Trade News!
 

The roster churning continued, as we acquired a new infielder to eventually replace Clark Car on the active roster. That would be second basemen Charlie Woodbury, who has spent the past year and a half with the Kings before a six season career in Montreal. Brooklyn has seen 23-year-old Chuck Lewis (.300, 9, 43) emerge as the regular second basemen, so the 31-year-old Woodbury was moved to the bench. He's gotten limited at bats this year, but is hitting a respectable .243/.317/.459 (99 OPS+) with 4 doubles, 4 homers, and 10 RBIs. Even with George Sutterfield (.262, 6, 3) off to a decent start since his return to the majors, Woodbury gives us a reliable veteran and durable counterpart to Billy Hunter. Woodbury was selected to his second All-Star game last season, and finished the year with a strong .307/.359/.420 (115 OPS+) with 27 doubles, 11 homers, and 68 RBIs. His season line was similar to his .285/.341/.400 (111 OPS+) career mark, and the former 5th Rounder has tallied 172 doubles, 50 homers, and 373 RBIs in 853 games. He commands the zone well, walking (258) a little more often then he strikes out (246), and despite not being very fast, he was a pretty solid leadoff hitter. We'll now run with some combination of Woodbury, Sutterfield, and Hunter for second base, as we look to erase what's now an 11 game deficit. Progress!

The return for the Kings is a former 1st Round selection of theirs, Bob Schmelz, who is hitting .316/.391/.436 (117 OPS+) with a 130 WRC+ in Milwaukee. The 24-year-old has 18 doubles, 3 triples, and 30 RBIs with 27 walks and 32 runs scored. As good as he's hit, we didn't really have a spot for him, and I'm still trying to push in the chips for this season. Very few good players have been made available, but when they are, we still have plenty of bullets to fire!

Week 11: June 27th-July 3rd
 

Weekly Record: 2-3
Seasonal Record: 36-36 (4th, 11 GB)
Stars of the Week
Carlos Montes : 8 AB, 4 H, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .500 AVG, 1.556 OPS
Red Bond : 10 AB, 5 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .500 AVG, 1.143 OPS
Leo Mitchell : 12 AB, 5 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .417 AVG, .950 OPS

Schedule
6-28: Loss at Stars (5-10)
6-29: Loss at Stars (1-6)
7-1: Loss at Stars (1-4)
7-2: Win at Saints (6-1)
7-3; Win at Saints (4-2)

Recap
Just for fun, we let the Stars get back on track, as they absolutely crushed us in New York. Luckily, we pitched pretty well in Montreal, and escape with a series win. Despite the poor overall week, we actually gained half a game in the standings, as the Foresters two in June and two in July. Their lead remains double digits, an even ten on the same Saints we just beat. The only issue is I keep sabotaging us by accidentally set pitch counts on Pete Papenfus. He's thrown just 20 pitches in his last four games which has led to way too much Charlie Kelsey. Remarkably, he pitched well both times, just two earned runs in each "start". In total, he's thrown 13.1 innings with 12 hits, 6 walks, and 4 strikeouts. The issue was then Rusty Watts, who allowed 7 runs off 5 hits and 2 walks while getting just 2 batters out. Guess I should have brought Harry Parker up a week earlier, he's with the team now,

i guess this is all my fault! Yay!

So I'm taking a step back. Max Wilder will have more control over the team, and if he does well he can stick around as the manager. I haven't loved how he's managed the rotation, but I have continued to make mistakes this season so much can really be blamed on him. He's one of many staff members on the final year of their contract. I expect to retain most, if not all, of them, but we have to show some fight in the second half of the season. I don't care if we don't catch Cleveland, but teams two through six are all within a few games, and eight is the defending champs who just took two of three from the first place Foresters. We need to finish atop this group to consider this season a success, and coming close to our 85 wins from last season may be enough to get three lottery balls.

A few highlights on the week, with the first being another stellar Donnie Jones outing. He had things going against the Saints, holding them to just a single run. He allowed just nine hits and didn't walk a batter, while setting seven down on strikes. This brought him back above .500 to 8-7, and he now leads the team with a 3.01 ERA (135 ERA+) and 65 strikeouts. Him and Johnnie have both won eight games and Donnie will get one more start before the break. Leo Mitchell is back at it as well, going 5-for-12 with 2 runs, 3 walks, and 3 RBIs. He had an excellent June, batting .389/436/.639 (184 OPS+) with 3 homers and 7 RBIs. I remember when months like that were expected, and we'll continue to bat him against righties.

A few of our draftees signed, with the highlights being 1st Rounder Biff Tiner and 4th Rounder Dick Huston. Tiner checks in at 30th to start, one spot below our 3rd ranked prospect Garland Phelps, which is pretty good for the 13th Overall Pick. The guy I wanted hasn't signed yet, but I can't be too upset with the initial placement. He'll report to La Crosse and will man second on Opening Day. He'll be joined on the roster by Huston, who ranks just outside the top 100 at 112. That's actually 13th in the still top ranked system, as we have eleven prospects in the top 100. Some of our other guys will eventually join the top 500, but I think those two will be the highest.

Looking Ahead
Eight games before the All-Star break, including a double header hosting the Stars to begin the week. We'll play them again on Tuesday, and it looks like we're getting some order of Vern Hubbard (8-5, 3.45, 37), Jack Wood (7-7, 3.25, 52), and Richie Hughes (5-5, 3.24, 49). That's the middle part of the second best staff this season, as the only the Foresters (264) have allowed fewer runs then them (297). I'd expect them to be second in offense, and sixth in pitching, not the other-way around, but that's what has happened this year. Most of their bats haven't done too much, but Bill Barnett did hit his way back into the lineup. The 26-year-old has been Bill Barrett's (.327, 23, 63, 6) sidekick, slashing .283/.400/.500 (134 OPS+) with 8 doubles, 2 triples, 8 homers, and 25 RBIs. Among players with more then 35 PAs, Barnett's 148 is second only to William the Conqueror's 182. He faced us just once this week, but was 1-for-2 with a double and a pair of walks and runs. The power of him and the Stars is always tough for our staff, and I'm worried we're going to struggle in this series.

Our short homestand is then interrupted by two in Brooklyn, who may still have new Cougar Charlie Woodbury (.243, 4, 10) on the roster. With 23-year-old Chuck Lewis hitting .300/.348/.508 (119 OPS+) with 15 doubles, 6 triples, 9 homers, and 43 RBIs, Woodbury was expendable, and perhaps Bob Schmelz will replace him once the trade officially goes through. The Kings offense doesn't need a jolt, as Ralph Johnson (.337, 14, 53, 3) is making a Whitney case and will be selected to his third All-Star game this week. Since OOTP forces relievers into the All-Star game, he may not be joined by Kellogg candidate Joe Potts (8-5, 3.23, 46), who could continue the trend of Kings winners since former Cougar draftee Leo Hayden (6-7, 4.97, 52) became the first winner in 1946. I think we'll avoid him, but we may have to deal with strikeout machine Bob Arman (6-6, 4.28, 67). Those are their two best hurlers this season, but they've gotten five quality starts from Jake Roberts (3-2, 2.45, 11), who came over from the Gothams in the Buddy Long trade. With such a good offense impressive performances from young pitchers could turn the Kings into a real force in the 1950s.

The last three games of the second half will be against the Saints in Chicago, and I really hope we can end it on a high note in front of our fans. Montreal is the closest team to the Foresters, but are just two and a half games ahead the Wolves and Cannons who are tied for sixth. Wally Reif (3-8, 6.47, 42) has had an awful start to the season while Pat Weakly (3-4, 4.47, 25) hasn't quite looked himself since returning from his sprained elbow. Despite lackluster performances from key starters, they've been able to compete, as their offense has scored a ton of runs. Maurice Carter (.308, 15, 53) is on pace to edge Red Bond's (.250, 11, 34) team single season home run record and they have impressive depth in the lineup. Bob Jennings (.329, 5) has filled in well while Montreal native Joe Austin (.312, 3, 31, 22) used his versatility to earn an Opening Day roster spot before hitting (and stealing) his way into the lineup. Even though we did well against them in Parc Cartier, their power will be dangerous at Cougars Park. This is one of the toughest ways to end the first half, but if we can finish on a high note it could do well for our second half success.

Minor League Report
RF Jimmy Hairston (AAA Milwaukee Blues): I don't know how he didn't win Batter of the Month after hitting .357/.461/.607 (179 OPS+) with 8 doubles, 2 triples, 3 homers, 14 RBIs, and 16 walks in the month of June. That increased his season line to .303/.415/.512 (143 OPS+) with 11 doubles, 3 triples, 9 homers, and 37 RBIs. His next games will come in Chicago, as with the Hal Sharp trade finalized Hairston will join the big league roster. The first game will be his big league debut, as the currently ranked 100th prospect in FABL will get some starts in the coming weeks. A talented hitter, Hairston has an above average hit tool and Dixie thinks he could hit .330 with average power and a good eye. That makes for a very complete hitter, but his defense wasn't great in right (-5.8, .947) and that won't improve in the majors. Chubby Hall and Leo Mitchell will continue to get most of the at bats in the corners, but Hairston will have every chance to take them.

RHP Tommy Seymour (A Lincoln Legislators): He's lost a lot of his prospect shine, but former 1st Rounder Tommy Seymour has pitched well for the Legislators. His best start came this week, as despite not striking out any hitters, he walked two in a three hit shutout to improve to 5-4 on the season. The zero strikeout shutout came after nine in six innings, and he actually has 53 in 79 innings. Pair that with a 3.19 ERA (121 ERA+), 1.15 WHIP, and just 28 walks, and he's put together an outstanding first half. In the past Seymour has had decent numbers on the surface, but his 3.40 FIP (87 FIP-) and 1.9 K/BB are career bests. Now ranked 31st in our system and 230rd overall, he's started to regain some of the respect he once had as a first round pick. The soft tossing righty has yet to pitch above A-ball, but he's positioned himself well to an eventual callup this year. I'm still sorting through the system now, but as room is made for draftees, he'll have the chance to move up to Mobile.

RHP Lonnie Sis (B San Jose Cougars): Another guy who received a promotion, Lonnie Sis captured the COW Pitcher of the Month Award, going a perfect 5-0 with a 1.45 ERA (288 ERA+) and 1.07 WHIP. He struck out 29 and walked just 10 in 37.1 innings pitched, and the now 23-year-old (the 4th is his birthday!) is 9-1 in his 11 starts. He leads all pitchers in wins and ranks top five in the C-O-W in ERA (3rd, 1.92) and WHIP (5th, 1.19). "Sizzler" has started to make the most of his talent, and the former 5th Rounder is now able to showcase himself to the rest of the league. He's now Rule-5 eligible, and a strong showing in A ball could entice a team to give him a shot to make the club. His mid 90s cutter is what makes him special, but it's not that great of a pitch. Still, he's been able to consistently throw 100 pitches and he could eat a lot of innings when prompted. I'm excited to se how he responds to the upper level of the minors, and you can't count someone out when he works as hard as he does. You wouldn't know his dad was one of the most feared pitchers. Lonnie's just comfortable playing the game he loves day after day.

RHP Wally Eversole (B San Jose Cougars): After pitching strictly out of the pen down in La Crosse last season, Wally Eversole has gotten to start seven times this season. In the past three starts, he's allowed just one earned run. That came in the first one, where he allowed just 3 hits, a run, and 2 walks with 6 strikeouts. He followed that up with 2 hits, 3 walks, 5 strikeouts, and an unearned run in a seven win victory. The true master piece came on the first of July, where he threw 109 pitches in a 3-hit shutout. Eversole again struck out five with three walks, winning his fifth consecutive start. A 9th Rounder back in 1945, he's been excellent to start the season, working to a 2.52 ERA (166 ERA+) and 1.14 WHIP with 26 walks and 29 strikeouts. A four pitch pitcher, Wally sits in the low 90s and features a cutter and curve. He's had some struggle finding the zone, and his 12.7 BB% is actually a career high, so tougher hitters may be able to wear him down with repeated at bats. Working in his favor is his intelligence, as he's good at beating hitters and when he has issues he finds ways to correct them.

Week 12: July 4th-July 10th
 

Weekly Record: 6-2
Seasonal Record: 42-38 (2nd, 9 GB)
Stars of the Week
Sal Pestilli : 35 AB, 13 H, 3 HR, 7 RBI, .371 AVG, 1.063 OPS
Red Bond : 21 AB, 7 H, 3 HR, 8 RBI, .333 AVG, 1.243 OPS
Chubby Hall : 19 AB, 7 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .368 AVG, 1.045 OPS

Schedule
7-4: Win vs Stars (2-4)
7-4: Loss vs Stars (7-2)
7-5: Win vs Stars (7-13)
7-6: Loss at Kings (6-7): 14 innings
7-7: Win at Kings (3-2)
7-8: Win vs Saints (1-5)
7-9: Win vs Saints (2-11)
7-10: Win vs Saints (6-7)

Recap
Heh, look at that. A great way to end the first half!

If you told be when the season started, that at the all star break we'd be in second and single digit games out of first place, I would have been okay with that. What I would not have expected is that it came after winning eight of our last ten to sneak in to a ghastly nine game deficit as the Cleveland Foresters have had no issues staying atop the standings after their 22-6 June.

But nine games?

Let's see... If the Foresters go 36-36 they'll finish with 88 wins. If we go 47-25 we'll have 89. Call me crazy, but I think we can do that! And that's because we have Sal Pestilli.

The 8th Time All-Star is the only reason we've won any games this year, and he won his second Player of the Week this season by going 13-for-35 with a double, 2 steals, 3 homers, 7 runs, and 7 RBIs. He's now hitting an impressive .343/.396/.576 (156 OPS+) with 16 doubles, 7 triples, 15 homers, 12 steals, and 60 RBIs. He's been worth 4.5 WAR in 79 games, drawing 30 walks to 24 strikeouts. Sal will be joined by fellow 8-Time All-Star Skipper Schneider (.293, 3, 31, 3) and Donnie Jones (8-7, 3.10, 70), who shook off a rough start to the season to secure his third selection. I'd have to look back, but three is a low for us in some years for selection, and other then me sabotaging Pap (8-4, 2.99, 71) no one else really deserved consideration. The time off should do us well, and for some reason I just really think we're going to turn things around. Call it too much Shohei excitement if you'd like.

Red Bond has really turned things around this week, going 7-for-21 with 3 homers, 6 walks, 8 runs, and 8 RBIs. Bond's now hit 14 in 61 games, but his .258/.331/.480 (114 OPS+) season line is closer to his post-war years then his 1948. Another guy who struggled, Carlos Montes, has done well to keep his roster spot, going 3-for-9 with a homer, 2 runs, 3 walks, and 3 RBIs. He hit .353/.395/.471 (130 OPS+) in 38 June plate appearances and he's gone 4-for-12 with a pair of homers in July. Chubby Hall looked good again too, 7-for-19 with a homer, 4 runs, 5 RBIs, and 7 walks, Otto Christian homered as well, 3-for-10 with two runs scored and driven in. Jimmy Hairston had a nice debut week, going 2-for-7 with a run, two walks, and two RBIs. George Dawson was just 1-for-5, but the one was a big hit, a grand slam that saved his roster spot. Despite his age, he's actually hit a decent .265/.390/.382 (106 OPS+) and he's been good for the clubhouse. Still, with his age and more players coming, roster spots are going to be very tough to keep hold of. All of these guys did well to improve their odds, as big decisions were needed.

Pete Papenfus showed no signs of rust, throwing two near complete game wins this week. His defense made it impossible to complete the first game, as just two of his seven runs earned. The best part of that game was we had a 12-run 5th that made everything easier. Even with the extra batters, he allowed just 4 hits and 3 walks, and the fireballer struck out 6. He did go all nine in the 11-2 win, allowing just 6 hits, 2 runs, and 2 walks with 5 strikeouts. George Oddo won both his starts two, despite one of the wins not being a very good start. His first was excellent, 6 hits, 2 runs, and 2 walks with 7 strikeouts in a complete game win. He then came one out short against the Saints, but was charged with 12 hits, 6 runs, and 2 walks. Still, he struck out 6 before Harry MacRae got a one-pitch out, and at the midpoint Oddo has 55 Ks and a 1.8 K/BB in 97.1 innings pitched. Duke Bybee won his 8th game, and managed to lower his ERA to an adjusted league average 4.07 in 117.1 innings pitched. He went all nine, allowing 13 hits, 2 runs, and a walk with 3 strikeouts. Now all five of our starters have average or better ERA+, and despite the rough start we're back to third in runs against.

As expected, we no longer have the top system, as the Boston Minutemen now boast the #1 prospect Rick Masters as well as #5 Joe Kleman and #6 Yank Taylor. Unlike us (Allen is 7th and Smith 12th), most teams don't have two prospects above the Minutemen's 4th Ranked Marshall Thomas (13th). There's a little drop off after that, but I don't expect to catch them, as we're more likely to trade away then add on the prospect front. We still have a few guys who can place somewhere, but chances are 1st Rounder Biff Tiner (5th, 35th) will be our highest ranked member of the class. 4th Rounder Buster Clark (14th, 117th), 6th Rounder Lou Jackson (36th, 374th), and surprisingly 12th Rounder Pat Burnett (44th, 449th) rank in the top 500. We still have three of our first five picks unsigned and another three from the end of the human portion. I'm hoping our 2nd and 3rd rounders sign this coming week, and both should rank in the top half of the league's top 500.

Looking Ahead
Before diving into our battle with the Foresters after the break, we have a few roster moves to make. Charlie Woodbury and Billy Hunter will join the big league club, with Clark Car and Ray Ford being designated for assignment. Its the end of a long tenure for both players, but neither were originally drafted by the Cougars. I didn't have much time to cover Hal Sharp's trade, so instead of making this report even longer then it already is, sometime this weekend I can write a little farewell to these three guys. Cutting Ford really hurts, but he's not happy and both George Dawson (.265, 1, 6) and George Sutterfield (.256, 8, 4) have been far more productive both offensively and defensively. I expect both vets to clear, which means I will have the misfortune of releasing them both. Granted, Billy Hunter could get injured at any point, which would quickly open up a roster spot for one of them. I think the waiving is done, but I am still in the market for outside additions.

For better or worse, we do start the second half with the first place Foresters, so if we do what we do best, we could theoretically get within six games of first. Whether that happens or not is up for debate, and we'll have to score off their impressive top-3 of 1947 ERA champ Ollie White (8-6, 3.26, 70) and first time All-Stars Adrian Czerwinski (14-3, 2.78, 34) and John Jackson (10-3, 2.79, 52). One guy who may have deserved to join them is Lorenzo Samuels, who hit .317/.412/.560 (147 OPS+) with 16 doubles, 11 homers, and 50 RBIs. The former 3rd Rounder is set to break his career high of 348 PAs and has really given another first time All-Star Jim Adams Jr. (.346, 5, 39, 4) the support he needs in the lineup. They'll have a new left fielder, as former Cougar Luke Berry (.265, 2, 17) strained his oblique and will miss at least the next week. Likely replacements are Ivey Henley (.255, 3, 19 and Bill Sikorski (.295, 4, 24), who have both had success in this past. As things are, the Foresters will cruise to their first over .500 season of the decade, and with a pennant they would truly leave the 40s on a high note after years in the basement.

Our Sunday will be spent hosting the Cannons, who just traded "All-Star" catcher Adam Mullins to the Dynamos for three prospects. The 36-year-old missed a good chunk of the first half, but hit an impressive .330/.404/.440 (118 OPS+) with 4 doubles, 2 homers, and 20 RBIs. This is the second time the Dynamos General Manager has acquired Mullins, as he's the one who brought him to Cincinnati in a trade that helped bring the city it's first title. Paul Wilkerson (.244, 8) will return behind the plate, and it's possible more veterans will be leaving the 40-42 fifth place team. Once can assume Rufus Barrell (9-6, 3.01, 64) is off the table, and the injured Fred Galloway (.303, 2, 19, 3) may be close to that, but this Cannons team could look very different when the season ends. Attractive pieces include Chuck Adams (.278, 14, 55), Denny Andrews (.224, 2, 28), Jim Hensley (.241, 4, 36), and All-Star Mike Taylor (.326, 8, 37, 6) while teams could take a flier on Jim Anderson (8-5, 4.95, 56), Charlie Griffith (8-7, 4.36, 35), or Chris Clarke (4-8, 4.05, 42). Others have speculated that Charlie Rivera (.227, 5, 26, 4) would be a good fit for a first place Eagles team that just loss Bill Wise (.345, 24). Mullins could be the first of many or the lone move for the first season GM, but no matter what choice the Cannons make, the trade market has officially heated up.

A Fond Farewell to a Veteran Trio
 

Their ejections from the team may have been unceremonious, but for Ray Ford, Clark Car, and to a lesser extent, Hal Sharp, they made a key impact on some pretty good, even if ultimately unsuccessful, Cougar teams. The issue was, this team hasn't been living up to expectations, and these three haven't helped us at all. And, well, I'm too attached to guys like Pap, the Jones Brothers, and Leo Mitchell to do a full teardown. So spare parts it is!

Few players have had as interesting of a career as Ray Ford, who went from a 14th Round pick who was starting just two or so games a month, to a #1 prospect that either played for the Cougars or served his country for 14 long years. Acquired in a trad that was so minor it only got a blurb on the weekly report, Ray Ford was and is one of the hardest workers in the game, It all came together when he switched sides of the city, and he hit a productive .320/.400/.440 (121 OPS+) with 16 doubles, 4 homers, and 36 RBIs. He then spent one full season in the minors. Check out what he did:

A: 25 G, 116 PA, .407/.517/.549 (161 OPS+), 5 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 16 RBI, 20 BB, 2 K, 3 SB, 1.2 WAR
AA: 49 6, 229 PA, .382/.472/.634 (194 OPS+), 26 2B, 2 3B, 6 HR, 46 RBI, 34 BB, 7 K, 2 SB, 2.3 WAR
AAA: 64 G, 299 PA, .365/.458/.582 (160 OPS+), 16 2B, 3B, 12 HR, 63 RBI, 43 BB, 5 K, 2 SB, 2.7 WAR

Yeah, that's pretty darn impressive!

The reason Ford never got to Chicago is the team was very awful, and we had an old and bad Joe Masters (.224, 10, 54) before a young Leo Mitchell (.316, 4, 18) secured the first base spot. But after the season Ford put together, he was in the Opening Day lineup at first, pushing back to the minors and limiting him to a FABL low 31 games where he hit .310 with 9 doubles, a homer, 15 RBIs, and a 105 WRC+. Mitchell eventually moved to left, allowing the then 24-year-old to get plenty used to first base. The New York native hit .319/.371/.430 (112 OPS+) in 666 plate appearances, tallying 38 doubles, 7 triples, 5 homers, 92 runs, and 87 RBIs. He was most known for his keen eye, and even as a rookie posted a 52-to-16 walk-to-strikeout ratio. Other then this year, where he's even at 13, Ford never again struck out close to as often as he walked, as his 3.9 K% is well over have as small as his 8.7 BB%. In fact, in each of his first four seasons he never struck out in more then 2.5% of his at bats.

The 1936 Cougars were just as bad as the 1935 ones, but after graduating a lot of top prospects we were ready to compete in 1937. Ford helped the 83 win team bounce back over .500, hitting a career high 18 homers in 147 games. He slashed .290/.358/.452 (125 OPS+) with 32 doubles, 3 triples, 84 runs, and 57 walks. Ford continued to produce as we looked to break our pennant drought, and we finally broke through in 1941. Ford missed some time and got into what was then a career low 441 PAs, but still hit an above average .310/.359/.438 (120 OPS+) with 26 doubles, 7 homers, 54 RBIs, and a nice 33-to-9 walk-to-strikeout ratio. That also ended up being the most he'd ever make again, as injuries, the addition of Dick Walker, and his time in the Air Force always seemed to get in the way.

Despite all that, Ford posted a WRC+ above 105 in each of his first nine expectations, with six above 125. Last year's .257/.353/.361 (98 OPS+) line was the first year it went under, and he was down to just .252/.336/.350 (83 OPS+) in 36 games this year. As bad as that was, he is now 38 and Ford was still one of the most disciplined batters of his time. Among active batters with more then 2,500 PAs, he's one of just 40 have a K% below 5%. He'll end his Cougar tenure with a .301/.362/.437 (120 OPS+) line. His consistency is shown in the fact that his 124 WRC+ was within fifteen points in eight of his ten seasons. In 1,246 games he was worth exactly 22 wins above replacement while collecting 624 runs, 243 doubles, 95 homers, 620 RBIs, and 413 walks. It's a shame we could never win him a ring, but he wanted out and I wanted to give a chance to pursue an opportunity elsewhere.

--

Clark Car's arrival came with more fanfare, as we acquired him and a pair of picks from the Stars for our first round pick, which eventually became Chick McKnight. He was brought in to platoon with Freddie Jones (.333, 5, 39) in what became his best season as a Cougar. The same could not be said for Car but he was excellent in his first year in Chicago. The 28-year-old hit .291/.328/.440 (127 OPS+) with 23 doubles, 7 triples, 3 homers, 37 RBIs, and 8 steals in 331 trips to the plate. That earned him more serious consideration in 1943, where he earned his second All-Star nod in a breakout season. Car made 585 trips to the plate, one below his career high way back in 1937, and hit an impressive .283/.326/.445 (130 OPS+) with 29 doubles, 9 triples, 13 homers, 16 steals, 78 runs, and 58 RBIs. He was also worth a whopping 7.4 WAR, more then twice his previous career best. Unfortunately the Navy took Car for two years and he never got his chance to make a grand encore.

He did come back for the 1946 season, but the former 2nd Rounder was now 32 and already approaching the tail end of his career. He didn't hit nearly as well as during the '43 season, but .262/.294/.408 (102 OPS+) is just above average, and he was worth 3.4 WAR with good defense to go with 28 doubles, 11 triples, 7 homers, 52 RBIs, and 16 steals. Since then he hasn't come close to 526 PAs, as a hamstring strain the next season gave Car the worst season of his career. Sure, 7-for-10 was the best he ever did stealing bases, but he hit just .238/.289/.323 (73 OPS+) with 9 doubles, 5 triples, a homer, and 12 RBIs in 84 games. He did rebound last season, with a .270/.323/.428 (106 OPS+) line to go with 27 doubles, 14 triples, 3 homers, 16 steals, and 48 RBIs.

Now 35, the second basemen was at one point hitting .452/.485/.613 in Spring Training, but he's been nothing but awful since. In 47 regular season games, he's hit just .199/.224/.245 (25 OPS+) and the generally capable defender has been so bad that he's been worth less then a win below replacement (-1.3) which has to be one of our worsts in a very long time. He didn't do anything right, just 2-for-7 on steals, way more strikeouts (12) then walks (3), and just 6 extra base hits in 158 PAs. Now that Billy Hunter (.321, 4, 6) is healthy and Charlie Woodbury (.241, 4, 10) came over the Kings, there's no room for someone who's provided as little as Car. The only thing working in his favor is that he's likely to clear waivers, so if Billy Hunter gets injured quickly, he could step right back on to the major league roster. He probably wouldn't play much, as even George Sutterfield (.256, 8, 4) and George Dawson (.265, 1, 6) have held their own at the plate. In total, he hit .266/.307/.404 (104 OPS+) in 577 games as a Cougar, as he recorded 121 doubles, 41 triples, 27 homers, 212 RBIs, 287 runs, 123 walks, and 65 steals. OOTP doesn't split stats based on teams for fielding, but as a second basemen he owns a career 72.9 zone rating and 1.046 efficiency while his best season (1943, 21.9, 1.122) came in Chicago. These are impressive all-around numbers, and he will be missed if this truly is the end of his career.

--

In a week with little fanfare, Hal Sharp got off to a decent start in his return to the Fed, going 6-for-23 with a pair of doubles and four walks, runs, and RBIs. He's now lucky enough to get to hit with Adam Mullins (.330, 2, 20) as the #8 offense has gotten a whole lot better. Unless of course, Sharp is hitting .249/.326/.283 (63 OPS+) instead of the guy who hit .314/.374/.439 (128 OPS+) in 450 games as a Chicago Cougar. Now 35, Sharp was actually drafted by the Dynamos GM way back in 1931, where the Brooklyn Kings selected him in the 5th Round. Sharp spent his first few seasons with Brooklyn, but was involved in a big move that brought Joe Shaffner to Brooklyn for Sharp, Al Sears (retired), and current teammate Dixie Lee (3-4, 4.73, 20). This was a big trade for Brooklyn, as Shaffner was one of the key cogs in their Continental threepeat ('36-'38) which yielded their first FABL championship in 1937.

Sharp on the other hand, spent a few years in the minors, before debuting for the Pioneers at 23 in 1937. He did alright, hitting an average .301/.360/.404 (103 OPS+) with 17 doubles, 8 homers, and 50 RBIs. Despite that, he didn't hit in the '38 or '40 season, and until his big 1945 season, he only surpassed the 450 PA mark once. That came in 1941, where he started 110 of his 127 games and hit .302/.379/.404 (117 OPS+) with 23 doubles, 7 homers, and 52 RBIs. Fast forward to 1945, and a 31-year-old Sharp made his first All-Star appearance, and finished the season with a robust .341/.406/.458 (155 OPS+) with 18 doubles, 12 homers, and 84 RBIs. This made him a target of the Cougars, and despite spending most of his time at first base, I acquired him with the intention to play him in right field.

He was also brought in for offense, and that's exactly what he provided in his first three of four seasons as a Cougar. Sharp was again an All-Star in 1947, and put together three seasons with a WRC+ above 130, including a 147 and 145 where his average (.328, .329) and homers (16, 16) were basically identical. Unfortunately this season he just looked lost, and he got cranky and was often seen pouting on the sidelines. You can't really blame him considering he was hitting just .249/.326/.283 (63 OPS+), and he's never quite done anything like that before. I'm hoping the change of scenery will do him well, as the Dynamos are an interesting team to watch in a razor thin pennant race. If he can hit near his .307/.375/.416 (124 OPS+) career line, Dynamos fans are in for a real treat, as he should be able to more then make up for his lackadaisical outfield play.

Minor Update
 

Unfortunately, we are on hiatus again. At least through the week. Maybe longer. But hopefully not. For the time being, I've been working on a rather large offline project I might eventually report on. I love the early days of baseball, with all the crazyness around the game, but its not easy to do in OOTP. Well, I finally took the plunge with some extra OOTP time, and am finely tuning the universe. I've never gone as far as scheduling each game, but it has actually been a lot of fun. It's a long-term project I hope I can invest in, but considering in the first two days I've done it, I've stayed up 2-3+ hours later then normal, I think I'm hooked! If I can get it fleshed out enough, I may start to post on the boards. Should be fun!

It's not quite the Cougars, although nothing really can be, but if we are reaching the end, there could be something fresh and exciting coming!

Quick Update
 

Still on hiatus, but will be back come January. Posts should return on the 2nd. The only good thing about the time off is I accidentally destroyed my keyboard by spilling water on it, so if there's a time for something like that, its for when I can't write about the Cougars! Now I got an external keyboard that claims to be water resistant, and I have some time to get used to it. I might do a post or two before the return, but with the holiday season and my new solo project I've kept myself busy!

I'd say this is a good time to read old TWIFB posts as its truly remarkable what the league has banded together to for twenty in-game seasons to provide, in my unbiased opinion, one of the best collections of multi-sport reporting ever. It's certainly worth checking out!

Week 13: July 11th-July 17th
 

Weekly Record: 4-1
Seasonal Record: 46-39 (2nd, 7 GB)
Stars of the Week
Donnie Jones : 2 Wins, 11.0 IP, 2 BB, 5 K, 0.82 ERA
Leo Mitchell : 16 AB, 7 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .438 AVG, 1.125 OPS
Sal Pestilli : 25 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .360 AVG, .767 OPS

Schedule
7-14: Win vs Foresters (1-13)
7-15: Loss vs Foresters (7-2)
7-16: Win vs Foresters (5-9)
7-17: Win vs Cannons (7-15)
7-17: Win vs Cannons (1-4)

Recap
Boy is it great to be back! Even though it feels like a year since we last got some Cougar baseball, the Cougs showed so signs of rust, and put an absolute beat down on the first place Foresters before sweeping the double header against the now Adam Mullins-less Cannons. After treading water most of the season, we've now won ten of our last thirteen and have cut the previous double digit game deficit to just 7 as we approach the trade deadline. I'm not expecting any big moves for us, as our guys finally hitting their groove may be all it takes to get back into it. Love when optimism is high!

Speaking of things I love, Leo Mitchell seems to have found the fountain of youth, going 7-for-16 with a double, homer, and 5 RBIs to up his season line to .280/.357/.453 (114 OPS+) with 7 homers in just 168 plate appearances. Don't forget, he had just 4 in 570 last season! He hit an impressive .389/.436/.639 (183 OPS+) in June, about half-and-half with starting and coming off the bench, and in 12 July games (11 starts) he's slashed a respectable .273/.418/.409 (121 OPS+). The 36-year-old if looking like his old self again, and I could not be happier to see his little resurgence. He was one of many hitters, especially part-timers, to find success against the pitching staffs from Ohio, as every Cougar position player had a weekly OPS+ above 100! Another veteran Charlie Woodbury had an impressive debut week. The bat first second basemen went 3-for-9 with a homer, 3 runs, and 4 RBIs. Young slugger Otto Christian hit his 7th homer, going 3-for-7 with four driven in. Carlos Montes continued his improved play, 4-for-10 with a double, 2 walks, 6 runs, and 3 RBIs. George Sutterfield was 4-for-11 with a double, steal, 2 walks, 4 runs, and 2 RBIs. Billy Hunter was 5-for-12 with a steal, 4 runs, and an RBI. Jimmy Hairston was 3-for-8 with 2 runs and 3 RBIs. And even Eddie Howard, who just made one start, was 3-for-4 with a double and 3 RBIs.

The stars may have been overshadowed, but that's not to say they didn't pull their weight. Red Bond has continued to stay hot, going 3-for-11 with a double, homer, 4 runs, and 4 RBIs with a pair of walks. Walt Pack was 4-for-12 with a double, walk, RBI, and 2 runs scored. Skipper went 6-for-18 with 2 doubles, 2 runs, 3 walks, and 5 RBIs. Sal Pestilli was 8-for-21 with a steal, 2 RBIs, and 6 runs. I'll be honest, with a 4-1 week where we outscored our opponents 43-21, I would have thought these four were the main culprits, but for once, Super Sal didn't have to do it all himself! The offense is finally starting to come together, and with a 12-4 July we're starting to get right back into it!

The pitching wasn't great, as three of our pitchers allow five or more runs. In Pete Papenfus' defense, only two of the seven runs he allowed were earned, although he was the only pitcher to receive a loss. Even if the four errors were erased, we would have needed at least a tenth inning to determine a victor, one of those errors came from the fireballer himself. Excluding the two innings he allowed runs, he was almost perfect, finishing 8.2 innings with 7 hits, 4 walks, and 4 strikeouts. Johnnie Jones was awful, allowing 10 hits, 7 runs, and 6 walks with 3 strikeouts in 7.2 innings, but he was gifted 15 runs in our game one win over the Cannons. Duke Bybee continues to win games without pitching very well, allowing 8 hits, 5 runs, and 2 walks with 2 strikeouts in just 6.1 innings. Despite a 4.22 ERA (96 ERA+), which I guess looks a bit worse then it really is, he is 9-6 -- which is the best record in the rotation.

Donnie Jones had the best start, allowing just 3 hits, a run, and 2 walks with 2 strikeouts in a complete game victory. This improved him to 9-7 on the season as he lowered his ERA to 2.97 (137 ERA+), just a few points higher then Pap, despite seeing his ERA as high as 5.10 in mid-May. After starting the season 0-4 in his first 10 starts, George Oddo picked up his third victory in as many starts, going 8 with 8 hits, an unearned run, 4 walks, and 3 strikeouts. Harry MacRae picked up the save, allowing 2 hits with a strikeout in a scoreless ninth. He also picked up a hold when Johnnie Jones got in trouble, as after a Joe Burns (.316, 1, 42, 10) pinch-hit two-run single he got the recently recalled Nellie Walters (.357, 1) to fly out to Leo Mitchell in left. At the time, we held a slim 8-7 lead, but we battered veteran Butch Smith (4-2, 3, 7.31, 15) in the bottom half of the eighth for 7 runs, allowing Harry Parker to work a perfect and stress-free eight pitch ninth to end the game. Our other two relievers got work in too, as Charlie Kelsey needed two pitches for the last out of Pete Papenfus' start, and Jim Kenny recorded the last eight outs (3 H, K) of Duke Bybee's outing. I can't remember the last time all four members of our pen not only pitched, but didn't allow any runs, as quite literally everything worked out for us in the return to play.

I should also mention the All-Star game, as the Continental Association won 4-3 and our very own Donnie Jones was named the games winner. He allowed just one hit and struck out three in two scoreless innings. He became the third Cougar to earn the victory in the Mid-Summer classic, as current teammate Pete Papenfus won in 1941 and former teammate, the ageless wonder Dick Lyons, won two years later. Lyons was 43 (!!) at the time, and finished that season 11-11 with a 2.65 ERA (123 ERA+) and 1.08 WHIP, which would easily be CA bests this season. Sal Pestilli went 1-for-4 with a strikeout while Skipper was 1-for-3 with a walk, a run scored, and an error. They led off the CA lineup and both left in the 8th after being pinch hit for by Joe Scott (.288, 10, 45) and former Cougar 1st Rounder Hal Wood (.340, 3, 48) respectively. Its the fourth consecutive win for our association, which now holds the All-Time lead 9-8.

Lastly, we got some more draftees signing, as we welcomed 2nd Rounder Wilson McKinney, 5th Rounder Freddie Hutchison, and 13th Rounder Bill Hardaway. Not surprisingly (Hutchison looks like a mistake already but I needed a college shortstop), McKinney is the only one who cracked the top prospect list, checking in at 16th in the system and 143rd overall. I'm still waiting for 3rd Rounder Fred Crawford to sign, as he's the only player selected in the first seven rounds yet to sign. We have just over a month left to sign players, so expect the later round guys to trickle in as we get closer to the deadline. The Lions have finished two weeks so far, and I want at least one more week for the incumbents to try to separate themselves before I have to make major cuts. The AI class feels weak, so we may have a large number of guys not signing this year.

Looking Ahead
One more with the Cannons, who are now 41-46 and 13 games out of first place after dropping four of their first five contests in the second half. They are expected to go with Charlie Griffith (8-8, 4.12, 39) for the finale, who has been given the tough task of having to face All-Star winner Donnie Jones (9-7, 2.97, 72), who is in the middle of an impressive near two month run where he's won six of his eight decisions. The Cannons now have a hole in their lineup and behind the plate, with plenty of options to fill that spot. Currently Paul Wilkerson (.246, 9) is the only catcher on the active roster, but they have both Enos Shank (.231, 7) shank and Dan Scurlock, who are in AAA and on the 40-man roster. Neither are highly regarded prospects (OOTP 24 doesn't seem to like catchers), but both are decently developed stopgaps who can eat up at bats in a transition season. They could welcome back Fred Galloway (.303, 2, 19, 3), who missed about a month with an oblique strain, which could push Joe Scott (.316, 1, 42, 10) back to right and Sam Brown (.256, 12) on the bench. Still, with the way we are looking and the clear pitching advantage, I'd be quite shocked if we lost this game.

Next up on the docket is three with the last place Sailors, who are a much better 8-8 in July and just 5.5 games behind our next guests, the Toronto Wolves. Still, 33-51 is probably the opposite record many would have expected for the back-to-back Continental Association champs (surprisingly 51-33 is still shy of the Foresters...), and their percentage chances of returning to the postseason probably have more zeros then non-zeros. But you have to respect this team that usually finds ways to win, and always develops talented players. The next one in a very long line is 25-year-old All-Star Joe Scott, who has hit .288/.396/.446 (116 OPS+) with 9 doubles, 10 homers, 51 walks, and 45 RBIs. On the surface, ten homers doesn't seem all that impressive (we have two guys with 15!), but no other Sailor has more then five homers and Sailors Memorial Stadium is the toughest park for left handed hitters to leave the yard. He's been one of the few bright spots in the 8th ranked lineup in terms of scoring, with one of the only guys helping him being the perennial batting title champ Ed Reyes (.369, 5, 38), who is more then twenty points clear of the field. The pitching hasn't been great, as Win Lewis (3-11, 4.83, 44) and Al Duster (5-7, 4.87, 43) continue to struggle, with Charlie Gordon (6-8, 3.61, 45) the only rotation member with an ERA below 4. Everything points towards a Cougars series win, but we all know how this game goes!

For the first time in nearly twelve years, we'll be facing a Toronto Wolves team that is not employing longtime shortstop Charlie Artuso (.240, 5, 37), who ranks top five in Wolves history in WAR (5th, 57.4), games (2nd, 1,697), at bats (2nd, 6,512), runs (3rd, 843), hits (3rd, 1,666), doubles (4th, 331), homers (5th, 63), RBIs (3rd, 695), and walks (3rd, 677). Whoever replaces him will have big shoes to fill, and right now the only options on the major league roster are second basemen John Fast (.281, 3, 16), a "natural" shortstop with a -6.2 zone rating and .796 efficiency at short in 23 games, and Harry Finney (.179, 1), who hasn't hit or fielded well in limited play. In the minors there's former 24th Rounder Frank Frady (.115, 3), who has appeared in parts of four seasons for Toronto, and is a member of the 40-man roster, and the light hitting, not-very-great defender Jim Owens, who at 27 has yet to have his contract selected. With little depth here, this could open the door for Joe DeMott (.222, 1), who came from Chicago in the Artuso trade and needs to be placed on the Wolves extended roster. Regardless of who they pick, the replacement won't be able to match Artuso's reliable and impressive defense, but they could find an offensive upgrade to finish the year out. No sign from the front office that a tear down is in order, but I have to imagine Hal Wood (.340, 3, 48), who just picked up his 1,000th hit, and Chink Stickels (.242, 2, 20) will get some interest from rival teams, while rotation members George Garrison (7-6, 3.23, 75), Joe Hancock (6-6, 3.82, 39), and Jim Morrison (9-4, 3.44, 45) may appeal to a pitching needy team like the Gothams. Any trade made wouldn't impact this series, but I'd wager the next time they come to town, the roster will look a little different. We really need to take advantage of this series, and we're oh so lucky to face the three worst teams at home in our first full week back. This series does end our homestand, and I'm really hoping we'll be within five games of the Foresters when its all finished. Especially with them on the road against the Kings (41-45), Saints (43-43, and Stars (47-41). We're now at the point where we can't afford a bad week, and will need to win more then we lose each time out.

Minor League Report
3B Al Clement (AAA Milwaukee Blues): One of our most productive hitters in the farm this season, former 2nd Rounder Al Clement took home another Player of the Week, going 11-for-23 with 3 doubles, 2 triples, a homer, 2 walks, 4 runs, and 4 RBIs. This has upped his season line to an impressive .291/.384/.502 (130 OPS+), a far cry from the .248/.322/.292 (61 OPS+) he posted in 46 games with the Blues last year. He's played a brilliant all-around game at the plate, adding 15 doubles, 7 triples, 9 homers, and 36 RBIs with more walks (40) then strikeouts (36), and is on pace for nearly 4 WAR in 126 games. Now 24, Clement has really turned the corner, and seems destined for his major league debut this September. He's set himself up well for an audition for a bench spot, even in a very crowded infield pitcher. His remaining option year may work against him, but that level of offense is hard to ignore. He doesn't have the lofty upside he once had, but Clement looks like a decent bat first utility infielder who could hit his way into a starting spot. I don't think that's with us, but if injuries become an issue, he could force his way into our future plans.

1B Cal Rice (AA Mobile Commodores): I totally forgot that I promoted Cal Rice to AA before the hiatus, but he quickly reminded me that not only did it happen, but it was clearly the place he should be. The 21-year-old hit a whopping .556/.636/.944 (310 OPS+) with a double, 2 homers, 5 RBIs, 3 runs, and 4 walks. This five game sample netted him 0.7 WAR, just two tenths shy of what he was worth in 75 games with the Legislators before the promotion. The 21-year-old currently ranks within the top 20 prospects in our system, listed 15th between recently drafted pitchers Buster Clark and Wilson McKinney, while securing the 140th spot in the league wide rankings. He's also our highest ranked first basemen prospect, and the former 10th Rounder has really come into his own the last few years. Rice lacks the power most first basemen prospects have, but he has eight homers between the two levels and is two away from his previous season high of ten back in 1946 with the Lions. But with a solid, 6'3'' frame, Dixie Marsh expects him to eventually unlock the power, while complimenting his plate discipline. Rice has struck out more then he walked at each stop so far, but he should end up having similar totals for both. With Red Bond entrenched at first, there's no rush to get Cal up quickly, which should allow him time to build up strength and hone in on his approach at the plate. He's far from a star, but he has the tools to be an average big leaguer, and although first base is a deep position, he has the chance to carve out a solid career for himself.

I look forward to this as well as the continual saga that is the Cougars!

Week 14: July 18th-July 24th
 

Weekly Record: 4-3
Seasonal Record: 50-42 (t-2nd, 6.5 GB)
Stars of the Week
Leo Mitchell : 24 AB, 10 H, 2 HR, 4 RBI, .417 AVG, 1.128 OPS
Skipper Schneider : 22 AB, 8 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .364 AVG, .917 OPS
Harry MacRae : 1 Win, 1 Saves, 3.0 IP, 1 BB, 2 K, 3.00 ERA

Schedule
7-18: Loss vs Cannons (7-0)
7-19: Win vs Sailors (0-2)
7-20: Win vs Sailors (4-8)
7-21: Loss vs Sailors (8-7)
7-22: Loss vs Wolves (6-1)
7-23: Win vs Wolves (4-6)
7-24: Loss vs Wolves (4-2)

Recap
Leo Mitchell! I think he's back!

Previously assumed to be washed up, I think our crafty veteran finally caved, and hit up old friend Dick Lyons for his patented secret sauce, allowing the twice robbed Whitney Winner a second wind. Mitchell hit two more homers, going 10-for-24 with 2 walks, 5 runs, and 4 RBIs. That's now 9 homers in less then 200 plate appearances, and his .299/.371/.483 (126 OPS+) batting line is almost back to the consistent 130ish WRC+ type production he's used to. His .483 slugging would be a career high, and he's now surpassed 1 WAR for the first time since his 4.5 in 1946 where he was an All-Star an Whitney runner up. When he plays this well, it makes it so much easier to ignore all the other stupid things that happened this week, and while obviously I want to win games, a Mitchell resurgence brings plenty of joy!

I was pretty wrong about this week, as Charlie Griffith (9-9, 3.76, 45) shut us out (he has allowed just two runs in his last 26 innings!), we had little issue with Philly, and struggled mightily with the Wolves. With all that, we managed to shave a half game off the Foresters lead, now tied with the Stars for second. We're now at the deadline, one that's likely to be quiet, which may work in our favor. The talent is there to contend, and as guys are starting to heat up, we're starting to win more games. Sure, we still can't win if they're decided by a single run (12-14) or those that need more then nine innings (3-7), but if we can put together a nice road trip, things will really start to improve!

The pitching needs to improve, as this week was less then ideal, but one thing that has improved is George Oddo's luck. He's now won four straight starts, throwing 8 solid innings with 6 hits, 4 runs, 4 walks, and 7 strikeouts. He did allow 3 homers, which brings some cause for concern, but the 26-year-old has done almost everything else right. He has a 3.65 ERA (111 ERA+) and 1.31 WHIP with 65 strikeouts and 38 walks, continuing to solidify himself as FABL's best fifth starter. It's still mind-boggling to me that even with my best efforts, I could not find a taker for the former top 25 prospect. But now with 60 starts under his belt and a 3.28 ERA (116 ERA+) and 1.21 WHIP with 260 strikeouts, he's established himself as a reliable, high strikeout starter who may still have some growth in him. Duke Bybee continues to win while not quite dominating, allowing 10 hits, 4 runs, and 3 walks with 3 strikeouts in 8.1 innings. Like Oddo, he allowed three more longballs, and with 18 in 132 innings this year he already matched his total in 261.2 innings last year. I don't quite understand why he's been so susceptible, and its no surprise his ERA is up a point and a half from last year, but it's hard to be mad at the 10-6 guy while we're 11-7 in his starts. So keep doing what you're doing, I guess?

Peter the Heater was brilliant against the Sailors, allowing just 5 hits and 2 walks with 3 strikeouts in a complete game shutout. The Wolves had more success on him, as while he still went all nine, it came with 4 hits, 4 runs, 4 walks, and 5 strikeouts. Just one homer, not four, but his 2.82 ERA and 145 ERA+ are both the second best of his career, trailing just his absurd 1946 Allen year where he captured his first of hopefully many triple crowns. If we could give him some run support, he'd have a chance this season, as he leads in ERA and is three shy (83 to 86) of Bob Arman for the strikeout lead. I doubt he catches Adrian Czerwinski (15-4, 2.90, 42) for wins, as he has just 9, but he's building a case to capture his third Allen Award despite being snubbed for the All-Star game. Fellow two start starter and All-Star winner Donnie Jones didn't have nearly as much success, dropping both his starts after allowing 16 hits, 12 runs (11 earned), and 5 walks with 10 strikeouts in 12.1 innings pitched. This allowed Donnie to take the team ERA lead, as his rose to 3.37 (121 ERA+) while his record evened at 9-9. Johnnie struggled too, allowing 10 hits, 6 runs, and 6 walks in 7 innings. He did strike out 9, so that's fun, but he's now allowed two or more homers in three of his last five starts. That accounts for 7 of his 11 homers so far, and for some reason "The Patron Saint of Groundballs" is now a "Neutral" pitcher. He's hit a rough patch, allowing 6 or more runs in four of his last five starts, seeing his ERA jump from 3.28 to 4.03.

The pen got plenty of work once again, and while everyone pitched, it wasn't all scoreless. Charlie Kelsey was one of the two charged with a run, but it was just a single run in 4.2 innings. He allowed just 2 hits with 2 strikeouts, and didn't walk a single hitter. Harry MacRae allowed the other, but it didn't stop him from picking up a save and win. He allowed 4 hits and a walk with 2 strikeouts. Harry Parker had another perfect inning, striking out one in the 9th inning of our 6-1 loss to the Wolves. Jim Kenny finished off Duke Bybee's win, retiring both hitters he faced. The pen has started to improve, and it's nice to see these guys pitch well as the season continues.

Aside from Mitchell, we didn't do much hitting, but Skipper Schneider had another nice week in a season filled with impressive offense. The tenth year vet went 8-for-22 with a double, triple, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 2 RBIs as he upped his season line back to .300. Red Bond hit his now team high 16th homer, going 6-for-22 with 3 runs, 4 walks, and 4 RBIs. Charlie Woodbury and Eddie Howard both started just one game, but Woodbury was 1-for-4 with a walk and solo homer while Howard was 1-for-3 with a walk and RBI. After last weeks offensive explosion, I should have expected a little decline, but again we won more then we lost, and we're approaching ever closer to the top of the standings.

A few transactional moves, as 9th Rounder Luke Wright and 3rd Rounder Fred Crawford both signed. As expected, Wright was unranked, but Crawford was a little lower then I thought. Not that 22nd and 189th is bad for a 3rd Rounder, but I was a bit shocked he was lower then Clark and McKinney. Still, it's hard to complain about our top four picks all ranking in the top 200, but we've been a little spoiled lately with our draft classes. That hasn't stopped our system being ranked second, trialing just the Minutemen and their three top ten prospects. Frank Falcao could adjust the numbers, but right now we're sitting at 11 top 100 prospects, 31 top 250 prospects (which may be a best for us), and 49 in the top 500. Lastly, both Ray Ford and Clark Car cleared waivers, and since neither wanted to go to the minors, I had to cut both. Car may come back on a minor league deal, but Ford's time in the organization is likely over.

Looking Ahead
Off to start the week, as we'll head to Cincinnati for three with the Cannons. They're off as well, allowing a chance to reconfigure their rotation, making it likely that we're stuck facing their top three. Rufus Barrell (9-8, 3.13, 73), Jim Anderson (9-6, 4.70, 61), and Charlie Griffith (9-9, 3.76, 45) is the best they have to offer, and it could be difficult to score runs off Barrell and Griffith. They could bring back Fred Galloway (.303, 2, 19, 3) from his rehab assignment, while Enos Shank (.227, 8) was called up to backup Paul Wilkerson (.242, 9) behind the plate. No more new moves yet, but the Cannons did manage to salvage the finale in Chicago, and I'm sure they'll be more motivated to win on their home ground.

Revenge may then work out in our favor, as we'll be in Toronto for three with the Wolves to finish the week. Toronto is a game better then the Cannons, now 45-49, and they've decided to move former first rounder John Fast (.272, 4, 18) to short, opting for the offensive upgrade while Frank Frady (.200, 5) came up from AAA Buffalo. Like with the Cannons, no more major moves were made, and I think we're stuck facing George Garrison (7-7, 3.30, 82) and Joe Hancock (8-6, 3.66, 43), with a high likelihood of Jim Morrison (10-4, 3.30, 50) going in the finale. While lucky last week, it seems like we're always stuck facing a teams top three, which has made winning consistently extremely difficult. Despite the advantages on paper, I'm far more nervous then I was yesterday, and we may struggle to support our staff which should be able to stop the 6th and 7th ranked offenses.

Minor League Report
CF Jerry Smith (A Lincoln Legislators): Whether he won Player of the Week or not, I would have covered former 5th Pick Jerry Smith, as since his promotion to Lincoln he's been extraordinary. This week was on another level, as the 14th ranked prospect slashed .583/.615/.958 (324 OPS+) with 6 doubles, a homer, 7 runs, and 9 RBIs. Through 17 games he's now hitting a robust .429/.500/.661 (214 OPS+) and I'm seriously considering promoting the 20-year-old to AA. If it wasn't for a logjam, I probably would, but Smith has been doing everything right so far. He's got 9 extra base hits, one more walk (8) then strikeout, and 23 runs scored and driven in. If there's one knock, it's the defense, as his -1.5 zone rating and .928 efficiency is a lot lower then the 3.5 and 1.033 in 407 innings in center with San Jose. One of the most gifted offensive prospects we've had, Smith could be a legitimate five tool player, and assuming the defense is just a small sample thing, there really is no weakness in his game. He's fast, hits the ball hard, and gives good at bats, and has superstar written all over him. We already got one of those in the majors now, and if Smith reaches his lofty potential, we could have the best "baton pass" of center fielders when he eventually replaces Pestilli. I'm going to give him plenty of time to reach his potential, but Smith has a chance to be our first legit homegrown star on the position player side since maybe John Dibblee. Big shoes to fill!

Cougars in the GWL
RHP Ira Hawker (Dallas Centurions): I'm not sure how much longer the GWL will last, but I think it's fair to say that Ira Hawker will go down as the best pitcher. The 30-year-old converted outfielder is in an insane stretch of starts, allowing just one run in his last three starts. This includes what should have been a shutout, as Hawker went all nine with just 3 hits and 7 strikeouts, but the Centurions could not spot him a single run. Neither Dallas or Houston scored until the 15th -- when Hawker was long gone -- and since both scored, it took until the 18th before the Bulls finally pulled ahead 2-1. No run support is common for Hawker, who got just a single in each of the three strong starts, but since this time the run came in regulation, he was able to throw a 3-hit shutout. Hawker struck out 5 and walked 2, improving to 10-6 in his 19 starts. The back-to-back win leader and reigning ERA leader now owns an impressive 2.71 ERA (152 ERA+) and 1.13 WHIP this season, and in 115 GWL starts he's 65-39 with a 2.80 ERA (123 ERA+), 1.20 WHIP, and 413 strikeouts. Unfortunately since the GWL was a minor league before it became major, records are mixed, but Hawker's 2.80 ERA is still best for any GWL player ever. I'd assume he's one of, if not the top, in wins, and his dominance has allowed him to sit atop the young league.

Week 15: July 25th-July 31st
 

Weekly Record: 5-1
Seasonal Record: 55-43 (2nd, 6 GB)
Stars of the Week
Skipper Schneider : 20 AB, 10 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .500 AVG, 1.292 OPS
Johnnie Jones : 1 Win, 9.0 IP, 3 BB, 2 K, 0.00 ERA
Walt Pack : 17 AB, 6 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .353 AVG, .801 OPS

Schedule
7-26: Win at Cannons (3-2)
7-27: Win at Cannons (4-0)
7-28: Win at Cannons (6-3)
7-29: Win at Wolves (3-1)
7-30: Win at Wolves (8-3)
7-31: Loss at Wolves (0-4)

Recap
Things are getting spicy!

Now generally a 5-1 week helps you make up a lot of ground, but since the Foresters were almost as good, we only made up half a game. That doesn't phase we won bit, as we swept the Cannons, got revenge on the Wolves, and finished July 21-8 to push us to 12 games above .500. We need to make up six games in the final two months, something that I really think we can do. The deadline came and went without any moves, which I think is a benefit for us. None of our competitors improved, and since we're finally catching our stride, things are starting to look up for this previously underwhelming squad!

George Oddo finished July a perfect 5-0, but the last start was very uncharacteristic. Instead of striking out twice as many guys as he walked, he walked 5 while striking out just 2, but he excelled at preventing runs. Just 1 in 8 with 4 hits, ending an excellent month with a 2.81 ERA (146 ERA+) and 1.25 WHIP -- nearly identical to the 2.86 (143 ERA+) and 1.24 he posted in a decision-less June. The 5 walks was a season high, and dropped him a few hundredths behind Rufus Barrell (9-9, 3.18, 75), who walked 3 and struck out 2 in Johnnie Jones' 4-hut shutout (3 BB, 2 K), for the CA lead in K/BB. Oddo's 13.1 K% is a point and a half higher the Rufus, but Oddo's 8.4 BB% is a full percent higher. With the hot stretch, Oddo has actually passed Johnnie Jones in Dixie Marsh's eyes, and he's finishing up a new scouting report on the 26-year-old.

Duke Bybee was the two start starter this week, out-dueling Jim Anderson (9-8, 4.76, 71) in Cincinnati before falling victim to Jim Morrison's 2-hit shutout. In Cincy, Bybee went all nine, allowing 7 hits, 2 runs, and 2 walks with 3 strikeouts. And despite allowing 4 runs in Toronto, he pitched arguably better, with 6 hits, 3 walks, and 6 strikeouts in 8 innings. The best part was no homers, as for the first time all season he went back-to-back starts without allowing a longball. Pap and Donnie both allowed homers, but it didn't prevent either from winning, with both securing their 10th win. Pap went all nine, striking out 3 while allowing 8 hits and 3 runs (2 earned) without allowing a walk. Discounting the four stupid pitch count starts, he hasn't had a walk-less start, and his 86 strikeouts are now third in the association while his now 2.77 ERA (148 ERA+) still leads all qualified pitchers in our association. Donnie went just 8, leaving with 10 hits, 3 runs, 5 walks, and 3 strikeouts. While not nearly as bad as his last two starts, he hasn't quite looked the same after a dominant showing in our 13-1 win over the Foresters to start the second half, and he needed 142 pitches to complete the eight innings. Harry MacRae finished things off, striking out one in a perfect ninth. He also finished off Oddo's start, allowing 2 hits and a walk in a scoreless frame. His 12 saves puts him in a tie for 2nd in the CA with David Molina (6-7, 12, 3.65, 40) and one off of Foresters veteran Walt Hill (5-4, 13, 2.98, 16). It's nice seeing MacRae recover from a rough June, he's actually two saves away from a tie for the 9th most for a Cougar in a season. We haven't really had a true stopper since pioneer Bill Mendine (75-64, 137, 2.98, 531), who has more saves then the next two Cougars (Chick Meehan, 57; Ben Curtin, 52) combined. MacRae's 23 actually ranks 7th, and he's yet to throw his 100th career inning!

At the plate, Red Bond capped off an impressive July with two more homers, giving him a team high 18 on the season. This is good enough for fourth in the association, behind the guy who replaced him in Montreal and former Santa Clara Stallion, "Big Moe" Carter (.305, 19, 71). Bond finished his 22 July games with a stellar .308/.429/.550 (169 OPS+) triple slash, adding 7 homers, 20 RBIs, and 18 walks. He struck out just 8 times, and now has one more walk (31) then strikeout (30). The 36-year-old slugger has never come close to that in a full season, and if he keeps his K% around 9.6, it will be the first full season he struck out in less then ten percent of his at bats. Due to his slow start, he's hitting .257/.333/.486 (116 OPS+), but his surge has been instrumental to our hot stretch. Same goes for Skipper, who hit a Player of the Week worthy .500/.542/.750 (241 OPS+) with 3 doubles, a triple, 2 RBIs, 3 walks, and 5 runs scored. Unlike most of the team, he's been as consistent as it gets, and he's hitting .311/.381/.431 (116 OPS+) while appearing in all 98 of our games so far. His 124 WRC+ would be a career best, he's approaching his seventh consecutive 5+ WAR season, and is on track to surpass 6.5 (7.5) for the seventh time in eight seasons. With him and Sal Pestilli having tremendous seasons, we're on pace for two 7 WAR players, something I don't think we've managed since at least 1926. If we want to finish our ascent to the top, these three are critical to our success.

Looking Ahead
Off to start the week, and while I don't want to lose momentum, it will be a much needed off day. The first series should be easy, as we face the struggling Sailors, but everyone in the organization is anxiously awaiting what will happen over the weekend. Of course, we can't look past any opponent, especially the back-to-back to Continental Association pennant winners. Yet somehow, someway, the Sailors have lost twelve of their last fifteen games and are now 25 games out of first and 9 behind the seventh place Cannons (46-54). Crazy right!?!?!

It's gotten so bad that former Cougar 1st Rounder Ed Reyes (.355, 5, 42) has even requested a ticket out, one that the Sailors did not have enough time to satisfy. Sure a 140 WRC+ is appealing, but first base is a deep position and all the contenders have quality first basemen already. Aside from Reyes, the only guys doing much are Joe Scott (.296, 11, 54) and David Molina (6-7, 12, 3.65, 40) as nearly every Sailor decided to have their worst year. From Win Lewis (4-12, 5.01, 50), who's 3.46 FIP (81 FIP-) is lower then every Cougar starter except Donnie Jones (3.42), to Don Lee's brother Rip Lee (.211, 2, 23, 4), you can almost throw a dart to a picture of their roster and land on an underperforming player. We'll hope it continues, but they'll have a day off at home to try to right the ship. This leaves plenty of choices in the rotation, but one guy I don't expect to see is Charlie Gordon (6-10, 4.09, 48). He's been one of the better players this season, but he left his last start with back tightness and seems likely to miss our series. Aside from Gordon, Win Lewis (4-12, 5.01, 50) pitch last, leaving the most rested arms as Al Duster (5-9, 4.96, 49), Art Hull (6-6, 4.17, 41), and Slick Wesolowski (3-9, 5.02, 39). We should score plenty of runs, and if you believe the 2nd ranked pitching staff would have no trouble with the 8th ranked lineup, we could be as close as three games behind the Foresters.

That means, hypothetically, we can be in first place tomorrow!

One can wish, right?

The only way that would work would be if we sweep the Sailors in Philly before sweeping the first place Foresters, that is what could actually happen! I'd say the odds of it are less then 0.00003%, as the team who's scored the most runs and allowed the fewest is not going to drop even home games against the Wolves. Even if they play us and the Stars (55-47), I can't imagine them crumbling like that. They quickly shook of their slow start by winning five of seven, and at 63-39 they have won four more games then any other FABL team. Interestingly, they've moved to a six man rotation, so even with four games I have absolutely no idea who we'll run into. The newest member, Gordie Irwin (4-2, 1, 3.67, 24), hasn't started against us, but we've dealt with him a few times out of the pen. As so many of the Foresters regular players have, Irwin came from waivers, just like former Cougar Luke Berry (.257, 2, 19), first-time All-Star Mark Smith (.283, 31), and second basemen Frank Kirchner (.331, 1, 32). Obviously, the true stars were acquired elsewhere, as years of high draft picks have paid off. The better part is they've hit in all rounds, so even though Jim Adams Jr. (.353, 6, 54, 5) was taken first, the 15th Round produced their ace Ollie White (10-7, 3.90, 87).Other notables include first rounder John Jackson (12-4, 3.11, 62), second rounder Adrian Czerwinski (16-5, 2.82, 47), third rounder Lorenzo Samuels (.311, 17, 66), fourth rounder Ducky Davis (8-6, 3.20, 51), fifth rounder Ivey Henley (.278, 5, 38), sixth rounder Paul Porter (.311, 17), and seventh rounder Walt Hill (5-4, 13, 2.98, 16). That's an impressive collection of talent, so maybe we shouldn't have been too surprised that things started to click. As much as I want to be optimistic about this series, I'm a little nervous, as this may be our toughest test all year.

Minor League Report
CF Don Lee (AAA Milwaukee Blues): It's funny, there's a AAA outfielder I was considering yesterday promotion today. It wasn't the guy who won Player of the Month. That would be Don Lee, who hit an outstanding .343/.433/.578 (162 OPS+) with 10 doubles, 4 triples, 2 homers, 8 steals, 16 RBIs, 16 walks, 28 runs. That's more then a run a game, as he played in 25 games, and the 1945 Continental Association All-Star is now hitting .304/.402/.529 (141 OPS+) with 22 doubles, 12 triples, 12 homers, 60 RBIs, and 29 steals with a 58-to-44 walk-to-strikeout ratio. With decent enough defense in center, he's now worth 4.8 WAR in 90 games, but I think what's best for him is a full season of dominating the Century League. After hitting just .208/.367/.250 (73 OPS+) and losing nearly all his playing time last season, the captain was in need of a confidence boost, and I know there's still a productive regular buried somewhere inside there. He's got crazy speed and an elite eye, and if he puts the ball in play he always has a chance for an extra base hit.. I doubt Rap will ever be the 5 WAR player he was in the last year of the war, but at worst he's an awesome fourth outfielder, and he's doing a good job rebuilding his value.

CF Johnny Peters (AAA Milwaukee Blues): Now this is the guy I wanted to bring up! I tried to trade him for, well, anything different, but with little available, Johnny Peters remained a Cougar. Taken 3rd in 1945, he currently ranks as the 46th best prospect in FABL, and will finish his AAA season with a .302/.395/.512 (135 OPS+) batting line. Peters supplemented that with 7 steals, 17 doubles, 12 triples, 9 homers, 57 RBIs, 53 walks, 53 runs, and a 147 WRC+. A natural center fielder, Peters has been spending a lot of time in left, mostly in preparation for an eventual call up this season. He'll replace Jimmy Hairston, who hit just .267/.378/.267 (74 OPS+) in 13 games, and will take over the left field job against left handed hitters. Always touted as a highly talented prospect, Peters once ranked as high 23rd, while bouncing up and down as the years have gone on. Despite all that, his future has never been really in doubt, as his bat is truly impressive. He hits the ball hard, draws a ton of walks, and with his athleticism he'll provide value in many different ways. His final position is still up in the air, but if all goes to plan, he won't leave the active roster for a very long time. As great as Leo Mitchell's resurgence has been, he may not be able to keep it up, and Peters has a chance to take hold of the position long-term. I'm excited to see how he does, and given the fact that the Sailors have two southpaws in their rotation, he should get some action very quickly.

CF Clyde Skinner (B San Jose Cougars): An 11th Round selection last season, Clyde Skinner has quickly emerged as an interesting prospect in our system. Currently ranked 23rd in our system and 206th overall, one spot higher then this year's third rounder Fred Crawford. Skinner just put together maybe the best game of his life, going 5-for-6 with a homer and 8 RBIs in a 17 to 2 thrashing of the Vancouver Mounties. Responsible for almost half of the runs, only starting pitcher (and #7 prospect!) Bob Allen (6-5, 4.89, 55) failed to record a hit, as even pinch hitters Harley Dollar (.337, 1, 8, 2) and Ike Cartwright (.226, 1, 9, 1) had singles in their only at bats. Freddie Hutchison (.290, 1, 1) was the only starter who didn't have a multi-hit game, but the recent fifth rounder picked up three walks. John Price (.370, 21, 1) had a huge 4-for-5 game with a double and 5 RBIs while Phil Boyes (.319, 4, 47, 5) was 2-for-4 with a double, walk, and three runs scored. Granted, Skinner was the star of the show, who's season didn't start until July as I made room for the eventual draftees. He's been superb since, hitting .375/.437/.500 (147 OPS+) with 2 homers and 17 RBIs in 21 games. His defense hasn't been great in center, so I'll be giving him more time in the corners. Dixie thinks he can stick in center, noting his "outstanding range allows him to chase down flyballs in the gaps." Combine that with what looks like an excellent natural hit tool, and the still 19-year-old could prove to be a very exciting prospect. Because of that age, I don't envision a promotion anytime soon, but a few more performances like this and I might have to give it some serious consideration.

LHP Floyd Van Hoven (C La Crosse Lions): Remember when I traded Hal Sharp and said you'd probably never hear about Floyd Van Hoven again? Well, I was wrong! Just for fun, I made him the La Crosse stopper, and like an absolute champ, he just went out and won the first Pitcher of the Month Award! Van Hoven appeared in 18 of the Lions 25 games, throwing 25 innings with a 1.80 ERA (256 ERA+) and 1.36 WHIP. He won a pair of games and saved seven more, and struck out 28 with just 12 walks. I'll be honest, I picked Van Hoven strictly because he was 21, not quite Rule-5 eligible, and threw with his left hand. But sure enough, he's taken advantage of his opportunity, and he'll earn a promotion to San Jose. Part of his success can be attributed to a two mile increase on his fastball between last year and this year, and while I am excited, I wouldn't bet on him sustaining this. He's just a guy with three pitches, none of which impress much, and his success could come quickly down. Still, it's exciting to watch him hit the ground running, and no one can ever take away this awesome month from him.

Week 16: August 1st-August 7th
 

Weekly Record: 3-4
Seasonal Record: 58-47 (2nd, 8 GB)
Stars of the Week
Chubby Hall : 27 AB, 13 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .481 AVG, 1.073 OPS
George Sutterfield : 21 AB, 8 H, 1 HR, 7 RBI, .381 AVG, 1.000 OPS
Harry Mead : 24 AB, 7 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .292 AVG, .747 OPS

Schedule
8-2: Win at Sailors (7-4): 12 innings
8-3: Loss at Sailors (1-4)
8-4: Win at Sailors (5-0)
8-5: Loss at Foresters (0-4)
8-6: Loss at Foresters (4-5)
8-7: Win at Foresters (6-1)
8-7: Loss at Foresters (1-4)

Recap
At this point, should I really be surprised?

If we just split with the Foresters, we'd still be six back, but instead, they took three of four against our top four, and pushed us right back down to eight out. Still, better then we started, and it's hard to get upset about losing a road series against the best team in the association. So I'm not going to worry too much. Instead, let's focus on the good!

But first, the crazy?

In my 10+ years and 10,000+ hours of OOTP, I don't think I've ever seen something like this. Check out Johnnie Jones' week:

8/3 @ Philadelphia: 8 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 8 BB, 2 K, 8 FB, 132 pitches, 46 GS
8/7 @ Cleveland: 8 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 8 BB, 2 K, 8 FB, 132 pitches, 46 GS

Yes, two literally identical starts down to the number of pitches. There was, of course, one difference, as the Foresters grounded out 13 times while the Sailors just 10, as our defense managed to turn three double plays behind the Patron Saint of Groundballs. Still, its absolutely bonkers how similar these starts were! And my favorite part of the week!

The close second was George Oddo, who won his six straight decision! I wish Max let him go all nine, but he doesn't like letting him go past 125 pitches. The Rhode Island native, who Dixie Marsh now boasts is "a solid investment, if he can continue at his current level," threw eight scoreless with 7 hits, 2 walks, and 6 strikeouts. It was the best start of the week, but Donnie Jones' complete game victory over the Foresters was a close second. He allowed 6 hits, 3 walks, and a run with 7 strikeouts to improve to 11-9. We won his other start, but he left with two outs in the 9th of a tied game. He didn't blow it, we actually scored runs in the 8th and 9th to keep things going, although a rare Sal Pestilli error made one of his four runs unearned. He walked 3 and allowed 9 hits with 7 strikeouts before Harry MacRae took over. Our stopper walked and struck out one, recording four outs and bringing the game to the 11th. That's when eventual winner Jim Kenny threw a perfect 11th. George Sutterfield became the hero, launching a three run homer off John Henry Johnson (3-6, 2, 4.63, 23) to give us a 7-4 lead Harry Parker would finish off. He allowed a hit and got a strikeout in a scoreless ninth, picking up his first save of the season. That's now 3.1 scoreless innings for Parker, who I guess is a good low leverage reliever now? Sounds good to me!

Not too much offense, but Sutterfield (8-18, 2 2B, HR, 7 RBI, SB) had a great week and Otto Christian continues to rake. He was 4-for-8 and hit his 9th homer in just under 150 PAs, and is now hitting a strong .262/.319/.524 (121 OPS+) with 6 doubles, 20 runs, and 27 RBIs. The 26-year-olds emergence is pretty much signaling the end of Walt Pack's tenure as a Cougar, as I'm going to attempt to move the veteran slugger in the offseason. He's slumped lately, now hitting just .257/.341/.402 (97 OPS+) in 82 games, and he's matched Otto's homer total in over twice as many attempts. 35 in October, he's not likely to fetch much of a return, but power, a good eye, and reliable defense still has value. Chubby Hall had a big week too, 12-for-26 with a pair of doubles, walks, run, and RBIs. Leo Mitchell had a nice week too, 6-for-19 with a triple and five walks. After complimenting Sal, Red, and Skipper last week, they were pretty much useless, but there's always next week!

Looking Ahead
For one reason or another, our road trip is interrupted for a single game, as we go home to host the Saints. Hopefully this helps us right the ship, as we've been great at home since probably mid-May and anyone other then the Foresters is a nice relief. Montreal is rolling with a six man rotation, which is great for us, as that means we'll face Wally Reif (4-12, 7.33, 50) instead of ace Bert Cupid (12-9, 2.86, 58). Of course, they can adjust that if they'd like, but I hope they don't! Either way, the starter will have their hands full with George Oddo (6-4, 3.27, 73), who finally decided losing was overrated. I'm worried the 3rd ranked offense will give him trouble, and at 55-52 they can definitely cause damage. Maurice Carter (.307, 22, 81) has a chance to break Red Bond's (.256, 18, 53) single season home run record (30), and he's matched superstar Bill Barrett's (.311, 32, 81, 8) RBI total for the CA lead. It helps having young building blocks Joe Austin (.302, 4, 43, 33), Gordie Perkins (.297, 5, 52, 5), and Otis O'Keefe (.286, 12, 65) ahead of him, and despite the cavernous Parc Cartier being the location for half the Saints games, their offense is really going to be a force to be reckon with.

The road trip then "officially" ends in New York, where we're battle for three with the Stars, who are 59-50 and a game behind us. They're off to start the week, allowing them to reset the rotation. We'll miss former Cougar 6th Rounder Foster Smith (0-2, 6.43, 4), who was called up last week after going 12-3 with a 2.70 ERA (112 ERA+) and 1.17 WHIP with 55 walks and 92 strikeouts. Acquired in the Billy Riley (12-4, 3.91, 52) deal, Smith's 2.27 FIP (75 FIP-) would make you think he's more then ready for the majors, but he struggled mightily in his first two big league starts. Another guy we won't see is struggling leadoff man Joe Angevine (.218, 1, 27, 29), who recently suffered Riley's favorite injury, a herniated disc. In his place, Newt Cooper (.269, 2, 14, 8) has moved up to the leadoff spot while Paul Watson (.253, 6, 24) has taken over at short. He played some third too, but Mack Sutton (.275, 23, 73) has taken most of the starts there after Bill Barnett (.283, 19, 53) has re-established himself at first. A lineup sluggers against our staff is a recipe for disaster, but at least we're playing at Dyckman Stadium instead of Cougars Park. This will be a tough task, especially since I anticipate ace Eli Panneton (12-6, 3.42, 71), my nemesis (or at least, one of many) Jack Wood (10-10, 3.31, 52), and Chicagoan Richie Hughes (6-8, 3.70, 70), After failing one test, we can't afford a second, and anything less then a series win makes our predicament much more dire.

Back at home to finish the week, where we'll host the struggling Kings. After a 12-17 July, they made wholesale changes to the roster, but still went 2-5 in Toronto and Cincinnati. A lot of the new faces fill the bench, but they recently brought in Davey Chamberlain (1-2, 2.19, 10) off waivers from the Sailors and inserted him into the rotation. Other newcomers include two-way player George Fitzgerald (.200, 1), versatile 1947 6th Rounder Kid Ward (.000), and 24-year-old outfielder Bob Schleusner (.000). These youngsters haven't got too much playing time, as there are better ones in first-time All-Star Chuck Lewis (.305, 14, 57), slugging first basemen Chuck Collins (.242, 10, 36), backstop Dan Smith (.257, 3, 32), and former 3rd Pick Ken Newman (.277, 5, 39). On the mound, 24-year-old rookie Joe Potts (10-8, 3.07, 59) has continued his tremendous campaign, while former Cougar Rusty Petrick (1-3, 2.87, 32) has actually looked really good. I think this Kings team is better then they look, but we may be catching them at the right time. No time to let go, but three home games against a struggling team is a good recipe for success.

Cougars in the GWL
LHP Harl Haines (Seattle Thunderbirds): I'll never forgive the war from taking Harl Haines early, as he was in line for his big break, as the hard throwing sidearmer was going to replace Peter the Heater in the rotation after the then young fireballer enlisted in the Navy. He did get a shot when he returned, albeit with the Gothams, who tend to go through players pretty quickly. Then 28, he did a decent job, making 29 starts and a relief appearances, finishing 14-8 with a 3.53 ERA (95 ERA+) and 3.11 FIP (93 FIP-) with a 1.30 WHIP, 55 walks, and 87 strikeouts. 1947 didn't go quite as well, and after struggling to a 5.61 ERA (71 ERA+) and 1.42 WHIP in 51.1 innings. He was then sent down to AAA and was cut at the end of the season. He then spent a parts of two seasons with the Sailors AAA team before being cut this May. He didn't spend much time as a free agent, quickly catching on with the Seattle Thunderbirds.

It may have been a minor league deal, but he went straight to Seattle, and has now made 15 starts. #15 was the best, as the southpaw twirled a 5-hit shutout in a much needed 1-0 win. He walked just 1 and struck out 4 as the last place Thunderbirds topped the Portland Green Sox. This improved Haines to 5-8 in just over 100 innings, working to a 3.45 ERA (118 ERA+) and 1.32 WHIP with 24 walks and 42 strikeouts. Its a nice revival for the former 10th Round Pick, who went 16-11 in 41 FABL appearances and worked to a respectable 3.89 ERA (90 ERA+) with an above average 3.38 FIP (96 FIP-). He struck out 108 batters and walked just 67, and he's hoping to revie his career in the GWL. He's a good influence in the clubhouse and does a good job locating his pitches. I'm rooting for him, but the deck may be stacked against the 31-year-old, who's already considered too old by some to make an impact on a contender.

Week 17: August 8th-August 14th
 

Weekly Record: 3-4
Seasonal Record: 61-51 (2nd, 8 GB)
Stars of the Week
Leo Mitchell : 19 AB, 10 H, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .526 AVG, 1.287 OPS
Skipper Schneider : 25 AB, 11 H, 0 HR, 5 RBI, .440 AVG, 1.148 OPS
George Sutterfield : 15 AB, 7 H, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .467 AVG, 1.436 OPS

Schedule
8-8: Win vs Saints (1-12)
8-9: Win at Stars (2-0)
8-10: Loss at Stars (4-5)
8-11: Win at Stars( 4-2)
8-12: Loss vs Kings (5-4)
8-13: Loss vs Kings (4-1)
8-14: Loss vs Kings (7-6)

Recap
A huge wasted opportunity for the Cougs here, as after a great start to the week, we just fell apart at home. We succeeded at the hard part, crushing the Saints and taking two out of three in New York, before the struggling Kings decided to wake up. They were riding a five game losing streak and were losers of eight out of their last ten, but they came to Chicago and meant business, sweeping us with help from a pair of one-run wins. Brooklyn is terrible at these, and entered our series 11-24 in one-run games. Even worse then us! Of course, we quickly improved that, and since the Foresters didn't do too much, we stayed eight out. Even one win brings us within seven while a sweep had us within five, but we're starting to run out of runway.

Despite the losses, Leo Mitchell did well against the Kings, 8-for-10 including a 5-for-5 in our 5-4 loss. For the week, he was 10-for-19 with a double, homer, 3 runs, and 3 RBIs, and now owns a 140 WRC+ in 78 games. George Sutterfield may have had the better overall week, going 7-for-15 with 2 doubles, a homer, a steal, 4 runs, and 6 walks. Him and Skipper stayed hot, with the shortstop 11-for-25 with 4 doubles 4 runs, 5 RBIs, and 6 walks. Same for Red Bond, who was 6-for-13 with 6 walks, 4 runs, 5 RBIs, and a rare steal. Billy Hunter was 4-for-8 with a double, walk, 3 runs, and 3 RBIs. Chubby Hall was just 3-for-16, but all three were homers and all three in the 12-1 crushing of the Saints. This gave him 10 to go with a productive .297/.370/.445 (116 OPS+) batting line in his first season back with the organization. Unfortunately, Sal Pestilli is ice cold, just 2-for-33 this week, and he's followed up a .300/.346/.433 (107 OPS+) July with a .127/.179/.127 (-17 OPS+) August. The superstar seems prone to rough patches like this, and for a team who almost got back in the pennant race, it couldn't have came at a worse time. Overall, the offense got on base, but it didn't come with enough run production.

George Oddo extended his win-streak to seven, before a no-decision decided to creep in for the first time in nearly two months. He didn't have to be, but he was almost perfect against the Saints in our 12-1 domination. The only mistake was Otis O'Keefe's (.294, 14, 74) solo homer in the 5th, as Oddo struck out 8 with a walk and 8 hits in his second complete game win this year. But like the rest of our staff, the Kings offense gave them trouble, tagging him for 11 hits, 6 runs, and 3 walks in 6.2 innings pitched. He struck out just three, but one more would have been nice, as if he didn't walk John Moss on four pitches to start the inning, so when Dan Smith (.255, 4, 37) greeted Harry MacRae (3-2, 12, 3.53, 13) with a grand slam, it was a painful lesson on not walking the leadoff guy. Since for Harry it felt like a solo shot, he quickly recovered and got a quick third out before a painless one-two-three in the eighth. We couldn't solve Clarence Barton (3-7, 7, 5.27, 32) in the last two innings, so it's really on us, but it was a winnable game for Oddo that he led get away. Eventually luck turns, so for all the unlucky no decisions he was charged earlier in the season, he just got what was coming.

Peter the Heater made two starts this week as well, and he pitched quite good overall. He impressed with his second shutout this season, dominating against the Stars in New York. Pap struck out 6 with just 2 walks and 4 hits, picking up his 11th win on the season. He then got his 8th loss, but struck out a season high 11 in a complete game loss. Part of the reason for all the strikeouts was the extra at bats, as he allowed 9 hits and 5 walks which lead to 4 runs. We got just one off former Cougar Leo Hayden (10-10, 4.01, 72), in the only part of the sweep that wasn't a one run loss. Avoiding all that though, Donnie Jones stayed hot, securing the series win in New York. He held the Stars to 4 hits, 2 runs, and 2 walks in a complete game win, improving to 12-9 on the season. He's chasing a team tiple crown, leading in wins while sitting second in ERA (3.18) and strikeouts (101). A strong end to the season could help Donnie earn a second Allen Award, and his 3.30 FIP (80 FIP-) suggests he's been as good as advertised. He has the tough task of facing the Stars again this week, and sluggers in Cougars Park can give the best of pitchers trouble.

Looking Ahead
A much needed off day to start the season, as we'll welcome the Stars back for three before hitting the road. New York has won 61 games like us, but since they've lost three games more we're a game and a half ahead of them. The Stars are not off, scheduled to take on Pat Weakly (7-7, 4.36, 50) and the Saints at Dyckman Stadium. They lost the first two in the series but finished off the week with a win, and will be hoping to take the split before coming to town. This makes it likely we'll face Henry Shaffer (3-8, 3.59, 42), Eli Panneton (12-7, 3.76, 74), and Vern Hubbard (13-7, 3.66, 56). It won't be easy, and we'll have to have answers for. Bill Barrett (.311, 32, 85, 8), Bill Barnett (.275, 19, 55), Jack Welch (.239, 16, 53), and Mack Sutton (.276, 25, 81). Sutton, now 32, just hit his 200th career homer, and if I woke up a little earlier the day he was traded he may have ended up a Cougar. A Leo Mitchell type, Sutton posted a 134 WRC+ or better in four of his last five seasons, and his 4 WAR would be his second best if he maintains or increases it. The club leader has been a big part of many contending Stars teams, including the team that won in 1946 after they beat us in a tiebreaker game. I'm sure he'll give us plenty of problems once again, and I am worried about us coming away with a good result this series.

Same goes for the three in Brooklyn, as the seventh place Kings just embarrassed us in front of our home fans. I'm not sure how they did it, and with an off day to start the weak there are plenty of ways they can line up their rotation. The sweep is made worse considering we didn't face ace Bob Arman (9-9, 3.98, 98), but with Ralph Johnson (.326, 19, 74) they will be in every game. Chuck Lewis (.305, 14, 61) has emerged as a top slugger at 23, and they were able to acquire the second basemen by parting with outfield depth in Joe Rutherford (.277, 14, 64, 7), who is helping the crosstown Chiefs attempt another worst-to-first in the always competitive Federal Association. These are three must win games, and I think one more bad week will put us out of the running completely.

Minor League Report
SS Elmer Grace (AAA Milwaukee Blues): After missing four weeks with a bone spur in his elbow, Elmer Grace returned in July and was hitting about average. Since the calendar flipped to August, he's taken things to another level, slashing .438/.526/.729 (225 OPS+) with 6 doubles, 2 homers, and 12 RBIs. He captured a Player of the Week Award as well, going 11-for-23 with both the home runs and a combined 15 runs scored and driven in. Currently ranked as the 66th best prospect, Grace has spent all season in AAA despite being a 4th Round selection last season. He's hit a strong .282/.387/.444 (116 OPS+) with a 130 WRC+ and 6.2 zone rating (1.098 efficiency) at short. The hard-worker is on a four WAR pace and if we had a need at shortstop, he'd be a legitimate option for playing time. I'm sure there are plenty of teams that could use a talented young shortstop to build around, and if we have to make an upgrade he could be an enticing option for someone willing to part with a star level player.

RHP Zane Kelley (AAA Milwaukee Blues): Remember Zane Kelley? He's still really good! Kelley twirled a 2-hit shutout in a win over the Kansas City Eagles, improving to 11-4 in his 18 starts. Kelley now has an elite 2.75 ERA (147 ERA+) with a 1.20 WHIP and impressive 73-to-35 strikeout-to-walk ratio. His 3.21 FIP (78 FIP-) is more then 20% better then the league average, and its the lowest on a team that has four starters with FIP- below 90. Kelley will make his debut at some point this season, and he's making me heavily consider a six man rotation next season. He may have two options left, but he's dominating Century League hitters just like what he did in Cuba this winter, and has clearly showed he's a FABL quality starter. Still 23, he has room to improve, and while he doesn't rank too high on the prospects lists, he sits at 250th in the league. I'm not sure there is much more upside, but Kelley has a very low floor, and will be given every chance to earn a spot on our staff next season.

I've had a few writeups on Al Clement already, and I didn't want to do another one, but the former 2nd Rounder had a big 5-hit game in a commanding 16-4 victory. Clement was a triple away from the cycle, recording a pair of doubles with 3 runs and 4 RBIs. Clement is now hitting .291/.384/.486 (126 OPS+) with 22 doubles, 7 triples, 12 homers, 8 steals, and 48 RBIs. His impressive all around season has been worth 3.2 WAR in 99 games, scoring 63 runs and drawing 55 walks.

LF Harry Austin (A Lincoln Legislators): Another Player of the Week winner, Harry Austin went 13-for-23 with a double, walk, and RBI. Aside from the average, it's not the most exciting Player of the Week, and that's a good way to describe the 22-year-olds season. He's hit an average .312/.351/.390 (100 OPS+) with just 12 doubles, 2 triples, 4 homers, and 36 RBIs. He puts the ball in play a lot, but he hasn't been hitting the ball with much authority. The former regional pick had 11 homers in 138 games last year in A ball, but he doesn't seem likely to come anywhere close to that this season. A mediocre year doesn't bode well for his playing time, and as someone who's Rule-5 eligible and unlikely to be protected, I don't think he did enough to entice another team. He'll live and die by his bat, and right now, it looks like he's running out of lives.

Week 18: August 15th-August 21st
 

Weekly Record: 3-3
Seasonal Record: 64-54 (3rd, 9.5 GB)
Stars of the Week
Red Bond : 16 AB, 7 H, 3 HR, 10 RBI, .438 AVG, 1.634 OPS
Leo Mitchell : 19 AB, 9 H, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .474 AVG, 1.215 OPS
Sal Pestilli : 25 AB, 9 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .360 AVG, .967 OPS

Schedule
8-16: Win vs Stars (1-10)
8-17: Win vs Stars (1-7)
8-18: Loss vs Stars (7-2)
8-19: Loss at Kings (0-2)
8-20: Loss at Kings (1-12)
8-21: Win vs Kings (12-6)

Recap
You can call it.. Season is over...

Since we refuse to beat the Kings, who were 5-1 against us this month but 2-11 against the other teams they faced, we now dropped to 9.5 games out and third place in the CA. I'm not sure why we can't beat the Kings, or why we just refuse to string wins together, but I guess I should be used to it by now!

At least Leo Mitchell keeps on chugging!

The reborn superstar went 9-for-19 with a homer, 5 walks, 8 runs, and 3 RBIs. He's now up to a 149 WRC+, trailing just the two seasons he was robbed of the Whitney, and if he can at least hit 400 PAs (at 282), it will be the tenth time he posted a WRC+ above 130 since 1937. It looks like the two years of average offense were a quick blip, and the talented veteran is still a top hitter. Same goes for Red Bond, who went 7-for-16 with 3 homers, 5 runs, 5 walks, and 10 RBIs. Sal Pestilli got back into the fun, going 9-for-25 with 2 doubles, a homer, 4 RBIs, and 6 runs. We had a few other guys hit well too, but I'm still upset/disappointed in our play, and its not worth going too deep into it.

The pitching overall wasn't bad, but both Johnnie Jones and George Oddo really struggled. Jones was hit with 11 hits, 7 runs, and 2 walks in 7.2 innings while Oddo's win streak was snapped with 9 hits and 5 runs in 6 innings. Pap pitched well, despite the loss, going 8 with 6 hits, 2 runs, 5 walks, and 7 strikeouts. We did get two good starts from Donnie Jones, who has now won each of his last four decisions. Donnie made just one mistake against the Stars, allowing a 4th inning solo homer to Newt Cooper (.294, 4, 19, 9) in his complete game win. He allowed just 5 hits and a walk with 3 strikeouts. Then in Brooklyn, he pitched 8 solid innings, leaving with 8 hits, 2 runs (1 earned), 3 walks, and 3 strikeouts. The Kings tried to comeback in the 9th, getting 4 runs (3 earned) off Harry Parker in the ninth, but we thankfully beat the lowly Kings in that one. The last win went to Duke Bybee, who had a nice bounce-back after three losses, picking up a complete game win with 5 hits, a run, 3 walks, and 5 strikeouts.

The draft signing deadline came and went, and at the last second I signed a trio of outfielders, adding 10th Rounder Delos Williams,11th Rounder Ray Johnson, and 17th Rounder Dick Poplaski. I could have signed a few more guys, as rosters expand next week, but there wasn't really much I liked. Ten of our AI picks will return to school, with their destination and return to the draft year listed below:

14th Round: RHP George Clark: Oklahoma Bible College (1952)
15th Round: CF Pat Paterson : Provo Tech (1952)
16th Round: RHP Jack Armstrong: Grange College (1950)
18th Round: LHP Darius Merlet: Darnell State (1952)
19th Round: RHP Doug Hensley: Topeka State (1952)
20th Round: CF Jim Matthews: Carbondale (1952)
21st Round: LHP Israel Gutierrez: Long Island Maritime College (1952)
23rd Round: RHP Russ Hughes: Johnstown State (1952)
24th Round: SS Johnny Oliver: Brandywine (1952)
25th Round: C Fred Wheeler: San Francisco Tech (1950)

Looking Ahead
Still one more with the Kings, as we look to salvage a split against the team that has single handedly ruined our August. Believe it or not, they're the only team other then the Foresters to win a series against us this month, as we're 1-5 Brooklyn and 8-6 against everyone else. The Kings struggled in one-run games has caused an actual record five wins lower then their expected record, and in terms of talent they're probably even better. We're going to see either former Cougar Rusty Petrick (1-3, 3.01, 38) or ace Bob Arman (9-10, 4.06, 102) in the finale, but if we can't keep them off the board, it's not going to matter who pitches. Even with the August slump, they still rank top three in most offensive categories, and they do it with a lot of young kids. It's another must win game for a team that can't win, so expect a loss to start the week.

Hopefully the luck turns in Chicago, where we'll host the 56-63 Wolves. Charlie Artuso (.242, 5, 52) replacement John Fast (.271, 6, 28) quickly found himself on the IL, leaving Harry Finney (.180, 2, 1) the starting role. It may not be his for long, as despite some back stiffness, Joe DeMott (.222, 1) has been ticketed for a big league roster spot for the coming week. His trade partner Harry Pomeroy (.351, 2, 12) has been excellent since taking over behind the plate, and his 20 hits in 16 games is half way towards incumbent Rusty Hendrix's 40 in 71 and he's 8 off former Cougar draftee Walter Loera's 28 in 43 games. Pomeroy has done a good job filling a huge hole in the Wolves lineup, and he's looking to solidify himself in the team's long-term plans. The rotation doesn't have as many holes, with a strong top-three in George Garrison (10-9, 3.11, 102), Joe Hancock (10-9, 3.91, 57), and Jim Morrison (12-5, 3.49, 63). Garrison and Hancock both pitched in the double header split with the Sailors, but Morrison is scheduled to pitch the first of two games, leaving Jimmy Gibbs (7-10, 4.68, 43) for the finale. With our home fans behind us, and a team that isn't the Kings, this is a good chance for us to get back in the win column.

The homestand continues with three against the Cannons, who are 56-65, sitting a game behind the Wolves and a game in front of the Kings. The Cannons will once again be without Fred Galloway, who is dealing with elbow inflammation and is expected to miss the next six weeks. Joe Burns (.302, 2, 54, 14) is expected to shift to center, with Sam Brown (.265, 19) returning in right, as the only other outfielder on the 40-man roster is Roy Harris (.245, 1) in AAA who sports a 76 WRC+ in 174 PAs. They have a few other depth options in AAA, but they have a pair of their top 10 prospects in Max Conrad (7th, 113th) and Buzz McIlwain (9th, 122nd) in AA. Otherwise, I don't expect the Cannons to look too much different this time around, but with roster expansion next week, they could decide to bring up some minor leaguers to see what they have internally.

Sunday will be spent with the first of three against the Sailors, but I'll cover them more tomorrow. At 46-73, they are eight games behind the nosediving Kings despite a season best 10-11 record. They're two wins away from tying their season high, as they were 12-15 in June. It's been a strange season in Philly, but scoring the fewest runs while allowing the most is not a winning strategy, and they will be a team to watch this offseason as they look to get back to their consistent, winning ways.

Week 18: August 22nd-August 28th
 

Weekly Record: 1-6
Seasonal Record: 65-60 (t-3rd, 9.5 GB)
Stars of the Week
None generated this week

Schedule
8-22: Loss at Kings (2-3)
8-23: Win vs Wolves (0-2)
8-24: Loss vs Wolves (1-4)
8-25: Loss vs Cannons (3-6)
8-26: Loss vs Cannons (3-9)
8-27: Loss vs Cannons (3-5)
8-28: Loss vs Sailors (5-9)

Recap
It really got worse, huh?

I'm not sure what happened in August, but we flat out suck, ending the week with five straight losses at home and falling back to double digit games out of first, despite the Foresters going just 2-5 this week. With a bunch of sub .500 teams on the docket, in Cougars Park, I thought we'd make some ground up, but no, we continue to fail beating even the worst of teams. We've gone 4-12 against teams below .500 this Month, 10-17 overall, and are sitting just five games above .500 despite being 12 over and in striking distance of first when the month started. At this point, I just want it to be over, and at least we get to bring up some extra players for the final month. That's the only thing stopping this from being a super short write up.

Some highlights of the week? Well, Pete Papenfus came two outs away from a shutout, as 7 walks got his pitch count up too high. He did allowed just 3 hits and struck out 8, so an overall strong start, and Harry MacRae struck out both batters he faced to earn his 13th save of the year. Donnie Jones got a win stolen from him, as all 5 runs he allowed were unearned, and the All-Star went 8 with 7 hits, 5 walks, and 9 strikeouts. Harry Mead went 8-for-24 with a double, triple, homer, 3 runs, and 5 RBIs. Red Bond was 5-for-18 and hit 2 more homers. That's about all, as nine batters made 9 or more PAs (7 with 10+), and they all had a weekly OPS+ below 30. Seven of them weren't even double digit positives. Johnny Peters managed a -66 WRC+. Good stuff from a former 3rd Overall Pick!

Man I hate this team...

One change I will make is in the rotation, as we'll move to a six man rotation. Likely for the rest of the season. All six guys will be available out of the pen if needed, as Zane Kelley is coming up from Milwaukee for the final month plus. He's dominated the Century League, going 11-4 with a 3.00 ERA (135 ERA+) and 1.20 WHIP. He's struck out (80) twice as many hitters as he's walked (40), and his 3.28 FIP (80 FIP-) is an impressive 20 times better then the league average hurler. 24 in November, Kelley will have a chance to earn the sixth spot, if I use it, next season, but he'll get a chance to showcase himself to the 16 FABL teams. We don't need another SP, but since these games don't really matter anymore, I want to see what we have with the young righty. I'm not sure how many games he'll start, that's up to Max Wilder, but with a double header next Monday I expect him to pitch at least once in the next eight days. I'll cover the rest of the callups in the Minor League Report section.

Looking Ahead
Ugh, more games???

Do we have to???

-- Fine --

Let's see... Cougars Park will host the Sailors for two more before the Foresters come to town for two. That's two losses you can already count up. Then on the road we'll face a hot Saints team for three. That's three more! Probably one loss with the Sailors too, so at best, 1-6? Sounds fun!

Montreal will be tough, they're now 70-58, about where we should be if we knew how to win games. Cleveland is way ahead, 77-49, and unless they put together a few more 2-5 weeks, there will be an "x" next to their name sooner then later. Even the 49-76 Sailors don't have a "e" yet, so we're still technically in competition, but this would have been a tough week even if we were coming in hot. Not looking forward to the sim email tomorrow!

1-6 in the midst of a slump really does something to an OOTPer...

Minor League Report
RHP Ken Matson: Given one last chance to regain his bullpen spot, Ken Matson will return to Chicago after an 11 start stint with the Blues. He handled himself well, going 6-2 with a 3.61 ERA (112 ERA+), 1.23 WHIP, 29 walks, and 36 strikeouts. That's far better then his relief work, as he allowed 15 hits, 13 runs, and 3 walks in his 9.1 innings. He won't return to his stopper role, but he'll look to reach his next big inning mark, just 17 innings away from 400. Chances are he won't get that in the final month, but with a few scoreless innings he can work his way back into the team's favor. He was once a steady presence in the pen, but he hasn't come close to matching his 1946 breakout. Sure, it was just 26.2 innings, but he allowed just 13 hits, 3 runs, and 9 walks with 17 strikeouts. 32 next February, he's one of the older members of the staff, and it may work against him if everyone stays healthy.

2B Johnny Carlisle: An 8th Round Pick back in 1944, Johnny Carlisle got a cup of coffee last season, and he'll get another shot to pick up his first major league hit. A Tip Harrison-type utility player, Carlisle appeared at six positions in his 79 games this season, as depending on injuries, including his own, his time wasn't all too consistent. He did hit better with the Blues this year, but .284/.381/.377 (88 OPS+) isn't all that inspiring. A difference between him and Tip is the defense, as Carlisle isn't the greatest defender. More of a quantity versus quality versatile. He's going to need to hit some to keep his roster spot, but his 40-man spot is safe unless we are in a real crunch.

CF Don Lee: At first I thought he'd spend all season in Milwaukee, but we could use some help on the big league roster and Johnny Peters wasn't getting it done. Him and Don Lee will now switch spots, with the 27-year-old rejoining the roster to play in his sixth big league season. Lee has taken the demotion with grace, and the captain was arguably the most valuable player in the Century League. He hit an impressive .289/.389/.502 (132 OPS+) with 26 doubles, 13 triples, 16 homers, 75 RBIs, 77 walks, and 101 runs scored in 116 games. Lee even swiped 33 bags and was worth 5.4 WAR as the Blues center fielder. His speed should be a nice boost to a somewhat slow Cougars team, and will leadoff against southpaws. This won't be the first time he does this, and hopefully not the last, as he'll look to improve his career .246/.356/.370 (108 OPS+) career line.

RF Jimmy Hairston: He didn't spend long in Milwaukee after his demotion, but I decided I'll bring him up the rest of the way to hang out on the bench. He may play a bit if Don Lee can't hit, but he could be a useful pinch hitter against lefties. Even though he didn't have any extra base hits in his 38 PAs with us earlier, he walked six times while striking out just three times. Plus with a 161 WRC+ in 88 Century League games, he could get hot and really help us late in some games. With another option year left, he's likely to return to AAA next season, but both OSA and Dixie are fans of the young outfielder, and it's interesting to see what Dixie says in his incoming scouting report. Right now he rates him as a ".330 hitter" while later he "has potential to unleash his obvious talent both on the field and at the plate." I think he's being too generous, but I think he's more then good enough at the plate to hold down a regular job with a FABL team.

RHP Fred Terry (AA Mobile Commodores): At least we tend to win games in the minors, where it really matters, and the Commodores got a nice start from former 8th Rounder Fred Terry. The 24-year-old was feeling it against the Chattanooga Reliables, as he got revenge after they tagged him for 8 hits and 6 runs in his previous start. On the road, Terry spun an 8-hit shutout with just 1 walk and 4 strikeouts. This evened his record to 9-9 in 20 starts, as the righty comes close to finishing his second season in AA. I'm debating him finishing off the season in Milwaukee, and since I expect to eventually call up more arms from the Blues staff, he may get a few starts there to end his year. A four pitch pitcher, Terry is driven to succeed, and spends countless hours working on his stuff, strength, and sequencing. It's allowed him to pitch deep into games and soak up innings, throwing 9 or more innings eight times. The 136 pitches he threw this week was a game high, and I'm sure he could go up a bit more if we really needed him to. He doesn't have much prospect pedigree, so I doubt the development staff is worried about him going deep, but its a very useful skill for someone looking to crack a big league roster. He's at least a season off, and with our logjam in the rotation, his best chance is either working out of our pen or catching on with another organization.

RHP Tommy Seymour (AA Mobile Commodores): Shutouts seem to be the theme for the Commodores this week, as Tommy Seymour avenged a loss against the Atlanta Crackers with a 4-hit shutout. He walked 5 and struck out 6, snapping a streak of six losses since his promotion in early July. The former first rounder hasn't been very good until now, so it's no surprise he still sports a lofty 4.69 ERA (86 ERA+) and 1.63 WHIP with nearly equal walks (32) and strikeouts (33). That's been an issue for Seymour quite often, but it wasn't the case when he was down in A ball earlier this season. Seymour struck out an impressive 16.5% of the hitters he faced, nearly three and a half (3.4) percent better then he has with the Commodores. He also kept his walk rate down to an above average 8.7%, as his 28 walks in 79 innings has already been surpassed. Having recently celebrated his 24th birthday, I was hoping he'd be ready for tougher competition. He still deserves time, and seems likely to return here in 1950, as a Rule-5 eligible pitcher there's always a chance another team decides to give him some innings at the back of their staff. He's always had the stuff, but he can be wild and he never really added much velocity. If someone could fix his control problems, he could be effective, but nothing has seemed to work so far.

1B Charlie Everitt (A Lincoln Legislators): It was a big week for another guy called up midseason, as Charlie Everitt went 13-for-25 to capture the Heartland League Player of the Week. He hit his 3rd homer in 131 trips to the plate, and now has 6 doubles, a triple, 17 runs, and 18 RBIs. Last year's 14th Round Pick is now hitting .353/.405/.496 (141 OPS+) -- not to far from the .340/.465/.498 (152 OPS+) he managed in 76 games down in San Jose. A projectable first basemen, Everitt is an imposing 6'4'' potential slugger, as he has the hit tool but not much oomph. But with the strong hit tool he still cracks the top prospect list, sitting at 39th in our organization and 374th overall. OSA gives him low end starter potential and Dixie thinks he can be an average big leaguer, but that's not quite enough for a first basemen. That's why the power potential is so important, as if you add home runs to his game he could be the type of guy you want playing every day.

Week 19: August 29th-September 4th
 

Weekly Record: 3-4
Seasonal Record: 68-64 (4th, 11 GB)
Stars of the Week
Harry MacRae : 2 Wins, 6.0 IP, 1 BB, 3 K, 1.50 ERA
George Sutterfield : 16 AB, 7 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .438 AVG, 1.188 OPS
Red Bond : 22 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .409 AVG, .913 OPS

Schedule
8-29: Loss vs Sailors (10-7)
8-30: Win vs Sailors (0-3)
8-31: Loss vs Foresters (2-1)
9-1: Win vs Foresters (3-6)
9-2: Loss at Saints (11-12): 10 innings
9-3: Loss at Saints (2-7)
9-4: Win at Saints (3-2): 12 innings

Recap
I am so happy August is over!!!

When the month started, we were trailing the Foresters by just six games. They kept pace, winning 15 of their 27 games. Above average, sure, but enough where we could have shaved a few more games off.

Instead, we responded with an 11-19 month, easily the worst showing all season and it helped erase a 21-8 July that made us look like a legitimate title contender. Instead, we decided to play like the worst team in the league to be brought back to a double digit deficit. To make it at least somewhat interesting, the Montreal Saints went an impressive 22-9, and they're now just five and a half games behind the Foresters. The Saints are the better team, and it's been fun to watch Joe Austin blossom into a potential star for his hometown team. The former Cougar draftee is the odds on favorite for the Kellogg Award, as the versatile Austin leads the CA in runs (104) and steals (46). He's been worth 4.2 wins above replacement in 125 games, tallying 32 doubles, 12 triples, 5 homers, 57 RBIs, and 56 walks. He's produced a 138 WRC+ in 525 trips to the plate, and his .373/.449/.585 (166 OPS+) August earned him batter of the month. As great as it would be to have him, he wouldn't have had a shot for regular playing time this season, so it's awesome to see him fit in so well on the Saints. He was always a great base stealer with us, but he really improved his bat in the Saints system. That was the final piece for Austin, who can now assist slugger Maurice Carter (.315, 27, 112) and ace Bert Cupid (13-12, 3.48, 69) in a spirited pennant run.

But enough about former Cougars, let's talk about some of the ones still around! Johnnie Jones halted his five start losing streak, as he ended August 1-6 due to a 3-hit shutout. He walked 2 and struck out 3, evening his record at 12-12. His 3.94 ERA (103 ERA+) is a bit above average, but his 13.3 BB% is on pace to be a career high. He's walked 114 to just 81 strikeouts, and the 31-year-old may end up the five starter out of camp next season. A guy in competition with him will be Zane Kelley, who had an impressive big league debut despite being charged with the loss. Tagged with the division leading Foresters, Kelley allowed just 8 hits, 2 runs, and 3 walks in the complete game loss. He did strikeout just one, a little surprising considering no one strikes out more often then them, but Kelley has never really been a strikeout kind of guy. What he does do is eat innings, and that's exactly what he did, and will be expected to do either today or tomorrow against the Kings. I expect George Oddo to get one of the other three games, as his luck was back to bad as he got a no decision after eight innings against the Foresters. That's because all three runs he allowed were unearned, and he left with 7 hits, 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts.

We did win the game, however, as Chubby Hall took Walt Hill (6-7, 17, 3.69, 25) deep to end the game, ending Allen favorite Adrian Czerwinski's (21-6, 2.74, 63) streak of twenty seven straight decisions. It was about all Hall did this week, as he was just 5-for-26 otherwise with a double, 3 walks, 4 runs, and 5 RBIs. The real star of the week was George Sutterfield, who went 7-for-16 with 2 doubles, 2 walks, 4 runs, 3 RBIs, and a steal to up his season line to .291/.398/.423 (120 OPS+) in 62 games. Both bright and competitive, Sutterfield is finally playing like the top prospect he was, and he's earned himself a big role wherever he can find a spot to play. Whether that's second, third, or the occasional day at short, Sutterfield should play a legitimate role on a hopefully competitive Cougars team. Same goes for Eddie Howard, who was 4-for-9 with a pair of RBIs and set for an even competition with Harry Mead out of camp next season. Since the Calendar flipped to July, he's been a much better hitter, and his once miniscule line is up to an average .308/.354/.392 (99 OPS+) in 131 trips to the plate. He'll be playing every third game now, and I'm hoping he can carry this momentum all the way to next season.

Looking Ahead
Our long stretch of games ends with three games in two days, as he host the Kings in a double header before the finale Tuesday night. The Kings have gotten even younger, as they've replaced many vets with up-and-comers for the final month plus of the season. Management wants to pass 72 wins, their mark from last season, so at 62-71 they need to win at least 11 of their last 21 games. It's really 8 -- or at least 9 -- as they are going to claim two of three here, as we just can't beat them. Maybe having a former King draftee in Zane Kelley gets us one win, but beyond that, I'm not expecting much. The Kings have made one change to the lineup, replacing the struggling Chuck Collins (.231, 10, 38) with 24-year-old Rule-5 Pick Joe Davis (.220, 2, 16), who hasn't been much better. Collins is just one season removed from hitting .307/.389/.412 (121 OPS+), and his 128 WRC+ would only trail the 167 Ralph Johnson (..327, 21, 83, 5) is leading the team with. Since Davis is actually nearly a year older then Collins, I don't expect him to replace him, but it will be interesting to see how the Kings handle first base next year.

We'll need to lick our wounds on Wednesday, before having a chance to effect the pennant race for the first time in forever. That's because the Saints will be in town for four must win games. Due to scheduling, they'll have two off days before having to face us, so we'll be stuck with their top four starters regardless of the eventual order. The surprise of that may be 28-year-old Pete Ford, who's had a big breakout seemingly out of nowhere. A 4th Round Pick of the Saints, Ford was generally a back of the top 100 prospect, but a lot of that came when he was in the Navy. Ford made just 13 starts his draft year before enlisting, and didn't pitch again until he was 25 in 1946. His next 66 starts came in AAA, before the Saints moved him between the pen and rotation last year. This year he earned a starting spot, and he's rewarded the pennant contenders with ace-like performance out of the four spot from Pete Ford. He helped Joe Austin sweep the August awards, named Pitcher of the Month after going a perfect 5-0 with 24 strikeouts, 13 walks, and a 2.33 ERA (179 ERA+). He is now 15-3 in 26 starts, and he lowered his season ERA to 2.98 (140 ERA+) while dropping his WHIP to 1.34. He's emerged as a dark horse Allen candidate with a truly remarkable fourteen start stretch. He's nowhere near the best starter on the staff, but he's pitching like it, managing to outperform even Cupid, Pat Weakly (11-8, 3.83, 62), and Wally Doyle (11-9, 3.68, 85). He's going to be a tough guy to beat, and I'm really hoping it's just a flash in the pan before he returns to a AAA pitcher at best. Still, I half want the Saints to win all four games here, as I'd love for them to overtake the Pioneers. They're shaping up to be a legit contender, and even if they can't quite stop the Foresters worst-for-first bid, they will go into 1950 as one of the early favorites.

Minor League Report
C Mike Bordes: I debated calling up a third catcher, and after initially going against it, I decided to bring Mike Bordes up to the big league club for the rest of the year. Acquired with Rupert Abbott in the Billy Riley trade, Bordes' second season in Mobile went about as well as the first, as he slashed .274/.410/.401 (115 OPS+) with 14 doubles, 11 homers, 75 RBIs, and a 127 WRC+. A former 11th Round Pick, Bordes now has a chance to make his big league debut, and if all goes according to plan he'll start one of the games of the double header. A disciplined hitter, he maintained an elite 97-to-39 walk-to-strikeout ratio in 511 trips to the plate. That eye is his best tool, but he does have a nice hit tool while showing some pop. Maybe not double digit homers in the majors, although if he wants to play regularly he may need to find a way how. His glove isn't good enough to compensate for a weak bat, but catcher is a sparse position, and guys like Homer Guthrie (.283, 1, 31) have gotten a few minutes of fame.

SS Bob Stout (AA Mobile Commodores): It was a big week for a guy I almost promoted, as Bob Stout captured Dixie League Player of the Week as he kicked off the month in the best way possible. Stout hit a grand slam in a slim 8-7 victory over the Chieftains, giving him his sixth homer on the season. It may have been the highlight of the week, but there were plenty of highlight plays, as the slick fielding shortstop went 11-for-20 with a steal, a double, two triples, six runs, and eight RBIs. He's riding a twelve game hit streak and has upped his season line to .268/.360/.364 (91 OPS+) with 12 doubles, 4 triples, and 6 home runs. Stout has scored 43 times and driven in 61 runs, while drawing more walks (63) then strikeouts (45). Combined with the excellent shortstop defense, he's had an amazing overall season, and it's making me consider protecting him from the Rule-5 draft. He's not one of our more highly ranked prospects, but a great glove at short is coveted by FABL teams. If they can polish up the bat, they could have a star, and with the 24-year-olds work ethic there's always a chance he'll find a second gear.

CF Henry Norman (A Lincoln Legislators): Currently ranked as the 54th best prospect in the league, 20-year-old Henry Norman was named Heartland League Player of the Week for the second time this season. 21 this month, Norman started his birthday month with a 3-for-5 game, and is already 8-for-19 in the Month. For the full week, he was 17-for-33, and the former 3rd Rounder is now hitting .320/.378/.379 (103 OPS+) in an even 100 games. He hasn't hit many extra base hits, just 9 doubles, 5 triples, and 2 homers, but he's walked (39) one more time then he struck out (38) and he's played good defense in center (1.0, .999) and right (9.2, 1.073). We're still waiting for the hit tool to blossom, but the .320 average is a positive sign. OSA thinks he can hit .330, Dixie just goes with "plus contact," but my guess is if he hits his ceiling he'll be a reliable .300 hitter. He's quick, so I expect the doubles and triples to come as he learns to make better contact, but he hits too many groundballs to be a home run hitter. That could hamper his overall value, so defense will play a big role in his staying power. If he can provide even average defense in center, you can live with not much pop, as Norman's ability to put the ball in play is boosted by his speed and skill on the bases. If everything clicks, he could be a consistent top five center fielder, and he's one of our more valuable trade pieces in an offseason that I hope brings new blood into the organization.

Cougars in the GWL
1B Jim Hatfield (Los Angeles Knights): Almost no one in our organization had a good month, but another former Cougar draftee was quite dominant. 1929 6th Rounder Jim Hatfield was named Batter of the Month just a few days after celebrating his 38 birthday, proving that for him age is merely a number. "The Bandit" swiped six bases and hit .378/.417/.613 (172 OPS+). Funny enough, his average dropped down a few points to .382, but with 3 triples, 7 homers, 25 runs, and 27 RBIs, I'm sure he's more then willing to make the trade off. That dropped him to second in the batting race, as Bob Land (.384, 6, 57) is two points ahead, but the Hawks outfielder doesn't boast the all around game that Hatfield does. The vets done a bit of everything, slugging 16 homers with 20 doubles, 6 triples, and 87 RBIs. He does strike out a bit, already a career high 110 in a career high 568 plate appearances, he more then makes up for it in generating runs, as he's swiped 22 bags, scored 95 times, and drew 41 walks. He's now 0.2 WAR shy of 6, but he's past the 128 game mark multiple times before. He's set for a career high WAR despite his age, and I'm sure the Knights are glad they had enough faith in the first basemen to give him a fourth season.

Week 20: September 5th-September 11th
 

Weekly Record: 4-3
Seasonal Record: 72-67 (4th, 11.5 GB)
Stars of the Week
Red Bond : 18 AB, 6 H, 4 HR, 5 RBI, .333 AVG, 1.429 OPS
Duke Bybee : 1 Win, 9.0 IP, 2 BB, 5 K, 0.00 ERA
Sal Pestilli : 22 AB, 6 H, 2 HR, 4 RBI, .273 AVG, .837 OPS

Schedule
9-5: Loss vs Kings (4-2)
9-5: Loss vs Kings (3-1)
9-6: Win vs Kings (5-6)
9-8: Win vs Saints (7-15)
9-9: Win vs Saints (0-8)
9-10: Loss vs Saints (3-1)
9-11: Win vs Saints (0-3)

Recap
Yep, I called it! Embarrassed by the Kings before sabotaging the Saints pennant hopes. I have never been so angered by a series win...

After taking three of four from a rested Saints squad, we knocked them to 7.5 games out, and with thirteen games left it's going to be almost impossible for them to stage a heroic comeback. We somehow managed to shut the CA's top offense out twice, outscoring them 27-10 in our first good series in what feels like years. Now 11.5 out of first, we're the lowest team in the association yet to be eliminated, and we're two and a half games behind the Stars for our 10th top three finish in 11 years.

The shutouts came for our two pitchers struggling the most, but with Duke Bybee's 2-hit shutout he dropped his ERA to an exactly adjusted league average 4.01. He walked 2 and struck out 5, moving back above .500 at 13-12. The other was courtesy of Johnnie Jones, who could have been lossless for the week if it wasn't for errors against the Kings. There he went all nine, allowing 6 hits, 4 runs (2 earned), and 3 walks with 6 strikeouts. As good as that was, he was even better against the Saints, allowing just 3 hits and 2 walks with 4 strikeouts in his second shutout in three starts. Like Duke, he's got 13 wins, but that Kings game gave him his 13th loss, as he remains .500 on the season. His ERA is now down to 3.69 (109 ERA+) in 27 starts. The one thing this week I was wrong about was Zane Kelley, as I forgot that some games we just don't give run support. For his second big league start he again got just one run in his favor, so he's now 0-2 after allowing 4 hits, 3 runs, and 5 walks, as John Moss' (.271, 11, 68) two-run homer in the ninth secured the win for Brooklyn. Kelley has walked twice as many hitters as he's struck out, but otherwise his first two big league starts have gone well, and his overdue shot at a rotation spot has finally come.

Red Bond absolutely crushed his former team, hitting three homers in the two wins he played in. He finished the week 6-for-18 with 4 homers, drawing 3 walks and scoring 6 times. He's now hitting .424/.480/.667 (204 OPS+) off his former team this season, and 5 of his 27 home runs have came against Saints pitchers. That 27 also matches his home run total from last year, and his career high of 30 now seems in reach. Once more, he's been one of our more productive hitters, as his 142 WRC+ is best on the team. 37 next year, he hasn't shown signs of slowing down, still the streaky slugger he's always been. Barring a crazy slump, it'll be another excellent season for the veteran, who has a chance to become one of the first twenty five players to reach the 250 home run mark. Bond's one homer behind Bill Barrett (.313, 37, 101, 10), who's sure to beat him to it and likely become 22nd, Bond was setback by the war and his home ballpark. Considering how well he's held up, it wouldn't be too surprising if he missed out on a hundred homers, or potentially a legitimate chance to become the fifth player to 400 homers.

Sal Pestilli finally had himself an okay week, going 6-for-22 with a steal and a pair of homers. He's two steals away from his second 20/20 season as a Cougar, but at one point it looked like another 30/20 was in reach. He cooled off in July and then fell of in August, as Sal's seen his season line drop from .343/.396/.576 at the All-Star break to .289/.345/.461 (114 OPS+). It's no reason we've played so bad lately, as you live and die by your stars, and when ours died so did we.

Billy Hunter got hurt, again, which somehow opened the door for Otto Christian. The former 1st Rounder made five starts, something I don't think he's done all season. Taking full advantage, Otto went 5-for-16 with a double, triple, and homer. He drew three walks, scored four runs, and drove in three more. That was his first triple of the season, giving Otto 19 extra base hits in 204 trips to the plate. 11 of those are homers, and he's drawn 16 walks with 18 strikeouts. Overall, it's been a very productive season, and he'll see his role start to pick up the rest of the way. Same goes for the struggling Charlie Woodbury, who snapped a prolonged cold stretch by going 3-for-8 with a homer. He's hit just .194/.280/.343 (66 OPS+) as a Cougar, worse I'm sure then Bob Schmelz would have done.

Hunter may now see his season end with a sore elbow, making it likely that 1949 will be his seventh season with 50 or more appearances, but less then 80, as injuries have nagged him all season. He still managed to hit .297/.370/.465 (122 OPS+), but his 174 plate appearances would be his lowest since 1942. I'm hoping he gets back after spending the minimum, but we're running out of games and I rather have him ready for next season. George Sutterfield will take most of his vacated at bats, giving him a shot to play like the player OSA thinks he is. Surprisingly, Sutterfield ranks as our third best player, and last week they even had him at the bottom of the top 20 players list. If I list him as a second basemen, he ranks ahead of Hunter as #4, and without Skipper they rank him 5th at shortstop. One way or another, he's playing a lot next season, and I'm hoping we can get his third base defense at the level of his efficiency as the middle infield. It's taken awhile, but he could be in for a huge season next year.

Looking Ahead
Just a few more weeks left in the season of misery, and it continues with an off day we'll use to travel to Cleveland. To make things worse for the Saints, we'll lose both in Ohio, giving them 86 wins on the season. They don't do that very often, surpassing 90 just three times, with all four of their top seasons coming between 1933 and 1936. We're scheduled to face Ducky Davis (14-6, 2.90, 68) and John Jackson (16-7, 3.33, 83), but it doesn't really matter who we'd face as they'd have no trouble keeping us in check. They're the only team that has allowed fewer runs then us, and paired with the second most runs scored in the association, they're going to be a tough task for either the Chiefs (80-58), Gothams (80-60), or maybe even the Dynamos (75-63) in the WCS. I still don't know how they've done it, getting production from guys like Frank Kirchner (.322, 1, 45, 4), Mark Smith (.288, 1, 45), and Charlie Ross (.313, 5, 33). It's been a storybook season for them so far, and I think they have to be the favorite this October when the associations clash once more.

Off again on Thursday, where we'll face the last place Sailors for two in Philly. At 54-83, no team in either association has a lower win percentage. All five of their starters have ERAs above 4, but the struggling Win Lewis (7-13, 4.17, 80) has somehow managed an exactly average 100 ERA+. I guess it shouldn't be too surprising, as he has a 3.25 FIP (77 FIP-) and 1.6 K/BB and was pretty much dominant since his debut in 1944. I'm hoping we miss him, but they have plenty of off days and can do whatever they want to align their rotation. No matter who we face, we'll have to deal with Ed Reyes (.364, 6, 59), the automatic batting title winner who was rumored to want out of Philadelphia to play with a contender. He could be on the move in the offseason if the Sailors decide to rebuild, and even at his age he should brig back a nice return. He's been one of their few productive hitters this season, although 25-year-old Joe Scott (.279, 13, 69) could overtake Reyes as the team's top hitter last season. He has a great combination of power and speed and was named to his first All-Star game. He looks like the face of the next generation, and I'm sure he'll soon be joined by top prospects George Rutter (30th), George Reynolds (33rd), Gordon McDonald (79th), and Jerry Keith (83rd). They already have former 10th ranked prospect Al Farmer (.263, 3, 39, 3) in the everyday lineup, and next year there could be plenty more. I'm not sure how they'll respond to this drop in the standings, but I know there's a few players I'd like to bring to the Windy City.

We finish the week with the first of three in Cincinnati with the Cannons. They're behind us in the standings, but there are six games between us and we've won eight more games then them. They swept us in Chicago, so I'm really hoping we can get some revenge. I don't think it'll happen, but it won't stop me from hoping!

Minor League Report
RF Ducky Cole: He was hurt for a bit, but instead of sending him back to Milwaukee, he'll just finish out his season on our bench. He had a nice season in Milwaukee, batting .299/.375/.489 (124 OPS+) with 19 doubles, 8 triples, 6 homers, and 55 RBIs. Cole drew 34 walks to just 24 strikeouts, making 315 trips to the plate in 91 games. This will be his third cup of coffee, going 0-for-2 in each of the last two seasons. This is the season he can be optioned, so Ducky will spend the rest of his Cougar career fighting for a 40-man spot. As a hard worker, it will be tough to part with the 25-year-old, but we have a lot of talented players with far higher upside in his way. We're now at 29 spots, but I think come next week we'll have at least 34, if not 35 guys on the big league roster.

2B Al Clement (AAA Milwaukee Blues): He'll be up with the big league club next week after the Century League season ends, but he provided some fireworks before the season ends. Clement was a perfect 4-for-4, hitting for the cycle while adding a walk, three runs, and five RBIs. That gives him 31 doubles, 8 triples, and 14 homers on the season, and it goes with an impressive .292/.378/.479 (122 OPS+) batting line. Clement has now past the 4 WAR mark as well, and the 24-year-old former second rounder is looking like the player I once thought he'd develop into. Don't get me wrong, AAA is way different from the majors, but this is a glimpse of what could be a reality for the young infielder. We got the glove down, but even just average defense is enough for a guy who hits the ball hard, walks, and steals bases. He's sort of like a regressed to the mean Joe Austin, and even though he has just one option year left, he is a legitimate option for a roster spot next season if we deal with injuries or a decrease in depth.

RHP Dutch Yoak (A Lincoln Legislators): Things could not be going much better this season for Dutch Yoak, who lowered his season ERA to 2.72 ERA (146 ERA+) after finishing off a 3-hit shutout. This also improved Yoak's Lincoln record to 12-2 in 16 starts, as the former 2nd Rounder owns a 1.08 WHIP and 58 strikeouts in 119 innings pitched. Aside from a drop in his strikeout rate, he's actually been much better here then in his 6 starts in San Jose. Now 22, the hard working lefty is eligible for the Rule-5 draft, and he's making it tough to decide if he should be protected or not. A tall lefty with a high school career full of accolades, Yoak may provide a lot of appeal to teams even if he ranks outside our top 30 and 339th overall. Scouts have soured on Yoak like an egg left out too long, which could cause teams to pass on him. If they do, I expect he'll pitch in AA next season, and if he pitches well then odds our he'll end up on a FABL 40-man roster before the 1951 season.

LF Charlie Harvey (B San Jose Cougars): Riding a 20-game hit streak, Charlie Harvey earned himself a Player of the Week, going 14-for-25 with a homer, 4 walks, 4 RBIs, and 6 runs scored. The Chicago native has spent the entire season in San Jose, and his .360/.438/.470 (139 OPS+) batting line and 151 WRC+ are both quite remarkable. Add in 15 doubles, 9 homers, 82 runs, 84 RBIs, and 61 walks, and he's put together an impressive 128 game campaign. A disciplined hitter, Harvey's walk rate (12.6) is nearly five percent better then his strikeout rate (7.8), and the quality of contact he's produced this season has been impressive. Despite being an 11th Round Pick, I've always been quite fond of Harvey, and it goes beyond his city of origin. An all bat prospect, Harvey's hit tool is so good he can contend for batting titles, and if he keeps hitting the ball hard I could see a few Leo Mitchell like seasons from him. Yes, lofty expectations for the 21-year-old, especially as the 219th ranked prospect. A better comparison may be Clyde Parker, another Leo Mitchell type who fell to the late rounds and didn't jump up the prospect ladder until recently. I expect him to start next season with the Legislators, likely for the full year, as there's no need to rush with guy who's still honing his skill.

The Doctor is In!
 

I've alluded it a few times during the season, and after totally forgetting to do it on Friday until after I made my post, I went back and purchased the contract of a pretty good former Cougar Doc Love. Love, now 43, spent his year in the lower minors of our system as a mentor to some of the youngsters, and with retirement all but given at the end of the season, he will be given one last opportunity to don a beautiful Cougars uniform. For a short window, he was one of the best pure hitters in the Continental Association, maintaining K% below 5 while hitting well over .300. Plenty of other guys did it, but Doc, who some people probably called the Love Doctor, found the seats frequently, slugging out some pretty impressive homers in his long career.

A former 6th Round Pick way back in 1927, the now grizzled Doc is playing his 22nd professional season. He was first in for the 1928 season with the Chattanooga Dynamos of the Southeastern League. Doc spent all of his season there, and looked quite impressive, slashing an outstanding .380/.434/.580 (160 OPS+) with 58 doubles, 15 triples, 9 homers, 109 RBIs, 124 runs, and 56 walks. He was worth 5.9 WAR in 138 games, in what was a historic season for Chattanooga. He ranked top five in single season offensive records for average (4th), slugging (3rd), OPS (3rd, 1.014), WAR (2nd), runs (3rd), hits (1st, 218), total bases (1st, 333), doubles (2nd), and RBIs (2nd). But despite the lofty numbers, Love did not secure everyday playing time the next season. Again with Chattanooga, he appeared in just 74 games, starting only 46 of them. As crazy as that seems, its even crazier when considering he hit .448/.485/.679 (200 OPS+), including 10 homers in 232 trips to the plate. He was worth 3.3 WAR as well, but all it amounted to was a late season promotion to AA where he went 1-for-3 with a walk and RBI.

This was a common theme for Doc Love, but at least in 1930, he was again an everyday player. Love returned to AA, where he spent 133 games, all starts, with the Wichita Rustlers. Again, Love made a huge impact at the plate, hitting an astronomical .396/.436/.647 (191 OPS+) with 29 doubles, 33 homers, and 130 RBIs. Love was worth just shy of 8 WAR (7.8) and added 197 runs with 6 steals. With these lofty numbers, its no surprise the Dynamos brought him to Detroit for Opening Day, but again, Love was relegated to a bench role. He started just 6 of his 78 appearances, leaving him with just 100 plate appearances on the year. The drop in playing time took a hit on his triple slash, as it dropped to .311/.354/.433 (109 OPS+). Still above average and promising for a 24/25-year-old, and with 7 doubles, 2 triples, 7 walks, and just 2 strikeouts, there was a lot to like about the overall work.

Still, the bench was his spot in 1932, but Love was back to hitting the ball with authority. He hit an impressive .324/.373/.588 (150 OPS+) with 7 doubles, 4 triples, a homer, and 9 RBIs, but managed to play even less. He had one more game off the bench, but made just 75 trips to the plate. 1933 was another year on the bench, 84 games with just 4 starts, and he hit .384/.440/.521 (166 OPS+) with 3 doubles, 2 triples, a homer, and 17 RBIs. With no shot of playing regular time, a savvy Chicago GM swept in, as he believed that Love was the missing piece after a tough WCS loss. The price was a 3rd Round Pick and the athletic Jose Serna, as Love was brought in to replace Bobby Sprague in left. Unfortunately, the 1934 iteration of the Cougars had a ton of issues, but Doc was not among them.

Year one in Chicago went about as good as expected, as the outfielder hit an impressive .325/.381/.511 (142 OPS+) with 22 doubles, 13 triples, 21 homers, and 98 RBIs. Doc scored 109 runs, drew 57 walks to just 24 strikeouts, and posted what would remain a career high 4.4 wins above replacement in 149 games. Doc returned to left field for 1935, and made a league high 647 trips to the plate, producing a strong .340/.372/.501 (132 OPS+) batting line. He walked (36) a few more times then he struck out (33), and provided 22 doubles, 22 homers, 8 steals, 93 runs, and 105 RBIs. Love remained the regular starter for the next two seasons, with a slight downturn in 1936, as did most of the Cougars who posted their second most recent losing season, before regaining form in 1937. He posted another 4 WAR season, and slashed .322/.361/.485 (134 OPS+) with 28 doubles, 11 triples, and 79 RBIs. There was some signs of decline from the now 30-year-old, as he hit just 13 homers in 145 games. It was his lowest in four seasons, but the overall production was still impressive.

Unfortunately, that production was not maintained, as Doc endured his worst season as a pro, eventually being replaced by an upstart Leo Mitchell. He started 61 of his 110 appearances and hit just .220/.277/.347 (74 OPS+) wit just 10 doubles, 5 triples, 5 homers, and 38 RBIs. For the first time as a Cougar, he struck out (22) more often then he walked (20). Doc Love's time was starting to run out, as for 1939 he was moved to a bench role. He did go 5-for-14 with a homer, but Love wanted out, and his former team was the one who wanted to bring him in. It was a minor deal, one I wish we were still allowed to do, as the the almost 33-year-old wanted a trade. When his former team showed interest, all I asked for was an 8th Round Pick. That turned out to be minor league captain Connie Wright, who is still in the organization at 32.

Doc's return with to Detroit was brief, but this time he started 46 of the 82 games he played in semi-regular time. Most of the starts came in his customary left field position, but for the first time in his career he got significant innings in the other corner (21 G, 161.2 IP). Of course, you call the Love Doctor for the bat not the glove, and he hit .272/.35/.487 (117 OPS+) with 11 homers and 37 RBIs. He again walked (18) more then he struck out (13) and tallied 7 doubles, 4 triples, and 33 runs. But that's all he'd end up doing for the Dynamos, as in the offseason they sent him to the now Cincinnati Cannons for a draft pick. Love was relegated to a part time player behind fellow offseason acquisition Moxie Pidgeon. In three seasons with the Cannons Love hit .271/.317/.413 (103 OPS+) with most of his positive production coming in the first season. Love appeared in 106 games and made 316 PAs, drawing 26 walks to 18 strikeouts, producing a 133 WRC+ and 1.7 WAR with 15 doubles, 5 triples, 10 homers, and 51 RBIs.

Doc was cut during the1942 season, and joined the San Diego Conquistadores of the Great West League. Back then, the GWL was a AAA league that had both affiliated and independent clubs. Prior to the '42 season, Love had never played in AAA, as he never spent a day injured so no rehab assignments were ever needed. As you might expect, he hit quite good, appearing in 77 games, as he was a fixture in San Diego's lineup once he arrived. Love hit .288/.329/.444 (117 OPS+). but Love actually struck out (25) more then he walked (20). Doc did continue to do that, as strikeouts were more common in AAA then FABL, but that didn't stop him from producing WRC+ of 146, 136, and 134. Once the GWL turned fully independent, Love didn't play as much, as the upstart league wanted to attract FABL talent for the first time. He only made 79 trips to the plate and ended up on the new "AAA" bench himself. He still hit well, but 40-year-olds aren't in high demand for playing time.

He didn't play at all last year, so I couldn't resist picking him up after the season ended. He still hasn't said he is going to call it quits, but the once prolific hitter struck out 6 times in 23 plate appearances down in A ball. His .318/.348/.364 (91 OPS+) line was below average, but he often went series without at bats. I'd love for him to get a pinch hit at bat or two tomorrow, allowing him to get a sendoff before eventually hanging up the cleats. Its been seven years since his last FABL at bat, and the then 35-year-old only hit .237/.268/.343 (69 OPS+) prior to his release. But Doc is
the ultimate team player, and I know former teammates Leo Mitchell, Harry Mead, Skipper Schneider, Carlos Montes, and Pete Papenfus would be happy if he got one more hit. Or even one more homer.

Doc has 104 of those, with 77 of them coming with us. That may not seem like a lot, and he did play just 726 games in his five plus seasons, but it's good enough for ninth in Cougars history. Carlos Montes just past him this week in Duke Bybee's 8-hit shutout of the Saints, and his former teammate Rich Langton is just one homer shy of Doc. His time in the top 10 won't last long, with Sal Pestilli (56), Red Bond (61), and even Harry Mead (73) all approaching him. And if all goes well, Otto Christian (14) will managed that in a few full seasons, as he's still tallied just 315 trips to the plate.

What may hold for a while, however, are his impressive career slugging percentage (.478, 4th) and OPS (.837, 5th). His 220 hits in 1935 are still the ninth most by a Cougar in a season, and a Cougar career .313/.359/.478 (126 OPS+) line is quite impressive. The only thing he did wrong was being past by a younger offensive talent, and Doc was always one of the more well liked players on the roster. Unfortunately we only have two home games remaining, but I think I'll find a way to fit him into one of those two games. What's one game in left for a team that's double digits out of a pennant race?

It's what the fans want! They're a little lovesick this season...

Week 21: September 12th-September 18th
 

Weekly Record: 3-2
Seasonal Record: 75-69 (4th, 12 GB)
Stars of the Week
Skipper Schneider : 17 AB, 7 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .412 AVG, 1.180 OPS
Otto Christian : 8 AB, 4 H, 1 HR, 6 RBI, .500 AVG, 1.500 OPS
Walt Pack : 14 AB, 5 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .357 AVG, 1.098 OPS

Schedule
9-13: Win at Foresters (5-4)
9-14: Loss at Foresters (2-4)
9-16: Loss at Sailors (6-7)
9-17: Win at Sailors (5-2)
9-18: Win at Cannons (10-2)

Recap
It's officially over! The Cleveland Foresters won the Continental Association Pennant! Somehow, the team that won 70 or fewer games in eight of the last nine years, won a pennant before the team that hasn't won fewer then 70 games since 1936. Yeah, sure, we won that pennant in 1941, but does it really matter when you lose four of those games by a single run? Was it even worth it? Probably not...

We at least had another winning week, even if it was just 3-2, and we split with the Foresters who need just two more wins for 90. The offense didn't do too much, and will now be without Red Bond for the rest of the season with a quadriceps strain. The 36-year-old went 5-for-13 with a double in his final week, and will now end his season with a .287/.367/.521 (135 OPS+) batting line. Bond produced a 143 WRC+ and clubbed 27 homers with 78 RBIs and 50 walks. Walt Pack hit his 200th career homer, taking Sailors hurler Al Duster (8-13, 4.75, 79) deep in the first inning of our Sunday game. For the week, he was 5-for-14, with an additional double, triple, 2 RBIs, and 3 runs. Neither played much, but both Charlie Woodbury and Otto Christian had doubles and homers. Otto will see more time at first with Bond out, and he's up to 12 homers and 40 RBIs in 69 games. I expect Leo Mitchell to get some time there too, giving at bats to some of our younger outfielders. With the minor league seasons now over (a report on them likely after the Cougars season ends), I can bring up more guys, and with nothing left to play for we can let them take some tough at bats without much stress.

The Jones Brothers both pitched well, with both Donnie and Johnnie earning two-run complete game victories. Donnie allowed 9 hits and a walk with 5 strikeouts while Johnnie allowed 5 and 4 walks with 3 strikeouts. They have similar records, with Donnie 15-12 and Johnnie 14-13, but Donnie has been the much better pitcher. His 2.95 ERA (136 ERA+) is now best on the team and he ranks first on the team win wins and second in strikeouts (134). Aside from that, he leads the team in innings (247.1), rWAR (6.4), complete games (15), WHIP (1.21), and quality starts (22). As good as Pap's been, Donnie's probably the ace of the staff now, and he'll lead the rotation when we start the new decade.

Looking Ahead
Just ten games left, with six in the next seven games. We'll face the Cannons (68-76), Wolves (66-77), and Stars (77-68), and I'd love to win as many of our remaining games as possible. It's two per team, with the first four on the road. Our last two home games are the ones I care most about, as they'll be against the third place Stars. New York is a game and a half ahead of us for third, and it would really hurt not finishing top-three in two of three seasons. The last time that happened was 1938, as we finished fifth with a 79-75 record. Two years prior was 1936, where we finished 68-86, one of just three sub .500 appearance since 1930. Despite all the winning seasons, we continue our championship drought, consistently finishing below our expected record. Our -4 matches last season, giving us a -4 or worse in seven of the last eight seasons. Luck in close games really wasn't much of an issue this year, as we just didn't play good, with July really being the only month we showed any signs of life. A strong end to the season would inspire some hope for a return to form next year.

Minor League Report
All five of our affiliated clubs finished above .500, so the Cougars will need at least four more wins to join them. Just one title, as the Lincoln Legislators got hot in September to claim the title, while the Blues fell one game short. A lot of their guys will be on the way up, each summarized below:

2B Al Clement: It was a breakout year for former 2nd Rounder Al Clement, who hit .294/.378/.496 (127 OPS+) with 36 doubles, 9 triples, 16 homers, 13 steals, 88 runs, 73 RBIs, and 68 walks. A natural shortstop, Clement is probably best suited for second, but he spent most of his season at the hot corner. The results were passable, as in 114 games he had a -1.8 zone rating and .983 defensive efficiency. Now that he's closer to reaching his peak, he sort of profiles like Billy Hunter, just without all the injury troubles. Hunter is far more talented, but they are similar hitters. They have good speed, put the ball in play, and find their way on base. Clement has yet to be tested, and will be making his debut this week. He's not starter material yet, but his floor is a useful bench piece, and with George Dawson turning 39 next April, there could be a spot either this season or the next.

CF Johnny Peters: He was awful in his brief callup, going 2-for-30 with 4 walks and 9 strikeouts. But back in AAA he was great, 25-for-76 with 2 doubles, a triple, 2 homers, 14 walks, 13 runs, and 11 RBIs. The 25-year-old finished the season with a .307/.405/.502 (136 OPS+) batting line, and Peters will add to his 50 major league at bats. In the Century League he appeared in 110 games, and provided 7 steals, 19 doubles, 13 triples, 11 homers, 70 runs, 69 walks, and 70 RBIs. He was again worth over 4 WAR (4.3) for the Blues, making three consecutive seasons. He's good enough to start, but there hasn't been a spot for him in the lineup. He struggled in the spring and started the year in Milwaukee, and he's at risk of suffering the same fate next season. There are a lot of good outfielders on the roster, as he'll compete with Leo Mitchell, Don Lee, Jimmy Hairston, Chubby Hall, and Carlos Montes. Some of those guys may not be here by Opening Day, so if he starts hitting he could be in line for at least a part-time job to start next season.

That's it for now, but we'll get Billy Hunter back next week. There's a lot of guys I'll need to protect in the offseason, but I'm not ready to start the clock on guys like Ron Berry and Harry Beardsley.

Week 22: September 19th-September 25th
 

Weekly Record: 5-1
Seasonal Record: 80-70 (2nd, 12 GB)
Stars of the Week
Harry MacRae : 2 Wins, 7.0 IP, 7 BB, 1 K, 1.29 ERA
Sal Pestilli : 27 AB, 8 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI, .296 AVG, .959 OPS
Skipper Schneider : 23 AB, 8 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .348 AVG, .966 OPS

Schedule
9-19: Win at Cannons (3-2)
9-20: Loss at Cannons (0-7)
9-21: Win at Wolves (11-9)
9-22: Win at Wolves (6-1)
9-24: Win at Stars (3-2)
9-25: Win at Stars (5-4)

Recap
Yay! When the games don't matter, we win! Up to 80-70 and 2nd place, the Cougs are now in position for another top three finish, and we've won 80 or more games in ten of the last eleven seasons. The Saints are half a game behind us and the Stars a game and a half, so it's far from a sure thing, but with four games left, including two with the Stars, its up to us if we finish top three. It would be slight consolation if we can hold on to the second spot, but we'll lose at least one more game then last season, so even our lottery position isn't going to be great.

Plenty of highlights this week, but the most important came in the 5-4 walk-off win over the Stars. No, I'm not talking about Sal Pestilli ambushing a 2-0 Richie Hughes fastball for a walk-off three-run homer, but I'm talking Doc Love's 4th inning double! The 43-year-old veteran is the oldest person to take an FABL plate appearance this season, and I'm psyched that he went 1-for-3 and we got the win. He also made all four of the plays hit to him, with the only ball he didn't field an impossible hit. This will officially wrap up the career of the veteran, who will finish his FABL career with 1,133 hits, 162 doubles, 104 homers, 569 RBIs, and a .305/.352/.470 (123 OPS+) batting line in 1,301 games with the Dynamos, Cougars, and Cannons. The former 6th Rounder was worth 18.5 wins above replacement, and is expected to retire at the conclusion of the season.

Most surprising may be Charlie Woodbury, who up until last week was ice cold. This week he got more playing time, 4-for-12 with a double, 3 walks, and a pair of solo homers. At one point in serious danger of losing his roster spot, the 31-year-old now has 6 homers as a Cougar and 10 overall, hitting .239/.322/.466 (106 OPS+) between us and Brooklyn. His 126 WRC+ as a Cougar is quite impressive, and he's slashed a powerful .323/.400/.774 (208 OPS+) in September. Otto Christian has been hot too, going 5-for-18 with 3 walks. All five of his hits went for extra bases, with a triple and two doubles and homers. Otto is up to .308/.379/.692 (181 OPS+) on the month, with 10 doubles, 14 homers, 19 walks, and 43 RBIs on the season. Eddie Howard, who will finish the year as the starting catcher, was 7-for-13 with 2 doubles and 4 runs, and he's positioned himself well for the starting job in 1950. Sure, it's an even season, and Harry Mead has had a WRC+ above 100 in all five even year seasons this decade, but his .233/.301/.316 (65 OPS+) line is the worst he's posted since his 67 game sample back in 1938 where he had just a 50 WRC+ with 10 doubles, 20 RBIs, and 20 walks.

In what will be his 29th and final start of the season, Duke Bybee was a Skipper Schneider error from a complete game shutout. It was a great way to end a down season for the 27-year-old, allowing 7 hits, 2 walks, and the unearned run with 4 strikeouts. This improved the southpaw to 14-12 on the season, and he lowered his ERA to a now above average 3.99 (101 ERA+) in 219 innings. He walked 67 and struck out 96, but for full seasons, set personal worsts in losses, ERA, FIP (3.95), FIP- (98), innings, hits (232), homers (23), HR/9 (0.9), WHIP (1.37), and WAR (3.1). Still, most teams would be comfortable from merely average performance from their 3rd starter, despite his status among our five qualified starters as the one with the highest ERA. George Oddo came close, as his spiked to 3.97 (101 ERA+) with a brutal start, his 24th and final of the season. That's three fewer then last year, because we had Zane Kelley take some away from everyone the last month. He earned his first career win, allowing 5 hits, 2 runs (1 earned), and 3 walks with 2 strikeouts. I'm hoping in start four, he'll finally have more strikeouts then walk, but it's hard to be mad about three complete games with 3 or fewer runs. With a lot of off days, we don't need a full rotation, and we'll finish the season with Pap and Kelley in Brooklyn before Donnie and Johnnie in New York.

Week 23: September 26th-October 2nd
 

Weekly Record: 2-2
Seasonal Record: 82-72 (t-2nd, 13 GB)
Stars of the Week
Otto Christian : 15 AB, 7 H, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .467 AVG, 1.300 OPS
Don Lee : 12 AB, 5 H, 2 HR, 3 RBI, .417 AVG, 1.500 OPS
George Sutterfield : 11 AB, 5 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .455 AVG, 1.227 OPS

Schedule
9-28: Loss at Kings (2-9)
9-29: Win at Kings (8-5)
10-1: Loss at Stars (1-4)
10-2: Win at Stars (5-3)

Recap
After splitting the final two series, we managed to hang on to second place, finishing 82-72 and 13 games out of first place. The same goes for the Saints, so we'll share the distinction of 2nd. It's our third second place finish in the last four seasons, and we've now finished top three in ten of the last eleven seasons. And with so many playoff wins to show for it!

The offense this week was varied, with a lot of top performances and a lot of struggles. Don Lee led the way, as the seemingly recharged outfielder finished his season 5-for-12 with 2 walks, 2 homers, 3 RBIs, and 4 runs, and in his 15 game callup he hit a well above average .302/.423/.605 (172 OPS+) with 2 doubles, a triple, 3 homers, a steal, and 5 RBIs with an excellent 9-to-2 walk-to-strikeout ratio. I may want to add an outfielder this offseason, but Lee's performance means we may have a nice in house option ready to go. Otto Christian hit another homer, coming in a huge 4-for-5 game with 2 doubles to finish his September. He didn't play enough for the award, but Otto slashed .350/.409/.767 (209 OPS+) in 17 September games, providing 6 doubles, 2 triples, 5 homers, and 14 RBIs. Others such as George Sutterfield (5-11, 2B, 3B, R, BB, 2 RBI), Charlie Woodbury (4-12, 2 2B, 2 RBI, BB), Carlos Montes (4-10, R, 2 BB), and Harry Mead (2-7, 2 2B, RBI) all finished well, but it was sad to see both Skipper (3-14, R) and Sal (3-16, 3B, RBI, BB) so cold after great starts. Both still managed 5 WAR seasons, but their first halves were significantly better then the second. A full season of dominance next year would be great, as once again, our championship drought adds another year.

Johnnie Jones finished his season with a win, starting his career high 30th game to finish the season. He's seen his starts increase each year (2, 3, 24, 26, 27, 29, 30) since his debut in 1941, and he managed to win each of his last three decisions. He walked 6, allowing 6 hits and 3 runs (2 earned) with 3 strikeouts. His 3.55 ERA (113 ERA+) makes him four of five in full seasons with an ERA+ above 100, and he set bests in wins (15) and strikeouts (101). Zane Kelley beat the team that drafted him, but Brooklyn chased him out with two outs in the ninth. He allowed 9 hits, 5 runs, and 2 walks, but struck out 4, finally more then he walked. Kelley got all but one out that he could have in his first four starts, working to a stellar 2.78 ERA (145 ERA+) and 1.09 WHIP. Harry MacRae finished that start to earn his 15th save, striking out rookie Ken Newman (.293, 5, 56) to end it. 15 saves is good enough for a four way tie for the 6th most saves in a season for a Cougar pitcher, and the 28-year-old finished his season 8-3 with a 2.91 ERA (138 ERA+) and 1.49 WHIP. We couldn't catch the Foresters for fewest runs, mainly due to our pen (5.00, 7th) and home runs (125, 8th), but the Cougs led the association in starter's ERA (3.45), hits (1,283), opponent average (.246), BABIP (.261), and strikeouts (681), with the most efficient defense (.724) and second highest zone rating (29.1).

Not too much left in the season, as the Foresters (95-59) and Chiefs (90-64) square off in the World Championship Series, but a few more Cougar related posts before starting with the yearly offseason top prospects. Tomorrow I expect to get an in-depth report of our minor league system and then Friday the no-trade team. Depending how I feel, I may end up doing a recap of the 1940s. This was supposed to be our decade, and with nine finished with 82 wins or more, you might think that would be the case. But no, zero championships, one pennant, and a ton of disappointment.

That's Cougars baseball for you! We get your hopes up, just to finish like everyone else! Not a champion...

And we'll do it all again next season!