For those of you embarking this trolley along the route, the premise of the exercise can be found HERE.
OVERVIEW
The Crossing the Tracks timeline pretty much falls into step with the MLB historical pathway, with one massive difference: no colour line is in place.
The league structure is as per the IRL with the same clubs set up in the same alignment—the American and National Leagues, each featuring the eight historical clubs. The Cleveland franchise begins in this timeline as the “Blues” but quickly pivots to the “Buckeyes” and sticks with that nickname thereafter.
OFFSEASON / PRE-SEASON
Among the minor-league and NeL players, nine MLE-modified NeLers join the league as free-agents and eventually sign with the clubs listed below:
- OF/P Harry Buckner (28); Blues SABR BIO
- SS Alfredo Cabrera (19); Yankees
- C Regino García (25); Cubs
- 2B Frank Grant (35); Phillies SABR BIO
- SS Grant Johnson (28); Phillies SABR BIO
- SS Bill Monroe (22); Reds SABR BIO
- 3B/OF Carlos Moràn (22); Dodgers
- P José Muñoz (19); Senators
- 2B Sol White (32); Athletics SABR BIO
OPENING DAY PREVIEW
The top-ranked position player is Athletics 2B Nap Lajoie.
The top-ranked pitcher is Christy Mathewson of the Giants.
The top-rated prospect is age-21 P Doc White of the Phillies.
Analysts believe the 88-66 Red Sox and White Sox will tie for the AL pennant, with the 92-62 Pirates edging out the Phillies by 1 in the NL.
REGULAR SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
05/10: Yankees 3B Jimmy Williams registers the first cycle of the modern era.
06/01: The Giants finally get a win to snap a 13-game losing streak.
07/12: The NL defeats the AL 8-4 in the league’s first “All-Star Game”, with Harry Steinfeldt of the Reds named Most Valuable Player for the game.
07/26: John Anderson of the Browns has 6 hits in a game against the Red Sox, the first player to do so in this timeline.
REGULAR SEASON RECAP
The Red Sox are never troubled and win the inaugural AL pennant easily.
As predicted, we get a much closer affair in the “senior circuit” with Pittsburgh and Philadelphia duking it out into the final week, when a sweep of the Phils in Pittsburgh turns things the Buccos’ way and they eventually get home by two
Nap Lajoie collects the AL Triple Crown with .385-32-136.
The NL batting title ends in a rare tie between Jimmy Sheckard (of the Dodgers) and Crab Burkett, with each going 202-for-583 on the year.
Jimmy matches Nap with the Triple Crown, tying Wahoo Sam Crawford with 27 HR and knocking in 136.
Phillie Ed Delahanty also finishes top three across the TC stat cats.
Led by Jimmy’s heroics, my Brooky boys put in a solid maiden campaign, finishing 7 GB the Pirates in third spot at 88-66.
Not much to report from the NeLer ranks, although Carlos Moran gives us excellent service at the top of our lineup to lead all players from this group with 4.7 WAR and we extend his contract thru 1905 during the season.
FINAL MLB STANDINGS
AL STAT LEADERS
NL STAT LEADERS
PLAYOFFS
AL-NL relations are far more congenial in this timeline with no Ban-Muggsy feud to speak of, which allows the league to schedule the first “World Series” a couple of years in advance of the historical.
The Red Sox prevail in six tight and see-sawing games, claiming the title with a walkoff 10-inning win on a Charlie Hemphill single. Outfielder Chick Stahl is named Most Valuable Player for the series.
1901 SEASON RECAP
MVPs to Nap Lajoie and Jimmy Sheckard.
Cy Young unanimously takes out the award that will henceforth be named after him in the AL and Noodles Hahn wins it in the NL.
Deeper insights will be a bit thin on the ground these first few years until the league in this timeline starts building a history of its own and we see some careers develop and patterns emerge.
That said, an excellent start to the CTT voyage. Bring on 1902!
NeL-obsessed member from Sydney, Australia who spends an inordinate amount of my free time running simulations of various natures on Out of the Park Baseball.