The Level Playing Field: Alternate MLB History From 1884-Onward

[FuzzyRussianHat]

Indianapolis CF Bill Lange won his first National League Most Valuable Player award, getting 15 first place votes. Cincinnati’s Kip Selbach and Buffalo’s Adonis Terry each had four first place votes, while Pitcher of the Year Arlie Pond with Louisville got one. Winning the World Series certainly helped Lange’s cause, who led all position players with 8.3 WAR.

He notably missed three weeks in the spring to a strained back. In his sixth season for the Clowns, Lange played 138 games with 179 hits, 105 runs, 29 doubles, 27 home runs, 114 RBI, 66 stolen bases, a .348/.409/.582 slash, and 165 wRC+. In the prior three seasons, Lange had finished second, second, and third in MVP voting. Lange also won his sixth consecutive Silver Slugger. He’s signed through 1903 for Indianapolis.

Pond won Pitcher of the Year unanimously in his third year for the Colonels with the best ERA (2.00), quality starts (30), complete games (22), and shutouts (6). His ERA was the second-lowest in MLB history for a qualified starter. Pond added a 19-13 record in 297.1 innings, 230 strikeouts, 210 ERA+, 61 FIP-, and 10.8 WAR. He was the #4 pick by Louisville in the 1894 draft.

His WAR would’ve been a single-season record for a pitcher if not for rookie Rube Waddell’s 10.96. The #2 pick also had 299 strikeouts and a 3.14 ERA over 292.2 innings for the Braves. However, voters hate the idea of a pitcher winning Rookie of the Year it seems, as New Orleans 3B Jimmy Williams got the honor unanimously. Williams had an impressive Silver Slugger-winning season to his credit with 187 hits, 97 runs, 39 doubles, 25 home runs, 111 RBI, .950 OPS, 158 wRC+, and 7.5 WAR.

Philadelphia’s Gene Moriarity notably won his third Reliever of the Year award, a feat only previously achieved by Billy O’Brien (6). Moriarity previously won in 1889 and 1891 with Kansas City. In his third year for the Phillies, he had 29 saves, a 2.09 ERA, and 22 Ks over 47.1 innings.

With back-to-back World Series wins, Indianapolis skipper Jake Goodman unsurprisingly repeated as Manager of the Year. The 44-year old from Lancaster, PA has a 499-473 record and .513 winning percentage over six seasons with the Clowns. The overall tally is weighed down by his first two seasons, as Indy was still awful as they were rebuilding.

Pittsburgh LF Mike Tiernan became the first 11-time Silver Slugger winner in MLB history. Still only 30-years old, Tiernan is MLB’s career leader in home runs (543), RBI (1595), slugging (.647) and WAR among position players (105.40). Three Dodgers won Silver Sluggers; 1B Jake Beckley won his fifth, SS Bill Dahlen his fourth, and C Jack Clements his third.

New York 3B Charlie Irwin won his fifth consecutive Gold Glove. Earning their fourth Gold Gloves were Buffalo 1B Skyrocket Smith, Pittsburgh SS Shorty Fuller, and Chicago CF Curt Welch. Louisville 2B Tommy Corcoran won his third.

[FuzzyRussianHat]

Above are the notable retirements heading into the 1897 offseason.

The 1897 amateur draft had 14 rounds worth of players. New Orleans had the #1 selection and grabbed C Frank Chance, who was given an 80 potential grade. Detroit’s #2 pick RF Elmer Flick also had an 80-grade, while #3 pick CF Ginger Beaumont to the Cubs had a 70-grade. Below are the top 50 picks from the draft. Notably not signing was #13 pick 2B to Cleveland, Erve Beck.



Another quirk was Washington picking Jim Delahanty #7, as this unites him with brothers Ed and Tom in the same organization. A fourth brother Joe is in the Yankees farm system and a fifth brother Frank is currently a teenager who is also expected to join the pro baseball ranks in a few years. Ed is the star of the crew and a two-time MVP for the Nationals.

The top free agent by rating was Gold Glove CF Jim Fogarty (65), who signed a five-year, $280,000 deal at age 33 with Brooklyn. Longtime Cleveland SP/OF George Van Haltren also hit the market at age 31 and joined the Boston Red Sox at $66,600 over three years.

The biggest contract by total value was C Heinie Peitz, formerly with Baltimore. At age 27, he inked an eight-year, $327,600 deal with the Chicago White Sox. All-time hits leader Dan Brouthers returned to his original team, the New York Giants, after three years in Baltimore. Heading towards his age 40 season, Big Dan signed a three-year, $110,800 deal. Below are the other top free agent signing of the offseason.



1898 was also the first time that players were eligible for Hall of Fame voting, but none of the three choices gained any traction at all and fell off the ballot with fewer than 5%. One of them, Jim O’Rourke, was a real life HOF inductee. This sim began in 1884 though and O’Rourke was already 33-years old, keeping him from the accumulations needed to have a shot at the fictional HOF.



In mid-January, there was a shocking trade as Louisville moved on from reigning Pitcher of the Year winner Arlie Pond. The 25-year old ace was sent to Pittsburgh for three pitchers; Bill Reidy, Ned Garvin, and Edward Dillon. Reidy and Garvin both have 50-grade potentials. Garvin was average in AAA for 1897, while Reidy was a rookie reliever with mixed results in 1897 for the Pirates. Louisville is apparently already convinced they weren’t going to be able to keep Pond long-term. Pittsburgh would sign him to a six-year, $176,800 extension in April.

[FuzzyRussianHat]

Above are the top-rated batters in professional baseball entering the 1898 season.



Above are the top-rated pitchers in the game heading into the 1898 campaign.

Below are the leaderboards entering the season and milestones that may be reached.





In spring training news, former MVP RF Jimmy Ryan with Buffalo suffered a broken hand and is expected out four months. He had been healthy in the last two years after his initial two seasons with the Bisons had been injury-plagued. Former #1 pick Joe Corbett with the Giants suffered rotator cuff inflammation, which is expected to keep him out until late May or early June.

Indianapolis LF Fred Clarke suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon, although the Clowns are optimistic he’ll be back in the summer. Former Pitcher of the year Ed Daily, who signed with Buffalo in the winter, suffered a torn UCL with a 15-16 month recovery time. Several injuries have wrecked Daily in his 30s, including a torn flexor tendon in 1895 and UCL tear in 1893.

Elsewhere in the world, the USS Maine ship exploded and sank near Havana, Cuba. While later evidence suggests the explosion was an accident, American authorities would blame it on a Spanish attack, leading to the Spanish-American War officially beginning in April.

[FuzzyRussianHat]

Through the first month of the 1898 season, Detroit has the best record in Major League Baseball at 20-8. Milwaukee is right behind them in the American League West at 19-9. The rest of the division is also above or at .500 except for last place St. Louis. Washington leads the AL East at 17-11 and are the only team in the East with a winning April.

#2 pick RF Elmer Flick with Detroit was both AL Batter and Rookie of the Month in April. He had a .363 average with 10 home runs, 24 RBI, and 27 runs. Jack Stivetts was Pitcher of the Month in his Nationals debut, having previously been the ace for the Athletics. The 30-year old was 5-1 with a 1.89 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 52.1 innings.

Pittsburgh and New York are tied atop the National League East at 19-9, six games ahead of the next closest teams in the division. Chicago and New Orleans are even atop the NL West at 17-11 with Cincinnati 15-13. Defending World Series champ Indianapolis is 13-15, but they notably had a poor April last year as well.

Second-year 3B Jimmy Williams was NL Batter of the Month for New Orleans with a .420 average, 14 home runs, 32 RBI, and 28 runs. Chicago’s Harry Keener was Pitcher of the Month on a 2.02 ERA, 4-1 record, and 16 Ks in 49 innings. #14 pick Harvey Bailey with Louisville was Rookie of the Month with a 4-2 record, 3.95 ERA, and 29 Ks over 41 innings.

Cleveland’s Buttons Briggs set a new MLB single-game record with 17 strikeouts in a 5-2 win against Baltimore in April 2. The previous best was 16 by several players. On April 6, Minnesota’s Brownie Foreman had the first no-hitter of the season in a 1-0 win hosting the Yankees. He walked two and struck out nine over 123 pitches. The Twins’ Fred Tenney also had a 23-game hitting streak carried over from the prior year. Baltimore’s Al Orth had the first six-hit game of the season against Boston.



The Orioles’ Buster Hoover became the second to 1500 runs scored and his teammate Mickey Welch became the third pitcher to 2500 strikeouts. Both were recent signings for Baltimore and were previously teammates with the Cardinals. Browns C Jocko Milligan reached 1000 runs and Red Sox SS Jumbo Davis got to 1000 RBI.

The Browns’ Ed McKean became the first to 900 stolen bases. Minnesota’s Dick Johnston and Pittsburgh’s Mike Tiernan both reached 700 stolen bases, while both Jim Manning and Doggie Miller got to 600 swipes. New York’s Pat Luby reached 300 home runs.

[FuzzyRussianHat]

Detroit continued its impressive tear through May, a remarkable turnaround considering the Tigers won 69 and 62 games the prior two years. They have the best mark in the majors at 41-15. The American League West Division is loaded though with both Milwaukee (36-20) and Minnesota (34-22) both off to strong starts. No one has stood out in the AL East with the six teams separated by eight wins. Washington is first at 29-27 with Baltimore next at 28-28.

St. Louis SS Jimmy Sheckard was AL Batter of the Month in May with a .330 average, 11 home runs, 29 RBI, and 21 runs. Detroit’s Ted Lewis was Pitcher of the Month with a 2.10 ERA, 5-0 record, and 35 strikeouts in 51.1 innings. Tigers RF Elmer Flick was Rookie of the Month again with a .304 average, 7 homers, 18 RBI, and 33 runs.

Pittsburgh has the best record in the National League at 35-21. New York is second in the NL East at 33-23 with Boston (29-27) and Philadelphia (28-28) next. In the NL West, New Orleans and Chicago remain tied for first at 32-24. They were the NL’s worst teams last year, continuing their own impressive bounce backs. Defending champ Indianapolis (30-26) and Cincinnati (29-27) are both right in the mix.

Cubs 2B Fred Roat was NL Batter of the Month in May with a .381 average, 8 homers, 25 RBI, and 17 runs. Philadelphia veteran Silver King was Pitcher of the Month with a 5-0 record, 3.28 ERA, and 27 Ks in 46.2 innings. King also earned his 200th career win in May. The Cardinals’ Tom Hughes was Rookie of the Month with a 4.57 ERA, 4-1 record, and 32 Ks in 43.1 innings.



The second perfect game in MLB history took place in Pittsburgh on May 20. 1896 Pitcher of the Year Jerry Nops was perfect in a 1-0 win against Buffalo, striking out five over 99 pitches. In other notables, New York’s Danny Green hit for the cycle on May 22 against Baltimore and Braves IF Jack Glasscock had a 22-game hitting streak.



Baltimore’s Mickey Welch became the first pitcher to 250 career wins. Cardinals lefty Jim Devlin reached 200 wins. The White Sox’ Amos Rusie reached 2000 strikeouts. Pittsburgh’s Mike Tiernan was the third to 1500 runs scored. Brooklyn C Jack Clements, Twins LF Ed Beecher, and Cardinals 3B Billy Nash reached 1000 runs. Dodgers 1B Jake Beckley and Cubs LF Curt Welch got to 1000 RBI. Milwaukee 1B Bobby Wheelock got to 700 stolen bases and Red Sox SS Jumbo Davis got to 600 steals.

[FuzzyRussianHat]

The American League West Division remains absurdly top heavy with Detroit at 60-26, the best record in Major League Baseball entering the all-star break. The Tigers notably won only 69 games all of last year, and only 62 the year before that. Detroit’s top draft picks of the last two seasons, Honus Wagner and Elmer Flick, have the top two WAR marks in MLB at the break (6.2 and 5.8).

Despite that, both Milwaukee (55-31) and Minnesota (53-33) are very much in the divisional fight. The Brewers got within a game of the Tigers in June, but they took a four-game sweep defeat at Minnesota heading into the break. With those teams dominating from the West, there’s still no one taking charge in the AL East. At one point in June, all six teams had a losing record. Washington is the only one above .500 at the break at 44-42, but they’re only separated by seven games to last place Cleveland.

Pittsburgh built up a six-game lead for the National League East Division and a four-game lead for the top seed at 55-31. New York (49-37) and Boston (47-39) are still giving chase, while Philadelphia (43-43) and Brooklyn (41-45) both lost ground in the East. The Giants took a six-game losing streak into the break, including losing all four on the road to the Braves.

New Orleans sits atop the NL West at 51-35 trying to complete their own worst-to-first turnaround. Chicago is second at 48-38, while there’s an eight game distance to both Cincinnati and Indianapolis at 43-43. Both the Reds and Clowns posted losing records from June onward.



AL Batter of the Month for June was Minnesota RF Dick Johnson with a .410 average, 10 home runs, 27 RBI, and 20 runs. Johnston also had a 23-game hitting streak snapped in late June. New Orleans RF Jocko Halligan was the NL’s top bat with a .366 average, 7 home runs, 23 RBI, and 18 runs.

AL Pitcher of the Month was Washington’s Ed Doheny with a 4-1 record, 43 strikeouts, and 1.92 ERA in 51.2 innings. The Braves’ Rube Waddell won the NL honor on a 1.88 ERA, 5-0 record, and 42 Ks in 48 innings. Detroit RF Elmer Flick was AL Rookie of the Month on a .379 average, 36 hits, 6 homers, 18 runs, and 16 RBI. Pelicans 1B Frank Chance, the #1 draft pick, won the NL honor with a .292 average, 6 doubles, 3 homers, 18 runs, and 15 RBI.

In milestones, Braves 1B Jumbo Schoeneck became the seventh to 2500 hits. Phillies OF Charlie Duffee was the fourth to 400 home runs. Home run leader Mike Tiernan of Pittsburgh was the first to 550. No one else has 500+ yet, although Minnesota’s Hugh Duffy is now at 484. Indianapolis’ Frank Gilmore and Buffalo’s Adonis Terry were the fourth and fifth pitchers to 2500 career strikeouts.

Phillies RF Bug Holliday and Red Sox OF/P Charlie Ferguson both reached 2000 hits. Getting to 1000 runs scored were Braves C Jack Rowe and Yankees CF Marty Sullivan. Cardinals C Doggie Miller reached 1000 RBI. Athletics CF Jim McTamany and Brooklyn CF Jim Fogarty became the second and third to 900 stolen bases. Cubs OF Curt Welch and Washington 2B Ed Delahanty each earned their 700th swipe.

[FuzzyRussianHat]

Below are the rosters for the 1898 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, played on July 5 at Chicago’s West Side Grounds. New York Yankees CF Danny Green won the Home Run Challenge, defeating Kansas City rookie LF Charlie Hemphill in a high-scoring 16-11 final round.



After back-to-back National League wins, the American League returned to the top spot with a 11-7 final. The AL is 11-4 all-time in the event. Washington 2B Ed Delahanty was named MVP, hitting a two-run go-ahead homer in the third inning. He also scored twice and drew a walk.

[FuzzyRussianHat]

After the all-star break, Milwaukee gained two games on Detroit in the race for the American League West Division and the top record in MLB. The Tigers still hold it at 73-35, but the Brewers are three back at 70-38 after going 8-2 to end July. Minnesota at 65-43 is still in the hunt as well.

In the AL East, both Washington and New York went 14-8 for the rest of July to gain ground on the rest of the field. The Nationals hold first place at 58-50 and are still the only team in the group above .500. The Yankees are five back at 53-55 with Philadelphia next at 50-58, eight games back. The other three teams are all 11 away.

New Orleans was the National League’s best team after the break going 15-7, giving them the top NL record at 66-42. Cincinnati kept pace and moved into second in the NL West, nine back at 57-51. Chicago had a terrible 8-14 run to drop to ten back at 56-52, followed by defending World Series champ Indianapolis at 55-53.

Pittsburgh had a 10-12 record after the break, but still holds the NL East lead at 65-43. The Pirates are also only one behind the Pelicans for the NL’s top seed. Boston gained three games and moved into second in the NL East, five away at 60-48. New York sits six behind at 59-49 with Philadelphia also above .500 at 55-53.

AL Batter of the Month for July was Yankees CF Danny Green with a .385 average, 10 home runs, 26 RBI, and 21 runs. Detroit’s Ted Lewis was Pitcher of the Month on a 4-1 record, 1.57 ERA, and 33 strikeouts in 51.2 innings. Tigers RF Elmer Flick was again AL Rookie of the Month with a .380 average, 6 homers, and 20 RBI.

Giants 3B Charlie Irwin claimed NL Batter of the Month with a .347 average, 33 hits, 6 homers, 23 RBI, and 19 runs. Phillies veteran Silver King took Pitcher of the Month on a 5-1 record, 2.01 ERA, and 42 Ks in 49.1 innings. #1 pick Frank Chance with New Orleans was Rookie of the Month with a .404 average, 42 hits, 2 homers, 22 runs, and 11 RBI.

In injury news, former Pitcher of the Year Lee Viau suffered a torn elbow ligament on July 22 for Milwaukee. He’s expected to miss up to a calendar year. The 32-year old righty has been with the Brewers since an 1894 trade with Detroit. Viau is signed through 1901 and had a 2.71 ERA and 4.2 WAR over 182.2 innings in 1898.

The most impactful trade at the deadline was between Washington and Louisville. The Colonels moved the #1 draft pick from 1893, SP Bobby Wallace. A three-time all-star, the 24-year old Wallace had a subpar 4.26 ERA this year for the Colonels in 171, although his FIP- was still 72 and WAR 4.9. They sent him and middling 2B Zeke Wrigley to the Nationals for prospect Jim Delahanty. The 19-year old Delahanty was the #7 pick in the last draft and has a 65 potential grade and has put up good numbers so far this year for AA Norfolk.

In milestones, Buffalo’s Pete Browning was the fourth to 1500 runs scored. Teammate Adonis Terry reached 1000 runs scored. Browns 2B Bid McPhee and Pelicans RF Jocko Halligan both reached 1000 RBI. McPhee also hit 600 stolen bases, while Yankees 3B Bill Joyce got his 700th swipe. Phillies pitcher Jack Jones earned his 2000 strikeout.

[FuzzyRussianHat]

The American League West battle remains the most intense divisional race in MLB history, as the three top contenders have the best three records in the entire majors. Detroit still holds the lead at 86-50, but they had a losing 13-15 record in August and saw their grip weaken. Minnesota moved up to second at 85-51 on a 20-8 tear for the month, while the Brewers are two back at 84-52.
In the AL East, Washington went 18-10 for August to grow their lead to nine games at 76-60. New York lost a ton of ground with a seven-game losing streak to end the month, putting them 67-69.

Pittsburgh and Boston were even for August, keeping the Pirates lead in the National League East Division at five games. At 82-54, Pittsburgh now holds the NL’s top record, ending the month on an 8-2 run. The Braves are 77-59, while New York lost ground, now ten back at 72-64.

New Orleans is now four behind the Pirates for the top seed after a losing month, but they still hold the NL West lead at 78-58. Three teams, Chicago, Cincinnati, and Indianapolis, each are seven games back at 71-65.

Yankees CF Danny Green was again AL Batter of the Month with a .343 average, 14 home runs, 33 RBI, and 19 runs in August. Green leads the majors in home runs with 43. Washington’s Ed Doheny took Pitcher of the Month on a 4-1 record, 1.64 ERA, and 50 strikeouts in 55 innings. Detroit RF Elmer Flick was yet again AL Rookie of the Month on a .378 average, 37 hits, 6 home runs, and 19 RBI. The #2 overall pick, Flick enters September with the best batting average in the majors (.360), the best OPS (1.104), and the most WAR for position players (9.3).

Phillies LF Joe Kelley was NL Batter of the Month on a .336 average, 10 home runs, 24 RBI, and 21 runs in August. Pittsburgh’s Jerry Nops was Pitcher of the Month on a 0.85 ERA, 4-1 record, and 45 Ks in 53 innings. Nops has the best qualifying ERA in MLB entering September at 1.99. Cubs CF Ginger Beaumont was NL Rookie of the Month with a .358 average, 8 homers, 20 runs, and 22 RBI.

The Twins gained ground despite a fractured finger for Hugh Duffy mid-month with a four week recovery time. Washington 3B Jud Smith suffered a torn flexor tendon, which ends his 1898 campaign. The Nationals are optimistic he’ll be back to start the next season. Washington also lost SP Bobby Wallace, who they just acquired in a trade, 4-5 weeks with elbow tendinitis. Detroit LF Chick Stahl suffered a hamstring strain and will miss much of September.

In milestones, both Giants 1B Dan Brouthers and Cardinals 1B Roger Connor reached 650 career doubles. They are tied for the most in MLB history at 654. Red Sox P/OF George Van Haltren was the sixth pitcher to 2500 career strikeouts. Reaching 2000 hits were Reds 1B Frank Fennelly, Cardinals 2B Reddy Mack, and Bisons C Fred Carroll. White Sox RF Dennis Casey and Cardinals LF Walt Wilmot both hit 1000 runs scored. Clowns 2B Spider Clark and Yankees CF Marty Sullivan got to 1000 RBI. Brouthers and Nationals 1B George Tebeau joined the 300 homer club.

Elsewhere in the world, the Spanish-American War came to an end in August 1898. The United States ultimately gained sovereignty over Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines as a result of the victory. The US also established a protectorate over Cuba.

[FuzzyRussianHat]

Fans focused on the intense battle for the American League West Division in September. Detroit held the lead most of the month, although Minnesota tied them a few times while Milwaukee got within one game. With eight games to go, the Tigers and Twins were even at 96-58 with the Brewers at 93-61. Detroit hosted Minnesota in the penultimate four-game series and won the first two games 5-4 and 12-4. But the Twins countered 8-6 and 11-4 to even them back up entering the final four games of the year.

Minnesota ended hosting Chicago, winning their first two games 7-0 and 5-4, but dropping the last two 5-0 and 4-3. The Tigers traveled to St. Louis and lost the opener 4-3 in 10 innings to the Browns. They got routed 11-2 in game two, then lost a pair of 5-4 games (the latter in 10 innings). Detroit’s six-game losing streak to end the season cost them the division crown despite having MLB’s best record most of the year.

The Twins took first at 100-62, their third division title (1889, 1895, 1898). The Tigers at 98-64 had the best record ever by a team that missed the postseason. It was still an impressive turnaround considering Detroit had been last place in back-to-back years. Milwaukee was third at 96-66, which tied the 1891 Browns for the second-best record by a team that didn’t win its division. Kansas City was notably the AL’s worst record at 63-99, a rough end to a four-year streak of winning seasons. The Royals are the lone AL team yet to earn a playoff berth.

There wasn’t any drama in the AL East as Washington pulled away and took first by 12 games at 94-68. New York was second at 82-80 and the rest of the division had a losing record. The Nationals earned their third division title (1894, 95, 98). Philadelphia, last year’s AL champ, finished third at 75-87. Washington actually had the AL’s best run differential at +179. Detroit led in runs scored (872) and Minnesota had the fewest allowed (661).

In team records, New York hit 217 home runs for a new MLB record. The Twins had 47 saves, an AL record and second best in MLB history. Washington’s pitching staff allowed 343 walks with 986 strikeouts and a 2.11 BB/9; each third in AL history. The Brewers (799,536) and Twins (789,596) had the second/third highest AL season attendances. On the bad side, Baltimore scored only 598 runs, the second-fewest in MLB/AL history.



The final AL Batter and Rookie of the Month was Detroit RF Elmer Flick with a .432 average, 7 home runs, 24 RBI, and 21 runs. Even with the Tigers missing the playoffs, the #2 overall pick is the heavy favorite for MVP, leading the league in runs (143), hits (217), total bases (398), triple slash (.371/.450/.680), OPS (1.130), wRC+ (207), and WAR (11.4). He also had a 28-game hitting streak that ended September 24, tied for MLB’s fourth-longest.

Flick’s season ranked as the fifth-most runs scored, eighth-best qualifying OPS, and fourth-best WAR for a position player. He was also second in homers (42) and third in RBI (121). New York’s Danny Green repeated as MLB’s homer leader with 48, the highest for any player since 1891. Detroit’s Honus Wagner notably had 60 doubles, the fifth season of 60+ doubles in MLB history.

AL Pitcher of the Month for September was Chicago’s Amos Rusie with a 1.69 ERA, 5-0 record, 53.1 innings, and 47 strikeouts. Rusie was second in ERA at 2.27. Washington’s Ed Doheny is the Pitcher of the Year favorite with the best ERA (2.16), WAR (7.6), strikeouts (261), and innings (312). Doheny was one win short of the first pitching Triple Crown at 20-9. It was his first ERA title and fourth consecutive season leading in Ks. Twins closer Guy Hecker notably had 40 saves, the second player to have 40+ in a season.

In other notables, Minnesota’s Dick Johnston and Milwaukee’s Willie Keeler both hit for the cycle in September. They and three others have achieved the feat twice. Johnston also reached 2500 career hits. Philadelphia 2B Pat Dealy earned his 700th stolen base. Detroit’s Sam Mertes had a 107 steal season, the second-best in MLB history.

[FuzzyRussianHat]

Pittsburgh went 17-9 in September to firmly take the National League’s top record at 99-63. The Pirates repeated atop the NL East Division with their third division title, having also done it in 1888. They led Major League Baseball in run differential (+205) and fewest runs allowed (619). Pittsburgh’s 1241 hits allowed were the third-fewest in NL history and their 7.62 H/9w was second-best.

Boston and New York were both back above .500 with an 89-73 finish for the Braves and 84-78 for the Giants. Brooklyn was fourth (81-81) with Philadelphia fifth (80-82), ending a seven-year run of winning seasons for the Phillies. Buffalo’s eight-year stretch of winning campaigns ended with a franchise worst 66-96.

New Orleans kept their distance to win the NL West at 95-67, a remarkable worst-to-first turnaround from going 62-100 the prior year. The only other team to do it from the league’s worst record was the 1896 Yankees, who made up a 36-game difference. The Pelicans led the majors with 885 runs scored. It was their second division title, joining 1889.

Two-time defending World Series champ Indianapolis was second at 87-75. Both Cincinnati (80-82) and Chicago (79-83) struggled down the stretch to finish with losing records. That ended a five-year streak of winning campaigns for the Reds. Louisville at 61-101 had MLB’s worst record.



Buffalo RF Jimmy Ryan was NL Batter of the Month for September with a .393 average, 6 home runs, 26 RBI, and 22 runs. The two-time MVP played only 59 games all season due to injury, most notably a broken hand at the end of spring training. Boston’s Jack Taylor was Pitcher of the Month with a 5-1 record, 1.70 ERA, and 21 Ks over 53 innings. Pelicans 1B Frank Chance was Rookie of the Month with a .364 average, 6 homers, 22 RBI, and 15 runs.

New Orleans 3B Jimmy Williams posted the third Triple Crown season in MLB history, joining Mike Tiernan (1889) and Kip Selbach (1895). Williams’ effort wasn’t as overwhelmingly dominant and those two, but still makes him the likely MVP with a .342 average, 39 homers, and 128 RBI. He also had the best OPS at 1.059 and had 9.4 WAR, just behind Indianapolis CF Bill Lange’s 9.5.

Pittsburgh’s Jerry Nops won his second ERA title in three years at 2.24. Braves lefty Rube Waddell notably broke the single-season record for pitching WAR at 10.6 and led with 279 strikeouts. Waddell also had a 2.98 ERA and 19-8 record, so he may fare better against Nops’ 16-8 record, 8.2 WAR, and 192 Ks in the Pitcher of the Year race.

In September milestones, Buffalo’s Chicken Wolf and Pittsburgh’s Mike Tiernan both reached 2500 hits. Cincinnati’s Billy Hamilton got to 900 stolen bases while Louisville’s Bud Fowler earned his 600th swipe. Brooklyn LF Ed Crane reached the 300 home run club. New Orleans RF Jocko Halligan, Phillies 2B Ed Herr, and Clowns 2B Spider Clark made it to 1000 runs scored.

[FuzzyRussianHat]

The 1898 American League Championship Series was the third for Minnesota with their lone pennant coming with their 1895 World Series win. That victory came at the expense of Washington, which was their most recent trip. The Nationals’ lone title was the year before in 1894. The Twins had home field advantage and won the regular season series 4-2.

Washington rallied for a 5-4 road win to open the series. In the top of the ninth down 4-3, the first two Nationals got singles. After a strikeout, Ed Delahanty had an RBI double to tie the game, then pinch hitter Zeke Wrigley gave them the lead on a sacrifice fly. In defeat, Minnesota’s Klondike Douglass was a triple shy of the cycle with two runs and two RBI.



The Nationals unloaded in game two with a 12-2 road win, taking the 2-0 series lead before even playing in DC. Eight of nine Nationals got hits in the win and both Ed Delahanty and Jimmy Bannon scored thrice. Of note, Washington ace Ed Doheny got hurt in the eighth inning, suffering forearm inflammation that ended his postseason.



Minnesota took a 4-3 lead into the ninth inning in game three. In the bottom half, Dan Long had a leadoff single and scored on a one-out RBI double by Duff Cooley. Cooley stole third, which allowed him to score the game winner on a fielder’s choice grounder to short. The 5-4 win puts Washington on the cusp of a sweep, a stunning result considering how strong the Twins and the AL West was this season.



In game four, Minnesota avoided getting swept with solo runs in the eighth and ninth innings for an 8-7 road win. CF Hugh Duffy was 3-5 with two homers and four RBI.



Washington used a five-run eighth inning to seal game five and the ALCS in a 10-4 home victory. Jack Stivetts was 3-5 with a homer, two runs, and two RBI. 2B Ed Delahanty was series MVP, going 9-17 with a homer, five RBI, and nine runs.

[FuzzyRussianHat]

The 1898 National League Championship Series saw Pittsburgh with home field advantage. It was back-to-back trips and the third overall for the Pirates, who are still searching for their first title. New Orleans’ only previous NLCS was a 1890 loss to Boston, guaranteeing the seventh different franchise will win the NL crown. Pittsburgh dominated the regular season series 5-1 over the Pelicans. This matchup had the top scoring team (New Orleans) against the one with the fewest runs allowed (Pittsburgh).

The Pirates shocked New Orleans with a 10-1 beatdown in game one. Mike Tiernan was 3-5 with a homer, double, five RBI, and two runs. He didn’t need to be great, but Arlie Pond tossed a complete game with six hits, two walks, and one run allowed with seven strikeouts.



Pittsburgh battered New Orleans again 13-2 in game two, despite the hits being 17-11 on the day. The Pirates unloaded with eight runs in the sixth inning.



New Orleans found life down in the Bayou, taking game three by an 11-8 margin. They were down 7-3, but used a three-run sixth inning and four-run seventh inning to go ahead. Jimmy Williams was 4-4 with a triple and two runs.



Down 4-1 entering the bottom of the seventh, the Pelicans had a four-run inning thanks to five singles an error. New Orleans held onto a 5-4 win, evening the series after their horrible start in Pittsburgh.



Pittsburgh earned the first road win of the NLCS in game five with a 5-3 result, giving them the 3-2 series lead heading back home. Arlie Pond pitched seven innings, scattering nine hits with three runs (two earned) and two walks with five strikeouts. Only two of the Pirates runs were earned.



Pittsburgh secured their first-ever pennant with an 11-4 home win in game six. The Pirates put it away with a six-run seventh inning. 3B Oyster Burns was 2-4 with a double, four RBI, and two runs. C Billy Earle scored thrice on three hits with two RBI and two walks. Burns was the NLCS MVP going 9-19 with nine runs, one homer, and six RBI.

[FuzzyRussianHat]

The 15th World Series was the second trip for Washington, who won in 1894 over Philadelphia. Pittsburgh was making its first-ever appearance with the 1898 Fall Classic. The Pirates had home field advantage and Washington notably was without ace Ed Doheny to injury.

Washington opened hot like in the ALCS, snagging a 7-1 road win in game one. Bobby Wallace, whom they acquired from Louisville in a deadline trade, stepped up big to fill Doheny’s void. Wallace tossed a complete game with four hits, one run, one walk, and four strikeouts. Leadoff man Bill Merritt was 4-5 with two doubles and three RBI.



Pittsburgh evened the series up on a 4-1 home win in game two. Arlie Pond pitched seven innings, giving up one run and five hits with four strikeouts.



Game three in DC was a back-and-forth affair. Washington led 4-2 entering the ninth, but Pittsburgh went ahead on a three-run top half. In the bottom half, the Nationals loaded the bases on a single, error, and intentional walk. After a 6-2 groundout, a passed ball brought in the tying run. Then, Tom Delahanty had the game-winning sacrifice fly for a 6-5 Washington victory.



In a game four pitcher’s duel, Washington prevailed 2-1 to take the 3-1 series lead at home. Jack Stivetts pitched 8.1 innings, giving up five hits, one run, and two walks with nine strikeouts in the win. The losing pitcher John Healy gave up seven hits and two runs in his complete game effort.



Washington clinched their second World Series title in front of their home fans, 5-1 in game five. They raced ahead with a three-run first inning and held on from there. Bobby Wallace got all but the final out, giving up only three hits, one run, and two walks with seven strikeouts. Ed Delahanty was 2-3 with a homer, two runs, and two RBI.



Jack Stivetts was named series MVP as a two-way player. He was the winning pitcher in game four, while going 7-18 at the plate in the series with one RBI and two runs. Wallace was a strong candidate too and for the playoffs, set MLB records for lowest opponents’ OBP (.159) and OPS (.392) for his two World Series wins.



The Nationals join Indianapolis (2) and the Boston Red Sox (3) as the only franchises with multiple rings so far. They were 8-2 across the postseason, tying the 1895 Minnesota Twins for the best record in a playoff run. Washington especially surprised many as the weakest of the playoff teams from the weakest division by win/loss record in 1898.

[FuzzyRussianHat]

Elmer Flick’s incredible debut for Detroit earned him American League Most Valuable Player and the unanimous Rookie of the Year. He joined Willie Keeler and Denny Lyons as the players to win both honors in the same season. Despite his dominance, Flick wasn’t the MVP unanimously, but did earn 22 first place votes. Washington’s Ed Delahanty had the other two.

The #2 pick in the last draft by the Tigers, Flick led the AL in runs (143), hits (217), total bases (398), triple slash (.371/.450/.680), OPS (1.130), wRC+ (207), and WAR (11.4). He had 39 doubles, 42 home runs, and 121 RBI. Flick’s WAR was the fourth-best by a position player and his runs scored ranked fifth-best. His OPS was also the eighth-best qualifying season and he was seventh in total bases.

Washington’s Ed Doheny was unanimous as Pitcher of the Year and won for the second time, having also done it in 1895. The 24-year old lefty led in ERA (2.16), innings (312), quality starts (28), strikeouts (261), complete games (22), shutouts (6), WHIP (0.96), and WAR (7.6). He had a 20-9 record, falling one win shy of the first pitching Triple Crown.

Ed Delahanty won his seventh Silver Slugger at 2B. Minnesota 1B Fred Tenney and Detroit DH Tuck Turner became three-time winners. Turner’s previous wins were in LF. Brewers RF Willie Keeler won his fifth Gold Glove. Earning their fourth was Browns C Jocko Milligan, Orioles 2B Tommy Corcoran, and Tigers 3B Billy Clingman; each of which enters free agency in the winter. Twins 1B Fred Tenney and SS Grant Johnson both won their third Gold Gloves.

Although Detroit narrowly missed the playoffs, George Strief won Manager of the Year. He took the Tigers job in 1895 and they had their fire sale and last place finishes in 1896-97. In his fourth year, Strief took Detroit from 69-93 to 98-64 in one of the biggest single-year win differences in MLB history.

[FuzzyRussianHat]

Second-year New Orleans 3B Jimmy Williams earned National League Most Valuable Player in 1898 with 19 first place votes and 311 points. Indianapolis CF Bill Lange was second with two first place votes and 219 points, while Boston two-way man Cy Seymour had three first place votes and 206 points. The winner Williams posted MLB’s third hitting Triple Crown despite losing three weeks to back stiffness in the late spring.

Williams led in home runs (39), RBI (123), average (.342), slugging (.648), OPS (1.059), wRC+ (190), and total bases (332). He had 175 hits, 109 runs, 28 doubles, a .411 OBP, and 9.4 WAR over 136 games. Williams was the #6 pick by the Pelicans in the 1896 draft. 1B Frank Chance meanwhile was the #1 pick in 1897 and earned 1898’s Rookie of the Year for New Orleans with 20 first place votes. Chance led with 200 hits and had 108 runs, 46 doubles, 17 home runs, 82 RBI, a .317/.401/.487 slash, 149 wRC+, and 5.1 WAR.

For the second time in three years, Pittsburgh’s Jerry Nops won Pitcher of the Year. He had 15 first place votes and 141 points while Boston’s Rube Waddell had nine first place votes and 121 points. Sabremetrics loved Waddell, who set the single-season pitching WAR record (10.6) and led in strikeouts (279) and FIP- (57). He also had a 19-8 record with a 2.98 ERA over 274.2 innings.

Winning the day for Nops was the ERA title at 2.24. In his fourth year for the Pirates, the Toledo, Ohio native had a 16-8 record, 253 innings, 192 strikeouts, 5 shutouts, 0.88 WHIP, 168 ERA+, 66 FIP-, and 8.2 WAR. Nops also had a perfect game in May against Buffalo. Pittsburgh wisely gave him a seven-year, $224,200 extension in April.

Brooklyn’s Bill George notably won Reliever of the Year for the second time, having also done it in 1896 with Detroit. His 1.42 ERA was the lowest-ever for the award’s winner, getting 28 saves over 52 appearances with 53 strikeouts in 69.2 innings. He had a 284 ERA+, 93 FIP-, and 0.7 WAR. The journeyman reliever has pitched on eight teams so far.

Clowns CF Bill Lang won his seventh Silver Slugger. Dodgers SS Bill Dahlen won his fifth and teammate C Jack Clements got his fourth. Indy’s Spider Clark grabbed his third Slugger at 2B. Both Giants 3B Charlie Irwin and Phillies C Tom Daly became six-time Gold Glovers. Buffalo 1B Skyrocket Smith got his fifth, Pirates LF Mike Tiernan his fourth, and Braves SS Charlie Reilly his third.

Pittsburgh manager Frank “Heck” Heifer won Manager of the Year for leading the Pirates to the NL pennant. He took over the gig in 1894 and after three losing and rebuilding seasons, as gotten them to back-to-back division titles. Heifer holds a 408-402 career record so far.