GM of the Year Voting
- Landon Kerr (BRK) – 25 Points
- Martin Pitsch (PHI) – 23 Points
- Doug Olmsted (SLB) – 21 Points
- Max Ehrlich (TCE) – 11 Points
- Alexander Madigan (LBL) – 5 Points
- Herman DeBarr (DET) – 5 Points
GM of the Year Winner
Landon Kerr (Brendan), BRK
In 1902, Brendan managed to win his third straight Legacy Cup. His Whales defeated the Twin Cities Empire in a rematch of 1901’s Legacy Cup. It took the full nine game series to decide the winner, but ultimately, the Whales were successful in achieving the three-peat.
While the Whales’ third consecutive championship was the highlight of their 1902 season, it’s worth mentioning that the Whales achieved quite a feat in the regular season as well. They eclipsed the Twin Cities Empire’s win percentage record that some thought would never be broken. The bar had been set at .724 in 1901, but the Whales did one better.
They soared to a 72-26 record, which was good for a .735 win percentage. While the seemingly-unbeatable Empire record only took one year to be beaten, it’s hard to imagine a scenario where the Whales’ .735 win percentage is bested. With the impending increase to season length in upcoming seasons, it will be even more of a daunting task to challenge it.
Make no mistake about it: the Whales are a dynasty. It will take one hell of a harpoon to bring them down.
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Eastern League MVP Voting
- Joel Taylor (BRK) – 31 Points
- Moriarty Stapleton (PHI) – 22 Points
- Audie Blennerhassett (BRK) – 12 Points
- Alfred Gilling (PHI) – 9 Points
- Robbie Salmon (RCH) – 7 Points
- Mick Samuelson (BRK) – 4 Points
- Danny Edgerton (PHI) – 3 Points
- Leo McKenzie (PHI) – 1 Point
- Leslie Benney (BRK) – 1 Point
Eastern League MVP Winner
Joel Taylor, BRK
Taylor’s stellar 1902 campaign saw him lead the Eastern League in hits (134), RBIs (75), AVG (.373), SLG (.510), and OPS (.914). Taylor came over to Brooklyn as part of a blockbuster trade that sent the Whales’ star RHP William Barrow to the Saint Louis Reds. While it may have been frustrating for the Reds to see Taylor break out in such a big way, Barrow did not disappoint, as he finished 2nd in Western League Pitcher of the Year voting.
Taylor surely made himself at home at the Field of the Whales, a place of peculiar dimensions yet equal charm. His incredible performance in 1902 was a big reason why the Whales were able to hoist the Legacy Cup for the third straight year.
At only 32 years old, Taylor likely has several years of excellent play left in the tank.
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Western League MVP Voting
- Billy Coats (DET) – 43 Points
- Ralph Bennett (TCE) – 21 Points
- Jamie Tew (CHP) – 7 Points
- Randy Sliger (PIT) – 5 Points
- Hamilton Atherol (SLR) – 3 Points
- Joseph Tustain (SLB) – 3 Points
- Matthew Holiday (CLE) – 3 Points
- Ricky McCoy (DET) – 3 Points
- William Bailey (TCE) – 2 Points
Western League MVP Winner
Billy Coats, DET
Coats nearly willed the Detroit Giants to a postseason appearance in 1902. Their end of season collapse prevented that from happening, but that doesn’t take anything away from Coats’ individual performance. His ability to provide a steady presence both at the plate and in the field was on full display, as he accrued 5.7 WAR, his career-high mark in the measure. In addition to WAR, he paced the Western League in both hits (119) and AVG (.329) as well.
Coats will be 36 next year, but the fact that he won the Western League MVP as a 35 year old suggests that some of his best baseball may still be ahead of him.
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Eastern League Pitcher of the Year Voting
- Danny Edgerton (PHI) – 41 Points
- Erik Richardson (BRK) – 22 Points
- Leslie Benney (BRK) – 14 Points
- Stephen Millington (PHI) – 8 Points
- William Kynaston (RCH) – 4 Points
- Jesse Smith (BRK) – 1 Point
Eastern League Pitcher of the Year Winner
Danny Edgerton, PHI
Danny Edgerton was a workhorse for the Philadelphia Brewers in 1902. Seeing as though the Brewers benefited from the services of Edgerton alongside fellow extreme groundballer Stephen Millington, it was no secret that they enjoyed the spoils of a great two-man rotation. The improved defense behind both Edgerton and Millington also helped carry the Brewers to a postseason appearance in 1902.
Edgerton pitched a career-high 433.1 innings and did not allow a single home run. He also won an all-time record 34 games in 1902, besting Jim Nemmers’ mark of 33 that was set in 1901.
While the Brewers were unable to make it past the Whales for entry into the Legacy Cup Series, Edgerton continued to pitch as effectively in the postseason as he did throughout the entirety of the 1902 regular season. In two postseason games, Edgerton pitched 18.2 innings and allowed only five earned runs to cross home plate.
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Western League Pitcher of the Year Voting
- Matthew Holiday (CLE) – 30 Points
- William Barrow (SLR) – 23 Points
- Pierce Adney (TCE) – 12 Points
- Edward Hill (SLB) – 11 Points
- Carey Wilford (PIT) – 6 Points
- Jim Nemmers (TCE) – 5 Points
- Billy Emig (CHD) – 3 Points
Western League Pitcher of the Year Winner
Matthew Holiday, CLE
Matthew Holiday, a pitcher who is sure to go down as one of the greats when it is all said and done, added yet another accolade to his fantastic career. 1902 saw him win his third Pitcher of the Year Award. He had previously earned the honor in 1897 and 1900. Just like his Eastern League Pitcher of the Year counterpart, Holiday did not allow a single home run in the 284.0 innings that he pitched.
Holiday also managed to earn his first ever Grande Snagger in his eight years as a pitcher in the LBL. The only thing that Holiday was not able to achieve in 1902 was a trip to the postseason, as his Cleveland Athletics fell just two games short of the division-winning Saint Louis Beavers.
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Eastern League Greenhorn Cup Voting
- William Dixon (RCH) – 46 Points
- Josuah Jackson (BRK) – 26 Points
- George Singleton (PHI) – 18 Points
Eastern League Greenhorn Cup Winner
William Dixon, RCH
William ‘Grit’ Dixon was one of the few bright spots in an otherwise dark season in Richmond. His 100 hits to go along with his impressive .297 AVG and 132 OPS+ was enough to earn him the Eastern League Greenhorn Cup honors.
While Dixon may be a subpar baserunner and a poor fielder, it is clear that he more than makes up for it with his bat. There’s not one offensive skill that he lags behind in. This bodes well for his chance at future success as he will try to prove in 1903 that his 1902 season was no fluke.
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Western League Greenhorn Cup Voting
- Hamilton Atherol (SLR) – 40 Points
- Parker Pettigrew (CHD) – 17 Points
- Edward Hill (SLB) – 13 Points
- Joseph Tustain (SLB) – 8 Points
- Pierce Adney (TCE) – 6 Points
- Gordon Maddock (SLB) – 6 Points
Western League Greenhorn Cup Winner
Hamilton Atherol, SLR
Atherol was one of the most reliable bats for the Reds in 1902. He slugged 3 home runs, knocked in 40 RBIs, and posted a WAR of 3.9, more than justifying the $2,750 he made over the course of the season.
Though Atherol’s 1902 contributions went far beyond what was expected of him, lofty expectations have now been set for him in 1903. For the Reds to have a chance to challenge for the Frontier Division Title, they will likely need Atherol to be on top of his game.
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Eastern League Grande Snaggers
P – Frank Turnell, PRV (2x)
C – William Marriott, NYB (1x)
1B – Lionel Lyon, PHI (2x)
2B – Alfred Gilling, PHI (1x)
3B – Tommy Saline, NYK (1x)
SS – Josuah Jackson, BRK (1x)
LF – Doug Lyon, BSN (2x)
CF – Robbie Salmon, RCH (3x)
RF – Mick Samuelson, BRK (7x)
Eastern League Golden Bats
P – William Kynaston, RCH (1x)
C – Richard Dunkley, BRK (2x)
1B – Audie Blennerhassett, BRK (2x)
2B – Alfred Gilling, PHI (1x)
3B – Moriarty Stapleton, PHI (3x)
SS – George Singleton, PHI (1x)
OF – Joel Taylor, BRK (3x)
OF – Leo McKenzie, PHI (8x)
OF – Rufus Burnell, PRV (2x)
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Western League Grande Snaggers
P – Matthew Holiday, CLE (1x)
C – Garrett Bewick, CHD (1x)
1B – Bobby Hewitt, SLR (6x)
2B – Greg Gaskell, CHP (4x)
3B – Mat Dace, CLE (1x)
SS – Burley Lovenbury, SLB (1x)
LF – Luther Bradley, CHD (1x)
CF – Johnny Hyde, CLE (7x)
RF – Cameron Emmitt, CHP (1x)
Western League Golden Bats
P – William Barrow, SLR (1x)
C – Jesse Stirling, PIT (1x)
1B – David Latch, CLE (2x)
2B – Harland Gunton, TCE (2x)
3B – Hamilton Atherol, SLR (1x)
SS – Billy Coats, DET (3x)
OF – Jamie Tew, CHP (1x)
OF – Randy Sliger, PIT (4x)
OF – William Bailey, TCE (1x)