NDF 2003-04 Winter Fun - 1931 Award Winners - NL

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For the season referenced in the subject line of this thread, who would be your pick for Best Positional Player (Include defense and position played in your determination), Best Pitcher, Best First Year Player and any other topics of discussion from this season.

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Win Shares leaders, players; Wally Berger (Boston) 31, Bill Terry (New York) 29, Babe Herman (Brooklyn), Kiki Cuyler (Chicago), Mel Ott (New York) and Paul Waner (Pittsburgh) 26 each, Chuck Klein (Philadelphia) and Chick Hafey (St. Louis) 25, Woody English (Chicago) and Lloyd Waner (Pittsburgh) 24. Frankie Frisch had 21.

WS leaders, pitchers; Ed Brandt (Boston) 27, Watty Clark (Brooklyn) and Heinie Meine (Pittsburgh) 22, Bill Walker (New York), Ray Benge (Philadelphia), and Wild Bill Hallahan (St. Louis) 21, Tom Zachary (Boston) and Carl Hubbell (New York) 20.

Odd that Boston had the top player and pitcher in Win Shares, but finished with 90 losses. Aside from one other pitcher among the top performers, they really didn't have anything else.

WARP3: Berger 10.7, Terry 10.1, Herman 8.1, Cuyler 7.6, Ott 8.7, P. Waner 8.9, Klein 7.7, Hafey 6.6, English 7.7, L. Waner 6.1. Frisch had 7.1. Brandt 8.2, Clark 7.5, Meine 5.6, Walker 5.8, Benge 6.6, Hallahan 4.4, Zachary 6.5, Hubbell 6.6.

Actual award voting: the BBWAA MVP vote that continues to this day started in 1931.

Place  Name  Team  Points
1 Frankie Frisch    STL       65              
  2 Chuck Klein       PHI       55         
  3 Bill Terry        NYG       53          
  4 Woody English     CHC       30                  
  5 Chick Hafey       STL       29         
  6 Jimmie Wilson     STL       28     
  7 Travis Jackson    NYG       24        
  8 Charlie Grimm     CHC        21             
  9 Sparky Adams      STL       18                   
 10 Ed Brandt         BSN       15   
 10 Rabbit Maranville BSN       15             
 12 Kiki Cuyler       CHC     14           
 13 Pie Traynor       PIT       12            
 14 Red Lucas         CIN       10  
 15 Jim Bottomley     STL        8        
 15 Lloyd Waner       PIT        8         
 17 Jumbo Elliott     PHI        6  
 17 Jack Quinn        BRO        6   
 19 Neal Finn         BRO        5            
 20 Watty Clark       BRO        3    
 20 Paul Derringer    STL        3   
 20 Charley Root      CHC        3  
 23 Dick Bartell      PHI        2              
 23 Johnny Vergez     NYG       2                
 25 Tony Cuccinello   CIN        1         
 25 Freddie Fitzsimmo NYG        1      
 25 Charlie Gelbert   STL        1                    
 25 Lefty O'Doul      BRO        1               
 25 Glenn Wright      BRO        1  

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Top player: Wally Berger. He had a terrific year offensively and defensively, in a pitchers' park, for a terrible team. Didn't draw a single MVP vote, although teammate and .260 hitter Rabbit Maranville did. Hornsby led the league in OPS plus, but batted only 357 times. (He would never reach 100 AB again) Chuck Klein was a zero defensively, as was Chick Hafey. Frisch won the vote as the veteran on the pennant-winner, and the "inspirational leader." The best alternative to Berger is Bill Terry, on the 2nd place Giants.

Top pitcher: Ed Brandt, like Berger with the Braves. Brandt did get the attention of the MVP voters, finishing tied for 10th with teammate Maranville, and the highest-finishing pitcher. Brandt was 3rd in ERA, 4th in wins (1 behind the leaders, with 18), 3rd in WHIP. Carl Hubbell would soon start to dominate the league.

Top rookie: Paul Derringer was 18-8 for the Cardinals.

[WiredTiger]

Best Hitter: Chuck Klein
Frisch got the vote but I think Klein was a lot better. Klein led the league in SLG% and was .012 BA away from the Triple Crown.

Best Pitcher: Bill Walker
The ERA leader went 16-9 in 239 innings for the 2nd place Giants