The Giants outlasted Pittsburgh and St. Louis to win the pennant, then beat their crosstown rival Yankees to win the World Series. Both New York teams won, and both Philadelphia teams lost 100 games. The Giants beat out the Pirates by four games and the Cardinals by seven. Boston was fourth and Brooklyn fifth, both a bit above .500, while the dregs of the league were occupied by Cincinnati, Chicago, and then the Phillies with 103 losses.
Statistical leaders: George Kelly led with 23 homers, Frankie Frisch with 49 steals. Everything else was all Rogers Hornsby, all the time: .397 average, 131 runs, 235 hits, 44 doubles, 18 triples (tied with Ray Powell), 126 RBI. Edd Roush was second with a .352 average, Austin McHenry third with a .350 average. Dave Bancroft tied with Frisch for second with 121 runs. Frisch was second with 211 hits. Kelly second with 42 doubles, Hornsby second with 21 homers, Kelly second with 122 RBI.
Wilbur Cooper and Burleigh Grimes tied with 22 wins, Grimes led with 136 strikeouts (two more than Cooper) and Bill Doak posted a 2.59 ERA. Art Nehf and Joe Oeschger won 20 games. Babe Adams was second with a 2.64 ERA, Whitey Glazner third at 2.77, Eppa Rixey fourth with 2.78. Cooper was second with 134 strikeouts.
Win Shares leaders, players; Rogers Hornsby (St. Louis) 41, Dave Bancroft and Frankie Frisch (New York) 31, Austin McHenry (St. Louis) 25, Ray Powell (Boston), Jimmy Johnston (Brooklyn), George Kelly (New York), Max Carey (Pittsburgh) and Jack Fournier (St. Louis) 24 each, Tony Boeckel (Boston), Zack Wheat (Brooklyn), Ross Youngs (New York) and Rabbit Maranville (Pittsburgh) 23.
WS leaders, pitchers; Burleigh Grimes (Brooklyn) 29, Wilbur Cooper (Pittsburgh) 27, Dolf Luque (Cincinnati) 23, Pete Alexander (Chicago) and Eppa Rixey (Cincinnati) 22, Whitey Glazner (Pittsburgh) 21, Joe Oeschger (Boston) 20, Jesse Barnes (New York) and Babe Adams (Pittsburgh) 19.
WARP3: Hornsby 11.4, Bancroft 6.9, Frisch 6.4, Maranville 5.4, McHenry 4.4 (career year), Fournier 4.1, Kelly 3.8, Youngs 3.6, Frank Snyder (New York) and Heinie Groh (Cincinnati) 3.5.
Pitchers, Grimes 7.6, Alexander 5.4, Luque 4.9, Rixey 4.4, Clarence Mitchell (Brooklyn) 3.5, Oeschger 3.4 (career year), Adams 3.2, Cooper 3.1, Dutch Ruether (Brooklyn) 3.0.
WAR leaders, position players: Hornsby 11.1, Bancroft 7.5, Frisch 7.1, McHenry 5.1, Carey 4.5, Maranville and Fournier 4.4, Youngs and Kelly 4.1, Johnston 4.0. Pitchers: Grimes 6.1, Glazner 4.4, Oeschger 4.0, Cooper and Rixey 3.9, Alexander and Luque 3.7, Adams 3.3, Doak and Morrison 3.2.
Best player: Rogers Hornsby. The Rajah was in the process of dominating the league. Hornsby led in average, runs, hits, doubles, triples, RBI and OPS. Far behind at #2 would be Dave Bancroft, the Giants' shortstop and #2 in the league in runs. Frisch, 2nd in hits and tied with Bancroft for second in runs, ranks #3. Austin McHenry's best year puts him at #4, and Jack Fournier checks in at #5.
Best pitcher: Burleigh Grimes. 1st in wins, 1st in strikeouts, 5th in ERA. #2 Wilbur Cooper, #3 Eppa Rixey, #4 Pete Alexander, #5 Dolf Luque.
Best rookie: probably Pete Donohue, 7-6 with a 3.35 ERA for Cincinnati.
Best manager: John McGraw, leading New York back to dominance.
13 August 2007
1921 American League
Mark this down as the beginning of the Yankees Era. This was the year of the first pennant won by the New York Yankees franchise, and the start of the most successful run ever by any sports franchise, still continuing today. While there would be dry spells, 29 of the next 44 pennants would be won by New York. In 1921, they held off defending champs Cleveland for the title, with St. Louis and Washington rounding out the first division. The Red Sox and Tigers trailed, the White Sox, shorn of the Black Sox, faded to 7th, while Philadelphia lost 100 to come in last.
Statistical leaders: Harry Heilmann took the batting title at .394, edging Ty Cobb by five points. Heilmann also led with 237 hits. Tris Speaker had 52 doubles, and George Sisler tied Howie Shanks and Jack Tobin with 18 triples as well as leading with 35 steals. Babe Ruth led in most everything else, including 177 runs, 59 homers, and 171 RBI. Tobin was second in runs with 132, Roger Peckinpaugh third with 128. Tobin was also second with 236 hits. Ken Williams and Bob Meusel were second with 24 homers each, Tillie Walker had 23. Heilmann had 139 RBI, Meusel 135.
Carl Mays and Urban Shocker tied for the lead with 27 victories, Walter Johnson had 143 strikeouts, and Red Faber posted a 2.48 ERA, the only pitcher below 3.00. Red Faber had 25 wins, Sad Sam Jones and Stan Coveleski 23 wins. George Mogridge had a 3.00 ERA, Mays 3.05, Waite Hoyt 3.08. Shocker struck out 132, Bob Shawkey 126.
Win Shares leaders, players; Babe Ruth (New York) 53, Harry Heilmann (Detroit) 28, Tris Speaker (Cleveland) and George Sisler and Ken Williams (St. Louis) 27, Joe Sewell (Cleveland) and Ty Cobb (Detroit) 26, Baby Doll Jacobson and Jack Tobin (St. Louis) 25, Bob Meusel (New York) 24.
WS leaders, pitchers; Red Faber (Chicago) 37, Carl Mays (New York) 35, Urban Shocker (St. Louis) 30, Sam Jones (Boston) 29, George Mogridge (Washington) 26, Stan Coveleski (Cleveland) 25, Joe Bush (Boston) and Waite Hoyt (New York) 24.
WARP3: Ruth 12.4, Sewell 6.2, Speaker 6.0, Heilmann 5.7, Cobb 5.0, Sisler 4.8, Meusel 4.4, Bobby Veach (Detroit) 4.3, Larry Gardner (Cleveland) and Patsy Gharrity (Washington) 4.2.
Pitchers, Faber 10.6, Shocker 6.9, Mays 6.7, Jones 6.6 (career year), Mogridge 6.1 (best year), Coveleski and Eddie Rommel (Philadelphia) 5.8, Bush 5.3, Walter Johnson (Washington) 5.1, Hoyt 4.3.
WAR leaders, position players: Ruth 14.4, Heilmann 7.6, Cobb 7.3, Speaker 6.9, Sisler 6.4, Williams 6.2, Veach 6.1, Sewell 5.1, Meusel 5.0, Gardner, Jacobson, and Collins 4.9. Pitchers: Faber 9.9, Shocker 6.6, Coveleski 6.5, Mays 6.1, Jones 6.0, Mogridge 5.9, Hoyt 5.2, Bush 4.4, Johnson 4.1, Leonard and Rommel 3.8.
Best player: Babe Ruth. Can't be any argument, because not only was he statistically the best, his team won. Ruth led in runs, total bases, homers, RBI, and OPS. The rest are closely grouped: Harry Heilmann #2, he led in average and hits and was 2nd in OPS, followed by Cobb #3, Speaker #4, George Sisler #5.
Best pitcher: Red Faber. Faber had a Steve Carlton 1972-type year, 25-15 with a 2.48 ERA for a 7th place team. Led league by a large margin in ERA, 4th in strikeouts, 3rd in wins. Urban Shocker #2, Carl Mays #3, Sam Jones #4, George Mogridge #5.
Best rookie: Lu Blue batted .308, although Bing Miller had more power. Blue had 17 Win Shares to Miller's 12.
Best manager: Miller Huggins. Any one who had to put up with Ruth on his team deserves a bunch of awards. Ruth made him a good bit of World Series money, though.
Statistical leaders: Harry Heilmann took the batting title at .394, edging Ty Cobb by five points. Heilmann also led with 237 hits. Tris Speaker had 52 doubles, and George Sisler tied Howie Shanks and Jack Tobin with 18 triples as well as leading with 35 steals. Babe Ruth led in most everything else, including 177 runs, 59 homers, and 171 RBI. Tobin was second in runs with 132, Roger Peckinpaugh third with 128. Tobin was also second with 236 hits. Ken Williams and Bob Meusel were second with 24 homers each, Tillie Walker had 23. Heilmann had 139 RBI, Meusel 135.
Carl Mays and Urban Shocker tied for the lead with 27 victories, Walter Johnson had 143 strikeouts, and Red Faber posted a 2.48 ERA, the only pitcher below 3.00. Red Faber had 25 wins, Sad Sam Jones and Stan Coveleski 23 wins. George Mogridge had a 3.00 ERA, Mays 3.05, Waite Hoyt 3.08. Shocker struck out 132, Bob Shawkey 126.
Win Shares leaders, players; Babe Ruth (New York) 53, Harry Heilmann (Detroit) 28, Tris Speaker (Cleveland) and George Sisler and Ken Williams (St. Louis) 27, Joe Sewell (Cleveland) and Ty Cobb (Detroit) 26, Baby Doll Jacobson and Jack Tobin (St. Louis) 25, Bob Meusel (New York) 24.
WS leaders, pitchers; Red Faber (Chicago) 37, Carl Mays (New York) 35, Urban Shocker (St. Louis) 30, Sam Jones (Boston) 29, George Mogridge (Washington) 26, Stan Coveleski (Cleveland) 25, Joe Bush (Boston) and Waite Hoyt (New York) 24.
WARP3: Ruth 12.4, Sewell 6.2, Speaker 6.0, Heilmann 5.7, Cobb 5.0, Sisler 4.8, Meusel 4.4, Bobby Veach (Detroit) 4.3, Larry Gardner (Cleveland) and Patsy Gharrity (Washington) 4.2.
Pitchers, Faber 10.6, Shocker 6.9, Mays 6.7, Jones 6.6 (career year), Mogridge 6.1 (best year), Coveleski and Eddie Rommel (Philadelphia) 5.8, Bush 5.3, Walter Johnson (Washington) 5.1, Hoyt 4.3.
WAR leaders, position players: Ruth 14.4, Heilmann 7.6, Cobb 7.3, Speaker 6.9, Sisler 6.4, Williams 6.2, Veach 6.1, Sewell 5.1, Meusel 5.0, Gardner, Jacobson, and Collins 4.9. Pitchers: Faber 9.9, Shocker 6.6, Coveleski 6.5, Mays 6.1, Jones 6.0, Mogridge 5.9, Hoyt 5.2, Bush 4.4, Johnson 4.1, Leonard and Rommel 3.8.
Best player: Babe Ruth. Can't be any argument, because not only was he statistically the best, his team won. Ruth led in runs, total bases, homers, RBI, and OPS. The rest are closely grouped: Harry Heilmann #2, he led in average and hits and was 2nd in OPS, followed by Cobb #3, Speaker #4, George Sisler #5.
Best pitcher: Red Faber. Faber had a Steve Carlton 1972-type year, 25-15 with a 2.48 ERA for a 7th place team. Led league by a large margin in ERA, 4th in strikeouts, 3rd in wins. Urban Shocker #2, Carl Mays #3, Sam Jones #4, George Mogridge #5.
Best rookie: Lu Blue batted .308, although Bing Miller had more power. Blue had 17 Win Shares to Miller's 12.
Best manager: Miller Huggins. Any one who had to put up with Ruth on his team deserves a bunch of awards. Ruth made him a good bit of World Series money, though.
1920 National League
Brooklyn took the pennant by seven games over New York, with Cincinnati running 3rd. The Robins then lost the Series to the Indians. It was Brooklyn's second pennant in five years. Six different teams had won pennants in the previous six years, following a three-peat by New York. The Giants would end the parity with another run. Pittsburgh was fourth, St. Louis and Chicago tied for fifth, Boston and the Phillies at the bottom. The Phillies, after a brief period of success, were sinking into a very long period of horrible baseball.
Statistical leaders: Rogers Hornsby heralded his arrival as the dominant player in the NL. He led with a .370 average, 218 hits, 44 doubles, and tied George Kelly with 94 RBI. Hornsby also led in the percentage categories. Hy Myers had 22 triples, Cy Williams 15 homers, and Max Carey 52 steals. George Burns had 115 runs, Dave Bancroft was second with 102, Jake Daubert third with 97. Ross Youngs was second in batting average at .351, Edd Roush third at .339, Zack Wheat .328, Cy Williams .325.
Meantime, Pete Alexander reasserted his pitching dominance, winning another Triple Crown with 27 victories, 173 strikeouts, and a 1.91 ERA. Wilbur Cooper won 24, Burleigh Grimes 23. Babe Adams had a 2.16 ERA, Grimes 2.22. Grimes and Hippo Vaughn struck out 131.
Win Shares leaders, players; Rogers Hornsby (St. Louis) 38, Edd Roush (Cincinnati) and Ross Youngs (New York) 33, Dave Bancroft (Philadelphia/New York) 31, Heinie Groh (Cincinnati) and Zack Wheat (Brooklyn) 28, Hy Myers (Brooklyn) 27, Jake Daubert (Cincinnati), George Burns (New York) and Cy Williams (Philadelphia) 24, Pat Duncan (Cincinnati) 23.
WS leaders, pitchers; Pete Alexander (Chicago) 36, Burleigh Grimes (Brooklyn) 32, Wilbur Cooper (Pittsburgh) 31, Babe Adams (Pittsburgh) 25, Hippo Vaughn (Chicago) 22, Leon Cadore (Brooklyn) and Fred Toney (New York) 21.
WARP3: Hornsby 10.6, Youngs 7.9 (peak season), Groh 6.9, Roush 5.5, Bancroft 5.2, Burns 4.8, Wheat 4.2, Williams 4.0 (peak season), Frankie Frisch (New York) 3.8, Daubert and Pete Kilduff (Brooklyn) 3.5.
Pitchers, Alexander 13.9, Grimes 7.7, Vaughn 6.4, Cooper 5.7, Bill Doak (St. Louis) 5.3, Cadore 5.0, Adams 4.8, Sherry Smith (Brooklyn) 4.5, Lee Meadows (Philadelphia) 4.3, Eppa Rixey (Philadelphia) 4.1, Dolf Luque (Cincinnati) 3.9.
WAR leaders, position players: Hornsby 9.6, Youngs 6.6, Bancroft 6.1, Roush 5.7, Williams 5.0, Wheat 4.9, Burns 4.7, Myers 4.1, Groh 3.8, Fletcher 3.7. Pitchers: Alexander 10.0, Grimes 5.6, Cooper 5.3, Adams 5.1, Vaughn 4.6, Ruether 4.2, Cadore and Doak 4.0, Luque 3.7, Meadows 3.0.
Best player: Rogers Hornsby. Hornsby breaks out as the NL's premier player, a status he would hold for most of the decade. Hornsby led the league in average, hits, total bases, and doubles. Ross Youngs for the #2 spot, he was 2nd in average and tied with Hornsby for times on base. Edd Roush #3, Zack Wheat #4, Dave Bancroft #5.
Best pitcher: Pete Alexander, winning the pitching triple crown. Burleigh Grimes, 23-11 with a 2.22 ERA for the pennant winners would be 2nd. Wilbur Cooper, 24-15 with a 2.39 ERA, ranks 3rd, Hippo Vaughn #4, Babe Adams #5.
Best rookie: Russ Wrightstone, .262 in 76 games at 3B for Philadelphia, is the best I can find. Pie Traynor also debuted, but played very little.
Best manager: Wilbert Robinson. "Uncle Robby" rode a deep pitching staff to a Brooklyn pennant, their second in five years. They wouldn't win another until 1941.
Statistical leaders: Rogers Hornsby heralded his arrival as the dominant player in the NL. He led with a .370 average, 218 hits, 44 doubles, and tied George Kelly with 94 RBI. Hornsby also led in the percentage categories. Hy Myers had 22 triples, Cy Williams 15 homers, and Max Carey 52 steals. George Burns had 115 runs, Dave Bancroft was second with 102, Jake Daubert third with 97. Ross Youngs was second in batting average at .351, Edd Roush third at .339, Zack Wheat .328, Cy Williams .325.
Meantime, Pete Alexander reasserted his pitching dominance, winning another Triple Crown with 27 victories, 173 strikeouts, and a 1.91 ERA. Wilbur Cooper won 24, Burleigh Grimes 23. Babe Adams had a 2.16 ERA, Grimes 2.22. Grimes and Hippo Vaughn struck out 131.
Win Shares leaders, players; Rogers Hornsby (St. Louis) 38, Edd Roush (Cincinnati) and Ross Youngs (New York) 33, Dave Bancroft (Philadelphia/New York) 31, Heinie Groh (Cincinnati) and Zack Wheat (Brooklyn) 28, Hy Myers (Brooklyn) 27, Jake Daubert (Cincinnati), George Burns (New York) and Cy Williams (Philadelphia) 24, Pat Duncan (Cincinnati) 23.
WS leaders, pitchers; Pete Alexander (Chicago) 36, Burleigh Grimes (Brooklyn) 32, Wilbur Cooper (Pittsburgh) 31, Babe Adams (Pittsburgh) 25, Hippo Vaughn (Chicago) 22, Leon Cadore (Brooklyn) and Fred Toney (New York) 21.
WARP3: Hornsby 10.6, Youngs 7.9 (peak season), Groh 6.9, Roush 5.5, Bancroft 5.2, Burns 4.8, Wheat 4.2, Williams 4.0 (peak season), Frankie Frisch (New York) 3.8, Daubert and Pete Kilduff (Brooklyn) 3.5.
Pitchers, Alexander 13.9, Grimes 7.7, Vaughn 6.4, Cooper 5.7, Bill Doak (St. Louis) 5.3, Cadore 5.0, Adams 4.8, Sherry Smith (Brooklyn) 4.5, Lee Meadows (Philadelphia) 4.3, Eppa Rixey (Philadelphia) 4.1, Dolf Luque (Cincinnati) 3.9.
WAR leaders, position players: Hornsby 9.6, Youngs 6.6, Bancroft 6.1, Roush 5.7, Williams 5.0, Wheat 4.9, Burns 4.7, Myers 4.1, Groh 3.8, Fletcher 3.7. Pitchers: Alexander 10.0, Grimes 5.6, Cooper 5.3, Adams 5.1, Vaughn 4.6, Ruether 4.2, Cadore and Doak 4.0, Luque 3.7, Meadows 3.0.
Best player: Rogers Hornsby. Hornsby breaks out as the NL's premier player, a status he would hold for most of the decade. Hornsby led the league in average, hits, total bases, and doubles. Ross Youngs for the #2 spot, he was 2nd in average and tied with Hornsby for times on base. Edd Roush #3, Zack Wheat #4, Dave Bancroft #5.
Best pitcher: Pete Alexander, winning the pitching triple crown. Burleigh Grimes, 23-11 with a 2.22 ERA for the pennant winners would be 2nd. Wilbur Cooper, 24-15 with a 2.39 ERA, ranks 3rd, Hippo Vaughn #4, Babe Adams #5.
Best rookie: Russ Wrightstone, .262 in 76 games at 3B for Philadelphia, is the best I can find. Pie Traynor also debuted, but played very little.
Best manager: Wilbert Robinson. "Uncle Robby" rode a deep pitching staff to a Brooklyn pennant, their second in five years. They wouldn't win another until 1941.
1920 American League
Cleveland, Chicago, and New York put on a great pennant race, although a cloud continued to hover over the Sox following their World Series loss the previous year. There were rumors that the Sox continued to throw games during the season. By the end of the year eight White Sox players had been indicted, and while they were acquitted, they were summarily thrown out of the game by the new commissioner, Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis. Landis also tossed other players out of the game, and blackballed others who had conducted themselves in a suspicious manner. It did a lot to clean up the game.
Cleveland won the pennant, and then the World Series. Chicago finished two games out, and New York three. Below .500 were St. Louis, Boston, Washington, and Detroit, with Philadelphia last at 106 losses.
Statistical leaders: George Sisler batted .407, breaking Ty Cobb's string of batting titles. Sisler set a season record with 257 hits that would stand for many years. Tris Speaker led the league with 50 doubles, and Joe Jackson with 20 triples. Speaker was second with a .388 average, Jackson third with a .382 average. Sisler had 49 doubles and Jackson 42. Sisler had 18 triples and Harry Hooper 17. For all that, Babe Ruth stole the headlines. He hit an astounding 54 home runs, while Sisler was second with 19. Ruth also led the league in on-base, slugging, and (of course) OPS, as well as runs (158) and RBI (137). Speaker and Sisler tied for second with 137 runs. Sisler and Baby Doll Jacobson had 122 RBI each, Jackson 121. Sam Rice had 63 steals.
Jim Bagby led pitchers with 31 wins, Carl Mays won 26 and Stan Coveleski 24. Red Faber had 23 and Lefty Williams 22. Bob Shawkey's 2.45 ERA edged Stan Coveleski's 2.49, followed by Urban Shocker at 2.71 and Eddie Rommel at 2.85, and Jim Bagby at 2.89. Coveleski led with 133 strikeouts, then came Williams at 128, Shawkey at 126.
Win Shares leaders, players: Babe Ruth (New York) 51, Tris Speaker (Cleveland) 39, Eddie Collins (Chicago) 38, Joe Jackson (Chicago) 37, George Sisler (St. Louis) 33, Happy Felsch (Chicago) 30, Steve O'Neill (Cleveland), Bobby Veach (Detroit), Del Pratt (New York), and Baby Doll Jacobson (St. Louis) 25 each.
WS leaders, pitchers: Jim Bagby (Cleveland) 34, Stan Coveleski (Cleveland) 32, Carl Mays and Bob Shawkey (New York) 27, Red Faber (Chicago) 25, Eddie Cicotte (Chicago) and Urban Shocker (St. Louis) 24.
WARP3: Ruth 13.0, Collins 9.6, Sisler 9.4 (peak season), Speaker 7.4, Jackson 6.0, Pratt 7.6, Jacobson 8.6 (peak season), Larry Gardner (Cleveland) and Harry Hooper (Boston) 5.2, O'Neill 5.1, Felsch 4.7, Ray Chapman (Cleveland, killed by a pitched ball during the season) 4.6, Joe Judge (Washington) 4.5.
Pitchers, Coveleski 8.2 (best year), Bagby 8.0 (peak season), Shocker 6.5, Shawkey 6.1, Mays 5.7, Howard Ehmke (Detroit) and Eddie Rommel (Philadelphia) 5.6, Dixie Davis (St. Louis) 5.3, Scott Perry (Philadelphia) 4.8, Faber and Cicotte 4.6.
WAR leaders, position players: Ruth 14.1, Sisler 11.2, Speaker 9.8, Collins 9.5, Jackson 8.9, Jacobson 7.1, Felsch 6.6, Hooper 6.3, Pratt 5.9, O'Neill and Rice 5.5. Pitchers: Bagby 7.7, Coveleski 7.4, Shawkey 6.9, Mays 5.6, Faber and Shocker 5.2, Cicotte 5.0, Davis 4.7, Rommel 4.5, Quinn 3.9.
Best player: Babe Ruth. Sisler was incredible, and Speaker was terrific for the pennant winners, while Collins led the contending White/Black Sox, but it's gotta be the Babe. An unimaginable 54 home runs for the season. Ruth also led in runs, RBI, walks and OPS. Sisler's .407 earns him second. Collins' all-around excellence in the face of a season-long crisis puts him third. Speaker was 2nd in batting and led in doubles, he's 4th. Joe Jackson will go 5th in his last major league season.
Best pitcher: Jim Bagby. The Indians rode the arms of Bagby and Coveleski, plus Speaker's excellence, to the World Series. Bagby won 31 games and led the league in innings. Coveleski was 3rd in wins and 2nd in ERA, and ranks 2nd here. ERA leader Bob Shawkey is 3rd, Carl Mays 4th, Urban Shocker 5th.
Best rookie: Bob Meusel batted .328 for the Yankees in full-time play. Now that's putting an OF together quickly, with Bob and the Babe!
Best manager to Tris Speaker, holding Cleveland together for the pennant despite the White Sox publicity and the death of shortstop Ray Chapman.
Cleveland won the pennant, and then the World Series. Chicago finished two games out, and New York three. Below .500 were St. Louis, Boston, Washington, and Detroit, with Philadelphia last at 106 losses.
Statistical leaders: George Sisler batted .407, breaking Ty Cobb's string of batting titles. Sisler set a season record with 257 hits that would stand for many years. Tris Speaker led the league with 50 doubles, and Joe Jackson with 20 triples. Speaker was second with a .388 average, Jackson third with a .382 average. Sisler had 49 doubles and Jackson 42. Sisler had 18 triples and Harry Hooper 17. For all that, Babe Ruth stole the headlines. He hit an astounding 54 home runs, while Sisler was second with 19. Ruth also led the league in on-base, slugging, and (of course) OPS, as well as runs (158) and RBI (137). Speaker and Sisler tied for second with 137 runs. Sisler and Baby Doll Jacobson had 122 RBI each, Jackson 121. Sam Rice had 63 steals.
Jim Bagby led pitchers with 31 wins, Carl Mays won 26 and Stan Coveleski 24. Red Faber had 23 and Lefty Williams 22. Bob Shawkey's 2.45 ERA edged Stan Coveleski's 2.49, followed by Urban Shocker at 2.71 and Eddie Rommel at 2.85, and Jim Bagby at 2.89. Coveleski led with 133 strikeouts, then came Williams at 128, Shawkey at 126.
Win Shares leaders, players: Babe Ruth (New York) 51, Tris Speaker (Cleveland) 39, Eddie Collins (Chicago) 38, Joe Jackson (Chicago) 37, George Sisler (St. Louis) 33, Happy Felsch (Chicago) 30, Steve O'Neill (Cleveland), Bobby Veach (Detroit), Del Pratt (New York), and Baby Doll Jacobson (St. Louis) 25 each.
WS leaders, pitchers: Jim Bagby (Cleveland) 34, Stan Coveleski (Cleveland) 32, Carl Mays and Bob Shawkey (New York) 27, Red Faber (Chicago) 25, Eddie Cicotte (Chicago) and Urban Shocker (St. Louis) 24.
WARP3: Ruth 13.0, Collins 9.6, Sisler 9.4 (peak season), Speaker 7.4, Jackson 6.0, Pratt 7.6, Jacobson 8.6 (peak season), Larry Gardner (Cleveland) and Harry Hooper (Boston) 5.2, O'Neill 5.1, Felsch 4.7, Ray Chapman (Cleveland, killed by a pitched ball during the season) 4.6, Joe Judge (Washington) 4.5.
Pitchers, Coveleski 8.2 (best year), Bagby 8.0 (peak season), Shocker 6.5, Shawkey 6.1, Mays 5.7, Howard Ehmke (Detroit) and Eddie Rommel (Philadelphia) 5.6, Dixie Davis (St. Louis) 5.3, Scott Perry (Philadelphia) 4.8, Faber and Cicotte 4.6.
WAR leaders, position players: Ruth 14.1, Sisler 11.2, Speaker 9.8, Collins 9.5, Jackson 8.9, Jacobson 7.1, Felsch 6.6, Hooper 6.3, Pratt 5.9, O'Neill and Rice 5.5. Pitchers: Bagby 7.7, Coveleski 7.4, Shawkey 6.9, Mays 5.6, Faber and Shocker 5.2, Cicotte 5.0, Davis 4.7, Rommel 4.5, Quinn 3.9.
Best player: Babe Ruth. Sisler was incredible, and Speaker was terrific for the pennant winners, while Collins led the contending White/Black Sox, but it's gotta be the Babe. An unimaginable 54 home runs for the season. Ruth also led in runs, RBI, walks and OPS. Sisler's .407 earns him second. Collins' all-around excellence in the face of a season-long crisis puts him third. Speaker was 2nd in batting and led in doubles, he's 4th. Joe Jackson will go 5th in his last major league season.
Best pitcher: Jim Bagby. The Indians rode the arms of Bagby and Coveleski, plus Speaker's excellence, to the World Series. Bagby won 31 games and led the league in innings. Coveleski was 3rd in wins and 2nd in ERA, and ranks 2nd here. ERA leader Bob Shawkey is 3rd, Carl Mays 4th, Urban Shocker 5th.
Best rookie: Bob Meusel batted .328 for the Yankees in full-time play. Now that's putting an OF together quickly, with Bob and the Babe!
Best manager to Tris Speaker, holding Cleveland together for the pennant despite the White Sox publicity and the death of shortstop Ray Chapman.
11 August 2007
1919 National League
Cincinnati was yet another surprise NL pennant winner, by 9 games over the Giants. Chicago, Pittsburgh, Brooklyn, Boston, St. Louis, and Philadelphia trailed. The Reds then won the NL's first World Series in five years, and only the second of the decade. But the win would be tainted by the Black Sox gambling scandal.
Statistical leaders: Edd Roush hit .321 to edge Rogers Hornsby's .318 for the batting title. Ross Youngs hiti .311 and Heinie Groh .310. George Burns led in runs with 86 and steals with 40. Groh and Jake Daubert had 79 runs each. George Cutshaw 36 steals. Ivy Olson had 164 hits. Hornsby had 163, Roush and George Burns 162. Ross Youngs had 31 doubles, Burns and Fred Luderus had 30. Gavy Cravath had 12 homers and Benny Kauff 10, Hy Myers 73 RBI, Hornsby and Roush 71 each.
Jesse Barnes led pitchers with 25 wins, Hippo Vaughn had 141 strikeouts, and Pete Alexander led with a 1.72 ERA. Vaughn and Slim Sallee had 21 wins each. Vaughn had a 1.79 ERA, Dutch Ruether 1.82, Fred Toney 1.84. Hod Eller was second with 137 strikeouts.
Win Shares leaders, players; Edd Roush (Cincinnati) 33, George Burns (New York) 32, Heinie Groh (Cincinnati) 30, Ross Youngs (New York) 27, Rogers Hornsby (St. Louis) 26, Benny Kauff (New York) 24, Hy Myers (Brooklyn) 23, Zack Wheat (Brooklyn) and Morrie Rath (Cincinnati) 21.
WS leaders, pitchers; Hippo Vaughn (Chicago) 30, Babe Adams (Pittsburgh) 27, Pete Alexander (Chicago) and Dutch Ruether (Cincinnati) 26, Wilbur Cooper (Pittsburgh) 25, Jesse Barnes (New York) 24, Hod Eller (Cincinnati) 23, Slim Sallee (Cincinnati) 22.
WARP3: Groh 8.0, Hornsby 6.8 (he would kick into high gear the next year), Burns 6.6, Youngs 6.4, Roush 5.7, Milt Stock (St. Louis) 5.4, Larry Doyle (New York) 5.2, Rath 4.8 (best year), Art Fletcher (New York) 4.6, Gavy Cravath (Philaelphia) 3.4.
Pitchers: Alexander 8.3, Vaughn 6.8, Dick Rudolph (Boston) 6.2, Adams 5.7, Jeff Pfeffer (Brooklyn) 5.5, Leon Cadore (Brooklyn) 5.2, Lee Meadows (Philadelphia) 4.5, Cooper 4.0, Ruether 3.7 (first full season), Barnes 3.6.
WAR leaders, position players: Hornsby 6.5, Burns 6.2, Groh 5.8, Roush 5.5, Fletcher and Youngs 4.8, Stock 4.5, Maranville and Hollocher 4.2, Rath and Myers 3.9. Pitchers: Alexander 6.2, Adams and Vaughn 6.1, Cadore 4.7, Cooper, Pfeffer, Ruether, and Sallee 3.8, Nehf 3.6, Rudolph 3.5.
Best player: Edd Roush takes the award for the World Champion Reds. Roush hit .321 in a year like most of his others, but it's enough to lift him to the top. Heinie Groh led the league in OPS and ranks #2. Burns is #3 for the Giants with Rogers Hornsby #4 and Ross Youngs #5.
Best pitcher: Hippo Vaughn at 21-14, 1.79 over Pete Alexander's comeback to 16-11, 1.72 for the same team. Babe Adams ranks #3, Jesse Barnes #4 and Dutch Ruether #5.
Best rookie: No candidate I can find.
Best manager: Pat Moran led the Reds to the pennant, their only NL flag until 1940.
Statistical leaders: Edd Roush hit .321 to edge Rogers Hornsby's .318 for the batting title. Ross Youngs hiti .311 and Heinie Groh .310. George Burns led in runs with 86 and steals with 40. Groh and Jake Daubert had 79 runs each. George Cutshaw 36 steals. Ivy Olson had 164 hits. Hornsby had 163, Roush and George Burns 162. Ross Youngs had 31 doubles, Burns and Fred Luderus had 30. Gavy Cravath had 12 homers and Benny Kauff 10, Hy Myers 73 RBI, Hornsby and Roush 71 each.
Jesse Barnes led pitchers with 25 wins, Hippo Vaughn had 141 strikeouts, and Pete Alexander led with a 1.72 ERA. Vaughn and Slim Sallee had 21 wins each. Vaughn had a 1.79 ERA, Dutch Ruether 1.82, Fred Toney 1.84. Hod Eller was second with 137 strikeouts.
Win Shares leaders, players; Edd Roush (Cincinnati) 33, George Burns (New York) 32, Heinie Groh (Cincinnati) 30, Ross Youngs (New York) 27, Rogers Hornsby (St. Louis) 26, Benny Kauff (New York) 24, Hy Myers (Brooklyn) 23, Zack Wheat (Brooklyn) and Morrie Rath (Cincinnati) 21.
WS leaders, pitchers; Hippo Vaughn (Chicago) 30, Babe Adams (Pittsburgh) 27, Pete Alexander (Chicago) and Dutch Ruether (Cincinnati) 26, Wilbur Cooper (Pittsburgh) 25, Jesse Barnes (New York) 24, Hod Eller (Cincinnati) 23, Slim Sallee (Cincinnati) 22.
WARP3: Groh 8.0, Hornsby 6.8 (he would kick into high gear the next year), Burns 6.6, Youngs 6.4, Roush 5.7, Milt Stock (St. Louis) 5.4, Larry Doyle (New York) 5.2, Rath 4.8 (best year), Art Fletcher (New York) 4.6, Gavy Cravath (Philaelphia) 3.4.
Pitchers: Alexander 8.3, Vaughn 6.8, Dick Rudolph (Boston) 6.2, Adams 5.7, Jeff Pfeffer (Brooklyn) 5.5, Leon Cadore (Brooklyn) 5.2, Lee Meadows (Philadelphia) 4.5, Cooper 4.0, Ruether 3.7 (first full season), Barnes 3.6.
WAR leaders, position players: Hornsby 6.5, Burns 6.2, Groh 5.8, Roush 5.5, Fletcher and Youngs 4.8, Stock 4.5, Maranville and Hollocher 4.2, Rath and Myers 3.9. Pitchers: Alexander 6.2, Adams and Vaughn 6.1, Cadore 4.7, Cooper, Pfeffer, Ruether, and Sallee 3.8, Nehf 3.6, Rudolph 3.5.
Best player: Edd Roush takes the award for the World Champion Reds. Roush hit .321 in a year like most of his others, but it's enough to lift him to the top. Heinie Groh led the league in OPS and ranks #2. Burns is #3 for the Giants with Rogers Hornsby #4 and Ross Youngs #5.
Best pitcher: Hippo Vaughn at 21-14, 1.79 over Pete Alexander's comeback to 16-11, 1.72 for the same team. Babe Adams ranks #3, Jesse Barnes #4 and Dutch Ruether #5.
Best rookie: No candidate I can find.
Best manager: Pat Moran led the Reds to the pennant, their only NL flag until 1940.
1919 American League
The White Sox won the pennant and then lost a World Series that had a very dark cloud over it, which would shortly erupt into a furious storm. Gambling had been a problem in baseball for a very long time. This problem now boiled over. There has been a lot of revisionist history perpetrated that the 1919 Black Sox were one of the greatest teams ever. They were not. They were a very good team, and one that could have continued a strong run of success for awhile, until Eddie Collins and Joe Jackson were too old to carry the offense. Most of the rest of the players, save Happy Felsch, were on the downside of their careers.
Cleveland, New York and Detroit made strong showings in the pennant race, St. Louis, Boston, and Washington were in the second division, while Philadelphia returned to a horrid performance and lost 104 games. The league struggled to get back to normal after the end of World War I.
Statistical leaders: Ty Cobb won, yes, the batting title at .384, well ahead of Bobby Veach at .355, George Sisler at .352, and Joe Jackson at .351. Babe Ruth led in on-base, slugging, and OPS, and with 103 runs, 29 HR, and 114 RBI. Sisler was second in runs with 96 and Cobb third with 92. Ruth's 29 nearly tripled the second-place total of ten home runs, reached by Sisler, Tilly Walker, and "Home Run" Baker. Veach had 101 RBI. Bobby Veach led with 45 doubles and 17 triples and tied Cobb with 191 hits. Tris Speaker was second with 38 doubles, Sisler and Harry Heilmann had 15 triples, Jackson was third with 181 hits. Eddie Collins had 33 steals.
Eddie Cicotte won 29 games, while Walter Johnson led with 147 strikeouts and a 1.49 ERA. Stan Coveleski was second with 24 wins, Lefty Williams won 23. Cicotte had a 1.82 ERA and Carl Weilman was second at 2.07. Jim Shaw was second with 128 strikeouts.
Win Shares leaders, players; Babe Ruth (Boston) 43, Joe Jackson (Chicago), Ty Cobb and Bobby Veach (Detroit) 32 each, Eddie Collins (Chicago) and Tris Speaker (Cleveland) 27, Roger Peckinpaugh (New York) and George Sisler (St. Louis) 24, Harry Heilmann (Detroit) 23.
WS leaders, pitchers; Eddie Cicotte (Chicago) 32, Stan Coveleski (Cleveland) and Walter Johnson (Washington) 27, Bob Shawkey (New York) and Alan Sothoron (St. Louis) 24, Lefty Williams (Chicago) 23.
WARP3: Ruth 13.0, Veach 8.0, Peckinpaugh 7.7 (best season), Collins 7.5, Sisler 6.5, Del Pratt (New York) 6.2, Wally Schang (Boston) 5.9, Cobb 5.7, Speaker 5.4, Jackson 5.1, Sam Rice (Washington) 4.5, Ray Schalk (Chicago) 4.4, Ray Chapman (Cleveland) 4.0, Buck Weaver (Chicago) and Frank Baker (New York) 3.7, Happy Felsch (Chicago) and Heilmann 3.6.
Pitchers: Johnson 11.3 (last of his huge seasons. He would now be a Good Pitcher), Cicotte 8.9, Coveleski 7.7, Jim Shaw (Washington) 6.3, Williams (best season) and Jim Bagby (Cleveland) 4.9, Scott Perry (Philadelphia) 4.7.
WAR leaders, position players: Ruth 10.2, Veach 7.6, Sisler 7.3, Cobb 6.9, Jackson and Peckinpaugh 6.8, Collins 6.5, Speaker 6.1, Pratt 5.6, Rice 4.8. Pitchers: Johnson 9.2, Cicotte 8.8, Coveleski 5.9, Shaw 5.4, Williams 5.2, Sothoron 4.8, Mays and Shocker 4.2, Boland 3.9, Bagby, Quinn, and Shawkey 3.6.
Best player: Babe Ruth. Time to get used to it, it will be true for most of the next decade. Ruth led in runs, homers, RBI, total bases, times on base, and most percentage categories. Veach led in doubles and triples and ranks #2, with Cobb #3, Sisler #4, and Joe Jackson #5 for the pennant winners.
Best pitcher: Walter Johnson, leader in ERA, strikeouts and shutouts. Runner-up is Cicotte, the wins leader with 29. Coveleski was second in wins and #3 here. Sothoron ranks #4, Williams #5.
Best rookie: Dickie Kerr was 13-7, 2.88 ERA for Chicago, then won two games in the World Series. George Uhle was 10-5 with a 2.91 ERA for Cleveland.
Best manager: Tris Speaker took over Cleveland in midseason and nearly got them to the pennant.
Cleveland, New York and Detroit made strong showings in the pennant race, St. Louis, Boston, and Washington were in the second division, while Philadelphia returned to a horrid performance and lost 104 games. The league struggled to get back to normal after the end of World War I.
Statistical leaders: Ty Cobb won, yes, the batting title at .384, well ahead of Bobby Veach at .355, George Sisler at .352, and Joe Jackson at .351. Babe Ruth led in on-base, slugging, and OPS, and with 103 runs, 29 HR, and 114 RBI. Sisler was second in runs with 96 and Cobb third with 92. Ruth's 29 nearly tripled the second-place total of ten home runs, reached by Sisler, Tilly Walker, and "Home Run" Baker. Veach had 101 RBI. Bobby Veach led with 45 doubles and 17 triples and tied Cobb with 191 hits. Tris Speaker was second with 38 doubles, Sisler and Harry Heilmann had 15 triples, Jackson was third with 181 hits. Eddie Collins had 33 steals.
Eddie Cicotte won 29 games, while Walter Johnson led with 147 strikeouts and a 1.49 ERA. Stan Coveleski was second with 24 wins, Lefty Williams won 23. Cicotte had a 1.82 ERA and Carl Weilman was second at 2.07. Jim Shaw was second with 128 strikeouts.
Win Shares leaders, players; Babe Ruth (Boston) 43, Joe Jackson (Chicago), Ty Cobb and Bobby Veach (Detroit) 32 each, Eddie Collins (Chicago) and Tris Speaker (Cleveland) 27, Roger Peckinpaugh (New York) and George Sisler (St. Louis) 24, Harry Heilmann (Detroit) 23.
WS leaders, pitchers; Eddie Cicotte (Chicago) 32, Stan Coveleski (Cleveland) and Walter Johnson (Washington) 27, Bob Shawkey (New York) and Alan Sothoron (St. Louis) 24, Lefty Williams (Chicago) 23.
WARP3: Ruth 13.0, Veach 8.0, Peckinpaugh 7.7 (best season), Collins 7.5, Sisler 6.5, Del Pratt (New York) 6.2, Wally Schang (Boston) 5.9, Cobb 5.7, Speaker 5.4, Jackson 5.1, Sam Rice (Washington) 4.5, Ray Schalk (Chicago) 4.4, Ray Chapman (Cleveland) 4.0, Buck Weaver (Chicago) and Frank Baker (New York) 3.7, Happy Felsch (Chicago) and Heilmann 3.6.
Pitchers: Johnson 11.3 (last of his huge seasons. He would now be a Good Pitcher), Cicotte 8.9, Coveleski 7.7, Jim Shaw (Washington) 6.3, Williams (best season) and Jim Bagby (Cleveland) 4.9, Scott Perry (Philadelphia) 4.7.
WAR leaders, position players: Ruth 10.2, Veach 7.6, Sisler 7.3, Cobb 6.9, Jackson and Peckinpaugh 6.8, Collins 6.5, Speaker 6.1, Pratt 5.6, Rice 4.8. Pitchers: Johnson 9.2, Cicotte 8.8, Coveleski 5.9, Shaw 5.4, Williams 5.2, Sothoron 4.8, Mays and Shocker 4.2, Boland 3.9, Bagby, Quinn, and Shawkey 3.6.
Best player: Babe Ruth. Time to get used to it, it will be true for most of the next decade. Ruth led in runs, homers, RBI, total bases, times on base, and most percentage categories. Veach led in doubles and triples and ranks #2, with Cobb #3, Sisler #4, and Joe Jackson #5 for the pennant winners.
Best pitcher: Walter Johnson, leader in ERA, strikeouts and shutouts. Runner-up is Cicotte, the wins leader with 29. Coveleski was second in wins and #3 here. Sothoron ranks #4, Williams #5.
Best rookie: Dickie Kerr was 13-7, 2.88 ERA for Chicago, then won two games in the World Series. George Uhle was 10-5 with a 2.91 ERA for Cleveland.
Best manager: Tris Speaker took over Cleveland in midseason and nearly got them to the pennant.
1918 National League
A war-shortened season, something not seen before or since in MLB. An influenza pandemic also contributed to the crisis, as some players stayed home, as did many fans, rather than risk exposure to the germs. The Cubs won the pennant handily over New York, with Cincinnati and Pittsburgh following. You may notice the conspicuous absence of Pete Alexander from these proceedings.
Statistical leaders: Zack Wheat batted .335 to edge Edd Roush's .333 for the batting title. Heinie Groh batted .320 for third place, and led with 86 runs and 28 doubles. George Burns as second with 80 runs, Gavy Cravath and Les Mann were second with 27 doubles. Charlie Hollocher had 161 hits, Groh was second with 158 hits. Jake Daubert had 15 triples. Sherry Magee led with 76 RBI, George Cutshaw had 68 RBI, while Max Carey had 58 steals.
James "Hippo" Vaughn won the pitchers' Triple Crown with 22 wins, 148 strikeouts and a 1.74 ERA. Claude Hendrix was second with 20 wins, Wilbur Cooper, Burleigh Grimes, and Lefty Tyler had 19 wins each. Tyler was second with a 2.00 ERA, Cooper 2.11. Cooper was second with 117 strikeouts, Grimes 113.
Win Shares leaders, players; Charlie Hollocher (Chicago) and Heinie Groh (Cincinnati) 28, Dode Paskert (Chicago) and George Burns (New York) 23, Fred Merkle (Chicago), Edd Roush (Cincinnati), Ross Youngs (New York) and Max Carey (Pittsburgh) 22 each, Red Smith (Boston) 21.
WS leaders, pitchers; Hippo Vaughn (Chicago) 28, Burleigh Grimes (Brooklyn) 25, Lefty Tyler (Chicago) 24, Wilbur Cooper (Pittsburgh) 23, Brad Hogg (Philadelphia) 19, Claude Hendrix (Chicago) 18.
WARP3: Groh 7.4, Burns 6.0, Art Fletcher (New York) 5.5, Hollocher 4.8 in his rookie season for the pennant winners, Youngs 4.7 in his rookie year also, Roush and Carey 4.2, Billy Southworth (Pittsburgh) 4.1, Rogers Hornsby (St. Louis) 4.0, Lee Magee (Cincinnati) 3.6.
Pitchers: Vaughn 7.8, Tyler 6.3, Hogg 5.2 (career year), Cooper 5.1, Grimes 5.0 (first good year), Art Nehf (Boston) 4.8, Bill Doak (St. Louis) 4.4, Hod Eller (Cincinnati) 3.7, Hendrix 3.5 (last big year).
WAR leaders, position players: Hollocher 6.0, Groh 5.7, Hornsby 5.5, Burns and Roush 5.2, Carey 5.0, Fletcher 4.8, Smith 4.5, Youngs and Merkle 4.0. Pitchers: Vaughn 6.8, Tyler 6.0, Cooper 4.2, Grimes 3.5, Hogg 3.3, Eller 3.1, Nehf and Prendergast 2.5, Mayer 2.4, Hendrix 2.2.
Top player: Heinie Groh. 1st in OBP, 2nd to teammate Roush in OPS and OPS+. Looking at Groh as arguably the best player in the NL for 1917-18 casts a new light on the 1919 WS, I think. Hollocher #2, Edd Roush #3, George Burns #4, Ross Youngs #5.
Top pitcher: Hippo Vaughn. With Alexander out of the league due to WW I for most of the year, Vaughn was the top hurler in the league. He led in wins, ERA, strikeouts, and several other categories. Lefty Tyler was #2, Burleigh Grimes #3, Wilbur Cooper #4, Brad Hogg #5.
Top rookie: Charlie Hollocher. Ross Youngs has an argument, but Hollocher played at least as effectively and for the pennant winners.
Top manager: Fred Mitchell led the Cubs to the flag in his second year on the job.
Statistical leaders: Zack Wheat batted .335 to edge Edd Roush's .333 for the batting title. Heinie Groh batted .320 for third place, and led with 86 runs and 28 doubles. George Burns as second with 80 runs, Gavy Cravath and Les Mann were second with 27 doubles. Charlie Hollocher had 161 hits, Groh was second with 158 hits. Jake Daubert had 15 triples. Sherry Magee led with 76 RBI, George Cutshaw had 68 RBI, while Max Carey had 58 steals.
James "Hippo" Vaughn won the pitchers' Triple Crown with 22 wins, 148 strikeouts and a 1.74 ERA. Claude Hendrix was second with 20 wins, Wilbur Cooper, Burleigh Grimes, and Lefty Tyler had 19 wins each. Tyler was second with a 2.00 ERA, Cooper 2.11. Cooper was second with 117 strikeouts, Grimes 113.
Win Shares leaders, players; Charlie Hollocher (Chicago) and Heinie Groh (Cincinnati) 28, Dode Paskert (Chicago) and George Burns (New York) 23, Fred Merkle (Chicago), Edd Roush (Cincinnati), Ross Youngs (New York) and Max Carey (Pittsburgh) 22 each, Red Smith (Boston) 21.
WS leaders, pitchers; Hippo Vaughn (Chicago) 28, Burleigh Grimes (Brooklyn) 25, Lefty Tyler (Chicago) 24, Wilbur Cooper (Pittsburgh) 23, Brad Hogg (Philadelphia) 19, Claude Hendrix (Chicago) 18.
WARP3: Groh 7.4, Burns 6.0, Art Fletcher (New York) 5.5, Hollocher 4.8 in his rookie season for the pennant winners, Youngs 4.7 in his rookie year also, Roush and Carey 4.2, Billy Southworth (Pittsburgh) 4.1, Rogers Hornsby (St. Louis) 4.0, Lee Magee (Cincinnati) 3.6.
Pitchers: Vaughn 7.8, Tyler 6.3, Hogg 5.2 (career year), Cooper 5.1, Grimes 5.0 (first good year), Art Nehf (Boston) 4.8, Bill Doak (St. Louis) 4.4, Hod Eller (Cincinnati) 3.7, Hendrix 3.5 (last big year).
WAR leaders, position players: Hollocher 6.0, Groh 5.7, Hornsby 5.5, Burns and Roush 5.2, Carey 5.0, Fletcher 4.8, Smith 4.5, Youngs and Merkle 4.0. Pitchers: Vaughn 6.8, Tyler 6.0, Cooper 4.2, Grimes 3.5, Hogg 3.3, Eller 3.1, Nehf and Prendergast 2.5, Mayer 2.4, Hendrix 2.2.
Top player: Heinie Groh. 1st in OBP, 2nd to teammate Roush in OPS and OPS+. Looking at Groh as arguably the best player in the NL for 1917-18 casts a new light on the 1919 WS, I think. Hollocher #2, Edd Roush #3, George Burns #4, Ross Youngs #5.
Top pitcher: Hippo Vaughn. With Alexander out of the league due to WW I for most of the year, Vaughn was the top hurler in the league. He led in wins, ERA, strikeouts, and several other categories. Lefty Tyler was #2, Burleigh Grimes #3, Wilbur Cooper #4, Brad Hogg #5.
Top rookie: Charlie Hollocher. Ross Youngs has an argument, but Hollocher played at least as effectively and for the pennant winners.
Top manager: Fred Mitchell led the Cubs to the flag in his second year on the job.
1918 American League
The War was on...an influenza epidemic swept the country and the world, killing thousands....the season was ended early, due to travel considerations. Teams played 120-130 games, rather than the normal 154 of the time. Boston won the pennant narrowly over Cleveland and Washington. Chicago slipped back to 6th. It would be Boston's last pennant until 1946. Some players had gone off to war, others to jobs in war-related industries, others stayed home to avoid the epidemic and worked on their family farms. More were called away as the season went on, a major reason for the premature end. The Red Sox also bested the Cubs in the World Series, their last championship until the historic 2004 World Series.
Statistical leaders: Ty Cobb batted .382 to take yet another batting title, way ahead of George Burns at .352. George Sisler hit .341. Cobb also led in on-base average, but sensation Babe Ruth led in slugging and OPS. Ray Chapman led the league in runs at 84, with Cobb at 83 and Harry Hooper at 81. George Burns led in hits with 178 while Cobb had 161 and Sisler and Home Run Baker had 154. Tris Speaker had 33 doubles, Hooper and Ruth 26. Cobb had 14 triples, Hooper and Bobby Veach 13. Ruth tied Tilly Walker with 11 home runs. Bobby Veach had 78 RBI, Burns 70, Ruth and Joe Wood 66. George Sisler had 45 steals.
Walter Johnson won the pitchers' Triple Crown, with 23 wins, 162 strikeouts, and a 1.27 ERA. Stan Coveleski was second with 22 wins and a 1.82 ERA. Carl Mays won 21, Scott Perry 20. Allan Sothoron had a 1.94 ERA, Perry 1.98. Jim Shaw had 129 strikeouts, Bullet Joe Bush 125, Guy Morton 123.
Win Shares leaders, players; Babe Ruth (Boston) 40 (20 games pitching, 59 on the OF, I'll list him here), Ty Cobb (Detroit) 31, Harry Hooper (Boston) 29, Tris Speaker (Cleveland) 27, George Burns (Philadelphia) 24, Frank Baker (New York) 23, George Sisler (St. Louis) 22, Ray Chapman (Cleveland) 21.
WS leaders, pitchers; Walter Johnson (Washington) 38, Scott Perry (Philadelphia) 30 in what I believe would qualify as a rookie season, Stan Coveleski (Cleveland) 29, Carl Mays (Boston) 25, Joe Bush (Boston) 21.
WARP3: Ruth 9.4, Cobb 6.8, Hooper 6.7, Sisler 6.3, Speaker 5.6, Eddie Collins (Chicago) 5.0, Burns 4.8 (best year), Baker 3.9, Larry Gardner (Boston) 3.3, Chapman and Steve O'Neill (Cleveland) 3.3.
Pitchers, Johnson 11.1, Coveleski 8.6, Perry 8.5 (career year), Mays 5.1, George Mogridge (New York) 4.9, Bernie Boland (Detroit) 4.8, Jim Bagby (Cleveland) 4.3, Hooks Dauss (Detroit) 3.9, Bush 3.7, Eddie Cicotte (Chicago) 3.5.
WAR leaders, position players: Cobb 7.3, Sisler 7.2, Speaker 6.4, Burns 6.1, Hooper 5.9, Ruth 5.6, Baker 5.1, Chapman 4.6, Gardner 4.1, Collins 3.8. Pitchers: Johnson 8.7, Coveleski 7.5, Perry 6.8, Harper, Mogridge, and Sothoron 3.5, Boland and Mays 3.3, Bagby 3.2, Bush 3.0. (Ruth was 14th at 2.2)
Top player: Babe Ruth. I could have picked Hooper, or Sisler, or even Cobb, but Ruth as the part-time RF and part-time P was hard to ignore. Ruth led the league in slugging and OPS, and tied for the lead in homers and led in extra-base hits despite only 317 ABs. About 2/3 of his value was as a hitter, 1/3 as a pitcher. I'll put Cobb #2, #3 Speaker, #4 Sisler, #5 Hooper
Top pitcher: Walter Johnson. Leader in wins, ERA and strikeouts. Hard not to pick him. Coveleski would be #2, Perry #3, Mays #4 and Bush #5.
Top rookie: Assuming he would have the status, Scott Perry. 4th in wins and ERA in his only good year, possibly an arm injury due to overwork.
Top manager: Ed Barrow managed a pennant in his first year with the Red Sox.
Statistical leaders: Ty Cobb batted .382 to take yet another batting title, way ahead of George Burns at .352. George Sisler hit .341. Cobb also led in on-base average, but sensation Babe Ruth led in slugging and OPS. Ray Chapman led the league in runs at 84, with Cobb at 83 and Harry Hooper at 81. George Burns led in hits with 178 while Cobb had 161 and Sisler and Home Run Baker had 154. Tris Speaker had 33 doubles, Hooper and Ruth 26. Cobb had 14 triples, Hooper and Bobby Veach 13. Ruth tied Tilly Walker with 11 home runs. Bobby Veach had 78 RBI, Burns 70, Ruth and Joe Wood 66. George Sisler had 45 steals.
Walter Johnson won the pitchers' Triple Crown, with 23 wins, 162 strikeouts, and a 1.27 ERA. Stan Coveleski was second with 22 wins and a 1.82 ERA. Carl Mays won 21, Scott Perry 20. Allan Sothoron had a 1.94 ERA, Perry 1.98. Jim Shaw had 129 strikeouts, Bullet Joe Bush 125, Guy Morton 123.
Win Shares leaders, players; Babe Ruth (Boston) 40 (20 games pitching, 59 on the OF, I'll list him here), Ty Cobb (Detroit) 31, Harry Hooper (Boston) 29, Tris Speaker (Cleveland) 27, George Burns (Philadelphia) 24, Frank Baker (New York) 23, George Sisler (St. Louis) 22, Ray Chapman (Cleveland) 21.
WS leaders, pitchers; Walter Johnson (Washington) 38, Scott Perry (Philadelphia) 30 in what I believe would qualify as a rookie season, Stan Coveleski (Cleveland) 29, Carl Mays (Boston) 25, Joe Bush (Boston) 21.
WARP3: Ruth 9.4, Cobb 6.8, Hooper 6.7, Sisler 6.3, Speaker 5.6, Eddie Collins (Chicago) 5.0, Burns 4.8 (best year), Baker 3.9, Larry Gardner (Boston) 3.3, Chapman and Steve O'Neill (Cleveland) 3.3.
Pitchers, Johnson 11.1, Coveleski 8.6, Perry 8.5 (career year), Mays 5.1, George Mogridge (New York) 4.9, Bernie Boland (Detroit) 4.8, Jim Bagby (Cleveland) 4.3, Hooks Dauss (Detroit) 3.9, Bush 3.7, Eddie Cicotte (Chicago) 3.5.
WAR leaders, position players: Cobb 7.3, Sisler 7.2, Speaker 6.4, Burns 6.1, Hooper 5.9, Ruth 5.6, Baker 5.1, Chapman 4.6, Gardner 4.1, Collins 3.8. Pitchers: Johnson 8.7, Coveleski 7.5, Perry 6.8, Harper, Mogridge, and Sothoron 3.5, Boland and Mays 3.3, Bagby 3.2, Bush 3.0. (Ruth was 14th at 2.2)
Top player: Babe Ruth. I could have picked Hooper, or Sisler, or even Cobb, but Ruth as the part-time RF and part-time P was hard to ignore. Ruth led the league in slugging and OPS, and tied for the lead in homers and led in extra-base hits despite only 317 ABs. About 2/3 of his value was as a hitter, 1/3 as a pitcher. I'll put Cobb #2, #3 Speaker, #4 Sisler, #5 Hooper
Top pitcher: Walter Johnson. Leader in wins, ERA and strikeouts. Hard not to pick him. Coveleski would be #2, Perry #3, Mays #4 and Bush #5.
Top rookie: Assuming he would have the status, Scott Perry. 4th in wins and ERA in his only good year, possibly an arm injury due to overwork.
Top manager: Ed Barrow managed a pennant in his first year with the Red Sox.
06 August 2007
1917 National League
New York returned to the winner's circle, beating out Philadelphia, while St. Louis finished a surprising third. The rest of the standings went Cincinnati, Chicago, Boston, Brooklyn, with Pittsburgh last at 103 losses.
Edd Roush led the league with a .341 average, with Rogers Hornsby second at .327. Hornsby led in OPS and slugging, Heinie Groh in on-base average. George Burns led with 103 runs, Groh was second with 91, Benny Kauff third with 89. Groh led with 182 hits and 39 doubles; Burns was second with 180 hits, Edd Roush third with 178. Red Smith and Fred Merkle were second with 31 doubles. Hornsby led with 17 triples, Gavy Cravath was second with 16. Heinie Zimmerman topped the loop with 102 RBI, followed by Hal Chase with 86 and Cravath with 83. Max Carey had 46 steals.
Pete Alexander nearly won another pitching Triple Crown. He won 30 games, was second with a 1.83 ERA, and struck out 200. Fred Toney won 24 games and Hippo Vaughn 23. Fred Anderson led with a 1.44 ERA in just 162 innings. Pol Perrit was third with a 1.88 ERA. Ferdie Schupp was next at 1.95. Vaughn had 195 strikeouts, Phil Douglas 151.
Win Shares leaders, players: Rogers Hornsby (St. Louis) 38, Heinie Groh (Cincinnati) 37, George Burns (New York) 34, Edd Roush (Cincinnati) and Benny Kauff (New York) 30, Art Fletcher (New York) 27, Heinie Zimmerman (New York) and Gavy Cravath (Philadelphia) 26.
WS leaders, pitchers: Pete Alexander (Philadelphia) 40, Hippo Vaughn (Chicago) 24, Ferdie Schupp (New York) 23, Wilbur Cooper (Pittsburgh) 22, Leon Cadore (Brooklyn) 21, Eppa Rixey (Philadelphia) 20.
WARP3: Groh 8.1, Hornsby 7.4, Burns 7.2, Fletcher 5.4, Zimmerman 5.3, Max Carey (Pittsburgh) 4.8, Cravath 4.6 (last big year), Kauff 4.1, Rabbit Maranville (Boston) 3.6, Roush and Casey Stengel (Brooklyn) 3.4.
Pitchers: Alexander 10.9, Vaughn 7.2, Cooper 6.3, Cadore 5.5, Rixey 4.5, Schupp (his career year) and Lefty Tyler (Boston) 4.4, Art Nehf (Boston) 4.3, Jeff Pfeffer (Brooklyn) 4.2, Fred Toney (Cincinnati) 3.9.
WAR leaders, position players: Hornsby 10.0, Burns 7.6, Groh 7.5, Fletcher 7.3, Kauff 6.2, Carey 6.1, Zimmerman 5.9, Roush 5.6, Maranville 5.4, Cravath 5.2. Pitchers: Alexander 8.4, Vaughn 5.7, Cooper 5.5, Schupp 4.9, Pfeffer 4.6, Cadore 4.2, Toney 4.0, Bender 3.3, Rixey 3.2, Anderson and Perrit 3.0.
Best player: Rogers Hornsby, in his arrival as the best player in the NL. He would continue to be that good for over a decade. Second is Heinie Groh, and people have forgotten he was that good. George Burns would be #3 and Art Fletcher #4, with Benny Kauff #5.
Best pitcher: Pete Alexander, in the third of his three 30-win seasons. No one else comes close. Hippo Vaughn, 23-13 and 2.01, is a distant 2nd. Wilbur Cooper #3, Ferdie Schupp #4, Leon Cadore #5.
Best rookie: No one I can see.
Best manager: John McGraw, back in the winners' circle.
Edd Roush led the league with a .341 average, with Rogers Hornsby second at .327. Hornsby led in OPS and slugging, Heinie Groh in on-base average. George Burns led with 103 runs, Groh was second with 91, Benny Kauff third with 89. Groh led with 182 hits and 39 doubles; Burns was second with 180 hits, Edd Roush third with 178. Red Smith and Fred Merkle were second with 31 doubles. Hornsby led with 17 triples, Gavy Cravath was second with 16. Heinie Zimmerman topped the loop with 102 RBI, followed by Hal Chase with 86 and Cravath with 83. Max Carey had 46 steals.
Pete Alexander nearly won another pitching Triple Crown. He won 30 games, was second with a 1.83 ERA, and struck out 200. Fred Toney won 24 games and Hippo Vaughn 23. Fred Anderson led with a 1.44 ERA in just 162 innings. Pol Perrit was third with a 1.88 ERA. Ferdie Schupp was next at 1.95. Vaughn had 195 strikeouts, Phil Douglas 151.
Win Shares leaders, players: Rogers Hornsby (St. Louis) 38, Heinie Groh (Cincinnati) 37, George Burns (New York) 34, Edd Roush (Cincinnati) and Benny Kauff (New York) 30, Art Fletcher (New York) 27, Heinie Zimmerman (New York) and Gavy Cravath (Philadelphia) 26.
WS leaders, pitchers: Pete Alexander (Philadelphia) 40, Hippo Vaughn (Chicago) 24, Ferdie Schupp (New York) 23, Wilbur Cooper (Pittsburgh) 22, Leon Cadore (Brooklyn) 21, Eppa Rixey (Philadelphia) 20.
WARP3: Groh 8.1, Hornsby 7.4, Burns 7.2, Fletcher 5.4, Zimmerman 5.3, Max Carey (Pittsburgh) 4.8, Cravath 4.6 (last big year), Kauff 4.1, Rabbit Maranville (Boston) 3.6, Roush and Casey Stengel (Brooklyn) 3.4.
Pitchers: Alexander 10.9, Vaughn 7.2, Cooper 6.3, Cadore 5.5, Rixey 4.5, Schupp (his career year) and Lefty Tyler (Boston) 4.4, Art Nehf (Boston) 4.3, Jeff Pfeffer (Brooklyn) 4.2, Fred Toney (Cincinnati) 3.9.
WAR leaders, position players: Hornsby 10.0, Burns 7.6, Groh 7.5, Fletcher 7.3, Kauff 6.2, Carey 6.1, Zimmerman 5.9, Roush 5.6, Maranville 5.4, Cravath 5.2. Pitchers: Alexander 8.4, Vaughn 5.7, Cooper 5.5, Schupp 4.9, Pfeffer 4.6, Cadore 4.2, Toney 4.0, Bender 3.3, Rixey 3.2, Anderson and Perrit 3.0.
Best player: Rogers Hornsby, in his arrival as the best player in the NL. He would continue to be that good for over a decade. Second is Heinie Groh, and people have forgotten he was that good. George Burns would be #3 and Art Fletcher #4, with Benny Kauff #5.
Best pitcher: Pete Alexander, in the third of his three 30-win seasons. No one else comes close. Hippo Vaughn, 23-13 and 2.01, is a distant 2nd. Wilbur Cooper #3, Ferdie Schupp #4, Leon Cadore #5.
Best rookie: No one I can see.
Best manager: John McGraw, back in the winners' circle.
1917 American League
Chicago won the pennant by 9 games over Boston, with Cleveland in 3rd. The rest of the standings went Detroit, Washington, New York, St. Louis and Philadelphia, which was not as bad as the year before.
Statistical leaders: Ty Cobb led the way in many categories, including batting average at .383, with George Sisler and Tris Speaker tied for second at .352, and Bobby Veach fourth at .319. Cobb led in OPS at 1014, with Speaker second at 918. Cobb also led with 225 hits, 44 doubles, 24 triples, and 55 steals. Speaker had 42 doubles, Joe Jackson 17 triples, Wally Pipp had nine homers and Veach eight, Veach led with 103 RBI and Cobb and Happy Felsch had 102.
Eddie Cicotte led with 28 wins and a 1.53 ERA, and Walter Johnson with 188 strikeouts. Babe Ruth had 24 wins, Johnson and Jim Bagby 23. Carl Mays had a 1.74 ERA, Stan Coveleski 1.81, Red Faber 1.92. Cicotte was second with 150 strikeouts, then Dutch Leonard with 144.
Win Shares leaders, players: Ty Cobb (Detroit) 46, Tris Speaker (Cleveland) 37, Eddie Collins (Chicago) 32, Joe Jackson (Chicago) and Bobby Veach (Detroit) 31, Happy Felsch (Chicago) and Ray Chapman (Cleveland) 30, George Sisler (St. Louis) 29.
WS leaders, pitchers: Babe Ruth (Boston) 36, Eddie Cicotte (Chicago) 35, Jim Bagby (Cleveland) 34, Carl Mays (Boston) 30, Stan Coveleski (Cleveland) and Walter Johnson (Washington) 29.
WARP3: Cobb 12.1 (his best season by WARP), Collins 8.4, Veach 8.0, Chapman 6.9 (best year), Speaker 6.7, Sisler 6.6, Jackson 5.3, Duffy Lewis (Boston) 4.5, Ray Schalk (Chicago) 4.4, Harry Hooper (Boston) 4.2.
Pitchers: Cicotte 11.5, Bagby and Johnson (an off year for Walter) 8.9, Ruth 8.7, Coveleski 7.9, Mays 6.7, Bob Shawkey (New York) 5.6, Ray Caldwell (New York) 5.0, Bob Groom (St. Louis) 4.6, Doc Ayers (Washington) 4.5.
WAR leaders, position players: Cobb 12.7, Chapman 8.8, Speaker 8.7, Veach 7.5, Sisler 6.9, Collins 6.4, Jackson 6.3, Felsch 5.7, Bush 5.0, Roth 4.9. Pitchers: Cicotte 10.0, Coveleski 6.8, Bagby 6.7, Ruth 5.8, Johnson 5.2, Mays 5.1, Leonard 4.2, Ayers and Shawkey 3.3, Groom 3.2.
Best player: Ty Cobb. This was arguably the best year of a tremendous career, considering context, and Ty strode across the league. His Tigers were barely over .500, but Cobb couldn't have played better. He led in average, hits, doubles, triples, total bases, and steals. I put Speaker #2, #3 Bobby Veach, #4 Ray Chapman, and George Sisler #5.
Best pitcher: Eddie Cicotte. There were other fine performances for the pennant-winning White Sox, but Cicotte was the best pitcher over Ruth and Johnson. He led in wins and ERA, was 28-12, 1.53. Ruth at #2, 24-13, 2.01. Johnson was so bad he's just #3, at 23-16, 2.21. Jim Bagby #4, Stan Coveleski #5.
Best rookie: I can't find anyone deserving.
Best manager: Pants Rowland guiding the White Sox to the pennant.
Statistical leaders: Ty Cobb led the way in many categories, including batting average at .383, with George Sisler and Tris Speaker tied for second at .352, and Bobby Veach fourth at .319. Cobb led in OPS at 1014, with Speaker second at 918. Cobb also led with 225 hits, 44 doubles, 24 triples, and 55 steals. Speaker had 42 doubles, Joe Jackson 17 triples, Wally Pipp had nine homers and Veach eight, Veach led with 103 RBI and Cobb and Happy Felsch had 102.
Eddie Cicotte led with 28 wins and a 1.53 ERA, and Walter Johnson with 188 strikeouts. Babe Ruth had 24 wins, Johnson and Jim Bagby 23. Carl Mays had a 1.74 ERA, Stan Coveleski 1.81, Red Faber 1.92. Cicotte was second with 150 strikeouts, then Dutch Leonard with 144.
Win Shares leaders, players: Ty Cobb (Detroit) 46, Tris Speaker (Cleveland) 37, Eddie Collins (Chicago) 32, Joe Jackson (Chicago) and Bobby Veach (Detroit) 31, Happy Felsch (Chicago) and Ray Chapman (Cleveland) 30, George Sisler (St. Louis) 29.
WS leaders, pitchers: Babe Ruth (Boston) 36, Eddie Cicotte (Chicago) 35, Jim Bagby (Cleveland) 34, Carl Mays (Boston) 30, Stan Coveleski (Cleveland) and Walter Johnson (Washington) 29.
WARP3: Cobb 12.1 (his best season by WARP), Collins 8.4, Veach 8.0, Chapman 6.9 (best year), Speaker 6.7, Sisler 6.6, Jackson 5.3, Duffy Lewis (Boston) 4.5, Ray Schalk (Chicago) 4.4, Harry Hooper (Boston) 4.2.
Pitchers: Cicotte 11.5, Bagby and Johnson (an off year for Walter) 8.9, Ruth 8.7, Coveleski 7.9, Mays 6.7, Bob Shawkey (New York) 5.6, Ray Caldwell (New York) 5.0, Bob Groom (St. Louis) 4.6, Doc Ayers (Washington) 4.5.
WAR leaders, position players: Cobb 12.7, Chapman 8.8, Speaker 8.7, Veach 7.5, Sisler 6.9, Collins 6.4, Jackson 6.3, Felsch 5.7, Bush 5.0, Roth 4.9. Pitchers: Cicotte 10.0, Coveleski 6.8, Bagby 6.7, Ruth 5.8, Johnson 5.2, Mays 5.1, Leonard 4.2, Ayers and Shawkey 3.3, Groom 3.2.
Best player: Ty Cobb. This was arguably the best year of a tremendous career, considering context, and Ty strode across the league. His Tigers were barely over .500, but Cobb couldn't have played better. He led in average, hits, doubles, triples, total bases, and steals. I put Speaker #2, #3 Bobby Veach, #4 Ray Chapman, and George Sisler #5.
Best pitcher: Eddie Cicotte. There were other fine performances for the pennant-winning White Sox, but Cicotte was the best pitcher over Ruth and Johnson. He led in wins and ERA, was 28-12, 1.53. Ruth at #2, 24-13, 2.01. Johnson was so bad he's just #3, at 23-16, 2.21. Jim Bagby #4, Stan Coveleski #5.
Best rookie: I can't find anyone deserving.
Best manager: Pants Rowland guiding the White Sox to the pennant.
1916 National League
A good four-team race with Brooklyn emerging on top, ahead of Philadelphia (previous year's winner), Boston (1914 winner) and New York (1913 winner). Chicago, Pittsburgh, St. Louis and Cincinnati made up the second division. The Giants had the hitting, Boston had the pitching, but Brooklyn had the best balance.
Statistical leaders: Hal Chase won the batting title at .339, and led in hits with 184. It is one of the few years when Chase lived up to his billing as one of the best players in the game. He would soon be chased from organized baseball in the gambling scandals. Gavy Cravath led in on-base average at .379, Zack Wheat slugged .461, and Cy Williams led with an 831 OPS. George Burns led with 105 runs, Heinie Zimmerman with 83 RBI, Bert Niehoff with 42 doubles, and Max Carey with 63 steals.
Among pitchers, Pete Alexander won the Triple Crown again, with 33 wins, 167 strikeouts, and a 1.55 ERA. He was challenged by Larry Cheney, who was one strikeout short, and Rube Marquard with a 1.58 ERA. Second in wins was Jeff Pfeffer's 25.
Win Shares leaders, players; Zack Wheat (Brooklyn) 32, Rogers Hornsby (St. Louis) 28, Rabbit Maranville (Boston), Benny Kauff (New York) and Dode Paskert (Philadelphia) 27, Ed Konetchy (Boston) Gavy Cravath (Philadelphia) and Billy Hinchman (Pittsburgh) 26. Hal Chase had 22.
WS leaders, pitchers; Pete Alexander (Philadelphia) 44, Jeff Pfeffer (Brooklyn) 32, Hippo Vaughn (Chicago) and Eppa Rixey (Philadelphia) 24, Dick Rudolph (Boston) 21. Rube Marquard had 20, as did Lefty Tyler and Wilbur Cooper.
WARP3: Heinie Groh (Cincinnati) 7.2, Wheat 6.9, Art Fletcher (New York) 6.0, Maranville and Dave Robertson (New York) 5.0, Chase 4.8 (best year), Jake Daubert (Brooklyn) 4.5, Hornsby and Max Carey (Pittsburgh) 4.3, Honus Wagner (Pittsburgh) 4.2, Cravath and Hinchman (last good year) 4.1.
Pitchers: Alexander 13.6, Pfeffer 7.0, Vaughn 6.4, Cooper 5.8, Rixey 5.2, Rudolph 4.9, Fred Toney (Cincinnati) 4.6, Claude Hendrix (Chicago) 4.0, Tyler and Fredie Schupp (New York) 3.9, Slim Sallee (New York) 3.8.
WAR leaders, position players: Wheat 7.0, Fletcher 6.5, Groh 5.9, Hornsby 5.6, Carey and Maranville 5.3, Hinchman 5.2, Williams 4.9, Cravath, Doyle, and Daubert 4.6. Pitchers: Alexander 9.8, Pfeffer 6.4, Vaughn 5.4, Cooper 5.2, Schupp 4.6, Marquard 4.3, Rixey, Rudolph, and Toney 4.2, Sallee 3.3.
Top player: Zack Wheat, who led Brooklyn to a surprise pennant with a super season. Wheat led the league in slugging and total bases. Emerging Rogers Hornsby at #2, Art Fletcher #3, Heinie Groh #4, Bill Hinchman #5.
Top rookie: Rogers Hornsby, following an 18-game debut the season before. He would soon own the top player award.
Top pitcher: Pete Alexander, and it's not close. Alexander was on a run of being the dominant pitcher in the NL. He led the league in wins, strikeouts, ERA, shutouts, and a bunch of other stuff. Jeff Pfeffer is #2, second in wins and 5th in ERA. Eppa Rixey #3, Hippo Vaughn #4, Dick Rudolph #5.
Top manager: Wilbert Robinson, guiding his Robins to the pennant.
Statistical leaders: Hal Chase won the batting title at .339, and led in hits with 184. It is one of the few years when Chase lived up to his billing as one of the best players in the game. He would soon be chased from organized baseball in the gambling scandals. Gavy Cravath led in on-base average at .379, Zack Wheat slugged .461, and Cy Williams led with an 831 OPS. George Burns led with 105 runs, Heinie Zimmerman with 83 RBI, Bert Niehoff with 42 doubles, and Max Carey with 63 steals.
Among pitchers, Pete Alexander won the Triple Crown again, with 33 wins, 167 strikeouts, and a 1.55 ERA. He was challenged by Larry Cheney, who was one strikeout short, and Rube Marquard with a 1.58 ERA. Second in wins was Jeff Pfeffer's 25.
Win Shares leaders, players; Zack Wheat (Brooklyn) 32, Rogers Hornsby (St. Louis) 28, Rabbit Maranville (Boston), Benny Kauff (New York) and Dode Paskert (Philadelphia) 27, Ed Konetchy (Boston) Gavy Cravath (Philadelphia) and Billy Hinchman (Pittsburgh) 26. Hal Chase had 22.
WS leaders, pitchers; Pete Alexander (Philadelphia) 44, Jeff Pfeffer (Brooklyn) 32, Hippo Vaughn (Chicago) and Eppa Rixey (Philadelphia) 24, Dick Rudolph (Boston) 21. Rube Marquard had 20, as did Lefty Tyler and Wilbur Cooper.
WARP3: Heinie Groh (Cincinnati) 7.2, Wheat 6.9, Art Fletcher (New York) 6.0, Maranville and Dave Robertson (New York) 5.0, Chase 4.8 (best year), Jake Daubert (Brooklyn) 4.5, Hornsby and Max Carey (Pittsburgh) 4.3, Honus Wagner (Pittsburgh) 4.2, Cravath and Hinchman (last good year) 4.1.
Pitchers: Alexander 13.6, Pfeffer 7.0, Vaughn 6.4, Cooper 5.8, Rixey 5.2, Rudolph 4.9, Fred Toney (Cincinnati) 4.6, Claude Hendrix (Chicago) 4.0, Tyler and Fredie Schupp (New York) 3.9, Slim Sallee (New York) 3.8.
WAR leaders, position players: Wheat 7.0, Fletcher 6.5, Groh 5.9, Hornsby 5.6, Carey and Maranville 5.3, Hinchman 5.2, Williams 4.9, Cravath, Doyle, and Daubert 4.6. Pitchers: Alexander 9.8, Pfeffer 6.4, Vaughn 5.4, Cooper 5.2, Schupp 4.6, Marquard 4.3, Rixey, Rudolph, and Toney 4.2, Sallee 3.3.
Top player: Zack Wheat, who led Brooklyn to a surprise pennant with a super season. Wheat led the league in slugging and total bases. Emerging Rogers Hornsby at #2, Art Fletcher #3, Heinie Groh #4, Bill Hinchman #5.
Top rookie: Rogers Hornsby, following an 18-game debut the season before. He would soon own the top player award.
Top pitcher: Pete Alexander, and it's not close. Alexander was on a run of being the dominant pitcher in the NL. He led the league in wins, strikeouts, ERA, shutouts, and a bunch of other stuff. Jeff Pfeffer is #2, second in wins and 5th in ERA. Eppa Rixey #3, Hippo Vaughn #4, Dick Rudolph #5.
Top manager: Wilbert Robinson, guiding his Robins to the pennant.
1916 American League
Boston outraced Chicago (by two games) and Detroit (by four games) for the pennant, their second in a row, then won the World Series. New York and St. Louis were also above .500, while Cleveland was at .500 and Washington was a game below. The whole league beat up on Philadelphia, with 117 losses. Everybody else was, or nearly was, above average.
Tris Speaker led in many of the statistical categories, including taking the batting title with a .386 average, besting Ty Cobb's .371. Speaker also led in on-base, slugging, and OPS, as well as with 211 hits and tied with teammate Jack Graney at 41 doubles. Cobb led with 113 runs and 68 steals. Joe Jackson had 21 triples, Wally Pipp 12 homers. Del Pratt had 103 RBI. Walter Johnson led pitchers with 25 wins and 228 strikeouts, while Babe Ruth took the ERA title at 1.75.
Win Shares, Players; Tris Speaker (Cleveland) 41, Ty Cobb (Detroit) 40, Joe Jackson (Chicago) 34, Eddie Collins (Chicago) 31, Larry Gardner (Boston) and Bobby Veach (Detroit) 27, Harry Hooper (Boston) and Burt Shotton (St. Louis) 26, George Sisler (St. Louis) 25.
WS, Pitchers; Babe Ruth (Boston) 37, Walter Johnson (Washington) 36, Harry Coveleski (Detroit) and Bob Shawkey (New York) 27, Dutch Leonard and Carl Mays (Boston) 22.
WARP3: Speaker and Cobb 8.7, Collins 7.7, Jackson 6.5, Veach 5.9, Shotton (right before his career jolted to a stop) and Sisler 5.4, Hooper 5.3, Del Pratt (St. Louis) 5.2, Gardner 4.6.
Pitchers: Johnson 11.9 (in the last year of a run of 7 consecutive ERAs under 2.00), Ruth 10.1, Shawkey 8.2 (best year), Joe Bush (Philadephia) 8.0, Coveleski 6.9 (last good year), Mays 6.3, Harry Harper (Washington) 5.2, Carl Weilman (St. Louis) 5.1, Jim Bagby (Cleveland) 4.8, Leonard 4.7.
WAR, position players: Speaker 9.2, Cobb 9.1, Jackson and Collins 7.6, Gardner and Veach 5.7, Strunk 5.6, Shotton 5.5, Peckinpaugh 5.4, Felsch 5.3. Pitchers: Johnson 7.8, Ruth 7.4, Shawkey 5.8, Coveleski 5.6, Leonard 4.2, Bush 4.0, Harper and Weilman 3.9, Mays 3.6, Russell 3.4.
Best player: Tris Speaker. Speaker and Cobb are very close, I'll take the Grey Eagle. Speaker led in batting average, hits, times on base, and OPS. #2 man Cobb led in runs and steals and was 2nd in OPS. Eddie Collins #3, Joe Jackson (the triples leader) #4, Bobby Veach #5.
Best pitcher: Walter Johnson. Ruth was great, but Walter was better for a team that was much worse. Johnson was 25-20, 1.90, while Ruth was 23-12, 1.75. #3 is Bob Shawkey, 24-14, 2.21. Harry Coveleski was #4, at 21-11, 1.95, Dutch Leonard at #5.
Best rookie: Whitey Witt, batted .245 as shortstop for Philadelphia.
Best manager: Bill Carrigan again, in his last year as a player, and the last in this stint as Red Sox skipper.
Tris Speaker led in many of the statistical categories, including taking the batting title with a .386 average, besting Ty Cobb's .371. Speaker also led in on-base, slugging, and OPS, as well as with 211 hits and tied with teammate Jack Graney at 41 doubles. Cobb led with 113 runs and 68 steals. Joe Jackson had 21 triples, Wally Pipp 12 homers. Del Pratt had 103 RBI. Walter Johnson led pitchers with 25 wins and 228 strikeouts, while Babe Ruth took the ERA title at 1.75.
Win Shares, Players; Tris Speaker (Cleveland) 41, Ty Cobb (Detroit) 40, Joe Jackson (Chicago) 34, Eddie Collins (Chicago) 31, Larry Gardner (Boston) and Bobby Veach (Detroit) 27, Harry Hooper (Boston) and Burt Shotton (St. Louis) 26, George Sisler (St. Louis) 25.
WS, Pitchers; Babe Ruth (Boston) 37, Walter Johnson (Washington) 36, Harry Coveleski (Detroit) and Bob Shawkey (New York) 27, Dutch Leonard and Carl Mays (Boston) 22.
WARP3: Speaker and Cobb 8.7, Collins 7.7, Jackson 6.5, Veach 5.9, Shotton (right before his career jolted to a stop) and Sisler 5.4, Hooper 5.3, Del Pratt (St. Louis) 5.2, Gardner 4.6.
Pitchers: Johnson 11.9 (in the last year of a run of 7 consecutive ERAs under 2.00), Ruth 10.1, Shawkey 8.2 (best year), Joe Bush (Philadephia) 8.0, Coveleski 6.9 (last good year), Mays 6.3, Harry Harper (Washington) 5.2, Carl Weilman (St. Louis) 5.1, Jim Bagby (Cleveland) 4.8, Leonard 4.7.
WAR, position players: Speaker 9.2, Cobb 9.1, Jackson and Collins 7.6, Gardner and Veach 5.7, Strunk 5.6, Shotton 5.5, Peckinpaugh 5.4, Felsch 5.3. Pitchers: Johnson 7.8, Ruth 7.4, Shawkey 5.8, Coveleski 5.6, Leonard 4.2, Bush 4.0, Harper and Weilman 3.9, Mays 3.6, Russell 3.4.
Best player: Tris Speaker. Speaker and Cobb are very close, I'll take the Grey Eagle. Speaker led in batting average, hits, times on base, and OPS. #2 man Cobb led in runs and steals and was 2nd in OPS. Eddie Collins #3, Joe Jackson (the triples leader) #4, Bobby Veach #5.
Best pitcher: Walter Johnson. Ruth was great, but Walter was better for a team that was much worse. Johnson was 25-20, 1.90, while Ruth was 23-12, 1.75. #3 is Bob Shawkey, 24-14, 2.21. Harry Coveleski was #4, at 21-11, 1.95, Dutch Leonard at #5.
Best rookie: Whitey Witt, batted .245 as shortstop for Philadelphia.
Best manager: Bill Carrigan again, in his last year as a player, and the last in this stint as Red Sox skipper.
04 August 2007
1915 National League
The second straight surprise pennant winners, as the Philadelphia Phillies won with just 90 victories, seven games ahead of Boston and 10 ahead of Brooklyn, the only other teams over .500. Chicago, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, and Cincinnati came next. The worst team, New York, was 69-83. It was a year of mediocrity.
Statistical leaders: Larry Doyle won the batting title for the last-place Giants at .320 with Philly's Fred Luderus second at .315. Gavy Cravath led the percentage categories of on-base, slugging, and OPS. Cravath also led in runs (89), total bases, home runs, (24), RBI (115), and walks. Philadelphia had a great hitter's park, but that's still a strong performance. Doyle led the league with 40 doubles, Tom Long with 25 triples, and Max Carey with 36 steals.
Pete Alexander had 31 wins (Dick Rudolph was second with 22), 241 strikeouts (Jeff Tesreau was second with 176) and a 1.22 ERA (Fred Toney was second at 1.58). It is safe to say Alexander was dominating.
1915 NL Win Shares:
Players; Gavy Cravath (Philadclphia) 35, Larry Doyle (New York) 33, Jake Daubert (Brooklyn) 27, Sherry Magee (Boston) and Fred Luderus (Philadelphia) 26, Heinie Groh (Cincinnati) 25, Red Smith (Boston), Zack Wheat (Brooklyn), Vic Saier (Chicago), George Burns (New York), Bill Hinchman (Pittsburgh) and Frank Snyder (St. Louis) 24 each.
Pitchers; Pete Alexander (Philadelphia) 43, Jeff Pfeffer (Brooklyn) 26, Dick Rudolph (Boston) and Erskine Mayer (Philadelphia) 24, Fred Toney (Cincinnati) 23, Tom Hughes (Boston) 22.
WARP3: Cravath 8.0, Honus Wagner (Pittsburgh) 6.6, Snyder 6.1 (best season), Groh 5.9, Luderus 5.5, Hinchman 5.3 (best season in return to big leagues), Magee 4.7, Doyle 4.4, Daubert 4.0, Saier 3.8 (last good year), Hank Gowdy (Boston) 3.7.
Pitchers: Alexander 12.2 (in the first of three straight 30-win seasons), Jeff Tesreau (New York) 8.4, Toney 7.2 (first big year, best year), Pfeffer 6.4, Rudolph and Al Mamaux (Pittsburgh) 5.6, Mayer 5.5, Hughes 5.2 (best season), Jimmy Lavender (Chicago) 4.8, Pat Ragan (Boston) 4.6.
WAR, position players: Cravath 7.1, Groh 5.7, Wagner and Luderus 5.6, Hinchman and Herzog 5.0, Magee and Doyle 4.8, Smith, Saier and Bancroft 4.2. Pitchers: Alexander 9.8, Toney 6.6, Mamaux 5.4, Pfeffer 5.0, Tesreau 4.6, Hughes 4.1, Ragan 3.8, Mayer 3.4, Lavender 3.3, Doak 3.1.
The top award winners are Gavy Cravath and Pete Alexander, both for a Phillies team that won its only pennant ever until 1980.
Best player would go Cravath #1, Larry Doyle #2, Fred Luderus #3, Heinie Groh #4, Bill Hinchman #5.
Best pitchers are Alexander way ahead at #1 (31-10, 1.22), with Toney (1.58 ERA) #2, Al Mamaux #3, Dick Rudolph #4, Erskine Mayer #5.
Best rookie was Dave Bancroft, batting .254 in 153 games for the Phillies as a shortstop.
Best manager was Pat Moran, completing a clean sweep of awards for the Phillies.
Statistical leaders: Larry Doyle won the batting title for the last-place Giants at .320 with Philly's Fred Luderus second at .315. Gavy Cravath led the percentage categories of on-base, slugging, and OPS. Cravath also led in runs (89), total bases, home runs, (24), RBI (115), and walks. Philadelphia had a great hitter's park, but that's still a strong performance. Doyle led the league with 40 doubles, Tom Long with 25 triples, and Max Carey with 36 steals.
Pete Alexander had 31 wins (Dick Rudolph was second with 22), 241 strikeouts (Jeff Tesreau was second with 176) and a 1.22 ERA (Fred Toney was second at 1.58). It is safe to say Alexander was dominating.
1915 NL Win Shares:
Players; Gavy Cravath (Philadclphia) 35, Larry Doyle (New York) 33, Jake Daubert (Brooklyn) 27, Sherry Magee (Boston) and Fred Luderus (Philadelphia) 26, Heinie Groh (Cincinnati) 25, Red Smith (Boston), Zack Wheat (Brooklyn), Vic Saier (Chicago), George Burns (New York), Bill Hinchman (Pittsburgh) and Frank Snyder (St. Louis) 24 each.
Pitchers; Pete Alexander (Philadelphia) 43, Jeff Pfeffer (Brooklyn) 26, Dick Rudolph (Boston) and Erskine Mayer (Philadelphia) 24, Fred Toney (Cincinnati) 23, Tom Hughes (Boston) 22.
WARP3: Cravath 8.0, Honus Wagner (Pittsburgh) 6.6, Snyder 6.1 (best season), Groh 5.9, Luderus 5.5, Hinchman 5.3 (best season in return to big leagues), Magee 4.7, Doyle 4.4, Daubert 4.0, Saier 3.8 (last good year), Hank Gowdy (Boston) 3.7.
Pitchers: Alexander 12.2 (in the first of three straight 30-win seasons), Jeff Tesreau (New York) 8.4, Toney 7.2 (first big year, best year), Pfeffer 6.4, Rudolph and Al Mamaux (Pittsburgh) 5.6, Mayer 5.5, Hughes 5.2 (best season), Jimmy Lavender (Chicago) 4.8, Pat Ragan (Boston) 4.6.
WAR, position players: Cravath 7.1, Groh 5.7, Wagner and Luderus 5.6, Hinchman and Herzog 5.0, Magee and Doyle 4.8, Smith, Saier and Bancroft 4.2. Pitchers: Alexander 9.8, Toney 6.6, Mamaux 5.4, Pfeffer 5.0, Tesreau 4.6, Hughes 4.1, Ragan 3.8, Mayer 3.4, Lavender 3.3, Doak 3.1.
The top award winners are Gavy Cravath and Pete Alexander, both for a Phillies team that won its only pennant ever until 1980.
Best player would go Cravath #1, Larry Doyle #2, Fred Luderus #3, Heinie Groh #4, Bill Hinchman #5.
Best pitchers are Alexander way ahead at #1 (31-10, 1.22), with Toney (1.58 ERA) #2, Al Mamaux #3, Dick Rudolph #4, Erskine Mayer #5.
Best rookie was Dave Bancroft, batting .254 in 153 games for the Phillies as a shortstop.
Best manager was Pat Moran, completing a clean sweep of awards for the Phillies.
1915 Federal League
The last year of the Federal League resulted in a terrific pennant race, as Chicago, St. Louis and Pittsburgh battled down to the final day. The Indianapolis franchise shifted to Newark, but star Benny Kauff moved to Brooklyn. A few more stars defected, notably 1B Ed Konetchy and P Eddie Plank and Chief Bender. The Feds were really a pretty good AAA league, not a true major league. There aren't really any examples of major league stars in mid-career switching over to the Feds. Some were on the tail end (like Plank) or got a start (like Flack) but it wasn't like the Cobbs and Speakers and Collinses played in the FL. This was also the last league outside the American and National recognized as a major league.
Statistical Leaders: Benny Kauff won another batting title and led the percentage categories, with a .342 average and 955 OPS. Babe Borton led with 97 runs, Jack Tobin with 184 hits, Steve Evans with 34 doubles, Les Mann with 19 triples, Hal Chase with 17 home runs, and Dutch Zwilling with 94 RBI. Kauff led with 55 steals. George McConnell led pitchers with 25 wins, Dave Davenport with 229 strikeouts, and Earl Moseley with a 1.91 ERA.
These Win Shares just handed to me:
Players; Benny Kauff (Brooklyn) 34, Dutch Zwilling (Chicago) 30, Ed Konetchy (Pittsburgh) 27, Max Flack (Chicago) 26, Bill Rariden (Newark) 25, Claude Cooper (Brooklyn), Hal Chase and Baldy Louden (Buffalo) and Jack Tobin (St. Louis) 23 each.
Pitchers; Dave Davenport (St.Louis) 34, Doc Crandall and Eddie Plank (St. Louis) 29, George McConnell (Chicago) and Nick Cullop (Kansas City) 25, Frank Allen (Pittsburgh) 24.
WARP3: Kauff 6.2, Rariden 4.4, Konetchy 3.7, Zwilling 3.6, Cooper 3.1 (career year).
Pitchers, Plank 6.1, Davenport 5.1 (career year), Crandall 4.1, Ed Reulbach (Newark) 3.8, Fred Anderson (Buffalo) 3.7.
WAR leaders, position players: Kauff 9.6, Konetchy 7.5, Zwilling 6.9, Cooper 6.0, Miller 5.8, Tobin 5.7, Mowrey and Flack 5.6, Mann 5.3, Esmond 5.1. Pitchers: Davenport 9.0, Plank 6.7, Allen 5.4, Anderson, Moseley, and Reulbach 4.8, Crandall 4.6, Cullop 4.3.
Best player: Benny Kauff. He was a decent major leaguer until he went down in the gambling scandals of the 1910s-1920s. #2 Ed Konetchy, #3 Bill Rariden, #4 Dutch Zwilling, #5 Max Flack.
Best pitcher; Eddie Plank. The old pro showed 'em how it was done. #2 Dave Davenport, #3 Doc Crandall, #4 Nick Cullop, #5 George McConnell.
Statistical Leaders: Benny Kauff won another batting title and led the percentage categories, with a .342 average and 955 OPS. Babe Borton led with 97 runs, Jack Tobin with 184 hits, Steve Evans with 34 doubles, Les Mann with 19 triples, Hal Chase with 17 home runs, and Dutch Zwilling with 94 RBI. Kauff led with 55 steals. George McConnell led pitchers with 25 wins, Dave Davenport with 229 strikeouts, and Earl Moseley with a 1.91 ERA.
These Win Shares just handed to me:
Players; Benny Kauff (Brooklyn) 34, Dutch Zwilling (Chicago) 30, Ed Konetchy (Pittsburgh) 27, Max Flack (Chicago) 26, Bill Rariden (Newark) 25, Claude Cooper (Brooklyn), Hal Chase and Baldy Louden (Buffalo) and Jack Tobin (St. Louis) 23 each.
Pitchers; Dave Davenport (St.Louis) 34, Doc Crandall and Eddie Plank (St. Louis) 29, George McConnell (Chicago) and Nick Cullop (Kansas City) 25, Frank Allen (Pittsburgh) 24.
WARP3: Kauff 6.2, Rariden 4.4, Konetchy 3.7, Zwilling 3.6, Cooper 3.1 (career year).
Pitchers, Plank 6.1, Davenport 5.1 (career year), Crandall 4.1, Ed Reulbach (Newark) 3.8, Fred Anderson (Buffalo) 3.7.
WAR leaders, position players: Kauff 9.6, Konetchy 7.5, Zwilling 6.9, Cooper 6.0, Miller 5.8, Tobin 5.7, Mowrey and Flack 5.6, Mann 5.3, Esmond 5.1. Pitchers: Davenport 9.0, Plank 6.7, Allen 5.4, Anderson, Moseley, and Reulbach 4.8, Crandall 4.6, Cullop 4.3.
Best player: Benny Kauff. He was a decent major leaguer until he went down in the gambling scandals of the 1910s-1920s. #2 Ed Konetchy, #3 Bill Rariden, #4 Dutch Zwilling, #5 Max Flack.
Best pitcher; Eddie Plank. The old pro showed 'em how it was done. #2 Dave Davenport, #3 Doc Crandall, #4 Nick Cullop, #5 George McConnell.
1915 American League
Faced with spiraling salaries, the erstwhile pennant winners gutted the roster and fell to the league's basement. Sounds like a contemporary headline, but it happened to Connie Mack's A's when faced with the Federal League competition. Mack lost ace pitchers Eddie Plank and Chief Bender to the Feds, and third baseman Frank Baker was out for the year due to his wife's death, so Mack sent 2B Eddie Collins to Chicago to raise funds. Even without his star and veteran pitchers Mack hoped to contend, but SS Jack Barry tanked, veteran Nap Lajoie was no replacement for Collins, and Baker's absence ripped a hole in the infield that could not be patched over. It would take Mack years to rebuild. This edition lost 109 games.
Boston and Detroit stepped into the gap, the Red Sox beating out the Tigers for the pennant by 1.5 games, with Chicago a solid third. Washington finished 4th, riding Walter Johnson as usual. New York, St. Louis, and Cleveland were in the second division. The Red Sox then won the World Series over the Phillies.
Statistical leaders: Ty Cobb ran away with the batting title, hitting .369. Eddie Collins was second at .332. Cobb also led in on-base average and OPS, as well as runs (144), hits (208), and steals with a career-high 96. That was the 20th century record until Lou Brock exceeded it in 1974. Cobb's teammates Bobby Veach led in doubles with 40, Sam Crawford in triples with 19, and the two tied for the RBI lead at 112. Cobb had a big lead in runs created.
Walter Johnson led the way with 27 wins and 203 strikeouts, while Smokey Joe Wood posted a 1.49 ERA to edge Johnson's 1.55. Ernie Shore came in at 1.64. Hooks Dauss, Jim Scott, and Red Faber each won 24 games.
Here's who Shared in the Wins:
Players: Ty Cobb (Detroit) 48, Eddie Collins (Chicago) 40, Tris Speaker (Boston) 36, Bobby Veach (Detroit) 30, Jack Fournier (Chicago) and Sam Crawford (Detroit) 28, Duffy Lewis (Boston) and Burt Shotton (St. Louis) 24, Ossie Vitt (Detroit) 23, Eddie Foster and Clyde Milan (Washington) 22.
Pitchers; Walter Johnson (Washington) 42, Rube Foster (Boston) and Hooks Dauss (Detroit) 25, Harry Coveleski (Detroit) and Ray Caldwell (New York) 24, Babe Ruth (Boston) and Jim Scott (Chicago) 23, Ernie Shore (Boston) and Bert Gallia (Washington) 22.
WARP3: Collins 10.9, Cobb 9.8, Speaker 7.6, Fournier 6.6, Veach (first big season) and Vitt (peak year) 5.6, Crawford 4.8 (last big year), Donie Bush (Detroit) 4.7, Ray Schalk (Chicago) 4.2, Buck Weaver (Chicago) and Del Pratt (St. Louis) 3.9.
Pitchers, Johnson 11.5, Guy Morton (Cleveland) 7.9, Carl Weilman (St. Louis) 6.3, Caldwell and Joe Wood (Boston) 6.2, Dauss and Ray Fisher (New York) 5.3, Scott 4.9, Foster 4.8 (best year), Ruth (first full year), Gallia (best year) and John Wyckoff (Philadelphia) 4.2, Shore 4.0.
WAR, position players: Cobb 10.5, Collins 9.8, Speaker 7.0, Fournier 6.3, Veach 5.3, Shotton 5.0, Vitt 4.7, Pratt and Crawford 4.6, Chapman 4.4. Pitchers: Johnson 9.5, Morton 5.8, Scott 5.7, Dauss and Wood 4.9, Benz and Shore 4.7, Fisher 4.6, Ayers and Gallia 4.4.
Best player: Ty Cobb, for a Detroit team that came up just short of a pennant. Cobb led the league in average, runs, hits, total bases, and steals. Collins was a solid second. He played his usual excellent defense in Chicago, was 2nd in batting and first in walks. Speaker third for the pennant winners, followed by Veach and Fournier.
Best pitcher: Walter Johnson led in wins and strikeouts, 2nd in ERA. The rest are far behind, but Jim Scott would be #2, followed by Harry Coveleski, Hooks Dauss, and Guy Morton.
Best rookie: George Sisler batted .285 in 81 games.
Best manager: Bill Carrigan guided Boston to their pennant and World Series wins.
Boston and Detroit stepped into the gap, the Red Sox beating out the Tigers for the pennant by 1.5 games, with Chicago a solid third. Washington finished 4th, riding Walter Johnson as usual. New York, St. Louis, and Cleveland were in the second division. The Red Sox then won the World Series over the Phillies.
Statistical leaders: Ty Cobb ran away with the batting title, hitting .369. Eddie Collins was second at .332. Cobb also led in on-base average and OPS, as well as runs (144), hits (208), and steals with a career-high 96. That was the 20th century record until Lou Brock exceeded it in 1974. Cobb's teammates Bobby Veach led in doubles with 40, Sam Crawford in triples with 19, and the two tied for the RBI lead at 112. Cobb had a big lead in runs created.
Walter Johnson led the way with 27 wins and 203 strikeouts, while Smokey Joe Wood posted a 1.49 ERA to edge Johnson's 1.55. Ernie Shore came in at 1.64. Hooks Dauss, Jim Scott, and Red Faber each won 24 games.
Here's who Shared in the Wins:
Players: Ty Cobb (Detroit) 48, Eddie Collins (Chicago) 40, Tris Speaker (Boston) 36, Bobby Veach (Detroit) 30, Jack Fournier (Chicago) and Sam Crawford (Detroit) 28, Duffy Lewis (Boston) and Burt Shotton (St. Louis) 24, Ossie Vitt (Detroit) 23, Eddie Foster and Clyde Milan (Washington) 22.
Pitchers; Walter Johnson (Washington) 42, Rube Foster (Boston) and Hooks Dauss (Detroit) 25, Harry Coveleski (Detroit) and Ray Caldwell (New York) 24, Babe Ruth (Boston) and Jim Scott (Chicago) 23, Ernie Shore (Boston) and Bert Gallia (Washington) 22.
WARP3: Collins 10.9, Cobb 9.8, Speaker 7.6, Fournier 6.6, Veach (first big season) and Vitt (peak year) 5.6, Crawford 4.8 (last big year), Donie Bush (Detroit) 4.7, Ray Schalk (Chicago) 4.2, Buck Weaver (Chicago) and Del Pratt (St. Louis) 3.9.
Pitchers, Johnson 11.5, Guy Morton (Cleveland) 7.9, Carl Weilman (St. Louis) 6.3, Caldwell and Joe Wood (Boston) 6.2, Dauss and Ray Fisher (New York) 5.3, Scott 4.9, Foster 4.8 (best year), Ruth (first full year), Gallia (best year) and John Wyckoff (Philadelphia) 4.2, Shore 4.0.
WAR, position players: Cobb 10.5, Collins 9.8, Speaker 7.0, Fournier 6.3, Veach 5.3, Shotton 5.0, Vitt 4.7, Pratt and Crawford 4.6, Chapman 4.4. Pitchers: Johnson 9.5, Morton 5.8, Scott 5.7, Dauss and Wood 4.9, Benz and Shore 4.7, Fisher 4.6, Ayers and Gallia 4.4.
Best player: Ty Cobb, for a Detroit team that came up just short of a pennant. Cobb led the league in average, runs, hits, total bases, and steals. Collins was a solid second. He played his usual excellent defense in Chicago, was 2nd in batting and first in walks. Speaker third for the pennant winners, followed by Veach and Fournier.
Best pitcher: Walter Johnson led in wins and strikeouts, 2nd in ERA. The rest are far behind, but Jim Scott would be #2, followed by Harry Coveleski, Hooks Dauss, and Guy Morton.
Best rookie: George Sisler batted .285 in 81 games.
Best manager: Bill Carrigan guided Boston to their pennant and World Series wins.
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