The Bucs Start Here - A Pirates Do-Over

[luckymann]

The Bucs are, as most if not all of you would know, the Pittsburgh Pirates, one of the MLB foundation teams who began in the American Association in 1881 as the Pittsburgh Allegheny before joining the National League in 1887. They moved to the NL East when divisional play began in 1969, eventually ending up in their current slot in the Central Division.

The Bucs had one of the game’s first true superstars in Honus Wagner and enjoyed early success, winning the first three NL pennants after the AL had come into existence to form Major League baseball, and then the World Series in 1909. Since then, they have won just four more Championships – 1925, 1960, 1971 and 1979. They have won 9 NL Pennants all up, the last being that 1979 squad. The four-plus decades since have been fairly lean for the Buccos, with some heartbreaking losses in the NL Championship Series in the early 90s and a smattering of Wild Card appearances in the 2010s that led nowhere. The franchise is currently in pretty poor shape, with only a couple of winning seasons since their last playoff appearance in 2015.

Even though I’m actually an A’s fan, I think they deserve better.


Premise

This sim will start in 1901 and follow the historical course of MLB to the present day as far as league expansion and franchise relocations are concerned. I will be acting as the Pirates’ GM and Manager throughout.

Teams will play at their historical parks with Garlon’s quadratic factors in use, as well as some tweaking on my part to reflect L/R splits. All historical uniforms and logos will be applied.

Coaching is ON. Owner goals are OFF. Storylines are ON. Lineups TRADITIONAL.

AI evaluation settings are 32/37/21/11. 5-year recalc with double-weighted current season. Neutralized stats for ratings / peak seasons for POT / fielding and pitcher stamina based on entire career. Historical LTMs with actual BABIP as per BBRef.

Injuries are set to LOW. Suspensions NORMAL. TCR 110 for now but may get ticked up a wee bit over time.

Financials are ON and will also follow the default settings throughout.

Historical MLB Schedules used, with 3-week Spring Training. Playoffs as per history.

Trading difficulty is set two notches toward HARD with the same slider setting toward favouring prospects. I’ll get to some house trading rules and roster settings in a bit.

No historical transactions, missed seasons, or retirements are being applied.

Most other settings are as per the defaults, set to evolve automatically with the league.

This being my first full historical venture, I’m going to learn as I go along and tinker accordingly as per what I’m seeing play out.

I’m the first to admit I have a tendency toward oversharing in my saves. This one will suffer no such logorrhoea. Given it aims to cover 120+ seasons, I want to whizz through it at a brisk pace. I am no longer a young man... I’ll be doing a lot of behind the scenes work for strategy and AI settings then just fast-simming games daily. One punchy report per month throughout each season is the plan, with a quick off- / pre-season recap to set up the next one. A few updates if any major settings changes occur. I love what 3fBrown has done with his Replay League so I’m also going to provide summaries of important players – both from the Pirates and elsewhere – as they retire. I'm also in the process of adding this save to my Stats+ pages so you'll be able to follow along and immerse yourself as deeply as you want to. That’s it. Might change, but I doubt it. Let’s see how things roll.

Rosters

The Active Roster will begin at 20 and be ticked up to 25 as new players come in to allow some depth. Reserve Clause in effect as per default settings until it changes IRL.

I’ll be handling minors manually. Just going to have 3 all told: 1930 – AAA; 1950 – AA; 1970 – A. I’ll handpick appropriate MiLB franchises to best represent the historical ones without having to move them around all the time.

Max age for players on Active Roster is 45, so as to avoid the phenomenon I’ve read a lot about happening whereby players keep playing into their dotage if the “retire according to history” setting isn’t applied. Apologies to Phil Niekro and Satchel Paige.

AI trading has been set to VERY LOW. No Draft Pick trading allowed.


Legacy Players

While I want this sim to have its own life and create its own history, I also want there to be some level of verisimilitude to the past it is recreating. To achieve the balance of these two factors I wany, I’ve come up with the concept of “Legacy Players”.

As new rookies enter the league, a process will be put in place whereby a selection of these players go to the franchise with which they are most readily associated from their IRL careers.

Rules for Legacy Player Eligibility

For a player to be classed a “Legacy”, they must fulfil the following criteria:

• Minimum career WAR of 10
• Minimum 1200 games (position players) OR 200 games (pitchers) OR more than 90% of career games played for one or more franchises

In the cases where a player is an eligible Legacy for more than one franchise, it does not come down to which club a player played more games for. If he played 1000+ games or pitched 200+ games for one club, then went to another club and played more games there then he is eligible for both and it comes down to whichever club has the higher Draft Pick that year.

This is probably the best time to explain how I’ll be doing Drafts.

I like the idea of dominant franchises and underdogs overcoming that dominance. Drafts aim for parity. I don’t want parity in this save.

And so, rather than the Draft order being based on standings from the previous season in the save, it will be based on standings from the previous season according to history.

This should provide some really interesting shifts of dynamic as teams do well or poorly in the save but did the opposite, historically-speaking.

To begin with, the Rookie Draft will be held in December each year. This will almost certainly change at some point to mid-year as is done now IRL. The number of rookies entering the league will determine the number of Rounds in the Draft each year.

In each Rookie Draft, each franchise is able to claim one Legacy, as long as they meet the criteria stipulated above. This player will be whichever has the highest career WAR total.

These players are then reserved and selected by the respective franchise with their 1st Round Pick (or their higher pick in the 1st Round if they have received compensatory supplemental picks).

Other rookies will be selected by career WAR to complete the 1st Round picks for teams without Legacy Players in that year’s Draft. After that the AI (and myself for the Bucs) will handle things as per normal.


House Trading Rules

With respect to Pittsburgh, some additional rules are to be imposed:

1. No Legacy from another club can be acquired unless that player is offered in a trade instigated by their club or has become a Free Agent.
2. All Pirates legacies must be retained for 10 full seasons.
3. Only five instigated trades may be conducted per calendar year.

1901 Inaugural Draft

The Inaugural Draft Order was decided by the roll of 5 dice, with the Draft itself held prior to the 1901 season.

Each club was allocated their first 3 legacies. Because I wanted the league to be as competitive as possible from the off, for this season only these players were those with the highest WAR for the club in the IRL 1901 season, with at least 1 position player and 1 pitcher, all at or under their age-30 season.

These players, who were selected in the first three rounds of the Draft, are as follows:

• Baltimore Orioles: P Joe McGinnity; 1B Mike Donlin; P Harry Howell
• Boston Americans: SS Freddy Parent; 1B Buck Freeman; P Ted Lewis
• Boston Beaneaters: P Vic Willis; P Bill Dinneen; 2B Gene DeMontreville
• Brooklyn Superbas: OF Jimmy Sheckhard; P Bill Donovan; 1B Joe Kelley
• Chicago Orphans: OF Topsy Hartsel; OF Danny Green; P Rube Waddell
• Chicago White Sox: P Jimmy Callahan; P Roy Patterson; OF Fielder Jones
• Cincinnati Reds: P Noodles Hahn; OF Sam Crawford; C Heinie Peitz
• Cleveland Blues: P Earl Moore; 3B Bill Bradley; P Pete Dowling
• Detroit Tigers: P Roscoe Miller; P Joe Yeager; SS Kid Elberfeld
• Milwaukee Brewers: 1B John Anderson; P Bill Reidy; P Ned Garvin
• New York Giants: P Christy Mathewson; SS George Davis; IF Sammy Strang
• Philadelphia Athletics: 2B Nap Lajoie; P Eddie Plank; P Snake Wiltse
• Philadelphia Phillies: P Al Orth; OF Elmer Flick; P Red Donahue
• Pittsburgh Pirates: UT Honus Wagner; P Deacon Phillippe; P Jack Chesbro
• St. Louis Cardinals: SS Bobby Wallace; OF Emmet Heidrich; P Jack Powell
• Washington Senators: P Bill Carrick; 2B / OF John Farrell; P Casey Patten

From this point on, the official Legacy Player rules will be adhered to.

This exercise is dedicated to Brad K and all those other long-suffering Bucs fans out there. Hope I can do you proud!

NEXT: THE WAGNER YEARS

[Brad K]

Originally Posted by luckymann

This exercise is dedicated to Brad K and all those other long-suffering Bucs fans out there. Hope I can do you proud!

Wow, just wow. Thank you.

I don't read the dynasty forum and I wouldn't have found this except I searched "eval" trying to confirm the default AI evaluation settings. Which you did!

You have some interesting concepts. They should make the game more fun.

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by Brad K

Wow, just wow. Thank you.

I don't read the dynasty forum and I wouldn't have found this except I searched "eval" trying to confirm the default AI evaluation settings. Which you did!

You have some interesting concepts. They should make the game more fun.

Consider it as thanks for always taking an interest in my little universes bud.

BTW Those weren't the eval defaults I quoted, but rather the settings I've come up with through trial and error.

[Brad K]

Oh, well then I must have seen the eval defaults elsewhere and got confused.

Anyway its still great.

[Highlander]

Always have had a soft spot for the Pirates. I'll be following along! The draft and Legacy ideas will be interesting for sure!

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by Highlander

Always have had a soft spot for the Pirates. I'll be following along! The draft and Legacy ideas will be interesting for sure!

Thanks mate I think it should be a good one.

One thing about the Legacies that isn't perhaps immediately apparent is that it can be to a club's detriment to have a Legacy in some years.

For example, if a club has a high Draft Pick and there are some really high-quality non-Legacies in the Pool, but they instead have to pick a lower-quality player because of the Legacy Rules.

For us there's also the fact that we're stuck with them for 10 seasons, no matter what.

So it can - and should, over the course of the 120-odd years I plan to cover with this sim - very much work both ways, in a totally random luck-of-the-draw fashion.

That should add an interesting twist indeed.

[luckymann]

After the Draft, we have a squad of 25 players that I'm fairly happy with. That said, there are a couple of glaring holes that need plugging. I use the first 2 of my 5 trades to try and do so.

TRADE 1/5 (01/15): CF Bill Friel and P Ed Doheny to Washington for UT Charlie Dexter.

With only 20 on the Active, flexibility is key. Dexter plays every position except pitcher and LF, the latter of which he'd have no issue filling it at. He's handy with the bat to boot. My kinda guy.


TRADE 2/5: (04/05): 1B Jiggs Donahue to Washington for 3B Charlie Irwin and LHP Win Kellum.

The one spot we have little depth at is SS. Irwin is merely a stop-gap backup there and at the hot corner until we can get our hands on someone more long-term. They threw Kellum in for nix. He's better than that. Plus, how can you not want a pitcher whose first name in Win on your roster?


OK, so after a ST that seems like a dream so well does it go, here's our final foundation squad (legacies will appear throughout in PURPLE):

CATCHERS

Ossee Schreckengrost: Far from the best backstop in the game, but the best available and should provide solid service both at and behind the plate.

Charlie Luskey: pure filler who'll see very little action and is RR bound once we need the spot.

INFIELDERS

Honus Wagner: Needs no introduction. Will play SS and hit at 3.

Jimmy Williams: The Laurel to Wagner's Hardy. Excellent across-the-board hitter with both solid contact and plenty of pop. Will bat clean-up and man 2B with the occasional fill-in at 3B.

Harry Steinfeldt: Our everyday man at the hot corner who projects to start off OK and get really good.

Danny Murphy: Selected as much – and even perhaps more – for his leadership qualities as his talents on the diamond. That said, he’s no slouch and will get plenty of game time at 2B and RF.

Jim Delahanty: A longer-term 1B / 2B project who won’t see much live game time initially but looks a good type.

Charlie Dexter: Will fill in where needed as needed. Will probably see most of his action from behind home plate.

Charlie Irwin: Will rarely start. The rickety lifeboat should - touch every wood known to man or beast - anything scupper SS Wagner.

OUTFIELDERS

Matty McIntyre: More of a slap hitter but an excellent plate discipline that should see him with a high OBP. Plus defensively in LF and solid in RF.

Lefty Davis: Speedy type with sharp eye at the plate, which makes him the perfect leadoff man. Will be our everyday RF although is only average in the field.

Billy Maloney: More journeyman than superstar, but will start off as our #1 CF. Also plays catcher, which enhanced his appeal.

Fred Ketcham: Pure RR filler.


ROTATION

Jack Chesbro (R): One of the club leaders and certainly the boss of the rotation. This will be his age-26 season so he's just about to enter his prime.

Deacon Phillippe (R): The ideal SP2. A slight step down in quality but a true workhorse who should give our rotation the stability and reliability it needs at its core.

Mike O’Neill (R): Just 24, and may struggle at this level to begin with but looks a likely type when he fully matures.

Frank Owen (R): All going accordingly, he'll eventually be the ace of this club. Only 21 now so I'll just be happy if he holds his own.

BULLPEN

John Malarkey (R): was so surprised to see him still in the pool in the 25th round. A nice surprise indeed, as he'll be our stopper this year.

Wiley Piatt (L): Will be our first-resource southpaw reliever. A real livewire.

Doc McJames (R): Perhaps our key reliever. Will be handed the ball for long relief duties whenever the starters struggle.

Cowboy Jones (L): A bit of a placeholder until some of the others come on. Will be mainly used for mop and slop.

Nick Altrock (L): A bit too much of a nibbler for my liking, a habit we'll be trying to coach out of him as he spends time on the RR.

Buttons Briggs (R): Will only see time in the short-term if injuries and/or form decree.

Joe Corbett (R): I really like the look of this guy and reckon he’s a bit of a dark horse, especially if we can get his mind how it needs to be as he has a few issues with regard to application and dedication. In the meantime, he’ll start on the RR.

Win Kellum (L): My earlier comments notwithstanding, if Win has made it onto the Active Roster, it means we are in all sorts of strife.

NEXT: SEASON 1901, THE BIRTH OF THE MLB

[luckymann]

Philadelphia Athletics second-baseman Nap Lajoie is the star attraction in 1901, winning the AL Batting Triple Crown with a .426 BA / 14 HR / 126 RBI line. Despite his outstanding efforts, the A’s finish mid-standings.

On Opening Day, nearly two-thirds of all AL players are NL veterans. Some familiar names to fall into this category include Cy Young, Jimmy Collins, Nap Lajoie, John McGraw, Mike Donlin, Joe McGinnity, Clark Griffith and Hugh Duffy.
On the 24th of April, the Chicago White Sox – mainly by dint of the fact that the other three AL games are rainouts – wins the very first game in the American League, beating the Cleveland Blues 8-2.

Cleveland draws 6500 fans to its home opener, more than the Spiders had attracted in the same city over the entire 1899 season. Overall, the newly-formed AL almost matches the so-called “senior circuit” with an average attendance per game of 3100 vs the NL’s 3500. Both the Boston Americans and Chicago White Sox outdraw their more-established cross-city rivals.

Cy Young, now pitching for the Boston Americans in his age-33 season, proves his former employer, Cardinals boss Frank Robison, wrong in his opinion that Young is over the hill by putting together a 33-10 record with a 1.62 ERA over an astonishing 371.1 innings. Even more astounding: he walks just 37 batters all season.

Results-wise, in the National League the Pirates take first place in mid-June and never give it back, eventually taking the flag by seven games. Honus Wagner, who very nearly joined the ranks of the defectors to the AL, continues his offensive dominance of seasons prior, batting .353 and leading the NL with 126 RBIs and 49 steals. The Bucs’ starting rotation, featuring three right-handers in Deacon Phillippe (22-12, 2.22 ERA), Jack Chesbro (21-10, 2.38), Sam Leever (14-5, 2.86) and a southpaw Jesse Tannehill (18-10, 2.18) put together the league’s best ERA.

Meanwhile in the American League, the Chicago White Sox / Stockings parlay their way to the pennant with all the hallmarks of their early 20th-century playing style—great pitching, astute baserunning and light hitting. Veteran player-manager Clark Griffith leads the way with a 24-7 / 2.67 campaign, ably supported by rookie Roy Patterson (20-16 / 3.37), as the White Stockings see off a mid-season rally from the Boston Americans to win the flag by four games.

At the time, this is all the glory to be had. The World Series is still but a glint in Ban Johnson’s eye.


Top Ten Lists (courtesy of thisgreatgame.com)

NL Hitters

1. HONUS WAGNER, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: .353 average, 101 runs, 201 hits, 37 doubles, 11 triples, 6 home runs, 126 RBIs, 49 stolen bases.
• In one of the few years of the decade in which he didn’t win a batting title, Wagner still excelled at an elite level, setting a career high with 126 RBIs.

2. JIMMY SHECKARD, BROOKLYN

• Key Numbers: .354 average, 116 runs, 19 triples, 11 home runs, 104 RBIs, .534 slugging percentage.
• The young (age 22) outfielder proved the Superbas wrong for placing him second on the depth chart behind Fielder Jones the year before.

3. ED DELAHANTY, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: .354 average, 106 runs, 38 doubles, 8 home runs, 108 RBIs.
• In his last of 11 seasons before jumping to the American League—and reportedly helping others jump as well—Delahanty still possessed a wicked bat at age 33.

4. JESSE BURKETT, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: .376 average, 142 runs, 226 hits, 10 home runs, 75 RBIs.
• Burkett played as if he was selling himself to the highest bidder—and that would come with the crosstown St. Louis Browns a year later.

5. ELMER FLICK, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: .333 average, 112 runs, 32 doubles, 17 triples, 8 home runs, 88 RBIs.
• Like Delahanty above, Flick also was ready to scram from the Phillies—though he made the mistake of staying within state lines (moving to the A’s) and within the jurisdiction of courts who would eventually order him back to the Phillies.

6. SAM CRAWFORD, CINCINNATI

• Key Numbers: .330 average, 16 home runs, 104 RBIs.
• Barely 21, Crawford exploded into stardom at Cincinnati following two years of monotone output; his 16 homers represented the highest season total by any major leaguer during the 1900s.

7. TOPSY HARTSEL, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: .335 average, 111 runs, 74 walks, 41 stolen bases.
• After bouncing around the NL for three years, Hartsel finally found a full-time taker with the Orphans (Cubs).

8. TOM DALY, BROOKLYN

• Key Numbers: .315 average, 38 doubles, 90 RBIs.
• The 35-year-old veteran finally logged his first season of 500+ at-bats and made them count, easily setting career highs in doubles and RBIs before fading out with the White Sox over the next two years.

9. FRED CLARKE, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: .324 average, 118 runs, 15 triples, 6 home runs, 60 RBIs.
• In his second year as Pirates skipper-outfielder, Clarke nabbed his first of four pennants and led by example at the plate.

10. GINGER BEAUMONT, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: .332 average, 120 runs, 8 home runs, 72 RBIs, 36 stolen bases.
• His slight sophomore slide behind him, the swift, red-haired Beaumont put it into overdrive for the Bucs.

AL Hitters

1. NAP LAJOIE, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: .426 average, 145 runs, 232 hits, 48 doubles, 14 triples, 14 home runs, 125 RBIs.
• Until (and after) Babe Ruth came along and threw the record book on its head, Lajoie’s über-dominant campaign arguably ranks as the greatest, even if it was done against fledgling AL competition.

2. BUCK FREEMAN, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: .339 average, 88 runs, 15 triples, 12 home runs, 114 RBIs.
• Two years after his 25 home runs nearly tied a then-major league record, Freeman qualified as a premier AL slugger by homering in double figures.

3. JIMMY WILLIAMS, BALTIMORE

• Key Numbers: .317 average, 113 runs, 21 triples, 7 home runs, 96 RBIs.
• A young rising star for the Pirates, Williams was all but kidnapped off the train to Pittsburgh spring camp by Baltimore manager John McGraw, who offered him a better baseball life with the Orioles.

4. JIMMY COLLINS, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: .332 average, 108 runs, 42 doubles, 16 triples, 6 home runs, 94 RBIs.
• Same city, different team, same results for the ex-Beaneaters (Braves) star.

5. MIKE DONLIN, BALTIMORE

• Key Numbers: 121 games, .340 average, 107 runs 5 home runs, 67 RBIs, 33 stolen bases.
• The talented but volatile hitting prodigy excelled in his first year at the major league level, delivering for the doomed Orioles.

6. JOHN ANDERSON, MILWAUKEE

• Key Numbers: .330 average, 190 hits, 46 doubles, 8 home runs, 99 RBIs.
• The Norway-born Anderson put on a marvelous hitting exhibition during Milwaukee’s lone year at the major league level before the Braves parked there 50 years later.

7. BILL KEISTER, BALTIMORE

• Key Numbers: 115 games, .328 average, 21 triples, 93 RBIs, 24 stolen bases.
• The Orioles loved Keister’s hitting but held their breath whenever a ball came his way at shortstop; he committed 97 errors at the position.

8. SOCKS SEYBOLD, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: .334 average, 8 home runs, 90 RBIs.
• One of the few players who welcomed expanded major league employment with the birth of the AL, Seybold became a mainstay for the A’s after being buried in the minors in 1900.

9. FIELDER JONES, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: .311 average, 120 runs, 84 walks, 38 stolen bases.
• Playing as a charter member of the White Sox three years before becoming their manager, Jones hit over .300 for the second of three straight years and hiked his on-base percentage to an impressive .412.

10. LAVE CROSS, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: .328 average, 82 runs, 28 doubles, 12 triples, 73 RBIs, 23 stolen bases.
• Cross returned to Philadelphia after spending much of the 1890s racking up solid numbers for the Phillies, and at 35 gave the A’s a vintage effort.

NL Pitchers

1. DEACON PHILLIPPE, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: 2.22 ERA, 22 wins, 12 losses, 296 innings.
• Solid if not superlative numbers for the time, Phillippe still managed to represent the NL’s best pitching package for the moment.

2. AL ORTH, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: 2.27 ERA, 20 wins, 12 losses, 6 shutouts, 281.2 innings.
• The stingiest of three Phillies pitchers with exactly 20 wins on the year, Orth also led the NL in shutouts.

3. NOODLES HAHN, CINCINNATI

• Key Numbers: 2.71 ERA, 22 wins, 19 losses, 375.1 innings.
• Hahn became the Reds’ workhorse because he had to; almost no one else on the staff produced an ERA below 4.00, and that’s bad news in an era named after a lifeless ball.

4. JACK CHESBRO, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: 2.38 ERA, 21 wins, 10 losses, 6 shutouts, .677 win percentage, 287.2 innings.
• By joining Phillippe with over 20 wins (and tying Orth with six shutouts), Chesbro flourished full flower in a career that would peak three years later with a superhuman effort.

5. CHRISTY MATHEWSON, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 2.41 ERA, 20 wins, 17 losses, 336 innings.
• Though the AL stole most of the headlines in its inaugural campaign, the breakout effort from the 20-year-old Mathewson captured what little attention was left over for the NL.

6. WILD BILL DONOVAN, BROOKLYN

• Key Numbers: 2.77 ERA, 25 wins, 15 losses, 45 appearances, 351 innings.
• After winning just one game over each of his previous three seasons, Donovan developed something else in common with the number one: He was number one in NL victories.

7. VIC WILLIS, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: 2.36 ERA, 20 wins, 17 losses, 305.1 innings.
• Willis found wins increasingly tough to come by as the Beaneaters sank deep in the standings for the long haul, but he managed to keep the victories ahead of pace with the losses for one of the few times while at Boston.

8. RED DONAHUE, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: 2.60 ERA, 21 wins, 13 losses, 304.1 innings.
• Four years after giving up 306 runs in one season for St. Louis, Donahue welcomed the Deadball Era with open arms and produced his best ERA yet.

9. JESSE TANNEHILL, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: 2.18 ERA, 18 wins 10 losses.
• A relative lack of offensive support is the reason Tannehill, who delivered the lone ERA crown of his career, didn’t win 20 games for the only time over a five-year stretch.

10. JACK POWELL, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: 3.54 ERA, 19 wins, 19 losses, 45 appearances, 338.1 innings.
• Before splitting across town to join the AL Browns, Powell gave the Cardinals one last tireless effort—but remained susceptible to the gopher ball, leading his league in allowing home runs (14) for one of four times in his career.

AL Pitchers

1. CY YOUNG, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: 1.62 ERA, 33 wins, 10 losses, 371.1 innings.
• Young’s dominant AL debut led to the only ERA title he would gain in the junior circuit—and the second (and last) of his storied career.

2. CLARK GRIFFITH, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 2.67 ERA, 24 wins, 7 losses, .774 win percentage.
• In securing his seventh (and last) 20-win campaign before focusing more on managing and, later, ownership, Griffith was greatly aided by teammates who supported him with over seven runs per start.

3. ROSCOE MILLER, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: 2.95 ERA, 23 wins, 13 losses, 332 innings.
• Miller’s solid debut with Detroit would make him a one-year wonder; he would be 16-32 over the next three years before exiting the major league scene at 27.

4. NIXEY CALLAHAN, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 2.42 ERA, 15 wins, 8 losses.
• Callahan might have joined Griffith as a fellow 20-game winner for the White Sox, but a broken arm kept him out of action in the season’s first month.

5. JOE MCGINNITY, BALTIMORE

• Key Numbers: 3.56 ERA, 26 wins, 20 losses, 48 appearances, 43 starts, 382 innings.
• McGinnity brought his workhorse ethic to the AL in the first of two tumultuous years with the ill-fated Orioles.

6. GEORGE WINTER, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: 2.80 ERA, 16 wins, 12 losses.
• The young right-hander would manage to hang in Boston for the bulk of the decade, but he could never duplicate these numbers.

7. JOE YEAGER, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: 2.61 ERA, 12 wins, 11 losses.
• The Tigers greatly benefitted from flash-in-the-pan pitchers; like Roscoe Miller above, Yeager’s inaugural output would be followed over the next two seasons by a 6-13 record and 4.77 ERA before he exited the majors for good.

8. ROY PATTERSON, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 3.37 ERA, 20 wins, 16 losses, 312.1 innings.
• Like Miller and Yeager above, Patterson’s star would also fall after a terrific first shot at it in Chicago—but unlike the others, his fade would be more gradual and not without additional honor.

9. EDDIE PLANK, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: 3.31 ERA, 17 wins, 13 losses.
• While many pitchers on this list thrived (than died) as the AL’s shaky level of overall talent solidified, Plank—who came straight from Gettysburg College—proved he was the real deal and began his run as the AL’s all-time winning southpaw.

10. CHICK FRASER, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: 3.81 ERA, 22 wins, 16 losses, 331 innings, 32 hit-by-pitches.
• Workhorse effort for the right-hander during his one and only season in wonderland, before being brought back to reality when the courts ordered his return to the woebegone Phillies in 1902.

AL Pennant: Chicago White Sox (83-53)

NL Pennant: Pittsburgh Pirates (90-49)

World Series: Still just a glint in Ban Jonson's eye

[luckymann]

Then I guess we had to crash / Valium would’ve helped that bash, to paraphrase a nasally voice from the distant future. A strong Spring Training gives no warning of our horrendous start to the season as we lose our first four games before finally getting on the board with a spot of daylight robbery in St. Louis. We steady a bit to be 4-6 after 10 and 4-7 in April.

Good to put that in the rear-vision mirror.


Hot

• SS Honus Wagner, as you’d expect. Hitting .455 with 9 RBI. 201 OPS+. .541 wOBA. On pace for 10 WAR.
• C Ossee Schreckengost, who you might not. Second to Wagner in almost every category. 0.5 WAR. Batting .378.

Not

• Pretty much any player who has trod the mound wearing a Bucs uniform, although Phillippe’s last two starts were OK.
• 2B Jimmy Williams. While he leads the team in ribbies with 10 (tied with Steinfeldt), his .261 BA is unders and he’s actually WAR neg to this point. We need better from our cleanup guy.

Around the Leagues

• The AL schedule starts a week after the NL, but from the off the A’s show they are the side to beat with a 6-0 start that sees them simply tearing teams apart – plus 28 run diff – as Lajoie and co run amok. Detroit’s Wid Conroy also has a hot early hand.
• In the NL, Cincy cools off a bit after their torrid start to share the lead with the Beaneaters and Giants. Just 3 games separate first and last. Were the award given for this shortened opening month, there’s no doubt Boston’s Ed Delahanty would win the Batter of the Month Award for his .558 / .642 / .721 performance. He also has 1.0 WAR already, along with an OPS+ of 232 and a .604 wOBA. Hitters are in the ascendancy, with pitchers across the board being shelled to within an inch of their life.

Awards

• 04/29 POTW: AL – Mike Donlin (Baltimore) .684 / 2 HR / 6 RBI; NL – Harry Wolverton (St. Louis) .560 / 5 RBI.

[luckymann]

Without being anything near what we are looking for, May is a key month with our 16-12 record at least settling the nerves a bit and nosing us back above 500 ball.

Our offence in particular is coming around nicely, as we lead the NL with our 320 BA, 799 OPS, and 358 wOBA. Lefty Davis hits a ton (449 to be exact) for the month, Billy Maloney and Jimmy Williams each knock in 22 and Honus gets on base 30 games in a row. More of a mixed bag on the pitching side, with Frank Owen’s RotM-winning 5-0 / 2.10 month being offset by Jack Chesbro’s 4-7 / 5.29 section.

I decide to start playing Billy Maloney as our everyday catcher with Schreckengost – who has fallen into a complete hole since his first week tearaway – now his backup, thereby giving Davis increased game time.

Hot

• Our bats: NL-best 320 BA / 799 OPS / 358 wOBA.
• Lefty Davis 449 BA in May. Billy Maloney / Jimmy Williams 22 RBI.
• P Frank Owen: 5-0 / 2.10 / Rookie of the Month.
• SS Honus Wagner gets on base in 30 consecutive games.
• 2B Danny Murphy puts together a 15-game hit streak.

Not

• C Ossee Schreckengost: see above.
• Jack Chesbro: 4-7 / 5.29.

Around the Leagues

• The A’s continue to dominate the AL but the White Sox loom as legitimate challengers, just 1½ games behind.
• Frank Chance of the White Sox has started the season well, leading the AL with a 442 BA and 2.4 WAR.
• Very bunched in the NL, with just 6 games between top (Chicago; 23-17) and bottom (St. Louis; 16-22).
• A's catcher Boileryard Clarke hits in 26 straight.

Awards

• 05/06 POTW: AL – Wid Conroy (Detroit) .462 / 12 RBI; NL – Honus Wagner (Pittsburgh) .433 / 2 HR / 8 RBI.
• 05/13 POTW: AL – Charlie Hickman (Baltimore) .652 / 1 HR / 11 RBI; NL – Danny Green (Chicago) .526 / 3 HR / 13 RBI.
• 05/20 POTW: AL – Nap Lajoie (Philadelphia) .560 / 1 HR / 10 RBI; NL – Harry Wolverton (St. Louis) .583 / 5 RBI.
• 05/27 POTW: AL – Kid Elberfeld (Detroit) .538 / 7 RBI; NL – Bill Keister (Brooklyn) .577 / 1 HR / 9 RBI.

• AL Batter of the Month: Charlie Hickman (Baltimore) 415 / 3 HR / 32 RBI.
• NL Batter of the Month: Elmer Flick (Philadelphia) 400 / 0 HR / 24 RBI.
• AL Pitcher of the Month: Jack Harper (Baltimore) 7-1 / 3.23 / 23 K / 69.2 IP.
• NL Pitcher of the Month: Christy Mathewson (New York) 5-2 / 1.71 / 50 K / 63 IP.
• AL Rookie of the Month: Ed Poole (Cleveland) 4-4 / 2.94 / 26 K / 70.1 IP.
• NL Rookie of the Month: Frank Owen (Pittsburgh) 5-0 / 2.10 / 23 K / 51.1 IP.

[luckymann]

We get a good run on early in the month, with two four-win streaks in quick succession, but the Orphans are still going strong and we actually lose ground to them. The second half of the month is somewhat patchy as we struggle for consistency, mainly with our pitching, and our defence continues to bleed unearned runs at key moments. Still, we finish 15-9 for June and remain well in the mix.

Hot

• Matty McIntyre scores a run or more in 14 consecutive games.
• The bats continue to shine. Our 323 BA leads either league by some margin, as does our OPS of 1253, and we rank at or near the top in most offensive categories.
• Jimmy Williams. Crushed it again this month. 436 BA / 5 HR / 23 RBI.
• Deacon Phillippe. The only member of our staff outperforming. 5-1 / 2.21 in June.

Not

• Our pitching, with the exception of the afore mentioned Phillippe. 4.11 Starter ERA is 6th in the NL. If we can get this area of our game sorted, we’re a real chance.
• Defence. 154 errors put us 6th in the NL and that’s our best reading. We are dead last in both ZR and efficiency.
• Clutch performance. 8-12 in one-run games, 1-2 in extras. Need to get tougher.

Around the Leagues

• The AL has tightened right up as the A’s come to earth a bit. The White Sox, Brewers and O’s have caught up and / or passed them and just 3 ½ games separate the four of them.
• Algie McBride of the White Sox puts together a 31-game hitting streak.
• Detroit’s Sam Mertes hits for the cycle.
• A slight bifurcation in the NL, but not enough to state unequivocally that certain teams have no chance. Although the Phillies (10 ½ GB) and Cards (12 GB) are on the cusp of that designation.
• Age-33 Jake Beckley continues to defy Father Time and is having a superb season for an otherwise underwhelming Phillies club.

Awards

• 06/03 POTW: AL – Bill Bradley (Cleveland) 500 / 1 HR / 5 RBI; NL – Elmer Flick (Philadelphia) 500 / 10 RBI.
• 06/10 POTW: AL – Nap Lajoie (Philadelphia) 455 / 5 RBI; NL – Jimmy Williams (Pittsburgh) 577 / 2 HR / 7 RBI.
• 06/17 POTW: AL – John McGraw (Milwaukee) 609 / 4 RBI; NL – Matty McIntyre (Pittsburgh) 500 / 7 RBI.
• 06/24 POTW: AL – Bill Bradley (Cleveland) 517 / 1 HR / 11 RBI; NL – George Davis (New York) 667 / 1 HR / 3 RBI.

• AL Batter of the Month: Nap Lajoie (Philadelphia) 447 / 3 HR / 24 RBI.
• NL Batter of the Month: Sam Crawford (Cincinnati) 443 / 3 HR / 27 RBI.
• AL Pitcher of the Month: Bill Reidy (Milwaukee) 6-1 / 2.71 / 14 K / 63 IP.
• NL Pitcher of the Month: Doc Newton (Chicago) 6-1 / 1.89 / 30 K / 62 IP.
• AL Rookie of the Month: Joe Yeager (Detroit) 4-1 / 3.02 / 10 K / 44.2 IP.
• NL Rookie of the Month: Ed Siever (Cincinnati) 4-1 / 2.78 / 24 K / 55 IP.

[luckymann]

I would dearly love to try and pinch an early Championship. We’re close, no doubt about it. I reckon we are just a player short but cannot put my finger on exactly what we need or who that player might be. Schreckengost is a waste for us and seems the obvious bait.

But for whom? is the $64,843 question.

John McGraw stands out but we can’t afford him, plus I hear he’s a bit toxic. Sam Crawford of the Reds and Baltimore’s Mike Donlin appeal, but both are Legacy Players and therefore off-limits. Jesse Tannehill is a possibility, as he could slot into our rotation and give us some bench pop to boot. But when I canvass the Superbas their demands are unreasonable.

The search intensifies when we have easily our poorest stretch of the season in the new month’s first week, losing six straight including four at home in a horror series with the Giants, pushing us six off the lead. The nature of the losses, as much as the losses themselves, is a real worry as we drop four of them by a run and the other two by a pair. In more lucid moments one might look at this optimistically – at least we’re not getting whipped, blahdy blah – but, in the heat of battle, all you feel is despair.

On such fadeouts are many a baseball season scuttled.

An absolutely crucial 13-game run for us follows. Anything shy of ten wins probably means we’re kaput.

We get three outs away from losing another one against the Beaneaters before walking it off with 2 in the 9th to win it 6-5. This marks a bit of a turnaround for us as we do indeed win ten from that stretch. What’s more, Chicago hits a rough patch as they go on a losing string of 6, minimising the overall damage of our rollercoaster form. The Reds take first place. We are 3 GB, still 4th, still in it.

In the middle of this, I get my man. Sort of.

TRADE 3/5: (07/10): 2B Jim Delahanty to Cleveland for RF Socks Seybold.

This was a tough one. Seybold is a gun, but only plays RF and is 30, 8 years older than Jim. Were Jim more of a reliable defender he would have been untouchable, but he isn’t, so he wasn’t. My other major hesitation with the trade was who plays where now? Seybold is our everyday in right, that’s obvious. But Danny Murphy has been sensational for us at that position. For now, the answer is this: we try Murphy at 1B, move Dexter to catcher in platoon with Maloney.


Apart from a couple of stumbles, we finish the month strongly for a 13-12 sectional that leaves us at 48-40 overall. The Reds still lead the NL by a half-game from the Giants, with us another 2½ back of them.

Hot

• Jack Chesbro finally delivers with a 4-2 record and 2.07 ERA in 61 IP.
• Honus Wagner, leading by example: 356 BA / 2 HR / 15 RBI / 170 OPS+.
• Socks Seybold has been a fantastic addition for us, the missing piece we were seeking: 372 BA with 2 HR and 14 RBI, along with a wOBA of 421, second only to Honus.
• Danny Murphy: king of clutch with a WPA of 1.53, miles ahead of anyone else at our club.
• Charlie Dexter: proving to be the backbone of our group with his versatility and willingness to just get out there and do it.

Not

• Billy Maloney. Seems like there a “Curse of the Catcher” going on here. 246 BA / 292 wOBA. Needs to be better than that.
• Defence. Another 54 errors for the month. 'Twill be the death of us, I fear.

Around the Leagues

• The A’s are on the cusp of losing touch, which would make it a two-horse race between the White Sox and Orioles. Two really talented, very evenly matched squads so this looks like it is going down to the wire.
• Still plenty of chances in the NL, although the Orphans need to arrest their recent slide and the Superbas will need to get a move on.
• The Phillies break a bunch of records with a 29-hit 24-7 annihilation of Cincy as CF John Dobbs hits for the cycle and knocks in 5.
• Americans backstop Lou Criger’s season comes to an early end thanks to a torn labrum.
• The updated Top 100 Prospects list is released and Nick Altrock has been rated at Number 1. Obviously there’s not a huge pool of eligible players just yet, but this is still a great honour for him and us. Win Kellum comes in at #13.

Awards

• 07/01 POTW: AL – Kip Selbach (Philadelphia) 560 / 8 RBI; NL – Jake Beckley (Philadelphia) 500 / 1 RBI.
• 07/08 POTW: AL – John McGraw (Milwaukee) 615 / 3 RBI; NL – Tom McCreery (Cincinnati) 467 / 10 RBI.
• 07/15 POTW: AL – Hobe Ferris (Baltimore) 480 / 4 RBI; NL – Christy Matthewson (New York) 2-0 / 0.53 / 14 K / 17 IP.
• 07/22 POTW: AL – Candy LaChance (Chicago) 455 / 6 RBI; NL – Tommy Dowd (New York) 542 / 1 HR / 10 RBI.
• 07/29 POTW: AL – Herm McFarland (Boston) 476 / 2 HR / 7 RBI; NL – Topsy Hartsel (Chicago) 524 / 1 HR / 2 RBI.

• AL Batter of the Month: Nap Lajoie (Philadelphia) 425 / 1 HR / 21 RBI.
• NL Batter of the Month: Elmer Flick (Philadelphia) 414 / 3 HR / 21 RBI.
• AL Pitcher of the Month: Joe McGinnity (Baltimore) 6-1 / 1.45 / 14 K / 62 IP.
• NL Pitcher of the Month: Noodles Hahn (New York) 6-0 / 2.51 / 48 K / 61 IP.
• AL Rookie of the Month: Eddie Plank (Philadelphia) 6-1 / 2.82 / 21 K / 60.2 IP.
• NL Rookie of the Month: Bob Wicker (New York) 5-3 / 3.50 / 37 K / 64.1 IP.

[luckymann]

We have the first two days of the month off. How will this break treat us? Rested or rusty? As we return to action, we sit 3 games behind the Reds, 2 behind the Giants, and 3 ahead of the slumping Orphans.

I’m keen to keep the majority of our playing group for the foreseeable future, and have gradually been locking them down over the course of the season so far. During the break, I sign Charlie Dexter to a $660 contract for 1902. More, perhaps, than he is worth on stats alone (Wagner, for instance, is on $750). But his flexibility means he is one of our most integral players.

I needn’t have worried about rustiness, as we come out firing on all cylinders and win eight of our next ten games. We take sole possession of the lead for the first time on 08/15. A week after that, we’re five games clear, mainly by dint of the Jints dropping 7 straight (and counting) and the Reds going 3-7 for their past 10.

We are still up by the same margin going into our last series of the month, a homestand with Chicago. Maybe the lads start getting ahead of themselves, maybe the Orphans make one big push to try and get back in contention, maybe baseball happens. I don’t know. Whatever the case, we play terribly, drop all three games, and virtually reattach ourselves to the peloton.

Not an ideal end to an otherwise spectacular month.

Hot

• Honus Wagner: 21-game hit streak.
• Us as a team: 16-7 for the month, even with that last-ditch horror show.

Not

• Honus Wagner: after his hit streak, Dutchie cools right off to finish with a 301 BA for the month, low by his lofty standards, and his 8 RBI show just how little he has contributed.
• Our bats v LHP: 11-15 for the season.
• Socks Seybold: not cold, exactly, but after his hot early spurt he certainly hasn’t quite provided the pop we were after with just 2 dingers in his 143 AB for us.

Around the Leagues

• The Orioles have put their foot down and now lead the White Sox by 4 games. Zaza Harvey has been sensational and is riding a hit streak of 36 games into September. Unfortunately for him it is snapped at that number on the 1st of Sep.
• Giants ace Christy Mathewson becomes the first hurler to reach 20 wins. But the Jints also lose Bob Wicker for the season to a torn UCL.
• Buck Freeman of Boston wallops 6 homers in a six-game stretch.

Awards

• 08/05 POTW: AL – Nap Lajoie (Philadelphia) 538 / 2 HR / 7 RBI; NL – Joe Kelley (Brooklyn) 464 / 8 RBI.
• 08/12 POTW: AL – Bill Reidy (Milwaukee) 2-0 / 0.00 / 4 K / 18 IP; NL – Al Orth (Philadelphia) 2-0 / 0.00 / 4 K / 18 IP.
• 08/19 POTW: AL – Tommy Corcoran (Baltimore) 545 / 3 RBI; NL – John Dobbs (Philadelphia) 545 / 1 HR / 9 RBI.
• 08/26 POTW: AL – Buck Freeman (Boston) 516 / 6 HR / 14 RBI; NL – Emmet Heidrick (St. Louis) 394 / 3 RBI.

• AL Batter of the Month: Nap Lajoie (Philadelphia) 491 / 1 HR / 18 RBI.
• NL Batter of the Month: Ed Delahanty (Boston) 388 / 4 HR / 21 RBI.
• AL Pitcher of the Month: Jack Harper (Baltimore) 5-1 / 1.02 / 22 K / 53 IP.
• NL Pitcher of the Month: Bill Dineen (Boston) 6-0 / 2.14 / 30 K / 63 IP.
• AL Rookie of the Month: Watty Lee (Baltimore) 5-1 / 2.79 / 24 K / 61.1 IP.
• NL Rookie of the Month: Happy Townsend (New York) 4-2 / 2.55 / 26 K / 53 IP.

[luckymann]

So much for punchy (see post #1 for context)...

A much-needed lay day but then a super tricky start to the month with back-to-back doubleheaders at the Beaneaters. Not really what we needed right now, and we make it even harder for ourselves from the off, losing the early game on the 2nd 8-7 despite Williams homering and knocking in 4. The universe has completely turned on us as a massive thunderstorm rains out the late game, further bunching our schedule. Phillippe responds like champions do the next day, getting us a huge 6-0 win with a superb 4-hitter, and O’Neill is also solid in the late game to help us get an 8-2 decision, with Seybold getting four hits and three RBI in one of his best performances for us so far.

Those last two games are just the fillip we need as we head to NYC for three against the Giants, with the division lead on the line and Matty looming large in the middle game. That matchup makes the opening game even more important for us, especially given the rough treatment they doled out on us in our previous meeting, a home sweep loss. It is against Gene McCann, a replacement pitcher for the injured Bob Wicker, one we should be able to pen in the W column. But this is what pressure does to players, as we give up a 4-1 lead late and they walk it off 5-4. Somehow the lads pick themselves up and scald Matty for 14 hits the next day (9 of them in a stunning 6th) to get us a 9-5 win. Even Chesbro gets amongst it with a solo homer. With all the games in a rush you can see the boys are almost out on their feet, but they give me everything and more in a four hour, 14-inning marathon 4-2 win. If we get home this year, this game will be the one that did it; if not, it’ll be the one that cruelled us.

Especially with nine more games before we get another break.

A quirky northeastern swing next courtesy of the rainout just to really test our mettle. I won’t even try to explain it just follow along if you can.

One at the Phillies. We rally late and storm home to a 9-5 win.

A makeup game at Boston. Owen pitches an absolute gem, three-hitting them as we win it 5-0.

Back to Philly for two more. We drop the opener 8-7 as Chesbro’s inconsistency continues to plague him. Worse than that, Dexter hurts his wrist and I’m going to have to manage him real close. I call up Fred Ketchum just to cover us. We win the next day 7-3, although by this stage the world is but a blur to me.

Three at Brooklyn next. A tough 5-2 win gets us off on the right foot as O’Neill continues to grind out key wins for us. Wagner, who goes 3-for-5 with a solo shot (just his second since the start of August), is also showing signs of getting back to his best, which would be a huge plus for us down the stretch. We are on our last fumes by now, as shown in a lifeless 2-0 loss the next day in which we get just 5 hits and waste a great outing by Owen. I have no choice but to rest a bunch the next game, they are just spent, and we lose 9-5 with Chesbro again letting us down when we needed him to step up and the cobbled-together lineup able to muster just 7 hits.

One day to go before a three-day break. It is at home to Cincy, but we have nothing left and cop a 10-4 thumping. The only redeeming thing is the Giants also lose, keeping them 2½ back.

Dexter’s recovery is taking longer than expected, which is not good – we’ve missed him and need him back ASAP.

We resume with a three-game homestand against the Phillies with an off-day between the second and third games. The opener is an absolute shocker, as we give up 7 in the 9th to throw it away 11-6. It’s nearly panic stations when we lose the next one 5-4 in 10 to make it 5 straight defeats. We look like making it 6 but somehow rally with 2 in the 9th to walk off a 3-2 mercy win on a Seybold single. A Giants loss puts us back out to two in front.

Undoubtedly the most important four-game stretch of the season begins with a one-gamer at Chicago. We grit it out for a 6-5 result in 10. Chesbro is good but Malarkey’s poor run continues as he gives up 2 late to send it into spares.

Next, three at home with New York, who are now tied with the Reds 3 back. We can make or imperil our season right here. Our magic number sits at 9. Matty is first up, with Deacon given the huge task to get past him. He doesn’t let us down, keeping them relatively quiet as we take it 4-1. Next, Owen needs to take care of the wily Tom Hughes. He isn’t at his best, but the bats come through for a 9-4 win, with Wagner and Seybold each having three hits. Finally, O’Neill v Happy Townsend. He delivers as well, as we squeeze by 4 to 3, as he goes the distance, doubles twice and drives one in for us in a sensational all-round showing.

That has all but seen off the Jints, but the Reds have also swept their series with Brooklyn and remain 3 back and well within range. The last thing we can afford to do is ease off now. The O’s clinch and can sit back and watch this unfold.

The Superbas come to town for three. They have given us trouble so we will need to be sharp as can be here. Sure enough, we drop the opener 5-4 as Malarkey’s woes continue. Thankfully the Reds also lose. Magic number down to 5. Our bugbear Tannehill next, with Deacon looking for his 20th win. But he, and we, come up short with a 7-6 heartbreaker in a pretty forgettable game all around. The Reds win. Somehow we have to solve these guys. Owen goes up against Bill Donovan in the finale. He isn’t great, but we win another nipper, 7-6 in 10, with Davis the walkoff hero thanks to his game-winning single. Wagner cracks his 10th homer, while Seybold drives in 3. Better news awaits, as the Reds drop their game and we’re down to # 3.

A day off, then our final homestand of the season, against Boston. Of all the times we need a good one from Chesbro, now is that time as he faces Dinneen in the opener. And for once, he doesn’t disappoint as we win it 6-3 and he goes the distance. Wagner is fantastic, homering and knocking in 3, and the Giants are eliminated, leaving only us and Cincy, still 3 adrift.

September becomes October. Frank Owen wins Pitcher of the Month, but we’ve bigger prizes in mind now.

Deacon takes on Vic Willis but puts in an absolute shocker as we are humiliated 12-1 in one of our worst games of the season. The Reds win and close to within two. O’Neill v Winter to close it out – our last home game of the year unless we get into the playoffs. He is great again and we win it 3-2.

Simple math here as we take two days off then head to Chicago for the final series: 2 games left. We just need to win one or have Cincy lose one and we’re home.

In the end we only need one, with Chesbro keeping them quiet in the opener to get us a 7-1 win. He allows just 3 hits in one of his best of the season, while Wagner – magnificent for us down the stretch – homers again.

With apologies to Deacon, who misses one final chance to get his 20th, I sub out as many starters as I can for the final game. It’s been a long and fraught pennant race and some battery-recharging is in order with the Series just a few days off. We lose it 3-1 and finish at 81-59, a solitary game clear of the Reds.

Hot

• Honus Wagner: finally having the impact we’d like.
• The whole squad: for its sheer determination and guts to get us home.

Not

• Jack Chesbro: 2-3 / 5.90 for September.

Around the Leagues

• The O’s clinch going away and end up winning the AL by 6 from the A’s.
• Baltimore’s Charlie Hickman hits for the cycle in a 12-11 loss to the A’s.
• The White Sox lose Fielder Jones for a month with a hip strain. It may not single-handedly cost them the season, but it doesn’t do them any favours either, as their fadeout attests.

Awards

• 09/02 POTW: AL – Bill Bradley (Cleveland) 462 / 1 HR / 7 RBI; NL – Patsy Donovan (Brooklyn) 552 / 3 RBI.
• 09/09 POTW: AL – Nap Lajoie (Philadelphia) 538 / 4 RBI; NL – Elmer Flick (Philadelphia) 552 / 7 RBI.
• 09/16 POTW: AL – Nap Lajoie (Philadelphia) 562 / 1 HR / 8 RBI; NL – Jake Beckley (Philadelphia) 642 / 2 RBI.
• 09/23 POTW: AL – Mike Donlin (Baltimore) 467 / 2 HR / 9 RBI; NL – George Van Haltren (New York) 615 / 3 RBI.
• 09/30 POTW: AL – Frank Chance (Chicago) 500 / 3 HR / 6 RBI; NL – Topsy Hartsel (Chicago) 433 / 8 RBI.

• AL Batter of the Month: Nap Lajoie (Philadelphia) 487 / 3 HR / 27 RBI.
• NL Batter of the Month: Harry Davis (New York) 458 / 4 HR / 27 RBI.
• AL Pitcher of the Month: Doc White (Detroit) 5-1 / 2.31 / 30 K / 50.2 IP.
• NL Pitcher of the Month: Mike O’Neill (Pittsburgh) 5-0 / 1.84 / 12 K / 44 IP.
• AL Rookie of the Month: Doc White (Detroit).
• NL Rookie of the Month: Mike O’Neill (Pittsburgh).

[luckymann]

I've got the S+ page for this save now up and running so you can put the SCUBA gear on and immerse to your heart's content.

From here on in, updates both on here and there will be done monthly, so everyone will be roughly on the same page.

BUCS S+ HOME

PITTSBURGH S+ PAGE

REPORTS HOME

[luckymann]

Baltimore Orioles (87-53) v Pittsburgh Pirates (81-59)

The horse race analogy is a commonly used one when describing baseball contests, so let me trot one out (see what I did...) here. Were this World Series a horse race it would be something akin to Secretariat running against one of those Clydesdales that takes rich folk and tourists on joyrides around Central Park.

They are a classy bunch of ballplayers, with Charlie Hickman (368 / 19 HR / 151 HR) arguably the best in the NL this year, Zaza Harvey (380 BA) nigh on impossible to stop, and Mike Donlin a force to be reckoned with. Watty Lee and Jack Harper each won 23, their stopper Dale Gear didn’t lose a game. They topped the AL in almost every stat cat as a team.

We have Honus and Jimmy Williams in that sort of stratosphere, but the rest of our guys – no disrespect meant, I love them with every sinew in my body – are a bunch of scrappers.

And scrapping is what we’ll need to do to win this. They have a fair bit more room for error than we do, so we simply must make (warning: another nag trope coming) every post a winner.

I make no changes. (One more to see us off.) You don’t change jockeys halfway through a race.


Game 1 in Baltimore
Watty Lee (23-10) v Jack Chesbro (19-17)

It starts off with the pitchers in the ascendancy and remains scoreless thru 3.

They take the lead on a Donlin run-scoring double in the 4th and our first error of the series (by Steinfeldt) ramps up the pressure, putting men at the points with none out. They are forced into a two-for-one trade when a run scores on a GIDP.

We get a rally going immediately, loading the bases in the top 5th with one out, but Wagner hits into a force at home and Williams pops out meekly to end the threat.

We finally get on the board in the 7th via a two-out RBI trip by Williams.

Chesbro nearly gives it straight back in the home half but does exceptionally well to keep them from scoring, and then Schreckengost comes through in the next with a double to bring in the tying run.

This time Chesbro can’t hold them off, however, as they put together a two-out rally that nets them a pair of runs.

Nothing doing in the 9th and we lose it 4-2.

Baltimore 4, Pittsburgh 2.

BOX SCORE


Game 2 in Baltimore
Jack Harper (23-9) v Deacon Phillippe (19-14)
Baltimore leads series 1-0

We start positively as Murphy leads off the game with a triple and comes home on an infield hit by McIntyre. A single by Wagner and a Seybold groundout add a second. A two-out hit by Steinfeldt, a third.

Phillippe keeps them hitless thru 3 but then they get to work, scoring one on two hits. Harper, meanwhile, seems to have found his groove after his early problems.

It all comes unglued in the next when Phillippe loads the bases and then gives up a slam to his opposing pitcher. Talk about making it hard for yourself.

We respond immediately, as good sides do, as Steinfeldt doubles one in to make it 5-4. With two on and two out, and Deacon’s recent form in the can, I roll the dice and hit for him. Sadly it comes to nought when Dexter strikes out looking.

McJames comes on in relief, Dexter stays at 1B, Davis leaves. Murphy to LF.

We have our chances over the next two but just can’t get that key hit. They show us how to do it in the home 8th to get an insurance run, then close it out to go two-nil up.

We outplayed them tonight for the most part, but still got beat.

That’s class for ya.

Baltimore 6, Pittsburgh 4.

BOX SCORE


Game 3 in Pittsburgh
Mike O’Neill (15-8) v Joe McGinnity (17-16)
Baltimore leads series 2-0

Wagner 1-for-9. Seybold 1-for-8. Williams 2-for-10. That’s what our heart has hit so far. We’ve done well to push them as much as we have, given those incriminating stats. Davis, another one in awful nick, is benched in favour of Dexter.

They get to O’Neill early but a fantastic assist by McIntyre nails a runner at home and we escape the 1st unscathed.

We take the lead in the 2nd on a 2-run triple by Murphy, who then scores on an error by the RF, their second already. We load them up with one out but Wagner again lets us down by striking out. This time, however, Williams comes through with a double that clears the bases and stretches our lead to 6. A Seybold hit makes that 7.

They get a run in the top 5th but we answer with 4 of our own in the home half to take complete control.

A 2-run double in the next continues Murphy’s big game and in the end we coast home 13-2. Murphy finishes with 5 RBI in a true Captain’s knock. O’Neill goes the distance in a fine performance.

Pittsburgh 13, Baltimore 2

BOX SCORE


Game 4 in Pittsburgh
Frank Owen (16-8) v Watty Lee (1-0)
Baltimore leads series 2-0

Slight variation of approach between the two sides as they run a three-man rotation while we’ve got all four of ours going. I’m just not confident enough in any of them to increase their respective workloads. We’ll see if I was correct to opt for this strategy.

We get a run before making an out as Dexter singles and McIntyre doubles him all the way home. But the 3-4-5 guys go 1-2-3 and that’s all we get.

Then Owen just implodes and again their pitcher does damage with the bat. Before we know it we are trailing 3-1.

Murphy keeps his hot hand going with a two-out RBI double in the 4th to cut the deficit in half, but only briefly, as they are teeing off on Owen and cancel that run out with one of their own.

Owen barely hangs in there for 7 before I go to the pen with it still 4-2.

We get back within a run thanks to a bases-loaded hit by Williams in the home 7th and then Seybold picks the perfect moment to rediscover his swing, clearing the decks with a double to give is the 6-4 lead.

Dexter comes through in the clutch with a two-out RBI double in the next to give us one more run to work with, then McIntyre singles him in to make it 8-4.

We put them down in order to close out a great SCRAPPY win and tie the series at 2. McIntyre superb with 4-for-5 / 2 RBI and Dexter with 3 hits.

Pittsburgh 8, Baltimore 4

BOX SCORE


Game 5 in Pittsburgh
Jack Chesbro (0-1) v Jack Harper (1-0)
Series tied 2-2

After a torpid start to the series, Seybold has come alive and it’s no coincidence our recent performances have been far better. He scores the game’s opening run on a sac fly by Murphy in the 2nd. A two-out hit by Chesbro keeps the inning alive and moves a runner to third who subsequently scores on a wild pitch.

We stretch our lead in the 4th when the irrepressible Murphy doubles and scores on a single by Maloney.

Chesbro has his moments, including needing a Seybold special to mow down a runner at home in the 6th, but manages to keep a clean sheet to that point. That said, you can see they are zoning in on him with every inning.

We need more runs. Only thing is our hitting has ground to a dead halt.

Chesbro gets into two-out trouble in the 8th and I make a pitching change, bringing Piatt in to face their LHB. It’s a call I may be forced to relive for years to come as he gives up a 2-run triple.

Wagner and Williams single and then we are gifted a run by a horror gaffe by Donlin in RF. A Murphy RBI single restores our 3-run advantage and Malarkey gets them in order for the save, win, and 3-2 series lead.

Pittsburgh 5, Baltimore 2

BOX SCORE


Game 6 in Baltimore
Joe McGinnity (0-1) v Deacon Phillippe (0-1)
Pittsburgh leads series 3-2

Home ground advantage obviously playing a huge part here, with every game so far going to the hosts. We need to snap that string to win it all. We know what Deacon is capable of. He’s been down a long while, winless since 09/23. He needs to dig deep and turn it around here, and Wagner simply has to start contributing.

A not-unexpectedly tentative start to the game with a scattering of baserunners but no real threats thru 2.

We go ahead in the 3rd when McIntyre – who has been his usual superbly understated self in this series – is HBP and a Williams triple brings him in, before Williams scores in turn on two-out double by Steinfeldt. Another two-bagger by Murphy extends our lead to three and then he scores on a Maloney single.

In between innings I urge the lads to tighten, rather than loosen, the grip.

In the end, the O’s do a lot of our work for us, making two errors in the 5th to let us pull further ahead with another run.
The pressure then takes a bite out of us, as a Williams error repays their earlier largesse and only a superb defensive play by Wagner limits the damage to the one run.

Honus then backs that up with his first hard-hit ball of the series, a triple that scores McIntyre after he’d been HBP and ends McGinnity’s game. Another misplay brings Wagner in, making it 7-1, and then Steinfeldt plates another with a single.
It starts getting messy out there, as Murphy misplays a routine flyball and then Maloney throws one into the outfield trying to prevent a steal. Phillippe, however, keeps his head while all around him are losing theirs, and retires the side without conceding.

Honus, with a taste for it now, gets us another run in the 7th with a two-out RBI double.

9-1. Nine outs needed.

They inch closer when Howell hustles for an inside-the-park homer, the second of the series by their hurlers.

9-2. Six outs needed.

A clean 8th gets us to within three outs of the mountaintop.

Deacon is due up to lead off the 9th. He deserves his chance to close this out, so I let him hit. He grounds out and we don’t add to our lead.

Stahl grounds out 4-3.

Harvey grounds out 3-1.

Moran grounds out 5-3.

We are World Champions. Hey, even Secretariat lost a race or five.

Pittsburgh 9, Baltimore 2

BOX SCORE

[luckymann]

1901 AL HISTORY INDEX

1901 NL HISTORY INDEX

[Brad K]

Ah, a championship!

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by Brad K

Ah, a championship!

Yes indeed. Nice to get one under the belt early. We don't have a Ruth, Hornsby, or Johnson coming through as a Legacy so we're going to have to scrape for every one.

[luckymann]

Held on 12/20/01.

There are five new Legacies entering the League:

• Chicago Orphans – Joe Tinker 53.2 WAR / 1539 games
• Detroit Tigers – George Mullin 47.5 / 435
• Cleveland Bronchos – Addie Joss 45.4 WAR / 286
• Cincinnati Reds (374) – Bob Ewing 29.9 WAR / 252
• Boston Americans – Heinie Wagner 17.1 WAR / 966 (conceded: 98.3% of career games)

NB Johnny Evers (47.7 WAR; 1409 games played) was also eligible for the Orphans, but Tinker’s higher WAR makes him the selection. He is eventually taken with the first free pick by the Browns.

Five rounds, pretty small quality pool especially position players. The one spot I was hoping to get some further depth at is SS, but there simply aren’t any worthwhile candidates so we’ll have to make do and keep those good-luck charms working overtime for Honus’s continued robust health.

The only other area I’d like to stock up in is LHP so I’ll be looking for a couple of those as well, more prospects than for now.

Other than that I’ll simply be selecting the best players who offer the best fit in our franchise. Worst case, they are trade fodder.

Our picks are as follows:

1. P Charlie Smith
A strong RHP prospect. Only 21 so a fair way away and will spend that time on the RR.

2. UT Ernie Courtney
A handy defensive utility who plays pretty good 1B, passable 3B / SS and solid LF, but is pretty light with bat in hand.

3. LHRP Alex Hardy
Will replace Jones as one of our LHRPs.

4. LHRP Lave Winham
What you’d expect from a 4th Round pick—serviceable at best.

5. RHRP Red Long
Great stuff without being too wild like most flamethrowers tend to be. Could be a low-pick find if he comes on better than projected.

FULL DRAFT LOG