1925 NL Stargell Award

The Giants' string of four straight pennants was broken by the Pittsburgh Pirates, who also won the World Series. The Pirates had a high-powered offense that scored over 900 runs, far more than any other team in league. They also scored nine runs against Walter Johnson in the seventh game of the Series to win the championship.
The Pirates had a lot of good players, including some MVP candidates. But the best player in the league was once again Rogers Hornsby.

National League 1925

			AVG	OBA	SLU	AB	HIT	DB	TP	HR	RUN	RBI	BB	SB	OPS
3B	P TRAYNOR	PIT	320	377	464	591	189	39	14	6	114	106	52	15	840
SS	D BANCROFT	BOS	319	400	426	479	153	29	8	2	75	49	64	7	826
SS	G WRIGHT	PIT	308	341	480	614	189	32	10	18	97	121	31	3	822
CA	G HARTNETT	CHI	289	351	555	398	115	28	3	24	61	67	36	1	906
CF	E ROUSH	CIN	339	383	494	540	183	28	16	8	91	83	35	22	878

2B/1/O	G KELLY	NY	309	350	471	586	181	29	3	20	87	99	35	5	821
2B	R HORNSBY	STL	403	489	756	504	203	41	10	39	133	143	83	5	1245
3/2/S	F FRISCH	NY	331	374	472	502	166	26	6	11	89	48	32	21	846
CF	M CAREY	PIT	343	418	491	542	186	39	13	5	109	44	66	46	909

1B	J FOURNIER	BRO	350	446	569	545	191	21	16	22	99	130	86	4	1015
OF	K CUYLER	PIT	357	423	598	617	220	43	26	18	144	102	58	41	1021
1B	J BOTTOMLEY	STL	367	413	578	619	227	44	12	21	92	128	47	3	992
LF	Z WHEAT	BRO	359	403	541	616	221	42	14	14	125	103	45	3	944
LF	R BLADES	STL	342	423	535	462	158	37	8	12	112	57	59	6	958
LF	I MEUSEL	NY	328	363	548	516	169	35	8	21	82	111	26	5	912

        Rogers Hornsby's best seasons are so much alike that it is difficult to tell which one of them was the best. This was the last year of an amazing five year run for Hornsby; his batting average for that span was .402, covering 2679 at bats. It was his sixth consecutive batting title, and the last of three times that Hornsby would bat .400. It was also his fourth and last RBI title. It was also the year he took over as the Cardinals' manager; he would continue to manage for the rest of his playing career, and well beyond.
        The Pirates' best players included Pie Traynor, Glenn "Buckshot" Wright, Kiki Cuyler, and Max Carey. Cuyler was the Fred Lynn of the 20's, a guy who had a lot of talent but for various reasons didn't produce consistently on the field. This was Cuyler's first full year, and his best one. He played two more seasons with the Pirates, but was once suspended for not hustling, and was dealt to the Cubs, where he had some more good years. Cuyler was a good player, and he is in the Hall Of Fame. But I don't think he was really a great player; he was closer to Lynn, a guy who was very good but who fell short of greatness.
        In the league MVP vote, Hornsby was the winner and Cuyler was second; I agree with that order. Next came George Kelly and Glenn Wright. I don't understand how anyone could think Kelly was better than any of the other players listed above; Jacques Fournier was a much better player. And while Wright was good, I think his teammate, Traynor, was better.