1907 was supposed to be a rebuilding year. Really, it was.

My strategy for success in the dead ball era is pretty simple. I don't put up with players who can't play defense. That was the one big advantage that this Brooklyn team had in 1907. Billy Hamilton was the only defensive liability in the field. Meanwhile, I could afford to have anyone in my lineup injured without missing a beat defensively.

On a bit of a darker note, I was a bit miffed to find that...

Fourteen new players were eligible for Hall of Fame voting after the 1907 season:

Steve Brodie was a starting outfield for Washington for 12 years, amassing 1,761 career hits and appearing in two All Star games.


Pete Browning appeared in 8 All Star games and won 5 Silver Slugger awards at third base over the course of his 21 year career that he spent mostly in Cleveland. He finished...

Opening Day Lineup
C Lave Cross
1B Shad Barry
2B Whitey Alperman
3B Mike McCormick
SS Joe Cassidy
LF Charlie Hickman
CF Davy Jones
RF Billy Hamilton
SP Rube Waddell

Most Common Lineup
C Lave Cross
1B Shad Barry
2B Whitey Alperman
3B Mike McCormick
SS Joe Tinker
LF Charlie Hickman
CF Davey Jones
RF Billy Hamilton

Pitching Staff
SP Nap Rucker...

First off, the Cy Young retirement really did shock me. I was expecting him to come back in 1907 and be a valuable part of the rotation.

That said, the 1906 team really had two huge problems that I needed to address. The first was that I only had half of a starting rotation. Sure, Ambrose Puttman filled in exceptionally well last year, but his stamina never quite developed. He had a habit of blowing leads in the late innings, so I really did want him back in the bullpen.
...

Here are the players appearing on the ballot for the first time:

John Clarkson played most of his career with Boston in the National League where he won 20 games in 1891. He finished with 124 career wins.


Hardie Henderson was an iron horse pitcher who made five All-Star appearances in his career. He finished with 240 wins and 259 losses.
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