1899 Cleveland Spiders

Record: 20-134
Managers: Lave Cross and Joe Quinn
Regular Starters: 1B-Tommy Tucker; 2b-Joe Quinn; SS-Harry Lockhead; 3B-Suter Sullivan; RF-Sport McAlister; CF-Tommy Dowd; LF-Dick Harley; C-Joe Sugden; P-Jim Hughey; P-Charlie Knepper; P-Frank Bates; P-Crazy Schmidt

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The Cleveland Spiders had built a reputation in the early years of baseball as one of the BEST teams in the National League. That was until their owners, the Robison brothers, bought an additional franchise in St. Louis. 

The brothers looked at the fan support base and decided that St. Louis held the most promise. So, the Robisons shipped every starter from the 1888 Spiders lineup to St. Louis. The Spiders were left with only a few quality players -- Lave Cross, Joe Quinn and Tommy Dowd. Tommy Tucker was talked out of retirement to play one more season. 

The Spiders started the season by losing 30 of 38 games. The Robisons then transferred Cross to the St. Louis club and Quinn became the manager. 

The Spiders were so bad that, beginning in June, they played out the rest of the season on the road and compiled an 11-102 record away from Cleveland. Because they were playing on the road, the Spiders picked up a new nickname, "The Wanderers." 

The leading pitcher, Knepper, had a .154 winning percentage and no pitcher won more than four games.