1920 The First Time Around
 

As the fallout from the Black Sox scandal rolled on inexorably to its crescendo, the baseball season almost seemed to play a supporting role. A shame, really, as two keenly-fought pennant races unfolded, with the Indians narrowly getting past the beleaguered and stripped bare White Sox for their first AL Pennant and the Robins seeing off the Giants for their second senior circuit title. The Tribe would prevail in the WS for their first Championship.

AL CHAMPIONS: Cleveland Indians (98-56)
NL CHAMPIONS: Brooklyn Robins (93-61)
WORLD SERIES: Indians 5, Robins 2

Top Ten Lists (courtesy of thisgreatgame.com)

NL Hitters

1. ROGERS HORNSBY, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: .370 average, 96 runs, 218 hits, 44 doubles, 20 triples, 9 home runs, 94 RBIs, .431 on-base percentage, .559 slugging percentage.
• The Rajah shifted into superstar mode and won his first of six straight batting titles.

2. ROSS YOUNGS, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: .351 average, 92 runs, 204 hits, 27 doubles, 14 triples, 6 home runs, 78 RBIs, 75 walks.
• At age 23, the Shiner, Texas native shined as he cut into a star groove, finishing second behind Hornsby in the NL batting race.

3. EDD ROUSH, CINCINNATI

• Key Numbers: .339 average, 196 hits, 16 triples, 90 RBIs, 36 stolen bases.
• Typically gruff when awakened to start a season, perhaps the most refreshing aspect of Roush’s campaign for the Reds, beyond the numbers, was that he actually reported to Spring Training on time.

4. CY WILLIAMS, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: .325 average, 192 runs, 36 doubles, 10 triples, 15 home runs, 72 RBIs.
• Aided by 12 home runs hit at Baker Bowl alone, Williams would try and become the NL’s answer to Babe Ruth—though his 15 total clouts wouldn’t even represent a third of Ruth’s total.

5. ZACK WHEAT, BROOKLYN

• Key Numbers: .328 average, 89 runs, 191 hits, 13 triples, 9 home runs, 73 RBIs.
• Wheat warmed up with the weather, hitting .371 over his final 97 games after struggling with a .258 mark through the first 51.

6. HI MYERS, BROOKLYN

• Key Numbers: .304 average, 83 runs, 177 hits, 36 doubles, 22 triples, 80 RBIs.
• For the second straight year, Myers led the NL in triples; his 22 still remains the Dodgers’ modern (post-1900) record.

7. IRISH MEUSEL, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: .309 average, 27 doubles, 8 triples, 14 home runs, 69 RBIs.
• Like Cy Williams above, Meusel’s home run total was lifted thanks to Baker Bowl; 12 of his 14 were hit at the Phillies’ ballyard.

8. GEORGE BURNS, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: .287 average, 115 runs, 181 hits, 35 doubles, 9 triples, 6 home runs, 76 walks, 22 stolen bases.
• At age 30, Burns’ speed began to elude him—he stole 22 bags after nabbing 40 in each of his previous three years—but it didn’t keep him from leading the NL in runs for the fifth and last time.

9. JACK FOURNIER, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: .306 average, 33 doubles, 14 triples, 12 hit-by-pitches, 26 stolen bases.
• Rogers Hornsby got support in the lineup from Fournier, all but missing in action from the majors over the previous three years because of his suspect defense.

10. DAVE ROBERTSON, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: .300 average, 29 doubles, 11 triples,10 home runs, 75 RBIs.
• In his one full season at Chicago, Robertson returned to form after the Great War interrupted his career.

AL Hitters

1. BABE RUTH, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: .376 average, 158 runs, 172 hits, 36 doubles, 9 triples, 54 home runs, 135 RBIs, 150 walks, .532 on-base percentage, .847 slugging percentage.
• Ruth in 1920 was, as George Will would later say, like Mt. Everest in Kansas.

2. GEORGE SISLER, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: 154 games, .407 average, 631 at-bats, 137 runs, 257 hits, 49 doubles, 18 triples, 19 home runs, 122 RBIs, 42 stolen bases.
• Astonishingly, Sisler collected more total bases (399) than Ruth (388).

3. TRIS SPEAKER, CLEVELAND

• Key Numbers: .388 average, 137 runs, 214 hits, 50 doubles, 11 triples, 8 home runs, 107 RBIs, 97 walks.
• Like Sisler with the Browns, Speaker was a primary reason the Indians became one of the first two teams (along with the Browns) to hit over .300 in the 20th century.

4. JOE JACKSON, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: .382 average, 105 runs, 218 hits, 42 doubles, 20 triples, 12 home runs, 121 RBIs.
• Shoeless Joe appeared to ramp up with the advent of the live-ball era; because of the Black Sox Scandal, we’ll never know how much better he would have been.

5. EDDIE COLLINS, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: .372 average, 117 runs, 224 hits, 38 doubles, 13 triples, 76 RBIs, 69 walks.
• Not part of the Black Sox’ game-fixing cabal, Collins’ career would roll on; his .372 average in 1920 would be a personal best.

6. HAPPY FELSCH, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: .338 average, 188 hits, 40 doubles, 15 triples, 14 home runs, 115 RBIs.
• Like Joe Jackson above, Felsch would also rob himself of a furtive baseball future—but unlike Jackson, he still had the bulk of his career to show off.

7. BABY DOLL JACOBSON, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: 154 games, .355 average, 97 runs, 216 hits, 34 doubles, 14 triples, 9 home runs, 122 RBIs.
• The end of the Deadball Era certainly suited Jacobson, who had been lucky to hit over .250 before the ball came to life.

8. ELMER SMITH, CLEVELAND

• Key Numbers: .316 average, 37 doubles, 10 triples, 12 home runs, 103 RBIs.
• In the best year of an otherwise common career, Smith hit two grand slams in the season to go along with the one belted in the World Series—the first ever in Fall Classic competition.

9. SAM RICE, WASHINGTON

• Key Numbers: .338 average, 211 hits, 29 doubles, 9 triples, 80 RBIs, 63 stolen bases.
• Rice would set a Senators record by hitting safely in 29 consecutive games; he would reset the mark to 31 games in 1924. (Heinie Manush would top that with 33 in 1933, and that remains the franchise high.)

10. BOBBY VEACH, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: 154 games, .307 average, 92 runs, 188 hits, 39 doubles, 15 triples, 11 home runs, 113 RBIs.
• With Ty Cobb “slumping” to a .334 average due to a knee injury, Veach briefly took over as the biggest everyday threat in the Tigers’ lineup.

NL Pitchers

1. BURLEIGH GRIMES, BROOKLYN

• Key Numbers: 2.22 ERA, 23 wins, 11 losses, .676 win percentage, 303.2 innings.
• How grand (fathered) it is to be exempted from the spitball ban; after successfully lobbying for baseball to allow established spitballers to keep throwing the wet stuff, Grimes slobbered his way to a spot among the game’s pitching elite.

2. WILBUR COOPER, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: 2.39 ERA, 24 wins, 15 losses, 37 starts, 327 innings.
• The Pirates’ all-time leader in wins, Cooper reached a career pinnacle with 24.

3. PETE ALEXANDER, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 1.91 ERA, 27 wins, 14 losses, 40 starts, 33 complete games, 363.1 innings, 173 strikeouts.
• Pitching like the pre-war workhorse, Alexander won his first 11 games while racking up an unprecedented sixth straight sub-2.00 ERA campaign.

4. BABE ADAMS, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: 2.16 ERA, 17 wins, 13 losses, 8 shutouts, 263 innings, 18 walks.
• The vintage stage of Adams’ career hit a peak by walking just 0.61 batters per nine innings—a modern record which would hold until Carlos Silva beat it in 2005.

5. FRED TONEY, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 2.65 ERA, 21 wins, 11 losses, 37 starts, 278.1 innings.
• The veteran right-hander finished strong—but only after he chewed out (and nearly beat up) Giants catcher Frank Synder when the latter dared to criticize him.

6. DOLF LUQUE, CINCINNATI

• Key Numbers: 2.51 ERA, 13 wins, 9 losses.
• After continuing to bounce back-and-forth between the rotation and bullpen to begin the season, the Cuban native finally found a foothold as a starter that would make him a mainstay for the Reds throughout the 1920s.

7. JESSE BARNES, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 2.64 ERA, 20 wins, 15 losses, 292.2 innings.
• Barnes was one of three Giants hurlers to win 20 games—and barely, earning his 20th with four innings of hitless relief in his final appearance of the season.

8. ART NEHF, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 3.08 ERA, 21 wins, 12 losses, 280.2 innings.
• The third of the Giants’ 20-game winners, the southpaw reached the milestone for the first time and first of two consecutive seasons.

9. AL MAMAUX, BROOKLYN

• Key Numbers: 2.69 ERA, 12 wins, 8 losses.
• One-time young workhorse for the Pirates got a second wind, quietly contributing to the Robins’ NL pennant effort.

10. RAY FISHER, CINCINNATI

• Key Numbers: 2.73 ERA, 10 wins, 11 losses.
• Though he was 0-6 with a 4.28 ERA against the NL’s top two teams (Brooklyn and New York), Fisher cleaned up against the rest of the circuit in what would be his last of 10 big league seasons as he tired of the constant travel.

AL Pitchers

1. STAN COVELESKI, CLEVELAND

• Key Numbers: 2.49 ERA, 24 wins, 14 losses, 315 innings, 133 strikeouts.
• Though his won-loss record paled in comparison to Jim Bagby (#2 below), Coveleski proved tougher on opposing batters—and also got a bit less run support (5.0 per starts to Bagby’s 6.3).

2. JIM BAGBY, CLEVELAND

• Key Numbers: 2.89 ERA, 31 wins, 12 losses, .721 win percentage, 48 appearances, 39 starts, 30 complete games, 339.2 innings.
• A record 17 pitchers won 20 games in 1920, and rising above them all was Bagby—one of 13 hurlers since 1900 to win 30.

3. BOB SHAWKEY, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 2.45 ERA, 20 wins, 13 losses, 267.2 innings.
• Shawkey won 11 straight games early on and posted the highest ERA by a league leader since 1899.

4. URBAN SHOCKER, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: 2.71 ERA, 20 wins, 10 losses, 5 saves, 245.2 innings.
• Shocker was a rarity for the 1920s: A good player stolen from, not by, the Yankees. They’d eventually get him back anyway.

5. RED FABER, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 2.99 ERA, 23 wins, 13 losses, 39 starts, 319 innings.
• One of four White Sox pitchers to win at least 20 games—a major league first—Faber’s 2.99 ERA was the lowest among the quartet.

6. EDDIE ROMMEL, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: 2.85 ERA, 7 wins, 7 losses, 34 appearances, 12 starts.
• One of the game’s first knuckleballers, the 22-year-old rookie was fortunate enough to garner a .500 record on a team that finished 48-106.

7. CARL MAYS, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 3.06 ERA, 26 wins, 11 losses, 6 shutouts, 312 innings.
• The irascible—and vilified, after one of his pitches killed the Indians’ Ray Chapman—Mays showed no slacking off after the tragedy, going 7-2 with a 2.07 ERA.

8. EDDIE CICOTTE, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 3.26 ERA, 21 wins, 10 losses, 303.1 innings.
• Before being ruined by scandal, Cicotte would see his success muted by the abolishment of the shineball he thrived on.

9. DICKIE KERR, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 3.37 ERA, 21 wins, 9 losses, 5 saves, 253.2 innings.
• One of the “clean” Sox, Kerr completed his lone 20-win campaign and led the AL in saves in what would be his second of only three full seasons at the big-league level.

10. JACK QUINN, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 3.20 ERA, 18 wins, 10 losses, 253.1 innings.
• Being grandfathered as an exempted spitballer helped Quinn become one of the AL’s more efficient pitchers—and allowed him to pitch until he was nearly 50.

1920 Preseason / Spring Training
 

We make a couple of strategic FA signings:

P Reggie Richter: 3 years, $7500

With our rotation not getting any younger and Drucke off a poor and injury-affected 1919, I just feel we need some more firepower in the pen and all-time saves leader Richter is a great pickup in this regard.

1B Eddie Murphy: 1 year, $2500

A pretty cheap utility to transition us until the time Traynor is ready, Eddie plays 1B / 2B / 3B and the corner OF slots well and is a good contact hitter without much pop.

The off-season market settles down a bit this year, but there are still plenty of notable moves:

• SS Dave Bancroft: Phillies, 7 years / $54300 (extension)
• OF Harry Hooper: Red Sox, 5 years / $49000 (extension)
• P Hippo Vaughn: Athletics, 6 years / $46800
• 1B Wally Pipp: Giants, 6 years / $43400
• OF Shoeless Joe Jackson: Senators, 5 years / $38500 (re-sign)
• P Larry Cheney: Cardinals, 5 years / $34300
• 3B Milt Stock: Giants, 3 years / $21800
• P Roy Hitt: Athletics, 3 years / $18600 (extension)
• OF Jack Smith: Yankees, 4 years / $14360 (extension)
• P Jim Bagby: Browns, 3 years / $11100
• OF Tim Hendryx: Giants, 4 years / $10500 (extension)
• OF Ken Williams: Yankees, 2 years / $10020 (extension)
• 3B Jim Doyle: Cubs, 1 year / $7200
• 1B Ben Taylor: White Sox, 1 year / $7200
• P Jose Acosta: Robins, 3 years / $6580
• P Fred Perry: Cardinals, 3 years / $6200
• P Red Hoff: Cardinals, 3 year / $5640

• C Ernie Krueger from Tigers to Senators for P Hal Carlson and C John Cason
• C Val Picinich from Phillies to Cubs for P Lou Schettler
• 3B Buck Weaver from Red Sox to Braves for P Roy Mitchell and SS Chick Galloway
• 2B Jim Viox from Cubs to Phillies for OF Sammy Vick and OF Buzz Murphy

ALL TRANSACTIONS

12-6 for Spring Training with Carey and Groh each picking up a niggle, but both should be right to go.

The Browns are tipped to run away with the junior circuit, while we are again selected to top the NL by just a couple games from the Cardinals.

I have to say, I don’t see it that way. After a sustained run of success, we are on the cusp of a necessary transition and I’ll be happy if we can get some good developmental form from our young guys and stay injury-free and competitive. But there’s no doubt changes are afoot for our franchise over the next couple seasons as we try to keep pace with some of these other teams that are coming up fast.

FULL PRESEASON PREDICTIONS

1920 Opening Day
 

Our team page can be accessed HERE. Here’s the annual summary.

Our Opening Day lineups will look like this:

Catchers

• C Frank Snyder (R)
• Ted Easterly (L)

Ted in his age-35 season has lost a few steps, and O’Farrell will almost certainly get a look-in. For now, Snyder takes over the everyday reins.

Infielders

• 1B Oscar Charleston (L)
• 2B Heinie Groh (R)
• 3B Frank Baker (L)
• SS Dick Lundy (S)

• Eddie Murphy (L)
• Hod Ford (R)
• Bernie Friberg (R)
• Oliver Marcell (R)
• Ernie Johnson (L)

Huge concerns about Marcell’s apparent regression, to the point that he has for now lost the everyday 3B spot and will have to win it back. Groh’s continued defensive slippage is another real worry. This squad is only a key injury or two away from serious problems, especially in the infield.

Outfielders

• LF Elmer Smith (L)
• CF Max Carey (S)
• RF Ty Cobb (L)

• Carson Bigbee (L)
• Smoky Joe Wood (R)

All eyes on Traynor’s development and I just hope we can stay healthy long enough to get him adept at 2B. In the end, circumstances may not afford us the time necessary. O’Doul is still a few seasons away and I’m looking forward to seeing how he handles AAA. Mueller is another one who may see some action.

Rotation

1. RHP Walter Johnson
2. LHP Wilbur Cooper
3. LHP Harry Krause
4. LHP Lefty Williams

If Williams holds his own he’ll probably be moved up to SP3 with an eye toward the future. Mays, Mamaux, Reuther, and a few others can be deployed as and if needed.

Bullpen

• RHP Louis Drucke
• RHP Al Mamaux
• LHP Dutch Reuther
• RHP Reggie Richter

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The View from the Gangplank May 1, 1920
 

After an early stumble, we rattle off 7 straight wins en route to a 10-6 start to the season.

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All the same, I’m finding myself distracted by my dissatisfaction with our mix. A brief injury stint for Lundy and Groh’s slow start each intensify those feelings until, unable to hold off any longer, I make the following move as the month draws to a close:

TRADE 1 OF 5 (04/27/20)

2B Heinie Groh and 1B Tommy Vereker traded to Cleveland for IF Wally Gerber.

It’s our thinness at SS causing me the consternation, and Wally covers that nicely. The price is a slight dip in offensive prowess, but I’m OK with that, especially seeing as Heinie wasn’t setting the world on fire and had lost his starting spot to Bernie Friberg. He’ll retain that role for now and Wally will be a swing utility backup across 2B / 3B / SS.

Standings, awards, news, leaders.

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The Wheeling and the Dealing
 

Elmer Smith is out of contract at the end of the year, and we start talking about his future. He is stubborn in his request for a long, expensive deal and I just don't think he is worth it going forward. So I go looking for alternatives.

After a few dead ends I throw a line out for a player I have admired from afar since he joined the league, not really thinking we'd have any luck. So I am surprised when we end up getting a counteroffer that is incredibly reasonable, one which I do not hesitate to accept.

TRADE 2 OF 5 (05/01/20)

OF Elmer Smith and P Luther Farrell traded to New York (AL) for OF Ken Williams.

There's always a trade-off within every trade, and this one is no different. For a bigger and more consistent bat we lose some defensive flexibility, with Ken strictly a LF option whereas Elmer played both corners. He is also 2 years older than Elmer, although that makes him still only 29. But that bat of his, combined with our depth in the deep, makes these more than acceptable in my mind. Elmer always threatened to break out and was runner-up in the NL last season with 10 HR, but never fully delivered on that promise, and never consistently enough for my liking.

As I've been saying, it is evolve and improve or die right now, and this trade certainly puts a bit more oomph into our offence.

At least I hope it does.

Old Reliable hits a ton...
 

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He needs 6 to become the outright HR King, but even if he does make it I doubt he'll hold the throne for long, not with HJ and the Babe in the league. The all-time list looks like this now:

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The View from the Gangplank June 1, 1920
 

Everything rolling along AOK to this point, with the lads putting together a 17-10 record for May and seeming to have gelled really nicely after our little period of flux.

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Even in this early part of the season it is looking like another exciting stretch run is ahead of us in both divisions with plenty of teams well and truly in the mix this year.

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Awards, news, leaders.

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Stat of the Day
 

Stat of the Month: HR/9
 

Scooping the pool...
 

Max Carey is having one of his best years yet, including this fantastic achievement.

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The View from the Gangplank July 1, 1920
 

Surprisingly smooth sailing to this point as we consolidate our position with a solid 19-9 sectional.

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The bats have run hot from the get-go and our 296 team BA leads the league. Carey continues to fire on all cylinders and Cobb is relishing being back in action, while pretty much every starter is at the top of their game so far. Traynor gets called up after we lose a couple players to short-term injuries and he handles himself OK.

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Our pitching hasn't been quite so restful. While Johnson and Cooper (who wins this month's award) have been sensational, we have to turn Williams and Krause out of the rotation into the pen for Reuther and Mamaux. Train (14-3 / 2.33) is having a banner year.

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The Williams-Smith trade seems to have been a good one for all involved. Ken has slashed 341/409/530 for us and belted 5 dingers with 38 ribbies, while Elmer seems to have settled in nicely to life in the Big Apple, going 333/425/547 with 9 HR, 41 RBI and nearly 2 WAR. And yet, despite that and the presence of Ruth, Meusel, and a strong rotation led by Waite Hoyt, the Bombers find themselves a fair way off the pace to this point. Same goes for the Cards in our division. Hornsby is flirting with 400 and Frisch going gangbusters, yet they sit at 31-39 and one spot out of the cellar.

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Awards, news, leaders.

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Stat of the Day
 

Rube finally gets #200
 

After his extended IL stint and some rehab at Beaumont, Andrew "Rube" Foster belatedly joins his fellow NeL stars with 200 wins.

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The View from the Gangplank August 1, 1920
 

I’m the first to admit I went into this season with fairly tempered expectations. I felt we were lucky to win the Pennant last year and had played well below our capabilities throughout. With the group getting a bit older and Cobb’s injury and Train’s drop in performance last season, I honestly believed we were destined for the dreaded “pivot” en route to a comprehensive rebuild, sooner rather than later. Indeed, even though both involved players who cannot be considered “young” in baseball terms, the Williams and Gerber acquisitions were done with this in mind, to try and keep us as competitive as possible during this transitional phase.

Well, the lads have obviously pooh-poohed that idea with their efforts to this point. And so, despite struggling a bit this month to finish with a very streaky 15-15 record for the period, we once again find ourselves right in the thick of things heading into the pointy end of the campaign. Suddenly, a tilt at another Championship is well and truly on the cards.

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And so, on the eve of the trade deadline, I make the following moves to try and press home the advantage:

TRADE 3 & 4 OF 5 (07/30/20)

1B Eddie Murphy and P Lefty Williams traded to St. Louis (NL) for P Jose Leblanc.

2B Hod Ford and P Sad Sam Jones traded to Cleveland for UT Lloyd Christenbury.

While Johnson and Cooper (who makes it B2B Pitching Awards in July) continue to excel, the bottom half of our rotation remains problematic. We have a few options at SP4, none of whom seem up to a more prominent role. The hope is that Jose plugs that gap. Murphy was going to enter the FA market at season’s end, so his loss now at least nets us something in return. I would have preferred to trade Krause rather than Williams, but only his inclusion would seal the deal.

Our offence has been superb this year, so the addition of Christenbury is more of a fallback-slash-depth move. Lloyd plays decent enough 2B / SS as well as all three OF slots, and projects as a marked improvement offensively over young Ford, although we’ve sacrificed some years between the two.

The very next day, in the last game of the month, Train experiences back spasms. Thankfully he seems AOK and won’t miss any time, but it is a stark reminder how thin the ice on which we tread.

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After a long lean period (their sole NL Pennant came in 1905 when they lost the WS to Detroit), the Reds look like they've finally got a competitive squad. They trail is by 5.5 games, with the Braves, Phillies and Cards bunched behind them and well within reach. In the AL, the Browns and Sens look set to duke it out, with the Red Sox and Yankees needing to get a move on if they want to join in on the action. Still plenty of time, but there's no doubt their moves in August need to be upward.

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One of the real surprise packets this year has been Elmer Ponder of the Browns, who becomes the season's first 20-game winner and is on pace for 30.

The hotly-anticipated longball fireworks haven't really eventuated as yet. HJ leads the Babe by 18 to 14 in the AL, while Cincy's Dobie Moore heads the NL with 12. HRs are up slightly across the league, but it has to this point been fairly evenly spread among the playing group rather than concentrated on a few.

Injuries continue to play a part, with the NeL players hit particularly hard this season. The Braves lose Bombin Pedroso for the year to elbow surgery, Joe Williams' recovery has been a slow one, while Cards rookie Andy Cooper is called up, does well enough to win the award in July, then goes down for a month to a strained oblique. Sens Legacy Tom Zachary is another casualty, with his season ended prematurely by shoulder inflammation.

Awards, news, leaders.

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Yet another big NeL name...
 

... bites the dust with a season-ending injury.

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The Tris has spoken...
 

2500 hits for Tris "Spoke" Speaker.

He currently sits in 4th on the all-time list behind Crawford (2957), Cobb (2934) and Lajoie (2723).

Spoke is an absolute WARmonger. He has the most of any position player in the game's history (120-odd, as measured by OOTP), and trails only the Train, who has roughly 6 more than him at the time of posting. Both are currently in their age-32 season, so it will be fascinating to see who can set this mark for those who follow to try and catch.

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The View from the Gangplank September 1, 1920
 

An odd old month indeed.

We begin strongly, grinding out wins like you need to in this part of the season and seemingly pulling away from the pack and headed for a comfortable stretch run. But then we go to St. Louis and drop 4 straight to the Cards and that changes everything, pulling us back to just 5 ahead of the Phillies when they come to the ‘Burgh for a 3-gamer.

A rainout means a double-header the next day, with the early game a marquee matchup between Train and Pete Alexander, arguably the two best pitchers in the NL this year. Walter gets us a handy 3-1 win and then Cooper pitches a gem in the late game, shutting them out on 4 hits in a 2-0 win that certainly settles the nerves. Leblanc, yet to lose since coming across, then goes the distance in the final game to close out a key sweep. Crisis averted, but only briefly, as we proceed to get swept at home by the Braves. Then we unconvincingly win our final two games of this odd old month against the Jints to put our W-L for the sectional at a scratchy 16-12.

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All of that notwithstanding, our offensive output continues to be strong throughout the group.

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Wilbur Cooper, having a career year, wins his third straight monthly award.

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Fortunately, none of the group chasing us makes a decisive move, but all still loom ready to pounce should we trip up. Still neck-and-neck between the Sens and Browns as the AL seems destined for yet another grandstand finish.

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Heavy Johnson continues his one-man war on American League pitching. Not only does he look likely to extend his own single-season HR record (he has 26 vs last-season's record-setting 27), he is flirting with hitting 400 and looks an outside chance to break the WAR mark as well (currently held by Honus Wagner with 12.22, HJ has 9.0 to this point). A beast.

Awards, news, leaders.

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Stat of the Day
 

Stat of the Month: ISO
 

A real setback...
 

... for the boys in brown.

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The View from the Gangplank: end of regular season, 1920
 

A season that has arguably been our most consistent and least complicated reverses itself a bit in both of these regards down the stretch.

Once again, we look to be cruising with a 7-game win streak early in September. But then our form and luck turn somewhat against us and things become a bit of a struggle. Although neither are serious nor long-term, injuries to Train and Charlie come just at the least opportune moment. We give Walter a precautionary IL stint, but opt to try and nurse Oscar through his.

All the while our comfortable lead becomes decidedly less so as the Braves inch closer. Then Cobb and Marcell both pick up niggles. Again, nothing serious but certainly putting our depth to a stern test, and I’m suddenly thankful for my “umbrellas on a sunny day” philosophy of roster management.

A 4-day break toward the end of the month comes in very handy, but really it is a testament to the heart of this group that we steady and clinch our 6th straight NL Pennant and 11th overall with roughly a week to spare. We end the season with a 94-60 record.

This allows us to sit back and watch the AL race – which, and this is saying something – is perhaps the tightest we’ve seen. The Browns and Sens are never separated by more than a game down the stretch, with their results more often than not mirroring each other—loss for loss, win for win.

Entering the final week, the two sides are tied at 88-59. Sadly, for the neutrals at least, they are not scheduled to face each other again. That would have been some series.

It matters not, as they remain joined at the hip like the Bunker brothers for the remainder.

On the next-to-last day, the Sens lead by a half-game with their MN at 2. Both win tight affairs, meaning a Browns win the following day at home to the White Sox would force a tiebreaker. A 3-0 shutout win behind former Pirate farm player Jim Bagby keeps them alive and they go on to beat the Senators in Washington by 4 to 2 in a 10-inning game that has to be seen to be believed.

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From what they’ve been put through these past few seasons, one can safely assume that the heart inside every Browns and Senators fan is twice as old as the rest of their body.

Here are the final stats for our group. Five of our regulars - Cobb, Charleston, Carey, Williams and Traynor - hit 300 or better, while Lundy misses that mark by just 3 points. Cooper is simply outstanding, winning 4 monthly awards and 29 games. A Waddell Medal would be a fitting end to his stellar campaign.

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And here are the final standings, September awards and final leaders. Ty Cobb wins another batting title (his 8th, combined), while Heavy Johnson is king of the AL. He also extends his season record for HR to 30 and sets a new season record for SLG with 657, with Elmer Smith belting 19 in the time he is with the Yanks. His teammate the Babe has 17 and it seems that, for as long as he continues to be required for two-way duty, his offensive numbers will suffer a bit. That said, he slashes 378/499/648 while driving in a career-high 83 and scoring 94 - good for 7.6 batting WAR to go with the 4.0 he earns as a pitcher. Bob Meusel, the third member of their outfield, puts in arguably the best rookie season in history, driving in 126 runs with 15 HR and a BA of 342. One would think it only a matter of time before that franchise begins to dominate this league, as it did IRL.

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In MiLB news, while the Austin Senators take the ALAAA easily, our farm club Wilkes-Barre stages a mighty late charge in the NLAAA, only to come up a game short behind the Syracuse Chiefs, who would go on to win the inaugural AAA World Series 3 games to 2.


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1920 World Series Preview
 

Pittsburgh Pirates (94-60) v St. Louis Browns (93-62)

Best-of-nine, Pirates with the home-field advantage.

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ST. LOUIS BROWNS S+ PAGE

As I am sure you’re aware, this makes it three of the past four World Series in which these two teams meet. We know them as well as we know ourselves, it seems. Beating Joe Williams is still the key, but it is also as tough as ever. Spratt’s absence is a big one, no doubt, but the emergence of Elmer Ponder – who seemed to come out of nowhere – this season offsets that to a great deal, and gives them one of the best rotations in the game. They are strong everywhere, leading the AL in most offensive and pitching categories, and this should once again prove a massive challenge for our group.

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1920 World Series Recap
 

Game 1 in Pittsburgh, October 8th 1920
Walter Johnson (23-12, 3.07) v Elmer Ponder (29-10, 2.66)

Walter’s season was one of two halves, as he came out extremely strong but then – perhaps a sign of age –fell away quite a lot, going 5-5 down the stretch. So a cloud hangs over him here, especially against the red-hot Ponder who gets the nod because of Williams having to pitch in the tiebreaker. Elmer, according to our scouts, has some of the most pinpoint control they’ve seen, which means patience will be the name of the game here. There are rumours he has a little niggle as well, so we’ll have to see if that affects him in any way.

We go ahead in the 2nd on two hits and a Snyder SF and a Marcell RBI groundout doubles our lead. We waste a chance to go further ahead in the 4th when, after 2 errors by their 3B load the bases for us, we leave them that way. But we do add one in the next when Charleston triples and scores on a hit by Cobb.

Train gives up just a walk and a HBP thru 5 before his no-no bid is spoiled by a Sisler double in the 6th. A single to Mackey drives in their first run of the game. The lads hit back in the 7th as Williams plates one with a single and Lundy then Snyder do likewise to make it 6-1, chasing Ponder. Marcell greets his replacement with a long 2-run double to put us 7 clear and Train adds yet one more with a two-out single. In the process thereof, however, Williams is hurt and we’ll be sweating on word from the medical staff as to whether or not he’s done for the remainder.

Walter runs out of juice in the 8th so I go to the pen and Mamaux douses the threat. He gives us a scoreless 9th to close it out. Just the start we were after, Williams’ injury notwithstanding.

Pirates 9, Browns 1
BOX SCORE


Game 2 in Pittsburgh, October 9th 1920
Wilbur Cooper (29-10, 2.35) v Joe Williams (8-2, 1.85)
Pirates lead series 1-0

No doubt Wilbur was better last Series than previously, so we hope he’s got past those dark days. What a stunning year he has had and we need him to translate that into a strong showing here against the mighty Smoky Joe. No news on Williams but we fear the worst and Bigbee will start in LF in this one.

Things do not start well as he gives up a run on back-to-back doubles but we square it up in the home half with one on a Cobb groundout. It appears those dark days are still upon us as Cooper looks a completely different pitcher under playoff conditions and they tag him for 3 runs, with an error not helping matters.

Williams on the other hand, one of the best money pitchers the game has seen, is having no such difficulty as we have only one hit to our name thru 4. We make two more errors in the next inning and Cooper does well to keep his composure and not let them add to their lead. But the signs are not good here.

They pad their lead with one in the 7th and that is Wilbur done. What we saw tonight is the difference between a great regular season pitcher and a great pitcher, full stop, I’m afraid.
The lads rally for a run in the home half of that inning, singled in by Traynor. Then Carey makes it 5-3 with another RBI single.

In the 9th, we get the tying runs aboard with two out but Williams gets Charleston to harmlessly ground out and they take the win.

Browns 5, Pirates 3
BOX SCORE


Game 3 in Pittsburgh, October 10th 1920
Jose Leblanc (15-8, 3.41) v Urban Shocker (26-14, 2.83)
Series tied 1-1

Count went 8 and 3 for us after the trade but his losses were ugly and inconsistency is his main flaw. We are unlikely to have the luxury of a poor one from him tonight with Shocker up for them, who is one of the league’s most dependable hurlers as a rule. Williams will take no further part, a huge blow for us, but there’s nothing to be done about it so we just have to get on with things without him. Mid-season FA signing Amos Strunk, who spent the year at AAA, gets the call up. Mixing things up a bit in this one, with Baker in at 1B, Charlie to CF and Scoops to LF.

Charleston has been quiet so far but gets us going here when he triples in the 1st and scores on a Cobb single. We add a second in the next on a Traynor double and Leblanc singles him in. An infield hit to Carey and a Charleston walk load the bases for Cobb, who duly singles one in, then Snyder wipes them clean with a two-out double to make it 7-0. That ends Shocker’s night and makes my earlier statement seem foolish as all get-up. It happens.

After 6 strong one-hit innings, Leblanc loses his way in the 7th as they pound him for three extra base hits on the trot. When he gives up another hit and then walks them loaded, I hook him. Mamaux comes in and does superbly to allow just one of those to score. But we are looking very shaky.

Baker steadies the ship with a big solo moonshot in the home half and then Cobb all but ends it with a 2-run bomb in the 8th.
Mamaux retires all 8 he faces and we head to St. Louis up 2-1.

Pirates 10, Browns 3
BOX SCORE


Game 4 in St. Louis, October 12th 1920
Elmer Ponder (0-1, 11.37) v Walter Johnson (1-0, 1.17)
Pirates lead series 2-1
A win here would put us in a really strong position, so hopefully Train can keep things going from Game 1. Consistency has, after all, been Walter’s bugbear this year.

And he starts dreadfully here, giving up hits to the first three he faces and before we know it we are down by 4.

No-one has come out to play today, it seems, as Traynor throws one away and they add another run to their lead. Two more in the 4th renders this a no-contest and we eventually lose 7-2.

A forgettable game in every respect.

Browns 7, Pirates 2
BOX SCORE


Game 5 in St. Louis, October 13th 1920
Joe Williams (1-0, 2.00) v Wilbur Cooper (0-1, 3.86)
Series tied 2-2

It gets tricky for us here as we need Wilbur to somehow get himself over the hump and give us some chance of beating Williams. Charleston and Lundy simply must inject themselves into things, as both have been ineffectual to this point.

We get men on in each of the first three innings but can’t convert them into runs. Cooper starts strongly, retiring the first 11 he faces.

Still scoreless after 5, Charleston comes alive in the top 6th with a 2-run homer to put us in front.

We keep pushing but lack that key hit and it takes two errors in the 8th for us to pad our lead. We load the bases and Charlie comes through again for us, doubling in a pair to make it 5-0, but then leave two more in scoring position from none out to three.

Thankfully it doesn’t matter as Wilbur chases the ghosts away with a magnificent 3-hit shutout.

Pirates 5, Senators 0
BOX SCORE


Game 6 in St. Louis, October 14th 1920
Urban Shocker (0-1, 37.80) v Jose Leblanc (1-0, 4.50)
Pirates lead series 3-2

Obviously we’ve had no problems putting down good performances so far in this series. It is our lack of consistency that has handcuffed us to this point, and that part of our game will get a stern test today. No chance of us getting another shocker from Urban (sorry, been keeping that one in my pocket for a while now...) and as I mentioned Jose has struggled to string good form together. So we are primed for a fall today if we let it happen. The key is not to. Easterly in at catcher today to give Snyder a rest.

They open the scoring with one in the 2nd and we waste a Cobb triple in the 4th as our bats once again retreat into their shells.

A Lundy error in the 6th paves the way for them to add to their lead with an unearned run, but that sparks our offence to life as we respond with one on a Baker single. Another error in the 8th by Easterly gifts them another run and yet again we are our own worst enemy with a pretty dire performance as we go down meekly in the 9th, wasting an excellent effort by Leblanc.

Browns 3, Pirates 1
BOX SCORE


Game 7 in St. Louis, October 15h 1920
Earl Hamilton (6-10, 4.75) v Dutch Ruether (7-7, 2.95)
Series tied 3-3

Pitching depth becomes the key here as the focus turns to each side’s SP4. Ruether was good in patches, bad in others. His role today is to keep us close; Hamilton is a trickier proposition than his seasonal stats suggest, especially given we are a lesser side with bat in hand against southpaws.

We score first in this one, as a single in the 4th by Traynor brings one home and another comes in on a Wood groundout. An error by their 2B Collins gives us an extra out and we use it well as Carey singles one more in.

The tension is heightened by a half-hour rain delay following the 4th, and when the game resumes another Browns error gifts us another run to make it 4-0. Wood then singles one in and Ruether another, with one more thrown out at the plate.
We keep things ticking along nicely in the next as Charlie singles and Cobb triples him home, ending Hamilton’s game. An RBI single by Lundy puts us 8 in front and Traynor makes it 9 when he singles Lundy in with two out.

Ruether, with his knuckler working well, has only given up 3 hits to this point, but they get to him with a pair and I get the hook ready. It comes out in the 7th when he gives up singles to the first two he faces, with Richter getting the call and doing brilliantly to keep them from scoring.

We lose Traynor to injury in the 8th (they have also lost Tobin and Mackey in the course of this game, so it will be interesting to see how that affects the rest of the series) and Krause replaces Richter on the hill. He has been a liability all year and struggles again here before recovering to only concede one run. He gets into trouble again before Drucke comes in to lock it down.

Pirates 9, Browns 3
BOX SCORE


Game 8 in Pittsburgh, October 17th 1920
Walter Johnson (1-1, 4.61) v Joe Williams (1-1, 2.00)
Pirates lead series 4-3

Traynor’s injury is only serious enough to keep him out of the rest of the series, but he will be greatly missed. Ernie Johnson comes in to replace him in the squad, while Bernie Friberg will start in this game. Both of their guys under injury clouds are right to play.

The biggest question in the lead-up to this game was whether or not they’d deploy Williams and, in the end, they have decided to. This sets up a dream head-to-head with The Big Train. It makes little difference to our mindset, we always thought we would have to beat him one more time to get it done. For Walter to achieve this he will have to be greatly improved on his two previous starts.

Both of them wobble a bit early but use their game smarts to keep from any runs being conceded.

It remains scoreless until the home 5th, when a walk and a HBP put men aboard and Friberg singles one of them in to give us the lead.

Neither of these legendary warriors is at their best, but they keep going places mere mortals do not have to keep it at 1-0 thru 6 then 7 then 7 ½...

We get an insurance run in the 8th on a two-out single by Snyder. Then Baker gets a clutch 2-run single to make it 4-0. A double by Marcell adds yet another and I’ve seen few more poignant things than Smoky Joe Williams taking his leave of this game, apparently beaten.

You know they weren’t going down quietly, and McHenry leads off the 9th with a long double. Train gets Tobin to pop out to short and then Bassler is the second out, with the runner moving to third. A flyout to Carey in LF gets Train a much-deserved shutout and gets us our 6th Championship.

Pirates 5, Browns 0
BOX SCORE

PITTSBURGH WINS SERIES 5-3
SERIES MVP: Ty Cobb (Pittsburgh)


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1920 Offseason
 

We exercise the options on Ken Willams’ and Frank Baker’s contracts, but not so Ted Easterly. Ted has been fantastic for us but we’ve plenty of coverage at his position now and he really struggled this year. Smoky Joe Wood doesn’t meet the vesting criteria for his contract, but we want to keep him for a few more years and offer him a 2+2 deal which he accepts a week or so later. Quite a few of our Wilkes-Barre group are up for FA and I offer MiLB extensions to those we’re interested in keeping. We'll need to top up in the market, after we see what we get in the Draft.

Plenty of blood on the walls after this season with the Red Sox (Jason Rohrbaugh), White Sox (Danny Cota), Tigers (John O’Brien), Cubs (Bill Shettsline) and Giants (Joe Weber) all going in new directions with their managers.

No retirees of note for once.

1920 Awards & Leaders
 

AL 1920 HISTORY INDEX

NL 1920 HISTORY INDEX


AWARDS HISTORY


Heavy Johnson wins his 3rd WLM and Rajah his 2nd. Wilbur deservedly is the unanimous pick for the NL Waddell, with Dick Redding winning his first in the junior circuit. Bob Meusel is the AL RoY, while Boston's John Sullivan wins it in the NL.

Sim all green.

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Some more changes...
 

I like winning, don't get me wrong, but this is as much about replicating the history of the game in new and interesting ways as it is about my own success with the Bucs. I know from personal experience threads like these tend to get a bit monotonous if the team being controlled by the author wins year-in, year-out.

Not too much wiggle-room at the moment for increasing the difficulty. Salaries don't really cause any grief just yet, so no point in cutting our budget, although that will undoubtedly happen down the track. I need the scouting where it is to keep track of the NeL players. Trading is already at the toughest combination.

All that really leaves me with is to self-impose further limits on my roster moves. So until further notice I am now only allowed to make 3 trades per calendar year, down from 5 previously. Additionally, I am permitted only 2 major-league FA purchases each season.

Let's see how that goes. With the Yanks on the way up and the Cards still expected to come into their own sooner rather than later, I may be able to flip these back in a few years. I hope so, for that will mean the league has become truly competitive.

1920/21 Rookie Draft
 

Held on 12/20/1920.

Just 3 Legacies this time around, but plenty of unassigned talent up for grabs as well.

These are the Legacy Players for the 1921 season:

Cincinnati Reds: Pete Donohue (18.8; 316)
Philadelphia Athletics: Bing Miller (29.5; 1361)
Washington Senators: Goose Goslin (66.4; 1361)

Ray Kolp (14.0; 255) was also eligible for the Reds, but Donohue’s higher WAR makes him the selection.

There are 137 rookies for this season, and the Draft will consist of 7 rounds.

The Draft order will be as follows (winning percentage from 1920 IRL season in brackets; bold indicates Legacy Pick in 1st Round):

Round 1

1. Washington Senators (447)
2. Philadelphia Athletics (312)
3. Cincinnati Reds (536)
4. Detroit Tigers (396)
5. Philadelphia Phillies (405)
6. Boston Braves (408)
7. Boston Red Sox (471)
8. St. Louis Cardinals (487; DICE ROLL)
9. Chicago Cubs (487; DICE ROLL)
10. St. Louis Browns (497)
11. Pittsburgh Pirates (513)
12. New York Giants (558)
13. Brooklyn Robins (604)
14. New York Yankees (617)
15. Chicago White Sox (623)
16. Cleveland Indians (636)

Rounds 2 thru 6

1. Philadelphia Athletics (312)
2. Detroit Tigers (396)
3. Philadelphia Phillies (405)
4. Boston Braves (408)
5. Washington Senators (447)
6. Boston Red Sox (471)
7. St. Louis Cardinals (487; DICE ROLL)
8. Chicago Cubs (487; DICE ROLL)
9. St. Louis Browns (497)
10. Pittsburgh Pirates (513)
11. Cincinnati Reds (536)
12. New York Giants (558)
13. Brooklyn Robins (604)
14. New York Yankees (617)
15. Chicago White Sox (623)
16. Cleveland Indians (636)


No Legacy for us and, with our position player group very much set up, we will be hunting pitchers this Draft. I know who my preferred guy is, fingers crossed he is still on the loose by the time our pick rolls around.

Here’s who we end up selecting:

1. P Sam Streeter, 20

• We get our man, a great-looking southpaw who will probably do a wee bit of tuning up at Wilkes-Barre before getting the call-up.

2. P Cliff Bell, 24

• Cliff was #5 on our wishlist, but those ahead of him got snapped up. No world-beater but will prove a handy fallback should the kaka collide with the cooling device.

3. P Garland Braxton, 20

• Were there any decent enough to consider, I would have preferred to take a position player with this pick. But there weren’t.

4. SS Frank Callaway, 22
5. C Astyanax Douglass, 23

• Purely AAA filler from this point on.

6. P Sarge Connally, 22
7. P Carl Holling, 24

• Scout’s picks.

FULL DRAFT LOG

Nice to see a Pirates series win.

1921 The First Time Around
 

Two pretty tight races as the Yanks see off the defending World Champion Indians by 4 games to lock down the franchise’s first AL Pennant and the Giants come from behind to overtake the Pirates and eventually take the NL by a similar margin. The upstarts push their more established rivals in the first-ever “Subway Series” (actually, more like “Polo Grounds Series”, given both played their games there) but come up short, as the Jints win it in 8.

AL CHAMPIONS: New York Yankees (98-55)
NL CHAMPIONS: New York Giants (94-59)
WORLD SERIES: Giants 5, Yankees 3

Top Ten Lists (courtesy of thisgreatgame.com)

NL Hitters

1. ROGERS HORNSBY, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: 154 games, .397 average, 131 runs, 235 hits, 44 doubles, 18 triples, 21 home runs, 126 RBIs, .458 on-base percentage, .639 slugging percentage.
• Hornsby slumped in the final weeks to miss becoming the NL’s first .400 hitter since 1899; he’d get a few more shots in later years.

2. FRANKIE FRISCH, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: .341 average, 121 runs, 211 hits, 31 doubles, 17 triples, 8 home runs, 100 RBIs, 49 stolen bases.
• In a Giants lineup loaded with explosive performances, none was perhaps more nitro than Frisch in his first full season.

3. AUSTIN MCHENRY, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: .350 average, 201 hits, 37 doubles, 8 triples, 17 home runs, 102 RBIs.
• A breakout star, McHenry’s promising path to stardom would be cut tragically short a year later by a deadly brain tumor.

4. JACK FOURNIER, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: .343 average, 103 runs, 197 hits, 27 doubles, 9 triples, 16 home runs, 86 RBIs, 8 hit-by-pitches.
• Hornsby’s content Cardinals teammate was settling quite nicely into the live ball era, jumping his home run total from three the year before.

5. ROSS YOUNGS, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: .327 average, 24 doubles, 16 triples, 102 RBIs, 70 walks, 21 stolen bases.
• The exciting Giants outfielder, never to be confused for a slugger even in live times, surpassed 100 RBIs for the only time in his career.

6. GEORGE KELLY, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: .308 average, 95 runs, 181 hits, 42 doubles, 9 triples, 23 home runs, 122 RBIs.
• The home run total for the man nicknamed High Pockets was all that separated Rogers Hornsby (above) from a triple crown.

7. IRISH MEUSEL, PHILADELPHIA-NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: .343 average, 96 runs, 201 hits, 33 doubles, 14 triples, 14 home runs, 87 RBIs.
• Though he accumulated better numbers in Philadelphia than New York (hitting .353 with 12 home runs in 84 games for the Phillies), Meusel was happy to trade stats for wins as the Giants sprung to a NL pennant.

8. DAVE BANCROFT, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: .318 average, 121 runs, 193 runs, 26 doubles, 15 triples, 66 walks.
• One of the Giants’ many recent steals from the depths of the second division, Bancroft was beginning to equal his graceful defensive talent with that of his bat.

9. EDD ROUSH, CINCINNATI

• Key Numbers: 112 games, .352 average, 27 doubles, 12 triples, 71 RBIs, 19 stolen bases.
• A series of leg injuries curtailed Roush’s participation, but he still turned in a career-high batting average.

10. ZACK WHEAT, BROOKLYN

• Key Numbers: .320 average, 182 hits, 31 doubles, 10 triples, 14 home runs, 85 RBIs.
• All of this from the Brooklyn fan favorite who the Robins wanted to trade, because owner Charles Ebbets felt he’d been around “too long”; a contract dispute was behind it all.

AL Hitters

1. BABE RUTH, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: .376 average, 158 runs, 172 hits, 36 doubles, 9 triples, 54 home runs, 135 RBIs, 150 walks, .532 on-base percentage, .847 slugging percentage.
• The second chapter of the Bambino’s monster act showed that he was still a good 10 years ahead of everyone else.

2. HARRY HEILMANN, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: .394 average, 114 runs, 237 hits, 43 doubles, 14 triples, 19 home runs, 139 RBIs.
• Heilmann barely fell below .400, but he did outhit his tutor, first-year Tigers manager Ty Cobb, to become the AL’s first right-handed batting leader since 1905.

3. TY COBB, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: 128 games, .389 average, 124 runs, 197 hits, 37 doubles, 16 triples, 12 home runs, 101 RBIs, 22 stolen bases.
• Live-ball fever caught up to the Georgia Peach, whose home run totals entered double-digit territory for the first time—but it didn’t compromise his batting average, which placed him second in the AL behind Harry Heilmann.

4. GEORGE SISLER, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: .371 average, 125 runs, 216 hits, 38 doubles, 18 triples, 12 home runs, 104 RBIs, 35 stolen bases.
• A .371 average only comes off as okay when you have someone like Sisler hitting .407 the year before and .420 the year after.

5. KEN WILLIAMS, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: .347 average, 115 runs, 190 hits, 31 doubles, 24 home runs, 117 RBIs, 74 walks, 20 stolen bases.
• Playing in just his second full major league season at age 31, Williams late-bloomed into the emerging class of Babe Ruth wannabes—but a pretty good one at that.

6. BOB MEUSEL, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: .318 average, 104 runs, 190 hits, 40 doubles, 16 triples, 24 home runs, 135 RBIs, 88 strikeouts.
• Were it not for Ruth’s presence, sophomore Yankee star Meusel might have been considered the AL’s premier slugger.

7. BOBBY VEACH, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: .338 average, 110 runs, 207 hits, 43 doubles, 13 triples, 16 home runs, 128 RBIs.
• Veach joined Ty Cobb and Harry Heilmann to give the game one of its most potent outfields (combined average: .372).

8. TRIS SPEAKER, CLEVELAND

• Key Numbers: .362 average, 107 runs, 52 doubles, 14 triples, 75 RBIs, 68 walks.
• Spoke dangled with the .400 mark as he did numerous times throughout his career, hanging above it as late as July 9 before cooling off.

9. JACK TOBIN, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: .352 average, 671 at-bats, 132 runs, 236 hits, 31 doubles, 18 triples, 8 home runs.
• It’s hard to believe that Tobin’s 132 runs and 236 hits didn’t lead the league, but welcome to the live-ball era.

10. ELMER SMITH, CLEVELAND

• Key Numbers: .290 average, 98 runs, 28 doubles, 9 triples, 16 home runs, 85 RBIs, 56 walks.
• Smith set a career high in home runs a year before a trade to a devolving Red Sox team that left him fuming.

NL Pitchers

1. BURLEIGH GRIMES, BROOKLYN

• Key Numbers: 2.83 ERA, 22 wins, 13 losses, 302.1 innings, 30 complete games, 136 strikeouts, 28 caught stealing/picked off.
• In a year where the grandfathered spitballers ruled, Grimes was happily all wet while nabbing his long strikeout crown.

2. EPPA RIXEY, CINCINNATI

• Key Numbers: 2.78 ERA, 19 wins, 18 losses, 301 innings.
• A year after losing 22 at Philadelphia, the 6’5” Rixey was happy to skim over .500 with the Reds—allowing a NL record-low one home run over 300 innings.

3. BILL DOAK, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: 2.59 ERA, 15 wins, 6 losses.
• Doak soaked up the wet ball and won his second ERA title, seven years after his first.

4. WHITEY GLAZNER, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: 2.77 ERA, 14 wins, 5 losses, .737 win percentage.
• A year of sole success for the 27-year-old rookie, who was 27-43 in four other big-league campaigns.

5. WILBUR COOPER, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: 3.25 ERA, 22 wins, 14 losses, 38 starts, 327 innings, 27 grounded into double plays.
• On the other hand, Cooper continued to prove that he was the ace for the long term in Pittsburgh, ramping up to become the year’s busiest NL workhorse.

6. JOHNNY MORRISON, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: 2.88 ERA, 9 wins, 7 losses, 3 shutouts.
• A Pittsburgh rookie like Glazner (above), Morrison differed in that he had a few more surprises in the years to come; he also likely became one of a handful of pitchers ever to lead a league in shutouts despite not throwing enough innings to qualify for an ERA title.

7. DOLF LUQUE, CINCINNATI

• Key Numbers: 3.38 ERA, 17 wins, 19 losses, 3 shutouts, 304 innings.
• There was no place like home for the Cuban-born Luque, who was 11-6 at then-spacious Crosley Field with a 2.59 ERA; he was 6-13 with a 4.50 mark on the road.

8. BABE ADAMS, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: 2.64 ERA, 14 wins, 5 losses, .737 win percentage, 160 innings, 16 walks.
• A year away from turning 40, Adams turned in his last strong effort, leading the NL for the third straight season in opposing on-base percentage.

9. JOE OESCHGER, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: 3.52 ERA, 20 wins, 14 losses, 46 appearances, 299 innings, 97 walks, 15 hit-by-pitches.
• Historically grounded with awful teams, Oeschger soared toward fleeting success before crashing back to reality.

10. JESSE BARNES, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 3.10 ERA, 15 wins, 9 losses, 6 saves, 258.2 innings.
• Three Giants teammates won as many or more games than Barnes—but none of them were as efficient as he sported a decidedly lower ERA.

AL Pitchers

1. RED FABER, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 2.48 ERA, 25 wins, 15 losses, 32 complete games, 330.2 innings.
• The remnants of the post-Black Sox White Sox would had looked ever more tattered had it not been for Faber; the Chicago staff ERA was 5.78 without him.

2. CARL MAYS, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 3.05 ERA, 27 wins, 9 losses, .750 win percentage, 7 saves, 49 appearances, 336.2 innings.
• Only a hardened soul like Mays could channel all the anger aimed at him a year after fatally beaning Ray Chapman, and reign as baseball’s best non-spitballer.

3. WAITE HOYT, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 3.09 ERA, 19 wins, 13 losses, 282.1 innings.
• The 21-year-old breakout pitcher—a former Red Sock, of course—threw at his best when it mattered most; six of his 19 wins came against second-place Cleveland.

4. SAD SAM JONES, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: 3.22 ERA, 23 wins, 16 losses, 5 shutouts, 298.2 innings.
• Sad in name only, Jones was mostly happy on the road—where he was 15-3 as opposed to an 8-13 mark at Fenway Park.

5. STAN COVELESKI, CLEVELAND

• Key Numbers: 3.37 ERA, 23 wins, 13 losses, 40 starts, 315 innings.
• The Indians ace became only the second Cleveland pitcher (Addie Joss, 1905-08) to win 20-plus games in four consecutive seasons.

6. GEORGE MOGRIDGE, WASHINGTON

• Key Numbers: 3.00 ERA, 18 wins, 14 losses, 288 innings.
• With Walter Johnson struggling through a relative mid-career crisis, Mogridge developed as a temporary ace at Washington.

7. URBAN SHOCKER, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: 3.55 ERA, 27 wins, 12 losses, 47 appearances, 326.2 innings.
• The spitballer set a still-standing Browns/Orioles season record for victories, with 14 of them coming in just the last two months alone.

8. BULLET JOE BUSH, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: 3.50 ERA, 16 wins, 9 losses.
• Like Sad Sam Jones (above), Bush committed the Red Sox sin of being too good; he’d be a Yankee in 1922.

9. WALTER JOHNSON, WASHINGTON

• Key Numbers: 3.51 ERA, 17 wins, 14 losses, 264 innings, 143 strikeouts.
• Rebounding from an injury-marred 8-10 campaign the year before, the Big Train posted his highest ERA yet—thank you, live ball—but did lead the AL in strikeouts for 10th time.

10. ERIC ERICKSON, WASHINGTON

• Key Numbers: 3.62 ERA, 8 wins, 10 losses.
• The majors’ second Swedish native (after Charlie Bold), Erickson never had a winning record over nine years in the bigs but makes the list because so few people managed to reach base against him relative to other AL pitchers.

Too many of late, perhaps...

The Big Three...
 

... from the Retirement Class of '15 take their rightful places among the game's immortals.

https://i.imgur.com/jLZa0f9.png?1

Nap Lajoie

https://i.imgur.com/K3kRaQ4.png?3https://i.imgur.com/E0ydg5l.png?3


Honus Wagner

https://i.imgur.com/x8y6XMv.png?1https://i.imgur.com/5zxemNY.png?2


Eddie Plank

https://i.imgur.com/JZeN8Lp.png?1https://i.imgur.com/nklyDu1.png?2

1921 Preseason / Spring Training
 

Just the one FA signing for us:

P Ralph Comstock: 3 years, $7500

This proves most fortuitous as we lose Drucke in ST to a long-term injury and Mamaux has a serious dropoff in performance, to the point that he will be at AAA on OD.

The off-season market is a busy one:

• 2B Jim Viox: Reds, 5 years / $49500
• OF Elmer Smith: White Sox, 5 years / $43000
• 1B George Burns: Cubs, 5 years / $39500
• OF Braggo Roth: Tigers, 5 years / $38700
• OF Baby Doll Jacobson: Giants, 4 years / $32400 (extension)
• 2B Del Pratt: Phillies, 4 years / $30800
• P Erskine Mayer: Browns, 3 years / $15020
• P John Donaldson: Phillies, 3 years / $13420 (extension)
• OF Amos Strunk: Senators, 2 years / $11900
• OF Mike Menosky: Phillies, 3 years / $9780 (extension)
• SS Art Fletcher: White Sox, 1 year / $6700
• OF Ernie Walker: Browns, 2 years / $6320 (extension)
• P Les Backman: Senators, 3 year / $6180
• P Harry Suter: Robins, 1 year / $5900
• P Eddie Cicotte: Cubs, 1 year / $5700
• P Ray Collins: Senators, 2 years / $5280 (extension)
• 3B Dave Malarcher: Cardinals, 1 year / $5200 (extension)
• 3B Jim Doyle: Cubs, 1 year / $4900
• OF Casey Stengel: Robins, 1 year / $4820

• SS Chick Galloway and 1B Ivy Griffin from Red Sox to Indianss for P Stan Coveleski
• 1B Bob Jones from Reds to Phillies for P Alan Sothoron
• P Walter Anderson, 2B Marty Shay and C John Brock from White Sox to Cubs for 1B Rube Bressler
• 2B Jim Viox from Cubs to Phillies for OF Sammy Vick and OF Buzz Murphy
• OF Tillie Walker from the Tigers to the Cardinals for P Red Hoff and OF Babe Ellison
• P Jeff Tesreau and C Bubber Jonnard from the Giants to the Browns for P Bill Knowlton
• P Carl Zamloch and C Val Picinich from the Cubs to the Reds for P Fred Heimach

ALL TRANSACTIONS

A strong 14-4 for Spring Training and the lads look ready to go.

We are the experts’ tip in the NL but it will be close according to them. Same goes in the AL (of course), where the Red Sox are favoured ahead of a tightly bunched pack.

FULL PRESEASON PREDICTIONS

1921 Opening Day
 

Our team page can be accessed HERE. Here’s the annual summary.

Our Opening Day lineups will look like this:

Catchers

• C Frank Snyder (R)
• Bob O’Farrell (R)

Snyder has a breakout 1920 and O’Farrell should provide excellent backup duties here, with young Zack Taylor in the wings at AAA.

Infielders

• 1B Oscar Charleston (L)
• 2B Pie Traynor (R)
• 3B Oliver Marcell (R)
• SS Dick Lundy (S)

• Frank Baker (L)
• Possum Whitted (R)
• Lloyd Christenbury (L)
• Wally Gerber (R)
• Bernie Friberg (R)

While the talent throughout this group is undeniable, I have some concerns about our mix. We are – especially at shortstop – only a key injury away from losing our shape entirely, a situation worsened by a marked drop in Traynor’s defensive capabilities. So, if there’s a trade to be made, it will almost certainly be in this department.

Outfielders

• LF Ken Williams (L)
• CF Max Carey (S)
• RF Ty Cobb (L)

• Carson Bigbee (L)
• Smoky Joe Wood (R)

Williams’ health is the only main concern here – he is historically injury-prone, as we saw in last year’s Series. Quite a few of the infielders also play OF, which makes this a wee bit more tenable. Still, I'd hate to lose any of these three to long-term injuries.

Rotation

1. RHP Walter Johnson
2. LHP Wilbur Cooper
3. LHP Jose Leblanc
4. LHP Sam Streeter

Again, the frontline squad looks fantastic, with Streeter just projecting as a major talent, but our depth isn’t where I’d like it. So this will be another area where a trade may be necessary to bolster things. Mays looks all but gone after a couple serious injuries, which leaves only Krause, Ruether and draftee Cliff Bell as viable replacements.

Bullpen

• LHP Harry Krause
• LHP Dutch Reuther
• RHP Reggie Richter
• RHP Ralph Comstock

https://i.imgur.com/DSg3WE0.png?1

In a Minor Key
 

Syracuse's Clint Thomas starts the 1921 AAA campaign with three bangs.

https://i.imgur.com/thzb7NG.png?1

Amazingly, he does it again a week later...

https://i.imgur.com/anDLlBB.png?1

El Diamante No-Go
 

A huge loss for the Redbirds...

https://i.imgur.com/bIpvz8q.png?1

The View from the Gangplank: May 1, 1921
 

A relatively uncomplicated start as the lads put together an 8-game win streak in the course of a 12-4 April.

https://i.imgur.com/GSOXxQL.png?1

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A big milestone for The Peach...
 

https://i.imgur.com/mf8XjQs.png?1

The top 30 in this category currently stands thus:

https://i.imgur.com/27ZvPNS.png?1

Speaker should make 3k, Collins and Jackson might.

The Bad News Browns
 

A big loss for them. No injury limit protection for Elmer, unfortunately.

https://i.imgur.com/agXGotJ.png?1

In a word...
 

... ridiculous.

https://i.imgur.com/o9rRR0M.png?1

His third 3-HR game of the season, taking his total to 17 in as many games.

Fantastic looking projecteds.

https://i.imgur.com/2OyUTAl.png?1

EDIT: Or perhaps not. This is what he did the next game against our AAA boys...

https://i.imgur.com/LbO2qBQ.png?1

Unfortunately, further investigation has brought to my attention the fact that he is an NeL anomaly whose ratings weren't set correctly by me upon import. That's been sorted now, so I doubt this will continue. Fun while it lasted, though I am glad it happened in AAA.

The Wheeling and the Dealing
 

With it looking increasingly like Carey will not be here after this season - he wants way too much for way too long and won't budge an inch in either regard, in fact raising his demands during the negs - this is a key move for us.

https://i.imgur.com/Wx5Kh2J.png?1

Cobb is another interesting one for us. It is the last year of his contract next season, and it's an $8k player option. I wouldn't be surprised if he voids and chases some bigger FA money. Not sure at this point what my response to that would be, or whether I want to start talking about an extension just yet. Will play the waiting game and see how things look mid-season.

EDIT: couldn't help myself. had a look, his demands were more than reasonable, deal done...

https://i.imgur.com/oRtlQ95.png?1

The Wheeling and the Dealing
 

One more key piece of our puzzle locked down for a while.

https://i.imgur.com/gAJHt83.png?1

2500 for Cocky...
 

When a Babe Becomes a Man
 

As I had suspected, all it took was for the Babe to be relieved of his pitching duties for him to start dominating at the plate. And boy has he done so in the season so far. Just 40-odd games in, he is within reach of his previous season-high of 24, and is currently projected to crack a whopping 64.

https://i.imgur.com/XzK2vED.png?1

We'll see where that goes over the next few months, but for now he is the newest member of the 100 HR Club. With HJ off his power game this season, Babe could well leapfrog him and then Ben Taylor on the all-time list if things pan out.

https://i.imgur.com/rGPYh57.png?1

https://i.imgur.com/KJ4pAps.png?1

More updates to come.

The View from the Gangplank: June 1, 1921
 

Man, things got complicated quick.

My comments of a month earlier notwithstanding, there has – despite the healthy W-L record – been some real concerns for us from the off, almost all to do with the top end of our rotation. It had little effect early, with the bats afire, but when they inevitably cool off somewhat the situation makes itself manifest in the form of a 6-game losing streak. We get it together again in the finishing stages to post a 17-13 sectional, but I am keeping an eagle eye on the situation right now, ready to act as needed.

https://i.imgur.com/S4Oukpi.png?1

https://i.imgur.com/v0fxJGb.png?1

The bats certainly have carried us, a feat made even more impressive by the run of injuries we've had, with Traynor, O'Farrell and late in the month Lundy all out for IL stints. Lundy is the biggest loss, gone for a month just when he really starts hitting his straps, and with Traynor still a week off from returning it will definitely test our thinness at SS.

https://i.imgur.com/OYF3rfk.png?1

Train is having arguably the worst start to a season in his storied career, and Cooper is a mess as well. If not for Leblanc and, most of all Streeter (who wins the RotM Award), I'm not sure where we'd be.

https://i.imgur.com/M3Y7tbB.png?1

Standings, awards, news and leaders.

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Stat of the Day
 

Stat of the Month: WPA
 

Win Probability Added, batters - 1921 season to date

Win Probability Added, pitchers - 1921 season to date

Up in Smoke
 

Even with the injury cap applied, this is still a season-ender for poor old Joe, the second straight time his campaign has ended prematurely.

https://i.imgur.com/tFAS1bi.png?1

No stopping the big guy now...
 

The View from the Gangplank: July 1, 1921
 

A wobbly start to the month but then we get things back on track with a 6-game win string, only for our game to all but come apart at the seams in the latter part of the month, which we finish with a most streaky 14-13 record.

https://i.imgur.com/OdmoA7D.png?1

https://i.imgur.com/RqtqyHE.png?1

The bats are still going OK, and will hopefully be helped by the return of Lundy on the final day of the month.

https://i.imgur.com/GdwaA8u.png?1

And then there’s our pitching...

Train continues to struggle, suffers a bit of a niggle that sidelines him for a week and then throws a 4-hit shutout on his return, then gets shelled the start after that. All of our rotation save Leblanc have an ERA for the month to this point of above 5. After another dreadful performance by Cooper on the final day, I make the move and switch him with Streeter, who now moves into the SP slot. Let’s see how that goes.

https://i.imgur.com/5O5TlTI.png?1

Standings, awards, news and leaders.

https://i.imgur.com/yRDjpSL.png?1
https://i.imgur.com/wqMDCYz.png?1
https://i.imgur.com/oivehpe.png?1
https://i.imgur.com/He8Q2NA.png?1https://i.imgur.com/M60hheV.png?1


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Stat of the Day