Notes from an alternate reality-OOTP 2006 version

[Lee]

Well an OOTP2006 Database crash has derailed my Cathedrals of green dynasty, so I am reviving an old dynasty format I did several years ago with OOTP 5…I have adjusted Hitter aging to 1.400 and Pitcher aging to .700 in an attempt to keep good pitchers around a bit longer and also not have so many hitters playing into their late 40’s….hopefully this pans out, as this is the one main sticking point with the new version of the game for me.

Here is the format. I have begun a Historical replay beginning in 1903 using era appropriate settings. All players will be imported to their original Teams and will play under modern contract rules, including free agency. (10 years of service required) There will be one unaffiliated minor League (The American Association) that pays peanuts, to allow aging/fringe players a place to finish, while not luring away any big stars (hopefully) Negro League players included in the Arod/Garlon database will also be included

It will be interesting to see how different players Careers unfold with the ability to explore capitalism to the fullest. I will also be profiling players whose Careers were cut short by Illness or Injury to see if they can make the most of their second chance. In addition, there are sure to be Legends who get derailed and I will address these situations for each era as well.

I am currently simming through history, so I will begin posting notes on the first decade of the Century later. Each decade will include a brief recap of the Teams and events of the previous 10 years and several profiles pf players whose alternate Careers will be compared to their real life ones. I had fun with the first one, so hopefully this will turn out to be as enjoyable.


I have posted an example of a player profile from my old dynasty below so you get an idea of what to expect.


Frank Chance-The great betrayal


As it was:

The peerless leader was one of the driving forces of the great Cubs teams of the early 20th century forming the cornerstone of the legendary Tinker to Evers to Chance trifecta. His actual career saw him play with the Cubs from 1898 to 1912 and concluded with a 2 year stint with the New York Highlanders from 1913-1914. During this time he compiled a Career batting average of .296 with his prime years coming between 1903 and 1908. During these years he hit over .300 4 times and led the Cubs to 3 straight pennants, including World Series victories in 1907 and 1908, the latter being their final world championship. He was a big Man for his time (6’0 190) but still had the speed to steal 401 bases over his Career. As a Manager Chance compiled a record of 946-648 with the Cubs, Yankees and Red Sox and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1946. He was a legendary figure in Chicago and was the first “Mr. Cub”. He also compiled a .310 batting average over 4 World Series appearances, including a high of .421 in 1908.

As it is now:

Chance enters the 1904 Season coming off a Career year in which he hit .327 with 83 runs scored, 81 RBI and 67 steals. Chicago fans hold high hopes for the budding new infield that includes 2nd year Pro Johnny Evers at 2B and 3rd year man Joe Tinker at short, both coming off of .290+ seasons in 1903. This trio promises to pace the Cubbie attack for many Seasons to come. Chicago leads the league in ERA at 2.25 and hits a respectable .252 as a team to finish 97-65, alas it is only good for third, 6 games behind the St Louis Cardinals and 4 behind the Pittsburgh 9. Chance is hampered by a pulled groin early in the Season and hits a disappointing .264, seeing his steal total fall to 32.

He rebounds to hit .294 in 1905 while tallying 77 runs. Unfortunately, the Cubs pitching fails miserably and the team limps in at 69-93, a whopping 31 games behind the hated Giants, paced by Christy Matthewson, who finishes with a glossy record of 31-10 with a 2.24 ERA. Still, Chance is adored by the Chicago public for his fiery attitude and impeccable leadership skills. As the Season draws to a close Chance files for free agency, but the North side faithful have no doubt he will again reside in Cubbie grays as he has professed his love for the city time and again.

Frank makes prophets of the Windy city fans in the off Season by signing a 5 year 6.5 million dollar deal to play with the White Sox!!! Cubs fans are aghast that their leader would turn his back on their team and sign with the upstart Southside crew. Suddenly, Chance is vilified in “his” town by the National League faithful, and to compound matters is not fully accepted by the Sox rooters, who find it hard to pull for a player from their hated cross town rivals. Undaunted Chance goes on to hit .298 in his new digs, making his second all-star appearance and leading the Sox to a record of 100-62 as they finish a scant 1 game in back of the pennant winning Highlanders.

Though off to a fast start in 1907, Chance finds the smoldering hatred from Cubs fans unbearable, and his love affair the windy city is fading like a Matthewson Screwball. At his wits end Frank asks for a trade and the White Sox oblige, sending him to the Philadelphia A’s for LF Topsy Hartsell on 07/23/07. He finishes the Season at .335 trailing only New York’s Wee Willie Keeler (.361) and Detroit Wunderkind Ty Cobb (.375) in the batting race. His Season also includes two 23 game hitting streaks. Chance goes on to win a World Championship with the pitching heavy Athletics squad in 1908 hitting .306. He closes the decade with Seasons of .272 and .278 respectively, though his speed is declining (18 and 19 SB) his first years under 20 since 1900.

As 1911 dawns Chances contract has been extended through 1913, but the 33 year old first sacker is being challenged by rookie Stuffy McInnis and faces an uncertain future in the city of brotherly love.

Epilog-Tinker to Malay to Saier?

The hyped Cubbie trio was only together 3 full Seasons and Cub’s faithful were left with a string of failures at 1B, the most recent of which, Jake Stahl, was signed as a free agent prior to 1910 after a .313 season with Washington. He responded with an average of .212 in 1910, and despite a respectable .989 fielding percentage, the Cubs are looking to replace him with 19 year old prospect Vic Saier as the new Season approaches. As for Evers? He followed up all-star years in 1905 and 1906 by hitting .240 and .242 respectively in 1907 and 1908. Turned on by the fans Evers signed a 3 year contract with the lowly Senators following the ’08 campaign and hit a still paltry .243 in 1909. He rebounded to hit .282 to close the decade, though at the tender age of 29 it appears his best years are behind him. The latest second sacker for Cubs meanwhile is Charley Malay, a career .280 hitter, who joins the Cubs in time for 1911 after six seasons with Brooklyn. Tinker meanwhile enters his 10th season with the Cubs, sporting a Career average of .262, and coming off a career high 90 RBI’s in 1910.

Side note-Three Fingers short.

Mordecai Brown who was the ace of these early Cub’s teams has struggled, managing a Career record to date of 119-143 with an era of 3.22. He ruptured a disc missing half a Season in 1904 and also missed 7 weeks with Bone Chips in 1905. These injuries have taken their toll and he has recorded only 1 winning Season since (21-17 in 1908) and is currently listed as the #3 starter for 1911. His only chance at Cooperstown will be with a paid admission.

[metsgeek]

Nice writeups, Lee. You've got a reader here.

[Lee]

As it was:
In the American League the always loaded Philadelphia Athletics, led by Connie Mack, were a threat to take the pennant year in and year out. The mackmen had the finest collection of arms to be found in the first 10 years of the century, boasting rotations that included the likes of Eddie Plank, Rube Waddell and Chief Bender (All Hall of Famers) while getting occasional stellar years from players such as Colby Jack Coombs, Jimmy Dygert, Andy Coakley and Harry Krause, who was 18-8 record in 1909 and 18-18 in his other four injury plagued Seasons combined. The A’s secured 3 pennants and 1 World during the decade.

Detroit also took home three pennants behind the quick bat and quicker temper of Ty Cobb and the slugging Sam Crawford. The impressive 3 straight run from 1907-1909, produced no World Series wins however as the Tigers were cursed with facing deeper Teams from Chicago and Pittsburgh in the Fall classic. The Red Sox and White Sox split the other four pennants, with the latter club, known as the hitless wonders in 1906, with a team BA of only .230 and 7 total Homeruns, upsetting the Cubs in the Fall Classic.

In the National League the pennant went through Chicago (4) Pittsburgh (4) or New York (2) every single year. Each club was well balanced and between them also captured 4 World Series wins. Christy Matthewson, Joe McGinnity paced the Broadway Bullies on the mound with help from Red Ames and Hooks Wiltse. At the dish Roger Bresnahan, Dan McGann and Art Devlin lead the offense. In Chicago Mordecai Brown, Ed Ruelbach and the Jack “The Giant Killer” Pfiester led the pitching corps while Tinker to Evers to Chance may well be the best known infield of all-time, thanks to the poetic waxing of Franklin Pierce Adams. In reality the Cubbies lineup was usually strong form top to bottom with Players such as Frank “Wildfire” Schulte, Jimmy Sheckard, and the fourth member of the infield, Harry Steinfeldt also pitching in.

The Pirates boasted solid pitching, with Deacon Phillippe, Vic Willis, Sam Leever and Lefty Leifield seeing time on the hill. The true force on the Alleghany however was a potent offense that saw .300+ Seasons during the decade from Honus Wagner, Ginger Beaumont, Fred Clarke and Tommy Leach. The 1903 version of this juggernaught hit .286 as a team and averaged 5.62 runs a game, only to be humiliated in the very first World Series by upstart Boston.

As it is now:
The American League truly ran in cycles as the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Naps split the first 4 pennants in Alternate Reality Baseball History, with each team taking 2nd the years it did not win. The Naps had a potent lineup led by Napoleon Lajoie and Elmer Flick, both perennial .300 hitters who were joined by the fleet Harry Bay and other capable stickmen such as Bill Bradley and Charlie Hickman. The Cleveland Staff was anchored by Addie Joss, a brilliant pitcher, but a tragic story, (One of our upcoming profiles) and Earl Moore who would win over 260 games between stops in the Majors and the American association.

Detroit seemed to rely on different Pitchers every year as Bill Donovan, George Mullin, John Deering, Jack Doscher and Henry Gehring all won 20 games for the Tigers during the decade. Sam Crawford carried the Offense throughout the decade and the talented Nebraskan cracked the League top 10 in nearly every category and various times. The Highlanders were the new Tigers, taking three straight pennants from 1907-1909 and took it a notch higher, winning a World Championship each year as well. This potent crew boasted 200 game winner and ARB Hall of Famer Andy Coakley as the team’s ace of the decade and a lineup that included Art Devlin, Willie Keeler, Sherry McGee and one of the first Black players in the Major Leagues in Pop Lloyd, who showed promise, but didn’t truly blossom until he was traded to Cleveland in early 1909, where he went on to have 5 .300+ Seasons at the plate.

The Washington Senators captured the AL and World crowns to close the decade, in part due to their abysmal history. With just one winning Season prior to 1909 the Senators had struck gold with the brilliant maneuverings of front office wizard Clark Griffith, acquiring Stars such as Ty Cobb, Eddie Collins, Harry Hooper, Johnny Lush and Orval Overall via the draft. All of these players with the exception of Cobb were instrumental in the Senators rise to the top of the Baseball kingdom as the decade closed. Though in smoke filled Bars and Friday evening Fireplace gatherings throughout Washington there is still talk of what Cobb could have become, if only……………….


In the National League the Decade could just as well have been titled New York, New York as the Giants were the toast of Broadway throughout the first 10 years of the Century…..alas, each time the gilded elites of Manhattan prepared to raise their glasses in a final toast to the greatness of their heroes, their hopes were dashed, scattered like the glistening shards of glass from angrily discarded Champagne Goblets as the Giants had failed once again to defeat the American Leaguers when it mattered most. Yes, four times the New Yorkers, led by Dapper ace Christy Matthewson and the gallant Duke of Tralee, Roger Bresnahan had captured the National pennant and each time they failed to win the World Series. To compound matters two of the defeats came at the hands of the hated Highlanders, referred to derisively as “The Bowery’s Team”

Joining the Giants as the National League Champions were the St Louis Cardinals (twice) and the Boston Beaneaters and Chicago Cubs with one each. The Cardinals, led by talented twirlers Bob Wicker and Ralph Caldwell, whose 1.36 ERA in 1906 is the second lowest in history to date, are the only National League Team to win a World Series, beating Cleveland in both 1903 and 1906. The Cardinals, who fielded the a different everyday lineup every year, with the exception of 1903 and 1904, can boast of no real Stars. In fact the only memorable performances on Offense were 1B Frank Bowerman’s Seasons of .307 and .319 in 03 and 04. and Patsy Donovan stroking rival Pitchers to the tune of .336 in 1903. Both were out of Baseball within 3 Years after this. Fielder Jones stopped by in 1906 to bat .355, then took his Bat and World title to Cincinnati the next year.


Epilog-The gathering Mob:
As a new decade begins it seems a changing of the guard may be upon the World of professional Baseball. Already we have begun to witness the nomadic nature of players who have fulfilled their 10 year reserve to the Teams drafting them. Many Teams, who have yet to breathe the rarified Air of a Pennant winner are getting better. And now they gather at the threshold of the first division, Bats raised like flaming torches, clamoring for the Lords of the game to relinquish their thrones.

In response to this trend, many owners of established powers are allowing their Stars to leave prior to the reserve clause expiring, knowing that they will be compensated with draft picks from the acquiring team. This, in theory will allow them to rebuild with talented youth, a risky, yet viable proposition, when the alternative is nothing. This youth movement has also driven some veterans to the American Association after being discarded by Major League Clubs, wary of escalating salaries. Often these yesterday's Heroes have produced productive Seasons in the minors and rebuffed attempts by Major League teams to reacquire them, preferring instead to toil in anonimity.

As we start the second decade, ticket prices have risen and the public, though not happy, does not appear to have lost faith in, or love for the great American Pastime.

Next up are the profiles of some of the players, some still playing, others only fading echoes in an empty palace of Concrete and Steel.

[Lee]

Thanks Metsgeek, hope this ends up to be only half as entertaining as your PLAGUE dynasty.

[Lee]

As it was:
There have been volumes written about Ty Cobb, arguably one of the greatest players to ever play the game, and without a doubt probably the most intense. Cobb’s shortcomings as a person are theorized to be rooted in an upbringing fraught with insecurity and his constant desire to please his Father, which shown through in his win at all costs mentality, that was present even as a young Boy. His formative years culminated in the tragic shooting death of his father at the hands of his own mother. Whatever the reasons, Cobb’s greatness on the Diamond was rivaled only by his insidious persona away from it.

Cobb began his major League career in 1905 after Detroit purchased his contract from Augusta, debuting against the New York Highlanders and ace Jack Chesbro, off a 40 win Season in 1904. Cobb doubled in his first Major League at bat but went on to hit just .240 the rest of the way, the only time he would hit under .300 in his 24 year Major League career. When he wasn’t fighting with Teammates, opponents or fans, Ty was doing what he did best….hitting the Baseball. Batting .316 in 1906, Cobb showed a portent of things to come.

In 1907 Ty hit .350 to capture the first of a record 11 batting titles, leading the Tigers to the first of 3 straight pennants. Cobb at this point formed the greatest one-two punch of the Deadball era with Wahoo Sam Crawford. The two barely spoke but had chemistry on the field, where it counted. Cobb’s Tigers failed to win a World Series in this stretch, losing twice to the Cubs and once to Honus Wagner and the Pirates and many said Ty melted in the spotlight of the World Series hitting just .262 over 65 post Season at Bats. If anything caused this sub par performance, it is likely to be that Cobb pushed too hard, when it mattered most. Though he never returned to the World Series Cobb indeed left an indelible mark on the game, batting .367 for his career, a mark that stands as one of Baseballs unbreakable records.

Ty continued to cut a swath through opposing Pitchers and Fielders alike, finishing his Career by hitting .323 for the Philadelphia A’s in 1928 at the age of 41. When he was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1936, Cobb accrued more votes than Babe Ruth, Walter Johnson, Christy Matthewson or Honus Wagner, being named on 222 of 226 ballots…A true testament to the respect others had for him as a player, even though he was despised as a person by most in the game that knew him.


As it is now:
Ty Cobb was drafted by the lowly Washington Senators from the Augusta Tourists with the first pick of the 1905 draft. Debuting in 1906 Cobb appeared in 137 Games and led the Senators in hitting with a .317 average, garnering the American League Rookie of the Year award in the process. Cobb was a terror on the base paths as well stealing 37 Bases and leaving more than one opponent with shredded flesh from the wrath of his flying spikes.

Early in the 1907 Season Cobb earned the disdain of several Teammates, with his constant harassment of Third baseman Candy Jim Taylor, a black athlete who was well liked and another of Washington’s young Lions that the fans expected to lead the Team to greatness. Cobb hit .360 that year, winning the American League Batting Title and the Leagues Silver Slugger award as well. The Senators, however finished 5th and Cobb all but placed the entire blame on Taylor, stating that the Third Baseman’s .263 average was not worthy of a spot on his old Augusta Team, let alone any Major League squad. It seemed to matter little to Ty that only Catcher Nig Clarke (.329) and himself had a higher average than Taylor among the Teams regulars. In fact the two men who started on either side of him in the Outfield Watty Lee and Joe Martin hit just .203 and .232 respectively.

1908 went much the same way with Cobb tearing up opposing Pitchers to the tune of .359 in late July, while simultaneously wearing on the nerves of his Teammates, especially a cocksure Rookie 2B/SS named Eddie Collins, who, forced to room with Cobb, soon found the Georgian unbearable, and the two eventually came to blows. On July 22nd, with the Senators showing signs of challenging the Highlanders behind Cobb, Clarke .337 and Taylor .333, Cobb laced a pitch into the RF corner against the St Louis Browns, and rounding 2nd Base stepped on the bag at a peculiar angle, with the resulting pop being heard in the Stands. In great pain, Cobb was rushed to the Hospital, where Doctors eventually decided he had torn every major ligament in his right Ankle. They declared him finished with Baseball and explained that with the proper care, he could one day walk without a limp……reluctantly the Senators released him the next day.

Cobb, driven like never before, vowed to make the Senators pay for their actions and worked feverishly for Months to regain function. Appearing at the Detroit Tigers spring training facility in Georgia the next year, Cobb managed to secure a contract for the 1909 Season. Over the next 2 Seasons, Cobb, still hobbled appeared in only 11 Games for the Tigers, hitting just .250, still he refused to quit. Seeing action in his first game of the 1911 Season, Cobb cracked a double in his first at Bat and in the very next inning, took off after a hard hit fly Ball in Centerfield. Running at full cry, Cobb suddenly dropped as if he had been shot….Follow-up examination discovered he had completely torn his groin muscle and with surgery and a year of recovery looming, the feisty Cobb finally called it quits at the age of 25. Though he was generally despised, even Cobb’s harshest critics begrudgingly expressed empathy over a promising career gone to waste.


Epilog-His legacy was a Salad:
After finally giving up on his Dreams to become a Baseball Player, Cobb returned to Royston, Georgia. His bitterness at the fate bestowed upon him never faded, and he soon went to great pains to avoid Baseball at any cost, even chasing away the tow headed lads who often gathered to play at a park near his home. Cobb’s convoluted thought process probably justified such behavior, reasoning that if he could no longer believe in a dream, then nobody deserved to.

In later years he opened an Automobile Dealership and a Country restaurant. It was late one evening that Cobb, restless and looking to burn off some of his ever present stress, created a concoction that soon became all the rage among the fairer set during early evening dinners. The ever paranoid Cobb even went so far as to apply for a copyright for his culinary treat, forever insuring that the “Cobb salad” would bear his legacy. A legacy he would much rather have emblazoned upon the Game he once loved so much.


Side note-Still plenty to Wahoo about
While his real life Teammate saw a potential Hall of Fame career cut down like the fall harvest of Corn, Sam Crawford enjoyed a long and prosperous career that is still in progress as of this writing in 1920. Spending 17 Seasons in the Majors with Cincinnati, Detroit and finally Brooklyn, Crawford hit .294, with a single Season high of .339 with Detroit in 1911. With nine .300 Seasons overall and over 2500 hits, Crawford seems to have a shot at the Hall of fame when his playing days are done. Currently at age 40 Sam is playing in the American Association, where he has put together Seasons of .323, .348, .347 and .323 for the Syracuse Red Caps. Over his long Career Sam has garnered 4 All-Star selections, 2 World Championships with Detroit, a Silver Slugger Award in 1904 and a Gold Glove….not to mention only three short Seasons as a Teammate of the volatile Cobb.

[Lee]

As it was:
Andy Coakley was a solid, though somewhat inconsistent Pitcher who toiled in the ample shadows of Rube Waddell, Eddie Plank and Chief Bender for Connie Mack’s A’s from 1902 – 1906, before finishing his Career with the Reds, Cubs and Yankees over 4 injury plagued and basically ineffective Seasons. Relegated to spot duty his first three Seasons, he grabbed a spot in the Athletics rotation in 1905 and responded with a glossy 18-8 1.84 mark for the AL Champions.

His biggest impact that year however, was being responsible for injuring Rube Waddell, while wrestling around on a cross country Train ride just prior to the World Series. Starting in game 3, Coakley was raked for 9 runs, falling victim to the second of Christy Matthewson’s three brilliant shutout Gems 9-0. Coakley was hurt and struggled in 1906 finishing 7-8, 3.14. He rebounded to go 17-16, 2.34 after being dealt to Cincinnati prior to 1907. In 1908 he turned in a stellar 1.78 ERA, but was only 8-18 for the punch less Reds, before finishing 2-0 after being traded to the Cubs.

Coakley managed just 2 Innings in 1909 going 0-1 for the Cubs and briefly retired. After missing 1910 the Yankees coaxed him out of retirement in 1911, but he was finished, going 0-1 over 11 innings, before hanging them up for good with a career record of 58-59, 2.35. Coakley went on to Coach the Columbia Baseball Team for 37 years, where his star pupil was the great Lou Gehrig.

As it is now:
Coakley is drafted by the New York Highlanders with the second overall pick of the 1904 draft. Pressed into service for a mediocre Highlander Team, Coakley goes 17-26, 3.18 over 45 starts as “The Bowery’s Team” finishes 6th. Things are on the upswing however as Coakley improves to 22-16 2.33 in 1906 and the Highlanders start to show signs of life.

1907 marks the beginning of an amazing three year run by the Highlanders as they take three consecutive World Series titles, two of which come against the cross town rival Giants. Coakley is the ace of a pitching staff that includes Mike O’Neill, Barney Wolfe and later Ambrose Putnam and Ed Ruelbach. Andy turns in performances of 23-18 2.48, 21-13 1.91 and 26-14 2.43 over the span. In a coincidental twist of fate Coakley misses out on the 1908 Championship after a ruptured triceps tendon ends his Season on September 20th. The Highlanders truly had a special team over this stretch, as in addition to their pitching, they fielded a lineup that included 1B Art Devlin .301, .319 and .287 over the run, OF Sherry Magee .313, .277 and .321, solid OF Solly Hoffman and former Negro League stars Pop Lloyd at second and Spotswood Poles, also in the OF.

In 1910 and 1911 Coakley has the finest Seasons of his Career going 29-14, 2.41 and 27-17 2.56, but the Highlanders finish 3rd both years. 1911 was particularly galling as New York had 7 regulars hit .280 or better led by Magee .337, C Ted Easterly .328 and OF Josh Devore .318, 46 Steals. Coakley had no help on the hill however as no other starter had a winning record or an ERA under 3.24. Coakley went 23-15 in 1912, but his ERA climbed to over 4 and the writing was on the wall. Coakley started 5-0 1.41 in 1913, then tore his rotator Cuff, missing the rest of the year.

Reduced to a spot starter and reliever the final 3 Seasons of his career Coakley went a combined 13-11 and retired prior to opening day in 1917. His list of achievements included 4 All-Star selections, 3 World Championships and the 1910 AL Diamond Ace award. Coakley was elected to the Hall of Fame on October 18th, 1917. His final career numbers 206-144 with a 2.74 career ERA.

Epilog-For the love of the Game
His passion for Baseball still high, Andy Coakley accepted the Job of Head Baseball Coach at the University of Columbia on February 3rd 1919. Going 19-38 his first Season, Coakley is nonetheless optimistic he will turn things around, much like he did as a player after an abysmal Rookie Season 14 years prior. There are no budding Major Leaguers in his current crop of players and only time will tell whether or not there is another “Columbia” Lou in his future.

Side note-For whom the Arm tolls.
On of Coakley’s greatest strengths was his ability to rack up the innings as he finished first or second in Innings pitched in 5 of his 12 Major League Seasons with a high of 400.1 in 1911. Still there is one Player in the ARB League who has racked up even more impressive totals. “Iron” Ed Barry logged consecutive Innings pitched totals of 402.1, 406 and 404.1 for the Philadelphia Phillies from 1908-1910. Winning 21, 31 and 28 games respectively over those Seasons and it appeared Barry was heading for the Hall. However, the massive workload began to take it’s toll as Barry “slipped” to 370 innings in 1911 and 233 in 1912. With an arm deader than the crowd at an opera of Mimes, Barry then made only 1 start in 1913, getting shelled and relegated to the reserve Roster before retiring at Season’s end. His final career record, 166-109 had him headed nowhere but back to the wide open spaces of his Madison, Wisconsin home. (Note Barry was 1-6 over three Seasons with the Red Sox IRL)

[Lee]

As it was:
Adrian “Addie” Joss, was one of the most consistent hurlers of the first decade of the century. Nicknamed the Human Hairpin for his exaggerated pinwheel delivery, which was further accentuated by his lanky 6’3’’ frame, Joss owns the second lowest ERA (1.88) of all-time behind Ed Walsh. He compiled a record of 160-97 in a 9 year career cut short by his untimely death from Tubercular Meningitis in 1911 at the age of 31.

His Funeral on April 17th 1911 was the second largest in the city to date, underscoring his popularity with the fans and fellow Ballplayers alike. Joss was the cornerstone of the Cleveland pitching staff on a team that was often a contender placing 2nd once and third twice during his time with the team. He also participated in what may have been one of the greatest duels in history between 2 “name” pitchers on October 2nd 1908. Cleveland, locked in a 3-way battle with Detroit and Chicago in one of the greatest pennant races ever, sent Joss to the hill against the White Sox and Big Ed Walsh, who would win 40 games this Season. Walsh held the Naps to 1 run on 4 hits, while fanning 15. Joss went beyond setting down all 27 Sox in order for a perfect game and a 1-0 win.

A gentleman and a family man, Joss was also a celebrated crooner often singing in Barber shop quartets alongside his nemesis Walsh. As mentioned earlier he was so well liked among his peers that a team of AL all-stars took on the Naps on July 24th 1911 to raise money for Addie’s family. The game, a 5-3 win for the All-stars pitted young stars Smokey Joe Wood and Walter Johnson against the great Cy Young and raised $12,914.00 for the late pitchers widow. Joss was elected to the hall of fame by the old-timers committee in 1978, an overdue acknowledgement for a Player who was well on his way to Cooperstown before fate intervened.


As it is now:
Joss burst onto the scene with Cleveland in 1902, going 20-15 with a 2.77 ERA. The sophomore Jinx had nothing on Addie, as he followed that Season up with a 19-11 mark in 1903, while earning selection to the All-Star Team and helping the Naps win the AL Pennant, on a staff that also featured Earl Moore 19-6, 2.23 and Gus Dorner 16-3, 2.17, while Nap Lajoie and Bill Bradley hit .341 and .339 respectively to lead the offense. At the tender age of 23, young Joss had the World at his feet and many predicted he would soon develop into one of the Games premier hurlers.

While 1904 saw the Naps fall to 2nd behind the Tigers, Joss and Moore were still the Bell weathers of a solid Cleveland staff going 20-8 and 18-8 respectively. Joss, a lanky young man, never had the stamina to go 9 innings start after start (which was usually expected at the time) but still managed 277 innings and a stellar 1.78 ERA, good for 6th in the Majors, in a Season that saw several outstanding pitching performances. 1905 saw the Cleveland nine again the Bridesmaid, but Joss was spectacular going 23-15 with a 2.26 ERA and a League best 31 quality starts. Earning his third straight All-Star game selection, Joss was also honored by being asked to sing the National anthem before game. He then went on to throw 3 scoreless innings against the National League squad.

As 1906 dawned, Cleveland again appeared poised to make a run at the AL pennant, but in his third start of spring training, as Joss released a curveball from his unmistakable pinwheel windup, he felt a pop in his right arm. X-Rays confirmed the worst; Joss had ruptured his Biceps tendon and would miss the entire year as Cleveland rode newly acquired Charlie Case 22-17, 2.47 and the trio of Lajoie .309, Emil Batch .332 and Elmer Flick .304 back to the pennant. Joss’ anticipated comeback in 1907 never materialized, as his arm was never the same and he finished the Season 0-2, 3.05 in just 13 relief appearances. One inning into 1908, it was clear the magic had gone, and Joss was done at the age of 28.

Epilog-Down here on the Farm:
Joss retired to his Ohio farm to spend time with his family and never returned to the game in any capacity. His alternate Career numbers were 80-51 with a career ERA of 2.39 (8th all-time) and 12 shut outs. At the time of his retirement Joss, appeared well on his way to the hall of fame, but his star, as in real life, sadly burnt out well before its time. In his alternate existance however, Joss would go on to a meaningful and productive life, with his beloved wife at his side. In addition the all too brief highlights listed above, Joss had the rare distinction of going the entire 1904 Season without giving up a single Home Run!! He also finished his career as the all-time WHIP leader, with a paltry 0.98, a mark which still stands at this writing.

Side note- The lost Harmony
One of Joss’ closest friends and fellow Barbershop quartet crooner, Big Ed Walsh faired not much better than his sometime partner in harmony. Drafted by the Boston Beaneaters (later Braves) in 1903 with the second pick of the draft, Walsh like Joss, showed signs of early greatness. Going 20-17, 2.07 and earning the NL rookie of the Year award in 1904, Walsh then plummeted to 16-27, 2.89 in 1905 on a horrid last place Boston squad. A second losing Season (17-21) followed in 1906 before Walsh came back with a vengeance in 1907 going 24-12, 2.19 and leading the Beaneaters to a third place NL finish.

Another down year followed, before Walsh was traded to St Louis in 1909. In and out of the Cardinals rotation the next three years, Walsh finally called it quits after being released following a 5-4, 6.12 debacle in 1911. Walsh remained healthy his whole career, but seemingly woke up one day to find his Arm had deserted him. Like his friend, he never truly serenaded the great American pastime, the way they would go on to serenade appreciative crowds in parks, Barbershops and Fairs as they happily wiled away their post Baseball years, in harmony at last. Walsh finished with a career record of 123-126, 14 saves and a 2.81 ERA.

[Lee]

Up next will be Hal Chase, one of the darkest, yet most intriguing figures in the history of the game. Christy Matthewson and Rube Waddell, another favorite of mine are also on tap. If there is anyone from this era you would like to see let me know and I will do my best to fit them in..

[NYJuggalo45]

walter johnson (but not sure what year you're up to and if his career is done)

[HolyCow98]

Good read....enjoying the approach of what was (real-life) comparing to what is (in the game).

[Lee]

As it was:
“Prince” Hal is generally regarded as one of the vilest figures to ever darken the Diamond. A truly unconscionable soul, with considerable charm and a knack for persuasion, Chase seemed to have somewhere lost sight of the line that separates right from wrong, and lies from truth. The term “gray area” seems to have personified his entire existence to the point where even he was unable to differentiate where the line between good and evil truly fell. When he wasn’t throwing games, seducing the Wives of teammates or undermining his Managers, Chase occasionally displayed the skill that caused many to regard him as the greatest defensive first Baseman of his time. His propensity to live up to this moniker was probably best summed up by a quote from the Sporting news in 1913. “That he (Chase) can play first base as it never was and perhaps never will be played is a well known truth………….That he will is a different matter."

Debuting for the Highlanders in 1905 hitting .249 and following that up with a .323 Season in 1906. Already he was being lauded as the greatest Defensive 1B in the game. Bitter over his pay in 1907, Chase played lackadaisically and left the Club after the Season, going to the California League and playing under an assumed name at the beginning of 1908, despite the fact that Highlander management caved in to his salary demands. It is interesting to note as well that despite these antics being known, Chase was still presented with a Silver loving Cup by his teammates upon his return to the Team.

Chase had solid years in 1909 and 1910 hitting .283 and .290, while developing a penchant for making in errors at inopportune times. In fact Chase would lead the league in errors at first base seven times during his career. The amazing thing here is that the total would probably be even higher, but Chase was given the benefit of a doubt quite frequently. Due in part to his reputation as an excellent fielder and in part, to his inherent ability to make some routine plays look tough when it suited his needs, thereby gaining a pass from the scorer.

1910 was also the Season he was first openly accused by Manager George Stallings of throwing games. Chase beat these charges and undermined Stallings in the process, taking over as Manager. After the team worsened over the next 2 Seasons, Frank Chance came in and again accused Chase of throwing games. This time he was traded and after stints with the White Sox and Buffalo Federal League Team ended up with Cincinnati and straight arrow Manager Christy Matthewson. It wasn’t long before the suspicions popped up again due to Chase’s questionable play prompting his suspension for two Months in 1918. He eventually wound up in New York again, with the Giants, and even the taciturn John McGraw could not straighten him out, suspending Chase again before the 1919 Season ended.

Chase’s dealings had finally caught up with him and he was barred for life prior to 1920. His name also surfaced in the 1919 Black Sox scandal, and having connections in both Chicago and New York, he was rumored to have brought some of the key parties together, though he never directly contacted any of the White Sox players. He left with a career average of .291 with a high of .339 in 1916 with Cincinnati. He played up until his 50’s in the outlaw minors and was named the greatest 1B of all-time by both Walter Johnson and Babe Ruth. The latter’s choice is especially interesting, considering he played with Lou Gehrig and against the likes of Jimmy Foxx, Hank Greenberg and George Sisler.

As it is now:
Chase is drafted by the Reds with the 6th pick of the second round in 1904. His first two Seasons are lackluster as he hits just .129 and .220, with only his glove work keeping him in the lineup. He finally manages to hit .271 in 1907, then follows that up with Seasons of .291, .293 and .297 respectively. He also garners his first and only Gold Glove award in 1907, fulfilling the expectations many in the game feel he is capable of. Beginning in 1908 however, he begins to exhibit runs of sloppy play in the field, particularly in situations where the game is on the line, and the suspicions begin.

1911 is his finest Season in the Majors, as Prince Hal hits .343 and knocks in a career high 77 runs, yet the Reds, despite a lineup that includes Jimmy Sheckard, Ed Konetchy and Bris Lord finish 7th. Chase fielded brilliantly all year, probably secure that the Reds pitching would consistently fail and it did, yielding a 27 game loser in young Smokey Joe Wood, and a team ERA of 4.04. A new motif emerges in 1912, as Chase continues to dazzle in the field, yet folds at the plate in key situations with a greater frequency than Rube Waddell accumulates unpaid bar tabs. Dissatisfied with his attitude, the Reds ship him off to the Giants for SS Dolly Starks in November.

Once with the Giants, “Prince” Hal acquires a whole new circle of unsavory friends and his performance drops accordingly, especially when it matters the most, and he hits just .250 and 263 over the next two Seasons. In 1915 he is benched in early August hitting just .243, with a measly OBP of .256. He leaves the team after the Season and signs with Kansas City of the American Association. Rejuvenated and revered on his new Team, Chase hits .329, .303, .358, .316 and .319 between 1916 and 1920. Signed by the Boston Red Sox after the close of the 1920 AA Season, he is called on to Pinch hit and strikes out with the Winning runs on 2nd and 3rd in a late Season game. Fittingly, it will be his last Major League at Bat.

Epilog-Aces and Eights
Chase returned to his native California in early 1921 and after kicking around on some Semi-Pro and low Minor League teams for a few Years, moved to Vernon and opened a Bar. Soon a large number of the Vernon Tigers, a PCL franchise, frequented the establishment. Not long after Chase’s name again surfaced in connection with questionable loses suffered by the Tigers, though nothing is ever proven. In 1931 Chase is shot in his bar by a drunken business man, who accused the former Big Leaguer of fleecing him in an illegal back room Card game. Chase’s alternate career ends with a career average of .276, 14 career Homeruns, 210 steals, who knows how many Ducats picked up for a well booted Ball here and there and an alternate ending befitting, the Dark Prince of Baseball.

Side Note-Hello Dolly
Chase was traded for Dolly Stark in November 1912 after wearing out his welcome in Cincinnati. Stark, the 48th overall pick of the 1910 Draft, hit .355 in limited duty his rookie Season and followed it up with a second .355 Season in 1912. In what looked like a steal for the Reds, Stark hit .323 in 1913 and .378 in an injury plagued 1914 Season that included an All-Star game selection. From here it was all downhill as Dolly never did reach the heights of the Broadway play that shared his name. Over the last 7 Seasons of his career, Stark had over 100 AB just once (1916, only hitting .233 in the process) He lasted one year longer than Chase, retiring in 1921 at age 36 with a career average of .336, forged mainly on the strength of his first 4 Seasons. In real life Stark hit .238 over 378 career at bats with the Naps and Superbas (1909 – 1912)

[Lee]

As it was:
Matty was one of the most beloved figures of game in his time. In stark contrast to the stereotypical player of the Day, Christy was gentlemanly and educated. A Man of diverse interests, Big Six was a renowned Checkers player who once defeated the World Champion. (Newell Banks) He also was the epitome of integrity during a time when this attribute was in short supply in the Game.

Acquired by the Giants from Cincinnati for lame armed Veteran Amos Rusie in 1900, Matthewson had 373 Wins in front of him. Rusie, a 245 game winner at the time, would go 0-1 for the Reds before retiring in 1901. Without a doubt one of the most lopsided trades in Baseball history. Matty was 0-3 his debut Season and only 34-37 overall after his third in the League. (1902) Still only 22 entering 1903, Matthewson would put it all together winning 30 games or more in each of the next three Seasons. Credited with inventing the screwball, (Which he called a fadeaway) Christy was soon regarded as the best hurler in the game and 1905 is still one of the greatest Seasons a Pitcher has ever enjoyed. The Giants won their second consecutive pennant as Matty clocked in at 31-9, with a microscopic 1.28 ERA. In the Series it only got better as the Giants defeated Connie Mack’s Philadelphia Athletics 4 games to 1, with Christy throwing 3 Shutouts at the American league Champions, in what is still the greatest World Series performance ever by a Pitcher.

Matthewson went on to nine more consecutive 20+ win Seasons between 1906 and 1914, with a career high in wins of 37 in 1908 and a career low ERA of 1.14 in 1909. Despite these gaudy numbers, 1905 would be Matty’s only World Championship. Though the Giants made it back to the Series three more times (1911-1913) they lost each time. (Twice to Mack’s A’s and once to the Red Sox) 1912 in particular was painful, as Mathewson went 0-2 (with one tie) in the series, despite a 0.94 ERA, losing the deciding game that became famous for the Snodgrass muff (More on this in another post)

In 1915, at the age of 34, and an arm finally failing from the tremendous workload he had carried throughout his career (11 Seasons over 300 innings, with a high of 390 in 1908) Christy suffered his first losing Season since 1902, going 8-14. Traded to Cincinnati during the 1916 Season, Christy hung them up at age 35 after going 4-4, 3.01. His Career numbers, 373-188, 2.13 with 434 CG and 79 Shutouts. Christy was posthumously elected to the Hall of fame in the inaugural class of 1936.

The Charmed life he led as a Player did not follow him after he retired. Assuming the Managerial duties for the Reds in 1916, Christy had nowhere near the success on the Bench, he enjoyed as a player, going 164-176 over three Seasons. Enlisting in the Army when the US entered World War one, Matthewson was accidentally gassed in France during a training exercise and later developed Tuberculosis as a result. Reduced to the life of an invalid, Matty enjoyed the fresh air of Lake Saranac, New York, playing Checkers with his frequent guests and occasionally venturing out to speak at public functions. He died on the eve of the 1925 World Series at the age of 45.

As it is now:
As the ARB began its inaugural Season in 1903, Christy was already an established name at the tender age of 21 with the New York Giants. Christy enjoyed a strong 1903 campaign going 22-14 for the Gotham darlings who finished 2nd to the St Louis Cardinals. 1904 saw the Giants plummet to last in the NL and Matty went with them, limping in at 12-25, with an ERA of 2.92. Their demise would be short lived however, as they stormed back to win the NL pennant in 1905, the first of three they would win while Matty toiled for them, though each time they would come up short in the World Series. Matty went 24-18 in 1905 and followed that with Seasons of 24-20, 21-21 and 25-14 from 1906–1908.

Though he piled up the wins and innings, (13 Seasons with 300 of more) Matty never did record gaudy ERA numbers, his lowest being 2.39, his last in New York and a Season in which he was a disappointing 16-19, despite another Giant pennant. His last post Season appearance saw him get rocked by the Highlanders for 14 hits in a losing effort and overall, his career World Series numbers were only 1-4, 3.56. With Giant management feeling his best days were gone, he was shipped to Cleveland, along with $3,000.00 for SS Terry Turner. While Turner held down SS for 7 Seasons in New York, hitting over .290 4 times, Matty lasted 8 in Cleveland, though only one, 1910, resulted in a winning record, when he went 13-9, 2.98.

From 1911 on, Matthewson was Cleveland’s Ace on a horrid string of teams that finished 6th once, 7th four times and dead last twice. During that time Matty was a 20 game loser twice (1916 and 1917) while managing to come close to 20 wins just once going 18-19, 4.27 in 1911. He continued to rack up innings, but got little support and only had an ERA below 3.00 once with the Naps. Traded to Chicago prior to 1918, Matty turned in his best Season in years for the White Sox. Pitching as a spot starter and relief specialist, Christy went 17-10, 2.96 ERA with 10 saves for the Southsiders, who finished third.

This would be Big Sixes last great hoorah however as he spent one more Season with Chicago, then three with the Boston Braves going a combined 17-33, before hanging them up in 1922, at age 42. Lured out of retirement as an enticement to increase attendance, Matty came back for single Season in the American Association the next year, thrilling fans by going 18-10, 3.93 at age 43 for the Columbus Grays, before finally stepping away for good and being elected to the Hall of Fame in 1923. Christy was a 1 time Diamond Ace Award winner, 3 time Gold Glove winner and 5 time All-Star.

Epilog-Crown me
Matty’s alternate Career was a wild up and down ride, a pitcher who lost as much as he won, due mainly to his 8 year run with the horrible Cleveland Nines. As of 1927 he is number 4 on the All-time wins list with 316, but also the career loss leader at 353, making him the only ARB player to win and lose 300 games. He is also the all-time leader in games, (932) Innings pitched (6157) second in complete games (544) and third in both Strikeouts and Shutouts. Spared service in World War one, Matty went on to travel the country, both as an ambassador of Baseball and as a Champion Checkers player, a game he loved nearly as much as Baseball. He served as a consultant to the Commissioners office in the 30’s, before spending his later years relaxing in the Hamptons in upstate New York, a beloved and respected testament to all that makes the Game of Baseball great.

Side Note-A rusted Iron
“Iron Man” Joe McGinnity, gave the Giants a durable and tireless second Arm during the early years of the Century. He combined with Matthewson to provide the greatest one-two punch the game has ever seen in 1904, going 35-8 to go along with Matty’s 33-12 Campaign. McGinnity won 246 games during only 11 Major League Seasons, relying almost exclusively on a Curveball he unleashed from a submarine delivery. His nickname of the “Iron Man” came about not because of his propensity to pitch both games of a double header, a feat he did 6 times in the Majors, but because he was an off-Season foundry worker.

In his alternate Career McGinnity would make no significant impact at all, turning in a record of 6-4, 5 saves in 1903. He would remain with the Giants until 1906, but would appear in only 14 more games after 1903, going a combined 3-1. Instead of McGinnity, Matthewson went through a number of different sidekicks during the early years including Roscoe Miller 26-11 in 1903, Walter Clarkson 20-8 in 1905, Mike O’Neill 21-18 in 1906, and Heinie Berger 20-20 in 1907 and 24-14 in 1908.

[Lee]

Since the Snodgrass Muff came up in Mathewson's profile, I wanted to touch on the facts surrounding it a bit more.

In the 1912 World Series the Boston Red Sox and New York Giants went eight games to decide a World Champion. Going into the deciding game on October 16th, the Series was tied at 3 wins a piece, with 1 tie. The pitching match up featured veteran New York ace Christy Mathewson, 23-12 during the 1912 regular Season, against Rookie Hugh Bedient, who went 20-9 for the Red Sox that year. Bedient was forced to start the deciding game due to the fact that Boston had used ace Smokey Joe Wood (34-5) the day before hoping to wrap the Series up in game 7. Unfortunately, the Giants, behind Jeff Tesreau routed the Sox and Wood 11-4, to set up the climatic contest.

The game was a classic Pitchers duel as Matty and Bedient went at each other tooth and nail. The Giants struck first with Josh Devore leading off the third with a walk. After reaching third on successive groundouts, Red Murray doubled and the Giants had a 1-0 lead. Matthewson had scattered 4 hits heading into the bottom of the 7th, when Jack Stahl got things started with a one out Single. Heinie Wagner walked and then Hick Cady popped out to short. With two outs Olaf Henrickson pinch hit for Bedient and doubled to left to tie the game 1-1. Matty avoided further grief getting Harry Hooper to fly out to Center and leave Wagner and Henrikson stranded on 2nd and 3rd.

Smokey Joe Wood, still smarting from the shellacking the day before, relieved Bedient and the score remained the same heading to extra innings as Stahl was left stranded in the bottom of the 9th, following a one out Double. In the 10th, Fred Snodgrass grounded out to Wood, then Red Murray followed with a Double. Fred Merkle, the goat of the 1908 pennant race then singled to Center, scoring Murray with the potential winning run. Wood then struck out Buck Herzog and retired Chief Meyers on a come backer to end the inning.

Clyde Engle then batted for Wood (who had injured his hand fielding Myers grounder) and lofted a lazy pop fly to Center. Snodgrass dropped the routine fly and the Red sox had the leadoff runner on. In Baseball history this play has been singled out as the play that cost the Giants the series……but in truth there was much more. Harry Hooper, up next cracked a screaming line drive to the deepest area of the park and Snodgrass made a brilliant running one handed catch, to save a run right there. Stan Yerkes then walked and Tris Speaker followed with a single scoring the tying run. After an intentional walk to Duffy Lewis, Larry Gardner hit a flew out to Right, deep enough to allow Yerkes to score with the winning run.

But was Snodgrass truly to blame? After the walk to Yerkes, Tris Speaker hit a pop foul down the First base line. The location of the fly could have caught by either Merkle or Catcher Chief Meyers. The easy play would have been for 1B Merkle coming in, but Matthewson called for Myers to take it…..Merkle hearing this backed off. For his part, Myers did not hear Matty and also backed off; figuring correctly that the First Baseman had the easier play. The result is that Speaker, given a second chance singled in the tying run. If this play had been made Lewis would not have been walked and the Giants are still up by a run……And in fact this was the potential third out if Snodgrass had caught the ball…..the reason most blame him for the loss.

Though it will never be known if Matty would have retired Hugh Duffy with 2 outs had Speakers foul been caught, the fact is that he is just as responsible as Snodgrass is, if not more, for the Giants loss that year. Another reason that this angle was probably not more thoroughly explored at the time is that Matthewson was of course a deity in New York. Therefore, it was much easier to place the blame on the 24 yr old Snodgrass, entering only his third Season as a Giant regular instead of the legend.

Other interesting what ifs; What would have happened had Wood not been injured in the top of the inning. An excellent hitting Pitcher, Wood would not have been lifted for Engle were he able to grip a Bat….Would the outcome of been different if he had hit. Also if Speaker had been retired and Boston still managed to tied the score, who would have pitched for the Sox in the 11th and would the game even have even been allowed to continue in gathering dusk?