In “Hardball Retrospective: Evaluating Scouting and Development Outcomes for the Modern-Era Franchises”, I placed every ballplayer in the modern era (from 1901-present) on their original team. I calculated revised standings for every season based entirely on the performance of each team’s “original” players. I discuss every team’s “original” players and seasons at length along with organizational performance with respect to the Amateur Draft (or First-Year Player Draft), amateur free agent signings and other methods of player acquisition.  Season standings, WAR and Win Shares totals for the “original” teams are compared against the “actual” team results to assess each franchise’s scouting, development and general management skills.

Expanding on my research for the book, the following series of articles will reveal the teams with the biggest single-season difference in the WAR and Win Shares for the “Original” vs. “Actual” rosters for every Major League organization. “Hardball Retrospective” is available in digital format on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, GooglePlay, iTunes and KoboBooks. The paperback edition is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and CreateSpace. Supplemental Statistics, Charts and Graphs along with a discussion forum are offered at TuataraSoftware.com.

Don Daglow (Intellivision World Series Major League Baseball, Earl Weaver Baseball, Tony LaRussa Baseball) contributed the foreword for Hardball Retrospective. The foreword and preview of my book are accessible here.

Terminology

OWAR – Wins Above Replacement for players on “original” teams

OWS – Win Shares for players on “original” teams

OPW% – Pythagorean Won-Loss record for the “original” teams

AWAR – Wins Above Replacement for players on “actual” teams

AWS – Win Shares for players on “actual” teams

APW% – Pythagorean Won-Loss record for the “actual” teams

Assessment

The 1908 St. Louis Cardinals 

OWAR: 29.2     OWS: 247     OPW%: .375     (58-96)

AWAR: 13.5       AWS: 146     APW%: .318   (49-105)

WARdiff: 15.7                        WSdiff: 101  

Despite a dismal effort and last-place finish, the “Original” 1908 Cardinals bested the “Actual” Redbirds by a 9-game margin and a confounding Win Shares differential of 109. “Turkey” Mike Donlin (.334/6/106) tallied 198 base knocks, pilfered 30 bags and recorded a career-high in ribbies. Fellow outfielder Charlie “Eagle Eye” Hemphill swiped 42 bases and batted .297 for the “Original” Cardinals. Red Murray supplied a .282 BA with 48 stolen bases for both the “Original” and “Actual” Redbirds.

Mordecai Brown ranks twentieth among pitchers according to Bill James in “The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract.” “Original” Cardinals teammates listed in the “NBJHBA” top 100 rankings include Ed Konetchy (48^th-1B) and Mike Donlin (52^nd-CF).

  Original 1908 Cardinals                             Actual 1908 Cardinals

Mordecai “Three-Finger” Brown, in the midst of six straight seasons with 20+ victories, furnished a 29-9 record with a 1.47 ERA and a career-best WHIP of 0.842. He completed 27 of 31 starts and saved 5 contests in 13 relief appearances for the “Original” Cardinals. Billy Campbell contributed 12 wins with a 2.60 ERA and a 1.116 WHIP in 221.1 innings. “Actuals” ace Bugs Raymond suffered through a 15-25 campaign despite a 2.03 ERA and 1.021 WHIP. Johnny Lush (11-18, 2.12) endured similar results as the Redbirds rotation was unable to overcome a lackluster offense.

  Original 1908 Cardinals                            Actual 1908 Cardinals

Notable Transactions

Mordecai Brown

December 12, 1903: Traded by the St. Louis Cardinals with Jack O’Neill to the Chicago Cubs for Larry McLean and Jack Taylor.

Mike Donlin

Before 1901 Season: Jumped from the St. Louis Cardinals to the Baltimore Orioles.

Before 1902 Season: Released by the Baltimore Orioles.

August, 1902: Signed as a Free Agent with the Cincinnati Reds.

August 7, 1904: Traded as part of a 3-team trade by the Cincinnati Reds to the New York Giants. The New York Giants sent Moose McCormick to the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pittsburgh Pirates sent Jimmy Sebring to the Cincinnati Reds.

Charlie Hemphill

March 2, 1901: Jumped from the St. Louis Cardinals to the Boston Americans.

Before 1902 Season: Signed as a Free Agent with the Cleveland Bronchos.

June, 1902: Released by the Cleveland Bronchos. (Date given is approximate. Exact date is uncertain.)

June 4, 1902: Signed as a Free Agent with the St. Louis Browns.

August 23, 1905: Purchased by the St. Louis Browns from St Paul (American Association). (Date given is approximate. Exact date is uncertain.)

November 5, 1907: Traded by the St. Louis Browns with Fred Glade and Harry Niles to the New York Highlanders for Hobe Ferris, Danny Hoffman and Jimmy Williams.

Honorable Mention

The 1983 St. Louis Cardinals 

OWAR: 54.8     OWS: 310     OPW%: .517     (84-78)

AWAR: 36.1     AWS: 237     APW%: .488   (79-83)

WARdiff: 18.7                        WSdiff: 73 

The “Original” 1983 Cardinals seized the National League Eastern Division flag by a single game over the Expos. The flock featured left fielder Jose Cruz (.318/14/92), the NL leader with 189 base hits. “Cheo” reached the 30-steal mark for the fifth time in his career. Terry Kennedy (.284/17/98) registered a personal-best in RBI. Keith Hernandez earned the sixth of eleven consecutive Gold Glove Awards. John Denny (19-6, 2.37) merited the NL Cy Young Award. Larry Herndon notched personal-highs in batting average (.302), hits (182), doubles (28) and RBI (92). Ted “Simba” Simmons delivered a .308 BA with 39 two-baggers and 108 ribbies. Steve “Lefty” Carlton whiffed 275 batsmen and fashioned a 3.11 ERA. George Hendrick (.318/18/97) received his fourth All-Star invitation and posted a career-high in batting average for the “Actual” Redbirds.

On Deck

What Might Have Been – The “Original” 1975 Astros

References and Resources

Baseball America – Executive Database

Baseball-Reference

James, Bill. The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract. New York, NY.: The Free Press, 2001. Print.

James, Bill, with Jim Henzler. Win Shares. Morton Grove, Ill.: STATS, 2002. Print.

Retrosheet – Transactions Database

The information used here was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by Retrosheet. Interested parties may contact Retrosheet at “www.retrosheet.org”.

Seamheads – Baseball Gauge

Sean Lahman Baseball Archive

In “Hardball Retrospective: Evaluating Scouting and Development Outcomes for the Modern-Era Franchises”, I placed every ballplayer in the modern era (from 1901-present) on their original team. I calculated revised standings for every season based entirely on the performance of each team’s “original” players. I discuss every team’s “original” players and seasons at length along with organizational performance with respect to the Amateur Draft (or First-Year Player Draft), amateur free agent signings and other methods of player acquisition.  Season standings, WAR and Win Shares totals for the “original” teams are compared against the “actual” team results to assess each franchise’s scouting, development and general management skills.

Expanding on my research for the book, the following series of articles will reveal the teams with the biggest single-season difference in the WAR and Win Shares for the “Original” vs. “Actual” rosters for every Major League organization. “Hardball Retrospective” is available in digital format on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, GooglePlay, iTunes and KoboBooks. The paperback edition is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and CreateSpace. Supplemental Statistics, Charts and Graphs along with a discussion forum are offered at TuataraSoftware.com.

Don Daglow (Intellivision World Series Major League Baseball, Earl Weaver Baseball, Tony LaRussa Baseball) contributed the foreword for Hardball Retrospective. The foreword and preview of my book are accessible here.

Terminology

OWAR – Wins Above Replacement for players on “original” teams

OWS – Win Shares for players on “original” teams

OPW% – Pythagorean Won-Loss record for the “original” teams

AWAR – Wins Above Replacement for players on “actual” teams

AWS – Win Shares for players on “actual” teams

APW% – Pythagorean Won-Loss record for the “actual” teams

Assessment

The 1905 Boston Beaneaters 

OWAR: 30.1     OWS: 261     OPW%: .423     (65-89)

AWAR: 11.3       AWS: 152     APW%: .331   (51-103)

WARdiff: 18.8                        WSdiff: 109  

The “Original” 1905 Beaneaters placed seventh in the Senior Circuit, narrowly avoiding a last-place finish by a two-game margin over the Brooklyn Superbas. Yet the “Actual” Beaneaters underachieved when compared to the “Original” squad by 14 victories and an astonishing WSdiff of 109.

Charlie “Piano Legs” Hickman (.277/4/66) outplayed “Actuals” second-sacker Fred Raymer (.211/0/31). Hall of Fame third baseman Jimmy Collins (.276/4/65) posted superior results for the “Originals” compared to “Fighting” Harry Wolverton (.225/2/55). Dan “Cap” McGann (.299/5/75) slashed 14 triples and pilfered 22 bases while fellow first baseman Fred Tenney (.288/0/28) lagged in the power department. Ernie Courtney (.275/2/77) provided additional thump and established career-highs in most of the major offensive categories.

Kid Nichols rates ninth among pitchers according to Bill James in “The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract.” “Original” Beaneaters teammates listed in the “NBJHBA” top 100 rankings include Collins (17^th-3B), Chick Stahl (51^st-CF), Bobby Lowe (56^th-2B), Tenney (70^th-1B), Hickman (80^th-1B), Vic Willis (84^th-P) and McGann (92^nd-1B).

Original 1905 Beaneaters                               Actual 1905 Beaneaters

Claimed by the “Original” and “Actual” Beaneaters, Irv Young’s inaugural season encompassed 20 victories against 21 defeats, a 2.90 ERA and League-bests in complete games (41) and innings pitched (378). In a similar fashion Vic Willis was tagged with 29 losses despite a respectable 3.21 ERA. Togie Pittinger furnished a record of 23-14 with a 3.09 ERA for the “Originals” and Kid Nichols contributed 11 wins and a 3.12 ERA. Chick Fraser (14-21, 3.28) hurled 35 complete games in 37 starts for the “Actuals”.

  Original 1905 Beaneaters                          Actual 1905 Beaneaters

Notable Transactions

Dan McGann

September 22, 1897: Purchased with Butts Wagner, Bob McHale and Cooney Snyder by the Washington Senators from Toronto (Eastern) for $8,500.

December 10, 1897: Traded by the Washington Senators with Gene DeMontreville and Doc McJames to the Baltimore Orioles for Doc Amole, Jack Doyle and Heinie Reitz.

March 11, 1899: Assigned to the Brooklyn Superbas by the Baltimore Orioles.

July 14, 1899: Traded by the Brooklyn Superbas with Aleck Smith to the Washington Senators for Deacon McGuire.

March 9, 1900: Purchased by the St. Louis Cardinals from the Washington Senators for $5,000.

Before 1902 Season: Jumped from the St. Louis Cardinals to the Baltimore Orioles.

July 17, 1902: Released by the Baltimore Orioles. (Date given is approximate. Exact date is uncertain.)

July 17, 1902: Signed as a Free Agent with the New York Giants. (Date given is approximate. Exact date is uncertain.)

Charlie Hickman

March 22, 1900: Purchased by the New York Giants from the Boston Beaneaters.

December 16, 1901: Jumped from the New York Giants to the Boston Americans.

June 3, 1902: Purchased by the Cleveland Bronchos from the Boston Americans.

August 7, 1904: Traded by the Cleveland Naps to the Detroit Tigers for Charlie Carr.

July 6, 1905: Purchased by the Washington Senators from the Detroit Tigers.

Jimmy Collins

February 11, 1901: Jumped from the Boston Beaneaters to the Boston Americans.

Ernie Courtney

August, 1902: Released by the Boston Beaneaters.

August 13, 1902: Signed as a Free Agent with the Baltimore Orioles. (Date given is approximate. Exact date is uncertain.)

June 10, 1903: Traded by the New York Highlanders with Herman Long to the Detroit Tigers for Kid Elberfeld.

October, 1903: Traded by the Detroit Tigers with Rube Kisinger, Sport McAllister and either Yeager or Lush to Buffalo (Eastern) for Cy Ferry and Matty McIntyre.

Chick Stahl

March 4, 1901: Jumped from the Boston Beaneaters to the Boston Americans.

Honorable Mention

The 1977 Atlanta Braves 

OWAR: 40.5     OWS: 283     OPW%: .470     (76-86)

AWAR: 19.9     AWS: 182     APW%: .377   (61-101)

WARdiff: 20.6                        WSdiff: 101  

The “Original” 1977 Braves featured Mickey Rivers, who supplied a .326 BA and registered career-highs with 12 four-baggers and 69 ribbies. “Mick the Quick” slumped in the stolen base department, succeeding on only 22 of 36 attempts after averaging 48 steals in three preceding campaigns. Dusty Baker crushed 30 round-trippers and plated 86 baserunners. Bill “Weaser” Robinson (.304/26/104) produced personal-bests in the Triple Crown categories. “The Roadrunner”, Ralph Garr, fashioned a .300 BA and socked 29 doubles. Ron Reed delivered 7 wins, 15 saves and a 2.75 ERA, primarily as a late-inning reliever. Phil “Knucksie” Niekro’s 16-20 record, 330.1 innings pitched and League-high 262 strikeouts are tallied for the “Original” and “Actual” Braves. Jeff Burroughs paced the “Actuals” with 41 jacks and 114 ribbies.

On Deck

What Might Have Been – The “Original” 1908 Cardinals

References and Resources

Baseball America – Executive Database

Baseball-Reference

James, Bill. The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract. New York, NY.: The Free Press, 2001. Print.

James, Bill, with Jim Henzler. Win Shares. Morton Grove, Ill.: STATS, 2002. Print.

Retrosheet – Transactions Database

The information used here was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by Retrosheet. Interested parties may contact Retrosheet at “www.retrosheet.org”.

Seamheads – Baseball Gauge

Sean Lahman Baseball Archive

In “Hardball Retrospective: Evaluating Scouting and Development Outcomes for the Modern-Era Franchises”, I placed every ballplayer in the modern era (from 1901-present) on their original team. I calculated revised standings for every season based entirely on the performance of each team’s “original” players. I discuss every team’s “original” players and seasons at length along with organizational performance with respect to the Amateur Draft (or First-Year Player Draft), amateur free agent signings and other methods of player acquisition.  Season standings, WAR and Win Shares totals for the “original” teams are compared against the “actual” team results to assess each franchise’s scouting, development and general management skills.

Expanding on my research for the book, the following series of articles will reveal the teams with the biggest single-season difference in the WAR and Win Shares for the “Original” vs. “Actual” rosters for every Major League organization. “Hardball Retrospective” is available in digital format on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, GooglePlay, iTunes and KoboBooks. The paperback edition is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and CreateSpace. Supplemental Statistics, Charts and Graphs along with a discussion forum are offered at TuataraSoftware.com.

Don Daglow (Intellivision World Series Major League Baseball, Earl Weaver Baseball, Tony LaRussa Baseball) contributed the foreword for Hardball Retrospective. The foreword and preview of my book are accessible here.

Terminology

OWAR – Wins Above Replacement for players on “original” teams

OWS – Win Shares for players on “original” teams

OPW% – Pythagorean Won-Loss record for the “original” teams

AWAR – Wins Above Replacement for players on “actual” teams

AWS – Win Shares for players on “actual” teams

APW% – Pythagorean Won-Loss record for the “actual” teams

Assessment

The 1919 Philadelphia Athletics

OWAR: 33.3     OWS: 224     OPW%: .381     (53-87)

AWAR: 9.0       AWS: 107     APW%: .257   (36-104)

WARdiff: 24.3                        WSdiff: 116.4  

The “Original” 1919 Athletics outperformed the “Actual” squad by 17 victories with a staggering WSdiff of 116.4. The “Actuals” were reduced to a shadow of their former dynasty due to a variety of factors, primarily financial. The “Originals” featured second-sacker Eddie Collins (.319/4/80), the League-leader with 33 stolen bases. “Shoeless Joe” Jackson supplied a .351 BA with 31 doubles, 14 triples and 96 ribbies in his penultimate season. Their counterparts, Whitey Witt (.267/0/33) and Merlin Kopp (.226/1/12) were barely adequate. In addition to left field and second base, the “Originals” surpassed the “Actuals” at catcher and third base. Wally Schang furnished a .306 BA and pilfered 15 bags while Steve O’Neill contributed a .289 BA with 35 doubles. Home Run Baker (.293/10/83) bested Fred Thomas (.212/2/23) at the hot corner.

Eddie Collins placed runner-up to Joe Morgan in the All-Time Second Basemen rankings according to Bill James in “The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract.” “Original” Athletics teammates listed in the “NBJHBA” top 100 rankings include Baker (5^th-3B), Jackson (6^th-LF), Wally Schang (20^th-C), Jimmie Dykes (52^nd-3B), Steve O’Neill (54^th-C), Stan Coveleski (58^th-P), Stuffy McInnis (68^th-1B), Charlie Grimm (85^th-1B), Joe Dugan (88^th-3B), Jack Barry (90^th-SS), Bob Shawkey (95^th-P) and Amos Strunk (100^th-CF). George H. Burns (79^th-1B) and Terry Turner (92^nd-SS) round out the roster for the “Actuals”.

  Original 1919 Athletics                                                       Actual 1919 Athletics 

Stan Coveleski averaged 23 victories per season over a four-year stretch (1918-1921). “Covey” delivered a 24-12 mark with a 2.61 ERA for the “Originals” staff. Bob Shawkey fashioned a 2.72 ERA and a 1.186 WHIP to complement his 20-11 record. Herb Pennock aka “The Squire of Kennett Square” added 16 wins with a 2.71 ERA. The “Actuals” countered with Walt Kinney (9-15, 3.64), Jing Johnson (9-15, 3.61), Rollie Naylor (5-18, 3.34) and Scott Perry (4-17, 3.58).

  Original 1919 Athletics                                                       Actual 1919 Athletics

Notable Transactions

Shoeless Joe Jackson

July 30, 1910: the Philadelphia Athletics sent Shoeless Joe Jackson to the Cleveland Naps to complete an earlier deal made on July 23, 1910. July 23, 1910: The Philadelphia Athletics sent a player to be named later and Morrie Rath to the Cleveland Naps for Bris Lord.

August 21, 1915: Traded by the Cleveland Indians to the Chicago White Sox for a player to be named later, Ed Klepfer, Braggo Roth and $31,500. The Chicago White Sox sent Larry Chappell (February 14, 1916) to the Cleveland Indians to complete the trade.

Eddie Collins

December 8, 1914: Purchased by the Chicago White Sox from the Philadelphia Athletics for $50,000.

Home Run Baker

February 15, 1916: Purchased by the New York Yankees from the Philadelphia Athletics for $37,500.

Wally Schang

December 14, 1917: Traded by the Philadelphia Athletics with Bullet Joe Bush and Amos Strunk to the Boston Red Sox for Vean Gregg, Merlin Kopp, Pinch Thomas and $60,000.

Morrie Rath

July 23, 1910: Traded by the Philadelphia Athletics with a player to be named later to the Cleveland Naps for Bris Lord. The Philadelphia Athletics sent Shoeless Joe Jackson (July 30, 1910) to the Cleveland Naps to complete the trade.

September 1, 1911: Drafted by the Chicago White Sox from Baltimore (Eastern) in the 1911 rule 5 draft.

August 23, 1913: Purchased by Kansas City (American Association) from the Chicago White Sox.

September 20, 1917: Drafted by the Cincinnati Reds from Salt Lake City (PCL) in the 1917 rule 5 draft.

Steve O’Neill

August 20, 1911: Purchased by the Cleveland Naps from the Philadelphia Athletics.

Stan Coveleski

December, 1912: Purchased by Spokane (Northwestern) from the Philadelphia Athletics.

November 27, 1915: Sent from Portland (PCL) to the Cleveland Indians in an unknown transaction.

Bob Shawkey

June 28, 1915: Purchased by the New York Yankees from the Philadelphia Athletics for $3,000.

Herb Pennock

June 6, 1915: Selected off waivers by the Boston Red Sox from the Philadelphia Athletics.

Honorable Mention

The 1998 Oakland Athletics 

OWAR: 41.6     OWS: 306     OPW%: .510     (83-79)

AWAR: 28.7     AWS: 222     APW%: .457   (74-88)

WARdiff: 12.9                        WSdiff: 84.8  

Mark McGwire launched 70 four-baggers and drove in 147 runs for the “Original” 1998 Athletics. “Big Mac” placed runner-up in the MVP balloting while his protégé Jason Giambi (.295/27/110) completed his third season for the “Actuals”. Scott Brosius (.300/19/98) socked 34 two-base hits and earned his lone All-Star invitation as he outclassed Mike Blowers, who batted .237 with 11 dingers in his solitary campaign for the green-and-gold crew. Darren Lewis posted career-bests in runs scored (95) and RBI (63), a significant upgrade over “Actuals” center fielder Ryan Christenson (.257/5/40). Rickey Henderson, a member of the “Original” and “Actual” A’s roster in ’98, notched the American League stolen base title for the twelfth time in his career. “The Man of Steal” tallied 101 runs scored and a League-leading 118 bases on balls.

On Deck

What Might Have Been – The “Original” 1905 Beaneaters

References and Resources

Baseball America – Executive Database

Baseball-Reference

James, Bill. The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract. New York, NY.: The Free Press, 2001. Print.

James, Bill, with Jim Henzler. Win Shares. Morton Grove, Ill.: STATS, 2002. Print.

Retrosheet – Transactions Database

The information used here was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by Retrosheet. Interested parties may contact Retrosheet at “www.retrosheet.org”.

Seamheads – Baseball Gauge

Sean Lahman Baseball Archive

In “Hardball Retrospective: Evaluating Scouting and Development Outcomes for the Modern-Era Franchises”, I placed every ballplayer in the modern era (from 1901-present) on their original team. I calculated revised standings for every season based entirely on the performance of each team’s “original” players. I discuss every team’s “original” players and seasons at length along with organizational performance with respect to the Amateur Draft (or First-Year Player Draft), amateur free agent signings and other methods of player acquisition.  Season standings, WAR and Win Shares totals for the “original” teams are compared against the “actual” team results to assess each franchise’s scouting, development and general management skills.

Expanding on my research for the book, the following series of articles will reveal the teams with the biggest single-season difference in the WAR and Win Shares for the “Original” vs. “Actual” rosters for every Major League organization. “Hardball Retrospective” is available in digital format on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, GooglePlay, iTunes and KoboBooks. The paperback edition is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and CreateSpace. Supplemental Statistics, Charts and Graphs along with a discussion forum are offered at TuataraSoftware.com.

Don Daglow (Intellivision World Series Major League Baseball, Earl Weaver Baseball, Tony LaRussa Baseball) contributed the foreword for Hardball Retrospective. The foreword and preview of my book are accessible here.

Terminology

OWAR – Wins Above Replacement for players on “original” teams

OWS – Win Shares for players on “original” teams

OPW% – Pythagorean Won-Loss record for the “original” teams

AWAR – Wins Above Replacement for players on “actual” teams

AWS – Win Shares for players on “actual” teams

APW% – Pythagorean Won-Loss record for the “actual” teams

Assessment

The 1904 Philadelphia Phillies

OWAR: 45.3     OWS: 293     OPW%: .478     (74-80)

AWAR: 18.6     AWS: 156     APW%: .342   (52-100)

WARdiff: 26.7                        WSdiff: 137.7  

The “Original” 1904 Phillies outperformed the “Actual” squad by 22 victories and finished the season only three games under .500. The “Originals” showcased a 40-Win Share campaign by Nap Lajoie, who collected his fourth batting title (.376) and posted League-bests in hits (208), doubles (49), RBI (102), OBP (.413) and SLG (.546). Kid Gleason, the second-sacker on the “Actual” squad, countered with a .274 BA, no home runs and 42 RBI. Right fielder Elmer Flick tallied 31 Win Shares, pilfered a League-leading 38 bases and contributed a .306 BA with 97 aces for the “Originals” while counterpart Sherry Magee (.277/3/57) competed in his inaugural season. Sam Mertes accumulated 26 Win Shares and stole 47 bases while the fourth outfielder on the “Originals” crew, “Silent” John Titus (.294/4/55) patrolled left field for the “Actuals”. Despite ordinary results, shortstop Ed Abbaticchio (.256/3/54) outclassed Rudy Hulswitt (.244/1/36). The “Originals” well-stocked bench featured the aforementioned Titus along with George Browne, Jimmy Callahan, Kid Elberfeld, Dave Fultz and Phil Geier. Browne swiped 24 bags and topped the NL with 99 runs scored.

  Original 1904 Phillies                              Actual 1904 Phillies

“Strawberry” Bill Bernhard (23-13, 2.13) established personal-bests in victories and innings pitched (320.2) while completing 35 of 37 starts. Doc White registered 16 wins and fashioned a 1.78 ERA. “Smiling” Al Orth (14-10, 3.41) and Ned Garvin (5-16, 1.72) rounded out the rotation for the “Originals”. The “Actuals” starting staff consisted of Chick Fraser (14-24, 3.25), Tully Sparks (7-16, 2.65), “Fiddler” Frank Corridon (11-10, 2.64) and “Frosty” Bill Duggleby (12-13, 3.78).

  Original 1904 Phillies                                    Actual 1904 Phillies

Notable Transactions

Nap Lajoie

Before 1901 Season: Jumped from the Philadelphia Phillies to the Philadelphia Athletics.

April 21, 1902: Granted Free Agency.

May 31, 1902: Signed as a Free Agent with the Cleveland Bronchos.

Elmer Flick

October 19, 1901: Jumped from the Philadelphia Phillies to the Philadelphia Athletics.

April 21, 1902: Granted Free Agency.

May 16, 1902: Signed as a Free Agent with the Cleveland Bronchos.

Sam Mertes

July, 1898: Traded by Columbus (Western) with a player to be named to the Chicago Orphans for Buttons Briggs and Danny Friend.

Before 1901 Season: Jumped from the Chicago Orphans to the Chicago White Sox.

Before 1903 Season: Jumped from the Chicago White Sox to the New York Giants.

George Browne

July 21, 1902: Purchased by the New York Giants from the Philadelphia Phillies.

Bill Bernhard

Before 1901 Season: Jumped from the Philadelphia Phillies to the Philadelphia Athletics.

April 21, 1902: Granted Free Agency.

May 31, 1902: Signed as a Free Agent with the Cleveland Bronchos.

Honorable Mention

The 1972 Philadelphia Phillies

OWAR: 38.2     OWS: 233     OPW%: .451     (73-89)

AWAR: 28.1     AWS: 176     APW%: .378   (59-97)

WARdiff: 10.1                        WSdiff: 56.2  

Dick Allen crushed 37 round-trippers and drove in 113 baserunners while batting .308 to earn MVP honors. The “Wampum Walloper” registered 40 Win Shares for the “Original” 1972 Phillies, easily outdistancing the output of “Actuals” rookie first-sacker Tom Hutton (.260/4/38). “Actuals” ace Steve Carlton trumped all members of the “Originals” starting rotation as “Lefty” garnered the Cy Young Award with a record of 27-10 along with League-bests in ERA (1.97), complete games (30), innings pitched (346.1) and strikeouts (310). However, the “Actuals” staff boasted Fergie “Fly” Jenkins (20-12, 3.20), Rick Wise (16-16, 3.11) and Mike G. Marshall (14-8, 1.78, 18 SV).

On Deck

What Might Have Been – The “Original” 1919 Athletics

References and Resources

Baseball America – Executive Database

Baseball-Reference

James, Bill. The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract. New York, NY.: The Free Press, 2001. Print.

James, Bill, with Jim Henzler. Win Shares. Morton Grove, Ill.: STATS, 2002. Print.

Retrosheet – Transactions Database

The information used here was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by Retrosheet. Interested parties may contact Retrosheet at “www.retrosheet.org”.

Seamheads – Baseball Gauge

Sean Lahman Baseball Archive

In “Hardball Retrospective: Evaluating Scouting and Development Outcomes for the Modern-Era Franchises”, I placed every ballplayer in the modern era (from 1901-present) on their original team. Accordingly, Vada Pinson is listed on the Reds roster for the duration of his career while the Red Sox declare Amos Otis and the Rockies claim Chone Figgins. I calculated revised standings for every season based entirely on the performance of each team’s “original” players. I discuss every team’s “original” players and seasons at length along with organizational performance with respect to the Amateur Draft (or First-Year Player Draft), amateur free agent signings and other methods of player acquisition.  Season standings, WAR and Win Shares totals for the “original” teams are compared against the “actual” team results to assess each franchise’s scouting, development and general management skills.

Expanding on my research for the book, the following series of articles will reveal the finest single-season rosters for every Major League organization based on overall rankings in OWAR and OWS along with the general managers and scouting directors that constructed the teams. “Hardball Retrospective” is available in digital format on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, GooglePlay, iTunes and KoboBooks. The paperback edition is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and CreateSpace. Supplemental Statistics, Charts and Graphs along with a discussion forum are offered at TuataraSoftware.com.

Don Daglow (Intellivision World Series Major League Baseball, Earl Weaver Baseball, Tony LaRussa Baseball) contributed the foreword for Hardball Retrospective. The foreword and preview of my book are accessible here.

Terminology

OWAR – Wins Above Replacement for players on “original” teams

OWS – Win Shares for players on “original” teams

OPW% – Pythagorean Won-Loss record for the “original” teams

Assessment

The 1905 New York Giants          OWAR: 69.9     OWS: 348     OPW%: .634

Based on the revised standings the “Original” 1905 Giants edged the Phillies, seizing the pennant by three games. New York led the National League in OWS and posted the highest all-time OWAR.

Cy Seymour’s tremendous offensive outburst transformed the Giants’ attack. Seymour paced the circuit in seven major categories including batting average (.377), hits (219), doubles (40), triples (21), RBI (121), SLG (.559) and total bases (325). A .303 lifetime batter, Seymour never led the League in any categories during his other 15 MLB seasons. Harry H. Davis (.285/8/83) topped the home run charts in four consecutive campaigns. Danny F. Murphy ripped 34 two-base knocks and swiped 23 bags. Art Devlin pilfered a League-high 59 bases in his sophomore season. “Wee” Willie Keeler contributed 42 sacrifice hits along with a .302 BA – the twelfth of thirteen straight seasons with a batting average above the .300 mark. Keeler posted a career BA of .341 and collected at least 200 base knocks per year from 1894-1901.

Christy Mathewson leads the All-Time Second Basemen rankings according to Bill James in “The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract.” Teammates listed in the “NBJHBA” top 100 rankings include Seymour (30^th-CF), Keeler (35^th-RF), Murphy (51^st-2B), Devlin (58^th-3B) and Davis (60^th-1B).

Christy Mathewson (31-9, 1.28) dominated opposition batsmen as he topped the charts in victories, ERA, shutouts (8), strikeouts (206) and WHIP (0.933). Excluding 1902, “Big Six” tallied at least 20 wins per season from 1901-1914. The Hall of Fame hurler registered a lifetime won-loss record of 373-188 with an ERA of 2.13. Red Ames whiffed 198 batters and furnished a 22-8 mark with a 2.74 ERA. Dummy Taylor fashioned a 2.66 ERA and compiled 16 victories. Hooks Wiltse contributed a 15-6 mark with 2.47 ERA in 32 games (19 starts).

The “Original” 1905 New York Giants roster

Honorable Mention

The “Original” 1962 Giants    OWAR: 52.6     OWS: 355     OPW%: .589

The Giants engaged in fierce late-season combat with the Braves and the Reds. “The Say Hey Kid” and his San Francisco teammates emerged with a hard-fought victory. Willie Mays (.304/49/141) supplied career-bests in runs (130) and RBI yet finished runner-up in the 1962 NL MVP balloting. The twelve-time Gold Glove Award winner retired in 1973 with 660 home runs, 2062 runs scored and 3283 base hits. Orlando “Baby Bull” Cepeda mashed 35 long balls, amassed 114 ribbies and registered 105 tallies. Felipe Alou (.316/25/98) and Leon “Daddy Wags” Wagner (.260/37/107) merited their first All-Star invitations. Seven-time Gold Glove Award winner Bill D. White swatted 20 big-flies, drove in 102 baserunners and produced a career-best .324 BA. Eddie Bressoud drilled 40 doubles while third-sacker Jim Davenport (.297/14/58) earned an All-Star nod along with the Gold Glove Award. Juan Marichal began a string of 8 consecutive All-Star appearances in ’62. The “Dominican Dandy” amassed 18 victories, completed 18 of 36 starts and compiled a 3.36 ERA.

On Deck

What Might Have Been – The “Original” 1904 Phillies

References and Resources

Baseball America – Executive Database

Baseball-Reference

James, Bill. The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract. New York, NY.: The Free Press, 2001. Print.

James, Bill, with Jim Henzler. Win Shares. Morton Grove, Ill.: STATS, 2002. Print.

Retrosheet – Transactions Database

Seamheads – Baseball Gauge

Sean Lahman Baseball Archive

In “Hardball Retrospective: Evaluating Scouting and Development Outcomes for the Modern-Era Franchises”, I placed every ballplayer in the modern era (from 1901-present) on their original team. Consequently, Joe Cronin is listed on the Pirates roster for the duration of his career while the Senators II / Rangers declare Bill Madlock and the Rays claim Aubrey Huff. I calculated revised standings for every season based entirely on the performance of each team’s “original” players. I discuss every team’s “original” players and seasons at length along with organizational performance with respect to the Amateur Draft (or First-Year Player Draft), amateur free agent signings and other methods of player acquisition.  Season standings, WAR and Win Shares totals for the “original” teams are compared against the “actual” team results to assess each franchise’s scouting, development and general management skills.

Expanding on my research for the book, the following series of articles will reveal the finest single-season rosters for every Major League organization based on overall rankings in OWAR and OWS along with the general managers and scouting directors that constructed the teams. “Hardball Retrospective” is available in digital format on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, GooglePlay, iTunes and KoboBooks. The paperback edition is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and CreateSpace. Supplemental Statistics, Charts and Graphs along with a discussion forum are offered at TuataraSoftware.com.

Don Daglow (Intellivision World Series Major League Baseball, Earl Weaver Baseball, Tony LaRussa Baseball) contributed the foreword for Hardball Retrospective. The foreword and preview of my book are accessible here.

Terminology

OWAR – Wins Above Replacement for players on “original” teams

OWS – Win Shares for players on “original” teams

OPW% – Pythagorean Won-Loss record for the “original” teams

Assessment

The 1980 Houston Astros          OWAR: 63.9     OWS: 352     OPW%: .598

GM Spec Richardson acquired 53% (16/30) of the ballplayers on the 1980 Astros roster. Based on the revised standings the “Original” 1980 Astros rocketed to the pennant by an eighteen-game margin. Houston topped the National League in OWS and OWAR.

Cesar Cedeno supplied a .308 BA, rapped 32 doubles and stole 48 bases to spark the ‘Stros offense. Terry Puhl belted a career-high 13 circuit clouts and contributed 27 steals. Mike Easler finally broke into the lineup after five seasons as a bench player. The “Hit Man” responded with a .338 BA, 21 jacks and a .583 SLG. Joe L. Morgan pilfered 24 bags and topped the League with 93 bases on balls. John Mayberry slammed 30 round-trippers and plated 82 baserunners. Bob Watson contributed a .307 BA with 25 two-base knocks. Rusty Staub delivered a .300 BA with 23 doubles in a platoon role.

Joe L. Morgan leads the All-Time Second Basemen rankings according to Bill James in “The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract.” Teammates listed in the “NBJHBA” top 100 rankings include Cedeno (21^st-CF), Staub (24^th-RF), Watson (33^rd-1B), Mayberry (49^th-1B) and Puhl (86^th-RF).

J.R. Richard was selected to the National League All-Star team in 1980 with a 10-4 record and a 1.90 ERA following successive seasons with 300+ strikeouts and an ERA title in 1979. Less than a month later, the Astros ace suffered a stroke prior to a ball game. Despite a valiant comeback attempt, Richard never appeared in another Major League game.

Floyd Bannister (9-13, 3.47) and Ken Forsch (12-13, 3.20) provided quality innings in the starting rotation. The relief staff featured southpaws Tom Burgmeier and Joe Sambito along with right-handers Dave S. Smith and Tom Griffin. Burgmeier fashioned a 2.00 ERA with a 1.081 WHIP and saved 24 contests while making his lone All-Star appearance. Sambito delivered a record of 8-4 with 17 saves, a 2.19 ERA and a WHIP of 0.963. Smith (1.93, 10 SV) contributed 7 victories and placed fifth in the 1980 NL ROY balloting. Griffin furnished a 2.76 ERA and a 1.198 ERA, primarily in long relief.

The “Original” 1980 Houston Astros roster

Honorable Mention

The “Original” 1973 Astros    OWAR: 54.8     OWS: 328     OPW%: .567

Houston topped the circuit in OWAR and squeezed past Cincinnati and Los Angeles to capture the National League title in 1973. Joe L. Morgan (.290/26/82) coaxed 111 bases on balls, registered 116 tallies and pilfered 67 bases. “Little Joe” placed fourth in the NL MVP race and earned his first Gold Glove Award. John Mayberry (.278/26/100) paced the circuit with 122 walks and a .417 OBP while Bob “Bull” Watson produced a .312 BA with 94 ribbies. Mayberry and Watson joined the All-Star ranks for the first time. Cesar Cedeno (.320/25/70) laced 35 doubles and swiped 56 bags in the midst of collecting five consecutive Gold Glove Awards (1972-76). Fellow five-time Gold Glove winner Doug “The Red Rooster” Rader launched 21 moon shots and knocked in 89 runs. Rusty Staub aka “Le Grand Orange” clubbed 36 two-baggers. Wayne Twitchell (13-9, 2.50) received an invitation to the Mid-Summer Classic and fellow hurler Don Wilson notched 11 victories with a 3.20 ERA and a 1.166 WHIP.

On Deck

The “Original” 1905 Giants

References and Resources

Baseball America – Executive Database

Baseball-Reference

James, Bill. The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract. New York, NY.: The Free Press, 2001. Print.

James, Bill, with Jim Henzler. Win Shares. Morton Grove, Ill.: STATS, 2002. Print.

Retrosheet – Transactions Database

Seamheads – Baseball Gauge

Sean Lahman Baseball Archive

In “Hardball Retrospective: Evaluating Scouting and Development Outcomes for the Modern-Era Franchises”, I placed every ballplayer in the modern era (from 1901-present) on their original team. Consequently, Greg Luzinski is listed on the Phillies roster for the duration of his career while the Browns / Orioles declare Steve Finley and the Padres claim Derrek Lee. I calculated revised standings for every season based entirely on the performance of each team’s “original” players. I discuss every team’s “original” players and seasons at length along with organizational performance with respect to the Amateur Draft (or First-Year Player Draft), amateur free agent signings and other methods of player acquisition.  Season standings, WAR and Win Shares totals for the “original” teams are compared against the “actual” team results to assess each franchise’s scouting, development and general management skills.

Expanding on my research for the book, the following series of articles will reveal the finest single-season rosters for every Major League organization based on overall rankings in OWAR and OWS along with the general managers and scouting directors that constructed the teams. “Hardball Retrospective” is available in digital format on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, GooglePlay, iTunes and KoboBooks. The paperback edition is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and CreateSpace. Supplemental Statistics, Charts and Graphs along with a discussion forum are offered at TuataraSoftware.com.

Don Daglow (Intellivision World Series Major League Baseball, Earl Weaver Baseball, Tony LaRussa Baseball) contributed the foreword for Hardball Retrospective. The foreword and preview of my book are accessible here.

Terminology

OWAR – Wins Above Replacement for players on “original” teams

OWS – Win Shares for players on “original” teams

OPW% – Pythagorean Won-Loss record for the “original” teams

Assessment

The 1906 Chicago Cubs          OWAR: 58.8     OWS: 362     OPW%: .518

Based on the revised standings the “Original” 1906 Cubs finished fourth in a tight battle with the Giants, Cardinals and Pirates. Chicago topped the National League in OWS and OWAR.

Frank “The Peerless Leader” Chance supplied a .319 BA and led the circuit with 103 aces and 57 thefts. Frank “Wildfire” Schulte pilfered 25 bags and slashed a League-best 13 triples. Johnny Kling manufactured a .312 BA while the famous keystone combination of Johnny Evers and Joe Tinker collectively swiped 79 bases.

Hugh Duffy ranks twentieth in the All-Time Center Fielder rankings according to Bill James in “The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract.” Teammates listed in the “NBJHBA” top 100 rankings include Bill Dahlen (21^st-SS), Chance (25^th-1B), Evers (25^th-2B), Tinker (33^rd-SS), Bill Bradley (46^th-3B), Kling (48^th-C), Schulte (60^th-RF) and Jim Delahanty (81^st-2B).

Bob “Dusty” Rhoads (22-10, 1.80) delivered personal-bests in every major pitching category. Jack W. Taylor (20-12, 1.99) and “Tornado” Jake Weimer (20-12, 2.22) also surpassed the 20-win mark for the Cubbies. “Big” Ed Reulbach (19-4, 1.65) paced the Senior Circuit with a .826 winning percentage. Carl Lundgren added 17 victories and fashioned a 2.21 ERA.

The “Original” 1906 Chicago Cubs roster

Honorable Mention

The “Original” 1945 Cubs      OWAR: 50.4     OWS: 307     OPW%: .654

The Cubs (101-53) eclipsed the century mark in victories to secure the pennant and amassed a comfortable lead in OWAR and OWS. Phil Cavarretta (.355/6/97) merited 1945 National League MVP honors while topping the circuit in batting average and OBP (.449). “Smiling” Stan Hack scored 110 runs and supplied career-bests with a .323 BA and 99 bases on balls. Augie Galan (.307/9/92) coaxed 114 walks and registered 114 tallies. “Handy” Andy Pafko (.298/12/110) established personal-bests in RBI and triples (12). Hank Wyse (22-10, 2.68) completed 23 of 34 starts and Harry “The Cat” Brecheen (15-4, 2.52) contributed a league-best .789 winning percentage.

On Deck

The “Original” 1980 Astros

References and Resources

Baseball America – Executive Database

Baseball-Reference

James, Bill. The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract. New York, NY.: The Free Press, 2001. Print.

James, Bill, with Jim Henzler. Win Shares. Morton Grove, Ill.: STATS, 2002. Print.

Retrosheet – Transactions Database

Seamheads – Baseball Gauge

Sean Lahman Baseball Archive

In “Hardball Retrospective: Evaluating Scouting and Development Outcomes for the Modern-Era Franchises”, I placed every ballplayer in the modern era (from 1901-present) on their original team. Consequently, Giancarlo Stanton is listed on the Marlins roster for the duration of his career while the Mets declare Ken Singleton and the Expos / Nationals claim Tim Raines. I calculated revised standings for every season based entirely on the performance of each team’s “original” players. I discuss every team’s “original” players and seasons at length along with organizational performance with respect to the Amateur Draft (or First-Year Player Draft), amateur free agent signings and other methods of player acquisition.  Season standings, WAR and Win Shares totals for the “original” teams are compared against the “actual” team results to assess each franchise’s scouting, development and general management skills.

Expanding on my research for the book, the following series of articles will reveal the finest single-season rosters for every Major League organization based on overall rankings in OWAR and OWS along with the general managers and scouting directors that constructed the teams. “Hardball Retrospective” is available in digital format on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, GooglePlay, iTunes and KoboBooks. The paperback edition is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and CreateSpace. Supplemental Statistics, Charts and Graphs along with a discussion forum are offered at TuataraSoftware.com.

Don Daglow (Intellivision World Series Major League Baseball, Earl Weaver Baseball, Tony LaRussa Baseball) contributed the foreword for Hardball Retrospective. The foreword and preview of my book are accessible here.

Terminology

OWAR – Wins Above Replacement for players on “original” teams

OWS – Win Shares for players on “original” teams

OPW% – Pythagorean Won-Loss record for the “original” teams

Assessment

The 1939 New York Yankees          OWAR: 60.8     OWS: 345     OPW%: .607

Based on the revised standings the “Original” 1939 Yankees registered 94 victories and outlasted the Indians to secure the pennant by a 7-game margin. New York paced the American League in OWS and OWAR. GM Ed Barrow acquired all of the ballplayers on the 1939 Yankees roster.

“Joltin’” Joe DiMaggio claimed his first batting title and the 1939 American League MVP Award. “The Yankee Clipper” produced a .381 BA with 30 four-baggers, 126 ribbies and 108 runs scored. Red Rolfe (.329/14/80) topped the leader boards with 213 safeties, 139 aces and 46 two-base knocks. Fellow third-sacker Billy Werber registered 115 runs scored and drilled 35 doubles. Bill Dickey belted 24 round-trippers and tallied 105 RBI along with a .302 BA. George “Twinkletoes” Selkirk (.306/21/101) posted career-bests in homers, runs scored (103) and bases on balls (103). Joe Gordon smashed 28 long balls and drove in 111 baserunners during his sophomore season. Charlie “King Kong” Keller supplied a .334 BA in his inaugural campaign.

Lou Gehrig is listed as the top ballplayer in the All-Time First Baseman rankings according to Bill James in “The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract.” Teammates listed in the “NBJHBA” top 100 rankings include DiMaggio (5^th-CF), Dickey (7^th-C), Gordon (16^th-2B), Keller (17^th-LF), Tony Lazzeri (19^th-2B), Dixie Walker (30^th-RF), Rolfe (44^th-3B), Ben Chapman (55^th-CF), Frankie Crosetti (67^th-SS), Lefty Gomez (67^th-P), Werber (78^th-3B) and Lyn Lary (80^th-SS).

Lefty Gomez (12-8, 3.41) earned his seventh All-Star nomination. Atley Donald furnished a 13-3 mark with a 3.71 ERA. Marius Russo contributed an 8-3 record with a 2.41 ERA and a 1.095 WHIP in his freshman year.

The “Original” 1939 New York Yankees roster

Honorable Mention

The “Original” 1932 Yankees            OWAR: 52.6     OWS: 336     OPW%: .588

The Philadelphia Athletics ended the season in a virtual tie with the Bronx Bombers. The A’s edged the Yankees by a few percentage points to take the pennant while New York led the Junior Circuit in OWAR and OWS. Lou Gehrig pummeled opposition hurlers, belting 42 doubles and 34 round-trippers. “The Iron Horse” registered 138 tallies, 208 base knocks and 151 ribbies along with a .349 BA. Lefty O’Doul (.368/21/90) collected his second batting title and topped the 200-hit mark for the third time in four campaigns. Tony “Poosh ‘Em Up” Lazzeri supplied a .300 BA with 15 dingers and 113 RBI. Earle Combs aka “The Kentucky Colonel” scored 143 runs and posted a .321 BA as the Yankees’ primary leadoff hitter. Ben Chapman rapped 41 doubles, swiped a League-leading 38 bases and topped the century mark in runs scored (101) and RBI (107).  Bill Dickey (.310/15/84) and Kiddo Davis (.309/5/57) bolstered the prolific lineup. Lefty Gomez (24-7, 4.21) anchored the starting rotation and finished fifth in the 1932 A.L. MVP balloting in spite of his high ERA and walk totals. Johnny Allen fashioned a 17-4 record with a 3.70 ERA in his rookie year.

On Deck

The “Original” 1906 Cubs

References and Resources

Baseball America – Executive Database

Baseball-Reference

James, Bill. The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract. New York, NY.: The Free Press, 2001. Print.

James, Bill, with Jim Henzler. Win Shares. Morton Grove, Ill.: STATS, 2002. Print.

Retrosheet – Transactions Database

Seamheads – Baseball Gauge

Sean Lahman Baseball Archive

In “Hardball Retrospective: Evaluating Scouting and Development Outcomes for the Modern-Era Franchises”, I placed every ballplayer in the modern era (from 1901-present) on their original team. Consequently, Frankie Frisch is listed on the Giants roster for the duration of his career while the Indians declare Rocky Colavito and the Mariners claim David Ortiz. I calculated revised standings for every season based entirely on the performance of each team’s “original” players. I discuss every team’s “original” players and seasons at length along with organizational performance with respect to the Amateur Draft (or First-Year Player Draft), amateur free agent signings and other methods of player acquisition.  Season standings, WAR and Win Shares totals for the “original” teams are compared against the “actual” team results to assess each franchise’s scouting, development and general management skills.

Expanding on my research for the book, the following series of articles will reveal the finest single-season rosters for every Major League organization based on overall rankings in OWAR and OWS along with the general managers and scouting directors that constructed the teams. “Hardball Retrospective” is available in digital format on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, GooglePlay, iTunes and KoboBooks. The paperback edition is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and CreateSpace. Supplemental Statistics, Charts and Graphs along with a discussion forum are offered at TuataraSoftware.com.

Don Daglow (Intellivision World Series Major League Baseball, Earl Weaver Baseball, Tony LaRussa Baseball) contributed the foreword for Hardball Retrospective. The foreword and preview of my book are accessible here.

Terminology

OWAR – Wins Above Replacement for players on “original” teams

OWS – Win Shares for players on “original” teams

OPW% – Pythagorean Won-Loss record for the “original” teams

Assessment

The 1969 Cincinnati Reds          OWAR: 58.1     OWS: 362     OPW%: .619

Based on the revised standings the “Original” 1969 Reds recorded 100 victories and claimed the National League Western Division by 14 games over the Giants. Cincinnati topped the circuit in OWS and OWAR. GM Gabe Paul acquired 27 of the 40 ballplayers (68%) on the 1969 Reds roster.

Pete Rose (.348/16/82) notched his second straight batting title and paced the League with 120 runs scored. “Charlie Hustle” rapped 218 base knocks including 33 doubles and 11 triples while establishing personal-bests in OBP (.428) and SLG (.512). Jim Wynn aka the “Toy Cannon” unleashed 33 bombs, nabbed 23 bags, tallied 113 runs and topped the circuit with 148 bases on balls. Frank “The Judge” Robinson (.308/32/100) registered 111 aces and finished third in the MVP balloting. Third-sacker Tony “Big Dog” Perez belted 37 round-trippers, knocked in 122 runs and merited his third consecutive All-Star invite. “The Little General” Johnny Bench swatted 26 big-flies and drove in 90 runs during his sophomore season. Lee “Big Bopper” May crushed 38 moon-shots and plated 110 baserunners to earn his first appearance in the Mid-Summer Classic.

Johnny Bench places runner-up to Yogi Berra in the All-Time Catcher rankings according to Bill James in “The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract.” Teammates listed in the “NBJHBA” top 100 rankings include Robinson (3^rd-RF), Rose (5^th-RF), Wynn (10^th-CF), Perez (13^th-1B), Vada Pinson (18^th-CF), Curt Flood (36^th-CF), May (47^th-1B), Leo Cardenas (50^th-SS), Johnny Edwards (53^rd-C), Tommy Harper (56^th-LF), Cookie Rojas (69^th-2B), Cesar Tovar (79^th-CF), Tony Gonzalez (82^nd-CF) and Tommy Helms (99^th-2B).

Mike Cuellar (23-11, 2.38) earned the Cy Young Award while fashioning the lowest WHIP (1.005) of his career. Claude Osteen (20-15, 2.66) delivered career-bests in victories, innings pitched (321), strikeouts (183) and WHIP (1.143). Jim Maloney contributed a 12-5 record with a 2.77 ERA and Casey Cox (12-7, 2.78) furnished strikingly similar statistics. Diego Segui anchored the bullpen with 12 wins, 12 saves and a 3.35 ERA.

The “Original” 1969 Cincinnati Reds roster

Honorable Mention

The “Original” 1974 Reds                 OWAR: 52.6     OWS: 336     OPW%: .557

Cincinnati scrapped with Atlanta in the final weeks of the season. The Braves emerged with the division crown by two games while the Reds paced the National League in OWAR and OWS. Johnny Bench (.280/33/129) scored a career-high 108 runs and topped the RBI charts. Jim Wynn walloped 32 circuit clouts, drove in 108 baserunners and amassed 104 tallies. Pete Rose’s batting average dipped below .300 for the first time in ten years. All the same, “Charlie Hustle” paced the circuit with 45 doubles and 110 runs scored. Dave Concepcion earned his first of five Gold Glove Awards and contributed a .281 BA with 14 wallops and 41 steals. Hal McRae (.310/15/88) responded with 36 doubles after earning a full-time role. Ross “Scuz” Grimsley furnished an 18-13 record with a 3.07 ERA.

On Deck

The “Original” 1939 Yankees

References and Resources

Baseball America – Executive Database

Baseball-Reference

James, Bill. The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract. New York, NY.: The Free Press, 2001. Print.

James, Bill, with Jim Henzler. Win Shares. Morton Grove, Ill.: STATS, 2002. Print.

Retrosheet – Transactions Database

Seamheads – Baseball Gauge

Sean Lahman Baseball Archive

In “Hardball Retrospective: Evaluating Scouting and Development Outcomes for the Modern-Era Franchises”, I placed every ballplayer in the modern era (from 1901-present) on their original team. Therefore, Ron Santo is listed on the Cubs roster for the duration of his career while the Dodgers declare Steve Garvey and the Diamondbacks claim Justin Upton. I calculated revised standings for every season based entirely on the performance of each team’s “original” players. I discuss every team’s “original” players and seasons at length along with organizational performance with respect to the Amateur Draft (or First-Year Player Draft), amateur free agent signings and other methods of player acquisition.  Season standings, WAR and Win Shares totals for the “original” teams are compared against the “actual” team results to assess each franchise’s scouting, development and general management skills.

Expanding on my research for the book, the following series of articles will reveal the finest single-season rosters for every Major League organization based on overall rankings in OWAR and OWS along with the general managers and scouting directors that constructed the teams. “Hardball Retrospective” is available in digital format on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, GooglePlay, iTunes and KoboBooks. The paperback edition is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and CreateSpace. Supplemental Statistics, Charts and Graphs along with a discussion forum are offered at TuataraSoftware.com.

Don Daglow (Intellivision World Series Major League Baseball, Earl Weaver Baseball, Tony LaRussa Baseball) contributed the foreword for Hardball Retrospective. The foreword and preview of my book are accessible here.

Terminology

OWAR – Wins Above Replacement for players on “original” teams

OWS – Win Shares for players on “original” teams

OPW% – Pythagorean Won-Loss record for the “original” teams

Assessment

The 1997 Boston Red Sox          OWAR: 63.7     OWS: 317     OPW%: .583

Based on the revised standings the “Original” 1997 Red Sox outperformed the Yankees, seizing the American League pennant by ten games. Boston led the circuit in OWS and OWAR. GM Lou Gorman acquired 28 of the 36 ballplayers (78%) on the 1997 Red Sox roster.

Jeff Bagwell (.286/43/135) finished third in the MVP balloting and established personal-bests in RBI and stolen bases (31). Brady Anderson followed his 50-homer campaign in ’96 with 39 doubles and 18 jacks. Nomar Garciaparra (.306/30/98) merited the 1997 AL Rookie of the Year Award as he topped the charts with 209 base knocks and 11 triples. Mo “Hit Dog” Vaughn delivered a .315 BA with 35 round-trippers. John Valentin contributed 29 two-baggers and a .296 BA while third-sacker Wade Boggs managed a .292 average as a part-timer.

Bagwell and Boggs rate fourth among first and third basemen, respectively, according to Bill James in “The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract.” Teammates listed in the “NBJHBA” top 100 rankings include Roger Clemens (11^th-SP), Garciaparra (T-17^th-SS), Vaughn (51^st-1B), Anderson (63^rd-CF) and Burks (77^th-CF).

Roger Clemens (21-7, 2.05) paced the Junior Circuit in victories, ERA, complete games (9), shutouts (3), strikeouts (292) and WHIP (1.030). The “Rocket” collected the fourth of seven Cy Young Awards and made his sixth All-Star appearance. Curt Schilling struck out a career-high 319 batsmen and fashioned a record of 17-11 with a 2.97 ERA. Paul Quantrill led a bullpen-by-committee, posting a 1.94 ERA along with 6 wins and 5 saves.

The “Original” 1997 Boston Red Sox roster

Honorable Mention

The “Original” 1912 Red Sox             OWAR: 55.1     OWS: 317     OPW%: .591

Boston sailed to the pennant by a 13-game margin over the Athletics and Senators. Tris Speaker delivered an MVP season, notching League-bests with 53 doubles, 10 round-trippers and a .464 OBP. “The Grey Eagle” batted at a .383 clip, registered 136 tallies and posted career-highs in base hits (222) and stolen bases (52). Smoky Joe Wood (34-5, 1.91) dazzled opposition batsmen, twirling 10 shutouts and completing 35 of 38 starts. Larry Gardner contributed a .315 BA and legged out 18 three-baggers. Buck O’Brien recorded 20 victories with a 2.58 ERA in his only complete season in the Major Leagues. Hugh Bedient matched O’Brien’s win total and fashioned a 2.92 ERA in his rookie campaign. Duffy Lewis rapped 36 doubles and established a personal-best with 109 ribbies.

On Deck

The “Original” 1969 Reds

References and Resources

Baseball America – Executive Database

Baseball-Reference

James, Bill. The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract. New York, NY.: The Free Press, 2001. Print.

James, Bill, with Jim Henzler. Win Shares. Morton Grove, Ill.: STATS, 2002. Print.

Retrosheet – Transactions Database

Seamheads – Baseball Gauge

Sean Lahman Baseball Archive