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

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1897 Key Retirees - Batters


Billy Nash, Braves

4-time Gold Glover. Led league in walks in 1884 and finished Top 10 six times. Top 10 in triples and OBP three times.




Tommy Tucker, Braves

Won 1890 Gold Glove.

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1897 Key Retirees - Pitchers


Lady Baldwin, Reds

Top 10 in wins three times and losses eight times, including a league high 19 in 1895. Led league in strikeouts three times and finished Top 10 eleven times. Led league in WHIP in 1885 and finished Top 10 three times. Led league in K/BB three times and finished Top 10 ten times. Led league in K/9 four times and finished Top 10 eleven times. Led league in fewest H/9 in 1891 and finished Top 10 three times. Finished Top 10 in BB/9 six times and shutouts four times.




John Clarkson, Phillies

1885 Gold Glove winner and 1895 Fireman Award winner. Top 10 in wins three times and losses four times. Finished Top 10 in winning percentage four times. Led league in saves in 1895. Led league in fewest H/9 in 1885 and finished Top 10 seven times. Top 10 in innings five times, strikeouts ten times, ERA three times, WHIP four times, K/BB seven times, RA/9 four times, K/9 twelve times, quality starts three times, complete games six times and shutouts six times.




Hardie Henderson, Phillies

Led league in saves in 1888.




Matt Kilroy, Cubs

Top 10 in wins four times, losses four times, walks seven times and HR/9 six times.

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1897 Preseason Predictions

So far, age has not played a factor with the Phillies. As long as that remains true, they will be heavily favored to win their 5th straight pennant. Three of their five starting pitchers and four of their eight regular position players are aged 30 and up. However, they added another young arm to their increasingly strong bullpen in 22-year-old Tully Sparks (7-6-6 ratings).

If anyone can unseat the Phillies, it is St. Louis. They have the potential for the best pitching staff in the game. If they can get great seasons from all five of their talented pitchers, they could be hard for Philadelphia to beat. Their offense tied Atlanta for 3rd best last season. There's no reason to expect any less from them this season. The team is still quite young, but after consecutive second place finishes, the time for claiming their first pennant since 1879 could be now.

The Cubs had the #2 offense and #3 pitching staff in the game last season. No one doubts their offense but the biggest question is whether or not their pitching staff can repeat last year's strong performance. Clark Griffith (14-11, 3.19 ERA) and Gus Krock (13-10, 3.52 ERA) both had career years, so some regression in performance is to be expected.

The Dodgers were unhappy with last season's 4th place performance. They expect more from both their offense and pitching staff. If key players, such as leadoff man Hughie Jennings (.244, 75 R, 34 SB) and ace Sadie McMahon (12-11, 3.90 ERA) produce results more in line with what the team is accustomed to seeing, the Dodgers could be a serious pennant challenger.

The truly interesting teams to watch this season could very well be Atlanta and Pittsburgh. The Braves made some big strides last season, and they added first baseman Charlie Hickman (7-8-8-4-5 ratings) in the offseason. He will be their first true slugger in over a decade, taking them back to when John O'Rourke (.270 career average, 424 HR, 1203 RBI) was in his prime. They expect a bounce-back season from ace Kid Nichols (16-10, 3.81 ERA), but the true test will be whether or not the rest of the rotation can carry its weight.

As for the Pirates, they made a big splash this offseason by adding HOF'ers Honus Wagner and Rube Waddell. Wagner will bat 3rd in the lineup and instantly make their offense one to fear. Waddell becomes their ace and can potentially lead that unit to new heights.


Predicted Standings

Rank	Team	Rotation	Bullpen	Offense	Bench	Speed	Defense	Totals	Grade
1	Philadelphia Phillies	10	8	10	8	7	9	9.1	A-
2	St. Louis Cardinals	10	10	8	7	8	8	8.8	A-
3	Chicago Cubs	7	7	9	9	9	9	8.2	B+
4	Pittsburgh Pirates	8	9	8	6	7	8	8.0	B+
5	Los Angeles Dodgers	8	7	8	8	6	8	7.7	B+
6	Atlanta Braves	7	5	8	8	6	8	7.1	B
7	Cincinnati Reds	6	5	7	9	4	8	6.5	B-
8	San Francisco Giants	6	4	6	8	7	4	5.5	C+

MLB results for 1897

Champs: Boston Beaneaters (Braves), (93-39, .705)

Batting Title: Willie Keeler, BLN, .424
OPS+: Fred Clarke, LOU, 166
AB/HR: Mike Grady, PHI/STL, 42.4
RBI: George Davis, NYG, 135
Runs: Billy Hamilton, BSN, 152
SB: Bill Lange, CHC, 73

ERA+: Kid Nichols, BSN, 168
Win%: Fred Klobedanz, BSN, .788
WHIP: Kid Nichols, BSN, 1.168
K/9: Cy Seymour, CHC, 4.898


MLHR Milestone Watch

600 Home Runs
Roger Connor, SFG, Age 40, 589 HR
Dan Brouthers, SFG, Age 39, 584 HR

1000 Walks
Pete Browning, PIT, Age 36, 956 BB
Denny Lyons, LAD, Age 32, 946 BB
Billy Hamilton, PHI, Age 32, 919 BB
Cupid Childs, PHI, Age 30, 914 BB

700 Stolen Bases
Billy Hamilton, PHI, Age 32, 631 SB

200 Wins
Bill Vinton, PHI, Age 32, 198 wins
Ed Morris, PIT, Age 35, 184 wins

3000 Strikeouts
Charlie Ferguson, PHI, Age 34, 2997 K's
John Ewing, SFG, Age 34, 2820 K's

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Mid-Season Report

The upstart Pirates got off to a hot 17-4 start in April, but then dropped 5 straight en route to a 10-18 record in May. At the end of June, they're ranked 4th in both offense and defense. Rube Waddell has been the star of the rookie class, posting a 10-3 record while leading the league in strikeouts. His 10 wins are also tied for best in the league, and his 2.28 ERA is 3rd best. Unfortunately, he has been one of the only bright spots on the pitching staff. Alex Jones (8-5, 4.53 ERA) was pulled from the rotation and all-time saves leader Will Sawyer (1-7, 17 Sv, 4.91 ERA) was removed from the closer's role for the first time since 1885 - twelve years ago! The team's offense is 2nd in batting average and 3rd in OBP, but they are tied for last with just 62 home runs.

Since the Pirates early season swoon, the Phillies and Cardinals took charge. St. Louis currently sits in first place, but Philadelphia is just a half game behind thanks to a 10-2 record over the final two weeks of June. The Cardinals pitching staff has finally showed the potential the organization has long hoped for. Cy Young (4-4, 2.12 ERA) and Amos Rusie (9-2, 2.26 ERA) pace the league in ERA. While the bullpen ranks 2nd in overall ERA, closer George Davies (2-5, 20 Sv, 4.19 ERA) has been removed from the role in favor of hard throwing rookie Jack Powell (5-0, 1.57 ERA in 51.2 IP). The team's offense is ranked 3rd and getting overall strong performances from their core members.

As for Philly, they rank 2nd in both offense and pitching. Surprisingly, the offense is tied with the Pirates for last in home runs. Typically, a lack of home runs wouldn't be too big of a concern for this team because they win primarily thanks to high batting average, high OBP and speed. But this season, they are ranked just 4th in team batting average, although they still lead the league in OBP. Another concern is the fact that the team's vaunted pitching rotation has just the 4th best ERA among starting pitchers. Rookie Tully Sparks (6-1, 1.64 ERA in 49.1 IP) has been fantastic in the bullpen, earning him a promotion to the rotation in place of struggling veteran Charlie Ferguson (6-6, 5.12 ERA).

The Cubs offense continues to impress, ranked 1st in the league. Right fielder Jake Stenzel (.341, 10 HR, 56 RBI, 29 SB), left fielder Hugh Duffy (.324, 10 HR, 61 RBI), centerfielder Bill Lange (.331, 39 RBI, 58 R, 23 SB) and third baseman Bill Everitt (.307, 7 HR, 59 R) lead the charge. However, the pitching staff has struggled as many feared. They rank 5th in the league with sophomore Buttons Briggs (6-2, 3.46 ERA) their best performer.

Despite their struggles, the Dodgers and Braves do have some bright spots. Dodger first baseman and 1894 BoY Bill Joyce is having a season nearly on par with his BoY season. He is hitting .283 with 18 homers and his .946 OPS is second in the league. Dodgers pitcher Doc McJames (5-4, 3.16 ERA) is 5th in the league in ERA and Jack Cronin (9-4, 3.41 ERA) is tied for 3rd in wins.

On the Braves side, the team is ranked a surprising 3rd in pitching thanks in large part to Kid Nichols (6-8, 3.18 ERA) and Kid Madden (6-8, 3.28 ERA). After four rocky seasons in the starting rotation, Madden has put together back-to-back strong seasons. He was 16-10 with a 3.13 ERA last season. However, the Braves offense - expected to be their primary strength - has flopped and is ranked 7th. Just about every regular in the lineup has performed below expectations. One encouraging note is that rookie first baseman Charlie Hickman has begun to heat up after a slow start. He hit .268 with 7 homers, 24 RBI and a .854 OPS in June to bring his season totals up to .249 with 15 HR and 55 RBI.

Giants 40-year-old third baseman Roger Connor has hung on long enough to become the first player to hit 600 home runs. Connor, in what will almost certainly be his final year, is hitting just .193 in 212 at-bats, but he has hit 12 homers. The record-setting blast came on June 17th in the 9th inning off Phillies closer Jerry Nops (2-2, 18 SV, 2.94 ERA). The shot tied the game at 9-9, and the Giants went on to win 13-10 in the 10th. Connor's long-time teammate Dan Brouthers is on pace to hit his 600th long ball this season as well. Brouthers is currently hitting .230 with 8 home runs. He needs 8 more to reach 600, but he will likely lose playing time to younger players as the season wears on. Despite their recent struggles, Connor and Brouthers are two of the finest hitters in MLHR history. Both have been begged to remain on the roster by Giants brass due to the fact that the team has a pathetically thin reserve roster and few options for replacements.


Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders

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Season Wrap-up

By the end of July, the Phillies had taken a 4-game lead over the Cardinals. However, the redbirds never gave up and they remained close to the Phillies for the remainder of the season. On October 1st with 3 games remaining in the season, the Cardinals trailed Philadelphia by three games. The Phillies defeated San Francisco that day while the Cards lost to the Pirates, handing the Phillies a 5th straight pennant. No other MLHR team has ever won more that three straight. The question moving forward in MLHR is, who can finally unseat Philadelphia?

The Phillies are clearly MLHR's first true dynasty, and they are showing no signs of slowing down. They finished the season with the #1 offense and #2 pitching staff. Sophomore Ned Garvin (21-7, 2.77 ERA) led the league in wins and, after just two seasons, has put himself in the conversation on who the best pitcher in MLHR is right now. He turns 24 in January and should only continue to get better. Centerfielder Billy Hamilton went steal crazy, swiping 14 in September to finish the season with exactly 700 on his career - second most all-time. He is now just 21 behind the all-time mark set by Monte Ward. Hamilton (.328, 124 R, 112 BB, 69 SB) also won his second straight batting title, narrowly defeating Chicago's Bill Lange and teammate Nap Lajoie.

The Cardinals finished within 4 games of the Phils despite a 4th ranked offense. The team's pitching finally had dominant performances from both Cy Young (14-9, 2.42 ERA) and Amos Rusie (15-7, 2.92 ERA) in the same season. The two aces finished first and fifth in the league in ERA respectively.

The Cubs led the league in offense and had an impressive .273 team batting average. They also led the league in stolen bases. However, the pitching staff flopped to 5th overall and likely cost the team a chance to truly compete for the pennant. It sounds like a broken record, but here we are 22 seasons in and still talking about the Cubs needing more pitching to compliment an explosive offense. *Sigh*

Pittsburgh's Rube Waddell made his case for Rookie of the Year, going 16-7 with a 2.55 ERA. He not only led the league in strikeouts as a rookie, but his 309 K's were third best all-time for a single season. He is also the first pitcher other than Fred Goldsmith to surpass 290 K's in a season. Goldsmith did it five times, setting the all-time mark of 338 in 1882. Waddell also led the league, not surprisingly, in K per 9 innings. What was amazing though, is that his 11.57 ratio was nearly a full 2 points ahead of 2nd place Ed Doheny of the Giants.

Meanwhile, Atlanta rookie Charlie Hickman had a fine second half and finished with a .260 average, 29 home runs and 100 RBI. His home run total was good enough for 6th in the league.

In San Francisco, the team's 108 losses were the second most in league history next to the 1880 Phillies who lost a whopping 119 games. Giants first baseman Dan Brouthers joined teammate Roger Connor in the 600 home run club on September 8th when he hit a 2-out solo shot off Pirates starter Bill Hoffer in the 4th inning of a 4-3 loss in Pittsburgh. No one knows if either Connor or Brouthers will return next season. If they do not, Connor will retire as #1 and Brouthers as #2 in career home runs and career RBI.


Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders




Records

Career At-bats: Dan Brouthers, SFG, 11,242
Career Triples: Dan Brouthers, SFG, 94
Career Caught Stealing: Billy Hamilton, PHI, 158
Career Stikeouts (Batter): Dan Brouthers, SFG, 3127 (first man to reach 3000)
Career Games Pitched: John Cattanach, LAD, 799

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Season Awards


Batter of the Year




Pitcher of the Year

This was a very close race between Nichols, Cy Young, Ned Garvin and rookie Rube Waddell.




Rookie of the Year




Fireman Award




Gold Gloves
P - Red Donahue, SFG (2nd overall)
C - Marty Bergen, ATL
1B - Tom Parrott, CHN (2nd overall)
2B - Cupid Childs, PHI (3rd overall)
3B - Jud Smith, CIN
SS - Bobby Wallace, STL
LF - Fred Clarke, PIT (2nd overall)
CF - Mike Griffin, LAD (3rd overall)
RF - Tuck Turner, PHI

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1898 Rookies

This turned out to be one of the best offseasons ever for pitching. The league just got a lot deeper in the starting pitching ranks, and I think you may see this create a shift in power among contenders. Just how it shakes out will be discussed in more depth with the preseason predictions.


Frank Chance, 1B, Age 21, Cubs

The HOF'er Chance is perhaps the most well-known first baseman of the early 1900's. However, the Cubs have a difficult decision in front of them. Due to their glut of talent in the outfield, Tom Parrott was moved to first base in his rookie season of 1893. He has since produced five straight seasons of 20+ homers. He has driven in over 100 RBI in all but one of those seasons. The knock on Parrott, though, is his poor defense at first (although he is a fine defensive outfielder) and his inability to draw walks. Those factors play into Chance's favor, as well as Chance's speed. The two may split time this season, but expect Chance to eventually win the job.




Bill Dinneen, SP, Age 22, Braves

The Braves have added a lot of offensive talent over the past few seasons, but they have failed to give support to ace Kid Nichols (17-13, 2.66 ERA) in the rotation. That all changed this season with the addition of Bill Dinneen and Vic Willis (below). In MLB, Dineen threw the first two World Series shutouts in 1903. In MLHR, his presence should greatly improve Atlanta's pennant hopes.




Bill Donovan, SP, Age 21, Dodgers

The Dodgers have an unbelievable four pitchers on this season's list! Donovan is the class of that group, and will likely be asked to assume the "ace" role held by Sadie McMahon (14-13, 3.32 ERA) for several seasons. However, the Dodgers rotation has begun to show some age, so this influx of pitchers couldn't have come at a better time for the team.




Bill Duggleby, SP, Age 23, Phillies

Duggleby should be another nice addition to the Phillies pitching staff, but as loaded as this group is, Duggleby will likely have to accept a bullpen role. That didn't seem to faze Tully Sparks (18-6, 3.25 ERA) last season as a rookie. He shone in a relief role and was inserted into the rotation in July and never left. As the Phillies staff continues to age, Duggleby could get a shot in the rotation before too long.




Elmer Flick, RF, Age 22, Phillies

The Phillies continue to do an impressive job of bringing in talented youth. By supplementing the veterans on the team, these young players should help keep the team in pennant contention for several years even as veterans age. Flick, a MLB HOF'er, will be battling Tuck Turner (.285, 10 HR, 82 RBI) for the starting job in right field. The two have similar make up and will likely share time this season.




Harry Howell, SP, Age 21, Dodgers

Known for his devastating spit-fastball, Howell can be tough to hit and he can be expected to rack up his share of strikeouts. He is also a superb defender. He will be a favorite for a rotation spot.




Jim Hughes, SP, Age 24, Dodgers

With the sheer number of talented pitchers now on the Los Angeles staff, Hughes will likely begin his career in the bullpen. However, if he performs well, a promotion to the rotation may happen soon.




Frank Kitson, SP, Age 24, Dodgers

A control artist, Kitson will likely compete with 34-year-old veteran Adonis Terry (10-15, 4.80 ERA) and 23-year-old Jack Cronin (12-14, 4.56 ERA), entering his fourth season, for the Dodgers' 5th starter's job.




Sam Leever, SP, Age 24, Pirates

Leever will join RoY Rube Waddell (16-7, 2.55 ERA) atop the Pirates rotation. Pirates fans are hoping his addition will help shore up the pitching staff and help push the team into pennant contention.




Jack Taylor, SP, Age 24, Cubs

The Cubs added several young arms to their stable this offseason, but only Taylor made this list. He should easily make the team's starting rotation behind Clark Griffith (12-15, 3.71 ERA) and Buttons Briggs (16-4, 3.06 ERA). Hopefully for Cubs fans, the team is finally committing to developing good major league pitching. If these arms produce strong seasons, the Cubs and their powerful lineup could compete with the Phillies for the pennant down to the wire.




Vic Willis, SP, Age 21, Braves

The third MLB HOF rookie on this season's list and potentially the best pitcher on this list, Willis and fellow rookie Bill Dinneen should be a huge boost to an Atlanta rotation in desperate need of new talent. This team could be a sleeper this season if their offense plays better than they did last season.

[darnoff]

1898 Key Retirees - Batters


Roger Connor, Giants

Consistently among the worst defensive third basemen in the league, Connor was never allowed to play his primary position of first base due to the presence of Dan Brouthers. However, Connor was considered the premiere slugger of his day and retires as the all-time leader in home runs with 605 and RBI with 1,854. Both records will likely be eclipsed this season by Brouthers, who has decided to return for another season. 1880 RoY and 1883 BoY. Led league in home runs three times and finished Top 10 fifteen times! Led league in RBI three times and finished Top 10 twelve times. Led league in runs scored twice and finished Top 10 six times. Led league in slugging twice and finished Top 10 twelve times. Holds MLHR single season record with .646 SLG in 1880. Led league with .404 OBP in 1883 and finished Top 10 four times. Led league with 1.015 OPS in 1883 and finished Top 10 eleven times. Top 10 in hits five times, triples five times, stolen bases five times, walks four times and batting average six times.





Tommy McCarthy, Braves

Top 10 in stolen bases eight times, triples twice, walks twice and OBP twice.



Deacon McGuire, Reds

1890 Gold Glove winner. Finished 10th in hits in 1890.




Jimmy Ryan, Cubs

Ryan was the Cubs' starting right fielder from 1885 to 1893. Then at age 32, he took a back seat to the talented young outfielders the Cubs continued to produce. He played a vital role on the bench for four more seasons before hanging them up. Won two Gold Gloves. Led the league with 136 RBI in 1889 and finished Top 10 five times. Finished Top 10 in hits four times, doubles five times, triples five times, home runs five times, runs scored three times, batting average three times, OBP twice, SLG five times and OPS five times.

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1898 Key Retirees - Pitchers


Mark Baldwin, Cubs

Top 10 in games pitched three times and saves three times.




Charlie Buffinton, Braves

Led league with 5 shutouts in 1894. Top 10 in wins once, losses five times, innings pitched twice, home runs allowed three times, ERA twice, WHIP twice, K/BB twice, H/9 three times, BB/9 twice and quality starts twice.




John Cattanach, Dodgers

Four-time Fireman Award winner. Led league in saves 5 times and finished Top 10 ten times. Third all-time with 331 career saves. Set single season record with 44 saves in 1889 and then set it again with 45 in 1892. Top 10 in holds three times. Led league in games pitched just last season (1897) and finished Top 10 eight times.




John Ewing, Giants

Led league in wins twice and finished Top 10 eight times. Led league with 21 losses last season (1897) and finished Top 10 six times. To be fair, if San Francisco had ANY roster depth, Ewing would have retired earlier and his career winning percentage and ERA would look better. Top 10 in winning percentage eight times. Led league with 2.75 ERA in 1888 and finished Top 10 seven times. Led league in innings pitched in 1888 and finished Top 10 six times. Led league in quality starts in 1888 and 1890 and finished Top 10 six times. Top 10 in walks six times, strikeouts four times, WHIP three times, K/BB four times, fewest HR/9 five times, fewest H/9 four times, complete games twice and shutouts four times.




Ed Morris, Pirates

1887 PoY. 1886 Gold Glove winner. Finished Top 10 in wins seven times and losses six times. Led league in innings pitched in 1887 and finished Top 10 four times. Led league with 1.13 WHIP in 1887 and finished Top 10 four times. Led league with 25 quality starts in 1887 and finished Top 10 three times. Finished Top 10 in walks four times, strikeouts seven times, ERA four times, H/9 six times, K/9 six times, complete games three times and shutouts six times.




Charlie Sweeney, Dodgers

Finished Top 10 in wins twice, losses three times, WHIP twice, K/BB five times and BB/9 four times. Led league in HR allowed in 1887 and 1888.

[darnoff]

1898 Preseason Predictions

This was an offseason packed with new and talented rookies, primarily pitchers. I said previously that the addition of those rookies could change the face of the pennant race. However, if you look at my predictions below, I had no idea that I could expect to see such a dramatic shift.

The most glaring change is that the 5-time defending league champion Phillies are predicted to fall out of first place. Yes, I am the one who made those predictions, but I will believe the Phillies will fail to win the pennant when I see it. They still boast a proven rotation and one of the best bullpens in the league. However, while Jerry Nops (2-6, 41 Sv, 2.82 ERA) is the reigning Fireman Award winner, he is not a "lights out" closer. They also still boast one of the best offenses in the league, but it is possible that age will finally begin to catch up with them. They have six everyday position players aged 30 or older. According to my rankings, the team's primary weakness is a lack of team speed as their players age and a defense that is average at best.

The next thing I noticed about my rankings is that four teams are within 0.6 points of each other atop the list. That is the big shift that I spoke about, primarily due to the addition of rookies. The top of the division appears to no longer be a 1-team race, but rather a highly competitive collection of equally talented teams. Of course, this partly depends on the aforementioned rookies actually panning out and performing up to expectations.

The team picked to unseat the Phillies is surprisingly the Cubs. They finished in 3rd place with 89 wins last season. Their biggest addition in the offseason was new pitcher Jack Taylor (6-6-7 ratings), who will be their #3 starter. Their strong bullpen ranking could prove to be false, and therefore their downfall. There's talent there, but also a track record of underperformance. Their offense, though, should be powerful enough to make up for some shortcomings from the pitching staff. They made a major defensive and speed upgrade at first base with rookie Frank Chance (7-6-5-7-7 ratings), but they lose some power with Tom Parrott (.282, 26 HR, 135 RBI) only spending time at first and his preferred position of centerfield on a part time basis. We will see if their offense is good enough without Parrott to warrant him not playing more often.

The Cardinals are still expected to be one of the primary pennant contenders, but the big surprise is the elevated expectations of the Pirates. That's partly due to the addition of rookie Sam Leever (7-6-7 ratings) to the #3 slot in the rotation. Jock Menefee (8-3, 20 Sv, 2.63 ERA) did a fine job in a half season as closer. His continued success will be key to the Pirates' season. Also key will be the improved play of a potentially dominant offense. They will particularly need sophomore Honus Wagner (.264, 17 HR, 83 RBI, 18 SB) to step up his production.

I expect improved play from both the Braves and Dodgers. Atlanta added two solid rookies to their pitching rotation. Los Angeles also added two impressive rookies to their rotation, but they also added two more impressive rookies to their bullpen. The team that finishes with the better record between these two clubs depends on the output of those rookies, improved offensive performance and reliable defense. Atlanta has the slight edge as they have the best returning pitcher of the bunch in ace Kid Nichols (17-13, 2.66 ERA) and because their offense has the most room for improvement, especially since sophomore Charlie Hickman (.260, 29 HR, 100 RBI) really didn't heat up until after the start of July last season.

The final thing I noticed about my predictions is how far separated the Giants and Reds are from the rest of the pack. I predict that both teams reach the 100-loss mark this season. It is also reasonable to think that one of them could potentially challenge the all-time record of 119 losses set in 1880 by the Phillies.


Predicted Standings

Rank	Team	Rotation	Bullpen	Offense	Bench	Speed	Defense	Totals	Grade
1	Chicago Cubs	7	8	8	10	11	9	8.4	A-
2	Philadelphia Phillies	10	9	9	9	5	6	8.3	A-
3	St. Louis Cardinals	10	8	7	7	9	7	8.1	B+
4	Pittsburgh Pirates	9	7	8	6	6	8	7.8	B+
5	Atlanta Braves	7	7	7	6	5	8	7.0	B
6	Los Angeles Dodgers	7	7	7	7	6	7	6.9	B
7	San Francisco Giants	4	2	8	7	7	3	5.0	C
8	Cincinnati Reds	5	4	5	7	4	5	4.9	C

MLB results for 1898

Champs: Boston Beaneaters (Braves), (102-47, .685)

Batting Title: Willie Keeler, BLN, .385
OPS+: Billy Hamilton, BSN, 162
AB/HR: Jimmy Collins, BSN, 39.8
RBI: Nap Lajoie, PHI, 127
Runs: John McGraw, BLN, 143
SB: Ed Delahanty, PHI, 58

ERA+: Clark Griffith, CHC, 192
Win%: Ted Lewis, BSN, .765
WHIP: Kid Nichols, BSN, 1.034
K/9: Cy Seymour, NYG, 6.031


MLHR Milestone Watch

3000 Hits
Pete Browning, PIT, Age 37, 2888 Hits

1000 Runs
Oyster Burns, LAD, Age 34, 955 Runs
Jack Clements, PHI, Age 34, 953 Runs
Hugh Duffy, CHN, Age 31, 942 Runs
Ed McKean, CIN, Age 34, 905 Runs

1000 RBI
Mike Tiernan, SFG, Age 32, 978 RBI
Hugh Duffy, CHN, Age 31, 925 RBI

1000 Walks
Ed Delahanty, PHI, Age 31, 928 BB

2500 Strikeouts
Jocko Flynn, CHN, Age 34, 2492 K's

800 Games Pitched
Will Sawyer, PIT, Age 34, 777 Games

[darnoff]

Mid-Season Report

Reports of Chicago's ascendance appear to be greatly exaggerated. The Cubs have failed to live up to their preseason promise thus far. Their pitching staff is ranked 3rd, which is where I expected them to be. But their offense is just 5th in runs scored. Their lack of power has been key to their decline, prompting the team to replace rookie Frank Chance (.245, 8 HR, 36 R, 26 SB) at first base, despite his great performance on the bases, with slugger Tom Parrott (.311, 9 HR, 22 RBI in 119 AB) in hopes of generating more runs. In fairness to Chance, several of Chicago's batters are underperforming. Only Bill Lange (.346, 14 HR, 53 RBI, 29 SB) and Hugh Duffy (.279, 14 HR, 50 RBI) are performing up to expectations.

Meanwhile, the Phillies remain perched in their usual first place with the top offense and top pitching staff. Their bullpen has slipped to 3rd overall, but closer Jerry Nops (1-2, 18 Sv, 2.13 ERA) is having a fine season. Nap Lajoie (.343, 11 HR, 67 RBI) is having his best season, and Billy Hamilton (.324, 7 HR, 35 RBI, 54 R, 25 SB) continues to produce, but 8-time BoY Ed Delahanty is hitting "only" .298 with 9 HR and 42 RBI. Ben Sanders (11-5, 2.27 ERA) and Tully Sparks (10-2, 2.97 ERA) are among the league leaders in ERA.

The Dodgers have performed above expectations, no thanks to their 4th ranked offense. Only Hughie Jennings (.285, 42 R, 25 SB) and John Anderson (.329, 21 2B, 11 HR, 39 RBI), who is having a breakout season, are hitting above .260. On the pitching side, the team is ranked #2 overall, but the starting rotation is #1. Doc McJames (7-3, 2.68 ERA) has become the ace of the staff while Bill Donovan (9-4, 2.79 ERA) is making his case for Rookie of the Year. Fellow rookie Harry Howell (2-4, 18 Sv, 2.15 ERA) has had a great debut as closer.

Cincinnati has been the biggest surprise of the season. Despite the struggles of veteran outfielder Sam Thompson (.195, 14 HR, 39 RBI), the Reds have the 2nd most effective offense in the league this season. Center fielder Bug Holliday (.273, 21 HR, 49 RBI) and first baseman Jocko Halligan (.287, 21 HR, 59 RBI) lead the league in home runs. Unfortunately, the team has stolen just 13 bases this season, so they are dependent on the long ball, and their pitching staff is ranked 6th in the league. So it does not look like Cincy will be able to maintain their current level of play for long.


Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders

[darnoff]

Season Wrap-up

No team in MLB history won more than 5 straight pennnants in the pre-divisional era. Beginning in 1947, the Yankees won 15 pennants in 18 seasons, but even they never won more than 5 in a row. In MLHR, the Phillies have now won 6 in a row and extended a record that we may never see broken. During this six season stretch, the Phillies have never won less than 100 games in a season. They finished each season with a lead of between 9 to 18 games with only one exception, 1897, when they finished just 4 games ahead of the Cardinals.

This season's Phillies added their names to yet another record. While the team was slowly expanding their league lead through July and August, they were swept in late August by the Cardinals and then dropped 2-of-3 to the lowly Giants. On August 29th, they began a series at home against Cincinnati where they would right the ship and win 2-of-3. They then won 2-of-3 in Pittsburgh. What happened next, though, was nothing short of amazing.

After a day off, the Phillies began a 2-game series in Chicago on September 6th. They won that first game 11-3 and would not lose another game until the final game of a series in Cincinnati on September 29th - 23 days later! That's right, with just one day off during that span, the amazing Phillies rolled off an unprecedented 22-game winning streak. During that stretch, they swept series against the Braves, Cardinals, Dodgers, Giants and twice against the Cubs. They then won the first two games of the series in Cincy before Lee Viau (7-14, 4.92 ERA) and the Reds broke the streak.

The team clearly ran away with the pennant at that point. [b]Nap Lajoie[b] (.347, 24 HR, 142 RBI, 100 R) went on to win the batting title in his third season while also leading the league in SLG, OPS, hits and doubles. In doing so, he became the first player to break up Ross Barnes' string of the top eight single season hit totals.




Lajoie also tied his RBI total from last season that happens to be the 2nd highest RBI total of all-time.




In addition to this, Phillies starter Ben Sanders, who won the PoY Award in 1894 and 1895, bounced back to dominant form after two straight above-average seasons. He led the league with a 2.22 ERA and tied Pittsburgh's Rube Waddell for the league lead with 23 wins. That win total just happens to be tied for 2nd best all-time.




Meanwhile, the Cubs had a strong second half to finish 2nd. Their resurgence was in part led by first baseman Tom Parrott (.332, 29 HR, 76 RBI in 382 AB) returning to the lineup on a regular basis. Frank Chance (.246, 11 HR, 46 RBI, 33 SB in 378 AB) still led the team in steals despite playing part time in the second half. His future is now unclear since the team clearly cannot afford to have Parrott's production on the bench. 23-year-old Buttons Briggs (15-8, 2.87 ERA) has essentially assumed the team's role of rotation ace after two strong seasons.


Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders




Records

Singles: Willie Keeler, SFG, 189 (previous record was 184 set by Ross Barnes in 1878)
Games Pitched: Wild Bill Widner, LAD, 83
Walks Allowed: Bill Smith, CIN, 135

Career Stolen Bases: Billy Hamilton, PHI, 750

[darnoff]

Season Awards


Batter of the Year




Pitcher of the Year




Rookie of the Year




Fireman Award




Gold Gloves
P - Jocko Flynn, CHN
C - Billy Earle, PIT
1B - Jocko Halligan, CIN
2B - Cupid Childs, PHI (4th overall)
3B - Lave Cross, PHI (5th overall)
SS - Bill Dahlen, CHN
LF - Fred Clarke, PIT (3rd overall)
CF - Bug Holliday, CIN (2nd overall)
RF - Mike Smith, PIT

[darnoff]

1899 Rookies

This was another large class of incoming rookies. The Pirates and Reds, in particular, seemed to strike it big.


Ginger Beaumont, CF, Age 22, Pirates

Beaumont should hit for a good average and will likely take over the starting centerfield job from aging veteran Pete Browning, who played only part time last season.




Bill Bernhard, SP, Age 24, Phillies

Bernhard is a talented pitcher, but he will have a tough time earning a regular role in the Phillies' bullpen, let alone a rotation spot.




Jack Chesbro, SP, Age 24, Pirates

Chesbro is the first of three talented rookie pitchers added by Pittsburgh over the offseason. Together, all three should make a significant improvement In the team's rotation and/or bullpen.




Sam Crawford, RF, Age 18, Reds

"Wahoo Sam" is one of three talented new rookies added by the Reds this offseason. Two of them will likely compete for a starting job with Left fielder Kip Selbach and/or veteran right-fielder Sam Thompson.




Mike Donlin, CF, Age 20, Cardinals

Donlin is the most talented hitter in the rookie pool this season. I suspect he will be asked to take over the starting center field role from Duff Cooley.




Patsy Flaherty, SP, Age 22, Pirates

Flaherty throws hard and will truly compliment the other Pirate rookie starters. These pitching additions could help the Pirates become relevant in the pennant chase.




Buck Freeman, RF, Age 18, Braves

This powerful right fielder will add additional power support for first baseman Charlie Hickman (.262, 35 HR, 89 RBI) as the Braves attempt to make their mark as a pennant contender. Freeman's presence has significant positive consequences for Atlanta's lineup.




Noodles Hahn, SP, Age 19, Reds

The Reds may have hit the jackpot this season with Hahn. The problem is, he may not have much support around him. The Reds pitching corps has shrunk. They lost 4 pitchers to retirement in the offseason and 3 of the remaining 7 pitchers are over age 30. However, Hahn should turn out to be a phenomenal pitcher right away.




Joe McGinnity, SP, Age 24, Cubs

McGinnity should be able to crack the Dodgers' rotation. The team hopes that has a positive trickle-down effect on their 6th ranked bullpen.




Deacon Phillippe, SP, Age 24, Pirates

Deacon is the third and final rookie Pirates pitcher. He too should crack the rotation, but overall the pitching staff should show major improvement. The team simply needs their offense to provide more production.




Socks Seybold, RF, Age 23, Reds

Another offensive addition for the Reds, Seybold will compete alongside fellow rookie Crawford for a starting job with Left fielder Kip Selbach and/or veteran right-fielder Sam Thompson.

[darnoff]

1899 Key Retirees - Batters


Dan Brouthers, 1B, Giants

Six time Batter of the Year. 1879 Rookie of the Year. Won 1883 Gold Glove. Retired as all-time leader in games, AB, triples, HR, total bases, RBI, R, BB, and K's. Owns single season record for runs (141 in 1880) and total bases (391 in 1881). Led league in doubles in 1889 and finished Top 10 nine times. Led league in triples in 1883 and finished Top 10 eight times. Led league with 41 homers in 1886 and finished Top 10 fifteen times, including four second place finishes. Led league in RBI twice and finished Top 10 fifteen times. Led league in runs scored four times and finished Top 10 eleven times. Won 1884 batting title with .331 average and finished Top 10 eleven times, including three second place finishes. Led league in OBP three times and finished Top 10 eleven times. Led league in SLG five times and finished Top 10 fourteen times. Led league in OPS five times and finished Top 10 twelve times. Led league in strikeouts four times and finished Top 10 fourteen times. Finished Top 10 in hits ten times, stolen bases eight times, walks ten times.





Pete Browning, CF, Pirates

1882 Rookie of the Year. 1885 Batter of the Year. Won Gold Glove in 1884. Led league with 210 hits in 1890 and finished Top 10 eleven times. Led league in triples twice and finished Top 10 four times. Won 1885 batting title with .356 average and finished Top 10 seven times. Led league in OBP in 1885 and finished Top 10 eight times. Led league in strikeouts seven times. Top 10 in doubles seven times, RBI twice, runs four times, walks five times, slugging three times and OPS six times.




Fred Carroll, C/RF, Pirates

Top 10 in double three times, walks twice, batting average twice, OPS twice.

[darnoff]

1898 Key Retirees - Pitchers


Jersey Bakley, Reds

Finished Top 8 in saves three times.




Will Sawyer, Pirates

1893 Fireman Award winner. All-time leader with 429 saves. Led league in saves twice and finished Top 8 thirteen times, including five 2nd place finishes. Finished Top 10 in games pitched five times. Retired second all-time with 793 games pitched.




Bill Smith, Reds

Finished Top 10 in wins twice, saves twice, ERA three times, quality starts twice and shutouts five times. Led league with lowest HR/9 in 1894 and finished Top 10 ten times. Allowed the most walks four times.




Cannonball Titcomb, Phillies

Led league in saves in 1893 and finished Top 8 three times. Led league in holds in 1890 and finished Top 10 four times. Finished Top 10 in games pitched four times and most runs allowed five times.

[darnoff]

1899 Preseason Predictions

Here they go again! Those Phightin' Phillies are once again favored to win the pennant. Despite age beginning to creep up on their established stars, the team shows no signs of slowing down. At least not yet. Ben Sanders (23-9, 2.22 ERA) once again heads the top rotation in the game. Ned Garvin (18-9, 3.42) had a "down" year and should be better this season, and Tully Sparks (16-6, 3.13 ERA) continues to impress. Despite an off year, Jerry Nops (4-5, 38 Sv, 3.65 ERA) still anchors perhaps the best bullpen in the game. The team also sports the most star-studded offense in the game. I wonder though if 8-time BoY Ed Delahanty (.287, 21 HR, 92 RBI), at age 32, has passed the torch on to last season's BoY Nap Lajoie (.347, 24 HR, 142 RBI).

Despite finishing 3rd last season, 21-games out of first, the Pirates believe they may have something to say about Philly's claim to the best rotation, bullpen and offense in the league. Heck, the two teams may even battle for the best defense in the league. Shortstop Honus Wagner (.306, 19 HR, 82 RBI) had a strong sophomore campaign last season, and left fielder Fred Clarke (.311, 14 HR, 80 RBI) was solid as usual. Rookies Ginger Beaumont (8-5-5-5-6 ratings) and Jimmy Williams (6-7-6-6-8 ratings) take over the centerfield and second base duties respectively. Their production will be key to the offense's success.

On the pitching side, Pittsburgh has added a lot of talent the past three seasons. Rube Waddell (23-5, 2.84 ERA) established himself as a star in his 1897 rookie season, while Sam Leever (12-13, 3.73 ERA) projects to be much better after an above-average 1898 debut. But the real excitement around the Steel City this spring is focused on the addition of rookies Deacon Phillippe (6-6-8 ratings) and Jack Chesbro (7-6-6 ratings) to the rotation and rookie Patsy Flaherty (8-6-6 ratings) to the bullpen as setup man for last season's Fireman Award winner Jock Menefee (4-6, 35 Sv, 2.77 ERA). The addition of Phillippe and Chesbro allowed the team to move veterans Bill Hoffer (13-15, 4.19 ERA) and Alex Jones (9-14, 4.33 ERA) to the back end of the bullpen, where they are expected to bolster the relief corps.

Not to be outdone, the Cubs and Cardinals both have realistic expectations for pennant contention. St. Louis added rookie Mike Donlin (9-7-7-5-7 ratings) to their lineup. He will play first base, even though it is not his primary position. He gives the team some real depth to their lineup. If the team's pitching staff can pitch up their always high expectations, the Cardinals could be a legitimate challenge to the Phillies.

In Chicago, the team was happy to finish second last season but they were not happy with their sluggish start to the season. That slow start all but doomed their pennant hopes. This season, they are hoping for improvement from a relatively young pitching staff. 23-year-old Buttons Briggs (15-8, 2.87 ERA) has solidified himself as the team ace, while 29-year-old Clark Griffith (17-12, 3.66 ERA) continues to underperform compared to the team's lofty expectations of him. Meanwhile, on the offensive side, Bill Lange (.324, 26 HR, 91 RBI, 115 R, 51 SB) has established himself as one of the top players in the game. Not only does he now lead the powerful Cubs lineup, but he has proved to be a defensive gem since moving to his primary position of center field in 1896.


Predicted Standings
(Scale of 1-12)

Rank	Team	Rotation	Bullpen	Offense	Bench	Speed	Defense	Totals	Grade
1	Philadelphia Phillies	8	8	10	9	7	9	8.7	A-
2	Pittsburgh Pirates	8	9	9	7	6	8	8.2	B+
3	St. Louis Cardinals	8	6	10	7	10	7	8.2	B+
4	Chicago Cubs	7	6	8	9	10	8	7.7	B
5	Los Angeles Dodgers	7	7	8	6	4	7	6.9	B-
6	Atlanta Braves	6	5	7	5	4	7	6.1	C+
7	Cincinnati Reds	6	2	4	5	3	5	4.4	C-
8	San Francisco Giants	3	1	8	6	6	3	4.4	C-

MLB results for 1899

Champs: Brooklyn Superbas (Dodgers), (101-47, .682)

Batting Title: Ed Delahanty, PHI, .410
OPS+: Ed Delahanty, PHI, 189
AB/HR: Buck Freeman, WHS, 23.5
RBI: Ed Delahanty, PHI, 137
Runs: Willie Keeler, BRO and John McGraw, BLN, 140
SB: Jimmy Sheckard, BLN, 77

ERA+: Vic Willis, BSN, 165
Win%: Al Orth, PHI and Jim Hughes, BRO, .824
WHIP: Cy Young, STL, 1.116
K/9: Cy Seymour, NYG, 4.763


MLHR Milestone Watch

400 Home Runs
Denny Lyons, LAD, Age 34, 378 HR

1000 Runs
Ed McKean, CIN, Age 35, 979 Runs
Jack Clements, PHI, Age 35, 972 Runs
Hub Collins, LAD, Age 35, 960 Runs
Mike Griffin, LAD, Age 35, 915 Runs
Jake Beckley, PIT, Age 32, 907 Runs

1000 Walks
Mike Smith, PIT, Age 32, 958 BB

200 Wins
Ben Sanders, PHI, Age 35, 184 Wins
Jocko Flynn, CHN, Age 35, 182 Wins

2500 Strikeouts
Kid Nichols, ATL, Age 29, 2356 K's

300 Saves

Jack Sharrott, SFG, Age 29, 271 Saves

[darnoff]

Mid-Season Report

The Phillies find themselves in first place, as usual, at the season's mid-way point, but this looks like it will be a tight race to the finish. Four other teams are currently within 4.5-games of the lead. Philly leads the league in offense again, and they are #2 in pitching despite a 4th ranked bullpen. Ned Garvin (9-2, 2.32 ERA) leads the rotation, and #5 starter Jimmy Callahan (6-5, 2.78 ERA) is having a fine season.

Cardinals rookie Mike Donlin (.330, 16 HR, 49 RBI) leads the batting race and is tied for 5th in home runs, but the St. Louis pitching staff is the primary reason for their early season success. They rank first in starters' ERA and runs allowed. Amos Rusie (6-6, 3.14 ERA), Joe Corbett (7-2, 3.05 ERA) and Nig Cuppy (8-7, 2.86 ERA) lead the pitching staff. The Cardinals are also 2nd in the league in defensive efficiency, but their biggest concern so far is a 5th ranked bullpen.

Chicago is feeling well, just two games off the lead, considering the fact that they are ranked 4th in offense, pitching, and defense. Clark Griffith (6-3, 2.71 ERA) is having perhaps the best season of his 9-year career, but if the team is to compete long term they need improvements from their 6th ranked bullpen.

Atlanta has done surprisingly well this season. Their 2nd ranked offense has helped cover for a struggling pitching staff up to this point. That said, ace Kid Nichols (11-2, 2.06 ERA) has posted one of the best half-seasons of any starting pitcher in the league's history. Other members of the rotation will need to help pick up the slack though. Vic Willis (2-10, 5.57 ERA) has had an awful beginning to his sophomore season. He earned a loss in each of his first eight starts, finally earning a victory in his 9th start, a 3-2 win at Cincinnati on May 17th. The Braves offense leads the league with 109 home runs. Rookie right fielder Buck Freeman (.293, 56 RBI) leads the team with 20 long balls.


Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders

[darnoff]

Season Wrap-up

This wound up being the most exciting season we've seen in a while. The Phillies pitching staff aged before our eyes, and turned the pennant race into the first real multi-team "race" we've seen in at least seven seasons. At the end of the first week of August, the Cardinals had taken over first place. A month later, the Cubs took first place from St. Louis, with Philadelphia dropping to 3rd.

On September 25th, the Cubs began the final week of the season with a 3-game series in St. Louis. The Cardinals won the first two games to take a half-game lead over Chicago. The Cubs salvaged the final game to retake a half-game lead. On the following day, the Cardinals enjoyed their final day off while the Cubs began their final series of the season - a 4-game set in Los Angeles.

The Cubs lost the opener of that series by a miserable 9-0 score as Sadie McMahon (13-13, 4.48 ERA) showed why he was once considered the Dodgers' ace, tossing a 1-hit, 1 walk gem while striking out 10 Cubbies. That loss also dropped Chicago into a first place tie with St. Louis with both teams having just three games left to play.

The Cardinals final series found them at home against the 7th place Reds, but both the Cards and the Cubs lost on September 29th. On the following day, both teams won. That meant that on the final day of the season, the two teams were still tied for first.

Meanwhile, the Phillies had been battling to catch up to the two front runners. However, before St. Louis took two-of-three from the Cubs, they had swept the Phils in a 3-game set. The Phillies went on to drop four of their next five games to Pittsburgh and Atlanta. A 10-0 drubbing at the hands of Kid Nichols (17-11, 3.00 ERA) and the Braves eliminated the Phillies on the next-to-last day of the season and snapped their impressive run of six straight pennants and eight pennants over an eleven year span.

So on the final day of the season, we wondered if either St. Louis or Chicago would claim the pennant or if there would be a one-game playoff to decide the champion. St. Louis did their part in defeating the Reds 5-1 behind Cy Young (15-6, 3.10 ERA), who scattered a walk and seven hits over eight innings, allowing just a single run while striking out five. The Cubs, however, were not quite as fortunate in a 12-2 collapse in Los Angeles. The Dodgers knocked Clark Griffith (13-9, 3.16 ERA) out of the game after just two complete innings and then went on to score seven more runs against the Chicago bullpen. Meanwhile, Doc McJames (15-12, 3.85 ERA) held the mighty Cubs offense to a single run over 6 2/3 innings for his 15th win of the season.

The Cardinals' pennant was the franchise's first in twenty years when they had won back-to-back pennants, the only two in their history until this season. Over the league's 24-year history, the Cardinals also had eight 2nd place finishes and four 3rd place finishes, so it feels nice to Cardinals fans to be a champion once again and no longer the runner-up. Part of the reason for St. Louis' success this season was a pitching rotation that performed up to the team's high expectations. No starter had an ERA higher than 3.70, while Amos Rusie (16-10) led them with a 3.01 ERA. It's fortunate that their starters performed so well too, because their bullpen's ERA was second worst in the league. Another key to their success was the performance of rookie Mike Donlin, who won the batting title with a .339 average while also hitting 35 homers and driving in 120 RBI.

While it's easy to blame the Phillies' failure to win another pennant on their pitching staff, it's important to note that the staff as a whole posted a 3.64 ERA which was 2nd best in the league. It was notable though that 35-year-old ace Ben Sanders (12-13, 4.39 ERA) had easily his worst season after being named last year's PoY. Another 35-year-old, Bill Vinton (14-9, 4.19 ERA), also struggled at times and posted his second straight season with an ERA above 4.00 after never posting one previously in his 16-year career. It must also be noted that closer Jerry Nops (3-11, 27 Sv, 4.52 ERA) posted a 8.53 ERA in June, a 5.73 ERA in July and a 6.10 ERA in August before finally being removed from the role in favor of 37-year-old veteran Charlie Ferguson. Ferguson converted six of seven save opportunities in September with a 2.35 ERA. Those numbers made it easy for some to forget that Nops was brilliant in April (1.38 ERA) and May (0.93 ERA) before faltering. He blew 9 saves this season and was tagged with 10 losses.

The Braves made a name for themselves this season by leading the league in home runs. Rookie Buck Freeman (.253, 34 HR, 104 RBI) led the team in long balls while third-year first baseman Charlie Hickman (.282, 30 HR, 108 RBI) led them in RBI. Another third year player, Chick Stahl, led the team with a .321 average that was 4th best in the league. In order for them to compete next season, the Braves will need to figure out a 6th ranked pitching staff. Strong seasons from Kid Nichols and sophomore Bill Dinneen (15-9, 2.94 ERA) all but saved the staff from an even worse result.

The Pirates got off to a slow start, which can be expected from a team so young. Many of their young players hit their stride late in the season resulting in a 17-11 record in August and an 18-11 record in September/October. The team believes that with a full season under their belts, the team should be expected to perform much better from the outset next year.


Standings




Batting Leaders




Pitching Leaders




Records

Strikeouts (Batter): Jesse Burkett, SFG, 224
Games Pitched: Ed Beatin, CIN, 84
Fewest H/9: Rube Waddell, PIT, 6.179
Opponents AVG: Rube Waddell, PIT, .1908

Career Stolen Bases: Billy Hamilton, PHI, 800 (first player to reach this mark)
Career Stolen Bases: John McGraw, STL, 502 (third player to reach 500)

[darnoff]

Season Awards


Batter and Rookie of the Year

Mike Donlin joins elite company winning both awards in the same season. The only other players to achieve this were Dan Brouthers and Ed Delahanty.




Pitcher of the Year

This was a tight race between Pittsburgh's Rube Waddell and Philadelphia's Ned Garvin, with the final nod going to Garvin, who led the league in ERA.




Fireman Award




Gold Gloves
P - Red Donahue, SFG (3rd overall)
C - Tom Kinslow, LAD
1B - Willie Clark, SFG
2B - Cupid Childs, PHI (5th overall)
3B - Jimmy Collins, ATL
SS - Honus Wagner, PIT
LF - Joe Kelley, ATL (3rd overall)
CF - Bill Lange, CHN (2nd overall)
RF - Jimmy Bannon, STL