MLHR: Major League Historical Replay... what if?

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1930 Key Retirees - Pitchers


Stan Baumgartner, Phillies

Was the Phillies closer for the better part of eight seasons. After leaving that role, he finished in the Top 5 in holds twice. One of just eight pitchers to appear in over 800 games.




Duster Mails, Dodgers

Like Leon Cadore who retired last season, Mails languished in the starting rotation for a lousy Dodgers franchise for far too long. While he had a few good seasons, had he spent his career in the bullpen, he would have been much more successful. He finished in the Top 10 in losses four times, walks allowed eight times, strikeouts eight times, fewest HR/9 three times, most K/9 eight times and WAR twice.




Lee Meadows, Cardinals

Won one Gold Glove. Led NL in innings pitched in 1917 and complete games in 1919. He also led the NL in shutouts in 1919 and 1920. Finished in the Top 10 in wins three times, walks allowed three times, fewest HR/9 four times and complete games seven times. Pitched in three World Series with St. Louis, winning one.




Bob Steele, Cardinals

Was a steady, but often unsuccessful, member of the Cardinals rotation for many years. Finished in the Top 10 in losses four times, most home runs allowed six times and most walks allowed four times. Pitched in three World Series with St. Louis, winning one.




Dazzy Vance, Pirates

Vance was considered the best pitcher in the NL, and probably either league, for most of his career. His six Pitcher of the Year Awards are the most ever awarded to a single pitcher in the National League, and only the AL's Walter Johnson has more with seven. Vance led the NL in wins six times. I could only find three pitchers in MLHR history who won 20 games three times: Al Spalding in consecutive years with the Cubs from 1878-80, Ben Sanders with the great Phillies dynasty in the late 1890's and Smoky Joe Wood with the Red Sox in the 1910's. Well, Dazzy Vance did it an incredible five times!

Vance led the NL in strikeouts during every single season from 1915 to 1926... that's twelve consecutive years! He also won five ERA titles and led the NL in win percentage five times, innings three times, WHIP eight times, K/BB ratio six times, fewest HR/9 once, fewest H/9 seven times, most K/9 eleven times, FIP five times, quality starts five times, complete games once, shutouts three times and WAR nine times. Wow!

Looking back, he will go down as one of the best pitchers of all time. He retired with the best WHIP, FIP and K/9 among all starting pitchers over MLHR's 54-year history. He also has the 2nd best winning percentage and ERA of all time. In fact, he is also 3rd all time in K/BB ratio, 4th in WAR, 6th in strikeouts, 7th in shutouts and 10th in wins. If he has any regrets, it would be that he and the Pirates won just three pennants over his long career but never won the World Series. The Pirates won those three pennants over consecutive years from 1920-22 and lost to a different AL team each time - the White Sox in 1920, Twins in 1921 and Tigers in 1922.




Mellie Wolfgang, White Sox

Won the 1916 AL Fireman Award with a 0.99 ERA in 118.1 innings as a setup man - the first setup man ever to win a Fireman Award in either league. He would later become Chicago's closer and in 1920 became the first closer to ever record 50 saves. He led the AL in games pitched in 1917 and in 1915 he even finished 5th in the AL with 16 wins all from the bullpen! He finished in the Top 10 in games pitched six times and games finished eleven times. He pitched in four World Series with Chicago, winning three times.




Tom Zachary, Athletics

Named AL Rookie of the Year in 1918. Led the AL in holds in both 1928 and 1929, his final two seasons, and as a starter he led the AL in shutouts in 1922. Finished in the Top 10 in wins four times, fewest HR/9 eight times (leading the league once!), BB/9 five times, quality starts four times and complete games three times. He pitched in three World Series with Oakland, winning twice.

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1930 Hall of Fame Induction


Jeff Tesreau

207-103, 66.8 Win%, 438 G, 418 GS, 2977.0 IP, 51 CG, 15 SHO, 976 BB, 3.0 BB/9, 3043 K, 9.2 K/9, 2604 HA, 364 HRA, 3.44 ERA, 109 ERA+, 1.20 WHIP

8 Pennants
4-4 in World Series

All-time leaderboards Top 20: Win% (5th), K/9 (10th among starters)

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1930 NL Preseason Predictions

The Cardinals and Giants appear on paper to be evenly matched, but it is hard to pick against a Cardinals team that has won back-to-back pennants and just added MLB Hall of Fame pitcher Dizzy Dean (11-7-8 ratings) to their roster. For most of the past two decades, pitching has been St. Louis' main weakness. In 1925, they added Bill Hallahan, who went on to win the NL Pitcher of the Year Award the next season. In 1927, they added Rookie of the Year Fred Frankhouse. Then last season, they added another ROY in pitcher Al Grabowski. And let's not forget that 6-year veteran Flint Rhem (11-11, 3.47 ERA) is no slouch. Then they add Dean to this stable to thoroughbreds, so you can see why the Cardinals should be favored this season.

The one thing St. Louis lost during the offseason was experience in the bullpen, because relievers Lee Meadows and Bob Steele, who combined for 29 years in the big leagues, retired after last season. The Cardinals still feel as though their bullpen is strong enough, especially with Hi Bell (12-1, 38 Sv, 1.40 ERA) closing out games. After all, he has been named the NL Fireman Award winner for two straight seasons. St. Louis also has a great offense, which was made even stronger with slugger George Puccinelli (6-7-7-7-3 ratings) splitting time with fleet-footed Pepper Martin (.293, 62 R, 52 SB) in right field.

As for the Giants, they are still a very dangerous team, but they felt the need to make a few tweaks in the offseason. Freddie Lindstrom (.295, 10 HR, 41 RBI in 275 AB), who is just 24 years old after biding his time as a role player for six seasons with the Giants, will finally get a shot to play every day. He takes over in centerfield for defensive standout Jigger Statz (.221, 20 RBI, 33 R in 438 AB), who struggled at the plate last year. The team also moved long time starter Red Lucas (6-8, 4.50 ERA) to the bullpen. They now have possibly the best bullpen in the NL, but their pitching rotation is very much in question outside of ace Carl Hubbell (20-5, 2.52 ERA).

The Cubs and Pirates will again be part of the pennant chase, but they will have a tough time overcoming both St. Louis and San Francisco. The only significant change that either team made this offseason was Chicago's adding rookie Lon Warneke (7-7-7 ratings) to their pitching rotation. Meanwhile, the Pirates have five MLB Hall of Famers in their lineup, but I still believe that Chicago's pitching gives them an edge.


Predicted Standings
(Scale of 1-12)

Rank	Team	Rotation	Bullpen	Offense	Bench	Speed	Defense	Totals	Grade	Predicted Record
1	St. Louis Cardinals	10	5	11	11	7	6	8.9	A	104	58
2	San Francisco Giants	7	9	12	10	8	6	8.8	A	103	59
3	Chicago Cubs	9	9	6	7	9	7	7.6	B	88	74
4	Pittsburgh Pirates	7	5	6	9	10	8	7.3	B	84	78
5	Philadelphia Phillies	5	5	6	6	7	9	6.2	C+	73	89
6	Los Angeles Dodgers	7	6	4	5	8	7	5.9	C	68	94
7	Atlanta Braves	7	9	2	5	8	7	5.6	C-	65	97
8	Cincinnati Reds	7	7	1	5	9	7	5.3	C-	62	100

MLB results for the NL in 1930

Champs: St. Louis Cardinals, (92-62, .597)
World Series: Athletics defeated Cardinals 4-2

For players who appear below on a team they are not playing with in MLHR, their MLHR team is listed in parenthesis

Combined WAR: Bill Terry, Giants, 7.6
Offensive WAR: Hack Wilson, Cubs (Giants), 8.4
Defensive WAR: Glenn Wright, Dodgers (Pirates), 2.7
Batting Title: Bill Terry, Giants, .401
On-Base%: Mel Ott, Giants, .458
Slugging%: Hack Wilson, Cubs (Giants), .723
Runs: Chuck Klein, Phillies, 158
RBI: Hack Wilson, Cubs (Giants), 191 (This is the MLB record!)
SB: Kiki Cuyler, Cubs (Pirates), 37
OPS+: Hack Wilson, Cubs (Giants), 177
AB/HR: Hack Wilson, Cubs (Giants), 10.4

Pitching WAR: Dazzy Vance, Dodgers (Pirates), 7.1
Win%: Freddie Fitzsimmons, Giants, .731
WHIP: Dazzy Vance, Dodgers (Pirates), 1.144
K/9: Bill Hallahan, Cardinals, 6.712
Innings: Ray Kremer, Pirates, 276.0
K/BB: Dazzy Vance, Dodgers (Pirates), 3.146
ERA+: Dazzy Vance, Dodgers (Pirates), 189
FIP: Dazzy Vance, Dodgers (Pirates), 3.61


MLHR Milestone Watch

3000 Hits
Rogers Hornsby, STL, Age 33, 2877 Hits

200 Wins
Waite Hoyt, SFG, Age 30, 189 Wins

3000 Innings Pitched
Hod Eller, CIN, Age 35, 2797.0 IP

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1930 AL Preseason Predictions

One year after winning the franchise's first pennant, the Yankees went out last season and won their first World Series. After finally reaching their potential, the Yankees improved their club even more by adding an ace in Lefty Gomez (11-7-5 ratings) and two offensive sparkplugs with the best basestealing skills in MLHR in infielder Billy Werber (6-6-4-7-7 ratings, 10 speed) and outfielder Ben Chapman (7-7-4-7-6 ratings, 10 speed). It is now clear that New York is the team to beat in the American League. While they do have a little age on their roster, the Yankees should be in good shape for years to come with 4-time Batter of the Year Lou Gehrig (.301, 54 HR, 131 RBI) just 26 years old.

Detroit is still just two years removed from a lousy 59-103 season, but they went 91-71 last year and finished tied with Oakland for second place, three games behind New York. There is plenty of reason for Tigers fans to believe that they have the potential to unseat New York as league champs. To their 91-win roster, they added a potential ace in Tommy Bridges (11-6-5 ratings) and a future Batter of the Year in Hank Greenberg (8-8-10-8-2 ratings). The only issue is that the Tigers already have established stars at Greenberg's two positions - first base and left field. He will split time at both positions to start the year and the team will figure out where he best helps the team as time goes on. One thing is certain, they need his powerful bat in the lineup.

According to my rankings, the A's and Twins are the two next best teams. Oakland still has a fine lineup, but they have some issues at the end of their pitching rotation and in their bullpen. In fact, they have not been able to find a reliable 5th starter for several seasons now. As for Minnesota, their season hinges on the pitching staff continuing to do well. They allowed the fewest runs last season despite some key pitchers having off years in 1929. #1 starter Jim Weaver (13-8, 3.13 ERA) and closer By Speece (4-5, 31 Sv, 1.89 ERA) were solid last season, and the team added a rookie with some potential in Carl Fischer (8-7-5 ratings).


Predicted Standings
(Scale of 1-12)

Rank	Team	Rotation	Bullpen	Offense	Bench	Speed	Defense	Totals	Grade	Predicted Record
1	New York Yankees	7	8	12	10	8	5	8.6	A	102	60
2	Detroit Tigers	8	9	7	12	6	10	8.1	B+	95	67
3	Minnesota Twins	8	9	5	7	8	9	7.3	B	86	76
4	Oakland Athletics	7	6	10	8	5	4	7.2	B	85	77
5	Cleveland Indians	8	8	7	5	5	8	6.7	B-	79	83
6	Baltimore Orioles	7	7	5	4	7	8	6.2	C+	73	89
7	Chicago White Sox	6	7	3	8	9	7	6.0	C	71	91
8	Boston Red Sox	7	5	3	2	6	7	4.9	D+	58	104

MLB results for the AL in 1930

Champs: Philadelphia Athletics, (102-52, .662)
World Series: Athletics defeated Cardinals 4-2

For players who appear below on a team they are not playing with in MLHR, their MLHR team is listed in parenthesis

Combined WAR: Babe Ruth, Yankees (Red Sox), 10.3
Offensive WAR: Babe Ruth, Yankees (Red Sox), 10.0
Defensive WAR: Joe Cronin, Twins (Pirates), 2.7
Batting Title: Al Simmons, Athletics, .381
On-Base%: Babe Ruth, Yankees (Red Sox), .493
Slugging%: Babe Ruth, Yankees (Red Sox), .732
Runs: Al Simmons, Athletics, 152
RBI: Lou Gehrig, Yankees, 173
SB: Marty McManus, Tigers (Orioles), 23
OPS+: Babe Ruth, Yankees (Red Sox), 211
AB/HR: Babe Ruth, Yankees (Red Sox), 10.6

Pitching WAR: Lefty Grove, Athletics, 9.5
Win%: Lefty Grove, Athletics, .848
WHIP: Lefty Grove, Athletics, 1.144
K/9: Lefty Grove, Athletics, 6.464
Innings: Ted Lyons, White Sox, 297.2
K/BB: Lefty Grove, Athletics, 3.483
ERA+: Lefty Grove, Athletics, 185
FIP: Lefty Grove, Athletics, 3.09


MLHR Milestone Watch

3000 Hits
George Sisler, BAL, Age 37, 2992 Hits
Harry Heilmann, DET, Age 35, 2934 Hits
Edd Roush, CHW, Age 36, 2918 Hits

100 Triples
George Sisler, BAL, Age 37, 96 Triples

1000 Home Runs
Babe Ruth, BOS, Age 35, 942 HR

1000 Stolen Bases
George Sisler, BAL, Age 37, 961 SB

1000 Games Started
Red Hoff, NYY, Age 38, 994 G

250 Wins
Reb Russell, CHW, Age 41, 246 Wins

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NL Mid-Season Report

This has been an interesting race so far. The Cardinals were early leaders before going 14-12 in May and then 4-9 over the first two weeks of June. They finished the month of June on a nice 10-4 run, but it is clear that their bullpen is a much bigger concern than they originally expected. In fact, the bullpen has an atrocious 5.28 ERA. Due to that statistic, as well as a defense ranked next to last in efficiency, the Cardinals have allowed the most runs in the NL this season. Bill Hallahan (10-2, 1.79 ERA) and closer Hi Bell (1-0, 18 Sv, 1.46 ERA) are doing their part, but the rest of the pitching staff has much room for improvement. The good news for St. Louis is the fact that they have the 2nd best offense in the NL and left fielder Chick Hafey (.385, 30 HR, 60 RBI) is having a BOY-caliber season.

After the Cardinals began their slide, the Giants and Pirates have taken turns in first place. Those two teams are currently tied with identical 50-27 records. The Giants lead the NL in offense with Mel Ott (.323, 24 HR, 57 RBI) and Hack Wilson (.254, 24 HR, 61 RBI) doing plenty of damage. However, their pitching staff is concerning. They have the 2nd worst ERA among starting rotations in the NL at 3.55, and the bullpen is ranked 5th. That, plus their normally mediocre defense, means that they too have given up a lot of runs - 3rd most in the NL.

As for Pittsburgh, they have the top defense in the league and their bullpen has performed well, but their starting rotation is ranked just 6th in the NL. Last year's rookies, Larry French (9-4, 2.33 ERA) and Leon Chagnon (6-5, 2.99 ERA) lead the rotation, while 32-year-old Moses Yellow Horse (2-1, 22 Sv, 1.25 ERA) is having a great season in the closer's role after a few down years cost him that job during the 1927 season and again after the 1928 season. Offensively, they are tied for the NL lead in stolen bases and are 4th in runs scored.

The Cubs are also in the race, and they appear to be the most balanced. They are ranked 3rd in offense and they have tied Cincinnati for the fewest runs allowed. They also have a miniscule 1.67 ERA in the bullpen, which easily leads the league. Left fielder Mandy Brooks (.307, 34 HR, 64 RBI) again powers this offense, but if the Cubs could figure out how to score a few more runs, with the pitching staff that they have, they would have a great shot at the pennant.


Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders

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AL Mid-Season Report

Thanks to a 17-12 record in June, the Cleveland Indians have surprised everyone outside of their home town and taken over control of first place in the American League. The Indians are firing on all cylinders too. They are 2nd in offense, defense and pitching. Their offense is last in home runs and next to last in steals, which may be a sign of future trouble, but they lead the AL with a team batting average of .275 and a team OBP of .337. Sophomore Earl Averill (.295, 20 HR, 59 RBI) has been their primary offensive star. On the pitching side, the team is performing up to expectations. Their starting rotation is 3rd in the AL with a 3.53 ERA and they are led by #5 starter Clint Brown (10-1, 2.25 ERA), who is having his best season. Their bullpen leads the AL with a 2.78 ERA, and closer Jake Miller (3-2, 20 Sv, 1.62 ERA) has bounced back after an above-average 1929 campaign.

New York is right on their heels, just two games back thanks to the best offense in the AL. Their pitching staff ranks just 5th, but this team has won pennants with less reliable pitching than this. Rookie Lefty Gomez (10-4, 2.90 ERA) has been everything the team had hoped, and new closer Al Shealy (2-1, 16 Sv, 1.80 ERA) is doing a fine job. First baseman Lou Gehrig (.309, 36 HR, 77 RBI) is having a fantastic season and is on pace to challenge the single-season home run mark of 69 set twice by Babe Ruth - once in 1918 and again in 1919. Gehrig is not new to this chase. After all, he fell one home run short of the record in 1925.

The American League race is interesting because all eight teams are separated by a mere 9 1/2 games. That means a team like Baltimore is just three games above .500 but finds themselves in third place, just 2 1/2 games out. After finishing 3rd in the BOY race last season, second baseman Marty McManus (.295, 20 HR, 64 RBI) is powering an Orioles offense that is ranked just 7th overall. However, the team ranks first in both pitching and defense. Jumbo Elliott (5-5, 2.52 ERA) and Stew Bolen (7-3, 2.27 ERA) have had fine seasons so far, and closer Hub Pruett (1-1, 14 Sv, 1.78 ERA) is pitching well after winning four consecutive AL Fireman Awards. But the team will need more offense if they hope to stay in the race.

As for Detroit, they are a single game above .500 and sit in 4th place. The team as a whole has been sluggish with the only exceptions being leadoff hitter Heinie Manush (.359, 13 HR, 51 RBI, 49 R), who leads the AL batting race, and 22-year-old pitcher Josh Billings (8-3, 2.86 ERA). Last year's Rookie of the Year Dale Alexander (.233, 4 HR, 26 RBI) is struggling, so expect rookie Hank Greenberg (.305, 5 HR, 14 RBI in 141 AB) to step in on a full-time basis now. The Tigers certainly have the talent to make a pennant run over the second half of the season, and after all they are just 3 1/2 games out, but they need to get hot soon before someone like the Yankees runs away with it.

Oakland is a half game behind Detroit. They are 3rd in offense but 7th in both pitching and defense. Their #5 starter's slot and the bullpen continue to be sore spots. Minnesota is just a half game behind the A's. They are 3rd in pitching and defense, but just 6th in offense. Goose Goslin (.314, 25 HR, 71 RBI) is the main offensive standout. If they can get the offense straightened out, this team has enough pitching to make a run.


Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders

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NL Season Wrap-up

The Giants continued to play well throughout the second half of the season. They quickly pushed ahead of the Pirates in July, and they extended their lead as each week passed. They managed to easily clinch the pennant with a week and a half left to go in the season. This is now the 11th pennant the Giants have won over the past 18 seasons. Once again, the Giants led the NL in offense. In fact, they led all of MLHR with 818 runs scored and 237 home runs. Hack Wilson (.258, 54 HR, 122 RBI) led the team in home runs and RBI with Mel Ott (.278, 47 HR, 118 RBI) performing just as well. In his first season as a starter, Freddie Lindstrom (.294, 23 HR, 81 RBI, 97 R, 13 SB) led the team with his .294 average while Frankie Frisch (.293, 16 HR, 83 RBI, 117 R, 78 SB) was right behind him. Frisch, known as "The Fordham Flash," also led the NL in runs scored and stolen bases.

The Giants had more turnover in their pitching rotation than they are accustomed to with both Waite Hoyt (11-5, 4.59 ERA) and Freddie Fitzsimmons (11-9, 4.28 ERA) struggling and being moved to the bullpen. However, starters Carl Hubbell (19-11, 2.83 ERA), Roy Parmelee (16-12, 3.45 ERA) and newcomer Fay Thomas (19-4, 3.41 ERA) were steady all season. When Bill Walker (8-6, 2.41 ERA), a former starter, and Mike Cvengros (4-3, 3.23 ERA), a primary reliever who was also pulled into emergency starting duty in 1926, took over as part of the pitching rotation in July, the team really began to take off.

The Cardinals are disappointed with the failure to defend their title, but they played well in the second half and finished in second place with 93 wins. Both Rogers Hornsby (.304, 53 HR, 119 RBI) and Chick Hafey (.334, 50 HR, 107 RBI) reached the 50-HR plateau this season, while Hafey also won the NL batting title. It was the Cardinals pitching staff that was a disappointment, although the team's poor defense had a part to play in that as well. They allowed the most runs of any team in the NL. Flint Rhem (9-17, 5.74 ERA) had just an awful season, but their bullpen was so bad that they could not find anyone more reliable to take over in the rotation. You know the end of the rotation and the bullpen were bad for this team to give up the most runs while still having pitchers perform so well in the rotation like Bill Hallahan (19-6, 2.39 ERA), Dizzy Dean (18-10, 2.87 ERA) and Al Grabowski (16-10, 3.13 ERA).


Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders




National League Rosters

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AL Season Wrap-up

Once again, the American League pennant went down to the wire. On 9/26, Baltimore scored one run in the 15th inning of a tie game but Detroit scored two in the bottom of that inning to win 5-4. On that same day, New York beat Oakland 4-2, so with eight games left in the season, Oakland and Detroit were tied for first place. The Yankees were three games back and the surprising White Sox were five games back in what would be a race to the wire. Over those final eight games, Detroit had to finish their series in Baltimore and then go to Oakland for a crucial series before finishing at home against the White Sox. Meanwhile, Oakland was finishing a series in New York. They then traveled home to host Detroit before going to Boston for their final series.

On 9/27, Detroit's Vic Sorrell shut out Baltimore 4-0 while Oakland was crushed by the Yankees 8-1. New York's Roy Sherid tossed 7 innings for his 15th win of the season. This gave Detroit a 1-game lead over the A's. On the following day, Oakland came back from a 4-1 deficit in the 6th to win 7-4. Detroit's starter Whit Wyatt was crushed 8-2 by the Orioles and the Tigers fell back into a tie with Oakland.

After a day off, Detroit traveled to Oakland. The two teams remained tied 2-2 after nine innings in the series opener. Both teams scored in the 11th, but Detroit pulled out the win in the 13th when Hank Greenberg scored on a wild pitch with 2 outs. On the next day, the first of October, Detroit tied the score at 2-2 in the 6th, but Oakland scored two runs in the 8th. Detroit managed to scratch out another run but still lost 4-3. In the rubber match, Detroit's Josh Billings allowed just two hits over seven shutout innings. Oakland's Sam Gray pitched well, but Detroit scored three unearned runs on a 3-run, 2-out homer by Charlie Gehringer. Oakland scored two in the 8th and one in the 9th off the Tigers bullpen, but still fell 4-3. That meant that entering the final series of the season, Detroit held a narrow one-game lead.

On October 3rd, Oakland lost a 2-0 lead to Boston in the 9th inning, but the A's managed to pull out the win 3-2 in the 14th. Detroit's game in Chicago was postponed due to rain. On the next day, Detroit scored five runs in the 8th of the opener of their double-header, but they still lost 6-5 to the White Sox, falling back into a tie with Oakland. In the second game, Detroit won 3-1 behind Whit Wyatt. Meanwhile, Oakland beat Boston 6-3 which meant that these two teams would go into the final day of the season tied for first place.

On the final day, Detroit came back to win 3-2 in 13 innings against Chicago, and Oakland held off a Red Sox rally to win 5-4 and force a 1-game playoff for the pennant. Oakland rookie Bill Shores, who began the season in the bullpen, tossed eight shutout innings in the deciding game with Detroit, which was hosted in Oakland by the A's. Oakland first baseman Joe Hauser hit a 2-run homer in the 7th to seal the 4-0 win, clinching the pennant. This marked Oakland's fourth pennant over the past eight seasons.

Amazingly, Oakland's starting rotation managed to finish first in the AL with a 3.63 ERA. Even more amazingly, they won the pennant with the second worst bullpen in the league. The big question is how will that bullpen fare in the World Series? However, the A's have won a World Series before with a poor bullpen that came through in the clutch. It is also intereting to note that the only bullpen worse than Oakland's was Detroit's.

New York failed to win a 3rd straight pennant. They can blame a lot of that on a last ranked defense and last ranked starting rotation. Only rookie Lefty Gomez (21-10, 3.12 ERA) pitched well on a consistent basis this year. On a bright note, Yankees first baseman Lou Gehrig hit a home run on the final day of the season to tie Babe Ruth's record of 69 homers in a season. Ironically, Ruth himself hit four home runs in the final week of the season to finish with 68! Ruth also became the all-time leader with 2,209 RBI and 2,285 walks. He passed "Home Run" Baker's total of 2,206 RBI and John McGraw's total of 2,224 BB.


Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders




American League Rosters

[darnoff]

1930 World Series

Game 1

This game pitted two of the best pitchers in baseball against each other - Carl Hubbell of the Giants versus Lefty Grove of the A's. In the top of the 4th, Giants left fielder Hack Wilson singled off Grove and then first baseman Bill Terry followed with a home run to right field, giving the Giants a huge 2-0 lead. Meanwhile, Hubbell was pitching brilliantly, allowing only three hits to a powerful Oakland lineup over eight shutout innings. In the bottom of the 9th, Hubbell faced the top of Oakland's lineup. Third baseman Pinky Higgins earned a leadoff single and the Giants stuck with Hubbell for the lefty-on-lefty matchup with Mickey Cochrane. It worked, as Cochrane flied out. The Giants stayed with their ace, and he struck out Al Simmons on four pitches. Pinch hitter Al Wingo then battled through five pitches and drove a single up the middle. Then first baseman Joe Hauser singled home Higgins on the first pitch he saw. With that, San Francisco went with their closer, Rosy Ryan, who took six pitches to dispose of second baseman Jimmy Dykes with a 6-3 ground out to end the game.




Game 2

The Giants quickly jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning thanks to a 3-run homer from Mel Ott off Sam Gray. The A's came right back in the bottom of the inning with a 2-run home run by Mickey Cochrane off Bill Walker to narrow the lead to 3-2. However, the Giants kept pounding on Gray, who never really had his best stuff and they took an 8-2 lead by the end of the 5th inning. The score stayed that way as Walker settled in to pitch eight successful innings. However, Waite Hoyt, who struggled this season for the Giants, came on in a mop-up role in the 9th. He got two outs while allowing a walk to the first three batters, but then the A's lit some fireworks with back-to-back home runs by Jimmie Foxx and Joe Hauser. In the end, the Giants still won but Oakland reminded them how powerful their lineup could be. That said, the Giants still leave Oakland with a huge 2-0 series lead.




Game 3

This game turned out to be a great pitching duel between a pair of hard-throwers in Oakland's George Earnshaw and San Francisco's Fay Thomas. The two pitchers combined to throw 13.2 innings, allowing just one run while striking out 16 batters. Earnshaw allowed only three hits over seven innings, but he was the starter who allowed a run. It came in the bottom of the 4th when Frankie Frisch led off with a single and stole his MLHR record 17th career World Series base! He moved to third on a sac fly, and scored on another sac fly. Earnshaw gave up two more singles that inning, but neither of them scored. So Earnshaw gave up all three of his hits in a single inning and the only run scored on back-to-back outs. Every other inning he pitched, the Giants went down 1-2-3!

In the top of the 7th, Giants reliever Mike Cvengros spelled Thomas with a runner on second base and no one out. He enduced a ground out from centerfielder Doc Cramer to end the threat. Then in the 8th, Cvengros got two straight outs before falling behind Mickey Cochrane 3-1 and then serving up a mammoth home run to straightaway centerfield to tie the game. In the bottom of the 8th, Oakland sent in Fred Heimach, who was the team's #5 starter all season but had spent the majority of his 10-year career in the bullpen. He gave up a leadoff single to Ross Youngs - his first hit of the series - and after a fly out, Youngs stole second base. That prompted the A's to intentionally walk pinch hitter Earl Webb to setup a double play. However, Frankie Frisch pushed a single through the hole on the left side of the diamond to load the bases. Heimach got ahead of Freddie Lindstrom 0-2 and was then called for a balk which sent home the go-ahead run.

Heimach was livid and nearly got tossed from the game, but his manager ran out to protect him and was thrown out himself after giving the umpire a piece of his mind. Lindstrom worked the count full, but then Heimach struck him out with a fastball. Heimach then struck out Mel Ott looking with a nice curveball to prevent any other runs from scoring. Now going into the 9th with the lead, the Giants were able to bring in closer Rosy Ryan who sat down Jimmie Foxx and Joe Hauser on ground outs. Jimmy Dykes slapped a single on the first pitch he saw, but Ryan then enduced a ground out from Bill Barrett to end the game.




Game 4

The Giants offense came out firing on this day. They pounded Oakland rookie Bill Shores and reliever Ossie Orwoll for 12 runs over the first four innings. Meanwhile, Giants starter Roy Parmelee scattered three singles over 7 1/3 scoreless innings. The Giants offense hit six home runs on the day, including two by Hack Wilson in this 14-0 rout to win the Giants 6th World Series over the past 18 seasons.




Recap

While the Giants dominated this series statistically, let's not forget that two of the three Giants wins were 2-1 contests. The big story is the fact that the Giants' starting pitching dominated Oakland's lineup so much that three of the Giants' six relievers never even appeared in a game! Meanwhile the Giants offense crushed Oakland pitching in two of the four games. They hit eleven home runs in the 4-game series, including three by World Series MVP Hack Wilson.

Series MVP

Hack Wilson, LF, SFG: .533 AVG, 1.922 OPS, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 7 Runs and 1 spectacular play in left field when he made a shoe string catch and then doubled off a runner at second for a double play.

[darnoff]

1930 Season Awards


NL Batter of the Year




NL Pitcher of the Year




NL Rookie of the Year




NL Fireman Award




NL Gold Gloves
P - Fred Frankhouse, STL (3rd overall)
C - Gabby Hartnett, CHN (3rd overall)
1B - Jim Bottomley, STL (3rd overall)
2B - Tony Cuccinello, CIN (rookie!)
3B - Pinky Whitney, PHI
SS - Joe Stripp, CIN (2nd consecutive)
LF - Mandy Brooks, CHN
CF - Denny Southern, PHI (2nd consecutive)
RF - Evar Swanson, CIN


AL Batter of the Year




AL Pitcher of the Year




AL Rookie of the Year




AL Fireman Award




AL Gold Gloves
P - Danny MacFayden, BOS
C - Bill Dickey, NYY (2nd consecutive)
1B - Joe Hauser, OAK (4th overall)
2B - Charlie Gehringer, DET (2nd consecutive)
3B - Willie Kamm, CHW (7th consecutive)
SS - Rabbit Warstler, BOS
LF - Al Simmons, OAK (2nd overall)
CF - Sam West, MIN (2nd consecutive)
RF - Goose Goslin, MIN (2nd overall)

[darnoff]

End of Decade Recap

The 1920's saw the retirement of many of baseball's all-time greats, such as Ty Cobb, Shoeless Joe Jackson, Tris Speaker, Walter Johnson and many more. During the past two decades, the AL certainly had more star power than the NL, but that is beginning to even out. In fact, over the past few seasons, the NL has been acquiring more young talent than the AL. In the 1910's, the AL won 8 of 10 World Series. In the 1920's with the rise of the Giants and then the Cardinals, the two leagues split the World Series 5-5. The Cardinals are certainly built to be the team of the next decade, but only time will tell.


Batting Records




Pitching Records





Key Batting Leaderboards

Average




Hits




Doubles




Home Runs




RBI




Runs




Stolen Bases




Walks




WAR




Key Pitching Leaderboards

Wins




ERA




WHIP




Shutouts




Complete Games




Innings Pitched




Strikeouts




Saves




Games Pitched




WAR

[darnoff]

1920's Wrap-up


National League Pennants

Giants - 5 in MLHR (4-1 in WS), 4 in MLB
Cardinals - 3 in MLHR (1-2 in WS), 3 in MLB
Pirates - 2 in MLHR (0-2 in WS), 2 in MLB
Cubs - 0 in MLHR, 1 in MLB

Interestingly enough, most franchises performed about as expected this decade in the NL. The Cubs and Giants each won one fewer pennant in MLHR than in MLB, but both franchises were very competitive throughout the decade. The Giants had one anomoly where they posted a losing record in 1922, but they were otherwise a fierce team and they should continue to be at least in the early part of the 1930s. The Cubs still have not had a losing season since 1894 when they were just 80-82. That is downright incredible. The question now is, can they develop enough new young talent to win a pennant in the 1930's? Or are we finally seeing the beginning of their decline?

American League Pennants


Athletics - 4 in MLHR (2-2 in WS), 2 in MLB
Twins - 2 in MLHR (1-1 in WS), 2 in MLB
Yankees - 2 in MLHR (1-1 in WS), 6 in MLB
Tigers - 1 in MLHR (1-0 in WS), 0 in MLB
Indians - 1 in MLHR (0-1 in WS), 0 in MLB

The Yankees were a big disappointment for most of the decade, but they finally came on strong the final three seasons. They won two pennants and one World Series and they should be the top AL team going into the 1930's. Earlier in the decade, they simply had no starting pitching. Many of the star pitchers that helped them in the MLB 1920's either played for different teams in MLHR or had less successful MLHR careers - mostly the former reason was the case. And let's not forget that they did not have Babe Ruth, who is now the all-time leader in HR, RBI and BB and that's after playing half his career with almost NO offensive support around him.

The A's had a lot of offensive talent in the 1920's and the arrival of Lefty Grove certainly did a lot to help out an otherwise mediocre pitching staff. This team would have won more pennants had it not been for a shortage of good pitchers. They have the same type of team going into the 1930's and they can win some pennants if they find more pitching help soon.


Franchises

[darnoff]

1930's Preview


National League Pennants

Cubs - 3
Giants - 3
Cardinals - 2
Reds - 2

The coming decade in MLB began with the Cardinals winning two of the first four pennants and it ended with the Reds winning consecutive pennants in 1939-40. In between, the Cubs and Giants both won three pennants.

In MLHR, the Cardinals are currently the best team in the league, and without injuries or trades turned on, the only thing that can slow the Cardinals down is the onset of time. The Giants are also very talented, but they are beginning to age. With the exception of Rogers Hornsby, the Cardinals are a pretty young team with most key players aged 27 or younger. As for the Giants, Mel Ott, who is just 21, is one of the only established stars under age 30 now.

The Cubs are still a talented team and they are always competitive. If the Giants begin to falter due to age, expect the Cubs to become the primary competition for the Cardinals. However, to win three pennants as they did in MLB, the Cubs will need some additional support, particularly for their offense. Their offense was already a notch below the elite NL offenses as the 1930 season ended, and as we enter this new decade, three of their top performers turn 30, so you can expect some decline. This will be a real problem for them soon if they don't find reinforcements.

As for the Reds, they have until 1939 to win a pennant as they did in MLB, so I expect to see an influx of talent to Cincinnati over the decade. However, they need a lot of help. Ken Williams was their only real offensive force for the past decade and he just retired. They have a few good offensive players, but they are a long way off from being a pennant contender. They have some good pitching, although they could use additional depth, especially in the bullpen.

If anyone surprises up by winning a pennant, it could be the Dodgers or Phillies since they have been adding talent recently. The Pirates are another possibility, although they have been aging faster than they have been adding talent, particularly on the pitching side.


American League Pennants

Yankees - 5
Tigers - 3
Athletics - 1
Twins - 1

This is no surprise, but the MLB Yankees continued their dominance throughout the 1930's. The MLHR version is set up to be competitive for a while, but they could still use a little more pitching. I know Joe DiMaggio will join the team later in the decade, but I wonder how much other talent they will find.

The Tigers also won three pennants in the decade. Their MLHR team is also talented, and they certainly will make life difficult for the A's and Yankees. I expect Detroit's pitching to improve, because they performed poorly across the board last season.

While the A's won just one pennant in MLB, they have the talent to win more in MLHR. Their biggest concern is still a lack of pitching depth. If they add one or two kep pitchers soon, they could become the team to beat.

The American League was a lot of fun to watch over the past decade with almost every team having a shot to win the pennant at some point. The coming decade should also be fun. The Twins and Indians are not far from being considered top teams. Even the White Sox and Orioles could join the party with a few key additions.

[darnoff]

1931 National League Rookies


Buzz Arlett, RF, Age 24, Phillies

Some said if Arlett could have begun his MLB career at a younger age, he could have been the Babe Ruth of the National League. Well, he will get his shot in MLHR since no rookie joins the league older than his age 25 season. Arlett may not be Babe Ruth, but he will deepen a Phillies lineup that is suddenly one of the best in the NL. He even plays very good defense in right field. The only issue Arlett's presence creates is determining who loses their starting job. Chuck Klein (.300, 39 HR, 96 RBI) will move to left field and Don Hurst (.269, 23 HR, 80 RBI) will likely keep his job at first base. That will mean that 32-year-old Freddy Leach (.249, 20 HR, 64 RBI) will be backing up all three players.




Ripper Collins, 1B, Age 24, Cardinals

Collins is a power-hitting first baseman who can also play the corner outfield spots. The problem with Collins is that he plays poor defense at all three spots. Plus, the Cardinals are already flush with talent at those spots. They will be very challenged with getting Collins' bat into the lineup regularly. After all, they have former BOY and 3-time Gold Glover Jim Bottomley (.269, 39 HR, 96 RBI) at first base, 2-time BOY and 2-time Gold Glover Chick Hafey (.334, 50 HR, 107 RBI) in left field and a glut of three talented players in right field.




Paul Derringer, SP, Age 24, Cardinals

Last season when the Cardinals added Dizzy Dean (18-10, 2.87 ERA), their third Rookie of the Year pitcher in four seasons, to the pitching rotation, I wrote about how incredible this pitching staff could be. While the Cardinals pitching was impressive, their defense and bullpen were awful last year and they fell short of a third straight pennant. Plus, 5th starter Flint Rhem (9-17, 5.74 ERA), a normally reliable starter, had his worst season partly due to that lousy defense which allowed his personal BABIP (batting average on balls in play) to rise from .303 in 1928 to a whopping .330 in 1929. Well, Rhem is now moving to the bullpen because the Cardinals have added yet another great starting pitcher in Paul Derringer. A feisty and tempermental pitcher, Derringer was also known for his focus and pin-point control on the mound. He gives the Cardinals the best rotation in MLHR. Now, if the team can just play defense to support these guys, they could run away with the pennant.




Ernie Lombardi, C, Age 22, Dodgers

The Dodgers are continuing to build a solid roster, and this year they have added perhaps the best offensive catcher in the NL. Lombardi is also solid defensively, even though he is regarded as one of the slowest players to ever play in MLB - routinely being thrown our at first base from the outfield. That is the main reason his gap power is so low. However, he will hit for a high average and pound 25+ home runs each season. He is expected to bat clean-up for L.A.




Van Mungo, SP, Age 19, Dodgers

The addition of Lombardi and now pitcher Van Mungo may be enough to finally give L.A. their first winning season since 1917. Mungo was one of my father's favorite players, partly because of the ring to his full name - Van Lingle Mungo - his MLB record back-to-back no-hitters and the catchy song written about his exploits. Make no mistake, Mungo is a great pitcher. He will be among the league leaders in strikeouts and he will allow very few home runs. He will be around league average in terms of walks allowed, but his K/BB ratio should still be very good. Plus, he is just 19 so he should challenge teammate Bobo Newsom and Cardinals phenom Dizzy Dean for the title of best NL pitcher for years to come.




Hal Schumacher, SP, Age 20, Giants

The one reason that San Francisco will have difficulty defending their World Series title is the sudden weakness of their starting rotation. Last season, they won the pennant despite removing two starters - Freddie Fitzsimmons (11-9, 4.90 ERA) and Waite Hoyt (11-5, 4.88 ERA) - from the rotation mid-season. Both pitchers will likely begin the 1931 season in the bullpen for the first times in their careers. Bill Walker (8-6, 2.41 ERA), a former starter who took over one of the vacated starting spots last summer, pitched well but will return to the pen as a setup man. To fill the void in the rotation this season, the Giants are turning to two rookies in Schumacher and Jim Faulkner (5-8-6 ratings). Schumacher is the real prize and he could develop into a reliable, middle-of-the-rotation starting pitcher. The success of this experiment will likely determine how the Giants' season goes.




Allyn Stout, RP, Age 24, Cardinals

I mentioned earlier how poorly the Cardinals bullpen performed last season. That is why the emergence of Stout could be key to their success this season. Former starter Flint Rhem moves to the bullpen in a setup role this year, and Stout should be their primary middle reliever.




Bucky Walters, SP, Age 21, Braves

I had a very difficult decision in determining which team Walters would play for. He began his MLB career as a position player for the Braves and then the Red Sox. After four seasons, he moved to the Phillies where he began to pitch. He turned out to have a very successful pitching career, pitching in 428 games. Because he began his pitching career for the Phillies, part of me wanted to see him pitch there. However, after much deliberation, I decided to add him to the Braves roster since the spirit of MLHR is for players to spend their career with the team they played their first MLB game with. That being said, Walters gives Atlanta a very good pitching rotation. The team finished with the 2nd fewest runs allowed last year, primarily thanks to a first ranked bullpen. Walters presence will only make the pitching staff better. Now, Atlanta needs to add more offense to support these guys with some victories.

[darnoff]

1931 American League Rookies


Babe Phelps, C, Age 22, Twins

The only notable AL rookie this season is Twins catcher Babe Phelps. In MLB, Phelps had just three at-bats with the Senators (Twins) before eventually moving to the Dodgers where he played the bulk of his career. In MLHR, Phelps will provide the Twins with some much-needed offense from behind the plate. He will bat third ahead of right fielder Goose Goslin (.312, 48 HR, 130 RBI). Phelps' presence will help the team after the retirement of outfielder Irish Meusel and his 671 career home runs. The one knock on Phelps is his lack of arm strength behind the plate. Last season's starter Eddie Kenna (.243, 51 RBI, 37 SB in 515 AB) has a much better arm and may be a defensive substitute for Phelps late in close games.

[darnoff]

1931 Key Retirees - Batters


Joe Harris, 1B/RF, Yankees

Harris won two Gold Gloves at first base. Look at his stats and you will see he was a fine batter, but he was forced out of right field by Bob Meusel in 1917, and then he was forced off of first base by the great Lou Gehrig in 1923. He continued to excel once relegated to a backup role, retiring with a .290 average over 6,533 at-bats. He finished in the Top 10 in doubles seven times, walks four times, batting average four times and OBP five times. He appeared in two World Series with the Yankees, winning one.




Irish Meusel, RF/LF, Twins

A 2-time Gold Glove winner, Meusel was known primarily for his power stroke. He clubbed 671 home runs and posted a .282 lifetime average. In 1922, he led the AL in triples, slugging percentage and RBI. He finished in the Top 10 in hits nine times, home runs fourteen times, RBI thirteen times, runs seven times, batting average three times, SLG twelve times, OPS seven times, and WAR seven times. He appeared in two World Series with the Twins, winning one.




Hack Miller, RF/LF, Dodgers

Named the 1916 NL Rookie of the Year, Miller was known for his highly productive bat but also for a real lack of range in the outfield. He finished in the Top 10 in hits three times, home runs six times, RBI three times, SLG five times and OPS three times.




Ben Paschal, CF, Indians

More of a natural right fielder, Paschal was forced to play center field most of his career. He was consistently at or near the bottom of the league in defensive range factor and zone rating since he was out of position, but he retired with a respectable .986 career fielding percentage in center. Paschal was productive offensively for Cleveland, retiring with 2,190 hits and 313 home runs. He appeared in one World Series with the Indians in 1924, but lost to the Giants.




Edd Roush, RF, White Sox

Roush was a phenomenal defensive right fielder, winning nine Gold Gloves - the most won by any player at any position in the history of MLHR. Roush won seven of his Gold Gloves over an eight year period from 1921-28. He was also a great offensive producer for Chicago, retiring with 2,975 hits and a .293 batting average. He led the AL in doubles in 1915 and finished in the Top 10 in hits ten times, doubles six times, triples eleven times, batting average seven times and WAR seven times. He appeared in four World Series with the White Sox, winning three.




Hank Severeid, C, Reds

Severeid was often overlooked due to the fact that he played on some poor Cincinnati teams later in his career, but if you look back on his body of work, you see that he recorded 2,634 hits and a lifetime .270 average. He won two Gold Gloves and his defense is part of the reason he had 51.8 career WAR, 82nd all-time but 6th all-time among catchers. He finished in the Top 10 in hits three times, batting average five times and OBP three times.





Ken Williams, LF/CF, Reds

The Reds will certainly miss Ken Williams. He practically carried the team on his back offensively for most of his 16-year career. He retired with 2,663 hits, a great .283 average for a slugger and a whopping 735 home runs. He led the NL in home runs three times, RBI three times, walks four times, triples three times and SLG twice. He won two Batter of the Year Awards. In 1919, his second BOY season, Williams led the NL in OPS and WAR too. He even led the NL in runs scored once. In addition to his offensive prowess, Williams won three Gold Gloves in left field and was a plus defender in all but one of his 16 seasons. The only thing missing from his resume is a World Series appearance.

[darnoff]

1931 Key Retirees - Pitchers


Virgil Barnes, Giants

Won one Gold Glove. Led the NL with 19 wins in 1925. Finished in the Top 10 in wins five times, WHIP three times, K/BB ratio four times, fewest BB/9 four times and quality starts three times. Appeared in six World Series with the Giants, winning four.




Hal Haid, Orioles

As a rookie, won the 1920 AL Fireman Award. In 1923, he led the AL with 47 saves. Later as a setup man, he led the AL in appearances twice and finished second in the AL in holds both times.




Red Hoff, Yankees

Retired as the all-time leader with 482 saves, but he did it without once leading the league. He was the Yankees closer for 16 years, most of which found him closing behind a weak starting rotation. He won two AL Fireman Awards. In the final years of his career, he appeared in two World Series with the Yankees, winning one.




Dickey Kerr, White Sox

Named the 1922 AL Pitcher of the Year when he led the AL in WAR and shutouts. He led the AL in WAR again in 1923 when he also led in fewest HR/9 and won his only Gold Glove. He finished in the Top 10 in wins four times, innings pitched three times, ERA five times, HR/9 five times, FIP six times, quality starts ten times and WAR three times. He appeared in the 1920 World Series with the White Sox, which they won against the Pirates.




Jakie May, Cardinals

May was the anchor or the St. Louis pitching staff for most of his career. He won 163 games and led the NL in fewest HR/9 twice but also in walks once. He finished in the Top 10 in wins five times, most walks allowed six times, ERA six times, fewest HR/9 five times, fewest H/9 eight times, most K/9 six times, FIP six times, quality starts four times and WAR four times. Appeared in three World Series with the Cardinals, winning one.




Reb Russell, White Sox

Russell took the mantle of ace of the Chicago pitching staff from Hall of Famer Ed Walsh, and he made good on that challenge. He won two AL Pitcher of the Year Awards and three ERA crowns. He led the AL in WHIP an impressive five times, and also in fewest BB/9 four times, fewest H/9 four times, K/BB ratio three times, FIP three times, quality starts four times and shutouts once. He even won two Gold Gloves. As a member of the White Sox, he appeared in four World Series, winning three.




Suds Sutherland, Tigers

Sutherland had a great first season as a starting pitcher in 1922 when he led the AL in HR/9, finished 5th in ERA and appeared in his only World Series which Detroit won against Pittsburgh. The next season, he finished 4th with 16 wins. However, his star faded quickly and by 1927, he was leading the AL with 17 losses before being moved back to the bullpen.




Ben Tincup, Phillies

Known as a workhorse on a team with few other options, Tincup was the first pitcher to ever reach 900 games. He did not stop there and retired as the all-time leader after appearing in 1,118 games for Philadelphia and posting an impressive 3.03 lifetime ERA. Interestingly, he never led the league in games pitched in a single season, but he was a very reliable reliever whom the Phillies could count on time after time to get the job done.

[darnoff]

1931 Hall of Fame Induction

I have decided to change the format of the annual HOF post to show voting results. These results are fictional since the ones generated by OOTP16 don't seem to work correctly (every player received either 100% or 0%). I will use the new MLB rules where a player remains on the ballot for only 10 seasons.

This year we see two first timers voted in. Tris Speaker (BOS) won just two BOY Awards but he was regarded as one of the best hitters in the AL, and one of the best defensive centerfielders of all time. Dazzy Vance (PIT) was regarded as one of the finest pitchers to ever pitch in MLHR.

Tris Speaker - 94%, Year 1
Dazzy Vance - 87%, Year 1
Gavvy Cravath - 66%, Year 9
X - Ed Konetchy - 61%, Year 10
Eddie Cicotte - 52%, Year 9
Billy Southworth - 42%, Year 2
Tillie Walker - 40%, Year 7
Fred Toney - 33%, Year 5
X - Sherry Magee - 32%, Year 10
X - Ed Reulbach - 31%, Year 10
Rube Marquard - 28%, Year 9
Claude Hendrix - 26%, Year 5
Heinie Zimmerman - 20%, Year 7
Mellie Wolfgang - 19%, Year 1
George Burns - 18%, Year 2
Hippo Vaughn - 17%, Year 5
G.C. Alexander - 14%, Year 4
Elmer Ponder - 12%, Year 2
Rube Foster - 12%, Year 5
Carl Mays - 12%, Year 2
Dixie Davis - 11%, Year 3
Harry Suter - 10%, Year 9
Vic Saier - 9%, Year 4
X - Fred Merkle - 8%, Year 10
Bob Bescher - 8%, Year 9
Dave Robertson - 8%, Year 7
Ray Collins - 8%, Year 6
Elmer Smith - 8%, Year 1
Jake Daubert - 7%, Year 8
George Kelly - 7%, Year 2
Zip Zabel - 6%, Year 6
Dutch Ruether - 6%, Year 4
Bill Sherdel - 6%, Year 2
Elmer Steele - 5%, Year 8
Harry Krause - 5%, Year 8
Beals Becker - 4%, Year 6
Al Mamaux - 3%, Year 3
Frank Snyder - 2%, Year 1
Frank Brower - 1%, Year 1
Jack Tobin - 1%, Year 1

X = Last year on the ballot


Tris Speaker

4071 H, 1032 doubles, 105 triples, 582 HR, 2287 R, 2013 RBI, 1724 BB, 1688 K, 355 SB, .306 AVG, .388 OBP, .531 SLG, .919 OPS, 161 OPS+, 13285 AB, 3580 G

1907 Rookie of the Year
2 Batter of the Year
6 Gold Gloves
3 Pennants
3-0 in World Series

All-time leaderboards Top 20: Doubles (1st), WAR (1st), Hits (2nd), Runs (3rd), OPS (5th), Triples (5th), Walks (5th), AVG (6th), OBP (6th), RBI (7th), SLG (12th), Home Runs (14th)

Single season records: Doubles (66 in 1913), WAR (15.7 in 1911)


Dazzy Vance

250-126, 66.5 Win%, 492 G, 492 GS, 3565.1 IP, 74 CG, 32 SHO, 72.0 QS%, 835 BB, 2.1 BB/9, 4256 K, 10.7 K/9, 2813 HA, 370 HRA, 2.83 ERA, 134 ERA+, 1.02 WHIP

6 Pitcher of the Year
3 Pennants
0-3 in World Series

All-time leaderboards Top 20: WHIP (1st among starters), K/9 (1st among starters), FIP (1st among starters), Win% (2nd), ERA (2nd among starters), K/BB (3rd among starters), WAR (4th), Strikeouts (6th), Shutouts (7th), Wins (10th)

Single season records: WAR (9.9 in 1920)

[darnoff]

1931 NL Preseason Predictions

Despite a miserable performance by their bullpen and defense and failing to win the pennant last season, the Cardinals are a narrow favorite over the Giants this season. The main reason for this is the fact that the Cardinals added yet another impressive young arm to their rotation in Paul Derringer (7-8-8 ratings), giving them the best pitching rotation in MLHR to go along with one of the top offenses. They have made a few changes that should improve their bullpen as well, so I expect the Cardinals to be at or near 100 wins this season.

As for the Giants, they are still a very good team, as they showed last year. But they get a little older every season and the influx of young talent they once had has slowed down recently. They should have a very good offense and superb bullpen this season. Their biggest challenge will be the starting rotation. If it struggles, expect them to pluck one of the four - yes, four - former starting pitchers from the bullpen to find a recipe that works in the rotation.

With the Pirates pitching staff in decline, the Cubs are the only serious threat posed to the Cardinals and Giants from the old guard of teams that have dominated the National League for the past 25 years. Chicago will pitch very well, as they have done for several years now. Their big challenge will be scoring runs. They have a good mix of speed and power, but their offense is not a dominant one. Plus, three key producers have turned 30 over the past 12 months, and that is usually when the decline begins for a player. Plus, first baseman Pete Scott (.263, 23 HR, 72 RBI) turns 30 after this season, and right fielder Johnny Moore (.258, 26 HR, 78 RBI) turns 30 a year after that.

The upstart Phillies should be a fun team to watch. They should be able to score plenty of runs. They also play very good defense. Their challenge will be in the pitching department where their only real reliable stars are starter Dutch Ulrich (14-12, 2.99 ERA) and closer Ed Baecht (2-3, 35 Sv, 2.80 ERA). One thing is for sure, Phillies fans should be treated to many high scoring games. The question is how many of those games will Philadelphia win?


Predicted Standings
(Scale of 1-12)

Rank	Team	Rotation	Bullpen	Offense	Bench	Speed	Defense	Totals	Grade	Predicted Record
1	St. Louis Cardinals	10	6	10	12	7	6	8.7	A	100	62
2	San Francisco Giants	8	9	12	9	7	6	8.6	A	99	63
3	Chicago Cubs	8	9	7	8	7	7	7.6	B+	87	75
4	Pittsburgh Pirates	6	6	7	9	8	8	7.3	B	83	79
5	Philadelphia Phillies	5	6	9	7	6	9	7.1	B	82	80
6	Atlanta Braves	8	8	4	4	6	7	5.9	C	67	95
7	Los Angeles Dodgers	8	6	6	3	5	6	5.8	C	66	96
8	Cincinnati Reds	7	7	2	4	7	7	5.5	C-	63	99

MLB results for the NL in 1931

Champs: St. Louis Cardinals, (101-53, .656)
World Series: Cardinals defeated Athletics 4-3
MVP: Frankie Frisch, Cardinals

For players who appear below on a team they are not playing with in MLHR, their MLHR team is listed in parenthesis

Combined WAR: Bill Terry, Giants, 6.1
Offensive WAR: Chuck Klein, Phillies, 5.7
Defensive WAR: Travis Jackson, Giants, 2.8
Batting Title: Chick Hafey, Cardinals, .349
On-Base%: Rogers Hornsby, Cubs (Cardinals), .421
Slugging%: Chuck Klein, Phillies, .584
Runs: Chuck Klein, Phillies and Bill Terry, Giants, 121
RBI: Chuck Klein, Phillies, 121
SB: Frankie Frisch, Cardinals (Giants), 28
OPS+: Rogers Hornsby, Cubs (Cardinals), 163
AB/HR: Mel Ott, Giants, 17.1

Pitching WAR: Ray Benge, Phillies (Indians), 6.2
Win%: Paul Derringer, Cardinals, .692 (rookie!)
WHIP: Carl Hubbell, Giants, 1.121
K/9: Dazzy Vance, Dodgers (Pirates), 6.174
Innings: Heinie Meine, Pirates (Orioles), 284.0
K/BB: Dazzy Vance, Dodgers (Pirates), 2.830
ERA+: Bill Walker, Giants, 163
FIP: Dazzy Vance, Dodgers (Pirates), 3.18


MLHR Milestone Watch

800 Home Runs
Rogers Hornsby, STL, Age 34, 788 HR

750 Game Pitched
Rosy Ryan, SFG, Age 33, 716 G
George Mohart, LAD, Age 36, 702 G

500 Saves
Rosy Ryan, SFG, Age 33, 466 Sv

400 Saves
Moses Yellow Horse, PIT, Age 33, 357 Sv

3000 Innings Pitched
Hod Eller, CIN, Age 36, 2988.2 IP

[darnoff]

1931 AL Preseason Predictions

The Yankees scuffled last season, primarily due to an underperforming starting rotation aided by some sloppy defense. Despite this, they are expected to win the AL pennant this season. While they have a starting rotation that may be below average as a whole, they do have a fantastic offense scoring runs for them and a great bullpen in support. The big challenge is the fact that they also play poor defense. If the defense was better, the starting rotation would benefit. However, let's not forget that the Yankees do have 22-year-old Lefty Gomez leading their staff. He won 21 games as a rookie and led the AL in strikeouts. It is scary to think that he can actually get better.

Oakland won the pennant last year, but I do not expect them to repeat this year. They also play mediocre defense and their pitching staff is slightly above average because of it. That is despite the fact that they have 5-time POY Lefty Grove (19-9, 2.71 ERA) in the top slot. He has a fine supporting cast around him in the #2 through #4 rotation spots, but the 5th slot has been notoriously shaky for several years now and their bullpen can be a crap shoot at times. After a successful rookie debut which started in the bullpen and took him to the rotation by July of last year, Bill Shores (12-2, 3.10 ERA) will attempt to shore up (pun intended!) that #5 spot. Their offense will score runs, but I still think that their bullpen will weigh the team down. Although, having the second worst bullpen ERA didn't prevent them from winning the pennant last year.

Detroit was a mess last year, underperforming in every department. Despite this, they still managed 90 wins and they were one win away from going to the World Series. Now, imagine if their talented young pitchers begin pitching up to their potential, how good this team could become. And don't forget that they will have first baseman Hank Greenberg (.262, 24 HR, 67 RBI in 393 AB), who began last season platooning at two different positions, in the lineup every day. This team could pose a serious challenge to both New York and Oakland this year, and it is no surprise that fans in the Motor City are predicting a World Series title for their team this spring.

The Indians and Twins both have the potential to be a surprise contender this year despite disappointing 1930 campaigns. The Indians finished 82-80. They have a good offense, which was bolstered in the offseason by the signing of third baseman Odell Hale (7-8-5-6-6 ratings). He should hit well, but he is also an excellent defender. If the team's defense can improve, I think you would see the Indians pitching rotation show why not long ago I called them one of the best rotations around. As for the Twins, they were just 73-89 last season, but they also have a very good rotation and a superb bullpen. They added catcher Babe Phelps (8-7-6-5-7 ratings) to their lineup this offseason, so they hope he provides enough offensive support to launch the team into pennant contention this year.


Predicted Standings
(Scale of 1-12)

Rank	Team	Rotation	Bullpen	Offense	Bench	Speed	Defense	Totals	Grade	Predicted Record
1	New York Yankees	7	7	11	11	10	6	8.7	A	103	59
2	Detroit Tigers	7	6	7	11	7	9	7.7	B+	91	71
3	Oakland Athletics	7	7	10	7	5	5	7.1	B	85	77
4	Cleveland Indians	8	7	9	5	5	6	7.1	B	84	78
5	Minnesota Twins	8	9	5	6	7	7	6.8	B-	80	82
6	Baltimore Orioles	7	7	4	6	8	8	6.3	C+	75	87
7	Chicago White Sox	5	7	5	7	10	7	6.1	C+	72	90
8	Boston Red Sox	7	4	3	2	6	8	4.9	D+	58	104

MLB results for the AL in 1931

Champs: Philadelphia Athletics, (107-45, .704)
World Series: Cardinals defeated Athletics 4-3
MVP: Lefty Grove, Athletics

For players who appear below on a team they are not playing with in MLHR, their MLHR team is listed in parenthesis

Combined WAR: Babe Ruth, Yankees (Red Sox), 10.3
Offensive WAR: Babe Ruth, Yankees (Red Sox), 10.4
Defensive WAR: Max Bishop, Athletics, 2.2
Batting Title: Al Simmons, Athletics, .390
On-Base%: Babe Ruth, Yankees (Red Sox), .495
Slugging%: Babe Ruth, Yankees (Red Sox), .700
Runs: Lou Gehrig, Yankees, 163
RBI: Lou Gehrig, Yankees, 185
SB: Ben Chapman, Yankees, 61
OPS+: Babe Ruth, Yankees (Red Sox), 218
AB/HR: Babe Ruth, Yankees (Red Sox), 11.6

Pitching WAR: Lefty Grove, Athletics, 10.1
Win%: Lefty Grove, Athletics, .886
WHIP: Lefty Grove, Athletics, 1.077
K/9: Bump Hadley, Twins, 6.212
Innings: Rube Walberg, Athletics (Giants), 291.0
K/BB: Lefty Grove, Athletics, 2.823
ERA+: Lefty Grove, Athletics, 217
FIP: Lefty Grove, Athletics, 3.01


MLHR Milestone Watch

100 Triples
George Sisler, BAL, Age 38, 99 Triples

600 Home Runs
Harry Heilmann, DET, Age 36, 591 HR

500 Home Runs
Lefty O'Doul, NYY, Age 34, 480 HR
Lou Gehrig, NYY, Age 27, 462 HR

2000 RBI
Harry Heilmann, DET, Age 36, 1900 RBI

1500 RBI
Lefty O'Doul, NYY, Age 34, 1404 RBI

2000 Runs
Babe Ruth, BOS, Age 36, 1952 R

1000 Walks
Lou Gehrig, NYY, Age 27, 963 BB

750 Games Pitched
Bill Bayne, BAL, Age 31, 670 G