[No Pepper]

The Slippery Elm Boys and the Wild Wet One

This is the story of the Spit Ball, of a time and the men living it gone by. It may invoke memories of the old dime store novel telling of western gunslingers against a horde of raving savages circling the wagon. Instead of his trusty six shooter, the lawless moundsman reaches into his mouth and unleashes a tricky wet bullet that scalps any unsuspecting warrior that wields a threatening tomahawk. In the dust bowls of great America, they called them the Slippery Elm Boys, a posse that legend has it tossed the Wet One.

The Wet One was at least three things to those who witnessed it and survived; good, bad, and ugly:

The spit ball was...unsanitary.

Some who toed the slab spat tobacco juice on one side of the ball to impart its defying action. Others dolloped a nice slip of good ol' saliva on their fingers before releasing the white pill. And who knows what else. Some critics pointed to the flu epidemic of 1918 as good reason to ban the pitch. Others just wanted to clean up the game. Along with other freak pitches,

The spit ball was...unsavory.

The game of base ball was originally played in social gatherings of gentlemen, so the purists thought. But in the Deadball Era, baseball was played by outcasts, out-of-work farmhands, and down-on-their-luck coal miners-- paid by tight-fisted magnates in one hand and by shady gamblers in the other. If there were rules that governed the game, they were meant to be broken, by any and all means possible. The rule of a winner was the strength of his pitching, and

The spit ball was all but...unhittable.

The pitch took an unpredictable path to the dish, where a hungry batsman, eager to mash it where they ain't, often missed it by a clean foot. It was a deadly weapon in the arsenal of a capable hurler, a psycological equalizer in the eternal battle between two men who wanted to knock each other out - spikes high and to the tune of chin music.

To be continued...

[bucketsndimes]

Funny, sounds interesting and great writing. I'll be following.

[No Pepper]

Just a few comments about how this dynasty shapes up:

I was inspired by a number of dynasties on this board, particularly those that followed the careers of a certain player. I've always been interested in old-time baseball, especially the Deadball Era and the events following WWI and the arrival of The Babe. Since there's many different storylines to pursue during this time period, I thought to concentrate on a group of players that I knew little about: pitchers that threw the spitball. This dynasty was also inspired by the wonderful research of Steve Steinberg and the book Spitballers: The Last Legal Hurlers of the Wet One. Here and there I'll either be quoting or paraphrasing from those references so I'd like to give them their due credit here. I'm not a particular creative writer so they'll help guide the 'story' along at points.

So, for starters, this dynasty will follow the careers of those that were known spitballers. They range from Hall-of-Famers to No-Namers, and more or less every team in the majors had them. This is sort of a spoiler, but what is particularly interesting is that in 1920, the spitball was banned but eventually every team could "grandfather" up to two established pitchers and allow them to throw the spitter until either age or performance forces them to retire. That's where the fictional aspect of our story comes in.

The dynasty will start in 1901 during the "war" between the American and National League for player services. By 1903 things will "settle down" a bit but by then a new "independent" minor league will begin play: The Pacific Coast League. Each major league team will have an AAA affiliate in either the American Association or Eastern League and an AA affiliate in either the Southern Association or Texas League. Historical players will be drafted to their real-life teams but will need to break the minors to make the big league squad which at least for the first several years is a tough roster to crack at 16 players each. The "reserve clause" will come into effect by 1903, locking in players, but minor league free agency is such that there is some player movement. The threat of the Federal League in 1914 may alter the career of our story's protagonists. Historical spitballers will be imported earlier than their professional debut so they can get some seasoning in the minors. I'll be acting solely as the omniscient commissioner, perhaps until Landis assumes the thrown in 1920.

By about 1910 I think I'll have hit my stride and will welcome the addition of your favorite fictional player to the amateur draft. Two Class-D feeder leagues will be formed and reader-submitted fictional players will begin their unpredictable careers with the hope that, by 1920, they will be among those selected as grandfathers to continue their dying craft with the spitball. Some critics have said the spitball ruined the arms of many a pitcher, while those that threw the pitch swore it added years to their career. Spitball pitcher Jack Quinn reached the age of nearly 50 in the majors before he threw his last pitch. Who knows how your career will end up?

But OOTP doesn't model the spitball! True, but I will be using Syd Thrift's Training Matrix as an aid to development. The specifics regarding fictional player creation will be noted when it's appropriate, but both historical and your fictional spitball pitchers will be subjected to the Matrix. "There is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path" when subjected to the Matrix in learning your craft. Each player will begin their careers without the spitter, but at some point will try to learn the pitch to gain an extra edge. Benefits will be given to those on teams with an established star spitballer or an exceptional pitching coach. That training may come at a cost though, but you'll have a chance to direct the career path of your player. Remember, you'll need to have a good career to continue to use the spitter past 1920, else you'll be sent to the minors or worse. Anyone reading the dynasty will have a chance to elect our Slippery Elm Boys when 1920 rolls around. Hopefully this aspect of the dynasty will keep me writing and simming, and you reading

[ifspuds]

This sounds fantastic, No Pepper. I'm already hooked. I love the premise and will be eagerly reading.

[No Pepper]

Thanks bucketsndimes and ifspuds! This is my first dynasty so I hope all goes well. Or by saying that did I just doom myself? Now its just a matter of setting this up correctly and learning how to format my threads.

[No Pepper]

As "commissioner" of this universe, I'll be making a few player edits from time to time based on a modified version of Thrift's Training Matrix. Additional tweaks to player attributes or other interventions will be envoked when certain game events happen. This may or may not include player jumping teams, teams raiding players, throwing games, blacklisting or bans, increased loyalty once signed to the PCL, military service, and application of the Training Matrix to acquire or lose certain skills.

With respect to the Training Matrix, I'll add the element of time to development. The spitball was considered a difficult pitch to master, and it probably helps to have a coach or fellow pitcher help that process. An additional "roll" based on player intelligence will be performed for all historical pitchers to determine when their first training session takes place. You have to know if you've got the stuff or not to compete, and the sense to seek an edge to save your career. Also, another "roll" based on player work ethic will determine how long the benefits or costs of training will be applied to player attributes. An outcome of "GREAT" will wait until spring training (when all rolls are done) or produce immediate results whereas a "BUST" will take 5 years either way. Hopefully this won't dilute the effects of the Matrix thinner than it may be already, but also keep the OOTP engine robust and true as she goes.

For fictional players, you can decide when to start training. Only development time has its own fate. Be on the look out for Tryouts!

As for the "spell" of Spit Ball:

Player Skill: Work Ethic
Limitations: Time of first training and development rate. I might consider "removing curve ball" randomly, as I've read that for the most part the two pitches were incompatible.

Bust: -20 STF, -10 CON, +30 arm injury proneness
Failure: -10 STF, -5 CON, +20 arm injury proneness
Ignore: +5 STF, -5 CON, +5 arm injury proneness
Good: +5 STF, -5 CON, +10 MOV, +5 GB%
Excels: +10 STF, +15 MOV, +10 GB%, -10 arm injury proneness
Great: +15 STF, +5 CON, +20 MOV, +20 GB%, -20 arm injury proneness

Points will be added to both current and potential ratings, in increments depending on the development time roll as mentioned above.

Player edits will occur during spring training or when a notable spitball pitcher is traded to the same team, in which case a pitcher may recieve an additional training roll or some other bonus.

Remember, all pitchers not selected as those able to continue pitching with the spitter in 1920 envoke the "remove change of pace spell" or face banishment to the obscure semi-pro leagues! Such a selection process will occur as that year approaches.

[Left-handed Badger]

I always use the the Splitter as a code when creating a spitballer. If that helps for pitch selection.

[No Pepper]

Campaign of 1901 Opens with Upstart Circuit, Great Expectations

April has arrived and once again hope springs eternal for the championship clubs of baseball. The National League has enjoyed a large amount of success on the field but the upstart American League looks to challenge the Senior Circuit’s dominance of the professional scene by placing teams in cities already occupied by established clubs. Boston, Chicago, and Philadelphia are the contested battlegrounds between the two circuits. Numerous players have already jumped to the new league, starting a “war” among the leagues’ owners for their respective players. Ban Johnson’s revamped “minor” league still pales in comparison to the skill and professionalism exhibited by the Nationals and no doubt any player jumping to the new league will be looked harshly upon and may never see a National League stadium again. Teams in the west can only hope these jumpers’ play will remain stellar for a chance to remain top of the standings.

Last year’s National League Champion, the Superbas of Brooklyn, look to repeat their success this year with the return of stars Kelly, Keeler and Sheckard. Veteran lefthander Kitson is joined by the emergence of young Donovan to tie up opposing hitters. However, most of the team is new, as the Superbas suffered greatly a number of regulars who jumped to the rival league. Fred Clarke, manager of the second place Pirates of Pittsburgh hopes that his pitching staff takes opportunity and overtakes the champions. With the likes of 20 game winners Phillippe and Tannehill heading the charge, young hurlers Happy Jack Chesbro and Rube Waddell should tap into their limitless abilities and secure first place. Wagner looks to lead the league in hitting again and may displace Ely at shortstop.

There’s no saying which of the new clubs will finish on top of the upstart American League. Baltimore acquired the services of pitching sensation Joe McGinnity and reclaims longtime son McGraw to lead the attack. Beaneater Collins jumped across town to play and manage the Americans of Boston who have stolen the golden arm of legendary Denton “Cy” Young. Clark Griffith turns Benedict Arnold on the Orphans of Chicago and now pitches and manages for the White Sox on the south side. It will be interesting to see if die-hard cranks in these towns also switch their hard-earned loyalties to follow their favorite players in new surroundings.

[No Pepper]

The April Campaign

The National League’s championship season opened on April 18 with the Philadelphia team having the champion Brooklyns as visitors. Doc White outlasted Donovan of Brooklyn 2-1 in 10 innings with the help of seven strikeouts and slightly less sloppy defensive play. Slagle drove in White with a two-bagger in the last frame to defeat the champions. Twenty year old rising star Mathewson of the New York team was whipped by the Bostons for 5 runs on 12 hits. Winning pitcher Vic Willis drove in four runners, 3 of which scored on a home run to the deepest part of the Polo Grounds. Despite a Herculean effort by Noodles Hahn of Cincinnati, the Pittsburgh team overcame the young lefthander in the 13th inning when player-manager Clarke singled home a racing Wagner. Waddell ended the contest with his own 13th frame and nine strikeouts. In the final game of the day, the St. Louis team beat the visiting Chicagoans 5 to 4. Tom Hughes lost his control in the final frame after being up 4-1, needing just 3 outs to secure the victory. All told nearly 18,000 people witnessed the four contests.

If the scores of the first games in the American League season are any indication, then it looks like the championship will be tightly contested. In Philadelphia, promising pitcher Plank alliterated balls wide of their mark, suffering 7 walks to opposing batters, but was given the win by the poor fieldwork of the Washingtons, 5-4. Leftfielder Freeman helped Cy Young outlast the Baltimore team 6-5 with a 4-hit, 3 runs batted in effort. Out west, Detroit slips by Milwaukee 4-3 and the Chicago team bests Cleveland 5-2. American League turnstiles counted just over 17,000 people in attendance, not quite eclipsing the Nationals. President Johnson certainly has to be pleased with a rousing start to the season.

In the experimental month of the season, we see that most teams are still trying to find their pace, with most teams very close in the number of wins so far. Not true for the Cincinnatis. After losing the opening against Brooklyn, the Redlegs have rung up 12 consecutive wins to lead the National League. A surprising start by keystone sacker Steinfeldt, hitting .458 and strikeout leader Hahn (21) are primary reasons for the fast play.The Orphans of Chicago are truly alone in the second division, only having won two contests to date.

National Club Standing April 30

  Club.	     Won. Lost. P.C.       Club.	Won. Lost. P.C.     
Cincinnati   12    1   .923    | Pittsburgh      5    6   .455
New York      7    4   .636    | St. Louis       5    6   .455
Philadelphia  7    4   .636    | Boston          3    8   .273
Brooklyn      5    6   .455    | Chicago         2   11   .154

On the south side of Chicago, better fortunes have found the White Sox undefeated early in the inaugural American League season. However, jumper Fielder Jones may miss significant time this season having suffered an injury legging out a double in the second game of the season. Has the effects of the "war" already begun to bite the game's greedy players? Young Zaza Harvey has stepped in admirably, hitting a whopping .480. Poor pitching plagues the Milwaukee team and hitting hasn’t come around yet for the Blues of Cleveland.

American Club Standing April 30

  Club.	     Won. Lost. P.C.       Club.	Won. Lost. P.C.     
Chicago       6    0  1.000    | Washington      3    3   .500
Boston        4    2   .667    | Philadelphia    2    4   .333
Detroit       4    2   .667    | Cleveland       1    5   .167
Baltimore     3    3   .500    | Milwaukee       1    5   .167

[No Pepper]

The June Campaign


By the end of June, Cincinnati still led all teams with victories but Pittsburgh closed the gap to within 3 games. Hurler Bill Phillips paces the Redlegs with a 12-4 record, while old “Eagle Eye” Beckley leads the team in hitting at a .372 rate. Pittsburgh’s resurgence is a testament to its balanced attack. Tannehill has a sparkling record of 13-3 while popular Wagner has adjusted to shortstop and is atop the league in fielding, and sporting a high .350 batting average. Chicago rebounded from the cellar, now occupied by lowly Boston, but still remains in the second division. Champion Brooklyn is clearly a different squad, and for the worst of it, already seeing a couple changes in the coaching staff. Lone star Keeler is the only hitter above .300 and his 30 thefts indicate his increased effort to help score more runs. Pitcher Kitson has taken the brunt of opposing offenses, going 2-14. They may do well to sign Big Gene Wright, who is 11-5 at Montreal.

National Club Standing June 30

  Club.	     Won. Lost. P.C.       Club.	Won. Lost. P.C.     
Cincinnati   46    22  .676    | Philadelphia   30   33   .476
Pittsburgh   41    23  .641    | Chicago        31   35   .470
St. Louis    38    26  .594    | Brooklyn       22   42   .344
New York     33    31  .516    | Boston         17   46   .270

Over in the American League, the scrappy Baltimore Orioles are in fast company atop the standings, thanks in part to the strong pitching of Jerry Nops, who at 10-3, pitched the season’s first no-hitter, blanking close-running Detroit on June 6. Chicago has slipped but Harvey continues his hot hitting and leads the league at .407. Fielder Jones may need to find work somewhere else if Harvey’s play continues. A team effort has restabilized Milwaukee and has climbed into the first division but Cleveland still has troubles at only 22 wins. Overall, the American League offers a more competitive field, where a total of 6 teams are separated by a game within the standings.

American Club Standing June 30

  Club.	     Won. Lost. P.C.       Club.	Won. Lost. P.C.     
Baltimore     36   23  .610    | Philadelphia    28   31   .475
Detroit       36   25  .590    | Washington      28   31   .475
Chicago       34   26  .567    | Boston          27   32   .458
Milwaukee     29   32  .475    | Cleveland       22   40   .355

[No Pepper]

The October Campaign and the Race for the Pennant

In the best finish in more than a decade, the National League was triumphed by the late-surging heroics of the Cardinals of St. Louis. On October 5th, St. Louis and Cincinnati sat atop the standings tied with two games to go. Fate would have it that these two teams would face each other in the season’s final series. St. Louis enjoyed a hot September as top performer Bob Wicker went the final month with 6 victories to no defeats, sporting a 0.83 earned runs average. Jesse Burkett ended a cold August by hitting .366 and scoring 26 runs in his best offensive month of the season.

Southerner Ed Murphy (24-10, St. Louis slated three such pitchers) dominated Cincinnati allowing 5 scattered hits among the Reds trio of Crawford, Beckley, and Steinfeldt and silenced the rest including the 14,000 at League Park. Two costly errors in the 5th inning by Cincinnati battery mates was all that St. Louis needed take the lead for good.

On the final day of the season, the crowd at League Park erupted in boos when it was learned that recent callup Archie Stimmel would be starting in place of the scheduled Crese Heismann, who apparently was suffering low back pain* during his warm-up tosses. Although Stimmel excelled at Indianapolis, going 20-8 with 209 strikeouts, St. Louis torched the rookie for 5 runs in the first and would leave the game 8-3, which was the final tally. Noodles Hahn, star pitcher, also did not make an appearance, though he seemed well rested. Manager Bid McPhee may bid farewell to the captain’s helm after mishandling such a crucial game, handing the St. Louis team the championship. The exciting finish was contrasted by the uneven play of the rest of the league, where three teams had winning percentages under .400

Complete Standings of National Championship Season 1901

  Club.	     Won. Lost. P.C.       Club.	Won. Lost. P.C.     
St. Louis    90    50  .643    | New York       71   69   .507
Cincinnati   88    52  .629    | Chicago        55   85   .393
Pittsburgh   86    54  .614    | Boston         51   89   .364
Philadelphia 73    67  .521    | Brooklyn       46   94   .329

* - Author's Note : Interesting that Archie Stimmel's nickname in real life was "Lumbago" or "low back pain." In the sim he was the spot starter who slated to start over the better Heismann (whose injury I aptly faked) and well-rested ace Hahn. Apparently OOTP didn't know the significance of this final game to start the team's best pitchers.

Detroit limped in as the American League’s first champion after fending off the hot Bostons who were winners of their last 4 to tie a sagging Chicago team some thought would win the remainder of the season. Detroit fielded a weak hitting team with Doc Casey setting the table and Ducky Holmes clearing the bases. The Tigers took a cue from the National League and staffed a line of hurlers equal to the Senior Circuit. While no one stood out as exceptional, Roscoe Miller (20-16) lead a squad of solid performers that kept opposing teams off balance. Buck Freeman found his power stroke and led the charge for Boston, hitting .355 and lead the league in slugging prowess. Pitching was led by surprise prospect Frank Morrissey (24-11) who must have taken the magic of Cy Young, who slipped to a disappointing 16-19. Chicago prompted traded pitcher-manager Clark Griffith to Milwaukee after a disappointing 12-14 September record to fall off the pace. He finished the season with 3 straight losses on the mound and to add injury to insult, hurt his knee in his last start, not lasting one complete inning. Overall, the league was very competitive, placing great emphasis on each game down the stretch, pushing the leaders to play their best. The quality of play should worry the Nationals and they should expect more players to jump at the chance of a competitive team, not that we here at The Sporting News condone such actions.

Complete Standings of American Championship Season 1901

  Club.	     Won. Lost. P.C.       Club.	Won. Lost. P.C.     
Detroit      76    64  .543    | Philadelphia    68   72   .486
Boston       74    66  .529    | Milwaukee       67   73   .479
Chicago      74    66  .529    | Washington      67   73   .479
Baltimore    73    67  .521    | Cleveland       61   79   .436

[No Pepper]

Smiling Al Orth, righthander for the Philadelphia Phillies had no reason to smile today. A six year veteran who had nearly given his right arm for a club that finished middle of the pack, always under the bigger shadow of powerhouse Brooklyn, Orth was tired. Tired not only of what the accumulation of pitches did to his body but tired with management and how it screwed with his dignity. Colonel John L. Rogers, the team owner, ruled with a tight fist and paid his players poorly. Manager Bill Shettsline tried to calm down his ace but knew inevitably there would be heat in the front offices in Philadelphia this winter. Not only did Shettsline sense he’d lose his pitcher in an argument over salary, in this growing war among leagues, but there were grumblings in the clubhouse among the other players about jumping too. Although a straight-line company man, Shettsline also respected the code of silence among ballplayers when it came to contract negotiations. It was never pretty and always ruthless. Asking for raise and getting flat out refused, laughed at or worse sent packing to the bush leagues could make a proud man feel like dirt. Shettsline himself was already under pressure for the Phillies lack of performance.

Orth didn’t lack in performance and that’s what upset him. In 1901, Orth was 21-13 for a fourth place team and finished all but 2 of his 34 starts on the mound. Those 34 starts were without perhaps one of most popular stars in the National League, second baseman Napoleon Lajoie. When Lajoie jumped to the Athletics, Colonel Rogers and the rest of the National League owners were so outraged that they took it to court and filed an injunction against Lajoie and manager Connie Mack. The case still awaits a decision and the outcome weighs heavily on the minds of Al and the rest of the team.

They often looked to captain Big Ed Delahanty, who had been with the team since ’88, when the team was in a slump and when personal problems often derailed their actions off the field. As Al was on his way to the Colonel office, he found Delahanty in the clubhouse picking up the last of his effects and was almost shocked to hear what he planned to do about the tenuous situation in Philadelphia, especially after signing a 3-year extension in July for big amount of dough…

[ifspuds]

This is still great stuff, No Pepper. I'm enjoying the read a lot. Keep up the good work!

[No Pepper]

Thanks ifspuds, that means a lot! I'm having a wild time keeping up with what's happening in the leagues transaction-wise and how I'd like to direct the story, with some bent to real life events. It's been interesting how the sim seems to want to bend it the other way! I've got about 30 players shortlisted and I'm sure it'll be like finding a needle in a haystack very soon.

A note on my league settings: for the first few years, I've set free agency and arbitration to 1 year, meaning that most everyone comes up for contract talks at the end of the year. Some teams as of now (October) are all dried up and will need to fill the roster somehow, I hope with the upcoming rookies or those recently released. Rosters are still set at 16, with 2 minor league levels. The reserve clause will be cemented soon so there isn't so much movement, I hope.

[No Pepper]

City of Brotherly Love?

Soon after champions were crowned, war continued off the field in baseball and the National League finds themselves losers again to the raiding American League. Before the season, the Nationals lost over 100 soldiers and contested city Philadelphia adds to the toll, Colonel Roger's Phillies losing an unlucky seven players on October 19. Players to breach contracts to play for crosstown rival Athletics are Cross, Duggleby, and Flick. Delahanty, Orth, Townsend and Wolverton join Washington. The ongoing injunction against Napoleon Lajoie filed by Col. Roger for jumping to the Athletics last season was rejected by Common Pleas court in May but an appeal is expected later this year.

[No Pepper]

National League Statistical Leaders     American League Statistical Leaders

Batting Average				Batting Average 
.362   G. Van Haltren   NYG             .357   Z. Harvey   CHI
.351   H. Wagner   PIT			.355   B. Freeman   BOS
.344   J. Beckley   CIN			.350   L. Cross      PHI

Runs Batted In				Runs Batted In
106   E. Heidrick   STL			104   M. Donlin   BAL
 91   H. Steinfeldt   CIN		 96   N. Lajoie   PHI
 89   B. Wallace    STL			 93   D. Holmes   DET

Earned Run Average		        Earned Run Average
1.74   J. Tannehill    PIT	        2.29   R. Miller   DET
1.81   B. Wicker      STL	        2.36   E. Plank   PHI
2.26   B. Phillips     CIN              2.53   E. Siever   DET

Wins					Wins
 25   R. Waddell   PIT			 24   F. Morrissey   BOS
 24   E. Murphy    STL	 		 22   E. Plank   PHI
 24   M. O’Neill   STL			 21   D. Taylor   CHI
 24   B. Wicker   STL

Strikeouts				Strikeouts
219   R. Waddell   PIT		        145   F. Morrissey   BOS
178   C. Mathewson   NYG		122   N. Garvin   MIL
169   N. Hahn   CIN			115   C. Young   BOS

[No Pepper]

Elmer Flicked Out West to Prospect Fool’s Gold? Chesbro Follows

No later than a week since Elmer Flick and half the stars of the Philadelphia Phillies jumped to the American League, the flashy rightfielder was traded by the Athletics to the Los Angeles Angels, members of the California League, for catcher Hearn and young pitchers Glynn and Smith. Flick, 25, hit the stride of his brilliant career in the National League last year but now finds himself with the Angels in a minor league. Connie Mack, manager, general manager, and part-owner of the fledgling Athletics in the upstart American League, may have feared a reprimand from league offices regarding his heavy-handed raid of the Phillies last week and quickly dealt Flick to obscurity for unproven prospects. However, a knee injury suffered in the last of September may have slowed down the slugger. Flick, who now faces an unknown future, hit .343 and led the National League with 18 triples. A reunion with the great Lajoie was never meant to be.

In another deal to the Golden State, Pittsburgh hurler Jack Chesbro was traded to the Sacramento club for third baseman Ganzel and pitcher Sykes*. Chesbro started the year in relief, working off a slow spring and did not allow an earned run in 11 appearances. He assumed a starting role in July when Sam Leever was traded and went 5-8 with a 2.90 ERA.

*- Author’s note – Interesting that Chesbro’s ex-teammate Rube Waddell, jumped to Los Angeles in real life during the offseason of 1901. In this universe, I'll allow for this change

[No Pepper]

American League Loses Top Pitcher and NL Philadelphia Steals Champion Wicker

In the ongoing war over player contracts, the National League finally pulled its own upset and also sparked controversy involving the league’s champion St. Louis organization. Frank Morrissey, the top pitcher for the Boston Americans, jumps to the National League Bostons. Morrissey was 24-11 with a 2.64 ERA and led the league with 145 strikeouts in 313 innings. He joins a woeful Beaneaters club that sported four 20-game losers. The Americans were a contending team last year and it is curious why Morrissey would choose the cellar-dwelling club across town. The Americans look to an aging Cy Young to resurrect his career and fill the void left by “The Deacon.”

Bob Wicker, top pitcher of the National League, is no longer with the champions of St. Louis. After a sparkling finish that catapulted the team past Cincinnati in the final month, Wicker’s services are now with Colonel Roger’s Philadelphians. Speculation abounds whether this in-house player raid was put into action by league officials to compensate the Philadelphia owner for the mass exodus of players suffered this fall. It is unknown if the champions received a fair compensation of their own. Wicker was 24-10 with a 1.81 ERA who lead the league in shutout victories with five. He joins a strong pitching staff that leads a desolate roster raided by the American League. Only shortstop Hughie Jennings and outfielders Slagle and Roy Thomas remain. Colonel Rogers is banking on a court-ordered return of star Napoleon Lajoie, who played for the Athletics last year.

[No Pepper]

1902 Season Approaches, More Stars Jump to American League, Switch of Fortunes in St. Louis

Bill Dinneen, twirler of the Boston Nationals but loser of 21 games, signs with the rival Somersets of Boston in the American League, in a virtual switch of aces, replacing the departed pitcher of the year Morrissey. Tom Hughes, once a Colt of Chicago, now an Oriole of Baltimore, hopes to find control and a better record in his new confines. Hughes was 7-25 with 123 free passes last year.

The Champions of the National League suffer a similar fate as of Philadelphia when it was learned that star players Jesse Burkett, Snags Heidrick, slick fielding shortstop Bobby Wallace go the way of their ace Wicker and jump across town to play for the new St. Louis Browns organization. The Browns also acquire pitcher Red Powell from the champs, who hopes to bounce back from a poor year, and receive durable pitcher Red Donahue from the hapless Phillies. They join recently acquired Clark Griffith who will pitch and manage the club in the coming season.

Veteran Chick Fraser, a jumper in 1901, returns back to the National League and his former team Philadelphia. Having younger champion Wicker (23) and strikeout artist Doc White (22) as teammates will be good for the older Fraser, who was quite hittable last year with the Athletics.

Author's note - If it's not clear already, everyone noted in bold are known spitballers in real life. While the spitball or variations of it were thrown in the 19th century, we will start its modern history here and begin to focus on its use in 1902...

[No Pepper]

Originally Posted by Left-handed Badger

I always use the the Splitter as a code when creating a spitballer. If that helps for pitch selection.

I've forgotten to ask, but what's been your experience with Thrift's system, Badger? Do you use it much? Does it have a noticeable effect? I'm about to use it on a wide scale and wonder if I'll need to make adjustments. In a 1901 historical league with recalc on, pitchers are already maxed on movement ratings and all my coaches are rated very poorly.