All-Decade Team 1920s NL

Finishing out the Roaring 20s, we bring to you the National League squad. Safe to say there aren't as many big names on this team as the Amarican League counterparts. Shortstop was a particularly tough choice for the fact that there weren't many standout choices. Dave Bancroft, HOF, was barely edged out. Paul Waner was also left off the team. Not because he wasn't worthy, but only playing 4 years in the decade, we felt he didn't have enough service time in the 20s for our purposes. As a side note, two players on our list were traded for each other. Shouldn't be too hard to figure out who they were. Here's the list for your dissection.

C - Bob O'Farrell (Cubs/Cardinals/Giants)
1B - Jim Bottomley (Cardinals)
2B - Rogers Hornsby (Cardinals, Giants, Braves, Cubs)
3B - Pie Traynor (Pirates)
SS - Rabbit Maranville (Braves, Pirates, Cubs, Robins, Cardinals)
IF - Frankie Frisch (Giants, Cardinals)
OF - Kiki Cuyler (Pirates, Cubs)
OF - Zack Wheat (Robins)
OF - Cy Williams (Phillies)
OF - Hack Wilson (Giants, Cubs)
SP - Dazzy Vance (Robins)
SP - Burleigh Grimes (Robins, Pirates)
SP - Dolf Luque (Reds)
SP - Eppa Rixey (Reds, Phillies)
CL - Bill Sherdel (Cardinals)

Check out www.baseball-reference.com for the statistics of these players.

8 comments:

  1. Great middle infield a Rabbit at SS making the turn with a guy who used to chase them when he was a kid.

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  2. I would love for someone to tell me more about Rabbit Maranville... I'm trying to fill in the pieces of the puzzle because I don't see it. He made the HOF after thirteen tries the year he passed away (smells like pity). He played for 23 seasons, a mark for longevity which lasted until 1986 (Pete Rose) - minus a few that shouldn't count because of injury, an unsuccessful attempt at a comeback and an outright release midway through a season, Maranville endured a long career as a light hitting, slick fielding shortstop. By all accounts, he was the clown prince of his era; think Manny Ramirez drunk. Here's a timeline of Maranville's career in the 20's - the first four years he was solid with the Pirates. He was never a great hitter but he posted solid defensive numbers those first four years. Then, he hit a wall. In 1925, he was a player manager with the Cubs (a huge failure- his only rule was that the players weren't allowed to go to sleep before him) and he was fired midway through the season. The next season he caught on with the Brooklyn Robins as a player and again he was released outright midway through the season. The next season, he played 9 games at the end of the season after proving to Branch Rickey that he was "off the sauce" and ready to play. He finished the decade ok... at least he played.

    I think that he was a great player in the teens- he led the league in putouts and assissts a bunch of times and seemingly had tremendous range. I can't help but acknowledge the fact that he threw away three years of his career because of his buffoonery. I'm also wondering whether his Hall of Fame induction was warranted by his play or simply because he played forever and was a character.

    Bancroft, on the other hand, was a .295 hitter in the 20's and by all accounts was a tremendous fielder, in his own right. Led the league in assists and putouts three times and range factor (for what it's worth) five times. It's not even worth comparing their offensive numbers side by side - Bancroft killed Maranville in the 20's. I guess what I'm getting at is I picked Bancroft but I'd love for someone to tell me why I'm wrong.

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  3. I think it's closer than you suggest both offensively and defensively. If you compare 162 game averages during the 20s, they are strikingly similar offensively. Bancroft does best Rabbit in avg (.292 to .263), OB% (.366 to .321), and Slg (.374 to .347), but runs, hits, doubles, rbi, and sb are similar with Maranville leading some of them. Maranville was voted into the HOF by BBWAA, although it took until his 14th year of eligibility. According to BBRef Bullpen page on Dave Bancroft, there was rumor that cronyism played a part in his induction by the Veteran's committee in 1971. Some of the Vet committee including his buddy Frankie Frisch may have pushed for him. Whether or not he belongs there or not, Maranville was at least voted in by the writers. I stick by him as the SS for this team, admitting he's the slightly the best of a poor lot.

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  4. Maranville bested Bancroft in 3b, RBI And SB for 162 game averages... Bancroft had him in all cumulative numbers. If you didnt know he was a HOF'er, you'd take Bancroft. Like I said, I'm def ok with Maranville but I'd love to hear from a historian on Maranville.

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  5. Simply put, Maranville was the greatest defensive shortstop ever until some guy they called The Wiz came along

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  6. I like Dave Bancroft at SS.

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  7. If it were up to me, I'd move Frish to 2B because he was not an outfielder. Then I'd put Hornsby at SS, which was a secondary position for him, but it still works and you keep some pop in the batting order. Rabbit's bat just doesn't do it for me.

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