1917 North Carolina State League — Preseason
Tourists ready to defend crown; Patriots keep loading up on youngsters
In real life, the North Carolina State League played a shortened season in 1917 due to the onset of World War I, ceasing operations on May 30 with less than 40 games completed. The Raleigh and Asheville clubs actually folded up before then, playing 28 games each before disbanding on May 18. There were no playoffs.
But in this world, baseball will go on! Though the war could impact things as we go along ... Good Lord willing, the North Carolina State League plans on another complete season, 120 games strong, with all six of the original clubs ready to go the distance. For the first time the
Asheville Tourists will wear the mantle of defending champions. The Tourists unveiled a new jersey look in early spring that had fans buzzing, putting their nickname boldly across the players’ chests. Though there were some fans and even a few players who preferred the plain pinstripes look. “We won with them, why change them?”
The
Greensboro Patriots had the first pick again in the draft and once again went after young pitching arms. This year’s No. 1 pick was 22-year-old right-hander
Joe Gallagher from North Bethesda, Md. Winston-Salem went second and nabbed a second baseman,
Colton McQueen from Pasadena, Texas. He’s quick as lightning, Twins coaches boasted, and he’s got great instincts at the plate. Plus, he’s a great fielder at just about every infield position.
The champion Tourists, feeling pretty good about their pitching situation, went for 3B
Chris Hartle with their first pick. He’s a pretty solid left-handed bat, able to make good contact.
Time will tell, of course, who made the best picks… (Side Note: is a five-round draft for a six-team league a good number? Just curious)
For the record, it doesn’t look like veteran Durham 2B
Anthony Watson will be able to return in time for Opening Day. He should be cleared sometime in late April, or sometime in May. His back keeps nagging him. Fingers crossed!
Top 10 Prospects
Recent draftee
Colton McQueen, the No. 2 pick, has turned the heads of the Baseball Carolina folks. He’s our top prospect going into 1917. The next two players were 1-2 at the beginning of last season. For players not 1917 draftees, their 1916 stats are listed in parenthesis.
Not sure what criteria they are using. How
Tim Johnston or
Johnny Ward aren’t the top prospects, I don’t know. And just how does a pitcher lose nine games with an ERA of 1.03? Must be lots of errors behind him. Or just really bad luck.
1. SS Colton McQueen, 18, Winston-Salem Twins
2. SP Jack Fry, 20, Winston-Salem Twins (8-13, 2.04 ERA in D-League)
3. SP Dan Sutton, 20, Raleigh Capitals (4-3, 1.28 ERA in D-League)
4. C Anthony Stephenson, 18, Raleigh Capitals
5. SP Tim Johnston, 21, Charlotte Hornets (9-9, 1.03 ERA, no-hitter in D-League)
6. SP Joe Gallagher, 22, Greensboro Patriots
7. 3B Chris Hartle, 20, Asheville Tourists
8. SP Johnny Ward, 23, Greensboro Patriots (15-6, 1.10 ERA, Most Outstanding D-League Pitcher)
9. SP Jimbo Martin, 18, Charlotte Hornets
10. SP Eric Mason, 19, Greensboro Patriots (5-12, 3.19 ERA in D-League)
Top 10 Position Players
The 1916 Most Outstanding Batter leads the list. A couple youngsters earn top-10 status for the first time, while a pair of 38-year-olds still have respect of the talent scouts. Does this forebode a playoff appearance for Greensboro?
1. RF Angel Pellicer, 28, Winston-Salem Twins
2. RF Bill Robbins, 32, Raleigh Capitals
3. 2B Anthony Watson, 38, Durham Bulls -- despite injury, still getting love!
4. RF Garrett McDonald, 24, Durham Bulls -- the future in Durham
5. SS Carlos Rodriguez, 38, Winston-Salem Twins
6. LF Eugene Conner, 31 Greensboro Patriots
7. CF Dave Carter, 31, Greensboro Patriots
8. CF Ryan Travis, 28, Winston-Salem Twins
9. RF Lester Kennedy, RF, Greensboro Patriots
10. C Marvin Young, 27, Charlotte Hornets
Top 10 Pitchers
If pitching indeed wins championships, Asheville will be tough to dethrone in 1917. Three Tourists hurlers make the top 10. But Raleigh has three as well, including our good friend
Oliver “Skull” Jenkins. And Raleigh had three last year and didn’t make the playoffs at all.
1. SP Merlin McNeill, 34, Asheville Tourists -- he started No. 1 last year
2. SP Jerry Parker, 30, Raleigh Capitals
3. SP Oliver Jenkins, 37, Raleigh Capitals -- Skull still getting love, too
4. SP Rudy Young, 32, Charlotte Hornets -- last year’s Most Outstanding Pitcher
5. SP Jose Andres, 28, Asheville Tourists -- late-season hero in Tourist country in 1916
6. SP Gary Lee, 32, Winston-Salem Twins -- former Bull wasn’t on this list last year
7. SP Chris Wilson, 27, Asheville Tourists
8. SP Bill Bergeron, 30, Durham Bulls
9. SP Andy Owens, 30, Raleigh Capitals
10. SP Kenny Davis, 36, Durham Bulls
AzTarHeel’s Prediction for 1916
Man, this is a tough one this year, with the talent spread pretty well across the six teams. Since this is a pitcher’s league at this point, I’ll side with the two teams who appear to have the strongest pitching staffs,
Asheville and
Raleigh. The Tourists take the regular season crown, and following tradition, lose to the Caps in the playoff series. In a dramatic final game,
Oliver “Skull” Jenkins outduels
Merlin “Wizard” McNeill 1-0 to give Raleigh the championship. (Don’t forget I was dead wrong last year, picking a Durham repeat. The Bulls fired their managed after finishing fourth).
OK, let's play some 1917 Tar Heel baseball!