Leveling the Field: 1916 Tigers with High Expectations

Ty Cobb decked out in the 1916 Detroit Tigers home uniform.

It's been a little while since we have talked about the Detroit Tigers in my "Leveling the Field" project for Out of the Park Baseball 19.

The 1916 Detroit Tigers are coming off a 78-62 season in 1915, as the Detroit Tigers won the A.L. West, but would lose to the A.L. East & eventual World Champion Philadelphia Athletics, 4-1 in the 1915 American League Championship Series.

The Tigers made a few changes over the off-season...

• Traded pitcher Hippo Vaughn to the Cleveland Indians in exchange for RP-Harry Albes.

• Drafted (Dec 15th) & Signed LF-Greasy Neale, who will be on the 1916 opening day roster for the Tigers.

• Traded long-time starting pitcher Jack Quinn and prospect RP-Stan Baumgartner to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for starting pitcher Claude Hendrix. Quinn ranks 3rd in Wins (113), 4th in ERA (2.68) & 2nd in WAR (23.7) among all-time Tigers pitchers.

• Signed RP-Burt Keeley to a 1-year deal worth $1,900.
• Signed 3B-Jimmy Austin to a 1-year deal worth $1,800.

• Traded SS-Tom Downey to the Boston Braves in exchange for 3B-Walter Barbare.

• Traded OF-Jim Thorpe to the New York Giants for RP-Slow Joe Doyle.

• Traded (recently acquired) 3B-Walter Barbare to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for RP-Babe Adams and prospect RP-Oscar Harstad.

• Traded OF-Ted Cather to the Pittsburgh Pirates in for RP-Alex Main and RP-King Lear.

1916 OPENING DAY ROSTER