16 September 2007

1922 National League

The New York Giants again outlasted their pursuers, which included Cincinnati, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, and Chicago in a pretty good race. Brooklyn was just under .500 with Philadelphia and Boston were at the bottom. The Giants then won another World Series over the Yankees.

Rogers Hornsby dominated the league's stat leader boards. He won the Triple Crown quite easily, and led in slugging percentage by 150 points over second-place Ray Grimes. Hornsby also led in runs, hits, and doubles. About the only key categories Hornsby didn't take were triples, led by Jake Daubert with 22, and steals, led by Max Carey with 51. For an idea of Hornsby's domination, he led the league with 202 Runs Created, and the next guy on the list was Carey with 127. Hornsby nearly lapped the field.

Eppa Rixey led pitchers with 25 wins, followed by Wilbur Cooper at 23 and Dutch Ruether with 21. Phil Douglas led with a 2.63 ERA. Rosy Ryan was a distant second at 3.01 and Pete Donohue third with 3.12. Dazzy Vance topped the loop with 134 strikeouts. Cooper was second with 129.

Win Shares leaders, players; Rogers Hornsby (St. Louis) 47, Ray Grimes (Chicago) and Max Carey (Pittsburgh) 29, Zack Wheat (Brooklyn) and Dave Bancroft (New York) 27, Bob O'Farrell (Chicago) 26, Charlie Hollocher (Chicago) and Jake Daubert (Cincinnati) 24.

WS leaders, pitchers; Wilbur Cooper (Pittsburgh) 27, Eppa Rixey (Cincinnati) 23, Art Nehf (New York), Johnny Morrison (Pittsburgh) and Jeff Pfeffer (St. Louis) 21, Dutch Ruether (Brooklyn) 20.

WARP3: Hornsby 9.5, Bancroft 6.0, O'Farrell 5.3 (best year), Grimes 5.0 (best year, last good year), Frankie Frisch (St. Louis) 4.9, Hollocher 4.7 (best year, last good year), Babe Pinelli (Cincinnati) 4.2, Ross Youngs (New York) 3.8, Rabbit Maranville (Pittsburgh) 3.6, Carey 3.5.

Pitchers, Cooper 6.1 (best year), Ruether 5.1, Pfeffer (last good year) and Lee Meadows (Philadelphia) 5.0, Morrison 4.2 (best year), Pete Alexander (Chicago) 3.6, Babe Adams (Pittsburgh) and Dazzy Vance (Brooklyn) 3.5.

WAR leaders, position players: Hornsby 11.0, Bancroft 7.2, Grimes 6.3, Carey 6.0, Hollocher 5.5, Frisch 5.1, Bigbee, Kelly, and Wheat 4.9, Daubert, O'Farrell, and Youngs 4.8. Pitchers: Cooper 6.0, Morrison 5.4, Ruether 4.6, Alexander 4.4, Rixey 3.9, Meadows and Pfeffer 3.8, Douglas 3.6, Aldridge and Nehf 3.5.

Actual award voting: the AL began MVP voting again in 1922, but the NL didn't start until 1924.

Best player: Rogers Hornsby had one of the all-time great seasons, batting .401 with 42 homers and 152 RBI, easily winning the triple crown. The closest race was RBI, with Irish Meusel 20 behind him. Ray Grimes #2, Bob O'Farrell #3, Max Carey #4, and Dave Bancroft #5.

Best pitcher: Wilbur Cooper was 2nd in wins and strikeouts, 4th in ERA, and the best all-around at 23-14, 3.18. Eppa Rixey #2 at 25-13, 3.53. Pete Donohue at #3, with Dutch Ruether #4 and Johnny Morrison #5.

Best rookie: Andy High, .283 for Brooklyn.

Best manager: John McGraw again. Hard to ignore a World Championship.

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