Before I say a fond farewell to another season of nineteenth-century baseball, I'll share the awards for this season's top performers!
Position Player MVP: Jake Beckley, Resolutes
Beckley spent four seasons as Cap Anson's understudy, but now that he's the starting first baseman for the Resolutes, I've seen him blossom into a star in his own right. It's fair to say that he carried the Resolutes' offense this year. Beckley led the league in home runs and in extra-base hits overall, and although he's not quite Anson's equal with the glove, he turned in an error-free season. Anson and Canaries left fielder Ed Delahanty (last year's winner) finished second and third, respectively.
Pitcher MVP: Amos Rusie, Haymakers
It was the year of the reliever. With pitching staffs expanded from four to five, teams could be more aggressive in deploying relief pitchers later in the game. Amos Rusie, the Haymakers' closer, pitched nothing but high-leverage innings and helped his team achieve the best regular season in league history. Rusie went 2-0 with a league-leading five saves and a 1.38 ERA. Teammate Mickey Welch (6-3, 2.54 ERA) was the runner up.
Playoff MVP: Bobby Wallace, Haymakers
No single player dominated in this postseason, but the Haymakers' shortstop stood out offensively and defensively as a major catalyst for their victory. Wallace hit three triples, drove in four runs, and played flawlessly in the field. Haymakers leadoff man and center fielder Joe Kelley and Resolutes backstop Connie Mack were also considered for this award.
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