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).

LINEUP	POS	WAR	WS
Joe Tinker	SS	5.01	17.55
Johnny Evers	2B	4.95	19.46
Frank Chance	1B	7.36	33.26
Frank Schulte	RF	3.33	23.94
Johnny Kling	C	3.3	20.78
Jim Delahanty	3B	2.21	13.98
Bunk Congalton	LF/RF	1.79	15.25
Davy Jones	CF	0.69	12.35
BENCH	POS	WAR	WS
Bill Dahlen	SS	2.92	17.54
Larry Schlafly	2B	2.91	18.99
Frank Isbell	2B	2.19	25.91
Bill Bradley	3B	1.65	11.16
Tommy Raub	C	0.66	2.84
George Moriarty	3B	0.14	5.97
Hugh Duffy	–	-0.01	0
Tom Walsh	C	-0.01	0.01
Bill Phyle	3B	-0.27	0.76
Germany Schaefer	2B	-0.3	11.86
Malachi Kittridge	C	-0.55	0.58

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.

ROTATION	POS	WAR	WS
Jake Weimer	SP	5.46	24.75
Bob Rhoads	SP	4.77	23.12
Jack W. Taylor	SP	4.67	25.42
Ed Reulbach	SP	3.38	23.77
BULLPEN	POS	WAR	WS
Carl Lundgren	SP	2.07	18
Fred Glade	SP	1.75	16.78
Fred Beebe	SP	0.81	13.02
Big Jeff Pfeffer	SP	0.67	16.13
Jack Doscher	SP	0.35	1.11
Hub Knolls	RP	-0.16	0.38
Tom J. Hughes	SP	-1.84	3.32
Mal Eason	SP	-1.85	7.47

The “Original” 1906 Chicago Cubs roster

NAME	POS	WAR	WS	General Manager	Scouting Director
Frank Chance	1B	7.36	33.26
Jake Weimer	SP	5.46	24.75
Joe Tinker	SS	5.01	17.55
Johnny Evers	2B	4.95	19.46
Bob Rhoads	SP	4.77	23.12
Jack Taylor	SP	4.67	25.42
Ed Reulbach	SP	3.38	23.77
Frank Schulte	RF	3.33	23.94
Johnny Kling	C	3.3	20.78
Bill Dahlen	SS	2.92	17.54
Larry Schlafly	2B	2.91	18.99
Jim Delahanty	3B	2.21	13.98
Frank Isbell	2B	2.19	25.91
Carl Lundgren	SP	2.07	18
Bunk Congalton	RF	1.79	15.25
Fred Glade	SP	1.75	16.78
Bill Bradley	3B	1.65	11.16
Fred Beebe	SP	0.81	13.02
Davy Jones	CF	0.69	12.35
Big Jeff Pfeffer	SP	0.67	16.13
Tommy Raub	C	0.66	2.84
Jack Doscher	SP	0.35	1.11
George Moriarty	3B	0.14	5.97
Hugh Duffy	–	-0.01	0
Tom Walsh	C	-0.01	0.01
Hub Knolls	RP	-0.16	0.38
Bill Phyle	3B	-0.27	0.76
Germany Schaefer	2B	-0.3	11.86
Malachi Kittridge	C	-0.55	0.58
Tom Hughes	SP	-1.84	3.32
Mal Eason	SP	-1.85	7.47

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