1872 Preview
Baltimore Canaries
Key Players:
RF John McGovern, SP John Zackery
Outlook:
Baltimore decided to go with players already under contract from their days as an amateur team, recruiting only a couple of players with any experience in the NA last year. Both McGovern and Zackery are among those holdovers, and there's little expectation that they'll be enough to keep the team competitive in the league this year.
Projected Finish: 11th
Boston Red Stockings
Last Season: 13-18 (5th)
Key Players:
CF Fred Mannion, LF Joe Arthur, SP Will Svoboda
Outlook:
Last year's starter, Bobby Thrasher, posted a 3.88 ERA, which was the 10th best ERA in the league. With only 9 teams, that was a strong sign that he wasn't cutting it, and after receiving little interest from teams for the coming season, he decided to retire. In steps Will Svoboda, who the team signed out of the amateur ranks and is slated to be this season's starter. In the vein of Thrasher, Svoboda is an older star from the amateur circuit at 34 years old, but he's proven himself there and certain deserves a chance to show his stuff in the NA. On offense, Mannion and Arthur both return from last season. Mannion's .377 average was 8th in the league last year, and he moves from CF to RF to make room for new CF John Yawn. Yawn hit .352 with Fort Wayne and is a fine addition to the team.
Projected Finish: 4th
Brooklyn Atlantics
Key Players
RF Bob Handy, 1B Randy Stirnemann, SP Bill Burman
Outlook:
Handy and Stirnemann were signed from Rockford and Chicago, respectively, and are the two most promising experienced players on the team. Burman was also picked off of the smoldering remains of Chicago, and he is not considered to have high end ability. The White Stockings used him for only 5 innings over 4 games last year, and he was not good.
Projected Finish: 8th
Brooklyn Eckfords
Key Players
1B Billy Horace, RF Dave Hasse, SP Frank Nasser
Outlook:
Just as Baltimore is bringing along several players from their days as an amateur team, Nasser will continue to be the Eckford starter as he was last year when they weren't in the NA. It's a comfortable strategy, but he's also one of the starters with the least expected out of him. Horace is another holdover, and will be the team's #3 hitter. Eckford did pick off some of the lesser players from the folding franchises, and Hasse is coming to Brooklyn from Chicago.
Projected Finish: 9th
Cleveland Forest Citys
Last Season: 12-17 (6th)
Key Players
RF Joe Bonetti, CF Tom Gerheauser SP Charlie Champ
Outlook:
Champ lived up to his name last season with the league's 5th best ERA at 3.00 and his 15 strikeouts were second in the league. He'll need more run support to improve on his 10-13 record from last year. Bonetti and Gerheauser led the offense, hitting .329 and .333 respectively. The two combined for 54 stolen bases, which was more than any team except Philadelphia. As a team, Cleveland stole bases twice as often as anyone else, and that trend will likely continue.
Projected Finish: 10th
Middletown Mansfields
Key Players
CF Bob Polansky, 1B Harry Ream, 2B Jack Van Houten, C Mike Stanley, SP Jake Lindsey
Outlook:
As previously reported, Middletown did their best to snap up every legitimate star that was dropped by the folded teams, and they nearly accomplished the feat. Their lineup is quite formidable with a number of players who could hit in the middle of any lineup in the league.
Projected Finish: 1st
New York Mutuals
Last Season: 19-14 (3rd)
Key Players
RF John Nero, LF Dick Morgan, SP John McGonigal
Outlook:
The Mutuals never settled on a starter they were happy with last year, and this year they'll start out the year with McGonigal taking the mound. He'll be 38 by the end of April, and the team will likely play out the season with a similarly chaotic situation on the mound. Nero is a legitimate #3 hitter and a star in the prime of his career, while Morgan is aging star that will need to hold up over the course of the season to give the offense the depth it needs.
Projected Finish: 5th
Philadelphia Athletics
Last Season: 22-6 (1st)
Championships: 1871
Key Players
2B George Barkley, RF Al Noack SP Joe Dimond
Outlook:
Dimond established himself as the league's best pitcher last year, earning 1871 Pitcher of the Year honors. Barkley proved himself to be a star with his .397 average good enough for 4th in the league. Noack was a surprise contributor, and helped give the offense the depth it needed to support Dimond.
Projected Finish: 2nd
Troy Haymakers
Last Season: 11-18 (8th)
Key Players
LF Bob Brose, 2B Oscar Williams, SP Al Allen
Outlook:
With starter John Chapman unable to deliver any consistent performance, Troy gave the ball to a number of pitchers on various occasions. The plan for this season is to give it to Allen and hope that he is able to deliver what is needed to win. Brose proved to be an excellent hitter, but he'll need more help from guys like Williams if the team is going to have a chance to win.
Projected Finish: 6th
Washington Olympics
Last Season: 19-13 (2nd)
Key Players
CF John Arend, RF John Boles, C Josh Croyle, SP Joe Winsor
Outlook:
Boles' .385 average was 6th in the league, while Arend and Croyle each had hitting streaks of 25 games or more. On the mound, Mart Lemelle was acquired from Troy in May of last year and started 20 games for the team, but over the course of the year, Winsor evolved into a viable option, and the team will go with him this year after he posted solid numbers over the final part of the season. His ERA last year in 10 games was 2.85.
Projected Finish: 3rd
Washington Nationals
Key Players
CF Charlie Sandin, LF Jim Linhart, SP Al Newbold
Outlook:
Newbold has been the team's starter for the past few seasons in barnstorming and amateur ball, and he will continue in that role for the team this year. Sandin was a key signing for the team off of Rockford's leftovers. He hit a productive .347 for the Forest Citys in 25 games last year. Linhart is another holdover the team has brought along with them, and should be a solid player in the NA as well.
Projected Finish: 7th
1872 Projected Standings
1. Middletown Mansfields
2. Philadelphia Athletics
3. Washington Olympics
4. Boston Red Stockings
5. New York Mutuals
6. Troy Haymakers
7. Washington Nationals
8. Brooklyn Atlantics
9. Brooklyn Eckfords
10. Cleveland Forest Citys
11. Baltimore Canaries