Simulated replay. This post describes a season played out with sports simulation software. Scores, standings and winners are the simulation's results, not the real historical record.
The end of baseball's regular season is here, and the stage is now set for the fourth annual World Series. Both the American and National Leagues had their pennant races come down to the wire, with one not being decided until the final day of the regular season. Which two teams have their cities preparing for playoff baseball? You can read the exciting regular season results below.
American League:
Despite a ferocious charge by the Detroit Tigers in early September, the Chicago White Sox were able to hold off all challengers in the American League, and they are headed to the World Series for the first time. Though they were unable to capture the American League pennant, the Tigers have nothing to be ashamed about, as they finished with their best record since the turn of the century. Many fans in Detroit finished this season with very high expectations going into the 1908 season. Meanwhile, the New York Highlanders and Philadelphia Athletics finished well behind Chicago and Detroit, and further back still were the St. Louis Browns and Boston Americans. The biggest surprise in the American League were the Cleveland Naps, who collapsed after last year's trip to the World Series. In last place were the Washington Senators who, aside from their unexpected pennant in 1904, have never won more than 80 games during the regular season.
The same qualities that gave the White Sox the American League lead at the midway point of the season were what propelled them to the pennant at the start of October. Chicago's 223 stolen bases were tops in the AL, and the team was led by Frank Chance, who pilfered 45 bags for the season. Chance also finished the year with the team lead in runs batted in, driving home 72 while hitting at a .260 clip. Veteran left fielder Fred Clarke kept up his pace from the middle of the season as well, as he helped Chicago finish with the third most runs scored in the American League. Clarke crossed home plate 66 times, hit .267 with two home runs and drove home 53, which are all solid marks for a 35 year old ballplayer.
Chicago's real strength still remained on the pitcher's mound, however. Tom Hughes finished the 1907 season with an American League leading 27 wins against 13 losses and a 1.89 ERA. When combined with his 177 strikeouts, Hughes emerged as one of the top pitchers in baseball during the regular season, and was one of the biggest reasons why the White Sox are playing in their first World Series. Assisting Hughes was Joe McGinnity, who kept up his pace from the first half of the season as he topped the 20 win mark for the first time since 1904. McGinnity's 23 wins were second most on the club, and his 2.79 ERA was third, behind Hughes and solid third starter Vic Willis. With a three man pitching rotation of Hughes, McGinnity and Willis, Chicago's arms might have enough to push the White Sox to their first ever championship, but only time will tell.
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| The 1907 American League Champion Chicago White Sox. |
National League:
The race for the National League pennant went down to the last day of the regular season, and once again featured the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates. The two teams had traded control of the National League throughout September and into October, with neither team able to secure more than a two game lead after the middle of September. As October began, the Pirates had a chance to seemingly put the Cardinals away for good, as Rube Waddell was on the mound, and Pittsburgh had a single game lead in the standings. Instead, Waddell lost his final start of the season, St. Louis defeated the Chicago Cubs in both games of a doubleheader, and the Pirates never led the NL again. Pittsburgh had one final chance to tie St. Louis on the last day of the season, but came up short in their game against the Cincinnati Reds, giving the pennant to the Cardinals for the second straight year. Despite Waddell's record low 1.31 ERA for the season, the only thing most people will remember about this season was his loss in the last week of the year.
The Cardinals made a spirited charge through the National League in the second half of the season, and they wouldn't have been able to clinch their second straight pennant without their outstanding pitching staff. Doc White won 25 games for St. Louis during the regular season, and his 1.55 ERA was second in all of baseball behind Rube Waddell. With excellent command and pinpoint control, White has Cardinals fans excited about another championship. Of course, Doc White couldn't have done this job by himself. Helping White on the pitcher's mound this season was Jimmy Dygert, who followed up his Rookie of the Year campaign from 1906 with another 22 win season. His 220 strikeouts led the Cardinals, and he also boasted an outstanding 2.37 ERA in 334 innings of work this season. Just as they were last year, the duo of White and Dygert are going to make things very difficult for the American League champions in the World Series.
At the plate, the Cardinals were once again led by Sherry Magee, who at just 23 years of age is looking like one of the best players in baseball. Magee finished his 1907 season with a team leading .292 batting average, five home runs and 80 runs batted in. On top of those outstanding numbers, Magee was also a threat once he got on base, as he stole 49 bases and scored 87 runs during the regular season, which also led the team. Helping Magee reach home many times was Rube Oldring. The left fielder, who was selected in the same draft as Magee, finished his second full season with St. Louis hitting .255 with four home runs and 65 runs batted in. Though leg injuries prevented Oldring from reaching his stolen base mark of the year prior, he was still able to swipe an impressive 32 bases, which helped the Cardinals finish with 227 steals on the season.
The Cardinals look like a team ready to take their second straight World Series. Their pitching staff had an excellent second half of the season, and thanks to Sherry Magee, Rube Oldring and Bobby Wallace, their offense was able to beat back the Pittsburgh Pirates for the second straight season. The only obstacle remaining now are the Chicago White Sox, and they will be quite a challenge, even for the strong team from St. Louis.
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| The 1907 National League Champion St. Louis Cardinals. |