1902 Cleveland: Napoleon & Joss Are Fine

[Dukie98]

The 1905 season got off to a rocky start for the Cleveland Naps, who struggled out of the gate offensively on their way to a 6-9 start, ending the month tied for sixth place, 5 games back of the surprising Philadelphia Athletics. Nap Lajoie suffered a groin injury just four games into the year, and missed the rest of the month, although he is expected to return soon. However, offseason acquisition shortstop Freddy Parent, after a slow start, sprained his ankle late in the month and is expected to miss four weeks.

The Naps were led offensively by third baseman Bill Bradley, who led the way with a .356 average, two homers, and a 14 runs scored. No other regular, however, hit over .261 for the month. Right fielder Elmer Flick had a particularly disappointing month, hitting an empty .261 with just 2 RBI's in 14 games, and was thrown out on all four of his stolen base attempts. The Naps, who were second in the league in runs scored in 1904, were seventh in both runs and OPS through the first month of April.

On the mound, the Naps were led by Carl Lundgren, who had a team-best 2.10 ERA and 1.17 WHIP. But Barney Pelty had a disappointing month, going 0-3 with a 4.31 ERA. Addie Joss had a slow return from his season-ending elbow injury, going 1-2 with a 4.25 ERA and a disappointing 1.42 WHIP.

The Naps were cautiously optimistic, however, heading into May, as Lajoie was set to return, and the schedule became softer. Heading into May, the Naps' first seven games were against the White Sox - the one team in the league with a weaker offense in April-- before moving to a series against the league-worst pitching staff of the last place Senators.

[Dukie98]

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

[Dukie98]

After a slow start to the season, the Cleveland Naps roared back with a strong May, going 15-10. The Naps, sparked by the return of Nap Lajoie from a groin injury which cost him most of April, finished the month with a 21-19 record, and in third place, 4 1/2 games behind the red-hot New York Highlanders.

The Naps' potent offense returned to form after a slow April. Lajoie earned AL Player of the Month, batting .454 with 11 extra base hits, and scoring 16 runs. Third baseman Bill Bradley chipped in with a .343 average, 3 homers, and 15 RBI's. Although offseason shortstop acquisition Freddy Parent reinjured himself in his first game back from an ankle sprain, the Naps didn't miss a beat, as Wid Conroy seized control of the position, batting .296 with a team-high 16 RBI. However, second-year first baseman George Stovall struggled, hitting an empty .213. Catcher Harry Bemis wasn't much better, hitting .231 with a single RBI for the month.

On the mound, the Naps were led once again by Dummy Taylor, who went 4-2 with a team-best 2.02 ERA for the month. Addie Joss had a solid 3.23 ERA and a 28-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio for the month. Barney Pelty, after a slow start, stabilized his performance and retained his spot in the rotation, going 3-3 with a 3.73 ERA for the month. But Carl Lundgren struggled with his control, walking 34 batters for the month on his way to a 4.13 ERA.

The now-healthy Naps appear primed to contend for a division title once again, as their core of Lajoie, Bradley, and Elmer Flick comprise the most potent offensive force in the league. If the Naps' pitching holds on, they should catch the Philadelphia Athletics, who started to fade after a sizzling start, and catch the Highlanders.

[Dukie98]

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

[Sizeman21]

I'm still not understanding why you state you are in 2005 when clearly you are playing in 1905? Anyou reason?

[Dukie98]

Originally Posted by Sizeman21

I'm still not understanding why you state you are in 2005 when clearly you are playing in 1905? Anyou reason?

Yes- sleep deprivation... Thanks, I'll correct it.

[Sizeman21]

Originally Posted by Dukie98

Yes- sleep deprivation... Thanks, I'll correct it.

Thank you! Also, i am liking this story board very much. You do a very good job covering the big parts in your season and mix in player information and such. Keep up the good work!

[Dukie98]

The Cleveland Naps sputtered throughout most of June before winning five straight to close out the month, including a four-game sweep of the struggling defending champion Detroit Tigers. The Naps went 13-12 for the month, finishing with a 34-31 record and sitting in fourth place, seven games behind the league-leading Philadelphia Athletics.

Offensively, the Naps were led by stalwart Bill Bradley, who hit .324 for the month with a team-leading 16 runs scored, and backup centerfielder Ollie Pickering, who filled in admirably for a wounded Harry Bay. Pickering hit .326 and stole nine bases. However, catcher/ first baseman Harry Bemis continued to struggle, hitting just .190 for the month.

On the mound, the Naps were led by Barney Pelty, who was in danger of losing his rotation spot just weeks earlier. Pelty went 4-1 with a sparkling 1.64 ERA for the month, and Dummy Taylor went 5-1, with a 2.80 ERA. Addie Joss continued to struggle, however, losing five straight starts, and Carl Lundgren continue to flirt with mediocrity, sporting a 2-4 record and 4.41 ERA for the month. Rookie Jake Thielman chipped in with a 14-inning complete game victory in a spot start.

The Naps missed an opportunity to reinsert themselves into the AL pennant chase with a disappointing start to May. However, they remained relatively injury-free, and hoped to make up ground on the league-leading Athletics and the Highlanders. Meanwhile, Pennsylvania stood out as the center of the baseball world: the Phillies threatened to dethrone the league-leading Pirates in the NL, while the speedy Athletics carved out a narrow lead over the Highlanders.

[Dukie98]

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

[Dukie98]

The Cleveland Naps had a strong July, going 19-10 (including a nine-game winning streak), and they stormed back into the American League pennant race. Despite starting the month seven games out of first place, the Naps briefly reclaimed into first place from the Philadelphia Athletics and New York Highlanders. They ended the month with a 53-41 record, in third place, just 1 1/2 games behind the Highlanders.

Nap Lajoie had another strong month, batting .370 with 15 doubles and 22 runs scored in 28 games. Elmer Flick heated up, batting .326 with a .425 on base percentage and a team-high 7 steals. Bill Bradley, despite missing a week with an injury, had a team-high 23 RBI's for the month, including 4 homers. However, George Stovall continued his struggles, hitting just .221 with no walks, and shortstop Wid Conroy hit just .194 with 4 RBI, and gradually lost his starting job to a finally-healthy Freddy Parent.

On the mound, each of the Naps' four starters had a solid, but unspectacular, month. Carl Lundgren went just 3-4, but led the way with a 2.95 ERA. Barney Pelty went 5-1 with a 3.14 ERA, and Addie Joss and Dummy Taylor each had four wins apiece. After a brilliant first three months, however, the bullpen struggled, as both Charlie Smith and Jack Hickey were hit hard.

The Naps headed into August, recognizing that it would likely make or break their season -- other than two series against the last-place Senators, the entirety of their upcoming August schedule would be against the Highlanders, the second-place Athletics, or the Boston Americans, who were in fourth place, just 6 games out of first.

[Dukie98]

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

[Dukie98]

Although the Cleveland Naps had a solid month of August, going 16-11, they nonetheless could not keep pace with the blistering New York Highlanders. The Highlanders went 22-5, including winning 5 of 6 head-to-head matchups against the Naps. The Naps ended August in a second place tie with the fading Philadelphia Athletics, 7 1/2 games behind the Highlanders, despite an injury-depleted lineup missing starting outfielders Elmer Flick, Mike Donlin, and shortstop Wid Conroy.

The Naps were led offensively by first baseman George Stovall, who hit .414 with 11 doubles, 14 RBI, and five steals, and by stalwart second baseman Nap Lajoie, who lowered his league-leading average by hitting .349, but with 3 homers, 14 RBI and eight stolen bases. Shortstop Freddy Parent, who seized control over the position in the starting lineup, hit .343 and drove in ten runs. But right fielder Charlie Hemphill struggled to replace Flick, hitting just .172 with one extra base hit.

The Naps had their strongest showing of the year on the mound. Although Addie Joss went just 4-3, he had a sparkling 1.68 ERA and 1.00 WHIP. Carl Lundgren had a team-high 5 wins, to go along with a solid 2.43 ERA. Barney Pelty, who nearly lost his slot in the rotation earlier in the year, sported a 2.10 ERA (but split six decisions), and Dummy Taylor rounded up the rear with a 2.67 ERA. In the bullpen, Charlie Smith lost his closer position after another shaky outing, and was replaced by rookie Lefty Leifield.

The Naps face a difficult road to the pennant, as they have to make up a sizable deficit in September, and Flick is projected to miss another two weeks. Nonetheless, they continue to play well -- which is more than the defending world champion Tigers can say, as the Tigers lost 16 consecutive games and 20 of 21 to close out the month.

[Dukie98]

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

[Dukie98]

Solid just wasn't good enough. The Cleveland Naps had a strong September before fading in the final week, cutting a 7 1/2 game deficit at the start of the month to a mere 2-game deficit three weeks later. After treading water for several days, the Naps faced off with the first-place New York Highlanders for a crucial three-game series, and the Naps were swept in excruciating fashion: losing the opener in 11 innings after blowing a 2-run lead in the eighth inning, digging themselves into an early hole in a 6-4 loss, and finally, getting shut out on three hits against a rookie making his first start of the season. The Naps went 15-12 in September, ending the month with an 84-64 record and in a second-place tie with Boston, six games back with six games to play.

The Naps were again led offensively by Nap Lajoie, who effectively clinched another batting title. Lajoie hit .339 for the month with a team-high 15 extra base hits and 17 RBI. Mike Donlin chipped in with a .324 average and 13 RBI despite missing a week. Elmer Flick, however, struggled after returning from injury, hitting just .237 in limited action, before suffering yet another nagging injury. First baseman George Stovall struggled again, hitting just .228 with only two walks, but at least he drove in 14 runs for the month.

Dummy Taylor was the AL Pitcher of the Month for September, winning six of his seven decisions (and giving him an even 25 wins on the season), and sporting a 2.13 ERA. Barney Pelty fell on some hard luck, going just 3-4, despite a 2.44 ERA. Carl Lundgren continued to struggle with his control, going just 1-4, with an ERA of 3.06. Addie Joss suffered a minor injury and missed two starts; he went 1-1 with a 2.51 ERA in limited use. Rookie Jake Thielman filled in admirably, giving up just one run in 14 innings while filling in for Joss.

While it appears that the Naps will fail to return to the postseason, their core should return intact for next season. The AL has been far more up-for-grabs than the NL, which has seen the Pirates in the pennant by 10+ games every season.

[Dukie98]

And here is how the Naps shape up as of the end of September:

[Dukie98]

The Cleveland Naps limped meekly toward the finish line, ending the season by being swept by the surging Boston Americans before winning two of three from the hapless Detroit Tigers. The Naps ended the season with an 86-68 record, finishing seven games behind the first-place New York Highlanders and the Americans.

Although Bill Bradley cooled off in the second half, he had a strong October, going 12-for-25 and scoring 5 runs. Elmer Flick batted .400, and batting champion Nap Lajoie had 7 hits to push his season total over 200. But Harry Bay continued his disappointing season, closing out the year with a 1-for-21 performance.

Rookie Jake Thielman made his case for a position in next year's starting rotation, as he threw a complete game two-hitter. Thielman was filling in for Dummy Taylor, who suffered a significant knee injury, but was expected to recover in time for spring training. Addie Joss pitched reasonably effectively (3.38 ERA in 16 innings) but lost both of his starts.

Although the Naps had a disappointing start and end to the season, they were cautiously optimistic for next year. With the Naps' front-end talent, management expects them to become a postseason fixture. Meanwhile, the baseball world prepared itself for what promised to be an exciting World Series between the explosive offense of the Highlanders and the lockdown pitching of the 97-win Pittsburgh Pirates.

[Dukie98]

Here are the Naps' year-end stats:

[Dukie98]

The Pittsburgh Pirates took another step toward establishing themselves as a dynasty, as they crushed the New York Highlanders, 4 games to 1. 27-game winner Jesse Tannehill won the Series MVP, going 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA, including a shutout in game 1. The Pirates won a dramatic game 5, breaking a 6-6 tie in the top of the ninth by scoring on a throwing error by injury replacement Jim Delahanty.

In addition to Tannehill's strong showing on the mound, the Pirates were led by Fred Clarke, who hit .438 with 4 RBI's. Starting pitcher Wiley Piatt was just 1-1, but had a sparkling 0.53 ERA in 17 innings. The Highlanders were led by third baseman John McGraw, who hit .526, and MVP candidate catcher Roger Bresnahan, who hit .400. But pitching ace Red Ames struggled, losing three games, including the decisive game 5 in relief.

[Dukie98]

1905 major award winners:

AL MVP: Red Ames, NYY: 26-12, 2.09 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 314 K, 11.5 WAR
Second place: Roger Bresnahan, NYY: .296/ .382/ .422, 7 HR, 102 RBI, 53 steals, 6.1 WAR
Third place: Nap Lajoie, CLE: .357/ .402/ .508, 52 doubles, 95 runs, 9 HR, 72 RBI, 8.6 WAR

AL Cy Young: Red Ames, NYY: 26-12, 2.09 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 314 K, 147 ERA+, 11.5 WAR
Second place: Rube Waddell, PHA: 21-18, 2.10 ERA, 326 K, 140 ERA+, 9.5 WAR
Third place: Bob Wicker, BOS: 24-15, 2.55 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 8.0 WAR

AL Rookie of the Year: Hal Chase, CHW: .262/ .294/ .372, 16 triples, 96 RBI, 43 steals, 1.8 WAR

NL MVP: Jesse Tannehill, PIT: 27-10, 1.68 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, 190 K, 175 ERA+, 10.7 WAR
Second place: Sam Crawford, CIN: .338/ .398/ .565, 42 triples, 10 HR, 93 RBI, 7.5 WAR
Third place: Honus Wagner, PIT: .285/ .343/ .442, 48 doubles, 24 triples, 1 HR, 84 RBI, 89 runs, 37 steals, 6.9 WAR

NL Cy Young: Jesse Tannehill, PIT: 27-10, 1.68 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, 190 K, 175 ERA+, 10.7 WAR
Second place: Jimmy Dygert, CIN: 29-9, 2.25 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 219 K, 5.4 WAR
Third place: Norwood Gibson, PIT: 21-7, 1.55 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 157 K, 190 ERA+, 5.5 WAR

NL Rookie of the Year: Jimmy Dygert, CIN: 29-9, 2.25 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 219 K, 5.4 WAR

[Dukie98]

After their late season-swoon, the Cleveland Naps' management decided to shake up the roster. They unloaded several starters, while still maintaining their core; they also explored a potential blockbuster deal for star third baseman Bill Bradley, as they feared the onset of a gradual decline, but they were unable to make a deal.

Shortly after the season ended, they traded #4 starter Carl Lundgren, who went 38-44 in the past three years, was sent to Washington for youthful infielder Jim Mullin, who struggled in limited playing time. Next, they unloaded leadoff hitter Harry Bay and lefty junkballer Otto Hess, whose role was sharply curtailed in 1905, to Brooklyn in exchange for centerfielder Cozy Dolan and reliever Bucky Veil. While Dolan has less offensive upside than Bay, he offers superior defense. Finally, they shipped catcher Harry Bemis to the Chicago White Sox for toolsy outfielder Bris Lord, who struggled to hit as a rookie.

In the draft, the Naps were stunned to see pitcher Babe Adams slip to them at the #12 overall pick. They expect Adams to challenge for a spot in the rotation by 1907. In subsequent rounds, they selected third baseman Joe Ward, catcher Boss Schmidt, reliever Jim Moroney, and outfielders Ben Caffyn and Jack Cameron. The St. Louis Cardinals selected infielder Eddie Collins with the #1 overall pick. There was a sharp dropoff to the #2 pick, as the Washington Senators took unheralded pitcher Fred Beebe, and the disappointing Detroit Tigers selected shortstop/ first baseman Dave Altizer with the #3 overall pick.