicted Standings
(Scale of 1-12)

Rank	Team	Rotation	Bullpen	Offense	Bench	Speed	Defense	Totals	Grade	Predicted Record
1a	Cleveland Indians	8	7	10	4	7	7	7.8	A-	90	72
1b	Detroit Tigers	7	8	9	11	6	7	7.8	A-	90	72
3	Oakland Athletics	8	7	9	8	7	6	7.7	A-	89	73
4	Boston Red Sox	8	6	9	2	7	9	7.6	B+	88	74
5	Minnesota Twins	7	8	7	9	8	6	7.1	B	82	80
6a	Chicago White Sox	7	6	3	7	8	9	6.3	B-	73	89
6b	New York Yankees	5	6	9	6	6	5	6.3	B-	73	89
8	Baltimore Orioles	6	10	1	5	8	7	5.5	C	64	98

MLB results for the AL in 1922

Champs: New York Yankees, (94-60, .610)
World Series: Giants defeated Yankees 4-0

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, 8.7
Offensive WAR: George Sisler, Orioles, 8.2
Defensive WAR: Everett Scott, Yankees (Red Sox), 2.6
Batting Title: George Sisler, Orioles, .420
On-Base%: Tris Speaker, Indians (Red Sox), .474
Slugging%: Babe Ruth, Yankees (Red Sox), .672
Runs: George Sisler, Orioles, 134
RBI: Ken Williams, Orioles (Reds), 155
SB: George Sisler, Orioles, 51
OPS+: Babe Ruth, Yankees (Red Sox), 182
AB/HR: Babe Ruth, Yankees (Red Sox), 11.6

Pitching WAR: Red Faber, White Sox, 9.6
Win%: Joe Bush, Yankees (Athletics), .788
WHIP: Red Faber, White Sox, 1.185
K/9: Guy Morton, Indians, 4.530
Innings: Red Faber, White Sox, 352.0
K/BB: Urban Shocker, Orioles (Yankees), 2.614
ERA+: Red Faber, White Sox, 143
FIP: Red Faber, White Sox, 3.30


MLHR Milestone Watch

3000 Hits
Tris Speaker, BOS, Age 33, 2928 Hits

600 Home Runs
Frank Baker, OAK, Age 36, 576 HR

1500 RBI
Tris Speaker, BOS, Age 33, 1496 RBI

1500 Runs
Frank Baker, OAK, Age 36, 1478 R

1000 Walks
Harry Hooper, BOS, Age 34, 991 BB
Frank Baker, OAK, Age 36, 979 BB

800 Games pitched
Ray Fisher, NYY, Age 34, 798 games

700 Games pitched
Buddy Napier, BAL, Age 32, 692 games
Addie Joss, CLE, Age 41, 681 games

250 Wins
Walter Johnson, MIN, Age 34, 244 Wins
Ed Walsh, CHW, Age 40, 244 Wins
Joe Wood, BOS, Age 32, 230 Wins

3000 Innings Pitched
Ray Collins, BOS, Age 35, 2818 IP
Willie Mitchell, CLE, Age 32, 2811 IP

4000 Strikeouts
Ed Walsh, CHW, Age 40, 3857 K's

[darnoff]

NL Mid-Season Report

The National League pennant race has been exciting with several teams involved. Currently, the Pirates are in first place thanks to their top ranked pitching staff and #2 offense. Dazzy Vance (8-5, 2.94 ERA) and Al Mamaux (8-3, 3.08 ERA) are doing well, but #2 starter Johnny Morrison (4-2, 2.10 ERA) has really stood out, even though his 4-2 record over 16 starts doesn't show it. Moses Yellow Horse (3-4, 18 Sv, 1.67 ERA) is having another strong season too. Offensively, Johnny Mokan (.319, 14 HR, 43 RBI) has had a great season so far now that he has taken over the starting job in left field.

The Cardinals find themselves in second place thanks to an outstanding offense. Rogers Hornsby (.355, 21 HR, 62 RBI) is the man, as usual, but rookies Ray Blades (.325, 12 HR, 34 RBI) and Jim Bottomley (.297, 17 HR, 48 RBI) have had a large impact too. Their pitching staff has been average at best even though Jakie May (6-6, 3.07 ERA), Bill Sherdel (8-4, 3.22 ERA) and closer Oscar Tuero (3-1, 19 Sv, 1.84 ERA) have stood out. Several other key pitchers are struggling.

The Cubs should thank their lucky stars for rookies Gabby Hartnett (.279, 15 HR, 51 RBI), Ed Morris (7-2, 2.45 ERA) and Tiny Osborne (7-6, 2.70 ERA). Without them, who knows where this team would be. With the exception of starting pitcher Dutch Ruether (9-7, 2.85 ERA) and new closer Fred Toney (3-4, 22 Sv, 2.12 ERA), most of the veterans on the team have struggled. The good news is that Chicago is just 4 games out of first place. Once their veterans get their act together, this team could get very hot very quickly.

The Reds and Dodgers round out the teams with winning records. The Dodgers have been in the mix all season, but the Reds got off to a rough start but have been hot lately, going 19-8 in June. Cincinnati's pitching is strong as expected. In fact, the highest ERA in the starting rotation is a paltry 3.04! The bullpen is a different story, as they have only the 6th best ERA among NL bullpens. As for L.A., I'm not sure if their success will last. Their offense, which is usually their strength, is ranked only 5th but their defense is ranked 7th and the bullpen is last in the league.

Perhaps the biggest story though is the struggles of the Giants. This team was picked by some to win the pennant but they are 20 1/2 games out of first already and are last in the standings behind even the weak Braves and Phillies. Their offense has been a disappointment, even though they are ranked a decent 4th overall. An even bigger issue is the fact that they have performed worse defensively than any NL team and their pitching staff has allowed the most runs in the league.


Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders

[darnoff]

AL Mid-Season Report

The A's and Tigers have been battling for first place throughout the first half of the season. Currently, Oakland has the upper hand with a 5-game lead over Detroit. The Athletics' offense is ranked 1st in the AL. Leadoff man Eddie Collins (.367, 6 HR, 70 R, 43 SB) is having a superb season at age 35 and is on pace to score a career high 140 runs. Veterans Joe Jackson (.311, 14 HR, 64 RBI) and Frank Baker (.297, 23 HR, 74 RBI) are also having fine seasons. The Oakland bullpen is ranked #1 in the league and 23-year-old Roy Moore (1-3, 19 Sv, 1.59 ERA) has performed well in his second season as closer. However, the team's starting rotation is ranked 6th in the league with a 4.03 ERA, which is cause for concern. Tom Zachary (10-2, 2.97 ERA) is having his best season and 21-year-old Fred Heimach (8-5, 3.34 ERA) is doing well as the 5th starter, but their veterans in the 1, 2 and 3 slots in the rotation have struggled. Fortunately, these guys have a lot of experience behind them and the team believes they can turn their seasons around. If they do, the A's might get even better!

The Tigers still have a great chance at winning the pennant. Their offense in ranked 3rd even though some of their key players are having down seasons. Of course, Ty Cobb (.316, 6 HR, 51 R, 30 SB) and Harry Heilmann (.352, 15 HR, 49 RBI) are doing well as always, even though Cobb's power has slipped at age 35. The big news in Detroit though is the fact that they have the #1 pitching staff in the league. I don't think that has ever happened. This franchise has always struggled for pitching. Now if their offense gets on a roll, watch out! One interesting fact in the bullpen is that rookie setup man Ole Olsen (11-1, 2.60 ERA) actually leads all of MLHR with 11 wins!

The Indians have been in the race all season, but they have slid to just 2 games above .500 recently. Their offense has struggled, which seems odd. Their pitching staff and defense has performed well but they have still managed to allow the 4th most runs in the AL. I expect this team to improve. As for the defending champion Twins, things looked dim when they were 14-25 and in 7th place half way through May. But since then, they have gone 27-16 and are back to .500. However, a .500 record has them 13 1/2 games out of first. They do have three months to climb back into the race, but they will need to stay very hot. Their offense has done well and is ranked 2nd in the league after a slow start. Unfortunately, the pitching staff and team defense have been pain points. Those units combined have given up the 2nd most runs in the AL so far.


Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders

[darnoff]

AL Season Wrap-up

The Tigers and Athletics continued to battle in the second half of the season. The Tigers retook the lead and looked like they were going to run away with the pennant. Then in mid-September, they lost 7 straight games and with just two weeks left to play they found themselves only 4.5 games ahead of Oakland. In the next week, Detroit went 3-3 while Oakland went 2-4. That meant that with just one week left, Detroit led by 5.5 games. The two teams went head-to-head to begin the final week of the season. Oakland won Game one by a 9-7 score, but they then lost Game 2 by a 2-1 score in the 13th inning which allowed the Tigers to clinch their first pennant in four years.

Oakland wound up with the #1 offense in the AL, but the biggest story for them is the huge improvement in their bullpen, which finished #1 in the league as well. However, their defense was awful and they were 4th in the league in runs allowed. Detroit's bullpen is actually ranked next to last in the AL in ERA, but the team plays solid defense and ranked 3rd in runs allowed thanks to a pleasantly successful starting rotation. They were also third offensively.

Minnesota started off the season very poorly, but they wound up with 87 wins in defense of their World Series title. Their offense ranked 2nd, but their pitching staff struggled. If they can add some more solid arms next year, they should have a better shot at getting back to the World Series.

The White Sox bounced back after an awful 1921 season. They won 86 games behind a reorganized pitching staff that ranked 1st in the AL again. Offensively, they struggled and scored the second fewest runs in the AL.


Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders




National League Rosters

[darnoff]

NL Season Wrap-up

With two weeks left in the season, St. Louis found themselves in first place with a slim 1/2 game lead over Pittsburgh, a 1-game lead on Cincinnati and a 3-game lead on Chicago. On that Monday, all four teams faced off against each other. The Pirates would sweep St. Louis in a 4-game set while the Cubs took 3-of-4 from the Reds. That gave the Pirates a 3 1/2 game lead on all three of the other teams.

Pittsburgh then swept the Phillies in three games to expand their lead over the Cubs by 3 1/2 games, the Reds by 4 1/2 games and the fading Cardinals by 5 1/2 games with one week left to play. However, the Cubs traveled to Pittsburgh and swept the Pirates in three games and suddenly they were just a half game behind!

Pittsburgh won the first game of their final series against the Dodgers which eliminated both the Reds and Cardinals. That put the idle Cubs at a full game back with three games left. Then on September 29th, L.A. clobbers Pittsburgh's Al Mamaux for a 10-1 win while Chicago defeats the Giants 6-3 to tie for first!

On September 30th, the Dodgers beat Pittsburgh's struggling ace Dazzy Vance 6-2. The Cubs failed to capitalize and lost to San Francisco 7-1. On October 1st, the final day of the season, Pittsburgh finally defeated L.A. 5-3 behind Johnny Morrison, who has quietly become one of their most dependable pitchers. The Cubs then beat the Giants 6-3 behind Percy Jones forcing a 1-game playoff.

On the next day, Pittsburgh jumped on rookie Cubs starter Ed Morris who had been stellar all year. The Cubs clawed back to within two runs but a 3-run 8th inning put the final nail in Chicago's coffin and the Pirates won their 3rd straight pennant by a 10-5 score. That was a heartbreaking loss for a Cubs team that had battled all year. Their offense slid to just 4th overall and their pitching staff was ranked 3rd. Their bullpen was a big problem throughout the year. However, I expect them to bounce back and be among the best teams again next year.

On the other hand, the Pirates ranked 1st in offense surprisingly. They were also 2nd in the NL in pitching and defense. Their #1 bullpen helped solidify games consistently. The highest ERA in the pen was a mere 3.36.

The Reds pitching rotation was incredible and almost single-handedly willed the team into the pennant race. Hod Eller (15-11, 2.46 ERA) was incredible all year, and both Herman Pillette (16-9, 2.71 ERA) and Pete Donohue (11-9, 2.70 ERA) were excellent as well. Even former ace Dixie Davis (18-11, 3.12 ERA) led the team in wins, which is no small feat with a 7th ranked bullpen, 6th ranked offense and 6th ranked defense.

The Cardinals also had their moment in the sun, leading the race late into September before that crushing 4-game sweep by the Pirates. St. Louis had the #2 offense in the league, the #3 defense and #4 pitching staff.


Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders




National League Rosters