1911 Season Preview: National League

Can anyone stop the Chicago Cubs? The only time they didn't win the pennant in the last five years, they still won 104 games in 1909.

Boston Rustlers: Boston dropped the "Doves" nickname and make a lot of moves in the offseason to revitalize their quiet offense, which finished last in 1910. This includes re-signing Fred Tenney as player-manager after a three year absence in New York. The team looks completely different than when he left even after such a short time. One advantage he has to work with is a veteran catcher that can hit, Peaches Graham. Graham hit .282 last season, second on the team to Doc Miller at .286.

Buster Brown, Cliff Curtis, and Al Mattern combined for 66 losses in 1910. They return to eat innings and take losses for the Rustlers. The only thing going for them is that St. Louis gave up more than half an earned run per game than they did.

Verdict: The Rustlers are most likely doomed to a last place finish, though a complete shakeup of their lineup could help them avoid 100 losses again if it works out.

Future Hall of Famers: none

Brooklyn Dodgers: Brooklyn outscored Boston by just two runs to avoid the title of lowest scoring team. If the team is going to turn it around in the coming years, it will be around left fielder Zack Wheat. Wheat, who will turn 23 in May, hit .284 while playing in every single game. His 53 extra base hits were also fourth in the National League. The only comparable batter on the team is Jake Daubert, who tied Wheat's 15 triples and hit a team-high eight home runs in his rookie season.

The Dodgers are different from the Rustlers as they have a better pitching staff. Nap Rucker went 17-18 and Cy Barger managed to go 15-15. Unfortunately, George Bell, who had nearly an identical ERA to Rucker and several tenths better than Barger, had a league-worst 27 losses. This seemed to be an aberration and he should get better results in 1911.

Verdict: The Dodgers have some very good players, but finishing in the first division for the first time since 1902 is still not within reach. You can still expect Brooklyn to make a run at 70 wins, another feat they have not accomplished since 1903.

Future Hall of Famers: Zack Wheat

Chicago Cubs: Joe Tinker, Johnny Evers, and Frank Chance finished their ninth season together on the Cubs with their fourth pennant, solidifying them as the most decorated infield of all time. But Chicago used others to succeed as well, which will come in handy to keep competing even as all three are in the second half of their careers. In Chance's case, he may very well pull himself out of the lineup more and more as player-manager. The Cubs had two .300 hitters, Solly Hofman at .325 and Wildfire Schulte at .301. Schulte also led the NL with ten homers and also hit 29 doubles and 15 triples.

Three Finger Brown has won at least 20 games and kept his ERA below two runs for five consecutive seasons coming into 1911. Newly joining him in the 20-win club is King Cole, who also had the best ERA in the NL last season. The Cubs do not return any other pitchers with 200 innings, though, leaving uncertainty in at least half of their games when Brown nor Cole can start.

Verdict: Until they are beaten again, it is Chicago's pennant to lose. Their infield will need to keep performing and their starters outside of Brown and Cole will need to play at least at a mediocre level for the Cubs to make it five-for-six.

Future Hall of Famers: Three Finger Brown, Frank Chance, Johnny Evers, Joe Tinker

Cincinnati Reds: With 310 steals, the Reds led the majors as the speediest team on the base paths. 70 of them were stolen by Bob Bescher, an excellent leadoff man as he also drew 81 walks to go with his .250 average. If Bescher can get on base, there's a good chance he will make into scoring position regardless of what the number two hitter does. This year, that number two hitter will be offseason acquisition Johnny Bates. A major trade with Philadelphia brought the .305 hitter to the Reds, along with third baseman Eddie Grant.

The Reds had four pitchers with 200+ innings last year, but two were traded to the Phillies. This leaves 20-game winner George Suggs and 15-game winner Harry Gaspar as the only two starters with experience.

Verdict: The Reds are above average at getting on base and then the best at stealing another. If their pitchers can stay about the same as last season even with the changes, the Reds should eclipse .500 this time around.

Future Hall of Famers: none

New York Giants: New York had last year's highest scoring offense, and they return their entire starting lineup. Six starters had at least 490 at bats, and one of the two that didn't is catcher Chief Meyers. Meyers still appeared in 127 games and is one of the most reliable catchers in the game. Much like the Athletics in the AL, there just isn't a weakness in the Giants' lineup. Outfielders Josh Devore, Fred Snodgrass, and Red Murray stole 133 bases and hit around .300 combined. If that's not enough, Larry Doyle is great at getting on base out of the two slot and Fred Merkle belted 53 extra base hits white hitting .292.

Christy Mathewson, who has notched 30 wins four times in his career, had to settle for a league-best 27 wins in 1910. Mathewson is now just 37 wins, the total he notched in the 1908 season, away from 300 on his career. Red Ames, Hooks Wiltse, and Louis Drucke each had winning records and combined to make 80 starts last season. And Doc Crandall did a little bit of everything, racking up 17 wins in a mix of starts and relief appearances, and can also start in the infield as needed when he's not pitching.

Verdict: New York has the firepower to win the pennant, and will surely be in the fight with Chicago and Pittsburgh to take it all. The Giants really just need a second ace, or a breakout season by one of their young pitchers like Drucke or Rube Marquard, to give them the advantage over their competitors.

Future Hall of Famers: Rube Marquard, Christy Mathewson

Philadelphia Phillies: Sherry Magee led the National League in many categories, including runs, RBIs, extra base hits, average, on base percentage, slugging percentage, and total bases. The Phillies brought in a pair of .300 hitters, Hans Lobert and Dode Paskert in the big trade with Cincinnati during the offseason to support him.

Earl Moore won 22 games for Philadelphia last season and led the league in strikeouts. The Phillies hope new rookie Pete Alexander can act as a second ace, and he got off to a great start with five innings of no-hit ball against the Athletics in an exhibition game before the season. He has never played an actual game that counts, but that start suggests he will be the rookie to watch in 1911.

Verdict: Philadelphia should be the favorite for fourth place behind the three clear favorites, the same place they finished in 1910. They have a good mix of hitting and pitching that make them the best of the rest at the start of the season.

Future Hall of Famers: Pete Alexander

Pittsburgh Pirates: The trio of Honus Wagner, Fred Clarke, and Tommy Leach have been together since their days in Louisville and have been starters in Pittsburgh ever since they were traded over in 1899. Leach and Clarke continue to play well, but only Wagner remains elite. His four-year batting title streak came to an end in 1910, but he still led the league in total hits. Starting with Clarke and Leach in the outfield is Chief Wilson, who led the team in triples and tied for most home runs of returning players. The Pirates will turn to a fourth outfielder to fill in as needed, a rookie born in 1890 named Max Carey. Carey was signed on a recommendation of the president of the Central League after a great season there in 1910.

Pittsburgh will run a three-man rotation when they can, once again trusting Babe Adams, Lefty Leifeld, and Howie Camnitz. Of the three, Adams was the best in 1910, winning twice as many games as he lost with a 2.24 ERA.

Verdict: Pittsburgh's window is closing as their trio of Wagner, Clarke, and Leach get older every year. They only have a few more chances, maybe even just one with Clarke a year away from turning 40. The Pirates need a productive fourth starter to put them back on top like in 1909. If they can find that, they should make a run for the pennant.

Future Hall of Famers: Max Carey, Fred Clarke, Bill McKechnie, Honus Wagner

St. Louis Cardinals: The Cardinals were near last in hits, doubles, triples, and dead last in home runs in 1910, yet still scored above the league average in runs. How? They led the league in walks by far, with only the Giants coming within 100 of their 655 as a team. With nearly an extra base runner every single game just from a walk, the Cardinals had extra opportunities to score when their bats failed. Leadoff man Miller Huggins led the majors with 116 of those walks alone. Also, all eight starting Cardinals had double digit stolen bases, even their catcher Roger Bresnahan. Bresnahan only struck out 17 times and hit .278, trailing just Mike Mowrey (.282) and Ed Konetchy (.302) on the team.

Of the team's six pitchers with 100+ innings last season, only Slim Sallee (2.97) had an ERA below three runs. The Cardinals allowed more runs than any other team in the league, so they have brought in several rookies to find a pitcher that can help them.

Verdict: The offense is solid thanks to the walks and stolen bases, though it is not nearly enough to overcome the terrible pitching. The Cardinals will not improve unless they can find a pitcher, preferably multiple, that can go out there 30 times a year and actually put them in a position to win each time.

Future Hall of Famers: Roger Bresnahan, Miller Huggins

Finishing Order Prediction

1. Chicago Cubs

2. New York Giants

3. Pittsburgh Pirates

4. Philadelphia Phillies

5. Cincinnati Reds

6. St. Louis Cardinals

7. Brooklyn Dodgers

8. Boston Rustlers