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, Minnie Minoso is listed on the Indians roster for the duration of his career while the Giants declare Hack Wilson and the Mariners claim Ichiro Suzuki. 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. Additional information and 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 1946 Detroit Tigers         OWAR: 58.3     OWS: 303     OPW%: .599

GM Jack Zeller acquired 42.5% (17/40) of the ballplayers on the 1946 Tigers roster and fellow front office executive Mickey Cochrane added 35% (14/40). Based on the revised standings the “Original” 1946 Tigers topped the Junior Circuit in OWAR but finished two games behind the Red Sox.

The Tigers’ ferocious rotation featured future Hall of Famer Hal Newhouser (26-9, 1.94). “Prince Hal” led the circuit in victories for the third consecutive season, collected his second straight ERA title and paced the League with a 1.069 WHIP. Newhouser finished runner-up in the MVP race following back-to-back MVP Awards in 1944-45. Dizzy Trout recorded 17 wins and fashioned an ERA of 2.34. Johnny Sain (20-14, 2.21) returned from military service and notched at least 20 victories in four of the next five campaigns. Fred Hutchinson (14-11, 3.09) and Virgil Trucks (14-9, 3.23) bolstered the back-end of the rotation. Schoolboy Rowe contributed an 11-4 record with a 2.12 in 16 starts.

ROTATION	POS	WAR	WS
Hal Newhouser	SP	9.36	32.87
Dizzy Trout	SP	7.4	26.31
Johnny Sain	SP	5.61	25.08
Fred Hutchinson	SP	4.37	18.35
Virgil Trucks	SP	3.26	16.57
BULLPEN	POS	WAR	WS
Jake Wade	RP	0.71	3.5
Art Herring	RP	0.06	5.83
Johnny Gorsica	RP	-0.04	0.94
Rufe Gentry	RP	-0.33	0
Tommy Bridges	RP	-0.5	0.02
Schoolboy Rowe	SP	3.67	13.83
Rip Sewell	SP	0.99	8.5
Lou Kretlow	SP	0.3	1.23
Art Houtteman	SP	-0.27	0.11
Stubby Overmire	SP	-0.33	2.88
Ted Gray	SP	-0.54	0
Hal Manders	RP	-0.66	0.13

In his penultimate campaign Hank Greenberg clubbed 44 circuit clouts and knocked in 127 runs to lead the American League in both categories for the fourth time. Rudy York (.276/17/119) eclipsed the century mark in RBI for the sixth time in his career. Roy Cullenbine posted a .335 BA with a .477 OBP while fellow outfielder Barney McCosky batted at a .318 clip.

Greenberg placed 8^th among first basemen according to Bill James in “The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract.” In addition to “Hammerin’ Hank,” seven ballplayers from the 1946 Tigers ballclub registered in the “NBJHBA” top 100 rankings including Hal Newhouser (36^th-P), Rudy York (56^th-1B), Virgil Trucks (61^st-P), Birdie Tebbetts (64^th-C), Roy Cullenbine (68^th-RF), Barney McCosky (70^th-CF) and Hoot Evers (100^th-LF).

LINEUP	POS	WAR	WS
Roy Cullenbine	RF	6.04	25.25
Barney McCosky	CF	1.56	14.22
Hank Greenberg	LF/1B	6.76	30.62
Rudy York	1B	2.19	21.74
Mike Tresh	C	0.63	7.81
Johnny Lipon	SS	0.14	0.97
Don Ross	3B	0.11	4.23
Mark Christman	2B/3B	-1.02	8.28
LINEUP	POS	WAR	WS
Les Fleming	1B	2.34	12.6
Hoot Evers	CF	1.82	10.26
Dick Wakefield	LF	1.52	14.7
Chet Laabs	RF	1.25	8.67
Frank Secory	LF	0.29	1.63
Pat Mullin	RF	0.21	5.52
Birdie Tebbetts	C	0.14	7.2
Bob Swift	C	0.07	2.93
Mickey Rocco	1B	0.07	2.18
Ned Harris	–	-0.01	0
George Archie	1B	-0.07	0.07
Johnny Groth	CF	-0.16	0.07
George Metkovich	RF	-0.22	7.62
Gene Desautels	C	-0.45	2.1
Anse Moore	LF	-0.54	1.15

 

The “Original” 1946 Detroit Tigers roster

NAME	POS	WAR	WS	General Manager
Hal Newhouser	SP	9.36	32.87	Jack Zeller
Dizzy Trout	SP	7.4	26.31	Mickey Cochrane
Hank Greenberg	1B	6.76	30.62	Frank Navin
Roy Cullenbine	RF	6.04	25.25	Mickey Cochrane
Johnny Sain	SP	5.61	25.08	Mickey Cochrane
Fred Hutchinson	SP	4.37	18.35	Jack Zeller
Schoolboy Rowe	SP	3.67	13.83	Frank Navin
Virgil Trucks	SP	3.26	16.57	Mickey Cochrane
Les Fleming	1B	2.34	12.6	Jack Zeller
Rudy York	1B	2.19	21.74	Frank Navin
Hoot Evers	CF	1.82	10.26	Jack Zeller
Barney McCosky	CF	1.56	14.22	Mickey Cochrane
Dick Wakefield	LF	1.52	14.7	Jack Zeller
Chet Laabs	RF	1.25	8.67	Mickey Cochrane
Rip Sewell	SP	0.99	8.5	Mickey Cochrane
Jake Wade	RP	0.71	3.5	Mickey Cochrane
Mike Tresh	C	0.63	7.81	Mickey Cochrane
Lou Kretlow	SP	0.3	1.23	George Trautman
Frank Secory	LF	0.29	1.63	Jack Zeller
Pat Mullin	RF	0.21	5.52	Mickey Cochrane
Birdie Tebbetts	C	0.14	7.2	Frank Navin
Johnny Lipon	SS	0.14	0.97	Jack Zeller
Don Ross	3B	0.11	4.23	Mickey Cochrane
Bob Swift	C	0.07	2.93	Mickey Cochrane
Mickey Rocco	1B	0.07	2.18	Jack Zeller
Art Herring	RP	0.06	5.83	Frank Navin
Ned Harris	–	-0.01	0	Jack Zeller
Johnny Gorsica	RP	-0.04	0.94	Jack Zeller
George Archie	1B	-0.07	0.07	Jack Zeller
Johnny Groth	CF	-0.16	0.07	George Trautman
George Metkovich	RF	-0.22	7.62	Jack Zeller
Art Houtteman	SP	-0.27	0.11	Jack Zeller
Stubby Overmire	SP	-0.33	2.88	Jack Zeller
Rufe Gentry	RP	-0.33	0	Jack Zeller
Gene Desautels	C	-0.45	2.1	Mickey Cochrane
Tommy Bridges	RP	-0.5	0.02	Frank Navin
Ted Gray	SP	-0.54	0	Jack Zeller
Anse Moore	LF	-0.54	1.15	George Trautman
Hal Manders	RP	-0.66	0.13	Jack Zeller
Mark Christman	3B	-1.02	8.28	Mickey Cochrane

 

Honorable Mention

The “Original” 1915 Tigers     OWAR: 52.4     OWS: 299     OPW%: .598

Detroit edged Boston by a single game to secure the American League pennant in 1915. Ty Cobb (.369/3/99) swiped a career-high 96 bases while accruing 51 Win Shares and 9.5 WAR. “The Georgia Peach” claimed his ninth consecutive batting title and topped the leader boards with 144 runs scored, 208 safeties and a .486 OBP. Bobby Veach (.313/3/112) delivered League-bests in RBI and doubles (40). Ossie Vitt registered 116 tallies. Hooks Dauss established a personal record with 24 victories.

On Deck

The “Original” 1983 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

Seamheads – Baseball Gauge

Sean Lahman Baseball Archive