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reds1 · 03-18-2016, 11:58 AM

March 30, 1943

Western League: Pesky Pelicans Pounce on Giants, Stars

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The Kingston Pelicans moved out of lurking mode as it were and leapt over both the Hespeler Stars and Balmoral Giants to take first place by a single game. It’s the sixth straight year that Kingston has made the playoffs and the second straight year that they have surged in the final month of the season to grab a playoff spot.

The offense (.275/.346/.375 – 3rd/1st /3rd), pitching (3.21/3.15/3.73 – 1st/1st/6th) and defense (.706 – 4th) all improved as the season wore on.

Top Position Player – Season: Recognition must go to both 2B Mo Symes (.315/.395/.437, 12 HR, 86 RBI, 88 R, 77 BB, 18 SB, 4.1 WAR) and 1B Fergus Chitty (.288/.424/.433, 16 HR, 78 RBI, 79 R, 123 BB, 4.2 WAR). However, both saw their offensive production go down compared to last season, and both were miserable on defense. CF Jamie Couch (.304/.350/.394, 3 HR, 46 RBI, 58 R, 33 BB, 18 SB, 2.4 WAR) came on strong in both February and March, winning Batter of the Month honours for February. He proved to be another shrewd trade acquisition by the Pelicans that helped them return to the playoffs.

Top Pitcher – Season: RHP Joey Cumberledge (21-7, 2.70 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 3.01 FIP) enjoyed an outstanding season serving as Kingston’s ace and won the Pitcher of the Month award in March. It was his third season with 20+ wins.

Team Goat: For reasons not immediately clear to me, the Pelicans are currently employing 32-year old C Ellis Oram (.291/.344/.349, 9-2B, 17 RBI, 14 R, 16 BB, 0.7 WAR in 189 AB) as their starting catcher, despite his sub-par defense (4.64 RNG, -4.8 ZR, .824 EFF, 5 E) and having a younger, more defensively sound catcher in 25-year old Freddie Duran (.283/.379/.370, 4 HR, 57 RBI, 40 R, 56 BB, 2.5 WAR in 346 AB). Oram may be adequate as an occasional backup, but he is no longer an everyday catcher.

Key Injuries: RF Chong-sik Lee (.318/.348/.409) tore a knee ligament in a game back on October 10. He is out for the season (4-5 weeks).

RHP Yasushi Kobayashi (1-1, 2.63 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 3.88 FIP) injured himself while pitching back on October 25. He required surgery to remove elbow-bone chips. He is out for the season as well (6-7 weeks).

RHP Harley Bracher (10-13, 3.42 ERA, 1.51 WHIP, 3.20 FIP) experienced shoulder swelling while pitching back on February 11. He is laid up another 2-3 weeks.

LF Jayden Tennant (.333/.430/.541, 5 HR, 27 RBI, 21 R, 25 BB, 1.5 WAR) broke an elbow bone after being hit by a pitch back on December 7. He is out for one more day, but it remains to be seen if he can rejoin the team for the playoffs.

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Despite the moves the Balmoral Giants made to solidify their roster prior to the trade deadline, it was not enough to hang onto first place in the West. Balmoral stumbled in February, and while they made a modest recovery in March, it left them one game short of the suddenly hot Pelicans. Nevertheless, the Giants can celebrate their first postseason appearance, with a view that more success will follow in the seasons to follow.

The offense held pretty much steady in the final two months of the season (.278/.338/.386 – 2nd/4th/2nd). The pitching was one of the best in the West (3.38/3.50/2.53 – 2nd/2nd/1st) and the defense finished on top (.714 – 1st).

Top Position Player – Season: RF Carlton Broadbent (.321/.391/.521, 22 HR, 98 RBI, 85 R, 65 BB, 5.1 WAR) was outstanding this season, and at 25-years of age, the former 3rd overall pick may still be just warming up. Unfortunately, Broadbent is gone for the season due to an ill-timed off-field injury.

Top Pitcher – Season: RHP Henny Akerval (19-10, 3.50 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 3.56 FIP) emerged this season as Balmoral’s most consistent pitcher, on a rotation that is largely comprised of trade acquisitions. While he struggled in February (2-3, 5.02 ERA) like the rest of the team, he bounced back in March (4-0, 2.79 ERA).

Team Goat: 23-year old 2B Allen Cattenach (.254/.303/.342, 4 HR, 53 RBI, 73 R, 43 BB, 1.6 WAR in 579 AB) is a former 6th overall pick (1938-39) whose progress has been rather slow. So the decision to make him Balmoral’s lead-off hitter is a questionable one, given his low OBP and middling success at base-stealing (11 SB, 11 CS). But that’s perhaps due more to injuries forcing the Giants to play him there than anything else. Still, Balmoral will be heading into the playoffs with Cattenach as their lead-off hitter.

Key Injuries: LHP Dave Mapp (3-3, 4.04 ERA, 1.57 WHIP) suffered shoulder swelling while on a rehab assignment and has been shut down. He could be pitching again in 2 months.

Carlton Broadbent was diagnosed with an elbow strain after attempting to haul in a large fish back on March 13. He will be out 4 more weeks.

Noteworthy: For the second season in a row, a Balmoral Giant won the batting title. This season, it was 1B Roger Tyler (.324/.392/.391, 2 HR, 64 RBI, 52 R, 53 BB, 2.1 WAR), who won the Western League batting title with a .324 AVG (159 H in 491 AB).

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After a strong November and December that propelled them into first place, the Hespeler Stars were unable to sustain their momentum and utterly collapsed. They finished a distant third and missed another chance to end their playoff drought. While Kingston and Balmoral made moves prior to the trade deadline for their respective playoff pushes, the Stars sat idle. They thus have the entire off-season to prepare for another go next year. Despite the crop of young stars already on the roster, Hespeler still has one of the deepest farm systems (3rd overall). It may not be long before they finally enjoy some sustained success in the West.

The offense is going to have to improve (.261/.328/.371 – 6th/5th/5th) if they want to make the playoffs next season. The pitching fared better (3.38/3.53/2.59 – 3rd/3rd/2nd) and the defense was solid all season (.712 – 2nd).

Top Position Player – Season: CF Vic Weetman (.296/.341/.436, 16 HR, 82 RBI, 94 R, 46 BB, 16SB, 5.7 WAR) was simply outstanding in the final four months of the season, and like last season, he was sensational in the field (3.21 RNG, 16.8 ZR, 1.050 EFF, 11 E). Only his base-stealing needs some work; while he stole 16 bases, he was caught 17 times.

Top Pitcher – Season: LHP Carlton Sherrell (16-8, 2.86 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 3.41 FIP) is in his third season in the United Leagues and it was his best by far. The former third-rounder from 1938-39 finished the season as Hespeler’s No. 1 starter.

Team Goat: The Stars are not overly blessed at present at the 1B spot. Carrying the bulk of the load this season was 24-year old Héctor Gutiérrez (.235/.361/.362, 7 HR, 49 RBI, 39 R, 70 BB, 0.5 WAR in 345 AB). While he won a Rookie of the Month award in November, his overall production was not what you would want from a first baseman. No doubt Gutiérrez is still adjusting to the major league level, but as he does, Hespeler’s offense will continue to hold the team back.

Key Injuries: 38-year old 1B Dwaine Thompstone (.261/.298/.358, 3 HR, 14 RBI, 16 R, 10 BB, 0.3 WAR) broke his kneecap while running the bases back on February 28. He will be out of action for 6 months.

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The Cambria Cannons miss the playoffs for the first time since their inaugural season. It was not for a lack of trying, however, as the Cannons made three trades to try and improve their chances. But none of them paid off, as 36- year old 3B Louie Hetherington (.276/.352/.384, 5 HR, 58 RBI, 52 R, 56 BB, 1.2 WAR) faded in the final months and was relegated to the bench, 25-year old SS Thomas Murphy was wholly ineffective and 29-year old RHP Jin-man Kim was sidelined for the season due to injury less than a month after he was acquired. The Cannons have some soul-searching to do to determine what went wrong and why they are no longer a powerhouse despite the obvious talent on the team.

The offense was near the top in most categories (.278/.340/.388 –1st/2nd/1st), but the pitching, while not terrible was bypassed by other teams (3.77/3.91/2.83 – 5th/6th/4th). Defensively, they were fine (.707 – 3rd).

Top Position Player – Season: No doubt about this selection, as 26-year old LF Ron Westmacott (.323/.431/.557, 18 HR, 94 RBI, 118 R, 104 BB, 18 SB, 8.7 WAR) had his best season in years and one of the best in the entire United Leagues. For good measure, he won his second Batter of the Month honour this season in March.

Top Pitcher – Season: Not a great season for stand-out performances, but RHP Bradley Dodson (12-15, 3.31 ERA, 1.41 WHIP) got stronger as the season wore on, especially in February and March (5-4, 2.24 ERA over that stretch).

Team Goat: Thomas Murphy (.258/.310/.353, 7 HR, 49 RBI, 82 R, 43 BB, 15 SB, 1.9 WAR) is another young player still adjusting to the major league level, so this reflects more on the team as to how they figured Murphy could step in and produce right away. After joining Cambria in mid-January, Murphy went .205/.255/.300, 4 HR, 25 RBI, 22 R, 5 SB, -0.1 WAR in 220 AB to go along with some poor defense.

Key Injuries: RHP Jin-man Kim (4-0, 3 SV, 2.86 ERA, 1.55 WHIP) strained a thigh muscle while pitching back on February 11. He should be 100% in another 6 weeks.

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The Fort Richmond Generals finished the season much like they have for the previous five: not good enough to challenge for a playoff spot nor bad enough to finish near the bottom. But in a season where there were no powerhouses in the West, it must be viewed as a squandered opportunity by the Generals not to have made a push for the wild card. Instead they began a fairly tepid rebuild. If Fort Richmond really wants to become a player in the Western League, then they need to decide which way they are headed: either a win now mode or a full-rebuild. Half-measures won’t cut it.

The offense remained middle of the road throughout the season (.272/.339/.372 – 4th/3rd/4th), but both the pitching (3.96/3.79/5.08 – 6th/4th/8th) and defense will need to be addressed (.680 – 8th) if the Generals want to make any strides.

Top Position Player – Season: This year is wasn’t a slam dunk, but C Danny Trowbridge (.288/.387/.401, 11 HR, 60 RBI, 89 R, 87 BB, 5 SB, 4.7 WAR) emerged as Fort Richmond’s top position player this season, despite the fact that it was a step down from last year (6.6 WAR in 1941-42).

Top Pitcher – Season: Overall, RHP Oscar Burress (17-14, 3.07 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 2.95 FIP) was the best pitcher on the staff this season. Although LHP David Nixon (18-6, 2.90 ERA, 3.70 WHIP) could make a case that he had the best overall season as well.

Team Goat: 28-year old OF Gael Huxham (.261/.340/.376, 9 HR, 60 RBI, 48 R, 47 BB, -0.1 WAR) is nominally a back-up outfielder, but Fort Richmond saw fit to play him in centerfield for 844.1 innings, and he just killed them with his defense (3.29 RNG, -16.9 ZR, .931 EFF, 11 E).

Key Injuries: RHP Dean Stroud (3-12, 4.05 ERA, 1.44 WHIP) strained his thigh while pitching back on January 8. He is out for one more week.

SS Steven Wormleighton (.295/.332/.388, 3 HR, 58 RBI, 80 R, 29 BB, 15 SB, 4.1 WAR) suffered a hip strain while running the bases back on March 23. He will be out 5 weeks.

CF Gael Huxham also suffered a hip strain while running the bases back on March 24. But he will be laid up 4 months.

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The 1942-43 season comes to end with the Wolseley Unions once again searching for an identity. I have considered them to be the most boring team as a result, but perhaps that may start to change. They’ve embraced youth and now have five former 1st or 2nd round draft picks in the lineup. They also have a bona fide ace heading the rotation, but they will need a lot more if they hope to earn a winning identity anytime soon.

The offense was dreadful this season, despite some genuine talent (.245/.320/.345 – 8th/8th/8th) and the pitching (4.28/4.37/3.80 – 8th/8th/7th) was not in any shape this year to help. Defense was woeful (.687 – 7th). The Unions have lots of room for improvement.

Top Position Player – Season: RF Nicky Willis (.315/.400/.458, 15 HR, 74 RBI, 76 R, 81 BB, 5.1 WAR) made great strides this season and he is only 25-year old.
1B Craig Aiton (.269/.325/.368, 1 HR, 41 RBI, 43 R, 27 BB, 11 SB, 1.0 WAR) continued to improve as the season wore on and won his second consecutive Rookie of the Month Award in February.

Top Pitcher – Season: Seeing the progress of RHP Aaron Saunderson (18-15, 2.61 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 3.02 FIP) over the past few seasons has been quire enjoyable and this year he was far ahead of the rest of the pitching staff.

Team Goat: As with many of these ‘goats’, it falls to a young player that wasn’t quite ready to handle an everyday spot in the lineup. In Wolseley’s case, it was 21-year old SS Jorge Arredondo (.222/.265/.297, 4 HR, 45 RBI, 56 R, 28 BB, -0.2 WAR in 481 AB) who was installed as the Unions’ lead-off hitter this season. The former 3rd overall pick from 1940-41 struggled game in and game out. Hopefully, he can shake it off and come back fresh next season.

Key Injuries: RHP Jean-Pierre Da Silva (4-5, 3.38 ERA, 1.44 WHIP) tore elbow ligaments back on January 14. He is gone 3 more months.

RHP Douggie Taylor (2-3, 5 SV, 3.94 ERA, 1.73 WHIP, 3.58 FIP) experienced elbow numbness while pitching back on March 6. He will be sidelined another 4 months.

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The 1942-43 season was essentially a tale of two halves for the Pulberry Trolleys, as the team came alive in January and went on to finish the second half with a 41-37 record. By comparison, they went just 25-51 in the first three months. While they slowed down in March to finish the season, there may be some basis that this is a club that is on the verge of tasting more winning next season. Or, at least one can hope.

Their offense (.258/.326/.350 – 7th/8th/7th) saw a modest improvement to end the season, but it still has a ways to go. The pitching, too, continued to improve (3.75/3.85/2.82 – 4th/5th/3rd). The defense remained in the middle of the pack (.705 – 5th) this season.

Top Position Player – Season: 27-year old SS Wenceslas Jasmin (.296/.361/.376, 3 HR, 55 RBI, 85 R, 63 BB, 16 SB, 5.0 WAR) enjoyed his best season in the United Leagues, and was the offensive leader of the club. The former first overall pick (1938-39) also contributed on defense as well (5.19 RNG, +6.5 ZR, 1.016 EFF, 28 E).
24-year old rookie CF Jarod Dwyer (.265/.326/.403, 3 HR, 31 RBI, 24 R, 15 BB, 0.4 WAR) joined the big league club in late December and soon began contributing. The former third overall pick (1941-42) caught fire in March, winning Rookie of the Month honours.

Top Pitcher – Season: The Pulberry starters all had uneven seasons, so this time, I’ll go with RHP Morgan Tice (8-3, 10 SV, 2.27 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 3.24 FIP) who enjoyed a terrific second season as the Trolleys’ go-to guy out of the bullpen.
RHP Bailey Keedwell (11-19, 4.06 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 3.83 FIP) enjoyed his best month of the season in February, winning the Pitcher of the Month award in the process.

Team Goat: 33-year old Byron Tope (.264/.321/.372, 5 HR, 27 RBI, 29 R, 25 BB, 0.6 WAR in 277 AB) served as the nominal first baseman for Pulberry, after coming over from Fort Richmond in a trade in the off-season. But he is little more than a utility player at best and is not a long-term solution at that position. Pulberry would have been better served I think if they had played Wenceslas Jasmin at 1B and put either Jamie Florey (.255/.353/.368, 11 HR, 72 RBI, 78 R, 85 BB, 4.3 WAR) or Colin Strudwick (.281/.316/.370, 2 HR, 65 RBI, 63 R, 29 BB, 1.2 WAR) at SS.

Key Injuries: 22-year old LF Bruno Lapthorne (.269/.315/.385, 4 HR, 72 RBI, 69 R, 38 BB) suffered shoulder stiffness while throwing in a game back on March 6. He is laid up for another 2 weeks.

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If anything, the Sherburn Tigers are consistent, as they sported an identical 33-44 record both at home and on the road this season. Sherburn is another team that is patiently waiting for its young prospects to reach and thrive at major league level. Thus patience will be a virtue for Tigers fans, as Sherburn will probably be calling the second division home for at least the next little while.

Sherburn’s offense (.265/.328/.354 – 5th/5th/6th), pitching (4.28/4.41/3.33 – 7th/8th/5th) and defense (.691 – 6th) perfectly illustrated why the Tigers are a second division team.

Top Position Player – Season: 29-year old 3B Harley Simmons (.303/.367/.447, 12 HR, 72 RBI, 67 R, 51 BB, 11 SB, 6.9 WAR) emerged as a legitimate star this season, as he really came alive in the second half of the season. Over his previous four seasons in the ULB, he accumulated 5.9 WAR; he surpassed that total in this year alone. Mention should also be made as to his defense at the hot corner: 3.30 RNG, +32.7 ZR, 1.109 EFF, 9 E. Wow.

Top Pitcher – Season: 24-year old RHP Roberto Taváres (16-15, 3.46 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 3.41 FIP) finished the season as Sherburn’s No. 1 starter. The former 5th overall pick (1940-41) looks poised to become one of the Tigers leaders on the rotation.

Team Goat: 33-year old RHP Dillon Green (8-21, 5.90 ERA, 1.61 WHIP, 4.51 FIP) had his worst season by far. In his six seasons, he has never had an ERA below 4.20. For now, he serves as Sherburn’s No. 5 starter, but without doubt this is one area the Tigers would like to upgrade ASAP.

Key Injuries: 2B Damien Davis (.309/.375/.360, 8-2B, 32 RBI, 28 R, 25 BB) tore a back muscle in a collision in a game back on January 4. He is out 7-8 weeks.

LHP Daniel Pierson (7-2, 3.19 ERA, 1.38 WHIP) experienced shoulder swelling while pitching in a game back on November 29. He is gone for 2-3 more months.

RHP Leo Chesters (7-17, 5.32 ERA, 1.66 WHIP, 4.73 FIP) tore an elbow ligament while pitching in a game back on February 28. He is gone for at least another 9 months.

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03-18-2016, 11:58 AM	#234
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,929	March 30, 1943 Western League: Pesky Pelicans Pounce on Giants, Stars -------- The Kingston Pelicans moved out of lurking mode as it were and leapt over both the Hespeler Stars and Balmoral Giants to take first place by a single game. It’s the sixth straight year that Kingston has made the playoffs and the second straight year that they have surged in the final month of the season to grab a playoff spot. The offense (.275/.346/.375 – 3rd/1st /3rd), pitching (3.21/3.15/3.73 – 1st/1st/6th) and defense (.706 – 4th) all improved as the season wore on. *Top Position Player – Season:* Recognition must go to both 2B Mo Symes (.315/.395/.437, 12 HR, 86 RBI, 88 R, 77 BB, 18 SB, 4.1 WAR) and 1B Fergus Chitty (.288/.424/.433, 16 HR, 78 RBI, 79 R, 123 BB, 4.2 WAR). However, both saw their offensive production go down compared to last season, and both were miserable on defense. CF Jamie Couch (.304/.350/.394, 3 HR, 46 RBI, 58 R, 33 BB, 18 SB, 2.4 WAR) came on strong in both February and March, winning Batter of the Month honours for February. He proved to be another shrewd trade acquisition by the Pelicans that helped them return to the playoffs. *Top Pitcher – Season:* RHP Joey Cumberledge (21-7, 2.70 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 3.01 FIP) enjoyed an outstanding season serving as Kingston’s ace and won the Pitcher of the Month award in March. It was his third season with 20+ wins. *Team Goat:* For reasons not immediately clear to me, the Pelicans are currently employing 32-year old C Ellis Oram (.291/.344/.349, 9-2B, 17 RBI, 14 R, 16 BB, 0.7 WAR in 189 AB) as their starting catcher, despite his sub-par defense (4.64 RNG, -4.8 ZR, .824 EFF, 5 E) and having a younger, more defensively sound catcher in 25-year old Freddie Duran (.283/.379/.370, 4 HR, 57 RBI, 40 R, 56 BB, 2.5 WAR in 346 AB). Oram may be adequate as an occasional backup, but he is no longer an everyday catcher. *Key Injuries:* RF Chong-sik Lee (.318/.348/.409) tore a knee ligament in a game back on October 10. He is out for the season (4-5 weeks). RHP Yasushi Kobayashi (1-1, 2.63 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 3.88 FIP) injured himself while pitching back on October 25. He required surgery to remove elbow-bone chips. He is out for the season as well (6-7 weeks). RHP Harley Bracher (10-13, 3.42 ERA, 1.51 WHIP, 3.20 FIP) experienced shoulder swelling while pitching back on February 11. He is laid up another 2-3 weeks. LF Jayden Tennant (.333/.430/.541, 5 HR, 27 RBI, 21 R, 25 BB, 1.5 WAR) broke an elbow bone after being hit by a pitch back on December 7. He is out for one more day, but it remains to be seen if he can rejoin the team for the playoffs. -------- Despite the moves the Balmoral Giants made to solidify their roster prior to the trade deadline, it was not enough to hang onto first place in the West. Balmoral stumbled in February, and while they made a modest recovery in March, it left them one game short of the suddenly hot Pelicans. Nevertheless, the Giants can celebrate their first postseason appearance, with a view that more success will follow in the seasons to follow. The offense held pretty much steady in the final two months of the season (.278/.338/.386 – 2nd/4th/2nd). The pitching was one of the best in the West (3.38/3.50/2.53 – 2nd/2nd/1st) and the defense finished on top (.714 – 1st). *Top Position Player – Season:* RF Carlton Broadbent (.321/.391/.521, 22 HR, 98 RBI, 85 R, 65 BB, 5.1 WAR) was outstanding this season, and at 25-years of age, the former 3rd overall pick may still be just warming up. Unfortunately, Broadbent is gone for the season due to an ill-timed off-field injury. *Top Pitcher – Season:* RHP Henny Akerval (19-10, 3.50 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 3.56 FIP) emerged this season as Balmoral’s most consistent pitcher, on a rotation that is largely comprised of trade acquisitions. While he struggled in February (2-3, 5.02 ERA) like the rest of the team, he bounced back in March (4-0, 2.79 ERA). *Team Goat:* 23-year old 2B Allen Cattenach (.254/.303/.342, 4 HR, 53 RBI, 73 R, 43 BB, 1.6 WAR in 579 AB) is a former 6th overall pick (1938-39) whose progress has been rather slow. So the decision to make him Balmoral’s lead-off hitter is a questionable one, given his low OBP and middling success at base-stealing (11 SB, 11 CS). But that’s perhaps due more to injuries forcing the Giants to play him there than anything else. Still, Balmoral will be heading into the playoffs with Cattenach as their lead-off hitter. *Key Injuries:* LHP Dave Mapp (3-3, 4.04 ERA, 1.57 WHIP) suffered shoulder swelling while on a rehab assignment and has been shut down. He could be pitching again in 2 months. Carlton Broadbent was diagnosed with an elbow strain after attempting to haul in a large fish back on March 13. He will be out 4 more weeks. *Noteworthy:* For the second season in a row, a Balmoral Giant won the batting title. This season, it was 1B Roger Tyler (.324/.392/.391, 2 HR, 64 RBI, 52 R, 53 BB, 2.1 WAR), who won the Western League batting title with a .324 AVG (159 H in 491 AB). -------- After a strong November and December that propelled them into first place, the Hespeler Stars were unable to sustain their momentum and utterly collapsed. They finished a distant third and missed another chance to end their playoff drought. While Kingston and Balmoral made moves prior to the trade deadline for their respective playoff pushes, the Stars sat idle. They thus have the entire off-season to prepare for another go next year. Despite the crop of young stars already on the roster, Hespeler still has one of the deepest farm systems (3rd overall). It may not be long before they finally enjoy some sustained success in the West. The offense is going to have to improve (.261/.328/.371 – 6th/5th/5th) if they want to make the playoffs next season. The pitching fared better (3.38/3.53/2.59 – 3rd/3rd/2nd) and the defense was solid all season (.712 – 2nd). *Top Position Player – Season:* CF Vic Weetman (.296/.341/.436, 16 HR, 82 RBI, 94 R, 46 BB, 16SB, 5.7 WAR) was simply outstanding in the final four months of the season, and like last season, he was sensational in the field (3.21 RNG, 16.8 ZR, 1.050 EFF, 11 E). Only his base-stealing needs some work; while he stole 16 bases, he was caught 17 times. *Top Pitcher – Season:* LHP Carlton Sherrell (16-8, 2.86 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 3.41 FIP) is in his third season in the United Leagues and it was his best by far. The former third-rounder from 1938-39 finished the season as Hespeler’s No. 1 starter. *Team Goat:* The Stars are not overly blessed at present at the 1B spot. Carrying the bulk of the load this season was 24-year old Héctor Gutiérrez (.235/.361/.362, 7 HR, 49 RBI, 39 R, 70 BB, 0.5 WAR in 345 AB). While he won a Rookie of the Month award in November, his overall production was not what you would want from a first baseman. No doubt Gutiérrez is still adjusting to the major league level, but as he does, Hespeler’s offense will continue to hold the team back. *Key Injuries:* 38-year old 1B Dwaine Thompstone (.261/.298/.358, 3 HR, 14 RBI, 16 R, 10 BB, 0.3 WAR) broke his kneecap while running the bases back on February 28. He will be out of action for 6 months. -------- The Cambria Cannons miss the playoffs for the first time since their inaugural season. It was not for a lack of trying, however, as the Cannons made three trades to try and improve their chances. But none of them paid off, as 36- year old 3B Louie Hetherington (.276/.352/.384, 5 HR, 58 RBI, 52 R, 56 BB, 1.2 WAR) faded in the final months and was relegated to the bench, 25-year old SS Thomas Murphy was wholly ineffective and 29-year old RHP Jin-man Kim was sidelined for the season due to injury less than a month after he was acquired. The Cannons have some soul-searching to do to determine what went wrong and why they are no longer a powerhouse despite the obvious talent on the team. The offense was near the top in most categories (.278/.340/.388 –1st/2nd/1st), but the pitching, while not terrible was bypassed by other teams (3.77/3.91/2.83 – 5th/6th/4th). Defensively, they were fine (.707 – 3rd). *Top Position Player – Season:* No doubt about this selection, as 26-year old LF Ron Westmacott (.323/.431/.557, 18 HR, 94 RBI, 118 R, 104 BB, 18 SB, 8.7 WAR) had his best season in years and one of the best in the entire United Leagues. For good measure, he won his second Batter of the Month honour this season in March. *Top Pitcher – Season:* Not a great season for stand-out performances, but RHP Bradley Dodson (12-15, 3.31 ERA, 1.41 WHIP) got stronger as the season wore on, especially in February and March (5-4, 2.24 ERA over that stretch). *Team Goat:* Thomas Murphy (.258/.310/.353, 7 HR, 49 RBI, 82 R, 43 BB, 15 SB, 1.9 WAR) is another young player still adjusting to the major league level, so this reflects more on the team as to how they figured Murphy could step in and produce right away. After joining Cambria in mid-January, Murphy went .205/.255/.300, 4 HR, 25 RBI, 22 R, 5 SB, -0.1 WAR in 220 AB to go along with some poor defense. *Key Injuries:* RHP Jin-man Kim (4-0, 3 SV, 2.86 ERA, 1.55 WHIP) strained a thigh muscle while pitching back on February 11. He should be 100% in another 6 weeks. -------- The Fort Richmond Generals finished the season much like they have for the previous five: not good enough to challenge for a playoff spot nor bad enough to finish near the bottom. But in a season where there were no powerhouses in the West, it must be viewed as a squandered opportunity by the Generals not to have made a push for the wild card. Instead they began a fairly tepid rebuild. If Fort Richmond really wants to become a player in the Western League, then they need to decide which way they are headed: either a win now mode or a full-rebuild. Half-measures won’t cut it. The offense remained middle of the road throughout the season (.272/.339/.372 – 4th/3rd/4th), but both the pitching (3.96/3.79/5.08 – 6th/4th/8th) and defense will need to be addressed (.680 – 8th) if the Generals want to make any strides. *Top Position Player – Season:* This year is wasn’t a slam dunk, but C Danny Trowbridge (.288/.387/.401, 11 HR, 60 RBI, 89 R, 87 BB, 5 SB, 4.7 WAR) emerged as Fort Richmond’s top position player this season, despite the fact that it was a step down from last year (6.6 WAR in 1941-42). *Top Pitcher – Season:* Overall, RHP Oscar Burress (17-14, 3.07 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 2.95 FIP) was the best pitcher on the staff this season. Although LHP David Nixon (18-6, 2.90 ERA, 3.70 WHIP) could make a case that he had the best overall season as well. *Team Goat:* 28-year old OF Gael Huxham (.261/.340/.376, 9 HR, 60 RBI, 48 R, 47 BB, -0.1 WAR) is nominally a back-up outfielder, but Fort Richmond saw fit to play him in centerfield for 844.1 innings, and he just killed them with his defense (3.29 RNG, -16.9 ZR, .931 EFF, 11 E). *Key Injuries:* RHP Dean Stroud (3-12, 4.05 ERA, 1.44 WHIP) strained his thigh while pitching back on January 8. He is out for one more week. SS Steven Wormleighton (.295/.332/.388, 3 HR, 58 RBI, 80 R, 29 BB, 15 SB, 4.1 WAR) suffered a hip strain while running the bases back on March 23. He will be out 5 weeks. CF Gael Huxham also suffered a hip strain while running the bases back on March 24. But he will be laid up 4 months. -------- The 1942-43 season comes to end with the Wolseley Unions once again searching for an identity. I have considered them to be the most boring team as a result, but perhaps that may start to change. They’ve embraced youth and now have five former 1st or 2nd round draft picks in the lineup. They also have a bona fide ace heading the rotation, but they will need a lot more if they hope to earn a winning identity anytime soon. The offense was dreadful this season, despite some genuine talent (.245/.320/.345 – 8th/8th/8th) and the pitching (4.28/4.37/3.80 – 8th/8th/7th) was not in any shape this year to help. Defense was woeful (.687 – 7th). The Unions have lots of room for improvement. *Top Position Player – Season:* RF Nicky Willis (.315/.400/.458, 15 HR, 74 RBI, 76 R, 81 BB, 5.1 WAR) made great strides this season and he is only 25-year old. 1B Craig Aiton (.269/.325/.368, 1 HR, 41 RBI, 43 R, 27 BB, 11 SB, 1.0 WAR) continued to improve as the season wore on and won his second consecutive Rookie of the Month Award in February. *Top Pitcher – Season:* Seeing the progress of RHP Aaron Saunderson (18-15, 2.61 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 3.02 FIP) over the past few seasons has been quire enjoyable and this year he was far ahead of the rest of the pitching staff. *Team Goat:* As with many of these ‘goats’, it falls to a young player that wasn’t quite ready to handle an everyday spot in the lineup. In Wolseley’s case, it was 21-year old SS Jorge Arredondo (.222/.265/.297, 4 HR, 45 RBI, 56 R, 28 BB, -0.2 WAR in 481 AB) who was installed as the Unions’ lead-off hitter this season. The former 3rd overall pick from 1940-41 struggled game in and game out. Hopefully, he can shake it off and come back fresh next season. *Key Injuries:* RHP Jean-Pierre Da Silva (4-5, 3.38 ERA, 1.44 WHIP) tore elbow ligaments back on January 14. He is gone 3 more months. RHP Douggie Taylor (2-3, 5 SV, 3.94 ERA, 1.73 WHIP, 3.58 FIP) experienced elbow numbness while pitching back on March 6. He will be sidelined another 4 months. -------- The 1942-43 season was essentially a tale of two halves for the Pulberry Trolleys, as the team came alive in January and went on to finish the second half with a 41-37 record. By comparison, they went just 25-51 in the first three months. While they slowed down in March to finish the season, there may be some basis that this is a club that is on the verge of tasting more winning next season. Or, at least one can hope. Their offense (.258/.326/.350 – 7th/8th/7th) saw a modest improvement to end the season, but it still has a ways to go. The pitching, too, continued to improve (3.75/3.85/2.82 – 4th/5th/3rd). The defense remained in the middle of the pack (.705 – 5th) this season. *Top Position Player – Season:* 27-year old SS Wenceslas Jasmin (.296/.361/.376, 3 HR, 55 RBI, 85 R, 63 BB, 16 SB, 5.0 WAR) enjoyed his best season in the United Leagues, and was the offensive leader of the club. The former first overall pick (1938-39) also contributed on defense as well (5.19 RNG, +6.5 ZR, 1.016 EFF, 28 E). 24-year old rookie CF Jarod Dwyer (.265/.326/.403, 3 HR, 31 RBI, 24 R, 15 BB, 0.4 WAR) joined the big league club in late December and soon began contributing. The former third overall pick (1941-42) caught fire in March, winning Rookie of the Month honours. *Top Pitcher – Season:* The Pulberry starters all had uneven seasons, so this time, I’ll go with RHP Morgan Tice (8-3, 10 SV, 2.27 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 3.24 FIP) who enjoyed a terrific second season as the Trolleys’ go-to guy out of the bullpen. RHP Bailey Keedwell (11-19, 4.06 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 3.83 FIP) enjoyed his best month of the season in February, winning the Pitcher of the Month award in the process. *Team Goat:* 33-year old Byron Tope (.264/.321/.372, 5 HR, 27 RBI, 29 R, 25 BB, 0.6 WAR in 277 AB) served as the nominal first baseman for Pulberry, after coming over from Fort Richmond in a trade in the off-season. But he is little more than a utility player at best and is not a long-term solution at that position. Pulberry would have been better served I think if they had played Wenceslas Jasmin at 1B and put either Jamie Florey (.255/.353/.368, 11 HR, 72 RBI, 78 R, 85 BB, 4.3 WAR) or Colin Strudwick (.281/.316/.370, 2 HR, 65 RBI, 63 R, 29 BB, 1.2 WAR) at SS. *Key Injuries:* 22-year old LF Bruno Lapthorne (.269/.315/.385, 4 HR, 72 RBI, 69 R, 38 BB) suffered shoulder stiffness while throwing in a game back on March 6. He is laid up for another 2 weeks. -------- If anything, the Sherburn Tigers are consistent, as they sported an identical 33-44 record both at home and on the road this season. Sherburn is another team that is patiently waiting for its young prospects to reach and thrive at major league level. Thus patience will be a virtue for Tigers fans, as Sherburn will probably be calling the second division home for at least the next little while. Sherburn’s offense (.265/.328/.354 – 5th/5th/6th), pitching (4.28/4.41/3.33 – 7th/8th/5th) and defense (.691 – 6th) perfectly illustrated why the Tigers are a second division team. *Top Position Player – Season:* 29-year old 3B Harley Simmons (.303/.367/.447, 12 HR, 72 RBI, 67 R, 51 BB, 11 SB, 6.9 WAR) emerged as a legitimate star this season, as he really came alive in the second half of the season. Over his previous four seasons in the ULB, he accumulated 5.9 WAR; he surpassed that total in this year alone. Mention should also be made as to his defense at the hot corner: 3.30 RNG, +32.7 ZR, 1.109 EFF, 9 E. Wow. *Top Pitcher – Season:* 24-year old RHP Roberto Taváres (16-15, 3.46 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 3.41 FIP) finished the season as Sherburn’s No. 1 starter. The former 5th overall pick (1940-41) looks poised to become one of the Tigers leaders on the rotation. *Team Goat:* 33-year old RHP Dillon Green (8-21, 5.90 ERA, 1.61 WHIP, 4.51 FIP) had his worst season by far. In his six seasons, he has never had an ERA below 4.20. For now, he serves as Sherburn’s No. 5 starter, but without doubt this is one area the Tigers would like to upgrade ASAP. *Key Injuries: 2B Damien Davis (.309/.375/.360, 8-2B, 32 RBI, 28 R, 25 BB) tore a back muscle in a collision in a game back on January 4. He is out 7-8 weeks. LHP Daniel Pierson (7-2, 3.19 ERA, 1.38 WHIP) experienced shoulder swelling while pitching in a game back on November 29. He is gone for 2-3 more months. RHP Leo Chesters (7-17, 5.32 ERA, 1.66 WHIP, 4.73 FIP) tore an elbow ligament while pitching in a game back on February 28. He is gone for at least another 9 months. -------- __________________ United Leagues of Braeland* Last edited by reds1; 07-05-2017 at 01:22 AM.