20 June 2007

1906 National League

The Cubs ran away and hid from the rest of the league with 116 wins, finishing 20 games ahead of the Giants, with Pittsburgh close behind them. New York must have been frustrated to win 96 games, and still be 20 games out. The Cubs were a pitching and defense team, but they scored the most runs in the league too. They were the only team not hitting into their own defense. Then, they lost the World Series to the crosstown White Sox.

Statistical leaders: Honus Wagner won the batting title at .339. Harry Steinfeldt was second at .327. Wagner also led in OPS, total bases, and doubles (38), and tied for the lead in runs (103). Frank Chance tied him, and also led in steals (57). Steinfeldt led in hits (176), and tied Jim Nealon for the lead in RBI (83).

Joe McGinnity led with 27 wins, followed by Mordecai Brown at 26. Vic Willis won 23, Sam Leever and Christy Mathewson 22, Jack Pfiester, Jack Taylor, and Jake Weimer 20. Brown led in ERA at 1.04. Pfiester had a 1.51 mark, Reulbach 1.65, Willis 1.73. Fred Beebe led in strikeouts at 171, Jeff Pfeffer had 158, Red Ames 156.

Now, ladies and gentlemen..........the Win Shares.

Players; Honus Wagner (Pittsburgh) 46, Art Devlin (New York) 36, Harry Lumley (Brooklyn) and Frank Chance (Chicago) 35, Harry Steinfeldt (Chicago) 33, Sherry Magee (Philadelphia) 31, Roger Bresnahan (New York) 29, Roy Thomas (Philadelphia) 26, Tim Jordan (Brooklyn) and Jimmy Sheckard (Chicago) 25.

Pitchers; Mordecai Brown (Chicago) 35, Vic Willis (Pittsburgh) 29, Jake Weimer (Cincinnati) 27, Jack Pfiester (Chicago) and Joe McGinnity (New York) 24, Ed Reulbach (Chicago) 23, Bob Ewing (Cincinnati), Tully Sparks (Philadelphia) and Sam Leever (Pittsburgh) 21.

WARP3 scores, players: Wagner 9.9, Devlin 8.8, Steinfeldt 8.3, Bresnahan 7.8, Chance 7.6, Lumley 7.5, Johnny Kling (Chicago) 6.7, Magee 5.4, Miller Huggins (Cincinnati) 5.1, Thomas 5.0, Sheckard, Frank Schulte (Chicago), Fred Clarke and Claude Ritchey (both Pittsburgh) 4.7.

WARP3 scores, pitchers: Willis 8.2, Weimer 7.6, Brown 6.6, Ewing 5.6, Sparks 5.4, Irv Young (Boston) 5.3, Vive Lindaman (Boston) 5.2, Big Jeff Pfeffer (Boston) 5.1, Christy Mathewson (New York) 4.6 (an off-year for him), Jack Taylor (St. Louis) 4.1.

Position players, WAR: Wagner 10.5, Devlin 8.8, Chance 8.5, Steinfeldt 8.3, Lumley 7.2, Magee 6.6, Bresnahan and Huggins 5.4, Ritchey 5.0, Thomas 4.9, Tinker 4.8.

Pitchers, WAR: Willis 7.4, Brown 7.2, Sparks 5.2, Pfiester 5.0, Taylor and Weimer 4.9, Reulbach 4.8, Ewing 4.7, Duggleby 4.5, Leever 4.1.

Top player is Honus Wagner (surprise, surprise) with a performance that had him leading in average, OPS, runs (tied with Chance), doubles, and total bases. He was second to Lumley in OPS+. Art Devlin was #2, with Frank Chance #3 and Harry Lumley #4, Roger Bresnahan #5.

Top pitcher is Three-Finger Brown, leading the Cubs to their record 116-win season. Miner led in ERA and was second in wins. Vic Willis was 23-13 for second place.
#1 Mordecai Brown, #2 Vic Willis, #3 Jake Weimer, #4 Tully Sparks, #5 Jack Pfiester.

Top manager is Frank Chance, the Peerless Leader taking his team to those 116 wins. Couldn't win the Series, though.

For top rookie, Win Shares likes Jordan, but WARP rates him very badly on defense. One of those rare players that gives back on defense all the runs he provides on offense. I don't have a better candidate right now, so it's Tim Jordan, .262 with 78 RBI.

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