Cleveland will try to do its part in tightening the race against New York for ya

Week 21: August 29th-September 4th
 

I have time for a write up today, but I'm just far too devastated for a detailed one. Against the two worst teams in the league we went 1-4 for the week. We're now 8.5 games out of first. It's looking like the Stars will return to the World Series for the first time since 1926. That was when they completed an impressive threepeat. The Stars have won 6 championships in 7 attempts, the most wins in the FABL.

With expanded rosters, I brought up Dick Kadlec, Bill Kline, Claude Ramsey, Slim Bloom, and Joe Johnson. Johnson was the only one not on the 40.

I will comment on one thing. Since the trade:

Tommy Wilcox: 3-4, 7.02 ERA, 1.66 WHIP, 13 BB, 16 K
Tom Barrell: 6-1, 1.98 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 15 BB, 42 K

I might regret this one...

Attached are our end of the month stats as usual.

Week 22: September 5th-September 11th
 

September 5th, 1932
Chicago Cougars (80-55): 9
Cleveland Foresters (74-63): 0
Game 1

W: Tommy Wilcox (4-4)
L: Roger Perry (16-7)

I can finally enjoy the season now. No, it's not because we won. No, it's not because Tommy Wilcox tossed a shutout. But, because we are far enough out that I can enjoy the individual performances without the stress of fighting for a pennant. Our 100 loss seasons were more enjoyable then the last couple of months this year because I could enjoy seeing the guys I liked doing well instead of worrying about record. Don't get me wrong, I want to win every game the rest of the season, but the wins are going to be much more enjoyable and the losses much more bearable.

But back to the game. Considering the matchup of Tommy Wilcox and CA ERA leader Roger Perry, I would've bet my money on the Foresters with 9 instead of us. But, Wilcox looked like the pitcher I traded for, allowing just 3 hits and a walk with 5 strikeouts in a beautiful outing. Tom Taylor had a dominant game as well, 3-for-5 with a homer and 5 RBI's. Mike Taylor was 3-for-4 with a walk and three runs scored. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-4 with an RBI. John Kincaid was 2-for-3.

September 5th, 1932
Chicago Cougars (81-55): 9
Cleveland Foresters (74-64): 3
Game 2

W: Jim Crawford (14-10)
L: Karl Johnson (12-13)

We got a big 6 run 9th and cruised to a 9-3 win to complete the double header sweep. Our top prospect Joe Johnson made his big league debut, going 2-for-5 with a double, run, and RBI. Bill Ashbaugh was 3-for-5 with a double and two runs scored. Vince York was 2-for-4 with a double, walk, run, and 2 RBI's. John Kincaid was 2-for-5 with a run scored and driven in. Russ Combs was 2-for-5 with a run scored and two driven in. Tom Taylor was 1-for-4 with a walk, run, and 2 RBI's. Jim Kyle was 1-for-4 with a walk, run, and RBI. Jim Crawford picked up the win, 10 hits with 3 runs, 5 walks, and 4 strikeouts in 8 innings.

September 7th, 1932
Chicago Cougars (82-55): 5
Baltimore Cannons (63-75): 4

W: Max Wilder (12-8)
L: Clay Jackson (1-6)

We got a day off before starting a three game series in Baltimore with the Cannons. It was a close one, but we managed to take the opener by just a single run. Max Wilder picked up the win, going all nine with 10 hits, 4 runs, 3 walks, and 4 strikeouts. Mike Taylor had a big game, 4-for-5 with a double and a pair of RBI's. John Kincaid was 2-for-5 with a double and 2 runs scored. Vince York was 1-for-4 with a double, walk, and 2 RBI's. Russ Combs was 1-for-5, but with a steal and two runs scored.

September 8th, 1932
Chicago Cougars (83-55): 9
Baltimore Cannons (63-76): 3

W: Dick Lyons (16-7)
L: Dutch Leverett (6-4)

The offense put up nine for the third time in four games, and we got a nice win to secure the series victory. Dick Lyons had a strong start, going all nine with 9 hits, 3 runs, and 7 strikeouts. Bill Ashbaugh was 3-for-5 with a pair of solo homers. Russ Combs was 4-for-5 with a walk, 2 runs, and 2 RBI's. Mike Taylor was 3-for-6 with a run scored and 2 RBI's. Vince York was 2-for-4 with a sac-fly and run scored. Cy Bryant was 2-for-4 with a walk and run scored. John Kincaid was 1-for-3 with a double and 3 walks.

September 9th, 1932
Chicago Cougars (84-55): 10
Baltimore Cannons (63-78): 2

W: Dick Leudtke (17-8)
L: Rabbit Day (16-15)

We piled on the runs in the finale, and finished off the sweep with a 10-2 win. Starter Dick Leudtke was excellent on the mound and at bat. He went all nine with 6 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 3 strikeouts, but also hit 3-for-4 with a run, sac-bunt, and 3 RBI's. Harry Simmons was 2-for-3 with 4 runs, 2 walks, a double, and an RBI. Mike Taylor was 3-for-5 with a sac-fly. John Kincaid was 2-for-6 with a double, run scored, and RBI. Vince York was 2-for-5 with 2 runs scored.

September 10th, 1932
Chicago Cougars (84-56): 3
Brooklyn Kings (72-69): 14

W: Mike Murphy (6-1)
L: Tommy Wilcox (4-5)

Our first loss of the week, and guess who? Tommy Wilcox was absolutely terrible and he has now loss to both major league pitchers he's been traded for. Luckily, George DeForest is in AA or he'd probably lose to all three pitchers... And I'm not exaggerating when I say his start was awful, as he lasted just 1.1 innings with 10 hits, 8 runs, a walk, and a strikeout. Dick Kadlec pitched mopup, 6 innings with 8 hits, 6 runs (5 earned), 2 walks, and a strikeout. He was also our best hitter, 2-for-3 with an RBI. Vince York was 2-for-5 with a double and run scored. Cy Bryant was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Bill Ashbaugh was 1-for-2 with a walk and steal.

September 11th, 1932
Chicago Cougars (85-56): 5
Brooklyn Kings (72-70): 3
12 Innings

W: Chick Meehan (3-1)
L: Del Lyons (8-5)
SV: Ace McSherry (1)

After tieing the game in the 6th, neither team scored until the 12th where we scored two runs and evened the series with a 5-3 win. John Kincaid was 3-for-5 with a run scored. Vince York was 2-for-5 with 2 triples and 2 runs. Mike Taylor was 2-for-5 with a double, walk, run, and RBI. Russ Combs was 1-for-4 with 2 walks and a run scored. Tom Taylor was 1-for-6, but with a double, 2 RBI's, and a steal.

Stars of the Week
Mike Taylor : 29 AB, 15 H, 0 HR, 6 RBI, .517 AVG, 1.132 OPS
Bill Ashbaugh : 26 AB, 10 H, 2 HR, 4 RBI, .385 AVG, 1.169 OPS
John Kincaid : 32 AB, 13 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .406 AVG, .972 OPS

Awards
Player of the Week: C Mike Taylor
Pitcher of the Month: SP Dick Leudtke

Weekly Summary
This is the last time I'll mention the standings all season, but even after going 6-1 for the week we're still 8.5 games behind the Stars (94-48). Their .662 win percentage is a 102 win pace which would be tied for the second most wins in a season by a CA team. The 1929 Sailors won a CA best 103 while the 1895 New York Gothams hold the most wins of all time, 105. Interesting enough, no other FA team has reached 100 wins.

We've got one more in Brooklyn before three in Montreal (59-82) and three in New York. We've actually been great on the road, going 43-26 (.623), which is the best road record in the CA. Interesting enough, the Baltimore Cannons are 41-23 (.641) on the road, but under .500 (37-40, .481) at home. They hold a 4.5 game lead over the Pioneers (74-68) with Detroit (73-68) and Boston (72-68) still in the race.

And after destroying Roger Perry on Monday, there's a new ERA leader in baseball. That would be reigning pitcher of the month Dick Leudtke, who just turned 31 on September 2nd. In 29 starts this year, he's 17-8 with a 3.01 ERA (148 ERA+), 1.22 WHIP, and 99 strikeouts in 245.1 innings pitched. Leudtke was a late bloomer, debuting at 27 in 1929 with the Gothams. He looked awful, going 0-2 with a 6.21 ERA (72 ERA+), 1.80 WHIP, and 19 strikeouts and there was a chance that his big league career would have ended then. Instead, he looked much better the following year in 12 starts and 10 relief appearances with the Gothams before we grabbed him in a trade. He was 9-5 with a 3.09 ERA (147 ERA+), 1.05 WHIP, and 45 strikeouts across 128 innings. I didn't think he'd sustain those numbers, but I thought he was interesting enough that I moved a few young big leagues in Lou Gaffin and Earl Johnson for him with expectations he'd be a nice back of the rotation arm. My scout was a huge fan, thinking he was this top of the rotation arm, and maybe he was right. Leudtke was just average the rest of 1930 and last season, but he's really found himself this season. Of course, my scout still loves him, ranking him as our 2nd best starter (behind Wilcox...) and he's slowly become our ace.

Week 23: September 12th-September 18th
 

September 12th, 1932
Chicago Cougars (86-56): 5
Brooklyn Kings (72-71): 2

W: Max Wilder (13-8)
L: Tom Barrell (7-2)

We topped former Cougar Tom Barrell in the finale to take the series with the Kings. Max Wilder went all nine, allowing 7 hits, 2 runs, 3 walks, and 5 strikeouts. Cy Bryant was 2-for-4 with a double, run, RBI, and steal. Russ Combs was 2-for-4 with a double, run, and RBI.Tom Taylor was 1-for-4 with a double and 2 RBI's.

September 13th, 1932
Chicago Cougars (87-56): 6
Montreal Saints (60-83): 4

W: Dick Lyons (17-7)
L: George Thomas (6-11)
SV: Chick Meehan (1)

Off to Montreal for three with the Saints, and we held off a late rally to take the opener. Arnold Bower was 2-for-4 with a double, run scored, and two driven in. Tom Taylor was 2-for-4 with a steal. Russ Combs was 1-for-4 with a walk, double, and 2 RBI's. Starter Dick Lyons was 1-for-3 with a run and RBI. He went 7 with 9 hits, 3 runs, a walk, and a strikeout. Chick Meehan went the final two with 2 hits, a run, walk, and strikeout.

September 14th, 1932
Chicago Cougars (88-56): 2
Montreal Saints (60-84): 1

W: Dick Leudtke (18-8)
L: Walker Moore (8-15)

Leave it to Dick Leudtke to throw a gem and he was excellent in a 2-1 win to take the series a day early. He allowed just 5 hits, a single run, and struck out 2 in the complete game victory. Cy Bryant was 2-for-4. Russ Combs was 1-for-2 with 3 walks and 2 runs scored. Mike Taylor was 1-for-3 with a sac-fly and 2 RBI's. Arnold Bower was 1-for-4 with a double and walk.

September 14th, 1932
Chicago Cougars (89-56): 10
Montreal Saints (60-85): 2

W: Tommy Wilcox (5-5)
L: Allen Purvis (8-9)

The offense exploded in a 10-2 win as we swept the Saints before heading to New York for three with the Stars. They have a magic number of just two, so we might as well crown them champs now. Tired of all the crappy performances, Tommy Wilcox went all out today. Not only did he allow just 4 hits with 2 runs (1 earned), 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts, but he was also 2-for-4 with a double, triple, and 5 (!) RBI's. John Kincaid was 3-for-5 with a double, triple, and run scored. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-5 with a double, 2 runs, and 2 RBI's. Claude Ramsey was 2-for-3 with a double, RBI, and three runs scored. Mike Taylor was 2-for-4 with a triple and run scored. Vince York was 1-for-2 with 2 walks, a steal, and 3 runs scored. Tom Taylor was 1-for-4 with a walk, steal, run, and RBI.

September 16th, 1932
Chicago Cougars (90-56): 12
New York Stars (97-50): 3

W: Jim Crawford (15-10)
L: Les Zoller (4-2)

Well, I think this was just about us getting all our anger out about this season and how a win percentage north of .600 wasn't good enough to compete. John Kincaid was 4-for-5 with 2 doubles, a steal, 2 runs, and 4 RBI's. Russ Combs was 2-for-4 with 3 runs, 2 walks, and 2 RBI's. Cy Bryant was 2-for-5 with 2 runs and an RBI. Arnold Bower was 2-for-4 with a walk and 2 runs scored. Vince York was 2-for-5 with a run scored and driven in. Starter Jim Crawford was 1-for-3 with 2 sac-bunts, a walk, and RBI. He also threw all nine, allowing 8 hits and 3 runs with 3 strikeouts.

September 17th, 1932
Chicago Cougars (91-56): 7
New York Stars (97-51): 6
Game 1

W: Max Wilder (14-8)
L: Boyd Harper (14-8)

Alright...

We can stop winning now...

I don't want any hope...

That's seven straight victories as we took the first game of a double header 7-6 after we let the Stars tie it in the 8th with three unearned runs before taking the league back in the 9th. Max Wilder probably pitched too long in this game, going all nine despite allowing 14 hits, 6 runs (3 earned...), a walk, and 2 strikeouts. Bill Ashbaugh was 3-for-4 with a run scored. Tom Taylor was 2-for-5 with a homer, 2 runs, and 2 RBI's. Jim Kyle was 1-for-3 with a double, walk, run, and RBI. Cy Bryant was 1-for-4 with a double and 2 RBI's. John Kincaid was 1-for-4 with a triple, sac-bunt, and run scored.

September 17th, 1932
Chicago Cougars (92-56): 5
New York Stars (97-52): 4
Game 2

W: Chick Meehan (2-1)
L: Phil English (1-5)

Where was this fight all season? Down 4-3 heading to the ninth, John Kincaid and Cy Bryant both hit RBI singles and we held on to sweep the double header and series in New York. Between our games with the Stars, the home teams were just 4 and 18. Wow...

Tom Taylor was 1-for-4 with a three run homer. Bill Ashbaugh was 1-for-3 with a double, walk, and run scored. Russ Combs was 1-for-3 with a walk and run scored. John Kincaid was 1-for-4 with a run scored and driven in. Arnold Bower was 1-for-4 with a run scored. Dick Lyons made the start on short rest, 7 innings with 10 hits, 4 runs (3 earned), and a walk. Chick Meehan went 2 with 2 hits and a strikeout to get the win.

September 18th, 1932
Chicago Cougars (93-56): 13
Cleveland Foresters (79-71): 0

W: Dick Leudtke (19-8)
L: Tom Spradlin (0-2)

We really just went 8-0 this week...

We absolutely unloaded on the Foresters in a quick one day stop in Cleveland and piled on 21 hits and 13 runs. It didn't even matter if we got more then one run, as Dick Leudtke dominated, allowing just 2 hits with 9 strikeouts in the complete game shutout. He dropped his league best ERA to 2.84 and is the only pitcher in the FABL with a sub 3 ERA. Jim Crawford is more or less league average for ERA (102+) and his is 4.37.

Just as impressive was the offense, however, and John Kincaid was a perfect 5-for-5 with 2 doubles, a triple, a walk, 4 runs, and 2 RBI's. Mike Taylor was 3-for-6 with a homer, 2 runs, and 4 RBI's. Vince York was 3-for-6 with a run scored and four driven in. Russ Combs was 2-for-5 with a walk and three runs scored. Tom Taylor was 2-for-6 with a run scored and RBI. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-4 with 2 walks and an RBI. Even Leudtke got into the fun (all our guys got hits), going 1-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored.

Stars of the Week
John Kincaid : 35 AB, 17 H, 0 HR, 7 RBI, .486 AVG, 1.314 OPS
Dick Luedtke : 2 Wins, 18.0 IP, 0 BB, 11 K, 0.50 ERA
Tom Taylor : 36 AB, 10 H, 2 HR, 10 RBI, .278 AVG, .797 OPS

Weekly Summary
Is it bad that I'm angry that we went 8-0? They decided to torture me by winning nine in a row to make up five games on the Stars who have lost five in a row. We're still 3.5 out and the Stars still have a magic number of two. And while we technically can still make the playoffs, I have zero confidence in it. We're 14-4 in September, almost as good as last season, but the 11-18 July really came back to hurt us. That, and going 1-5 against the Wolves (46-103) and Saints (62-86) who have the two worst records in baseball. We have a winning record against everyone except the Kings (10-12) this year, but with three against the Sailors (74-74) in Chicago left, if we get swept we'd be below .500 against them. We also have two home games against the Foresters (79-71) to end the season, but I don't expect those to matter. We've won two more games this year then last year and our in reach of 96 wins, the most by a Cougar franchise back in 1892, although they were 96-40 with a crazy .706 win percentage.

Not really much else to say. We'll likely have the ERA leader in Leudtke and his 19 wins are best in the CA. Tom Taylor is top three in homers, RBI's, and WAR and Mike Taylor is right behind Taylor at third in homers. We rank first in a lot of categories, including average, OBP, slugging, OPS, WAR (hitters), wOBA, runs, hits, steals, starter's ERA, walks (pitchers), and zone rating. Our 51-26 road record is final, and even if the Keystones win all their remaining games, we'll at least be tied for best road record in baseball.

Week 24: September 19th-September 25th
 

September 20th, 1932
Philadelphia Sailors (74-75): 6
Chicago Cougars (94-56): 9

W: Tommy Wilcox (6-5)
L: Doc Newell (9-14)

We just keep on winning... We opened the Sailors series with a 9-6 win to extend our win streak to 10. Tommy Wilcox had another rough start, allowing 10 hits with 6 runs, a walk, and strikeout in a complete game victory. Cy Bryant was a perfect 3-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored. Bill Ashbaugh was 1-for-4 with a grand slam. Mike Taylor was 1-for-3 with a walk, solo homer, and two runs scored. Tom Taylor and Arnold Bower were both 1-for-4 with a run scored. John Kincaid was 1-for-5 with a double, run, and 3 RBI's. Russ Combs was 0-for-1, but with a steal, run, sac-fly, and three walks.

September 21st, 1932
Philadelphia Sailors (74-76): 2
Chicago Cougars (95-56): 8

W: Jim Crawford (16-10)
L: Rollie Beal (16-14)

Where was this in July...

Up to 11 straight after an 8-2 win over the Sailors and we still keep our slim playoff chances alive. Jim Crawford was dominant, going all nine with just 4 hits, 2 walks, 2 unearned runs, and 5 strikeouts. He was also 2-for-3 with a sac-bunt and run scored. Tom Taylor was 2-for-4 with a homer, 2 runs, and 3 RBI's. Mike Taylor was 2-for-3 with 2 runs, a walk, and steal. Russ Combs was 2-for-5 with a triple and RBI. Vince York was 2-for-4 with a double, run, and RBI. Cy Bryant was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Bill Ashbaugh was 1-for-3 with a sac-fly and 2 RBI's.

September 22nd, 1932
Philadelphia Sailors (74-77): 6
Chicago Cougars (96-56): 10

W: Max Wilder (15-8)
L: Oscar Morse (12-8)

Well, we sweep the Sailors with a nice 10-6 win. The Stars magic number is currently one, so we're still alive since they didn't play and won't until the 24th where they start a two game series with the Saints. John Kincaid was 3-for-5 with 2 runs and just a homer shy of the cycle. Vince York was 3-for-5 with 2 runs scored and driven in. Mike Taylor was 2-for-5 with 3 RBI's. Cy Bryant was 2-for-2 with 2 walks and a run scored. Arnold Bower was 1-for-3 with a sac-fly and run scored. Starter Max Wilder was 2-for-4 with a run scored and two driven in. He went all nine, but allowed 11 hits, 6 runs (4 earned), and 3 walks with 2 strikeouts.

September 24th, 1932
Cleveland Foresters (79-74): 3
Chicago Cougars (97-56): 4

W: Ace McSherry (1-0)
L: Karl Johnson (13-15)

We just don't want to give up...

We tied the game at one in the eigth, but the Foresters got two on McSherry (who should not have been in with Leudtke only at 111 pitches...) to take a 3-1 lead. We rallied for three including a walk-off single courtesy of Cy Bryant to keep our playoff hopes alive as the Stars lost their opener to the Saints.

Leudtke was robbed of his 20th win, going 8 innings with just 2 hits, a run, 2 walks and 3 strikeouts before being inexplicably pulled from the game. McSherry allowed 2 runs, a hit, and a walk with a strikeout in the ninth. Vince York was 3-for-4 with a run scored and driven in. Russ Combs was 2-for-4 with a steal and RBI. Bill Ashbaugh was 1-for-3 with a walk and run scored. Cy Bryant was 1-for-3 with a sac-bunt and the game winning RBI.

September 25th, 1932
Cleveland Foresters (80-74): 13
Chicago Cougars (97-57): 2

W: Heinie Bretz (4-5)
L: Tommy Wilcox (6-6)

All good things must come to an end...

Granted, this game didn't matter, as the Stars won to clinch the postseason, but leave it to Tommy Wilcox to pitch absolutely awful to end the season. I'm almost positive I scheduled Dick Lyons to pitch, but for some reason it was Wilcox who allowed 10 hits, 8 runs (7 earned), a walk and a strikeout in just 4 innings. Dick Kadlec was roughed in 3.2 innings with 8 hits, 5 runs, 3 walks, and 2 strikeouts. Russ Combs was 2-for-4 with a triple, steal, and run scored. John Kincaid was 1-for-3 with an RBI. Bob McCarty had a pinch hit RBI double in the 9th.

Stars of the Week
Cy Bryant : 15 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .600 AVG, 1.267 OPS
Vince York : 20 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .450 AVG, .950 OPS
Russ Combs : 19 AB, 7 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .368 AVG, 1.014 OPS

Weekly Summary
I. Hate. Tommy. Wilcox.

Obviously, hindsight is 20/20, but I can't help but think that I cost myself a pennant with the trade. Sure, Mike Taylor lit the world on fire by hitting .343/.414/.563 (145 OPS+) with 10 homers and 44 RBI's after the trade and Fred Barrell slumped to a .291/.339/.394 (86 OPS+) line with 2 homers and 31 RBI's, but the difference between Wilcox and Barrell is extreme:

Tommy Wilcox: 6-6, 91.1 IP, 6.70 ERA (66 ERA+), 1.53 WHIP, 18 BB, 28 K
Tom Barrell: 8-3, 125.2 IP, 2.58 ERA (168 ERA+), 1.02 WHIP, 24 BB, 68 K

This one stings....

Look, Tommy Wilcox is an elite pitcher and there was a reason that he was taken #1 overall, but this 13 start stretch was just insane. My scout still thinks he's got the talent to anchor the rotation with even more untapped potential, but it was just a disaster to watch him pitch. I probably should've benched him down the stretch in favor of Castellini, but I just thought that eventually he would figure things out. I have absolutely no intention of moving on from him and I'm ready for him to completely breakout next season, but it just really stings that we ended up fighting all the way back just to fall short.

In better news, congrats to Dick Leudtke who led the CA in wins (19), ERA (2.79), ERA+ (160), WHIP (1.15), and BABIP (.257). I'm not to sure how he managed to do it, but he put together a really solid season. I think he defintely over performed this season, and he'll fall closer to his career 3.63 ERA and 1.27 WHIP, but I do have to credit our defense some too. We ranked 1st in zone rating at +51.4, with Ashbaugh (+9.0), Kincaid (+7.0), Bryant (+17.5), and Tom Taylor (+25.3) all puting up extremely impressive marks. Ashbaugh finished second for first basemen, Lawson tallied 4.6 more then the next best, Bryant 6.3 more, and Taylor nearly 20 more. In fact, Taylor's combined +26.1 in right and center was 5.1 better then the next best fielder in all of baseball.

In one more minor piece of news, I claimed former Cougar Luke Nixon off waivers from the Foresters. He was part of the Wilder and Combs deal. He's the only player of the four sent that played in the majors, but the other three are all waiting in AAA. Pat Schuring is on the 40 and all three guys we gave up rank in Cleveland's top 20. Nixon has one option year left.

Batter of the Month
 

We're in the World Series now, but 3B John Kincaid was named Continental League Batter of the Month. The 27-year-old hit .394 with a homer, 17 RBI's and 24 run scored. Kincaid put together another solid season, hitting .344/.382/.471 (115 OPS+) with 3 homers, 8 steals, and 88 RBI's across 721 trips to the plate. He also had an impressive +7.0 zone rating and 1.032 efficiency in 1,354 innings at third. Kincaid also played in almost every game for us this year, appearing in 153 of our 154 contests. Kincaid isn't nearly as talented as superstar John Lawson, but he's arguably the second best third basemen in all of baseball.

World Series and Trade News
 

I wasn't too surprised with the World Series outcome, as the New York Stars swept through the Philadelphia Keystones to win their league best 8th championship. The Stars were the dominant team in baseball, with a .500 or better record against every team except one. Guess who that one was? Of course, it was us, as we were 13-9 against them. The only other team to win double digits against them was the Foresters, who they finished 11-11 against. Of course, our downfall was the Brooklyn Kings (10-12) who not only were the only team to win the season series against us, but also gave us some of our better performers (Mike Taylor and Arnold Bower) and our worst performer (Tommy Wilcox). Bower did cool down, but he still hit above average with us and is somehow ranked the #2 shortstop in the league after not even being top 10 when we traded for him.

On to the trade news, I made a big deal with the New York Gothams, sending #1 and #3 team prospect Joe Johnson and Mel Leonard for CF Bobby Sprague. Sprague ranks as the #1 center fielder in baseball was one of the lone bright spots in a season that did not go well for the other New York franchise. He hit .342/.404/.461 (131 OPS+) with 5 homers, 10 steals, and 56 RBI's with a +7.4 zone rating and 1.029 efficiency in center. It was a breakout year for the 25-year-old, who just finished his third full big league season. For his career, he's a .328/.386/.434 (120 OPS+) hitter with 11 homers, 182 RBI's, and 52 steals across 1,842 trips to the plate. I do not plan on using Sprague in center, as Cy Bryant is the best defensive center fielder in the game, but I plan on forming a super outfield with three center fielders in him, Bryant, and Taylor.

This means Vince York is without a spot, and while I'd love to trade him, it may be hard to find a buyer. Even though the 26-year-old is just a year removed from elite level hitting, corner outfielders are abundant in this league. I will try to find a home for him, but it won't be a bad thing if he stays with us. He gives us a switch hitter off the bench and he can play a few days a week in left to give the other three outfielders days off. And if Cy Bryant struggles next season, he can claim left and move Sprague to his natural position in center.

I gave up some really good prospects to make this deal happen, but Sprague is only a year younger then Johnson and already a proven major league commodity. Sure, Johnson has superstar potential, but in a stats-only environment I can't see how good he could be. I just know how good he is now (his minor league track record isn't that great) while Sprague has produced at the highest level three years in a row. With Leonard, he's just 20 and only made 7 starts in A ball this year. None of them really went well, and he won't be able to help us soon. He's got a really high ceiling, but we have an elite rotation. Even though Wilder is 35, the rest of the arms are 31, 32, 25, and 26. I won't really have to replace any of them in near future and Lyons and Leudtke have looked better with age. I have other arms much closer to the majors then Leonard, and we're built to win now. I'd have to wait 2-3 seasons for Leonard to make an impact now, and even though he has TOR potential, young arms are risky assets and I managed to sell high on a pair of 2nd Rounders. And with a really deep draft class coming up, I feel like I can replenish my system rather quickly without needing a high quantity of early picks.

Draft and Trades
 

I made three trades so far (hopefully more) to pick up picks in this years' draft. We've finished about 2 of the 10 human rounds.

The biggest trade was sending a former 2nd Rounder Vince York to the Pioneers for a 2nd Round Pick, the 23rd in this year's draft (York was actually 25th in 1924). Formerly one of our biggest producers, York was going to be out of a starting job with the acquisition of Bobby Sprague. He's too good for a bench spot, and I was able to send him to a FA team with a shot at the pennant who needed an extra corner outfielder to play across from young star Alex Ingraham. Both are 26, and York hit a respectable .320/.371/.445 (106 OPS+) with 6 homers, 9 steals, and 109 RBI's in 631 trips to the plate. In his 3+ year career, he's hit a much better .347/.393/.494 (126 OPS+) with 32 homers, 24 steals, and 333 RBI's. He's a talented youngster, but I like who we were able to replace him with and with his defensive question marks and my priority of good defensive outfielders, he was expendable.

The other two trades helped me get middle round picks. I sent backup catcher Jim Kyle to the Foresters for a 4th and 6th Round Pick and then minor league center fielder Buck Waldrop to the Kings for their 4th, 5th, and 6th Round selections.

The 26-year-old Kyle is a former waiver claim during the 1929 offseason from the Sailors. He's been a reliable backup catcher, providing a .267/.322/.383 (92 OPS+) line with 5 homers, 6 steals, and 69 RBI's in 630 big league plate appearances, approximately one full season he split into five. He's definitely good enough to start, but he was stuck behind top-5 Fred Barrell and now Mike Taylor, arguably the best catcher in the CA, if not all the league. With Claude Ramsey, the current 82nd best prospect in baseball, a year younger and on the 40 as well, Kyle was expendable as well.

I didn't initially want to trade the 22-year-old Waldrop, but the more I kept looking at the pool the more I wanted to have more picks. A former 4th Rounder who I was a huge fan of on draft day, Waldrop ranks just outside the top 100 prospect list at 102. He's got a nice power/defense combo out in center, but he's getting closer to the big leagues with no clear spot. He had a decent season in Lincoln, hitting .233/.283/.447 (102 OPS+) with 25 homers and 55 RBI's in 438 plate appearances. For Waldrop, his big league future will be determined by his hit tool. The power is there, but he has to make more contact.

1st Round, 14th Overall: SS Billy Hunter (Cincinnati HS Tigers): I haven't had any success drafting shortstops, Clint Hinzman in Toronto (traded for Cy Bryant) non withstanding, but I also have never grabbed one in the first round. I generally prioritize SS/CF/SP in most drafts, but there usually isn't one I like enough when my pick comes around. I was elated to see Billy Hunter, a high upside 17-year-old high schooler, still on the board at 14. The big reason for that is after hitting 14 homers and driving in 60 runs with OPS+ of 168 and 160 as a sophomore and junior, he slumped as a senior. The Toledo native hit .305/.351/.461 (107 OPS+) with 4 homers and 36 RBI's across 185 trips to the plate. There was a silver lining this year, as after poor showings defensively, he improved his zone rating to a +6.4 and his efficiency to a 1.089. These numbers are extremely encouraging and my scout, who doesn't usually like to hyperbolize, projects him to be "an elite starting shortstop". What's better is that he's young enough to perfectly coincide with when the annual injuries eventually cripple Russ Combs beyond the point of repair.

2nd Round, 23rd Overall: CF Marty Roberts (Brunswick Knights): Here's basically the return for Vince York. Marty Roberts may actually be a better prospect then Hunter, and he more or less replaces Joe Johnson in the organization. Another younger player, the junior won't turn 21 till November 17th while some in his class are almost 22. My scout isn't nearly as big of a fan, but his .355/.399/.592 (149 OPS+) line as a junior with 9 homers, 12 steals, and 40 RBI's is much more encouraging. The power definitely spiked, as he almost reached his combined mark, but his career .314/.377/.521 (142 OPS+) line isn't all too far from this year's performance. He's a strong defender as well, with a +4.2 zone rating and 1.031 efficiency this season and he didn't make an error the last two seasons. He's got a ton of upside in the field and on the bases, and he should be an above average hitter. I'm not sure if the power will develop, but Roberts has all the tool to be a top 5 center fielder.

2nd Round, 30th Overall: SP Walker Pearce (Wilkes-Barre HS Warriors): I had to do it! Another high school pitcher in the 2nd Round, and even though both Ike Quinn and Roy Byrd's arms have fallen off, Mel Leonard is one of the best prospects in baseball and John Hartz is top 10 in our system (granted a weak one). Pearce is more Leonard then Hartz, however, as the little lefty not only has upside, but also a track record. The senior was 3-3 with a 2.35 ERA (204 ERA+), 1.01 WHIP, and 44 strikeouts in 61.1 innings. He had a sub 3 ERA all three years of High School with 6.5+ K/9 and sub 0.5 HR/9 ratings. Pearce keeps everything on the ground with an elite high 80s sinker and he gets a lot of movement on it and his offspeed stuff. He's got nice command and since he's just 5'9''. a growth spurt can give him a nice velocity boost. I wouldn't say he's an ace, especially with how good our rotation is, but he's a dependable middle of the rotation guy that should be able to step in once Max Wilder eventually reaches the cliff.

1932 Draft: Round 3-5
 

3rd Round, 46th Overall: LF Rich Langton (Detroit City College Knights): His junior year was the worst of his three seasons, but the 21-year-old Rich Langton still hit .340/.376/.547 (127 OPS+) with 8 homers, 7 steals, and 48 RBI's. He finished his college career with a very impressive .348/.396/.585 (151 OPS+) batting line with 27 homers, 18 steals, and 135 RBI's in what translates to roughly a full FABL season. His 20/20 potential and positive ratings out in left are almost like an improved version of Vince York. Unlike York, Langton just hits from the right side, but my scout is a big fan of his. He projects him to be a .360 hitter with a ton of upside at the plate, in the field, and on the base path. I like Langton even more then Ed Reyes, who was our first rounder last year and ranks 75th in the FABL. Langton has all the talent needed to be a longtime major league starter.

4th Round, 59th Overall: C Harry Mead (Memphis HS Pharaohs): We had three fourth round picks which mirrored the Giants recent dynasty (10, 12, 14). This pick came from Brooklyn, and I used it on catcher Harry Mead. Technically, our top prospect Joe Rainbow is a catcher, but I'm not too keen on his big league potential and I think the Harvey, Illinois native Harry Mead is better. He had a rough senior year, hitting just .283/.335/.447 (95 OPS+) with 5 homers and 35 RBI's. It couldn't be further form his successful sophomore season where he hit .443/.511/.741 (248 OPS+) with 7 homers and 48 RBI's. While these seasons are completely different, his career .339/.397/.550 (161 OPS+) line is extremely impressive for a prep catcher. He's also an absolute freak of nature, a lefty catcher, which will be really interesting to see how that develops. He's played a little in first and left as well, but as so far held his own behind the plate. My scout thinks he's got good catching ability and an average arm and we're going to give him every opportunity to stay behind the plate. He's a solid hitter with a great eye, and even though we have one of the best catchers in Mike Taylor, Mead is just 18 and could eventually form a platoon with Taylor against lefties as he's not nearly as strong against same-side pitchers. Mead has tremendous upside, but he's likely a long way away from the majors.

4th Round, 60th Overall: SP Cy Sullivan (Austin HS Senators): We had a big discussion in our slack group (not because of this pick) on players getting selected early even with limited/bad high school and college stats. It's interesting because in stats only, it's hard to trust a scout when you can't see the "ratings" they give players and sometimes the reports don't match with the numbers.

The only problem is, sometimes just like with ratings, the statistics in the prep leagues don't always tell the full story.

Take Sullivan for example; as a sophomore he was 7-1 with a 3.00 ERA (131 ERA+), 1.13 WHIP, and 44 strikeouts in 72 innings pitched. As a junior, he was 8-3 with a 2.95 ERA (122 ERA+), 1.11 WHIP, and 67 strikeouts in 88.1 innings. These numbers don't entirely jump out at you, but they look like a future draftee. My scout sees a nice four pitch arsenal and while he throws just 84-86, the 18-year-old is 6'6'' and destined for a velocity bump.

Then his senior year happened: 0-6, 6.62 ERA (72 ERA+), 1.84 WHIP, and 42 strikeouts in 51.2 innings.

Yikes...

So while his K/9 did jump (5.5, 6.8, 7.3), everything else got worse. Much worse. Sometimes top prospects (#34 in HS) struggle and put up just average or slightly below average numbers instead of the general high level performance, but this is much different. Everything here points to Sullivan really not being that good until you look at their roster:

C Jack Beard
C John J Brooks
1B Sam Harris
2B Joe Cranford
2B Ray Fulcher
3B Pat Clark
LF Jimmy Moore
LF George Seeman
CF Cy Irish
RF Bill Ashworth

*Looks away for a second*

*Glances back*

No, there is no typo. The Senators did not have a single shortstop (or even someone with a rating at shortstop) on their active roster.

You know who started a majority of the teams games at short?

Cy Sullivan

And let me tell you, it wasn't pretty...

Obviously, he didn't plat short when he was on the mound, but considering he was the best option at short on the team, it really says something. He had a -6.9 ZR in just 159.1 innings. For comparison, this year Russ Combs (who really struggled at short this year) had a -5.6 ZR in 337.2 innings.

So when Sullivan was on the mound, you know who he had at shortstop? Fellow pitchers Luke White and Polly Shelton. They combined for a -8.0 ZR in about 200 innings. Sullivan had an impressive 58% groundball percentage (the FABL leader this season Lou Martino's was 55%) which generally is a recipe for success. But, with a fellow pitcher at the most important infield position, these groundballs actually hurt Sullivan. His BABIP jumped over 100 points and his H/9 skyrocketed from 8.8 to 13.8 while his FIP and FIP- (4.07, 85) were both well above average.

So what does this mean? Well, other then the fact that I spend way too much time looking at HS/College teams and that I actually knew this SS debacle before the draft, Cy Sullivan may just be the unluckiest HS pitcher I've ever seen. He's by no means a future superstar like Tommy Wilcox should be, but he's most definitely light years better then his 1932 numbers shown. I think Sullivan is going to be a steal for us and I'm excited to see what he can do with an excellent defender like Billy Hunter at short in La Crosse next season.

4th Round, 62nd Overall: CF Lou Roach (Mississippi A&M Generals): This pick was actually ours, and I grabbed another outfielder in Park Ridge, Illinois native Lou Roach. Unlike a few of the guys I've taken this draft, Roach's best season was this year. As a junior, he slugged an astronomical .415/.473/.680 (188 OPS+) with 11 homers and 41 RBI's to finish off a stellar college career with the Generals. In 699 trips to the plate, Roach hit .359/.421/.593 (164 OPS+) with 32 homers and 124 RBI's. He never had an OPS+ below 150, never hit below .329/.388/.531 (sophomore year), never hit less then 10 homers, and never drove in less then 35 runs. He was the model for consistency and the only reason he was a 4th Rounder selection was because this draft was so deep with talent. He's passable out in center, probably best suited for a corner, but there is no doubting his offensive ability. He's got elite contact ability with well above average power and he almost never strikes out. He struck out 11 times as a junior, but just 3 times as a freshman and sophomore. Roach looks to be very far along in terms of development, and even with our excellent outfield, he could see himself playing for his hometown team in just a few seasons.

5th Round, 74th Overall: CF Ernie Carson (New York HS Eagles): I probably didn't need another outfielder, but it was just too hard to pass up the 18-year-old Ernie Carson. He didn't stand out as a senior, hitting .352/.426/.519 (135 OPS+) with 2 homers, 6 steals, and 16 RBI's, but he missed 15 games with a hamstring strain that definitely slowed him down. In just 500 career college plate appearances, he hit .348/.419/.540 (161 OPS+) with 11 homers, 68 RBI's, and 22 steals. He's a lefty hitter and righty thrower with excellent contact and speed. He's also a capable defender who can stick in center. Carson is a very raw prospect, but there's a lot of upside.

5th Round, 78th Overall: 3B Hank Stratton (Chicago HS Wildcats): Another player close to home, Hank Stratton spent his high school years right here in Chicago. He had a rough senior year, hitting .323/.362/.445 (110 OPS+) with 2 homers and 20 RBI's, but that's more because he regressed back to the mean. As a junior, he slashed .362/.395/.544 (185 OPS+) with 2 homers and 21 RBI's, with the high slugging fueled by 21 doubles. His career .345/.378/.495 (149 OPS+) is much closer to his actual ability, but the lefty swinging Stratton is an extremely talented youngster. He's an excellent defender with great gap power and if he had any ounce of speed, he'd profile as a very similar player to John Kincaid. He won't hit many homers, but he's got a really nice "pure swing" and Cougar fans can look forward to seeing "Jitters" at the North Side Grounds for years to come.

Overall, I like to think I draft well, but I am really liking how this class is shaping out. I couldn't get enough picks in this draft if I and there are still a bunch of guys that I want to take and we're already through five rounds. Last year's draft, I found maybe one guys (Ed Reyes) that I liked and it was hard to find guys to follow him up with. I think Reyes would be an after thought in my draft strategy had he been in this pool and I'm not sure I'd take him over any one I've grabbed so far. I'm thinking this class may be like the 1925 one, where six of my first seven picks and nine of the fifteen in the class have debuted. Not all of the guys have made huge impacts, but this includes starting first basemen Bill Ashbaugh, 1932 World Champion stopper Phil English, and Toronto's young star short stop Clyde Hinzman.

I actually took a look at the classes, and here's how I'm doing on debuts:
1925: 9 of 15 (60%)
1926: 5 of 23 (22%)
1927: 0 of 25 (0%) *4 on 40 man rosters and 2 top 50 prospects
1928: 1 of 25 (4%)
1929: 2 of 23 (9%)

It's probably too early to judge 1928 and 1929 (maybe even 1927), but 1925 and 1926 were really good. '26 includes Fred Barrell (1st), young Forester starters Ben Turner (9th) and Heinie Bretz (4th) (debuted in Brooklyn) and their outfielder Bobby Allen (10th) who's been an above average FABL hitter for five consecutive seasons. There's no big prospect there, but 2nd Rounder Bill Kline has been an effective lefty arm for us and 5th Rounder Mickey Williams is on the 40.

1927 looks awful at least from a Cougar perspective. 1st Rounder Harry Humphrey was a mega bust that I knew about a round or two after taking him that I made a huge mistake, 2nd Rounder Bobby Love fractured his elbow this year, and 3rd Rounder Ed Stevens, while on the 40, isn't all that inspiring. The picks I hit on, George DeForest (6th), Dean Astle (9th), and Ben Richardson (15th) are all in different organizations, but were used to acquire legit talent (Wilcox, Taylor, Kincaid, Combs, Wilder).

1928 and 1929 actually have more big leaguers, with Mike Murphy, Tom Barrell, and Joe Johnson all debuting in Chicago before being traded. For 1928, Johnny Walker (3rd) looks like a future big leaguer, Buck Waldrop (4th) was just moved for a trio of picks and ranks right outside the top 100 prospect list, but the class as a whole was very weak. 1929 has a few guys who have appeared in our top prospects including Ken Allen (4th), Gordie Thompson (5th), Jim Hatfield (6th), Tom Spitzer (7th), Elmer Hutchins (8th), Billy Marshall (10th). Hatfield (100th), Spitzer (104th), Marshall (126), and Hutchins (134) all rank in the top 150 in the league and have a chance to be dependable big leaguers.

The past two drafts have had a few gems, including Mel Leonard (44th), Bill Ross (60th), Ed Reyes (75th), and Leo Mitchell (92nd), but also a major bust in James Demastus. He was our first round pick in a rather thin 1930 draft, but Leonard was a million times better of a pick in the second round and in our top 100 prospect list (just Cougar players) Demastus ranks 87th. Our 20th Round Pick that year, Guy Gill, who I released and re-signed, ranks 86th...

There are a few other guys from those classes in our top 30; Roy Moore (9th, 129), John Hartz (10th, 131), Charlie Reed (13th, 148), Homer Ray (14th, 155), Chet Peacock (19th, 234), Fred Collins (22nd, 279), and Billy LeBeau (25, 326th). And speaking of top prospects, after the draft, I'll cover the top 30 prospects in what's likely going to be a bottom 5 farm. It's not a bad thing, as it's expected when you trade four top 100 prospects (Joe Johnson, Tom Barrell, Mel Leonard, and George DeForest) trying to win another pennant.

1932 Draft: Round 6-8
 

We didn't get to the 9th and 10th round live this year, but there were still a bunch of guys that I liked. For any players that I actually would have taken, I'll write a report on those picks after the 8th Round (in a different post), but the rest I'll just include basic information. Any guy that doesn't have anything justifying him being taken, I'll release them. This is usually guys with pathetic stats or no playing time. Most of my picks have to be signed, as the only guys in the first 20 rounds to sign were my my 9th, 11th, 15th, 16th, and 18th round picks signed automatically. 21st-25th Round Picks signed automatically.

6th Round, 90th Overall: LF Bobby Mills (San Antonio HS Warriors): The first of three six round picks, I think Bobby Mills is going to be an excellent big league player. He hit .375/.443/.631 (214 OPS+) with 24 homers, 25 steals, and 105 RBI's in three high school seasons. He's an extremely gifted hitter with 20/20 potential and he almost never strikes out. Just 25 (compared to 60 walks) in 540 trips to the plate and his discipline is one of his many strengths. He makes consistent contact and can hit the long ball, while also a dependable defender outfielder in left. It's a little shocking he was available in the 6th, as his track record is impressive and at least my scout is a big fan, but he does have a high bonus and he's extremely hard to sign.

6th Round, 92nd Overall: SS Ducky Jordan (Little Rock HS Pioneers): "The Hot Springs Hotshot" played in his home state of Arkansas for High School and started at shortstop for three seasons for the Pioneers. The switch hitter had great numbers, batting .324/.383/.512 (143 OPS+) with 12 homers, 24 steals, and 75 RBI's. He was a solid defender, but really excelled as a senior, recording a +9.3 zone rating and 1.093 efficiency. He's really fast and excellent with the glove, but Jordan will have to keep showing promise with the bat. He did add power as as senior, hitting 7 homers, but I don't see him ever hitting many. He could turn into an Arnold Bower type player.

6th Round, 94th Overall: 2B Red Moore (Frankford State Owls): It actually looks like our actual 6th Round Pick signed, and the 21-year-old Moore will be assigned to Class B San Jose. While most of the top picks have not signed, Moore ranks as our 6th highest prospect and 101st in the league. With the Owls, Moore hit .351/.403/.517 (134 OPS+) with 14 homers, 20 steals, and 97 RBI's in 625 trips to the plate. Moore is a smooth defender at second and he led Frankford State in batting average this year, hitting .386. He's got good speed and good range and a lot of the things you look for in a second basemen. He's not much of a power hitter, but he profiles as a leadoff hitter who can occasionally go deep and will almost never strikeout. We don't have many middle infield prospects, and Moore has surpassed Homer Ray and Elmer Hutchins as the top 2B prospect in the system.

7th Round, 110th Overall: RF Reginald Westfall (Detroit HS Panthers): It was a big senior season for lefty Reginald Westfall who hit .317/.407/.596 (158 OPS+) with 11 homers and 44 RBI's in 189 trips to the plate. It's a big jump in power for Westfall who hit just 4 homers both as a sophomore and junior. He may not be a slugger in the majors, just 5'8'' 160, but he makes hard contact consistently and when he gets a hold of one he can hit one over the fence. He's working on developing his contact tool, but he's really showed improvement between last year and this year. He's also a passable defender with range really being the only weakness.

8th Round, 126th Overall: CF Elias Canady (Portland HS Jumberjacks): This was the last human pick for us, and readers may remember this youngsters name. He was featured in two reports last season:

During Spring Training:

CF Elias Canady (Portland HS Lumberjacks): The High School season just started this week, and no one had a better week then Elias Canaday. Possibly the hottest freshman last season, he had a dominant season where he hit .376/.438/.679 (210 OPS+) with 12 homers and 45 RBI's. In the high school leagues, it's very rare for a freshman to start and even rarer for them to put up this performance. In 5 games he hit 9-for-22 with 4 homers and 11 RBI's. Canady is one of my way-to-early potential #1 picks for the 1933 draft as he is filled to the brim with potential. He's got elite power and a keen eye which limits his strikeouts. Pitcher's don't usually want to throw to him, but it's really hard to get Canady to chase. It also appears he might be a decent defender as well and has the potential to stay in center long term. If he does, he's likely going to be one of the best CF of the 1940s in the FABL.

June 7th, 1931:

CF Elias Canady: Easily the best player on the roster, the sophomore is one of the best youngsters in the league. He hit .304/.372/.652 (183 OPS+) with 15 homers and 42 RBI's in another excellent season. The first was even better, as he hit .376/.438/.679 (210 OPS+) with 12 homers and 45 RBI's. Canady is extremely talented, a plus defender and amazing hitter. Not only do pitcher's hate facing him, he can draw a ton of walks with excellent plate discipline. He can hit any pitch and strikeouts should never be much of a problem for him. He's got the talent to be a franchise cornerstone and whatever team selects him in 1933 will be extremely lucky to have him.


So one in game year ago I declared that this guy would be a franchise cornerstone. And who could blame me? Look at those numbers as a high schooler! Two amazing seasons and my scout was drooling over his tools.

Well...

Then 1932 happened...

In 178 trips to the plate, Canaday hit.185/.247/.284 (33 OPS+) with 3 homers, 21 RBI's, and 45 strikeouts.

What happened here?

He fell so hard that his career batting line fell down to .289/.353/.539 (147 OPS+) despite OPS+ of 210 and 195 as a sophomore and junior. He hit a combined 27 homers with 87 RBI's his first season. The only thing that got better was his +7.0 ZR and 1.093 EFF in center, but it was just a nightmare for the Plant City, Florida native.

There's a lot to unpack here:

I have to imagine that his senior year was a fluke. He almost had a drop like Tom Taylor, who in 1928 and 1929 had 216 and 196 OPS+ before falling to 97 in 1930. He's rebounded a bit, recording an even 121 the past two seasons in Chicago, but even that huge drop was nowhere near Canady's. It is a super small sample size, just 40 games, but the scary thing was his strikeouts. He had more strikeouts this season then his first two seasons combined while his walk rating dropped. The power was non existent as well, but I have to believe this is just a 40 game slump. It's not all that rare for a player to have a bad month and a half in the majors, and this honestly could be Canady. It's hard to believe that a guy who was so highly rated and did so well as Canady would just totally suck now, but without being able to see his ratings there's no way to reassure myself.

The one thing on my side is his personality: "a student of the game, Canady will bust his tail to become better at his position."

I'm hoping Canady can prove the doubters wrong, and as an 8th Round Pick there's really no risk to me and I will give him every chance he can to regain his formerly elite form.

1932 Draft: Round 9-15
 

9th Round, 143rd Overall: SP Otis Campbell (Maryland State Bengals): The first pick my scout made and he goes with a guy who made one start last season before suffering shoulder inflammation and he hasn't pitched since. I was ready to release him, but somehow he's ranked as or 9th best prospect and the 145th best prospect in the league. He did see a velocity boost after the season, now throwing in the 88-90 MPH range, but I'm not sure why he didn't pitch for the Bengals or if he's any good. He'll report to La Crosse, but may end up starting the year in San Jose.

10th Round, 159th Overall: 2B Gene Evans (Worchester HS Warriors): I actually wanted him, as for all the rounds that weren't all pitchers (my scout sets certain rounds where we take a pitcher, others a hitter) I put my list of left over hitters on top. Evans is filled with potential, and finished his high school career with a .349/.403/.531 (160 OPS+) line with 12 homers, 14 steals, and 74 RBI's. He's a light hitter and a tiny guy, but he's got a quick swing and almost never strikes out. He's an okay fielder, but his future is likely as a reserve not starter.

11th Round, 175th Overall: SP El Long (Portland HS Lumberjacks): A teammate of Elias Canady, El Long made 18 starts across the past two seasons. 1931 was much better then 1932, but in total he was 6-8 with a 3.83 ERA (117 ERA+), 1.20 WHIP, and 79 strikeouts. These numbers aren't great, but like Campbell, he ranks in our top 20. He's #18 and ranks 213th in all of baseball. The 18-year-old throws three pitches, a upper 80s cutter, a nice change up, and a developing curveball. Not sure if he has what it takes to start in the big leagues, but pitcher's are so volatile and anyone could boom or bust at any time.

12th Round, 191st Overall: SS Freddie Bennett (New York HS Eagles): Possibly the best defensive shortstop in the draft, Freddie Bennett put up an unreal +16.0 zone rating and 1.191 efficiency in 359 innings this year. His zone rating was the 5th best all time for high school shortstops and his efficiency tied for 8th. He also hit a respectable .294/.398/.487 (120 OPS+) with 5 homers, 11 steals, and 30 RBI's. The career numbers are even better, as he finished with 16 homers, 32 steals, 78 RBI's and a 315/.388/.537 (149 OPS+) career line. He's got an excellent eye and excellent speed, but it's unknown if his bat will translate to professional ball. It's crazy to have high hopes of a 12th Round pick on draft day, but I think Bennett can be a reliable every day starter. He'll eventually have to jocky for playing time with Billy Hunter, and I'll have to find a way to get both of them consistent at bats.

13th Round, 207th Overall: LF Dave Haight (Dallas HS Rangers): Another guy I'm really excited about, Dave Haight had excellent numbers in his three high school seasons. He hit .363/.421/.524 (163 OPS+) with 4 homers, 27 steals, and 55 RBI's. He's not like most corner outfielders, as Haight doesn't really have any power, but he's got a lot of speed and can handle the outfield well. He's got a quick swing and is a really good fastball hitter and has excellent discipline. As a Junior, he walked 21 times and struck out just twice with 55 career walks and 36 strikeouts. We've got a lot of talented young players and it's going to be hard to find spots for all of them, but it will be hard to keep Haight from playing everyday.

14th Round, 223rd Overall: LF Joe Joseph (Denver HS Mountaineers): Another left fielder, the Canadian Joseph didn't play until his Junior year and recorded just 306 plate appearances. He did well, hitting .358/.408/.511 (160 OPS+) with 8 homers and 46 RBI's. He's a strong, athletic outfielder who should always hit for a high average. He's not much of a fielder, however, so I may move him to first base. Especially with all the new outfielders we added, it's likely the best way for him to get playing time.

15th Round, 239th Overall: RF Johnny Waters (Lincoln Presidents): A switch hitter who spent his college days close to us, he finished his career with a .341/.397/.517 (130 OPS+) line. Waters added 18 homers and 100 RBI's as well while playing passable defense out in right. There is a little concern as he walked less then any other year and struck out more. He's not a starter, but he could function as a productive bench bat. He ranks relatively high on our current top prospect list, checking in at 14 in our system and 180th in the league.

1932 Draft: Round 16-25
 

16th Round, 255th Overall: SP Neal Wilkinson (Brooklyn HS Trojans): Pretty decent high school numbers, finishing 12-8 with a 3.13 ERA (132 ERA+), 1.25 WHIP, and 103 strikeouts in 175.2 innings. As a senior, was 3-1 with a 3.06 ERA (156 ERA+), 1.32 WHIP, and 21 strikeouts. He's a groundballer with four pitches. He throws in the 85-87 MPH range, but none of the pitches are all that great right now. Will need to develop an out pitch if he wants to start, but he's at least decent filler.

17th Round, 271st Overall: RF Dick Earl (Meridian HS Rebels): Here's a late round pick I am really excited about. As a senior, Earl hit .434/.541/.787 (232 OPS+) with 10 homers and 37 RBI's in 157 trips to the plate. The power numbers are a huge increase, but for his career he still hit a really good .335/.444/.574 (173 OPS+) with 15 homers and 71 RBI's. He's a lefty hitter with a good eye at the plate, but he will rack up the strikeouts. His biggest weakness, however, is he tends to deal with injuries, playing in just 86 of the possible 120 games in his three years at Meridian HS. None of the injuries were major, but if he can't stay on the field, it doesn't matter how good he hits.

18th Round, 287th Overall: SP Frank Gordon (Trenton HS Titans): Finished his high school career 5-12 with a 3.44 ERA (122 ERA+), 1.41 WHIP, and 128 strikeouts in 164.2 innings pitched. Doesn't really have a third pitch, so he's destined for the bullpen. Could be a decent minor leaguer, but he'll be on a relatively short leash.

19th Round, 303rd Overall: LF Larry Robison (Queens HS Islanders): His best season was as a sophomore, where he hit .395/.464/.667 (215 OPS+) with 6 homers, 22 steals, and 24 RBI's. Those 22 steals were second most All-Time at Queens HS and his 48 are the second most for a career. He never replicated that dominant triple slash, but still finished his career with a .380.436/.588 (178 OPS+) mark to go with 13 homers and 74 RBI's. He's an above average defender out in left due to his speed that allows him to track down most balls hit out there. I think he's got a lot of talent, but he may be more Joe Davis then Bobby Sprague.

20th Round, 319th Overall: 1B Elmer Field (Lynn HS Legends): This pick is all my scout. Field only appeared this year, hitting .305/.332/.385 (81 OPS+) with zero homers and 18 RBI's. He's a good fielder at first with a little experience behind the plate. He's also a switch hitter, but I don't think he's going to play much in our system.

21st Round, 335th Overall: SP Roy Blount (Cleveland HS Barons): If he wasn't a Buffalo Grove native, I would have released him right now. In High School he was 5-11 with a 4.15 ERA (99 ERA+), 1.48 WHIP, and 76 strikeouts. "Spud" is a soft-tossing groundballer with his sinker really his only alright pitch. If he adds some velocity, the change could be effective, but his slider isn't too good. He does have good command, but it won't be enough.

22nd Round, 351st Overall: 1B Cuno Myer (Norfolk HS Navigators): After a really good sophomore and junior year, he was awful as a senior hitting just .272/.330/.420 (90 OPS+) with 5 homers and 28 RBI's. For his career, he's a much better .331/.389/.475 (140 OPS+) hitter with 11 homers and 80 RBI's. He's a switch hitter, but an absolutely terrible defender. It may be hard for him to find playing time, and he may not be with the team after minor league camp ends. He actually ranks as our 20th Prospect currently, so perhaps he will be worth hanging on to.

23rd Round, 367th Overall: SP Johnny Moore (Ellery Bruins): Another guy I want to release, but I'll at least hold on to him for now. Somehow, he ranks as our 26th best prospect despite not pitching at all this year. I'm hoping once our draftees sign he'll fall out of the top 40 so I won't feel bad about releasing him. He was decent in 1931, going 6-2 with a 2.95 ERA (137 ERA+), 1.13 WHIP, and 77 strikeouts in 91.2 innings pitched. Considering they had four guys in their rotation with ERA's above 4.50, there has to be a reason they weren't using him.

24th Round, 383rd Overall: C Harry Grade (Central Ohio Aviators): Hit just .248/.360/.333 (81 OPS+) with 6 homers and 57 RBI's in 609 college plate appearances. He'll be released.

25th Round, 399th Overall: 2B Ken Colvin (Pierpont Purple): Hit .266/.388/.513 (141 OPS+) with 29 homers and 96 RBI's in 647 trips to the plate. Probably the best 25th Round Pick we've ever had. He's a really good defender and he's got some good power too.

The Rule-5 draft is next. I have five open 40 man spots after DFA'ing SP Ed Stevens and SS Jack Rogers. I usually take a bunch of guys here, and as of now there are a lot of unprotected guys I am interested in taking a chance on. I don't expect to use my bench very often, and especially in the outfield, there's room for a player who doesn't need to play very much. I might try to keep a pitcher too, as our rotation should be strong enough that we don't need to use the pen too often.

Rule-5 Draft and Draft Signings
 

Everyone except 20th rounder Elmer Field (who I don't plan on signing) signed with the organization. The next post will contain our updated top 30 prospect list.

In the Rule-5 draft, I took a lot of players like usual. I didn't expect to get this many, but I got five players. I don't really plan on using a very deep bench, so I'm okay with stashing a few young players and giving them a chance. Here are the five new Cougars:

C Cliff Ray (Baltimore Cannons): A former 18th Round selection by the Cannons out of Syracuse HS, Ray doesn't have the longest track record, but put together very good numbers in AA. He hit .236/.355/.396 (110 OPS+) with 12 homers and 39 RBI's while putting together decent numbers defensively. He's got an excellent eye, is an excellent defender, and above average contact potential. My scout thinks the 23-year-old will be a dependable starter, and he was named the 91 prospect in the league after the season ended. He's further down now that most of the draftees have signed, but he still ranks in the top 200 and he'll have a shot to earn the backup job behind Mike Taylor.

1B Barney Meeker (Boston Minutemen): Taken in the 84th Round back in 1925 by the St. Louis Pioneers, but he decided to go to Commonwealth Catholic instead. It paid off as three years later the Minutemen decided to make him the 11th pick of the draft. The 25-year-old is a strong, athletic player with excellent hit tools and an excellent glove at first. He hit well last year in AAA, batting .256/.341/.476 (113 OPS+) with 8 homers, 10 steals, and 26 RBI's in just 187 trips to the plate. He's going to fight with Phil Vaughan for the backup first base role and I think he has a good shot at winning it.

SP Norm Stewart (Detroit Dynamos): Originally a 20th Round pick, the 26-year-old lefty was dominant in AAA Newark. In 28 starts, he was 11-13 with a 2.89 ERA (147 ERA+), 1.18 WHIP, and 192 strikeouts across 180.1 innings pitched. The only pitcher we grabbed, he's got a really good four pitch arsenal featuring a low 90s fastball and he can command all four pitches well. I think he's going to be a perfect inning eater and he should be able to beat out some of our lesser arms in the pen.

C Ron Ruppe (Detroit Dynamos): Another pick from Detroit, the 11th Rounder, I'm actually sending him back since I got Ray who is younger and has higher upside. My scout likes him too, but it's impossible to carry three catchers.

LF Vallie Turner (Chicago Chiefs): Taken 15th Overall by our south side rivals back in 1928, Turner has had above average offensive numbers at every minor league level. He hit fine in AA Memphis, batting .260/.342/.421 (105 OPS+) with 5 homers and 74 RBI's. He's a strong lefty, but he's not too much of a defender. He's a long shot to make the roster, but he's got decent enough talent to stick.

Top 30 Prospects
 

1. C Joe Rainbow (49th Overall): 4th
2. SP Cy Sullivan (68th Overall): New
3. SS Billy Hunter (73rd Overall): New
4. LF Rich Langton (74th Overall): New
5. SP Walker Pearce (78th Overall): New
6. CF Marty Roberts (79th Overall): New
7. C Harry Mead (83rd Overall): New
8. SP Bill Ross (86th Overall): 5th
9. CF Lou Roach (99th Overall): New
10. CF Ernie Carson (116th Overall): New
11. LF Ed Reyes (118th Overall): 7th
12. 1B Leo Mitchell (126th Overall): 14th
13. C Claude Ramsey (127th Overall): 9th
14. LF Bobby Mills (133rd Overall): New
15. RF Reginald Westfall (135th Overall): New
16. 3B Hank Stratton (136th Overall): New
17. C Cliff Ray (143rd Overall): Not in organization
18. 2B Red Moore (149th Overall): New
19. 1B Jim Hatfield (170th Overall): 8th
20. 3B Tom Spitzer (190th Overall): 18th
21. SS Ducky Jordan (196th Overall): New
22. 2B Gene Evans (199th Overall): New
23. SS Freddie Bennett (201st Overall): New
24. SP Otis Campbell (203rd Overall): New
25. LF Dave Haight (214th Overall): New
26. RF Billy Marshall (219th Overall): 15th
27. CF Roy Moore (225th Overall): 17th
28. LF Joe Joseph (227th Overall): New
29. SP John Hartz (231st Overall): 13th
30. 2B Elmer Hutchins (233rd Overall): 16th

Lot of new faces and it makes me really like our draft class. Compared to last year, I have 22 prospects in the top 200 and 32 (Dick Earl 243, and Johnny Waters 246) in the top 250. Last year, just 16 in the top 200 and 21 in the top 250. We still rank 14th, but have nine top prospects (two more then last year) and even though we lack the top of the system talent, we have a lot of young guys ranked pretty high. Only the Gothams (19) and Sailors (17) have more then 15 top 200 prospects. It's not the strongest group, but it's extremely deep and very bottom heavy. Only two players in our top 30 have a chance to graduate this year and they are both catchers who rank outside the top 10.

It even looks better beyond the top 30, with 39 top 300 prospects and 47 in the top 500. The Sailors come close with 43 and the Gothams 41, but every other team has less the 35. Things are looking bright for the young Cougars and things should go well next year for the major league team as well. Since most of the guys in the top 30 are new and I already have draft reports of them (not going to do a separate prospect report, will just copy it for the Top Prospect list), I'll include some other guys from the top 500. Some draftees in this group include CF Elias Canady (33, 259), LF Larry Robison (36, 277), SP El Long (37, 280), 1B Cuno Myer (40, 109), and SP Johnny Moore (47, 499th).

Top Prospects: 1-5
 

C Joe Rainbow (49th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 18th Round, 289th Overall (1931)
Alma Mater: Somerville HS Generals
Last Year Rank: 4th

Here's a prospect that you just can't tell is a top prospect without seeing his actual ratings. The 19-year-old was an 18th Round pick that no one really even considered drafting because he hit .143/.324/.250 (69 OPS+) as a senior. Unfortunately, he didn't hit much better in C Ball, hitting .179/.276/.337 (58 OPS+) in 423 trips to the plate. He did manage 15 homers and 47 RBI's, which is encouraging, but the righty really hasn't looked good at all. My scout is a big fan, and so is OSA, giving him credit for excellent plate discipline and a nice contact tool. He's also supposed to be a quality defender behind the pate, and he did show promise defensively with the Lions. After drafting Harry Mead in the 4th Round, I'd love to move Rainbow up to San Jose, but I really don't think he's ready. I'll likely let the split games behind the plate with Mead occasionally filling in at first and left.

SP Cy Sullivan (68th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 60th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Austin HS Senators
Last Year Rank: New

Just going to change this one a bit since his draft recap was very long:

Taken in the 4th round this year, Sullivan fell on draft boards because no Senator played more shortstop this year then him. As a senior, he was 0-6 with a 6.62 ERA (72 ERA+), 1.84 WHIP, and 42 strikeouts in 51.2 innings pitched because he had a fellow pitcher manning short and his ground ball percentage is almost 60%. Sullivan is a 6'6'' righty who's bound to see a velocity increase. He's a four pitch pitcher with a mid 80s fastball, change, slider, and curve, all average or better pitches. Despite starting almost half the season at short, Sullivan will be a pitcher only in our organization and he's already our top pitching prospect. I'm really excited for him and I think he's got the potential to be one of the better pitchers in the game. He's just 18, so obviously he's got a long way to go, but I'm really excited to see what he becomes.

SS Billy Hunter (73rd Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 14th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Cincinnati HS Tigers
Last Year Rank: New

I haven't had any success drafting shortstops, Clint Hinzman in Toronto (traded for Cy Bryant) non withstanding, but I also have never grabbed one in the first round. I generally prioritize SS/CF/SP in most drafts, but there usually isn't one I like enough when my pick comes around. I was elated to see Billy Hunter, a high upside 17-year-old high schooler, still on the board at 14. The big reason for that is after hitting 14 homers and driving in 60 runs with OPS+ of 168 and 160 as a sophomore and junior, he slumped as a senior. The Toledo native hit .305/.351/.461 (107 OPS+) with 4 homers and 36 RBI's across 185 trips to the plate. There was a silver lining this year, as after poor showings defensively, he improved his zone rating to a +6.4 and his efficiency to a 1.089. These numbers are extremely encouraging and my scout, who doesn't usually like to hyperbolize, projects him to be "an elite starting shortstop". What's better is that he's young enough to perfectly coincide with when the annual injuries eventually cripple Russ Combs beyond the point of repair.

LF Rich Langton (74th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 3rd Round, 46th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Detroit City College Knights
Last Year Rank: New

His junior year was the worst of his three seasons, but the 21-year-old Rich Langton still hit .340/.376/.547 (127 OPS+) with 8 homers, 7 steals, and 48 RBI's. He finished his college career with a very impressive .348/.396/.585 (151 OPS+) batting line with 27 homers, 18 steals, and 135 RBI's in what translates to roughly a full FABL season. His 20/20 potential and positive ratings out in left are almost like an improved version of Vince York. Unlike York, Langton just hits from the right side, but my scout is a big fan of his. He projects him to be a .360 hitter with a ton of upside at the plate, in the field, and on the base path. I like Langton even more then Ed Reyes, who was our first rounder last year and ranks 75th in the FABL. Langton has all the talent needed to be a longtime major league starter.

SP Walker Pearce (78th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 30th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Wilkes-Barre HS Warriors
Last Year Rank: New

I had to do it! Another high school pitcher in the 2nd Round, and even though both Ike Quinn and Roy Byrd's arms have fallen off, Mel Leonard is one of the best prospects in baseball and John Hartz is top 10 in our system (granted a weak one). Pearce is more Leonard then Hartz, however, as the little lefty not only has upside, but also a track record. The senior was 3-3 with a 2.35 ERA (204 ERA+), 1.01 WHIP, and 44 strikeouts in 61.1 innings. He had a sub 3 ERA all three years of High School with 6.5+ K/9 and sub 0.5 HR/9 ratings. Pearce keeps everything on the ground with an elite high 80s sinker and he gets a lot of movement on it and his offspeed stuff. He's got nice command and since he's just 5'9''. a growth spurt can give him a nice velocity boost. I wouldn't say he's an ace, especially with how good our rotation is, but he's a dependable middle of the rotation guy that should be able to step in once Max Wilder eventually reaches the cliff.

Top Prospects 6-10
 

CF Marty Roberts (79th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 23rd Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Brunswick Knights
Last Year Rank: New

Here's basically the return for Vince York. Marty Roberts may actually be a better prospect then Hunter, and he more or less replaces Joe Johnson in the organization. Another younger player, the junior won't turn 21 till November 17th while some in his class are almost 22. My scout isn't nearly as big of a fan, but his .355/.399/.592 (149 OPS+) line as a junior with 9 homers, 12 steals, and 40 RBI's is much more encouraging. The power definitely spiked, as he almost reached his combined mark, but his career .314/.377/.521 (142 OPS+) line isn't all too far from this year's performance. He's a strong defender as well, with a +4.2 zone rating and 1.031 efficiency this season and he didn't make an error the last two seasons. He's got a ton of upside in the field and on the bases, and he should be an above average hitter. I'm not sure if the power will develop, but Roberts has all the tool to be a top 5 center fielder.

C Harry Mead (83rd Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 59th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Memphis HS Pharaohs
Last Year Rank: New

We had three fourth round picks which mirrored the Giants recent dynasty (10, 12, 14). This pick came from Brooklyn, and I used it on catcher Harry Mead. Technically, our top prospect Joe Rainbow is a catcher, but I'm not too keen on his big league potential and I think the Harvey, Illinois native Harry Mead is better. He had a rough senior year, hitting just .283/.335/.447 (95 OPS+) with 5 homers and 35 RBI's. It couldn't be further form his successful sophomore season where he hit .443/.511/.741 (248 OPS+) with 7 homers and 48 RBI's. While these seasons are completely different, his career .339/.397/.550 (161 OPS+) line is extremely impressive for a prep catcher. He's also an absolute freak of nature, a lefty catcher, which will be really interesting to see how that develops. He's played a little in first and left as well, but as so far held his own behind the plate. My scout thinks he's got good catching ability and an average arm and we're going to give him every opportunity to stay behind the plate. He's a solid hitter with a great eye, and even though we have one of the best catchers in Mike Taylor, Mead is just 18 and could eventually form a platoon with Taylor against lefties as he's not nearly as strong against same-side pitchers. Mead has tremendous upside, but he's likely a long way away from the majors.

SP Bill Ross (86th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 3rd Round, 42nd Overall (1930)
Alma Mater: Providence HS Hawks
Last Year Rank: 5th

A 3rd Round selection in 1930, Ross moved up from La Crosse to San Jose last season and actually pitched even better. He was 3-12, but with a 3.41 ERA (119 ERA+), 1.23 WHIP, and 119 strikeouts in 145 innings pitched. Ross is a tall right, standing at 6'3'' which gives him good downward movement on all his pitches. He's seen a velocity boost in each offseason, going from 83-85 to 87-89 since we selected him. He's a finesse pitcher who really relies on his changeup, but his slider and cutter are quality pitches as well. Ross has the potential to sit in the middle of the rotation, but he'll never be the star of a staff. Vince DaCosta's 1927 season were he was 22-12 with a 3.99 ERA (102 ERA+) and 1.49 WHIP is probably Ross' floor, with the potential to be a Dick Lyons type starter.

CF Lou Roach (99th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 59th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Memphis HS Pharaohs
Last Year Rank: New

Our 8th and final top 100 prospect, Lou Roach was our third and final 4th Round Pick. All three fourth rounders rank in the top 100, and even though he was our pick not one we traded for, Buck Waldrop ranks 171st in the FABL and with the addition of Rule-5 Pick Cliff Ray more or less replacing Jim Kyle, I think we did rather well with our picks. Roach is another new outfielder and from Park Ridge, Illinois. And unlike a few of the guys I've taken this draft, Roach's best season was this year. As a junior, he slugged an astronomical .415/.473/.680 (188 OPS+) with 11 homers and 41 RBI's to finish off a stellar college career with the Generals. In 699 trips to the plate, Roach hit .359/.421/.593 (164 OPS+) with 32 homers and 124 RBI's. He never had an OPS+ below 150, never hit below .329/.388/.531 (sophomore year), never hit less then 10 homers, and never drove in less then 35 runs. He was the model for consistency and the only reason he was a 4th Rounder selection was because this draft was so deep with talent. He's passable out in center, probably best suited for a corner, but there is no doubting his offensive ability. He's got elite contact ability with well above average power and he almost never strikes out. He struck out 11 times as a junior, but just 3 times as a freshman and sophomore. Roach looks to be very far along in terms of development, and even with our excellent outfield, he could see himself playing for his hometown team in just a few seasons.

CF Ernie Carson (116th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 5th Round, 74th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: New York HS Eagles
Last Year Rank: New

He didn't stand out as a senior, hitting .352/.426/.519 (135 OPS+) with 2 homers, 6 steals, and 16 RBI's, but he missed 15 games with a hamstring strain that definitely slowed him down. In just 500 career college plate appearances, he hit .348/.419/.540 (161 OPS+) with 11 homers, 68 RBI's, and 22 steals. He's a lefty hitter and righty thrower with excellent contact and speed. He's also a capable defender who can stick in center. Carson is a very raw prospect, but there's a lot of upside. A lefty bat with decent speed and a plus contact tool could come in handy considering a lot of our active players are righty swingers

Top Prospects: 11-15
 

LF Ed Reyes (118th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 15th Overall (1931)
Alma Mater: Atlanta HS Peaches
Last Year Rank: 7th

Our first round selection last year, it was a decent year for the 19-year-old Reyes. He hit .300/.369/.458 (113 OPS+) with 12 homers and 79 RBI's in 539 plate appearances with the Lions. I really want to see him in San Jose with all the new outfielders we've added in the draft, but I'm not quite sure he's ready. The lefty slugger still has issues with strikeouts, but he should always hit for a high average while offering a lot of extra base power. His defense definitely needs some work, with a poor -7.1 zone rating and 1.49 range factor with a .949 efficiency. It's just one season, and you need about three to truly judge defense, but Reyes may have to find a new position. The easy solution is first, but he's got a pretty strong arm and could possibly shift over to right. Reyes should be a dependable big leaguer and a starter for most FABL clubs.

1B Leo Mitchell (126th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 28th Overall (1931)
Alma Mater: Atlanta HS Peaches
Last Year Rank: 14th

Our 2nd Round selection last season, the lefty Mitchell didn't have the best professional debut. In 569 plate appearances with La Crosse, he hit .294/.341/.399 (91 OPS+) with 13 homers and 59 RBI's. The biggest red flag was the 149 strikeouts with just 30 walks. In high school, he always struck out more then he walked, but nothing like this. He's got a very nice bat, but he's still young and the power will come. He's got a really high hit tool as well and should be able to challenge for batting titles if he reaches his potential. I'd like to see him reach San Jose this year, but unlike most of the LaCrosse guys, we didn't get someone who could replace him at first. He will have to give up some time to Mead and whoever else I decide to give reps to at first, but he'll still start almost every game against righties with likely a few days off against lefties.

C Claude Ramsey (127th Overall)
Acquired: Via Independent Draft from Galveston (1932)
Alma Mater: Detroit HS Panthers
Last Year Rank: 9th

After the trade of Jim Kyle, Claude Ramsey is now the expected backup catcher in Chicago. Acquired from Galveston in the Independent league draft last winter, Ramsey spent most his season in AAA Milwaukee. He hit .323/.364/.430 (106 OPS+) with 7 homers and 77 RBI's before a September callup to Chicago. Ir was a very small sample size, but he was 2-for-3 with a double, walk, RBI, and three runs scored. Ramsey is a former Detroit HS alumn, the same school 7th Rounder Reginald Westfall just graduated from. Unlike Westfall, Ramsey was not drafted and instead signed with a bunch of independent clubs before finally sticking with Galveston in 1929. Ramsey has a good eye and will hit for a high average, and overall looks like a capable backstop. We've been good at acquiring dependable backup catchers at low cost, and Ramsey is the next one in line.

LF Bobby Mills (133rd Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 6th Round, 90th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: San Antonio HS Warriors
Last Year Rank: New

I think Bobby Mills is going to be an excellent big league player. We snagged him with one of the three picks we got from Brooklyn, and he's also ranked higher then Buck Waldrop. He hit .375/.443/.631 (214 OPS+) with 24 homers, 25 steals, and 105 RBI's in three high school seasons. He's an extremely gifted hitter with 20/20 potential and he almost never strikes out. Just 25 (compared to 60 walks) in 540 trips to the plate and his discipline is one of his many strengths. He makes consistent contact and can hit the long ball, while also a dependable defender outfielder in left. It's a little shocking he was available in the 6th, as his track record is impressive and at my scout is a big fan, but he does have a high bonus and he's extremely hard to sign.

RF Reginald Westfall (135th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 7th Round, 110th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Detroit HS Panthers
Last Year Rank: New

It was a big senior season for lefty Reginald Westfall who hit .317/.407/.596 (158 OPS+) with 11 homers and 44 RBI's in 189 trips to the plate. It's a big jump in power for Westfall who hit just 4 homers both as a sophomore and junior. He may not be a slugger in the majors, just 5'8'' 160, but he makes hard contact consistently and when he gets a hold of one he can hit one over the fence. He's working on developing his contact tool, but he's really showed improvement between last year and this year. He's also a passable defender with range really being the only weakness.

Independent League Draft
 

Very few players were taken in the Independent League draft, and the guy I selected was more because I was afraid that some other guys I targeted would have been selected. I took a project pick, 20-year-old Jose Serna who's spent the past three seasons in the independent circut. A prospect out of Santo Domingo, he hasn't had too much success, hitting just .217/.267/.303 with 2 homers, 13 steals, and 16 RBI's in 239 trips to the plate. My scout is a huge fan, profiling him as a "potential elite center fielder on a contending team" with excellent speed, above average defensive ability, and excellent contact potential. He has to remain on our 40 man roster all season (and in a sense, forever), but I have no intention of even giving him a call up this year. I'm not yet sure where I'll start him this year, but probably A or AA. There's a lot of outfield talent in our system, but Cerna has more or less replaced Joe Johnson. Johnson ranks 23rd in the league, but Serna checks in higher at 14.

With the independent draft, a player from our organization goes back to the Independent team, and it's not a guy I'm going to miss. He may have been a former #3 overall pick, but Harry Humphrey was never much of an asset for us. He hit over .400 two straight years in college, but since debuting, it's been disappointment for the almost 27-year-old. Last year in AA Mobile, he hit just .289/.316/.343 (76 OPS+) with 8 steals and 26 RBI's in 215 trips to the plate.

Top Prospects: 16-20
 

3B Hank Stratton (136th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 5th Round, 78th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Chicago HS Wildcats
Last Year Rank: New

A hometown kid, Hank Stratton spent his high school years right here in Chicago. He had a rough senior year, hitting .323/.362/.445 (110 OPS+) with 2 homers and 20 RBI's, but that's more because he regressed back to the mean. As a junior, he slashed .362/.395/.544 (185 OPS+) with 2 homers and 21 RBI's, with the high slugging fueled by 21 doubles. His career .345/.378/.495 (149 OPS+) is much closer to his actual ability, but the lefty swinging Stratton is an extremely talented youngster. He's an excellent defender with great gap power and if he had any ounce of speed, he'd profile as a very similar player to John Kincaid. He won't hit many homers, but he's got a really nice "pure swing" and Cougar fans can look forward to seeing "Jitters" at the North Side Grounds for years to come.

C Cliff Ray (143rd Overall)
Acquired: Via Rule-5 Draft from Baltimore
Drafted: 18th Round, 277th Overall (1927)
Alma Mater: Syracuse HS Stars
Last Year Rank: Not in organization

Taken in the Rule-5 Draft this year from Baltimore, Cliff Ray hit well in AA Erie with a .236/.355/.396 (110 OPS+) batting line as well as 12 homers and 39 RBI's. My scout is a big fan of the almost 24-year-old, giving him a lot of credit for excellent plate discipline and above average bat speed. He's a really smart hitter who will rack up a lot of homers and walks leading to a high OBP and slugging. He's a decent enough defender as well, and he should be a quality big league catcher. He'll have to earn a spot on the bench, but even though Claude Ramsey is a higher ranked prospect, he has option years left while Ray does not.

2B Red Moore (149th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 6th Round, 94th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Frankford State Owls
Last Year Rank: New

Moore was our highest drafted prospect to not command a signing bonus, but that's no knock on his talent. With the Owls, Moore hit .351/.403/.517 (134 OPS+) with 14 homers, 20 steals, and 97 RBI's in 625 trips to the plate. Moore is a smooth defender at second and he led Frankford State in batting average this year, hitting .386. He's got good speed and good range and a lot of the things you look for in a second basemen. He's not much of a power hitter, but he profiles as a leadoff hitter who can occasionally go deep and will almost never strikeout. We don't have many middle infield prospects, and Moore has surpassed Homer Ray and Elmer Hutchins as the top 2B prospect in the system. A few of my shortstop prospects may see time at second, but Moore has the advantage right now.

1B Jim Hatfield (170th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 6th Round, 81st Overall (1929)
Alma Mater: Buffalo HS Bison
Last Year Rank: 8th

Hatfield ranked much higher last season, but most of that had to do with all the new talent we added in. Regardless, it was a rough season for him at A Lincoln, but I think he'll be in Mobile to start the year. "The Bandit" hit just .238/.290/.338 (76 OPS+) with 8 homers, 42 RBI's, and 23 steals. The lefties never been much of a power hitter, so the home run numbers aren't at all concerning, but he's generally been an excellent contact hitter. He's got an above average contact tool, and of course, excellent speed. He did have his struggles defensively this season, with a -3.4 zone rating and .966 efficiency, the worst of his professional career. First base is probably our weakest spot in the majors, but with Jim Fisher's consistent hitting ability plus Phil Vaughan on the bench, there are a lot of guys in Hatfield's way. He's still young, just 21, but he'll have to work out his kinks if he wants to secure a big league spot in the future.

3B Tom Spitzer (190th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 7th Round, 97th Overall (1929)
Alma Mater: Houston HS Hurricanes
Last Year Rank: 18th

A natural shortstop, Tom Spitzer almost exclusively played third base this season in Lincoln. He was hurt for part of the year, and just got into 75 games, but he hit a really good .274/.308/.455 (112 OPS+) with 12 homers, 6 steals, and 55 RBI's. He'll be given a chance to make the jump to Mobile this year, and he's really getting close to forcing himself in the big league picture. He's got a strong hit tool, decent speed, and he's developing into a dependable defender at third base. He doesn't quite have the power that most like to see with a corner position, but that's not a real concern to me. John Kincaid is arguably the 2nd best third basemen (behind John Lawson, of course...), and he's hit just 17 homers in six big league seasons. For now, Spitzer is a third basemen who may eventually replace Kincaid, but if he doesn't show enough promise I'll start working him out at second too to increase versatility.

*After the addition of Jorge Serna, we now rank 11th out of 16th in Farm Systems. We were previously the only team without a top 30 prospect. Elmer Field, who I didn't sign, enrolled to St. Patrick's. The catcher ranks in the top 50 college prospects and could be an interesting guy to watch.

Top Prospects: 21-25
 

SS Ducky Jordan (196th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 6th Round, 92nd Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Little Rock HS Pioneers
Last Year Rank: New

"The Hot Springs Hotshot" played in his home state of Arkansas for High School and started at shortstop for three seasons for the Pioneers. The switch hitter had great numbers, batting .324/.383/.512 (143 OPS+) with 12 homers, 24 steals, and 75 RBI's. He was a solid defender, but really excelled as a senior, recording a +9.3 zone rating and 1.093 efficiency. He's really fast and excellent with the glove, but Jordan will have to keep showing promise with the bat. He did add power as as senior, hitting 7 homers, but I don't see him ever hitting many. He could turn into an Arnold Bower type player, but with all the shortstop prospects we have waiting in La Crosse, he will be seeing time at second base as well as short.

2B Gene Evans (199th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 10th Round, 159th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Worchester HS Warriors
Last Year Rank: New

Our last of 22 top 200 prospects! I actually wanted him, as for all the rounds that weren't all pitchers (my scout sets certain rounds where we take a pitcher, others a hitter) I put my list of left over hitters on top. Evans is filled with potential, and finished his high school career with a .349/.403/.531 (160 OPS+) line with 12 homers, 14 steals, and 74 RBI's. He's a light hitter and a tiny guy, but he's got a quick swing and almost never strikes out. He's an okay fielder, but his future is likely as a reserve not starter. Looking at past 10th Rounders, Bobby Allen (1926) is starting every day in Cleveland and Billy Marshall (1929) ranks in our top 30 as well.

SS Freddie Bennett (201st Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 12th Round, 191st Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: New York HS Eagles
Last Year Rank: New

Even our 12th Round selection ranks in our top 30 prospect list! I didn't even keep our 12th Round Pick last year and our 1930 12th Rounder already retired. We did have a valuable 12th Rounder way back in 1925 in Earl Johnson. He was a former top 30 prospect who (along with Lou Gaffin) was used to get Dick Leudtke from the Gothams. Of course, Leudtke led the CA in earned run average (2.79), wins (19), WHIP (1.15), and BABIP (.257) and has quietly become one of the better pitchers in the game. Johnson got a cup of coffee last year, going 3-for-5 with a double and two steals for the Gothams.

Possibly the best defensive shortstop in the draft, Freddie Bennett put up an unreal +16.0 zone rating and 1.191 efficiency in 359 innings this year. His zone rating was the 5th best all time for high school shortstops and his efficiency tied for 8th. He also hit a respectable .294/.398/.487 (120 OPS+) with 5 homers, 11 steals, and 30 RBI's. The career numbers are even better, as he finished with 16 homers, 32 steals, 78 RBI's and a 315/.388/.537 (149 OPS+) career line. He's got an excellent eye and excellent speed, but it's unknown if his bat will translate to professional ball. It's crazy to have high hopes of a 12th Round pick on draft day, but I think Bennett can be a reliable every day starter. He'll eventually have to jocky for playing time with Billy Hunter and Ducky Jordan, and I'll have to find a way to get all of them consistent at bats.

SP Otis Campbell (203rd Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 9th Round, 143rd Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Maryland State Bengals
Last Year Rank: New

So Campbell was one of the guys I did not have a say in taking. He was the first scout pick and might be a little hard to report on. I didn't give him much on my draft report since I was about to release him, but there's got to be something here with Campbell and I'm going to find it.

He didn't pitch at all in 1932 and made just one start in 1931 due to shoulder inflammation. He allowed 3 hits without a walk or a strikeout in 2.1 scoreless innings, but there really isn't much to go off of. As a freshman, he was 2-7 with a 5.11 ERA (99 ERA+), 1.59 WHIP, and 45 strikeouts in 81 innings pitched.

Going past the stats, Campbell got a velocity boost after the season ended in June and is now throwing comfortably in the high 80s. He projects to have solid command, but none of his fastball, curve, or change look all that dominant. They're big league pitches, but not swing and miss type pitches that I like to see. He's also a college arm and just 5'10'' 160, so not much room to grow and not much natural strength. I'm not sure he's a future big leaguer, but he'll get a chance to prove himself and fight his way up the system.

LF Dave Haight (214th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 13th Round, 207th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Dallas HS Rangers
Last Year Rank: New

Our 13th Round Pick! Interesting enough, our 13th Round Picks from 1927-1931 are all still in the organization and our 1925 13th Round Pick, Ed Rhoden, is in the majors. After playing with us in 1930 and 1931, Rhoden was traded at the end of May to the Kings for Arnold Bower in a deal that worked much better for us then the second deal with the Kings last season. Rhoden struggled, hitting .148/.190/.167 (-5 OPS+) with 2 steals and 3 RBI's in 54 plate appearances for the Kings. Bower started out really hot, but even after cooling down he finished his Cougar time hitting .327/.371/.437 (113 OPS+) with 2 homers, 4 steals, and 49 RBI's in 99 games.

Another guy I'm really excited about, Dave Haight had excellent numbers in his three high school seasons. He hit .363/.421/.524 (163 OPS+) with 4 homers, 27 steals, and 55 RBI's. He's not like most corner outfielders, as Haight doesn't really have any power, but he's got a lot of speed and can handle the outfield well. He's got a quick swing and is a really good fastball hitter and has excellent discipline. As a Junior, he walked 21 times and struck out just twice with 55 career walks and 36 strikeouts. We've got a lot of talented young players and it's going to be hard to find spots for all of them, but it will be hard to keep Haight from playing everyday.

*Sidenote: When looking to see where Leudtke ranked in the top 20 (was expecting top 10, fell to 17) guess who decided to enter the top 5? Tommy Wilcox. This has to be a good omen for 1933 and I'm ready for him to dominate the Continental Association.