Top Prospects: 16-20
 

2B Elmer Hutchins
Acquired: Via Draft: 8th Round, 113th Overall (1929)
Alma Mater: Portland HS Lumberjacks
Last Year Rank: High School

An 8th Round selection of ours in last year's draft, Hutchins finished his high school career with a .340/.396/.569 (157 OPS+) batting line with 14 homers and 86 RBI's. He doesn't have the best range in the field, but he's a really good fielder and he hits for a high average at the plate. He didn't have the best first season, but showed a lot of promise in La Crosse while hitting .284/.367/.410 (87 OPS+) with 4 homers, 2 steals, and 62 RBI's in just over 400 trips to the plate. He's young, just 19, so he's slated to return to La Crosse and I expect him to have a much better second season. He saw his strikeouts soar, but he drew a decent amount of walks and showed a little pop. We also gave him some reps at third as we looked to build his versatility. He's a project prospect and profiles as a bench bat in the majors.

SP Gordie Thompson
Acquired: Via Draft: 5th Round, 65th Overall (1929)
Alma Mater: Wisconsin State Brewers
Last Year Rank: 17th

It was a really good start to the pro career of Gordie Thompson, who tossed 200.1 innings with the Legsilators while recording an impressive 16-8 record. He had a nice 3.23 ERA (125 ERA+), 1.09 WHIP, and 176 strikeouts as well in likely his only season in Lincoln. The 22-year-old looked really good, displaying excellent control of his four pitch arsenal. He throws his fastball in the 91-93 MPH range. It's his best pitch, but he does get a lot of swings and misses on his breaking pitches. He's a little on the older side, and will be 23 in December, but Thompson looks advanced for his age and could possibly reach AAA or the majors next season. He doesn't have the upside of some starting pitching prospects, but he's as safe as it gets and he looks like a future back of the rotation arm.

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

Another High School prospect who cracked the Top 30 list, Spitzer is a natural shortstop, but he likely doesn't have the range for the position. He does have a great arm, so third base is likely his future, but we gave him time there, at short, and second during his debut season. He hit well in 264 trips to the plate at La Crosse, hitting .315/.379/.471 (103 OPS+) with 7 homers and 42 RBI's and sandwiched a short stint in San Jose in the middle of the season. The 19-year-old definitely wasn't ready, hitting just .143/.233/.156 (1 OPS+) in 77 at bats. Spitzer has raw power now with the potential to hit 20+ homers, while also offering great speed on the base paths. Defense now is a problem, but my scout thinks he can be an excellent defender at third. Like most high school prospects, he has a lot of upside and his development could eventually pay huge dividends at the big league level.

CF Tom Thomas
Acquired: Via Minor League Free Agency (1925)
Alma Mater: Reading HS Reds
Last Year Rank: Not Ranked

Few prospects have shot up as quickly as Tom Thomas. He was an undrafted free agent who barely played the past three seasons. He did get 21 starts in Lincoln, and defintley took advantage, hitting .350/.435/.512 (151 OPS+) with 2 homers and 13 RBI's in 92 plate appearances to finish the year. My scout thought he was ready for the majors, but I decided it was best to start him in Mobile this season. He had no trouble, hitting .352/.399/.507 (134 OPS+) with 10 homers and 62 RBI's before earning a promotion to Milwaukee. He held his own in 97 trips to the plate, hitting .282/.351/.388 (98 OPS+) with 2 homers and 8 RBI's. I now have the tough task of deciding whether or not to protect him in the Rule-5 draft. My scout is a big fan of the 23-year-old, saying he has a knack for making hard contact and a quick swing with an advanced feel for the strike zone. He also praises his defensive skills, and thinks Thomas can stick in center. The downside is how little there is statistically to gauge his performance.

SP Mike Murphy
Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 2nd Overall (1928)
Alma Mater: Brooklyn State Bears
Last Year Rank: 18th

I probably missed on this pick, as Bobby Barrell and Ken Curry are both top 5 prospects, but I couldn't risk drafting the injured Barrell and Curry seemed like a reach (at the time). There's numerous others drafted in that draft ranked in the top 100, but to be fair, I really missed with all my picks in this class. 2nd Rounder Ike Quinn was hurt all season and just 4th Rounder Buck Waldrop is ranked in our top 30. I do think 3rd Rounder Johnny Walker is a really good pitcher, but he doesn't crack our top 30 despite his excellent strikeout abilities. Murphy felt safe, working to a 2.48 ERA (179 ERA+), 1.17 WHIP, and 274 strikeouts in 257.1 innings as Brooklyn State. He has looked decent in the minors, and finished this year 8-9 with a 4.16 ERA (111 ERA+), 1.44 WHIP, and 56 strikeouts in 147 innings with Mobile this season. He'll be 23 when next year starts, and I'm hoping he does well enough with Milwaukee that he'll earn a promotion to Chicago by the end of the season. The lefty has electric stuff and does a good job keeping the ball on the ground, but most pundits view him as a pen arm, not the top of the rotation arm I thought I was drafting. I still think he can start FABL games, but his future in our rotation is a little cloudy with a lot of other prospects ahead of him both in progression and prospect rankings. I'm not giving up hope on Murphy, but I wish I went with one of the CF's who now look like future superstars.

Top Prospects 21-25
 

1B Jim Fisher
Acquired: Via Minor League Free Agency
Alma Mater: Atlanta HS Peaches
Last Year Rank: 17th

It was a lost season for Fisher, who broke his kneecap after just 10 games and is still recovering. The 22-year-old hit a decent .333/.341/.487 (113 OPS+) with 9 RBI's in 41 trips to the plate with the Commodores. It was a short sample, but it was the first at bats he got past A ball. Fisher is a high contact, decent pop kind of guy, but defense was a weakness for him. He was awful at third base, poor at second, but now at least serviceable at first. He doesn't have the brightest future, but before the injury we had decent hopes for him. The injury stings, as his big league future is now in limbo.

RF Howard Moss
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 51st Overall (1927)
Alma Mater: Garden State Redbirds
Last Year Rank: 19th

It wasn't a great season for Moss, as he started in AA, hit the DL, and finished in A. Fortunately, he hit really well with Lincoln, hitting .301/.437/.548 (166 OPS+) with 12 homers and 38 RBI's in 63 games. Moss isn't the best defender, but he has enough promise with his bat to make it on to a big league bench. Unfortunately for him, there are a lot of higher upside corner outfielders blocking his path. One of the reasons he ended up in A ball was because Ed Rhoden and Harry Humphrey were sitting above him and actually producing at the plate.

SP Joe King
Acquired: Via Trade with Philadelphia (1929)
Drafted: 10th Round, 160th Overall (1927) by the Keystones
Alma Mater: Lubbock State Hawks
Last Year Rank: 24th

Acquired along with a 2nd Round pick (which ended up being Roy Byrd) with Johnny Douglas and Rabbit Forrest, I was a big fan of King when I grabbed him because he had an excellent track record. Unfortunately, this was the first season he put up a sub 100 ERA+, going 10-11 with a 4.95 ERA (93 ERA), 1.53 WHIP, and 54 strikeouts in 180 innings during his first stint in AA. King, recently turned 24, is another 2-pitch starter like Art Black, and he has elite stuff. Both his fastball and curveball are excellent, and he's able to rack up a ton of strikeouts. He does have problems with flyballs, but King has all the tools needed to become a decent big league starter. I'll give him another run at AA, and I'm hoping he'll pitch well enough to finish the season in Milwaukee.

SP Ed Stevens
Acquired: Via Draft: 3rd Round, 35th Overall (1927)
Alma Mater: Travis College Bucks
Last Year Rank: 27th

A 3rd Round pick back in 1927, Ed Stevens reached AAA and continued to put up above average numbers like he has at each step. After going 6-5 with a 3.75 ERA (123 ERA+), 1.37 WHIP, and 36 strikeouts in 93.2 innings with Mobile, he did even better in Milwaukee. He was 9-4 with a 3.34 ERA (125 ERA+), 1.22 WHIP, and 88 strikeouts in 113.1 innings with the Blues. He's got a decent 90-92 MPH fastball with a decent slider and change up and he has the tools to pitch in a big league rotation. He's got a chance to debut next year, and luckily, I won't need to protect him in the Rule-5 draft.

CF Buck Waldrop
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 50th Overall (1928)
Alma Mater: Hartford HS Blue Sox
Last Year Rank: High School

The 20-year-old stayed in La Crosse for a second year, and unfortunately, he's probably going to start next season with the Lions as well. He hit just .276/.370/.432 (92 OPS+) with 12 homers and 61 RBI's while striking out 102 games in 100 games. Luckily, his defense was amazing, recording an impressive +12.9 ZR with 15 assists and 6 double plays turned. Waldrop has a ton of upside, with above average power and defensive ability. He has excellent range, but it's more instincts then foot speed. He is a good base runner despite his lack of speed, and he profiles as one of those really smart players who gives 100% and takes advantages of any sort of edge to make himself better. Waldrop is far from the majors, and may never get there, but he's got a ton of upside and untapped potential that makes him a valuable future asset. The 1928 draft class of ours is likely going to turn up any gems, but Waldrop is the best chance we have for anything valuable (other then Murphy) to come from that class.

Breaking News!
 

We're back in action as our bug has been patched and the league has officially been converted to OOTP 21. Sims will start again the coming week, but the Cougars are already back in business with a trade!

Chicago acquired veteran lefty Steve Castellini from the New York Gothams for young right hander Ben Turner.

Castellini, 36, was a former 5th Round selection of the Cougars back in 1915 and he debuted just 2 seasons later. He was in the Cougars organization until July of 1925 (the season before human GM's) when they traded him to the Gothams for RF Richie Marhsall. It looked like a bad trade at the time, and as time went on, it just kept getting worse. Castellini is coming off the best season of his career, where he went 19-7 with a 2.67 ERA (172 ERA+), 1.08 WHIP, and 83 strikeouts in 242.2 innings in the Gothams rotation. He's been a dependable starter his whole career, working to a 3.55 ERA (125 ERA+), 1.29 WHIP, and 701 strikeouts in 2,157 innings with the Cougars and Gothams.

Despite his age, Castellini is still a top of the rotation starter and he'll top a rotation with five starters who had ERA's between 4.00 and 4.99 for the season. Before the trade, our rotation ranked 9th in the FABL, but Castellini is ranked as the third best starter in the league, behind former teammate Jim Lonardo and Baltimore's Rabbit Day, a pair of 26-year-old superstars. Our best starter, Max Wilder, ranks 19th on the list, so Castellini is a huge upgrade.

Turner, 22, was a 9th Round selection of mine in the 1926 draft and he ranks 4th in our new list of top prospects and 70th in the league. This year with Mobile, he was 10-13 with a 4.54 ERA (102 ERA+), 1.59 WHIP, and 60 strikeouts in 200.1 innings pitched. He's still a year or two away from the majors, but he has a lot of potential. He's a finesse pitcher with excellent control and four effective pitches. I may regret getting rid of him, but we are in position to win now.

I could have picked up Castellini or Ray Rinehart from the Keystones last offseason and I held off to protect the farm. Considering we missed the playoffs by just 4 games, I'm not going to hold off making a move (or moves) like this that puts us in a prime position to win. I'd love to pick up a center fielder and perhaps move a starter. I'm okay with having Jim Crawford start the season in AAA, but I would much rather find a new home for Tommy Russel or Dick Lyons.

Breaking News!
 

Just hours after the Castellini trade became official, the Chicago Cougars agreed to a trade with the Toronto Wolves. The Cougars will acquire CF Cy Bryant from the Wolves for SS Clyde Hinzman. Center field is a position that is weak throughout the entire FABL, as none of the top 20 players in the league are center fielders. And the top center fielder in the league is 31-year-old center fielder David Merchant of the Philadelphia Sailors, and I couldn't see the Sailors sending one of their pennant rivals one of their best players. I decided the best player to add would be someone who was better then what we had, but expendable for a team.

Bryant, 24, was taken in the 2nd Round of the 1924 draft by Toronto. Bryant debuted in 1928 and got a cup of coffee in 1929, but he spent all of the 1930 season in Toronto with the Wolves. He got into 61 games and made 51 starts, hitting .353/.394/.512 (131 OPS+) with 8 steals and 32 RBI's in just over 200 at bats. Bryant is also an excellent defender, with an impressive +7.5 ZR out in center this season and a career +14.0 ZR in 813.2 major league innings.

Bryant is sort of a close to home player, graduating from Chicago HS and now he'll have a chance to start his big league career with the team he grew up rooting for. He has a ton of upside, as an elite defender out in center with excellent speed on the base paths. At the plate, he makes consistent contact with an aggressive approach at the plate.

Despite all this talent, Bryant sat on the bench behind former 2nd Overall Pick Freddie Malley, a talented outfielder in his own right. For his big league career, he owns a .278/.331/.416 (104 OPS+) batting line with 18 homers, 57 steals, and 57 steals in 2,858 trips to the plate. Malley is also just 26, so there was no immediate spot for Bryant in center.

Speaking of 26-year-olds, Hinzman, a 23-year-old who ranks 6th in our organization, is stuck behind a 26-year-old in Ross Combs. Hinzman was our 6th Round selection in 1925 who made his big league debut this season. It was just a quick trip to the majors, going 4-for-16 with 3 doubles in 4 games in Chicago. Like Bryant, Hinzman, is also an elite defender and he had an impressive +13.4 ZR in AAA Milwaukee this season and has put up double digit positive zone ratings in each of his professional seasons. He's a high average hitter with a lot of speed, but with Combs entrenched at short and a similar prospect in Slim Bloom there was no clear open spot for Hinzman.

I fully intend to give Bryant the starting center field job this season, which makes things a little cloudier for guys like George Jordan, Bob McCarty, Joe Davis, Mike Smith, and Tom Thomas. I think with the additions of Bryant and Castellini, we have the chance to bring a pennant back to the North Side for the first time since 1922. Of course, the offseason is long, but if all three of the top teams don't make any additions, I think we can start the season as the league favorites.

1930 Draft: Round 1
 

There were only really two players that I wanted to take in this draft. And only one ended up in Chicago. The guy I really wanted, SS Jim Beard, went 3rd overall to the Washington Eagles. The other guy I wanted, SS Bolivar Jim Smith, went 6th Overall. Unfortunately, we didn't pick until 10th, so Smith ended up with the Chiefs instead of the Cougars.

When I went to bed last night we were at pick 3 and I thought I had enough time to hold out trading the pick in case Smith was still available. By time I woke up, I was up, and didn't want to hold up the draft.

It was a hard decision after that. I couldn't really find a guy I liked, but the final decision came between a handful of players: LF Rip Curry, 1B Floyd Spencer, C James Demastus, SP Chuck Murphy, 3B Tom Eggleton, and LF John Woods.

I started eliminating guys. I thought Murphy would be available for my 2nd Round pick and I wanted to grab a pitcher with one of my second round picks. But, I was way wrong and he ended up going two picks after to the Saints. I don't like taking corner players (1B/LF/RF/3B) in the first round and just like that all the guys I was looking at, except Demastus, fits that description. The only problem there is Demastus is an awful defensive catcher and he might as well be lumped into that group.

In the end, I decided to go with the guy I thought had the most upside even if he was possibly the most useless player in baseball last season. That would be 18-year-old catcher James Demastus.

Demastus, 19 in January, is a Nashville native who attended the Nashville HS Hawks. He didn't start as a freshman and got into just 15 games as a sophomore before an awful junior year. In his first season as a full time starter, he hit just .121/.174/.150 (-2 OPS+) with more strikeouts (15) then hits (13) while being worth an extremely impressive -1.6 WAR.

So why is he a first round pick this year?

This year he was much better and had one of the best offensive seasons in the league. He hit .361/.414/.558 (164 OPS+) with 5 homers and 32 RBI's in 165 trips to the plate. His defense wasn't great, with a 32.5% caught stealing rate and a poor .789 efficiency rank which makes me think Demastus is better suited somewhere that isn't behind the plate.

The thing that makes Demastus so appealing isn't his track record or hist position, but the absolute enormous amount of raw power he totes. My scout loves him and ranks him 3rd while OSA lists him at #4 in their mock draft. Demastus projects as a 45 home run hitter with the new all-or-nothing approach that will lead to a ton of strikeouts. He does have excellent plate discipline and will be able to draw a lot of walks, but he can develop into at least an average contact hitter. And in a draft with not a lot of surefire talent, Demastus had the most upside of what was left in my mind and I think there is a chance he ends up as one of the top three most successful first round picks.

1930 Draft: Round 2
 

We had a pair of second rounders, the first one coming from the Kings in the Heinie Bretz trade (22nd Overall) and our own second round pick (26th). Unfortunately, there are very few players in this draft worth selecting and even though I more or less knew who I would take with the first pick, but I struggled to find someone to take with the second one. I eventually decided to go with a pair of high schoolers in SP Mel Leonard and SS Charlie Reed.

Leonard, 18, is ranked the #1 draft eligible prep arm and was having an excellent senior season up until the last day of the season. He had a 2.33 ERA until Oakland HS rallied for 12 hits and 12 runs in his final high school start. His ERA ballooned to 3.68 (108 ERA+) and his WHIP jumped up to 1.16, but he finished 3-4 with 63 strikeouts in 63.2 innings. That last start may be a blessing in disguise, as it inflated his ERA enough to erase the gains he made all season and could have caused him to fall to me. For his career with the Dallas HS Rangers, Leonard was 8-12 with a 3.58 ERA (109 ERA+), 1.31 WHIP, and 156 strikeouts.

Leonard is commited to the Brunswick Knights, but I will do everything in my power to make sure he deosn't get there. He's got a ton of potential, but he's just 5'9'' and 140 pounds. He's young, so he has the chance to grow into his frame and add velocity. He currently sits in the 88-90 mile per hour range with his fastball and he also throws a nice slider and curveball. He's an excellent arm who keeps the ball on the ground and profiles as a middle of the rotation piece.

Reed, also 18, ranks 6th of all prep hitters and the switch hitter from Berkely had a down year offensively, but had the best defensive season in his young career. His best season came as a junior, where he hit .314/.473/.429 (181 OPS+) with 10 steals and 20 RBI's, but his numbers, like most draft eligible players, dropped significantly this season as the new wave of players really dominated the season. He hit just .275/.401/.396 (124 OPS+) with 3 homers, 13 steals, and 21 RBI's, but had a positive zone rating and efficiency over 1.000 for the first time in his career. He did finish his career with a -13 ZR, so short may not be the long term fit for him, but he finished his prep career with an excellent .302/.424/.450 (154 OPS+) batting line with 10 homers, 29 steals, and 72 RBI's.

He's committed to a junior college, but like with Leonard, I'm going to do what I can to make sure he signs with us. Reed has a ton of speed and will steal a ton of bases, and he does an excellent job getting on base. He's got an excellent eye and won't strike out too much. He walked (88) more then twice the amount of times as he struck out (40). He's not the most gifted hitter, but he's a smart hitter and being a switch hitter is extremely valuable. My scout also thinks he'll be a decent defender, so maybe there is hope for him at short.

We've got four picks left in rounds three through five and I kind of have an idea of who I want for three, but after that it's all a little uncertain. I'm leaning towards high upside high schoolers, but there are at least two college guys left on my shortlist. I don't expect much from this pool, but it has already turned out better then expected.

2030 Draft: Round 3-5
 

We had four picks in the rest of the bonus rounds, three of ours and one from the Kings that came to us in the Bretz trade. Those picks came in at 42nd, 58th, 70th, and 74th. I went with one high schooler and three college players, three arms and one bat.

The first pick was a 18-year-old with a familiar name to Cougar fans, Bill Ross. Ross was the only prep player, a graduate from Providence HS. Ross had a really good senior season, going 4-2 with a 2.50 ERA (159 ERA+), 1.06 WHIP, and 37 strikeouts with just 1 walk in 57.2 innings pitched. His career numbers are just as good, finishing his high school career 14-7 with a 2.63 ERA (157 ERA+), 0.99 WHIP, and 138 strikeouts with just 15 walks in just over 200 innings. Ross is extremely talented, ranked 10th of all draft eligible high schoolers and fifth of all prep pitchers. Ross doesn't have the best stuff and doesn't throw too hard, but he gets enough strikeouts and has pinpoint control. His three pitch arsenal is headlined by a change up. He has a mid 80s cutter and slider, but neither of those pitches are really that good.

With our 4th Round selection, we took CF Bill Alexander. By now, the quality of the pool was really diminishing, and Alexander is a project pick. He didn't have a great junior year, hitting .322/.361/.436 (93 OPS+) with 3 homers, 9 steals, and 36 RBI's. His career numbers aren't much better, with a .291/.354/.401 (96 OPS+) line with 10 homers, 29 steals, and 77 RBI's. His defense, however, is above average, finishing this season with a +5.5 ZR and 1.065 efficiency out in center. Alexander has a lot of potential, projecting to be an above average defender with above average bat speed. He's extremely athletic and has the speed to catch anything in the outfield and steal a ton of bases.The St. Pancras graduate ranked 15th of all draft eligible college players and 5th of all outfielders (2nd for center fielders) and he's defintley a project worth taking on.

Our 5th Round selection came from Brooklyn, so the Heinie Bretz trade ended up being for Mel Leonard and Fred Collins. Collins, 21, is unlike most draftees as he's actually gotten better each season. His junior year was the best, finishing 3-2 with a 3.06 ERA (167 ERA+), 1.36 WHIP, and 31 strikeouts in 64.2 innings pitched. He's finished his college career at Henry Hudson 16-11 with a 3.51 ERA (135 ERA+), 1.29 WHIP, and 164 strikeouts in 261.1 innings. He ranks 5th in a really weak group of college pitchers, but 17th of all collegiate draft eligible players. Collins boasts a 4 pitch arsenal featured by a low 90s cutter. He does an excellent job keeping the ball on the ground, but he isn't the most exciting arm there is. To me, he's a safe pick and while there might not be much upside, he should be a dependable back of the rotation arm.

The 5th round selection that was ours turned into righty Billy LeBeau from Boulder State. His best season was as a freshman, where he went 5-3 with a 2.75 ERA (150 ERA+), 0.94 WHIP, and 59 strikeouts in 75.1 innings. The next two seasons weren't as good, but he finished his college career 14-13 with a 3.70 ERA (129 ERA+), 1.20 WHIP, and 210 strikeouts in 260 innings pitched. He ranks 23rd of draft eligible colelge players and 10th for all pitchers. He's got a decent arsenal with a fastball, slider, and changeup and he sits in the high 80s with the hard stuff. Like Collins, he seems like a safer pick and shouldn't cost too much in terms of a signing bonus.

This class doesn't look too strong, but I think I did better this year then in 1928 where the quality of the pool was stronger. This could compare to the 1926 class that featured 1st Rounder backstop Fred Barrell. I had high hopes for the top picks, but beyond that, no sure things. Interesting enough, the 4th Rounder was Heinie Bretz and 9th Rounder was Ben Turner (both who were recently traded), but Billy Kline (2nd) and Mickey Williams (5th) are the only guys from that class who currently rank in the top 30. There's still 20 rounds left, but for the most part it will be lottery ticket after lottery ticket and more luck then skill involved.

2030 Draft: Round 6-10
 

The end of the human portion of the draft is after round 10, so these five selections are the last five I will personally make this year. The rest will be left up to my scout. I almost never auto draft in any league, so I would definitely make all 25 picks regularly, but in this league my scout will handle the last 15 rounds in game. Luckily, this draft doesn't have many good players and I plan on keeping most of the auto drafted players unless there is no reason they would ever get drafted.

6th Round: SP Chet Peacock: A graduate of the Lynn HS Legends, Chet Peacock finished his high school career 14-13 with a 3.68 ERA (109 ERA+), 1.32 WHIP, and 98 strikeouts in 210.1 innings pitched. He's actually the teammate of SS Jim Beard who was taken 3rd overall. My scout thinks he's decent, but he may never develop a third pitch. His fastball is decent, but sits in the 85-87 MPH range. He's young, so he has time to grow, but for now, he doesn't have the best chance to develop into a dependable starting pitcher. He's committed to Chicago Poly and is extremely hard to sign, so he may not end up in our organizaton.

7th Round: SS Max Fox: A graduate of the Tulsa HS Tomcats, Max Fox finished his career with a .280/.373/.360 (117 OPS+) batting line with 8 steals and 42 RBI's. He has absolutely no power, but Fox has a great eye and is a very athletic player. He is prone to strike outs, but he's got decent gap power and will rack up a ton of triples with his speed. It's unsure if he can stick at short, but he's got the athleticism that the position needs. Like Peacock, he's extremely hard to sign, but committed to a JUCO, Yavapai College.

8th Round: SP Ken Grosvenor: A graduate from Lubbock State, Grosvenor had a nightmarish junior season where he went 2-7 with a 8.13 ERA (64 ERA+), 1.84 WHIP, and 44 strikeouts in 8 starts and 13 relief appearances. His battery mate, Jack Flint, went #1 overall, but as good as a hitter he was, Flint is not a very good defensive catcher. Grosvenor, however, was much better as a freshman and sophomore, going 5-2 and 3-3 with a 2.18 (189 ERA+) and 2.92 (161 ERA+) ERA respectively. His career numbers were still solid, 10-12 with a 4.44 ERA (137 ERA+), 1.39 WHIP, and 182 strikeouts, but the rough junior year definitely caused him to fall in the draft. He's a tall lanky righty standing at 6'2'' and weighing just 180, and he gets a lot of downward movement on his sinker which generates a lot of groundouts and strikeouts. The sinker isn't the best of his four pitches, however, as he boasts an above average slider with a lot of break. He projects to have good control, so if he gets over those current issues, I think he might be able to develop into a really solid big leaguer.

9th Round: SS Tom Handy: A graduate of the Mobile HS Commodores, Handy is definitely handy with his glove, earning a +5.3 ZR and 1.103 efficiency this season and finishing his career with a +13.0 ZR and 1.063 efficiency. He was above average the first two seasons of his high school career, but he hit just .237/.302/.301 (66 OPS+) with 2 homers and 10 RBI's in his senior year. His career numbers are much better, finishing with a .273/.339/.370 (102 OPS+) batting line, 7 homers, and 50 RBI's. He won't have the best bat, but he's a defensive marvel and has a lot of room to grow.

10th Round: SS Hal Warner: A graduate of the Elmira HS Emeralds, Warner had an excellent sophomore season. He hit .292/.375/.534 (148 OPS+) with 9 homers, 11 steals, and 37 RBI's in 184 trips to the plate. His batting lines dropped the last two seasons and his career line sat at .260/.313/.432 (110 OPS+) with 15 homers, 18 steals, and 79 RBI's. He's a sure handed defender, with a +6.9 ZR and 1.150 efficiency in his final prep season. The switch hitter is athletic and sure handed and he has decent pop. He does strike out a decent amount, but his walks plummeted after his first season.

This group of prospects isn't great, but there's a good chance a hidden gem is in this pile. In the past, we've had a lot of really good prospects in the 6th through 10th round. In 1925, it produced Clyde Hinzman (6th) and Rabbit Forrest (7th) who both ranked in the top 100 prospect list this year. 1926 brought in Ben Turner (9th), another top 100 prospect, who we were able to flip for FA win leader Steve Castellini. 1927 brought in George DeForest (6th) and Dean Astle (9th), another pair of top 100 prospects including our current #3 DeForest. And last year brought in Jim Hatfield (6th), Tom Spitzer (7th), Elmer Hutchins (8th), and Billy Marshall (10th) who all rank in our current top 30 prospect list with Spitzer, Hutchins, and Hatfield all in the top 10.

2030 Draft: Round 11-15
 

The rest of the draft was simulated today, so I will give a quick little summary of the players, career stats, and other tidbits. I won't keep any player who should not have been drafted due to limited games.

11th Round, 170th Overall: CF Fred Lafferty
Alma Mater: Sacramento HS Governors
1930 Stats 170 PA, .230/.312/.336 (77 OPS+), 1 HR, 10 SB, 12 RBI, +9.6 ZR
Career Stats: 400 PA, .257/.336/.373 (101 OPS+), 4 HR, 22 SB, 34 RBI, +18.6 ZR
Commit School; Rainier College
Demand: $1,800

Excellent defender with excellent speed. Likely going to meet his demand. He's young and has time to develop. Has the potential to be an elite center fielder so worth the lottery ticket.

12th Round, 186th Overall: C Rusty Stanley
Alma Mater: Garden State Redbirds
1930 Stats: 34 PA, .133/.235/.133 (-5 OPS+), +0.7 ZR
Career Stats: 222 PA, .191/.286/.366 (79 OPS+), +2.7 ZR
Commit School: Rainier College Mystics

He had an awful junior year and my scout grabbed him. He was decent last year, so he'll get a shot. But be on a very short leash.

13th Round, 202nd Overall: Earl Drake
Alma Mater: Whitney College Engineers
1930 Stats: 62 IP, 3-3, 4.65 ERA (114 ERA+), 1.60 WHIP, 47 K
Career Stats: 187.2 IP,8-10, 8 SV, 5.08 ERA (95 ERA+), 1.59 WHIP, 194 K

Had a good junior year when most graduates had a down season. Will have a chance to start.

14th Round, 218th Overall: 2B Charlie Joseph
Alma Mater: Holyoke HS Oaks
1930 Stats: 6 PA, .600/.667/.1.000 (353 OPS+), +0.7 ZR
Career Stats: 200 PA, .281.379/.351 (105 OPS+), 17 HR, 4SB, 34 RBI, -6.2 ZR
Commit School: Brooklyn State Bears
Demand: $1,500

He didn't really play all season and hasn't had much playing time since his first season. Going to let him go to Brooklyn State.

15th Round, 234th Overall: C Neal Evans
Alma Mater: Whitney College Engineers
1930 Stats: 32 PA, .346/.438/.654 (149 OPS+), +0.0 ZR
Career Stats: 287 PA, .173/.340/.311 (69 OPS+), +1.1 ZR

He was Earl Drake's battery mate.last year. Spent this year on the bench. Will be released.

He had an awful junior year and my scout grabbed him. He was decent last year, so he'll get a shot. But be on a very short leash.

Notable Cougars taken in the 11th-15th Round

1B Luke Nixon (11th, 1925): Traded in the package for Russ Combs and Max Wilder. Hit .328/.375/.467 (111 OPS+) with 5 homers, 11 steals, and 51 RBI's in 367 plate appearances with us in 1929. Hit .276/.333/.400 (84 OPS+) with 1 homer, 5 steals, and 14 RBI's in 162 trips to the plate with the Foresters.

3B John Kane (11th, 1927): Hit an impressive .318/.405/.545 (140 OPS+) line with 5 homers and 24 RBI's in 154 trips to the plate for San Jose. Not much of a defender, but he can fill in at third or any outfield spot.

LF Earl Johnson (12th, 1925): Traded with SP Lou Gaffin to the Gothams for SP Dick Leudtke. Ranks 23rd in the Gothams organization and 303rd in the league. Spent the season in AAA and could be eligible for this year's rule 5-draft.

RF Ed Rhoden (13th, 1925): Made his FABL debut with the Cougars this season. Went 2-for-17 with a homer and 5 RBI's.

C Ben Richardson (15th Round, 1927): Was part of the Russ Combs and Max Wilder package as well. Ranks 17th in the Foresters organization and 291st in the league.

2030 Draft: Round 16-25
 

A little news first: First Rounder James Demastus and Fifth Rounder Fred Collins agreed to their signing bonuses. Demastus ranks 4th in our organization and 73rd overall in the FABL. He's young, and will be sent to Class C La Crosse. Collins ranks 27th in our organization and 407th in the league. I'm sending him to San Jose, but I'm not sure that is where he'll start the season.

16th Round, 250th Overall: SP Howie Swan
Alma Mater: Baltimore HS Terrapins
Career Stats: 7-8, 3.17 ERA (119 ERA+), 1.29 WHIP. 67 K, 130.2 IP
Assigned to Class C La Crosse Lions

17th Round, 266th Overall: CF Kent Clark
Alma Mater: Cincinnati HS Tigers
Career Stats: .178/.262/.297 (61 OPS+), 7 HR, 13 SB, 38 RBI, +5.6 ZR
Released

18th Round, 282nd Overall: 2B Tom Dodson
Alma Mater: Omaha HS Plainsman
Career Stats: .262/.337/.366 (98 OPS+), 5 HR, 9 SB, 51 RBI, +5.1 ZR
Assigned to Class C La Crosse Lions

19th Round, 298th Overall: SP Harry Chamberlain
Alma Mater: Swoyerville HS Kings
Career Stats: 10-12, 3.43 ERA (127 ERA+), 1.23 WHIP, 104 K, 194.1 IP
Assigned to Class C La Crosse Lions

20th Round, 314th Overall: 1B Guy Gill
Alma Mater: Houston HS Hurricanes
Career Stats: .251/.276/.266 (65 OPS+), 0 HR, 19 RBI, -4.2 ZR
Released

21st Round, 330th Overall: 1B Bobby Saunders
Alma Mater: Mobile HS Commodores
Career Stats: .137/.200/.157 (-1 OPS+), 0 HR, 5 RBI, -1.7 ZR
Released

22nd Round, 346th Overall: SP Bill Snell
Alma Mater: Hartford HS Blue Sox
Commit School: Bayou State Cougars
Career Stats: 3-3, 5.75 ERA (81 ERA+), 1.46 WHIP, 66 K, 83 IP
Will Not Sign

23rd Round, 362nd Overall: 1B Frank Henson
Alma Mater: High Point HS Highlanders
Commit School: Rainier College Majestics
Career Stats: .209/.263/.236 (40 OPS+), 0 HR, 10 RBI, 119 PA
Will Not Sign

24th Round, 378th Overall: 1B John Wilson
Alma Mater: Greensboro HS Giants
Career Stats: .158/.186/.193 (7 OPS+), 0 HR, 4 RBI, 60 PA
Released

25th Round, 394th Overall: RP John Oldham
Alma Mater: Trenton HS Titans
Career Stats: 2-5, 3.97 ERA (96 ERA+), 1.51 WHIP, 39 K, 65.2 IP
Assigned to Class C La Crosse

The Rule-5 Draft is coming up. I had to make a few moves before the draft. C Herman Rachford, SS Cal Blackshear, 1B Bill Miller, LF Art Panko, CF Joe Davis, RP Karl Clasby, and SP Ray Powell were designated for assignment. I purchased the contract of CF Tom Thomas, SP Bill Kline and SP Mickey Williams.

Rule-5 Draft
 

Some prospect signings occurred with the Rule 5-Draft. 3rd Round SP Bill Ross signed a $2,700 signing bonus. He ranks 5th for all pitchers in our organization and 292nd overall in the league. 4th Round CF Bill Alexander signed a $2,200 signing bonus. He ranks 9th in our organization for outfielders and 403rd overall in the league. We are still waiting on our two 2nd rounders and our 5th rounder as well as various later round draft picks. Once all the important picks, I'll do a quick update on our system and compare our draft results to other teams.

We didn't lose any players, but we grabbed four guys in the Rule-5 Draft. I don't expect to keep all four, but I expect one to make the team in the spring.

The first guy I picked up I feel like has a lot of potential. I selected 24-year-old SP Taylor Collins from the Detroit Dynamos. Collins is a former 13th Round Pick of the Dynamos back in 1925 out of Queens HS. Collins now ranks 12th in our organization and 219th of all prospects in the FABL. It was a decent year for the righty, who finished strong in AAA going 0-4 with a 3.12 ERA (137 ERA+), 1.18 WHIP, and 36 strikeouts in 34.2 innings pitched. My scout profiles him as a solid back of the rotation arm. He has good command and keeps the ball on the ground to prevent longballs. His cutter is the best of four big league quality pitchers, and he throws it in the upper 89s to low 90s. Collins will earn a shot to pitch as a multi inning man like Ace McSherry once did.

The other three aren't as interesting. Phil Vaughan is a 25-year-old bat first first basemen who hit .256/.348/.584 (147 OPS+) with 33 homers and 76 RBI's in 396 trips to the plate at AAA Ft. Worth. Vaughan was a 9th Round pick in 1926 by the Chiefs and attended Wisconsin State like current Cougar prospect Gordie Thompson. He has a ton of power, something we really lack on the team. He won't take Bill Ashbaugh's job at first, but he currently ranks as out best first base prospect and as the 171st best prospect in the FABL.

25-year-old shortstop Lee Sparks is the opposite, an all glove shortstop who had a nice +6.0 ZR at SS in 623 innings at AA and AA. Sparks was a 18th Round Pick by the Stars in 1926, ranks as our second best shortstop prospect. He hit .208/.293/.448 (93 OPS+) with 2 homers and 10 RBI's in 176 PA's in AAA. My scout likes him, but I'm not sure he is going to make the team.

27-year-old right fielder Bennie Rendon was the last of the four. He was a 1924 4th Round selection by Toronto. He had a solid season in AAA Buffalo, hitting .355/.401/.518 (141 OPS+) with 10 homers and 67 RBI's in 344 plate appearances. He's not a terrible defender and is a very skilled hitter. I'm auditioning left field as John Dibblee isn't getting any younger. Rendon has a chance to stick if he hits, but the outfield is very crowded.

There's not much more left in our offseason, but soon enough we will begin 1931 play. I will be looking to make trades throughout the offseason, but I'm not sure if anything more will materialize.

Breaking News!
 

The Chicago Cougars have agreed to send SP Milt Nelson and SP Cotton Taylor to the Detroit Dynamos for a 2nd and 6th Round Pick. This trade was made mostly as a way to free up 40-Man roster spots while acquiring pieces for the future. Nelson and Taylor probably had a longshot to make the major league roster and I didn't want them to waste time in AAA.

Nelson, 26, was acquired from Brooklyn back in 1928 along with an 8th Round Pick for fellow pitcher Buzz Ham. Nelson debuted in 1929 and made two starts with us that year and this. His numbers this season were much better, 1-0 with a 1.59 ERA (305 ERA+), 1.85 WHIP, and 3 strikeouts in 11.1 innings pitched. Nelson throws extremely hard, with a cutter averaging in the 94-96 MPH range. He has a lot of talent, but he lacks control and has a lot of walk problems. I think he has a ton of potential, but I didn't have an obvious spot for him on the roster.

Taylor, 28, has much more big league experience then Nelson. A former Rule-5 Selection from the Foresters before the 1927 season. This was the first season in four that Taylor did not make 18 or more starts in the FABL. For his career, he's 21-32 with a 4.61 ERA (97 ERA+), 1.59 WHIP, and 177 strikeouts in just under 500 big league innings. Taylor has had success as a big league starter, but he's stuck behind a lot of better options and he's getting older. This was his last option year, and I'm glad I was able to find a spot for him.

Offseason Update
 

Since the Rule-5 Draft, there have been two other drafts unique to this league. These are the Minor League Rule-5 Draft and the Independent League Draft. In the Minor League Rule-5 Draft, instead of having to stay on the active roster all season, the player instead just has to spend the whole season on your 40-man roster. The same players eligible for the major league version are eligible for the minor league version, but you instead have to pay a purchase fee. In the Independent League Draft, each team is allowed to target one player who currently plays for an unaffiliated minor league team. The order of when teams pick is based off draft order. If the player the team selected is not already taken, the picking team will then swap a player from their organization (chosen by the commissioner who does not own a team) with that player. If the player the team targets has already been selected, the team will not get a player. It is not announced who teams chose if they did not select them. This is how I got Jim Crawford last year.

Starting with the minor league draft, I got SP Don Grossman and lost no one. Grossman is a 24-year-old who the Boston Minutemen took in the 4th Round of the 1924 draft. He's been in that organization ever since, and spent most of last year in AAA. He was 2-9 with a 4.33 ERA (95 ERA+), 1.52 WHIP, and 111 strikeouts. I took him because of his height, he stands 6'6'' and throws a devastating sinker that is almost impossible to hit. He gets a ton of downward movement to generate numerous double plays with his mid to low 90s sinker. His problem is that none of his other pitches are any good, so if he throws anything other then a sinker he gets hit hard. I plan to use him as a pen arm and he could develop into an excellent stopper.

In the Independent Draft, I selected 2B John Banks from the Pueblo Mountaineers. The 22-year-old Banks ranks as our 11th best prospect and 183rd in the FABL. Banks joined Pueblo the year before as one of their generated players (since they are not affiliated). Pueblo is in the Western Baseball League, a Class A league on the same level as Lincoln in our organization. Banks hit .291/.385/.374 (112 OPS+) with 5 homers, 19 steals, and 30 RBI's in 445 plate appearances. He also had an impressive +7.8 ZR and 1.075 efficiency in just under 1,000 innings at the keystone. He's a talented athlete with an excellent glove and excellent speed. He has good plate recognition and makes above average contact. He's not a power hitter yet, but that could change.He's not a small guy, standing 6 foot and weighing about 185 pounds so he could have the potential to develop more power as he matures. I can't seeing him playing in the majors, but he'll get some AB's in the Spring and likely start the season in AA Mobile.

There isn't much time left in the offseason, but we are still trying to make upgrades to the big league roster. We've recently started February, so Spring Training is right around the corner. We could have some interesting camp battles, including the 5th starter, left field, bullpen, and back up catcher battles. There are also a lot of bench spots to grab, but most of the starting lineup is set. The only real spot not claimed for is LF, where John Dibblee (when not finding off field ways to injure himself) and Mack Deal will fight for at bats with some contention perhaps from George Jordan or Bob McCarty. Both Dibblee and Deal's spots are secured due to Dibblee's status as a Cougar legend and Deal's status as the fatigue replacements for Kincaid, Simmons, and Combs. Jordan and McCarty, however, lost their CF platoon to Cy Bryant, so they'll have to make a case to make the 23-man roster.

Breaking News!
 

In a move that sent shock waves through the FABL, two Continental Association rivals agreed to a four player shock that could change the landscape of the league. The defending champion Philadelphia Sailors sent Tom Taylor, who used to look like the brightest young star in the FABL, to the Chicago Cougars for Mack Deal, Jim Stevens, and George Jordan.

"The Canadian Club" will turn 26 in March and will be playing in his fourth FABL season. The 4th Overall Pick out of Houston HS in 1923 is quite possibly the most intriguing and puzzling player in the FABL. The switch hitter burst onto the scene in 1928 as a Rookie, hitting .342/.422/.689 (16 OPS+) with 44 homers, 126 RBI's, and 26 steals. He had an insane +20.4 ZR out in right and was worth 10.7 wins above replacement. Taylor was named MVP of the CA that year, a rare feet for a rookie. His 1929 season was almost identical, hitting .351/.441/.651 (191 OPS+) with 38 homers, 138 RBI's, and 27 steals with an even better +24.5 ZR out in right. Again, Taylor was worth over 10 WAR (10.5) and won his second MVP in as many years.

So what happened? Why would Philadelphia, who won the World Series, be willing to trade him?

1930 was not Taylor's year. At the plate, everything as different. He hit just .261/.322/.421 (90 OPS+) with 15 homers, 81 RBI's, and 17 steals. All his numbers dropped from the year before. His doubles fell by 16, triples by 9, homers by 23, RBI's by 57, walks by 53, steals by 10, OPS+ by 101, and WAR by 8.7. The only thing that didn't fall, was strikeouts, which jumped by 10. He also played almost 30 less games as elbow issues caused him problems throughout this season.

His defense didn't take a hit, as the +21.2 ZR was better then his rookie year and his 1.132 efficiency rating was the best of his career, so worst case he's still the absolute best defensive corner outfielder.

Is there hope for Taylor rebounding offensively? I decided to dig into the advanced numbers. Here's where the biggest changes were: Taylor went from being walked inentionally 13 and 15 times his first two seasons before just 5 free passes this season. As a whole, hit walk rates fell from 12.2 and 13.9 (led the league with 99 walks in 1929) to 8.5. On the flip side, his strikeout rate sat at 10.2 and 9.8 before jumping to 14.8 this season. Another big change for Taylor is he just stopped getting balls to land. His BABIP fell from .320 and .347 all the way down to .281 while extra base hits fell from a league best 79 and 89 all the way down to 41. Not only was Taylor making less contact, he was hitting the ball much less hard. A lot of this could be attributed to him playing through his sore right elbow. His worst month was June, where he hit .208/.279/.396, one of the month he played injured in.

Does this mean Taylor will return to superstar levels in Chicago? Looking at park factors, Sailors Memorial park is a crazy pitcher friendly park with average factors of .902, .914 (LHB), and .895 (RHB) with extremely low home run factors of .797, .828 (LHB), and .780 (RHB). North Side Grounds, on the other hand, is much more hitter friendly with average factors of 1.088, 1.089 (LHPB), and 1.088 (RHB). And you wouldn't know it because we don't know how to hit homers, but balls fly out of North End Grounds with a 1.231 factor (the only stadium with a higher factor ironically is the Chiefs). The stadium change should bode well for Taylor and he'll have a lot of protection in the lineup. We had arguably the best offense in the league last year and Taylor will join a lineup filled with .300 hitters (lowest .321) at all seven other starting spots.

Looking at the package we gave up, the headliner was Mack Deal. If I didn't acquire another outfielder, Deal would have been given the chance to start out in left field. An infielder by trade, Deal was taken 6th Overall in the 1924 draft and has spent the past two seasons (and a cup of coffee in 1928) in Chicago. He's hit .308/.368/.400 (92 OPS+) with 9 homers, 132 RBI's, and 44 steals in just over 1,000 trips to the plate. At one point, Deal ranked as the 26th best prospect in the league and he is filled with talent. At just 24, he has a lot of time to grow, but there was no obvious position for him. He's played a lot of second, third, and short, but he's not much of a defender yet at any of the three positions. And with Simmons, Kincaid, and Combs at those positions, there's no easy spot for Deal. In Philly, however, they have a big hole at third and they'll be able to give him a full season's worth of playing time. It's going to be hard to let Deal go, but when you have the chance to add someone who's done what Taylor has, you jump at the chance to take it.

The other two pieces also have big league experience, catcher Jim Stevens and outfielder George Jordan. Stevens, 25, was originally acquired from the Foresters and he made his big league debut this season with us. He picked up just 11 plate appearances, but he would have competed with Jim Kyle (former Sailor) for the backup catcher role behind Fred Barrell. Both have the talent to start, as Stevens has 20+ home run power and should be a decent defender behind the plate. Jordan, also 25, was originally acquired from the Kings and he completed his first full big league season in a platoon role with Bob McCarty. It didn't go great, as he hit just .281/.339/.410 (80 OPS+) with 7 homers, 12 steals, and 54 RBI's. He's also generally been a plus defender, but he put up a -3.3 ZR out in center and just a .970 defensive efficiency. He was once a high ranked prospect, up to 24th in 1925, but a lot of the prospect shine has gone away. He lost his starting job with the addition of Cy Bryant, but he had a good shot to earn the 4th outfielder role.

This was a major trade that will be really interesting to look at a few seasons from now and it should create an interesting story line for this year. This offseason has been crazy, with multiple star players moving teams. We picked up Steve Castellani from the Gothams who moved star LF Carlos Cano to the Saints while adding a better LF in Joe Perett. Not only that, they already picked up superstar 1B Max Morris from the Pioneers. Now with us getting Taylor, it's the fifth big name player to change teams this offseason. Spring is around the corner and we're almost back to real baseball. Cougars fans are ecstatic as they feel this could be the year they return to the postseason.

Start of Spring Training
 

Baseball is back!

We start Spring Training tomorrow and the Cougars will fill all 60 spots in camp. I will do individual reports for each position group and explain any battles that may be going on.

Our spring schedule is very simple, as we play a sequence all spring. We play all seven of our Continental Association rivals in the following order: Kings, Foresters, Wolves, Sailors, Stars, Cannons, Saints. We play the Kings, Foresters, and Wolves four times, the other three teams just three. I have turned off 7-Day Lineups and will let my manager have full control over the depth chart (I set the lineups and pitching staff) so he can ensure everyone is getting playing time.

A lot of new faces entered camp this spring, but this will be the 24th time for Cougar legend John Dibblee. The team has found a long term replacement for Dibblee in Vince York, so he won't see nearly as many at bats as he has in the past.

Speaking of new faces, there was a different aura in Cougar camp this year then years' past. Last year they added a few new players, but nothing like this year. Cougar fans are elated to see the return of Steve Castellini as well as one of the leagues youngest stars Tom Taylor. Once the Spring starts, every team has that hope that this year could be the year. And perhaps for Chicago, 1931 could be theirs.

Spring Training Review: The Rotation
 

Guaranteed Spots
Steve Castellini
Max Wilder
Dick Luedtke

Favorites
Jim Crawford
Dick Lyons
Tommy Russel

Considered for the Bullpen
Ace McSherry
Dick Kadlec
Taylor Collins

Long Shots
Gus Cain
Ray Powell
Karl Clasby
Don Grossman
Bill Kline

Non Roster Invitees
Tom Barrell
Ed Stevens
Mike Murphy

The rotation is pretty set in stone, with the top three of Castellini, Wilder, and Leudtke not changing. I wish I could find a way to upgrade the rotation before the season starts, but I am comfortable with what I have on hand. The battle for the 4th and 5th spot will be between a trio of above average arms in Dick Lyons, Tommy Russel, and Jim Crawford. All three are dependable arms, but Crawford has the most potential. He was a top 20 prospect last season and has top of the rotation potential. The 25-year-old debuted and made 17 starts last season, but he's the only one I'd be willing to option to the minors. I think he's the best of the three, but it's hard to justify sending Lyons or Russel to the pen. Both have four full seasons in the rotation and have put up good numbers in them.

Behind them, that doesn't mean there aren't any other interesting names. Former #1 overall pick Tom Barrell will toss some innings and possibly make a start with his brother Fred behind the plate. He may not be in the plans for this season, but Barrell is the prize of our system. Fellow prospect and former #2 overall pick Mike Murphy is also in camp and he will be throwing meaningful innings as well. 1926 2nd Rounder Bill Kline and 1927 3rd Rounder Ed Stevens are a few high round picks who will get a few innings as well.

Beyond that, there are a few interesting arms with big league experience. Both Dick Kadlec and Ace McSherry made 10 or more starts last season and Kadlec has 41 FABL starts under his belt. Him and McSherry are favorites for the stopper job, but both can start if injuries hit. Major and Minor league Rule-5 draft picks Taylor Collins and Don Grossman will have a shot to earn a spot and I like Collins' shot of making the team. He also ranks as our 7th best prospect and 144th in the league.

There aren't too many important relief pitchers on hand, so there's a chance that seven or even eight of our nine pitchers to make the tema will be natural starters.

Spring Training Review: The Bullpen
 

Favorites
Len Moore
Chick Meehan

Longshots
Claude Purvis

Rotation Options
Taylor Collins
Gus Cain
Ace McSherry
Dick Kadlec
Don Grossman
Ray Powell
Karl Clasby

Non-Roster Invitee
Mike Murphy
Elmer Wood
Pete Walker

The biggest decisions to be made with the bullpen depend on which starting pitchers I decide to move to the bullpen. There really are no guaranteed spots, but the guy with the best chance to make the team is Chick Meehan. Last season wasn't great, but my scout thinks he's pretty talented and OSA ranks him as the 3rd best pitcher in the league. This is a little misleading since not all teams label relievers (they use pitchers listed as SP in the bullpen), but Meehan is for sure the best pen arm we have.

Beyond that, there is a lot of uncertainty. After 8 saves and a 4.25 ERA (115 ERA+) last season, 35-year-old Len Moore seems to have a good shot of making the team as well, but with his advancing age and lack of upside I wouldn't hesitate to cut him before a less proven commodity who I wouldn't be able to keep otherwise. The only guy I really have to worry about losing is Rule-5 Pick Taylor Collins, but there are a few guys I would prefer to not pitch in AAA. Ace McSherry and Dick Kadlec are two names that come to mind. Both are starters who have experience as a stopper and can pitch multiple innings. McSherry also had a ton of success stopping in his rookie season, so he may be the favorite for that role.

A few young guys have the chance to break camp as well. Bill Kline, who was added to the 40-man roster in the offseason, is one of my scouts favorites and he thinks he could become a quality stopper. Throughout most of his minor league career he's started, but he's only pitched in one game in AAA and could probably use a little more seasoning. Same goes with Mike Murphy, although he's not currently on the 40 and has yet to pitch in AAA. Murphy is just 23, so unless something crazy happens, he's likely to start the season in the minors. A final name to watch is Claude Purvis. The 25-year-old made his big league debut last season after an impressive showing in AAA. He's a converted starter who has the endurance to pitch multiple innings as well.

Spring Training Review: The Catchers
 

Guaranteed Spots
Fred Barrell
Jim Kyle

Non-Roster Invitees
Slick Hostetter
Al Wilder

Our catching group had a chance for competition, but Jim Kyle's competition for the spot, Jim Stevens, was shipped to his old team, the Sailors, so the backup catcher role will be Kyle's alone. Kyle was actually a good backup for them his rookie season, hitting .270/.338/.386 (109 OPS+) in just over 200 trips to the plate as a 22-year-old. He's also a very solid defensive catcher with a great arm and pitcher's generally tend to do well when they throw to him.

Starting opening day for the second straight season will be 25-year-old Fred Barrell who had a mini-breakout. The former 3rd Overall Pick was atop many leaderbords for FABL catchers last season for both his offensive and defensive work. He led the league in caught stealing percentage and ranked in the top 6 for catchers in nearly every offensive and defensive category. Barrell was previously dubbed the catcher of the future, and there is very little to suggest that I erred in that assessment. He may never be the best catcher in the league, but he lacks the weaknesses of many top catchers. Pitcher's love when he's behind the plate, but hate when he's up. He's everything you could ask in a catcher and then more.

Spring Training Review: The Infield
 

Guaranteed Starters
Bill Ashbaugh
Harry Simmons
John Kincaid
Russ Combs

40-Man Options
Phil Vaughan
Slim Bloom
Tom Rogers
Lee Sparks
John Banks

Non-Roster Invitees
Cal Blackshear
Bobby Davis
Roy Evans
Bill Miller
Red O'Neal
Jonathan Quick
Ben Hathaway
George Sanders

The starting infield is set and is probably the strength of this organization. We might have the best infield in baseball, with all current starters ranked in the top 5 at their position. Bill Ashbaugh ranks 3rd for first basemen, Harry Simmons ranks 4th for second base, John Kincaid ranks 3rd for third base, and Russ Combs ranks 1st for shortstops. Even though they all played with us last season, this is the first season they will play opening day together. Ashbaugh and Kincaid started at first and third last Opening Day, but Combs was on the DL so Simmons started at short. Once Combs returned, however, this combo was the regular starting four.

The big competition will be for the bench, as other then backup catcher Jim Kyle, it is a free-for-all for the rest of the spots on the team. I would lose either Rule-5 pick, 1B Phil Vaughan or SS Lee Sparks, and Vaughan actually is ranked as the 5th best prospect in our system. He's 25 and was left unprotected by the Chiefs. The former 9th Rounder raked in AAA Ft. Worth, hitting .256/.348/.584 (147 OPS+) with 33 homers and 76 RBI's in just under 400 trips to the plate. He offers power of the bench and would likely be considered the front runner for a roster spot. In the first week of spring he was 4-for-6 with a double, homer, and three runs driven in. Sparks is 25 as well and was left unprotected by the Stars. He's a former 18th Round pick, but my scout is a huge fan of him. He doesn't have the best offensive numbers in the minors, but he's an excellent defender and could easily fill in at second or third. He's an interesting piece I might not want to let go of.

Slim Bloom is the best piece I don't have to worry about losing. He's our 6th best prospect right behind Vaughan and has at bats the past two September's. He's got a good glove and can handle all three positions well. The 25-year-old looks to be an average FABL shortstop, but he's forced to sit while Russ Combs starts in his position. He could function in sort of a Mack Deal role, giving the starters a day off a week. Another high ranked prospect is 2B John Banks, who we got in the Independent League draft. Banks is just 22 and has all his options so he's just here to get at bats as a little glimpse of the future for some fans. He ranks 8th in our system and in the top 200 in the league and is on the fast track to the majors. He fared well in A ball last season and I may give him a shot to start in AA if he can handle himself in camp.

The three (excluding Banks) before are likely the favorites for the bench spots. I have a handful of non-roster invitees with FABL experience on hand that could be added to the 40. Three (Sanders, Blackshear, Miller) also spent time with the Cougars last season. There is also one 40-Man player left, Tom Rogers, who was a rule-5 pick two seasons ago. He has versatility going for him with starts at first, third, and short.

And since college season started, I'll include a few stories on amateur players:

SP Howie Pike (Coastal California Dolphins): It was a rough freshman season Pike, who finished a mediocre 7-5 with a 5.04 ERA (103 ERA+), 1.30 WHIP, and 55 strikeouts in 100 innings pitched. He's a talented arm, so some of the struggles could be due to inexperience. It's just two starts this year, but he finally looks like the pitcher Coastal California thought they were getting. One of those two starts was an impressive 5-hit, 10 strikeout shutout of the Northern California Miners. Pike projects to have excellent control and should add a few miles on his cutter as he ages. He has the potential to start, but needs to polish either his change or circle change as a third option. He'll be eligible for next seasons draft, but is an arm who could shoot up draft boards.

SP Dick Higgins (Dickson Maroons): What's the best way to start your college career? How about a 9-strikeout and 4 hit shutout? That's exactly what Dickson hurler Dick Higgins did in his college debut. It wasn't just beginner's luck either, as he struck out 9 with 4 hits, 2 walks, and a run in 6 solid innings. "Pistol" is a groundball pitcher features a devastating changeup that makes up for his low 80s fastball. He very rarely uses his fastball, as his knockout pitch is a slider. He's a very interesting pitcher in that matter as he tends to stay away from the fastball. He could increase velocity as he continues in college, which could make him a potential first round selection in 1933.

SP Joe Stevens (Central Ohio Aviators): Coming off a strong sophomore season, Joe Stevens had a prime opportunity to boost his draft stock. He was 5-1 with a 3.09 ERA (163 ERA+), 1.18 WHIP, and 44 strikeouts in 67 innings pitched. And since he's teammate will all-world second basemen Freddie Jones, scouts will be at numerous Central Ohio games this season to watch a potential #1 overall pick. Stevens leads the rotation and pitched opening day, tossing a 3-hit, 9 strikeout shutout in a 5-0 Opening Day victory. The encore was just as good, just 4 hits and an unearned run in another complete game victory. He had a strong offseason, adding almost five miles to his already plus fastball. The new fastball has already proved to shown effective, and if he continues like this he'll work his way up draft boards.

Spring Training Review: The Outfield
 

Guaranteed Spots
John Dibblee
Vince York
Cy Bryant
Tom Taylor

40-Man Options
Dick Fessel
Bennie Rendon
Mike Smith
Mickey Crawford
Bob McCarty
Tom Thomas
Ed Rhoden

Non-Roster Invitees
Cal Day
Art Panko
Joe Davis
Hi Lawson
Ray Ross

The outfield will look much different then last year, but for nostalgia effect I'll likely give John Dibblee the Opening Day start in left. He won't play much this season, but I will give the living legend the occasional start in left or at first. The outfield left to right will be Vince York, Cy Bryant, Tom Taylor which is a brand new alignment. York is the only returning starter, spending most of last season in right while Dibblee was in left. Now, Taylor will reside out in right, moving York out to left. Former Wolve Cy Bryant will sit between them, replacing the Bob McCarty/George Jordan platoon that struggled last season.

McCarty is the favorite for the 4th outfielder job. Even with a rough 1930, he was an average hitter the year before and can manage center field. And despite being removed from the 40, Art Panko has the chance to grab a spot back. He didn't have many at bats last season, but it was another above average offensive season, the 8th in his nine year career. He's not much of a defender out in center anymore, but he's solid in the corners.

Some other 40-man options include youngsters Mike Smith, Tom Thomas, and Ed Rhoden. Thomas is the only of the trio who has not played in the majors, but all have option years. I can option McCarty as well, but guys like Panko or Rule-5 pick Bennie Rendon cannot be. Rhoden and Thomas have some prospect flair, ranked 10th and 15th respectively in our system.

We have a lot of options to fill likely just one outfield spot with Taylor, York, Bryant, and Dibblee all guaranteed a spot. I'm not too sure who I'm going to go with, but I need to make sure they can fill in at all three spots. Dibblee isn't much of a defender, so I definitely need some sort of defensive value here.