The Bucs Start Here - A Pirates Do-Over

[luckymann]

A real fillip for the group when Deacon is indeed ready for Opening Day. In an effort to not overtax him, I have slotted him down the rotation for now. That may change later.

As always, HERE is our team page for those inclined to fully immerse. For the rest, a summary.

Catchers

• C Roger Bresnahan – certainly had an impact after joining us last season (290 / 367 / 418 with 5.0 WAR in 112 games) and I’m really looking forward to seeing what he can do for us over a full campaign.
• Charlie Dexter (R) – will once again be our C / IF utility backup, although with more of an emphasis on backup backstop duties.

Infielders

• 1B Charlie Hickman (R)
• 2B Harry Steinfeldt (R)
• 3B Tommy Leach (R)
• SS Honus Wagner (R)
  
• Danny Murphy (R)
• Rabbit Robinson (R) also OF
• Art Hoelskoetter (R)

Outfielders

• LF Matty McIntyre (L)
• CF Billy Maloney (L)
• RF Pop Foster (R)
  
• Rip Cannell (L)
• Otis Clymer (S)

Rotation

1. RHP Jack Chesbro
2. RHP Cy Young
3. RHP Deacon Phillippe
4. LHP Nick Altrock

Obviously our main area of concern. Nick is the youngest of the group at 29, and Deacon is very much a wildcard.

Bullpen

• LHP Ed Barry
• RHP Howie Camnitz
• RHP Lou Fiene
• RHP Charlie Rhodes
• LHP John Skopec

I am carrying five relievers and keeping Deacon on a tight leash, so these guys will have a lot more responsibility thrust upon them than previously.

[luckymann]

We get back-to-back shutouts from Jack and Cy to start the season. Deacon makes a rusty return. Nick’s first start is a poor one. A 2-run homer by Steinfeldt gives us a walkoff win against Cincy. Both Deacon’s and Nick’s second outings are much-improved. We win seven of our first ten, a nice way to start. Six of our first twelve games go into extras.

In the final game of the month, Young feels a twinge in his shoulder and has to come out. He’ll be right for his next start, but this only highlights how close we are to disaster should one of our starters suffer something more long-term.

We go 10-7 for the month.

Hot

• Cy Young: has flown out of the blocks with a 4-0 start and 1.10 ERA, here’s hoping that niggle disappears as quickly as it came.

Not

• Jack Chesbro: only early, I know, but worrying signs that all those innings last season took their toll as Jack posts a 3.89 ERA in his first five starts.

Around the Leagues

• Cincinnati’s Sam Crawford registers his 1000th career hit.

Awards

• 04/23 POTW: AL – Frank LaPorte (St. Louis) .619 / 3 RBI; NL – Sherry Magee (Philadelphia) 591 / 3 HR / 6 RBI.
• 04/30 POTW: AL – Ed Walsh (Chicago) 2-0 / 0.00 / 11 K / 18 IP; NL – Noodles Hahn (Cincinnati) 2-0 / 0.50 / 9 K / 18 IP.

• AL Batter of the Month: Zaza Harvey (New York) 423 / 3 RBI.
• NL Batter of the Month: Sherry Magee (Philadelphia) 397 / 3 HR / 12 RBI.
• AL Pitcher of the Month: Jack Pfiester (Washington) 4-0 / 1.79 / 17 K / 40.1 IP.
• NL Pitcher of the Month: Al Orth (Philadelphia) 4-1 / 0.80 / 19 K / 45 IP.
• AL Rookie of the Month: Eddie Collins (Chicago) 277 / 1 HR / 5 RBI.
• NL Rookie of the Month: Ralph Glaze (Chicago) 1-2 / 2.50 / 15 K / 36 IP.

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Any concerns we have for Cy are seemingly assuaged when he hurls a four-hitter his next start to outduel Brown in a 1-0 win over the Cubs.

The same can’t be said for Nick Altrock, who suffers a shoulder strain that will keep him out for 5-6 weeks. Carl Druhot gets the call-up and goes straight into the rotation.

We’re playing OK, but one feels we’ve expended a lot of our luck in these early weeks and that one more key injury may be our undoing. At mid-month, only the Cubs have a better RD than ours (+24) thru 25 games.

Carl Druhot’s MLB debut is against the great man, Christy Mathewson. It is a forgettable one as we get licked 8-1.

We explode for 12 runs on 11 hits in one magical inning in a 14-5 pummelling of the Beaneaters. Later that same series our bullpen gives us 6+ scoreless and Dutchie has 5 hits including a dinger and 4 RBI including the walkoff winner in a 16-inning 7-6 victory.

But our rotation is what worries me most, as we concede 58 runs in a ten-game stretch (with one of them a two-hit shutout by Young) and our starters just look ratty as all get-up. If our hitting regresses even slightly we are in big trouble if we can’t get this sorted out.

We finish with an ugly-beautiful 14-11 May to sit a half-game back of Brooklyn at 24-18.

Hot

• Our bats: 274/329/354 slash puts us 1st in the NL for each, the only reason we’ve the record we do.

Not

• Our arms: 3.13 starter ERA may not look so bad, but if there was some way of breaking the month into two halves, the latter would tell a sordid tale indeed.

Around the Leagues

• After a sluggish start, the White Sox put themselves in contention with a 16-11 month, but it is the Senators who are surprise leaders, tied with the A’s at 24-18.
• A’s ace Eddie Plank posts the first no-no of the season against Boston. Jack Powell of the Cards follows suit a week later.
• Clark Griffith of the Americans announces his intention to retire at the end of the season.
• Highlanders 1B Mike Donlin is the latest to become a member of the 1000-hit club.

Awards

• 05/07 POTW: AL – Del Howard (Philadelphia) 444 / 7 RBI; NL – Shad Barry (New York) 542 / 1 HR / 5 RBI.
• 05/14 POTW: AL Otto Hess (Washington) 2-0 / 0.00 / 8 K / 18 IP; NL – Harry Lumley (Brooklyn) 526 / 4 RBI.
• 05/21 POTW: AL Mike Donlin (New York) 500 / 5 RBI; NL – Sam Crawford (Cincinnati) 419 / 2 HR / 11 RBI.
• 05/28 POTW: AL – Bill Bernhard (St. Louis) 2-0 / 0.00 / 2 K / 22 IP; NL – Ed Delahanty (Boston) 414 / 1 HR / 10 RBI.

• AL Batter of the Month: Erve Beck (Chicago) 353 / 1 HR / 18 RBI.
• NL Batter of the Month: Ed Delahanty (Boston) 362 / 2 HR / 20 RBI.
• AL Pitcher of the Month: Frank Corridon (Chicago) 6-2 / 1.39 / 23 K / 71 IP.
• NL Pitcher of the Month: Jack Powell (St. Louis) 6-1 / 1.57 / 31 K / 63 IP.
• AL Rookie of the Month: Fred Beebe (St. Louis) 5-4 / 2.43 / 49 K / 81.1 IP.
• NL Rookie of the Month: Ed Karger (St. Louis) 3-4 / 2.41 / 32 K / 71 IP.

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[luckymann]

The month starts well, as we get six wins from our first eight. Admittedly, four of these are from a fairly substandard Beaneaters side – one of which earns Carl Druhot his first W in the bigs – but those are the series you must win if you want to be in the mix come the pointy end of the season.

Nick Altrock’s expected return date comes and goes with it no clearer when he’ll be able to resume playing.

As is often the case with these dog days of the mid-season, there’s little to report of note.

We get a scare when Deacon is forced from a game with a back twinge, but he seems to recover OK from it and doesn’t miss a turn. That doesn’t change the fact he simply isn’t the pitcher of past seasons. Once again, my earlier prodigality with our staff comes back to haunt us.

We finally get Nick back with just a couple days left in the month. For now I am keeping Deacon in the rotation and Carl goes into the pen, but with Deacon showing all the signs that he is a spent force, this will almost certainly need some fiddling with, perhaps from externally. Nick’s first start back is a rusty no-decision, as we somehow conspire to throw away a 2-run lead in the 12th and lose it 9-8 walkoff.

A 1-4 finish is a messy end to an up-and-down month in which we fashion a 13-12 record to sit two games off the pace.

Hot

• Our gumption: plenty of adversity to contend with but these guys are going out there and giving it their all. Not sure we’ve got what it takes to be among the contenders come the stretch, but I am 100% certain it won’t be through lack of trying if we do come up short.

Not

• Deacon Phillippe: has been a stalwart servant of this club and Legacy rules should ensure he remains a one-club player, but he looks out on his feet right now. If any / all of his 4.39 ERA / 1.01 FIP- / 1.36 WHIP don’t show rapid signs of coming down, he is destined for a relief role before this season is out. Before this month is out, most likely.
• Billy Maloney: ohfer his last 22 AB for the month.

Around the Leagues

• The cream rises in the AL as Chicago and Detroit make a break from the rest, with the Browns trying desperately to come for the ride.
• The NL is a more blanketed affair, with just a couple games between first and fifth.
• Our own Honus Wagner reaches the 1000-hit milestone. Going to move this back to 1500 now.
• Brooklyn’s title hopes receive a huge setback when a broken kneecap suffered in an off-field mishap sidelines gun shortstop Bill Keister for the year.

Awards

• 06/04 POTW: AL – Mike Donlin (New York) 500 / 8 RBI; NL – Cy Young (Pittsburgh) 2-0 / 1.00 / 4 K / 18 IP.
• 06/11 POTW: AL – Orval Overall (Cleveland) 2-0 / 1.50 / 7 K / 18 IP; NL – Al Orth (Philadelphia) 2-0 / 0.00 / 7 K / 18 IP.
• 06/18 POTW: AL – Andy Coakley (Chicago) 2-0 / 0.00 / 9 K / 18 IP; NL – Sammy Strang (New York) 440 / 1 HR / 4 RBI.
• 06/25 POTW: AL – Bill Bernhard (St. Louis) 2-0 / 0.00 / 6 K / 18 IP; NL – Rube Waddell (Chicago) 2-0 / 0.43 / 16 K / 18 IP.

• AL Batter of the Month: Ty Cobb (Detroit) 396 / 21 RBI.
• NL Batter of the Month: Elmer Flick (Philadelphia) 344 / 1 HR / 13 RBI.
• AL Pitcher of the Month: Ed Walsh (Chicago) 6-2 / 0.89 / 36 K / 71 IP.
• NL Pitcher of the Month: Rube Waddell (Chicago) 6-2 / 1.48 / 62 K / 73 IP.
• AL Rookie of the Month: Jim Pastorius (Chicago) 4-2 / 1.71 / 16 K / 52.2 IP.
• NL Rookie of the Month: Ed Karger (St. Louis) 2-5 / 2.87 / 20 K / 59.2 IP.

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Most SB without a CS

[luckymann]

We kick off the month by completing a sweep loss at the Cards, putting us 4 GB and at real risk of falling out of touch. Back-to-back doubleheaders are the last thing we need, but that’s what we face next against the division-leading Cubs, the start of a 13-day run with no off-days.

But then this amazing group lifts to get us wins against Waddell and then Brown, then the next day Chesbro shuts them out on four hits in a 4-0 win against Reulbach and Phillippe pitches his first good game in a long while to get us yet another win. Unbelievable character shown by the lads.

We get a 1-0 win against Waddell the next day in 13 innings but Young is injured in the process and will miss a few rotation turns, because with the heavy workload – exacerbated by the extra-innings game – I have to IL him and call up Ed Barry. Camnitz, who has been doing everything asked of him and seems to be coming along well, will take his spot.

Two more wins cap a stunning 7-game sweep of the Baby Bears. Camnitz’s first start of the year is a beauty in a tight walkoff win over Brooklyn. We run the streak to nine before dropping one to the Superbas and our erstwhile teammate Charlie Smith.

For that break-free run that looked so daunting at its outset, we go an astounding 12-1, taking us from 37-32 to 49-33. The last game features a two-hit CG from Deacon that harks back to his glory days.

How does one get one’s head around a concept as ineffable as form? It’s like trying to catch smoke in a butterfly net. We looked gone for all money after that Cardinals series but then something clicked and it all came together. No idea how or why, but for one of the few times in my life I’m not going to overthink it and simply enjoy for the ride.

Ahh, the best-laid plans...

Our 50th win of the season comes at a huge cost when Bresnahan is struck by an errant throw while legging out a triple, fracturing his hand. Six weeks, minimum, he’ll be on ice.
Oftentimes, as the old saying goes, you can’t win for losing. Heck, I don’t even know what that means.

What his injury means is disarray in the squad and, on my part, uncertainty. Do I put Maloney in at catcher even though he’s hardly played a game there all year and move Cannell to CF? Or do I make Dexter the everyday backstop and use Billy to rest him?

In the end I do something else:

TRADE 2 OF 5: (07/17): C Charlie Luskey traded to New York (AL) for C Fred Abbott.

Simply a slight upgrade. A band-aid. I’ll flip-flop Dexter and Maloney behind the plate and Fred will get some innings as well, mainly as a defensive sub. This, the way I see it, makes the best of a bad situation. Or at least hopefully minimises the damage.

The effect of Duke’s absence is immediate as we drop three on the trot before Jack pitches a four-hitter to get us a 1-0 win in which we only have three hits ourselves. One of those losses is a 10-2 disaster that all but seals Deacon’s fate when Cy returns, as he makes his way to the bullpen until further notice. We score just 9 runs in the first 6 games after Roger’s injury and fall behind the Cubs, before Cy marks his return with a three-hitter and the bats finally awaken for a 10-0 rout of the Giants.

At the end of this month that has seemed like a year, in which we go a streaky-to-the-extreme 18-11, we are leading the Senior Circuit by a game from the Cubs, with the Phillies, Superbas, Giants, and Cards all well within reach.

Hot

• Our intestinal fortitude: once again these fantastic ballplayers take some fairly serious adversity in their stride and get it done. Whatever the outcome of this season, it will always be one that I remember fondly because of the application and sheer guts shown by our playing group.
• Harry Steinfeldt: while I am reluctant to single anyone out individually, Harry’s performance is just too good not to, as he hits 383 with 20 RBI (almost double the next best, Dutchie’s 11) and a wRC+ of 175.

Not

• Our luck: seriously now, after last year I thought we might get a decent run of good fortune. I, apparently, thought wrong.

Around the Leagues

• Unexpectedly, it is the Tigers who drop off the pace in the AL, as the White Sox and Browns gain a slight ascendancy. Then the Browns go cold, leaving the Sox to move five games clear and put themselves in prime position heading into the stretch.
• The Phillies run a 10-game win string early in the month.
• A trade late in the month sees P Fred Glade sent by the Giants to the Browns in return for C Tubby Spencer and 2B Danny Shay.

The updated Top 100 Prospects list is released. Pretty slim pickings for us in this regard, with Charlie Rhodes our highest-ranked player at #30.

Awards

• 07/02 POTW: AL – Ed Walsh (Chicago) 2-0 / 0.00 / 12 K / 18 IP; NL – Hans Lobert (Philadelphia) 500 / 0 RBI.
• 07/09 POTW: AL – Jimmy Dygert (Washington) 3-0 / 1.00 / 9 K / 27 IP; NL – Charlie Smith (Brooklyn) 3-0 / 1.00 / 12 K / 27 IP.
• 07/16 POTW: AL – Bill Bernhard (St. Louis) 3-0 / 0.72 / 7 K / 25 IP; NL – Terry Turner (Cincinnati) 481 / 3 RBI.
• 07/23 POTW: AL – George Mullin (Detroit) 2-0 / 1.00 ERA / 6 K / 18 IP; NL – Jack Chesbro (Pittsburgh) 2-0 / 1.00 ERA / 8 K / 18 IP.
• 07/30 POTW: AL – Orval Overall (Cleveland) 2-0 / 0.50 ERA / 15 K / 18 IP; NL – Happy Townsend (New York) 2-0 / 0.50 ERA / 4 K / 18 IP.

• AL Batter of the Month: Mike Donlin (New York) 406 / 0 HR / 17 RBI.
• NL Batter of the Month: Johnny Kling (St. Louis) 368 / 1 HR / 18 RBI.
• AL Pitcher of the Month: Bill Bernhard (St. Louis) 7-1 / 1.57 / 25 K / 69 IP.
• NL Pitcher of the Month: Frank Smith (St. Louis) 7-1 / 2.81 / 44 K / 77 IP.
• AL Rookie of the Month: Slow Joe Doyle (Washington) 3-1 / 2.75 / 17 K / 36 IP.
• NL Rookie of the Month: Ed Karger (St. Louis) 4-2 / 3.05 / 20 K / 62 IP.

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Most PA without starting a game

[luckymann]

August begins with a strange “feeling-out” period, as if a heavyweight championship bout the protagonists know won’t be won with a single knockout blow. Despite pallid offence, we get off to a decent enough start with 4 wins from 6. Two of these are back-to-back deep extra-inning games, a 2-1 win in 14 followed by an 8-7 loss in 18, both against Boston.

Dutchie goes a most uncharacteristic 0-for-7 in that second game and it is indicative of his poor early-August form as he hits 167 over the first ten games. Maloney, at 097 over the same period, is even worse. Chesbro is another who really struggles in his first few starts for the month, all three of which we lose.

Still, we manage to maintain our lead – apart from a two-day period when the Cubs catch, but never pass, us – all the way until the end of the month. Not by dominating. Nor by preventing ourselves from, on occasion, being dominated. But by grinding out more wins than losses. It ain’t sexy, but almost every time it’s how you achieve your goal.

The final week of August sees us begin a stretch of 15 games in 14 days that culminates in the Cubs and ourselves meeting for four in Chi-Town. We manage to win the first three of these, then celebrate Roger’s long-awaited return to the fold by getting shut out on two hits by the Cards to round the month off.

That gives us a 17-10 record for the month and puts us at 72-51 overall, a single game to the good of Chicago with 31 to play.

Hot

• Matty McIntyre: has been our best player all season, and continues that with an exceptional August that sees him slash 345/430/460 and lead the team with an OPS+ of 170.
• Charlie Rhodes: as our 2.85 Starter ERA (5th in the NL) shows, our rotation has once again been pretty up-and-down this season, which has put extra pressure on our bullpen. Charlie has been the go-to guy for us in this regard, and has been fantastic. 5-2 for the season with a 1.48 ERA is an excellent return by the rookie.

Not

• Honus Wagner / Jack Chesbro: our performance this month is even more impressive when you take into consideration that our two talismen both have extremely ordinary sectionals. Dutchie has perhaps the most ineffectual month of his storied career, slashing 261/333/304 and posting a wRC+ of 94, nearly half of McIntyre’s mark. Jack, meanwhile, went 2-4 / 4.26 and it would seem almost a given that for us to have a chance of prevailing this season one or both of them are going to have to come good.

Around the Leagues

• Chicago stumbles early to let the Browns and Tigers close the gap, then continues its backslide to the point where the Browns overtake them just after mid-month. St. Louis then puts their foot down and a superlative 20-5 August sees them get out to a 7-game lead by the time it’s done. That may well be enough.
• I certainly don’t see the NL as a two-way go just yet, with the Phillies loitering just 5 ½ back. The rest, with the closest of them 10 GB, are probably out of it now.
• The Giants lose ace Christy Mathewson for the year to forearm inflammation.

Awards

• 08/06 POTW: AL – Jake Weimer (Detroit) 2-0 / 0.00 / 10 K / 18 IP; NL – Frank Schulte (Chicago) 480 / 1 HR / 6 RBI.
• 08/13 POTW: AL – Orval Overall (Cleveland) 2-0 / 0.00 / 6 K / 18 IP; NL – Jesse Tannehill (Brooklyn) 2-0 / 1.42 / 7 K / 19 IP.
• 08/20 POTW: AL – Nap Lajoie (Philadelphia) 591 / 4 RBI; NL – Bobby Wallace (St. Louis) 579 / 4 RBI.
• 08/27 POTW: AL – Mike Donlin (New York) 429 / 5 RBI; NL – Emmet Heidrick (Cincinnati) 565 / 3 RBI.

• AL Batter of the Month: Mike Donlin (New York) 364 / 0 HR / 16 RBI.
• NL Batter of the Month: Cy Seymour (Chicago) 333 / 2 HR / 21 RBI.
• AL Pitcher of the Month: Jack Coombs (Philadelphia) 6-1 / 1.94 / 31 K / 65 IP.
• NL Pitcher of the Month: Mordecai Brown (Chicago) 6-1 / 1.01 / 21 K / 62.1 IP.
• AL Rookie of the Month: Jack Coombs (Philadelphia).
• NL Rookie of the Month: Ed Karger (St. Louis) 3-4 / 3.50 / 26 K / 61.2 IP.

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Most PA without a BB

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We start the stretch in scintillating fashion, as Charlie Hickman mashes two taters – ending up just a single shy of the cycle – while driving in an NL-record 8 runs and Rip Cannell goes 5-for-6 with a double in an 11-2 win at Cincy. Charlie then proceeds to hit two more a couple days later against the Cards as we win five from six and head to Chicago 2 ½ ahead.

This series is what you’d expect, with neither side willing to give an inch. We win the opener 2-1 in 10. They win the next game 5-3 behind Waddell. We win the third 2-0 as Young pitches a 5-hit gem to beat Brown. Then we sneak by in the closer 4-3 with a solo jack by Hickman in the top 9th holding up.

4 ½ up, 21 to play. Phillies still in the mix a game back from the Cubs.

We stumble a bit in the next series against a struggling Reds unit, losing consecutive games for the first time since early August, then getting out of jail in the next by scoring 4 in the bottom 9th for a 6-5 walkoff win on a two-out Foster single.

But the bats go cold just at the least opportune moments, as we drop two shutout losses to the Giants and the Cubs get within one.

Then Nick Altrock no-hits the Beaneaters to earn the franchise its 500th win.

With 10 to play we lead by two with a # of 9.

We keep making a mess of things and the Cubs keep not doing so. Well, not as often as us. Seldom enough to catch us on the next-to-last day of September after we drop two on the trot to Brooklyn. Then pass us as we manage just two hits against – would you believe it? – Charlie Smith, the first time since mid-July we’ve dropped three in a row. Talk about timeliness. A 6-4 loss the following day completes the sweep loss but Chicago also drop their game.

We head home for what is basically a head-to-head two-game playoff with the Cubs.

Young gets us back square with a 6-3 win over Ed Reulbach, his 20th for the season, as Steinfeldt drives in four.

Waddell then outduels Chesbro for a 1-0 win.

We head to Cincy for the final game of the regular season (or, in this case, hopefully not...) while the Cubs play theirs at St. Louis. Simple math abides: we must win and have them lose to force a tiebreaker.

The equation is rendered moot as we complete our capitulation with a 4-1 loss.

Devastating. Even more so when news filters through the Cubs lose their game 7-3.

Hot / Not

• No point in bouquets or brickbats at this time, we were valiant in defeat but, not to put too fine a point on things, choked when it mattered.

Around the Leagues

• The Browns drop 10 of their first 11 games in September and the Tigers and White Sox also have their struggles, all of which allows the A’s to sneak right back into the mix and then hit the front in mid-September. The two teams jockey for position the rest of the month, with the other two right on their heels. With a handful of games left, 1 ½ games separates the four of them, with the Browns ahead by a half-game. The Tigers are the first to be eliminated as the A’s again take control, and they clinch it with two to spare.
• The Cubs and Cards play a 21-inning marathon, with Chicago getting home 2-1. A couple weeks later, Detroit and Cleveland take a game into the 22nd inning before the scoreless deadlock is broken and the Tigers win 1-0.
• Zaza Harvey of New York wins another AL batting title with a 378 BA, while the Cubs’ Cy Seymour takes the NL crown with 329.

Awards

• 09/03 POTW: AL – Chick Stahl (New York) 500 / 3 RBI; NL – Charlie Hickman (Pittsburgh) 444 / 2 HR / 10 RBI.
• 09/10 POTW: AL – Hal Chase (New York) 542 / 9 RBI; NL – Irv Young (Cincinnati) 2-0 / 0.00 / 8 K / 18 IP.
• 09/17 POTW: AL – Mike Donlin (New York) 545 / 2 HR / 7 RBI; NL – Red Ames (New York) 2-0 / 0.50 / 12 K / 18 IP.
• 09/24 POTW: AL – Doc McJames (Boston) 2-0 / 0.50 / 8 K / 18 IP; NL – Sam Crawford (Cincinnati) 522 / 1 HR / 5 RBI.
• 10/01 POTW: AL – Harry Bay (Chicago) 462 / 4 RBI; NL – Tom Hughes (New York) 2-0 / 0.00 / 7 K / 18 IP.

• AL Batter of the Month: Mike Donlin (New York) 414 / 2 HR / 12 RBI.
• NL Batter of the Month: Elmer Flick (Philadelphia) 347 / 1 HR / 21 RBI.
• AL Pitcher of the Month: Ed Walsh (Chicago) 7-0 / 1.34 / 39 K / 87 IP.
• NL Pitcher of the Month: Happy Townsend (New York) 7-0 / 0.93 / 21 K / 68 IP.
• AL Rookie of the Month: Eddie Collins (Chicago) 324 / 1 HR / 15 RBI.
• NL Rookie of the Month: Ed Karger (St. Louis) 4-3 / 1.78 / 26 K / 65.2 IP.

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Chicago Cubs (89-65) v Philadelphia Athletics (89-65)

Back to best-of-seven, Cubs with the home-field advantage.

You’ll excuse the lack of color here, I’ve never been much of a good loser.

CHICAGO CUBS S+ PAGE

PHILADELPHIA ATHLETICS S+ PAGE

Game 1 in Chicago: Athletics 2, Cubs 1 (11 innings)
Game 2 in Chicago: Cubs 2, Athletics 1
Game 3 in Philadelphia: Cubs 7, Athletics 5 (12 innings)
Game 4 in Philadelphia: Cubs 6, Athletics 4
Game 5 in Philadelphia: Cubs 7, Athletics 4

Chicago wins series 4-1
Series MVP: Danny Green (Chicago)

Adding to their misery, the A’s lose Eddie Plank for 9 months to a ruptured UCL, meaning he’ll miss at least the first half of the 1907 season.

[luckymann]

AL 1906 HISTORY INDEX

NL 1906 HISTORY INDEX

AWARDS HISTORY

A bit of an anomaly in HR which is interesting, will have to keep an eye on that.

[luckymann]

AL CHAMPIONS: Detroit Tigers (92-58)
NL CHAMPIONS: Chicago Cubs (107-45)
WORLD SERIES: Cubs 4, Tigers 0 (1 tie)

Top Ten Lists (courtesy of thisgreatgame.com)

NL Hitters

1. HONUS WAGNER, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: .350 average, 98 runs, 180 hits, 38 doubles, 14 triples, 6 home runs, 82 RBIs, 61 stolen bases.
• Just another year of greatness for Wagner, who among other achievements set a career high with 61 steals.

2. SHERRY MAGEE, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: .328 average, 28 doubles, 12 triples, 4 home runs, 85 RBIs, 46 stolen bases.
• Magee kept the Phillies (who hit .225 without him) from becoming the NL’s version of the Hitless Wonders.

3. FRED CLARKE, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: .289 average, 97 runs, 13 triples, 68 walks, 37 stolen bases.
• After a number of years where he took time off from his playing duties to concentrate full time on managing, Clarke began a three-year period where he played almost every day, with his usual excellence.

4. TOMMY LEACH, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: .303 average, 102 runs, 12 triples, 43 stolen bases.
• Rebounding back to prime form, Leach was one of four Pirates with over 30 steals.

5. GINGER BEAUMONT, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: .322 average, 187 hits, 14 triples, 4 home runs, 62 RBIs, 25 stolen bases.
• The veteran speedster got a new lease on life in Boston after a recent injury curtailed his output in Pittsburgh.

6. ED ABBATICCHIO, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: .262 average, 82 RBIs, 65 walks, 35 stolen bases.
• The man traded to the Pirates for Beaumont, Abbaticchio flourished in a winning environment after a yearlong holdout with the Beaneaters.

7. FRANK CHANCE, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 111 games, .293 average, 51 walks, 35 stolen bases.
• Despite sitting out over 40 games, the Cubs’ first baseman-manager remained an A-list threat at the plate.

8. SPIKE SHANNON, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: .265 average, 104 runs, 82 walks, 33 stolen bases.
• In his one full year at New York, Shannon became a valuable leadoff spark for the Giants.

9. CY SEYMOUR, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: .294 average, 25 doubles, 8 triples, 3 home runs, 75 RBIs, 21 stolen bases.
• Seymour’s continued strong output made it easy for Giants manager John McGraw to tell fellow star outfielder Mike Donlin to take a hike when he demanded a raise.

10. JOHN TITUS, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: .275 average, 23 doubles, 12 triples, 3 home runs, 63 RBIs.
• “Silent John” let his bat do much of the talking with another strong supporting turn for the Phillies.

AL Hitters

1. TY COBB, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: .350 average, 97 runs, 212 hits, 28 doubles, 14 triples, 5 home runs, 119 RBIs, 53 stolen bases.
• An AL equal to Honus Wagner finally emerged—with all due respect to Nap Lajoie—as the 20-year-old Cobb became the youngest batting champion until Al Kaline (barely) unseated him off that throne in 1954.

2. SAM CRAWFORD, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: .323 average, 102 runs, 188 hits, 34 doubles, 17 triples, 81 RBIs.
• Although Cobb wasn’t making too many friends in Detroit, he must have at least gotten Christmas Card consideration from Crawford, who thrived with Cobb in the lineup as protection.

3. ELMER FLICK, CLEVELAND

• Key Numbers: .302 average, 18 triples, 64 walks, 41 stolen bases.
• He was dancing as fast as he could until he could dance no more: The 31-year-old Flick enjoyed his last great year, leading the AL in triples for a third straight season, before enduring a sudden decline; consistent gastritis was said to be the main issue.

4. HARRY DAVIS, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: .266 average, 84 runs, 35 doubles, 8 home runs, 87 RBIs, 20 stolen bases.
• Davis took the last of four straight sole AL home run titles, something only Babe Ruth would match in AL history.

5. GEORGE STONE, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: .320 average, 77 runs, 191 hits, 11 triples, 59 walks.
• The reigning AL batting champ (before Cobb began to monopolize the honor) had a slight drop-off—perhaps the result of holding out for higher salary to start the season.

6. TOPSY HARTSEL, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: .280 average, 93 runs, 106 walks, .405 on-base percentage.
• The A’s table–setter reached double-digits in walks for the second time in his career.

7. HAL CHASE, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: .287 average, 72 runs, 68 RBIs, 32 stolen bases.
• Always one to crave money—illicitly or otherwise—Chase threatened to jump to an outlaw league back in his native California unless he got a raise. He apparently got it.

8. NAP LAJOIE, CLEVELAND

• Key Numbers: .301 average, 30 doubles, 2 home runs, 63 RBIs, 24 stolen bases.
• Though his batting average dropped 54 points—some suggested he was entering decline at age 32—Lajoie still remained one of the AL’s most potent hitters.

9. SOCKS SEYBOLD, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: .271 average, 29 doubles, 5 home runs, 92 RBIs.
• An original member of the A’s, Seybold put together savvy numbers in what would be his last full-time season at age 36.

10. EDDIE HAHN, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: .255 average, 87 runs, 84 walks.
• The ultimate Hitless Wonder: A strong enough effort to make this list despite failing to reach double-digits in either doubles (9), triples (7) or home runs (0).

NL Pitchers

1. CHRISTY MATHEWSON, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 2.00 ERA, 24 wins, 12 losses, 315 innings.
• Big Six restored his standing as the NL’s best pitcher after struggling the year before with a bout of diphtheria.

2. ORVIE OVERALL, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 1.68 ERA, 23 wins, 7 losses, 268.1 innings.
• A strong Overall effort from Orvie, raising his record to 35-10 since a mid-1906 trade to the Cubs…after previously going 22-28 in Cincinnati.

3. THREE FINGER BROWN, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 1.39 ERA, 20 wins, 6 losses.
• In a relatively modest encore to his incredible breakout showing of 1906, the real remarkable thing about Brown’s 1.39 ERA is that it was the third best figure on his own team.

4. TULLY SPARKS, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: 2.00 ERA, 22 wins, 8 losses, 265 innings.
• The Phillies ace peaked with career highs in wins and ERA, helping to place him in his current standing as fourth on the Phillies’ all-time ERA list.

5. JACK PFIESTER, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 1.15 ERA, 14 wins 9 losses.
• Though not as low as Brown’s remarkable 1.04 ERA of the year before, Pfiester’s 1.15 figure still ranks as the fourth best in modern NL history.

6. BOB EWING, CINCINNATI

• Key Numbers: 1.73 ERA, 17 wins, 19 losses, 37 starts, 332.2 innings.
• Ewing became the latest to prove that pitchers couldn’t have it both ways in the Deadball Era, setting a career low in ERA—and a career high in losses.

7. CARL LUNDGREN, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 1.17 ERA, 18 wins, 7 losses.
• After Pfiester (above), the relatively unheralded Lundgren capped a four-year run consisting of a 65-27 record with the fifth lowest ERA in modern NL history.

8. VIC WILLIS, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: 2.34 ERA, 21 wins, 11 losses, 292.2 innings.
• Willis continued the trend of winning 20 at Pittsburgh after repeatedly losing 20 for Boston earlier in the decade.

9. ED KARGER, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: 2.01 ERA, 15 wins, 19 losses, 314 innings.
• See Bob Ewing, above; among Karger’s precious win total was a seven-inning perfect game, part of a doubleheader in which both the Cardinals and Boston Doves (Braves) agreed not to play nine frames in the nightcap.

10. SAM LEEVER, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: 1.66 ERA, 14 wins, 9 losses.
• Despite a winning percentage below his generous .660 career mark, Leever’s ERA would represent his sole sub-2.00 figure.

AL Pitchers

1. ED WALSH, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 1.60 ERA, 24 wins, 18 losses, 56 appearances, 46 starts, 37 complete games, 422.1 innings.
• Big Ed began the Herculean stage of his career by becoming only one of two AL pitchers to throw over 400 innings in a season—something he’d do again the next year.

2. ADDIE JOSS, CLEVELAND

• Key Numbers: 1.83 ERA, 27 wins, 11 losses, 34 complete games, 338.2 innings.
• Playing the workhorse more than ever, Joss set career highs in wins, innings and complete games.

3. CY YOUNG, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: 1.99 ERA, 21 wins, 15 losses, 343.1 innings.
• Just when it looked like age was starting to catch up to Young, he rebounded from a 13-21, 3.19 ERA season in 1907 and became the first pitcher in major league history to win 20 games after turning 40.

4. DOC WHITE, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 2.26 ERA, 27 wins, 13 losses, 291 innings.
• Overdue wins finally arrived for White, who failed to reach 20 in three previous seasons despite sub-2.00 ERAs in each.

5. EDDIE PLANK, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: 2.20 ERA, 24 wins, 16 losses, 8 shutouts, 40 starts, 343.2 innings.
• After injuries robbed him of a fifth straight 20-win campaign by one the year before, Plank returned to full form and surpassed the milestone once more.

6. CHIEF BENDER, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: 2.05 ERA, 16 wins, 8 losses.
• The anti-workhorse, the sparingly used but always efficient Bender began to make it tougher for A’s manager Connie Mack to keep him on the bench.

7. ED KILLIAN, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: 1.78 ERA, 25 wins, 13 losses, 314 innings.
• A return to form for Killian, who missed half of the previous year to injury, all despite allowing his first home run in over 1,000 innings.

8. GEORGE WINTER, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: 2.07 ERA, 12 wins, 15 losses, 256.2 innings.
• Like teammate Cy Young (above), Winter enjoyed one of his more effective summers despite a losing record.

9. HARRY HOWELL, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: 1.93 ERA, 16 wins, 15 losses, 316.1 innings.
• The Brooklyn native continued in his age-old struggle to earn a more deserving won-loss record to match a stellar ERA with the Browns.

10. BILL DONOVAN, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: 2.19 ERA, 25 wins, 4 losses, .862 win percentage.
• No Detroit pitcher embraced the coming of Ty Cobb more than Donovan, whose already superb pitching was buoyed by six runs of support per start.

[luckymann]

Held on 12/20/06.

There are six new Legacies entering the League, including a couple of familiar names.

These are the Legacy Players for the 1907 season:

• Washington Senators: Walter Johnson (164.8 WAR; 802 games pitched)
• Boston Americans: Tris Speaker (134.2 WAR; 1065 games played)
• Brooklyn Superbas: Nap Rucker (47.1 WAR; 336 games pitched)
• New York Giants: Larry Doyle (45.0 WAR; 1622 games played)
• Chicago Cubs: Heinie Zimmerman (33.6 WAR; 1022 games played)
• Pittsburgh Pirates: Nick Maddox (9.0 WAR; 93 games pitched (conceded: one-club player))

Tris Speaker was also eligible for the Cleveland Naps, but the Americans’ higher Draft Pick gets him.

Clyde Milan (39.9 WAR; 1982 games played) was also eligible for the Senators, but Johnson’s higher WAR makes him the selection.

Fred Merkle (19.8; 1105) was also eligible for the Giants, but Doyle’s higher WAR makes him the selection.

There are 102 rookies for this season, and the Draft will consist of 5 rounds.

The Draft order will be as follows (winning percentage from 1906 IRL season in brackets; bold indicates Legacy Pick in 1st Round):

Round 1

1. Washington Senators (367) – Walter Johnson
2. Boston Americans (318) – Tris Speaker
3. Brooklyn Superbas (434) – Nap Rucker
4. New York Giants (632) – Larry Doyle
5. Chicago Cubs (763) – Heinie Zimmerman
6. Pittsburgh Pirates (608) – Nick Maddox
7. Boston Doves (325)
8. St. Louis Cardinals (347)
9. Cincinnati Reds (424)
10. Philadelphia Phillies (464)
11. Detroit Tigers (477)
12. St. Louis Browns (510)
13. Philadelphia Athletics (538)
14. Cleveland Naps (582)
15. New York Highlanders (596)
16. Chicago White Sox (616)

Rounds 2 thru 5

1. Boston Americans (318)
2. Boston Doves (325)
3. St. Louis Cardinals (347)
4. Washington Senators (367)
5. Cincinnati Reds (424)
6. Brooklyn Superbas (434)
7. Philadelphia Phillies (464)
8. Detroit Tigers (477)
9. St. Louis Browns (510)
10. Philadelphia Athletics (538)
11. Cleveland Naps (582)
12. New York Highlanders (596)
13. Pittsburgh Pirates (608)
14. Chicago White Sox (616)
15. New York Giants (632)
16. Chicago Cubs (763)


We get yet another Legacy, and with our pitching where it is right now, he should prove handy indeed.

Especially in light of the two players who will go at #1 and #2, this is arguably the thinnest group we’ve had through to this point, with very little quality on offer.

We end up taking the following players:

1. P Nick Maddox

• Advanced for his age (20) and should be ready for frontline duties almost from the off. We’ll start him in the pen but at the first sign of trouble he’ll come into the rotation.

2. IF Red Killefer

• Not too bad a type for a second-round pick and, at just 20, can be kept on ice to see how he progresses.

3. LHRP Tacks Neuer

• As I’m sure you are beginning to understand, I will never turn down the chance to stock up on southpaw arms.

4. RHRP Lew Brockett

• Cannon fodder, at best.

5. LHRP Roy Castleton

• Another young lefty we’ll just hang onto and see what happens.

FULL DRAFT LOG

[luckymann]

We go 12-6 in ST and are picked to finish at 84-70, six adrift of the Cubs.

FULL PRESEASON PREDICTIONS

[luckymann]

As always, HERE is our team page for those inclined to fully immerse. For the rest, a summary.

Catchers

• C Roger Bresnahan
• Art Hoelskoetter (R) – looking to get more out of Art this season and he’ll back up Roger to free up Charlie a bit for IF duties.

Infielders

• 1B Charlie Hickman (R)
• 2B Harry Steinfeldt (R)
• 3B Tommy Leach (R)
• SS Honus Wagner (R)
• Danny Murphy (R)
• Charlie Dexter (R) – will still spend some time behind the plate.
• Rabbit Robinson (R) also OF

Outfielders

• LF Matty McIntyre (L)
• CF Billy Maloney (L)
• RF Pop Foster (R)
• Rip Cannell (L)
• Otis Clymer (S)

Rotation

1. RHP Jack Chesbro
2. RHP Cy Young
3. LHP Nick Altrock
4. RHP Howie Camnitz

Bullpen

• RHP Lou Fiene
• LHP Nick Maddox
• RHP Deacon Phillippe
• RHP Charlie Rhodes
• LHP John Skopec

As I mentioned earlier, Nick will be moved into the rotation at the first sign of strife.

[luckymann]

Our Opening Day game at Cincy is a rainout – let’s hope that isn’t an omen for the season ahead. When we drop three of our first four-game series and Honus goes 1-for-18, my anxiety in that regard is not improved. The third of those losses is on an 11th-inning walkoff grand slam by Wahoo Sam Crawford.

We are equally poor in our first homestand, dropping three of four to the Cubs. Our team BA is 214 thru this period.

We finally get headed in the right direction when we win three of four at the Cards to put us at 5-7, a minor miracle given Bresnahan is hitting 105 to this point, Wagner 170 and McIntyre 156.

By dint of a 6-1 final week, we crawl back to finish at 8-8. Let’s just pretend this month never happened, then, shall we? Given our run diff is exactly zero, it isn’t so hard to imagine.

Hot

• Nick Altrock: 4-0 means he is responsible for exactly half our wins in the month. 154 ERA+ / 82 FIP- / 1.5 WPA means he earned them.

Not

• Our bats: icicles abound, and not just with the big three I’ve already mentioned. Team BA of 213, OPS of 563, wOBA of 265 are all near-worst in the NL. Not one among the starters hitting 300+.

Around the Leagues

• Washington rookie sensation Walter “The Big Train” Johnson wins his first game in the bigs, 2-1 over the Highlanders. He grabs his first career save a couple games later. His Senators fly out of the gates, going 9-1 for their first 10 games and finishing the month two games ahead of the Browns at 12-5. Things are looking up in the nation’s capital.
• The Phillies win their first nine games of the season and keep it going to streak the field at 15-2, 4½ games clear of Chicago and 6½ up on us.
• Ed Reulbach and Rube Waddell of the Cubs combine for a no-hitter against Cincinnati, and yet still somehow manage to lose the game 1-0.
• Cincinnati loses veteran shortstop Bill Dahlen for most of the season to a severe hip strain.

Awards

• 04/22 POTW: AL – Tim Jordan (Chicago) 440 / 2 HR / 6 RBI; NL – Elmer Flick (Philadelphia) 478 / 2 HR / 7 RBI.
• 04/29 POTW: AL – Ed Walsh (Chicago) 3-0 / 0.90 / 9 K / 20 IP; NL – Johnny Bates (Brooklyn) 545 / 5 RBI.

• AL Batter of the Month: Kid Nance (Boston) 350 / 1 HR / 7 RBI.
• NL Batter of the Month: Elmer Flick (Philadelphia) 391 / 2 HR / 14 RBI.
• AL Pitcher of the Month: Ed Walsh (Chicago) 5-1 / 1.43 / 21 K / 50.1 IP.
• NL Pitcher of the Month: Al Orth (Philadelphia) 5-1 / 2.44 / 22 K / 51.2 IP.
• AL Rookie of the Month: Walter Johnson (Washington) 3-3 / 2.98 / 26 K / 45.1 IP.
• NL Rookie of the Month: Nap Rucker (Brooklyn) 2-3 / 2.62 / 30 K / 48 IP.

S+ HOME

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PIRATES HOME

[luckymann]

Biggest Delta between XBH and singles

[luckymann]

New month, same old problems as we are shut out consecutively by the Cards to kick May off, the second of these on just two hits. We lose the next game walkoff to the Cubs as Wagner is ohfer his first 14 AB for the month before he breaks the drought the next day with four in a 10-3 win. We lose another walkoff the next day, the another less dramatically the day after, and suddenly we are an ugly 8 GB after 21 played.

Chesbro tries to singlehandedly turn things around against the Giants when he not only pitches a three-hit shutout, but also cracks two triples and drives in three runs in a 6-0 win. We do improve, winning three of that four-game series, but I still do a spot of tinkering: Leach to CF; Steinfeldt to 3B; Murphy to 2B; Maloney to the pine.

We get a bit of a roll on, and this despite losing Pop Foster to what is eventually diagnosed as an intercostal strain that will keep him on ice for a fortnight or so. A 12-inning walkoff 2-1 win against the Reds that features a 5-hit game from Leach forms part of a 7-3 stretch that gets us into a much better position in the standings, an upturn heavily correlated to Dutchie finally finding form as he runs a lengthy hit string.

Three straight against the Cubs – two of them walkoff wins – close out an excellent rebound month by the lads in which we fashion an 18-10 record to sit at 26-18 and just a half-game back from the Cubs and Phillies.

Hot

• Jack Chesbro: bounced back from his 0-4 start with a vengeance, posting the numbers you see listed in the Awards section below. The others follow his example and are the main reason we are where we are right now.
• Our resilience: yet again, while playing well beneath their capabilities, this group somehow finds a way to win and get our season back on track.

Not

• Our offence: the magic trick can only take us so far, these guys simply must start producing more runs.

Around the Leagues

• It’s up via the express lift and down via the stripper pole for the Phillies and Senators, as both regress swiftly to the peloton. That said, each remains tied for their respective division and look likely to compete well into the campaign.
• Highlanders hurler Joe McGinnity is knocked out for the season thanks to a torn UCL.

Awards

• 05/06 POTW: AL – Jimmy Dygert (Washington) 2-0 / 1.00 / 14 K / 18 IP; NL – Cy Seymour (Philadelphia) 440 / 1 HR / 4 RBI.
• 05/13 POTW: AL – Jimmy Dygert (Washington) 2-0 / 0.00 / 10 K / 18 IP; NL – Christy Mathewson (New York) 2-0 / 0.50 / 6 K / 18 IP.
• 05/20 POTW: AL – Fred Clarke (Detroit) 440 / 1 HR / 5 RBI; NL – Sam Crawford (Cincinnati) 538 / 9 RBI.
• 05/27 POTW: AL – Bill Carrigan (Boston) 550 / 6 RBI; NL – Mordecai Brown (Chicago) 2-0 / 0.00 / 7 K / 18 IP.

• AL Batter of the Month: Kid Elberfeld (Detroit) 385 / 0 HR / 12 RBI.
• NL Batter of the Month: Cy Seymour (Chicago) 354 / 2 HR / 14 RBI.
• AL Pitcher of the Month: Doc White (Detroit) 6-0 / 0.65 / 27 K / 69 IP.
• NL Pitcher of the Month: Jack Chesbro (Pittsburgh) 6-0 / 1.29 / 23 K / 63 IP.
• AL Rookie of the Month: Walter Johnson (Washington) 5-2 / 1.43 / 27 K / 63 IP.
• NL Rookie of the Month: Nap Rucker (Brooklyn) 4-5 / 2.46 / 56 K / 80.1 IP.

S+ HOME

REPORTS HOME

PIRATES HOME

[luckymann]

Most HR without an IBB