Introducing the Footnote League

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by Brad K

"C: Steve Nicosia, Chattanooga"

Nicosia was the right handed part of the catcher platoon on the World Champion 1979 Pirates with left handed hitting Ed Ott. He appeared in 70 games that year, his first full year in the Majors. That turned out to be the most games played in a year in his career. His number of appearances steadily decreased every year through 1983.

The disparity between his performances was huge for a right handed batter: a more than respectable 272/325/391 against left handers, but only 220/293/290 against right handers. His managers recognized the skill difference. In his career he had more PAs against left handers than right handed pitching.

His FL splits so far back this up some degree. He hit 333 v L / 275 v R for Washington in 1901. He was sent down in the offseason and spent all of 1902 at Chattanooga, where he hit 258 v L and 251 v R. He was their everyday catcher that season, batting at 5 v lefties and 6 v RHP.

With Heinie Peitz and Chance Sisco at the big league club I don't hold out much hope of him seeing a lot of FL action unless one of them gets hurt or he gets traded.

[ALB123]

Awww yeah... And so it begins. The New York Highlanders are born.

1902 was quite a year, in many regards. I can't believe that freakin' infield the NY Giants have. Great hitters at all four spots. Are they looking for a manager? I'm available.

Great job calling the World Series - Cubs in 5. I'm impressed. I hope you called your bookie before the series began. I know it's only been two seasons, but I'll ask anyway. Do you think one of the leagues is clearly better than the other at this point? Maybe better isn't the right word, maybe it is. Or, is one league tougher than the next, at this point in history? Based on the premise of this league one would think there should be some pretty good balance throughout the teams, but we all know that all 2 & 3-Star players are not equal. Oh wait, you don't use the star system, right?

I don't know if I'm just excited to see the Highlanders 1st season or maybe it's my man-crush on Danny O’Connell, but I'm already excited to see how 1903 starts off.

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by ALB123

Awww yeah... And so it begins. The New York Highlanders are born.

1902 was quite a year, in many regards. I can't believe that freakin' infield the NY Giants have. Great hitters at all four spots. Are they looking for a manager? I'm available.

Great job calling the World Series - Cubs in 5. I'm impressed. I hope you called your bookie before the series began. I know it's only been two seasons, but I'll ask anyway. Do you think one of the leagues is clearly better than the other at this point? Maybe better isn't the right word, maybe it is. Or, is one league tougher than the next, at this point in history? Based on the premise of this league one would think there should be some pretty good balance throughout the teams, but we all know that all 2 & 3-Star players are not equal. Oh wait, you don't use the star system, right?

I don't know if I'm just excited to see the Highlanders 1st season or maybe it's my man-crush on Danny O’Connell, but I'm already excited to see how 1903 starts off.

Yes now things should really start getting interesting for you my friend.

Well, the NL is 2-0 so far so they have the bragging rights as it stands. And the raw stats point to a slightly higher level of quality in that league. But two seasons is too small a sample to make any sweeping judgements just yet.

I'm more concerned with the competition within each league. It seems the sides in each league are fairly even, although the Orphans led wire-to-wire in 1902 and were rarely challenged. They only ended up winning by a dozen games or so, which isn't too bad. And the Sens were pushed hard by Detroit, Chicago and even your boys for a while, with the rest of the clubs not too far out of it either. Still, I much prefer the tight races than the runaways.

One element of this league I never considered until I began it is the concept of relative ratings. While the individual ratings stay the same, the OVR / POT of most of these players is way higher than it would be if the big boys were in town, because these are calculated against all the other players in the league. At least that's how I understand it works. That's why I stopped just culling any player with an OVR or POT above 50 and started relying on my own historical knowledge with a lot of help from BBRef and the like.

A few things I have noticed and will be trying to just work on them a little in the hope of getting things right.

The Rookie Draft being straight rather than serpentine is, I believe, counter to what I want here. Instead of offering parity it increases the likelihood of a continual overcorrection from one side to the other. So I am going to try and export the Draft Order / change it to serpentine / import it back and see if I can get that to work. As I think I mentioned previously, the Draft is only going to be 5 rounds for the next few seasons, and perhaps even thru 1910. I'll just see how things play out.

The AI roster management is hinky as hell. There's a bunch of unsigned FAs who really should be playing. Unfortunately I don't feel I can do much about this without leaving my greasy fingerprints all over the league, which I want to avoid at any cost. The promotion / relegation of players isn't great either, but again there's little I can do. The only involvement I am willing to do is if MiLB rosters are running low, which happens from time to time especially with starting pitchers. Too many of the players being created are coming in as Fragile, so I am also in there reducing their injury proneness settings to more acceptable levels. But that's it.

Can't wait to see who the Random Debut gods have for us this season!

[luckymann]

Cribbed from THIS article on SABR Bio by Bill Nowlin.

Few players in professional baseball can claim to be as well-travelled in the game as Wilbur Kincaid Rodgers. Fewer still to as colourful a nickname as his: “Rawmeat” Bill.

Bill Rodgers entered the ranks of organised baseball when he joined Waterbury of the Connecticut State League in 1909, batting .302 in 115 games that season and being part of their pennant-winning 1910 squad. He was drafted by the Portland Beavers of the PCL at the end of that year and played second base for them over the next four campaigns, hitting close to .300 and becoming Club Captain in 1912. The Beavers won 3 pennants during that stretch.

It is during his time in Oregon the moniker “Rawmeat” seems to have come into use, although its true origins are debatable. He would spend almost the entire offseason while with the Beavers hunting in the Cascades, at the end of which he would emerge looking like a true Wildman, and some argue this is how it began. Bill himself, however, had a different story, claiming in his HOF questionnaire,

“My mother used to give me a slice of raw meat when she was cooking. Later when I would eat in a restaurant or hotel I would tell them to let me look at my steak before it was cooked, then I would eat the lean meat raw. The sports writers gave me the nickname.”

Cleveland had been sniffing around Rodgers since 1911 and, after turning them down flat in 1914, he eventually signed with them in early 1915. He started that season in the bigs and hit .311 in 16 games, driving in 7. But his iffy defence seemed to turn the Indians off him and he was unconditionally released in mid-May.

After a stint later that season with the Red Sox in which he went 0-for-6 with 3 walks and 2 runs scored, Bill was on the move again. Boston sold his contract to the Reds, where he would play out the remainder of that season, hitting .239 with 12 RBI in 72 games. He opened 1916 with Cincy, but after just 4 hitless at-bats he was sent back to Portland as if the past 18 months had been nothing more than a bad dream.

He played out the rest of that year and all of the following one at Portland before picking up stumps and heading south to California, taking the role of player-manager at the PCL-based Sacramento Senators. He played all 96 games of a 1918 season curtailed by WW1 and would return for three more, gradually reducing his on-field time each year until by 1921 – his last in Sacramento – he was basically a full-time skipper.

Bill moved to Denver as Manager of the Western League’s Bears in 1922 and spent the next three decades in a variety of roles in an itinerary of places that would make your head spin, with a number of stops back at Portland and roughly half a dozen different tenures with the Chattanooga Lookouts as either Manager, Scout or Coach. His last recorded job in the game was as a Scout for the Tribe in 1957, but he claims to have been in the game until the end of that decade.

Rawmeat Bill Rogers spent the rest of his life on his 1365-acre ranch in Berclair, Texas, presumably taking random bites out of his cattle whenever he felt peckish. His next-door neighbours were Bill Engle from the Lookouts and Hall of Famer Kiki Cuyler. He died aged 91 on Christmas Eve, 1978.

In the FL, Rawmeat Rogers was drafted in the 2nd Round (24th overall) of the Inaugural Draft by Brooklyn, where he has so far spent two productive and incredibly consistent seasons playing second base for the Superbas. He won the NL Platinum Stick at that position in 1901, and finished 4th in both doubles and steals in 1902. He’s also been in the top four in HBP both years. Other highlights have included a four-run game in 1901, as well as two walkoff hits and a five-fer game in 1902. Restaurants in Brooklyn and environs have reported a huge jump in servings of Steak Tartare over this time.


BASEBALL REFERENCE PAGE

[luckymann]

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

[luckymann]

• LAST YEAR: 73-67 12 GB, 4th / .343 / 4.90
• BNN PREDICTION: 53-87 29 GB, last / .253 / 3.66
• FARM SYSTEM: 9th
• PAYROLL: 9th, $23,179
• HIGHEST PAID PLAYER: OF Homer Smoot, $2,500
• CASH BALANCE: $93,339

The Americans made a decent run at the division title in 1902 but are predicted to drop to the cellar this year. Why? To be honest, I’m not really sure. The loss of OF JaCoby Jones will no doubt hurt them offensively, but the player they got for him – SS Andy Leonard – should offset at least part of that as well as give them some much needed infield depth, and the addition of 2nd overall pick 1B Oscar Charleston should more than cover the rest. They have two of the best OF in the league in Bunk Congalton and Homer Smoot, hot off an outstanding rookie season, along with solid 2B Eric Young. But it is in their pitching the problem may lie. They traded for some decent arms in the offseason and managed to do so for little cost, but they lack a true ace to lead the way. Jose Quintana is as wild as they come but if he can corral that then this side has plenty of upside, although Eric Show as their 4th starter may prove a liability. By no means are they pennant material, but I see them finishing somewhere mid-standings and close enough to .500.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: 1B Oscar Charleston

Opening Day squad.

[luckymann]

• LAST YEAR: 73-67 15 GB, 4th / .332 / 4.57
• BNN PREDICTION: 73-67 7 GB, 2nd / .263 / 2.95
• FARM SYSTEM: 4th
• PAYROLL: 1st, $28,187
• HIGHEST PAID PLAYER: SP Carl Lundgren, $2,600
• CASH BALANCE: $169,629

I’ll cover the Cubs (nee Orphans) in due course, but the general consensus – one with which I tend to agree – is that they won’t get the cushy ride to the title they enjoyed in 1902. Not a wholesale collapse by any means, but rather a gentle coming back to the pack. One of the main beneficiaries of this should be the Beaneaters. With injuries being such a huge factor in this era, roster depth is key, and while they don’t have any true out-and-out superstars, the Beaneaters have one of the deepest rosters in the league. This should keep them in good stead.

The closest they have to said superstar is 1B Leon Durham, and he’ll be looked upon to lead their offence again as he did so well last season (NL-best SLG of .539 and SB with 61). Left fielder Gates Brown also had a banner 1902 and will be another key to keeping the scoreboard ticking over hitting in the number 2 slot. Warren Cromartie is the wild card here. If he can come on this season the Beaneaters’ chances improve markedly, especially with his excellent gap power and speed to take the extra base with great regularity.

The addition of #3 prospect Andy Coakley to their rotation, however, should be what most excites fans of this franchise. He is a gun and should go close to winning 20 games. The rest of their rotation – Chappie McFarland (22-12 / 4.17 / NL-leading 145 K and 6.0 WAR), Carl Lundgren and Orlando Hernandez – should keep the number of runs they need to score to a minimum. The only slight knock on Coakley is a history of injuries, and the success / failure of the Beaneaters will almost be exclusively reliant on the robust health of their starters. Their farm is ranked 4th, but most of those prospects are in their 25 and pickings behind that are slim to say the least.

If they can keep their best guys on the park, I feel this side is a real chance to see post-season action and, as we all know, from there anything can happen.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: SP Andy Coakley

Opening Day squad.

[luckymann]

• LAST YEAR: 65-75 23 GB, 6th / .328 / 4.92
• BNN PREDICTION: 72-68 8 GB, 3rd / .287 / 3.42
• FARM SYSTEM: 7th
• PAYROLL: 14th, $19,743
• HIGHEST PAID PLAYER: OF Terrence Long, $1,680
• CASH BALANCE: $153,065

I can’t see them being playoff-bound this year but there’s no doubt the Superbas are headed in the right direction. They have no obvious weaknesses, which is great. But, as it stands, nor do they have any obvious strengths. None of their players are rated in the Top 20 overall, and their highest at any single position is RF Mike Shannon, who led the NL with 9 HR in 1902. The addition of former MVP Terrence Long is a plus, and he’ll add experience and some pop off a bench that is one of the better ones around.

Their rotation at Opening Day is a bit of a concern, but ace Jack Pfeister should be back with the group a couple of weeks in when he completes his injury rehab after tearing his rotator cuff last season, and that will improve it mightily. If, however, he goes down again or doesn’t come back as the same pitcher, a distinct lack of depth at the position means this could be a long season of woe for Brooklyn fans. They need a backup plan for this eventuation and a couple of standout position players, and then a challenge may be imminent.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: RF Mike Shannon, SP Jack Pfeister

Opening Day squad.

[luckymann]

• LAST YEAR: 88-52 0 GB, 1st – WORLD CHAMPIONS / .332 / 4.15
• BNN PREDICTION: 80-60 1st / .273 / 2.59
• FARM SYSTEM: 16th
• PAYROLL: 5th, $25,962
• HIGHEST PAID PLAYER: C Frank Snyder, $1,855
• CASH BALANCE: $243,755

For a team that changed its nickname in the offseason, the Cubs seem unnaturally keen on the whole “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” philosophy with regard to their playing personnel. They were noticeably absent in the trade logs over the offseason, limiting themselves to a few depth-based moves. And why not, given their all-conquering 1902 campaign? The “steady as she goes” approach means all of the ingredients to their outrageous success last year are still in place, and in the absence of any quantum improvement in their main competitors they must still be considered favourites to repeat. But it is an undeniable fact that a stationary target is easier to hit, and the main question is: Have they maxed out?

As I see it, the answer to this is both yes and no.

OF Todd Dunwoody will be hard-pressed to reproduce his NL MVP-winning output. But the performance of Joe Connolly last season was completely lost in the Dunwoody brouhaha, and he still seems to have plenty of legs at age 33. Third outfielder Jay Johnstone, who led the league with 127 runs scored and upped his BA by 55 points in 1902, appears to have some upside left. And C Frank Snyder is the sort of franchise cornerstone the other teams dream about.

The Cubs undoubtedly got the best out of a fairly middling rotation last year. That being said, the workmanlike qualities of Danny Duffy, Ray Phelps, new addition Hub Purdue and tyro Jim McAndrew also means a huge dropoff in performance is unlikely. Indeed BNN predicts the Cubs to lead the league in ERA this season. But they wouldn’t want any of them to succumb to injury or form loss, as they do not have the staff to replace them. A strong balance sheet, however, means they could go to the Free Agent market if needs be.

As many questions as answers here, which means the NL is well and truly up for grabs and should be a fascinating competition this year.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: C Frank Snyder, OF Jay Johnstone

Opening Day squad.

[luckymann]

• LAST YEAR: 77-63 8 GB, 2nd / .324 / 4.44
• BNN PREDICTION: 74-66 2nd / .264 / 2.82
• FARM SYSTEM: 6th
• PAYROLL: 6th, $25,207
• HIGHEST PAID PLAYER: OF Austin Jackson, $1,880
• CASH BALANCE: $137,919

Under no circumstances should an all-Chicago World Series be ruled out this year. The Sox pushed the Senators all the way last season before just dying on their run in the shadows of the winning post, and in fact I see their chances of post-season action as being even higher than those of their cross-town rivals.

It begins and ends with the pitching for the 1903 Pale Hose. Their rotation is among the best in the game right now, and any of the four members – Danny Cox, Andy Messersmith Lefty Tyler and William VanLandingham – could win 20 this year.

Complementing this is an offensive lineup that is probably just a year away (at most) from striking fear into opponents’ pitching staff. In 1B / OF George Stone and SS Solly Hemus (led the AL with 72 BB, .456 OBP, and 7.9 WAR) they have two of the best weapons in the FL, and they’ll nicely bookend the 4/5 combo of 1B Steve Cox and 2B Hector Lopez, with OF Austin Jackson (.397 BA in his rookie year, 155 ribbies in his two FL seasons) coming in at 7 to knock them all in.

What makes all of this even more impressive is the strength of their PSL side at Waterloo and the White Sox have all the makings of this league’s first dynasty. As I said, they may be a year away from it but look out for years of AL domination after that, all things going according to plan.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: OF George Stone, SS Solly Hemus

Opening Day squad.

[luckymann]

• LAST YEAR: 77-63 8 GB, 2nd / .324 / 4.44
• BNN PREDICTION: 74-66 2nd / .264 / 2.82
• FARM SYSTEM: 6th
• PAYROLL: 6th, $25,207
• HIGHEST PAID PLAYER: C Frank Snyder, $1,855
• CASH BALANCE: $243,755

It is a common misconception that when you finish in last place then the only way is up. You can, of course, stay right where you are. This is what happened to Cincinnati in 1902 and – sorry Cincy fans – seems set to continue for the foreseeable future.

The Reds have lost almost 100 games in each of the first two FL seasons, even more staggering when you keep in mind those seasons have each consisted of just 140 games. I doubt they’ll plumb those depths again this year, but if this is a turnaround story then it is approximately the length of Infinite Jest, and about as difficult to comprehend.

I must have told myself a million times not to exaggerate…

OK, so it isn’t that bad, but nor is it that good. The Reds have a smattering of good position players and two potential superstars in OF Vin Campbell and C Joe Ferguson. And SP Luis Castillo looks like he’ll be a beaut. But after that the cupboard is so bare Old Mother Hubbard would likely take pity on them.

Worst of all is the dire start of their farm system. And that is what Reds fans should despair of the most. I’m not sure what the up-highs in this franchise have been doing these past three years, but planning how to win an FL Championship does not seem to have been among them.

To any Reds fans out there, if changing team loyalties is an option I would give it serious consideration.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: OF Vin Campbell, C Joe Ferguson, SP Luis Castillo

Opening Day squad.

[luckymann]

LAST YEAR: 61-79 24 GB, 7th / .304 / 4.25
BNN PREDICTION: 62-78 7th / .258 / 3.03
FARM SYSTEM: 2nd
PAYROLL: 12th, $20,562
HIGHEST PAID PLAYER: SP Bob Ewing, $2,500
CASH BALANCE: $109,662

The franchise formerly known as the Bronchos took their change of nickname to the Naps as a sign to shake things up a little, with them being one of the more active clubs in the offseason trade market. And yet, for all their industry and endeavour, BNN predicts they’ll improve by the sum total of 1 game from their poor 1902 return. The main reason for that is that pretty much every one of their trades swapped players of little consequence for similar players. It may have bolstered their ranks and that may be a good sign, in that it shows a belief in the majority of their everyday playing group as is. The problem is, when you come second-to-last, bolstering rarely cuts it and the everyday playing group you have isn’t getting the job done.

Of that playing group, only OF Willie Wilson comes even remotely close to star billing. Kid Elberfeld is a good SS but is past his prime at 34. The rest are serviceable, almost to a man above average glove / average bat types. They do, however, have by far the most promising rotation in the AL, led by offseason bargain FA signing (and #1 prospect) Cy Falkenberg and workhorse (and highest-paid player) Bob Ewing. Perhaps that is the strategy: field a bunch of guys who’ll defend resolutely and score enough runs per game to support a fantastic pitching staff who’ll almost certainly win you more games than they’ll lose you. If so, Cleveland Management, I’m sorry to inform you that BNN thinks you have your math wrong and will come up 8 games shy of .500 ball this year. But, hey, at least you’re being true to your new nickname.

On the other hand, perhaps they’re simply patient men playing the long con. They are in possession of the 2nd best farm system in the league, with not just the aforementioned Falkenberg, but rookie SP sensation Barney Pelty among their prospects. 1B Roy Leslie – who’ll start the year at PSL Williamsport – also looks a promising sort. So, like the guy at the racetrack with the smile on his face before the race has even started, perhaps they know something we don’t and we’ll end up with an ear full of lemon juice.

Only time will tell. And results.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: OF Willie Wilson, SP Cy Falkenberg, SP Barney Pelty

Opening Day squad.

[luckymann]

• LAST YEAR: 75-65 10 GB, 3rd / .342 / 4.97
• BNN PREDICTION: 68-72 14 GB, 5th / .259 / 3.09
• FARM SYSTEM: 10th
• PAYROLL: 7th, $23,998
• HIGHEST PAID PLAYER: 1B Jim Delahanty, $1,860
• CASH BALANCE: $114,575

There were a couple of periods during the 1902 season when the Tigers looked like they were going to sweep past Washington and finish atop the AL standings. And I dare say there’ll be a couple of similar periods during this season. In the end, however, they finished 10 games out of first place last year. And I dare say that’s roughly where they’ll finish this year.

Detroit was almost entirely absent from the offseason marketplace, with just two relatively insignificant trades conducted. Again, fans would be hoping this indicates a good level of faith in the players they have.

And they do have a solid, if somewhat uninspiring, group playing for them right now.

2B Sam Mertes had an outstanding sophomore season (.339 / .413 / .473 / 103 RBI; AL-leading 6 HR and 72 BB) and should be prominent again. 1B Patsy Tebeau won the batting title with a .414 average and led the league in wOBA with .460, and at 24 looks to have some upside from there.

Their pitchers’ 1902 BABIP of .356 indicates that their AL-worst 4.97 ERA was as much due to bad luck as bad pitching, and indeed BNN predicts this will improve almost a full 2 ER per 9 this year to 3.09. Their rotation is a decent enough bunch, with 21-year-old Melido Perez a real comer and late-season FA recruit Weldon Henley a good pickup for them who should provide the sort of ballast you want from a number 1 starter leading a very young staff.

So it isn’t all gloom and doom in Motown and they’re not out of it by a long shot. But they’ll need others to fall for them to climb over if they want to reach the top. And they’ll need that to happen soon, as their farm system (ranked 10th) isn’t great, with Henley their highest rated prospect at 28. The window is still open, but closing faster than they’d like.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: 2B Sam Mertes, SP Weldon Henley, SP Melido Perez

Opening Day squad.

[luckymann]

• LAST YEAR: 74-66 14 GB, 3rd / .348 / 5.57
• BNN PREDICTION: 67-73 13 GB, 7th / .273 / 3.63
• FARM SYSTEM: 11th
• PAYROLL: 4th, $26,382
• HIGHEST PAID PLAYER: SP Bob Rhoads, $2,480
• CASH BALANCE: $167,313

As competitive as they were for most of last season, it would have taken a better team than the 1902 Giants to best the 1902 Orphans. And – even though their only off-season move was to trade a player who has hit .400 in both of the FL seasons so far – this year the Giants may just have that team.

Might.

There’s little doubt they’ll score plenty enough runs to win a host of games. The question is, will they be able to avoid conceding so many that they lose even more.

Perhaps the reason they were so inactive in the offseason was because they made two key acquisitions before the offseason had begun.

Their offence for this season looks nothing short of gargantuan. Despite being a bit of a late-bloomer (he’s 27), John Titus projects to be one of the league’s elite outfielders, and he showed a glimpse of this talent by hitting .424 in the 33 AB he got after the Giants signed him as a Free Agent in late September. With him in left and Al Shaw (.372 / NL-best .460 OBP; 5 HR and 74 RBI in his rookie 1902 season) in right, along with scrappy CF Chuck Diering, the Giants have arguably the premier OF in the game. Throw boom catcher Bill DeLancey, excellent 3B Billy Johnson and veteran SS Derek Jeter in to the mix and you can see what I mean when I say “gargantuan”. You can’t pitch around them all.

But in my mind the real deal-sealer for the Giants was when they signed SP Barney Wolfe in the final week of the regular season. He might not solve all of the club’s pitching problems (FL second-worst ERA of 5.57 last year) in one fell swoop, or one year. But he is certainly a step in that direction, and – along with offseason recruit Kelvim Escobar – should take a great deal of the weight Bob Rhoads and Bubba Church were forced to carry between the two of them last season. And if Bob Lemon comes on the way he looks like he should, then the NL may be the Giants’ paradise for a few years to come.

I am beyond surprised that BNN has tipped them to go backward this year. I see it going the other way. Maybe they figure it will take some time for everything to gel. They may be right. I may be crazy. But it just may be a lunatic you’re looking for. You know the rest, don’t be afraid to sing along…

PLAYERS TO WATCH: OF John Titus, C Bill DeLancey, OF Al Shaw, SP Barney Wolfe

Opening Day squad.

[luckymann]

• LAST YEAR: 62-78 23 GB, 6th / .318 / 4.76
• BNN PREDICTION: 74-66 8 GB, 3rd / .265 / 2.87
• FARM SYSTEM: 8th
• PAYROLL: 15th, $19,565
• HIGHEST PAID PLAYER: SS Angel Salazar, $1,400
• CASH BALANCE: $111,776

Well the league’s “NKOTB” have wasted no time in showing the rest of the league that the shift in ownership and location has brought with it a shift in attitude, with the club heavily involved in the trade market over the offseason.

As the Orioles, this franchise was occasionally competitive but generally underwhelming. That said, they already had the makings of a good squad with a balanced mix of veterans and younger players. With some of the moves they have made, clubs such as Washington, Detroit, Philadelphia and Chicago will now be able to see them – albeit at a safe distance for now – in their rear-vision mirror. And, one would think, feel a bit uncomfortable about it. Especially with those types of mirrors making objects seem closer than they really are.

Danny O’Connell had a great rookie year and should be amongst it again this time around. John Wilson is a fantastic player who should feature heavily in MVP talks. At 29, Eric Soderholm has plenty of good years left in him. 2B Bump Wills seems too good a player to come off the bench so they’ll need to find a way to fit him into the everyday lineup. Rookie Mike Vail is a real smoky who could threaten for the batting title. Offseason acquisition JaCoby Jones is no superstar but should still be a solid contributor in CF. A solid bench will help keep things on a more even and consistent keel than previous seasons. On the whole things look good in this area.

But none of this will amount to a hill of beans if their pitching doesn’t hold up. Theirs isn’t a bad rotation by any means. But neither is it a great one. Juan Nieves and Jeremy Bonderman are a decent enough 1-2 pairing. But Mike McCormick and Ben McDonald – the self-styled “Mac Attack” – are both real question marks. Question marks that need a decent bullpen to get them the last 9 to 12 outs in tight games. A bullpen that, apart from Mike Paul and the injured Bob Sebra (he’ll be back mid-season at the earliest), the Highlanders simply do not possess at this point in time. With an abundance of talented position players biding their time at PSL Newark, perhaps the intention is to trade their way to possessing one. If so, they’d need to be sharpish about it, before the season gets away from them.

Look, it will most likely take a perfect storm for the Highlanders to see playoff action this year. But then again, stranger things have happened. I like the look of this ball club, but maybe next year. Ow! A splinter! Right in me keester!!

PLAYERS TO WATCH: OF John Wilson, 3B Eric Soderholm, SP Jeremy Bonderman

Opening Day squad.

[luckymann]

• LAST YEAR: 71-69 14 GB, 5th / .321 / 4.11
• BNN PREDICTION: 82-58, 1st / .263 / 2.73
• FARM SYSTEM: 14th
• PAYROLL: 3rd, $27,008
• HIGHEST PAID PLAYER: SP Fred Glade, $2,680
• CASH BALANCE: $110,707

A glamorous ride up the glitzy and gilt-encrusted VIP lift to the exclusive area of the building. Denied entry to the Penthouse. A slow and ignominious trudge back down the fire stairs. That pretty much encapsulates in the proverbial legume casing the first two FL seasons for the A’s.

I’m 100% certain that, in the myriad of scenarios A’s management saw playing out in 1902, what actually took place was not among them. In the end, a 71-69 record doesn’t look that bad. But don’t let that fool you. They were never in it, and only a second-half surge dressed that window to something even remotely respectable for public viewing. This after making it to Game 7 of the World Series the season prior. With a squad being paid twice as much.

Baseball is not golf. There are no mulligans in baseball, no gimmes. There is only the resolution to visit the driving range, iron out the kinks in your swing, and make sure it doesn’t happen again. And, if the experts are to be believed, the A’s seem to have been relatively successful in this regard. BNN is tipping them to win the pennant again this year.

It’s not hard to see why this is so.

They traded for a really solid middle infield combination in 2B Josh Harrison and SS Charlie Babb (although it did cost them OF Austin Jackson and his 155 ribbies over the past two years). 1902 rookies C Jack Boyle, 1B Art Howe, and CF Milt Thompson will all be better players for what they experienced last season, and they were each already pretty good.

Most importantly, the best rotation in baseball is still intact. And when you have a dual Cy Young winner (Steve Cooke) who isn’t your best pitcher by some margin, that has to be a good thing. Fred Glade’s 1902 campaign was an injury-riddled one, but even then he showed just how good he is going 8-4 with a 2.88 ERA over the 109 innings his body allowed him to pitch. His 1903 Spring Training performance has only enhanced his reputation and, if he can stay healthy, he seems a lock for multiple 20-win / Cy Young Award seasons over the oncoming decade. Ed Head and Ed Killian complete a foursome that should ensure at least a .500 record once again for the A’s. Lord only knows how good they’ll be if they ever get Dallas Braden off the IL. Scary stuff indeed.

The sky’s the limit for this squad. But, with their abysmal farm system (their highest prospect is ranked 38th), only for a short flight. Best make sure the parachutes deploy. Hell of a day to give up Quaaludes.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: P Fred Glade, C Jack Boyle, CF Milt Thompson

Opening Day squad.

[luckymann]

LAST YEAR: 69-71 19 GB, 5th / .315 / 4.12
BNN PREDICTION: 68-72 12 GB, 6th / .261 / 3.19
FARM SYSTEM: 13th
PAYROLL: 10th, $22,179
HIGHEST PAID PLAYER: 1B Pete Runnels, $1,850
CASH BALANCE: $156,276

Given the proliferation of name-changes in the offseason, perhaps the Phillies should have considered one of their own. To the Punxsutawney Phils, perhaps. At least it would satisfy the various Truth in Advertising regulations with which corporations must comply. Because they seem to be stuck in their own version of Groundhog Day.

It’s not that they weren’t active in the offseason. To the contrary, they were one of the busiest clubs in this respect. It’s just that the players involved make their transactions log about as interesting reading as the autobiography of Boston Rob from Survivor (the TV show, not the band...).

Again, they do have a solid core in their playing group. 3B Eddie Joost is a fantastic player, as is C Bill Crowley. Offseason recruits outfielders Bill Buckner and Buddy Bradford and SS Ivan de Jesus should provide decent run production. The rotation, led by absolute gun Tommy Hanson, is well above average and will be greatly improved by the return of Warren Hacker at some stage in the season. And they have the best closer in the game in Hom Iburg.

But they needed to be more dynamic than they were, with the likely result being they finish with a similar record to last season’s 69-71. And that, my friends, is unlikely to move them up into contention. And their 13th-ranked farm system doesn’t seem likely to help.

If the rules of this League suddenly change so that the teams that finish mid-standings make it to the playoffs, then rejoice Philly Fanatics! Because this may prove a veritable Golden Age for your ball club. If, on the other hand, the status quo holds, don’t be afraid to book that long-planned October trip to Cabo nice and early to avoid those nasty peak rates.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: 3B Eddie Joost, P Tommy Hanson, C Bill Crowley

Opening Day squad.

[luckymann]

• LAST YEAR: 75-65 13 GB, 2nd / .338 / 4.61
• BNN PREDICTION: 69-71 11 GB, 4th / .268 / 3.39
• FARM SYSTEM: 3rd
• PAYROLL: 8th, $23,302
• HIGHEST PAID PLAYER: C Verne Clemons, $1,725
• CASH BALANCE: $167,757

BNN is predicting the Bucs to drop 6 games this season and yet still finish 2 games closer to the top than they did last year. That does suggest this upcoming season should be a ripper for the neutrals but would be cold comfort for Pirates fans, who saw their team come close but nowhere near close enough last time around.

I am convinced there is a great team hiding within this Pittsburgh squad just waiting to burst free of its shackles. It doing so is completely up to those who comprise it. And that is the main issue at hand here – who does comprise this Pittsburgh team? A bunch of skilled veterans on the way down? Or the extraordinarily talented bunch of youngsters on their way up? It is, without a word of a lie, a team with a split personality. Tinker to Jekyll to Hyde, and the Bucs turn two.

Which could work a treat under the right conditions. In other words, the veterans keep producing while teaching the younger guys the ropes, then gracefully make way when they are fully fledged and ready to test their wings. But how often do those sorts of natural successions / handing over of the baton from one generation to the next types of deals actually work out for the best? Not many at all.

But if this current crop of Pirates do manage to buck the trend and successfully do the switch, the rewards could be rich indeed, for this is one of the most balanced and widely-talented squads in the league.

They have three superstars-in-the-making all only in their early twenties: 1B Doc Crandall (who just happens to be a two-way player), RF Doc Gessler, and 1902 NL Rookie of the Year Buddy Lewis. They have two mid-twenties guns in SS J.T. Riddle (.352 / 99 RBI and a league best 38 doubles last year) and late-season FA acquisition LF Jake Stahl, who showed he can handle this level by hitting .476 in 21 AB as 1902 wound to a close. And they have the aforementioned crop of talented vets led by C Verne Clemons, 3B Abraham Nunez and outfielders Manny Mota and Joe Carter, who were the ones responsible for getting Pittsburgh as close as they came to the mighty Orphans outfit that ended up winning it all.

And they have a fantastic, young, rotation as well. Bernie Boland struggled in his rookie season, eventually going 8-4 / 6.19, but seems to have kept coming on and looks the goods this year. Harry Harper spent most of last season at PSL Wichita Falls but looks ready to tear the big league apart this year. Both Don Robinson and either Bob Forsch or Shawn Chacon (who will start the season on the IL after straining a shoulder in ST) will offer all the back-end rotation support a club could hope for.

Topping it all off is a healthy farm system that is currently ranked 3rd in the league, although to be fair most of those “prospects” will be taking the field in the FL this year. But, still, it’s all looking pretty rosy in Steeltown.

Did someone say “dynasty”? Nope? Oh OK, the voices must be back.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: 3B/OF Buddy Lewis, 1B Doc Crandall, OF Doc Gessler, P Bernie Boland

Opening Day squad.

[luckymann]

• LAST YEAR: 56-84 29 GB, 8th / .308 / 4.93
• BNN PREDICTION: 68-72 14 GB, 6th / .259 / 3.09
• FARM SYSTEM: 5th
• PAYROLL: 13th, $20,361
• HIGHEST PAID PLAYER: 2B Jeff Baker, $1,500
• CASH BALANCE: $101,617

If you look in the dictionary for “Work in Progress”, the team picture of the 1903 St Louis Browns could well appear where the definition should be.

When the franchise moved from Milwaukee after the 1901 season, the new owners gutted the squad with the aim of shaping it how they wanted, resulting in a 22 game dropoff last year. Given the 1901 Brewers almost made the playoffs, that was a brave (no pun intended) move that risked alienating their new fanbase from the off. Some may have seen it as recklessly so. I doubt they do now, especially seeing as that poor 1902 gives them the number two slot in this year’s Rookie Draft.

BNN is predicting the Browns will regain about half of those lost games this year and move up a couple of spots in the standings, which seems about right to me. The players they have are in general a year or two away from peak production and their prospects a year or two from seeing action in the bigs, but they still have a pretty solid squad to begin 1903 and the direction in which they are headed is certainly north, rather than south.

At present their farm system is ranked 5th, with three players in the top 25 and yet not a one in the top 10, but with the Reds – who have the top Draft pick this year – coming from such a low base in this area, that is almost guaranteed to change come June. Of those prospects already in the system, outfielder Mike Lum (16th) looks the most promising, and the Browns are yet again showing their patience by keeping him down at PSL Joplin to begin with. SP Charlie Smith is more of a long-term project, but looks like he’ll be a ripper.

They have a smattering of quality players already in the major league squad. Frank Corridon is a gun and he should power their rotation throughout the year. On Opening Day that rotation looks decidedly vulnerable, but the imminent return of both Wally Bunker and George Chalmers should improve it no end. LF Jim Greengrass and 2B Jeff Baker are both solidly above average, and SS Miguel Rojas should give them plenty of impetus from the leadoff spot.

So it’s a good news story for Browns fans. Maybe not this year or the next, but look out come the latter half of the decade.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: P Frank Corridon, LF Jim Greengrass, OF Mike Lum, 2B Jeff Baker

Opening Day squad.

[luckymann]

LAST YEAR: 63-77 25 GB, 7th / .323 / 4.91
BNN PREDICTION: 69-71 11 GB, 5th / .268 / 3.28
FARM SYSTEM: 15th
PAYROLL: 11th, $22,528
HIGHEST PAID PLAYER: 1B Ryan Shealy, $1,750
CASH BALANCE: $168,307

It was the Redbirds who of course denied the A’s access to the Penthouse and got to enjoy the fruits of their success on top of the world looking down on creation. But then the next morning, blurry-eyed from drinking way too much of the free French bubbly stuff that came with the room, they somehow managed to fall out of the window and, well, to quote the great Hank Azaria in America’s Sweethearts, pussy boy go Splat!

Splat! indeed. 63-77, a galaxy far, far away from 1st, propped up only by the lowly Reds from the dreaded top-to-bottom drop. (Hey, look at me—I’m a poet and I wasn’t even aware of it!) A dismount so untidy the Russian judge gave them a zero and there was no furore. 1902 will not go down in Cardinal folklore as a year to remember.

Sadly, nor it seems will 1903. Even sadder, if their inactivity in the time since is anything to go by, they are yet to realise this fact. Their sole offseason trade was shipping Terrence Long, who had hit .369 and driven in almost 200 runs for them, winning the 1901 NL MVP in the process, to Brooklyn for 33-year-old SP Red Lucas. Not exactly panic stations. More like band on the Titanic stations.

So what am I missing here?

Their squad is far from the worst going around, I’ll admit that. Catcher Wilson Ramos and 1B Ray Sanders are the pick of the crop, LF Steve Braun is pretty good, they are solid enough at every position and have a handy bench. Harry Gumbert should give them close enough to 20 wins and his rotation mates are each fairly capable in their own right.

And yet… And yet… Nup, got nothing.

.500 ball looks about right for this group, as BNN have predicted. My only prediction is that, in the 1903 NL class photo, St Louis will be sitting in centre-shot next to the Phillies, perhaps even holding hands in solidarity to the middle of the road.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: 1B Ray Sanders, C Wilson Ramos, P Harry Gumbert

Opening Day squad.