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reds1 · 12-01-2017, 08:46 PM

(Had to get a new motherboard for my computer this past week. Good thing I still had warranty.

)

March 29, 1948

Eastern League: Barons, Monarchs to Battle for Pennant

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The Stratford Barons continued their impressive play in February and March to capture their fourth first place finish in the East. Their 99 victories are the highest in club history, one more than the 1940-41 club that won the United Cup. But it was not a runaway; Braeland City remained just one game back when the two teams concluded the season with a four-game series in Braeland City. The Monarchs won the first game 5-1 to pull into a first place tie, but the Barons took the next three, 3-2, 4-2 and 14-3 to secure home field advantage in the Pennant Series, against the same Monarchs.

Offense: .267/.362/.402 (3rd/1st/3rd)
Pitching: 3.43/3.32/4.09 (1st/1st/6th)
Defense: .715 (3rd)
Chemistry: Ecstatic

Top Position Player: 24-year old CF Roberto Ríos (.288/.428/.514, 24 HR, 121 RBI, 137 BB, 11 SB, 8.2 WAR) has been a very fine player for the Barons the past couple of seasons (5.2 WAR last year), but he became a force in his third full year. His final home run was a grand slam on the last day of the season against the Monarchs. He went 3 for 5 with 1 HR, 6 RBI in Stratford’s 14-3 thumping of Braeland City.

Top Pitcher: It was a return to form and then some for 39-year old LHP Ryan Borden (22-7, 2.13 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 188 ERA+), who rebounded from a torn should muscle, forcing him to miss most of the season last year. Borden led all ULB pitchers in wins and ERA this season.

Noteworthy:

March 7 – 1B Won-ho Kim (.290/.369/.379, 2 HR, 42 RBI, 89 BB, 10 SB, 2.9 WAR) had another big day at the plate, going 5 for 5 against the Brunswick Legends. Kim singled in the 1st, hit an RBI triple in the 3rd, hit an RBI single in the 5th, singled in the 7th and tripled in the 9th. His efforts helped the Barons eke out a 3-2 win.

Key Injuries:

RHP Bill Blair – December 22 – ruptured disc. Out for: 2-3 months.
CF Roberto Ríos – March 20 – sprained thumb. Out for: DtD, 2 days.

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They very nearly pulled it off but in the end, the Braeland City Monarchs had to settle for second place, finishing 3 games back of the Barons. Still, their 96 victories marks the third time they have reached that total, the most in team history. They won 28 games more than last year and as a result, they reach the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons. But their Pyt.Rec. was only 84-70 – a whopping +12 difference, the largest in ULB history. So it will be interesting to see how they fare in the playoffs.

Top Position Players: 25-year old 1B Kyle Pryor (.305/.410/.542, 23 HR, 83 RBI, 73 BB, 4.9 WAR) was simply outstanding from November on. He faced RHP almost exclusively and was terrific on defense. This season was a letdown in some ways for 34-year old 3B Adam Ashley (.303/.384/.400, 2 HR, 45 RBI, 69 BB, 12 SB, 4.0 WAR), especially compared to the last couple of seasons. But he finished strong over February and March.

Top Pitcher: 38-year old LHP David Cooling (21-7, 2.62 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 155 ERA+) was the only other pitcher in the ULB besides Stratford’s Ryan Borden to reach the 20-win plateau. He enjoyed his best season since 1940-41, when he won the Satchel Paige Award.

Offense: .279/.342/.407 (2nd/5th/2nd)
Pitching: 3.61/3.60/3.71 (2nd/2nd/3rd)
Defense: .706 (5th)
Chemistry: Ecstatic

Player of the Week Awards:

February 16 – 1B Kyle Pryor (.611, 11 H, 1 HR, 3 RBI)

Key Injuries:

RF Gavin Bansfield – October 19 – fractured fibula. Out for: 6-7 weeks.
LHP Nicholas Grimes – December 11 – torn labrum. Out for: one week.
SS Luwen Rodenburg – March 11 – strained triceps. Out for: 2-3 weeks.

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The Brunswick Legends finished with a winning record for the 10th straight season, but there was little else, apart from individual performances, to cheer about. The Legends were just part of the ‘rest of the pack’, as they finished a distance third, 21 games back of Stratford. And with their announcement back in January that they are switching to ‘rebuild’ mode, the make-up of the team may be very different come next season’s Spring Training. Interestingly, the clubhouse has quickly lost its cohesion, as there are reports of in-fighting. My how things change when success starts to dry up.

Top Position Players: Four players deserve mention here. 27-year old RF Marcus Peyto (.309/.401/.568, 33 HR, 129 RBI, 90 BB, 6 SB, 6.1 WAR) lived up to his billing, as he easily enjoyed the best season thus far of his 7-year career. But 31-year old 1B Stuart Bentham (.322/.418/.525, 29 HR, 107 RBI, 96 BB, 5.5 WAR) was his usual outstanding self as well. Mention should also be made of 26-year old SS Jorge Arredondo (.316/.406/.446, 15 HR, 71 RBI, 90 BB, 21 SB, 5.3 WAR), who was acquired from Wolseley last season. Finally, 31-year old LF Ron Westmacott (.285/.390/.506, 15 HR, 59 RBI, 52 BB, 8 SB, 3.1 WAR) saw his first productive season since 1944-45, when he was with the Cambria Cannons.

Top Pitcher: No question here. 31-year old LHP Anastasio Rodríguez (19-10, 3.01 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 134 ERA+) has been Brunswick’s ace since 1938-39 and this season was no different. But it may have gone to his head, as reports suggest Rodríguez is a major source of strife on the club. His teammates consider him a plague in the clubhouse and want nothing to do with him.

Offense: .261/.350/.402 (6th/2nd/4th)
Pitching: 4.02/3.74/45.12 (4th/3rd/8th)
Defense: .692 (7th)
Chemistry: Feuding

Player of the Week Awards:

March 1 – RF Marcus Peyto (.391, 9 H, 3 HR, 11 RBI)
March 8 – RF Marcus Peyto (.450, 9 H, 2 HR, 4 RBI)
March 22 – RF Marcus Peyto (.391, 9 H, 4 HR, 7 RBI)

Noteworthy:

February 17 – Brunswick pummelled the Wolseley Unions 9-1 at Babe Ruth Park, and utility 2B Derek Myers (.267/.368/.347, 1 HR, 9 RBI, 15 BB, 0.3 WAR) played a featured role. He went 5 for 5 on the day. He hit an RBI double in the 1st, singled in the 3rd, hit an RBI single in the 4th, singled in the 7th and hit a 2-run single in the 8th.

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Their 77 wins represent a modest 5-game improvement over last season, but the Embro Suns will miss the playoffs for the second consecutive year. But the Suns have already announced that they are switching to ‘rebuilding’ mode, so like the Legends, their roster may look very different come next season. With the weakest farm system in the ULB, they sure could use an infusion of young talent.

Top Position Players: He missed 5 weeks to injury, but 33-year old 1B Jim Friend (.299/.403/.510, 22 HR, 90 RBI, 85 BB, 4.4 WAR) continued to be Embro’s offensive stalwart. But he was joined by 28-year old C Scott Weller (.290/.377/.453, 13 HR, 78 RBI, 59 BB, 4.3 WAR) as one of the top players for Embro. The former 2nd-round pick from 1941-42 saw his best season so far in his 4th full year in the United Leagues.

Top Pitcher: It was not a stellar year for Embro pitchers, but a couple of veterans still deserve mention. 33-year old RHP Myung-gu Son (14-10, 3.66 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 110 ERA+) provided reliability on the mound, while 38-year old stopper RHP Colm Soper (3-3, 24 SV, 1.77 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 227 ERA+) remained one of the top relievers in the United Leagues.

Offense: .262/.349/.383 (5th/3rd/6th)
Pitching: 4.69/5.11/3.38 (8th/8th/1st)
Defense: .688 (8th)
Chemistry: Happy

Player of the Week Awards:

February 23 – CF Terence Durney (.435, 10 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 5 R)

Key Injuries:

RHP Reece Leavers – February 25 – partially torn UCL. Out for: 5 months.
CF Terence Durney – March 16 – forearm stiffness. Out for: 1 week.
LF Tzu-yu Song – March 24 – torn ankle ligaments. Out for: 5 weeks.

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It was more of the same for the Downie Chiefs, as they failed to reach 70 wins for the sixth time in their 11-year history. Still, they may not be far away from finally becoming relevant in the Eastern League. But the bevy of talent they have on the roster is going to have to step up at some point if that is to happen. Next season would be a perfect time to do it.

Top Position Player: The Chiefs have never really had a ‘superstar’ on their roster – until this season. 22-year old CF Alfonso Léon (.300/.357/.505, 22 HR, 86 RBI, 54 BB, 7.1 WAR) had just an incredible year in just his second season in the ULB. His defense was jaw-dropping as well (.982 PCT, 3.38 RNG, +18.1 ZR, 1.050 EFF). The former 2nd-overall pick from 1944-45 is currently rated 7th overall among position players. That rating should only rise as his career takes off. He is a keystone player that the Chiefs can/should build around.

Top Pitchers: 27-year old RHP Bernie Knowles (12-12, 3.16 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 124 ERA+) was a solid pick-up and enjoyed a nice bounce-back season in his first year with the Chiefs. 25-year old RHP Kelii Pelanekelina (14-17, 4.08 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 96 ERA+) recovered somewhat from his rough first-half, enough to suggest that Downie might have a very respectable tandem at the top of the rotation next season.

Offense: .251/.321/.376 (8th/8th/7th)
Pitching: 4.19/4.20/4.14 (6th/5th/7th)
Defense: .724 (2nd)
Chemistry: Feuding

Key Injuries:

RHP Harley Bracher – December 22 – torn labrum. Out for: 2-3 months.
3B Dominic Dudding – January 28 – fractured thumb. Out for: 2 weeks.
1B Tobias Yogore – March 8 – plantar fasciitis. Out for: 1-2 weeks.
2B Robin Duerden – March 28 – intercostal strain. Out for: 3 weeks.
RHP Bernie Knowles – March 29 – tired arm. Out for: 1-2 weeks.

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It was a season of missed opportunities for the Cobourg Red Stockings, as an offense that came to life was undermined by a pitiful pitching effort. GM Denzel Seamon recognized the need of improved pitching heading into this season, but I doubt even he expected that the pitching would have been this bad. If Seamon can work out a deal to bring in another steady pitcher like he did with Lenny Freke or if the present pitchers can bounce back, then Cobourg will be back in the playoff hunt in a big way next season. Last year, they missed out on the wild card by just a single game.

Top Position Players: No shortage here as a number of position players blossomed. 26-year old SS John Medley (.363/.416/.522, 9 HR, 81 HR, 57 BB, 44 SB, 6.5 WAR) became a force at the plate and on the basepaths, scoring 105 R and coming just 2 SB shy of the record. He won the Eastern League Batting Title to boot and went on a 22-game hitting streak until the Brunswick Legends ended it on February 23. Only his defense was suspect (.930 PCT, 4.40 RNG, -18.0 ZR, .935 EFF).
26-year old 3B Alexander Tolmie (.305/.373/.473, 19 HR, 99 RBI, 63 BB, 5.9 WAR) and 21-year old CF Raymond Williams (.300/.342/.502, 18 HR, 100 RBI, 41 BB, 11 SB, 5.1 WAR) ably supported Medley to make the Red Stockings’ lineup the most potent in the ULB. All three players were one-time first overall picks.

Top Pitcher: In contrast to Cobourg’s incredible performance at the plate, the Red Stockings’ pitching was downright woeful. Only 38-year old RHP Lenny Freke (17-13, 3.51 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 115 ERA+) provided the kind of pitching a contender needs. And at his age, it’s only fair to ask how much he has left in the tank.

Offense: .293/.347/.423 (1st/4th/1st)
Pitching: 4.52/4.63/3.97 (7th/7th/4th)
Defense: .700 (6th)
Chemistry: Content

Player of the Week Awards:

February 2 – SS John Medley (.429, 12 H, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 9 R)
February 9 – SS John Medley (.600, 15 H, 3 RBI)

Key Injury:

RHP Brent Nix – March 28 – sore back. Out for: 1 week.

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The Queensland Eagles suffered a championship hangover, as they saw an across the board drop-off in performance, especially on offense. As a result, they were never close to competing for a playoff spot and will have to look to next year. But this team still has plenty of exciting talent that a return to the playoffs next season is not out of the question.

Top Position Players: They both had down years compared to last season, but 29-year old C Elijah Sheppard (.253/.387/.401, 13 HR, 57 RBI, 92 BB, 4.3 WAR) and 28-year old RF Jilenko Vergara (.295/.377/.482, 18 HR, 72 RBI, 68 BB, 3.9 WAR) were still the players that drove Queensland’s offensive engine this year. Again, it would be no surprise if they come back in a big way next season.

Top Pitchers: He doesn’t get a lot of ink, but 27-year old RHP Okura Suzuki (15-12, 2.68 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 148 ERA+) had another outstanding season (he went 13-5, 2.04 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 164 ERA+ last year). As well, No. 1 starter 28-year old RHP Aaron Saunderson (15-17, 3.45 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 115 ERA+) actually improved over last season (17-15, 3.54 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 94 ERA+).

Offense: .258/.330/.388 (7th/6th/5th)
Pitching: 3.99/3.99/4.00 (3rd/4th/5th)
Defense: .708 (4th)
Chemistry: Content

Player of the Week Awards:

March 15 – C Elijah Sheppard (.526, 10 H, 2 HR, 9 RBI, 5 R)

Noteworthy:

March 26 – The Queensland Eagles crushed the Downie Chiefs 15-2 on the strength of 9 homeruns (out of a total of 10). 3B Alexander Crutcher hit two home runs, as did CF Jon Moreau – all solo shots. SS Dermot Akers contributed a solo home run as well and C Blake Nankervis smacked a two-run shot in the 5th inning.
But LF Weldon Walker (.340/.402/.532, 11 HR, 36 RBI, 25 BB, 2.0 WAR) achieved something that had not been accomplished since 1943 – he hit three home runs in a single game. He hit a 2-run home run in the 5th, a 2-run shot in the 6th and a solo home run in the 8th. In all, he went 3 for 4, with 6 RBI and 3 R.

Downie got the last laugh however. The Chiefs blanked the Eagles in the next two games, the final ones of the season, to finish 1 game ahead of them in the standings.

Key Injuries:

RHP Joong Ling – October 30 – radial nerve (elbow). Out for: 3 weeks.
CF John Peterkin – March 14 – herniated disc. Out for: 2 days.

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After sneaking into the first division last season, the Wellington Athletics fall to the bottom of the standings, something they have never done before, although they have come close on a few previous occasions. The Athletics were simply lacklustre this year, and it showed in their final month. But they have some young up-and-coming talent and if some the established players can bounce back from a down year, then Wellington, too can be a player in the East next year. They do not look like a basket case to me.

Top Position Player: 23-year old CF Edgardo Barrón (.301/.342/.455, 13 HR, 71 RBI, 40 BB, 16 SB, 5.4 WAR) was outstanding both at the plate and in the field (.992 PCT, 3.17 RNG, +11.7 ZR, 1.033 EFF). He is quickly becoming the face of the franchise.

Top Pitchers: There were no standouts like there was last year, when 28-year old LHP Arthur Bence (11-16, 3.81 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 104 ERA+) won the Triple Crown. But he was still Wellington best pitcher this season overall. But 23-year old rookie RHP Matt Price (8-12, 3.38 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 117 ERA+) showed promise, leading the team in five pitching categories (plus walks allowed).

Offense: .262/.324/.367 (4th/7th/8th)
Pitching: 4.03/4.11/3.63 (5th/5th/2nd)
Defense: .726 (1st)
Chemistry: Unhappy

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12-01-2017, 08:46 PM	#387
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,929	(Had to get a new motherboard for my computer this past week. Good thing I still had warranty.) March 29, 1948 Eastern League: Barons, Monarchs to Battle for Pennant -------- The Stratford Barons continued their impressive play in February and March to capture their fourth first place finish in the East. Their 99 victories are the highest in club history, one more than the 1940-41 club that won the United Cup. But it was not a runaway; Braeland City remained just one game back when the two teams concluded the season with a four-game series in Braeland City. The Monarchs won the first game 5-1 to pull into a first place tie, but the Barons took the next three, 3-2, 4-2 and 14-3 to secure home field advantage in the Pennant Series, against the same Monarchs. Offense: .267/.362/.402 (3rd/1st/3rd) Pitching: 3.43/3.32/4.09 (1st/1st/6th) Defense: .715 (3rd) Chemistry: Ecstatic *Top Position Player:* 24-year old CF Roberto Ríos (.288/.428/.514, 24 HR, 121 RBI, 137 BB, 11 SB, 8.2 WAR) has been a very fine player for the Barons the past couple of seasons (5.2 WAR last year), but he became a force in his third full year. His final home run was a grand slam on the last day of the season against the Monarchs. He went 3 for 5 with 1 HR, 6 RBI in Stratford’s 14-3 thumping of Braeland City. *Top Pitcher:* It was a return to form and then some for 39-year old LHP Ryan Borden (22-7, 2.13 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 188 ERA+), who rebounded from a torn should muscle, forcing him to miss most of the season last year. Borden led all ULB pitchers in wins and ERA this season. *Noteworthy:* March 7 – 1B Won-ho Kim (.290/.369/.379, 2 HR, 42 RBI, 89 BB, 10 SB, 2.9 WAR) had another big day at the plate, going 5 for 5 against the Brunswick Legends. Kim singled in the 1st, hit an RBI triple in the 3rd, hit an RBI single in the 5th, singled in the 7th and tripled in the 9th. His efforts helped the Barons eke out a 3-2 win. *Key Injuries:* RHP Bill Blair – December 22 – ruptured disc. Out for: 2-3 months. CF Roberto Ríos – March 20 – sprained thumb. Out for: DtD, 2 days. -------- They very nearly pulled it off but in the end, the Braeland City Monarchs had to settle for second place, finishing 3 games back of the Barons. Still, their 96 victories marks the third time they have reached that total, the most in team history. They won 28 games more than last year and as a result, they reach the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons. But their Pyt.Rec. was only 84-70 – a whopping +12 difference, the largest in ULB history. So it will be interesting to see how they fare in the playoffs. *Top Position Players:* 25-year old 1B Kyle Pryor (.305/.410/.542, 23 HR, 83 RBI, 73 BB, 4.9 WAR) was simply outstanding from November on. He faced RHP almost exclusively and was terrific on defense. This season was a letdown in some ways for 34-year old 3B Adam Ashley (.303/.384/.400, 2 HR, 45 RBI, 69 BB, 12 SB, 4.0 WAR), especially compared to the last couple of seasons. But he finished strong over February and March. *Top Pitcher:* 38-year old LHP David Cooling (21-7, 2.62 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 155 ERA+) was the only other pitcher in the ULB besides Stratford’s Ryan Borden to reach the 20-win plateau. He enjoyed his best season since 1940-41, when he won the Satchel Paige Award. Offense: .279/.342/.407 (2nd/5th/2nd) Pitching: 3.61/3.60/3.71 (2nd/2nd/3rd) Defense: .706 (5th) Chemistry: Ecstatic *Player of the Week Awards:* February 16 – 1B Kyle Pryor (.611, 11 H, 1 HR, 3 RBI) *Key Injuries:* RF Gavin Bansfield – October 19 – fractured fibula. Out for: 6-7 weeks. LHP Nicholas Grimes – December 11 – torn labrum. Out for: one week. SS Luwen Rodenburg – March 11 – strained triceps. Out for: 2-3 weeks. -------- The Brunswick Legends finished with a winning record for the 10th straight season, but there was little else, apart from individual performances, to cheer about. The Legends were just part of the ‘rest of the pack’, as they finished a distance third, 21 games back of Stratford. And with their announcement back in January that they are switching to ‘rebuild’ mode, the make-up of the team may be very different come next season’s Spring Training. Interestingly, the clubhouse has quickly lost its cohesion, as there are reports of in-fighting. My how things change when success starts to dry up. *Top Position Players:* Four players deserve mention here. 27-year old RF Marcus Peyto (.309/.401/.568, 33 HR, 129 RBI, 90 BB, 6 SB, 6.1 WAR) lived up to his billing, as he easily enjoyed the best season thus far of his 7-year career. But 31-year old 1B Stuart Bentham (.322/.418/.525, 29 HR, 107 RBI, 96 BB, 5.5 WAR) was his usual outstanding self as well. Mention should also be made of 26-year old SS Jorge Arredondo (.316/.406/.446, 15 HR, 71 RBI, 90 BB, 21 SB, 5.3 WAR), who was acquired from Wolseley last season. Finally, 31-year old LF Ron Westmacott (.285/.390/.506, 15 HR, 59 RBI, 52 BB, 8 SB, 3.1 WAR) saw his first productive season since 1944-45, when he was with the Cambria Cannons. *Top Pitcher:* No question here. 31-year old LHP Anastasio Rodríguez (19-10, 3.01 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 134 ERA+) has been Brunswick’s ace since 1938-39 and this season was no different. But it may have gone to his head, as reports suggest Rodríguez is a major source of strife on the club. His teammates consider him a plague in the clubhouse and want nothing to do with him. Offense: .261/.350/.402 (6th/2nd/4th) Pitching: 4.02/3.74/45.12 (4th/3rd/8th) Defense: .692 (7th) Chemistry: Feuding *Player of the Week Awards:* March 1 – RF Marcus Peyto (.391, 9 H, 3 HR, 11 RBI) March 8 – RF Marcus Peyto (.450, 9 H, 2 HR, 4 RBI) March 22 – RF Marcus Peyto (.391, 9 H, 4 HR, 7 RBI) *Noteworthy:* February 17 – Brunswick pummelled the Wolseley Unions 9-1 at Babe Ruth Park, and utility 2B Derek Myers (.267/.368/.347, 1 HR, 9 RBI, 15 BB, 0.3 WAR) played a featured role. He went 5 for 5 on the day. He hit an RBI double in the 1st, singled in the 3rd, hit an RBI single in the 4th, singled in the 7th and hit a 2-run single in the 8th. -------- Their 77 wins represent a modest 5-game improvement over last season, but the Embro Suns will miss the playoffs for the second consecutive year. But the Suns have already announced that they are switching to ‘rebuilding’ mode, so like the Legends, their roster may look very different come next season. With the weakest farm system in the ULB, they sure could use an infusion of young talent. *Top Position Players:* He missed 5 weeks to injury, but 33-year old 1B Jim Friend (.299/.403/.510, 22 HR, 90 RBI, 85 BB, 4.4 WAR) continued to be Embro’s offensive stalwart. But he was joined by 28-year old C Scott Weller (.290/.377/.453, 13 HR, 78 RBI, 59 BB, 4.3 WAR) as one of the top players for Embro. The former 2nd-round pick from 1941-42 saw his best season so far in his 4th full year in the United Leagues. *Top Pitcher:* It was not a stellar year for Embro pitchers, but a couple of veterans still deserve mention. 33-year old RHP Myung-gu Son (14-10, 3.66 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 110 ERA+) provided reliability on the mound, while 38-year old stopper RHP Colm Soper (3-3, 24 SV, 1.77 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 227 ERA+) remained one of the top relievers in the United Leagues. Offense: .262/.349/.383 (5th/3rd/6th) Pitching: 4.69/5.11/3.38 (8th/8th/1st) Defense: .688 (8th) Chemistry: Happy *Player of the Week Awards:* February 23 – CF Terence Durney (.435, 10 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 5 R) *Key Injuries:* RHP Reece Leavers – February 25 – partially torn UCL. Out for: 5 months. CF Terence Durney – March 16 – forearm stiffness. Out for: 1 week. LF Tzu-yu Song – March 24 – torn ankle ligaments. Out for: 5 weeks. -------- It was more of the same for the Downie Chiefs, as they failed to reach 70 wins for the sixth time in their 11-year history. Still, they may not be far away from finally becoming relevant in the Eastern League. But the bevy of talent they have on the roster is going to have to step up at some point if that is to happen. Next season would be a perfect time to do it. *Top Position Player:* The Chiefs have never really had a ‘superstar’ on their roster – until this season. 22-year old CF Alfonso Léon (.300/.357/.505, 22 HR, 86 RBI, 54 BB, 7.1 WAR) had just an incredible year in just his second season in the ULB. His defense was jaw-dropping as well (.982 PCT, 3.38 RNG, +18.1 ZR, 1.050 EFF). The former 2nd-overall pick from 1944-45 is currently rated 7th overall among position players. That rating should only rise as his career takes off. He is a keystone player that the Chiefs can/should build around. *Top Pitchers:* 27-year old RHP Bernie Knowles (12-12, 3.16 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 124 ERA+) was a solid pick-up and enjoyed a nice bounce-back season in his first year with the Chiefs. 25-year old RHP Kelii Pelanekelina (14-17, 4.08 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 96 ERA+) recovered somewhat from his rough first-half, enough to suggest that Downie might have a very respectable tandem at the top of the rotation next season. Offense: .251/.321/.376 (8th/8th/7th) Pitching: 4.19/4.20/4.14 (6th/5th/7th) Defense: .724 (2nd) Chemistry: Feuding *Key Injuries:* RHP Harley Bracher – December 22 – torn labrum. Out for: 2-3 months. 3B Dominic Dudding – January 28 – fractured thumb. Out for: 2 weeks. 1B Tobias Yogore – March 8 – plantar fasciitis. Out for: 1-2 weeks. 2B Robin Duerden – March 28 – intercostal strain. Out for: 3 weeks. RHP Bernie Knowles – March 29 – tired arm. Out for: 1-2 weeks. -------- It was a season of missed opportunities for the Cobourg Red Stockings, as an offense that came to life was undermined by a pitiful pitching effort. GM Denzel Seamon recognized the need of improved pitching heading into this season, but I doubt even he expected that the pitching would have been this bad. If Seamon can work out a deal to bring in another steady pitcher like he did with Lenny Freke or if the present pitchers can bounce back, then Cobourg will be back in the playoff hunt in a big way next season. Last year, they missed out on the wild card by just a single game. *Top Position Players:* No shortage here as a number of position players blossomed. 26-year old SS John Medley (.363/.416/.522, 9 HR, 81 HR, 57 BB, 44 SB, 6.5 WAR) became a force at the plate and on the basepaths, scoring 105 R and coming just 2 SB shy of the record. He won the Eastern League Batting Title to boot and went on a 22-game hitting streak until the Brunswick Legends ended it on February 23. Only his defense was suspect (.930 PCT, 4.40 RNG, -18.0 ZR, .935 EFF). 26-year old 3B Alexander Tolmie (.305/.373/.473, 19 HR, 99 RBI, 63 BB, 5.9 WAR) and 21-year old CF Raymond Williams (.300/.342/.502, 18 HR, 100 RBI, 41 BB, 11 SB, 5.1 WAR) ably supported Medley to make the Red Stockings’ lineup the most potent in the ULB. All three players were one-time first overall picks. *Top Pitcher:* In contrast to Cobourg’s incredible performance at the plate, the Red Stockings’ pitching was downright woeful. Only 38-year old RHP Lenny Freke (17-13, 3.51 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 115 ERA+) provided the kind of pitching a contender needs. And at his age, it’s only fair to ask how much he has left in the tank. Offense: .293/.347/.423 (1st/4th/1st) Pitching: 4.52/4.63/3.97 (7th/7th/4th) Defense: .700 (6th) Chemistry: Content *Player of the Week Awards:* February 2 – SS John Medley (.429, 12 H, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 9 R) February 9 – SS John Medley (.600, 15 H, 3 RBI) *Key Injury:* RHP Brent Nix – March 28 – sore back. Out for: 1 week. -------- The Queensland Eagles suffered a championship hangover, as they saw an across the board drop-off in performance, especially on offense. As a result, they were never close to competing for a playoff spot and will have to look to next year. But this team still has plenty of exciting talent that a return to the playoffs next season is not out of the question. *Top Position Players:* They both had down years compared to last season, but 29-year old C Elijah Sheppard (.253/.387/.401, 13 HR, 57 RBI, 92 BB, 4.3 WAR) and 28-year old RF Jilenko Vergara (.295/.377/.482, 18 HR, 72 RBI, 68 BB, 3.9 WAR) were still the players that drove Queensland’s offensive engine this year. Again, it would be no surprise if they come back in a big way next season. *Top Pitchers:* He doesn’t get a lot of ink, but 27-year old RHP Okura Suzuki (15-12, 2.68 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 148 ERA+) had another outstanding season (he went 13-5, 2.04 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 164 ERA+ last year). As well, No. 1 starter 28-year old RHP Aaron Saunderson (15-17, 3.45 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 115 ERA+) actually improved over last season (17-15, 3.54 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 94 ERA+). Offense: .258/.330/.388 (7th/6th/5th) Pitching: 3.99/3.99/4.00 (3rd/4th/5th) Defense: .708 (4th) Chemistry: Content *Player of the Week Awards:* March 15 – C Elijah Sheppard (.526, 10 H, 2 HR, 9 RBI, 5 R) *Noteworthy:* March 26 – The Queensland Eagles crushed the Downie Chiefs 15-2 on the strength of 9 homeruns (out of a total of 10). 3B Alexander Crutcher hit two home runs, as did CF Jon Moreau – all solo shots. SS Dermot Akers contributed a solo home run as well and C Blake Nankervis smacked a two-run shot in the 5th inning. But LF Weldon Walker (.340/.402/.532, 11 HR, 36 RBI, 25 BB, 2.0 WAR) achieved something that had not been accomplished since 1943 – he hit three home runs in a single game. He hit a 2-run home run in the 5th, a 2-run shot in the 6th and a solo home run in the 8th. In all, he went 3 for 4, with 6 RBI and 3 R. Downie got the last laugh however. The Chiefs blanked the Eagles in the next two games, the final ones of the season, to finish 1 game ahead of them in the standings. *Key Injuries:* RHP Joong Ling – October 30 – radial nerve (elbow). Out for: 3 weeks. CF John Peterkin – March 14 – herniated disc. Out for: 2 days. -------- After sneaking into the first division last season, the Wellington Athletics fall to the bottom of the standings, something they have never done before, although they have come close on a few previous occasions. The Athletics were simply lacklustre this year, and it showed in their final month. But they have some young up-and-coming talent and if some the established players can bounce back from a down year, then Wellington, too can be a player in the East next year. They do not look like a basket case to me. *Top Position Player:* 23-year old CF Edgardo Barrón (.301/.342/.455, 13 HR, 71 RBI, 40 BB, 16 SB, 5.4 WAR) was outstanding both at the plate and in the field (.992 PCT, 3.17 RNG, +11.7 ZR, 1.033 EFF). He is quickly becoming the face of the franchise. *Top Pitchers:* There were no standouts like there was last year, when 28-year old LHP Arthur Bence (11-16, 3.81 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 104 ERA+) won the Triple Crown. But he was still Wellington best pitcher this season overall. But 23-year old rookie RHP Matt Price (8-12, 3.38 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 117 ERA+) showed promise, leading the team in five pitching categories (plus walks allowed). Offense: .262/.324/.367 (4th/7th/8th) Pitching: 4.03/4.11/3.63 (5th/5th/2nd) Defense: .726 (1st) Chemistry: Unhappy -------- __________________ United Leagues of Braeland Last edited by reds1; 12-10-2017 at 10:48 PM.