NDF 2003-04 Winter Fun - 1901 Award Winners - NL

[Wolf Hopper]

For the season referenced in the subject line of this thread, who would be your pick for NL Best Batter, NL Best Pitcher, Best First Year in the NL Player, NL Manager of the Year, and NL Best Comeback Player?

Why?

[sweaver]

Doin' the Win Shares cha-cha-cha:

Players; Jesse Burkett (St. Louis) 38, Honus Wagner (Pittsburgh) 37, Jimmy Sheckard (Brooklyn) and Ed Delahanty (Philadelphia) 33, Elmer Flick (Philadelphia) 30, Fred Clarke (Pittsburgh) 28, Topsy Hartsel (Chicago) 27.

Pitchers; Vic Willis (Boston) 33, Kid Nichols (Boston) 32, Al Orth (Philadelphia) 29, Bill Dinneen (Boston, which finished .500 almost on pitching alone) and Wild Bill Donovan (Brooklyn) 27.

The NL had already lost several stars in the war with the AL, and would lose more.

For the next decade or so, the question of top NL player will be "Is it Honus?" In this year, I think so, considering defense with offense. Honus Wagner 1st, followed by Burkett, Delahanty and Flick. Sheckard was great too.

I'm going with Christy Mathewson as top pitcher. Only 21 Win Shares, but he was 4th in strikeouts and 5th in ERA+, the only pitcher on both leaderboards, 3rd in K/9, going 20-17 for a poor New York team. The Giants weren't helping him much yet in the pre-McGraw years.

Top manager to Fred Clarke as the Pirates win their first pennant ever. He's also the guy that made Honus a regular SS, although he still moved him around at this point.

A lot more rookies this year, but still not a good mix. I can't find anyone worthy.

[WiredTiger]

Best Batter: Jesse Burkett
Had similar stats to Delhanty but did it in a tougher park for hitters.

Best Pitcher: Al "The Curveless Wonder" Orth
There were many to pitchers bunched together. Willis, Tannehill and Phillippe also had arguements.

Best Rookie (I am going by baseball-reference's debut listing): Eddie Plank
Good start to a HOF career.

Best Manager: Fred Clarke
Lead the Pirates to the pennant in his second year at the helm.

[WiredTiger]

Originally Posted by WiredTiger

Best Rookie (I am going by baseball-reference's debut listing): Eddie Plank
Good start to a HOF career.

Plank was in the AL. Sorry. Which means the NL rookies were a sad crop indeed.

[Makofan]

Originally Posted by Wolf Hopper

For the season referenced in the subject line of this thread, who would be your pick for NL Best Batter, NL Best Pitcher, Best First Year in the NL Player, NL Manager of the Year, and NL Best Comeback Player?

Why?

This might be starnge, but what about Bobby Wallace for best batter (meaning position player)? Fine year with the bat, and the best defensive shortstop in the game?