In the second year of GM Michael Dunleavy’s regime, the Oilers improved their win total from a season ago by five games (42-56 to 47-51). They finished in a tie for last place in the Frontier Division with the Saint Louis Reds, closely following the second place Cleveland Athletics (49-49) and the first place Saint Louis Beavers (51-47).
Here is a look back on the players that made up the Oilers’ 1902 season.
SP Carey Wilford
Wilford performed extremely well as the Oilers’ ace in 1902. He posted a 2.21 ERA in 285.1 innings of work. He surrendered less hits than innings (271) while managing to punch the tickets of 102 foes. Wilford will come into the 1903 season with high expectations once again as he continues to try to cement himself as the team’s ace.
SP Donald Henwood
Henwood continued to chug along in 1902 with another effective season in the Oilers’ rotation. His league-high 19 losses was misleading considering the fact that he managed a 2.75 ERA in 278.2 innings. He was also worth 6.0 WAR which suggests that the Oilers would have been much worse without his services.
SP Frederic Hayter
Hayter made up for the sins of a lackluster 1901 season with a strong showing in 1902, as his ERA went from 5.36 all the way down to 3.24. He still walks too many batters, but perhaps that is something he is able to address over time.
RP John Oxenden
In his second year of action, Oxenden continued his work as a reliever as he tries to get himself acclimated to the LBL. He is brimming with potential and is widely regarded as the future for the Oilers.
C Jesse Stirling
The Oilers’ trusty backstop hit .320, the second-highest batting average on the team. Stirling will be 37 in 1903 but the Oilers hope to squeeze out a few more productive years from him.
1B Marvin Leivers
Leivers was an undesirable option at 1B. His mediocre fielding certainly was not justified by his bat. As his 61 OPS+ would suggest, he was the worst Oilers starter in 1902.
2B Albernathy Breeden
Breeden has been an above-average offensive player his whole career, and that did not change in 1902. He managed to scrape together 111 hits and 27 RBIs on the season, while also swiping 26 bags. He remains a danger at the dish and on the basepaths.
SS Dan Milligan
Milligan followed up an absolutely horrendous 1901 campaign with a solid season in 1902. He improved all of the following measures from one year to the next: hits (72 to 89), RBIs (26 to 33), BA (.239 to .279), OBP (.265 to .353), OPS+ (77 to 115) and WAR (0.9 to 2.8). Perhaps most noticeable of these stats is the drastic improvement to his on-base percentage.
3B Garrett Dutler
In his old age, Dutler’s average dipped significantly from the year prior (.330 to .276), but he still helped to produce a lot of runs with 48 RBIs. His on-base percentage (.359 down to .313) and his slugging percentage (.401 down to .336) also took quite a hit. Are his best days behind him, or will we see a resurgence for Dutler in 1903?
LF Frederic Ward
Acquired from the Brooklyn Whales in an offseason trade, Ward fell flat in the 1902 season. It was no secret that his glove was not of much value but much more was expected from his bat. He added hardly any value to the ballclub and his role in the outfield is in question moving forward.
CF Hayward Mitchell
In his first season with the Oilers, Mitchell was a mediocre leadoff hitter at best. CF is not his primary position, but with 2B being manned by the not-so-versatile Albernathy Breeden and the general lack of CF options in Pittsburgh, Mitchell may very well see more time in CF in 1902.
RF Randy Sliger
1902 was more of the same for one of the most iconic players in the LBL. Sliger ripped Western League pitching to the tune of a .324 BA, 3 HRs, 42 RBIs, and a league-leading SLG percentage of .466. The Oilers will need him to remain at the top of his game if they want to have a chance at winning the Frontier in 1903.
Late season acquisition of SS Robert Russell:
The Oilers sent CF Nathan Fairburn and 2B Lee Boden to the Twin Cities Empire, receiving SS/3B Robert Russell in return. Russell boasts a solid glove and figures to split time between SS/3B in the 1903 season for the Oilers. Some concerns have been raised about his attitude but the Oilers are hopeful that Russell will respond well to the team chemistry that has already been built in the locker room.
Offseason Signings:
3B Durward West
Rumor has it that the Oilers were once interested in acquiring West in a trade with the Brooklyn Whales, though it never came to fruition. When West hit the open market, the Oilers were quick to extend him an offer. He will likely see the bulk of the time at 3B in 1903.
SP Marcos Brooks
Brooks was one of two young hurlers that the Oilers picked up off of the scrap pile in the offseason. If he develops well, he could turn into a well-rounded pitcher – there’s not a particular area that he lacks potential in.
SP Emanuel Hilder
Hilder was the other young arm that the Oilers acquired. It’s clear that the Oilers are trying to build up a solid core of pitching. Whether they are successful in doing that or not remains to be seen.
LF Wilber Lee
Frederic Ward’s disappointing 1902 season might open the door for Lee to see some playing time in 1903. He is a very similar player to Ward, but he possesses a better glove.
Offseason Trade #1 With Richmond
RCH Receives: SP Donald Henwood, UTIL IF Charles Cutforth
PIT Receives: 1B Adam Rodenbaugh, 2B Bennie Bell
After John Oxenden was announced as the number 3 starter for the 1903 season, there was an odd man out of the Oilers’ starting rotation. Young stars Carey Wilford and Frederic Hayter were both coming off strong seasons so it was hard to justify them being ousted. That left 37-year-old Donald Henwood as the only movable part. He finds a new home as the third starter in the Richmond Rifles’ rotation which also features star hurlers Ivy Maw and William Kynaston.
Rodenbaugh hits righties well and should be a huge improvement over Leivers. His defense leaves something to be desired, but if he hits like he should, he can make up for that shortcoming.
Bell likely won’t see much time in 1903 but his acquisition represents another step forward in the Oilers’ pursuit of youth.
Offseason Trade #2 With Richmond
RCH Receives: 3B Garrett Dutler
PIT Receives: SS Elroy Eddowes
Garrett Dutler has been a productive Oiler since the inception of the LBL but he now finds himself in the twilight of his career. He may have a season or two more of production left in him, but the Oilers are trying to get younger with this move. They take a flyer on SS Elroy Eddowes who might see some playing time in the near future.