The St Louis Browns led the league in runs scored by a wide margin, and led in team ERA as well. It was hugely disappointing, then, when they finished one game behind the Yankees. The Browns then collapsed in 1923, and the franchise never recovered. The Yankees, meanwhile, lost again in the World Series to the New York Giants.

         The Yankees had an impressive pitching staff, too, led by Bob Shawkey, Joe Bush, and Waite Hoyt. Carl Mays also pitched for the team, but he had tough luck for most of the year. I'm not sure who was better, Shawkey or Bush. Bush had a better won-loss record, but Shawkey's other numbers were superior. It's a tough call, but I'll give the edge to Shawkey, who had a better ERA and more innings pitched.
        The banishment of eight Chicago White Sox two years earlier left a huge hole in their pitching staff. They confronted the problem by letting Red Faber soak up as many innings as he could; Faber threw far more innings in 1921-22 than in any other year in his career. He responded with two consecutive ERA titles. Though Faber's won-loss record isn't great, all of his other numbers are. The Sox were still a broken team at this point, but Faber helped them have a decent season; he's my Cy Young pick this year.
        The Browns' best pitcher was Urban Shocker. His numbers are very similar to Faber's; he gave up more hits, but had better control, and a few more wins. Urban James Shocker (apparently named after a pair of Popes) won 187 games in his career, and never had a losing season. Like Faber, Shocker's best pitch was the spitball, and was allowed to continue throwing the pitch after it was banned. Shocker's best years were with the mediocre Browns, though he finished his career with a pair of excellent seasons with the mighty Yankees. Shocker died in 1928, at age 35, from heart disease.
        Eddie Rommel led the league in wins, something he would do twice. It was his first big year; he was a fine starter for four more years, then became an outstanding reliever. He finished his career with a lot more wins than losses.