Cleveland Blues Update — 1902 Preseason
By Chauncey St. John, Associated Press
CLEVELAND — After a sixth-place finish in the American League last season, the Cleveland Blues were in desperate need of help at many positions.
Despite this, Cleveland general manager Levi Chronister signed no free agents, deciding to go into the 1902 season with his returning players and draft picks.
"There was almost no one on the free-agent market who truly interested us," Chronister said. "We had hoped to get Ed Doheny, but he quickly signed an offer slightly better than ours without giving us a chance to counter. Everyone else was too old or too expensive to fit in our future plans, or both."
Doheny was leaning toward the Blues and their offer ($2.15 million per year for four years) on the third day of the free-agent signing period, but instead signed with the St. Louis Browns (formerly the Milwaukee Brewers) for $2.26 million per year for four years.
The Blues did pick up some soon-to-be-helpful players in the March 2 amateur draft, namely starting pitcher Bob Wicker in the first round. Wicker went 12-4 with a 2.22 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 133.2 innings at Colorado State last season and rated at a 64 on the potential scale.
"I had a really hard time deciding between Bob and center fielder Homer Smoot," Chronister said, "but we really needed another starting pitcher more than another outfielder. We're going to try to get Wicker a couple starts in Buffalo before bringing him up to the majors, but he's definitely on the fast track right now."
In the next four rounds Cleveland took shortstop Russ Hulswitt, starter Charlie Shields, third baseman Jimmy Burke and starter Harry Kane. Hulswitt, Shields and Burke will begin their careers at Buffalo, but all three are expected to make the Blues by the end of the season. Kane, taken because he was just 18 years old, will start at Single-A Kinston.
Off the field, Cleveland signed two coaches and a scout. Matthew Diener was hired as a scout, replacing Edward Gremillion, and James Vogl (Double-A Akron) and Douglas Parnell (Kinston) were hired as minor league managers, replacing Michael St. Pierre and Patrick Stroup.
In the minors: Cleveland lost closer Billy Milligan to Washington in the Rule 5 Draft. Milligan had come to Cleveland with first baseman and Harry Davis and left fielder Matt McIntyre from Philadelphia before the 1901 season.
"That's completely my fault," Chronister said. "I meant to put Milligan on the 40-man roster before the draft, but I flat out forgot. That won't be a problem in the future, I swear."
Around the league: The Chicago Orphans changed their name to the Cubs, and the Cincinnati Reds began playing in the Palace of the Fans.
Other famous players taken in the amateur draft were Addie Joss (No. 1 overall by the New York Giants and already the team's ace) and Joe Tinker (fifth pick of the second round to St. Louis Cardinals, now in AAA and learning second base because 28-year-old Bobby Wallace is already at shortstop).
League files have been updated (minus team name/city changes).