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

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1892 Key Retirees - Pitchers


Pud Galvin, Cardinals

Top 10 in wins seven times and winning percentage five times. Top 10 in innings six times. Top 10 in walks allowed eleven times, including league high 113 in 1888. Top 10 in strikeouts eleven times including league high 236 in 1886. Top 10 in ERA seven times. Top 10 in fewest H/9 seven times. Top 10 in K/9 twelve times. Led league in quality starts in 1877 and again in 1886. Led league with 5 shutouts in 1877. Won 1880 Gold Glove.




Jim McCormick, Pirates

Won 1883 PoY Award. Led league with 21 wins in 1883 and Top 10 four times. Led league in innings pitched in 1878 and 1882 and finished Top 10 six times. Top 10 in strikeouts nine times. Led league in ERA in 1882 and 1883 and finished Top 10 six times. Led league with 0.99 WHIP in 1882 and finished Top 10 seven times. Top 10 in K/BB three times, HR/9 five times, H/9 seven times, BB/9 twice and K/9 seven times. Led league in quality starts in 1878 and 1882 and finished Top 10 six times. Finished second with 4 shutouts in both 1878 and 1882.




Harry Salisbury, Giants

1883 Fireman Award winner. Led league with 73 games pitched, 43 saves and 14 holds in 1889. Finished second or third in saves each season from 1880-1882.

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1892 Preseason Predictions

After winning 90+ games each of the past four seasons, the Phillies are coming off just their second pennant. They made no major moves during the offseason, but they don't feel like they needed to. Five of their eight regular starters have won Gold Gloves, and the remaining three regulars are strong defensively and could potentially win fielding awards in the near future. Their pitching staff is strong as usual, but the biggest key last season was the improved bullpen. With three current or former closers on staff, the team expects the improved bullpen results to continue.

Los Angeles also enters the season with high expectations. They finished tied for first last season before losing the one-game playoff to Philadelphia, and they won the two previous pennants. The team has one of the best offenses in the league, and their pitching staff, led by Sadie McMahon (18-9, 3.72 ERA) has exceeded expectations in recent seasons. An already solid bullpen gets a shot in the arm with rookie Brickyard Kennedy (6-6-6 ratings) moving into the setup role.

The rest of the league is intriguing. The Reds are coming off the best season in franchise history, in which they won 91 games and finished just 1.5-games out of first. That will be a tough act to follow as rookie closer Lee Viau (6-9, 27 Sv, 3.06 ERA) moves into the starting rotation and is replaced in the closer's role by Pretzels Getzien (7-3, 3 Sv, 2.53 ERA). Meanwhile, the Cardinals have added yet another strong pitcher to their rotation in rookie Nig Cuppy (6-6-8 ratings), who moves 36-year-old Old Hoss Radbourn (11-12, 4.60 ERA) into the bullpen's setup role. The offense's ability to produce runs consistently will be the key to St. Louis' season.

Then you have the Cubs and Pirates, both of whom feel as though they underperformed last season. The Cubs have a top-notch offense that didn't do its job last year. Their pitching staff has also underperformed in recent seasons. You should expect a better showing than their 74-88 record this time around. Pittsburgh is in a similar spot, although they have a few more holes in the offense and a slightly less dominant pitching staff. But it has been three straight seasons for Pittsburgh without a winning seasons, and they really didn't do anything this offseason to prevent a fourth.

As usual, many eyes will be on the Cubs due to the fact that long-time leader Cap Anson retired after a down season, leaving 28-year-old Patsy Tebeau (.288, 8 HR, 33 RBI, .769 OPS in 316 AB) to take over the first base job. Additionally, all-time hits leader Ross Barnes showed his age last season, hitting just .237 and relegated to a part-time role for most of the second half. Barnes, who turns 41 in May, would likely call it quits if he doesn't provide better results this season. Barnes is the only player to reach the 3,000 hit mark and he currently sits just 106 hits away from 3,500.





MLB results for 1892

Champs: Boston Beaneaters (Braves), (102-48, .680)

Batting Title: Dan Brouthers, BRO, .335
OPS+: Dan Brouthers, BRO, 179
AB/HR: Bug Holliday, CIN, 46.3
RBI: Dan Brouthers, BRO, 124
Runs: Cupid Childs, CLV, 136
SB: Monte Ward, BRO, 88

ERA+: Cy Young, CLV, 176
Win%: Cy Young, CLV and Mike Sullivan, CIN, .750
WHIP: Cy Young, CLV, 1.062
K/9: Brickyard Kennedy, BRO, 5.089 (rookie!)


Milestone Watch

3500 Hits
Ross Barnes, CHN, Age 40, 3394 hits

2500 Hits
Dan Brouthers, SFG, Age 34, 2453 hits
King Kelly, CIN, Age 35, 2352 hits

400 Home Runs
King Kelly, CIN, Age 35, 387 HR
Hardy Richardson, STL, Age 37, 373 HR

1500 Runs
Dan Brouthers, SFG, Age 34, 1430 runs

1000 Walks
Dan Brouthers, SFG, Age 34, 969 BB

500 Stolen Bases
Arlie Latham, STL, Age 33, 457 SB

250 Wins
Tommy Bond, LAD, Age 36, 232 wins

4000 Strikeouts
Fred Goldsmith, SFG, Age 39, 3990 K's

3500 Strikeouts
Terry Larkin, SFG, Age 35, 3410 K's

600 Games pitched
Fred Goldsmith, SFG, Age 39, 578 games
Hugh Daily, STL, Age 34, 564 games

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1892 Rookies

Nig Cuppy, SP, Age 22, Cardinals

The addition of Cuppy could give St. Louis the best starting rotation in the league, joining the likes of Cy Young and Amos Rusie. He has impeccable control and is a well-rounded pitcher in all aspects of the game. The unfortunate fact for him and the Cardinals is that the offense is still one of the meekest in the league. Cuppy could struggle for wins until the bats improve.




"Wee Willie" Keeler, RF, Age 20, Giants

San Francisco is going through a similar issue that affected the Cubs of the 1880's - they consistently add to their powerful offense while neglecting a weak and aging pitching staff. Keeler is the latest great hitter to join the team. His addition to the team will force Mike Tiernan to shift to a less familiar center field. Keeler lacks the power of San Francisco's other leading hitters but he brings an aspect of speed and a keen ability to get on base and put the ball in play. Those skills lend to the likelihood of his leading off the lineup. With several sluggers following him in the batting order, Keeler could top 100 runs scored this season.

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Starting a Twitter account for MLHR, where I will publish additional news that you don't see here in this thread.


Follow me @MLHistReplay


First tweet is sent!

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Mid-Season Report

After a seven year dry spell, the Cardinals are not only on pace for their first winning season since a second place finish in 1884 but they are leading the league. Their meager offense has been less meager than usual, ranking 2nd in batting average and 3rd in steals, but 5th in runs scored. Their pitching, however, has been as good as advertised. They rank 2nd overall, but their starters rank #1 in ERA. Amos Rusie leads the way with a 11-4 record and 1.92 ERA. Cy Young is right behind, going 8-4 with a 2.55 ERA. Rookie Nig Cuppy is more than holding his own, posting a 6-2 record and 3.06 ERA. However, the team's bullpen ranks 6th in the league and may require a change in the closer's role if they are to maintain their lead in the standings. Hugh Daily, who took over the role half way through last season, may lose the role a year later. So far he has blown 5 of 19 save opportunities and has a 5.01 ERA.

Meanwhile, the defending champion Phillies are poised to take over the league lead. They sit just 1 game behind St. Louis. Their offense is #1 in the league, thanks in large part to Ed Delahanty's league-leading .369 average, 110 hits, 29 doubles, 1.053 OPS and 61 RBI. Fellow outfielder Billy Hamilton leads the league with 56 runs scored, 34 stolen bases and 49 walks. In an odd turn of events, the Phillies bullpen has actually buoyed the pitching staff. They have the best bullpen ERA in the league at 2.99. The vaunted starting rotation is ranked 6th in the league, but if that improves as expected, the Phillies will be tough to beat.

Just a half game behind Philadelphia lurk the mighty Dodgers. Their offense is ranked 2nd in the league, and their pitching staff is 3rd. First baseman Bill Joyce (.296, 15 HR, 44 RBI) is having a fine season, and the pitching staff has been anchored by Sadie McMahon (10-5, 2.88 ERA) and Adonis Terry (9-5, 2.61 ERA).

If it weren't for St. Louis, the Atlanta Braves would be the biggest surprise of the season. The Braves have not had a winning season since finishing 82-80 in 1880 - twelve seasons ago. They are currently just 4 games above .500, and their offense ranks last in the league, but their pitching staff and defense are both ranked #1. Bill Sowders (11-4, 2.89 ERA) and Kid Nichols (6-9, 2.74 ERA) lead the pitching staff. Nichols leads the league with his 139 strikeouts.

The remaining four teams in the league are all disappointed so far with their first half play. All four had hopes of competing for the pennant, although some of those hopes were more realistic than others. Based on how the teams have performed so far statistically, only the Cubs have a legitimate shot at busting into the top of the league and contending in the second half. Chicago has the second worst team batting average, but they have scored the 3rd most runs, thanks mostly to an ability to steal bases and several power hitters in the middle of the lineup driving the ball out of the park. The pitching staff is ranked 4th and is led by Jocko Flynn, who is 7-6 so far this season with an impressive 2.44 ERA.

Cubs second baseman Ross Barnes started off cold in what could be his last season. He has heated up in June though, hitting .291. That raised his average to .247 on the season. He has accumulated 71 hits and sits just 35 shy of the 3,500 mark.


Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders

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Season Wrap-up

The standings remained tight throughout July, but the Dodgers took over first in August and created some separation thanks to a 17-12 record that month and a 14-14 August record for the Cardinals and a 12-17 record for the Phillies. The Dodgers duplicated that 17-12 record in September and went on to win their 4th pennant in 7 seasons. L.A.'s pitching staff was the difference for them down the stretch. They posted the best starters' ERA in the league, led by Adonis Terry's 2.92 ERA and 15-9 record. Offensively, four Dodgers hit 20+ home runs but third baseman Denny Lyons also led the team with a .286 average and 100 RBI.

The Cardinals were disappointed to fall short of the pennant, but they have to be happy with the 14-game improvement in their win-loss record over last season. They had the 2nd best starters' ERA in the league, and Amos Rusie (21-6, 2.17 ERA) had a monster season, leading the league in both wins and ERA. Centerfielder George Davis (.283, 32 HR, 99 RBI) had a breakout season as well at age 22.

The defending champion Phillies limped to the finish line with an 11-17 September record, falling to 3rd place and finishing 7 games behind L.A. Their offense was ranked first in the league, thanks largely to the incredible season had by RF Ed Delahanty, who led the league in OBP, SLG, OPS, doubles and triples. He also led the batting race for most of the season but fell short by 3 percentage points to Giants rookie Willie Keeler. Catcher Jack Clements also had a fine season, hitting .260 with 28 home runs and leading the league with 125 RBI. Philadelphia's downfall was a 6th ranked pitching staff that was expected to be a team strength. Despite the disappointment, starters Bill Vinton (16-14, 3.01 ERA) and Ben Sanders (17-12, 2.95 ERA) certainly did their part.

Chicago had yet another disappointing season, but Cubs great Ross Barnes made history by becoming the first player to collect 3,500 hits. The milestone hit was an RBI single on August 7th in Pittsburgh off Harry Staley in a 10-0 Cubs win over the Pirates. This season was full of milestones. In May, Giants first baseman Dan Brouthers collected his 2,500th hit and then on September 25th, he became the first player to reach the 500 home run mark when he hit a 2-run long ball off Billy Rhines in a 8-3 win at Cincinnati. In addition to those records, Dodgers starter Tommy Bond passed former Cubs ace Al Spalding for the most wins all time when he recorded his 244th victory on August 25th against the Phillies. Bond finished the season with 247 wins.


Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders

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Season Awards


Batter of the Year




Pitcher of the Year




Rookie of the Year




Fireman Award




Gold Gloves
P - Terry Larkin, SFG (2nd overall - first since inaugural 1876 season!!)
C - Jack Doyle, STL
1B - Jake Beckley, PIT
2B - Bobby Lowe, ATL
3B - Lave Cross, PHI (2nd consecutive)
SS - Ed McKean, CIN (2nd overall)
LF - Joe Kelley, ATL
CF - Mike Griffin, LAD
RF - Willie Keeler, SFG (rookie!)

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1893 Key Retirees - Hitters


Ross Barnes, 2B, Cubs

The greatest hitter of his day, Barnes was the first player to reach either 3,000 or 3,500 hits. He also won the league's first 6 batting titles, as well as another in 1887. He led the league in hits 12 times and doubles 7 times. He finished in the Top 10 for triples eleven times, stolen bases seven times and runs ten times - leading the league in each category once. He was Top 10 in RBI five times and slugging seven times. In addition to his seven batting titles, he led the league in OBP three times and OPS once.

As of the end of the 1892 season, Barnes held the following single season records:

Batting average: .392 in 1878
OBP: .477 in 1877
VORP: 107.8 in 1877
AB: 711 in 1889
Hits: 265 in 1878
Singles: 184 in 1878
Doubles: 62 in 1877
WAR: 12.6 in 1878

Here are the all-time records he holds:

Batting average: .325
Games: 2604
AB: 10,933
Runs: 1643
Hits: 3553
TB: 4998
Singles: 2543
Doubles: 746
Triples: 93
CS: 154
WAR: 112.8




Fred Dunlap, 2B, Pirates

1882 Gold Glover. Top 10 in doubles and triples four times each, and RBI three times. Finished 5th in the batting race in 1887. Top 10 in slugging twice and OPS once.




Emil Gross, C, Dodgers

Finished 2nd in 1883 batting race.




Billy O'Brien, 1B, Dodgers

The slugging O'Brien led the league in home runs twice, including a career high 52 in 1885. He also finished 2nd or 3rd in HR three additional times. He led the league in RBI twice and ISO four times. He finished in the Top 10 in SLG five times and OPS twice.




Hardy Richardson, 2B, Cardinals

Five time Gold Glove winner. Finished in the Top 10 in home runs eight times and RBI four times, including a league best 119 in 1891. Led the league in walks twice and finished Top 10 seven more times. Finished 2nd in hits with 208 in 1879. Finished in the Top 10 for OBP and SLG four times each, and OPS five times. Led the league in strikeouts three times and finished Top 10 ten additional times. Retired as the all-time leader in walks with 1036 and strikeouts with 2359, although both records will soon be broken by San Francisco's Dan Brouthers. He also has by far the most home runs of any second baseman so far in the league's 17-year history.




Monte Ward, SS, Dodgers

Won 1881 Gold Glove. Set the single season stolen base record five times, although it has since been broken by Philadelphia's Billy Hamilton. He holds the all-time stolen base record with 721, leading second place Arlie Latham of St. Louis by 247 steals! He led the league in steals in each of his first 10 seasons. Finished Top 10 in hits twice, triples three times, runs three times and strikeouts four times.

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1893 Key Retirees - Pitchers


Fred Goldsmith, Giants

Goldsmith was as hard a thrower as there comes. What he lacked in finesse he made up for with firepower. Goldsmith is the only pitcher to record over 290 strikeouts in a season, doing it five times! He surpassed 300 four times, including a record 338 in 1882. He was the first pitcher to surpass either 3,000 or 4,000 K's, finishing with a record 4,102 K's. As you would expect, he also holds the single season record for K's per IP with a rate of 12.43 in 1882. He led the league in K's six times and K/9 eight times. Goldsmith won the 1882 PoY Award, leading the league with 22 wins. He finished Top 10 in wins an additional 3 times. He also finished Top 10 in innings pitched, ERA and WHIP six times each, but he also finished Top 10 in losses four times, HR allowed five times and walks six times. He led the league with the best K/BB ratio in 1881 and finished Top 10 eight additional times. He twice led the league in shutouts and finished Top 10 in quality starts eight times, including a league high 27 in 1876.




Tim Keefe, Giants

Keefe never quite lived up to his MLB career, where he had a career ERA+ of 170. In MLHR, that career ERA+ was just 98. He led the league with 20 wins in 1884, and finished Top 10 an additional four times. He twice led the league in strikeouts, but also once in walks. He was Top 10 in ERA and WHIP three times each. He also finished Top 10 in K/9 ten times.

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1893 Rookies

Jimmy Bannon, RF, Age 21, Cardinals

Bannon is part of an exciting influx of new offensive talent for St. Louis. He will immediately take the starting job in right field and bat 3rd in the lineup. He plays solid defense and has good speed to go along with an explosive bat. He and his fellow Cardinal rookies could be all the team needs to become a pennant favorite.




Bill Lange, CF, Age 21, Cubs

Lange has the unenviable task of taking over the starting second baseman's job from Chicago legend Ross Barnes. However, only the Cubs would be able to replace a Hall of Famer with another young hitter with nearly identical potential. Lange is not the same type of hitter as Barnes, but he could have similar impact on the team. While Barnes hit for a higher average and accumulated many extra-base hits, Lange will hit for more home run power and steal a lot more bases. Barnes was better defensively in the infield, but Lange actually has the distinction of being a fine defensive outfielder and centerfield is his primary position. However, he may never see the outfield due to the team's glut of talent there.

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1893 Preseason Predictions

After winning their fourth pennant in seven seasons, the Dodgers enter the 1893 season as favorites once again. They have a strong offensive duo in third baseman Denny Lyons (.286, 25 HR, 100 RBI) and first baseman Bill Joyce (.268, 27 HR, 86 RBI). They also boast a solid defensive alignment and a strong pitching staff anchored by one of the league's top closers, John Cattanach (2-4, 45 Sv, 1.17 ERA).

The Phillies will give the Dodgers a run for their money, as always. The team expects to perform much better than last year after their pitching rotation had disappointing results. Ed Delahanty (.331, 24 HR, 122 RBI) should have another great season, and may actually do better as he finally moves to his favored spot in left field after 777 career starts in right field. Centerfielder Billy Hamilton's numbers (.286, 12 HR, 60 RBI, 122 R, 63 SB) should improve, and new right fielder Tuck Turner (8-7-5-6-7 ratings) should be a nice addition to the lineup, where he will bat 5th behind slugging catcher Jack Clements (.260, 28 HR, 125 RBI).

While no one should be surprised this season to see the Cardinals field a competitive team, they may be surprised to see just how competitive they are. They already have perhaps the best pitching rotation in the game, and this offseason they added several new bats to the offense that should go a long way in helping their reach their goal of winning their first pennant since 1879. The top new hitter is right fielder Jimmy Bannon (8-8-7-6-6 ratings), who will hit 3rd. Batting behind him in the cleanup role will be left fielder Charlie Frank (7-6-7-7-8 ratings). The team also added Duff Cooley (7-6-5-5-7 ratings) in centerfield, moving 22-year-old George Davis (.283, 32 HR, 99 RBI) to second base to replace retired veteran Hardy Richardson. If that wasn't enough, the Cards are also adding catcher Art Twineham (8-4-5-4-6, 8 defense) to the team, which places last year's catcher "Dirty Jack" Doyle (.283, 17 HR, 79 RBI) into a super-sub role, splitting time between catcher, first base, second base and right field, at least until a permanent job at first base opens up. With the proper run support, it will be fun to watch what kind of numbers the pitching trio of Cy Young, last season's PoY Amos Rusie and Nig Cuppy can put up.




MLB results for 1893

Champs: Boston Beaneaters (Braves), (86-43, .667)

Batting Title: Billy Hamilton, PHI, .380
OPS+: Billy Hamilton, PHI, 167
AB/HR: Jack Clements, PHI, 22.1
RBI: Ed Delahanty, PHI, 146
Runs: Herman Long, BSN, 149
SB: Tom Brown, LOU, 66

ERA+: Ted Breitenstein, STL, 148
Win%: Hank Gastright, PIT/BSN, .750
WHIP: Kid Nichols, BSN, 1.280
K/9: Amos Rusie, NYG, 3.884


Milestone Watch

2500 Hits
King Kelly, CIN, Age 36, 2497 hits

500 Home Runs
Roger Connor, SFG, Age 36, 481 HR

1500 RBI
Dan Brouthers, SFG, Age 35, 1490 RBI
Roger Connor, SFG, Age 36, 1437 RBI

500 Stolen Bases
Arlie Latham, STL, Age 34, 474 SB

250 Wins
Tommy Bond, LAD, Age 37, 247 wins
Terry Larkin, SFG, Age 36, 235 wins

4000 Strikeouts
Tommy Bond, LAD, Age 37, 3864 K's

300 Saves
John Cattanach, LAD, Age 30, 276 Sv
Will Sawyer, PIT, Age 29, 276 Sv

700 Games pitched
The Only Nolan, PIT, Age 36, 654 games

600 Games pitched
Myron Allen, SFG, Age 35, 590 games
Tommy Bond, LAD, Age 37, 559 games

[darnoff]

Mid-Season Report

It's fair to say that the Phillies are red-hot so far this season. They have a 12-game lead half way through. Their offense is ranked 1st in the league, just like last season. The difference is that their pitching staff, currently ranked 1st as well, is performing at the level they expected last year. Bill Vinton (11-3, 2.58 ERA) and Charlie Ferguson (12-4, 2.21 ERA) are having fine seasons. Cannonball Titcomb (6-2, 15 Sv, 2.93 ERA) is much more reliable than he was at this point last season. Ed Delahanty (.346, 19 HR, 73 RBI) and Jack Clements (.277, 13 HR, 55 RBI) are once again leading the offense, while rookie right fielder Tuck Turner (.339, 7 HR, 45 RBI) is off to a hot start as well. All of those factors mean it will be quite difficult for anyone to catch Philadelphia this season.

St. Louis is on pace for a better season than last year, and yet they are still 12 games out of first. Their offense has improved to 3rd overall. John McGraw (.300, 47 R, 25 SB) is getting things started at the top of the lineup, and rookies Charlie Frank (.325, 8 HR, 34 RBI) and Art Twineham (.300, 4 HR, 26 RBI) are producing in the middle. Their vaunted pitching staff is ranked 2nd, but there is room to grow with aces Cy Young (9-7, 4.31 ERA) and Amos Rusie (7-6, 4.07 ERA) underperforming.

The Dodgers have the 2nd ranked offense, and a pitching staff that is tied with St. Louis for 2nd overall. Gold Glove centerfielder Mike Griffin (.300, 10 HR, 36 RBI) is having a career season at the plate. Bill Joyce (.262, 19 HR, 67 RBI) leads the team in homers and RBI. Sadie McMahon (11-2, 2.52 ERA) has been lights out, but closer Jack Cattanach (2-6, 14 Sv, 4.50 ERA) has struggled. Although he's not having his best season, 37-year-old Tommy Bond (5-5, 5.54 ERA), one of only three remaining players from the league's inaugural 1876 season, became the first pitcher to reach 250 wins after a 4-1 win over San Francisco on June 6th.

While it's clear that the Giants are struggling, the team is concerned with how quickly their veterans have aged. After recording his 500th career homer in the final week last season, Dan Brouthers has scuffled this year, batting .222 with 12 HR and 45 RBI. Other Giants are struggling as well, namely Roger Connor (.240, 13 HR, 38 RBI) and Mickey Welch (3-8, 8.05 ERA).


Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders

[darnoff]

Season Wrap-up

This was quite simply the Phillies' year. They finished with the 2nd most wins in NL history behind the 1880 Cardinals who won 111 games. Their pitching staff finished with two 20 game winners, Bill Vinton (21-6, 2.70 ERA) and Charlie Ferguson (20-9, 2.84 ERA), and a 19-game winner, Ben Sanders (19-8, 3.30 ERA). The offense led the league with a .275 team average and .338 OBP, but they were surprisingly only 5th in home runs. While they performed well enough to win the pennant, the bullpen was once again a weak spot, finishing 4th in the league with a 3.77 ERA.

Dodgers ace Sadie McMahon set a franchise record with 23 wins, and his 2.69 ERA was 5th best in franchise history. As for the Cardinals, the team's crop of rookies helped the offense to an overall #2 ranking. Right fielder Jimmy Bannon led the team with 22 home runs and 110 RBI. The Cubs offense also featured some big seasons by rookies. Second baseman Bill Lange led the team with a .314 average, while first baseman Tom Parrott hit .292 and led the team with 27 HR and 101 RBI.

More milestones were reached this season. Giants third baseman Roger Connor (.250, 28 HR, 100 RBI) joined teammate Dan Brouthers as the only members of the 500 HR club. Meanwhile, Pirates closer Will Sawyer and Dodgers closer John Cattanach both reached the 300 save mark, joining former Cardinals reliever Bill McGunnigle as the only pitchers to reach that number.

Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders

[darnoff]

Season Awards

"Big Ed" Delahanty has won his 5th BoY, and teammate Bill Vinton has won his 3rd PoY! Vinton has won the PoY every other year now for five seasons, winning in odd years only... interesting. Delahanty also won his first Gold Glove in his first season in left field. He had made it clear to the team over the past few seasons that he very much preferred to play in left. Clearly, it was the right move.

The RoY vote was tight, with several hitters making the vote a tight one. St. Louis' Charlie Frank narrowly beat the Phillies Tuck Turner (.313, 34 2B, 14 HR, 91 RBI), Chicago's Tom Parrott (.292, 27 HR, 101 RBI) and L.A.'s Bill Lange (.314, 87 R, 42 SB).

To look at Pirates' closer Will Sawyer's career numbers, it is surprising that he has never won a Fireman's Award before this season. He finished second in the voting several times before.


Batter of the Year




Pitcher of the Year




Rookie of the Year




Fireman Award




Gold Gloves
P - Bill Sowders, ATL
C - Art Twineham, STL
1B - Henry Larkin, PHI (NL record 6th overall!)
2B - Danny Richardson, SFG (2nd overall)
3B - Lave Cross, PHI (3rd consecutive)
SS - Hughie Jennings, LAD (2nd overall)
LF - Ed Delahanty, PHI
CF - Steve Brodie, ATL
RF - Sam Thompson, CIN (NL record 5th overall!)

[darnoff]

1894 Key Retirees - Hitters


Jerry Denny, 3B/2B, Dodgers

1883 Gold Glove winner at Third Base. Power hitter with surprisingly good glove at 3rd, but was forced to move to 2nd when Denny Lyons joined the team in 1885. Led league in strikeouts in 1884.




George Gore, CF, Cubs

Solid ballplayer who could never find a regular role in Chicago's loaded lineup. Led league with 103 walks and 4th in OBP in 1886.




King Kelly, 3B, Reds

Broke in as right fielder in 1878 then moved to third base the next season, where he remained for the rest of his career. 1878 RoY. Won 1886 batting and OBP titles. Led league in SLG in 1878. Finished Top 10 in batting average a total of eight times, OBP seven times, SLG eleven times and OPS ten times. Finished Top 10 in hits six times, doubles five times, triples five times, home runs five times and total bases nine times. Also finished Top 10 in stolen bases fourteen times including three second place finishes. Finished Top 10 in RBI eight times, runs seven times and walks three times. Currently 5th all-time with 2,599 hits, 4th all-time with 1,456 runs, 4th all-time with 4,458 total bases, tied for 4th all-time with 424 home runs, 4th all-time with 1,435 RBI and 4th all-time with 447 stolen bases. All this while playing in a pretty mediocre Reds lineup.




Bid McPhee, 2B, Reds

Two time Gold Glove winner. Finished Top 5 in stolen bases eight times. Retired as 5th all-time with 396 steals. Led league in triples in 1883. Finished Top 10 in runs and walks four times each.

[darnoff]

1894 Key Retirees - Pitchers


Larry Corcoran, Cubs

1891 Fireman Award winner. As a starter, finished 2nd with .714 winning percentage in 1881 but also led the league in losses in 1883. Had a penchant for allowing the long ball, finishing in the Top 3 six times. Also led the league in walks in 1885. However, he was a hard thrower with a knack for strikeouts, finishing Top 10 in K/9 eight times, including a league best 10.59 in 1886. That ability is what made him a good closer, recording more saves in six seasons than he had wins the previous eight.




Terry Larkin, Giants

1876 RoY and 1881 PoY. Also won two Gold Gloves. He was a steady starting pitcher for many years, but possibly hung on too long due to the Giants' pathetic lack of pitching depth. Led league with 21 wins in 1881 and 16 shutouts in 1885. Finished Top 10 in wins seven times. Led league in walks allowed twice, but also led the league with a 2.17 ERA in 1881. Finished Top 10 in strikeouts nine times and K/9 eight times. Top 10 in quality starts five times and shutouts seven times, twice leading the league.




Tony Mullane, Reds

1881 RoY and 1886 PoY. Top 10 in wins four times, but also losses five times. Led league with 2.70 ERA in 1886 and finished Top 10 five times. Led league in innings pitched twice. Twice led league with fewest H/9 allowed. Led league in 1883 with 24 quality starts. Led league in 1888 with 11 complete games. Led league three times in shutouts. Finished Top 10 in K's six times, WHIP five times, K/BB five times and K/9 eight times.

[darnoff]

1894 Rookies

Jimmy Callahan, SP, Age 19, Phillies

A fine young pitcher with great control. He slides into the #5 slot in perhaps the best rotation in the league. Starting his career at just 19, he could post a lot of wins over the years with an offense like this.




Fred Clarke, LF, Age 21, Pirates

A well-rounded hitter who excels defensively, this MLB Hall of Famer will bat cleanup for the Pirates. Their lineup is looking better every year. Now, if only they could recruit some young quality pitchers.




Jesse Tannehill, SP, Age 19, Reds

Tanny is yet another exciting young pitcher added over the past few seasons. He will immediately be asked to lead the Reds rotation. The big question will be whether or not the team will score enough runs for him to be successful.




Bobby Wallace, Age 20, Cardinals

An MLB Hall of Famer known primarily for his defense, Wallace doesn't translate quite as well to the MLHR world. The Cardinals will move John McGraw to his more comfortable position of 3rd base where he excels defensively, but Wallace's bat will determine how much playing time he will get in St. Louis.

[darnoff]

1894 Preseason Predictions

The Phillies will field essentially the same team as last year's 109-win club with one crucial difference: rookie Jimmy Callahan takes over the #5 slot in the rotation allowing 33-year-old John Clarkson (14-11, 4.49 ERA) to take his skills to the closers role and bumping Cannonball Titcomb (6-5, 39 Sv, 3.14 ERA) to a setup role that should better suit him. This is a good move for the team. Their bullpen has long been a weakness, and Clarkson's addition should strengthen the pen from top to bottom.

The Dodgers are still among the top teams in contention, but they made no major additions during the offseason. On the other hand, their pitching staff continues to age. They may need to push this season if they want to add a 5th pennant to their trophy case before age gets the better of them.

The Cardinals are in a different place in their development. The core of their team is quite young, and the offensive additions they made last season proved to be key. Adding Bobby Wallace at shortstop and moving John McGraw to third base will improve their defense. The question is whether or not they have what it takes to surpass the Phillies.

The Cubs, Reds and Pirates all have second tier offenses. They are talented but not quite to the level of the Phillies or Dodgers. The question for these teams is whose pitching staff will give them the edge, and will any of that be enough to propel one of them into contention.

The Braves have some isolated talent, but several of their above-average hitters are now in their 30's with no help on the horizon. The Giants once-vaunted offense has aged quite significantly with four regulars age 35 or older. The pitching staff is the worst in the league. They have a solid closer in Jack Sharrott (5-5, 34 Sv, 2.96 ERA) and three intriguing but not earth-shattering starting pitchers in Red Donahue (13-12, 3.76 ERA), Jouett Meekin (7-18, 5.50 ERA) and rookie Win Mercer (4-6-8 ratings). But they will need much more than that to avoid another decade at the bottom of the league.




MLB results for 1894

Champs: Baltimore Orioles (defunct), (89-39, .695)

Batting Title: Hugh Duffy, BSN, .440 (all-time single season record, wow!)
OPS+: Sam Thompson, PHI, 182
AB/HR: Bill Joyce, WHS, 20.9
RBI: Sam Thompson, PHI, 147
Runs: Billy Hamilton, PHI, 198 (also an all-time single season record!)
SB: Billy Hamilton, PHI, 100

ERA+: Amos Rusie, NYG, 188
Win%: Jouett Meekin, NYG, .786
WHIP: Amos Rusie, NYG, 1.410
K/9: Amos Rusie, NYG, 3.953


MLHR Milestone Watch

2500 Hits
Roger Connor, SFG, Age 37, 2323 hits

400 Home Runs
Buck Ewing, SFG, Age 35, 389 HR

1000 Runs
Arlie Latham, STL, Age 35, 977 Runs
Sam Thompson, CIN, Age 34, 909 Runs

500 Stolen Bases
Arlie Latham, STL, Age 35, 484 SB

250 Wins
Tommy Bond, LAD, Age 37, 247 wins
Terry Larkin, SFG, Age 36, 235 wins

2500 Strikeouts
Lady Baldwin, CIN, Age 34, 2406 K
Charlie Ferguson, PHI, Age 31, 2334 K

300 Saves
John Cattanach, LAD, Age 30, 276 Sv
Will Sawyer, PIT, Age 29, 276 Sv

700 Games pitched
The Only Nolan, PIT, Age 37, 674 games
Hugh Daily, STL, Age 36, 669 games
Myron Allen, SFG, Age 36, 653 games

600 Games pitched
Tommy Bond, LAD, Age 38, 591 games

[darnoff]

Mid-Season Report

Surprisingly, the Giants went on a 13-game winning streak to end the month of April and found themselves in first place. Inevitably, they came back to Earth, but are still outperforming expectations. They're just 2 games below .500 with the 2nd best scoring offense. Mike Tiernan has stood out, hitting .331 with 20 HR and 59 RBI. They were doing well in April because their pitching staff was performing better than usual, but they have slid now that the staff has dropped to 7th overall.

The defending champion Phillies currently reside in first place with an offense and pitching staff both ranked first in the league. Four regular Phillies are hitting over .300, led by sophomore Tuck Turner's .328 average. Three Phillies starting pitchers have already recorded 10 wins on the season, each with sub-3.00 ERA's - Bill Vinton (10-2, 2.86 ERA), Charlie Ferguson (10-2, 2.46 ERA) and Ben Sanders (10-3), who leads the league with his 2.23 ERA.

Meanwhile, the Cardinals have scuffled thus far, although no blame can be placed on Cy Young (12-1, 2.42 ERA), who is having his best season so far. The team's offense has struggled up to this point, and the bullpen has blown up. Closer Hugh Daily (3-7, 16 Sv, 7.43 ERA) has been removed from the role.


Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders

[darnoff]

Season Wrap-up

Despite a fairly tight first half, the Phillies swept the Dodgers in a 3-game set the final week of August and again the second week of September to put the division race to bed. Cardinals fans thought their team had one last shot as the Dodgers swooned, but the Cards dropped 8 of 10 games from September 17th through 27th to seal the division for Philadelphia. This marks the first time the Phillies have won back-to-back pennants, and it validates the sentiment that many writers had when they said six seasons ago that the Phillies might be a dynasty after winning their first pennant in 1888. They lost the pennant the next two seasons, but since 1891 - with basically the same team they had in 1888 - the Phils have won 3 of 4 pennants.

Ed Delahanty was amazing as ever, hitting .303 with 28 homers and 124 RBI. The pitching staff had three starters with sub-3.00 ERA's, but none were better than Ben Sanders (17-6, 2.20 ERA), who led the league in ERA.

Dodgers first baseman Bill Joyce further separated himself from all other run producers not named Delahanty. He hit .285 with a league high 45 homers plus 123 RBI. After Jack Cattanach (11-9, 20 Sv, 4.29) struggled enough during the first half to be removed from the closer's role - a role he had held for nine previous seasons - long time starter Tommy Bond stepped in, going 7-5 with 21 saves and a 2.80 ERA.

The St. Louis offense slid to 5th overall, and their pitching staff - though ranked 2nd - wasn't as dominant as last season. Despite a rough August, Cy Young (18-7, 2.73 ERA) had a fine season.

The Cubs had four regulars with 20+ home runs. First baseman Tom Parrott (.292, 32 HR, 109 RBI) has proven to be a dominant force in the lineup in just his second season.


Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders