1902 Cleveland: Napoleon & Joss Are Fine

[Dukie98]

After a better-than-expected 1913, where the Naps hung in contention until the final week of the season, they reshuffled the deck, swapping out several productive role players in the hopes of finding a better combination. Early returns, however, were not positive; the writers picked the Naps to be the worst team in baseball, with a projected 57-97 record -- a dropoff of over 30 games -- and projected a uniquely anemic offense.

The Naps struggled mightily in spring training, dropping their first 9 games, and only scoring more than one run in two of those games. They ended the spring with a dreadful 8-22 record. On the personnel front, newly-acquired veteran righthander George Mullin appeared poised to take the vacant spot in the starting rotation, although Eppa Rixey and Herb Pennock did nothing to warrant losing the position. After a dreadful start to spring training, first baseman Doc Johnston found himself losing time to rookie Wally Pipp. One of the challenges for the upcoming season would be to integrate the two lefthanders, and a trade for Johnston appeared likely.

In other news from around the league, the long-struggling Philadelphia Phillies shocked the baseball world by swapping talented right-hander Pete Alexander, who had just a 28-56 record in three years with the flailing Phils, to the Chicago Cubs for third baseman/ shortstop Bill Sweeney, who was coming off a career-best .339 campaign.

[Dukie98]

The Cleveland Naps' hangover from spring training continued into April, as the Naps quickly slid into the league basement, going just 5-10, and ending the month 6 1/2 games behind the league-leading Red Sox. While the Naps had an uninspiring month offensively, ending the month in sixth place in the AL in runs scored, the real culprit was the league-worst pitching staff, which finished the month with a dreadful 4.81 ERA, which is believed to be the worst month on the mound in team history.

Once again, catcher Ted Easterly carried the load offensively, hitting .382 with a league-best 10 extra base hits, including the team's only homer and 11 RBIs. First baseman Doc Johnston, who was in danger of losing his spot in the lineup to rookie Wally Pipp, held on to his job by hitting .313 and slugging .396. Left fielder/ leadoff hitter Doc Smoot struggled mightily, hitting just .171 with a .205 on-base percentage and a lone extra-base hit. Second baseman/ shortstop Ivy Olson was even worse, posting a .160/ .176/ .180 slash line.

But the real horror story was on the mound, as the Naps' starters ran the gamut from ineffective to awful. George Mullin led the squad in ERA at 4.18, but he was 0-3 with a 1.56 WHIP; he also gave up seven unearned runs in just 23 innings, and had a dreadful 5:12 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Staff ace Heinie Berger was 1-3, with a 5.20 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. Willie Mitchell went 1-2 with a 5.70 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP. Finally, Vean Gregg, coming off of a 23-win campaign in 1913, went just 1-2 with an embarrassing 6.98 ERA and a 1.96 WHIP.

The Naps' season appeared to be over before it began, as the Red Sox and White Sox opened up a sizable lead before April ended. If their pitching stabilized -- and that appeared to be a big if -- they could still contend for third place. And if it did not, then youngsters Herb Pennock and Eppa Rixey could find themselves inserted in the rotation sooner rather than later.

[Dukie98]

Here's how the Naps look as of the end of April:

[Dukie98]

After a dreadful start to the season, the Cleveland Naps stabilized in May, going 15-12, and ending the month in fourth place with a 20-22 record. However, they trailed the league-leading Red Sox by 8 1/2 games. The Naps' turnaround was sparked by a strong team-wide performance on the mound.

At bat, the Naps were once again led by defending league MVP Ted Easterly, who hit .333 with a homer, seven triples, and a team-high 14 RBIs. Second baseman Ivy Olson hit two homers and drove in 14 runs of his own while hitting .293. Right fielder Eddie Murphy hit .349 and scored a team-high 15 runs before landing on the disabled list with a shoulder injury; he is expected to return in mid-June. Third baseman George Perring rebounded from a slow start to hit .298 with eleven extra base hits, 13 RBIs, and a team-high 8 steals. Young shortstop Roger Peckinpaugh continued to struggle at the plate, however, hitting just .218 with a .230 slugging percentage, and centerfielder George Moriarty wasn't much better, hitting an empty .242 with a lone extra base hit for the month.

Although southpaw Willie Mitchell struggled with his control, he did a brilliant job of keeping runs off the scoreboard, going 5-2 with a sparkling 1.00 ERA and a somewhat-less-sparkling 1.29 WHIP. Veteran righthander George Mullin won his last five decisions of the month, going 5-1 with a 2.37 ERA and 1.18 WHIP. Vean Gregg matched Mullin's peripheral stats, sporting a 2.37 ERA and 1.18 WHIP of his own, but going just 2-2. Finally, hard-luck Heinie Berger went just 2-5 despite a sterling 1.93 ERA and 1.10 WHIP.

Once again, it appeared that the Naps would be strong enough to finish in the top three of the league, but not strong enough to advance to the postseason, as the Red Sox flirted with a .700 record. Meanwhile, in the National League, the Cincinnati Reds, led by sluggers Sam Crawford and Dick Hoblitzell, opened up a modest 2 1/2 game lead over the Brooklyn Robins and New York Giants.

[Dukie98]

Here's how the Naps look as of the end of May:

[Dukie98]

The Cleveland Naps continued to turn their season around behind a series of strong pitching performances, as they went 18-11 during the month of June, and ended the month in second place, but a distant 8 1/2 games behind the league leading the Red Sox. After their dismal start to the season, the Naps found themselves on the right side of .500, ending June with a 38-33 record overall.

Offensively, the Naps had a series of solid but unspectacular performers. Third baseman George Perring led the way by hitting .337 with a stellar .445 on base percentage, and scored a team-high 16 runs for the month. Catcher Ted Easterly, gunning for his second straight MVP award, hit a solid .333 and drove in ten runs, and seized the league in the AL batting race. First baseman Doc Johnston , batting behind Perring and Easterly, led the way with 19 RBI's and a .318 average. Second baseman Ivy Olson struggled, however, hitting just .208 with a lone extra base hit, and outfielder Fred Merkle hit just .169, returning to the bench after Eddie Murphy returned from an injury.

Vean Gregg led the way on the mound, winning AL Pitcher of the Month after going 5-2 with a microscopic 1.33 ERA and stingy 0.87 WHIP. Willie Mitchell sported a strong 1.97 ERA of his own, but struggled to go deep into games, going just 2-1 in 8 starts. Heinie Berger's tough luck campaign continued, as he went 3-2 despite a sparkling 2.26 ERA and 1.15 WHIP. After veteran George Mullin landed on the DL in early June with a pulled hamstring, the Naps struggled to replace him; rookie Herb Pennock went just 1-2 with an ugly 4.72 ERA and 1.50 WHIP, and Eppa Rixey was even worse, posting a 6.04 ERA and 1.66 WHIP in 25 ineffective innings.

Although the Naps had unexpectedly rallied from their slow start to pull into second place by midseason, they nonetheless remained closer to last place than first place, as they trailed the Red Sox by 8 1/2 games. Meanwhile, the race in the NL appeared tight once again, as the Reds temporarily ceded the lead to the New York Giants, only to seize control once again. Four NL teams were within five games of the Reds, and the seventh-place Cubs were as close to the league lead as the second place Naps in the AL.

[Dukie98]

Here's how the Naps are looking through the end of June:

[Dukie98]

The Cleveland Naps treaded water during July, going 14-14. Although they fared well against the league-leading Red Sox, winning five of eight games, the Naps were inexplicably swept in a four-game series by the struggling Senators. They ended July with a 52-47 record, in third place, 8 1/2 games behind the Red Sox.

Right fielder Eddie Murphy led the way offensively, hitting .344 with a .408 on base percentage for the month. First baseman Doc Johnston continued his solid season, hitting .313 with a homer, eight doubles, and 12 RBI's. Third baseman George Perring was solid, hitting .277 with 11 extra-base hits and a team-high 16 RBI's. But second baseman Bill Wambsganss, having seized the starting job from Ivy Olson, struggled, hitting just .224, and center fielder George Moriarty hit just .209 with a .240 slugging percentage. Left fielder Doc Smoot, in the midst of a season-long swoon, finally lost his starting job to a platoon of Pete Compton and Fred Merkle, with Murphy moving into the leadoff slot.

Vean Gregg continued his stunning turnaround from April. Although he went just 4-3, he had a sparkling 1.02 ERA for the month, bringing his season mark down to 2.32. Willie Mitchell went 3-3, with a solid 2.31 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. But righthanders Heinie Berger and George Mullin both struggled, with Berger going 3-2 with a 3.74 ERA and a hefty 1.42 WHIP, and Mullin, after missing several starts with a hamstring injury, went just 1-2 with a 4.84 ERA. His replacement, southpaw Herb Pennock, was dreadful, going 0-2 in 3 starts with a bloated 8.10 ERA and 2.02 WHIP before being shipped back to the minors.

Once again, the Naps appeared to be in a holding pattern, as they were good enough to stay above .500, but not quite good enough to make a run for the pennant. The Naps faced a temporary setback when shortstop Roger Peckinpaugh, in the midst of a stellar defensive campaign, injured his wrist after being hit by a pitch. Turning the clock back, the Naps shipped aging backup outfielder Harry Lumley to the Senators for shortstop Mickey Doolan, whom Peckinpaugh replaced. Although the Naps explored making a deal at the trading deadline, none of the available options were enticing. Meanwhile, in the National League, the Giants and the Reds were in a virtual tie, separated by mere percentage points, with no other teams within ten games of them.

[Dukie98]

Here's how the Naps shape up as of the end of July:

[Dukie98]

The Cleveland Naps had a strong August, but were unable to make significant gains in the standings. The Naps went 17-11 for the month, but ended August with a 69-58 record, good for 3rd place, 7 1/2 games behind the Red Sox and two games behind the second-place Athletics. Once again, a strong pitching performance picked up the slack for a diffident offense.

At bat, the Naps were again led by catcher Ted Easterly, who hit .298 with a .415 slugging percentage and 11 RBI's for the month. Although George Perring hit just .222, he drove in a team-high 14 runs, and he was a perfect 8-for-8 on the basepaths. Shortstop Roger Peckinpaugh displayed unexpected punch, smacking a team-high two homers, three triples, and driving in ten runs. But center fielder George Moriarty's offensive struggles reached crisis levels, as he hit just .159 with an anemic .169 on-base percentage. Moriarty's playing time remained secure, as outfielder Fred Merkle suffered a season-ending torn Achilles tendon, and Pete Compton broke a finger.

Lefty Vean Gregg continued his stellar campaign, going 3-2 with a 1.62 ERA and a 0.91 WHIP. Fellow southpaw Willie Mitchell went 2-1 with a 2.01 ERA and 0.93 WHIP. Heinie Berger's lack of offensive support continued, as he went just 1-2 despite a solid 2.40 ERA and 1.09 WHIP. George Mullin won four of his seven decisions, as he sported a 2.60 ERA with a 1.14 ERA. In the bullpen, righthander Lou Schettler threw ten shutout innings, giving up just a single hit, and lowered his season ERA to a microscopic 0.36.

Although Cleveland's pitching was proving to be a strong point, the Naps likely would not be able to crawl out of the hole which they dug themselves into at the start of the season. The Red Sox enjoyed a comfortable 5.1/2 game lead on the Athletics, with the Naps and Senators lurking further behind. Meanwhile, in the NL, the red-hot New York Giants threatened to run away with the pennant, opening up a nine game lead on the second-place Reds.

[Dukie98]

Here's how the Naps look through the end of August:

[Dukie98]

A furious rally by the Cleveland Naps, coupled with a prolonged stumble by the first-place Red Sox, resulted in a surprisingly close pennant race, but it appeared that the Naps would fall just short of the pennant once again. The Naps went 15-10 in September, including a pair of five-game winning streaks, while the Red Sox dropped ten of twelve at one point, including a seven-game losing streak. The Naps got within just 1 1/2 games of first place before dropping two crucial late-season games to the Athletics. The Naps ended the month in third place with an 84-68 record, four games behind the Red Sox and two games behind the surprising Senators.

Catcher Ted Easterly had another strong month, reinserting himself in the AL batting race by hitting .365, and driving in 18 runs to effectively lock up second place in the AL RBI race. Right fielder Eddie Murphy hit .353 and scored a team-high 16 runs. First baseman Doc Johnston continued his solid season by hitting .333 with a homer, 12 RBI's and five steals. But shortstop Roger Peckinpaugh struggled down the stretch, hitting just .221 with a meager .279 slugging percentage. Third baseman George Perring hit an empty .247, driving in just 5 runs and slugging a punchless .306.

On the mound, venerable veteran George Mullin led the way with a 3-1 record and a 2.54 ERA and 1.13 WHIP. Lefty Vean Gregg cooled off slightly from his midseason brilliance, as he went 3-2 with a 2.57 ERA and 1.16 WHIP. Willie Mitchell was just 3-3 with a 2.78 ERA despite a sterling 35-8 K/BB ratio. Finally, Heinie Berger struggled, going just 2-2 with a 3.62 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP before breaking his elbow; he was expected to return in time for spring training next year.

Once again, the Naps appeared likely to fall just short of the pennant, as they appeared likely to finish within four games of first place for the fifth straight year. The league-leading Red Sox were trying to hold off the hard-charging Washington Senators, who were led by pitching aces Hugh Bedient and Walter Johnson, who had combined for 45 wins. Meanwhile, the New York Giants ran away with the NL pennant, clinching in mid-September and taking a giant-sized 14 1/2 game lead over the second-place Reds as the season headed into its final week.

[Dukie98]

Here's how the Naps look as of the end of September:

[Dukie98]

The Cleveland Naps traded blowouts with the sixth-place Detroit Tigers to end the 1914 season. The Naps finished in third place with an 85-69 record, six games behind the Red Sox and two games behind the second-place Senators.

Catcher Ted Easterly ended the season with a .334 average, narrowly missing his third batting title in the last four seasons, as he finished less than a point behind Detroit backstop Steve O'Neill for the AL batting crown. Easterly led the league in slugging (.473), and finished second in triples (20) and third in RBI's (81) behind Detroit's Del Pratt and Browns slugger Cy Williams, who also paced the junior circuit with twenty home runs. Right fielder Eddie Murphy hit .309 with a .400 on-base percentage and a team-high 77 runs scored. First baseman Doc Johnston had a breakout season, hitting .308 with a .406 slugging percentage and drove in 60 runs.

Vean Gregg fell just short of a 20-win season, going 19-13, and he ended the year with a sparkling 2.19 ERA -- a remarkable feat given how dreadfully he started the year. Willie Mitchell finished up with a 16-12 record and a strong 2.35 ERA and 1.15 WHIP.

Despite a late-season swoon, the 96-win New York Giants, led by pitching Triple Crown winner Chief Bender, were heavy World Series favorites over the Boston Red Sox.

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Here's how the Naps looked at the end of the year:

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In a rematch of the 1911 World Series, the New York Giants once again prevailed over the Boston Red Sox, four games to two. The Giants won the first three games before the Red Sox took games 4 and 5. The Series was both low scoring and relatively drama-free, as neither team scored more than five runs in any single game, and every game but one was decided by multiple runs.

27-game winner Chief Bender threw a four-hit shutout in Game 1, and Christy Mathewson went the distance in a 4-1 victory in Game 2. The Giants coasted to a 4-2 win in Game 3 behind Doc Crandall. The Red Sox scratched out an eleventh-inning run to keep their flickering hopes alive in Game 4, and broke a ninth-inning tie with a four run rally in Game 5. But the Giants clinched the Series in Game 6, after jumping out to an early 5-0 lead, and coasting to a 5-3 victory. Right fielder Al Wickland was named Series MVP after hitting .458 with three doubles and six RBI's.

[Dukie98]

Here are the major award winners for 1914:

AL MVP- Hugh Bedient, SP, WAS: 27-11, 2.01 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 335 IP, 26 CG, 6 SO, 184 K, 116 BB, 143 ERA+, 7.0 WAR
Second place- Steve O'Neill, C, DET: .334/ .413/ .445, 163 hits, 44 doubles, 2 HR, 61 RBI, 76 runs, 65 BB, 7 SB, 148 OPS+, 7.3 WAR
Third place- Braggo Roth, CF, WAS: .298/ .374/ .463, 176 hits, 23 doubles, 19 triples, 12 HR, 75 RBI, 87 runs, 68 BB, 44 SB, 7.4 WAR

AL Cy Young- Hugh Bedient, WAS: 27-11, 2.01 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 335 IP, 26 CG, 6 SO, 184 K, 116 BB, 143 ERA+, 7.0 WAR
Second place- Ray Collins, BOS: 23-13, 2.27 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 347 IP, 27 CG, 137 K, 65 BB, 122 ERA+, 7.9 WAR
Third place- Dutch Leonard, SLB, 21-15, 2.15 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 351 IP, 29 CG, 189 K, 90 BB, 131 ERA+, 6.9 WAR

AL Rookie of the Year- Braggo Roth, CF, WAS: .298/ .374/ .463, 176 hits, 23 doubles, 19 triples, 12 HR, 75 RBI, 87 runs, 68 BB, 44 SB, 7.4 WAR

NL MVP- Chief Bender, SP, NYG: 27-16, 1.98 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 363 IP, 33 CG, 4 SO, 223 K, 111 BB, 141 ERA+, 7.1 WAR
Second place- Jack Fournier, RF, PHI: .344/ .419/ .518, 197 hits, 24 doubles, 12 triples, 12 HR, 80 RBI, 100 runs, 70 BB, 32 SB, 177 OPS+, 7.2 WAR
Third place- Ty Cobb, CF, BSB: .341/ .379/ .441, 216 hits, 46 doubles, 4 HR, 85 RBI, 79 runs, 60 SB, 141 OPS+, 6.2 WAR

NL Cy Young- Chief Bender, NYG: 27-16, 1.98 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 363 IP, 33 CG, 4 SO, 223 K, 111 BB, 141 ERA+, 7.1 WAR
Second place- Christy Mathewson, NYG: 23-14, 2.60 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 331 IP, 24 CG, 5 SO, 136 K, 69 BB, 111 ERA+, 5.5 WAR
Third place- Doc Crandall, NYG: 24-7, 2.86 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 323 IP, 24 CG, 130 K, 94 BB, 97 ERA+, 4.2 WAR

NL Rookie of the Year- Bubbles Hargrave, C, BRO: .290/ .341/ .393, 147 hits, 34 doubles, 9 triples, 56 RBI, 52 runs, 5 SB, 116 OPS+, 5.1 WAR

[Dukie98]

After yet another close-but-no-cigar season, the Cleveland Naps decided an identity change was in order. With onetime franchise icon Nap Lajoie languishing on the waiver wire, team management announced that they would change the team's name to the Indians.

Regardless of their name, the front office planned on standing pat, with no obvious holes in the starting lineup. Left fielder Doc Smoot's departure was hardly a surprise, and the team had planned for his departure by acquiring Fred Merkle during the prior offseason. After a thoroughly ineffective 1914, the Naps released Smoot. In a more surprising move, they also released reliever King Brady, based more on clubhouse concerns rather than his on-field performance.

The Naps made a pair of targeted trades. After the White Sox started shopping backup outfielder Red Murray - who led the AL in RBI's in 1913 -- the Naps decided to pull the trigger and add him to their crowded outfield mix. The Naps traded onetime hotshot pitching prospect Eppa Rixey, who struggled in 1914 with a 4.84 ERA and 1.56 WHIP in 57 innings, along with veteran shortstop Mickey Doolan and minor league infielder Cotton Knauss for Murray. The Naps welcomed shortstop Jack Barry, who debuted with the Naps in 1908, back to town in exchange for pitching prospect George Kahler; the Boston Braves developed a hole in their rotation after the unexpected retirement of 18-game winner Frank Arellanes.

Shortly before the 1914 draft began, the Naps suffered some bad news: Heinie Berger's elbow injury was more severe than anticipated, and he was likely to miss the bulk of the 1915 season. Picking 13th, the Naps were delighted to see position players go with the first twelve picks, allowing them to select late-blooming fireballer Dazzy Vance. They doubled up on pitching in the second round with submariner Carl Mays. In the third round, they selected Sam Rice; while listed as an outfielder, the Naps announced that they planned to convert him to the outfield. They selected lumbering outfielder Jim Brown in the fourth round, and then went back to the bullpen for righty Johnny Tillman. They closed out the draft by selecting slap-hitting third baseman Charlie Pechous in the sixth round.

[Dukie98]

Shortly before spring training began, the Cleveland Indians made their biggest move of the preseason, sending starting first baseman Doc Johnston to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for pitcher Elmer Steele, whom the Cubs had acquired from the Boston Red Sox just weeks earlier. Although Steele served as the Red Sox's top relief pitcher, the Indians slated him to return to the starting rotation.

The writers were surprisingly optimistic about the Indians' preseason chances, picking them to win 86 games-- with yet another second place finish in the mix. The Naps had a solid spring training, going 16-14 - and most importantly, avoiding any significant injuries. However, outfielder Pete Compton, who finished last season as the starting left fielder against righties, had a dreadful spring training, and he did not make the opening day roster.

[Dukie98]

The newly-rechristened Cleveland Indians enjoyed a red-hot start to 1915, jumping out to an 11-3 start, including a seven-game winning streak, before dropping the final three games of the month to end with an 11-6 record, and a narrow one-game lead over the Senators and White Sox.

The Naps were unexpectedly led offensively by center fielder George Moriarty, who hit .353 with a .421 on-base percentage. Catcher Ted Easterly hit .304, and he tied first baseman Wally Pipp for the team lead with 11 RBI's -- good for second in the league. Shortstop Roger Peckinpaugh struggled, however, hitting just .195 with a single extra base hit and scored only a single run for the month, and left fielder Fred Merkle hit just .229.

Southpaw Willie Mitchell had a brilliant April, going 3-0 in four starts with a microscopic 0.58 ERA and 0.84 WHIP. Vean Gregg picked up where he left off in 1914, going 4-1 with a 2.23 ERA, a 1.17 WHIP and a team-high 25 strikeouts. George Mullin was solid, but was plagued by spotty offensive support, going just 1-2 despite a 2.32 ERA and 1.16 WHIP. Offseason acquisition Elmer Steele struggled, however, going 0-3 with a 4.00 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP.

Although the Naps cooled off after their brilliant start, they nonetheless enjoyed a slight edge in what would likely be a multi-team pennant race. A single game separated the top three teams in the American League, and six teams were within three games of first place. Meanwhile, in the National League, the St. Louis Cardinals seized first place from the surprising Philadelphia Phillies, who had jumped out into an unexpected lead in the first two weeks of the season.