United Leagues of Braeland - Page 35

reds1 · 09-15-2021, 11:36 AM

January 1, 1955

Looking Back: The 1944-45 Amateur Draft

Apart from the top two picks, the 1944-45 draft class was rather unremarkable. Several serviceable players emerged from this crop to be sure and many of them continue to contribute to their respective teams, but other than the top two, none of the first-round selections achieved the level of play their teams expected of them.

With such a set of ho-hum players, I only singled out six players that either achieved a measure of greatness, failed spectacularly or beat long odds to become a fixture at the major league level:

Cream of the Crop:

CF Alfonso León – 2nd overall pick by the Downie Chiefs.

Career: .316/.377/.507, 1253 G, 4863 AB, 1538 H, 251-2B, 75-3B, 175 HR, 755 RBI, 776 R, 487 BB, 306 K, 56 SB, 68 CS, .884 OPS, 145 OPS+, 143 wRC+, 59.3 WAR

Achievements:

• 7-time All-Star
• 1951-52 Eastern League Babe Ruth Award
• 1953-54 Eastern League Babe Ruth Award
• 2 selections to the All-Braeland Team
• 6-time Ball Hawk Award winner
• 7-time Batter of the Month
• 8-time Player of the Week

What the original scouting report said:

“León has outstanding batting skills who may one day challenge for a batting title. Originally from Puerto Rico, León has tremendous power potential as well. However, his speed and defense are not quite as good as [Dylan] Moyne.”

Comments: Talk about timing. León is currently rated the No. 1 position player in the land (just as he was on Opening Day in 1951) and the 2-time babe Ruth Award winner has to be considered the early favourite to win his third this season. In addition to these accolades, the Puerto Rican native finished second for the Babe Ruth Award in 1949-50 and 3rd in voting for the 1946-47 Rookie of the Year Award. He currently holds the record for Season WAR with 9.86, set in 1952-53 and is the most recent player to collect 6 hits in a game, when he went 6 for 7, 4 RBI against the Hespeler Stars back on January 27, 1954 (In fact, it was the second time he collected 6 hits in a game, having previously accomplished it back in February 1950). Looking back, its amusing to consider the comparison made with Dylan Moyne, who was selected ahead of León, particularly the defense comment. Comparing their respective Ball Hawk Award wins, it appears León has more than held is own. He is a player with no weaknesses who is in his prime. It is players like him that make OOTP so much fun to play/follow.

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CF Dylan Moyne – 1st overall pick by the Fort Richmond Generals.

Career: .289/.349/.447, 1252 G, 4810 AB, 1389 H, 223-2B, 66-3B, 136 HR, 650 RBI, 742 R, 442 BB, 452 K, 129 SB, 65 CS, .797 OPS, 129 OPS+, 129 wRC+, 46.3 WAR

Achievements:

• 6-time All-Star
• 1949-50 Western League Babe Ruth Award
• 2 selections to the All-Braeland Team
• 2-time Ball Hawk Award winner
• 2-time Batter of the Month
• 5-time Player of the Week

What the original scouting report said:

“Moyne is a sensational young player who appears ready to step into a major league lineup now. The Balmoral native projects to be a hitting phenom, with terrific contact and outstanding power potential. Combine that with solid defense and blazing speed and you have an all-star waiting in the wings.”

Comments: Moyne did indeed develop into an all-star and for 7 seasons he was one of the most dynamic players in the United Leagues. But his best years were behind him after he turned 30, with the 1951-52 season representing his last great season. Today, he is little more than a bench player. Thus, unlike León, who is 2-1/2 years his junior, his Hall of Fame candidacy is in jeopardy. But I think its fair to say, he earned his first overall selection and the Generals have had no regrets.

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RHP Bill Wolf – 15th overall pick by the Stratford Barons.

Career: 94-92, 9 SV, 3.81 ERA, 194 GS, 1635.1 IP, 98 CG, 11 SHO, 1.41 WHIP, .282 BABIP, 3.66 FIP, 29.6 WAR, 109 ERA+

Achievements:

• 2-time All-Star
• 2-time Ball Hawk Award winner

What the original scouting report said:

“The Barons take a future starter in the first-round, as Wolf boasts some nice stuff, great movement and solid control. He has five pitches in his arsenal: fastball (30/35), curveball (30/40), slider (30/35), changeup (25/40) and forkball (35/45).”

Comments: After Moyne and León, things got really non-descript and I believe Wolf represents the best of the rest selected in the first round. The Cobourg-native has thus far enjoyed a couple of very good all-star seasons, but otherwise can hardly be considered an ace. Even this season with the Stratford Barons riding high, Wolf is not exactly ‘leading the pack’. He hasn’t been terrible, but he has been nothing special. A fitting symbol of the ‘rest of the draft’.

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C Carlos Camasura – 32nd overall pick (Round 2, Pick 16) originally by the Kingston Pelicans.

Career: .286/.391/.395, 902 G, 2465 AB, 706 H, 131-2B, 11-3B, 38 HR, 301 RBI, 358 R, 441 BB, 157 K, .786 OPS, 121 OPS+, 126 wRC+, 23.4 WAR

Achievements:

• 4-time All-Star
• 1-time Ball Hawk Award winner
• 1-time Player of the Week

Comments: If there’s one player that has the potential to transcend the mediocrity of the draft, its Camasura. Since the 1950-51 season, when he took over catching duties full-time from the future Hall of Famer Danny Trowbridge, Camasura has been one of the premier catchers in the United Leagues. But a slew of injuries this season has interrupted his momentum. It remains to be seen whether he can bounce back and remain one of the few bright spots on the Kingston Pelican squad.

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Biggest Draft Disappointment

As previously mentioned, the majority of the players taken in the 1st-round enjoyed some staying power once they reached the United Leagues, even if was for just a few short seasons. One player though, just couldn’t make it stick:

2B Oliver Aland – 7th overall pick by the Hespeler Stars.

Career: .268/.310/.339, 315 G, 706 AB, 189 H, 33-2B, 7-3B, 1 HR, 74 RBI, 61 R, 43 BB, 20 K, .649 OPS, 79 OPS+, 75 wRC+, 0.9 WAR

Achievements:

• 1-time Player of the Week

Minor League Achievements:

• 1-time Player of the Month
• 2-time Player of the Week
• 1-time Best Fielder
• 2-time All-Star
• Finished 2nd in the 1945-46 Heritage Leagues Lou Gehrig Award voting.

What the original scouting report said:

“With the 7th overall pick, the Stars take Aland, a kid with plus-plus contact, good speed and reliable defense. Power is not part of his game and plate discipline will be an issue. He will need to really work on hitting from the inside of the plate.”

Comments: Unlike some previous drafts, everyone taken in the first round has enjoyed some staying power on a major league roster. That holds true for Aland, but only because he is strong defender with good speed. But he remains burdened with a weak bat, something that scouts realized he needed to address if he was every going to be an everyday start. Alas, Aland has spent his major league career buried in the depth chart, unable to translate his minor league success at the plate to the majors.

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Later-Round Standout

In this draft class, there were a few players taken in the later rounds that reached and stayed in the major leagues. For this exercise, I highlighted one player:

RHP Rodrígo González – 110th overall pick (Round 7, Pick 14) by the Balmoral Giants.

Career: 75-69, 3.50 ERA, 152 GS, 1287.0 IP, 94 CG, 11 SHO, 1.29 WHIP, .272 BABIP, 3.78 FIP, 18.0 WAR, 114 ERA+

Achievements:

• 4-time All-Star
• 2-time Pitcher of the Month

Comments: There were actually a few players that could fit this category, including González’s teammate LHP Ron Albin (85th overall pick) and Braeland City’s RHP Lee Corp (114th overall pick). But González has had the most sustained success among the three, with four all-star appearances and was a 21-game winner back in 1950-51. He won his second Pitcher of the Month honour just this past October and is currently the ace of a Giants’ team that is in the hunt for its first playoff appearance in 11 years. Other than pinpoint control, he is not blessed with great stuff or movement, nor does he have an impressive repertoire of pitches (his fastball is best at 45/45). Thus, scouts consider him a borderline starter at best. But he has been beating the odds. And just like the superstars, players who come ‘from out of nowhere’ are fun to watch as well.

reds1 · 09-19-2021, 04:43 AM

January 11, 1955

Westerners ‘Throw it Away’ as the East Win Their Tenth All-Star Game

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Stratford, Perth (BP) – The 18th annual All-Star Game saw the Eastern League All-Stars follow last year’s script by pulling out a 5-3 victory to win their second consecutive All-Star Game. 26,250 fans endured 80F temperatures to witness this season’s mid-season classic, played at Bosworth Field in Stratford, home of the Barons. It’s the second All-Star game to be held in Stratford and the first since 1939, when the Eastern crew also won, 9-6.

As they did at last season’s matchup, the Western All-Stars struck first. In the top of the 3rd inning, Sherburn’s RF Albert Sulley lined a single to leftfield with two out. Cambria’s 1B Carlos Corea and Pulberry’s LF Aidan Thirkettle then followed with back-to-back doubles, scoring two runs to open the scoring.

But just like season, the Easterners pounced on a costly fielding error by the Western All-Stars to take the lead for good and hold on to win their fifth All-Star Game in the past six years.

In the bottom of the 5th inning, Fort Richmond’s RHP Ch’ang-chieh Li entered the game and immediately ran into trouble with a pair of hometown heroes. Stratford’s RF Andy Faulkner led off with a first-pitch single into centerfield, followed by fellow teammate C Aaron Skidmore, who doubled down the leftfield line all the way to the wall to put runners on second and third.

Cobourg’s 1B Harry Doxey then battled Li to a full count before ripping a ground ball out towards leftfield. Wolseley’s SS George Kimpton dove and pounced on it, but his throw to Cambria’s 1B Carlos Corea sailed high and glanced off Corea’s glove. Doxey reached second as Faulkner and Skidmore scored to tie the game.

Next up was Embro’s SS Kieron Bradridge, who entered the game as a pinch hitter. Bradridge jumped all over Li’s first offering, smashing a monstrous home run 455 ft. into the centerfield bleachers, giving the East a 4-2 lead.

The Westerners would get a run back in the top of the 7th on a double play ball. After George Kimpton led off with a single, Kingston’s CF Chris Ramsbottom singled into right centerfield, putting runners on the corners. Wolseley’s LF Carlton Hawking then hit into a 6-4-3 double play as Kimpton came into score.

But the East would get that run back in the bottom half of the inning. With two out, Wellington’s RF Jim Mars singled to leftfield. After Mars was replaced with PR Jake Stunt of Fort Richmond, Stratford’s 2B Matthew Channing doubled into the leftfield corner, scoring Stunt. That was all the scoring they would need, as the West could only muster a single and two walks over the final two innings.

“It’s nice to come out on top for sure”, remarked Eastern League Manager Xavier Ahernfeld, whose day job is managing the hometown Barons. “Its especially sweet when you can do it in front of your home crowd and have a number of our own players contribute to the win. Now we just have to do it in the playoffs. It’s been what – four years now since an Eastern team has brought home the [United] Cup? Its time to change that. That’s what matters.”

For Player of the Game Kieron Bradridge, this was his second all-star appearance and first since 1952. “It’s not everyday you get to appear in an all-star game, so you want to make the most of it”, observed Bradridge. “I’m just glad I could have a part.”

When asked if he looked forward to the All-Star festivities each year, the Wolseley native was non-committal. “It’s nice to get a break. But I’m looking forward to the second half. We’re in the playoff hunt and that’s my focus now.”

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Here are the complete All-Star rosters and final voting results:

reds1 · 09-19-2021, 05:00 PM

January 12, 1955

Here are the standings and leaderboards at the All-Star break:

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DreamTeams · 09-19-2021, 10:10 PM

Pulberry in first place and leading in almost every category! Go Trolleys!

reds1 · 09-27-2021, 01:16 AM

February 1, 1955

Eastern League: Barons Lording It Over the Rest in Playoff Hunt

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Offense: .271/.350/.421 (4th/2nd/3rd)
Pitching: 3.53/3.40/4.26 (2nd/1st/3rd)
Defense: .720 (2nd)

With a pitching staff that nearly rivals the Queensland Eagles as well as a potent offense, the Stratford Barons have staked out a commanding 7.5 game lead in the East. They are dominant both at home and away, having won 32 home games and 34 on the road so far. And with 29 of their final 49 games to be played at home, the Barons should easily cruise to their 6th first-place finish in team history.

The offense continues to be led by two players who are enjoying bounce back seasons: 35-year old C Aaron Skidmore (.309/.465/.487, 14 HR, 51 RBI, 87 BB, 5.4 WAR) and 26-year old RF Andy Faulkner (.304/.410/.505, 16 HR, 65 RBI, 70 BB, 4.1 WAR). Ably supporting them are No. 4 hitter, 26-year old 2B Matthew Channing (.276/.325/.459, 14 HR, 69 RBI, 33 BB, 3.1 WAR) and 23-year old sophomore SS Callum Spalton (.287/.334/.448, 11 HR, 54 RBI, 25 BB, 3.2 WAR).

The pitching staff remains the best in the League that is not named the Queensland Eagles. 26-year old LHP Robin Wadsworth (14-5, 2.96 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 137 ERA+), a 16th overall pick from 1948-49 has become his club’s ace, succeeding 28-year old RHP Magtanggol Jaojoco (8-5, 3.13 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 130 ERA+). But the rotation has been solid from top to bottom this season.

All-Star Selections:

SP Ted Smith (1st)
SP Robin Wadsworth (1st)
C Aaron Skidmore (14th)
2B Matthew Channing (2nd)
SS Callum Spalton (1st)
RF Andy Faulkner (2nd)

Noteworthy:

January 23 – It was all Barons against the visiting Redlegs as Stratford cruised to a 7-0 win. Picking up the win was 28-year old RHP Bill Wolf (13-6, 3.48 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 117 ERA+) who pitched a 2-hitter. He went 9 IP with 115 PI, 0 BB, 9 K (GS: 92).

Key Trade: January 6 with the Cobourg Redlegs:

To Stratford – 32-year old LHP William Say (54/54)
To Cobourg – 20-year old minor league LF Rio Joyes (20/40)

Knee-jerk reaction: The Barons get a veteran relief pitcher with something still left in the tank to be their new stopper, taking the pressure off their young closer of the future, 20-year old RHP Frank Greggs (42/75), who is clearly not ready for the role yet (5.49 ERA, 2.08 WHIP, 19 BB, 5 K, 19.2 IP). Say has explosive stuff and an above average arm.

As for Cobourg, they get a player that will have a tough time getting out of the minors. He will draw walks and has plenty of speed, but that will translate as little more than a reserve role at best.

Current Injuries:

November 10 – LHP Marcello Dean – torn rotator cuff. Out for: 3 months.
January 12 – CF Sherwin Carasig – back strain. Out for: 1 day.
January 17 – RHP Alonso Martínez – sore elbow. Out for: DtD, unknown.

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Offense: .263/.333/.387 (6th/6th/5th)
Pitching: 3.44/3.44/3.43(1st/2nd/1st)
Defense: .730 (1st)

A bounce back from a below .500 November has moved the Queensland Eagles into second place ahead of the Embro Suns. The Eagles remain a team with a championship-caliber pitching staff waiting for the offense to take the next step. It hasn’t happened yet, but the parts appear to be in place. Once they click, Queensland has a chance to become a formidable force in the East.

28-year old RF Rod Dennis (.305/.407/.488, 16 HR, 58 RBI, 65 BB, 3.3 WAR) dominates nearly all offensive categories among the Eagles and is enjoying the best season of his 5-year career, but he is not quite that cornerstone player a team can build around. He continues to be supported by 26-year old C Robbie Leivers (.316/.416/.469, 6 HR, 37 RBI, 34 BB, 2.7 WAR), who deserves more regular starts, rather than alternating every second game with 36-year old Elijah Sheppard (.239/.350/.358, 5 HR, 22 RBI, 28 BB, 1.1 WAR). Unfortunately, 21-year old RF Hal Dhu (.325/.386/.526, 10 HR, 40 RBI, 24 BB, 5 SB, 2.3 WAR) was lost for two months to injury, requiring a juggling of the lineup. But he should be back soon for the stretch. Finally, top prospect 22-year old SS Noel Eissens (.227/.256/.308, 10-2B, 27 RBI, 12 BB, 5 SB, -0.4 WAR – 47/64), is being given every chance to establish himself in the majors, batting out of the No. 8 spot.

There’s no change in the status quo with Queensland’s pitching leaders. The best 1-2 punch in the ULB remains with the Eagles, with 29-year old RHP Logan Belsey (16-6, 2.62 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 153 ERA+) and 27-year old RHP Stiofan Micklethwait (15-5, 2.18 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 183 ERA+) striking fear in the hearts of opposing batters. But No. 4 starter, 25-year old LHP Amoka Kalea (8-9, 3.69 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 109 ERA+) could soon join them, as he is progressing nicely in his first full season.

All-Star Selections:

SP Logan Belsey (4th)
SP Stiofan Micklethwait (2nd)
C Robbie Leivers (1st)
LF Rod Dennis (4th)

Player of the Week Awards:

December 27 – LF Rod Dennis (.517, 15 H, 4 RBI)
January 3 – LF Rod Dennis (.833, 5 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI)

Noteworthy:

December 23 – The Eagles won 2 of 3 in their series against Downie, concluding with a 14-1 thumping of the home-town Chiefs. 30-year old 3B Bob Sobel (.264/.333/.320, 2 HR, 40 RBI, 40 BB, 1.9 WAR) led the way, going 5 for 6 with 4 singles and a double. He collected 2 R and 3 RBI.

Current Injuries:

December 23 – RF Hal Dhu – strained anterior cruciate ligament. Out for: 1 week.

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Offense: .277/.345/.422 (1st/4th/2nd)
Pitching: 4.08/4.14/3.86 (4th/5th/2nd)
Defense: .694 (7th)

The Embro Suns took a bit of a tumble in January, finishing the month with a 1-9 stretch where they were swept by both the Braeland City Monarchs and Sherburn Tigers, with their lone win coming off the Eagles. As a result, they fell out of the wild card spot. But a flurry of compelling trades may help reverse their slide and regain a playoff spot down the stretch.

The offense is being led by three key players enjoying their best seasons so far: 24-year old SS Kieron Bradridge (.303/.349/.507, 17 HR, 90 RBI, 31 BB, 4.8 WAR), 27-year old 1B Napana Mamo (.314/.363/.499, 9 HR, 48 RBI, 32 BB, 3.3WAR) and 25-year old 3B Moromao Nakagawa (.326/.420/.510, 11 HR, 76 RBI, 63 BB, 4.9 WAR). But there were joined by recently acquired catcher, 26-year old Gareth Mawle (.366/.417/.574, 10 HR, 35 RBI, 20 BB, 3.6 WAR) who represents an immediate upgrade.

The rotation is the weak link of the team right now and the Suns did the right thing by taking steps to shore it up. The trade for 27-year old RHP Bradley Strawson (9-8, 4.00 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 102 ERA+) and to a lesser extent, the shifting of 25-year old RHP Alastair Hahn (5-5, 1 SV, 3.69 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, 110 ERA+) to the No. 4 spot from the bullpen should help.

All-Star Selections:

RP Alastair Hahn (1st)
CL Rob Gladstone (1st)
1B Napana Mamo (3rd)
3B Moromao Nakagawa (3rd)
SS Kieron Bradridge (2nd)

Player of the Week Awards:

January 10 – SS Kieron Bradridge (.462, 12 H, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 2 R)
January 24 – 3B Moromao Nakagawa (.480, 12 H, 4 RBI)

Noteworthy:

December 14 – Embro outscored the Braeland City Monarchs, 13-8 and 27-year old 1B Napana Mamo played a key role, going 5 for 6 on the afternoon. Mamo doubled in the 1st, grounded out in the 3rd, singled in the 4th & 6th innings, hit a solo shot off RHP Clive Howard in the 8th and hit an RBI double in the 9th.

January 14 – The Suns took 3 of 4 from the Downie Chiefs immediately following the All-Star break. The Series was highlighted by 27-year old RHP Bradley Strawson’s performance. The recently acquired Strawson threw a 1-hitter, going 9.0 IP, 112 PI, 8 K and no walks (GS: 93). He was perfect until the bottom of the 6th, when Downie’s 1B Robin Duerden led off with a single into shallow right-centerfield. Strawson was also hot at the plate, going 1 for 2 with 1 RBI, 2 BB, 1 K.

Key Trade No 1: December 24 with the Sherburn Tigers:

To Embro – 27-year old RHP Bradley Strawson (51/55) and 23-year old minor league RF Colm Wilson (35/46)
To Sherburn – 25-year old 3B Adrian Flynn (54/61)

Knee-jerk reaction: Two 1st-rounders from the 1950-51 draft get traded for another. This is what I consider the first high-profile trade made in the ULB in a long, long time. And both teams get some clear benefits from it as well. Flynn was never going to usurp 26-year old 3B Moromao Nakagawa, the No. 1-rated 3B in the United Leagues, anytime soon. But he is an outstanding prospect, a switch hitter with tantalizing skills at the plate. His defense and arm are solid as well. Thus, Sherburn gets an immediate upgrade at the hot corner.

To get him, the Tigers gave up Strawson, a pitcher with incredible stuff and movement, but shaky control (35/35). Still, he has five very respectable pitches and is considered a solid No. 2 starter. For Embro, he becomes their ace as the Suns make a push for the playoffs. They also receive outfielder Wilson, an outstanding defensive player who has the chance of developing a respectable bat, if not an impressive one. His future will more likely be as a solid reserve player. With Strawson gone, the Tigers have promoted their young pitching prospect, 21-year old LHP Kozue Saito (40/69), from the bullpen to the No. 5 spot.

Key Trade No 2: January 20 with the Kingston Pelicans:

To Embro – 26-year old C Gareth Mawle (63/63)
To Kingston – 26-year old 2B Ron Scribner (47/47) and 21-year old minor league SS Denzel Daintry (41/54)

Knee-jerk reaction: Kingston got fleeced in this deal from my vantage point. Mawle was blocked from starting in Kingston by Carlos Camasura (71/73), but Mawle is already rated higher than Camasura among catchers (5th vs. 6th overall). What’s more, Camasura is considered fragile, making the trading of Mawle a bit foolhardy. Mawle is a sparkplug in the lineup with average power and excellent contact. While not the fastest baserunner, he is capable of stealer a few. He provides an immediate boost to the Suns’ offense.

In return, the Pelicans receive Scribner (.295/.389/.508, 3 HR, 10 RBI, 9 BB, 0.5 WAR), an average player that will struggle to be an everyday starter. Daintry appears to hold more promise, with steady defense especially as a shortstop, blazing speed and a respectable bat. He could develop into an above average starter someday.

Key Trade No 3: January 31 with the Hespeler Stars:

To Embro – 31-year old RHP Nelson Wigley (46/46), 24-year old 1B Bill Spaeth (41/56) and 19-year old minor league 3B Domingo Vega (20/50)
To Hespeler – 30-year old C Antony Bourke (52/52)

Knee-jerk reaction: A relatively minor deal that is noteworthy with the inclusion of Speath (41/56), a former 2nd overall pick from 1950-51 that never got a fair shake in Hespeler. Unfortunately, he is buried in the Suns’ depth chart just like he was in Hespeler. That just doesn’t make any sense. Scouts agree – he has a phenomenal bat with amazing gap power (65/65) and home run power (65/70) with solid defensive skills either at 1B or RF that makes him a prime candidate for a middle-of-the-order spot. And yet he sits on the bench. He has no personality issues so that can’t be it.

As for Wigley (2-2, 5 SV, 1.58 WHIP, 76 ERA+), he is a barely adequate reliever while Bourke (.270/.365/.466, 9 HR, 33 RBI, 26 BB, 1.7 WAR), who was now deemed expendable with the acquisition of Mawle, becomes Hespeler’s third-string catcher. Vega, a 7th-round pick from last season, has a patient approach at the plate and could generate 20 home runs a season. If Embro utilizes Speath better, giving him regular starts, and Vega develops into a decent starter, then the Suns can claim three shrewd trades made leading up to the trade deadline. Not bad.

Current Injuries:

November 5 – 1B Bob Buchanan – fractured knee. Out for: 3 months.
January 7 – RHP Myung-gu Son – shoulder inflammation. Out for: 4 months.
January 29 – 2B Robert Jameson – shoulder subluxation. Out for: DtD, unknown.

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Offense: .276/.350/.427 (2nd/3rd/1st)
Pitching: 5.10/5.01/5.32 (8th/8th/7th)
Defense: .673 (8th)

A struggling pitching crew and a number of offensive players having slightly down years are combining to make the Braeland City Monarchs’ pursuit of their second consecutive playoff appearance an uphill climb. They are only 2.5 games out of the wild card at this point, but it feels as though they are losing ground to both the Eagles and Suns.

The Monarchs’ chances took a blow when their top player, 29-year old 2B Patrick Lidgate (.293/.390/.514, 15 HR, 78 RBI, 57 BB, 5.4 WAR) separated his shoulder in a game against the Fort Richmond on the final day of January and won’t be back until around mid-March. The club is now relying on their two Haydens: 29-year old C Hayden Billyard (.275/.361/.422, 9 HR, 45 RBI, 45 BB, 3.0 WAR) and 25-year old CF Hayden Goodale (.266/.368/.583, 22 HR, 62 RBI, 42 BB, 2.4 WAR). Goodale has come alive in a big way since the end of November and has hit 15 of his ULB-leading 22 home runs over the past two months. 30-year old LF Jake Stunt (.311/.374/.522, 12 HR, 44 RBI, 27 BB, 6 SB, 2.9 WAR) is one of the few players who have improved over last season.

The pitching is a real concern. 27-year old RHP Pei Ming (11-10, 4.04 ERA, 1.57 WHIP, 101 ERA+) and 29-year old RHP Lee Corp (9-5, 4.04 ERA, 1.57 WHIP, 102 ERA+) are as good as it gets right now, although Corp has fallen off a cliff since early December. The acquisition of 28-year old LHP Larry Kovnats (6-8, 4.72 ERA, 1.73 WHIP, 86 ERA+) may help, but that remains to be seen.

All-Star Selections:

1B Dean Witherden (5th)
2B Patrick Lidgate (6th)
3B Danny Silk (1st)
LF Jake Stunt (2nd)
CF Hayden Goodale (2nd)
RF Aidan Trembath (4th)

Player of the Week Awards:

December 20 – CF Hayden Goodale (.429, 9 H, 4 HR, 11 RBI)

Key Trade: January 6 with the Hespeler Stars:

To Braeland City – 28-year old LHP Larry Kovnats (47/47) and 23-year old minor league 1B Herson Magno (33/46)
To Hespeler – 27-year old LF John Anthony (50/50)

Knee-jerk reaction: A modest trade that could give each club a boost in areas of need, but one that won’t move the needle too much in my opinion. Kovnats, a 3rd overall pick from 1948-49, never delivered on his initial promise and the Stars are right in moving on from him. He has tremendous stuff (75), fine movement (55) but lousy control (30). All five of his pitches are excellent, enabling him to rack up plenty of strikes and he has phenomenal stamina. But still, scouts consider him little more than an emergency starter. He was Hespeler’s No. 4 starter; with Braeland City, he becomes their No. 2 man.

Anthony (.331/.406/.523, 6 HR, 27 RBI, 20 BB, 1.7 WAR) finally gets his chance to start on a regular basis after 5 years. He has the bat, defense and speed to be a solid outfielder. But he takes over from Mike Pope (.253/.362/.373, 5 HR, 34 RBI, 41 BB, 0.5 WAR), a sophomore who has slightly better ratings than Anthony, but who is struggling this season.

Current Injuries:

November 24 – RHP Corey Timothy – Torn UCL. Out for: 3-4 months.
January 21 – RHP Okura Suzuki – ulnar nerve entrapment. Out for: 4 months.
January 31 – 2B Patrick Lidgate – separated shoulder. Out for: 5 weeks.

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Offense: .272/.351/.385 (3rd/1st/7th)
Pitching: 4.48/4.00/6.41 (7th/4th/8th)
Defense: .708 (4th)

There exists a bit of gap between the top four teams and the rest. The Brunswick Legends represent the best of the second division. Outside of 26-year old C Robert Kersey (.283/.374/.449, 13 HR, 60 RBI, 53 BB, 3.8 WAR) who is enduring a bit of down year compared to previous seasons, there are no other impact players on the roster. Thus, missing the playoffs for the 8th straight season seems a real possibility. Getting better against left-handed pitching wouldn’t hurt either. They are 8-21 against southpaws, by far the worst in the ULB.

No. 5 hitter, 26-year old SS Harris Yaag (.318/.366/.476, 12 HR, 65 RBI, 26 BB, 3.7 WAR), is the best the rest of the lineup has to offer and one of the better shortstops in the ULB (5th best). Lead-off hitter, 28-year old LF Carl Patton (.298/.400/.372, 3 HR, 42 RBI, 68 BB, 10 SB, 2.9 WAR), is having a better season compared to last, but its still a far cry from his all-star season from two years ago (7.4 WAR).

The rotation has been fairly respectable, as 37-year old RHP Pi-ao Quian (10-11, 3.94 ERA, 1.343 WHIP, 104 ERA+) and 27-year old RHP Mhelter Pilapil (11-8, 3.75 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 109 ERA+) lead a ho-hum staff. No. 3 starter, 22-year old RHP Dave Ball (8-9, 3.23 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 127 ERA+), is making great strides in his sophomore season.

All-Star Selections:

CL Lao Chen (6th) – despite pitching only 4.0 IP with a 9.00 ERA this season!
C Robert Kersey (4th)
SS Harris Yaag (2nd)

Player of the Week Awards:

December 13 – SS Harris Yaag (.333, 10 H, 4 HR, 11 RBI)

Key Trade: January 15 with the Downie Chiefs:

To Brunswick – 26-year old 2B Harley Truman (51/51)
To Downie – 27-year old RHP Kent Dundon (45/45) and 23-year-old minor-league CF Ben Darvell (41/63)

Knee-jerk reaction: A curious trade that makes a little more sense for the Legends than for Downie. Dundon (9-9, 4.23 ERA, 1.74 WHIP, 96ERA+), a 4th overall pick from 1946-47, never developed into the ace Brunswick envisioned and so they decided to part ways. Never blessed with great control (he has led the League in walks twice), Dundon nevertheless maintains very good stuff and great movement with four serviceable pitches. But with Brunswick, he was barely hanging on as their 5th starter. With Downie, he is penciled in as their No. 3. But its hard to see him giving the Chiefs’ rotation much of a boost.

In return, the Legends gain Truman (.301/.348/.446, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 4 BB, 0.6 WAR), a 14th overall pick from 1951-52 who remains a solid option as a second baseman, with very good home run power (60), great speed and fine defense. For now, he is employed as a utility player, but its not hard to see him take over the starting job from a struggling 28-year old Dermott Morris (.238/.318/.301, 2 HR, 30 RBI, 35 RBI, 0.5 WAR) soon.

Truman was blocked by Downie’s 29-year old Dominic Dudding (68/68) who is still going strong, so its easy to why they would move Truman. But who do they get in return besides Dundon? A promising outfielder in Darvell, an outstanding defensive player with speed to burn and a promising bat. Just one problem: he is rated only for centerfield, which is currently being manned by superstar 29-year old CF Alfonso León (80/80) and he isn’t going anywhere. So they essentially exchanged a player who was blocked from starting regularly with another player who will also be blocked. Makes no sense, at least to me.

Current Injuries:

October 8 – RHP Lao Chen – Torn elbow ligament. Out for: 8-9 weeks.

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Offense: .252/.324/.392 (8th/7th/4th)
Pitching: 4.34/4.36/4.28 (6th/7th/4th)
Defense: .703 (6th)

A 3-17 stretch that started in November and continued well into December nearly drove the Downie Chiefs right into last place. They recovered in January, but this is a team with plenty of weaknesses across the board with only a few bright spots.

The offense is being carried by two players: 29-year old CF Alfonso León (.334/.400/.535, 17 HR, 73 RBI, 47 BB, 6.2 WAR) and 29-year old 2B Dominic Dudding (.294/.347/.528, 21 HR, 68 RBI, 36 BB, 3.9 WAR). But while Dudding has been getting hotter as the season has progressed, León has been cooling off. Either way, there is huge gap between them and the rest of the lineup.

Downie’s top two starters, 31-year old LHP Hank Bennett (6-7, 3.47 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 114 ERA+) and 23-year old sophomore RHP Stefan Rankin (8-8, 3.72 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 107 ERA+) are providing solid outings, but like the lineup, there’s a big drop after them. One time stalwarts, like 32-year old RHP Kelii Pelanekelina (8-11, 4.73 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 84 ERA+) are regressing fast.

All-Star Selections:

2B Dominic Dudding (8th)
CF Alfonso León (8th)

Current Injuries:

December 29 – LF Howard Dumbrill – intercostal strain. Out for: 2 days.
January 31 – RHP Kent Dundon – back spasms. Out for: DtD, 4 days.

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Offense: .265/.340/.381 (5th/5th/8th)
Pitching: 3.84/3.71/4.46 (3rd/3rd/5th)
Defense: .707 (5th)

Although injuries have played a role in the Cobourg Redlegs’ struggles this season, it is hardly the main reason. The players once again are feuding amongst themselves and it appears that Nicholas Willis, a laid-back manager to a fault, has lost the clubhouse. While the team has not fallen into any major losing tailspins, the Redlegs have won as many four games in a row just once this season. And they have the worst home record in the ULB, with only 19 wins vs. 27 losses. There appears to be too many slackers in this group, despite GM Roy King making three trades leading up to the trade deadline.

28-year old CF Raymond Williams (.301/.379/.505, 19 HR, 63 RBI, 48 BB, 4.4 WAR) and 29-year old 1B Harry Doxey (.320/.376/.501, 16 HR, 72 RBI, 35 BB, 3.9 WAR) remain the offensive leaders but are not the same powerhouses, especially Williams, as they were last season. And there is a significant drop-off after them.

The pitching staff remains the one area where Cobourg has enjoyed some consistency. 28-year old RHP Marcus Turvill (11-7, 3.30 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 124 ERA+), a former 8th-round pick has been the club’s best pitcher. But 28-year old RHP Seb Frew (9-5, 3.41 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 120 ERA+) has been a pleasant surprise, although he did struggle a bit in January (1-1, 5.81 ERA, 1.71 WHIP). 27-year old RHP Fergus Hirst (6-7, 3.54 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 115 ERA+) is currently on the injured list and suffering setbacks. He is sorely missed.

One promising development is 21-year old RHP Albert Johnson (43/80), Cobourg’s top prospect who was drafted 9th overall in December. He already had a taste of the majors in January, going 1-2, 2.42 ERA, 112 ERA+ before being sent down to Triple-A.

All-Star Selections:

SP Seb Frew (1st)
SP Marcus Turvill (3rd)
CL Brian McDaniel (1st)
1B Harry Doxey (6th)
CF Raymond Williams (8th)

Noteworthy:

December 23 – The Redlegs handed the Braeland City Monarchs their 4th loss in a row, eking out a 1-0 victory in 10 innings. Pitching all 10 innings was for Cobourg was 28-year old RHP Marcus Turvill who pitched a 3-hit gem. In all, he struck out 9 with 2 BB on 130 PI (GS: 93). The Redlegs scored what proved to be the game winner when C Jason Lymer (now with the Cambria Cannons) doubled home CF Raymond Williams in the top of the 10th.

Current Injuries:

October 28 – SS Douglas Jones – partially torn labrum. Out for: 2 weeks.
December 26 – RHP Fergus Hirst – sprained ankle. Out for: 2 weeks.
January 8 – 3B Alexander Tolmie – sprained ankle. Out for: 2 weeks.

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Offense: .256/.315/.385 (7th/8th/6th)
Pitching: 4.31/4.15/4.95 (5th/6th/6th)
Defense: .709 (3rd)

The rebound they enjoyed in November after hiring 60-year old Wildemar Aquino as their new manager did not last, as the Wellington Athletics fell back to their losing and feuding ways. Nevertheless, they remain reasonably competitive and with their key players healthy and some promising prospects getting close to the majors, hope for better days could be around the corner.

There is a sense of relief in Wellington as 27-year old LF Matthew Floyd (.388/.388/.514, 16 HR, 66 RBI, 49 BB, 4.3 WAR) is bouncing back nicely, after missing nearly all of last season with a broken elbow bone. 29-year old RF Jim Mars (.313/.359/.438, 8 HR, 46 RBI, 29 BB, 2.7 WAR) and 22-year old sophomore CF Greg Yates (.320/.366/.543, 9 HR, 45 RBI, 19 BB, 2.5 WAR) are providing able support in the lineup. But apart from 27-year old C Declan Bugbie (.296/.325/.448, 10 HR, 57 RBI, 16 BB, 2.4 WAR), the rest of the lineup is struggling. That includes 23-year old rookie SS Vance Fendley (.186/.221/.290 – 45/57) who is being given every chance to acclimate himself to the majors. He was an 8th overall pick from 1953-54. But the Athletics also have 23-year old 2B/SS Jordan Backhouse (41/62), this season’s 4th overall pick in Triple-A. He could be nearing the majors very soon as well.

The pitching has not been the worst in the Eastern League but is hardly a powerhouse. 27-year old RHP Vinnie Snell (7-11, 3.49 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 114 ERA+) continues to progress despite the adversities and the Athletics promoted 23-year old rookie RHP Mike Murray (2-5, 4.76 ERA, 1.57 WHIP, 84 ERA+ - 45/68) from Triple-A in December. Murray is currently rated the 16th overall prospect.

All-Star Selections:

SP Vinnie Snell (1st)
LF Matthew Floyd (4th)
RF Jim Mars (5th)

Player of the Week Awards:

December 6 – CF Greg Yates (.500, 11 H, 1 HR, 9 RBI)
January 17 – LF Matthew Floyd (.632, 12 H, 2 HR, 3 RBI)
January 31 – LF Matthew Floyd (.450, 9 H, 3 HR, 7 RBI)

Noteworthy:

December 17 – Wellington got a rare series sweep when they took all three games from the Downie Chiefs. In the first game, the Athletics pulled out a 9-8 walk-off win. Helping the cause was Wellington’s top player, 27-year old LF Matthew Floyd who went 5 for 5 with a triple and 4 singles. He drove in two runs and scored twice, including the tying run in the bottom of the 9th, as both Floyd and 27-year old 1B Wayne Emmert (.241/.321/.350, 5 HR, 35 RBI, 30 BB, 0.7 WAR) scored on 25-year old PH Doug Bowman’s (.306/.350/389) game-winning double.

January 20 – The Athletics and Brunswick Legends do not have the most prolific offenses this season, but they both lit up the scoreboard in the final match of their four-game series held in Brunswick. The teams combined for 28 hits as Wellington pulled out a 12-9 win. Nine players got at least 2 hits in the game, with 8 different players hitting a home run – four for the Athletics and four for the Legends. 29-year old RF Jim Mars hit a solo home run in the top of the 1st to open the scoring as Wellington staked out a 4-0 lead. Brunswick’s 24-year old RF Jay Mitchell led off the bottom of the 2nd with a solo shot to get his club on the board. Two innings later, Brunswick’s 34-year old 1B Marcus Peyto slammed a two-out 2-run homer making the score 5-3 for the visitors. After the Legends tied the game in the bottom of the 6th, Wellington erupted in the 7th with 6 runs. That outburst included two 2-run home runs by 22-year old CF Greg Yates and 24-year old 2B Brayden Docking (.280/.333/.415, 3 HR, 13 RBI, 10 BB, 0.6 WAR). But Brunswick would strike back in the bottom half with two solo home runs by 3B Jorge Arredondo and C Robert Kersey, making the score 11-7. Finally, 27-year old SS Bob Thompson (.203/.288/.401, 8 HR, 25 RBI, 20 BB, 0.7 WAR) slammed the 8th and final moonshot (430 ft), a solo effort in the 9th for the Athletics’ 12th run. The Legends would score two more runs in the bottom the of the 9th, but it was not enough as the Athletics held on for their 39th win of the season.

Current Injuries:

November 4 – LHP Michael Etienne – torn labrum. Out for: 2-3 weeks.
January 1 – RHP Howard Turnbull – shoulder tendinitis. Out for: 4 days.

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reds1 · 10-01-2021, 03:54 PM

February 1, 1955

Western League: Cannons Power Their Way to the Top

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Offense: .277/.350/.412 (2nd/1st/2nd)
Pitching: 3.90/3.87/4.07 (5th/5th/3rd)
Defense: .686 (8th)

The Cambria Cannons caught fire in January, going 16-2 during one stretch before dropping 2 of 3 to the lowly Wellington Athletics to end the month. That surge catapulted them from 4.5 games back on December 31 to first place one month later. The reason is the offense. In 4 weeks, it has gone from 3rd or 4th in several offensive categories to either 1st or 2nd in at least 10.

28-year old 1B Carlos Corea (.371/.432/.604, 18 HR, 97 RBI, 40 BB, 4.9 WAR) has yet to experience a slump. In January his AVG/OPS was .337/.983; in December it was .436/1.172. Only his defense remains sub-par (8.89 RNG, -13.0 ZR, .865 EFF).
But he is far from alone. The lineup is clicking, with 23-year old sophomore LF Calvin Hanbridge (.307/.443/.437, 7 HR, 40 RBI, 92 BB, 3.4 WAR), 25-year old CF Sam Tite (.306/.398/.479, 11 HR, 80 RBI, 61 BB, 3.8 WAR) and 23-year old sophomore 2B Doug Martin (.284/.350/.434, 7 HR, 37 RBI, 38 BB, 2.3 WAR) batting in front of Corea, the No. 4 hitter. 30-year old 3B Luis Torres (.279/.351/.462, 16 HR, 58 RBI, 38 BB, 3.1 WAR), the No. 6 hitter, got hot in January as well.

The pitching is a slightly different matter. Up until January, the pitching staff was merely adequate. But with a powerful offense supporting them, the entire staff benefited, especially 35-year old LHP Ricardo Cruz (10-9, 2.95 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 136 ERA+), who went 5-1, 1.56 ERA that month.

All-Star Selections:

SP Ricardo Cruz (4th)
1B Carlos Corea (4th)
LF Calvin Hanbridge (2nd)

Player of the Week Awards:

December 6 – 3B Luis Torres (.550, 11 H, 3 HR, 12 RBI)
January 14 – CF Sam Tite (.533, 16 H, 2 HR, 14 RBI)

Key Trade: January 25 with the Cobourg Redlegs:

To Cambria – 31-year old C Jason Lymer (53/53)
To Cobourg – 22-year old minor league RF Xavier Mackey (33/41) and 22-year old minor league RF Allen Lafferty (32/42)

Knee-jerk reaction: Cambria receives a still serviceable catches for essentially pittance in this deal. Lymer (.289/.322/.413, 4 HR, 24 RBI, 14 BB, 1.6 WAR) represents a marginal improvement over 28-year old Min-gook Lee (.258/.318/.356, 3 HR, 25 RBI, 18 BB, 0.7 WAR), who had taken over full-time catching duties last season from 37-year old Heung-su Park (38/38). Lymer is defensively sound but doesn’t have the greatest eye or contact ability. Still, the Cannons got him for next to nothing and obviously they feel he can help them in their playoff run.

Cobourg appears committed to 24-year old C Yoshiake Ikeda (48/51), who isn’t much better than Lymer at this point, but is considered a leader, which the Redlegs sorely need. In return, Cobourg get two utility players. Mackey does have the making of an above average power hitter (55) and a good judge at discerning balls and strikes. Lafferty is a very similar player to Mackey offensively but is not as strong in the field. If they develop, Cobourg should have a couple of solid bench players at best.

Current Injuries:

November 13 – RF Zhu Liao – broken kneecap. Out for: 8 weeks.
December 27 – RF Seung-jae Park – torn abdominal muscle. Out for: 7 weeks.
January 20 – RF Eddie Jeeps – back tightness. Out for: DtD, unknown.

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Offense: .282/.346/.416 (1st/2nd/1st)
Pitching: 3.74/3.61/4.29 (3rd/2nd/5th)
Defense: .724 (1st)

After a fast start in October and November that moved them into first place, the Pulberry Trolleys are in danger of squandering it. Playing .500 ball over the course of the last two months is not going to cut it and the Cambria Cannons just proved it, having overtaken the Trolleys back on January 22nd. There is nothing that jumps out as to the reason why the Trolleys are scuffling. Its not as if 25-year old closer LHP Dermott Rathbone (3-4, 12 SV, 2.96 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 135 ERA+) is giving up blown saves left and right (just two over the last two months) or that the offense has run dry.

However, No. 5 starter, 25-year old LHP Ramón Castro’s (6-8, 4.79 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, 83 ERA+) struggles that began last season continue. Since the end of November, he has gone 1-6, 5.87 ERA, 1.87 WHIP. But Pulberry remains one of the ULB’s most balanced teams and if they can shake off the doldrums, they can certainly keep pace with the red-hot Cannons and even overtake them.

26-year old LF Aidan Thirkettle (.359/.467/.584, 16 HR, 77 RBI, 75 BB, 14 SB, 6.4 WAR) remains one of the most dominant players in the United Leagues (No. 2 overall), while 27-year old CF Cooper Tyson (.314/.395/.468, 8 HR, 59 RBI, 50 BB, 11 SB, 5.6 WAR) and 27-year old 3B Makani Kahale (.300/.340/.488, 12 HR, 62 RBI, 25 BB, 8 SB, 3.0 WAR) are each enjoying one of their finest seasons, both at the plate and in the field.

While the bullpen is still seeking some stability, the Trolleys’ pitching strength remains their top three starters: 27-year old RHP Taylor Folkard (14-6, 3.24 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 123 ERA+), 33-year old RHP Robin Medellin (11-8, 3.13 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 128 ERA+) and 27-year old RHP Harley Rodman (14-5, 3.35 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 119 ERA+).

All-Star Selections:

SP Taylor Folkard (3rd)
SP Robin Medellin (2nd)
SP Harley Rodman (1st)
CL Dermott Rathbone (1st)
3B Makani Kahale (4th)
LF Aidan Thirkettle (3rd)
CF Cooper Tyson (5th)

Player of the Week Awards:

December 13 – SS Francis Jones (.484, 15 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 7 R)
January 3 – RHP Taylor Folkard (1 W, 9.0 IP, 5 K, 0.00 ERA)
January 31 – 1B Gerard Koerner (.550, 11 H, 2 HR, 8 RBI)

Current Injuries: None

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Offense: .275/.334/.392 (3rd/4th/3rd)
Pitching: 3.88/3.74/4.74 (4th/4th/7th)
Defense: .718 (2nd)

The Sherburn Tigers put the rest of the League on notice that they were not about to fade after a difficult November. They racked up 31 wins over the next two months, bettered only by Cambria (36) and the Stratford Barons (34). It appears that the Tigers have finally put things together to become a serious playoff challenger this season – they are ranked 3rd in the West in over 10 batting and pitching categories.

The resurgence of 32-year old C Christopher Dainty (.322/.424/.521, 13 HR, 56 RBI, 56 BB, 4.7 WAR) is real. After five forgetful seasons in which he was dumped by the Braeland City Monarchs after the first two, Dainty leads his team in seven batting categories and is rated the second-best catcher in the ULB, behind Stratford’s Aaron Skidmore. But he is far from alone. The 8-year veteran is joined by a slew of promising youngsters who are delivering on that promise: 25-year old 1B Marcus Timberlake (.328/.394/.484, 14 HR, 56 RBI, 41 BB, 3.7 WAR), 25-year old sophomore SS Dwayne Vick (.301/.336/.413, 24-2B, 56 RBI, 21 BB, 3.4 WAR) and 24-year old RF Albert Sulley (.280/.379/.389, 7 HR, 39 RBI, 62 BB, 14 SB, 2.8 WAR).

While the bullpen is a work in progress, the top 3 in the rotation have given the club solid outings. After missing most of last season due to injury, 28-year old RHP Ben Buschlen (15-8, 2.67 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 154 ERA+) has returned as an ace in every sense of the word. He is joined by 31-year old RHP Jesús Chapa (10-6, 3.83 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 107 ERA+), who has rebounded after a slow start (just like he did last season) as well as 25-year old LHP Brendan Wombell (10-11, 3.70 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 111 ERA+). The Tigers have promoted 21-year old LHP Kozue Saito (2-3, 6.30 ERA, 1.65 WHIP, 65 ERA+ - 40/69) to the rotation as well, a second-round pick from 1951-52 who shows a lot of promise.

All-Star Selections:

SP Ben Buschlen (2nd)
C Christopher Dainty (4th)
1B Marcus Timberlake (1st)
SS Dwayne Vick (2nd)
RF Albert Sulley (1st)

Key Trade: January 10 with the Brunswick Legends:

To Sherburn – 25-year old RF Quincy Woolescroft (49/51)
To Brunswick – 29-year old LHP Luke Henty (49/49) and 24-year old 2B Jim Hamel (46/49).

Knee-jerk reaction: Sherburn strengthens their lineup without surrendering too much. The British-born Woolsescroft (.392/.435/.572, 3 HR, 29 RBI, 13 BB, 2.3 WAR) provides a definite boost to the Tigers’ offense, a very good hitter with great contact, gap power and patience (all 65 potential). His defense and speed are above average as well. Although he was blocked from starting regularly in Brunswick, he will not have that problem in Sherburn – he is now their No. 3 hitter.

In return, the Legends receive an underachieving groundballer with decent stuff and movement (55) and slightly below average control (45). He throws 3 respectable pitches: changeup, slider and sinker. Scouts consider him more suited to the back-end of a rotation; indeed, Brunswick have fitted him in the No. 4 spot. Brunswick also receives infield reserve player Hamel, a fantastic defensive second baseman with incredible speed and base stealing abilities. While is contact is mediocre (45), he is capable of drawing plenty of walks.

Its not entirely clear why Brunswick targeted Henty. Its doubtful that he will improve their woeful pitching staff much and he has a huge ego, which should only add more fuel to an already combustible clubhouse.

Current Injuries:

December 26 – 3B Tyler MacGugan – tender shoulder. Out for: DtD, 4 days.
January 21 – RF Albert Sulley – back tightness. Out for: DtD, unknown.

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Offense: .270/.336/.388 (4th/3rd/4th)
Pitching: 3.54/3.55/3.50 (1st/1st/1st)
Defense: .715 (3rd)

Like the Sherburn Tigers, the Balmoral Giants are proving that they have staying power, riding strong performances on both sides of the ball to remain in contention. There is just a 1-game difference between their expected records (57-48) and their actual, so they are not overachieving. It will be interesting to see if either of them can overtake the Cannons or Trolleys for a playoff spot down the stretch in what is shaping up to be an exciting playoff race.

34-year old LF Ángel Costa (.351/.425/.554, 16 HR, 59 RBI, 49 BB, 4.2 WAR) is enjoying a terrific sophomore season in the ULB, but what has really boosted the Giants this year is the nice bounce season 26-year old 1B Erik Perry (.332/.377/.457, 3 HR, 52 RBI, 28 BB, 6 SB, 3.0 WAR) is enjoying. Perry was a 7th overall pick from 1950-51. Also, 27-year old CF Brock Renshaw (.305/.388/.416, 4 HR, 47 RBI, 42 BB, 5 SB, 2.8 WAR) continues to establish himself as an all-round player. Finally, 29-year old C Alexander Pyatt (.311/.330/.452, 7 HR, 50 RBI, 10 BB, 2.6 WAR) has gotten stronger as the season has worn on. But there is a bit of a drop after them, creating some doubts about whether they have the lineup to really compete with the heavyweights right now.

The pitching staff has been one of the best, but it is dealing with some injuries right now that could jeopardize things further. Balmoral’s best pitcher, 31-year old LHP Ron Albin (7-5, 2.84 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 142 ERA+) is gone for the season and 29-year old RHP Rodrigo González (9-12, 3.83 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 106 ERA+) is also nursing an injury, necessitating some juggling. Fortunately, 30-year old RHP Quintiliano Galeo (12-3, 3.47 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 117 ERA+) has returned to the rotation (No. 4) to provide a steady hand and the bullpen has been impressive, with 35-year old stopper RHP Lorenzo Morales (2-2, 18 SV, 3.30 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 123 ERA+) leading the way.

All-Star Selections:

C Alexander Pyatt (3rd)
2B Erik Perry (1st)
LF Ángel Costa (2nd)
CF Brock Renshaw (1st)

Player of the Week Awards:

December 27 – C Alexander Pyatt (.476, 10 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 3 R, .476 OBP)
January 17 – CF Danny Jevons (.556, 5 H, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 5 R)

Current Injuries:

December 26 – LHP Ron Albin – torn rotator cuff. Out for: 3-4 months.
January 7 – CF Yo Yoshida – broken kneecap. Out for: 5-6 months.
January 14 – RF Cedric Bristow – chronic back soreness. Out for: 2-3 weeks.
January 29 – RHP Rodrigo González – sore elbow. Out for: DtD, 2 weeks.

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Offense: .255/.318/.365 (6th/7th/6th)
Pitching: 3.70/3.67/3.87 (2nd/3rd/2nd)
Defense: .702 (4th)

While the Giants and Tigers show signs of returning to relevance, the Fort Richmond Generals on the other hand, appear to be fading, if ever so slightly. They played barely above .500 ball over December/January and are being left behind in the wild card chase. They have some young promising talent in the lineup and the pitching staff is still one of the better ones in the United Leagues. Still, the rotation isn’t getting any younger and the Generals have the second-worst ranked farm system in the ULB. Thus, they may not have enough talent in the pipeline to avert a slide that appears inevitable.

But their offense has a chance to get better, with some fine young players establishing themselves. 23-year old C Scott Sheelah (.280/.387/.450, 9 HR, 40 RBI, 48 BB, 3.4 WAR) has taken a big step forward in his third season. He is currently ranked as the 4th-best catcher league-wide. Others, like 26-year old 3B Mason Geake (.270/.349/.383, 5 HR, 41 RBI, 40 BB, 2.5 WAR), 25-year old rookie LF Tom Lind (.317/.366/.432, 4 HR, 34 RBI, 27 BB, 9 SB, 2.4 WAR) and 26-year old CF Greg Cusack (.288/.354/.375, 5 HR, 34 RBI, 40 BB, 11 SB, 2.3 WAR) are providing able support. But they need more if they want to get back in the playoff race.

The pitching remains a strength. The question is though, for how much longer. 32-year old RHP Ch’ang-chieh Li (9-9, 3.21 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 124 ERA+), 27-year old LHP Diarmid Rowet (7-7, 3.35 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 118 ERA+) and 34-year old LHP Nicholas Grimes (9-8, 3.36 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 118 ERA+) are stalwarts in the heart of the rotation. However, last year’s Satchel Paige Award winner, 32-year old RHP Nicky Sherlock (6-6, 3.99 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 100 ERA+), has lost a step. The bullpen has been terrific, with 30-year old stopper, RHP José Rodríguez (8-5, 8 SV, 2.29 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 174 ERA+) leading a strong unit.

All-Star Selections:

SP Ch’ang-chieh Li (4th)
CL José Rodríguez (6th)
C Scott Sheelah (1st)
LF Tom Lind (1st)

Noteworthy:

December 31 – The Hespeler Stars were leading the Generals 3-0 heading into the 8th inning, when Fort Richmond stormed back with 3 runs in the 8th and 2 in the 9th to spoil Hespeler’s New Year’s Eve celebrations. Lead off hitter CF Greg Cusack did much of the damage, going 5 for 5, one more than his teammates hit collectively. All his hits were singles, producing 1 R and 3 RBI – all three coming in the fateful final two innings.

Player of the Week Award:

January 10 – C Scott Sheelah (.571, 12 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 8 R)

Current Injuries: None

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Offense: .255/.331/.376 (5th/5th/5th)
Pitching: 4.53/4.55/4.48 (8th/8th/6th)
Defense: .692 (6th)

For the first half of the season, it appeared that the Hespeler Stars were going to battle for a spot in the first division, something they haven’t enjoyed in 12 years. But a complete collapse in January appears to have scuttled any hope. While the lineup has remained fairly competitive, the entire pitching staff imploded last month, causing the free fall.

The No. 1 shortstop in the United Leagues remains in Hespeler, as 31-year old Zhao-hui Qian (.342/.424/.504, 11 HR, 63 RBI, 56 BB, 5.1 WAR) is enjoying another sensational season. He is Hespeler’s only player to be appear in any Top 20 rankings (8th overall).
Besides him, 29-year old 2B Vic Lewis (.307/.366/.467, 12 HR, 57 RBI, 32 BB, 2.8 WAR) is enjoying a nice bounce back after a bit of a down year last season, and 23-year old CF Jack Foulsham (.311/.382/.419, 5 HR, 31 RBI, 38 BB, 5 SB, 2.3 WAR) has impressed in his rookie campaign. But the rest of the lineup has been largely missing in action.

The pitching has collapsed and its hard to imagine it getting any worse. So perhaps they will put January behind them and recover. Overall, only 29-year old RHP Wayne Nesling (7-8, 3.12 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 132 ERA+) has provided consistent outings.

All-Star Selections:

2B Vic Lewis (4th)
SS Zhao-hui Qian (4th)
CF Jack Foulsham (1st)

Player of the Week Award:

December 20 – SS Zhao-hui Qian (.560, 14 H, 2 HR, 11 RBI)

Noteworthy:

December 9 – The Stars came into Kingston for a 4-game set and silenced the Pelicans’ bats in game 1, defeating them 5-0 on a 2-hitter pitched by 26-year old RHP Battista Corotta (12-11, 4.31 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 96 ERA+). The Italian-born Corotta struck out 4 and walked 3 on 96 PI (GS: 84).

December 16 – Hespeler was unable to even up their 4-game series against the Cambria Cannons, falling 8-6 as they allowed the Cannons to score 7 runs in the final two innings. But SS Zhao-hui Qian did his part, going 5 for 5 at the plate. Qian cranked out 4 singles and a solo home run, collecting 2 R and 3 RBI.

Current Injuries:

September 10 – RHP Rodney Gabrielson – torn labrum. Out for: 2 weeks.
January 30 – RHP Stephen Tindall – forearm soreness. Out for: DtD, 1 day.

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Offense: .252/.325/.361 (7th/6th/7th)
Pitching: 4.36/4.41/4.18 (6th/7th/4th)
Defense: .689 (7th)

The Kingston Pelicans have been remarkably consistent this season. Unfortunately, its not in a good way. They have won 11 games in each of the first four months. That’s good for only 44 wins. At that rate they will end up with just 65, which would be their worst showing in their 18-year history. They have never lost fewer than 70 in a season before. They got off to a good start following the All-Star break, going 6-1, but then nosedived, losing the next 7 games. That included sweeps at the hands of the Giants and Trolleys.

Neither the lineup nor pitching staff necessarily strikes fear in opposing teams right now. With the trade of 26-year old C Gareth Mawle (3.6 WAR) to the Embro Suns on January 20th, 24-year old CF Chris Ramsbottom (.297/.369/.465, 8 HR, 39 RBI, 39 BB, 13 SB, 2.9 WAR) is now Kingston’s best player this season. 27-year old 1B Harry Herold (.278/.333/.434, 14 HR, 67 RBI, 35 BB, 2.1 WAR) has also performed well. He has taken over first base full-time this season from 40-year old 1B Dean Bishop (.225/.376/.412, 3 HR, 12 RBI, 19 BB, 0.3 WAR).

The pitching staff doesn’t offer much to be encouraged about and there’s little in the pipeline to think things will get better anytime soon. 29-year old RHP Kieran Bunce (12-8, 3.62 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 113 ERA+) started the season off strong, but has begun to regress with the rest of the rotation. However, 30-year old stopper RHP Kaula Mafileo (7-3, 8 SV, 1.69 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 243 ERA+) remains one of the best relievers in the United Leagues.

All-Star Selections:

CL Kaula Mafileo (3rd)
C Gareth Mawle (1st)
CF Chris Ramsbottom (1st)
RF Mo Spenceley (3rd)

Noteworthy:

January 6 – In the first game of a four-game set against the Wolseley Unions just prior to the All-Star break, the two clubs battled one another until the Unions finally prevailed in the 13th, 7-6. But it wouldn’t have gotten that far without 30-year old RF Mo Spenceley (.269/.353/.419, 10 HR, 52 RBI, 48 BB, 13 SB, 1.8 WAR), who went 5 for 5. In addition to three singles and a walk, Spenceley connected on two home runs, a 2-run shot in the 4th and a 3-run blast in the 6th, both against RHP Aaron Saunderson. In all, he collected 2 R and 5 RBI.

Current Injuries:

December 19 – RHP Alistair Everest – shoulder inflammation. Out for: 1-2 weeks.

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Offense: .239/.312/.331 (8th/8th/8th)
Pitching: 4.40/4.13/5.43 (7th/6th/8th)
Defense: .696 (5th)

The Wolseley Unions have quickly become a mere shadow of the powerhouse team they once were. This is a team that has gotten old quickly with little solid reinforcements to take up the slack. 54-year old Tony Hinton, Wolseley’s GM over the past 10 seasons, has his work cut out for him.

33-year old SS George Kimpton (.295/.356/.468, 10 HR, 44 RBI, 36 BB, 3.2 WAR) is now Wolseley’s top player, as 33-year old LF Carlton Hawking (.293/.415/.425, 9 HR, 39 RBI, 75 BB, 2.3 WAR) appears to have begun his inevitable decline. After struggling in December (.180/.281/.210), 25-year old 1B Carlos Ortíz (.294/.360/.415, 12 HR, 44 RBI, 43 BB, 2.2 WAR) recovered the following month (.317/.408/.500).

In the pitching department, 27-year old RHP Joseph Sellwood (9-9, 2.45 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 167 ERA+) has been the lone bright spot, a genuine ace on a bad staff where the age of five of the pitchers is north of 31 and two more are aged 29.

All-Star Selections:

SP Joseph Sellwood (1st)
SS George Kimpton (5th)
LF Carlton Hawking (10th)

Noteworthy:

January 17 – The Unions dropped a heartbreaker against the Cambria Cannons, losing 8-7 in 10 innings. But 1B Carlos Ortíz could not be kept off base all day. Ortíz went 5 for 5, with 5 singles and walk. He scored twice and drove in a run.

January 30 – Wolseley could also not keep pace with the Queensland Eagles, falling 11-8. But SS George Kimpton was hot at the plate, going 5 for 5, with 4 singles and a double. He drove in one and scored twice.

Current Injuries: None.

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DreamTeams · 10-01-2021, 06:17 PM

C'mon Trolleys gotta break that slump and hold off those Tigers and Giants. No time to panic but could be an interesting stretch run.

reds1 · 10-03-2021, 01:00 AM

March 1, 1955 - Snapshot

Here is a snapshot of the Leagues, with a couple of highlights that will be featured in the End of the Regular Season league reports:

• Which last place team boasted the second best record in the ULB in February?
• Which rookie hit the 25th cycle in ULB history and first one for his team?

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care4ameatball · 10-03-2021, 01:05 AM

Nice to see the Barons doing well.

DreamTeams · 10-03-2021, 01:19 AM

7-3 in last 10. Thirkettle leading the way. Go Trolleys!

reds1 · 10-12-2021, 03:40 PM

March 28, 1955

Eastern League: Barons, Suns Playoff Bound

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Offense: .268/.349/.411 (3rd/1st/3rd)
Pitching: 3.71/3.61/4.23 (2nd/2nd/4th)
Defense: .716 (2nd)

There was no drama down the stretch for first place this season, as the Stratford Barons finished well ahead of the pack. Last year, the Barons locked up top spot with two games remaining, but this year they did it on March 19, with eight games remaining. They qualified for the playoffs for the third consecutive year. Their 94 wins is the most since the 1947-48 season when they won 99.

While not invincible, they are a well balanced team that should be tough in the playoffs. Leading them on offense are the following four key players:

• 35-year old C Aaron Skidmore (.270/.439/.423, 16 HR, 71 RBI, 134 BB, 6.2 WAR – 74/74)
• 27-year old RF Andy Faulkner (.304/.404/.502, 24 HR, 103 RBI, 96 BB, 5.5 WAR – 63/63)
• 23-year old SS Callum Spalton (.297/.339/.471, 15 HR, 80 RBI, 32 BB, 8 SB, 5.1 WAR – 68/68)
• 26-year old 2B Matthew Channing (.286/.335/.480, 23 HR, 113 RBI, 46 BB, 15 SB, 5.0 WAR – 68/68)

Manager Xavier Ahernfeld announced the following four-man rotation for the Pennant Series:

• 27-year old RHP Ted Smith (19-6, 2.74 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 148 ERA+ - 58/58)
• 26-year old LHP Robin Wadsworth (16-10, 3.36 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 121 ERA+ - 58/58)
• 28-year old RHP Magtanggol Jaojoco (14-10, 3.67 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 111 ERA+ - 56/56)
• 36-year old LHP Aidan Fothergill (11-6, 3.87 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 105 ERA+ - 46/46)

Player of the Week Awards:

February 7 – 2B Matthew Channing (.500, 13 H, 1 HR, 10 RBI)
February 14 – RF Andy Faulkner (.545, 12 H, 2 HR, 7 RBI)

Noteworthy:

February 3 – The Barons took 2 out of 3 against the Cambria Cannons to start the month, a series that ended with a convincing 13-4 victory. 2B Matthew Channing was red-hot, going 5 for 5 with 4 singles and a triple. He collected 1 R and 4 RBI on the afternoon.

First Round Draft Pick Update:

13th overall – IF/OF Ashley Welch (20/48). Welch saw little action in Double-A; only 14 at bats with a .143/.333/.143 line with 3 walks and no hits.

Current Injuries:

November 10 – LHP Marcello Dean – torn rotator cuff. Out for: 4-5 weeks.

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Offense: .279/.346/.425 (1st/4th/2nd)
Pitching: 4.08/4.22/3.61 (4th/6th/1st)
Defense: .702 (Tied for 6th)

The Embro Suns nearly lost the wild card to the Braeland City Monarchs in the final weeks of March. Embro went into a tailspin, going 1-8 leading up to the final day of the regular season. That allowed Braeland City to pull into a tie for the wildcard on the 24th. But the Monarchs, who had been making a late March push, faltered themselves, going 1-5 in their final six games. That allowed the Suns, who thumped the Barons 8-0 on the final day, to lock up the wild card. The Suns possess a few tremendous players, but their lineup and especially their pitching is not quite as solid as the Barons.

The lineup is anchored by four key players:

• 26-year old 3B Moromao Nakagawa (.342/.433/.530, 18 HR, 100 RBI, 94 BB, 8.0 WAR – 76/76), who won the Eastern League batting title.
• 25-year old SS Kieron Bradridge (.305/.351/.500, 26 HR, 113 RBI, 45 BB, 6.9 WAR – 66/66)
• 27-year old 1B Napana Mamo (.311/.361/.489, 12 HR, 77 RBI, 47 BB, 6 SB, 4.7 WAR – 57/57)
• 25-year old LF Jesús Abreu (.275/.380/.467, 21 HR, 70 RBI, 91 BB, 8 SB, 3.7 WAR – 59/66)

For the Pennant Series, first-year manager Benjamin Sadler set the following four-man rotation:

• 27-year old RHP Bradley Strawson (15-10, 3.97 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 103 ERA+ - 54/56)
• 29-year old LHP Carl McBroom (14-11, 4.29 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 95 ERA+ - 50/50)
• 25-year old RHP Alastair Hahn (12-7, 1 SV, 3.13 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, 130 ERA+ - 45/45)
• 24-year old RHP Bob Nord (14-12, 5.28 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, 77 ERA+ - 47/50)

Noteworthy:

March 1 – The longest hitting streak of the season belongs to 3B Moromao Nakagawa. The streak lasted 24 games until the Brunswick Legends shut him down. He went 0-3 on the day. Still, the Suns won the game, 5-3.

March 17 – The 1954-55 season saw a record five cycles completed, Nos. 23 to 27. Cycle No. 27 was achieved by LF Jesús Abreu who also went 5 for 5 in Embro’s 8-4 win over the Brunswick Legends. Abreu tripled in the 1st, hit a solo home run in the 3rd, hit an RBI double in the 5th and then singled in the 7th and 9th innings. Embro’s lead-off hitter collected 2 R, 2 RBI. It was the second cycle ever completed by a Sun and the first since 1951.

First Round Draft Pick Update:

5th overall – IF William Beresford (20/62). Beresford got into 85 games in Double-A, collecting 60 H, 5 HR, 34 RBI, 11 BB and 113 K for a .208/.264/.304 line.

Current Injuries:

November 5 – 1B Bob Buchanan – fractured knee. Out for: 4-5 weeks.
January 7 – RHP Myung-gu Son – shoulder inflammation. Out for: 2 months.
March 24 – RHP Ivan Gordam – hamstring strain. Out for: 1 week.

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Offense: .275/.348/.425 (2nd/2nd/1st)
Pitching: 4.75/4.73/4.80 (8th/8th/6th)
Defense: .684 (8th)

The Braeland City Monarchs made a game of it, going 13-6 in March to catch the Embro Suns who appeared to be going down the drain. But the Monarchs were swept by the Cobourg Redlegs in the final three games (including two extra inning losses) and were eliminated on the final day. Injuries and weak pitching ultimately did the Monarchs in. Braeland City currently has the best farm system that includes three promising starting pitchers: 19-year old LHP Charlie Honeysett (34/80), 21-year old LHP Johnny Hunter (31/69) and 22-year old RHP Clive Clarke (32/61). But only one of them, Clarke, is in Triple-A.

While they came close in the final month, ultimately their weak pitching did them in. They are ranked dead last in the East in seven pitching categories. While they have some promising arms in their farm system, they are still a way off from helping the parent club. Thus, the Monarchs will need to consider major upgrades to their pitching staff if they want to take advantage of their strong lineup. Right now, 27-year old RHP Pei Ming (13-12, 4.11 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, 100 ERA+ - 51/51) and 29-year old RHP Lee Corp (12-5, 3.72 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, 110 ERA+ - 49/49) are Braeland City’s top arms and both have been inconsistent.

As good as the line up was this season, it could have been even better if their top player was able to play a full season. As it was, 29-year old 2B Patrick Lidgate (.297/.390/.530, 20 HR, 88 RBI, 65 BB, 14 SB, 6.6 WAR – 80/80) missed 5 weeks due to a separated shoulder but came back strong in late March. If he remained healthy, who knows? The Monarchs may have snuck into the playoffs for the second consecutive season.

Lidgate was ably supported by four others in the lineup:

• 25-year old CF Hayden Goodale (.283/.381/.596, 36 HR, 95 RBI, 67 BB, 4.8 WAR – 66/66), who led the United Leagues in home runs this season
• 24-year old RF Aidan Trembath (.314/.378/.451, 18 HR, 95 RBI, 60 BB, 4.1 WAR – 61/61)
• 30-year old LF Jake Stunt (.308/.369/.495, 17 HR, 63 RBI, 39 BB, 8 SB, 4.0 WAR – 58/58)
• 31-year old 1B Dean Witherden (.301/.377/.493, 22 HR, 81 RBi, 59 BB, 3.0 WAR – 52/52)

Player of the Week Awards:

March 7 – CF Hayden Goodale (.467, 14 H, 3 HR, 10 RBI)

Noteworthy:

March 8 – It wasn’t a particularly blustery day, but the Monarchs and Cobourg Redlegs lit up the scoreboard in a lop-sided affair won by Braeland City. Of the 34 hits in the game, the Monarchs belted out 21 of them, including 8 home runs, with 2B Patrick Lidgate and 27-year old C Seb Ellison (.364/.411/.500, 4 HR, 19 RBI, 11 BB, 1.2 WAR – 51/51) hitting two each. It was already 7-5 for the Redlegs when the two teams entered the bottom of the 4th. The Monarchs erupted for 12 runs off 2 walks, 5 singles, 1 double and 3 home runs. One of the home runs was a Grand Slam off the bat of RF Aidan Trembath. The Redlegs never recovered and ultimately fell 21-8.

March 20 – The Monarchs went into Brunswick and swept all 3 games against the Legends. Crowning their sweep was 28-year old LHP Larry Kovnats (8-13, 4.84 ERA, 1.72 WHIP, 84 ERA+ - 47/48), who kept Brunswick off the scoreboard all afternoon, beating them 6-0 on 2 hits. It was an eventful day, as Kovnats accomplished it on 147 PI, striking out 12 and walking 7 (GS: 88).

First Round Draft Pick Update:

10th overall – IN/OF Jay Colcott (20/50). Colcott played mostly first base in Double-A and got into 63 games. He batted .274/.335/.415 with 1 HR, 21 RBI, 10 BB, 71 K in 212 AB.

Current Injuries:

November 24 – RHP Corey Timothy – Torn UCL. Out for: 5 weeks.
January 21 – RHP Okura Suzuki – ulnar nerve entrapment. Out for: 8 weeks.

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Offense: .268/.346/.386 (4th/3rd/7th)
Pitching: 4.37/4.11/5.40 (7th/5th/8th)
Defense: .708 (Tied for 4th)

On March 14, the Brunswick Legends got to within 2 games of the wildcard, but an 8-game losing streak effectively knocked them out of the race and they were officially eliminated on the 24th, the same day as the Queensland Eagles. The Legends are a thoroughly mediocre team with a weak farm system (14th overall), dimming any near-future hopes of a resurgence. They are capable of strong play now and then, but do not have the horses to maintain it over an entire season. Still, with the rest of the East (with the exception of the Barons) mediocre as well, Brunswick remained within striking distance of a playoff spot for most of the season.

A stouter pitching staff would certainly improve their playoff chances in the short term. Their current pitching options are unremarkable, with 27-year old RHP Mhelter Pilapil (15-12, 3.90 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 105 ERA+ - 52/52) and 22-year old RHP Dave Ball (10-14, 3.98 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 103 ERA+ - 48/58) being the best the Legends have to offer right now, although Ball fell off a cliff in February and March (2-5, 5.84 ERA, 1.69 WHIP).

After a slow start, 26-year old C Robert Kersey (.296/.377/.478, 22 HR, 85 RBI, 69 BB, 6.1 WAR – 73/73) got stronger as the season wore on. The Legends could use a couple more impact players like him. But 28-year old lead-off hitter, LF Carl Patton (.306/.409/.392, 6 HR, 53 RBI, 104 BB, 15 SB, 4.9 WAR – 61/61), got better as the season wore on as well. 26-year old SS Harris Yaag (.300/.350/.447, 17 HR, 88 RBI, 37 BB, 4.7 WAR – 62/62) enjoyed his best season yet.

Noteworthy:

February 27 – The Legends swept their 2-game set against the Downie Chiefs. In the second game, 29-year old LHP Luke Henty (11-12, 3.80 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 107 ERA+ - 51/51) was masterful, pitching a complete game 2-hitter to lead Brunswick to a 4-0 win, giving up 3 BB with 3 K on 105 PI (GS: 83). He also drove in the game’s second run on a sac fly.

First Round Draft Pick Update:

6th overall – 2B Apelama Kuahine (34/62). With the Double-A Jarvis Smokers, Kuahine batted .258/.338/.415, 5 HR, 34 RBI, 24 BB, 63 K in 70 G, 229 AB.

Current Injuries:

March 15 – 1B Francis Joicey – broken kneecap. Out for: 5 months.

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Offense: .257/.326/.371 (7th/6th/8th)
Pitching: 3.66/3.57/4.08 (1st/1st/3rd)
Defense: .719 (1st)

On February 6, the Queensland Eagles stood all alone in second place and 16 games above .500, thanks to a 13-2 run in late January and early February. But starting on February 7, they went into a severe tailspin, going 15-29 the rest of the way. But despite missing the playoffs for the 8th straight year, things are looking up for the Eagles. They have the 3rd-best farm system and it is starting to produce major league-ready players.

21-year old RF Hal Dhu (.323/.392/.517, 14 HR, 55 RBI, 38 BB, 8 SB, 3.2 WAR – 53/64) showed tremendous promise in his rookie season and would have made a bigger impact had he not lost two months to injury. He did, however, get healthy enough to help Queensland’s top farm team, the Elmhurst Black Cats, win the Triple-A Kings Cup over Wellington’s Quinlan Maroons, 3 games to 2.

But Queensland also has 22-year old SS Noel Eissens (.225/.262/.294, 15-2B, 35 RBI, 23 BB, 7 SB, -0.6 WAR – 47/64) and 26-year old LHP Amoka Kalea (10-14, 3.59 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 112 ERA+ - 52/52) on the major league roster and show a lot of promise.

For now, though, 29-year old RF Rod Dennis (.299/.396/.463, 21 HR, 81 RBI, 90 BB, 4.0 WAR – 60/60) remains Queensland’s best offensive player.

As noted in previous write-ups, the Eagles’ pitching staff, especially the rotation is shaping up to be something really special. In addition to Kalea who is pitching from the No. 3 spot, they have the two best starters in 29-year old RHP Logan Belsey (21-11, 2.62 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 153 ERA+ - 74/77) and 27-year old RHP Stiofan Micklethwait (20-9, 2.60 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 154 ERA+ - 69/70), both of whom would be deserving of the Eastern League Satchel Paige Award. Also, 22-year old RHP Derek Tarn (5-8, 12 SV, 3.04 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 132 ERA+ - 48/48) appears to have settled into the No. 4 spot going forward. This team really needs to beef up their offense if they want to take advantage of their impressive rotation.

First Round Draft Pick Update:

3rd overall – IF Dennis Purcell (36/66). Purcell enjoyed a solid year in Double-A, playing mostly second base. He went .268/.339/.465, 16 HR, 54 RBI, 25 BB, 84 K, 8 SB in 86 G, 314 AB.

Current Injuries:

March 11 – RHP Tyler Gissing – elbow inflammation. Out for: 3 days.

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Offense: .248/.323/.388 (8th/7th/6th)
Pitching: 4.15/4.26/3.83 (5th/7th/2nd)
Defense: .702 (Tied for 6th)

Apart from a rough December (8-19), the Downie Chiefs were quite respectable over the course of the other five months, going 65-62. But this is a team that is rife with weaknesses with players that are past their primes. It appears things will get worse for Downie before they get better.

The Chiefs’ top two players remain among the best in the United Leagues: 29-year old CF Alfonso León (.315/.380/.518, 25 HR, 115 RBI, 67 BB, 10 SB, 7.9 WAR – 79/79) and 29-year old 2B Dominic Dudding (.298/.361/.505, 26 HR, 101 RBI, 60 BB, 7 SB, 5.7 WAR – 69/69). But they are the only bright spots in an otherwise lackluster lineup. Former 11th overall pick, 24-year old 3B Freddie Ogburn (.233/.298/.349, 12 HR, 73 RBI, 51 BB, 1.1 WAR – 52/59), showed modest progress in his sophomore season, but it’s a drop in the bucket compared to what the Chiefs need to revive a moribund offense. Their farm system currently ranks in the middle of the pack (8th overall), but hopefully it will get stronger over the next few seasons.

In the rotation, they have a couple of promising starters. 23-year old sophomore RHP Stefan Rankin (14-11, 3.39 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 117 ERA+ - 48/51) finished the season strong, going 6-3, 2.71 ERA, 1.23 WHIP in February/March. He was arguably Downie’s best pitcher this season. They also have 24-year old LHP Quinn Merrifield (5-6, 3 SV, 4.75 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 84 ERA+ - 42/60) who joined the rotation full-time in February. The second-year pitcher was a 2nd-round pick from 1952-53. He is highly regarded and is seen as a leader in the clubhouse.

Player of the Week Awards:

February 21 – 2B Dominic Dudding (.591, 13 H, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 3 R)

First Round Draft Pick Update:

7th overall – IF Ashley McClelland (34/74). Playing mostly shortstop, McClelland batted .289/.380/.386, 4 HR, 47 RBI, 34 BB, 61 K in 84 G, 277 AB in Double-A. In the Heritage Leagues playoffs, he batted .231/.333/.308 with 2 RBI in 13 AB as his Minto Tribe fell to the Elgin Angels 3 games to 1 in the Pearl Coast League Pennant Series.

Current Injuries:

February 18 – RHP Virgil de Gilde – surgery to remove bone chips (elbow). Out for: 3 months.
March 25 – RHP Bernie Knowles – sore shoulder. Out for: DtD, 2 weeks.

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Offense: .265/.339/.388 (6th/5th/5th)
Pitching: 4.00/3.88/4.56 (3rd/3rd/5th)
Defense: .708 (Tied for 4th)

For years, the Cobourg Redlegs were long on offense, but short on pitching. This season, the reverse was true as the Redlegs’ pitching staff was one of the top units in the East while the offense was saddled with a lot of dead weight. It seems that the pitching did not gel in time to take advantage of Cobourg’s once mighty offense and now the team’s playoff window has closed. In fact, the Redlegs fell to 8th place in the East by March 14 and were as many as 2 games back of the Wellington Athletics before they recovered to finish in a tie.

But despite the lackluster season and clubhouse rancor, all hope may not be lost for next year. The club still boasts a few of the finest players in the ULB in the likes of 29-year old CF Raymond Williams (.319/.387/.542, 28 HR, 100 RBI, 64 BB, 13 SB, 7.0 WAR – 75/75), 29-year old 1B Harry Doxey (.305/.357/.462, 18 HR, 95 RBI, 47 BB, 4.1 WAR – 54/54) and 33-year old 3B Alexander Tolmie (.309/.389/.433, 12 HR, 69 RBI, 64 BB, 3.5 WAR – 67/67).

They also have some promising young position players on the roster. The most notable is 23-year old SS Douglas Jones (.252/.323/.393, 6 HR, 20 RBI, 21 BB, 1.0 WAR – 61/69), Cobourg’s lead-off hitter and former 6th overall pick who missed more than 4 months due to a torn labrum. They also have 22-year old IF Harold Prudom (43/53 – 16th overall pick) and 24-year old 3B Bernie Vantassell (45/53 – 2nd round pick) who were both gradually eased onto the major league roster this season. If the Redlegs can get another big season out of their established stars and the young ones can establish themselves and stay healthy, then Cobourg could be back in the thick of things next year.

It would certainly be a shame to let a suddenly respectable pitching staff go to waste.
28-year old RHP Marcus Turvill (16-9, 3.08 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 133 ERA+ - 58/58), a former 8th-round pick, is not only the club’s best pitcher, but one of the United Leagues’ best period. 27-year old RHP Fergus Hirst (9-9, 3.38 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 121 ERA+ - 59/62) is right there with him, but he was hampered with injuries all season. 26-year old LHP Bill Budd (12-16, 4.06 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 101 ERA+ - 57/61) is consistently rated among the Top 20 pitchers, but he remains a frustrating enigma. He’s popular and intelligent but has yet to become the shut-down hurler he was projected to be. On the plus side, 21-year old RHP Albert Johnson (43/75 – 9th overall pick) is back on the major league roster to end the season. He is ranked No. 1 among pitching prospects in ULB (4th overall) and an ace in the making.

Player of the Week Awards:

March 14 – CF Raymond Williams (.464, 13 H, 1 HR, 7 RBI)

Noteworthy:

March 10 – Cycle No. 26 was achieved by CF Raymond Williams in Cobourg’s 10-3, 14-inning win against the hometown Braeland City Monarchs. The Monarchs tied the game up in the 8th inning, forcing the game into extras. The two teams exchanged runs in the 10th inning before the Redlegs exploded for 7 runs in the top of the 14th. Williams went 4 for 7 on the day. He tripled in the 1st, flied out in the 3rd, grounded out in the 5th, walked in the 7th, singled in the 9th, doubled in the 11th and hit a Grand Slam home run in the 14th off RHP Lenny Caesar. Williams finished with 1 R, 4 RBI and 1 BB. It represents the second cycle complete by a Redleg/Red Stocking, after 1B Harry Doxey completed his back in December 1950.

First Round Draft Pick Update:

9th overall – SP Albert Johnson (43/75). The 21-year old was immediately promoted to Triple-A after being drafted. Three weeks later he was brought up to the majors due to an injury to SP Fergus Hirst and stayed with the club until January 17. He returned to the Redlegs for the March 1st roster expansion. In Triple-A, he went 4-4, 4.37 ERA, 78.1 IP, 23 BB, 55 K, 1.24 WHIP. With the big club, his line was 1-2, 3.27 ERA, 41.1 IP, 21 BB, 23 K, 1.43 WHIP, 125 ERA+.

Current Injuries:

March 22 – RF Nathan Ashman – sprained thumb. Out for: 2-3 weeks.

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Offense: .265/.323/.392 (5th/8th/4th)
Pitching: 4.25/4.09/4.89 (6th/4th/7th)
Defense: .709 (3rd)

The Wellington Athletics finished the season strong, putting up 28 wins in the final two months, behind only the Pulberry Trolleys (32) and tied with the Barons. Remove a disastrous October where they only won 4 games and the Athletics’ record is 66-61, a pace good enough for 80 games in a 154-game season and well within the playoff hunt. Alas for Wellington, only full season records count and the club finished in the Eastern League basement for the first time in 6 years, just three years removed from their first-place finish in 1951-52.

But their poor start appears to be the aberration. They proved that they can be very competitive over the course of the season. That said, it doesn’t mean that they are particularly good. Despite a few fine players and prospects, they will need quite a bit more to return to the first division in the East.

27-year old LF Matthew Floyd (.325/.396/.517, 23 HR, 94 RBI, 72 BB, 13 SB, 5.8 WAR – 76/78) is one of the best in the United Leagues and a cornerstone player. But the rest of the lineup really needs to step up if they are to provide the offensive backing Floyd deserves.

29-year old RF Jim Mars (.313/.354/.451, 14 HR, 73 RBI, 38 BB, 4.3 WAR – 55/55) enjoyed another fine year. And players like 28-year old 2B Vaiga Bultarro (.264/.33/.396, 10 HR, 50 RBI, 55 BB, 12 SB, 3.0 WAR – 61/61) as well as 22-year old CF Greg Yates (.291/.336/.501, 13 HR, 74 RBI, 29 BB, 2.7 WAR – 58/58) showed flashes of greatness as times, but they to be much more consistent.

Wellington does have some promising young players arriving, such as 23-year old SS Vance Fendley (.206/.247/.295, 4 HR, 39 RBI, 23 BB, 0.5 WAR – 48/57) and 22-year old OF Dan Lawless (37/64). The challenge though with Lawless will be in cracking the lineup, since the Athletics’ outfield is well set with Floyd, Mars and Yates.

The biggest concern is the pitching. Outside of 27-year old RHP Vinnie Snell (10-16, 3.64 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 110 ERA+ - 52/52), the staff does not inspire confidence. The one bright spot is 23-year old RHP Mike Murray (8-6, 3.87 ERA, 1.30 WHIP,103 ERA+ - 46/68), who was promoted to the majors in December and finished strong in March. On the negative side is that Murray has a disruptive personality. Not good when there is already a lot of losing and feuding going on.

Player of the Week Awards:

February 28 – LF Matthew Floyd (.455, 10 H, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 4 R)
March 21 – RF Jim Mars (.565, 13 H, 2 HR, 9 RBI)

Noteworthy:

March 1 – The Athletics took 2 of 3 from the mighty Stratford Barons, a series that included an impressive 1-0 victory in the second game. Rookie RHP Mike Murray provided a glimpse of what is in store, as the future ace pitched a 2-hitter to blank the first-place Barons. Murray went 9.0 IP, 4 BB, 3 K on 126 PI (GS: 82).

March 23 – Wellington split a 4-game set with the Braeland City Monarchs with the Athletics’ two wins coming in back-to-back shutouts. After blanking the Monarchs 6-0 the day before, 30-year old LHP Zak Annett (12-7, 3.93 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 104 ERA+) took his turn on the mound and shut down the Capital City visitors 3-0 on 2 hits. In all, he went 9.0 IP with 3 BB, 4 K on 105 PI (GS: 84).

First Round Draft Pick Update:

4th overall – IF/OF Jordan Backhouse (44/64). Backhouse showed a lot of promise Double-A, batting .272/.348/.412, 6 HR, 46 RBI, 29 BB, 42 K, 11 SB in 85 G, 313 AB. He played mostly second base but was solid defensively at both 2B (+6.9 ZR) and SS (+4.4 ZR). In the playoffs, he batted .333/.400/.500, 6 H, 3 RBI in 5 G, 18 AB, as the Evansville Clowns fell to the Georgetown Goldbugs in 5 games in the Surf Coast League Pennant Series.

Current Injuries:

March 21 – SS Carl Townsend – undisclosed injury. Out for: 2 months.
March 22 – LHP Mike Murray – herniated disc. Out for: 4 days.

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Bottom Of The Sixth · 10-12-2021, 05:22 PM

Great stuff, reds1

Keep up the Top-Notch work!

reds1 · 10-14-2021, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bottom Of The Sixth

Great stuff, reds1

Keep up the Top-Notch work!

Thank you so much, Chad!

reds1 · 10-14-2021, 03:25 PM

March 28, 1955

Western League: Trolleys, Cannons Set for Pennant Battle

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Offense: .280/.346/.412 (2nd/2nd/2nd)
Pitching: 3.64/3.62/3.70 (2nd/2nd/2nd)
Defense: .720 (1st)

The Pulberry Trolleys came alive in the final two months of the season to take top spot in the West for the second consecutive year. Winning 32 games over that span, the best in the United Leagues, the Trolleys finished with 91 wins, the first time they reached the 90-win plateau in their 18-year history. Their previous best was last season when they won 88. They clinched a playoff spot on March 20 and locked up first place 5 days later.

The Trolleys will be facing the best offensive team in the United Leagues in the playoffs when they square off against the Cambria Cannons. But Pulberry is no slouch at the plate either – or in any other facet of the game for that matter. Their lineup is nicely balanced by a strong pitching staff. Only the Queensland Eagles surrendered fewer runs in the United Leagues this season (616 to 630).

The current No. 1 player in the ULB, 26-year old LF Aidan Thirkettle (.349/.451/.590, 28 HR, 115 RBI, 103 BB, 19 SB, 9.4 WAR – 80/80), enjoyed another phenomenal season and should be considered the heavy favourite to repeat as Western League Babe Ruth Award winner. But he was joined by the equally outstanding 28-year old CF Cooper Tyson (.317/.398/.459, 12 HR, 87 RBI, 76 BB, 18 SB, 8.0 WAR – 80/80), who bounced back from a relatively down year last season.

They were ably supported in the lineup by three other players:

• 27-year old 3B Makani Kahale (.306/.352/.475, 15 HR, 83 RBI, 42 BB, 12 SB, 5.5 WAR – 67/67)
• 29-year old lead-off hitter SS Francis Jones (.291/.363/.457, 13 HR, 74 RBI, 63 BB, 13 SB, 4.1 WAR – 60/60)
• 24-year old C Paul England (.277/.345/.429, 14 HR, 86 RBI, 53 BB, 3.4 WAR – 57/67)

On the other hand, long-time stalwart, 30-year old RF Ellis Dibble (.281/.320/.398, 15 HR, 66 RBI, 38 BB, 7 SB, 1.8 WAR – 52/52) endured a tough season, his worst in 5 years.

Pulberry currently has one of the better farm systems in the ULB (5th overall) and their top prospect, 23-year old SS Sean Abercrombie (42/68), got in 39 at bats this year and looks poised to join the club full-time next season. He has excellent ratings at the plate, in the field and on the basepaths. The challenge will be where to play him. He is rated only for shortstop and that is currently being occupied by Francis Jones, who is also rated only for shortstop. If Abercrombie develops into a top-notch player, then the Trolleys have a tough decision to make.

4th-year manager Ryo Ichikawa has set his rotation for the Pennant Series:

• 27-year old RHP Taylor Folkard (19-8, 3.29 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 122 ERA+ - 57/57)
• 33-year old RHP Alexander Ellacott (11-10, 3.32 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 120 ERA+ - 51/51)
• 34-year old RHP Robin Medellin (17-12, 3.06 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 130 ERA+ - 54/54)
• 28-year old RHP Harley Rodman (18-10, 3.95 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 101 ERA+ - 51/51)

The pitching staff could soon get a boost with the eventual promotion of 19-year old LHP Bart Ohara (32/60). Ohara pitched out of the bullpen for Pulberry in March (17.2 IP) and gave up no runs in 5 games. He is a future starter with excellent stuff (75) and movement (70), but weak control (30). On the other hand, he possesses 5 outstanding pitches. He was a 4th-round pick from 1953-54.

Player of the Week Awards:

February 14 – LF Aidan Thirkettle (.409, 9 H, 6 HR, 13 RBI, 8 R)
February 28 – RHP Robin Medellin (2-0, 14.2 IP, 4 K, 0.61 ERA)
March 7 – CF Cooper Tyson (.500, 12 H, 1 HR, 7 RBI)
March 14 – LF Aidan Thirkettle (.500, 12 H, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 10 R)

Noteworthy:

March 3 – The Pulberry Trolleys took the first game of their 4-game set against the Hespeler Stars, 14-7 in Hespeler. RF Ellis Dibble led the way, going 5 for 6 with 3 singles, a double and a 2-run home run. He collected 3 R and 3 RBI. CF Cooper Tyson wasn’t far behind him, going 4 for 5, with 3 singles and a 2-run home run as well, picking up 3 R, 3 RBI and 1 BB.

March 16 – Pulberry held on to win the rubber match in their 3-game series against the Balmoral Giants, 7-5. SS Francis Jones led the way, going 5 for 5. He banged out 3 singles, a double and a triple for 2 R and 2 RBI.

First Round Draft Pick Update:

16th overall – C/1B Hokuaonani Kaili (20/41). Kaili got into 63 games and 193 AB in Double-A, going .233/.296/.409, 8 HR, 35 RBI, 17 BB, 56 K. He played mostly first base (46 G).

Current Injuries: None.

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Offense: .282/.355/.427 (1st/1st/1st)
Pitching: 4.03/4.02/4.09 (4th/4th/4th)
Defense: .686 (8th)

The Cambria Cannons rode the hottest offense in the United Leagues back into the playoffs after a one-year absence. Although they were unable to hang onto first place that they briefly took away from Pulberry, they punched their ticket to the post-season when they locked up the wildcard on March 24. They topped the Western League in every possible offensive category apart from stolen bases (7th) and led the ULB in batting average, OBP, SLG and OPS, to name a few. If they can keep their offense riding high in the playoffs, they will be a formidable foe.

28-year old 1B Carlos Corea (.352/.414/.577 26 HR, 129 RBI, 60 BB, 6.0 WAR – 66/66) remains the cornerstone of the lineup, although he is absolutely horrendous in the field (.993 PCT, 9.00 RNG, -21.9 ZR, .834 EFF). He did win his second Western League Batting Title, however.

Corea is getting plenty of help as the lineup is stacked with players who went on a tear in the second half of the season:

• 25-year old CF Sam Tite (.321/.412/.512, 20 HR, 111 RBI, 92 BB, 6.5 WAR – 71/73)
• 24-year old LF Calvin Hanbridge (.328/.449/.504, 17 HR, 79 RBI, 126 BB, 11 SB, 6.4 WAR – 69/70)
• 30-year old 3B Luis Torres (.289/.358/.491, 27 HR, 88 RBI, 56 BB, 5.2 WAR – 61/61)

In addition, 23-year old sophomore 2B Doug Martin (.280/.340/.430, 10 HR, 67 RBI, 51 BB, 8 SB, 2.6 WAR – 56/70) continues to progress while 23-year old rookie Eddie Jeeps (.339/.420/.496, 6 HR, 28 RBI, 36 BB, 5 SB, 2.9 WAR – 51/51) took over rightfield full-time in March.

The pitching is not the strongest unit around but got better as the season wore on and proved they could get the job done when needed.

Manager Wesley Leseberg confirmed the following 4-man rotation for the Western League Pennant Series:

• 35-year old LHP Ricardo Cruz (15-14, 3.38 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 119 ERA+ - 55/55)
• 25-year old LHP Bill Southon (20-8, 3.67 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 109 ERA+ - 53/53)
• 29-year old RHP Masami Fujihara (14-16, 4.13 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 97 ERA+ - 51/51)
• 28-year old RHP Lou Dunne (9-6, 4.84 ERA, 1.63 WHIP, 83 ERA+ - 39/39)

The Cannons do not have the strongest farm system (11th overall) and there are few topflight players in the system. Cambria promoted their top prospect, 22-year old LHP Sebastian Cromwell (2-2, 3 SV, 2.86 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 140 ERA+ - 47/53), to the bullpen this season, but was used sparingly. Scouts suggest his future role is strictly in the bullpen.

Player of the Week Awards:

February 7 – LF Calvin Handridge (.483, 14 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI)
March 21 – 1B Carlos Corea (.542, 13 H, 3 RBI)

First Round Draft Pick Update:

12th overall – IF/OF Graham Gillbard (20/55). When he saw game action, Gillbard spent the bulk of his time playing right field, where he batted .263/.288/.333, 12 RBI, 2 BB, 42 K in 36 G, 114 AB.

Current Injuries:

March 11 – RHP Ray Lambright – partially torn labrum. Out for: 5 months.
March 24 – CF Sam Tite – sprained knee. Out for: DtD, 2 weeks.

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Offense: .268/.338/.386 (4th/4th/4th)
Pitching: 3.58/3.43/4.03 (1st/1st/3rd)
Defense: .715 (2nd)

Reaching the playoffs was ultimately too much to achieve, but the Balmoral Giants can still see the progress they made this season. Their 3rd place finish was their best in 4 years and their 82 wins is the most in 10 years. Still, they are 11 seasons removed from their last playoff appearance and they are still trying to gain traction long after the now-retired Carlton Broadbent’s peak years. In fairness, the club has had to deal with more than their fair share of injuries this year, especially on the pitching staff. What affect that ultimately had on their playoff fortunes this year, its hard to say. But they do have an outstanding team trainer, so its simply a matter of tough breaks.

The team has long had one of the better pitching staffs in the West and that didn’t change. What made a difference this year was that a once anemic offense continued to improve for the third straight season.

LF Ángel Costa (.337/.408/.527, 21 HR, 83 RBI, 65 BB, 5.3 WAR – 66/66) remains Balmoral’s top player and even though he just completed his sophomore season, you have to wonder when the 34-year old will start to regress. Thus, the need for the Giants to really focus on beefing up their offense quickly.

On the plus side, several players enjoyed fine seasons, such as 26-year old 1B Erik Perry (.326/.372/.436, 4 HR, 72 RBI, 44 BB, 8 SB, 3.9 WAR – 50/50), 29-year old C Alexander Pyatt (.305/.331/.439, 10 HR, 70 RBI, 19 BB, 3.4 WAR – 58/58) and especially 27-year old CF Brock Renshaw (.282/.380/.409, 9 HR, 70 RBI, 71 BB, 6 SB, 4.1 WAR – 53/53). But outside of Costa and perhaps Renshaw soon, none of these players seem capable of providing the high-octane offense that Balmoral needs to compete in the West.

The Giants installed 25-year old rookie Hayden Gunton (.258/.323/.334, 4 HR, 37 RBI, 50 BB, 2.6 WAR – 55/56) as their stating shortstop this season. He is outstanding defensively, but it remains to be seen if his bat will provide a much-needed spark.

Despite the plethora of injuries, the pitching remained effective, with 31-year old LHP Ron Albin (7-5, 2.84 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 142 ERA+ - 53/53) leading the way when he was healthy, which was only for half a season. 29-year old RHP Rodrigo González (13-15, 3.33 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 106 ERA+ - 50/50) returned from injury in early February and was sensational down the stretch (4-3, 2.28 ERA, 1.27 WHIP). 30-year old RHP Quintiliano Galeo (16-8, 3.54 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 114 ERA+ - 45/45) enjoyed a bounce-back season.

The Giants also promoted 23-year old RHP Kai Dean (38/70) to the bullpen in the final month. The former 3rd-round pick from 1953-54 is a future starter and should be a nice mid-rotation addition one day.

First Round Draft Pick Update:

8th overall – 3B Dave Sherwood (20/62). Sherwood got very little playing time in Double-A, only 7 AB, where he batted .143/.333/.143, 1 BB, 3 K. He appeared in only one playoff game with no at-bats as his Georgetown Goldbugs reached the finals, but who ultimately fell to the Elgin Angels in 5 games.

Current Injuries:

December 26 – LHP Ron Albin – torn rotator cuff. Out for: 4 weeks.
January 7 – CF Yo Yoshida – broken kneecap. Out for: 3 months.
February 3 – RHP Lorenzo Morales – partially torn labrum. Out for: 6 weeks.
February 9 – LHP Kyle Newsholme – torn rotator cuff. Out for: 4 months.
February 11 – RHP Lucas Nott – rupture tendon (finger). Out for: 6 weeks.

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Offense: .261/.326/.373 (5th/6th/6th)
Pitching: 3.73/3.77/3.54 (3rd/3rd/1st)
Defense: .709 (4th)

After winning it all last year, the Fort Richmond Generals struggled just to stay around .500 for most of the season and finished with 79 wins, their worst showing in 8 years. They were eliminated from the post-season on March 20.

The biggest concern is an aging nucleus with precious few impact players coming up a system that is ranked only 13th overall. 26-year old LF Tom Lind (.313/.374/.450, 10 HR, 53 RBI, 48 BB, 12 SB, 3.9 WAR – 49/49) should get serious Rookie of the Year consideration, but whether Fort Richmond’s lead-off hitter can sustain it going forward is a legitimate question.

Playing without your best position player doesn’t help either. 30-year old SS Nobuyoshi Yoshida (.325/.360/.470, 6 HR, 42 RBI, 17 BB, 3.2 WAR – 71/71) missed 14 weeks due to injury for the second straight season. And when he was in the lineup, he was frequently dealing with various day-to-day ailments.

On a positive note, 23-year old C Scott Sheelah (.280/.384/.449, 12 HR, 77 RBI, 74 BB, 5.2 WAR – 68/68) made great strides at the plate in his third season and is one of the best catchers in the ULB (4th overall). But the rest of the lineup either had down years or were practically invisible.

The top four in the rotation had respectable years, but for how much longer remains a question. In the case of Grimes and especially Sherlock (who won both the Satchel Paige and United Cup MVP awards last year), this season was bit of a let-down.

• 32-year old RHP Ch’ang-chieh Li (12-15, 3.53 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 113 ERA+ - 55/55)
• 32-year old RHP Nicky Sherlock (12-9, 3.86 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 103 ERA+ - 55/55)
• 27-year old LHP Diarmid Rowet (11-12, 3.54 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 112 ERA+ - 50/50
• 34-year old LHP Nicholas Grimes (16-11, 3.46 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 115 ERA+ - 50/50)

The bullpen was top-notch and is bolstered with two young, outstanding hurlers:

• 25-year old RHP Glen Limon (2-3, 2.52 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 158 ERA+ - 67/68), who really deserves more innings (35.2) and even a shot in a starting role, and
• 22-year old rookie LHP John Witheycombe (3-2, 2.70 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 147 ERA+ - 48/63), a 2nd-round pick from 1951-52.

First Round Draft Pick Update:

15th overall – OF Ed Ellsworth (35/64). Ellsworth played nearly of his 87 games in Double-A in centerfield. He batted .239/.312/.321, 3 HR,22 RBI, 29 BB, 79 K, 293 AB.

Current Injuries:

March 15 – SS Nobuyoshi Yoshida – sprained oblique. Out for: 2-3 weeks.

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Offense: .278/.338/.392 (3rd/3rd/3rd)
Pitching: 4.13/4.03/4.68 (5th/5th/7th)
Defense: .711 (3rd)

Although the season ended on a downer (19-30 in the final two months), there is still much to be encouraged about the Sherburn Tigers’ season. They were as many as 11 games above .500 as late as February 2nd and finished with a non-losing record for the first time in 9 years (91 wins in 1945-46). Their 77 victories represent a 16-game improvement over last season. They have the second-best farm system in the ULB, and its impact is starting to be felt at the major league level. And shrewd trades have brought some fine, young players into the fold as well.

But the 1954-55 season will also be known for the renaissance of 32-year old C Christopher Dainty (.327/.429/.526, 18 HR, 83 RBI, 82 BB, 7.1 WAR – 69/69). Largely a forgotten backup over the past 4 seasons, the 9-year veteran suddenly transformed himself into the top-rated catcher in the United Leagues.

And this is a very young team that should only get better. Besides Dainty, many of the starters all enjoyed impressive seasons:

• 25-year old sophomore SS Dwayne Vick (.309/.342/.405, 1 HR, 70 RBI, 30 BB, 5.0 WAR – 65/67)
• 25-year old sophomore RF Albert Sulley (.294/.391/.411, 8 HR, 56 RBI, 83 BB, 17 SB, 4.4 WAR – 61/68)
• 26-year old 1B Marcus Timberlake (.306/.372/.452, 19 HR, 79 RBI, 57 BB, 3.8 WAR – 51/51)
• 25-year old rookie 3B Adrian Flynn (.300/.354/.486, 13 HR, 55 RBI, 25 BB, 2.8 WAR – 59/60)
• 25-year old LF Quincy Woolescroft (.360/.410/.508, 4 HR, 36 RBI, 26 BB, 3.4 WAR – 56/56)
• 24-year old rookie 2B Bernard Kerkin (.278/.323/.404, 7 HR, 79 RBI, 32 BB, 7 SB, 2.2 WAR – 55/55)

The pitching is perhaps the area that most needs attention right now. But 28-year old RHP Ben Buschlen (16-9, 2.79 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 147 ERA+ - 61/61) was terrific in his 6th season and 31-year old RHP Jesús Chapa (16-8, 3.81 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 108 ERA+ - 60/60) is still capable of flashing the greatness that earned him two Satchel Paige Awards. The Tigers also have 21-year old rookie LHP Kozue Saito (3-10, 6.30 ERA, 1.72 WHIP, 65 ERA+ - 47/75) but they may have moved him into the rotation a little prematurely. However, he is an ace in the making.

Noteworthy:

February 9 – The Tigers took 2 of 3 from the Eastern League-leading Stratford Barons in Stratford, including a wild game 3 where the Tigers outscored the Barons, 14-13. The game included an 8-run 4th inning for the Tigers and a 7-run 6th for the Barons. The player of the game was C Christopher Dainty, who went 5 for 5 on the day. Dainty churned out 3 singles and 2 doubles with 1 walk, for 2 R and 2 RBI.

First Round Draft Pick Update:

1st overall – IF/OF Leon Albrecht (46/80). The 22-year old enjoyed a solid first year in Double-A, going .296/.385/.444, 6 HR, 32 RBI, 33 BB, 47 K, 19 SB in 63 G, 250 AB. He played entirely in centerfield and did very well (+7.6 ZR).

Current Injuries:

February 15 – RHP Callum Benstead – torn elbow ligament. Out for: 4 months.

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Offense: .258/.332/.383 (6th/5th/5th)
Pitching: 4.67/4.59/5.02 (8th/8th/8th)
Defense: .695 (Tied for 5th)

After watching highly rated draft picks flame out year after year either through the vagaries of player development or through their own mismanagement, the Hespeler Stars may finally see things going their way a little. The major league roster is starting to be populated by players that may actually begin to fulfill their promise rather than just wither on the vine.

Still, there is no way to sugar coat yet another desultory season, the 12th consecutive losing season and the 16th of 18 seasons in total. Even without their disastrous 6-20 January, the Stars would still have been nowhere near a playoff spot. And despite some promising signs of genuine talent on the roster, there is still a long way to go before Hespeler can finally end their playoff drought – the last remaining team in the ULB yet to get a whiff of post-season action.

The lineup is where the glimmers of hope are shining brightest. 31-year old Zhao-hui Qian (.326/.406/.475, 16 HR, 87 RBI, 77 BB, 6.0 WAR – 72/72) remains the brightest star in Hespeler and the No. 1 shortstop in the United Leagues. But he may soon be joined by teammates worthy of his presence:

• 23-year old CF Jack Foulsham (.311/.389/.424, 7 HR, 45 RBI, 66 BB, 14 SB, 4.8 WAR – 56/56) enjoyed success in his rookie season leading off. He picked up All-Star honours and two Rookie of the Month awards.
• 30-year old 2B Vic Lewis (.297/.350/.451, 14 HR, 66 RBI, 34 BB, 3.0 WAR – 62/62) was enjoying a solid year until he got injured in February.
• 23-year old rookie 3B Clive Yarwood (.264/.326/.442, 8 HR, 33 RBI, 18 BB, 1.4 WAR – 47/64). The 3rd overall pick from 1951-52 saw limited playing time, but is a versatile infielder with an impressive bat.
• 25-year old SS Apia Yarrah (.333/.395/.569, 4 HR, 22 RBI, 11 BB, 4 SB, 1.4 WAR – 66/69) remains blocked by Qian, as Yarrah is rated only for shortstop. But he si too good to sit idling. Hespeler needs to decide between the two of them. Either way, getting a promising arm or arms for one of them would be a smart move.

The pitching is as bad as I have ever seen in the ULB. There is not one that inspires confidence.

18-year old LHP Nico van der Ham (31/63 – 3rd round pick) is the only glimmer of hope right now in the organization and he is a long way off in Double-A.

27-year old RHP Battista Carotta (16-17, 4.21 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 98 ERA+ - 55/55), 31-year old RHP Stephan Tindall (12-15, 4.25 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 97 ERA+ - 53/53) and 29-year old RHP Wayne Nesling (12-13, 4.21 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 98 ERA+ - 47/47) are as good as it gets right now. Carotta and Tindall should be better than they are, while Nesling really struggled in the final two months of the season (5-5, 5.77 ERA, 1.62 WHIP)

Noteworthy:

February 1 – The Stars started off the month with a bang, defeating the Braeland City Monarchs, 13-1. Leading off, CF Jack Foulsham went 4 for 5, hitting for the cycle, the 3rd of 5 on the season. After walking in the 1st, Foulsham doubled in the 3rd, hit a solo home run in the 5th, hit a 3-run triple in the 6th, singled in the 8th and flied out in the 9th.

First Round Draft Pick Update:

2nd overall – C Aidan Bennie (42/70). Bennie got off to an excellent start in Double-A, batting .325/.372/.524, 11 HR, 43 RBI, 16 BB, 51 K in 70 G, 231 AB. He was solid behind the plate as well (+1.7 ZR).

Current Injuries:

March 9 – LHP Arthur Bence – herniated disc. Out for: 7-8 weeks.
March 23 – 2B Vic Lewis – ulnar nerve entrapment. Out for: 5 weeks.

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Offense: .241/.315/.341 (8th/8th/8th)
Pitching: 4.17/4.05/4.64 (6th/6th/6th)
Defense: .695 (Tied for 5th)

The Wolseley Unions endured a seismic shift in their fortunes this season. After eights straight winning seasons that saw seven consecutive playoff appearances and three United Cup championships, the Unions landed with a thud in the standings, losing 25 more games compared to last season. While they barely managed to escape from finishing in the basement, something they never done, their 61 victories represent their worst showing ever (‘beating’ their 62 wins in 1939-40). With all that losing someone had to take the fall and it meant that the Unions parted with the only manager they have ever known.

The reason for their tumble is not a mystery. This is a team that has passed its prime with few prospects anywhere near ready to join the parent club to take up the slack. A rebuild is unavoidable.

A once potent offense is now a mere shadow of what it once was. This season, only 33-year old SS George Kimpton (.287/.356/.452, 14 HR, 74 RBI, 60 BB, 4.3 WAR – 62/62) and 25-year old 1B Carlos Ortíz (.303/.373/.446, 19 HR, 73 RBI, 68 BB, 3.9 WAR – 50/50) performed anything comparable to what they done in the past. The Unions do have 23-year old 3B Rusty McLaren (42/62 – 16th overall pick) on the major league roster, but he has yet to get any significant playing time. He is the only prospect that is close to being major league ready and is currently buried in the depth chart. Hopefully he gets more playing time next season.

In the pitching department, 28-year old RHP Joseph Sellwood (16-12, 2.74 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 150 ERA+ - 59/59) has been the lone bright spot, a genuine ace on a bad staff where the age of five of the pitchers is north of 31 and two more are aged 29.
35-year old RHP Aaron Saunderson (7-20, 4.03 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 102 ERA+ - 55/55) led the league in losses, a victim of an anemic offense.

Wolseley does have 19-year old RHP Theo Morse (30/65), a promising future starter. The former 2nd-round pick is highly regarded (11th overall ranked prospect) and he did well in his 10 starts (4-2, 1.81 ERA, 1.19 WHIP) in AAA, but he is still so young.

Noteworthy:

March 25 – After 9 straight winning seasons, 7 playoff appearances, 3 United Cups and over 2700 games, Wolseley fired the only field manager they have ever known. 56-year Tony Fay was dismissed just prior to the Unions hosting the Hespeler Stars in their final three games of the season. Fay, known for his volatile temper, apparently did not take his dismissal quietly. Not only is the team roster in a need of a rebuild, but the organization will also need to repair the manager’s office and clubhouse after the former field boss vandalized the premises. It was an unfortunate end to an impressive tenure.

Just two days later, the team introduced their new manager, 59-year old American-born Eugene Rogge, who had been fired himself earlier in the season after the Wellington Athletics got off to a 4-23 start. Rogge is the direct opposite of Fay, laid-back and friendly with his players. After having signed a 5-year contract worth $20,992, Rogge led the Unions to a 12-2 win over the Stars on the final day of the season, with 33-year old LF Carlton Hawking (.295/.416/.441, 15 HR, 68 RBI, 110 BB, 3.7 WAR) leading the way, going 4 for 5, including a 3-run home run. He collected 3 R and 6 RBI.

First Round Draft Pick Update:

14th overall – IF/OF Lester Goscombe (28/55). In Double-A, Goscombe struggled at the plate, batting .161/.206/.244, 3 HR, 18 RBI, 11 BB, 60 K in 65 G, 205 AB. In the field, he played almost entirely at shortstop and did well (+ 1.4 ZR).

Current Injuries: None.

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Offense: .246/.325/.354 (7th/7th/7th)
Pitching: 4.35/4.40/4.17 (7th/7th/5th)
Defense: .693 (7th)

For the first 10 years of their existence, the Kingston Pelicans finished in 1st place 7 times and 2nd place 3 times, while winning the United Cup on 3 occasions. But that success seems like a distant memory now, as the Pelicans fell to last place, not only in the West but in the entire United Leagues. That means they will be selecting first overall in next season’s amateur draft and looking to rebuild a once mighty organization, something they are wholly unfamiliar with. The have the second-worst farm system and like the Wolseley Unions, have scant few prospects ready to join the major league club. Their pool of prospects is especially shallow in the pitching department.

In the lineup, the only players of note were 27-year old 1B Harry Herold (.278/.344/.448, 24 HR, 102 RBI, 56 BB, 3.4 WAR – 51/51) and 24-year old CF Chris Ramsbottom (.265/.337/.419, 13 HR, 50 RBI, 56 BB, 18 SB, 3.1 WAR – 57/61). Ramsbottom struggled in the final two months of the season.

The Pelicans do have a decent, young rookie in 24-year old C Ronald Armstrong (.172/.229/.219 – 49/57) but he is buried in the depth chart, well behind starting catcher 28-year old Carlos Camasura (.279/.414/.327, 1 HR, 20 RBI, 64 BB, 2.8 WAR – 66/70). But Camasura missed over 2 months to injury this season and if that becomes a trend, Armstrong’s services may come in handy.

The pitching staff is in shambles as well. 30-year old RHP Kieran Bunce (15-16, 3.74 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 109 ERA+ - 56/56) was Kingston’s only effective starter this season. Things got so desperate late in the season that 31-year old stopper RHP Kaula Mafileo (9-4, 10 SV, 3.30 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 124 ERA+ - 59/59) was moved to the No. 2 spot in the rotation despite his poor stamina (35). That’s how bad things have gotten.

One-time Satchel Paige Award and 27-game winner, 35-year old LHP Patrick Denman (9-19, 5.13 ERA, 1.60 WHIP, 80 ERA+ - 60/60), is the club’s closer for the time being.

Player of the Week Award:

February 21 – 1B Harry Herold (.455, 10 H, 3 HR, 9 RBI)

First Round Draft Pick Update:

11th overall – IF Jeff Fisher (31/52). Fisher enjoyed a very successful first year in Double-A. He batted .272/.333/.467, 13 HR, 40 RBI, 21 BB, 92 K in 81 G, 272 AB for a team that won 101 games and the Championship. In the playoffs, he got into 9 games with 34 AB and batted .206/.229/.235, 2 RBI, 1 BB. On defense, he played all but one game at shortstop (+1.5 ZR).

Current Injuries:

February 6 – RHP Ben Currall – torn rotator cuff. Out for: 4-5 months.

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DreamTeams · 10-15-2021, 02:31 AM

Alright! Trolleys are in for another go at the title. Those Cannons look to be tough, but I've got good feelings about the boys this season. Could this be the year?

reds1 · 10-18-2021, 10:34 AM

Stratford Barons (94-60) vs. Embro Suns (82-72)
Season Matchup: 8-7 in favor of Stratford

Stratford: Runs scored – 792 (1st in East); runs against – 631 (2nd)
Embro: Runs scored – 773 (3rd); runs against – 715 (4th)

The Stratford Barons and Embro Suns have appeared in the Eastern League Pennant Series for a combined 13 of the past 18 years, but this will be just the second time they will face each other for the right to compete for the United Cup. In their previous meeting, the 87-68 Barons defeated the 87-69 Suns 4 games to 1 to capture the 1945-46 Pennant and went on to defeat the 104-50 Kingston Pelicans 4 games to 2 to win their second and most recent United Cup. While Stratford has won three Pennants in their previous seven playoff appearances, Embro did not win its first Pennant until their 6th appearance four seasons ago.

Both clubs enter the Series healthy. Stratford is not missing any regulars, while Embro will be without their 7-time all-star, 40-year old RHP Myung-gu Son (4-3, 3.94 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 103 ERA+) who has been plagued with injuries of one sort or another all-season long and, at any rate, is close to retirement.

For 61-year old Xavier Ahernfeld, this will be his third straight kick at the can at trying to win his first United Cup. The Barons won the Pennant last season over the Braeland City Monarchs but fell to the Western League’s Fort Richmond Generals in the country’s premier sporting event. His counterpart with the Embro Suns, 57-year old Benjamin Sadler, is looking at returning to the United Cup two years after winning it all with the Cambria Cannons, before the fiery manager wore out his welcome. He is in first season with the Suns; he won the Cup in his first season with the Cannons.

The Barons ran away with top spot in the East in the regular season, but the Suns know that the best way to ‘catch up’ to them would be to take them down in the playoffs. This one should be a dandy. Play ball!

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Game 1 – March 29

The Series opens up at Bosworth Field in Stratford for the second straight season and the weather could not be more perfect.

Stratford taps their No. 2 starter, 26-year old LHP Robin Wadsworth for the opening game. This is his second appearance in the playoffs after getting into three games last season. But it will mark his first as a starter. Embro counters with their ace, 27-year old RHP Bradley Strawson, who is making the first playoff appearance of his 5-year career.

Top of the 1st:
Embro wastes no time getting things going. Speedy Robert Jameson leads off with a broken bat infield hit, beating out the throw from 3B Walter Beauvais. During Kieron Bradridge’s subsequent at bat, C Aaron Skidmore misplays a pitch from Wadsworth, allowing Jameson to reach 2B on a passed ball. Bradridge then singles into shallow centerfield, scoring Jameson.
After Moromao Nakawawa walks on four straight pitches to put runners on 1st and 2nd, Napana Mamo hits a deep fly ball to CF Sherwin Carasig. Bradridge advances to 3B without a throw. Jesús Abreu follows and hits a hard grounder to right field. Bradridge scores easily on the play.
Stratford finally gets out of the inning when, with two out, Aaron Skidmore picks off Abreu at 1B.
Embro 2 – Stratford 0

Top of the 2nd:
Orlando Morales leads off, smoking a high fly ball to deep left center. As the ball careens off the wall, Morales tears around second and heads for third. Morales slides headfirst, beating out the throw from LF Roberto Ríos for a triple. Edgardo Barrón follows and lifts one out to the gap in deep left-center. CF Sherwin Carasig catches it, but Morales tags up and scores without a throw.
Embro 3 – Stratford 0

Top of the 3rd:
With one out, Napana Mamo draws a full-count walk. Jesús Abreu follows and gets all of a Wadsworth’s 2-2 pitch, sending a high fly ball down the rightfield line for a 2-run home run that travels 373 ft.
Embro keeps piling it on, as Gareth Mawle, Orlando Morales and Edgardo Barrón all crank out consecutive singles, adding another run.
Embro 6 – Stratford 0

Bottom of the 5th:
Roberto Ríos leads off, belting a 1-1 pitch deep into centerfield for a double, then advances to 3B when Ronald Hollinshed grounds out to 2B Robert Jameson. Aaron Skidmore then steps up to the plate and in a 9-pitch battle that includes 5 straight foul balls, Skidmore finally connects on a fly ball to rightfield. Ríos tags up and easily beats out RF Edgardo Barrón’s throw home.

In the bottom of the 9th, the Barons go down in order as Callum Spalton and Walter Beauvais both ground out to 3B Moromao Nakagawa and PH Don North strikes out swinging. The Suns take Game 1 in impressive fashion.
FINAL: Embro 6 – Stratford 1

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Game 2 – March 30

The Barons look to try and even things up after dropping the first game at home. The heat is on with nary a cloud in sight.

Stratford’s No. 1 starter, 27-year old RHP Ted Smith from New Zealand gets the start while Embro calls upon their No. 2 man, 29-year old LHP Carl McBroom. This will be Smith’s 4th playoff start (3-2, 1.74 ERA, 1.21 WHP) and McBroom’s 5th (1-1, 4.70 ERA, 1.65 WHIP).

Top of the 2nd:
Smith runs into trouble in the 2nd. Orlando Morales leads off with a first-pitch single into shallow left centerfield. With one out, Robert Jameson hits one sharply past SS Callum Spalton for a base hit as Morales takes second. Carl McBroom lays down a sac bunt down the first base line to advance the runners. Smith then walks Jesús Abreu loading the bases. Kieron Bradridge sends a weak grounder down the first base line. Smith picks it up and throws to 1B, but Bradridge beats out the throw for a single as Morales scores.
Moromao Nakagawa battles Smith to a full count before slapping a hard grounder past first base and into rightfield. Jameson and Abreu come into score unchallenged.
A rattled Smith then sends a wild pitch past C Aaron Skidmore. Bradridge scores on the play for the Suns’ 4th run.
Embro 4 – Stratford 0

Bottom of the 2nd:
With one out, Callum Spalton doubles down the third base line past a lunging Moromao Nakagawa. Sherwin Carasig lines one into deep left centerfield all the way to the warning track. LF Jesús Abreu reaches up for it but comes up short as the ball bangs off the wall. Spalton scores as Carasig dives into 3B safely for a triple.
Walter Beauvais then lifts one out to LF Abreu. Carasig tags up as Abreu sends it to the plate. C Gareth Mawle is waiting with ball in hand but Carasig crashes into him, jarring the ball loose to score.
Embro 4 – Stratford 2

Top of the 3rd:
Gareth Mawle leads off with a first-pitch slow roller down the third base line. 3B Walter Beauvais picks it up and attempts to throw him out, but Mawle beats out the throw for a single. Orlando Morales follows with a grounder up the middle into centerfield. Mawle rounds second and slides safely into 3B. With one out, Robert Jameson lines one into shallow centerfield, scoring Mawle.
Embro 5 – Stratford 2

Bottom of the 4th:
With one out, Matthew Channing lines a shot into centerfield for a base hit. With two out and Channing running on a full count, Sherwin Carasig drives one out into the gap in deep left centerfield. CF Orlando Morales is unable to corral it as the ball caroms off the wall. Channing races around third base and scores as Carasig slides safely into second.
Walter Beauvais follows with a single into leftfield. Carasig reaches 3B and breaks for home. LF Jesús Abreu’s throw is off the mark as C Gareth Mawle is unable to come up with it. Carasig scores as Beauvais advances to second.
Embro 5 – Stratford 4

Top of the 6th:
With two out, Jesús Abreu hits a grounder past the pitcher into centerfield for a single. Kieron Bradridge then takes Smith deep, putting a charge into a 0-1 pitch that sails 383 ft. into the rightfield bleachers for a 2-run home run. That ends Ted Smith’s afternoon.
RHP Bill Wolf comes on in relief but walks Moromao Nakagawa. Napana Mamo then drives one out to rightfield for a base hit. Nakagawa takes second, then heads for third, beating out the throw from RF Andy Faulkner. Up next is Gareth Mawle, who slices one down the rightfield line into the corner for a double. Nakagawa and Mamo both score easily on the play.
Embro 9 – Stratford 4

Top of the 7th:
Robert Jameson shoots one down the third base line into leftfield. LF Roberto Ríos throws to 2B but Jameson slides in safely for a double. Four pitches later, Jameson steals third. Carl McBroom then lifts one out into deep centerfield. Jameson tags up and slides safely into home, beating out the tag from C Aaron Skidmore.
Embro 10 – Stratford 4

Top of the 8th:
Embro continues to pile it on. Kieron Bradridge lifts a soft fly ball to rightfield. RF Andy Faulkner gets under it but it’s off the heel of his glove. Bradridge reaches safely on the error. Both Moromao Nakagawa and Napana Mamo then bang out back-to-back singles to load the bases. With one out, Orlando Morales hits one past the pitcher into centerfield, scoring Bradridge.
Edgardo Barrón launches one out to centerfield. CF Sherwin Carasig races back for it but it’s out of his reach and it bounces off the wall. Nakagawa and Mamo both score as Barrón pulls up into second.
Manager Xavier Ahernfeld then calls upon RHP Kai Torr from the bullpen. But Robert Jameson hooks a little fly ball to leftfield for a base hit, scoring Morales.

In the bottom of the 9th, PH Robert Pérez launches one to deep left-centerfield off of RHP Bob Nord with two outs for a double. But Matthew Channing strikes out swinging on three pitches to end the game.
The Suns stun the Barons to take a 2-games to none lead as the Series shifts to Embro for Game 3.
Final: Embro 14 – Stratford 4

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Game 3 – April 1

The Eastern League Pennant Series shifts to Speaker Stadium for the first time since April 1951. Weather will not be a factor as Embro looks to take a stranglehold while the Barons try to regroup and get back into the Series.

Embro’s No. 3 starter, 25-year old rookie RHP Alastair Hahn, makes his post-season debut, while 28-year old RHP Magtanggol Jaojoco looks to get Stratford in the win column. This will be Jaojoco’s third career playoff start (0-2, 2 SV, 2.51 ERA, 1.28 WHIP).

Bottom of the 2nd:
Gareth Mawle leads off with a first-pitch base hit to centerfield. With two out, Robert Jameson laces one down the first base line into shallow rightfield for a base hit as Mawle takes second. Alastair Hahn then hits one back up the middle for a base hit. Mawle hustles around third and heads for home. Mawle dives headfirst and beats out the long throw home from CF Sherwin Carasig as the Suns get on the board.
Stratford 0 – Embro 1

Bottom of the 4th:
With one out, Orlando Morales rips a curveball out to centerfield for a base hit. With two out, Robert Jameson knocks one out toward deep centerfield. As it gets by CF Sherwin Carasig and rolls to the wall, Morales rounds third and sprints for home. Morales slides in safely, beating out the throw.
Stratford 0 – Embro 2

Bottom of the 5th:
Kieron Bradridge draws a walk with one out. Moromao Nakagawa hits a slow dribbler in front of home plate but C Aaron Skidmore pounces on it and throws out Bradridge at second. Napana Mamo then hits a line drive to leftfield. LF Roberto Ríos can’t get to it in time as Nakagawa takes second base. Up next is Gareth Mawle, who crushes an 0-2 pitch from Jaojoco for a 3-run home run that lands 429 ft. into the delirious leftfield bleachers.
Stratford 0 – Embro 5

Top of the 6th:
The sputtering Barons’ offense finally awakens. Matthew Channing leads off and rips one down the line to deep leftfield. As LF Jesús Abreu attempts to corral it, Channing slides safely into third base. Andy Faulkner slaps one in the hole into rightfield, bringing home Channing.
Sherwin Carasig steps up next and hits a slow roller to SS Kieron Bradridge. Bradridge whips it to first, but Carasig turns on the jets and beats out the throw as Faulkner takes second. Callum Spalton hits a slow roller to third base and uses his speed to beat out the throw from 3B Moromao Nakagawa, loading the bases. Walter Beauvais then lines one to centerfield for a base hit. Faulkner scores easily while Carasig slides headfirst into home, beating out the throw.
Magtanggol Jaojoco then grounds out to the pitcher to advance the runners for the first out. Roberto Ríos then lines a single into leftfield, scoring Spalton.
Ronald Hollinshed follows with grounder up the middle. 2B Robert Jameson dives and snags it. He flips it to SS Kieron Bradridge at second base, but Bradridge cannot hold onto the relay. Beauvais scores on the error, while Ríos takes second as the Barons tie things up.
Aaron Skidmore then draws a walk to re-load the bases. That ends Hahn’s day as he is relieved by RHP Rob Gladstone. In a double switch, Bill Spaeth takes over rightfield.
Mathew Channing, who started off the inning, lines one out to shallow leftfield for a base hit, scoring Ríos.
Andy Faulkner then hits one hard into leftfield, just beyond the reach of SS Kieron Bradridge to score Hollinshed.
Sherwin Carasig raps one wide of first base, but 1B Napana Mamo dives for it and fires it from his knees to cut down Aaron Skidmore at home plate. Callum Spalton then draws a full-count walk with the bases loaded to force in Stratford’s eighth run.
Walter Beauvais then steps up the plate and jumps all over Gladstone’s 1-0 pitch and sends it down the leftfield line that just stays fair for a 376 ft. GRAND SLAM home run.
Stratford 12 – Embro 5

Bottom of the 7th:
Orlando Morales delivers a blast, a two-out solo home run, 456 ft. to the leftfield stands.
Stratford 12 – Embro 6

Bottom of the 8th:
Bill Spaeth leads off with a first-pitch double into the alley in deep right center. With one out, Kieron Bradridge finds the hole into leftfield for a base hit. Spaeth slides headfirst into home to score.
Stratford 12 – Embro 7

Bottom of the 9th:
Orlando Morales draws a walk with one out off reliever LHP William Say. After PH Justin Trerise flies out to leftfield, Say attempts to pick off Morales at first. But he is charged with a balk as he started his motion to home plate first. Morales moves up to 2B before Robert Jameson draws a four-pitch walk. Bill Spaeth then hits a hard shot down the leftfield side past a diving 3B Walter Beauvais. Morales rounds third and scores easily.
Jesús Abreu hits one out to the left side. Beauvais cuts it off and fires it to second base to throw out Spaeth for the final out. Stratford uses a huge inning to stun the Suns and get back into the Series.
FINAL: Stratford 12 – Embro 8

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Game 4 – April 2

The two clubs reconvene at Speaker Stadium under the hot, sunny skies that Embro is famous for.

Embro brings back their Game 1 starter, RHP Bradley Strawson (1-0, 1.00 ERA, 9.0 IP) for Game 4. Stratford sends their No. 4 starter, 36-year old LHP Aidan Fothergill to the mound. This marks the first playoff appearance in Fothergill’s 14-year career.

Top of the 1st:
Aaron Skidmore draws a two-out, full-count walk. On a full count to Matthew Channing, Skidmore takes off for second. Channing hits one hard down the third base line into leftfield. As it rolls to the wall, Skidmore rounds third and scores as Channing pulls up into second.
Stratford 1 – Embro 0

Bottom of the 2nd:
Jesús Abreu leads off with towering solo home run that sails 396 ft. into the rightfield bleachers.
Stratford 1 – Embro 1

Bottom of the 3rd:
Robert Jameson lines as single into leftfield with one out. Kieron Bradridge follows and hits one down the first base line into deep rightfield for a double. Jameson takes 3B and heads for home, sliding safely under the tag.
Stratford 1 – Embro 2

Bottom of the 4th:
With one out, Gareth Mawle launches one deep into the leftfield bleachers for a solo home run, 409 ft. away.
Stratford 1 – Embro 3

Top of the 5th:
Walter Beavais shoots one past SS Kieron Bradridge into leftfield for a base hit with one out. Fothergill then lays down a sac bunt back to the pitcher to advance the runner. Roberto Ríos checks his swing to draw a walk. Ronald Hollinshed hits one out to SS Kieron Bradridge, but Bradridge’s throw is air-mailed into the outfield, loading the bases.
Skidmore then draws a walk, forcing in a run.
Stratford 2 – Embro 3

Top of the 7th:
Roberto Ríos leads off with a walk. Manager Benjamin Sadler then calls to bullpen to summon RHP Juan Rivas in relief of Strawson.
Ronald Hollinshed lays down a sac bunt and is thrown out by C Gareth Mawle as Ríos moves up the second. Skidmore then walks on 5 pitches. Matthew Channing then comes to the batter’s box and launches a 2-1 pitch 459 ft. into the left centerfield bleachers for a 3-run blast.
Stratford 5 – Embro 3

Bottom of the 9th:
Jesús Abreu leads off the critical 9th and singles into centerfield. With two out, Bill Spaeth rips one down the rightfield line for a double as RF Andy Faulkner has trouble corralling it. Abreu takes 3B on the play. Up next is PH Justin Trerise, who hits a grounder up the middle for a base hit. Both Abreu and Spaeth score on the play unchallenged, tying up the game. That ends reliever LHP William Say’s afternoon, as he is relieved by RHP Bill Wolf.
But Robert Jameson then pops it up to SS Callum Spalton to end the inning, sending the game into extras.
Stratford 5 – Embro 5

Top of the 10th:
Reliever RHP Nelson Wigley takes the mound and quickly runs into trouble. Sherwin Carrasig leads off with a first-pitch solo home run that sails 427 ft. into the leftfield bleachers.
Callum Spalton then connects on Wigley’s first offering with a base hit into leftfield. Walter Beauvais then jumps all over a 2-0 pitch, sending it 394 ft. down the leftfield line for a 2-run homer.
Reliever Bill Wolf then hits one up the middle as SS Kieron Bradridge fields it. But his throw sails over the head of 1B Napana Mamo and bounces into the seats, allowing Wolf to take second. Wolf then advances to 3B after a deep fly ball by Roberto Ríos into leftfield. With two out, Aaron Skidmore doubles into deep left center. Wolf crosses the plate with ease.

In the bottom of the 10th, Kieron Bradridge leads off and launches a fastball to deep leftfield, over the glove of LF Roberto Ríos. As it rolls all the way to the wall, Bradridge slides into 3B for a triple. Moromao Nakagawa then lines a single into centerfield, scoring Bradridge.
With one out, Jesús Abreu connects on his second home run of the game, a 2-run shot that sails 372 ft. into the rightfield stands, getting the Suns to within one.
But Gareth Mawle strikes out swinging and Orlando Morales grounds out to SS Callum Spalton to end the Suns’ rally and the game.
FINAL: Stratford 9 – Embro 8

reds1 · 10-18-2021, 10:44 AM

Game 5 – April 3

With the Series all tied up, the two clubs meet again at Speaker Stadium to see who will take the rubber match. It is absolutely searing in Embro without a cloud in sight.

A pair of lefties will start the game. For Embro, LHP Carl McBroom (1-0, 4.32 ERA, 8.1 IP) makes his second start of the series after picking up the win in Game 2. On the other side, 26-year old LHP Robin Wadsworth (0-1, 10.80 ERA, 5.0 IP) also makes his second start after dropping Game 1.

Top of the 1st:
Ronald Hollinshed hits one back over the mound into centerfield for a one-out base hit. He is followed by Aaron Skidmore, who walks. Matthew Channing hits one deep to left centerfield. CF Orlando Morales makes the catch at the warning track. Hollinshed tags up and moves to 3B. Callum Spalton then rips a double down the line into deep rightfield. As it bounces off the fence, Hollinshed comes into score.
Stratford 1 – Embro 0

Bottom of the 2nd:
Napana Mamo leads off with a four-pitch walk. With one out, Mamo successfully steals second. Gareth Mawle then singles through the hole into leftfield. SS Callum Spalton stops it but cannot get a clean grip. He doesn’t risk a throw as Mamo takes 3B. Orlando Morales lifts one to deep center past CF Sherwin Carasig for a double. Mamo comes home to score. Mawle sprints around 3B and heads for home as well. The throw is made but is cut off by 1B Ronald Hollinshed, who fires it to 3B. A sliding Morales is cut down while trying to stretch his double.
Stratford 1 – Embro 2

Bottom of the 5th:
Robert Jameson raps one to leftfield for a two-out single. Kieron Bradridge jumps on the first pitch and lines one out to rightfield for a single as Jameson slides safely into 3B. Moromao Nakagawa then clobbers one out to the gap in right center all the way to the wall for a 2-run triple.
Stratford 1 – Embro 4

Top of the 7th:
Roberto Ríos hits a 2-out single to leftfield. Ronald Hollinshed then slaps one out toward 2B Robert Jameson, but its under his glove and into centerfield, putting runners on the corners. Aaron Skidmore then launches a blooper into shallow rightfield for a base hit. Ríos comes in to score.
Stratford 2 – Embro 4

Top of the 8th:
Callum Spalton leads off with a walk. Carl McBroom is then relieved by RHP Rob Gladstone. With one out, Walter Beauvais smashes one off the wall in deep right center for a run-scoring double.

In the top of the 9th, Roberto Ríos leads off with a walk. Ronald Hollinshed lays down a sac bunt down the third base line, moving Ríos up to second. But Aaron Skidmore and Matthew Channing both ground out to end the inning and game. Embro takes the upper hand in the Series.
FINAL: Stratford 3 – Embro 4

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Game 6 – April 5

The Pennant Series returns to Bosworth Field in Stratford with the Barons needing to win both games to reach the United Cup.

Game 2 starter RHP Ted Smith (0-1, 11.12 ERA, 5.2 IP) takes the hill for Stratford looking to rebound from his previous rough outing. Embro taps their No. 4 starter, 24-year old RHP Bob Nord, who will be making his first start in the Series and the first of his career.

Top of the 1st:
Jesús Abreu leads off and launches one into foul territory deep along the rightfield line. RF Andy Faulkner races back to grab it, but it bounces out of his glove. Given a second chance, Abreu blasts one 398 ft. into the rightfield bleachers for a solo home run.
Embro 1 – Stratford 0

Top of the 3rd:
Jesús Abreu leads off again and this time drives one into the leftfield corner for a stand-up double. With two out, Napana Mamo smashes a two-run home run 401 ft. into the leftfield stands.
Embro 3 – Stratford 0

Top of the 5th:
Jesús Abreu leads off yet again and takes a walk on five pitches. Kieron Bradridge hits into a fielder’s choice as Abreu is forced out at 2B. Moromao Nakagawa hits a dribbler to the left side. SS Callum Spalton picks it up and throws to first, but Nakagawa beats it out as Bradridge takes 2B. Napana Mamo then drives one just past a diving 1B Ronald Holinshed for a run-scoring single.
Embro 4 – Stratford 0

Bottom of the 5th:
Roberto Ríos draws a walk with one out. Ronald Holinshed then hits a hot grounder past SS Kieron Bradridge for a base hit as Ríos moves up to 2B. Aaron Skidmore follows with a four-pitch walk to load the bases. Up next is Matthew Channing, who launches one into the gap in left center past CF Orlando Morales. Channing clears the bases as he pulls up into second.
Embro 4 – Stratford 3

Bottom of the 6th:
Walter Beauvais doubles into left center to lead off. Ted Smith lays down a sac bunt that is picked up by C Gareth Mawle as Beauvais moves up to 3B. Roberto Ríos then bangs out a two-hopper past 2B Robert Jameson for a game-tying RBI single.
Embro 4 – Stratford 4

Bottom of the 8th:
Callum Spalton and Walter Beauvais lead off with back-to-back singles, putting runners on the corners. PH Don North then skies one out to leftfield. Spalton tags up at third base and scores standing up. Bob Nord is then relieved by RHP Rob Gladstone in a double switch as Bill Spaeth takes over rightfield.
But Roberto Ríos drives one out to left center, just out of the reach of CF Orlando Morales. Beauvais scores as Ríos slides safely into 3B for a triple.
Ronald Hollinshed follows with a base hit into centerfield, scoring Ríos.
Embro 4 – Stratford 7

Top of the 9th:
LHP William Say takes over from RHP Ted Smith and immediately gives up a lead-off walk to Bill Spaeth. Facing Jesús Abreu, Say’s 2-2 pitch to is too far inside. Abreu is awarded first base while Spaeth moves up to second. PH Keon-chae Cho then sends a sac fly into deep centerfield. Spaeth tags up and reaches third base, putting runners on the corners.
After Moromao Nakagawa flies out, Napana Mamo crushes a 1-0 pitch 393 ft. deep into the leftfield stands for a 3-run home run to tie up the game and send it into extras.
Embro 7 – Stratford 7

Bottom of the 12th:
RHP Juan Rivas takes over in the 12th. Sherwin Carasig immediately hits a bouncer up the middle, taking a hop over the glove of SS Keon-chae Cho for a lead-off single. Rivas then surrenders back-to-back walks to Callum Spalton and Walter Beauvais to load the bases with nobody out. PH Jeff Houston then steps up and after fouling off three straight pitches, lines one out to centerfield. CF Orlando Morales makes the catch, but Carasig tags up at third and easily scores the winning run. The Barons force a winner-take-all Game 7.
FINAL: Embro 7 – Stratford 8

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Game 7 – April 6

The Barons and Suns have battled back and forth in this Pennant Series and now it all boils down to a deciding Game 7. Weather conditions are ideal and thus won’t be a factor.

For this final showdown, Stratford looks to their No. 2 man, RHP Magtanggol Jaojoco (1-0, 7.36 ERA, 7.1 IP), who picked up the Barons’ first win despite a rough outing in Game 3. He will be facing once again rookie RHP Alastair Hahn (0-1, 10.13 ERA, 5.1 IP), who will be looking to bounce back as well.

Bottom of the 1st:
Hahn gets a rude welcome. Roberto Ríos battles Hahn to a full count before hitting one out to the right side. 1B Napana Mamo reels it in and tosses it to Hahn covering first, but Ríos beats out the throw. Ronald Hollished then lines one out to shallow rightfield for a base hit, as Ríos takes second. Next up is Aaron Skidmore, who launches a no-doubter, a 3-run blast that soars 440 ft. in the leftfield stands.
Embro 0 – Stratford 3

Bottom of the 4th:
Hahn lasts only two innings as fellow rookie RHP Rob Gladstone takes over in the 3rd. But Gladstone then hits Walter Beauvais to lead off the 4th. Magtanggol Jaojoco lays down a sac bunt towards third. 3B Moromao Nakagawa scoops it up and throws out Beauvais at second for the force out. Gladstone then walks Roberto Ríos. The Barons attempt a double steal, but C Gareth Mawle throws out Jaojoco at 3B as Ríos takes second.
After Ronald Hollished walks with two out, manager Benjamin Sadler calls upon starter RHP Bradley Strawson, who started Games 1 and 3, to take over. José Maldonado also comes in to play rightfield in a double switch.
Aaron Skidmore battles Strawson to a full count then hits one past SS Kieran Bradridge for a single, scoring Ríos.
Embro 0 – Stratford 4

Top of the 5th:
José Maldonado hits one past 2B Matthew Channing into rightfield for a one-out single, then steals second on the very next pitch. Jesús Abreu sends a high fly ball down the leftfield line and into the stands 349 ft. away for 2-run home run for his 5th home run of the playoffs.
After Kieron Bradridge walks, Napana Mamo punches one into deep centerfield for a two-out RBI triple.
Gareth Mawle hits a sinker ball to the left side. 3B Walter Beauvais makes the grab but can’t find the handle. Mamo comes in to score on the error, tying up the game.
Embro 4 – Stratford 4

Top of the 7th:
Moromao Nakagawa connects on a 1-1 pitch off Jaojoco, sending 353 ft. into the rightfield bleachers for a two-out solo home run.
Embro 5 – Stratford 4

Bottom of the 7th:
Matthew Channing leads off with a base hit to leftfield, then reaches second when Sherwin Carasig lofts one to shallow rightfield for a single. During Callum Spalton’s at-bat, Strawson throws a wild pitch to advance the runners. Walter Beauvais then shoots one through the hole into leftfield with one out for a single. Channing scores easily on the play. Carasig rounds third and slides safely into home, beating out LF Jesús Abreu’s strong throw.
Embro 5 – Stratford 6

Bottom of the 8th:
Aaron Skidmore leads off with a walk. Matthew Channing then smokes one out into deep right centerfield. Skidmore moves up the third as Channing pulls up into second. With one out, Sherwin Carasig is given a free pass, loading the bases.
Callum Spalton then sends one back up the middle. SS Kieran Bradridge extends himself but cannot reel it in. Skidmore comes home on the play. Channing rounds third and heads for home as well, beating out the throw from CF Orlando Morales.

In the top of the 9th, LHP Aidan Fothergill takes over, looking to get the final three outs.
José Maldonado leads off and flies out to RF Andy Faulkner. Jesús Abreu then pops up to SS Callum Spalton. Finally, Kieron Bradridge fouls off three straight pitches before grounding out to 3B Walter Beauvais. Stratford comes from behind in the Series to capture their fifth Eastern League Pennant and second in a row!
FINAL: Embro 5 – Stratford 8

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DreamTeams · 10-19-2021, 11:49 AM

Wow! What a great back and forth series. Thrilling game seven, as well. Nice comeback for the Barons. Hopefully the Trolleys can make it to the big dance, too.

reds1 · 10-21-2021, 02:07 AM

Pulberry Trolleys: (91-63) vs. Cambria Cannons (87-67)
Season Matchup: 10-5 in favor of Pulberry

Pulberry: Runs scored – 759 (2nd in West); runs against – 621 (1st)
Cambria: Runs scored – 807 (1st); runs against – 705 (5th)

Two teams meet for the first time to battle for the Western League Pennant. The Pulberry Trolleys return after losing the Pennant to the Fort Richmond Generals last year, while the Cambria Cannons are back after a one-year absence to try and reclaim the Pennant and the United Cup they won two seasons ago. While the Trolleys spent most of the season in first place, the Cannons’ road to the playoffs was a bit more adventurous. Mired in last place by early November, Cambria then began a steady climb up the standings. By January their offense caught fire, propelling them – temporarily at least – ahead of the Trolleys. But Pulberry quickly asserted itself, taking 5 of 6 games from the Cannons in March as they locked up first place. Either way, there is no question who the top two teams in the West are right now.

The Trolleys enter the Series with no injuries to speak of. Cambria however, will be without their No. 1 starter, 26-year old RHP Ray Lambright (11-13, 4.50 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 89 ERA+), who suffered a partially torn labrum in a game against the Sherburn Tigers in mid-March. They will also be playing with a less-than-100% Sam Tite (.321/.412/.512, 20 HR, 111 RBI, 92 BB, 5 SB, 6.5 WAR). The 25-year old centerfielder is listed as day-to-day with both a sprained elbow and a sprained knee. If Tite is unable to go, 24-year old CF Greg Stubbs (43/47) will be starting in his place.

For Cambria’s 66-year old manager Wesley Leseberg, this season marks his return to the playoffs after a 10-year absence. In his last appearance, he won the 1944-45 United Cup with the Brunswick Legends. For the Trolleys’ 49-year old manager Ryo Ichikawa, this is his 5th playoff appearance and second with Pulberry. In 1950-51, he led the Embro Suns to their first and so far, only Eastern League Pennant.

These two teams have had each other in their sights for at least the second half of the season. Now they’re ready to go toe-to-toe, once and for all. Play ball!

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Game 1 – March 29

Pulberry’s Trolleys Stadium hosts Game 1 of the Western League Pennant for the second straight year. The weather is pleasant with a moderate breeze blowing left to right.

To start the Series, the Trolleys have tabbed their ace, 27-year old veteran RHP Taylor Folkard, who will be making his second career playoff start (1-0, 3.72 ERA, 1.24 WHIP). For the Cannons, 35-year old LHP Ricardo Cruz gets the assignment. This will mark his 5th career playoff start (1-1, 4.91 ERA, 1.60 WHIP).

Bottom of the 3rd:
Paul Heisler sends a hot grounder straight up the middle into centerfield for a lead-off single. Taylor Folkard lays down a sac bunt in front of the plate. C Jason Lymer pounces on it and throws to second but it sails over the head of 2B Doug Martin. Folkard takes second while Heisler moves over to third on the error.
Francis Jones then sends a deep fly ball to centerfield. CF Greg Stubbs throws home, but Heisler just beats out the tag to open the scoring.
Ellis Dibble slices one down the line into the rightfield corner with two out. Folkard scores as Dibble slides safely into second.
Cambria 0 - Pulberry 2

Top of the 4th:
Carlos Corea lines a first-pitch, lead-off double into leftfield, beating out the throw from LF Aidan Thirkettle. Calvin Hanbridge then hits a grounder out toward short. SS Francis Jones snags it, but it pops out of his glove. Corea advances to third as Handbridge reaches safely on the error.
César Ruíz connects on a full count, belting a double to the gap in deep left center. Thirkettle reaches for it, but it just eludes his grasp and rolls to the wall. Corea trots home. Close on his heels is Handbridge, who beats out the tag from C Paul England to tie up the game.
Cambria 2 - Pulberry 2

Bottom of the 4th:
Gerard Koerner scoots a line drive into the rightfield corner and slides safely into second with one out, then advances to third when Makani Kahale grounds out to 3B Carlos Corea. Heisler is then given a free pass. But Taylor Folkard connects on a 1-0 pitch, hitting a fly ball to centerfield for a base hit to score Koerner.
Cambria 2 - Pulberry 3

Bottom of the 5th:
Ellis Dibble smokes a deep fly ball to leftfield. LF Calvin Handbridge lunges for it but its beyond his reach, as the ball drops in and rolls all the way to the wall. Dibble sprints for third and slides in safely for a lead-off triple. Aidan Thirkettle then hits a hard grounder through the hole into rightfield. Thirkettle pulls up into second as Dibble scores.
Cambria 2 - Pulberry 4

Bottom of the 7th:
Francis Jones leads off and hits an infield single out to short. SS César Ruíz lunges for it but cannot find the grip. He doesn’t risk the throw. Cooper Tyson then squares to bunt but pulls back for ball four. Jones moves up to second. Ellis Dibble follows with a chopper to the right side. 2B Doug Martin throws him out at first as the runners advance. Aidan Thirkettle belts one out to deep centerfield. CF Greg Stubbs runs it down at the warning track, but Jones tags up at third and scores without a throw.
Cambria 2 - Pulberry 5

Top of the 8th:
Carlos Corea hits a line drive down the leftfield line for a one-out base hit. Manager Ryo Ichikawa then calls to the bullpen for LHP Dermott Rathbone in relief of Taylor Folkard. C Bennie Guis also enters the game on a double switch. But Calvin Hanbridge drives a cutter through the hole into rightfield for a single as Corea moves up to third. César Ruíz then shoots a hard drive down the first base line past a diving 1B Gerard Koerner for a double. Corea whips around third and scores as Hanbridge reaches 3B.
Luis Torres lines one out to deep centerfield. CF Cooper Tyson makes the grab, but Hanbridge tags up at third and scores easily.

In the top of the 9th, PH Min-gook Lee taps a dribbler toward short. SS Francis Jones gloves it and throws to first but its off the mark and sails past Gerard Koerner. Lee takes second on the error. PH Edmund Boswell then picks up a walk.
Doug Martin attempts to bunt but he pops it up in front of the mound. SP Dermott Rathbone gets under it and makes the catch.
Eddie Jeeps then hits one out towards second. 2B Paul Heisler collects the big hopper and flips it to SS Francis Jones for the out. Jones then fires it to Gerard Koerner at first to complete the twin killing and end the game. The Trolleys hang on to take Game 1.
FINAL: Cambria 4 - Pulberry 5

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Game 2 – March 30

Pulberry looks to keep the momentum going in the friendly confines of Trolleys Stadium. The agreeable weather from yesterday continues.

The Trolleys look to their No. 3 man, 34-year old RHP Robin Medellin (1-2, 5.97 ERA, 1.47 WHIP) to keep the Cannons’ hitters at bay. This will be his 6th career playoff start and first with the Trolleys. His previous starts were with the Braeland City Monarchs 5 years ago. Cambria has tapped their No. 3 starter, 29-year old RHP Masami Fujihara (1-1, 5.40 ERA, 1.25 WHIP). It will be his 4th playoff start, after making three starts two seasons ago.

Bottom of the 1st:
Francis Jones cranks one out to deep centerfield beyond the reach of CF Greg Stubbs. The ball rolls to the wall as Jones pulls up at second with a lead-off double. With two out, Cooper Tyson lines one out to left center past a diving LF Calvin Hanbridge. Jones crosses the plate to score as Tyson reaches second standing up.
Cambria 0 – Pulberry 1

Top of the 3rd:
Doug Martin jumps on the first pitch and lines one out to shallow centerfield for a 2-out single. Eddie Jeeps then draws a four-pitch walk. Carlos Corea drives a bullet straight into centerfield in front of CF Cooper Tyson for a base hit. Martin tears around third and dives headfirst into home, beating out the throw from Tyson.
Cambria 1 – Pulberry 1

Bottom of the 3rd:
Francis Jones lines one into centerfield for a lead-off single. With one out, SP Fujihara repeatedly tries to pick off Jones, but his last attempt sails wide. Jones moves up to second. Aidan Thirkettle then flares one out to shallow leftfield to put runners on the corners. Cooper Tyson lays down a tapper in front of the pitcher, then turns on the jets to beat out the throw to first, loading the bases.
With two out, Gerard Koerner hits a weak grounder to the left side. SS César Ruíz gloves it and throws to first, but Koerner beats out the throw as Jones comes into score.
Makani Kahale belts a high fly ball to deep centerfield, beyond the reach of CF Greg Stubbs, hitting the wall on a hop. As Kahale holds up at second, both Thirkettle and Tyson score easily. Koerner rounds third and beats out Stubbs’ throw to the plate for the Trolleys’ fifth run.
Cambria 1 – Pulberry 5

Top of the 4th:
Luis Torres hits a fly ball to short centerfield for a one-out base hit. Jason Lymer hits one hard to the left side. SS Francis Jones fields it but his short throw to second sails wide into the outfield as both Torres and Lymer are safe on the error.
With two out, Masami Fujihara lines one to shallow rightfield in front of Ellis Dibble for a base hit. Torres charges around third and beats out the throw home on a close play.
Cambria 2 – Pulberry 5

Top of the 9th:
PH Seung-jae Park lifts one out to leftfield to lead off. Aidan Thirkettle gets his glove on it but cannot hang on. Park reaches first on the error. Doug Martin then slams one down the rightfield line. Ellis Dibble gives chase but its in the seats for a 359 ft. 2-run home run.
Two outs later, Calvin Hanbridge jumps on a 1-0 pitch and crushes it 407 ft. into the rightfield stands for a game-tying solo home run. That ends Robin Medellin’s afternoon and ultimately sends the game into extras.
Cambria 5 – Pulberry 5

Bottom of the 11th:
LHP Sebastian Cromwell takes over for Cambria in the 11th. With one out, Francis Jones raps a double off the wall in deep centerfield. Ellis Dibble comes to the plate next and flares one out to leftfield for a base hit. But LF Calvin Hanbridge flubs the pickup, allowing Jones to race home unmolested for the winning run. Pulberry squeaks out another close one to take Game 2.
FINAL: Cambria 5 – Pulberry 6

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Game 3 – April 1

The Series changes venue, as Alexander Field becomes the focus of the Western League Pennant. It comes not a moment too soon for the Cannons, who are looking for some home cooking to get them back in the Series.

Cambria sends out their No. 1 guy, 25-year old LHP Bill Southon (3-1, 1.27 ERA, 0.91 WHIP) for his fifth career playoff start. Southon was brilliant in the playoffs two seasons ago when Cambria won the United Cup. Pullberry counters with their No. 2 starter, 33-year old RHP Alexander Ellacott (0-1, 3.29 ERA, 1.39 WHIP). This will be the third playoff start for the 14-year veteran after making his first two last year.

Bottom of the 2nd:
César Ruíz lines a shot to short left center for a one-out single. With two out, Jason Lymer rips a hard shot down the left field line into deep leftfield for a double. Ruíz hustles to third on the play. On a full count and the runners in motion, Greg Stubbs skies one out to centerfield that drops in front of Cooper Tyson. Both Ruíz and Lymer come into score.
Pulberry 0 – Cambria 2

Top of the 8th:
The Trolleys finally get something going when Ellis Dibble rips one to rightfield for a 2-out single. Aidan Thirkettle then squares one up and drives a 1-1 pitch 389 ft. into the rightfield stands for a 2-run homer, tying things up.
Pulberry 2 – Cambria 2

Bottom of the 8th:
Doug Martin leads off, hitting a hard grounder straight up the middle. SS Francis Jones dives for it, but the ball slips out of his grip for a base hit. One pitch later, Martin successfully steals second as C Paul England can’t find the handle.
With one out, Carlos Corea drives the first pitch to the gap in left center, just out of CF Cooper Tyson’s reach. Martin crosses the plate as Corea slides safety into second.
Calvin Hanbridge then sends one down the line into deep leftfield with LF Aidan Thirkettle in pursuit. Corea crosses the plate as Hanbridge slides hard in second.

In the top of the 9th, Gerard Koerner leads off with a hard grounder out to short. SS César Ruíz backhands it and throws to first, but Koerner beats it out. However, Makani Kahale follows and grounds into a 5-4-3 twin killing. Paul Heisler then pops up to 1B Wayne Hudson for the final out. Cambria subdues Pulberry to get back in the Series.
FINAL: Pulberry 2 – Cambria 4

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Game 4 – April 2

Cambria got a much-needed win in Game 3 and look to even things up this afternoon. 27-year old RHP Lou Dunne makes his playoff debut as the Cannons’ No. 4 starter. Pulberry also sends their No. 4 man to the hill, 27-year old RHP Harley Rodman (0-1, 10.13 ERA, 2.25 WHIP), who looks to make his second career playoff start a little more memorable.

Bottom of the 1st:
Rodman gets two quick outs before Carlos Corea crushes a 3-2 pitch 427 ft. into the leftfield bleachers for a solo home run.
Pulberry 0 – Cambria 1

Bottom of the 2nd:
The Cannons keep the pressure up as Jason Lymer and Greg Stubbs knock out back-to-back singles to lead off the inning. Lou Dunne then lays down a sac bunt back to the pitcher to advance the runners. Doug Martin immediately follows with a first pitch blast to centerfield. But Cooper Tyson can only watch as it sails 396 ft. into the seats for a 3-run bomb.
Pulberry 0 – Cambria 4

Top of the 5th:
Francis Jones wrings out a walk with two out. One pitch later, Jones takes second without a throw as C Jason Lymer drops the ball. Ellis Dibble then pounds a base hit into rightfield. Jones races around third and heads for home. RF Eddie Jeeps whips it back in, but Jones slides under the tag to score.
Pulberry 1 – Cambria 4

Bottom of the 6th:
Jason Lymer leads off and absolutely crushes a 2-1 cutter 416 ft. into the leftfield stands for a solo home run. That ends Harley Rodman’s day as RHP Eddie Roach takes over.

In the top of the 9th, Makani Kahale drives one into leftfield for a lead-off base hit. Paul Heisler then hits a towering fly ball to deep centerfield, but CF Greg Stubbs hauls it in at the warning track. PH Sam Brown then draws a walk, moving Kahale up to second.
But Francis Jones hits a 1-1 pitch up the middle to SS César Ruíz who starts a 6-4-3 double play to end the game. Cambria uses the long ball to tie up the Series.
FINAL: Pulberry 1 – Cambria 5

reds1 · 10-21-2021, 02:15 AM

Game 5 – April 3

It’s a brand-new Series as the Cannons have up evened things up at two games apiece and look to take the upper hand before things head back to Pulberry. It’s absolutely searing in Cambria without a cloud in sight.

Both teams tap their Game 1 starters. LHP Ricardo Cruz (0-1, 3.52 ERA, 7.2 IP) is determined to rebound from his Game 1 loss, while RHP Taylor Folkard (1-0, 2.45 ERA, 7.1 IP) takes the mound trying to halt Cambria’s newfound momentum.

Top of the 2nd:
Cruz gets two outs before Makani Kahale jumps on the first pitch, driving one hard into the gap in left center all the way to the wall. Kahale slides safely into third. Paul Heisler then drives one down the leftfield line for an RBI double.
Taylor Folkard singles on the first pitch, sending one straight up the middle into centerfield. As Folkard takes second, Heisler beats out the throw to home.
Pulberry 2 – Cambria 0

Bottom of 2nd:
César Ruíz leads off with a walk. Jason Lymer then hits one up the middle into centerfield for a one-out single as Ruíz takes third. Greg Stubbs follows, banging one up the middle past the mound. SS Francis Jones takes it to second to force out Lymer, but Lymer’s hard slide prevents him from completing a double play, allowing Ruíz to score.
Pulberry 2 – Cambria 1

Bottom of the 4th:
César Ruíz jumps on a fast ball with one out, sending it 383 ft. into the rightfield stands for a solo home run.
Pulberry 2 – Cambria 2

Top of the 5th:
Francis Jones leads off and crushes Cruz’s 1-0 offering 399 ft. into the left centerfield bleachers for a solo home run.
Pulberry 3 – Cambria 2

Bottom of the 8th:
Eddie Jeeps leads off with a walk. Carlos Corea breaks his bat, sending a flare into centerfield. Jeeps rounds second and heads for third. CF Cooper Tyson whips it to third, but it sails over the head of 3B Makani Kahale. Jeep crosses the plate to tie things up and ultimately send the game into extras.
Pulberry 3 – Cambria 3

Bottom of the 10th:
RHP Eddie Roach takes over in the 10th for Pulberry. Eddie Jeeps cracks his bat, lining a single to leftfield with one out. Roach attempts to pick off Jeeps but he throws it away into the seats. Jeeps moves up to second.
Carlos Corea then bangs out a long fly ball to deep centerfield, over the head of CF Cooper Tyson and all the way to the wall. Jeeps comes home to score on Corea’s walk off double, giving the Cannons the upper hand in the Series.
FINAL: Pulberry 3 – Cambria 4

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Game 6 – April 5

The Trolleys return home from a disastrous three-game road trip that saw their 2-games-to-none lead evaporate into thin air thanks to some tough breaks. Now they find themselves in a must-win situation.

The staters of Game 2 face each once again. RHP Robin Medellin (0-0, 2.08 ERA, 8.2 IP) is tasked with staving off elimination, while Masami Fujihara (0-0, 7.50 ERA, 6.0 IP) looks to close things out.

Bottom of the 1st:
Fujihara walks Aidan Thirkettle with two outs. Cooper Tyson then flares one out toward short centerfield where it falls in for a base hit. Thirkettle moves up to third, beating out the throw from CF Sam Tite. Paul England hits a fly ball into shallow rightfield for a base hit. Thirkettle scores as Tyson sprints over to third.
Gerard Koerner follows, ripping a liner to rightfield for a base hit as Tyson scores. England rounds second and slides safely into third.
Makani Kahale then bangs out a hard liner into shallow centerfield, scoring England.
Cambria 0 - Pulberry 3

Top of the 3rd:
Jason Lymer leads off with a single into left center. Masami Fujihara then lays down a sac bunt back to the pitcher as Lymer advances to second. Calvin Hanbridge battles Robin Medellin to a full count before cranking out a base hit into leftfield. Lymer takes third and heads for home, beating out LF Aidan Thirkettle’s throw to the plate.
Cambria 1 - Pulberry 3

Bottom of the 3rd:
Aidan Thirkettle drives one all the way to the wall in deep left center for a lead-off double. With one out, Paul England lines one to left center that drops in for a base hit. Thirkettle races for home and beats out CF Sam Tite’s throw.
Cambria 1 - Pulberry 4

Top of the 6th:
Sam Tite lifts one deep down the leftfield line that just stays fair for a two-out solo home run that lands 361 ft. from home plate.
Cambria 2 - Pulberry 4

Bottom of the 6th:
Aidan Thirkettle gets that run back as he crushes a 0-1 fastball from Fujihara for a 418 ft., two out solo home run into the rightfield bleachers.
Cambria 2 - Pulberry 5

Bottom of the 8th:
With reliever LHP Sebastian Cromwell taking over to pitch in the 8th, Francis Jones draws a one-out walk. Ellis Dibble then smashes one over the head of RF Eddie Jeeps into the rightfield corner. Jones scores as Dibble slides safely into third.
After Thirkettle walks to put runners on the corners, Cooper Tyson smashes a high fly ball into deep leftfield. LF Calvin Hanbridge slides under it for the out. Dibble tags up-and scores without a throw.
One pitch later, Thirkettle steals second as C Jason Lymer juggles the ball. Paul England then hits one up the middle for a base hit. Thirkettle races around third and dives headfirst into home plate to score.

In the top of the 9th, RHP Robin Medellin looks to close things out. But he gives up three consecutive walks to Sam Tite, César Ruíz and Doug Martin, loading the bases with nobody out. Luis Torres then lines one out to leftfield. LF Aidan Thrikettle hustles over to catch it on the fly, then whips it to 2B Paul Heisler before Ruíz can get back, completing the double play.
Jason Lymer crushes one to deep leftfield, but Thirkettle goes back and snares it to end the game. Pulberry gets back in the win column to force a deciding Game 7.
FINAL: Cambria 2 - Pulberry 8

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Game 7 – April 6

Baseball fans in Braeland are being treated this season, as both the Eastern and Western League Pennant Series have gone a full seven games, the first time that’s ever happened. In the West, the home team has won every game. Pulberry is looking for that trend to continue one more time while Cambria is set on trying to reverse the trend. The weather could not be more ideal as the warm, sunny skies greet the fans and participants alike.

The Game 3 staters meet again in this final showdown. Pullberry’s RHP Alexander Ellacott (0-1, 4.50 ERA, 8.0 IP) is hoping for a better outcome while LHP Bill Southon (1-0, 2.00 ERA, 9.0 IP) hopes to be the hero for Cambria.

Top of the 2nd:
Sam Tite leads off and battles Ellacott for 8 pitches. After fouling off four of them, Tite smashes the ninth one 370 ft. down the leftfield line and into the bleachers for a solo home run.
Cambria 1 - Pulberry 0

Top of the 3rd:
Jason Lymer drives one into the gap in right center, just out of the reach of RF Ellis Dibble. Lymer slides in safely for a lead-off double.
Bill Southon lays down a bunt to try and advance the runner, but SP Ellacott scoops it up and fires it to third, cutting down Lymer.
Calvin Hanbridge then walks, followed by Eddie Jeeps, who grounds out to SS Francis Jones to move up the runners to second and third.
Carlos Corea then steps up and belts one hard to centerfield for a base hit. Southon scores easily, followed by Hanbridge, who slides under the tag to score as well.
Cambria 3 - Pulberry 0

Bottom of the 4th:
Aidan Thirkettle and Paul England lead off the inning with back-to-back walks. Gerard Koerner then hits a ground ball to the right side. 2B Doug Martin snares it and flips it to second to force out England. But England’s hard slide breaks up the double play as Thirkettle moves up to third.
Makani Kahale then launches one to dead centerfield. CF Sam Tite gets under it, but his throw to the plate is not in time as Thirkettle tags up and scores.
Cambria 3 - Pulberry 1

Top of the 6th:
Sam Tite unloads on a 1-1 pitch for a one out solo home run that lands 418 ft. into the leftfield stands. That brings Alexander Ellacott’s day to an end, as RHP Taylor Folkard takes over.
Cambria 4 - Pulberry 1

Bottom of the 6th:
Paul England lines one toward short centerfield for a one-out base hit. Gerard Koerner then peppers one to leftfield for a single as England advances to second. Makani Kahale bounces one towards the hole in right. 2B Doug Martin picks it up and throws Koerner out at second as England hustles over to third.
Paul Heisler then hits a hard liner into centerfield for a base hit, scoring England.
Cambria 4 - Pulberry 2

Top of the 8th:
Sam Tite and César Ruíz lead off with back-to-back walks. Doug Martin grounds one to the right side. 1B Gerard Koerner grabs it and sends it to second to force out Ruíz as Tite take third. Luis Torres then lifts one out to leftfield for a base hit. Tite comes home to score while Martin rounds second and beats out LF Aidan Thirkettle’s throw to third.
With two out, Bill Southon punches one through the hole into leftfield. Martin comes home to score easily on the play.

In the bottom of the 9th, Francis Jones leads off and grounds out to SS César Ruíz. Cooper Tyson then grounds out to 2B Doug Martin. Down to their final out, Ellis Dibble lifts one out to shallow leftfield for a base hit. But Aidan Thirkettle strikes out swinging on a fastball to end the game and Series. The Cambria Cannons win the Western League Pennant and move on to meet the Stratford Barons in the United Cup!
FINAL: Cambria 6 - Pulberry 2

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09-15-2021, 11:36 AM	#681
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,929	January 1, 1955 Looking Back: The 1944-45 Amateur Draft Apart from the top two picks, the 1944-45 draft class was rather unremarkable. Several serviceable players emerged from this crop to be sure and many of them continue to contribute to their respective teams, but other than the top two, none of the first-round selections achieved the level of play their teams expected of them. With such a set of ho-hum players, I only singled out six players that either achieved a measure of greatness, failed spectacularly or beat long odds to become a fixture at the major league level: Cream of the Crop: CF Alfonso León – 2nd overall pick by the Downie Chiefs. Career: .316/.377/.507, 1253 G, 4863 AB, 1538 H, 251-2B, 75-3B, 175 HR, 755 RBI, 776 R, 487 BB, 306 K, 56 SB, 68 CS, .884 OPS, 145 OPS+, 143 wRC+, 59.3 WAR Achievements: • 7-time All-Star • 1951-52 Eastern League Babe Ruth Award • 1953-54 Eastern League Babe Ruth Award • 2 selections to the All-Braeland Team • 6-time Ball Hawk Award winner • 7-time Batter of the Month • 8-time Player of the Week What the original scouting report said: “León has outstanding batting skills who may one day challenge for a batting title. Originally from Puerto Rico, León has tremendous power potential as well. However, his speed and defense are not quite as good as [Dylan] Moyne.” *Comments:* Talk about timing. León is currently rated the No. 1 position player in the land (just as he was on Opening Day in 1951) and the 2-time babe Ruth Award winner has to be considered the early favourite to win his third this season. In addition to these accolades, the Puerto Rican native finished second for the Babe Ruth Award in 1949-50 and 3rd in voting for the 1946-47 Rookie of the Year Award. He currently holds the record for Season WAR with 9.86, set in 1952-53 and is the most recent player to collect 6 hits in a game, when he went 6 for 7, 4 RBI against the Hespeler Stars back on January 27, 1954 (In fact, it was the second time he collected 6 hits in a game, having previously accomplished it back in February 1950). Looking back, its amusing to consider the comparison made with Dylan Moyne, who was selected ahead of León, particularly the defense comment. Comparing their respective Ball Hawk Award wins, it appears León has more than held is own. He is a player with no weaknesses who is in his prime. It is players like him that make OOTP so much fun to play/follow. -------- CF Dylan Moyne – 1st overall pick by the Fort Richmond Generals. Career: .289/.349/.447, 1252 G, 4810 AB, 1389 H, 223-2B, 66-3B, 136 HR, 650 RBI, 742 R, 442 BB, 452 K, 129 SB, 65 CS, .797 OPS, 129 OPS+, 129 wRC+, 46.3 WAR Achievements: • 6-time All-Star • 1949-50 Western League Babe Ruth Award • 2 selections to the All-Braeland Team • 2-time Ball Hawk Award winner • 2-time Batter of the Month • 5-time Player of the Week What the original scouting report said: “Moyne is a sensational young player who appears ready to step into a major league lineup now. The Balmoral native projects to be a hitting phenom, with terrific contact and outstanding power potential. Combine that with solid defense and blazing speed and you have an all-star waiting in the wings.” *Comments:* Moyne did indeed develop into an all-star and for 7 seasons he was one of the most dynamic players in the United Leagues. But his best years were behind him after he turned 30, with the 1951-52 season representing his last great season. Today, he is little more than a bench player. Thus, unlike León, who is 2-1/2 years his junior, his Hall of Fame candidacy is in jeopardy. But I think its fair to say, he earned his first overall selection and the Generals have had no regrets. -------- RHP Bill Wolf – 15th overall pick by the Stratford Barons. Career: 94-92, 9 SV, 3.81 ERA, 194 GS, 1635.1 IP, 98 CG, 11 SHO, 1.41 WHIP, .282 BABIP, 3.66 FIP, 29.6 WAR, 109 ERA+ Achievements: • 2-time All-Star • 2-time Ball Hawk Award winner What the original scouting report said: “The Barons take a future starter in the first-round, as Wolf boasts some nice stuff, great movement and solid control. He has five pitches in his arsenal: fastball (30/35), curveball (30/40), slider (30/35), changeup (25/40) and forkball (35/45).” *Comments:* After Moyne and León, things got really non-descript and I believe Wolf represents the best of the rest selected in the first round. The Cobourg-native has thus far enjoyed a couple of very good all-star seasons, but otherwise can hardly be considered an ace. Even this season with the Stratford Barons riding high, Wolf is not exactly ‘leading the pack’. He hasn’t been terrible, but he has been nothing special. A fitting symbol of the ‘rest of the draft’. -------- C Carlos Camasura – 32nd overall pick (Round 2, Pick 16) originally by the Kingston Pelicans. Career: .286/.391/.395, 902 G, 2465 AB, 706 H, 131-2B, 11-3B, 38 HR, 301 RBI, 358 R, 441 BB, 157 K, .786 OPS, 121 OPS+, 126 wRC+, 23.4 WAR Achievements: • 4-time All-Star • 1-time Ball Hawk Award winner • 1-time Player of the Week *Comments:* If there’s one player that has the potential to transcend the mediocrity of the draft, its Camasura. Since the 1950-51 season, when he took over catching duties full-time from the future Hall of Famer Danny Trowbridge, Camasura has been one of the premier catchers in the United Leagues. But a slew of injuries this season has interrupted his momentum. It remains to be seen whether he can bounce back and remain one of the few bright spots on the Kingston Pelican squad. -------- Biggest Draft Disappointment As previously mentioned, the majority of the players taken in the 1st-round enjoyed some staying power once they reached the United Leagues, even if was for just a few short seasons. One player though, just couldn’t make it stick: 2B Oliver Aland – 7th overall pick by the Hespeler Stars. Career: .268/.310/.339, 315 G, 706 AB, 189 H, 33-2B, 7-3B, 1 HR, 74 RBI, 61 R, 43 BB, 20 K, .649 OPS, 79 OPS+, 75 wRC+, 0.9 WAR Achievements: • 1-time Player of the Week Minor League Achievements: • 1-time Player of the Month • 2-time Player of the Week • 1-time Best Fielder • 2-time All-Star • Finished 2nd in the 1945-46 Heritage Leagues Lou Gehrig Award voting. What the original scouting report said: “With the 7th overall pick, the Stars take Aland, a kid with plus-plus contact, good speed and reliable defense. Power is not part of his game and plate discipline will be an issue. He will need to really work on hitting from the inside of the plate.” *Comments:* Unlike some previous drafts, everyone taken in the first round has enjoyed some staying power on a major league roster. That holds true for Aland, but only because he is strong defender with good speed. But he remains burdened with a weak bat, something that scouts realized he needed to address if he was every going to be an everyday start. Alas, Aland has spent his major league career buried in the depth chart, unable to translate his minor league success at the plate to the majors. -------- Later-Round Standout In this draft class, there were a few players taken in the later rounds that reached and stayed in the major leagues. For this exercise, I highlighted one player: RHP Rodrígo González – 110th overall pick (Round 7, Pick 14) by the Balmoral Giants. Career: 75-69, 3.50 ERA, 152 GS, 1287.0 IP, 94 CG, 11 SHO, 1.29 WHIP, .272 BABIP, 3.78 FIP, 18.0 WAR, 114 ERA+ Achievements: • 4-time All-Star • 2-time Pitcher of the Month *Comments:* There were actually a few players that could fit this category, including González’s teammate LHP Ron Albin (85th overall pick) and Braeland City’s RHP Lee Corp (114th overall pick). But González has had the most sustained success among the three, with four all-star appearances and was a 21-game winner back in 1950-51. He won his second Pitcher of the Month honour just this past October and is currently the ace of a Giants’ team that is in the hunt for its first playoff appearance in 11 years. Other than pinpoint control, he is not blessed with great stuff or movement, nor does he have an impressive repertoire of pitches (his fastball is best at 45/45). Thus, scouts consider him a borderline starter at best. But he has been beating the odds. And just like the superstars, players who come ‘from out of nowhere’ are fun to watch as well. __________________ United Leagues of Braeland

09-19-2021, 04:43 AM	#682
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,929	January 11, 1955 Westerners ‘Throw it Away’ as the East Win Their Tenth All-Star Game -------- Stratford, Perth (BP) – The 18th annual All-Star Game saw the Eastern League All-Stars follow last year’s script by pulling out a 5-3 victory to win their second consecutive All-Star Game. 26,250 fans endured 80F temperatures to witness this season’s mid-season classic, played at Bosworth Field in Stratford, home of the Barons. It’s the second All-Star game to be held in Stratford and the first since 1939, when the Eastern crew also won, 9-6. As they did at last season’s matchup, the Western All-Stars struck first. In the top of the 3rd inning, Sherburn’s RF Albert Sulley lined a single to leftfield with two out. Cambria’s 1B Carlos Corea and Pulberry’s LF Aidan Thirkettle then followed with back-to-back doubles, scoring two runs to open the scoring. But just like season, the Easterners pounced on a costly fielding error by the Western All-Stars to take the lead for good and hold on to win their fifth All-Star Game in the past six years. In the bottom of the 5th inning, Fort Richmond’s RHP Ch’ang-chieh Li entered the game and immediately ran into trouble with a pair of hometown heroes. Stratford’s RF Andy Faulkner led off with a first-pitch single into centerfield, followed by fellow teammate C Aaron Skidmore, who doubled down the leftfield line all the way to the wall to put runners on second and third. Cobourg’s 1B Harry Doxey then battled Li to a full count before ripping a ground ball out towards leftfield. Wolseley’s SS George Kimpton dove and pounced on it, but his throw to Cambria’s 1B Carlos Corea sailed high and glanced off Corea’s glove. Doxey reached second as Faulkner and Skidmore scored to tie the game. Next up was Embro’s SS Kieron Bradridge, who entered the game as a pinch hitter. Bradridge jumped all over Li’s first offering, smashing a monstrous home run 455 ft. into the centerfield bleachers, giving the East a 4-2 lead. The Westerners would get a run back in the top of the 7th on a double play ball. After George Kimpton led off with a single, Kingston’s CF Chris Ramsbottom singled into right centerfield, putting runners on the corners. Wolseley’s LF Carlton Hawking then hit into a 6-4-3 double play as Kimpton came into score. But the East would get that run back in the bottom half of the inning. With two out, Wellington’s RF Jim Mars singled to leftfield. After Mars was replaced with PR Jake Stunt of Fort Richmond, Stratford’s 2B Matthew Channing doubled into the leftfield corner, scoring Stunt. That was all the scoring they would need, as the West could only muster a single and two walks over the final two innings. “It’s nice to come out on top for sure”, remarked Eastern League Manager Xavier Ahernfeld, whose day job is managing the hometown Barons. “Its especially sweet when you can do it in front of your home crowd and have a number of our own players contribute to the win. Now we just have to do it in the playoffs. It’s been what – four years now since an Eastern team has brought home the [United] Cup? Its time to change that. That’s what matters.” For Player of the Game Kieron Bradridge, this was his second all-star appearance and first since 1952. “It’s not everyday you get to appear in an all-star game, so you want to make the most of it”, observed Bradridge. “I’m just glad I could have a part.” When asked if he looked forward to the All-Star festivities each year, the Wolseley native was non-committal. “It’s nice to get a break. But I’m looking forward to the second half. We’re in the playoff hunt and that’s my focus now.” -------- Here are the complete All-Star rosters and final voting results: __________________ United Leagues of Braeland

09-19-2021, 05:00 PM	#683
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,929	January 12, 1955 Here are the standings and leaderboards at the All-Star break: --------- __________________ United Leagues of Braeland

09-19-2021, 10:10 PM	#684
DreamTeams Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2001 Posts: 2,522	Pulberry in first place and leading in almost every category! Go Trolleys! __________________

09-27-2021, 01:16 AM	#685
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,929	February 1, 1955 Eastern League: Barons Lording It Over the Rest in Playoff Hunt -------- Offense: .271/.350/.421 (4th/2nd/3rd) Pitching: 3.53/3.40/4.26 (2nd/1st/3rd) Defense: .720 (2nd) With a pitching staff that nearly rivals the Queensland Eagles as well as a potent offense, the Stratford Barons have staked out a commanding 7.5 game lead in the East. They are dominant both at home and away, having won 32 home games and 34 on the road so far. And with 29 of their final 49 games to be played at home, the Barons should easily cruise to their 6th first-place finish in team history. The offense continues to be led by two players who are enjoying bounce back seasons: 35-year old C Aaron Skidmore (.309/.465/.487, 14 HR, 51 RBI, 87 BB, 5.4 WAR) and 26-year old RF Andy Faulkner (.304/.410/.505, 16 HR, 65 RBI, 70 BB, 4.1 WAR). Ably supporting them are No. 4 hitter, 26-year old 2B Matthew Channing (.276/.325/.459, 14 HR, 69 RBI, 33 BB, 3.1 WAR) and 23-year old sophomore SS Callum Spalton (.287/.334/.448, 11 HR, 54 RBI, 25 BB, 3.2 WAR). The pitching staff remains the best in the League that is not named the Queensland Eagles. 26-year old LHP Robin Wadsworth (14-5, 2.96 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 137 ERA+), a 16th overall pick from 1948-49 has become his club’s ace, succeeding 28-year old RHP Magtanggol Jaojoco (8-5, 3.13 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 130 ERA+). But the rotation has been solid from top to bottom this season. All-Star Selections: SP Ted Smith (1st) SP Robin Wadsworth (1st) C Aaron Skidmore (14th) 2B Matthew Channing (2nd) SS Callum Spalton (1st) RF Andy Faulkner (2nd) Noteworthy: January 23 – It was all Barons against the visiting Redlegs as Stratford cruised to a 7-0 win. Picking up the win was 28-year old RHP Bill Wolf (13-6, 3.48 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 117 ERA+) who pitched a 2-hitter. He went 9 IP with 115 PI, 0 BB, 9 K (GS: 92). Key Trade: January 6 with the Cobourg Redlegs: To Stratford – 32-year old LHP William Say (54/54) To Cobourg – 20-year old minor league LF Rio Joyes (20/40) *Knee-jerk reaction:* The Barons get a veteran relief pitcher with something still left in the tank to be their new stopper, taking the pressure off their young closer of the future, 20-year old RHP Frank Greggs (42/75), who is clearly not ready for the role yet (5.49 ERA, 2.08 WHIP, 19 BB, 5 K, 19.2 IP). Say has explosive stuff and an above average arm. As for Cobourg, they get a player that will have a tough time getting out of the minors. He will draw walks and has plenty of speed, but that will translate as little more than a reserve role at best. Current Injuries: November 10 – LHP Marcello Dean – torn rotator cuff. Out for: 3 months. January 12 – CF Sherwin Carasig – back strain. Out for: 1 day. January 17 – RHP Alonso Martínez – sore elbow. Out for: DtD, unknown. -------- Offense: .263/.333/.387 (6th/6th/5th) Pitching: 3.44/3.44/3.43(1st/2nd/1st) Defense: .730 (1st) A bounce back from a below .500 November has moved the Queensland Eagles into second place ahead of the Embro Suns. The Eagles remain a team with a championship-caliber pitching staff waiting for the offense to take the next step. It hasn’t happened yet, but the parts appear to be in place. Once they click, Queensland has a chance to become a formidable force in the East. 28-year old RF Rod Dennis (.305/.407/.488, 16 HR, 58 RBI, 65 BB, 3.3 WAR) dominates nearly all offensive categories among the Eagles and is enjoying the best season of his 5-year career, but he is not quite that cornerstone player a team can build around. He continues to be supported by 26-year old C Robbie Leivers (.316/.416/.469, 6 HR, 37 RBI, 34 BB, 2.7 WAR), who deserves more regular starts, rather than alternating every second game with 36-year old Elijah Sheppard (.239/.350/.358, 5 HR, 22 RBI, 28 BB, 1.1 WAR). Unfortunately, 21-year old RF Hal Dhu (.325/.386/.526, 10 HR, 40 RBI, 24 BB, 5 SB, 2.3 WAR) was lost for two months to injury, requiring a juggling of the lineup. But he should be back soon for the stretch. Finally, top prospect 22-year old SS Noel Eissens (.227/.256/.308, 10-2B, 27 RBI, 12 BB, 5 SB, -0.4 WAR – 47/64), is being given every chance to establish himself in the majors, batting out of the No. 8 spot. There’s no change in the status quo with Queensland’s pitching leaders. The best 1-2 punch in the ULB remains with the Eagles, with 29-year old RHP Logan Belsey (16-6, 2.62 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 153 ERA+) and 27-year old RHP Stiofan Micklethwait (15-5, 2.18 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 183 ERA+) striking fear in the hearts of opposing batters. But No. 4 starter, 25-year old LHP Amoka Kalea (8-9, 3.69 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 109 ERA+) could soon join them, as he is progressing nicely in his first full season. All-Star Selections: SP Logan Belsey (4th) SP Stiofan Micklethwait (2nd) C Robbie Leivers (1st) LF Rod Dennis (4th) Player of the Week Awards: December 27 – LF Rod Dennis (.517, 15 H, 4 RBI) January 3 – LF Rod Dennis (.833, 5 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI) Noteworthy: December 23 – The Eagles won 2 of 3 in their series against Downie, concluding with a 14-1 thumping of the home-town Chiefs. 30-year old 3B Bob Sobel (.264/.333/.320, 2 HR, 40 RBI, 40 BB, 1.9 WAR) led the way, going 5 for 6 with 4 singles and a double. He collected 2 R and 3 RBI. Current Injuries: December 23 – RF Hal Dhu – strained anterior cruciate ligament. Out for: 1 week. -------- Offense: .277/.345/.422 (1st/4th/2nd) Pitching: 4.08/4.14/3.86 (4th/5th/2nd) Defense: .694 (7th) The Embro Suns took a bit of a tumble in January, finishing the month with a 1-9 stretch where they were swept by both the Braeland City Monarchs and Sherburn Tigers, with their lone win coming off the Eagles. As a result, they fell out of the wild card spot. But a flurry of compelling trades may help reverse their slide and regain a playoff spot down the stretch. The offense is being led by three key players enjoying their best seasons so far: 24-year old SS Kieron Bradridge (.303/.349/.507, 17 HR, 90 RBI, 31 BB, 4.8 WAR), 27-year old 1B Napana Mamo (.314/.363/.499, 9 HR, 48 RBI, 32 BB, 3.3WAR) and 25-year old 3B Moromao Nakagawa (.326/.420/.510, 11 HR, 76 RBI, 63 BB, 4.9 WAR). But there were joined by recently acquired catcher, 26-year old Gareth Mawle (.366/.417/.574, 10 HR, 35 RBI, 20 BB, 3.6 WAR) who represents an immediate upgrade. The rotation is the weak link of the team right now and the Suns did the right thing by taking steps to shore it up. The trade for 27-year old RHP Bradley Strawson (9-8, 4.00 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 102 ERA+) and to a lesser extent, the shifting of 25-year old RHP Alastair Hahn (5-5, 1 SV, 3.69 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, 110 ERA+) to the No. 4 spot from the bullpen should help. All-Star Selections: RP Alastair Hahn (1st) CL Rob Gladstone (1st) 1B Napana Mamo (3rd) 3B Moromao Nakagawa (3rd) SS Kieron Bradridge (2nd) Player of the Week Awards: January 10 – SS Kieron Bradridge (.462, 12 H, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 2 R) January 24 – 3B Moromao Nakagawa (.480, 12 H, 4 RBI) Noteworthy: December 14 – Embro outscored the Braeland City Monarchs, 13-8 and 27-year old 1B Napana Mamo played a key role, going 5 for 6 on the afternoon. Mamo doubled in the 1st, grounded out in the 3rd, singled in the 4th & 6th innings, hit a solo shot off RHP Clive Howard in the 8th and hit an RBI double in the 9th. January 14 – The Suns took 3 of 4 from the Downie Chiefs immediately following the All-Star break. The Series was highlighted by 27-year old RHP Bradley Strawson’s performance. The recently acquired Strawson threw a 1-hitter, going 9.0 IP, 112 PI, 8 K and no walks (GS: 93). He was perfect until the bottom of the 6th, when Downie’s 1B Robin Duerden led off with a single into shallow right-centerfield. Strawson was also hot at the plate, going 1 for 2 with 1 RBI, 2 BB, 1 K. Key Trade No 1: December 24 with the Sherburn Tigers: To Embro – 27-year old RHP Bradley Strawson (51/55) and 23-year old minor league RF Colm Wilson (35/46) To Sherburn – 25-year old 3B Adrian Flynn (54/61) *Knee-jerk reaction:* Two 1st-rounders from the 1950-51 draft get traded for another. This is what I consider the first high-profile trade made in the ULB in a long, long time. And both teams get some clear benefits from it as well. Flynn was never going to usurp 26-year old 3B Moromao Nakagawa, the No. 1-rated 3B in the United Leagues, anytime soon. But he is an outstanding prospect, a switch hitter with tantalizing skills at the plate. His defense and arm are solid as well. Thus, Sherburn gets an immediate upgrade at the hot corner. To get him, the Tigers gave up Strawson, a pitcher with incredible stuff and movement, but shaky control (35/35). Still, he has five very respectable pitches and is considered a solid No. 2 starter. For Embro, he becomes their ace as the Suns make a push for the playoffs. They also receive outfielder Wilson, an outstanding defensive player who has the chance of developing a respectable bat, if not an impressive one. His future will more likely be as a solid reserve player. With Strawson gone, the Tigers have promoted their young pitching prospect, 21-year old LHP Kozue Saito (40/69), from the bullpen to the No. 5 spot. Key Trade No 2: January 20 with the Kingston Pelicans: To Embro – 26-year old C Gareth Mawle (63/63) To Kingston – 26-year old 2B Ron Scribner (47/47) and 21-year old minor league SS Denzel Daintry (41/54) *Knee-jerk reaction:* Kingston got fleeced in this deal from my vantage point. Mawle was blocked from starting in Kingston by Carlos Camasura (71/73), but Mawle is already rated higher than Camasura among catchers (5th vs. 6th overall). What’s more, Camasura is considered fragile, making the trading of Mawle a bit foolhardy. Mawle is a sparkplug in the lineup with average power and excellent contact. While not the fastest baserunner, he is capable of stealer a few. He provides an immediate boost to the Suns’ offense. In return, the Pelicans receive Scribner (.295/.389/.508, 3 HR, 10 RBI, 9 BB, 0.5 WAR), an average player that will struggle to be an everyday starter. Daintry appears to hold more promise, with steady defense especially as a shortstop, blazing speed and a respectable bat. He could develop into an above average starter someday. Key Trade No 3: January 31 with the Hespeler Stars: To Embro – 31-year old RHP Nelson Wigley (46/46), 24-year old 1B Bill Spaeth (41/56) and 19-year old minor league 3B Domingo Vega (20/50) To Hespeler – 30-year old C Antony Bourke (52/52) *Knee-jerk reaction:* A relatively minor deal that is noteworthy with the inclusion of Speath (41/56), a former 2nd overall pick from 1950-51 that never got a fair shake in Hespeler. Unfortunately, he is buried in the Suns’ depth chart just like he was in Hespeler. That just doesn’t make any sense. Scouts agree – he has a phenomenal bat with amazing gap power (65/65) and home run power (65/70) with solid defensive skills either at 1B or RF that makes him a prime candidate for a middle-of-the-order spot. And yet he sits on the bench. He has no personality issues so that can’t be it. As for Wigley (2-2, 5 SV, 1.58 WHIP, 76 ERA+), he is a barely adequate reliever while Bourke (.270/.365/.466, 9 HR, 33 RBI, 26 BB, 1.7 WAR), who was now deemed expendable with the acquisition of Mawle, becomes Hespeler’s third-string catcher. Vega, a 7th-round pick from last season, has a patient approach at the plate and could generate 20 home runs a season. If Embro utilizes Speath better, giving him regular starts, and Vega develops into a decent starter, then the Suns can claim three shrewd trades made leading up to the trade deadline. Not bad. Current Injuries: November 5 – 1B Bob Buchanan – fractured knee. Out for: 3 months. January 7 – RHP Myung-gu Son – shoulder inflammation. Out for: 4 months. January 29 – 2B Robert Jameson – shoulder subluxation. Out for: DtD, unknown. -------- Offense: .276/.350/.427 (2nd/3rd/1st) Pitching: 5.10/5.01/5.32 (8th/8th/7th) Defense: .673 (8th) A struggling pitching crew and a number of offensive players having slightly down years are combining to make the Braeland City Monarchs’ pursuit of their second consecutive playoff appearance an uphill climb. They are only 2.5 games out of the wild card at this point, but it feels as though they are losing ground to both the Eagles and Suns. The Monarchs’ chances took a blow when their top player, 29-year old 2B Patrick Lidgate (.293/.390/.514, 15 HR, 78 RBI, 57 BB, 5.4 WAR) separated his shoulder in a game against the Fort Richmond on the final day of January and won’t be back until around mid-March. The club is now relying on their two Haydens: 29-year old C Hayden Billyard (.275/.361/.422, 9 HR, 45 RBI, 45 BB, 3.0 WAR) and 25-year old CF Hayden Goodale (.266/.368/.583, 22 HR, 62 RBI, 42 BB, 2.4 WAR). Goodale has come alive in a big way since the end of November and has hit 15 of his ULB-leading 22 home runs over the past two months. 30-year old LF Jake Stunt (.311/.374/.522, 12 HR, 44 RBI, 27 BB, 6 SB, 2.9 WAR) is one of the few players who have improved over last season. The pitching is a real concern. 27-year old RHP Pei Ming (11-10, 4.04 ERA, 1.57 WHIP, 101 ERA+) and 29-year old RHP Lee Corp (9-5, 4.04 ERA, 1.57 WHIP, 102 ERA+) are as good as it gets right now, although Corp has fallen off a cliff since early December. The acquisition of 28-year old LHP Larry Kovnats (6-8, 4.72 ERA, 1.73 WHIP, 86 ERA+) may help, but that remains to be seen. All-Star Selections: 1B Dean Witherden (5th) 2B Patrick Lidgate (6th) 3B Danny Silk (1st) LF Jake Stunt (2nd) CF Hayden Goodale (2nd) RF Aidan Trembath (4th) Player of the Week Awards: December 20 – CF Hayden Goodale (.429, 9 H, 4 HR, 11 RBI) Key Trade: January 6 with the Hespeler Stars: To Braeland City – 28-year old LHP Larry Kovnats (47/47) and 23-year old minor league 1B Herson Magno (33/46) To Hespeler – 27-year old LF John Anthony (50/50) *Knee-jerk reaction:* A modest trade that could give each club a boost in areas of need, but one that won’t move the needle too much in my opinion. Kovnats, a 3rd overall pick from 1948-49, never delivered on his initial promise and the Stars are right in moving on from him. He has tremendous stuff (75), fine movement (55) but lousy control (30). All five of his pitches are excellent, enabling him to rack up plenty of strikes and he has phenomenal stamina. But still, scouts consider him little more than an emergency starter. He was Hespeler’s No. 4 starter; with Braeland City, he becomes their No. 2 man. Anthony (.331/.406/.523, 6 HR, 27 RBI, 20 BB, 1.7 WAR) finally gets his chance to start on a regular basis after 5 years. He has the bat, defense and speed to be a solid outfielder. But he takes over from Mike Pope (.253/.362/.373, 5 HR, 34 RBI, 41 BB, 0.5 WAR), a sophomore who has slightly better ratings than Anthony, but who is struggling this season. Current Injuries: November 24 – RHP Corey Timothy – Torn UCL. Out for: 3-4 months. January 21 – RHP Okura Suzuki – ulnar nerve entrapment. Out for: 4 months. January 31 – 2B Patrick Lidgate – separated shoulder. Out for: 5 weeks. -------- Offense: .272/.351/.385 (3rd/1st/7th) Pitching: 4.48/4.00/6.41 (7th/4th/8th) Defense: .708 (4th) There exists a bit of gap between the top four teams and the rest. The Brunswick Legends represent the best of the second division. Outside of 26-year old C Robert Kersey (.283/.374/.449, 13 HR, 60 RBI, 53 BB, 3.8 WAR) who is enduring a bit of down year compared to previous seasons, there are no other impact players on the roster. Thus, missing the playoffs for the 8th straight season seems a real possibility. Getting better against left-handed pitching wouldn’t hurt either. They are 8-21 against southpaws, by far the worst in the ULB. No. 5 hitter, 26-year old SS Harris Yaag (.318/.366/.476, 12 HR, 65 RBI, 26 BB, 3.7 WAR), is the best the rest of the lineup has to offer and one of the better shortstops in the ULB (5th best). Lead-off hitter, 28-year old LF Carl Patton (.298/.400/.372, 3 HR, 42 RBI, 68 BB, 10 SB, 2.9 WAR), is having a better season compared to last, but its still a far cry from his all-star season from two years ago (7.4 WAR). The rotation has been fairly respectable, as 37-year old RHP Pi-ao Quian (10-11, 3.94 ERA, 1.343 WHIP, 104 ERA+) and 27-year old RHP Mhelter Pilapil (11-8, 3.75 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 109 ERA+) lead a ho-hum staff. No. 3 starter, 22-year old RHP Dave Ball (8-9, 3.23 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 127 ERA+), is making great strides in his sophomore season. All-Star Selections: CL Lao Chen (6th) – despite pitching only 4.0 IP with a 9.00 ERA this season! C Robert Kersey (4th) SS Harris Yaag (2nd) Player of the Week Awards: December 13 – SS Harris Yaag (.333, 10 H, 4 HR, 11 RBI) Key Trade: January 15 with the Downie Chiefs: To Brunswick – 26-year old 2B Harley Truman (51/51) To Downie – 27-year old RHP Kent Dundon (45/45) and 23-year-old minor-league CF Ben Darvell (41/63) *Knee-jerk reaction:* A curious trade that makes a little more sense for the Legends than for Downie. Dundon (9-9, 4.23 ERA, 1.74 WHIP, 96ERA+), a 4th overall pick from 1946-47, never developed into the ace Brunswick envisioned and so they decided to part ways. Never blessed with great control (he has led the League in walks twice), Dundon nevertheless maintains very good stuff and great movement with four serviceable pitches. But with Brunswick, he was barely hanging on as their 5th starter. With Downie, he is penciled in as their No. 3. But its hard to see him giving the Chiefs’ rotation much of a boost. In return, the Legends gain Truman (.301/.348/.446, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 4 BB, 0.6 WAR), a 14th overall pick from 1951-52 who remains a solid option as a second baseman, with very good home run power (60), great speed and fine defense. For now, he is employed as a utility player, but its not hard to see him take over the starting job from a struggling 28-year old Dermott Morris (.238/.318/.301, 2 HR, 30 RBI, 35 RBI, 0.5 WAR) soon. Truman was blocked by Downie’s 29-year old Dominic Dudding (68/68) who is still going strong, so its easy to why they would move Truman. But who do they get in return besides Dundon? A promising outfielder in Darvell, an outstanding defensive player with speed to burn and a promising bat. Just one problem: he is rated only for centerfield, which is currently being manned by superstar 29-year old CF Alfonso León (80/80) and he isn’t going anywhere. So they essentially exchanged a player who was blocked from starting regularly with another player who will also be blocked. Makes no sense, at least to me. Current Injuries: October 8 – RHP Lao Chen – Torn elbow ligament. Out for: 8-9 weeks. -------- Offense: .252/.324/.392 (8th/7th/4th) Pitching: 4.34/4.36/4.28 (6th/7th/4th) Defense: .703 (6th) A 3-17 stretch that started in November and continued well into December nearly drove the Downie Chiefs right into last place. They recovered in January, but this is a team with plenty of weaknesses across the board with only a few bright spots. The offense is being carried by two players: 29-year old CF Alfonso León (.334/.400/.535, 17 HR, 73 RBI, 47 BB, 6.2 WAR) and 29-year old 2B Dominic Dudding (.294/.347/.528, 21 HR, 68 RBI, 36 BB, 3.9 WAR). But while Dudding has been getting hotter as the season has progressed, León has been cooling off. Either way, there is huge gap between them and the rest of the lineup. Downie’s top two starters, 31-year old LHP Hank Bennett (6-7, 3.47 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 114 ERA+) and 23-year old sophomore RHP Stefan Rankin (8-8, 3.72 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 107 ERA+) are providing solid outings, but like the lineup, there’s a big drop after them. One time stalwarts, like 32-year old RHP Kelii Pelanekelina (8-11, 4.73 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 84 ERA+) are regressing fast. All-Star Selections: 2B Dominic Dudding (8th) CF Alfonso León (8th) Current Injuries: December 29 – LF Howard Dumbrill – intercostal strain. Out for: 2 days. January 31 – RHP Kent Dundon – back spasms. Out for: DtD, 4 days. -------- Offense: .265/.340/.381 (5th/5th/8th) Pitching: 3.84/3.71/4.46 (3rd/3rd/5th) Defense: .707 (5th) Although injuries have played a role in the Cobourg Redlegs’ struggles this season, it is hardly the main reason. The players once again are feuding amongst themselves and it appears that Nicholas Willis, a laid-back manager to a fault, has lost the clubhouse. While the team has not fallen into any major losing tailspins, the Redlegs have won as many four games in a row just once this season. And they have the worst home record in the ULB, with only 19 wins vs. 27 losses. There appears to be too many slackers in this group, despite GM Roy King making three trades leading up to the trade deadline. 28-year old CF Raymond Williams (.301/.379/.505, 19 HR, 63 RBI, 48 BB, 4.4 WAR) and 29-year old 1B Harry Doxey (.320/.376/.501, 16 HR, 72 RBI, 35 BB, 3.9 WAR) remain the offensive leaders but are not the same powerhouses, especially Williams, as they were last season. And there is a significant drop-off after them. The pitching staff remains the one area where Cobourg has enjoyed some consistency. 28-year old RHP Marcus Turvill (11-7, 3.30 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 124 ERA+), a former 8th-round pick has been the club’s best pitcher. But 28-year old RHP Seb Frew (9-5, 3.41 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 120 ERA+) has been a pleasant surprise, although he did struggle a bit in January (1-1, 5.81 ERA, 1.71 WHIP). 27-year old RHP Fergus Hirst (6-7, 3.54 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 115 ERA+) is currently on the injured list and suffering setbacks. He is sorely missed. One promising development is 21-year old RHP Albert Johnson (43/80), Cobourg’s top prospect who was drafted 9th overall in December. He already had a taste of the majors in January, going 1-2, 2.42 ERA, 112 ERA+ before being sent down to Triple-A. All-Star Selections: SP Seb Frew (1st) SP Marcus Turvill (3rd) CL Brian McDaniel (1st) 1B Harry Doxey (6th) CF Raymond Williams (8th) Noteworthy: December 23 – The Redlegs handed the Braeland City Monarchs their 4th loss in a row, eking out a 1-0 victory in 10 innings. Pitching all 10 innings was for Cobourg was 28-year old RHP Marcus Turvill who pitched a 3-hit gem. In all, he struck out 9 with 2 BB on 130 PI (GS: 93). The Redlegs scored what proved to be the game winner when C Jason Lymer (now with the Cambria Cannons) doubled home CF Raymond Williams in the top of the 10th. Current Injuries: October 28 – SS Douglas Jones – partially torn labrum. Out for: 2 weeks. December 26 – RHP Fergus Hirst – sprained ankle. Out for: 2 weeks. January 8 – 3B Alexander Tolmie – sprained ankle. Out for: 2 weeks. -------- Offense: .256/.315/.385 (7th/8th/6th) Pitching: 4.31/4.15/4.95 (5th/6th/6th) Defense: .709 (3rd) The rebound they enjoyed in November after hiring 60-year old Wildemar Aquino as their new manager did not last, as the Wellington Athletics fell back to their losing and feuding ways. Nevertheless, they remain reasonably competitive and with their key players healthy and some promising prospects getting close to the majors, hope for better days could be around the corner. There is a sense of relief in Wellington as 27-year old LF Matthew Floyd (.388/.388/.514, 16 HR, 66 RBI, 49 BB, 4.3 WAR) is bouncing back nicely, after missing nearly all of last season with a broken elbow bone. 29-year old RF Jim Mars (.313/.359/.438, 8 HR, 46 RBI, 29 BB, 2.7 WAR) and 22-year old sophomore CF Greg Yates (.320/.366/.543, 9 HR, 45 RBI, 19 BB, 2.5 WAR) are providing able support in the lineup. But apart from 27-year old C Declan Bugbie (.296/.325/.448, 10 HR, 57 RBI, 16 BB, 2.4 WAR), the rest of the lineup is struggling. That includes 23-year old rookie SS Vance Fendley (.186/.221/.290 – 45/57) who is being given every chance to acclimate himself to the majors. He was an 8th overall pick from 1953-54. But the Athletics also have 23-year old 2B/SS Jordan Backhouse (41/62), this season’s 4th overall pick in Triple-A. He could be nearing the majors very soon as well. The pitching has not been the worst in the Eastern League but is hardly a powerhouse. 27-year old RHP Vinnie Snell (7-11, 3.49 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 114 ERA+) continues to progress despite the adversities and the Athletics promoted 23-year old rookie RHP Mike Murray (2-5, 4.76 ERA, 1.57 WHIP, 84 ERA+ - 45/68) from Triple-A in December. Murray is currently rated the 16th overall prospect. All-Star Selections: SP Vinnie Snell (1st) LF Matthew Floyd (4th) RF Jim Mars (5th) Player of the Week Awards: December 6 – CF Greg Yates (.500, 11 H, 1 HR, 9 RBI) January 17 – LF Matthew Floyd (.632, 12 H, 2 HR, 3 RBI) January 31 – LF Matthew Floyd (.450, 9 H, 3 HR, 7 RBI) Noteworthy: December 17 – Wellington got a rare series sweep when they took all three games from the Downie Chiefs. In the first game, the Athletics pulled out a 9-8 walk-off win. Helping the cause was Wellington’s top player, 27-year old LF Matthew Floyd who went 5 for 5 with a triple and 4 singles. He drove in two runs and scored twice, including the tying run in the bottom of the 9th, as both Floyd and 27-year old 1B Wayne Emmert (.241/.321/.350, 5 HR, 35 RBI, 30 BB, 0.7 WAR) scored on 25-year old PH Doug Bowman’s (.306/.350/389) game-winning double. January 20 – The Athletics and Brunswick Legends do not have the most prolific offenses this season, but they both lit up the scoreboard in the final match of their four-game series held in Brunswick. The teams combined for 28 hits as Wellington pulled out a 12-9 win. Nine players got at least 2 hits in the game, with 8 different players hitting a home run – four for the Athletics and four for the Legends. 29-year old RF Jim Mars hit a solo home run in the top of the 1st to open the scoring as Wellington staked out a 4-0 lead. Brunswick’s 24-year old RF Jay Mitchell led off the bottom of the 2nd with a solo shot to get his club on the board. Two innings later, Brunswick’s 34-year old 1B Marcus Peyto slammed a two-out 2-run homer making the score 5-3 for the visitors. After the Legends tied the game in the bottom of the 6th, Wellington erupted in the 7th with 6 runs. That outburst included two 2-run home runs by 22-year old CF Greg Yates and 24-year old 2B Brayden Docking (.280/.333/.415, 3 HR, 13 RBI, 10 BB, 0.6 WAR). But Brunswick would strike back in the bottom half with two solo home runs by 3B Jorge Arredondo and C Robert Kersey, making the score 11-7. Finally, 27-year old SS Bob Thompson (.203/.288/.401, 8 HR, 25 RBI, 20 BB, 0.7 WAR) slammed the 8th and final moonshot (430 ft), a solo effort in the 9th for the Athletics’ 12th run. The Legends would score two more runs in the bottom the of the 9th, but it was not enough as the Athletics held on for their 39th win of the season. Current Injuries: November 4 – LHP Michael Etienne – torn labrum. Out for: 2-3 weeks. January 1 – RHP Howard Turnbull – shoulder tendinitis. Out for: 4 days. -------- __________________ United Leagues of Braeland

10-01-2021, 06:17 PM	#687
DreamTeams Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2001 Posts: 2,522	C'mon Trolleys gotta break that slump and hold off those Tigers and Giants. No time to panic but could be an interesting stretch run. __________________

10-03-2021, 01:00 AM	#688
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,929	March 1, 1955 - Snapshot Here is a snapshot of the Leagues, with a couple of highlights that will be featured in the End of the Regular Season league reports: • Which last place team boasted the second best record in the ULB in February? • Which rookie hit the 25th cycle in ULB history and first one for his team? ----------- ----------- __________________ United Leagues of Braeland

10-03-2021, 01:05 AM	#689
care4ameatball Minors (Single A) Join Date: Jun 2016 Posts: 66	Nice to see the Barons doing well.

10-03-2021, 01:19 AM	#690
DreamTeams Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2001 Posts: 2,522	7-3 in last 10. Thirkettle leading the way. Go Trolleys! __________________

10-12-2021, 05:22 PM	#692
Bottom Of The Sixth All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Land of Lincoln Posts: 1,255	Great Stuff! Great stuff, reds1 Keep up the Top-Notch work!

10-15-2021, 02:31 AM	#695
DreamTeams Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2001 Posts: 2,522	Alright! Trolleys are in for another go at the title. Those Cannons look to be tough, but I've got good feelings about the boys this season. Could this be the year? __________________

10-18-2021, 10:34 AM	#696
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,929	Stratford Barons (94-60) vs. Embro Suns (82-72) Season Matchup: 8-7 in favor of Stratford Stratford: Runs scored – 792 (1st in East); runs against – 631 (2nd) Embro: Runs scored – 773 (3rd); runs against – 715 (4th) The Stratford Barons and Embro Suns have appeared in the Eastern League Pennant Series for a combined 13 of the past 18 years, but this will be just the second time they will face each other for the right to compete for the United Cup. In their previous meeting, the 87-68 Barons defeated the 87-69 Suns 4 games to 1 to capture the 1945-46 Pennant and went on to defeat the 104-50 Kingston Pelicans 4 games to 2 to win their second and most recent United Cup. While Stratford has won three Pennants in their previous seven playoff appearances, Embro did not win its first Pennant until their 6th appearance four seasons ago. Both clubs enter the Series healthy. Stratford is not missing any regulars, while Embro will be without their 7-time all-star, 40-year old RHP Myung-gu Son (4-3, 3.94 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 103 ERA+) who has been plagued with injuries of one sort or another all-season long and, at any rate, is close to retirement. For 61-year old Xavier Ahernfeld, this will be his third straight kick at the can at trying to win his first United Cup. The Barons won the Pennant last season over the Braeland City Monarchs but fell to the Western League’s Fort Richmond Generals in the country’s premier sporting event. His counterpart with the Embro Suns, 57-year old Benjamin Sadler, is looking at returning to the United Cup two years after winning it all with the Cambria Cannons, before the fiery manager wore out his welcome. He is in first season with the Suns; he won the Cup in his first season with the Cannons. The Barons ran away with top spot in the East in the regular season, but the Suns know that the best way to ‘catch up’ to them would be to take them down in the playoffs. This one should be a dandy. Play ball! -------- Game 1 – March 29 The Series opens up at Bosworth Field in Stratford for the second straight season and the weather could not be more perfect. Stratford taps their No. 2 starter, 26-year old LHP Robin Wadsworth for the opening game. This is his second appearance in the playoffs after getting into three games last season. But it will mark his first as a starter. Embro counters with their ace, 27-year old RHP Bradley Strawson, who is making the first playoff appearance of his 5-year career. Top of the 1st: Embro wastes no time getting things going. Speedy Robert Jameson leads off with a broken bat infield hit, beating out the throw from 3B Walter Beauvais. During Kieron Bradridge’s subsequent at bat, C Aaron Skidmore misplays a pitch from Wadsworth, allowing Jameson to reach 2B on a passed ball. Bradridge then singles into shallow centerfield, scoring Jameson. After Moromao Nakawawa walks on four straight pitches to put runners on 1st and 2nd, Napana Mamo hits a deep fly ball to CF Sherwin Carasig. Bradridge advances to 3B without a throw. Jesús Abreu follows and hits a hard grounder to right field. Bradridge scores easily on the play. Stratford finally gets out of the inning when, with two out, Aaron Skidmore picks off Abreu at 1B. Embro 2 – Stratford 0 Top of the 2nd: Orlando Morales leads off, smoking a high fly ball to deep left center. As the ball careens off the wall, Morales tears around second and heads for third. Morales slides headfirst, beating out the throw from LF Roberto Ríos for a triple. Edgardo Barrón follows and lifts one out to the gap in deep left-center. CF Sherwin Carasig catches it, but Morales tags up and scores without a throw. Embro 3 – Stratford 0 Top of the 3rd: With one out, Napana Mamo draws a full-count walk. Jesús Abreu follows and gets all of a Wadsworth’s 2-2 pitch, sending a high fly ball down the rightfield line for a 2-run home run that travels 373 ft. Embro keeps piling it on, as Gareth Mawle, Orlando Morales and Edgardo Barrón all crank out consecutive singles, adding another run. Embro 6 – Stratford 0 Bottom of the 5th: Roberto Ríos leads off, belting a 1-1 pitch deep into centerfield for a double, then advances to 3B when Ronald Hollinshed grounds out to 2B Robert Jameson. Aaron Skidmore then steps up to the plate and in a 9-pitch battle that includes 5 straight foul balls, Skidmore finally connects on a fly ball to rightfield. Ríos tags up and easily beats out RF Edgardo Barrón’s throw home. In the bottom of the 9th, the Barons go down in order as Callum Spalton and Walter Beauvais both ground out to 3B Moromao Nakagawa and PH Don North strikes out swinging. The Suns take Game 1 in impressive fashion. FINAL: Embro 6 – Stratford 1 -------- Game 2 – March 30 The Barons look to try and even things up after dropping the first game at home. The heat is on with nary a cloud in sight. Stratford’s No. 1 starter, 27-year old RHP Ted Smith from New Zealand gets the start while Embro calls upon their No. 2 man, 29-year old LHP Carl McBroom. This will be Smith’s 4th playoff start (3-2, 1.74 ERA, 1.21 WHP) and McBroom’s 5th (1-1, 4.70 ERA, 1.65 WHIP). Top of the 2nd: Smith runs into trouble in the 2nd. Orlando Morales leads off with a first-pitch single into shallow left centerfield. With one out, Robert Jameson hits one sharply past SS Callum Spalton for a base hit as Morales takes second. Carl McBroom lays down a sac bunt down the first base line to advance the runners. Smith then walks Jesús Abreu loading the bases. Kieron Bradridge sends a weak grounder down the first base line. Smith picks it up and throws to 1B, but Bradridge beats out the throw for a single as Morales scores. Moromao Nakagawa battles Smith to a full count before slapping a hard grounder past first base and into rightfield. Jameson and Abreu come into score unchallenged. A rattled Smith then sends a wild pitch past C Aaron Skidmore. Bradridge scores on the play for the Suns’ 4th run. Embro 4 – Stratford 0 Bottom of the 2nd: With one out, Callum Spalton doubles down the third base line past a lunging Moromao Nakagawa. Sherwin Carasig lines one into deep left centerfield all the way to the warning track. LF Jesús Abreu reaches up for it but comes up short as the ball bangs off the wall. Spalton scores as Carasig dives into 3B safely for a triple. Walter Beauvais then lifts one out to LF Abreu. Carasig tags up as Abreu sends it to the plate. C Gareth Mawle is waiting with ball in hand but Carasig crashes into him, jarring the ball loose to score. Embro 4 – Stratford 2 Top of the 3rd: Gareth Mawle leads off with a first-pitch slow roller down the third base line. 3B Walter Beauvais picks it up and attempts to throw him out, but Mawle beats out the throw for a single. Orlando Morales follows with a grounder up the middle into centerfield. Mawle rounds second and slides safely into 3B. With one out, Robert Jameson lines one into shallow centerfield, scoring Mawle. Embro 5 – Stratford 2 Bottom of the 4th: With one out, Matthew Channing lines a shot into centerfield for a base hit. With two out and Channing running on a full count, Sherwin Carasig drives one out into the gap in deep left centerfield. CF Orlando Morales is unable to corral it as the ball caroms off the wall. Channing races around third base and scores as Carasig slides safely into second. Walter Beauvais follows with a single into leftfield. Carasig reaches 3B and breaks for home. LF Jesús Abreu’s throw is off the mark as C Gareth Mawle is unable to come up with it. Carasig scores as Beauvais advances to second. Embro 5 – Stratford 4 Top of the 6th: With two out, Jesús Abreu hits a grounder past the pitcher into centerfield for a single. Kieron Bradridge then takes Smith deep, putting a charge into a 0-1 pitch that sails 383 ft. into the rightfield bleachers for a 2-run home run. That ends Ted Smith’s afternoon. RHP Bill Wolf comes on in relief but walks Moromao Nakagawa. Napana Mamo then drives one out to rightfield for a base hit. Nakagawa takes second, then heads for third, beating out the throw from RF Andy Faulkner. Up next is Gareth Mawle, who slices one down the rightfield line into the corner for a double. Nakagawa and Mamo both score easily on the play. Embro 9 – Stratford 4 Top of the 7th: Robert Jameson shoots one down the third base line into leftfield. LF Roberto Ríos throws to 2B but Jameson slides in safely for a double. Four pitches later, Jameson steals third. Carl McBroom then lifts one out into deep centerfield. Jameson tags up and slides safely into home, beating out the tag from C Aaron Skidmore. Embro 10 – Stratford 4 Top of the 8th: Embro continues to pile it on. Kieron Bradridge lifts a soft fly ball to rightfield. RF Andy Faulkner gets under it but it’s off the heel of his glove. Bradridge reaches safely on the error. Both Moromao Nakagawa and Napana Mamo then bang out back-to-back singles to load the bases. With one out, Orlando Morales hits one past the pitcher into centerfield, scoring Bradridge. Edgardo Barrón launches one out to centerfield. CF Sherwin Carasig races back for it but it’s out of his reach and it bounces off the wall. Nakagawa and Mamo both score as Barrón pulls up into second. Manager Xavier Ahernfeld then calls upon RHP Kai Torr from the bullpen. But Robert Jameson hooks a little fly ball to leftfield for a base hit, scoring Morales. In the bottom of the 9th, PH Robert Pérez launches one to deep left-centerfield off of RHP Bob Nord with two outs for a double. But Matthew Channing strikes out swinging on three pitches to end the game. The Suns stun the Barons to take a 2-games to none lead as the Series shifts to Embro for Game 3. Final: Embro 14 – Stratford 4 -------- Game 3 – April 1 The Eastern League Pennant Series shifts to Speaker Stadium for the first time since April 1951. Weather will not be a factor as Embro looks to take a stranglehold while the Barons try to regroup and get back into the Series. Embro’s No. 3 starter, 25-year old rookie RHP Alastair Hahn, makes his post-season debut, while 28-year old RHP Magtanggol Jaojoco looks to get Stratford in the win column. This will be Jaojoco’s third career playoff start (0-2, 2 SV, 2.51 ERA, 1.28 WHIP). Bottom of the 2nd: Gareth Mawle leads off with a first-pitch base hit to centerfield. With two out, Robert Jameson laces one down the first base line into shallow rightfield for a base hit as Mawle takes second. Alastair Hahn then hits one back up the middle for a base hit. Mawle hustles around third and heads for home. Mawle dives headfirst and beats out the long throw home from CF Sherwin Carasig as the Suns get on the board. Stratford 0 – Embro 1 Bottom of the 4th: With one out, Orlando Morales rips a curveball out to centerfield for a base hit. With two out, Robert Jameson knocks one out toward deep centerfield. As it gets by CF Sherwin Carasig and rolls to the wall, Morales rounds third and sprints for home. Morales slides in safely, beating out the throw. Stratford 0 – Embro 2 Bottom of the 5th: Kieron Bradridge draws a walk with one out. Moromao Nakagawa hits a slow dribbler in front of home plate but C Aaron Skidmore pounces on it and throws out Bradridge at second. Napana Mamo then hits a line drive to leftfield. LF Roberto Ríos can’t get to it in time as Nakagawa takes second base. Up next is Gareth Mawle, who crushes an 0-2 pitch from Jaojoco for a 3-run home run that lands 429 ft. into the delirious leftfield bleachers. Stratford 0 – Embro 5 Top of the 6th: The sputtering Barons’ offense finally awakens. Matthew Channing leads off and rips one down the line to deep leftfield. As LF Jesús Abreu attempts to corral it, Channing slides safely into third base. Andy Faulkner slaps one in the hole into rightfield, bringing home Channing. Sherwin Carasig steps up next and hits a slow roller to SS Kieron Bradridge. Bradridge whips it to first, but Carasig turns on the jets and beats out the throw as Faulkner takes second. Callum Spalton hits a slow roller to third base and uses his speed to beat out the throw from 3B Moromao Nakagawa, loading the bases. Walter Beauvais then lines one to centerfield for a base hit. Faulkner scores easily while Carasig slides headfirst into home, beating out the throw. Magtanggol Jaojoco then grounds out to the pitcher to advance the runners for the first out. Roberto Ríos then lines a single into leftfield, scoring Spalton. Ronald Hollinshed follows with grounder up the middle. 2B Robert Jameson dives and snags it. He flips it to SS Kieron Bradridge at second base, but Bradridge cannot hold onto the relay. Beauvais scores on the error, while Ríos takes second as the Barons tie things up. Aaron Skidmore then draws a walk to re-load the bases. That ends Hahn’s day as he is relieved by RHP Rob Gladstone. In a double switch, Bill Spaeth takes over rightfield. Mathew Channing, who started off the inning, lines one out to shallow leftfield for a base hit, scoring Ríos. Andy Faulkner then hits one hard into leftfield, just beyond the reach of SS Kieron Bradridge to score Hollinshed. Sherwin Carasig raps one wide of first base, but 1B Napana Mamo dives for it and fires it from his knees to cut down Aaron Skidmore at home plate. Callum Spalton then draws a full-count walk with the bases loaded to force in Stratford’s eighth run. Walter Beauvais then steps up the plate and jumps all over Gladstone’s 1-0 pitch and sends it down the leftfield line that just stays fair for a 376 ft. GRAND SLAM home run. Stratford 12 – Embro 5 Bottom of the 7th: Orlando Morales delivers a blast, a two-out solo home run, 456 ft. to the leftfield stands. Stratford 12 – Embro 6 Bottom of the 8th: Bill Spaeth leads off with a first-pitch double into the alley in deep right center. With one out, Kieron Bradridge finds the hole into leftfield for a base hit. Spaeth slides headfirst into home to score. Stratford 12 – Embro 7 Bottom of the 9th: Orlando Morales draws a walk with one out off reliever LHP William Say. After PH Justin Trerise flies out to leftfield, Say attempts to pick off Morales at first. But he is charged with a balk as he started his motion to home plate first. Morales moves up to 2B before Robert Jameson draws a four-pitch walk. Bill Spaeth then hits a hard shot down the leftfield side past a diving 3B Walter Beauvais. Morales rounds third and scores easily. Jesús Abreu hits one out to the left side. Beauvais cuts it off and fires it to second base to throw out Spaeth for the final out. Stratford uses a huge inning to stun the Suns and get back into the Series. FINAL: Stratford 12 – Embro 8 -------- Game 4 – April 2 The two clubs reconvene at Speaker Stadium under the hot, sunny skies that Embro is famous for. Embro brings back their Game 1 starter, RHP Bradley Strawson (1-0, 1.00 ERA, 9.0 IP) for Game 4. Stratford sends their No. 4 starter, 36-year old LHP Aidan Fothergill to the mound. This marks the first playoff appearance in Fothergill’s 14-year career. Top of the 1st: Aaron Skidmore draws a two-out, full-count walk. On a full count to Matthew Channing, Skidmore takes off for second. Channing hits one hard down the third base line into leftfield. As it rolls to the wall, Skidmore rounds third and scores as Channing pulls up into second. Stratford 1 – Embro 0 Bottom of the 2nd: Jesús Abreu leads off with towering solo home run that sails 396 ft. into the rightfield bleachers. Stratford 1 – Embro 1 Bottom of the 3rd: Robert Jameson lines as single into leftfield with one out. Kieron Bradridge follows and hits one down the first base line into deep rightfield for a double. Jameson takes 3B and heads for home, sliding safely under the tag. Stratford 1 – Embro 2 Bottom of the 4th: With one out, Gareth Mawle launches one deep into the leftfield bleachers for a solo home run, 409 ft. away. Stratford 1 – Embro 3 Top of the 5th: Walter Beavais shoots one past SS Kieron Bradridge into leftfield for a base hit with one out. Fothergill then lays down a sac bunt back to the pitcher to advance the runner. Roberto Ríos checks his swing to draw a walk. Ronald Hollinshed hits one out to SS Kieron Bradridge, but Bradridge’s throw is air-mailed into the outfield, loading the bases. Skidmore then draws a walk, forcing in a run. Stratford 2 – Embro 3 Top of the 7th: Roberto Ríos leads off with a walk. Manager Benjamin Sadler then calls to bullpen to summon RHP Juan Rivas in relief of Strawson. Ronald Hollinshed lays down a sac bunt and is thrown out by C Gareth Mawle as Ríos moves up the second. Skidmore then walks on 5 pitches. Matthew Channing then comes to the batter’s box and launches a 2-1 pitch 459 ft. into the left centerfield bleachers for a 3-run blast. Stratford 5 – Embro 3 Bottom of the 9th: Jesús Abreu leads off the critical 9th and singles into centerfield. With two out, Bill Spaeth rips one down the rightfield line for a double as RF Andy Faulkner has trouble corralling it. Abreu takes 3B on the play. Up next is PH Justin Trerise, who hits a grounder up the middle for a base hit. Both Abreu and Spaeth score on the play unchallenged, tying up the game. That ends reliever LHP William Say’s afternoon, as he is relieved by RHP Bill Wolf. But Robert Jameson then pops it up to SS Callum Spalton to end the inning, sending the game into extras. Stratford 5 – Embro 5 Top of the 10th: Reliever RHP Nelson Wigley takes the mound and quickly runs into trouble. Sherwin Carrasig leads off with a first-pitch solo home run that sails 427 ft. into the leftfield bleachers. Callum Spalton then connects on Wigley’s first offering with a base hit into leftfield. Walter Beauvais then jumps all over a 2-0 pitch, sending it 394 ft. down the leftfield line for a 2-run homer. Reliever Bill Wolf then hits one up the middle as SS Kieron Bradridge fields it. But his throw sails over the head of 1B Napana Mamo and bounces into the seats, allowing Wolf to take second. Wolf then advances to 3B after a deep fly ball by Roberto Ríos into leftfield. With two out, Aaron Skidmore doubles into deep left center. Wolf crosses the plate with ease. In the bottom of the 10th, Kieron Bradridge leads off and launches a fastball to deep leftfield, over the glove of LF Roberto Ríos. As it rolls all the way to the wall, Bradridge slides into 3B for a triple. Moromao Nakagawa then lines a single into centerfield, scoring Bradridge. With one out, Jesús Abreu connects on his second home run of the game, a 2-run shot that sails 372 ft. into the rightfield stands, getting the Suns to within one. But Gareth Mawle strikes out swinging and Orlando Morales grounds out to SS Callum Spalton to end the Suns’ rally and the game. FINAL: Stratford 9 – Embro 8 __________________ United Leagues of Braeland Last edited by reds1; 10-19-2021 at 12:22 PM.

10-18-2021, 10:44 AM	#697
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,929	Game 5 – April 3 With the Series all tied up, the two clubs meet again at Speaker Stadium to see who will take the rubber match. It is absolutely searing in Embro without a cloud in sight. A pair of lefties will start the game. For Embro, LHP Carl McBroom (1-0, 4.32 ERA, 8.1 IP) makes his second start of the series after picking up the win in Game 2. On the other side, 26-year old LHP Robin Wadsworth (0-1, 10.80 ERA, 5.0 IP) also makes his second start after dropping Game 1. Top of the 1st: Ronald Hollinshed hits one back over the mound into centerfield for a one-out base hit. He is followed by Aaron Skidmore, who walks. Matthew Channing hits one deep to left centerfield. CF Orlando Morales makes the catch at the warning track. Hollinshed tags up and moves to 3B. Callum Spalton then rips a double down the line into deep rightfield. As it bounces off the fence, Hollinshed comes into score. Stratford 1 – Embro 0 Bottom of the 2nd: Napana Mamo leads off with a four-pitch walk. With one out, Mamo successfully steals second. Gareth Mawle then singles through the hole into leftfield. SS Callum Spalton stops it but cannot get a clean grip. He doesn’t risk a throw as Mamo takes 3B. Orlando Morales lifts one to deep center past CF Sherwin Carasig for a double. Mamo comes home to score. Mawle sprints around 3B and heads for home as well. The throw is made but is cut off by 1B Ronald Hollinshed, who fires it to 3B. A sliding Morales is cut down while trying to stretch his double. Stratford 1 – Embro 2 Bottom of the 5th: Robert Jameson raps one to leftfield for a two-out single. Kieron Bradridge jumps on the first pitch and lines one out to rightfield for a single as Jameson slides safely into 3B. Moromao Nakagawa then clobbers one out to the gap in right center all the way to the wall for a 2-run triple. Stratford 1 – Embro 4 Top of the 7th: Roberto Ríos hits a 2-out single to leftfield. Ronald Hollinshed then slaps one out toward 2B Robert Jameson, but its under his glove and into centerfield, putting runners on the corners. Aaron Skidmore then launches a blooper into shallow rightfield for a base hit. Ríos comes in to score. Stratford 2 – Embro 4 Top of the 8th: Callum Spalton leads off with a walk. Carl McBroom is then relieved by RHP Rob Gladstone. With one out, Walter Beauvais smashes one off the wall in deep right center for a run-scoring double. In the top of the 9th, Roberto Ríos leads off with a walk. Ronald Hollinshed lays down a sac bunt down the third base line, moving Ríos up to second. But Aaron Skidmore and Matthew Channing both ground out to end the inning and game. Embro takes the upper hand in the Series. FINAL: Stratford 3 – Embro 4 -------- Game 6 – April 5 The Pennant Series returns to Bosworth Field in Stratford with the Barons needing to win both games to reach the United Cup. Game 2 starter RHP Ted Smith (0-1, 11.12 ERA, 5.2 IP) takes the hill for Stratford looking to rebound from his previous rough outing. Embro taps their No. 4 starter, 24-year old RHP Bob Nord, who will be making his first start in the Series and the first of his career. Top of the 1st: Jesús Abreu leads off and launches one into foul territory deep along the rightfield line. RF Andy Faulkner races back to grab it, but it bounces out of his glove. Given a second chance, Abreu blasts one 398 ft. into the rightfield bleachers for a solo home run. Embro 1 – Stratford 0 Top of the 3rd: Jesús Abreu leads off again and this time drives one into the leftfield corner for a stand-up double. With two out, Napana Mamo smashes a two-run home run 401 ft. into the leftfield stands. Embro 3 – Stratford 0 Top of the 5th: Jesús Abreu leads off yet again and takes a walk on five pitches. Kieron Bradridge hits into a fielder’s choice as Abreu is forced out at 2B. Moromao Nakagawa hits a dribbler to the left side. SS Callum Spalton picks it up and throws to first, but Nakagawa beats it out as Bradridge takes 2B. Napana Mamo then drives one just past a diving 1B Ronald Holinshed for a run-scoring single. Embro 4 – Stratford 0 Bottom of the 5th: Roberto Ríos draws a walk with one out. Ronald Holinshed then hits a hot grounder past SS Kieron Bradridge for a base hit as Ríos moves up to 2B. Aaron Skidmore follows with a four-pitch walk to load the bases. Up next is Matthew Channing, who launches one into the gap in left center past CF Orlando Morales. Channing clears the bases as he pulls up into second. Embro 4 – Stratford 3 Bottom of the 6th: Walter Beauvais doubles into left center to lead off. Ted Smith lays down a sac bunt that is picked up by C Gareth Mawle as Beauvais moves up to 3B. Roberto Ríos then bangs out a two-hopper past 2B Robert Jameson for a game-tying RBI single. Embro 4 – Stratford 4 Bottom of the 8th: Callum Spalton and Walter Beauvais lead off with back-to-back singles, putting runners on the corners. PH Don North then skies one out to leftfield. Spalton tags up at third base and scores standing up. Bob Nord is then relieved by RHP Rob Gladstone in a double switch as Bill Spaeth takes over rightfield. But Roberto Ríos drives one out to left center, just out of the reach of CF Orlando Morales. Beauvais scores as Ríos slides safely into 3B for a triple. Ronald Hollinshed follows with a base hit into centerfield, scoring Ríos. Embro 4 – Stratford 7 Top of the 9th: LHP William Say takes over from RHP Ted Smith and immediately gives up a lead-off walk to Bill Spaeth. Facing Jesús Abreu, Say’s 2-2 pitch to is too far inside. Abreu is awarded first base while Spaeth moves up to second. PH Keon-chae Cho then sends a sac fly into deep centerfield. Spaeth tags up and reaches third base, putting runners on the corners. After Moromao Nakagawa flies out, Napana Mamo crushes a 1-0 pitch 393 ft. deep into the leftfield stands for a 3-run home run to tie up the game and send it into extras. Embro 7 – Stratford 7 Bottom of the 12th: RHP Juan Rivas takes over in the 12th. Sherwin Carasig immediately hits a bouncer up the middle, taking a hop over the glove of SS Keon-chae Cho for a lead-off single. Rivas then surrenders back-to-back walks to Callum Spalton and Walter Beauvais to load the bases with nobody out. PH Jeff Houston then steps up and after fouling off three straight pitches, lines one out to centerfield. CF Orlando Morales makes the catch, but Carasig tags up at third and easily scores the winning run. The Barons force a winner-take-all Game 7. FINAL: Embro 7 – Stratford 8 -------- Game 7 – April 6 The Barons and Suns have battled back and forth in this Pennant Series and now it all boils down to a deciding Game 7. Weather conditions are ideal and thus won’t be a factor. For this final showdown, Stratford looks to their No. 2 man, RHP Magtanggol Jaojoco (1-0, 7.36 ERA, 7.1 IP), who picked up the Barons’ first win despite a rough outing in Game 3. He will be facing once again rookie RHP Alastair Hahn (0-1, 10.13 ERA, 5.1 IP), who will be looking to bounce back as well. Bottom of the 1st: Hahn gets a rude welcome. Roberto Ríos battles Hahn to a full count before hitting one out to the right side. 1B Napana Mamo reels it in and tosses it to Hahn covering first, but Ríos beats out the throw. Ronald Hollished then lines one out to shallow rightfield for a base hit, as Ríos takes second. Next up is Aaron Skidmore, who launches a no-doubter, a 3-run blast that soars 440 ft. in the leftfield stands. Embro 0 – Stratford 3 Bottom of the 4th: Hahn lasts only two innings as fellow rookie RHP Rob Gladstone takes over in the 3rd. But Gladstone then hits Walter Beauvais to lead off the 4th. Magtanggol Jaojoco lays down a sac bunt towards third. 3B Moromao Nakagawa scoops it up and throws out Beauvais at second for the force out. Gladstone then walks Roberto Ríos. The Barons attempt a double steal, but C Gareth Mawle throws out Jaojoco at 3B as Ríos takes second. After Ronald Hollished walks with two out, manager Benjamin Sadler calls upon starter RHP Bradley Strawson, who started Games 1 and 3, to take over. José Maldonado also comes in to play rightfield in a double switch. Aaron Skidmore battles Strawson to a full count then hits one past SS Kieran Bradridge for a single, scoring Ríos. Embro 0 – Stratford 4 Top of the 5th: José Maldonado hits one past 2B Matthew Channing into rightfield for a one-out single, then steals second on the very next pitch. Jesús Abreu sends a high fly ball down the leftfield line and into the stands 349 ft. away for 2-run home run for his 5th home run of the playoffs. After Kieron Bradridge walks, Napana Mamo punches one into deep centerfield for a two-out RBI triple. Gareth Mawle hits a sinker ball to the left side. 3B Walter Beauvais makes the grab but can’t find the handle. Mamo comes in to score on the error, tying up the game. Embro 4 – Stratford 4 Top of the 7th: Moromao Nakagawa connects on a 1-1 pitch off Jaojoco, sending 353 ft. into the rightfield bleachers for a two-out solo home run. Embro 5 – Stratford 4 Bottom of the 7th: Matthew Channing leads off with a base hit to leftfield, then reaches second when Sherwin Carasig lofts one to shallow rightfield for a single. During Callum Spalton’s at-bat, Strawson throws a wild pitch to advance the runners. Walter Beauvais then shoots one through the hole into leftfield with one out for a single. Channing scores easily on the play. Carasig rounds third and slides safely into home, beating out LF Jesús Abreu’s strong throw. Embro 5 – Stratford 6 Bottom of the 8th: Aaron Skidmore leads off with a walk. Matthew Channing then smokes one out into deep right centerfield. Skidmore moves up the third as Channing pulls up into second. With one out, Sherwin Carasig is given a free pass, loading the bases. Callum Spalton then sends one back up the middle. SS Kieran Bradridge extends himself but cannot reel it in. Skidmore comes home on the play. Channing rounds third and heads for home as well, beating out the throw from CF Orlando Morales. In the top of the 9th, LHP Aidan Fothergill takes over, looking to get the final three outs. José Maldonado leads off and flies out to RF Andy Faulkner. Jesús Abreu then pops up to SS Callum Spalton. Finally, Kieron Bradridge fouls off three straight pitches before grounding out to 3B Walter Beauvais. Stratford comes from behind in the Series to capture their fifth Eastern League Pennant and second in a row! FINAL: Embro 5 – Stratford 8 -------- __________________ United Leagues of Braeland Last edited by reds1; 10-18-2021 at 11:42 AM.

10-19-2021, 11:49 AM	#698
DreamTeams Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2001 Posts: 2,522	Wow! What a great back and forth series. Thrilling game seven, as well. Nice comeback for the Barons. Hopefully the Trolleys can make it to the big dance, too. __________________

10-21-2021, 02:07 AM	#699
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,929	Pulberry Trolleys: (91-63) vs. Cambria Cannons (87-67) Season Matchup: 10-5 in favor of Pulberry Pulberry: Runs scored – 759 (2nd in West); runs against – 621 (1st) Cambria: Runs scored – 807 (1st); runs against – 705 (5th) Two teams meet for the first time to battle for the Western League Pennant. The Pulberry Trolleys return after losing the Pennant to the Fort Richmond Generals last year, while the Cambria Cannons are back after a one-year absence to try and reclaim the Pennant and the United Cup they won two seasons ago. While the Trolleys spent most of the season in first place, the Cannons’ road to the playoffs was a bit more adventurous. Mired in last place by early November, Cambria then began a steady climb up the standings. By January their offense caught fire, propelling them – temporarily at least – ahead of the Trolleys. But Pulberry quickly asserted itself, taking 5 of 6 games from the Cannons in March as they locked up first place. Either way, there is no question who the top two teams in the West are right now. The Trolleys enter the Series with no injuries to speak of. Cambria however, will be without their No. 1 starter, 26-year old RHP Ray Lambright (11-13, 4.50 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 89 ERA+), who suffered a partially torn labrum in a game against the Sherburn Tigers in mid-March. They will also be playing with a less-than-100% Sam Tite (.321/.412/.512, 20 HR, 111 RBI, 92 BB, 5 SB, 6.5 WAR). The 25-year old centerfielder is listed as day-to-day with both a sprained elbow and a sprained knee. If Tite is unable to go, 24-year old CF Greg Stubbs (43/47) will be starting in his place. For Cambria’s 66-year old manager Wesley Leseberg, this season marks his return to the playoffs after a 10-year absence. In his last appearance, he won the 1944-45 United Cup with the Brunswick Legends. For the Trolleys’ 49-year old manager Ryo Ichikawa, this is his 5th playoff appearance and second with Pulberry. In 1950-51, he led the Embro Suns to their first and so far, only Eastern League Pennant. These two teams have had each other in their sights for at least the second half of the season. Now they’re ready to go toe-to-toe, once and for all. Play ball! -------- Game 1 – March 29 Pulberry’s Trolleys Stadium hosts Game 1 of the Western League Pennant for the second straight year. The weather is pleasant with a moderate breeze blowing left to right. To start the Series, the Trolleys have tabbed their ace, 27-year old veteran RHP Taylor Folkard, who will be making his second career playoff start (1-0, 3.72 ERA, 1.24 WHIP). For the Cannons, 35-year old LHP Ricardo Cruz gets the assignment. This will mark his 5th career playoff start (1-1, 4.91 ERA, 1.60 WHIP). Bottom of the 3rd: Paul Heisler sends a hot grounder straight up the middle into centerfield for a lead-off single. Taylor Folkard lays down a sac bunt in front of the plate. C Jason Lymer pounces on it and throws to second but it sails over the head of 2B Doug Martin. Folkard takes second while Heisler moves over to third on the error. Francis Jones then sends a deep fly ball to centerfield. CF Greg Stubbs throws home, but Heisler just beats out the tag to open the scoring. Ellis Dibble slices one down the line into the rightfield corner with two out. Folkard scores as Dibble slides safely into second. Cambria 0 - Pulberry 2 Top of the 4th: Carlos Corea lines a first-pitch, lead-off double into leftfield, beating out the throw from LF Aidan Thirkettle. Calvin Hanbridge then hits a grounder out toward short. SS Francis Jones snags it, but it pops out of his glove. Corea advances to third as Handbridge reaches safely on the error. César Ruíz connects on a full count, belting a double to the gap in deep left center. Thirkettle reaches for it, but it just eludes his grasp and rolls to the wall. Corea trots home. Close on his heels is Handbridge, who beats out the tag from C Paul England to tie up the game. Cambria 2 - Pulberry 2 Bottom of the 4th: Gerard Koerner scoots a line drive into the rightfield corner and slides safely into second with one out, then advances to third when Makani Kahale grounds out to 3B Carlos Corea. Heisler is then given a free pass. But Taylor Folkard connects on a 1-0 pitch, hitting a fly ball to centerfield for a base hit to score Koerner. Cambria 2 - Pulberry 3 Bottom of the 5th: Ellis Dibble smokes a deep fly ball to leftfield. LF Calvin Handbridge lunges for it but its beyond his reach, as the ball drops in and rolls all the way to the wall. Dibble sprints for third and slides in safely for a lead-off triple. Aidan Thirkettle then hits a hard grounder through the hole into rightfield. Thirkettle pulls up into second as Dibble scores. Cambria 2 - Pulberry 4 Bottom of the 7th: Francis Jones leads off and hits an infield single out to short. SS César Ruíz lunges for it but cannot find the grip. He doesn’t risk the throw. Cooper Tyson then squares to bunt but pulls back for ball four. Jones moves up to second. Ellis Dibble follows with a chopper to the right side. 2B Doug Martin throws him out at first as the runners advance. Aidan Thirkettle belts one out to deep centerfield. CF Greg Stubbs runs it down at the warning track, but Jones tags up at third and scores without a throw. Cambria 2 - Pulberry 5 Top of the 8th: Carlos Corea hits a line drive down the leftfield line for a one-out base hit. Manager Ryo Ichikawa then calls to the bullpen for LHP Dermott Rathbone in relief of Taylor Folkard. C Bennie Guis also enters the game on a double switch. But Calvin Hanbridge drives a cutter through the hole into rightfield for a single as Corea moves up to third. César Ruíz then shoots a hard drive down the first base line past a diving 1B Gerard Koerner for a double. Corea whips around third and scores as Hanbridge reaches 3B. Luis Torres lines one out to deep centerfield. CF Cooper Tyson makes the grab, but Hanbridge tags up at third and scores easily. In the top of the 9th, PH Min-gook Lee taps a dribbler toward short. SS Francis Jones gloves it and throws to first but its off the mark and sails past Gerard Koerner. Lee takes second on the error. PH Edmund Boswell then picks up a walk. Doug Martin attempts to bunt but he pops it up in front of the mound. SP Dermott Rathbone gets under it and makes the catch. Eddie Jeeps then hits one out towards second. 2B Paul Heisler collects the big hopper and flips it to SS Francis Jones for the out. Jones then fires it to Gerard Koerner at first to complete the twin killing and end the game. The Trolleys hang on to take Game 1. FINAL: Cambria 4 - Pulberry 5 -------- Game 2 – March 30 Pulberry looks to keep the momentum going in the friendly confines of Trolleys Stadium. The agreeable weather from yesterday continues. The Trolleys look to their No. 3 man, 34-year old RHP Robin Medellin (1-2, 5.97 ERA, 1.47 WHIP) to keep the Cannons’ hitters at bay. This will be his 6th career playoff start and first with the Trolleys. His previous starts were with the Braeland City Monarchs 5 years ago. Cambria has tapped their No. 3 starter, 29-year old RHP Masami Fujihara (1-1, 5.40 ERA, 1.25 WHIP). It will be his 4th playoff start, after making three starts two seasons ago. Bottom of the 1st: Francis Jones cranks one out to deep centerfield beyond the reach of CF Greg Stubbs. The ball rolls to the wall as Jones pulls up at second with a lead-off double. With two out, Cooper Tyson lines one out to left center past a diving LF Calvin Hanbridge. Jones crosses the plate to score as Tyson reaches second standing up. Cambria 0 – Pulberry 1 Top of the 3rd: Doug Martin jumps on the first pitch and lines one out to shallow centerfield for a 2-out single. Eddie Jeeps then draws a four-pitch walk. Carlos Corea drives a bullet straight into centerfield in front of CF Cooper Tyson for a base hit. Martin tears around third and dives headfirst into home, beating out the throw from Tyson. Cambria 1 – Pulberry 1 Bottom of the 3rd: Francis Jones lines one into centerfield for a lead-off single. With one out, SP Fujihara repeatedly tries to pick off Jones, but his last attempt sails wide. Jones moves up to second. Aidan Thirkettle then flares one out to shallow leftfield to put runners on the corners. Cooper Tyson lays down a tapper in front of the pitcher, then turns on the jets to beat out the throw to first, loading the bases. With two out, Gerard Koerner hits a weak grounder to the left side. SS César Ruíz gloves it and throws to first, but Koerner beats out the throw as Jones comes into score. Makani Kahale belts a high fly ball to deep centerfield, beyond the reach of CF Greg Stubbs, hitting the wall on a hop. As Kahale holds up at second, both Thirkettle and Tyson score easily. Koerner rounds third and beats out Stubbs’ throw to the plate for the Trolleys’ fifth run. Cambria 1 – Pulberry 5 Top of the 4th: Luis Torres hits a fly ball to short centerfield for a one-out base hit. Jason Lymer hits one hard to the left side. SS Francis Jones fields it but his short throw to second sails wide into the outfield as both Torres and Lymer are safe on the error. With two out, Masami Fujihara lines one to shallow rightfield in front of Ellis Dibble for a base hit. Torres charges around third and beats out the throw home on a close play. Cambria 2 – Pulberry 5 Top of the 9th: PH Seung-jae Park lifts one out to leftfield to lead off. Aidan Thirkettle gets his glove on it but cannot hang on. Park reaches first on the error. Doug Martin then slams one down the rightfield line. Ellis Dibble gives chase but its in the seats for a 359 ft. 2-run home run. Two outs later, Calvin Hanbridge jumps on a 1-0 pitch and crushes it 407 ft. into the rightfield stands for a game-tying solo home run. That ends Robin Medellin’s afternoon and ultimately sends the game into extras. Cambria 5 – Pulberry 5 Bottom of the 11th: LHP Sebastian Cromwell takes over for Cambria in the 11th. With one out, Francis Jones raps a double off the wall in deep centerfield. Ellis Dibble comes to the plate next and flares one out to leftfield for a base hit. But LF Calvin Hanbridge flubs the pickup, allowing Jones to race home unmolested for the winning run. Pulberry squeaks out another close one to take Game 2. FINAL: Cambria 5 – Pulberry 6 -------- Game 3 – April 1 The Series changes venue, as Alexander Field becomes the focus of the Western League Pennant. It comes not a moment too soon for the Cannons, who are looking for some home cooking to get them back in the Series. Cambria sends out their No. 1 guy, 25-year old LHP Bill Southon (3-1, 1.27 ERA, 0.91 WHIP) for his fifth career playoff start. Southon was brilliant in the playoffs two seasons ago when Cambria won the United Cup. Pullberry counters with their No. 2 starter, 33-year old RHP Alexander Ellacott (0-1, 3.29 ERA, 1.39 WHIP). This will be the third playoff start for the 14-year veteran after making his first two last year. Bottom of the 2nd: César Ruíz lines a shot to short left center for a one-out single. With two out, Jason Lymer rips a hard shot down the left field line into deep leftfield for a double. Ruíz hustles to third on the play. On a full count and the runners in motion, Greg Stubbs skies one out to centerfield that drops in front of Cooper Tyson. Both Ruíz and Lymer come into score. Pulberry 0 – Cambria 2 Top of the 8th: The Trolleys finally get something going when Ellis Dibble rips one to rightfield for a 2-out single. Aidan Thirkettle then squares one up and drives a 1-1 pitch 389 ft. into the rightfield stands for a 2-run homer, tying things up. Pulberry 2 – Cambria 2 Bottom of the 8th: Doug Martin leads off, hitting a hard grounder straight up the middle. SS Francis Jones dives for it, but the ball slips out of his grip for a base hit. One pitch later, Martin successfully steals second as C Paul England can’t find the handle. With one out, Carlos Corea drives the first pitch to the gap in left center, just out of CF Cooper Tyson’s reach. Martin crosses the plate as Corea slides safety into second. Calvin Hanbridge then sends one down the line into deep leftfield with LF Aidan Thirkettle in pursuit. Corea crosses the plate as Hanbridge slides hard in second. In the top of the 9th, Gerard Koerner leads off with a hard grounder out to short. SS César Ruíz backhands it and throws to first, but Koerner beats it out. However, Makani Kahale follows and grounds into a 5-4-3 twin killing. Paul Heisler then pops up to 1B Wayne Hudson for the final out. Cambria subdues Pulberry to get back in the Series. FINAL: Pulberry 2 – Cambria 4 -------- Game 4 – April 2 Cambria got a much-needed win in Game 3 and look to even things up this afternoon. 27-year old RHP Lou Dunne makes his playoff debut as the Cannons’ No. 4 starter. Pulberry also sends their No. 4 man to the hill, 27-year old RHP Harley Rodman (0-1, 10.13 ERA, 2.25 WHIP), who looks to make his second career playoff start a little more memorable. Bottom of the 1st: Rodman gets two quick outs before Carlos Corea crushes a 3-2 pitch 427 ft. into the leftfield bleachers for a solo home run. Pulberry 0 – Cambria 1 Bottom of the 2nd: The Cannons keep the pressure up as Jason Lymer and Greg Stubbs knock out back-to-back singles to lead off the inning. Lou Dunne then lays down a sac bunt back to the pitcher to advance the runners. Doug Martin immediately follows with a first pitch blast to centerfield. But Cooper Tyson can only watch as it sails 396 ft. into the seats for a 3-run bomb. Pulberry 0 – Cambria 4 Top of the 5th: Francis Jones wrings out a walk with two out. One pitch later, Jones takes second without a throw as C Jason Lymer drops the ball. Ellis Dibble then pounds a base hit into rightfield. Jones races around third and heads for home. RF Eddie Jeeps whips it back in, but Jones slides under the tag to score. Pulberry 1 – Cambria 4 Bottom of the 6th: Jason Lymer leads off and absolutely crushes a 2-1 cutter 416 ft. into the leftfield stands for a solo home run. That ends Harley Rodman’s day as RHP Eddie Roach takes over. In the top of the 9th, Makani Kahale drives one into leftfield for a lead-off base hit. Paul Heisler then hits a towering fly ball to deep centerfield, but CF Greg Stubbs hauls it in at the warning track. PH Sam Brown then draws a walk, moving Kahale up to second. But Francis Jones hits a 1-1 pitch up the middle to SS César Ruíz who starts a 6-4-3 double play to end the game. Cambria uses the long ball to tie up the Series. FINAL: Pulberry 1 – Cambria 5 __________________ United Leagues of Braeland Last edited by reds1; 10-23-2021 at 03:19 AM.

10-21-2021, 02:15 AM	#700
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,929	Game 5 – April 3 It’s a brand-new Series as the Cannons have up evened things up at two games apiece and look to take the upper hand before things head back to Pulberry. It’s absolutely searing in Cambria without a cloud in sight. Both teams tap their Game 1 starters. LHP Ricardo Cruz (0-1, 3.52 ERA, 7.2 IP) is determined to rebound from his Game 1 loss, while RHP Taylor Folkard (1-0, 2.45 ERA, 7.1 IP) takes the mound trying to halt Cambria’s newfound momentum. Top of the 2nd: Cruz gets two outs before Makani Kahale jumps on the first pitch, driving one hard into the gap in left center all the way to the wall. Kahale slides safely into third. Paul Heisler then drives one down the leftfield line for an RBI double. Taylor Folkard singles on the first pitch, sending one straight up the middle into centerfield. As Folkard takes second, Heisler beats out the throw to home. Pulberry 2 – Cambria 0 Bottom of 2nd: César Ruíz leads off with a walk. Jason Lymer then hits one up the middle into centerfield for a one-out single as Ruíz takes third. Greg Stubbs follows, banging one up the middle past the mound. SS Francis Jones takes it to second to force out Lymer, but Lymer’s hard slide prevents him from completing a double play, allowing Ruíz to score. Pulberry 2 – Cambria 1 Bottom of the 4th: César Ruíz jumps on a fast ball with one out, sending it 383 ft. into the rightfield stands for a solo home run. Pulberry 2 – Cambria 2 Top of the 5th: Francis Jones leads off and crushes Cruz’s 1-0 offering 399 ft. into the left centerfield bleachers for a solo home run. Pulberry 3 – Cambria 2 Bottom of the 8th: Eddie Jeeps leads off with a walk. Carlos Corea breaks his bat, sending a flare into centerfield. Jeeps rounds second and heads for third. CF Cooper Tyson whips it to third, but it sails over the head of 3B Makani Kahale. Jeep crosses the plate to tie things up and ultimately send the game into extras. Pulberry 3 – Cambria 3 Bottom of the 10th: RHP Eddie Roach takes over in the 10th for Pulberry. Eddie Jeeps cracks his bat, lining a single to leftfield with one out. Roach attempts to pick off Jeeps but he throws it away into the seats. Jeeps moves up to second. Carlos Corea then bangs out a long fly ball to deep centerfield, over the head of CF Cooper Tyson and all the way to the wall. Jeeps comes home to score on Corea’s walk off double, giving the Cannons the upper hand in the Series. FINAL: Pulberry 3 – Cambria 4 -------- Game 6 – April 5 The Trolleys return home from a disastrous three-game road trip that saw their 2-games-to-none lead evaporate into thin air thanks to some tough breaks. Now they find themselves in a must-win situation. The staters of Game 2 face each once again. RHP Robin Medellin (0-0, 2.08 ERA, 8.2 IP) is tasked with staving off elimination, while Masami Fujihara (0-0, 7.50 ERA, 6.0 IP) looks to close things out. Bottom of the 1st: Fujihara walks Aidan Thirkettle with two outs. Cooper Tyson then flares one out toward short centerfield where it falls in for a base hit. Thirkettle moves up to third, beating out the throw from CF Sam Tite. Paul England hits a fly ball into shallow rightfield for a base hit. Thirkettle scores as Tyson sprints over to third. Gerard Koerner follows, ripping a liner to rightfield for a base hit as Tyson scores. England rounds second and slides safely into third. Makani Kahale then bangs out a hard liner into shallow centerfield, scoring England. Cambria 0 - Pulberry 3 Top of the 3rd: Jason Lymer leads off with a single into left center. Masami Fujihara then lays down a sac bunt back to the pitcher as Lymer advances to second. Calvin Hanbridge battles Robin Medellin to a full count before cranking out a base hit into leftfield. Lymer takes third and heads for home, beating out LF Aidan Thirkettle’s throw to the plate. Cambria 1 - Pulberry 3 Bottom of the 3rd: Aidan Thirkettle drives one all the way to the wall in deep left center for a lead-off double. With one out, Paul England lines one to left center that drops in for a base hit. Thirkettle races for home and beats out CF Sam Tite’s throw. Cambria 1 - Pulberry 4 Top of the 6th: Sam Tite lifts one deep down the leftfield line that just stays fair for a two-out solo home run that lands 361 ft. from home plate. Cambria 2 - Pulberry 4 Bottom of the 6th: Aidan Thirkettle gets that run back as he crushes a 0-1 fastball from Fujihara for a 418 ft., two out solo home run into the rightfield bleachers. Cambria 2 - Pulberry 5 Bottom of the 8th: With reliever LHP Sebastian Cromwell taking over to pitch in the 8th, Francis Jones draws a one-out walk. Ellis Dibble then smashes one over the head of RF Eddie Jeeps into the rightfield corner. Jones scores as Dibble slides safely into third. After Thirkettle walks to put runners on the corners, Cooper Tyson smashes a high fly ball into deep leftfield. LF Calvin Hanbridge slides under it for the out. Dibble tags up-and scores without a throw. One pitch later, Thirkettle steals second as C Jason Lymer juggles the ball. Paul England then hits one up the middle for a base hit. Thirkettle races around third and dives headfirst into home plate to score. In the top of the 9th, RHP Robin Medellin looks to close things out. But he gives up three consecutive walks to Sam Tite, César Ruíz and Doug Martin, loading the bases with nobody out. Luis Torres then lines one out to leftfield. LF Aidan Thrikettle hustles over to catch it on the fly, then whips it to 2B Paul Heisler before Ruíz can get back, completing the double play. Jason Lymer crushes one to deep leftfield, but Thirkettle goes back and snares it to end the game. Pulberry gets back in the win column to force a deciding Game 7. FINAL: Cambria 2 - Pulberry 8 -------- Game 7 – April 6 Baseball fans in Braeland are being treated this season, as both the Eastern and Western League Pennant Series have gone a full seven games, the first time that’s ever happened. In the West, the home team has won every game. Pulberry is looking for that trend to continue one more time while Cambria is set on trying to reverse the trend. The weather could not be more ideal as the warm, sunny skies greet the fans and participants alike. The Game 3 staters meet again in this final showdown. Pullberry’s RHP Alexander Ellacott (0-1, 4.50 ERA, 8.0 IP) is hoping for a better outcome while LHP Bill Southon (1-0, 2.00 ERA, 9.0 IP) hopes to be the hero for Cambria. Top of the 2nd: Sam Tite leads off and battles Ellacott for 8 pitches. After fouling off four of them, Tite smashes the ninth one 370 ft. down the leftfield line and into the bleachers for a solo home run. Cambria 1 - Pulberry 0 Top of the 3rd: Jason Lymer drives one into the gap in right center, just out of the reach of RF Ellis Dibble. Lymer slides in safely for a lead-off double. Bill Southon lays down a bunt to try and advance the runner, but SP Ellacott scoops it up and fires it to third, cutting down Lymer. Calvin Hanbridge then walks, followed by Eddie Jeeps, who grounds out to SS Francis Jones to move up the runners to second and third. Carlos Corea then steps up and belts one hard to centerfield for a base hit. Southon scores easily, followed by Hanbridge, who slides under the tag to score as well. Cambria 3 - Pulberry 0 Bottom of the 4th: Aidan Thirkettle and Paul England lead off the inning with back-to-back walks. Gerard Koerner then hits a ground ball to the right side. 2B Doug Martin snares it and flips it to second to force out England. But England’s hard slide breaks up the double play as Thirkettle moves up to third. Makani Kahale then launches one to dead centerfield. CF Sam Tite gets under it, but his throw to the plate is not in time as Thirkettle tags up and scores. Cambria 3 - Pulberry 1 Top of the 6th: Sam Tite unloads on a 1-1 pitch for a one out solo home run that lands 418 ft. into the leftfield stands. That brings Alexander Ellacott’s day to an end, as RHP Taylor Folkard takes over. Cambria 4 - Pulberry 1 Bottom of the 6th: Paul England lines one toward short centerfield for a one-out base hit. Gerard Koerner then peppers one to leftfield for a single as England advances to second. Makani Kahale bounces one towards the hole in right. 2B Doug Martin picks it up and throws Koerner out at second as England hustles over to third. Paul Heisler then hits a hard liner into centerfield for a base hit, scoring England. Cambria 4 - Pulberry 2 Top of the 8th: Sam Tite and César Ruíz lead off with back-to-back walks. Doug Martin grounds one to the right side. 1B Gerard Koerner grabs it and sends it to second to force out Ruíz as Tite take third. Luis Torres then lifts one out to leftfield for a base hit. Tite comes home to score while Martin rounds second and beats out LF Aidan Thirkettle’s throw to third. With two out, Bill Southon punches one through the hole into leftfield. Martin comes home to score easily on the play. In the bottom of the 9th, Francis Jones leads off and grounds out to SS César Ruíz. Cooper Tyson then grounds out to 2B Doug Martin. Down to their final out, Ellis Dibble lifts one out to shallow leftfield for a base hit. But Aidan Thirkettle strikes out swinging on a fastball to end the game and Series. The Cambria Cannons win the Western League Pennant and move on to meet the Stratford Barons in the United Cup! FINAL: Cambria 6 - Pulberry 2 -------- __________________ United Leagues of Braeland