Tag: 1910s

1910s MLB Team Rankings Countdown: 5 through 1

Posted on by kc2519

Welcome to the next countdown post in our series of 1910s MLB Team Rankings. As a reminder, the teams are ranked from #20 through #1 based on aggregate WAR162. For the 1910s (1910-1919), a total of 160 teams were eligible (16 teams x 10 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 #5 through #1.

Here’s the interactive dashboard at Tableau Public: 1910s Top 20 MLB Teams Dashboard

#5: 1915 Chicago White Sox, 54.8 WAR162

The 1915 White Sox rank ahead of two teams that finished above them during the season – the Tigers and Red Sox. Not only were the Tigers and Red Sox lucky relative to their projected wins, but the White Sox were very unlucky at seven wins below their projected 100-54 record.

The White Sox had the top run differential in the AL in 1915, the result of a very good offense paired with excellent pitching. Offensively, they ranked 2nd in multiple categories, including OBP, OPS, stolen bases, and doubles, and ranked first in triples. On the pitching side, their staff ranked first in both WHIP and strikeout-to-walk rate, and third in ERA.

Standout second baseman Eddie Collins posted one of his best seasons after coming over from the Athletics, batting .332 with 119 walks, 118 runs scored, a .460 OBP, and .896 OPS. Jack Fournier batted .322 and led the AL with a .491 slugging percentage, fueled by his 18 triples. Ray Schalk (.366 OBP) and Buck Weaver (11 triples, 83 runs scored) provided additional support. Jim Scott and Red Faber were the cornerstones of a strong pitching staff. Scott led the AL with 7 shutouts and compiled a 24-7 record and 2.03 ERA; Faber also won 24, and the trio of Reb Russell, Joe Benz, and Eddie Cicotte combined for 39 more wins. All five of these pitchers logged between 223 and 300 innings, pitching as both starters and in relief.

#4: 1911 Philadelphia Athletics, 55.0 WAR162

The 1911 version of the Athletics dominated the American League, rolling to the pennant, 13.5 games ahead of the runner-up Tigers. Their run differential was massive – they averaged 1.7 runs per game, scoring at the highest rate while holding opponents to the fewest runs.

The A’s led the AL in BA, OBP, and OPS ahead of the Ty Cobb-led Tigers. They were also near the top in doubles, triples, home runs, and stolen bases. The pitching numbers were also very good, although not tops in the league. The A’s ranked in the top three in most categories, including hits per 9 innings, ERA, and shutouts.

The A’s leveraged their usual 1-2 punch offensively, with Eddie Collins (.365 BA, 38 steals, .932 OPS) and Home Run Baker (115 RBI, NL-best 11 homers, .334 BA) leading the team in WAR162. Danny Murphy was solid, with a .329 BA, and Bris Lord batted .310. On the mound, it was Eddie Plank and Charles Bender combining for 40 wins, with 2.10 and 2.16 ERAs, respectively. Jack Coombs was the workhorse, pitching 336 innings on his way to a 28-12 mark, despite a rather high 3.53 ERA.

#3: 1912 Boston Red Sox, 56.6 WAR162

The 1912 Red Sox broke the stranglehold the Tigers and Athletics had on the top spot in the AL. They breezed to 105 wins and a 14-game margin over the Nationals, but would relinquish the top spot to the Athletics in 1913.

The Sox led the league in runs, doubles, OBP, and OPS, and ranked near the top in every category except stolen bases. The pitching staff led the league in complete games, shutouts, WHIP, and strikeout-to-walk rate. They ranked second in ERA behind the Nationals. It was easy to see why they toyed with their rivals over the course of the 1912 season.

The 1912 Red Sox had two players achieve WAR162 values greater than 10, one as a position player (Tris Speaker) and the other on the mound (Smoky Joe Wood). Speaker had a fabulous season, batting .383 with a 1.031 OPS, leading the AL with 53 doubles, 10 homers, and a .464 OBP while excelling defensively in center field. Larry Gardner was the primary support behind Speaker, batting .315 with 86 RBI and 18 triples. Smoky Joe Wood had a career season, pitching his way to a 34-5 record with a 1.91 ERA, 10 shutouts, 258 strikeouts, and 35 complete games. While Wood was the main act, he received strong support from Ray Collins (13-8, 2.53 ERA), Buck O’Brien (20-13), and Hugh Bedient (20-9 as a starter and reliever).

#2: 1911 New York Giants, 57.4 WAR

The 1911 Giants were one of several pennant-winning squads in the decade, 1911-1913 and 1917, as the New Yorkers made a claim as the dominant NL club for the period. Based on the WAR162 metrics, the 1911 edition was their finest team of the decade, leading the NL in both scoring (runs per game) and run prevention.

The Giants’ power numbers don’t impress too much – second in doubles, third in triples, fourth in homers. However, they could hit for average (NL-best .279) and run – their 347 steals were 57 ahead of the Reds, and more than double the thefts of a few teams. The pitching staff was a strength, with an NL-best 2.69 ERA and 95 complete games. They also ranked second in shutouts and WHIP, and led the NL in strikeout and strikeout-to-walk rates.

As usual for this era of Giants teams, there were no marquee positional stars at the level of a Ty Cobb, Eddie Collins, or Tris Speaker. What they lacked in star power, they made up for with a roster of above-average contributors at nearly every position. Larry Doyle was the best of this group in 1911, rapping an NL-best 25 triples to go with 13 homers, 38 steals, a .310 BA, and .924 OPS. Fred Merkle slugged 12 homers with a .283 BA and 49 steals, Fred Snodgrass batted .294 with 51 stolen bases, and Art Fletcher batted .319 in a part-time role at shortstop. Pitching was a strength, with the dynamic tandem of Christy Mathewson (26-13, NL-best 1.99 ERA) and Rube Marquard (24-7, league-leading 237 strikeouts) dominating opponents. Red Ames and Doc Crandall combined for 26 wins, with Crandall finishing a league-high 26 games in a closer role.

#1: 1910 Philadelphia Athletics, 62.3 WAR

The 1910 Athletics were a dominant squad that ran away with the AL, finishing 14.5 games ahead of the second-place Highlanders. This team would be the first in a 5-year span where the Athletics would claim four pennants before Connie Mack would break up the team. They would not return to a similar level of success until the late 1920s.

The Athletics were challenged by the 3rd-place Tigers in many offensive categories, with the Tigers ranking first in runs scored. However, the A’s were very consistent – 2nd in runs, 1st in doubles and triples, first in BA, 2nd in OBP, and first in OPS. The difference maker for the A’s was their exceptional pitching, which led the AL in ERA (1.79), shutouts (24), and complete games (123). They ranked near the top in several other categories, competing against a very good White Sox staff.

Eddie Collins had a sensational 1910 season, batting .324 with 81 steals (AL-best), 81 runs, and 81 RBI while playing very strong defense at second base. Home Run Baker batted .283 with 15 triples, Rube Oldring hit .308 with 79 runs scored, and Danny Murphy batted an even .300. Jack Barry contributed from his shortstop position with a .259 BA and 60 RBI. On the mound, Jack Coombs had a career year with a 31-9 record and a 1.30 ERA. Charles Bender was his typically consistent self, pitching his way to a 23-5 record with a 1.58 ERA, and Cy Morgan went 18-12 with a 1.55 ERA. The veteran Eddie Plank chipped in with 16 wins as a third option on the hill.

Summary

That’s it for this entry in our MLB Team Rankings for the 1910s decade! Here’s a quick summary of which franchises dominated the decade:

We’ll start visiting the 1920s next week. As always, thanks for reading!

1910s MLB Team Rankings Countdown: 10 through 6

Posted on by kc2519

Welcome to the next countdown post in our series of 1910s MLB Team Rankings. As a reminder, the teams are ranked from #20 through #1 based on aggregate WAR162. For the 1910s (1910-1919), a total of 160 teams were eligible (16 teams x 10 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 #10 through #6.

Here’s the interactive dashboard at Tableau Public: 1910s Top 20 MLB Teams Dashboard

#10: 1914 Philadelphia Athletics, 51.7 WAR162

The 1914 Athletics ran away with the AL pennant, topping the runner-up Red Sox by 8.5 games. Their run differential far surpassed all rivals as they continued a dominant run with one of their final great teams of this era. The team was especially dominant versus right-hand pitching, posting a 70-29 mark.

The Athletics offense embarrassed their AL rivals by scoring 134 more runs than the next team, and easily led the AL in BA, OBP, and OPS. The A’s weakness was a relatively ordinary pitching staff that placed 4th in ERA, 6th in WHIP, and 5th in strikeout-to-walk rate. The pitching staff was adequate in supporting a great offense, but it kept this squad from an even higher ranking.

Eddie Collins was the offensive leader, ably supported by Home Run Baker, a 1-2 punch that led this era of A’s teams to several pennants. Collins batted .344 with a .904 OPS, scored an NL-best 122 runs, and swiped 58 bases. Baker led the league with 9 homers, posted an .822 OPS, and drove in 85 runs. The A’s had additional positional depth courtesy of Jack Barry at shortstop, Wally Schang (.287 BA) at catcher, and Stuffy McInnis (.314 BA, 95 RBI) at first base. Charles Bender (“Chief”) logged a 17-3 mark with a 2.26 ERA, Rube Bressler went 10-4, primarily in relief, and Bob Shawkey won 15 games. Eddie Plank (38) and Herb Pennock (20), at opposite ends of the age spectrum, contributed 26 wins.

#9: 1913 New York Giants, 51.8 WAR162

The 1913 edition of the Giants continued its dominance of the NL, waltzing to a 12.5 game margin over the Phillies. This would be the last great Giants team for some years, as a variety of NL clubs (Braves, Phillies, Robins) would top the NL over the next three seasons.

The Giants possessed a capable if not outstanding offense, ranking third in runs, second in doubles, and third in OPS. They did lead the NL in BA and stolen bases by solid margins. Pitching was the real strength of the team, with an ERA (2.42) far ahead of their NL rivals. They also easily topped the league in WHIP, hits per 9 innings, and strikeout-to-walk rate.

The Giants’ offense was characterized by contributions from a handful of solid role players, without any big stars. Shortstop Art Fletcher batted .297 with 71 RBI, catcher Jack Meyers was a .312 hitter, and 2ndc baseman Larry Doyle stole 38 bases while batting .280. Tillie Shafer batted .287 with 12 triples, and Fred Snodgrass batted .291 with 65 runs scored. The pitching staff was led by the veteran Christy Mathewson (25 wins, 2.06 ERA, NL-best 0.6 BB/9), Rube Marquard (23-10), and Jeff Tesreau (22-13, NL-best 7.1 hits per 9 innings).

#8: 1915 Detroit Tigers, 51.8 WAR162

The 1915 Tigers finished second in the AL despite their 100-win season, trailing the Red Sox by 2.5 games. They were a lucky team for much of the season, with a 34-16 mark in one-run games; unfortunately for the Tigers, the Red Sox also exceeded their projected win total by several games.

The Tigers were a high-scoring club, averaging 5 runs per game, far ahead of their AL rivals. They ranked first in BA, OBP, OPS, stolen bases, and doubles; it’s easy to understand why they scored so frequently. On the pitching side, they were merely average – fourth in ERA, fourth in WHIP, and fifth in strikeout-to-walk rate.

Ty Cobb was at the peak of his powers in the 1915 season, leading the AL in multiple categories – BA (.369), stolen bases (96), OPS (.973), and runs (144), to name a few. Cobb’s outfield mates Bobby Veach (.313 BA, 40 doubles) and Sam Crawford (19 triples, .299 BA) tied for the AL lead with 112 RBI apiece. Ossie Vitt (116 runs) was a solid contributor at third base, while light-hitting shortstop Donie Bush drew 118 walks. On the mound, Hooks Dauss (24-13) and Harry Coveleski (22-13) topped a rather average staff.

#7: 1915 Boston Red Sox, 52.4 WAR

The 1915 Red Sox edge out the same Tigers team they beat in a tight 1915 pennant race, with their better pitching offsetting the Tigers’ prolific offense. Like the Tigers, the Red Sox exceeded their Pythagorean win projection (by 6 games); this was a 95-win team based on their metrics.

The Red Sox rank as an above-average offense for the 1915 season, certainly not at the Tigers’ level. They were 3rd in runs scored, 2nd in doubles, 2nd in BA, and 3rd in OBP and OPS. They also finished last in stolen bases, a far cry from the Cobb-led Tigers. On the mound, things were a bit stronger – 2nd in ERA, 2nd in WHIP, and 2nd in hits per 9 innings.

Center fielder Tris Speaker rates as the lone offensive standout for the 1915 version of the Sox, in addition to his superb defense. Speaker batted .322 with 108 runs scored, while his outfield partner, Duffy Lewis batted .291 with 76 RBI. Harry Hooper drew 89 walks, and Dick Hoblitzell batted .283. Five Red Sox pitchers topped the 4.0 WAR162 level, led by Rube Foster (19-8, 2.11 ERA). Smoky Joe Wood led the AL with a 1.49 ERA, Ernie Shore posted a 19-8 mark with a 1.64 ERA, and the 20-year-old Babe Ruth added 18 wins. Dutch Leonard led the AL with 6.4 hits per 9 innings on his way to a 15-7 record.

#6: 1912 New York Giants, 54.4 WAR

The 1912 Giants powered their way to 103 wins on the back of a prolific offense combined with very good pitching. The New Yorkers were in a dominant stretch that saw them win three consecutive pennants between 1911 and 1913.

The Giants boasted the NL’s top offense, scoring 5.3 runs per game, well ahead of the Cubs and Pirates. Their 319 steals were far ahead of all rivals, and they also paced the NL in BA, OBP, and OPS. On the mound, the Giants were also dominant, leading the NL in ERA, WHIP, and strikeout-to-walk rate, issuing the fewest bases on balls in the NL.

Once again, the Giants’ offense lacked star power, but thrived on the depth of their lineup. Larry Doyle produced with a .330 BA and 91 RBI, followed by catcher Jack Meyers, who led the NL with a .441 OBP built off a .358 BA. Buck Herzog stole 37 bases while playing a strong third base, and Art Fletcher hit .282 from his shortstop position. Christy Mathewson was again the top pitcher, with a 2.12 ERA and a league-best 1.0 walks per 9 innings. Rube Marquard went 26-11 in support of Mathewson, and Jeff Tesreau led the NL with a 1.96 ERA while posting a 17-7 record.

Summary

That’s it for this entry in our MLB Team Rankings for the 1910s decade! Stay tuned for the countdown from #5 to #1, arriving in a few days. As always, thanks for reading!

1910s MLB Team Rankings Countdown: 15 through 11

Posted on by kc2519

Welcome to the next countdown post in our series of 1910s MLB Team Rankings. As a reminder, the teams are ranked from #20 through #1 based on aggregate WAR162. For the 1910s (1910-1919), a total of 160 teams were eligible (16 teams x 10 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 #15 through #11.

Here’s the interactive dashboard at Tableau Public: 1910s Top 20 MLB Teams Dashboard

#15: 1910 New York Giants, 49.8 WAR162

The 1910 Giants won 91 games but finished 13 games behind a powerhouse Cubs team. They had a strong offense and good pitching, but not enough of both to derail the Cubs. However, this was just the beginning for a franchise that would become dominant in the coming years.

The Giants led the NL in multiple offensive measures – runs, BA, OBP, and OPS, and ranked second in stolen bases. The pitching was also solid – second in ERA, third in WHIP, and first in strikeouts. Defense was a bit of an issue, as their 291 errors ranked near the bottom of the league, whereas the Cubs committed the fewest of any NL team.

Fred Snodgrass compiled the highest WAR among position players despite missing 31 games, batting .321 with an exceptional .440 OBP and 33 steals; Larry Doyle stole 39 bases and batted .285, while Al Bridwell posted a .374 OBP. Christy Mathewson was the ace on the mound, topping the NL in wins (27), complete games (27), and strikeout-to-walk rate (3.07). From there, it was a fairly steep drop to Louis Drucke (12-10, 2.47 ERA) and Hooks Wiltse (14-12, 2.72 ERA).

#14: 1919 Cincinnati Reds, 50.1 WAR162

The 1919 Reds are the first Cincinnati team to appear in the rankings, having won the NL pennant and the World Series (the infamous Black Sox scandal series). While history views the White Sox as the superior team, the Reds rank just one spot behind the Chicago squad in these rankings after cruising to the NL title by a comfortable 9-game margin.

The Reds were a bit lucky with their 96 wins; the Pythagorean projection was for 92. Regardless, they were the best NL team with the best run differential. The team finished first in OBP and second in runs, BA, OPS, and stolen bases. On the pitching side, the Reds led the league in WHIP and complete games, and placed second in ERA. Offensively and on the mound, they were a balanced club without a lot of stars.

Heinie Groh and Edd Roush led the way offensively. Groh paced the NL with an .823 OPS, batting .310, while Roush led the league with a .321 BA. Morrie Rath covered a lot of ground defensively from his second base position while batting a solid .264. On the mound, the Reds boasted three starters with similar success rates. Hod Eller posted a 19-9 mark while Dutch Ruether went 19-6 with a 1.82 ERA. Slim Sallee chalked up the most wins on the staff with 21; it was a well-balanced staff with ample support beyond the top three.

#13: 1919 Chicago White Sox, 50.3 WAR162

The 1919 White Sox won the AL pennant by 3.5 games over the Indians, buoyed by a 30-19 mark in one-run games. They were certainly a very good team, but hardly the powerhouse squad history makes them out to be. As we previously noted, the 1919 Reds team they faced in the World Series is regarded as virtually identical from a WAR162 perspective.

The White Sox led the AL in runs, BA, and stolen bases, while placing second in OBP and OPS. They did have the best run differential in the league, the result of a solid offense, above-average pitching, and good defense. While their team ERA ranked fifth, they were second in WHIP and had the best strikeout-to-walk rate in the NL.

Joe Jackson (“Shoeless Joe”) and Eddie Collins were the standout position players, with Jackson batting .351 with 96 RBI and a .928 OPS. Collins stole 33 bases, best in the AL, and batted .319. Happy Felsch (34 doubles, .275 BA) and Buck Weaver (.296 BA, 89 runs) provided ample support. Eddie Cicotte had a sensational year, leading the league in wins (29), innings (306), complete games (30), and walks per 9 innings (1.4). Lefty Williams put together a 23-11 season, and Dickey Kerr went 13-7, primarily in relief.

#12: 1912 Pittsburgh Pirates, 51.1 WAR

The 1912 Pirates were a fine team that had the misfortune to compete against a loaded Giants team, relegating them to a distant second-place finish, 10 games back.

The Pirates’ .284 BA was second behind the Giants, and they ranked third in runs and OPS. They did hit the most triples in the NL, but were middle of the pack on many offensive measures. The pitching was a bright spot, where they tossed 18 shutouts (NL-best) and compiled a 2.85 ERA (2nd). The Pirates staff also struck out the most batters in the league. This combination of effective pitching and average to above-average offense was good enough to seal the team’s second-place finish.

An aging Honus Wagner (38) was still the offensive catalyst for Pittsburgh. Wagner batted .324, had an .891 OPS, stole 26 bases, and accumulated 101 RBI. Owen Wilson logged an incredible NL-best 36 triples along with 11 homers and a .300 BA, and 22-year-old Max Carey stole 45 bases while batting .302. The pitching was balanced in the absence of any major stars. Claude Hendrix assembled a 24-9 record with a 2.59 ERA, while veteran Howie Camnitz posted a 22-12 slate. Hank Robinson was effective, often out of the bullpen, and Marty O’Toole won 15 games, leading the NL with 6 shutouts.

#11: 1910 Chicago Cubs, 51.3 WAR

The 1910 Cubs won the NL pennant by 13 games over the Giants; those roles would begin to reverse the following season. This club continued the Cubs’ stretch of excellence that saw four pennants in a five-season span, starting with the 1906 club.

The Cubs’ possessed a solid offense – 2nd in runs, 2nd in doubles, 2nd in triples, 2nd in BA, and 2nd in OPS. In most of these categories, they were looking up at the Giants, who were ascending as the top NL offense for the next several years. As usual, pitching is where the team really excelled, starting with a league-best 2.51 ERA and 25 shutouts. The staff also recorded the best WHIP, narrowly edging the Pirates, and allowed the fewest hits per 9 innings.

The Cubs rarely had a dominant hitter like some of their competitors in this period, but they had multiple contributors who often provided 3-6 WAR162 each season. For 1910, those players were outfielder Solly Hofman, who batted .325 with an .867 OPS, Joe Tinker, with a .288 BA and solid defense at shortstop, and 2nd baseman Johnny Evers, with 108 walks leading to a .413 OPS. Mordecai Brown again led the Cubs pitchers, posting a 25-14 record with a 1.86 ERA, and earning the unusual honor of leading the NL in both complete games and saves, as well as shutouts. King Cole led the NL with a 1.80 ERA to support his 20-4 record, and Orval Overall (12) and Harry McIntire (13) combined for 25 wins.

Summary

That’s it for this entry in our MLB Team Rankings for the 1910s decade! Stay tuned for the countdown from #10 to #6, arriving in a few days. As always, thanks for reading!

MLB Team Rankings Countdown: 1910s 20 through 16

Posted on by kc2519

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 1910s (1910-1919), a total of 160 teams were eligible (16 teams x 10 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: 1910s Top 20 MLB Teams Dashboard

#20: 1919 Cleveland Indians, 48.1 WAR162

The Indians finished the 1919 season in second place in the AL, 3.5 games behind the White Sox (the infamous Black Sox team). Each team outperformed its Pythagorean projections by 4 games, so there was no unlucky aspect to this Indians team; the White Sox were simply better.

The Indians’ 634 runs trailed only the White Sox, while their .278 BA ranked third in the AL. The team led the AL in doubles, OBP, and OPS, while placing closer to league average in home runs, triples, and steals. The team ERA ranked second, trailing only the Yankees, but they placed third or lower in most other pitching categories.

Tris Speaker topped a solid offensive core with his 6.0 WAR value, featuring a .395 OBP, .828 OPS, and 38 doubles. Steve O’Neill provided strong numbers from his catcher spot, batting .289 with 35 doubles, and Larry Gardner batted an even .300. Ray Chapman also hit .300, while Joe Harris was an effective backup, hitting .375 with a .962 OPS in his 228 plate appearances. Stan Coveleski was the mound star, posting a 24-12 mark across 286 innings, followed by Jim Bagby, wh won 17 games from the second spot in the rotation.

#19: 1918 Chicago Cubs, 48.7 WAR162

The 1918 Cubs won the NL by 10.5 games over the Giants, and their run differential was more than double that of any other club. Their win projection was 83 games, so they weren’t especially lucky, just far better than their rivals.

Offensively, the Cubs .265 BA was a distant second to the Reds, as were OPS and OBP. Similarly, their 159 steals trailed the Pirates; in short, the Cubs were good, but not great, with the bats. Pitching was a different story. Their 2.18 ERA was far ahead of the second-ranked Pirates, and their strikeout-to-walk ratio and walks per 9 innings topped the NL. The team also ranked second in WHIP for the 1918 season.

Charlie Hollocher led a productive yet little-known group of position players, batting .316 with an NL-best 161 hits. Fred Merkle batted .297, and 36-year-old Dode Paskert hit .286 to lead the offense. On the mound, Hippo Vaughn topped the NL in wins (22), ERA (1.74), shutouts (8), strikeouts (148), and WHIP (1.006). Lefty Tyler was a strong second starter, winning 19 with a 2.00 ERA, and Claude Hendrix went 20-7 as the third man in the rotation.

#18: 1917 New York Giants, 49.0 WAR162

The 1917 Giants were the runaway NL champs, finishing 10 games out front of the Phillies. This would be their last pennant-winning team of the decade, as the Cubs and Reds rose to the top in 1918-1919. The 1917 team was also the fifth Giants team to place in the top 20 for the decade, a very impressive feat.

The Giants topped the NL with 635 runs, 39 homers, a .317 OBP, and 162 steals. They placed second in BA and OPS to the Reds. Their pitching staff recorded a 2.27 ERA, 7.7 hits per 9 innings, and 1.085 WHIP to top the league. This was a team with great offensive and defensive balance, despite the lack of prominent star players.

Art Fletcher and George Burns provided the positional spark for the Giants – Fletcher with a .260 BA and strong defense at shortstop, and Burns with 103 runs, 75 walks (both NL-best) and a .302 BA. Heinie Zimmerman led the league with 100 RBI and batted .297, and Benny Kauff batted .308. Ferdie Schupp was the ace, posting a 21-7 mark with a 1.95 ERA and an NL-best 6.7 hits per 9 innings. Pol Perritt went 17-7 with a 1.88 ERA, and Fred Anderson sported a league-best 1.44 ERA. Slim Sallee won 18 games, walking just 34 batters in 215 innings.

#17: 1913 Philadelphia Athletics, 49.0 WAR162

The A’s won 96 games to claim the AL pennant by 6.5 games over the Nationals. Most of their work was done on offense, as we’ll see in a moment.

The A’s led the league by an astounding 162 runs – more than 1 run per game. Unsurprisingly, they also led the AL in BA, OBP, and OPS, home runs, and doubles, while placing second in stolen bases. This team was a bit of an offensive juggernaut for the 1913 season. Pitching was a different story – 6th in ERA, 8th in complete games, third in WHIP and hits per 9 innings, and 8th in walks per 9 innings. This was a team that simply outscored the opponent on a regular basis.

Eddie Collins and Home Run Baker were the biggest offensive stars for the A’s. Collins batted .345 with an .894 OPS, stole 55 bases, and led the NL with 125 runs scored. Baker led the NL with 12 home runs and 117 RBI while batting .337. Stuffy McInnis (.324 BA, 90 RBI) and Jack Barry (.275 BA, 85 RBI) were also strong contributors to this dynamic offense. Eddie Plank and Charles Bender were the staff standouts, albeit with modest seasons by their standards. Plank authored an 18-10 mark with a 2.60 ERA, while Bender led the NL with 13 saves (saves were rare in this era) and a 21-10 record.

#16: 1917 Chicago White Sox, 49.3 WAR

The White Sox ran away with the 1917 AL pennant, finishing 9 games ahead of the Red Sox. This team was largely comprised of the same players who would go down in infamy two seasons later as the Black Sox, after being accused of fixing the 1919 World Series.

The 1917 version of the White Sox led the AL in runs scored, with only the Tigers close behind. The Chicagoans also led the AL in triples, stolen bases, and OBP in a scrappy sort of offensive attack. Pitching was the real strength of the club, with AL-best marks in ERA (2.16), shutouts (22), and walks per 9 innings (2.6). The pitching staff also performed well on WHIP (2nd) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (2nd).

Three position players stood out for the 1917 White Sox – Joe Jackson, Eddie Collins, and Happy Felsch. Jackson had one of his lesser seasons, but still batted .301 with 82 RBI and an .805 OPS, while Collins posted a .389 OBP with 53 stolen bases. Felsch paired a .308 BA with 99 RBI and 26 steals. The pitching was led by veteran Eddie Cicotte, who had a career year with a 28-12 record, 1.53 ERA, and 0.912 WHIP, leading the NL in each category. Reb Russell won 15 games with a 1.95 ERA, while Red Faber (16 wins) and Dave Danforth (9 saves) also contributed.

Summary

That’s it for the first entry in our MLB Team Rankings for the 1910s decade! Stay tuned for the countdown from #15 to #11, arriving in a few days. As always, thanks for reading!