1902 Cleveland: Napoleon & Joss Are Fine

[Dukie98]

Here are the Bronchos' stats at the end of the year:

[Dukie98]

The Cleveland Bronchos entered the postseason as heavy underdogs against the defending champion Pittsburgh Pirates, who won 101 games during the regular season. The injury bug, however, swung decidedly in favor of the Bronchos during the final week of the regular season-- while Nap Lajoie came back from a monthlong abdominal injury, the Pirates' top two second basemen went down with injuries, leaving their infield in a precarious position. Keystone play proved to be crucial as the Bronchos took the first two games of the best-of-nine World Series.

Game One: Cleveland 5, Pittsburgh 2

The Bronchos jumped out to an early lead with a surprising display of power. Although the Bronchos had only 23 homers during the season, Nap Lajoie and Wid Conroy each had two-run inside-the-park homers in the first two innings of the World Series off 27-game winner Jesse Tannehill. Although the Pirates cut the lead to 4-2 in the seventh inning, Lajoie doubled in an insurance run. Dummy Taylor pitched an 8-hit complete game for the win.

Game Two: Cleveland 5, Pittsburgh 4

After jumping out to an early lead to seize Game One, the Bronchos flipped the script in Game 2 with a come-from-behind victory. The Pirates staked out a 3-0 lead after five innings, and the teams traded runs in the seventh inning. In the top of the eighth, however, Harry Bemis tied the game with a bases-loaded triple, and the Bronchos took the lead when Pirates fourth-string second baseman John Walsh, who had played there for all of two innings during the regular season, booted a routine grounder. Addie Joss was shaky, surrendering eleven hits and five walks, but held on for the complete game victory, as the Pirates squandered many chances, leaving 15 runners on base.

[Dukie98]

The underdog Bronchos and Pirates traded blowout victories, as Cleveland won the first three games of the World Series before Pittsburgh stopped the surge-- at least temporarily

Game 3: Cleveland 12, Pittsburgh 5

The red-hot Bronchos continued their dominance over the suddenly-mortal Pirates, scoring three runs in the first inning, and jumping out to a 9-1 lead. The Pirates gave them a scare, tallying four runs in the 8th inning (including three triples) to cut the lead to 9-5, but Cleveland added three more insurance runs in the bottom of the frame to complete the romp. Offensively, they were led by right fielder Elmer Flick and left fielder Charlie Hemphill, each of whom had four hits and three RBIS; Flick also slugged a double and a triple. On the mound, the Bronchos got a scare when Barney Pelty left the game in the sixth inning with a back injury -- while not serious, he may miss his next start. Surprisingly, the desperate Pirates went back to Game 1 starter Jesse Tannehill, who was completely ineffective, surrendering 13 hits and 7 runs in five innings. For the game, the Bronchos slapped 20 hits.

Game 4: Pittsburgh 9, Cleveland 2

In a three-game hole, the Pirates responded with a resounding victory. The Pirates scored two quick runs off Otto Hess in the opening frame, then continued to pile on, tallying six extra base hits on the day. Fred Clarke led the Pirates with two hits and four RBI, and NL batting champion Ginger Beaumont chipped in with a double and a triple. The Bronchos' only offensive sign of life came in the sixth inning, when Nap Lajoie and Elmer Flick ripped back-to-back triples-- but they were trailing 8-0 at the time. Hess was pulled in the sixth inning, having surrendered eight runs on ten hits. The series returns to Pittsburgh.

[Dukie98]

The Cleveland Bronchos' Achilles heel throughout the season was their error-prone defense, and it proved to be their downfall once again. The Pirates won games 5 and 6 as the Bronchos committed eight errors, leading to nine unearned runs, allowing the Pirates to tie the series at three games apiece.

Game 5: Pittsburgh 6, Cleveland 2

Game 5 began with a sour note for the Bronchos, as the first two Pirates hitters of the game reached on errors, and Fred Clarke doubled in two runs. The Pirates scored three more runs in the fifth inning, aided by two more Broncho errors, plus a misplayed fly ball by left fielder Charlie Hemphill, which went for an inside-the-park home run by Honus Wagner. The Bronchos, in addition to committing six errors on the day, also struggled offensively, as they were held to two runs and seven hits. The Bronchos' lone offense came on a two-run homer by third baseman Bill Bradley. They threatened to make the game tighter in the eighth inning, loading the bases with one out for Bradley and Elmer Flick, but both flew out harmlessly. Dummy Taylor took the loss, surrendering six runs -- only one of which was earned -- in seven innings.

Game 6: Pittsburgh 7, Cleveland 5

Cleveland jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the second inning, but Deacon Philippe settled down, giving up just two hits the rest of the game. Meanwhile, the Pirates scored four runs of their own in the sixth inning to tie the game, aided by errors by Nap Lajoie and shortstop Wid Conroy. The Pirates took the lead the following inning on a two-run single by right fielder Lefty Davis. The Bronchos threatened to rally in the ninth inning,but Harry Bay harmlessly grounded out to end the game with the tying run on second base. Addie Joss surrendered seven runs (only three earned) and nine hits in a complete-game loss.

[Dukie98]

After the heavily-favored Pittsburgh Pirates won games 4, 5, and 6, the Indians' management feared that an epic collapse was imminent. However, the Bronchos put together two well-rounded performances, winning Games 7 and 8 (as the 1903 Series was a best-of-nine affair) handily, to clinch the series, 5 games to 3. Upon accepting the Commissioner's Trophy, the Bronchos' general manager declared that the good people of Cleveland should expect championships and parades every year. History will determine if this prediction will prove accurate.

Game 7: Cleveland 5, Pittsburgh 1

Although the Pirates drew first blood, Otto Hess silenced them after the first inning, scattering seven hits in a complete game victory. Backup catcher Ed McFarland, starting for the slumping Bob Wood, led the way offensively with two bases-loaded singles, and drove in four runs. Nap Lajoie continued his hot postseason with two singles and scored two runs. And perhaps most importantly, the defense stabilized, turning in an error-free performance in a welcome change from the past three games.

Game 8: Cleveland 6, Pittsburgh 2

The Cleveland Bronchos, picked to finish a distant third in the preseason, are the World Champions, with yet another commanding victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates, winners of 101 regular season games. Left fielder Jack McCarthy went four-for-four, with two doubles and a triple, as the Indians rattled Deacon Philippe for thirteen hits. Dummy Taylor, who briefly lost his rotation spot in early June, continued his second-half redemption with a complete game victory, striking out six Pirates batsmen. Nap Lajoie was named World Series MVP, hitting .387 with a home run, 5 RBI's, and 9 runs scored.

[Dukie98]

1903 major award winners:

AL MVP: Jimmy Williams, BAL: .336/ .375/ .516, 48 doubles, 10 HR , 114 RBI, 7.4 WAR
Second place: Buck Freeman, BOS: .330/ .372/ .568, 39 doubles, 21 triples, 16 HR, 101 RBI, 104 R, 6.9 WAR
Third place: Bill Bradley, CLE: .336/ .368/ .503, 39 doubles, 16 triples, 112 RBI, 7.1 WAR

AL Cy Young: Red Ames, BAL: 24-10, 2.72 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 253 K, 9.0 WAR
Second place: Bill Dineen, BOS: 23-9, 3.03 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 116 K, 3.6 WAR
Third place: Dummy Taylor, CLE: 21-11, 2.62 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 119 K, 3.5 WAR

AL Rookie of the Year: Red Ames, BAL: 24-10, 2.72 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 253 K, 9.0 WAR

NL MVP: Joe Tinker, CHC: .325/ .359/ .464, 38 doubles, 16 triples, 89 RBI, 48 SB, +39.0 ZR, 9.5 WAR
Second place: Ginger Beaumont, PIT: .364/ .407/ .464, 107 RBI, 99 R, 37 SB, 5.6 WAR
Third place: Doc White, PHI: 23-13, 1.49 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 224 K, 9.9 WAR

NL Cy Young: Doc White, PHI: 23-13, 1.49 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 224 K, 9.9 WAR
Second place: Jesse Tannehill, PIT: 27-7, 2.43 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 147 K, 6.8 WAR
Third place: Sam Leever, PIT: 26-8, 2.53 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 5.9 WAR

NL Rookie of the Year: Chief Bender, NYG: 18-18, 2.57 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 204 K, 6.6 WAR

[Dukie98]

Following the conclusion of the 1903 World Series, the Baltimore Orioles took flight and flew north - permanently - becoming the New York Highlanders. The World Champion Cleveland Bronchos, in a tip of the cap to World Series MVP Nap Lajoie, changed their team nickname to the Naps. The Chicago Orphans rechristened themselves as the Cubs.

In the December 1903 draft, the Naps, picking fifteenth, selected first baseman George Stovall, who would become the heir apparent to the ageless Bob Wood. The New York Giants, with the first overall pick, selected starting pitcher Big Ed Walsh, creating a formidable rotation with Christy Mathewson and Chief Bender. The St. Louis Cardinals picked third baseman Art Devlin with the second overall pick, and the Philadelphia Athletics selected second baseman Miller Huggins with the third pick.

In subsequent rounds, the Naps selected left fielder Rube Vinson, left-handed reliever Jack Hickey, defensive-minded catcher Charlie Swindells, and slap-hitting shortstop Andy Sullivan.

[Dukie98]

The defending World Champion Cleveland Naps had a relatively quiet offseason, choosing to stand pat with their roster. With the anticipated return of injured starting pitchers Carl Lundgren (who missed the last three months of 1903) and Gene Wright (who won 18 games in 1902 but missed the entire 1903 season with a torn ulnar collateral ligament, the Naps enjoyed a luxury of riches with six solid starting pitchers in the prime of their careers.

Ownership nonetheless directed the front office to seek upgrades where they could, particularly in left field. The incumbent, Jack McCarthy, was about to turn 35 years old, and was coming off two injury plagued seasons marred by poor defense and sloppy baserunning. After McCarthy broke his wrist midway through spring training, the Naps jumped on the opportunity, trading Wright, backup catcher Ed McFarland (who became expendable with the strong spring by last year's draft pick Frank Roth) and backup shortstop Johnny Gochnaur to the Boston Braves for left fielder "Turkey Mike" Donlin, who had 57 extra base hits and 83 RBIs for the Reds in 1903. (Donlin was traded to the Beaneaters in January).

With their reworked lineup in place, the Naps sent last year's fourth starter Otto Hess back to the bullpen. Alas, in the final week of spring training, first baseman Bob Wood suffered a thumb injury and would miss approximately the first ten games of the season, requiring the Naps to press first-round draft pick George Stovall into service immediately.

[Dukie98]

The defending World Champion Cleveland Naps sputtered out of the gate, getting blown out by the Chicago White Sox on Opening Day by a 12-2 score, and getting shut out 6-0 the following day. After those early struggles, they roared into midseason form, winning 9 of 11 games before losing the final two games of the month. The Naps finished the month at 9-6, tied for second place with the Boston Americans behind the surprising Washington Senators.

Offensively, the Naps were led by Elmer Flick, who hit .429 with two homers and 13 RBIs-- each of which led or tied for the league lead-- along with four steals. Nap Lajoie closed the month with a bang, including four straight multi-hit games, and he batted .345 for the month. Unfortunately, his defense continued to be troublesome, as he committed ten errors in fourteen games. New acquisition Mike Donlin batted just .261, but had three triples and drove in eight runs before suffering a minor injury near the end of the month.

On the mound, the Naps were led by Dummy Taylor, who had a 1.17 ERA and 0.82 WHIP. Hard-luck Carl Lundgren was nearly as effective, sporting a 1.36 ERA but a 1-3 record. Meanwhile, defending ERA champion Addie Joss struggled with a team-worst 3.55 ERA for the month.

The injury bug continued to bite the Naps, however. In addition to the early season injuries to left fielder Jack McCarthy (which necessitated the Donlin acquisition) and Bob Wood, shortstop Wid Conroy pulled his hamstring, and was expected to be unavailable until mid-May. Rookie backup Andy Sullivan appeared to be overmatched, going just 2-for-24 with shaky defense to match.

[Dukie98]

Despite being bitten by the injury bug, the Cleveland Naps had a strong month of May, going 18-9, and they ended the month with a modest three-game cushion on the White Sox. The Naps lapped the overachieving Senators, who crashed back to .500. The White Sox surged and briefly tied the Naps for the league lead before Memorial Dayy weekend, as the teams prepared for a five-game head-to-head series. The Naps took the first four games of the series before dropping the finale.

Third baseman Bill Bradley led the way offensively, hitting .364 for the month with nine extra-base hits and 19 RBI, and Nap Lajoie and catcher Harry Bemis each hit .333. At one point in late May, those three Naps and Elmer Flick were the top four hitters in the American League. The Naps continued to struggle with injuries, as outfielders Mike Donlin and Harry Bay were sidelined at the start of the month. Backup centerfielder Ollie Pickering, activated from the reserve roster, filled in admirably, hitting .337 with 9 steals. First baseman Bob Wood, however, continued to struggle, hitting .247 with a team-leading 19 strikeouts. Management privately worried that the 39-year-old Wood was at the end of the line.

On the mound, Barney Pelty was consistently strong, if not quite dominant, as he won the AL Pitcher of the Month award on the basis of a 6-1 record and 2.63 for the month. Only Dummy Taylor struggled, going 4-4 for the month, aided in part by eleven unearned runs.

Both Donlin and Bay returned to active duty during the month-ending series against the White Sox, and backup outfielder Jack McCarthy was expected to return within another week. At that point, the Naps would be completely healthy for the first time all season. Rival teams, however, continued to struggle with injuries, as defending MVP Jimmy Williams of the New York Highlanders tore his ACL just 20 games into the season. The Highlanders ended the month in third place, but it was difficult to see them keeping up the pace throughout the rest of the season. Meanwhile, the National League appeared to be a three-team race with the Pirates once again in the lead, but the Chicago Cubs nipping at their heels, and the Philadelphia Phillies lurking two games behind the Cubs.

[Dukie98]

Although the Cleveland Naps enjoyed the best record in baseball midway through June 1904, they struggled in the second half of the month, losing 6 of their last 7 games to finish the month at 11-12, and slipping a half-game behind the upstart Detroit Tigers.

Offensively, the Naps were led once again by third baseman Bill Bradley, who hit .381 for the month with ten extra-base hits and 16 RBI. Left fielder Mike Donlin returned from a hamstring injury to hit .297 with six extra-base hits. But the rest of the team struggled. Elmer Flick, after a brilliant April and solid May, crashed to earth, hitting just .200 with three doubles in 14 games before being sidelined with a rib cage injury. Nap Lajoie hit an empty .292, with more errors (11) than RBI (8).

On the mound, the Naps were led by Addie Joss, who went 3-1 with a 2.25 ERA and a sparkling 0.93 WHIP for the month. Hard-luck Dummy Taylor had a matching 2.25 ERA, but gave up 14 unearned runs while losing four of his six decisions for the month. Carl Lundgren had the weakest month of any of the Naps starters, but nonetheless went 3-3 with a satisfactory 3.38 ERA for the month.

The Naps closed June with a 38-27 record, and they were well positioned to make a run for the title. However, in addition to catching Detroit, the Naps would also have to fend off the league-best pitching staff of the Chicago White Sox

[Dukie98]

Despite potentially crippling injuries to MVP candidate Bill Bradley and defending ERA champion Addie Joss, the Cleveland Naps had their finest month of the season, going 19-9 and opening up a moderate lead in what is shaping up to be a two-team pennant race. After a ten-game winning streak, the Naps closed the month with a 3 1/2 game lead over the overachieving Detroit Tigers, with the New York Highlanders and Chicago White Sox slipping to 7 1/2 and 9 games back, respectively.

On July 1, Bradley pulled his groin legging out a triple, and he is expected to miss six weeks. A week later, Joss tore a tendon in his elbow -- thereby suffering his second season-ending injury in three years. Following Bradley's injury, without a legitimate backup third baseman on the roster, the Naps traded backup outfielder Rube Vinson to the Chicago Cubs for Germany Schaefer. Two weeks later, they added additional depth by trading surplus reliever Jack Lundborn to Brooklyn for backup third baseman Tommy Sheehan.

Offensively, the Naps were sparked by a return to form from their namesake, second baseman Napoleon Lajoie, who was named the AL Player of the Month with a remarkable 46 hits for the month (.387), 23 runs scored, and 20 RBIs. Leadoff hitter Harry Bay chipped in with a .295 batting average and 8 steals, and Elmer Flick returned from a rib cage injury to hit .369 in the last three weeks of the month. Although Mike Donlin did not reach base consistently, he ripped 5 triples, drove in 12 runs, and stole 6 bases for the month.

On the mound, Dummy Taylor had another strong month, going 5-2 with a 1.80 ERA. Before being sidelined, Joss was having a brilliant July, with a 1.27 ERA, but replacement Otto Hess hardly missed a beat, stepping in with a 2.03 ERA in 31 innings. Second-year pitcher Barney Pelty added depth with a 2.35 ERA for the month and a sparkling 0.98 WHIP.

The Naps are cautiously optimistic that they may have a rematch against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the World Series. For the third straight season, the Pirates have effectively wrapped up the pennant by July, again flirting with 100 wins.

[Dukie98]

The injury-riddled Cleveland Naps scuffled along to a 13-14 record in August, ending the month with just a two-game lead over Detroit. Indeed, the Tigers actually seized the league lead from the Naps for several days. The Naps bottomed out with a five-game losing streak, including a four-game sweep by the last-place Athletics. Although Bill Bradley returned from his groin injury with a vengeance, pounding multiple hits in seven of his first eight games back, he returned to the DL with an oblique injury. He is expected to return in early September.

Nap Lajoie continued his dominant summer, winning the AL Player of the Month once again, hitting a sizzling .444, with two homers, 17 RBI's, and 8 stolen bases. Elmer Flick returned to his early-season form, hitting .384 with 11 extra-base hits and 16 RBI's. Centerfielder Harry Bay hit .350 with a team-leading 3 homers. However, Mike Donlin continued to struggle, hitting just .220 with only 3 RBI's in 19 games.

On the mound, Dummy Taylor continued to lead the way, going 4-3 with a 1.98 ERA. The back end of the rotation struggled, however, as Otto Hess and Carl Lundgren sported matching 4.13 ERA's and combined for a 3-7 record.

It appears to be a two-team race as the American League heads into September, with the Naps enjoying a narrow lead over the Tigers. The New York Highlanders are lurking in third place, a distant 7 1/2 game back.

[Dukie98]

September began with a season-ending injury to MVP candidate Elmer Flick, and it went downhill from there. The Cleveland Naps struggled down the stretch, as their September swoon knocked them into second place behind the Detroit Tigers. The Naps slipped to an 11-15 mark for the month, and fell two games behind the Tigers. The low point was a 2-11 stretch, including a three-game sweep by Detroit.

Bill Bradley, back from his own injuries, provided the lone bright spot for an otherwise anemic Naps offense, hitting .380 with three homers and 14 RBI's for the month. The back half of the Naps' lineup was weighed down with the struggling Bob Wood, who hit a punchless .221 for the month, and Harry Bemis, who hit just .213. Flick's replacement, Charlie Hemphill, hit only .225 with subpar defense to boot.

On the mound, Dummy Taylor continued to pitch well, going 4-2 with a 2.71 ERA. But Barney Pelty struggled mightily down the stretch, going just 1-5, with a 4.61 ERA for the month. Otto Hess and Carl Lundgren both had adequate ERAs (3.04 and 3.54) but shaky peripheral stats.

The 81-65 Naps were heavy underdogs as they entered the stretch run, with just 8 games remaining. Meanwhile, Nap Lajoie was neck-and-neck with Boston's Jimmy Collins for the MLB batting crown.

[Dukie98]

The Cleveland Naps disappointing season-end swoon continued into October, culminating in a season-ending sweep by the red-hot Detroit Tigers. Entering October, the Naps trailed the Tigers by 2 games, but even though the Naps won four of their first five games of the month, they needed to sweep the Tigers in the final three games just to force a tie. Instead, they were swept by the sizzling Tigers, who went a perfect 8-0, winning the pennant by a shocking six-game margin. The Naps finished the year 85-69, just three games ahead of the Boston Americans.

For the month, the Naps were led by Ollie Pickering, who filled in admirably for injured center fielder Harry Bay, hitting .400 with six steals in six games. Nap Lajoie hit .393 for the month, allowing him to inch ahead of Boston's Jimmy Collins for the MLB batting title. Harry Bemis, however, continued his free-fall from midseason, going just 1-for-19 for the month, and Mike Donlin continued to struggle, hitting just .188 with no extra base hits.

On the mound, Barney Pelty led the way with a 1.69 ERA in two starts. Dummy Taylor's dark-horse candidacy for the Cy Young award vanished, however, as he gave up nine runs in losing both of his starts.

Despite their hot finish, the Tigers will nonetheless be substantial underdogs in the World Series against the 101-win Pirates.

[Dukie98]

Here are the standings and year-end stats for the Naps:

[Dukie98]

In a stunning upset, the light-hitting Detroit Tigers shocked the heavily favored Pittsburgh Pirates, winning the last four games after dropping the first two games. Shortstop Kid Elberfeld, who hit .423 with 11 hits, was named the MVP of the series. After convincingly winning games 1 and 2 by four runs apiece, the Pirates' bats went silent, scoring just eight runs in the final four games.

25-game winner George Mullin won game 5 in relief, and threw a complete game victory in game 6. The Pirates were led by Jesse Tannehill, who had a 1.00 ERA in three starts, and by third baseman Tommy Leach who led all batters with two homers and six RBI's. Meanwhile, 31-game-winner Deacon Philippe was hit hard, dropping both of his decisions and sporting a 3.94 ERA. (In a curious move, both managers opted to have their winningest pitchers during the regular season start the series in the bullpen, rather than in the rotation).

Throughout the season, the Tigers were carried by their remarkably consistent starting pitching: all four pitchers -- Moredecai "Three Finger" Brown, George Mullin, Ed Murphy, and Jack Cronin, totaled between 5.2 and 5.6 WAR, with Mullin tallying 25 wins, Murphy winning 24, and Brown sporting a 23-15 record and a sparkling 1.88 ERA. Conversely, their offense was downright unimpressive, as they finished 7th in the American League in batting average and OBP, stole the fewest bases in the league, and finished fourth in runs. Remarkably, outfielder Harry Arndt led the Tigers' hitters with a relatively pedestrian 2.4 WAR, and the Tigers only had three position players who tallied even 1.0 WAR on the season (outfielders Jimmy Barrett and Matty McIntyre in addition to Arndt).

[Dukie98]

1904 major award winners:

AL MVP: Jimmy Collins, BOS: .347/ .388/ .466, 32 doubles, 10 triples, 80 RBI, 22 SB, 6.4 WAR
Second place: Nap Lajoie, CLE: .351/ .401/ .441, 39 doubles, 97 runs, 21 SB, 6.2 WAR
Third place: Rube Waddell, PHA: 19-14, 1.67 ERA, 256 K, 174 ERA+, 8.1 WAR

AL Cy Young: Ed Murphy, DET: 24-11, 2.07 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 88 K, 5.4 WAR
Second place: Rube Waddell, PHA: 19-14, 1.67 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 256 K, 174 ERA+, 8.1 WAR
Third Place: George Mullin, DET: 25-16, 2.52 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 138 K, 5.2 WAR

AL Rookie of the Year: Miller Huggins, PHA: .293/ .390/ .354, 79 runs, 90 BB, 23 SB, 5.0 WAR

NL MVP: Sam Crawford, CIN: .333/ .393/ .524, 42 triples, 107 RBI, 101 runs, 27 SB, 6.3 WAR
Second place: Deacon Philippe, PIT: 31-11, 2.33 ERA, 132 K, 7.4 WAR
Third place: Moose McCormick, PHI: .332/ .368/ .475, 31 doubles, 17 triples, 81 runs, 92 RBI, 54 SB, 5.4 WAR

NL Cy Young: Deacon Philippe, PIT: 31-11, 2.33 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 132 K, 7.4 WAR
Second place: Noodles Hahn, CIN: 27-13, 2.51 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 194 K, 9.7 WAR
Third place: Chief Bender, NYG: 23-18, 1.63 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 365 IP, 239 K, 8.6 WAR

NL Rookie of the Year: Moose McCormick, PHI: .332/ .368/ .475, 31 doubles, 17 triples, 81 runs, 92 RBI, 54 SB, 5.4 WAR

[Dukie98]

Following a disappointing season, the Naps traded 39-year-old first baseman/ catcher Bob Wood to the Boston Beaneaters for shortstop Freddy Parent. The Naps expect that Parent will compete with Wid Conroy for the starting position.

In the draft, the Naps, selecting thirteenth, tabbed starting pitcher Lefty Leifield. In later rounds, they selected defensively-oriented shortstop Mickey Doolan, left fielder Frank Delahanty, catcher Joseph Armbruster, relief pitcher Joseph Meyers, and first baseman Frank Curtis.

The Boston Beaneaters were the big winner of the draft, selecting outfielder Ty Cobb with the first overall pick. There was a slight dropoff to the second overall pick, as the Athletics settled for pitcher Joe W. Harris (he of the lifetime 3-30 record). Second baseman John Hummel went third to the Cardinals.

[Dukie98]

The Cleveland Naps were cautiously optimistic for the 1905 season, as they returned the core of a team which led the American League for most of the prior season. The writers picked the Naps to finish a narrow second, 3 games behind the potent offense of the New York Highlanders.

At the start of spring training, the Naps dealt aging backup outfielder Jack McCarthy to the New York Giants for reliever Jake Thielman. Unlike prior years, the Naps stayed relatively healthy during spring training, with only Harry Bay suffering a minor injury, but he is expected to be healthy in time for the start of the regular season.

The Naps led the AL with an 18-10 spring training record, led by a strong performance from their pitching staff. Remarkably, none of the 10 pitchers who pitched at least 10 innings in spring training had an ERA above 2.22. Newcomer Freddy Parent appeared to seize control of the starting shortstop position from Wid Conroy, who had an abominable spring offensively, although it is anticipated that Conroy will get at least a few starts per week. Rookie first-round pick Lefty Leifield was expected to start the season in the bullpen, and Mickey Doolan and Frank Delahanty were projected to make the team as backups.