Welcome to the first countdown post in our series of MLB team rankings by decade. As a reminder, the teams are ranked from #20 through #1 based on aggregate WAR162. For the 1900s (1901-1909), a total of 144 teams were eligible (16 teams x 9 seasons), so the top 20 teams are a fairly exclusive group. We’ll summarize each team, including portions of their team dashboard, and explain how they attained their ranking. So, without further ado, here are the teams ranked #20 through #16.
Here’s the interactive dashboard at Tableau Public: 1900s Top 20 MLB Teams Dashboard
#20: 1904 Cleveland Napoleons, 48.1 WAR162
The Napoleons would eventually become the Naps, then the Indians, and most recently, the Guardians. In 1904, they were named after their star player, Napoleon Lajoie, a Hall of Fame second baseman. Here’s a glance at some of their team numbers:
With a record of 86-65, the Naps managed just a 4th place finish in the American League. The team had an unusually unlucky season – their Pythagorean expected record (based on runs scored vs. allowed) was 95-56, a whopping nine-game difference. Cleveland led the AL in batting average and OPS, and finished 2nd in ERA.
Nap Lajoie led the AL in multiple categories, with a .376 BA, .959 OPS, 102 RBI, and 49 doubles. He received strong support from Elmer Flick (.306 BA, 38 SB) and Bill Bradley (.300 BA). Bill Bernhard won 23 games, and Addie Joss led the AL with a 1.59 ERA within a balanced pitching rotation.
#19: 1903 Pittsburgh Pirates, 49.9 WAR162
The 1903 edition of the Pirates is one of multiple seasons in the top 20 MLB Team Rankings for the 1900s decade. This version of the team finished first in the NL, but was not quite as good as their record based on runs scored and allowed.
The Pirates’ .286 average was good for 2nd in the NL, as was their .734 OPS, both just behind the Reds. They also placed 2nd in ERA while leading the NL with 16 shutouts.
Honus Wagner was the clear leader in WAR162 on the basis of his league-best .355 BA and 19 triples. His .931 OPS was also near the top of the NL. Wagner received ample support from Fred Clarke (NL-best .946 OPS, .351 BA), Claude Ritchey, Ginger Beaumont (.341 BA), and Tommy Leach. Sam Leever (25-7, NL-best 2.06 ERA) and Deacon Phillippe (25-9, 2.43 ERA, NL-best 1.03 WHIP) dominated on the mound for the NL champs.
#18: 1901 Boston Americans, 50.7 WAR162
The Americans were the predecessor to the Red Sox, finishing 2nd in the AL with a 79-57 record, 3 games worse than their predicted Pythagorean mark of 82-54. This earns them the #18 slot in our 1900s MLB Team Rankings.
The team was just slightly better than league average in most offensive categories, although they did have higher rankings in triples (2nd) and home runs (1st). Pitching carried the team, as they placed 2nd in ERA and 1st in strikeouts, largely thanks to the legendary Cy Young.
Four offensive players carried the load for the Americans, with WAR162 values > 5; no other batters topped 2 WAR for the season. Third baseman Jimmy Collins led the way in WAR (7.9) with a .332 BA, Freddy Parent batted .306 from his shortstop position, Buck Freeman batted .339 with a .920 OPS, and Chick Stahl hit for a .303 average. On the mound, it was Cy Young with some help from Ted Lewis (16 wins) and George Winter (16 wins, 2.80 ERA). Young posted a 33-10 mark with a league-best 1.62 ERA and 0.97 WHIP across 371 innings.
#17: 1901 Chicago White Sox, 50.8 WAR
The White Sox claimed first place in the 1901 AL pennant race, 4 games ahead of the Americans, although their WAR totals were nearly identical.
The Chicago squad led the AL in runs scored, stolen bases, and ERA, while ranking in the middle of the pack in BA, HR, and OPS. They also drew a high number of walks; between the walks and stolen bases, the team was able to generate 6 runs per game.
The White Sox had no single offensive standout, but enjoyed productive seasons from several batters, including Billy Hoy, who drew a league-best 86 walks at age 39. Hoy also led the team with an .807 OPS figure. Fielder Jones batted .311 with 38 steals and 84 walks, Fred Hartman hit .309 with 31 steals and 13 triples, and Sam Mertes had 17 triples and 46 stolen bases. Herm McFarland contributed with 75 walks and 33 steals and a .767 OPS. Three pitchers stood out for the Chicagoans, led by Clark Griffith, who compiled a 24-7 record and 2.67 ERA. Jimmy Callahan posted a 15-8 mark, with a 2.42 ERA, and Roy Patterson won 20 games and led the team with 30 complete games and 312 innings on the mound.
#16: 1905 Philadelphia Athletics, 51.0 WAR
The Athletics placed multiple squads in the top 20 for the 1900s decade, with the 1905 edition placing 16th. The A’s bested the White Sox by 2 games for the AL pennant, although the Chicago team had the better Pythagorean win expectation of the two teams.
In a season where pitching dominated, the Athletics’ .255 BA (2nd) and .648 OPS (1st) were at the top, as was their 256 doubles, 45 more than any other competitor. The team’s 2.19 ERA was second-best for the season, and their 895 strikeouts were far ahead of the 652 posted by the Boston Americans.
The Athletics boasted a balanced lineup, with 7 batters earning WAR162 values of 2 or better, including 3 batters who topped 5 WAR apiece. Harry Davis topped the AL with 8 homers, 47 doubles, and 83 RBI to lead the way. Danny Murphy batted .277 from his second base position, and Topsy Hartsel earned a league-best 121 walks and .409 OBP. The pitchers were led by a pair of left-handers; Rube Waddell posted a 27-10 record with an AL-best 1.48 ERA and 287 strikeouts. Eddie Plank earned 24 wins with a 2.26 ERA and 210 strikeouts of his own. Beyond the big two, Andy Coakley picked up 18 wins with a fine 1.84 ERA.
Summary
That’s it for the first entry in our MLB Team Rankings for the 1900s decade! Stay tuned for the countdown from #15 to #11, arriving in a few days. As always, thanks for reading!