Philadelphia won the pennant and then the World Series again, with a 101-50 regular season record. Detroit was second, while Cleveland, Boston, Chicago, New York, and Washington were around .500, and St. Louis lost 107 games again to finish last. The A's were best in the league in both offense and pitching/defense, while Detroit had hitting but not so much pitching.
On to the numbers:
Statistical leaders: With some rule changes, it was a breakout year for offense. Ty Cobb (.420) and Joe Jackson (.408) each topped .400, followed by Sam Crawford at .378. Jackson led in on-base, Cobb in slugging and OPS. Cobb also led with 147 runs, 248 hits, 47 doubles, 24 triples, 127 RBI, and 83 steals. Home Run Baker had 11 home runs. Jackson and Donie Bush tied for second in runs with 126. Crawford and Baker tied for second in RBI with 115.
Jack Coombs again led pitchers in wins, this time with 28, while Ed Walsh had 27 and Walter Johnson had 25. Vean Gregg led with a 1.80 ERA, followed by Johnson at 1.90 and then Joe Wood at 2.02. Walsh led in strikeouts with 255, then came Wood at 231 and Johnson at 207. Walsh led with 369 innings, then came Coombs at 337 and Johnson at 322.
Win Shares leaders---
Players; Ty Cobb (Detroit) 47, Joe Jackson (Cleveland) 39, Frank Baker and Eddie Collins (Philadelphia) 35, Sam Crawford (Detroit) 32, Tris Speaker (Boston) and Clyde Milan (Washington) 27, Birdie Cree (New York) and Danny Murphy (Philadelphia) 25.
Pitchers; Ed Walsh (Chicago) and Walter Johnson (Washington) 31, Vean Gregg (Cleveland) and Russ Ford (New York) 28, Joe Wood (Boston) 26, Ray Caldwell (New York) and Jack Coombs (Philadelphia) 23.
WARP3 leaders: Cobb 9.4, Jackson 7.6 (first full season), Collins 7.3, Baker 6.7, Speaker and Cree (career year) 4.3, Milan 3.5 (best year), Germany Schaefer (Washington), Matty McIntyre (Chicago), and Bris Lord (Philadeliphia) 3.4, Crawford, Ira Thomas (Philadelphia), Jim Delahanty (Detroit), and Jimmy Austin (St. Louis) 3.2.
For pitchers, Walsh 9.0 (last great year), Johnson 8.8, Gregg 8.0 (rookie, best year), Wood 7.2, Ford 5.8, Eddie Plank (Philadelphia) and George Mullin (Detroit) 5.5, Caldwell 5.0, Chief Bender (Philadelphia) 4.7, Larry Pope (Boston) 4.1, Ray Collins (Boston) 3.8.
WAR, players: Cobb 11.6, Jackson 9.9, Collins 7.4, Baker 7.0, Crawford 6.4, Speaker 6.3, Cree 6.2, Milan 5.5, McIntyre, Hooper, and Murphy 4.6.
Pitchers: Walsh 8.2, Gregg 7.8, Johnson 7.2, Plank 6.1, Bender and Ford 5.8, Mullin and Wood 4.7, Caldwell 4.6, Scott 4.2.
This was also the first year for "official" balloting for a league award, in this case the league MVPs. There were 8 voters, one for each league city. Here are the results, from baseball-reference.com:
Place Name Team 1st-place votes Total points.
1 Ty Cobb DET 8 64
2 Ed Walsh CHW 0 35
3 Eddie Collins PHA 0 32
4 Joe Jackson CLE 0 28
5 Walter Johnson WSH 0 19
6 Birdie Cree NYY 0 16
6 Tris Speaker BOS 0 16
8 Ira Thomas PHA 0 12
9 Clyde Milan WSH 0 10
10 Vean Gregg CLE 0 9
11 Frank Baker PHA 0 8
12 Jack Coombs PHA 0 6
13 Nap Lajoie CLE 0 5
14 Donie Bush DET 0 4
14 Sam Crawford DET 0 4
14 John Knight NYY 0 4
14 Bris Lord PHA 0 4
18 Jack Barry PHA 0 3
18 Russ Ford NYY 0 3
20 Jimmy Austin SLB 0 2
20 Frank LaPorte SLB 0 2
22 George McBride WSH 0 1
22 Stuffy McInnis PHA 0 1
In case you wanted to know what the contemporary voters thought.
Best player: I agree with the contemporary voters, Ty Cobb was the best in the league. Joe Jackson was great, but Cobb was better. Cobb led in OPS, runs, hits, doubles, triples, RBI, and steals. Jackson #2, Collins #3, Baker (home run leader) #4, Sam Crawford #5.
Best pitcher: Interestingly, the 1911 voters favored Ed Walsh, 2nd in wins and 6th in ERA, over other pitchers, placing him 2nd in the MVP voting. I agree, Big Ed was the top pitcher. Walter #2, Gregg #3, Wood #4, Russ Ford #5.
Best Rookie: Vean Gregg, leader in ERA and WHIP.
Best manager: Has to be A's skipper Connie Mack.
07 July 2007
1910 National League
Chicago got catcher Johnny Kling back and roared to another pennant, winning 104 games. They lost the World Series to Philadelphia, though. New York and Pittsburgh were the other good teams again, with Philadelphia and Cincinnati around .500. Brooklyn, St. Louis, and Boston trailed. The Cubs had their best offense in years, topping the league in runs per game as well as their usual fielding dominance, but were an old team that would soon need rebuilt.
Statistical leaders: Sherry Magee batted .331 to beat out Vin Campbell's .326 and Solly Hofman's .325. Magee also led in on-base, slugging, total bases, runs (110), and RBI (123 to Mike Mitchell's 88). Bobby Byrne led in doubles with 43, Mitchell in triples with 18, and Bob Bescher in steals with 70. Byrne and Honus Wagner tied for the hits lead with 178.
Christy Mathewson led the way with 27 wins to Mordecai Brown's 25, while King Cole led with a 1.80 ERA to edge Brown's 1.86 and Mathewson's 1.89. Earl Moore had 185 strikeouts to edge Matty by one. Nap Rucker pitched 320 innings, Mathewson 318.
Win Shares leaderboard:
Players; Sherry Magee (Philadelphia) 36, Solly Hofman (Chicago) 31, Honus Wagner (Pittsburgh) 30, Bobby Byrne (Pittsburgh) and Ed Konetchy (St. Louis) 27, Wildfire Schulte (Chicago) 26, Larry Doyle (New York) 25, Dode Paskert (Cincinnati) and Johnny Bates (Philadelphia) 24.
Pitchers; Christy Mathewson (New York) 30, Mordecai Brown (Chicago) 29, King Cole (Chicago) 25, Nap Rucker (Brooklyn) 23, Earl Moore (Philadelphia) and Babe Adams (Pittsburgh) 21.
WARP3 leaderboard: Wagner 6.6 (an off-year for him), Magee 6.1, Konetchy 6.0 (best year), Hofman 5.4, George Gibson (Pittsburgh) 4.7, Schulte 4.4, Bates 4.3, Fred Snodgrass (New York) 4.2, Byrne and Mike Mowrey (St. Louis) 4.1, Paskert 4.0 (best year), Joe Tinker (Chicago) 3.9.
For the pitchers, Mathewson 9.2, Rucker 6.7, Moore 6.3, George Suggs (Cincinnati) 6.1, Brown 5.7, Cy Barger (Brooklyn) 5.4, Harry Gaspar (Cincinnati) 4.9, Cole 4.8 (rookie, best year), Mordecai Brown (Chicago) 4.7, Louis Drucke (New York) 4.6, Doc Scanlan (Brooklyn) and Al Mattern (Boston) 4.4.
WAR leaders, players: Magee 8.8, Wagner 7.3, Hofman 6.7, Byrne and Konetchy 6.3, Snodgrass 6.1, Paskert 5.8, Bates 5.7, Doyle 5.5.
Pitchers: Mathewson 7.2, Rucker 6.2, Cole 5.9, Moore 5.6, Brown 5.4, Suggs 4.4, Drucke 4.3, Barger, McQuilan, and Scanlan 4.3.
Best Player: Sherry Magee by default. He was the best hitter, though a butcher afield. Magee led in RBI by a margin of 35, and that's quite impressive. I'd like to pick a Cub, but again no one stands out from the rest. They had a team effort all the way, as usual. Honus Wagner fell out seriously but was still #2. Ed Konetchy #3, Solly Hofman #4, Fred Snodgrass #5.
Best Pitcher: Christy Mathewson. Christy is always a safe pick, in 1910 he led in wins, 2nd in strikeouts, 3rd in ERA. Mordecai Brown was 2nd in wins, 2nd in ERA, and second on my ballot. Earl Moore, the strikeout leader, #3 with Nap Rucker #4 and King Cole #5.
Rookie of the Year: King Cole. Here's a Cub! The young pitcher was 20-4 with a league-leading 1.80 ERA. He walked 130 against 114 Ks, though. Bad omens for the future.
Best manager: Frank Chance guided this Cub team with a steady hand.
Statistical leaders: Sherry Magee batted .331 to beat out Vin Campbell's .326 and Solly Hofman's .325. Magee also led in on-base, slugging, total bases, runs (110), and RBI (123 to Mike Mitchell's 88). Bobby Byrne led in doubles with 43, Mitchell in triples with 18, and Bob Bescher in steals with 70. Byrne and Honus Wagner tied for the hits lead with 178.
Christy Mathewson led the way with 27 wins to Mordecai Brown's 25, while King Cole led with a 1.80 ERA to edge Brown's 1.86 and Mathewson's 1.89. Earl Moore had 185 strikeouts to edge Matty by one. Nap Rucker pitched 320 innings, Mathewson 318.
Win Shares leaderboard:
Players; Sherry Magee (Philadelphia) 36, Solly Hofman (Chicago) 31, Honus Wagner (Pittsburgh) 30, Bobby Byrne (Pittsburgh) and Ed Konetchy (St. Louis) 27, Wildfire Schulte (Chicago) 26, Larry Doyle (New York) 25, Dode Paskert (Cincinnati) and Johnny Bates (Philadelphia) 24.
Pitchers; Christy Mathewson (New York) 30, Mordecai Brown (Chicago) 29, King Cole (Chicago) 25, Nap Rucker (Brooklyn) 23, Earl Moore (Philadelphia) and Babe Adams (Pittsburgh) 21.
WARP3 leaderboard: Wagner 6.6 (an off-year for him), Magee 6.1, Konetchy 6.0 (best year), Hofman 5.4, George Gibson (Pittsburgh) 4.7, Schulte 4.4, Bates 4.3, Fred Snodgrass (New York) 4.2, Byrne and Mike Mowrey (St. Louis) 4.1, Paskert 4.0 (best year), Joe Tinker (Chicago) 3.9.
For the pitchers, Mathewson 9.2, Rucker 6.7, Moore 6.3, George Suggs (Cincinnati) 6.1, Brown 5.7, Cy Barger (Brooklyn) 5.4, Harry Gaspar (Cincinnati) 4.9, Cole 4.8 (rookie, best year), Mordecai Brown (Chicago) 4.7, Louis Drucke (New York) 4.6, Doc Scanlan (Brooklyn) and Al Mattern (Boston) 4.4.
WAR leaders, players: Magee 8.8, Wagner 7.3, Hofman 6.7, Byrne and Konetchy 6.3, Snodgrass 6.1, Paskert 5.8, Bates 5.7, Doyle 5.5.
Pitchers: Mathewson 7.2, Rucker 6.2, Cole 5.9, Moore 5.6, Brown 5.4, Suggs 4.4, Drucke 4.3, Barger, McQuilan, and Scanlan 4.3.
Best Player: Sherry Magee by default. He was the best hitter, though a butcher afield. Magee led in RBI by a margin of 35, and that's quite impressive. I'd like to pick a Cub, but again no one stands out from the rest. They had a team effort all the way, as usual. Honus Wagner fell out seriously but was still #2. Ed Konetchy #3, Solly Hofman #4, Fred Snodgrass #5.
Best Pitcher: Christy Mathewson. Christy is always a safe pick, in 1910 he led in wins, 2nd in strikeouts, 3rd in ERA. Mordecai Brown was 2nd in wins, 2nd in ERA, and second on my ballot. Earl Moore, the strikeout leader, #3 with Nap Rucker #4 and King Cole #5.
Rookie of the Year: King Cole. Here's a Cub! The young pitcher was 20-4 with a league-leading 1.80 ERA. He walked 130 against 114 Ks, though. Bad omens for the future.
Best manager: Frank Chance guided this Cub team with a steady hand.
1910 American League
Philadelphia ran away with the 1910 pennant, winning 102 games and piling up a 14.5 game margin over previous three-time winner Detroit. Ty Cobb's teams would never win another pennant. Detroit was a solid third, followed by Boston, Cleveland, Chicago, and Washington, while at the low end of the spectrum St. Louis lost 107 games for last place.
Statistical leaders: Nap Lajoie edged Ty Cobb .384 to .383 for a highly contested batting title. Cobb led in on-base and slugging, with Lajoie second in both categories. Cobb led in runs, Lajoie in hits, doubles and total bases, Sam Crawford in triples and RBI, Eddie Collins with 81 steals. Lajoie edged Cobb in runs created and batting runs.
Jack Coombs had 31 wins and was second with a 1.30 ERA, while Ed Walsh led in that stat with a 1.27. Walter Johnson, the Senators' young flamethrower, led in strikeouts with 313. Johnson pitched 1/3 of an inning more than Walsh, with Coombs close behind. The three were well ahead of anyone else.
The Win Shares leaderboard:
Players; Nap Lajoie (Cleveland) 47, Ty Cobb (Detroit) 45, Eddie Collins (Philadelphia) 39, Tris Speaker (Boston) 34, Frank Baker and Rube Oldring (Philadelphia) 25, Donie Bush (Detroit) and Danny Murphy (Philadelphia) 24, Sam Crawford (Detroit), John Knight (New York) and Clyde Milan (Washington) 23.
Pitchers; Jack Coombs (Philadelphia) 37, Ed Walsh (Chicago) and Walter Johnson (Washington) 36, Russ Ford (New York) 35, Chief Bender (Philadelphia) 26, Cy Morgan (Philadelphia) 20, George Mullin (Detroit) and Jack Quinn (New York) 19.
WARP3 leaders: Cobb 11.1, Lajoie 11.0, Collins 10.1, Speaker 8.2, Baker 6.6, Murphy 6.0, Bush 5.6, Oldring 4.5 (best season), Jake Stahl (Boston) 4.3, Harry Wolter (New York) 4.2, Heinie Wagner (Boston) 4.1, Knight (career year) and Larry Gardner (Boston) 4.0.
Pitchers: Walsh 12.8, Johnson 11.7, Ford 10.6 (rookie, best year), Coombs 10.0 (career year), Bender 6.5 (best year), Quinn 5.5 (first full year), Joe Lake (St. Louis) 4.5, Ray Collins (Boston) 4.4, Hippo Vaughn (New York) 4.1, Doc White (Chicago) and Jack Powell (St. Louis) 3.9.
WAR leaders, players: Cobb 10.8, Collins 10.1, Lajoie 9.8, Speaker 7.9, Bush 5.7, Baker 5.0, Milan 4.7, Oldring 4.5, Murphy 4.4, Barry 4.3.
Pitchers: Coombs 9.2, Johnson 9.1, Ford 9.0, Walsh 8.7, Bender 5.2, Collins 4.6, Vaughn 3.8, Collins 3.6, Quinn 3.2.
Best Player: Eddie Collins from the pennant-winning A's. It was a tremendous season from the old pro Lajoie, and Cobb led in many categories, but Collins led in steals, and was 3rd in hits and RBI, 4th in OPS+, and was incredible afield and he played for the pennant winners. Lajoie #2 and Cobb #3, Tris Speaker #4 and Frank Baker #5.
Best Pitcher: Ed Walsh rated so well because he led the league in ERA despite an 18-20 record, owing to a 6th place team. He was certainly the best in the league, although any writers' vote would not have chosen him. The award would have gone to the second-best pitcher, Jack Coombs of the pennant-winning Athletics in his career-best amazing season, 31-9 with a 1.30 ERA. Walter Johnson was third, Russ Ford fourth, and Chief Bender 5th.
Best Rookie: Russ Ford, 26-5 in by far his best season. He and teammate one-year wonder John Knight helped propel the Highlanders to second place.
Best manager: Connie Mack, constructing his first great team.
Statistical leaders: Nap Lajoie edged Ty Cobb .384 to .383 for a highly contested batting title. Cobb led in on-base and slugging, with Lajoie second in both categories. Cobb led in runs, Lajoie in hits, doubles and total bases, Sam Crawford in triples and RBI, Eddie Collins with 81 steals. Lajoie edged Cobb in runs created and batting runs.
Jack Coombs had 31 wins and was second with a 1.30 ERA, while Ed Walsh led in that stat with a 1.27. Walter Johnson, the Senators' young flamethrower, led in strikeouts with 313. Johnson pitched 1/3 of an inning more than Walsh, with Coombs close behind. The three were well ahead of anyone else.
The Win Shares leaderboard:
Players; Nap Lajoie (Cleveland) 47, Ty Cobb (Detroit) 45, Eddie Collins (Philadelphia) 39, Tris Speaker (Boston) 34, Frank Baker and Rube Oldring (Philadelphia) 25, Donie Bush (Detroit) and Danny Murphy (Philadelphia) 24, Sam Crawford (Detroit), John Knight (New York) and Clyde Milan (Washington) 23.
Pitchers; Jack Coombs (Philadelphia) 37, Ed Walsh (Chicago) and Walter Johnson (Washington) 36, Russ Ford (New York) 35, Chief Bender (Philadelphia) 26, Cy Morgan (Philadelphia) 20, George Mullin (Detroit) and Jack Quinn (New York) 19.
WARP3 leaders: Cobb 11.1, Lajoie 11.0, Collins 10.1, Speaker 8.2, Baker 6.6, Murphy 6.0, Bush 5.6, Oldring 4.5 (best season), Jake Stahl (Boston) 4.3, Harry Wolter (New York) 4.2, Heinie Wagner (Boston) 4.1, Knight (career year) and Larry Gardner (Boston) 4.0.
Pitchers: Walsh 12.8, Johnson 11.7, Ford 10.6 (rookie, best year), Coombs 10.0 (career year), Bender 6.5 (best year), Quinn 5.5 (first full year), Joe Lake (St. Louis) 4.5, Ray Collins (Boston) 4.4, Hippo Vaughn (New York) 4.1, Doc White (Chicago) and Jack Powell (St. Louis) 3.9.
WAR leaders, players: Cobb 10.8, Collins 10.1, Lajoie 9.8, Speaker 7.9, Bush 5.7, Baker 5.0, Milan 4.7, Oldring 4.5, Murphy 4.4, Barry 4.3.
Pitchers: Coombs 9.2, Johnson 9.1, Ford 9.0, Walsh 8.7, Bender 5.2, Collins 4.6, Vaughn 3.8, Collins 3.6, Quinn 3.2.
Best Player: Eddie Collins from the pennant-winning A's. It was a tremendous season from the old pro Lajoie, and Cobb led in many categories, but Collins led in steals, and was 3rd in hits and RBI, 4th in OPS+, and was incredible afield and he played for the pennant winners. Lajoie #2 and Cobb #3, Tris Speaker #4 and Frank Baker #5.
Best Pitcher: Ed Walsh rated so well because he led the league in ERA despite an 18-20 record, owing to a 6th place team. He was certainly the best in the league, although any writers' vote would not have chosen him. The award would have gone to the second-best pitcher, Jack Coombs of the pennant-winning Athletics in his career-best amazing season, 31-9 with a 1.30 ERA. Walter Johnson was third, Russ Ford fourth, and Chief Bender 5th.
Best Rookie: Russ Ford, 26-5 in by far his best season. He and teammate one-year wonder John Knight helped propel the Highlanders to second place.
Best manager: Connie Mack, constructing his first great team.
04 July 2007
1909 National League
The Pirates break the Cubs' stranglehold on the pennant, while Cubs' catcher Johnny Kling takes a year off. The Pirates won 110 games to the Cubs' 104, while New York won 92. Cincinnati was just above .500, Philadelphia just below, and Brooklyn, St. Louis, and Boston brought up the rear. The Pirates and veteran Honus Wagner then beat the Tigers of youngster Ty Cobb in the World Series.
Wagner won the batting title at .339, with Cincinnati's tandem of Mike Mitchell and Dick Hoblitzell were second and third at .310 and .308, and Larry Doyle rounded out the .300 hitters at .302. Tommy Leach led the league in runs at 126, followed by Fred Clarke at 97. Doyle had 172 hits and Eddie Grant 170. Wagner led with 39 doubles, Mitchell with 17 triples. Wagner also led with 100 RBI, followed by Red Murray's 91. Bob Bescher had 54 steals and Murray 48. Wagner led in on-base, slugging, OPS, and runs created.
Mordecai Brown topped the loop with 27 wins, followed by Howie Camnitz and Christy Mathewson with 25 each. Mathewson led with a 1.14 ERA, followed by Brown at 1.31 and Orval Overall at 1.42. Overall led in strikeouts with 205, then came Nap Rucker at 201. Overall had nine shutouts, Brown and Mathewson eight each.
Win Shares, players: Honus Wagner (Pittsburgh) had 42 Win Shares, to teammate Fred Clarke's 31 and Mike Mitchell's 28 for Cincinnati. They were followed by Johnny Evers and Solly Hofman (Chicago) and Larry Doyle (New York) with 27 each, Tommy Leach (Pittsburgh) 26, and Harry Steinfeldt (Chicago) 25. WARP3 leaders: Wagner 10.0 at age 35, Mitchell 6.5 (he was 29 in this, his best year), George Gibson (Pittsburgh) 6.3, Clarke 5.5 at age 36, Hofman 5.2, Ed Konetechy (St. Louis) 5.1, Dots Miller (Pittsburgh) and Dick Hoblitzel (Cincinnati) 4.7, Art Devlin (New York) 4.6, John Titus (Philadelphia) 4.2, Al Bridwell (New York) 4.1.
Pitching is a bit closer. The Win Shares leaders are: Mordecai Brown (Chicago) 36, Christy Mathewson (New York) 34, Orval Overall (Chicago) and Howie Camnitz (Pittsburgh) 30, Earl Moore (Philadelphia) and Vic Willis (Pittsburgh) 24 each, Nap Rucker (Brooklyn) and Hooks Wiltse (New York) 22. WARP3 leaders: Mathewson 11.5, Rucker 8.0, Brown 7.8, Overall 7.4, Art Fromme (Cincinnati) 6.6, Al Mattern (Boston) 5.6, Camnitz (best year), Wiltse and Ed Reulbach (Chicago) 4.9, George Bell (Brooklyn) 4.4.
WAR, position players: Wagner 10.6, Clarke 6.7, Mitchell and Bridwell 6.6, Konetchy 5.7, Miller 5.5, Devlin and Doyle 5.4, Tinker 5.3.
WAR, pitchers: Brown 8.7, Mathewson 8.5, Overall 7.1, Rucker 6.5, Camnitz 6.4, Willis 5.7, Reulbach 5.5, Fromme 5.3, Moore 5.1.
Best Player: Honus Wagner is the clear leader. Led in batting average, on-base, slugging, OPS, total bases, RBI, and OPS+ with 173. Second best was Mike Mitchell of Cincinnati at 152. I would rank Clarke #2 and Mitchell #3 with Larry Doyle #4 and Ed Konetchy #5.
Brown's 27 wins and second-place ERA probably would have won him the vote, and I'll take him too, as though Mathewson was better at rate, Brown pitched quite a few more innings and that counts. Earl Moore wins a Comeback Award, returning to effectiveness after years of struggle. Put Brown #1 with Mathewson #2 and Overall #3, Camnitz #4 and Rucker #5.
For top rookie, Dots Miller batted .279 for Pittsburgh and played a respectable second base for the pennant winners. Zack Wheat batted .304 but played only 26 games.
Top manager to Fred Clarke, guiding the Pirates back into the pennant circle.
Wagner won the batting title at .339, with Cincinnati's tandem of Mike Mitchell and Dick Hoblitzell were second and third at .310 and .308, and Larry Doyle rounded out the .300 hitters at .302. Tommy Leach led the league in runs at 126, followed by Fred Clarke at 97. Doyle had 172 hits and Eddie Grant 170. Wagner led with 39 doubles, Mitchell with 17 triples. Wagner also led with 100 RBI, followed by Red Murray's 91. Bob Bescher had 54 steals and Murray 48. Wagner led in on-base, slugging, OPS, and runs created.
Mordecai Brown topped the loop with 27 wins, followed by Howie Camnitz and Christy Mathewson with 25 each. Mathewson led with a 1.14 ERA, followed by Brown at 1.31 and Orval Overall at 1.42. Overall led in strikeouts with 205, then came Nap Rucker at 201. Overall had nine shutouts, Brown and Mathewson eight each.
Win Shares, players: Honus Wagner (Pittsburgh) had 42 Win Shares, to teammate Fred Clarke's 31 and Mike Mitchell's 28 for Cincinnati. They were followed by Johnny Evers and Solly Hofman (Chicago) and Larry Doyle (New York) with 27 each, Tommy Leach (Pittsburgh) 26, and Harry Steinfeldt (Chicago) 25. WARP3 leaders: Wagner 10.0 at age 35, Mitchell 6.5 (he was 29 in this, his best year), George Gibson (Pittsburgh) 6.3, Clarke 5.5 at age 36, Hofman 5.2, Ed Konetechy (St. Louis) 5.1, Dots Miller (Pittsburgh) and Dick Hoblitzel (Cincinnati) 4.7, Art Devlin (New York) 4.6, John Titus (Philadelphia) 4.2, Al Bridwell (New York) 4.1.
Pitching is a bit closer. The Win Shares leaders are: Mordecai Brown (Chicago) 36, Christy Mathewson (New York) 34, Orval Overall (Chicago) and Howie Camnitz (Pittsburgh) 30, Earl Moore (Philadelphia) and Vic Willis (Pittsburgh) 24 each, Nap Rucker (Brooklyn) and Hooks Wiltse (New York) 22. WARP3 leaders: Mathewson 11.5, Rucker 8.0, Brown 7.8, Overall 7.4, Art Fromme (Cincinnati) 6.6, Al Mattern (Boston) 5.6, Camnitz (best year), Wiltse and Ed Reulbach (Chicago) 4.9, George Bell (Brooklyn) 4.4.
WAR, position players: Wagner 10.6, Clarke 6.7, Mitchell and Bridwell 6.6, Konetchy 5.7, Miller 5.5, Devlin and Doyle 5.4, Tinker 5.3.
WAR, pitchers: Brown 8.7, Mathewson 8.5, Overall 7.1, Rucker 6.5, Camnitz 6.4, Willis 5.7, Reulbach 5.5, Fromme 5.3, Moore 5.1.
Best Player: Honus Wagner is the clear leader. Led in batting average, on-base, slugging, OPS, total bases, RBI, and OPS+ with 173. Second best was Mike Mitchell of Cincinnati at 152. I would rank Clarke #2 and Mitchell #3 with Larry Doyle #4 and Ed Konetchy #5.
Brown's 27 wins and second-place ERA probably would have won him the vote, and I'll take him too, as though Mathewson was better at rate, Brown pitched quite a few more innings and that counts. Earl Moore wins a Comeback Award, returning to effectiveness after years of struggle. Put Brown #1 with Mathewson #2 and Overall #3, Camnitz #4 and Rucker #5.
For top rookie, Dots Miller batted .279 for Pittsburgh and played a respectable second base for the pennant winners. Zack Wheat batted .304 but played only 26 games.
Top manager to Fred Clarke, guiding the Pirates back into the pennant circle.
1909 American League
The Tigers won their third pennant in a row by 3.5 games over Philadelphia. A rebuilt Boston ran a solid third. Boston had the best offense, Philly the best run-prevention crew, but Detroit the best combination. Chicago was a solid fourth, followed by New York, Cleveland, and St. Louis. Washington lost 110 games as the AL laughingstock. The Tigers then lost their third straight World Series as well, although they took this one to seven games.
Ty Cobb led the league with a .377 average, followed by Eddie Collins at .347 and Nap Lajoie at .324. Cobb scored 116 runs and teammate Donie Bush 114. Cobb had 216 hits followed by Collins at 198. Cobb had 107 RBI, followed by teammate Sam Crawford at 97, and Cobb had 76 stolen bases, followed by Collins at 67. Crawford had 35 doubles, while Lajoie and Cobb had 33, and "Home Run" Baker had 19 triples, followed by Crawford and Danny Murphy at 14. Cobb also led in on-base, slugging, OPS, and runs created.
George Mullin led the league with 29 wins, Frank Smith won 25, and Ed Willett won 21 to round out the 20-game winners. Harry Krause's 1.39 ERA edged Ed Walsh at 1.41, with Chief Bender third at 1.66. Smith led in strikeouts at 177, and Walter Johnson had 164. Smith had a big lead with 365 innings, and Mullin was a distant second at 304.
Ty Cobb led in just about every offensive category that means anything, but in Win Shares it was Cobb 44, Collins 43, with Tris Speaker at 34 and Sam Crawford at 32. Other top Win Shares placers were Nap Lajoie of Cleveland, Donie Bush of Detroit, and Frank Baker of Philadelphia, all at 27. Patsy Dougherty of Chicago posted a 25. This influx of young talent, with Collins and Speaker in their first full years and Baker a rookie, would serve to make the AL the dominant league for the next several years, extending through the Babe Ruth Era.
WARP3 leaders for position players: Collins 12.5, Cobb 11.3, Speaker 8.4, Bush 6.8, Crawford 6.4, Lajoie 6.3, Jake Stahl (Boston) 4.6, Freddy Parent (Cleveland) 4.5, Danny Murphy (Philadelphia) 4.4, Harry Davis (Philaelphia) 4.1.
Pitchers are more of a challenge. The Win Shares leaders are Frank Smith (Chicago) 31, George Mullin (Detroit) 28, Ed Walsh (Chicago) 23, Chief Bender and Eddie Plank (Philadelphia) 22, Ed Summers (Detroit) 21, Addie Joss and Cy Young (Cleveland) and Harry Krause (Philadelphia) 20.
Rated by WARP3 they shape up as Smith 8.2, Walsh 7.8, Joss 5.6, Barney Pelty (St. Louis) 4.9, Mullin 4.8, Jack Powell (St. Louis) 4.7, Krause 4.4 (career year), Bender and Jack Warhop (New York) 4.3, Plank and Cy Morgan (Philadelphia) 4.2.
WAR, top position players: Collins 11.1, Cobb 10.8, Bush 7.4, Speaker 7.1, Lajoie and Speaker 6.7, Crawford 6.4, Parent 5.4, Lord 4.8.
WAR, top pitchers: Morgan 6.0, Smith 5.3, Walsh 5.1, Krause 5.0, Bender and Plank 4.5, Joss 4.3, Mullin 4.2.
Top player: Ty Cobb, as much as I would like to choose Collins. Cobb led the league in so many categories while playing for the pennant winners, it is impossible to choose anyone else. Make Collins #2, Speaker #3, Lajoie #4, and Crawford #5.
I'll go for Frank Smith as the top pitcher. He led in strikeouts, also games, starts and complete games, and was second in wins. Walsh gets my #2 vote, with Mullin #3, Joss #4 and Plank #5.
Harry Krause was the top rookie, going 18-8 and leading the league with a 1.39 ERA after pitching in 4 games the year before. Bush and Baker would be #2 and #3 in a strong year for rookies.
Top manager: Hughie Jennings, holding Detroit together for another pennant.
Ty Cobb led the league with a .377 average, followed by Eddie Collins at .347 and Nap Lajoie at .324. Cobb scored 116 runs and teammate Donie Bush 114. Cobb had 216 hits followed by Collins at 198. Cobb had 107 RBI, followed by teammate Sam Crawford at 97, and Cobb had 76 stolen bases, followed by Collins at 67. Crawford had 35 doubles, while Lajoie and Cobb had 33, and "Home Run" Baker had 19 triples, followed by Crawford and Danny Murphy at 14. Cobb also led in on-base, slugging, OPS, and runs created.
George Mullin led the league with 29 wins, Frank Smith won 25, and Ed Willett won 21 to round out the 20-game winners. Harry Krause's 1.39 ERA edged Ed Walsh at 1.41, with Chief Bender third at 1.66. Smith led in strikeouts at 177, and Walter Johnson had 164. Smith had a big lead with 365 innings, and Mullin was a distant second at 304.
Ty Cobb led in just about every offensive category that means anything, but in Win Shares it was Cobb 44, Collins 43, with Tris Speaker at 34 and Sam Crawford at 32. Other top Win Shares placers were Nap Lajoie of Cleveland, Donie Bush of Detroit, and Frank Baker of Philadelphia, all at 27. Patsy Dougherty of Chicago posted a 25. This influx of young talent, with Collins and Speaker in their first full years and Baker a rookie, would serve to make the AL the dominant league for the next several years, extending through the Babe Ruth Era.
WARP3 leaders for position players: Collins 12.5, Cobb 11.3, Speaker 8.4, Bush 6.8, Crawford 6.4, Lajoie 6.3, Jake Stahl (Boston) 4.6, Freddy Parent (Cleveland) 4.5, Danny Murphy (Philadelphia) 4.4, Harry Davis (Philaelphia) 4.1.
Pitchers are more of a challenge. The Win Shares leaders are Frank Smith (Chicago) 31, George Mullin (Detroit) 28, Ed Walsh (Chicago) 23, Chief Bender and Eddie Plank (Philadelphia) 22, Ed Summers (Detroit) 21, Addie Joss and Cy Young (Cleveland) and Harry Krause (Philadelphia) 20.
Rated by WARP3 they shape up as Smith 8.2, Walsh 7.8, Joss 5.6, Barney Pelty (St. Louis) 4.9, Mullin 4.8, Jack Powell (St. Louis) 4.7, Krause 4.4 (career year), Bender and Jack Warhop (New York) 4.3, Plank and Cy Morgan (Philadelphia) 4.2.
WAR, top position players: Collins 11.1, Cobb 10.8, Bush 7.4, Speaker 7.1, Lajoie and Speaker 6.7, Crawford 6.4, Parent 5.4, Lord 4.8.
WAR, top pitchers: Morgan 6.0, Smith 5.3, Walsh 5.1, Krause 5.0, Bender and Plank 4.5, Joss 4.3, Mullin 4.2.
Top player: Ty Cobb, as much as I would like to choose Collins. Cobb led the league in so many categories while playing for the pennant winners, it is impossible to choose anyone else. Make Collins #2, Speaker #3, Lajoie #4, and Crawford #5.
I'll go for Frank Smith as the top pitcher. He led in strikeouts, also games, starts and complete games, and was second in wins. Walsh gets my #2 vote, with Mullin #3, Joss #4 and Plank #5.
Harry Krause was the top rookie, going 18-8 and leading the league with a 1.39 ERA after pitching in 4 games the year before. Bush and Baker would be #2 and #3 in a strong year for rookies.
Top manager: Hughie Jennings, holding Detroit together for another pennant.
22 June 2007
1908 National League
This was the year of the greatest pennant races of all time. Cait Murphy's excellent book of the same name called it "Crazy '08," and thus it was. The Cubs won their third pennant in a row, beating New York and Pittsburgh by a single game, on the margin of the fabled "Merkle's Boner." Philadelphia was a solid fourth, followed by Cincinnati and Boston, while Brooklyn and St. Louis were both 100-game losers.
Honus Wagner was the statistical leader, in one of the most incredible seasons ever seen. Remember when you look at his numbers that an average NL team of this year scored 3.33 runs per game. Wagner batted .354, ahead of Mike Donlin's .334 and Larry Doyle's .308 in third place. Wagner led in on-base (.415 to Johnny Evers' .408), slugging (.542 to Donlin's .452), and OPS (957 to Donlin's 816). Wagner was second in runs scored, first in hits, first in doubles, triples, and total bases, first in RBI and in stolen bases. Fred Tenney edged him by one in runs scored. Tim Jordan hit two more homers. Wagner's numbers might have been even better if he hadn't missed the first four games because he was holding out. Rarely has a player so dominated a league.
As Wagner was to the hitting, Christy Mathewson was to the pitchers. Mathewson won 37 games, followed by Mordecai Brown at 29. Mathewson had a 1.43 ERA, followed by Brown's 1.47. Mathewson struck out 259 batters, followed by Nap Rucker's 199. Mathewson led with 34 complete games, 11 shutouts, fewest walks per nine innings, and fewest baserunners per nine innings. It was an amazing performance.
Win Shares leaders, players: Honus Wagner (Pittsburgh) 59, Joe Tinker (Chicago) and Hans Lobert (Cincinnati) 32, Mike Donlin (New York) and Tommy Leach (Pittsburgh) 31, Johnny Evers (Chicago) and Fred Clarke (Pittsburgh) 28, Roger Bresnahan (New York) 27, Sherry Magee (Philadelphia) 26, Al Bridwell and Art Devlin (New York) 24.
Pitchers; Christy Mathewson (New York) 39, Three Finger Brown (Chicago) 34, George McQuillan (St. Louis) 33, Ed Reulbach (Chicago) 27, Hooks Wiltse (New York) 25, Nap Rucker and Kaiser Wilhelm (Brooklyn) 23, Bob Ewing (Cincinnati), Nick Maddox and Vic Willis (Pittsburgh) 20.
WARP3 leaders; Wagner 13.8, Donlin 7.5 (last good year), Leach 7.1, Tinker 6.7, Bresnahan 5.9 (last big year), Johnny Kling (Chicago) 5.8, Devlin 5.7, Clarke 5.4, Magee and Evers 5.2, Lobert 4.7. Pitchers, Mathewson 12.2 (best year), Brown 8.9, McQuillan 8.0 (best year), Wiltse 6.4 (best year), Reulbach 5.3 (best year), Rucker and Wilhelm (only good year) 4.9, Bugs Raymond (St. Louis) 4.8.
WAR, position players: Wagner 12.9, Tinker 8.3, Donlin 7.6, Evers 6.7, Bresnahan 6.4, Lobert 6.3, Magee 6.1, Leach 6.0, Clarke and Bridwell 5.7.
WAR, pitchers: Mathewson 10.1, McQuillan 8.2, Brown 7.8, Wiltse 5.6, Rucker 5.0, Reulbach 4.8, Wilhelm 3.8, Raymond 3.5, Coakley and Willis 3.4.
Top player: Honus Wagner with one of the all-time great years. Led in average, on-base, slugging, OPS, hits, doubles, triples, RBI, steals, and had a 205 OPS+ compared to second-place Mike Donlin's 155. #2 spot on my ballot to Joe Tinker, #3 to Donlin, Johnny Evers 4th, and Roger Bresnahan 5th.
Top pitcher: Christy Mathewson was magnificent, winning the pitcher's triple crown leading in wins, ERA and strikeouts. Mordecai Brown was a distinguished second. McQuillan is 3rd, Wiltse 4th and Reulbach 5th.
Top rookie: Buck Herzog batted .300 in 64 games for New York. Chief Wilson, the single-season triples record holder, batted .227 in 529 ABs for Pittsburgh, so he doesn't seem qualified.
Top manager: Frank Chance, for guiding Chicago to its toughest pennant of all.
Honus Wagner was the statistical leader, in one of the most incredible seasons ever seen. Remember when you look at his numbers that an average NL team of this year scored 3.33 runs per game. Wagner batted .354, ahead of Mike Donlin's .334 and Larry Doyle's .308 in third place. Wagner led in on-base (.415 to Johnny Evers' .408), slugging (.542 to Donlin's .452), and OPS (957 to Donlin's 816). Wagner was second in runs scored, first in hits, first in doubles, triples, and total bases, first in RBI and in stolen bases. Fred Tenney edged him by one in runs scored. Tim Jordan hit two more homers. Wagner's numbers might have been even better if he hadn't missed the first four games because he was holding out. Rarely has a player so dominated a league.
As Wagner was to the hitting, Christy Mathewson was to the pitchers. Mathewson won 37 games, followed by Mordecai Brown at 29. Mathewson had a 1.43 ERA, followed by Brown's 1.47. Mathewson struck out 259 batters, followed by Nap Rucker's 199. Mathewson led with 34 complete games, 11 shutouts, fewest walks per nine innings, and fewest baserunners per nine innings. It was an amazing performance.
Win Shares leaders, players: Honus Wagner (Pittsburgh) 59, Joe Tinker (Chicago) and Hans Lobert (Cincinnati) 32, Mike Donlin (New York) and Tommy Leach (Pittsburgh) 31, Johnny Evers (Chicago) and Fred Clarke (Pittsburgh) 28, Roger Bresnahan (New York) 27, Sherry Magee (Philadelphia) 26, Al Bridwell and Art Devlin (New York) 24.
Pitchers; Christy Mathewson (New York) 39, Three Finger Brown (Chicago) 34, George McQuillan (St. Louis) 33, Ed Reulbach (Chicago) 27, Hooks Wiltse (New York) 25, Nap Rucker and Kaiser Wilhelm (Brooklyn) 23, Bob Ewing (Cincinnati), Nick Maddox and Vic Willis (Pittsburgh) 20.
WARP3 leaders; Wagner 13.8, Donlin 7.5 (last good year), Leach 7.1, Tinker 6.7, Bresnahan 5.9 (last big year), Johnny Kling (Chicago) 5.8, Devlin 5.7, Clarke 5.4, Magee and Evers 5.2, Lobert 4.7. Pitchers, Mathewson 12.2 (best year), Brown 8.9, McQuillan 8.0 (best year), Wiltse 6.4 (best year), Reulbach 5.3 (best year), Rucker and Wilhelm (only good year) 4.9, Bugs Raymond (St. Louis) 4.8.
WAR, position players: Wagner 12.9, Tinker 8.3, Donlin 7.6, Evers 6.7, Bresnahan 6.4, Lobert 6.3, Magee 6.1, Leach 6.0, Clarke and Bridwell 5.7.
WAR, pitchers: Mathewson 10.1, McQuillan 8.2, Brown 7.8, Wiltse 5.6, Rucker 5.0, Reulbach 4.8, Wilhelm 3.8, Raymond 3.5, Coakley and Willis 3.4.
Top player: Honus Wagner with one of the all-time great years. Led in average, on-base, slugging, OPS, hits, doubles, triples, RBI, steals, and had a 205 OPS+ compared to second-place Mike Donlin's 155. #2 spot on my ballot to Joe Tinker, #3 to Donlin, Johnny Evers 4th, and Roger Bresnahan 5th.
Top pitcher: Christy Mathewson was magnificent, winning the pitcher's triple crown leading in wins, ERA and strikeouts. Mordecai Brown was a distinguished second. McQuillan is 3rd, Wiltse 4th and Reulbach 5th.
Top rookie: Buck Herzog batted .300 in 64 games for New York. Chief Wilson, the single-season triples record holder, batted .227 in 529 ABs for Pittsburgh, so he doesn't seem qualified.
Top manager: Frank Chance, for guiding Chicago to its toughest pennant of all.
1908 American League
This was one of the great pennant races of all time, with the Tigers, Cleveland and the White Sox going down to the wire. The Tigers beat Cleveland by half a game, a game that would have to be made up under current rules. Chicago was only a game and a half back, and St. Louis was in the money, 6.5 games back. Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington were in the second division. New York lost 103 games, which inspired some league-orchestrated "charity," where several teams sent surplus players to the Highlanders so the New York franchise wouldn't be the league's sad sack. It was especially sad since the Highlanders had been in the race to the last day of 1904, just four years earlier.
Statistical leaders: Ty Cobb won the batting title again at .324, and the only other .300 hitters were his teammate Sam Crawford and Doc Gessler of Boston. Cobb also led in slugging, OPS, hits (188), doubles (36), triples (20), and RBI (108). He was the only 100-RBI man, easily, as second place was Crawford with 80. Dead ball indeed: by some measures, this was the worst year for offense in baseball history. The guys Cobb was driving in finished one-two in runs scored, Matty McIntyre with 105 and Crawford with 102. Crawford led in homers with seven, while Patsy Dougherty led with 47 steals.
Ed Walsh lapped the field with 40 wins, as second place was Addie Joss and Ed Summers with 24 each. Spitballer Walsh was rode hard and put away wet: his 464 innings far outdistanced Joss in second with 325. Joss led with a 1.16 ERA, and Cy Young was second (at age 41) with a 1.26 ERA. Big Ed ran third with a 1.42 mark. Walsh led with 269 strikeouts, Rube Waddell was second at 232.
Win Shares leaders, players: Ty Cobb (Detroit) 36, Matty McIntyre (Detroit) 33, Fielder Jones (Chicago), Nap Lajoie (Cleveland) and Sam Crawford (Detroit) 32, Patsy Dougherty (Chicago) 29, Charlie Hemphill (New York) 28, Doc Gessler (Boston) and George Stone (St. Louis) 26, Claude Rossman and Germany Schaeffer (Detroit) 23.
Pitchers: Ed Walsh (Chicago) 47, Addie Joss (Cleveland) 35, Cy Young (Boston) 27, Bob Rhoads (Cleveland) and Harry Howell (St. Louis) 23, Rube Vickers (Philadelphia) 22, Frank Smith (Chicago), Ed Summers (Detroit) and Rube Waddell (St. Louis) 21.
WARP3 leaders, players: Lajoie 8.0, McIntyre 6.6, Jones 6.4, Cobb 6.0, Gessler 4.9, Crawford 4.2, Hobe Ferris and Bobby Wallace (St. Louis) 3.9, George Stovall (Cleveland) 3.8, Boss Schmidt (Detroit) 3.5.
WARP3 leaders, pitchers: Walsh 10.8, Young 8.0, Joss 6.9, Plank 6.0, Vickers and Walter Johnson (Washington) 4.9, Long Tom Hughes (Washington) 4.1, Rhoads and Bill Donovan (Detroit) 3.6, Doc White (Chicago) 3.5.
WAR position players: Lajoie 7.7, Cobb 6.9, McIntyre 6.6, Wallace 6.1, Crawford 5.7, Jones 5.6, Gessler 5.4, Stone 5.2, Stovall 4.5, Hemphill 4.4.
WAR pitchers: Walsh 9.5, Young 8.2, Joss 7.5, Plank 4.8, Vickers 4.6, Johnson 4.4, Donovan and Powell 4.2, Howell and Rhoads 4.0.
Best Player: Ty Cobb, leader in average, slugging, OPS, hits, doubles, triples, RBI, and OPS+. Other players had good years, including Cobb's teammates Matty McIntyre and Sam Crawford, and Doc Gessler of Boston, but none approached Cobb.
#1 Ty Cobb, #2 Nap Lajoie, #3 Fielder Jones, #4 Matty McIntyre, #5 Sam Crawford.
Best Pitcher: Ed Walsh runs away from all competition: 40 wins when the next best was 24, and leading with 6 saves to boot. Addie Joss, Rube Waddell, and Cy Young had good years, but Walsh was superhuman in 1908.
#1 Ed Walsh, #2 Addie Joss, #3 Cy Young, #4 Rube Vickers, #5 Bob Rhoads.
Best rookie: Ed Summers of Detroit went 24-12 with a 1.64 ERA. Second is Gavy Cravath, .256 with 11 triples in 94 games for Boston. A 136 OPS+.
Top manager: Nap Lajoie, who almost beat the Cobb-Crawford dynasty Tigers, and might have if they'd given him another game.
Statistical leaders: Ty Cobb won the batting title again at .324, and the only other .300 hitters were his teammate Sam Crawford and Doc Gessler of Boston. Cobb also led in slugging, OPS, hits (188), doubles (36), triples (20), and RBI (108). He was the only 100-RBI man, easily, as second place was Crawford with 80. Dead ball indeed: by some measures, this was the worst year for offense in baseball history. The guys Cobb was driving in finished one-two in runs scored, Matty McIntyre with 105 and Crawford with 102. Crawford led in homers with seven, while Patsy Dougherty led with 47 steals.
Ed Walsh lapped the field with 40 wins, as second place was Addie Joss and Ed Summers with 24 each. Spitballer Walsh was rode hard and put away wet: his 464 innings far outdistanced Joss in second with 325. Joss led with a 1.16 ERA, and Cy Young was second (at age 41) with a 1.26 ERA. Big Ed ran third with a 1.42 mark. Walsh led with 269 strikeouts, Rube Waddell was second at 232.
Win Shares leaders, players: Ty Cobb (Detroit) 36, Matty McIntyre (Detroit) 33, Fielder Jones (Chicago), Nap Lajoie (Cleveland) and Sam Crawford (Detroit) 32, Patsy Dougherty (Chicago) 29, Charlie Hemphill (New York) 28, Doc Gessler (Boston) and George Stone (St. Louis) 26, Claude Rossman and Germany Schaeffer (Detroit) 23.
Pitchers: Ed Walsh (Chicago) 47, Addie Joss (Cleveland) 35, Cy Young (Boston) 27, Bob Rhoads (Cleveland) and Harry Howell (St. Louis) 23, Rube Vickers (Philadelphia) 22, Frank Smith (Chicago), Ed Summers (Detroit) and Rube Waddell (St. Louis) 21.
WARP3 leaders, players: Lajoie 8.0, McIntyre 6.6, Jones 6.4, Cobb 6.0, Gessler 4.9, Crawford 4.2, Hobe Ferris and Bobby Wallace (St. Louis) 3.9, George Stovall (Cleveland) 3.8, Boss Schmidt (Detroit) 3.5.
WARP3 leaders, pitchers: Walsh 10.8, Young 8.0, Joss 6.9, Plank 6.0, Vickers and Walter Johnson (Washington) 4.9, Long Tom Hughes (Washington) 4.1, Rhoads and Bill Donovan (Detroit) 3.6, Doc White (Chicago) 3.5.
WAR position players: Lajoie 7.7, Cobb 6.9, McIntyre 6.6, Wallace 6.1, Crawford 5.7, Jones 5.6, Gessler 5.4, Stone 5.2, Stovall 4.5, Hemphill 4.4.
WAR pitchers: Walsh 9.5, Young 8.2, Joss 7.5, Plank 4.8, Vickers 4.6, Johnson 4.4, Donovan and Powell 4.2, Howell and Rhoads 4.0.
Best Player: Ty Cobb, leader in average, slugging, OPS, hits, doubles, triples, RBI, and OPS+. Other players had good years, including Cobb's teammates Matty McIntyre and Sam Crawford, and Doc Gessler of Boston, but none approached Cobb.
#1 Ty Cobb, #2 Nap Lajoie, #3 Fielder Jones, #4 Matty McIntyre, #5 Sam Crawford.
Best Pitcher: Ed Walsh runs away from all competition: 40 wins when the next best was 24, and leading with 6 saves to boot. Addie Joss, Rube Waddell, and Cy Young had good years, but Walsh was superhuman in 1908.
#1 Ed Walsh, #2 Addie Joss, #3 Cy Young, #4 Rube Vickers, #5 Bob Rhoads.
Best rookie: Ed Summers of Detroit went 24-12 with a 1.64 ERA. Second is Gavy Cravath, .256 with 11 triples in 94 games for Boston. A 136 OPS+.
Top manager: Nap Lajoie, who almost beat the Cobb-Crawford dynasty Tigers, and might have if they'd given him another game.
20 June 2007
1907 National League
Chicago won "only" 107 games this year, but that was enough to defeat Pittsburgh by 17 games. Philadelphia and New York also played well, but were well short of the flag. Brooklyn, Cincinnati, Boston, and St. Louis trailed the pack. Chicago won with pitching and defense again, allowing less than 3 runs per game.
Statistical leaders: Honus Wagner hit .350 with 264 total bases, 38 doubles, and 61 steals, all of which led the league, as did his on-base, slugging, and 921 OPS. Spike Shannon had 104 runs, Ginger Beaumont 187 hits, Sherry Magee 85 RBI. Magee was also second in average, on-base, and slugging.
Christy Mathewson led the league with 24 wins and 178 strikeouts, while Jack Pfiester's 1.15 ERA edged teammate Carl Lundgren's 1.17. Orval Overall had 23 wins, Tully Sparks 22. Bob Ewing had 147 strikeouts, Red Ames 146. And Three-Finger Brown was third in ERA with a 1.39 mark. That Cubs defense was exceptional.
Win Shares leaders:
Players; Honus Wagner (Pittsburgh) 44, Sherry Magee (Philadelphia) 38, Fred Clarke and Tommy Leach (Pittsburgh) 29, Ginger Beaumont (Boston) 28, Frank Chance and Jimmy Sheckard (Chicago) 23, Dave Brain and Fred Tenney (Boston), Tim Jordan (Brooklyn), Johnny Evers and Jimmy Slagle (Chicago), Art Devlin (New York) and John Titus (Philadelphia) 22 each.
Pitchers; Orvie Overall (Chicago) 32, Mordecai Brown (Chicago) and Christy Mathewson (New York) 29, Carl Lundgren (Chicago) 25, Tully Sparks (Philadelphia) 24, Ed Reulbach (Chicago), Bob Ewing (Cincinnati) and Ed Karger (St. Louis) 21 each.
WARP3 scores: Wagner 10.5, Magee 7.6, Devlin 5.7, Beaumont 5.4, Leach 5.3, Johnny Kling (Chicago) 4.9, Chance 4.6, Clarke 4.5, Tenney 4.3, Jordan and Cy Seymour (New York) 4.2.
Pitchers; Karger 7.4 in his career year, Mathewson 6.8, Overall 4.7, Ewing 4.6, Brown 4.3, Lundgren 3.9 (career year), Jim Pastorius (Brooklyn) 3.5, Vic Willis (Pittsburgh) 3.2.
WAR, position players: Wagner 10.1, Magee 7.7, Leach 6.5, Clarke 6.3, Devlin 6.0, Beaumont and Evers 5.7, Steinfeldt 5.5, Brain 5.4, Tenney 5.1.
WAR, pitchers: Mathewson 6.6, Overall 5.6, Ewing 5.5, Karger 5.3, Brown 5.2, Lundgren 5.0, Sparks 4.4, Willis 4.1, Reulbach 3.5, Leever 3.2.
Best player? Glad you asked! Honus Wagner! It's the standard answer, and the right one since Honus led the league in average, on-base, slugging, doubles, extra-base hits, and steals. He was also playing his usual excellent shortstop. No one else was really close, although Magee had a very good year with the bat.
Sherry Magee would be #2, with Ginger Beaumont #3, Tommy Leach #4 and Fred Clarke #5.
Best pitcher is more interesting. I'll take Christy Mathewson, who led in wins and strikeouts. The Cubs staff always benefitted from that strong defense, which made them all look great. Orval Overall would be #2 with Three-Finger Brown #3, and hard-working Bob Ewing #4. I have a soft spot for Ed Karger, 15-19 with the last-place Cardinals. He's #5.
For putting together that great team defense, the Best Manager is again Frank Chance. It was quite a team that the Cubs put on the field, with no real standout stars. They just played together like a fine-tuned machine.
Top rookie to Nap Rucker, 15-13 with a 2.06 ERA for Brooklyn.
Statistical leaders: Honus Wagner hit .350 with 264 total bases, 38 doubles, and 61 steals, all of which led the league, as did his on-base, slugging, and 921 OPS. Spike Shannon had 104 runs, Ginger Beaumont 187 hits, Sherry Magee 85 RBI. Magee was also second in average, on-base, and slugging.
Christy Mathewson led the league with 24 wins and 178 strikeouts, while Jack Pfiester's 1.15 ERA edged teammate Carl Lundgren's 1.17. Orval Overall had 23 wins, Tully Sparks 22. Bob Ewing had 147 strikeouts, Red Ames 146. And Three-Finger Brown was third in ERA with a 1.39 mark. That Cubs defense was exceptional.
Win Shares leaders:
Players; Honus Wagner (Pittsburgh) 44, Sherry Magee (Philadelphia) 38, Fred Clarke and Tommy Leach (Pittsburgh) 29, Ginger Beaumont (Boston) 28, Frank Chance and Jimmy Sheckard (Chicago) 23, Dave Brain and Fred Tenney (Boston), Tim Jordan (Brooklyn), Johnny Evers and Jimmy Slagle (Chicago), Art Devlin (New York) and John Titus (Philadelphia) 22 each.
Pitchers; Orvie Overall (Chicago) 32, Mordecai Brown (Chicago) and Christy Mathewson (New York) 29, Carl Lundgren (Chicago) 25, Tully Sparks (Philadelphia) 24, Ed Reulbach (Chicago), Bob Ewing (Cincinnati) and Ed Karger (St. Louis) 21 each.
WARP3 scores: Wagner 10.5, Magee 7.6, Devlin 5.7, Beaumont 5.4, Leach 5.3, Johnny Kling (Chicago) 4.9, Chance 4.6, Clarke 4.5, Tenney 4.3, Jordan and Cy Seymour (New York) 4.2.
Pitchers; Karger 7.4 in his career year, Mathewson 6.8, Overall 4.7, Ewing 4.6, Brown 4.3, Lundgren 3.9 (career year), Jim Pastorius (Brooklyn) 3.5, Vic Willis (Pittsburgh) 3.2.
WAR, position players: Wagner 10.1, Magee 7.7, Leach 6.5, Clarke 6.3, Devlin 6.0, Beaumont and Evers 5.7, Steinfeldt 5.5, Brain 5.4, Tenney 5.1.
WAR, pitchers: Mathewson 6.6, Overall 5.6, Ewing 5.5, Karger 5.3, Brown 5.2, Lundgren 5.0, Sparks 4.4, Willis 4.1, Reulbach 3.5, Leever 3.2.
Best player? Glad you asked! Honus Wagner! It's the standard answer, and the right one since Honus led the league in average, on-base, slugging, doubles, extra-base hits, and steals. He was also playing his usual excellent shortstop. No one else was really close, although Magee had a very good year with the bat.
Sherry Magee would be #2, with Ginger Beaumont #3, Tommy Leach #4 and Fred Clarke #5.
Best pitcher is more interesting. I'll take Christy Mathewson, who led in wins and strikeouts. The Cubs staff always benefitted from that strong defense, which made them all look great. Orval Overall would be #2 with Three-Finger Brown #3, and hard-working Bob Ewing #4. I have a soft spot for Ed Karger, 15-19 with the last-place Cardinals. He's #5.
For putting together that great team defense, the Best Manager is again Frank Chance. It was quite a team that the Cubs put on the field, with no real standout stars. They just played together like a fine-tuned machine.
Top rookie to Nap Rucker, 15-13 with a 2.06 ERA for Brooklyn.
1907 American League
Detroit won a narrow victory over Philadelphia with Chicago and Cleveland close behind. It was a great four-team race, and the team of the young Ty Cobb plus seasoned Sam Crawford clubbed their way to the pennant. Detroit won 92 games, the A's 88, Chicago 87 and Cleveland 85. The Tigers then lost the World Series to the Cubs. New York and St. Louis started the second division, then Boston and Washington trailed the AL pack.
Statistical leaders: Ty Cobb won the batting title in his first full season, hitting .350, and also leading in slugging at .468, OPS at 848, hits with 212, total bases, steals with 49, and RBI with 119. Sam Crawford was second in batting at .323, and led in runs with 102. Harry Davis led with 35 doubles and homers with 8, Elmer Flick in triples with 18. Topsy Hartsel led in on-base at .405. Socks Seybold was second in RBI with 92.
Addie Joss and Doc White tied with 27 wins. Bill Donovan and Ed Killian had 25 wins each. Ed Walsh led the league with a 1.60 ERA, Killian had a 1.78, Addie Joss a 1.83. Rube Waddell had 232 strikeouts, Ed Walsh had 206. Walsh pitched 37 complete games while Eddie Plank had 8 shutouts.
Win Shares leaders:
Players; Ty Cobb (Detroit) 41, Elmer Flick (Cleveland) 37, Sam Crawford (Detroit) 36, Nap Lajoie (Cleveland) 32, Topsy Hartsel (Philadelphia) 29, Ed Hahn (Chicago) and George Stone (St. Louis) 27, Fielder Jones (Chicago) 25, Davy Jones (Detroit) 24, Kid Elberfeld (New York) and Harry Davis (Philadelphia) 21.
Pitchers; Ed Walsh (Chicago) 37, Ed Killian (Detroit) and Eddie Plank (Philadelphia) 29, Addie Joss (Cleveland) 28, Cy Young (Boston) 27, Doc White (Chicago) 25, Frank Smith (Chicago) 24, Wild Bill Donovan (Detroit) and Harry Howell (St. Louis) 23, Chief Bender (Philadelphia) 22, George Mullin (Detroit) 21.
WARP3 leaders: Cobb 7.8 (first full year), Lajoie 7.0, Flick 6.8 (last full year), Stone 6.6, Crawford 4.4, Hartsel (last good year) and Bobby Wallace (St. Louis) 4.3, Ossee Schreckengost (Philadelphia) 3.9, F. Jones and Socks Seybold (Philadelphia) 3.6.
And the pitchers: Walsh 8.6, Killian 6.3 (best year), Plank and Joss 5.5, Young and White 5.3, Howell 4.6, Charlie Smith (Washington) and Bender 4.3, F. Smith 4.2, Donovan 3.8.
WAR, position players: Cobb 7.6, Lajoie 7.5, Flick 6.7, Stone 6.5, Crawford 6.4, Wallace 5.4, Hartsel 5.3, G. Davis 4.7, F. Jones and H. Davis 4.4, Turner 4.3.
WAR, pitchers: Walsh 7.0, Young 6.3, Killian 5.8, Joss 5.6, Plank 5.4, Siever 5.2, Bender and Donovan 4.2, Howell 3.6, White 3.5.
It's the beginning of the Ty Cobb era, as the Tigers won the first of three straight pennants. Cobb was the league's best player (get used to that phrase) leading in average, slugging, OPS, hits, RBI, and steals. The first of several no-doubt top player awards. I'll rank Elmer Flick #2, with Nap Lajoie #3, Sam Crawford #4, and George Stone #5.
Top pitcher is Ed Walsh, the ERA leader. 2nd in strikeouts, 1st in starts and complete games. Walsh also won 24. Ed Killian ranks #2, and Ed Plank #3 with Addie Joss #4 and Cy Young #5.
Top manager was Hughie Jennings, holding together that Detroit team with the volatile 20-year-old Cobb. Jennings knew a thing or two about being volatile.
Top rookie: Walter Johnson. No big rookie splashes, although Tris Speaker also debuted this year. Speaker only batted 19 times, while Johnson was 5-9 but with a 1.88 ERA in 110 innings.
Statistical leaders: Ty Cobb won the batting title in his first full season, hitting .350, and also leading in slugging at .468, OPS at 848, hits with 212, total bases, steals with 49, and RBI with 119. Sam Crawford was second in batting at .323, and led in runs with 102. Harry Davis led with 35 doubles and homers with 8, Elmer Flick in triples with 18. Topsy Hartsel led in on-base at .405. Socks Seybold was second in RBI with 92.
Addie Joss and Doc White tied with 27 wins. Bill Donovan and Ed Killian had 25 wins each. Ed Walsh led the league with a 1.60 ERA, Killian had a 1.78, Addie Joss a 1.83. Rube Waddell had 232 strikeouts, Ed Walsh had 206. Walsh pitched 37 complete games while Eddie Plank had 8 shutouts.
Win Shares leaders:
Players; Ty Cobb (Detroit) 41, Elmer Flick (Cleveland) 37, Sam Crawford (Detroit) 36, Nap Lajoie (Cleveland) 32, Topsy Hartsel (Philadelphia) 29, Ed Hahn (Chicago) and George Stone (St. Louis) 27, Fielder Jones (Chicago) 25, Davy Jones (Detroit) 24, Kid Elberfeld (New York) and Harry Davis (Philadelphia) 21.
Pitchers; Ed Walsh (Chicago) 37, Ed Killian (Detroit) and Eddie Plank (Philadelphia) 29, Addie Joss (Cleveland) 28, Cy Young (Boston) 27, Doc White (Chicago) 25, Frank Smith (Chicago) 24, Wild Bill Donovan (Detroit) and Harry Howell (St. Louis) 23, Chief Bender (Philadelphia) 22, George Mullin (Detroit) 21.
WARP3 leaders: Cobb 7.8 (first full year), Lajoie 7.0, Flick 6.8 (last full year), Stone 6.6, Crawford 4.4, Hartsel (last good year) and Bobby Wallace (St. Louis) 4.3, Ossee Schreckengost (Philadelphia) 3.9, F. Jones and Socks Seybold (Philadelphia) 3.6.
And the pitchers: Walsh 8.6, Killian 6.3 (best year), Plank and Joss 5.5, Young and White 5.3, Howell 4.6, Charlie Smith (Washington) and Bender 4.3, F. Smith 4.2, Donovan 3.8.
WAR, position players: Cobb 7.6, Lajoie 7.5, Flick 6.7, Stone 6.5, Crawford 6.4, Wallace 5.4, Hartsel 5.3, G. Davis 4.7, F. Jones and H. Davis 4.4, Turner 4.3.
WAR, pitchers: Walsh 7.0, Young 6.3, Killian 5.8, Joss 5.6, Plank 5.4, Siever 5.2, Bender and Donovan 4.2, Howell 3.6, White 3.5.
It's the beginning of the Ty Cobb era, as the Tigers won the first of three straight pennants. Cobb was the league's best player (get used to that phrase) leading in average, slugging, OPS, hits, RBI, and steals. The first of several no-doubt top player awards. I'll rank Elmer Flick #2, with Nap Lajoie #3, Sam Crawford #4, and George Stone #5.
Top pitcher is Ed Walsh, the ERA leader. 2nd in strikeouts, 1st in starts and complete games. Walsh also won 24. Ed Killian ranks #2, and Ed Plank #3 with Addie Joss #4 and Cy Young #5.
Top manager was Hughie Jennings, holding together that Detroit team with the volatile 20-year-old Cobb. Jennings knew a thing or two about being volatile.
Top rookie: Walter Johnson. No big rookie splashes, although Tris Speaker also debuted this year. Speaker only batted 19 times, while Johnson was 5-9 but with a 1.88 ERA in 110 innings.
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.
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.
1906 American League
Chicago's pennant this year is often called a surprise for "The Hitless Wonders." Of course, they had finished a solid second the previous year, and had one of the greatest pitching staffs of the era. The offense was actually middle of the pack, but last in the league in batting average and slugging. They led the league in walks, stole lots of bases, and made their own opportunities. Then they beat the crosstown, 106-win Cubs in the World Series. The White Sox won a close race over the Highlanders of New York and the Cleveland Naps, with Philadelphia slipping to 4th. St. Louis and Detroit were competitive, Washington and Boston trailed the pack. Boston collapsed badly, but would rebuild quickly.
Statistical leaders: George Stone (.358) edged Nap Lajoie (.355) for the batting title. Stone also led in on-base, slugging, and OPS as well as total bases. Lajoie led in hits (214) and doubles (48). Harry Davis led in HR and RBI with 12 and 96. Elmer Flick led in runs (98) and triples (22), and tied John Anderson for the stolen base lead (39).
Al Orth had a goodly margin in wins with 27, Jack Chesbro 23, Frank Owen and Bob Rhoads 22, Addie Joss and George Mullin 21, Nick Altrock and Otto Hess 20. Doc White led the league with a 1.52 ERA, Barney Pelty 1.59, Joss 1.72, Jack Powell 1.77, Rhoads 1.80. Rube Waddell led with 196 strikeouts, Cy Falkenberg 178, Ed Walsh 171.
Here come the Win Shares:
Players; George Stone (St. Louis) 38, Nap Lajoie (Cleveland) 33, Harry Davis (Philadelphia) 31, Elmer Flick (Cleveland) 30, George Davis (Chicago) 29, Terry Turner (Cleveland) 28, Fielder Jones (Chicago) 27, Frank Isbell (Chicago) 26, Topsy Hartsel (Philadelphia) and Charlie Hemphill (St. Louis) 24.
Pitchers; Al Orth (New York) 36, George Mullin (Detroit) 26, Doc White (Chicago) and Jack Chesbro (New York) 25, Otto Hess (Cleveland) 24, Addie Joss and Bob Rhoads (Cleveland) 23, Ed Walsh (Chicago) 22.
WARP3 leaders, players: Lajoie 11.5, Stone 11.1, Flick 8.7, Turner 8.6, Bobby Wallace (St. Louis) 6.8, G. Davis 5.5, H. Davis 5.4, Jones 4.9.
Pitchers: Orth 8.4, White 7.4, Mullin 6.2, Rube Waddell (Philadelphia) 6.1, Case Patten (Washington) 5.4, Walsh 5.3, Eddie Plank (Philadelphia) 4.9, Joss 4.7.
Position player leaders in WAR: Lajoie 10.1, Stone 9.7, Turner 9.1, Flick 7.4, G. Davis 6.5, Wallace 6.1, H. Davis 5.7, Hemphill 5.1, Jones 4.6, Stahl 4.3.
Pitcher leaders in WAR: Orth 6.5, White 5.6, Waddell 4.8, Joss and Pelty 4.6, Rhoads 4.5, Hess 4.4, Walsh 4.2.
Top player: Nap Lajoie. One of the common methods of picking a top player is to pick the best player or perceived leader on the pennant winner or biggest surprise team. By that method, we would pick George Davis, veteran shortstop and cleanup hitter for the pennant-winning White Sox, the famed "Hitless Wonders." And that wouldn't be a real bad choice. In real life, Davis probably would have won the vote, and be better remembered today. For a top player, I will go with the great Lajoie and the WARP and WAR scores.
#1 Nap Lajoie, #2 George Stone, #3 Elmer Flick, #4 Terry Turner, #5 George Davis.
Top pitcher: Al Orth. Doc White led in ERA and ERA+, Orth led in wins and innings.
#1 Al Orth, #2 Doc White, #3 Addie Joss, #4 Ed Walsh, #5 Rube Waddell.
I'll venture a vote for Jack Coombs as top rookie. He was 10-10 with a 2.50 ERA for Philadelphia.
Top manager to Fielder Jones of the White Sox.
Statistical leaders: George Stone (.358) edged Nap Lajoie (.355) for the batting title. Stone also led in on-base, slugging, and OPS as well as total bases. Lajoie led in hits (214) and doubles (48). Harry Davis led in HR and RBI with 12 and 96. Elmer Flick led in runs (98) and triples (22), and tied John Anderson for the stolen base lead (39).
Al Orth had a goodly margin in wins with 27, Jack Chesbro 23, Frank Owen and Bob Rhoads 22, Addie Joss and George Mullin 21, Nick Altrock and Otto Hess 20. Doc White led the league with a 1.52 ERA, Barney Pelty 1.59, Joss 1.72, Jack Powell 1.77, Rhoads 1.80. Rube Waddell led with 196 strikeouts, Cy Falkenberg 178, Ed Walsh 171.
Here come the Win Shares:
Players; George Stone (St. Louis) 38, Nap Lajoie (Cleveland) 33, Harry Davis (Philadelphia) 31, Elmer Flick (Cleveland) 30, George Davis (Chicago) 29, Terry Turner (Cleveland) 28, Fielder Jones (Chicago) 27, Frank Isbell (Chicago) 26, Topsy Hartsel (Philadelphia) and Charlie Hemphill (St. Louis) 24.
Pitchers; Al Orth (New York) 36, George Mullin (Detroit) 26, Doc White (Chicago) and Jack Chesbro (New York) 25, Otto Hess (Cleveland) 24, Addie Joss and Bob Rhoads (Cleveland) 23, Ed Walsh (Chicago) 22.
WARP3 leaders, players: Lajoie 11.5, Stone 11.1, Flick 8.7, Turner 8.6, Bobby Wallace (St. Louis) 6.8, G. Davis 5.5, H. Davis 5.4, Jones 4.9.
Pitchers: Orth 8.4, White 7.4, Mullin 6.2, Rube Waddell (Philadelphia) 6.1, Case Patten (Washington) 5.4, Walsh 5.3, Eddie Plank (Philadelphia) 4.9, Joss 4.7.
Position player leaders in WAR: Lajoie 10.1, Stone 9.7, Turner 9.1, Flick 7.4, G. Davis 6.5, Wallace 6.1, H. Davis 5.7, Hemphill 5.1, Jones 4.6, Stahl 4.3.
Pitcher leaders in WAR: Orth 6.5, White 5.6, Waddell 4.8, Joss and Pelty 4.6, Rhoads 4.5, Hess 4.4, Walsh 4.2.
Top player: Nap Lajoie. One of the common methods of picking a top player is to pick the best player or perceived leader on the pennant winner or biggest surprise team. By that method, we would pick George Davis, veteran shortstop and cleanup hitter for the pennant-winning White Sox, the famed "Hitless Wonders." And that wouldn't be a real bad choice. In real life, Davis probably would have won the vote, and be better remembered today. For a top player, I will go with the great Lajoie and the WARP and WAR scores.
#1 Nap Lajoie, #2 George Stone, #3 Elmer Flick, #4 Terry Turner, #5 George Davis.
Top pitcher: Al Orth. Doc White led in ERA and ERA+, Orth led in wins and innings.
#1 Al Orth, #2 Doc White, #3 Addie Joss, #4 Ed Walsh, #5 Rube Waddell.
I'll venture a vote for Jack Coombs as top rookie. He was 10-10 with a 2.50 ERA for Philadelphia.
Top manager to Fielder Jones of the White Sox.
16 June 2007
1905 National League
New York won 105 games and the pennant this year, with Pittsburgh second and Chicago third. Pittsburgh and Cincinnati were near .500, St. Louis, Boston, and Brooklyn were competing for the cellar again. New York then won the World Series with Christy Mathewson delivering on of the all-time great postseason performances, pitching three shutouts in five games. The Giants allowed only three runs, none earned, in the whole Series.
Statistical leaders: Cy Seymour had a career year, and led the league in batting average (.377), doubles (40), RBI (121), slugging, OPS, hits (219), triples (21), and total bases. Mike Donlin led in runs (124), while Art Devlin and Billy Maloney tied for the steals lead (59). Meantime, Honus Wagner was third in hits, third in doubles, third in RBI, second in batting average at .363 and played shortstop.
Christy Mathewson had a great year, winning the pitchers' Triple Crown. He had 31 wins. Togie Pittinger won 23, Red Ames 22, Joe McGinnity 21, with Bob Ewing, Sam Leever, Deacon Phillippe, and Irv Young winning 20. Mathewson had a 1.28 ERA, followed by Ed Reulbach at 1.42, Bob Wicker at 2.02, Buttons Briggs at 2.14, and Mordecai Brown at 2.17. Mathewson struck out 206, Ames 198, Orval Overall 173.
1905 NL Win Shares leaderboards:
Players; Honus Wagner (Pittsburgh) 46, Cy Seymour (Cincinnati) 42, Turkey Mike Donlin (New York) 36, Roy Thomas (Philadelphia) 31, John Titus (Philadelphia) 29, Sherry Magee (Philadelphia) 28, Miller Huggins (Cincinnati) 27, Frank Chance and Jimmy Slagle (Chicago) and Sam Mertes (New York) 25 each.
Pitchers; Christy Mathewson (New York) 39, Irv Young (Boston) and Ed Reulbach (Chicago) 29, Deacon Phillippe (Pittsburgh) 26, Bob Ewing (Cincinnati) 23, Joe McGinnity (New York) 22.
WARP3 leaders, players: Wagner 9.8, Seymour 9.3, Donlin 8.1, Chance 6.6, Thomas 6.4, Roger Bresnahan (New York) 5.7, Titus 5.6, McGann 5.5, Mertes and Bill Dahlen (New York) 4.3, Slagle 4.2, Jimmy Sheckard (Brooklyn) 4.1.
WARP3 leaders, pitchers: Mathewson 9.5, Young 7.9, Ewing 6.7, Reulbach 5.3, Orval Overall (Cincinnati) 4.6, Doc Scanlan (Brooklyn) 4.0, Phillippe and Tully Sparks (Philadelphia) 3.7.
Top players, WAR: Wagner 11.9, Seymour 9.5, Donlin 8.5, Thomas 7.3, Chance 7.2, Magee and Titus 6.7, Dahlen 6.5, McGann 6.3.
Top pitchers, WAR: Mathewson 9.1, Reulbach 7.8, Young 7.0, Ewing 5.6, Sparks 5.1, Phillippe 4.9, Wicker 4.5, Weimer 4.2.
Top player: Honus Wagner for the sixth straight time, although he had more competition than usual. Donlin was a strong hitter, and amazing Cy Seymour led in most hitting categories, but overall it must be Honus.
#1 Honus Wagner, #2 Cy Seymour, #3 Mike Donlin, #4 Roy Thomas, #5 Frank Chance.
Mathewson is the clear winner for best pitcher. Big Six had 31 wins, next best was Togie Pittinger of Philly with 23. Mathewson also led in ERA and strikeouts, the pitching triple crown, then threw three shutouts in the World Series. That's pretty impressive.
#1 Christy Mathewson, #2 Ed Reulbach, #3 Irv Young, #4 Bob Ewing, #5 Deacon Phillippe.
Top rookie to Irv Young, who did very little afterwards.
Top manager to John McGraw, the Giants skipper.
Statistical leaders: Cy Seymour had a career year, and led the league in batting average (.377), doubles (40), RBI (121), slugging, OPS, hits (219), triples (21), and total bases. Mike Donlin led in runs (124), while Art Devlin and Billy Maloney tied for the steals lead (59). Meantime, Honus Wagner was third in hits, third in doubles, third in RBI, second in batting average at .363 and played shortstop.
Christy Mathewson had a great year, winning the pitchers' Triple Crown. He had 31 wins. Togie Pittinger won 23, Red Ames 22, Joe McGinnity 21, with Bob Ewing, Sam Leever, Deacon Phillippe, and Irv Young winning 20. Mathewson had a 1.28 ERA, followed by Ed Reulbach at 1.42, Bob Wicker at 2.02, Buttons Briggs at 2.14, and Mordecai Brown at 2.17. Mathewson struck out 206, Ames 198, Orval Overall 173.
1905 NL Win Shares leaderboards:
Players; Honus Wagner (Pittsburgh) 46, Cy Seymour (Cincinnati) 42, Turkey Mike Donlin (New York) 36, Roy Thomas (Philadelphia) 31, John Titus (Philadelphia) 29, Sherry Magee (Philadelphia) 28, Miller Huggins (Cincinnati) 27, Frank Chance and Jimmy Slagle (Chicago) and Sam Mertes (New York) 25 each.
Pitchers; Christy Mathewson (New York) 39, Irv Young (Boston) and Ed Reulbach (Chicago) 29, Deacon Phillippe (Pittsburgh) 26, Bob Ewing (Cincinnati) 23, Joe McGinnity (New York) 22.
WARP3 leaders, players: Wagner 9.8, Seymour 9.3, Donlin 8.1, Chance 6.6, Thomas 6.4, Roger Bresnahan (New York) 5.7, Titus 5.6, McGann 5.5, Mertes and Bill Dahlen (New York) 4.3, Slagle 4.2, Jimmy Sheckard (Brooklyn) 4.1.
WARP3 leaders, pitchers: Mathewson 9.5, Young 7.9, Ewing 6.7, Reulbach 5.3, Orval Overall (Cincinnati) 4.6, Doc Scanlan (Brooklyn) 4.0, Phillippe and Tully Sparks (Philadelphia) 3.7.
Top players, WAR: Wagner 11.9, Seymour 9.5, Donlin 8.5, Thomas 7.3, Chance 7.2, Magee and Titus 6.7, Dahlen 6.5, McGann 6.3.
Top pitchers, WAR: Mathewson 9.1, Reulbach 7.8, Young 7.0, Ewing 5.6, Sparks 5.1, Phillippe 4.9, Wicker 4.5, Weimer 4.2.
Top player: Honus Wagner for the sixth straight time, although he had more competition than usual. Donlin was a strong hitter, and amazing Cy Seymour led in most hitting categories, but overall it must be Honus.
#1 Honus Wagner, #2 Cy Seymour, #3 Mike Donlin, #4 Roy Thomas, #5 Frank Chance.
Mathewson is the clear winner for best pitcher. Big Six had 31 wins, next best was Togie Pittinger of Philly with 23. Mathewson also led in ERA and strikeouts, the pitching triple crown, then threw three shutouts in the World Series. That's pretty impressive.
#1 Christy Mathewson, #2 Ed Reulbach, #3 Irv Young, #4 Bob Ewing, #5 Deacon Phillippe.
Top rookie to Irv Young, who did very little afterwards.
Top manager to John McGraw, the Giants skipper.
1905 American League
Philadelphia beat Chicago in a wild pennant race that was decided by just two games. The White Sox had strong pitching in a good pitchers' park, but the A's also had strong pitching and more offense. Following were, in order, Detroit, Boston, Cleveland, New York, Boston, and St. Louis. The A's then lost in the World Series. That Series established a precedent for a end-of-season playoff between the league winners, first seen in the 1880s but now made a part of sports lore.
Statistical leaders: Elmer Flick won the batting title at .308. Willie Keeler (.302) and Harry Bay (.301) were the only other .300 hitters, now that we were in the throes of the Dead Ball Era. Flick also led in slugging, OPS, and triples (18). Harry Davis led in runs (93), doubles (47), homers (8) and RBI (83). George Stone led in hits (187) and total bases. Danny Hoffman led in steals (46). Flick had a big lead in OPS+.
On the mound, Rube Waddell won the pitchers' Triple Crown. Waddell had 27 wins, Eddie Plank 24, Nick Altrock and Ed Killian 23, Jesse Tannehill 22, George Mullin and Frank Owen 21, Addie Joss 20. Waddell had a 1.48 ERA, Doc White 1.76, Cy Young 1.82, Andy Coakley 1.84, Altrock 1.88, Harry Howell 1.98. Waddell had 287 strikeouts, Young and Plank 210 each.
1905 AL Win Shares leaders;
Players, Sam Crawford (Detroit) 36, Topsy Hartsel (Philadelphia) 30, Fielder Jones (Chicago) and Elmer Flick (Cleveland) 29, George Davis (Chicago) 28, George Stone (St. Louis) 27, Harry Davis (Philadelphia) 26, Jimmy Collins (Boston), Harry Bay (Cleveland) and Danny Murphy (Philadelphia) 23.
Pitchers, Rube Waddell (Philadelphia) 35, Eddie Plank (Philadelphia) 31, Ed Killian (Detroit) 29, Cy Young (Boston) 28, Jesse Tannehill (Boston) and George Mullin (Detroit) 26, Addie Joss (Cleveland) 25, Nick Altrock (Chicago) 24.
WARP3 leaders, players: G. Davis 7.7, Stone 7.1, Flick 7.0, Crawford and Bill Bradley (Cleveland) 6.9, Jones 6.7, Bay 6.0, Murphy 5.9, H. Davis 5.8, Hartsel and Socks Seybold (Philadelphia) 5.5.
WARP3 leaders, pitchers: Waddell 9.0, Young 8.0, Tannehill 7.4, Plank and Harry Howell (St. Louis) 7.2, Killian 6.6, Tom Hughes (Washington) 5.8, Al Orth (New York) 5.4, Mullin, Joss, and Jack Chesbro (New York) 5.1.
Nap Lajoie, the 500-pound gorilla of the AL, played only 65 games. His WARP3 was 4.0.
WAR leaders, position players: G. Davis 7.1, H. Davis 5.9, Flick 5.8, Hartsel 5.4, Stone and Crawford 5.2, Murphy 5.1, Donahue 4.9.
WAR leaders, pitchers: Waddell 8.1, Young 6.4, Plank 5.9, Killian 5.4, Altrock, Joss, and White 5.0, Howell 4.9, Orth 4.7, Tannehill 4.6.
Top player: Elmer Flick, the top offensive player in the league. Flick was the batting champ and the easy leader in OPS and OPS+. Only three .300 hitters as the Dead Ball era settled in around baseball.
#1 Elmer Flick, #2 George Davis, #3 Harry Davis, #4 Sam Crawford, #5 Topsy Hartsel.
For top pitcher, the winner is clearly Waddell. Rube led in wins, ERA and strikeouts, the pitching triple crown. His ERA+ of 179 easily outdistanced Cy Young at 148. Young #2, Plank #3, Killian #4, Altrock #5.
Top rookie to George Stone, batting .296 and leading in hits and total bases for St. Louis.
Top manager was pennant winner Connie Mack.
Statistical leaders: Elmer Flick won the batting title at .308. Willie Keeler (.302) and Harry Bay (.301) were the only other .300 hitters, now that we were in the throes of the Dead Ball Era. Flick also led in slugging, OPS, and triples (18). Harry Davis led in runs (93), doubles (47), homers (8) and RBI (83). George Stone led in hits (187) and total bases. Danny Hoffman led in steals (46). Flick had a big lead in OPS+.
On the mound, Rube Waddell won the pitchers' Triple Crown. Waddell had 27 wins, Eddie Plank 24, Nick Altrock and Ed Killian 23, Jesse Tannehill 22, George Mullin and Frank Owen 21, Addie Joss 20. Waddell had a 1.48 ERA, Doc White 1.76, Cy Young 1.82, Andy Coakley 1.84, Altrock 1.88, Harry Howell 1.98. Waddell had 287 strikeouts, Young and Plank 210 each.
1905 AL Win Shares leaders;
Players, Sam Crawford (Detroit) 36, Topsy Hartsel (Philadelphia) 30, Fielder Jones (Chicago) and Elmer Flick (Cleveland) 29, George Davis (Chicago) 28, George Stone (St. Louis) 27, Harry Davis (Philadelphia) 26, Jimmy Collins (Boston), Harry Bay (Cleveland) and Danny Murphy (Philadelphia) 23.
Pitchers, Rube Waddell (Philadelphia) 35, Eddie Plank (Philadelphia) 31, Ed Killian (Detroit) 29, Cy Young (Boston) 28, Jesse Tannehill (Boston) and George Mullin (Detroit) 26, Addie Joss (Cleveland) 25, Nick Altrock (Chicago) 24.
WARP3 leaders, players: G. Davis 7.7, Stone 7.1, Flick 7.0, Crawford and Bill Bradley (Cleveland) 6.9, Jones 6.7, Bay 6.0, Murphy 5.9, H. Davis 5.8, Hartsel and Socks Seybold (Philadelphia) 5.5.
WARP3 leaders, pitchers: Waddell 9.0, Young 8.0, Tannehill 7.4, Plank and Harry Howell (St. Louis) 7.2, Killian 6.6, Tom Hughes (Washington) 5.8, Al Orth (New York) 5.4, Mullin, Joss, and Jack Chesbro (New York) 5.1.
Nap Lajoie, the 500-pound gorilla of the AL, played only 65 games. His WARP3 was 4.0.
WAR leaders, position players: G. Davis 7.1, H. Davis 5.9, Flick 5.8, Hartsel 5.4, Stone and Crawford 5.2, Murphy 5.1, Donahue 4.9.
WAR leaders, pitchers: Waddell 8.1, Young 6.4, Plank 5.9, Killian 5.4, Altrock, Joss, and White 5.0, Howell 4.9, Orth 4.7, Tannehill 4.6.
Top player: Elmer Flick, the top offensive player in the league. Flick was the batting champ and the easy leader in OPS and OPS+. Only three .300 hitters as the Dead Ball era settled in around baseball.
#1 Elmer Flick, #2 George Davis, #3 Harry Davis, #4 Sam Crawford, #5 Topsy Hartsel.
For top pitcher, the winner is clearly Waddell. Rube led in wins, ERA and strikeouts, the pitching triple crown. His ERA+ of 179 easily outdistanced Cy Young at 148. Young #2, Plank #3, Killian #4, Altrock #5.
Top rookie to George Stone, batting .296 and leading in hits and total bases for St. Louis.
Top manager was pennant winner Connie Mack.
11 June 2007
1904 National League
New York won this pennant easily, with a 106-47 record. Chicago was second, 13 games out. Three teams (Brooklyn, Boston, Philadelphia) finished at least 50 games out. This was a year of haves and have-nots. It was not a great year of baseball, topped off by the refusal of New York manager John McGraw to play another World Series, as the Pirates and Boston had the year before. That little problem would soon be rectified.
Statistical leaders: Honus Wagner, of course. Honus won the batting title at .349, had 44 doubles and 53 steals. Jake Beckley was second in the batting average race with a .325 mark, followed by Cy Seymour at .313, Frank Chance at .310, and Ginger Beaumont at .301. Sam Mertes was second in doubles with 28, and Mertes tied with Bill Dahlen for second with 47 steals. George Browne scored 99 runs, Wagner and Beaumont had 97, Miller Huggins 96. Beaumont had 185 hits, Beckley 179, and Wagner 171. Bill Dahlen tallied 80 RBI, Mertes and Harry Lumley 78.
Joe McGinnity led pitchers with 35 wins, teammate Christy Mathewson had 33, and the next best total was 23 by Jack Harper. McGinnity had a 1.61 ERA to lead the way, with Ned Garvin at 1.68, Mordecai Brown 1.86, and Jake Weimer 1.91. Mathewson powered to 212 strikeouts, Vic Willis 196, and Weimer 177.
Win Shares leaders:
Players; Honus Wagner (Pittsburgh) 43, Frank Chance (Chicago) 29, Roy Thomas (Philadelphia) 28, Sam Mertes (New York) 27, Cy Seymour (Cincinnati) 26, Bill Dahlen and Art Devlin (New York) and Tommy Leach (Pittsburgh) 25 each, Ginger Beaumont (Pittsburgh) 24, Roger Bresnahan (New York) and Jake Beckley (St. Louis) 23.
Pitchers; Joe McGinnity (New York) 42, Christy Mathewson (New York) 34, Jake Weimer (Chicago) 28, Kid Nichols and Jack Taylor (St. Louis) 27, Noodles Hahn (Cincinnati) 25, Buttons Briggs (Chicago) and Jack Harper (Cincinnati) 24, Luther "Dummy" Taylor (New York) and Patsy Flaherty and Sam Leever (Pittsburgh) 23.
WARP3 leaders, players: Wagner 8.0, Chance 5.4, Devlin 5.3, Dahlen 4.9, Leach 4.8, Thomas 4.7, Seymour 4.6, Bresnahan 4.5, Mertes and Beckley 4.3.
WARP3 leaders, pitchers: McGinnity 7.0, Vic Willis (Boston)5.8, Togie Pittinger (Boston) 5.6, Mathewson 5.3, Flaherty 5.1, Hahn 5.0, Leever and Nichols 4.8, Weimer 4.2.
WAR leaders, position players: Wagner 9.7, Chance 6.8, Dahlen 6.5, Thomas 6.3, Devlin 6.1, Dan McGann (New York) 5.6, Mertes 5.4, Beckley 5.1, Seymour 5.0, Harry Lumley (Brooklyn) 4.8, Leach 4.7.
WAR leaders, pitchers: McGinnity 10.2, Nichols 6.9, Mathewson 6.1, Hahn 5.9, Weimer 5.7, Taylor 4.8, Harper and Leever 4.6, Taylor 4.5, Flaherty 4.3.
Top player was Honus Wagner, of course, for the fifth year in a row. He led the league in batting average, on-base, slugging, OPS, total bases, doubles, extra-base hits, and OPS+. #2 Frank Chance, #3 Roy Thomas, #4 Cy Seymour, #5 Bill Dahlen.
Top pitcher was Iron Man Joe McGinnity. He led in ERA, wins, saves, WHIP, games, innings, shutouts, and ERA+. #2 Mathewson, #3 Kid Nichols in his final encore, #4 Jake Weimer, #5 Noodles Hahn.
Top rookie was Art Devlin. He hit .281 in 130 games, playing 3B for pennant-winning New York.
It is a well-known story that John McGraw declined to repeat the previous year's "World Series" by refusing to face the Boston AL winner, who had beaten Pittsburgh the previous year. Reasons differ on why this is so. McGraw, with twin aces McGinnity and Mathewson, and the best offense in the NL, had reason to be confident. The Pilgrims had a fine team of their own. This did set up a hue and cry that led to the establishment of a permanent NL/AL postseason series.
Statistical leaders: Honus Wagner, of course. Honus won the batting title at .349, had 44 doubles and 53 steals. Jake Beckley was second in the batting average race with a .325 mark, followed by Cy Seymour at .313, Frank Chance at .310, and Ginger Beaumont at .301. Sam Mertes was second in doubles with 28, and Mertes tied with Bill Dahlen for second with 47 steals. George Browne scored 99 runs, Wagner and Beaumont had 97, Miller Huggins 96. Beaumont had 185 hits, Beckley 179, and Wagner 171. Bill Dahlen tallied 80 RBI, Mertes and Harry Lumley 78.
Joe McGinnity led pitchers with 35 wins, teammate Christy Mathewson had 33, and the next best total was 23 by Jack Harper. McGinnity had a 1.61 ERA to lead the way, with Ned Garvin at 1.68, Mordecai Brown 1.86, and Jake Weimer 1.91. Mathewson powered to 212 strikeouts, Vic Willis 196, and Weimer 177.
Win Shares leaders:
Players; Honus Wagner (Pittsburgh) 43, Frank Chance (Chicago) 29, Roy Thomas (Philadelphia) 28, Sam Mertes (New York) 27, Cy Seymour (Cincinnati) 26, Bill Dahlen and Art Devlin (New York) and Tommy Leach (Pittsburgh) 25 each, Ginger Beaumont (Pittsburgh) 24, Roger Bresnahan (New York) and Jake Beckley (St. Louis) 23.
Pitchers; Joe McGinnity (New York) 42, Christy Mathewson (New York) 34, Jake Weimer (Chicago) 28, Kid Nichols and Jack Taylor (St. Louis) 27, Noodles Hahn (Cincinnati) 25, Buttons Briggs (Chicago) and Jack Harper (Cincinnati) 24, Luther "Dummy" Taylor (New York) and Patsy Flaherty and Sam Leever (Pittsburgh) 23.
WARP3 leaders, players: Wagner 8.0, Chance 5.4, Devlin 5.3, Dahlen 4.9, Leach 4.8, Thomas 4.7, Seymour 4.6, Bresnahan 4.5, Mertes and Beckley 4.3.
WARP3 leaders, pitchers: McGinnity 7.0, Vic Willis (Boston)5.8, Togie Pittinger (Boston) 5.6, Mathewson 5.3, Flaherty 5.1, Hahn 5.0, Leever and Nichols 4.8, Weimer 4.2.
WAR leaders, position players: Wagner 9.7, Chance 6.8, Dahlen 6.5, Thomas 6.3, Devlin 6.1, Dan McGann (New York) 5.6, Mertes 5.4, Beckley 5.1, Seymour 5.0, Harry Lumley (Brooklyn) 4.8, Leach 4.7.
WAR leaders, pitchers: McGinnity 10.2, Nichols 6.9, Mathewson 6.1, Hahn 5.9, Weimer 5.7, Taylor 4.8, Harper and Leever 4.6, Taylor 4.5, Flaherty 4.3.
Top player was Honus Wagner, of course, for the fifth year in a row. He led the league in batting average, on-base, slugging, OPS, total bases, doubles, extra-base hits, and OPS+. #2 Frank Chance, #3 Roy Thomas, #4 Cy Seymour, #5 Bill Dahlen.
Top pitcher was Iron Man Joe McGinnity. He led in ERA, wins, saves, WHIP, games, innings, shutouts, and ERA+. #2 Mathewson, #3 Kid Nichols in his final encore, #4 Jake Weimer, #5 Noodles Hahn.
Top rookie was Art Devlin. He hit .281 in 130 games, playing 3B for pennant-winning New York.
It is a well-known story that John McGraw declined to repeat the previous year's "World Series" by refusing to face the Boston AL winner, who had beaten Pittsburgh the previous year. Reasons differ on why this is so. McGraw, with twin aces McGinnity and Mathewson, and the best offense in the NL, had reason to be confident. The Pilgrims had a fine team of their own. This did set up a hue and cry that led to the establishment of a permanent NL/AL postseason series.
1904 American League
Boston defeated New York in a tremendous pennant race, the best of the century so far. Jack Chesbro had his career year with 41 wins, and lost the pennant for the Highlanders on a wild pitch. Of course, they wouldn't have gotten that far if not for him. Chicago and Cleveland were in it too, and Philadelphia was not far behind. Washington was horrible, losing 113 games with one of the worst teams of all time. The NL, specifically pennant-winning manager John McGraw, refused to play the AL champs. This led to the setting up of a more official playoff at the end of the season, to be christened the "World Series," (originally "World's Series") and sports history was made.
Statistical leaders: Nap Lajoie ran away with the batting title, at .376 to Willie Keeler's .343. Third was Harry Davis at .309. Lajoie also led in hits (208), doubles (49), on-base, slugging, and RBI (102). Joe Cassidy, Buck Freeman, and Chick Stahl tied with 19 triples. Patsy Dougherty had 113 runs, Harry Davis 10 HR, and Clevelanders Harry Bay and Elmer Flick 38 steals each.
Chesbro had 41 wins (Eddie Plank and Cy Young followed with 26 each), Addie Joss posted a 1.59 ERA, and Rube Waddell had 349 strikeouts to go with his second-best ERA (1.62). The strikeout mark had been reached repeatedly in the 19th century, but a 20th century pitcher would not exceed it until Sandy Koufax in 1965, although Bob Feller was one short in 1946. Also, while 40 wins was regularly exceeded in the 19th century, no one has posted more victories in a season since Chesbro. Ed Walsh in 1908 is the only 40-game winner since.
Win Shares Leaderboard:
Players, Nap Lajoie (Cleveland) 41, Chick Stahl (Boston) and Elmer Flick (Cleveland) 31, Freddy Parent (Boston) 29, Jimmy Collins (Boston), George Davis (Chicago) and Bill Bradley (Cleveland) 28 each, Danny Green (Chicago) 27, Jimmy Barrett (Detroit) 26, Buck Freeman (Boston), Willie Keeler (New York) and Jesse Burkett (St. Louis) 25.
Pitchers, Jack Chesbro (New York) 53, Cy Young (Boston) 35, Rube Waddell (Philadelphia) 32, Jack Powell (New York) and Eddie Plank (Philadelphia) 29, Bill Dinneen (Boston) and Frank Owen (Chicago) 26, Jesse Tannehill (Boston) and George Mullin (Detroit) 25.
WARP3 scores: players, Lajoie 11.6, Bradley 9.1, Flick 8.4, Murphy 7.3, Collins 7.2, Davis and Bobby Wallace (St. Louis) 6.5, Patsy Dougherty (Boston) 6.3, Green 5.9, Keeler 5.7, Lou Criger (Boston) 5.4.
WARP3 scores, pitchers: Chesbro 11.3, Young 9.6, Plank 8.2, Waddell 7.9, Dinneen 7.7, Harry Howell (St. Louis) 6.2, Mullin 5.7, Owen 5.6, Tom Hughes (Boston) 5.3.
WAR leaders, position players: Lajoie 9.3. Flick 7.1, Davis 6.9, Bradley 6.7, Parent 6.4, Wallace 5.4, Collins 5.3, Keeler and Danny Murphy (Philadelphia) 5.2, Stahl and Kid Elberfeld (New York) 5.0.
WAR leaders, pitchers: Chesbro 8.8, Waddell 8.4, Young 8.1, Plank 6.8, Tannehill 4.6, Bill Bernhard (Cleveland) and Dinneen 4.4, Addie Joss (Cleveland) 4.3, Howell 4.2.
Top player: Nap Lajoie continued to dominate the young AL, leading in batting average, on-base, slugging, OPS, hits, total bases, extra-base hits, doubles, RBI, and OPS+. The question is, how did Cleveland, which led in offense and was 2nd in team ERA, finish 4th? By Pythagorean numbers, they should have won the pennant.
After Lajoie at #1, I'd give the #2 spot to Elmer Flick, with Bill Bradley #3, Jimmy Collins #4 and George Davis #5.
Top pitcher: Jack Chesbro. He led in wins, WHIP, innings, games, starts, CG, 2nd in strikeouts, 4th in ERA. Had 15 more wins than the second-place guys in that category, Plank and Young. This season got Chesbro in the Hall of Fame, with but 198 career victories. #2 on my ballot would be strikeout leader Rube Waddell, #3 Cy Young, #4 Eddie Plank, then Bill Dinneen #5.
Frank Smith's 16-9, with a 2.09 ERA for Chicago is deserving of Rookie of the Year.
Manager of the Year to New York's Clark Griffith, for a great run with a shaky team.
Statistical leaders: Nap Lajoie ran away with the batting title, at .376 to Willie Keeler's .343. Third was Harry Davis at .309. Lajoie also led in hits (208), doubles (49), on-base, slugging, and RBI (102). Joe Cassidy, Buck Freeman, and Chick Stahl tied with 19 triples. Patsy Dougherty had 113 runs, Harry Davis 10 HR, and Clevelanders Harry Bay and Elmer Flick 38 steals each.
Chesbro had 41 wins (Eddie Plank and Cy Young followed with 26 each), Addie Joss posted a 1.59 ERA, and Rube Waddell had 349 strikeouts to go with his second-best ERA (1.62). The strikeout mark had been reached repeatedly in the 19th century, but a 20th century pitcher would not exceed it until Sandy Koufax in 1965, although Bob Feller was one short in 1946. Also, while 40 wins was regularly exceeded in the 19th century, no one has posted more victories in a season since Chesbro. Ed Walsh in 1908 is the only 40-game winner since.
Win Shares Leaderboard:
Players, Nap Lajoie (Cleveland) 41, Chick Stahl (Boston) and Elmer Flick (Cleveland) 31, Freddy Parent (Boston) 29, Jimmy Collins (Boston), George Davis (Chicago) and Bill Bradley (Cleveland) 28 each, Danny Green (Chicago) 27, Jimmy Barrett (Detroit) 26, Buck Freeman (Boston), Willie Keeler (New York) and Jesse Burkett (St. Louis) 25.
Pitchers, Jack Chesbro (New York) 53, Cy Young (Boston) 35, Rube Waddell (Philadelphia) 32, Jack Powell (New York) and Eddie Plank (Philadelphia) 29, Bill Dinneen (Boston) and Frank Owen (Chicago) 26, Jesse Tannehill (Boston) and George Mullin (Detroit) 25.
WARP3 scores: players, Lajoie 11.6, Bradley 9.1, Flick 8.4, Murphy 7.3, Collins 7.2, Davis and Bobby Wallace (St. Louis) 6.5, Patsy Dougherty (Boston) 6.3, Green 5.9, Keeler 5.7, Lou Criger (Boston) 5.4.
WARP3 scores, pitchers: Chesbro 11.3, Young 9.6, Plank 8.2, Waddell 7.9, Dinneen 7.7, Harry Howell (St. Louis) 6.2, Mullin 5.7, Owen 5.6, Tom Hughes (Boston) 5.3.
WAR leaders, position players: Lajoie 9.3. Flick 7.1, Davis 6.9, Bradley 6.7, Parent 6.4, Wallace 5.4, Collins 5.3, Keeler and Danny Murphy (Philadelphia) 5.2, Stahl and Kid Elberfeld (New York) 5.0.
WAR leaders, pitchers: Chesbro 8.8, Waddell 8.4, Young 8.1, Plank 6.8, Tannehill 4.6, Bill Bernhard (Cleveland) and Dinneen 4.4, Addie Joss (Cleveland) 4.3, Howell 4.2.
Top player: Nap Lajoie continued to dominate the young AL, leading in batting average, on-base, slugging, OPS, hits, total bases, extra-base hits, doubles, RBI, and OPS+. The question is, how did Cleveland, which led in offense and was 2nd in team ERA, finish 4th? By Pythagorean numbers, they should have won the pennant.
After Lajoie at #1, I'd give the #2 spot to Elmer Flick, with Bill Bradley #3, Jimmy Collins #4 and George Davis #5.
Top pitcher: Jack Chesbro. He led in wins, WHIP, innings, games, starts, CG, 2nd in strikeouts, 4th in ERA. Had 15 more wins than the second-place guys in that category, Plank and Young. This season got Chesbro in the Hall of Fame, with but 198 career victories. #2 on my ballot would be strikeout leader Rube Waddell, #3 Cy Young, #4 Eddie Plank, then Bill Dinneen #5.
Frank Smith's 16-9, with a 2.09 ERA for Chicago is deserving of Rookie of the Year.
Manager of the Year to New York's Clark Griffith, for a great run with a shaky team.
10 June 2007
1903 National League
Pittsburgh won again, but didn't run away and hide this year. New York, now refortified, and Chicago gave them a run for their money. St. Louis filled the basement, and deservedly so. The Pirates also accepted the challenge of the Boston Pilgrims for a post-season series, but lost to the AL upstarts. It was the start of something historic. Also, the leagues made a peace agreement to stop raiding each others' players.
League leaders included batting champ Honus Wagner with a .355 average and 19 triples, Ginger Beaumont with 137 runs and 209 hits, Jimmy Sheckard at 9 HR, Sam Mertes with 104 RBI, Mertes, Fred Clarke, and Harry Steinfeldt with 32 doubles, and Frank Chance tied with Sheckard at 67 steals.
Joe McGinnity's 31 wins just edged Christy Mathewson's 30, Sam Leever posted a 2.06 ERA, and Mathewson led the way with 267 strikeouts. Leever and Deacon Phillippe won 25 games. Mathewson was second with a 2.26 ERA, Jake Weimer third at 2.30.
Here's the Win Shares:
Players; Honus Wagner (Pittsburgh) 35, Jimmy Sheckard (Brooklyn) 33, Frank Chance (Chicago) 31, Ginger Beaumont (Pittsburgh) 28, Roger Bresnahan (New York) 27, Sam Mertes (New York) 26, Jimmy Slagle (Chicago) and Fred Clarke (Pittsburgh) 25 each, Mike Donlin and Cy Seymour (both Cincinnati) 24, Bill Dahlen (Brooklyn) and Roy Thomas (Philadelphia) 23.
Pitchers; Joe McGinnity (New York) 40, Christy Mathewson (New York) 37, Sam Leever (Pittsburgh) 28, Deacon Phillippe (Pittsburgh) 27, Jack Taylor (Chicago) 25, Noodles Hahn (Cincinnati) 24, Oscar Jones (Brooklyn) and Jake Weimer (Chicago) 23.
WARP3, players: Wagner 9.2, Johnny Kling (Chicago) 8.2, Sheckard 7.8, Pat Moran (Boston) 6.7, Thomas 6.2, Dahlen 5.7, Seymour 5.5, Clarke and Claude Ritchey (Pittsburgh) 5.4, Chance 5.3, Beaumont 5.0, Harry Steinfeldt (Cincinnati) 4.9.
WARP3 pitchers: McGinnity 10.6, Mathewson 8.7, Vic Willis (Boston) 6.6, Taylor 5.8, Leever 5.5, Weimer 5.1, Hahn 4.8.
WAR, players: Wagner 9.1, Sheckard 8.4, Chance 6.8, Thomas 6.5, Bresnahan 6.1, Dahlen 6.0, Donlin 5.8, Beaumont and Clarke 5.6. Pitchers, McGinnity 10.5, Mathewson 8.9, Hahn 6.8, Leever 6.5, Weimer 5.3, Phillippe 5.2, Willis 5.1, Sparks 4.7.
Top player: Honus Wagner. It comes down to Sheckard or Wagner for top player. Wagner was .355/414/518, winning the batting title and leading in triples. Sheckard led the league in home runs and tied for the lead in steals, and was 332/423/476 in a tougher hitter's park. Wagner's team won the pennant.
#1 Honus Wagner, #2 Jimmy Sheckard, #3 Frank Chance for surging Chicago, #4 Roy Thomas, #5 Bill Dahlen.
Top pitcher: Christy Mathewson. It's between teammates Mathewson and McGinnity. McGinnity was 31-20 2.43, and Mathewson 30-13 2.26 for the same team. One win vs. 0.17 in ERA. It's pretty much a dead heat, but for top pitcher I'll take Mathewson and his big lead in strikeouts with McGinnity a close second. Sam Leever, the ERA leader, is a good #3 but well back of the top 2.
#1 Christy Mathewson, #2 Joe McGinnity, #3 Sam Leever, #4 Noodles Hahn, #5 Deacon Phillippe.
Wagner and Mathewson. Probably say that a lot this decade.
Not much for rookies. The best was Jake Weimer, 20-8 with a 2.30 ERA for Chicago. He was 3rd in ERA and 5th in strikeouts. Mordecai Brown was 9-13, but with a 2.26 ERA and a 126 ERA+ in St. Louis. He had the best career.
Best manager to Fred Clarke of Pittsburgh, but that's partly because I know John McGraw will have lots of chances at this.
League leaders included batting champ Honus Wagner with a .355 average and 19 triples, Ginger Beaumont with 137 runs and 209 hits, Jimmy Sheckard at 9 HR, Sam Mertes with 104 RBI, Mertes, Fred Clarke, and Harry Steinfeldt with 32 doubles, and Frank Chance tied with Sheckard at 67 steals.
Joe McGinnity's 31 wins just edged Christy Mathewson's 30, Sam Leever posted a 2.06 ERA, and Mathewson led the way with 267 strikeouts. Leever and Deacon Phillippe won 25 games. Mathewson was second with a 2.26 ERA, Jake Weimer third at 2.30.
Here's the Win Shares:
Players; Honus Wagner (Pittsburgh) 35, Jimmy Sheckard (Brooklyn) 33, Frank Chance (Chicago) 31, Ginger Beaumont (Pittsburgh) 28, Roger Bresnahan (New York) 27, Sam Mertes (New York) 26, Jimmy Slagle (Chicago) and Fred Clarke (Pittsburgh) 25 each, Mike Donlin and Cy Seymour (both Cincinnati) 24, Bill Dahlen (Brooklyn) and Roy Thomas (Philadelphia) 23.
Pitchers; Joe McGinnity (New York) 40, Christy Mathewson (New York) 37, Sam Leever (Pittsburgh) 28, Deacon Phillippe (Pittsburgh) 27, Jack Taylor (Chicago) 25, Noodles Hahn (Cincinnati) 24, Oscar Jones (Brooklyn) and Jake Weimer (Chicago) 23.
WARP3, players: Wagner 9.2, Johnny Kling (Chicago) 8.2, Sheckard 7.8, Pat Moran (Boston) 6.7, Thomas 6.2, Dahlen 5.7, Seymour 5.5, Clarke and Claude Ritchey (Pittsburgh) 5.4, Chance 5.3, Beaumont 5.0, Harry Steinfeldt (Cincinnati) 4.9.
WARP3 pitchers: McGinnity 10.6, Mathewson 8.7, Vic Willis (Boston) 6.6, Taylor 5.8, Leever 5.5, Weimer 5.1, Hahn 4.8.
WAR, players: Wagner 9.1, Sheckard 8.4, Chance 6.8, Thomas 6.5, Bresnahan 6.1, Dahlen 6.0, Donlin 5.8, Beaumont and Clarke 5.6. Pitchers, McGinnity 10.5, Mathewson 8.9, Hahn 6.8, Leever 6.5, Weimer 5.3, Phillippe 5.2, Willis 5.1, Sparks 4.7.
Top player: Honus Wagner. It comes down to Sheckard or Wagner for top player. Wagner was .355/414/518, winning the batting title and leading in triples. Sheckard led the league in home runs and tied for the lead in steals, and was 332/423/476 in a tougher hitter's park. Wagner's team won the pennant.
#1 Honus Wagner, #2 Jimmy Sheckard, #3 Frank Chance for surging Chicago, #4 Roy Thomas, #5 Bill Dahlen.
Top pitcher: Christy Mathewson. It's between teammates Mathewson and McGinnity. McGinnity was 31-20 2.43, and Mathewson 30-13 2.26 for the same team. One win vs. 0.17 in ERA. It's pretty much a dead heat, but for top pitcher I'll take Mathewson and his big lead in strikeouts with McGinnity a close second. Sam Leever, the ERA leader, is a good #3 but well back of the top 2.
#1 Christy Mathewson, #2 Joe McGinnity, #3 Sam Leever, #4 Noodles Hahn, #5 Deacon Phillippe.
Wagner and Mathewson. Probably say that a lot this decade.
Not much for rookies. The best was Jake Weimer, 20-8 with a 2.30 ERA for Chicago. He was 3rd in ERA and 5th in strikeouts. Mordecai Brown was 9-13, but with a 2.26 ERA and a 126 ERA+ in St. Louis. He had the best career.
Best manager to Fred Clarke of Pittsburgh, but that's partly because I know John McGraw will have lots of chances at this.
1903 American League
The Boston Pilgrims won the pennant, rather handily. The Baltimore franchise picked up and moved to New York (following most of their players), as the franchise that would become the Yankees. The geographic face of the major leagues was now set for the next 50 years, although the geographic face of America would change much in that time. Only three teams in the AL, Cleveland, Detroit, and Washington, did not have a competing NL team in town. It would remain that way for half a century. No wonder people were so upset when franchises started moving; few still alive could remember when things had been different.
With Boston on top, and Washington mired at the bottom, the other six teams bunched in the middle. More stars were lured to the AL, including Sam Crawford, and the leagues were now on equal footing. To prove this, Boston challenged NL winner Pittsburgh to a "World's Series" after the season, often counted as the first ever, and the Pilgrims won 5 games to 3. The Series resumed in 1905, and continued uninterrupted through 1993.
League leaders included batting champ Napoleon Lajoie at .344, Patsy Dougherty at 107 runs and 195 hits, and Buck Freeman with 13 HR and 104 RBI. Socks Seybold socked 45 doubles, Sam Crawford 25 triples, and Harry Bay stole 45 bases. Crawford was second in average with a .335 mark, then Dougherty at .331.
For pitching, Cy Young nearly lapped the field with 28 wins, Earl Moore posted a 1.74 ERA, and Rube Waddell was far and away the strikeout leader at 302. No one else had even 200. If you ever wondered why Connie Mack put up with Waddell's antics for so long, that's why. Eddie Plank had 23 wins, while Jack Chesbro, Bill Dinneen, Willie Sudhoff, and Waddell had 21. Young posted the second-best ERA at 2.08, Bill Bernhard 2.12, Doc White 2.13. Second-best in strikeouts is Bill Donovan with 187.
Here's what the Win Shares say:
Players; Nap Lajoie (Cleveland) 31, Bill Bradley (Cleveland) 29, Patsy Dougherty (Boston) 28, Jimmy Collins and Freddy Parent (Boston), Danny Green (Chicago) and Jimmy Barrett (Detroit) 26 each, Elmer Flick (Cleveland) and Sam Crawford (Detroit) 25, Buck Freeman 24.
Pitchers; Cy Young (Boston) 38, Eddie Plank (Philadelphia) 28, Bill Dinneen (Boston) and Rube Waddell (Philadelphia) 27, Willie Sudhoff (St. Louis) 25, Tom Hughes (Boston), Doc White (Chicago) and George Mullin (Detroit) 23, Bill Donovan (Detroit) and Jack Chesbro (New York) 22.
On the WARP3 front, it's (players) Lajoie 10.3, Bradley 10.2, Collins 7.9, Green 7.6, Dougherty and Crawford 7.2, Barrett and Flick 6.7, Freeman and Jimmy Williams (New York) 6.4, Billy Lush (Detroit) 6.3, Parent 6.2, Socks Seybold (Philadelphia) 5.6.
WARP3 Pitchers, Donovan 7.9, Young 7.8, Sudhoff 7.2, Mullin 7.0, White 6.8, Plank 6.7, Addie Joss (Cleveland) 6.5, Dinneen 6.1, Waddell 6.0.
WAR leaders, positions: Lajoie 7.6, Bradley 6.9, Parent 6.1, Crawford 5.4, Barrett and Collins 5.2, Dougherty 5.0, Flick 4.5, Green 4.3, Elberfeld 4.2, Lush 4.1.
WAR leaders, pitchers: Waddell 7.1, Young 6.5, Dinneen 6.0, Donovan and Plank 5.8, Sudhoff 5.3, Joss 4.0, Mullin 3.9.
Top player is Nap Lajoie, leader in batting average, slugging, and OPS. He was 2nd in doubles and 3rd in RBI. His teammate Bill Bradley would be 2nd, with Jimmy Barrett 3rd, Freddy Parent 4th, and Sam Crawford 5th.
Cy Young as the best pitcher. Leader in wins, 2nd in ERA, 4th in strikeouts. 2nd would be strikeout king Rube Waddell, with Bill Donovan 3rd, Eddie Plank 4th, and Bill Dinneen 5th.
I'll cast a best rookie vote for Chief Bender of the A's, 17-14 with a league average ERA of 3.07.
Top manager to Jimmy Collins, guiding the pennant winners.
With Boston on top, and Washington mired at the bottom, the other six teams bunched in the middle. More stars were lured to the AL, including Sam Crawford, and the leagues were now on equal footing. To prove this, Boston challenged NL winner Pittsburgh to a "World's Series" after the season, often counted as the first ever, and the Pilgrims won 5 games to 3. The Series resumed in 1905, and continued uninterrupted through 1993.
League leaders included batting champ Napoleon Lajoie at .344, Patsy Dougherty at 107 runs and 195 hits, and Buck Freeman with 13 HR and 104 RBI. Socks Seybold socked 45 doubles, Sam Crawford 25 triples, and Harry Bay stole 45 bases. Crawford was second in average with a .335 mark, then Dougherty at .331.
For pitching, Cy Young nearly lapped the field with 28 wins, Earl Moore posted a 1.74 ERA, and Rube Waddell was far and away the strikeout leader at 302. No one else had even 200. If you ever wondered why Connie Mack put up with Waddell's antics for so long, that's why. Eddie Plank had 23 wins, while Jack Chesbro, Bill Dinneen, Willie Sudhoff, and Waddell had 21. Young posted the second-best ERA at 2.08, Bill Bernhard 2.12, Doc White 2.13. Second-best in strikeouts is Bill Donovan with 187.
Here's what the Win Shares say:
Players; Nap Lajoie (Cleveland) 31, Bill Bradley (Cleveland) 29, Patsy Dougherty (Boston) 28, Jimmy Collins and Freddy Parent (Boston), Danny Green (Chicago) and Jimmy Barrett (Detroit) 26 each, Elmer Flick (Cleveland) and Sam Crawford (Detroit) 25, Buck Freeman 24.
Pitchers; Cy Young (Boston) 38, Eddie Plank (Philadelphia) 28, Bill Dinneen (Boston) and Rube Waddell (Philadelphia) 27, Willie Sudhoff (St. Louis) 25, Tom Hughes (Boston), Doc White (Chicago) and George Mullin (Detroit) 23, Bill Donovan (Detroit) and Jack Chesbro (New York) 22.
On the WARP3 front, it's (players) Lajoie 10.3, Bradley 10.2, Collins 7.9, Green 7.6, Dougherty and Crawford 7.2, Barrett and Flick 6.7, Freeman and Jimmy Williams (New York) 6.4, Billy Lush (Detroit) 6.3, Parent 6.2, Socks Seybold (Philadelphia) 5.6.
WARP3 Pitchers, Donovan 7.9, Young 7.8, Sudhoff 7.2, Mullin 7.0, White 6.8, Plank 6.7, Addie Joss (Cleveland) 6.5, Dinneen 6.1, Waddell 6.0.
WAR leaders, positions: Lajoie 7.6, Bradley 6.9, Parent 6.1, Crawford 5.4, Barrett and Collins 5.2, Dougherty 5.0, Flick 4.5, Green 4.3, Elberfeld 4.2, Lush 4.1.
WAR leaders, pitchers: Waddell 7.1, Young 6.5, Dinneen 6.0, Donovan and Plank 5.8, Sudhoff 5.3, Joss 4.0, Mullin 3.9.
Top player is Nap Lajoie, leader in batting average, slugging, and OPS. He was 2nd in doubles and 3rd in RBI. His teammate Bill Bradley would be 2nd, with Jimmy Barrett 3rd, Freddy Parent 4th, and Sam Crawford 5th.
Cy Young as the best pitcher. Leader in wins, 2nd in ERA, 4th in strikeouts. 2nd would be strikeout king Rube Waddell, with Bill Donovan 3rd, Eddie Plank 4th, and Bill Dinneen 5th.
I'll cast a best rookie vote for Chief Bender of the A's, 17-14 with a league average ERA of 3.07.
Top manager to Jimmy Collins, guiding the pennant winners.
07 June 2007
1902 National League
Pittsburgh ran away and hid from the rest of the league, with 103 wins to 75 for second-place Brooklyn. Far and away the best offensive and defensive team, the Pirates were nearly unbeatable. Boston was third, then Cincinnati, Chicago, St.Louis, and Philadelphia. New York finished last, but was in the process of being fortified by the addition of John McGraw, who would bring a number of AL defectees back with him from Baltimore.
Ginger Beaumont won the batting title at .357, and led in hits with 193. Sam Crawford and Willie Keeler hit .333, Jake Beckley and Honus Wagner .330. Wagner led in nearly everything else, including his 105 runs, 30 doubles, 91 RBI, and 42 steals. Crawford and Tommy Leach had 22 triples. Leach led with 6 homers, all inside-the-park.
Jack Chesbro led pitchers with 28 wins, closely followed by Togie Pittinger and Vic Willis at 27. Noodles Hahn and Jack Taylor had 23. Taylor led with a 1.29 ERA, Hahn posted a 1.77 mark, Jesse Tannehill 1.95, Carl Lundgren 1.97. Willis led with 225 strikeouts, Doc White 185, Pittinger 174.
And now, on to the Win Shares:
Players; Honus Wagner (Pittsburgh) 35, Ginger Beaumont (Pittsburgh) 31, Fred Clarke (Pittsburgh) 29, Tommy Leach (Pittsburgh) 27, Fred Tenney (Boston) Jimmy Sheckard (Brooklyn) and Roy Thomas (Philadelphia) 25 each, Willie Keeler (Brooklyn) 24, Bill Dahlen (Brooklyn), Jimmy Slagle (Chicago) and Sam Crawford (Cincinnati) 23.
Pitchers; Jack Taylor (Chicago) 32, Vic Willis (Boston) and Noodles Hahn (Cincinnati) 29, Doc White (Philadelphia) 27, Jack Chesbro (Pittsburgh) 25, Togie Pittinger (Boston) and Jesse Tannehill (Pittsburgh) 24, Deacon Phillippe (Pittsburgh) 23, Christy Mathewson (New York) 22.
WARP3 scores, players: Wagner 9.0, Beaumont and Leach 6.7, Crawford 6.1, Clarke 6.0, Tenney and Johnny Kling (Chicago) 5.9, Keeler 5.4.
WARP3 leaders, pitchers: Taylor 11.8, Hahn 7.4, White 6.2, Willis and Mike O'Neill (St. Louis) 5.4, Chesbro 4.8.
WAR for players: Wagner 7.3, Leach and Beaumont 5.5, Clarke 5.2, Tenney 4.7, Slagle 4.4, Crawford 4.3, Thomas 3.9.
WAR for pitchers: Taylor 7.8, Hahn 7.7, Willis 7.4, Pittinger 6.7, Chesbro 5.9, White 4.2, Phillippe 4.1.
Top four Win Shares and WAR players all from Pittsburgh! No wonder they ran away with the pennant, by 27.5 games. I wonder when they clinched....
Top player was Honus Wagner, again. Get used to reading that....Leader in slugging, runs, doubles, RBI, steals, and OPS. Beaumont 2nd, Tenney 3rd, Leach 4th, Crawford 5th.
For top pitcher I'll choose Jack Taylor, who dominated in ERA+ and also led in WHIP. Chesbro and Willis had more wins, but no one was more effective. 2nd would be Noodles Hahn, also 2nd in ERA. Vic Willis 3rd, Togie Pittinger 4th, Chesbro 5th.
Manager to Fred Clarke. Hardly anyone else was over .500, it has to be.
Top rookie to Joe Tinker, I guess. Tinker batted just .261, but I can't see anyone else. Johnny Evers also debuted this year.
Ginger Beaumont won the batting title at .357, and led in hits with 193. Sam Crawford and Willie Keeler hit .333, Jake Beckley and Honus Wagner .330. Wagner led in nearly everything else, including his 105 runs, 30 doubles, 91 RBI, and 42 steals. Crawford and Tommy Leach had 22 triples. Leach led with 6 homers, all inside-the-park.
Jack Chesbro led pitchers with 28 wins, closely followed by Togie Pittinger and Vic Willis at 27. Noodles Hahn and Jack Taylor had 23. Taylor led with a 1.29 ERA, Hahn posted a 1.77 mark, Jesse Tannehill 1.95, Carl Lundgren 1.97. Willis led with 225 strikeouts, Doc White 185, Pittinger 174.
And now, on to the Win Shares:
Players; Honus Wagner (Pittsburgh) 35, Ginger Beaumont (Pittsburgh) 31, Fred Clarke (Pittsburgh) 29, Tommy Leach (Pittsburgh) 27, Fred Tenney (Boston) Jimmy Sheckard (Brooklyn) and Roy Thomas (Philadelphia) 25 each, Willie Keeler (Brooklyn) 24, Bill Dahlen (Brooklyn), Jimmy Slagle (Chicago) and Sam Crawford (Cincinnati) 23.
Pitchers; Jack Taylor (Chicago) 32, Vic Willis (Boston) and Noodles Hahn (Cincinnati) 29, Doc White (Philadelphia) 27, Jack Chesbro (Pittsburgh) 25, Togie Pittinger (Boston) and Jesse Tannehill (Pittsburgh) 24, Deacon Phillippe (Pittsburgh) 23, Christy Mathewson (New York) 22.
WARP3 scores, players: Wagner 9.0, Beaumont and Leach 6.7, Crawford 6.1, Clarke 6.0, Tenney and Johnny Kling (Chicago) 5.9, Keeler 5.4.
WARP3 leaders, pitchers: Taylor 11.8, Hahn 7.4, White 6.2, Willis and Mike O'Neill (St. Louis) 5.4, Chesbro 4.8.
WAR for players: Wagner 7.3, Leach and Beaumont 5.5, Clarke 5.2, Tenney 4.7, Slagle 4.4, Crawford 4.3, Thomas 3.9.
WAR for pitchers: Taylor 7.8, Hahn 7.7, Willis 7.4, Pittinger 6.7, Chesbro 5.9, White 4.2, Phillippe 4.1.
Top four Win Shares and WAR players all from Pittsburgh! No wonder they ran away with the pennant, by 27.5 games. I wonder when they clinched....
Top player was Honus Wagner, again. Get used to reading that....Leader in slugging, runs, doubles, RBI, steals, and OPS. Beaumont 2nd, Tenney 3rd, Leach 4th, Crawford 5th.
For top pitcher I'll choose Jack Taylor, who dominated in ERA+ and also led in WHIP. Chesbro and Willis had more wins, but no one was more effective. 2nd would be Noodles Hahn, also 2nd in ERA. Vic Willis 3rd, Togie Pittinger 4th, Chesbro 5th.
Manager to Fred Clarke. Hardly anyone else was over .500, it has to be.
Top rookie to Joe Tinker, I guess. Tinker batted just .261, but I can't see anyone else. Johnny Evers also debuted this year.
1902 American League
The AL lured a few more stars over to the new loop, and came up with some interesting rookies, strengthening the league further. Bill Dinneen, George Davis, and Ed Delahanty switched over for 1902, and gave the AL even more star power. The Milwaukee franchise shifted to St. Louis, getting the league into another larger city. Things were definitely looking up for the AL, and they had a good race, with Philadelphia winning over a good field, followed by St. Louis, Boston, and Chicago, with Cleveland also over .500. Washington wasn't bad, but Detroit and Baltimore were doormats, as John McGraw switched back to the NL at New York and took stars like Joe McGinnity back with him. That was about the only battle Ban Johnson's league lost in 20 years. The AL was still not quite up to the standards of the NL, but they would be by next year.
Ed Delahanty won the batting title with a .376 average. Nap Lajoie hit .378 but only played 87 games with some legal trouble about jumping teams. Charlie (Piano Legs) Hickman was second with a .361 average and led with 193 hits. Dave Fultz and Topsy Hartsel led with 109 runs, Harry Davis and Delahanty with 43 doubles, Jimmy Williams with 21 triples, Socks Seybold had 16 homers. Buck Freeman led with 121 RBI, Hickman 110 RBI, Lave Cross 108 RBI, and Hartsel with 47 steals.
On the mound, Cy Young won 32 games, Rube Waddell 24, Red Donohue and Jack Powell 22. Ed Siever led with a 1.91 ERA, Waddell 2.05, Young and Bill Bernhard 2.15. Waddell led with 210 strikeouts, Young had 160.
Win Shares says....players; Ed Delahanty (Washington) 31, George Davis (Chicago) Bill Bradley (Cleveland) and Lave Cross (Philadelphia) 26, Fielder Jones (Chicago) Sammy Strang (Chicago) Topsy Hartsel (Philadelphia) and Jesse Burkett (St. Louis) 25 each, Socks Seybold (Philadelphia) 24, Buck Freeman (Boston) 23.
Pitchers; Cy Young (Boston) 38, Rube Waddell (Philadelphia) 33, Jack Powell (St. Louis) 31, Red Donahue (Philadelphia) 30, Bill Dinneen (Boston) 27, Eddie Plank (Philadelphia) 25.
WARP3 scores, players: Bradley 9.4, Delahanty 8.4, Lajoie 8.0, Davis 7.9, Freeman 6.6, Seybold 6.5, Cross 6.4, Bobby Wallace (St. Louis) 6.1, Jones 6.0, Jimmy Collins (Boston) 5.9, Burkett and Charlie Hickman (Cleveland) 5.8.
WARP leaders, pitchers: Waddell 9.4, Young 9.2, Win Mercer (Detroit) 6.9, Bill Bernhard (Cleveland) 6.5, Joe McGinnity (Baltimore) 6.3, Plank 6.1, Dinneen 5.9, Powell 5.4, Addie Joss (Cleveland) 5.1, Donahue and Ed Siever (Detroit) 5.0.
WAR, players: Delahanty 7.9, Bradley 7.6, Davis 6.9, Wallace 6.2, Hickman 5.9, Strang 5.7, Cross and Burkett 5.6, Collins 5.5, Freeman 5.3, Seybold and Jones 5.2, Barrett 5.0.
WAR, pitchers: Young 8.9, Waddell 8.4, Dinneen 6.3, Bernhard 5.4, Donahue 5.3, Plank 5.1, Powell 5.0.
Top player, with Lajoie missing almost half a season, was Ed Delahanty in a last hurrah. Less than a year later, he would be dead. In 1902, Delahanty led the AL in on-base, slugging, and OPS, second in batting average and tied for the lead in doubles. He made Washington respectable.
#1 Ed Delahanty, #2 Bill Bradley, #3 George Davis, #4 Charlie Hickman, #5 Lave Cross.
Top pitcher was Cy Young with Rube Waddell second. Both were terrific. I'll vote for the "original" Cy Young, the wins and innings leader while 2nd in strikeouts. Waddell was 2nd in ERA and wins and 1st in strikeouts.
#1 Cy Young, #2 Rube Waddell, #3 Bill Dinneen, #4 Bill Bernhard, #5 Eddie Plank.
Top rookie to Addie Joss, 17-13 for Cleveland.
Top manager to Connie Mack, leading his A's to the title even without Nap Lajoie.
Ed Delahanty won the batting title with a .376 average. Nap Lajoie hit .378 but only played 87 games with some legal trouble about jumping teams. Charlie (Piano Legs) Hickman was second with a .361 average and led with 193 hits. Dave Fultz and Topsy Hartsel led with 109 runs, Harry Davis and Delahanty with 43 doubles, Jimmy Williams with 21 triples, Socks Seybold had 16 homers. Buck Freeman led with 121 RBI, Hickman 110 RBI, Lave Cross 108 RBI, and Hartsel with 47 steals.
On the mound, Cy Young won 32 games, Rube Waddell 24, Red Donohue and Jack Powell 22. Ed Siever led with a 1.91 ERA, Waddell 2.05, Young and Bill Bernhard 2.15. Waddell led with 210 strikeouts, Young had 160.
Win Shares says....players; Ed Delahanty (Washington) 31, George Davis (Chicago) Bill Bradley (Cleveland) and Lave Cross (Philadelphia) 26, Fielder Jones (Chicago) Sammy Strang (Chicago) Topsy Hartsel (Philadelphia) and Jesse Burkett (St. Louis) 25 each, Socks Seybold (Philadelphia) 24, Buck Freeman (Boston) 23.
Pitchers; Cy Young (Boston) 38, Rube Waddell (Philadelphia) 33, Jack Powell (St. Louis) 31, Red Donahue (Philadelphia) 30, Bill Dinneen (Boston) 27, Eddie Plank (Philadelphia) 25.
WARP3 scores, players: Bradley 9.4, Delahanty 8.4, Lajoie 8.0, Davis 7.9, Freeman 6.6, Seybold 6.5, Cross 6.4, Bobby Wallace (St. Louis) 6.1, Jones 6.0, Jimmy Collins (Boston) 5.9, Burkett and Charlie Hickman (Cleveland) 5.8.
WARP leaders, pitchers: Waddell 9.4, Young 9.2, Win Mercer (Detroit) 6.9, Bill Bernhard (Cleveland) 6.5, Joe McGinnity (Baltimore) 6.3, Plank 6.1, Dinneen 5.9, Powell 5.4, Addie Joss (Cleveland) 5.1, Donahue and Ed Siever (Detroit) 5.0.
WAR, players: Delahanty 7.9, Bradley 7.6, Davis 6.9, Wallace 6.2, Hickman 5.9, Strang 5.7, Cross and Burkett 5.6, Collins 5.5, Freeman 5.3, Seybold and Jones 5.2, Barrett 5.0.
WAR, pitchers: Young 8.9, Waddell 8.4, Dinneen 6.3, Bernhard 5.4, Donahue 5.3, Plank 5.1, Powell 5.0.
Top player, with Lajoie missing almost half a season, was Ed Delahanty in a last hurrah. Less than a year later, he would be dead. In 1902, Delahanty led the AL in on-base, slugging, and OPS, second in batting average and tied for the lead in doubles. He made Washington respectable.
#1 Ed Delahanty, #2 Bill Bradley, #3 George Davis, #4 Charlie Hickman, #5 Lave Cross.
Top pitcher was Cy Young with Rube Waddell second. Both were terrific. I'll vote for the "original" Cy Young, the wins and innings leader while 2nd in strikeouts. Waddell was 2nd in ERA and wins and 1st in strikeouts.
#1 Cy Young, #2 Rube Waddell, #3 Bill Dinneen, #4 Bill Bernhard, #5 Eddie Plank.
Top rookie to Addie Joss, 17-13 for Cleveland.
Top manager to Connie Mack, leading his A's to the title even without Nap Lajoie.
1901 National League
The NL lost several stars to the upstart American League, but still had plenty left. Pittsburgh won the pennant with their team flush from consolidation with Louisville, and with the most exciting young player in the league, Honus Wagner. Philadelphia ran second, but it wasn't very close. Brooklyn was a solid third, St. Louis fourth, and Boston in 5th with a .500 record. Chicago, which took a bad hit from AL defections (and from the AL Chicago team winning the pennant) shared the lower reaches of the league with Cincinnati and New York. Pittsburgh was just behind St. Louis, and just ahead of Brooklyn, in offense, and also ran first in pitching, ahead of Philadelphia and Boston.
Jesse Burkett of St. Louis won the batting title at .376, with Ed Delahanty and Jimmy Sheckard next at .354 followed by Wagner's .353. Burkett also led with 142 runs, 226 hits, and 306 total bases. Wagner led with 126 RBI and 49 steals. Delahanty and Tom Daly tied with 38 doubles, Sheckard had 19 triples, Sam Crawford had 16 homers.
Bill Donovan led the league with 25 wins, Jack Harper had 23, Noodles Hahn and Deacon Phillippe 22, Jack Chesbro 21. Jesse Tannehill led with a 2.18 ERA, Phillippe had a 2.22, Al Orth 2.27. Hahn led with 239 strikeouts, Donovan 226, Tom Hughes 225, Christy Mathewson 221.
Doin' the Win Shares cha-cha-cha: players; Jesse Burkett (St. Louis) 38, Honus Wagner (Pittsburgh) 37, Jimmy Sheckard (Brooklyn) and Ed Delahanty (Philadelphia) 33, Elmer Flick (Philadelphia) 30, Fred Clarke (Pittsburgh) 28, Topsy Hartsel (Chicago) 27, Bobby Wallace (St. Louis) 26, Tom Daly (Brooklyn) and Ginger Beaumont (Pittsburgh) 25.
Pitchers; Vic Willis (Boston) 33, Kid Nichols (Boston) 32, Al Orth (Philadelphia) 29, Bill Dinneen (Boston, which finished .500 almost on pitching alone) and Wild Bill Donovan (Brooklyn) 27, Noodles Hahn (Cincinnati) 26, Deacon Phillippe (Pittsburgh) 25, Red Donahue (Philadelphia) 24.
WARP3 scores, players: Wagner 10.0, Burkett 9.5, Flick and Wallace 9.2, Sheckard 9.1, Delahanty 8.5, Clarke 7.1, Sam Crawford (Cincinnati) 6.8, Hartsel 6.7, Daly and Claude Ritchey (Pittsburgh) 5.9, Beaumont 5.7, Lefty Davis (Pittsburgh) and Danny Green (Chicago) 5.6.
WARP3 leaders, pitchers: Christy Mathewson (New York) 10.9, Hahn 8.3, Orth 7.8, Phillippe 6.1, Nichols and Jack Chesbro (Pittsburgh) 5.5, Dinneen 5.3, Donahue and Dummy Taylor (New York) 4.5, Jesse Tannehill (Pittsburgh) 4.4, Dinneen and Rube Waddell (Chicago) 4.3.
WAR leaders, pitchers: Mathewson 7.5, Willis 7.2, Hahn 6.5, Donohue and Orth 6.3, Donovan 5.8, Chesbro 5.7. Position players: Wagner 7.4, Burkett, Delahanty, and Flick 7.2, Wallace 6.8, Sheckard 6.6, Hartsel 5.7, Clarke 5.4.
Top player: For the next decade or so, the question of top NL player will be "Is it Honus?" In this year, I think so, considering defense with offense. Honus Wagner 1st, followed by Burkett, Delahanty and Flick. Sheckard was great too. Wagner led the league in RBI and steals. Burkett led in batting average, runs and OPS+, Delahanty in OPS.
#1 Honus Wagner, #2 Jesse Burkett, #3 Jimmy Sheckard, #4 Elmer Flick, #5 Ed Delahanty.
Top pitcher: Christy Mathewson. The meta-stats both rank him first, seeing his solid strikeout total and strong K/W ratio, that he was pitching well for a mediocre team in New York, and how relationship to team helped other pitchers. It's tough, there's a lot of good years here, no real great one.
#1 Christy Mathewson, #2 Vic Willis, #3 Noodles Hahn, #4 Al Orth, #5 Deacon Phillippe.
Top manager to Fred Clarke as the Pirates win their first pennant ever. He's also the guy that made Honus a regular SS, although he still moved him around at this point.
Top rookie: Doc White, 14-13 for Philadelphia with a 3.19 ERA.
Jesse Burkett of St. Louis won the batting title at .376, with Ed Delahanty and Jimmy Sheckard next at .354 followed by Wagner's .353. Burkett also led with 142 runs, 226 hits, and 306 total bases. Wagner led with 126 RBI and 49 steals. Delahanty and Tom Daly tied with 38 doubles, Sheckard had 19 triples, Sam Crawford had 16 homers.
Bill Donovan led the league with 25 wins, Jack Harper had 23, Noodles Hahn and Deacon Phillippe 22, Jack Chesbro 21. Jesse Tannehill led with a 2.18 ERA, Phillippe had a 2.22, Al Orth 2.27. Hahn led with 239 strikeouts, Donovan 226, Tom Hughes 225, Christy Mathewson 221.
Doin' the Win Shares cha-cha-cha: players; Jesse Burkett (St. Louis) 38, Honus Wagner (Pittsburgh) 37, Jimmy Sheckard (Brooklyn) and Ed Delahanty (Philadelphia) 33, Elmer Flick (Philadelphia) 30, Fred Clarke (Pittsburgh) 28, Topsy Hartsel (Chicago) 27, Bobby Wallace (St. Louis) 26, Tom Daly (Brooklyn) and Ginger Beaumont (Pittsburgh) 25.
Pitchers; Vic Willis (Boston) 33, Kid Nichols (Boston) 32, Al Orth (Philadelphia) 29, Bill Dinneen (Boston, which finished .500 almost on pitching alone) and Wild Bill Donovan (Brooklyn) 27, Noodles Hahn (Cincinnati) 26, Deacon Phillippe (Pittsburgh) 25, Red Donahue (Philadelphia) 24.
WARP3 scores, players: Wagner 10.0, Burkett 9.5, Flick and Wallace 9.2, Sheckard 9.1, Delahanty 8.5, Clarke 7.1, Sam Crawford (Cincinnati) 6.8, Hartsel 6.7, Daly and Claude Ritchey (Pittsburgh) 5.9, Beaumont 5.7, Lefty Davis (Pittsburgh) and Danny Green (Chicago) 5.6.
WARP3 leaders, pitchers: Christy Mathewson (New York) 10.9, Hahn 8.3, Orth 7.8, Phillippe 6.1, Nichols and Jack Chesbro (Pittsburgh) 5.5, Dinneen 5.3, Donahue and Dummy Taylor (New York) 4.5, Jesse Tannehill (Pittsburgh) 4.4, Dinneen and Rube Waddell (Chicago) 4.3.
WAR leaders, pitchers: Mathewson 7.5, Willis 7.2, Hahn 6.5, Donohue and Orth 6.3, Donovan 5.8, Chesbro 5.7. Position players: Wagner 7.4, Burkett, Delahanty, and Flick 7.2, Wallace 6.8, Sheckard 6.6, Hartsel 5.7, Clarke 5.4.
Top player: For the next decade or so, the question of top NL player will be "Is it Honus?" In this year, I think so, considering defense with offense. Honus Wagner 1st, followed by Burkett, Delahanty and Flick. Sheckard was great too. Wagner led the league in RBI and steals. Burkett led in batting average, runs and OPS+, Delahanty in OPS.
#1 Honus Wagner, #2 Jesse Burkett, #3 Jimmy Sheckard, #4 Elmer Flick, #5 Ed Delahanty.
Top pitcher: Christy Mathewson. The meta-stats both rank him first, seeing his solid strikeout total and strong K/W ratio, that he was pitching well for a mediocre team in New York, and how relationship to team helped other pitchers. It's tough, there's a lot of good years here, no real great one.
#1 Christy Mathewson, #2 Vic Willis, #3 Noodles Hahn, #4 Al Orth, #5 Deacon Phillippe.
Top manager to Fred Clarke as the Pirates win their first pennant ever. He's also the guy that made Honus a regular SS, although he still moved him around at this point.
Top rookie: Doc White, 14-13 for Philadelphia with a 3.19 ERA.
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