Overview: It just goes to show where athletic prowess can get you. Unlike our counterparts across the city, the Athletics are on the
rise. In just our third year of existence, we appear poised to be the team that breaks the deadlock on the first division by the existing
major league clubs that created the American League. Last year ours was the only of the new clubs to win more games than we lost, and now
that Baltimore/New York seems poised to fall by the wayside, we feel we should finish at least third and perhaps higher.
Pitching
Garrison "Rube" Lindsley
Code:
Year Team Age G W L IP H R ER HR BB SO CG Sh ERA
1900 Washington - NL 23 50 6 4 106.2 90 35 20 0 23 61 0 0 1.69
1901 Washington - AL 24 30 15 11 251.1 214 97 61 10 34 206 23 2 2.18
1902 Philadelphia - AL 25 36 24 10 319.1 303 131 94 8 62 197 31 3 2.65
The rumor is that the Nationals let Lindsley go to the A's because they weren't sure how well he'd be able to carry the workload of a
starter. Perhaps it could be said that he would never have been able to carry things if he hadn't joined the A's and our tough workout
regimen. Lindsley responded to his critics by winning 9 more games pitching 70 more innings than the season before.
Claude Cugnoni
Code:
Year Team Age G W L IP H R ER HR BB SO CG Sh ERA
1900 Brooklyn - NL 25 26 4 0 47.0 52 22 13 1 8 22 0 0 2.49
1901 Philadelphia - AL 26 37 17 10 239.2 218 95 72 4 51 147 21 1 2.70
1902 Philadelphia - AL 27 37 16 17 305.2 307 129 89 1 68 118 31 3 2.62
Another converted reliever, Cugnoni was just fair last season, although there is an argument to be made that he was nearly as good as
Lindsley but just had poor run support. We aren't making that argument as we believe that you go out on the field and prove your mettle and
do not make excuses. Whatever the case may be, Cugnoni is most certainly a member of this rotation in '03.
Martin Cheney
Code:
Year Team Age G W L IP H R ER HR BB SO CG Sh ERA
1900 Philadelphia - NL 19 7 3 1 48.2 45 25 19 1 24 20 2 0 3.51
1901 Philadelphia - NL 20 31 6 14 188.2 186 126 85 8 111 92 13 0 4.05
1902 Philadelphia - AL 21 35 17 17 284.0 269 177 109 2 164 99 25 1 3.45
Cheney jumped the sinking ship that was the Philadelphia Phillies last year to join their superior cross-town athletic counterparts.
Well, not exactly. Initially he jumped to the Washington Nationals, but seeing that he wasn't going to make the team agreed to be
transported to the A's in exchange for third baseman Bailey Hamilton. It worked out well for both Cheney and the city of Philadelphia.
Riordan Rowell
Code:
Year Team Age G W L IP H R ER HR BB SO CG Sh ERA
1900 Cincinnati - AA 29 48 13 10 192.2 234 109 97 5 83 48 6 0 4.53
1901 Pittsburgh - NL 30 7 2 5 51.2 77 49 30 0 15 15 4 0 5.23
1901 Chicago - NL 30 23 12 11 199.2 213 105 78 6 55 65 21 1 3.52
1901 Total - NL 30 30 14 16 251.1 290 154 108 6 70 80 25 1 3.87
1902 Philadelphia - AL 31 25 3 11 136.2 162 84 59 3 49 27 11 0 3.89
Rowell won 27 games for Cincinnati one year in the 1890s but has never quite lived up to the lofty expectations generated by that
season. Last year he was just not very good and got moved out of the rotation in exchange for Pat Nihil when he was claimed from the Giants.
Pat "The Caped Crusader" Nihil
Code:
Year Team Age G W L IP H R ER HR BB SO CG Sh ERA
1900 New York - NL 36 49 13 19 276.0 328 170 116 6 58 62 10 2 3.78
1901 New York - NL 37 31 15 14 245.0 293 151 99 6 52 81 25 0 3.64
1902 New York - NL 38 17 7 10 151.1 154 67 51 2 39 31 17 1 3.03
1902 Philadelphia - AL 38 15 7 8 118.2 122 66 46 5 31 24 11 1 3.49
1902 Total - ABA 38 32 14 18 270.0 276 133 97 7 70 55 28 2 3.23
The face of the New York Giants for so many years, Nihil was the first casualty of the new regime that was installed last July for
that club. Their loss, our gain. Nihil gives the rotation some badly needed baseball experience. He seemed to have a calming effect on the
rest of the staff and was a .500 pitcher to boot.
Everyone Else
Code:
Name Age G W L IP H R ER HR BB SO CG Sh ERA
Jimmy Baker 31 4 2 1 28.1 29 4 0 5 4 1.27
Chris Leroy 20 6 0 0 15.0 21 11 0 11 5 6.60
Jim McNeiledge 34 7 4 3 63.0 55 13 4 13 17 1.86
Catcher and First Base
David Daniel C(89)
Code:
Year Team/League Age G AB H 2B 3B HR RBI R BB K SB AVG
1900 Cleveland - AA 24 84 267 74 15 1 1 36 22 18 29 2 .277
1901 Philadelphia - AL 25 109 383 106 12 7 1 47 39 25 39 0 .277
1902 Philadelphia - AL 26 91 283 74 13 1 2 50 27 14 26 0 .261
Daniel is a solid, young backstop who has learned to call a game while his pitchers have learned to pitch them. He got a little
banged up last year but it's nothing a few extra calisthenics can't cure.
Carey Waye C(31)
Code:
Year Team/League Age G AB H 2B 3B HR RBI R BB K SB AVG
1900 Cleveland - AA 25 60 126 20 4 0 0 8 4 4 12 0 .159
1901 Philadelphia - AL 26 41 127 28 9 0 1 12 13 2 17 0 .220
1902 Philadelphia - AL 27 31 101 24 7 1 1 12 14 5 11 0 .238
Waye is slowly learning how to hit in the major leagues but he didn't come around quickly enough for manager Connie Mack, who
dispatched him to the minors in mid-season. He could still contribute if somebody gets hurt.
Gunnar Settarwal C(30)
Code:
Year Team/League Age G AB H 2B 3B HR RBI R BB K SB AVG
1902 Philadelphia - AL 21 34 98 23 0 1 0 11 11 2 12 0 .235
Settarwal wasn't exactly a superstar either but he is six youngers than Waye and about twice as fast in morning sprints.
Ron Eshelman 1B(140)
Code:
Year Team/League Age G AB H 2B 3B HR RBI R BB K SB AVG
1900 Cleveland - AA 32 150 539 142 26 7 5 59 64 68 29 2 .263
1901 Philadelphia - AL 33 133 505 134 40 8 5 71 88 80 58 1 .265
1902 Philadelphia - AL 34 140 556 163 38 8 1 74 77 63 43 1 .293
Eshelman played in every inning of every game for the A's last year. Going into the season, he also made the decision to watch fewer
pitches go by and as a result he had his best year in a long, long time. Another good year like this will push Eshelman over the 2,000 hit
and 400 doubles plateaus (he has 1,849 hits and 388 doubles right now). Given that he's hit 68 more 2-baggers than the next guy, he is sure
to be the first to reach the latter mark.
Everybody Else
Code:
Player Age G AB H 2B 3B HR RBI R BB K SB AVG
Biff Minion 29 7 28 5 1 0 0 5 1 0 5 0 .179 C(7)
Infield
George Marshall 2B(135) AL Gold Glove
Code:
Year Team/League Age G AB H 2B 3B HR RBI R BB K SB AVG
1901 New York - NL 18 63 218 57 7 0 1 28 27 10 31 13 .261
1902 Philadelphia - AL 19 135 599 171 7 1 0 36 78 14 47 33 .285
Marshall still has another year to go before he can lawfully purchase alcoholic beverages, so we do not mind terribly much that he has so far been not much more than a singles hitter with a nice glove. Marshall has all the tools to be the greatest 2nd baseman of all time.
Jerry Miller 3B(119)
Code:
Year Team/League Age G AB H 2B 3B HR RBI R BB K SB AVG
1901 Philadelphia - AL 26 125 474 111 9 7 1 54 38 14 41 4 .234
1902 Philadelphia - AL 27 122 447 125 11 2 2 49 47 24 37 10 .280
Miller solved one problem about his game last year when he hiked his average up 46 points but he still has huge questions about him. In his 2 major league seasons he has committed 51 and 52 errors respectively. We can't be too hard on him because after all he does get his uniform dirty but this cannot continue.
Norman Dobbins 3B(25), 2B(5), SS(4)
Code:
Year Team/League Age G AB H 2B 3B HR RBI R BB K SB AVG
1900 Louisville - AA 23 95 268 92 16 7 1 38 46 28 17 6 .343
1902 Philadelphia - AL 25 41 131 20 5 0 0 10 8 4 8 4 .153
Dobbins had a fantastic 1900, but broke his ankle in spring training 1901 and just wasn't the same person last year. He was nominally the man traded for Ning Zhang and Kevin MacKeochan but in reality those folks were moved to avoid a Philadelphia city injunction.
Ty Graham SS(136)
Code:
Year Team/League Age G AB H 2B 3B HR RBI R BB K SB AVG
1900 Pittsburgh - NL 28 142 565 156 17 13 5 61 104 60 23 10 .276
1901 Philadelphia - AL 29 124 483 131 19 7 3 49 92 62 16 6 .271
1902 Philadelphia - AL 30 136 560 159 22 8 4 39 95 63 30 16 .284
When you see Graham's .284 average, you may think "ho hum, another above average slap hitter". You would be wrong. Graham finished 1st or 2nd among all AL shortstops in every major category. His 95 runs were 3rd among *all* American Leaguers, quite an accomplishment considering the fielding demands of the position. He also led all AL shortstops in errors, but that's what happens when you get to a lot of balls.
Everybody Else
Code:
Player Age G AB H 2B 3B HR RBI R BB K SB AVG
(none)
Outfield
Ross MacKerlich LF(96), RF(41)
Code:
Year Team/League Age G AB H 2B 3B HR RBI R BB K SB AVG
1901 Philadelphia - AL 20 62 238 73 5 0 4 42 28 11 27 3 .307
1902 Philadelphia - AL 21 136 580 156 21 8 8 85 86 22 74 2 .269
In some ways, MacKerlich's sophomore effort was a let-down. In others, he continued his clutch ways, leading the AL in RBIs and finishing a close 2nd in home runs. He also led the league in strikeouts, so he has room to improve.
Jerry Caples LF(24), CF(2), RF(2)
Code:
Year Team/League Age G AB H 2B 3B HR RBI R BB K SB AVG
1901 Chicago - NL 25 113 457 132 25 11 1 53 60 25 59 14 .289
1902 Philadelphia - AL 26 46 128 29 7 2 0 22 11 6 14 3 .227
Caples kangarooed from the lowly Cubs but proved that he is nothing more than a cold-weather hitter. Even with a club that only faintly sniffed contention, he proved not to be able to handle the pressure.
Doonan Elmes RF(81), LF(16), CF(14)
Code:
Year Team/League Age G AB H 2B 3B HR RBI R BB K SB AVG
1900 Philadelphia - NL 25 142 508 149 16 9 2 72 60 35 40 11 .293
1901 Philadelphia - AL 26 132 489 149 21 4 3 58 69 43 47 14 .305
1902 Philadelphia - AL 27 112 434 135 10 5 8 59 67 41 31 11 .311
Elmes suffered a nasty facial injury from a hit by pitch in early September and is expected to be out until around the 2nd week of spring training. He has been more or less carrying this team's offense over the past 2 years so we are definitely crossing our fingers in hopes that he won't become a casualty like Norm Dobbins.
Dan Leaf CF(96), RF(4), LF(2)
Code:
Year Team/League Age G AB H 2B 3B HR RBI R BB K SB AVG
1900 Cincinnati - AA 26 86 213 65 10 4 0 16 30 11 10 12 .305
1901 Philadelphia - AL 27 136 580 149 29 13 1 54 88 24 69 27 .257
1902 Philadelphia - AL 28 105 386 103 15 7 1 47 50 20 39 22 .267
Last year may not have looked like Leaf's best season, but it was the year that he finally put aside all the doubts others have had in the forms of striking out too often and making reckless decisions on the basepaths. He wasn't great but he was good. Manager Connie Mack shuffled the outfield around constantly. As such, his 94 games started in center was the highest total for any OFer at any one position.
Everybody Else
Code:
Player Age G AB H 2B 3B HR RBI R BB K SB AVG
John Duley 29 30 71 22 1 0 0 10 10 6 6 1 .310 RF(15)
Ken McKichan 35 41 153 32 1 4 0 13 22 4 10 13 .209 CF(28), LF(4)