My new Historical Random Debut (Starting in 1901 with 1984 stats output and strategy settings)

[actionjackson]

Originally Posted by Edster007

John Tudor also had a great year in 85. McGee did have a good year and the writers slant toward hitters I mean Guidry could have won the MVP in 78 but when you look at the monster season Rice had it's hard to argue although I did being Yankee fan (Guidry is the reason the clapping started when a pitcher has 2 strikes on a batter)

Just read through the past posts and I have to say one of the things I love about HRD is getting attached to a player you didn't even know. For me its Cupid Childs, love that guy. Otherwise hope all is well with you AJ

Tudor was great in 1985, but Gooden was absolutely epic, and nobody else was remotely close. McGee was terrific in 1985 too, but all of them took a back seat to Gooden.

Guidry should've won the MVP in 1978. Although a Yankee bias does lie to Yankee fans all the time your Yankee bias was not lying to you that time. Mike Caldwell of the Brewers was absolutely fantastic that year too, as were Amos Otis, and Doug DeCinces. If I had been given a ballot that year, I think I would've gone:

1) Ron Guidry, NYY
2) Jim Rice, BOS
3) Mike Caldwell, MIL
4) Amos Otis, KCR
5) Doug DeCinces, BAL
6) Jon Matlack, TEX
7) Larry Hisle, MIN
8) Carlton Fisk, BOS
9) Dennis Eckersley, BOS
10) Dave Goltz, MIN

So, yeah there would've been three evil Red Sox on it, but Guidry would've gotten the coveted top spot. Jim Rice was a very good choice. He just wouldn't have been mine.

Probably a few too many pitchers in there for some peoples tastes, but starting pitchers are involved in more batter/pitcher confrontations than hitters are even in the modern game, so they deserve just as much consideration as hitters do.

Cupid Childs has been ridiculous in my game. He was picked by the Milwaukee Brewers (now the St. Louis Browns, and in the future the Baltimore Orioles) with the 13th pick of the 1901 Inaugural Draft (out of 720 players). All he's done in the first seven years of my league is go to six All-Star games, win three Silver Sluggers and 2 World Championships. Haven't done the awards for 1907 yet, so he may add to that impressive trophy case. He's led his league in plate appearances three times, runs three times, BB six times, and OBP five times. He's slashed .313/.426/.412/.839, with a 133 OPS+, a 131 wRC+, and an even 40.0 WAR. He has also had three top-10 MVP finishes (9th in his rookie season of 1901, 9th again in 1904, and 2nd in 1905). Absolute beast.

Thanks for the well wishes Edster007, and Happy Thanksgiving from your internet stranger friend in Canada.

[Edster007]

As my Yankee bias goes I still can't dispute the Rice MVP the numbers were strong and he like Guidry where head and shoulders above their peers that season.

I will forever say I will take Munson in his prime over Fisk every day, all day.

I think Eck had a good W-L record but gave up a lot of HR's. I would drop Eck and Goltz and because he lacked the number of starts and wont make the list Larry Gura was better than both. Then of course there's my Yankee bias who would consider Gossage.

I have replayed the 78 season as the Yankees with several games computer and cards and dice-not much separated the Yanks, Sox, O's and Brewers (Tigers are an honorable mention) I have never won the East with Yankees in any of those replays. I haven't tried in 19 yet maybe an over the holiday project. Overall in my youth it was my favorite season.

Happy Thursday AJ

[actionjackson]

First round of the 1907 Amateur Draft, with players ages as of June 30, 1908, and all the positions they are rated at:

1. Cleveland Naps: Sherry Magee, 18, LF/CF/RF
2. Cincinnati Reds: Norm Cash, 22, 1B
3. Chicago White Sox: Murry Dickson, 21, RHP
4. New York Giants: Lorenzo Cain, 23, CF/RF
5. New York Highlanders: Lance Johnson, 22, CF
6. Philadelphia Athletics: Johnny Mostil, 21, CF
7. Chicago Cubs: Tommy Thomas, 25, RHP
8. Brooklyn Superbas: Gene Conley, 20, RHP
9. Washington Senators: Julio Teheran, 19, RHP
10. New York Giants: Harvey Hendrick, 24, 1B/3B/LF/RF
11. Philadelphia Athletics: Jordan Walden, 21, RHP
12. St. Louis Cardinals: Mario Ariosa, 18, 2B/3B/LF/RF
13. Chicago White Sox: Pete Dowling, 19, LHP
14. Boston Red Sox: Bill Bayne, 19, LHP
15. Pittsburgh Pirates: Tim Crews, 25, RHP
16. Brooklyn Superbas: Mike Muldoon, 23, 2B/3B

Not as deep a draft as 1906, but more top heavy over the first nine picks or so. Negro Leaguer/Mexican Leaguer 2B Mario Ariosa was taken 12th overall by the Cardinals. PCLer George Steward was taken 76th overall (by the Tigers) out of 82 draftees. The other Spritzies were MLBers Joe Fautsch (Red Sox), Mike Kosman (Cardinals), and Hap Ward (Reds) who all came into the game with no fielding ratings, and were picked 58th, 72nd, and 78th overall respectively. The Chicago White Sox had the most picks in the draft with twelve. They took Murry Dickson, Pete Dowling, Jensen Lewis, Gabby Street, Barney Martin, Cam Bedrosian, Hal Gilson, Chris V Carter, and added some filler/organizational depth in Lew Carpenter, Abe White, Bill Kern, and Pete Naton.

[actionjackson]

1907 MLB Awards:

AL Brooks Robinson Awards:

P: Brett Tomko, 34, SLA

C: Craig Biggio, 30, DET

1B: Steve Garvey, 30, WS1/DET

2B: Rex Hudler, 29, PHA

3B: Edgar Martinez, 28, WS1

SS: Alex Rodriguez, 31, DET

LF: Andres Mora, 22, CWS

CF: Ben Chapman, 24, PHA

RF: Brian Jordan, 26, PHA

NL Brooks Robinson Awards:

P: Phil Knell, 34, CHC

C: Mike Lieberthal, 26, STL

1B: Stuffy McInnis, 21, BSN

2B: Mark Lemke, 29, STL

3B: Robin Ventura, 23, PIT

SS: Trevor Story, 30, BRO

LF: Lee Lacy, 27, BSN

CF: Ian Happ, 28, PHI

RF: Raul Mondesi, 31, CHC

[actionjackson]

AL Ted Williams Awards:

C: Craig Biggio, 30, DET

1B: Ty Wigginton, 26, DET/PHA

2B: Cupid Childs, 26, SLA

3B: Edgar Martinez, 28, WS1

SS: Alex Rodriguez, 31, DET

LF: Ed Delahanty, 26, PHA/DET

CF: Al Kaline, 24, WS1

RF: Dale Murphy, 26, WS1

DH: Hyun-soo Kim, 28, WS1

NL Ted Williams Awards:

P: C J Wilson, 26, BRO

C: Butch Wynegar, 19, BSN

1B: Stuffy McInnis, 21, BSN

2B: Dustin Pedroia, 34, CHC

3B: Robin Ventura, 23, PIT

SS: Jean Segura, 30, PHI

LF: Lee Lacy, 27, BSN

CF: Ian Happ, 28, PHI

RF: John Vander Wal, 37, STL

One comment on the Ted Williams Awards. In the National League C J Wilson took the award at pitcher. His stats line? .129/.176/.186/.361, and a big fat 2 OPS+/0 wRC+, with 0 HR and 5 RBI in 84 PA. My pick was Bill Hoffer of the Pirates. He put up a .274/.337/.333/.670 slash line, a 90 OPS+/62 wRC+, 0 HR and 6 RBI in 108 PA. What the?

[actionjackson]

AL Mariano Rivera Award:

1. Duane Ward, RHP, 25, WS1
2. Bert Dorr, RHP, 21, NYY
3. John Fulgham, RHP, 29, SLA
4. Dustin Nippert, RHP, 28, CWS
5. Pete Meegan, RHP, 23, SLA

NL Mariano Rivera Award:

1. Sean Doolittle, LHP, 29, PIT
2. Tom Brennan, RHP, 30, BSN
3. Alejandro Pena, RHP, 26, NY1

Wardo and Doolittle win their second MRAs. Ward previously won in 1905. Doolittle's previous MRA came in 1904.

[actionjackson]

AL Jackie Robinson Award:

1. Al Atkinson, RHP/LF/CF/RF, 22, PHA
2. Andres Mora*, LF, 22, CWS
3. Dixie E Howell, C, 27, NYY
4. Bill McGilvray, 1B/LF/CF/RF, 21, WS1
5. Jason Dickson, RHP, 22, PHA

NL Jackie Robinson Award:

1. Butch Wynegar, C, 19, BSN
2. Phil Bradley, LF/CF, 24, STL
3. Cinders O'Brien, RHP, 20, STL
4. Juan Uribe, 2B/3B/SS, 22, STL

* = Once again the service time snafu rears its ugly head. I hope that nobody wins the ROY and has more than 45 days of service in the seasons prior to the year in question. The future is looking up for the St. Louis Cardinals who made the postseason in 1907, and had three rookies in the top four.

[actionjackson]

AL Walter Johnson Award:

1. Eppa Rixey, LHSP, 33, DET
2. Toad Ramsey, LHSP, 29, BOS
3. Bucky Walters, RHSP, 32, DET
4. Jack J Powell, RHSP/RP, 24, BOS
5. Mark Gubicza, RHSP, 28, WS1

NL Walter Johnson Award:

1. Paul Derringer, RHSP, 27, STL
2. Nolan Ryan, RHSP, 28, BSN
3. Eddie Cicotte, RHSP, 27, BRO
4. Jim Clancy, RHSP, 31, STL
5. Mickey Lolich, LHSP, 26, BRO
6. Bill Hoffer, RHSP, 25, PIT

[actionjackson]

AL Babe Ruth Award:

1. Eppa Rixey, LHSP, 33, DET
2. Toad Ramsey, LHSP, 29, BOS
3. Alex Rodriguez, 3B/SS, 31, DET
4. Ed Delahanty, 1B/LF/CF/RF, 26, PHA/DET
5. Al Kaline, CF/RF, 24, WS1
6. Bucky Walters, RHSP, 32, DET
7. Jack J Powell, RHSP/RP, 24, BOS
8. Vern Stephens, 3B/SS, 26, BOS
9. Edgar Martinez, 3B, 28, WS1
10. Dan Ford, CF/RF, 31, DET
11. Dale Murphy, 1B/CF/RF, 26, WS1
12. Mark Gubicza, RHSP, 28, WS1
13. Dick Lundy, SS, 18, CLE
14. George Grantham, 1B/2B, 23, BOS
15. Bobby Mitchell, LF/RF, 35, DET
16. Cupid Childs, 2B, 26, SLA
17. Ty Wigginton, 1B/2B/3B/LF, 26, DET/PHA
18. Brian Jordan, LF/CF/RF, 26, PHA
19. Sandy Amoros, LF/CF, 24, NYY
20. Craig Biggio, C/2B/CF, 30, DET

NL Babe Ruth Award:

1. Paul Derringer, RHSP, 27, STL
2. Lee Lacy, 2B/LF/CF/RF, 27, BSN
3. Nolan Ryan, RHSP, 28, BSN
4. Eddie Cicotte, RHSP, 27, BRO
5. Ian Happ, 2B/LF/CF/RF, 28, PHI
6. Jean Segura, 2B/SS, 30, PHI
7. Robin Ventura, 3B, 23, PIT
8. Jim Clancy, RHSP, 31, STL
9. Mickey Lolich, LHSP, 26, BRO
10. Trevor Story, SS, 30, BRO
11. Bill Hoffer, RHSP, 25, PIT
12. Jim Morrison, 2B/3B, 27, PHI
13. Phil Bradley, LF/CF, 24, STL
14. Stuffy McInnis, 1B, 21, BSN
15. Sean Doolittle, LHRP/SP, 29, PIT

It looks like those "nerdy" ivy league GMs are getting the aging curves right IRL. Of the 35 players in these lists of the best players of the 1907 season, only two were over the age of 32 (long thought to be the end of a player's prime). Those two both played for the 104-58 Detroit Tigers: 33-year old AL MVP, and WJA winner Eppa Rixey, and 35-year old Bobby Mitchell.