tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12133335.post7306959709882106544..comments2024-02-13T06:56:14.486-05:00Comments on Walk Like a Sabermetrician: 1879 NLphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18057215403741682609noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12133335.post-46750244981295695662008-06-13T10:11:00.000-04:002008-06-13T10:11:00.000-04:00"Only Syracuse left the league at the end of the s..."Only Syracuse left the league at the end of the season, making for the most stable off-season in terms of franchise intrigue yet."<BR/><BR/>Or rather, Syracuse left the league somewhat before the end of the season, due to financial collapse. Off the top of my head, I think this is the last NL team to fail to complete its season, but don't quote me on that.<BR/><BR/>Syracuse was an interesting club, rising from the amateur ranks and going professional in 1877. They were one of the most active clubs that year, touring extensively (in part because the city of Syracuse wasn't really a large enough market to support them). I think it was a huge mistake for them to join the NL, as it took away their flexibility. They had finessed their schedule the previous two years. In the NL, they couldn't do this nearly so much. It is unlikely, however, that they would have survived much longer anyway. There was a general decline of professional baseball, and by July of 1880 there were only two non-NL clubs in the east.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com