1902 Cleveland: Napoleon & Joss Are Fine

[Dukie98]

The Cleveland Indians got off to another slow start for the second year in a row, starting 3-9 before ending the month with a 7-11 record, tied for sixth place with the Browns and Athletics, five games behind the surprising Detroit Tigers. While the Indians offense was solid, their pitching -- which was a major point of emphasis in the offseason -- was abysmal.

Offensively, the Tribe were led by blossoming star Dale Alexander, who also was navigating a shift from first base to center field. Alexander hit .365, slugged .635, ripped 10 extra-base hits, including 3 homers, and drove in a league-high 19 runs. Left fielder Earl Webb hit .366 and slugged .535, including 8 doubles, and drove in ten runs. Third baseman Riggs Stephenson hit .352 with two homers, 9 RBI's, and scored 16 runs. Most notably, after ending last season with a 37-game hitting streak, Stephenson began this season with a 9-game hitting streak, thereby creating a 46-game multi-year streak, the longest in league history. But leadoff hitter Joe Sewell stumbled through perhaps the worst month by a hitter in franchise history, hitting just .156 with a .206 slugging percentage,a lone RBI, and scoring just five runs. First baseman Del Bissonnette struggled mightily, hitting .170 and slugging just .226.

But the real disaster was on the mound, as the Indians ended the month with a 5.54 ERA, easily the worst in baseball. Kent Greenfield, acquired last season from Washington for Ray Schalk, was the lone bright spot, going 2-0 with a 3.16 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. But George Uhle lost all 3 starts, and he sported a 5.50 ERA and a 1.83 WHIP. Ted Blankenship went 0-3 as well, with a garish 6.51 ERA and a 2.06 WHIP, including 17 walks in just 27 innings. Joe Genewich went 1-2 with a 6.97 ERA and a 1.94 WHIP. Newcomer Dick McCabe, acquired from the Yankees for Sam Rice during the offseason, was the worst of all, going 1-2 with a 9.78 ERA and 2.22 WHIP -- believed to be the worst monthly stats of any starter in franchise history.

Although the Indians' start was disappointing, there was still plenty of time to right their course. However, if the pitching did not improve by midseason, management was expected to jump-start the team's youth movement by activating recent first-round pick Willis Hudlin.

[Dukie98]

Here's how the Tribe looks at the end of April:

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The Cleveland Indians stabilized in May after a shaky April, but their pitching staff remained the worst in baseball. The Tribe went 15-16 in May, ending the month in sixth place with a 22-27 record, 8 1/2 games behind the first-place Yankees, who owned a comfortable 4-game lead over the Red Sox and Tigers.

Second baseman Hughie Critz swung the hot bat, hitting .402 and scoring 18 runs in 27 games. Right fielder Kiki Cuyler hit .315, but ripped 9 extra-base hits, including three homers, and he drove in and scored 17 runs apiece. Third baseman Riggs Stephenson hit .316, slugged .465, and drove in 19 runs, while first baseman Dale Alexander hit .309, blasted three homers, and drove in a team-high 22 runs. Joe Sewell finally showed signs of life after an awful start: although he hit just .254, he ripped 17 extra-base hits and scored 20 runs. But catcher Bob O'Farrell struggled, hitting just .225; oddly, he ripped 5 triples for the month without a single double.

The Tribe continued to struggle mightily on the mound. George Uhle was a team-best 4-1 despite a middling 4.10 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP. After a terrific start, Kent Greenfield slowed down, going 2-3 with a 4.10 ERA of his own and a 1.63 WHIP. Dick McCabe continued to struggle, going 2-3 with a 4.68 ERA and a 1.61 WHIP. Ted Blankenship's good fortune continued, as he went 4-2 despite a garish 6.10 ERA and 1.83 WHIP. Finally, veteran righthander Joe Genewich stumbled, going 2-3 with a mediocre 4.28 ERA and a lousy 1.68 WHIP, before being traded to the Cubs for infielder John Chapman (the runner-up in last year's NL Rookie of the Year race who was mysteriously exiled to the minor leagues) and catcher Earle Brucker.

It was apparent that the Tribe's struggles would get worse before they got better. Their pitching, in particular, was a veritable disaster despite their efforts to upgrade their rotation, as they ended May last in the league in nearly every significant pitching category. Genewich's spot in the rotation was taken by 1924 draftee Bob Osborn, and recent first round pick Willis Hudlin was expected to replace the struggling Ted Blankenship sooner or later.

[Dukie98]

Here's how the Tribe looks through the end of May:

[Dukie98]

The Cleveland Indians continued to stumble throughout June. Although the pitching staff started to stabilize, the team suffered through an offensive swoon, coupled with the loss of left fielder Earl Webb and shortstop Joe Sewell to multiweek injuries. The Tribe went just 10-16 in June, and closed the month on a low note, dropping six of 7. They ended June in seventh place with a 32-43 record, 13 games behind the first-place Yankees, and just a game and a half out of the cellar.

The Indians were led offensively by right fielder Kiki Cuyler, who hit .309 and slugged .485, including three homers and 15 RBI's. Third baseman Riggs Stephenson hit .323 with a homer and 10 RBI's. Webb hit .340 with two homers before straining his Achilles tendon, causing him to miss most of the last two weeks of the month. But catcher Bob O'Farrell disappointed, hitting just .236 and slugging just .291. Center fielder Heinie Mueller, who took over after the demotion of slumping rookie first baseman Del Bissonette (with Dale Alexander being shifted back to first base) hit a meager .242 with an unacceptable .309 on-base percentage out of the leadoff slot. Infielder Doc Farrell hit a puny .208 without an extra base hit in 56 plate appearances.

On the mound, Ted Blankenship righted the ship after coming perilously close to losing his place in the rotation: despite a 1-3 record, he sported a 2.21 ERA and a solid 1.20 WHIP. Dick McCabe also improved after a dreadful start, going 4-3 with a 4.38 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP, including a team-high 18 strikeouts. But Kent Greenfield struggled, losing all five of his starts, with a 4.70 ERA and a bloated 1.70 WHIP. Bob Osborn went 3-3 with a dreadful 6.39 ERA and a 1.61 WHIP. George Uhle's rotation spot was on thin ice, as he went 0-2 with a 6.15 ERA and a ghastly 1.90 WHIP, including 22 walks in just 26 innings.

Although Webb and Sewell were expected to return in mid-July, the Indians were in too deep of a hole for it to matter significantly. While a second-half spurt might allow them to finish close to .500, they had no real hope of possibly catching the Yankees, who were flirting with .600, and who had opened up a comfortable 4-game lead over the Red Sox. who were kneecapped by the season-ending loss of Tris Speaker to a fractured patella. In the National League, the Pirates opened up a comfortable lead, thanks largely due to a return to form by first baseman Harry Heilmann, who was hitting .388. The Pirates held a sizable 6-game lead over the upstart Cincinnati Reds, led by star catcher Mickey Cochrane.

[Dukie98]

Here's how the Indians look through the end of June:

[Dukie98]

Despite a series of deadline deals designed to make the squad younger, the Cleveland Indians had an unexpectedly strong month of July, going 18-9. Their hot streak still was not enough to put them into pennant contention, as they ended the month 12 1/2 games behind the Yankees with a 50-52 record, but they vaulted into fourth place, just a half-game behind the third-place White Sox. Nonetheless, the Tribe's short-term success appeared to be a mirage, as they maintained the worst run differential in baseball.

The Indians were led offensively by third baseman Riggs Stephenson, who hit .327 with 16 RBI's and 14 runs scored. Left fielder Earl Webb hit just .289, but bopped a team-high 4 homers and drove in 16 runs. First baseman/ centerfielder Dale Alexander hit .304 with 11 extra-base hits and drove in 16 runs. Even rookie first baseman Del Bissonette, who had suffered through a tremendously disappointing rookie season, hit a respectable .262 with his first two homers of the year and 14 RBI's. Only catcher Bob O'Farrell could be said to have struggled, hitting just .250 with only 3 extra-base hits and 6 RBI's in 20 games.

The Indians' hot streak was sparked by a strong pitching performance. Dick McCabe rebounded from his dreadful start to win the AL Pitcher of the Month award, going 5-0 with a stellar 1.18 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP. Rookie Bob Osborn was nearly as strong, going 4-2 with a 1.65 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. Kent Greenfield went 1-4, with a mediocre 4.81 ERA and a 1.49 WHIP. George Uhle went 2-0 despite a middling 4.19 ERA and 1.45 WHIP, before a midseason trade to Cincinnati. But Ted Blankenship's nightmare season continued, as he went 2-2 despite an embarrassing 7.21 ERA and 2.15 WHIP. Claude Jonnard continued his brilliant season out of the pen, garnering 7 saves in 16 innings, with a 1.10 ERA and 0.73 WHIP.

The Tribe had an active trade deadline, first trading Uhle to the Reds for minor-league center fielder Pip Koehler. The trade opened up a spot in the rotation for last year's first-round pick, Willis Hudlin, although the scouting staff soured on Hudlin in recent weeks. The Tribe then flipped backup leftfielder Joe Kelly, who was effectively trapped behind Webb, to the Browns for 33-year old starter Tiny Osborne, and 18-year-old first baseman Harry Davis, then flipped Osborne to the Giants for reliever Lloyd Brown. Shortly before the deadline, they shipped disgruntled infielder Chick Galloway to the White Sox for reliever Ownie Carroll.

Despite the trades, it was apparent that the Tribe would remain out of contention, and instead, they focused on amassing assets for future seasons. The first-place Yankees gradually solidified their stranglehold on first place, with only the Red Sox remaining within ten games of them. Meanwhile, the Pirates, led by a return to form from Harry Heilmann, who ended the month flirting with .400, enjoyed a 4 1/2 game lead over the surprising Reds, who were led by star catcher Mickey Cochrane.

[Dukie98]

Here's how the Tribe looks through the end of July:

[Dukie98]

The Cleveland Indians had an up-and-down month of August, which actually saw them clear .500 and reach fourth place, before stumbling during the final two weeks of the month with a 2-10 stretch on their way to a 14-16 record for the month. The Tribe ended August in fifth place with a 64-68 record, 13 1/2 games behind the league-leading Yankees.

The Indians were led offensively by centerfielder Dale Alexander, who hit .366 with a .545 slugging percentage, including 2 homers and 21 RBI's. Shortstop Joe Sewell rebounded from his sluggish start to hit .353, slug .490, and score 16 runs with a homer and 11 RBI's. Right fielder Kiki Cuyler continued to blossom, hitting .325 with sixteen extra-base hits, including 2 homers, 23 RBI's, and 5 steals. But third baseman Riggs Stephenson slumped, hitting just .250 despite two homers and 14 RBI's. Rookie first baseman Del Bissonette continued to disappoint, hitting just .242 without a single homer (although he ripped four triples). Catcher Bob O'Farrell also struggled, hitting .222 with a meager .309 slugging percentage, although he drove in 12 runs. Infielder Doc Farrell, reduced to a part-time role, hit just .191 with 4 RBI's in 47 unproductive at bats.

Ted Blankenship appeared to salvage his job, at least for the short-term, going 3-4 with a solid 3.46 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP. Rookie Willis Hudlin, who took over George Uhle's spot in the rotation, went just 1-2 with a 4.38 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP. Kent Greenfield went 3-2 despite an underwhelming 4.56 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP. Dick McCabe slowed down from his brilliant July, going 1-3 with a 4.89 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP. Bob Osborn struggled mightily, going 2-4 with a 6.08 ERA and a 1.88 WHIP.

It was apparent that 1926 was a transitional season for the Tribe. Although they were markedly younger at several spots (particularly in the rotation), there was no indication that they were actually better, and the performance of the Indians' youngsters did not inspire great hope for the future. Clearly, they lacked the star power of the first-place Yankees, who enjoyed a healthy 7-game lead over the Red Sox heading into September. In the National League, despite an off-season by star slugger Babe Ruth the Pirates opened up a double-digit lead over the Reds, led by a rejuvenated Harry Heilmann and a finally-healthy Pie Traynor.

[Dukie98]

Here's how the Tribe looks through the end of August:

[Dukie98]

The Cleveland Indians rode out the string in an underwhelming 1926 season, going 10-12 in September. The Tribe ended the season in sixth place with a 74-80 record, finishing a distant 19 games behind the first-place Yankees.

The Indians' offense struggled in September. Webb hit .354 and slugged .557, ripping ten extra-base hits, including three homers and drove in 16 runs. Third baseman Riggs Stephenson hit a solid .316 with a homer, 11 RBI's, and scored 15 runs, and center fielder Dale Alexander hit .295 with 3 homers and 10 RBI's But right fielder Kiki Cuyler stumbled down the stretch, hitting just .268 with a homer and 8 RBI's. Second baseman Hughie Critz hit an empty .250 with just three extra-base hits and 5 RBI's. Catcher Bob O'Farrell's disappointing season continued, hitting .254 with a homer and 5 RBI's. Finally, first baseman Del Bissonette's nightmare rookie season ended on a sour note, hitting just .186 and slugging .286, although he drove in 14 runs.

Meanwhile, the Tribe's pitching staff had their strongest performance of the year, giving hope for next season. Rookie Willis Hudlin was particularly impressive, going 2-1 with a 1.33 ERA (although he gave up more unearned runs than earned runs) and a 1.37 WHIP. Dick McCabe went just 1-3, despite a decent 4.10 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. Ted Blankenship's disappointing season ended on a high note, going 3-1 with a 3.86 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP. Bob Osborn went 1-2 with a 3.97 ERA and a 1.59 WHIP. Kent Greenfield also went 2-2, with a 4.36 ERA, but a bloated 1.64 WHIP. The bullpen offered the only sour note, as their three primary relievers, Claude Jonnard, Cactus Keck and Ted Odenwald, each sported ERA's north of 6.00.

Neither league featured anything remotely approaching a competitive pennant race. The New York Yankees, led by perennial MVP candidate Rogers Hornsby and ace Lefty Grove, won the American League by eleven games over the Red Sox. The Pittsburgh Pirates returned to the postseason, winning the National League by 14 games over the surprising Cincinnati Reds and Brooklyn Robins. Parity was the name of the game, as 11 of the 16 major league teams finished between 71 and 79 wins. The Browns' George Sisler hit .402 with 249 hits, leading the way in a season largely devoid of superlative individual feats.

[Dukie98]

Here's how the Tribe looked at the end of the season:

[Dukie98]

The Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Yankees squared off in what promised to be an evenly-matched Fall Classic. Both teams won 93 games, as the Pirates featured the highest-scoring offense in baseball, while the Yankees featured the stingiest pitching staff. The pre-series projections, however, went out the window, as the Pirates swept the Yankees in what may have been the least competitive series in baseball history, outscoring the Yankees 32-6. Pirates second baseman Cotton Tierney took home MVP honors after hitting .529 with a homer and 4 RBI's.

Game 1 was the only competitive game in the series, as Pittsburgh's Herb Pennock outdueled Lefty Grove 2-1. The game was scoreless through six innings before Pittsburgh rookie center fielder Ethan Allen broke the game open by furnishing a two-run single. The Pirates romped their way to a 13-1 victory in Game 2, scoring 9 runs in the last two innings. Catcher Johnny Bassler led the way with three hits and three runs scored, and Burleigh Grimes pitched a complete game, losing a shutout on a meaningless homer in the ninth inning.

The Pirates took Game 3 8-2, breaking the game open with a 6-run sixth inning. Third baseman Clyde Barnhart led the way with two doubles and 3 RBI's, and Fred Toney scattered eight hits to earn the win. The Pirates blasted the Yankees 9-2 in the finale, as Tierney ripped four hits and drove in three runs, and both he and Barnhart homered. Whitey Glazner took a shutout into the ninth inning for the victorious Pirates. Remarkably, Pittsburgh's Babe Ruth had the quietest postseason of his career, going 5-for-15 with just 2 RBI's.