1927 New York Giants (courtesy baseball-fever.com)
Giants Checking In:
Roger Bowman, Amsterdam, NY
Billy Gardner, Waterford, CT
Ruben Gomez, Arroyo, PR
Ray Katt, New Braunfels, TX
Stu Miller, Northampton, MA
Don Mueller, St. Louis, MO
Billy Pierce, Detroit, MI
Dusty Rhodes, Mathews, AL
Davey Williams, Dallas, TX
Giants Checking Out:
Jerry Denny, Houston, TX
Billy Gilbert, New York, NY
Mike Lynch, Garrison, NY
Ross Youngs, San Antonio, TX
Record: 92-62, 3rd in the National League, 2 games behind Pittsburgh
Pythagorean Record: 86-68, (817 runs scored, 720 runs allowed) 2nd in the National League
General Manager: John McGraw
Manager: John McGraw (26th season, 2175-1507, .591, through 1927) and Rogers Hornsby (1st season, 22-10, .688)
Ballpark: Polo Grounds V Attendance: 858,190 (3rd in the National League)
Full House: Wednesday, April 20, vs. Philadelphia, 50,000 (Home Opener)
Friends & Family: Tuesday, May 31, vs. Philadelphia, 1,500
Park Factors: Batting – 100, Pitching – 99 (Over 100 favors batters, under 100 favors pitchers)
Days in First Place: 30, last on May 22
Best Month: August, 16-5, .762
Worst Month: June, 11-16, .407
Largest Margin of Victory: beat Pittsburgh, 12-1, June 9 at Forbes Field; beat St. Louis, 13-2, July 30 at Sportsman’s Park
Largest Margin of Defeat: lost to St. Louis, 11-1, May 13 at the Polo Grounds
Longest Winning Streak: 10, August 19 to September 4
Longest Losing Streak: 6, May 18 to May 27 and June 10 to June 15
Longest Game: 12 innings, May 20, lost to Pittsburgh, 8-3, at the Polo Grounds; and June 2, beat Cincinnati, 5-4, at Redland Field
Loved to Face: Boston, Cincinnati and Philadelphia, 15-7 against each, .682
Hated to Face: Pittsburgh, 11-11, .500
Most Home Runs: Rogers Hornsby, 26
Highest OBP: Rogers Hornsby, .448
Highest OPS+: Rogers Hornsby, 175
Most Stolen Bases: Edd Roush, 18
Highest Position Player WAR: Rogers Hornsby, 10.1
Different Batting Orders: 51
Most Innings Pitched: Burleigh Grimes, 259.2
Most Strikeouts by a Pitcher: Burleigh Grimes, 102
Best Starter ERA+: Burleigh Grimes, 110
Best Reliever ERA+: Don Songer, 136
Highest Pitcher WAR: Burleigh Grimes, 2.9
Complete Games: 65
Shutouts: 7
Career Best Seasons: Bill Clarkson, Jack Cummings, Doc Farrell, George Harper
Career Worst Seasons: Hugh McQuillan, Zack Taylor, Ty Tyson
Received MVP Votes: Rogers Hornsby (3rd), Bill Terry (13th)
Rookies: Bill Clarkson, Andy Reese
Say Hello To: Larry Benton, Bill Clarkson, Al DeVormer, Burleigh Grimes, George Harper, Dutch Henry, Rogers Hornsby, Les Mann, Mickey O’Neil, Andy Reese, Edd Roush, Don Songer, Zack Taylor
Say Goodbye To: Al DeVormer, Doc Farrell, Kent Greenfield, Burleigh Grimes, Rogers Hornsby, Hugh McQuillan, Heinie Mueller, Mickey O’Neil, Don Songer,, Zack Taylor, Ty Tyson
Playing Time:
Youngsters (25 or under): 2,140 PAs (35.4%); 476.1 IP (34.5%) RF Mel Ott, 18, is youngest
Prime (26-29): 1,377 PAs (22.8%); 327 IP (23.7%)
Past-Prime (30-33): 908 PAs (15.0%) 559 IP (40.5%)
Old Timers (34+): 1,620 PAs (26.8%) 19.1 IP (1.4%) C Al DeVormer, 35, is oldest
Nicknames:
Memphis Bill (Terry)
Rajah (Rogers Hornsby)
Stonewall (Travis Jackson)
Lindy (Fred Lindstrom)
Heinie (Clarence Mueller)
Master Melvin (Ott)
Cracker (Jim Hamby)
Ol’ Stubblebeard (Burleigh Grimes)
Fat Freddie (Fitzsimmons)
Zeke (Virgil Barnes)
Dutch (Frank Henry)
Blackie (Bill Clarkson)
Handsome Hugh (McQuillan)
Key Transaction: On December 20, 1926, the Giants traded second baseman Frankie Frisch and pitcher Jimmy Ring to the St. Louis Cardinals for second baseman Rogers Hornsby.
Top Prospect: Lefty O’Doul, OF, was drafted by the Giants on October 4 from San Francisco (PCL) in the 1927 Rule Five draft.
The Giants 1927 uniforms (illustration courtesy of “Dressed to the Nines,” http://exhibits.baseballhalloffame.org/dressed_to_the_nines/introduction.htm
Minor League Affiliates: None
Memorable Quotation: “He had a good way of making everybody irritated.” — Giant shortstop Travis Jackson, describing how, during his only year with the Giants, Rogers Hornsby alienated almost everyone.
What Went Right: Rogers Hornsby led a potent hitting attack that tied with Pittsburgh for the league lead in runs scored.
What Went Wrong: The pitching struggled, giving up the third most runs in the league. Further, as Jackson said, Hornsby rubbed everyone the wrong way. McGraw had made Hornsby captain, and Hornsby organized the first spring training workouts. His teammates thought he presumed too much. Then McGraw’s chronic sinusitis developed into an infection of his eye and the side of his face, and he was forced to take time off. Hornsby was given command, and the team did well. But on September 22, in Pittsburgh, when Giants Secretary Jim Tierney came to Hornsby’s hotel room to criticize Travis Jackson’s defense, Hornsby cursed Tierney and kicked him out of his room. Later that night, Stoneham arrived with McGraw, who was ready to resume managing. Stoneham was livid when he learned the club secretary, his close friend, had been bawled out by a ballplayer, even if the ballplayer was Rogers Hornsby. Stoneham would trade the Rajah to the Boston Braves in January.