Nap Lajoie was Cleveland's best player, and was the biggest star
in the AL. The team named itself the Cleveland Naps, and kept the
name until he was traded in 1914. Actually, I think that is kind of
a cool concept, naming your team after your best player. Seattle
should have dumped the Mariners' name, and called themselves the Seattle
A-Rods.
Lajoie was once again the best player
in the league. He led the AL in runs produced, and was second in total
bases. His teammate, Terry Turner, also had a fine year. And Gorgeous
George Davis, now 36 years old, was still going strong, helping Chicago
win the pennant. Davis' .277 average looks great compared to the other
Hitless Wonders. Davis was nearing the end of his career; he was one of
the few outstanding switch-hitters in the game, and his 2660 lifetime
hits would remain a record for switch-hitters until it was broken by
(who else?) Pete Rose.
George Stone was in his second season; as a rookie in 1905, he had led
the AL in hits and total bases, and this year followed up with a huge
season. Stone was already 29 years old, and his career was very short,
but he was a talented player and was in his prime. This year he
was the AL's best hitter. I'm placing Stone just behind Lajoie; their
hitting numbers were very similar, and Lajoie was a much better defensive
player. Lajoie's team also had a much better year than Stone's.
