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HITTERS BY POSITION - CENTER FIELD
(asterisked players will be free agents this offseason)
National League
Buttercup Dickerson, Worcester Ruby Legs* (2-42-.281-0) - Not a strong fielder, but he is a very good hitter who shouldn't have any trouble finding a new home in the offseason.
"Hartford Jack" Farrell, Troy Trojans* (0-36-.266-0) - Farrell is no star, but he's a consistently good performer and will probably find several teams after his services this offseason.
George Gore, Chicago White Stockings (1-33-.290-0) - This 25-year-old is one of the players Chicago hopes to use as the centerpiece of a rebuilding project.
Ned Hanlon, Cleveland Blues (0-39-.219-0) - Hanlon went from being one of the league's promising young hitters to being a scapegoat in Cleveland's fall from grace. They need him to break out of this season-long slump.
Pete Hotaling, Detroit Wolverines (6-64-.318-1) - After a terrible 1881, Hotaling rebounded in a huge way and was one of the big reasons Detroit was a pennant contender in 1882.
Frank McCarton, Providence Grays (1-23-.246-2) - The veteran outfielder had by far the worst season of his career. He doesn't need to be the perennial .300 hitter he was in the mid-1870s, but he's going to have to improve somewhat to remain a force in the National League.
John O'Rourke, Boston Red Caps (2-40-.289-0) - The good news: this 33-year-old rediscovered his hitting stroke in 1882. The bad news: he went down with a season-ending injury in mid-August.
Hardy Richardson, Buffalo Bisons (1-43-.277-0) - Dropped off a little from his outstanding 1881 campaign, but was still one of the better players on the Buffalo squad.
American Association
Art Allison, Pittsburgh Alleghenys* (0-46-.218-1) - Troy contended this veteran outfielder was washed up last season and allowed him to sign with the new league. Looks like Troy was right.
Pete Browning, Louisville Eclipse (5-62-.403-11) - Well, he's not a very good fielder in center. That's about the only bad thing to say about Browning, who dominated the American Association and led the Eclipse to the first AA pennant.
Paul Hines, St. Louis Brown Stockings (3-47-.288-10) - This power hitter did a solid job in the first year of his huge contract with St. Louis, and looks like he could become someone they'll build around.
Henry Luff, Cincinnati Red Stockings* (2-38-.245-3) - He's been kicking around the fringes of the big leagues for years now, and finally got a starting opportunity. While he wasn't a complete zero with the bat, he's a very poor fielder who wasn't resigned by Cincinnati for 1883.
John Mansell, Philadelphia Athletics (1-39-.283-0) - He's the third member of the Mansell family to make the big leagues as an outfielder, and he's had the best success of the three as well. Both his brothers are free agents this offseason - could we see an all-Mansell outfield in Philly next year?
Count Sensenderfer, Baltimore Orioles (2-34-.237-2) - This longtime veteran is no star, but he's been a steady performer for several different teams over the years. The new league will likely extend his career by a few more seasons.
And the awards for best center fielder of 1882 go to... PETE HOTALING OF THE DETROIT WOLVERINES in the National League, and PETE BROWNING OF THE LOUISVILLE ECLIPSE in the American Association. Both were relatively obvious choices, and both win the award for the first time.
Center Field
1871 - Tom York, Troy Haymakers (1-19-.369-0)
1872 - Dave Eggler, New York Mutuals (1-66-.372-20)
1873 - Count Sensenderfer, Philadelphia Athletics-Brooklyn Atlantics (3-38-.354-2)
1874 - George Hall, Philadelphia Athletics (2-49-.336-4)
1875 - Frank McCarton, New York Mutuals (1-48-.354-0)
1876 - Frank McCarton, New York Mutuals (1-38-.335-0)
1877 - Frank McCarton, St. Louis Brown Stockings (0-36-.371-0)
1878 - Paul Hines, Chicago White Stockings (0-40-.250-2)
1879 - John O'Rourke, Boston Red Caps (5-69-.298-1)
1880 - John O'Rourke, Boston Red Caps (3-52-.313-0)
1881 - Hardy Richardson, Buffalo Bisons (0-39-.295-0)
1882 - NL - Pete Hotaling, Detroit Wolverines (6-64-.318-1) / AA - Pete Browning, Louisville Eclipse (5-62-.403-11)
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