January 12th saw a monster trade between the A’s and White Sox in which boom CF Austin Jackson, along with minor league outfielder Garry Hancock, went to Chicago with SS Charlie Babb headed to the city of brother love.
The Pale Hose were at it again about a month later, this time sending shortstop Ivan de Jesus to the Phillies in return for reliever Kazuhiro Sasaki, SP Randy Gumpert and minor league catcher Rob Johnson.
The first official day of the 1903 Preseason saw the Highlanders continue with their aggressive refashioning of their playing group ahead of the franchise’s debut season in the FL. This time they shipped reliever Tyler Walker and 2B prospect Tim Flannery to the Tigers in exchange for talented backstop Gary Allenson.
Looking to go one better this year the Senators signed FA SS Solly Hoffman, one of those rare types who plays every position other than catcher—and, in Hoffman’s case, well.
(Interestingly, 1903 was his IRL rookie season as well, although he only had 2 AB with the Pirates before being shipped to the Cubs the following season, where he would play for the better part of a decade.) Offsetting this, however, was the disappointing news that SP Tommy Hughes’ recovery was no going as planned and that he would miss the entire 1903 season.
On the eve of Spring Training the Naps traded CF Felix Mantilla and 3B Cheslor Cuthbert to the Browns for 2b Steve Lombardozzi and OF Luis Polonia in a trade that looks pretty evenly-matched.
A few days later one that left Cards fans undoubtedly shaking their heads as 1901 MVP Terrence Long was (along with minor league 3B Dave Silvestri) moved on to Brooklyn for SP Red Lucas. Another high-profile trade on the same day saw OF JaCoby Jones headed to the Highlanders, with 2B Andy Leonard off to the Americans.
On the topic of Spring Training, there were the inevitable injuries throughout, with the major ones as follows:
- CL Bob Sebra (NYY): torn triceps, out 3 months
- RP Andrew Cashner (STL): partially torn labrum, out 2-3 months
- SP Bill Voiselle (CWS): bone chips in elbow, out 5 months
- SP Ryan Dempster (PHP): ulnar nerve entrapment, out 5 months
- SP Freddy Garcia (DET): torn rotator cuff, out 12-13 months
And here are the final Spring Training Standings