For those of you embarking this trolley along the route, the premise of the exercise can be found HERE.
OVERVIEW
No franchise moves or changes to the league structure for the 1908 season.
OFFSEASON / PRESEASON
We get just two new modified NeLers this year:
- OF Jules Thomas (21); Grays
- 3B Todd Allen (23); ABCs
Notable 1908 rookies include Larry Gardner (Red Sox); Hank Gowdy (Braves); Jack Fournier (White Sox); Hippo Vaughn (Cubs); Joe Jackson (Buckeyes); (Yankees); Jack Barry and Stuffy McInnis (Athletics); Fred Luderus (Phillies); and Burt Shotton (Browns).
Pitcher Mellie Wolfgang is taken first overall in this year’s Draft by the Black Sox.
My Dodgers receive Zack Wheat as an historical rookie, along with George “Clancy” Cutshaw, who spent six seasons with the club IRL. Willie Keeler opts out, and we make no signings or moves of note.
The Red Sox are busy, signing pitchers “Smiling” Al Orth, Carl Lundgren and Sam Leever. Other notable movement features Fred Tenney to the Braves, Fielder Jones to the White Sox; Moose McCormick to the Reds; George Davis to the Tigers; Alfredo Cabrera to the Grays; Freddy Parent to the Monarchs; Cy Young and Bill Dahlen to the Yankees; and Jiggs Donahue and Rough Carrigan to the Browns.
OPENING DAY PREVIEW
The top-ranked position player is Pirates SS Honus Wagner.
The top-ranked pitcher is Walter Johnson of the Senators.
The top-rated prospect is age-18 3B Joe Jackson of the Buckeyes.
The top-ranked farm system belongs to the Athletics.
The Preseason Predictions see the divisional races as follows:
- AL East: 107-55 Athletics 23 clear of the Yankees, with the 69-93 Black Sox in the cellar.
- AL Central: 95-67 White Sox 4 clear of the Buckeyes, with the 64-98 Monarchs in the cellar.
- NL East: 95-67 Giants 3 clear of the Phillies, with the 75-87 Grays and Dodgers in the cellar.
- NL Central: 106-56 Cubs 3 clear of the Pirates, with the 37-125 ABCs in the cellar.
REGULAR SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
04/24: We get our first no-hitter for 1908 nice and early, from Ed Reulbach for the Cubs against the Braves.
04/13: The Athletics – Champions in three of the past four seasons – look set to continue their early dominance in this timeline as they ride a 12-game win streak to sit 18-2 thru the first 20.
05/11: Claude Rossman of the White Sox hits for the cycle against Baltimore.
06/09: Cincy’s season takes a turn for the worse with a 13-game losing streak.
06/23: While the A’s remain utterly dominant, they will have to proceed from here without the services of veteran SP Bob Ewing – 12-3 at the time and leading the AL with an ERA of 1.81 – courtesy of a knee injury.
08/05: A monster game for Yankees 1B Hal Chase, who goes 6-for-6 including the cycle and drives in 7 against the Monarchs.
08/16: The Red Sox and Monarchs need 21 innings to decide a 9-7 road win for KC.
09/08: John Titus of the Phillies clips the Braves for the cycle.
REGULAR SEASON RECAP
Not sure it matters who else makes it this time around with the Athletics in such scintillating form, although we all know unexpected things can happen in the playoffs.
AL
The A’s finish with 114 wins, one short of the Cubs’ 1906 record.
The Buckeyes, White Sox and Tigers renew their AL Central hostilities from the season prior and it once again comes down to the final day, with the Buckeyes needing a win or a Tigers loss to claim the prize.
They get neither and, almost impossibly, the two clubs must face off in a tiebreak game for the second straight year.
And, for the second straight year, Cleveland fans get their hearts smooshed as Detroit wins it 7-5.
NL
In the East, the Giants hold the lead for most of the second half and, without ever looking totally comfortable, finally clinch their maiden division title during the final series of the season.
The Cubs make a run for it in early September with 7 wins in a row and are the second team to clinch.
A few new single-season marks set: Buck Herzog 169 BB; Jules Thomas 105 K; Mordecai Brown 0.98 WHIP.
Pop Lloyd and Grant Johnson post campaigns in excess of 5 WAR; as does Charles Earle, who also does some pitching and finishes 13-13 with almost 2 rWAR to his name. Rookie Todd Allen leads the group with 24 home runs and 92 RBI.
No sophomore slump for Joe Williams, who goes 23-16 / 2.82—good for more than 9 rWAR. Rube Foster wins 22 and posts 6 rWAR, while Johnny Taylor, Jose Mendez and Bombin Pedroso are also handy.
Poor old Jose Munoz loses his first 13 decisions and finishes the season an ugly 7-33. That leaves him 60-132 for his career to this point.
FINAL MLB STANDINGS
AL STAT LEADERS
NL STAT LEADERS
* Please note there are some discrepancies regarding players’ correct teams in these stat leaders screenshots from the early years due to them having been taken retrospectively.
PLAYOFFS
The Athletics are incredibly lucky not to lose the opening two home games in the ALCS, escaping with a 3-2 win in 13 in the second of them, but then win three of the next four to book their WS spot against the Cubs, who easily handle the Giants in five.
Between them, the two remaining clubs have won every title going back to 1904.
The Athletics win the opening game in Chicago and repeat the dose the next day as Eddie Plank throws a 5-hit shutout.
The Cubs come out swinging in Philly for Game 3, destroying their hosts 11-3 and nearly square it up the next day before the A’s escape in extras.
Chicago show plenty of gumption to stave off elimination with a tough 4-3 win in Game 5 but Philly has just a bit too much class for them and close it out in six with a 6-2 win behind Jimmy Dygert.
That’s four titles in five years now—this timeline’s first true dynasty and I’m not sure it’s at an end just yet.
Nap Lajoie is named series MVP.
1908 RECAP
Once again, Ty Cobb and Honus Wagner win unanimous MVPs, with Mordecai Brown doing likewise for the NL CYA and Addie Joss winning his first.
Cocky Collins and Buck Herzog are the 1908 RoYs, while Cleveland’s Bill Steen and Bob Rhoads of the Phillies win the relief awards.
Some near-misses for the NeLers, with Joe Williams third in NL CYA voting and both Eustaquio Pedroso and Todd Allen runner-up on the rookie ballots.
A trio of Js – Joe Kelley, Iron Joe McGinnity and Jimmy Collins – are the most notable among the 1908 retirees, although I’m not sure any among the group will end up in the HoF.
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.
Great job Glenn – very enjoyable to read your recaps and review the stats!