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Cuban Winter League: Week 11
Short post today, but it was an awful end to the season for Santa Clara, who dropped 11 of their last 14 games to fall to a tie for last with the Matanzas Buccaneers. I'm really not sure what went wrong, but the Blues three aces didn't quite dominate, and now only Zane Kelley comes home to join the team early March in Florida. With the season over, no need to cover anyone specifically, and I'll instead hand out awards for the team like I did last year. It may not come tomorrow, as I'll be pretty busy, but I'll have a few things out before the spring. There's plenty of excitement in the air for the start of the 50s, and as dumb and as played out as it sounds. I think this is it. This is the year. I truly can't remember the last time I've been this confident in a Cougars team. But I think this team will get it done. It's probably the best constructed team since the one in the early 1930s, that would have been a dynasty if Tommy Wilcox didn't get hurt or I never traded the Barrell battery in the first place.
Though we all know what happened then. The unexpected hit and all we could do is watch. Kind of like the last few seasons. But it won't stop the excitement from getting up! |
Trade News!
Before getting to the super minor trade we made, I have some good news for future me! Four players on my ballot will not be there next year, leaving plenty of room for Dick Walker and plenty of other deserving candidates. I would have felt awful had Walker fallen off, and even though Tom Bird (2nd, 50%) still isn't a Hall-of-Famer, my attention will be shifted fully to campaigning for Dick Walker's Hall-of-Fame case. He deserves to join Al Wheeler (1st, 100%), Jim Lonardo (1st, 87%), and his longtime teammate Jack Cleaves (2nd, 80%). Unfortunately, that means Dick Lyons (2nd, 7%) fell off, as I was the lone vote for him this year. As sad as I am, I knew he'd eventually fall off the ballot, but I'm sure the 49-year-old is satisfied with his #23 framed at Cougars Park. For now he's one of four, joining Hall-of-Famers Calvin Kidd (0 - which I'd never use regardless), former teammate John Dibblee (19), and Jack Long (22).
Our trade once again came with the Kings, as they were looking for a third string catcher and I was ready to move all my catchers up. Since they wanted someone who could hit from the left side of the plate, a switch hitter like Mundy is even better. I sent him and shortstop Willie Watson to the Kings for Joe Marshall, who just took a tumble in the preseason prospect rankings. I could care less about that number, whether it was 232 or 426, as "Muddy" is exactly the type of player I fill my system with. A 6th Rounder in 1948, the 19-year-old is a hardworking shortstop who can play all over the diamond, getting time in center and left as well as second and third. I love the glove and the speed, and despite being overmatched in Class B, Muddy Marshall hit 10 homers in 128 games. A 41 WRC+ made it clear he wasn't ready, and I don't expect him to debut until the Class C season gets underway. What I do expect is a Tip Harrison clone, just with arguably a better glove at short. He's still young, so it's hard to know much, but even at 18 most of the season, he had an impressive 10.7 zone rating and 1.087 efficiency at short. For context, our Buddy Jenkins is highly regarded as a fielder, and the third-year was at 6.8 and 1.047. Shortstop defense isn't an immediate need, but there's going to be a time where Skipper Schneider has to retire, and having a glove like Marshall off the bench who can give you plus defense at short, and at least average everywhere else, can mean the difference in a close game where you needed to steal a run. |
Cuban Winter League: Accolades
I forgot to mention this yesterday, but when FABL absorbed the GWL, there was a lot of minor league restructuring, with us one of the teams affected. For the first time in my Cougar career, the Mobile Commodores will no longer be our AA affiliate. Mobile is moving to Gulf States League, where they will be the Class C affiliate of the Stars. As much as I'll miss the Commodores, this is a smart move for a financial reason, as Mobile was crazy far from Chicago, Milwaukee, and Lincoln. Our new AA affiliate will be the Little Rock Governors, a long time member of the GWL when it was a minor league, that then become a GWL AA team in the Western Baseball League. They are a new entrant to the Dixie League, replacing the Commodores, and they are at least 400 miles closer to our FABL, AAA, and A affiliate then Mobile was.
The downside is the staffs stayed with the team, so we lost one of the best minor league staffs for an inadequate one. Not too many free agents left, but I did make an offer on a new Manager and Pitching Coach. For now. Fourth-Year Hitting Coach Gus Davis will stay for now, as he's at least "Decent" and there's no one better. He also has the pleasure of being the Cougars 16th Round Pick in 1923, and he spent 1924 with the Legislators. Those 47 games account for his entire pro career, as he was released before my time. We do have a connection to Pitching Coach Joe Foley, who may be the absolute worst Cougar pitcher of all time. Now 51, the former Chief and Cougar was once a 20-game winner who led FABL with 46 starts and 315.2 innings in 1926, where he had a nice 4.19 ERA (109 ERA+) despite a league leading 155 walks and a pitiful 0.4 K/BB. He was solid the season before and after, but an injury in the Spring of 1928 cost him a whole season. He was waived prior to the '29 season, before an absolutely atrocious Cougar pitching staff added him to the mix. I guess my scout loved him and the rest of the staff was clearly bad (5.37 team ERA trailed just the 1935 iteration of the Cougars in team history), Foley was miserable. He made 9 starts and 3 relief appearances, going 1-5 with an off-putting 9.73 ERA (46 ERA+) and 2.33 WHIP. His 40-to-8 walk-to-strikeout ratio makes my stomach turn, and he was eventually banished to AAA -- never surfacing in FABL again. Because of that, he has the honor of owning the highest ERA among Cougars with more then 5 innings. As you might expect, he's an awful coach too, so don't expect this all-time dud to open the spring in Little Rock. Anyways, here are our Best Pitcher and Hitter for the 1949-1950 season! No additional accolades this year, as we didn't have a big second half star like Johnny Peters or a reliever like Ben Clough who didn't pitch. Best Pitcher: RHP Zane Kelley 5-4, 87.2 IP, 4.31 ERA (106 ERA+), 1.47 WHIP, 23 BB, 46 K, 1.8 WAR It was a weird winter for Zane Kelley, who once again was the best of the pitchers we sent to Cuba. The 4.31 ERA (106 ERA+) looks worse then it is, especially since it was still an above average mark, and Kelley led the CWL with 11 starts and an even 2.0 K/BB. As you might expect from strong walk and strikeout numbers, Kelley's 3.96 FIP (86 FIP-) was impressive, even after allowing 23 hits and 15 runs (11 earned) in his last two starts. If it wasn't for that late inflation, Kelley's season would have looked much better then it was, as his ERA was an impressive 3.75 in his first nine starts. Unfortunately for Kelley, he may be there next year too, as the acquisition of David Molina completely shut him out of innings on the Cougars staff. There are only two really stretches where double headers complicate things, so a sixth starter won't be needed much, and ideally Molina is the only one throwing high leverage innings. Time and time again, Kelley has proven he can't start against the toughest competition, but for one more season, he'll have to wait his turn behind the best rotation in the game. Best Hitter: SS Elmer Grace .319/.418/.608 (154 OPS+), 196 PA, 7 2B, 3B, 13 HR, 35 RBI, 164 WRC+, 2.1 WAR Jimmy Hairston (.274, 12, 28) deserves recognition for his stellar winter, but Elmer Grace just could not be stopped. Despite just 9 AAA homers in 106 games, Grace led all CWL hitters with 13 in 42, all while slashing an impressive .319/.418/.608 (154 OPS+). Grace produced a 164 WRC+ to go with 34 runs, 7 doubles, 35 RBIs, and 28 walks, and after taking a few games to get used to the keystone, Grace finished with a 1.024 efficiency. His zone rating would have been higher had Jim Urquhart (7.3, 1.108) and Marshall Thomas (6.7, 1.145) not been so darn good. They were the only two qualifiers ahead of Grace, who finished second in fielding percentage (.995) and third in innings (372.1). Like Kelley, Grace has the unfortunate predicament of being stuck behind the best shortstop, and when listed as one, George Sutterfield ranks as the 18th best position player in FABL. There's no room in the middle infield for Grace, so he'll have to take his newfound slugging with him to Milwaukee. Grace is an above average ballplayer, even this young at 22, and the #60 prospect could end up an attractive trade candidate for a team in need of a shortstop. |
A Look Back at the 1929 Draft: Part 1
Spring training is right around the corner, but I had a little business on and off the field. Games will begin on Wednesday, and joining the roster is a GWL star that I always thought was FABL quality, but stuck in the rebel league, Clyde Zimmerman. A 5th Round Pick of the Saints, for some reason he lasted just one season, and was cut and quickly released before joining the independent ranks. Eventually, that got him to Oakland, where he spent the last four seasons. He was great in the inaugural GWL season, worth a whopping 6.8 WAR after hitting .287/.365/.417 (132 OPS+) with 390 doubles, 9 triples, 12 homers, 9 steals, and 79 RBIs. In total, he got into 499 games for the Grays, and hit .292/.359/.422 (126 OPS+) with 68 doubles, 16 triples, 55 homers, and 243 RBIs. Now 28, he'll have a chance to earn a bench spot to start the season, but with two options left, I expect him to start in Milwaukee.
More importantly though, after a long wait, I finally got to it! The retrospective of the 1929 draft class! I will have to bounce between these and Spring Training news, but it should be done by Opening Day. Today is all about Tom Barrell, who I drafted four full years ago[/URL] and honestly didn't have too much to say about. A lot of this was because I covered him so frequently during the college season, as it was back when the draft pool actually played against each other. You can read all the initial draft picks by clicking the links at the bottom of the post. 1st Round, 1st Overall: RHP Tom Barrell School: Georgia Baptist Gators 1932 (CHC/BRK): 10-3, 15 G, 125.2 IP, 2.58 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 24 BB, 68 K, 173 ERA+, 3.6 WAR 1934 (BRK): 29-3, 38 G, 319.1 IP, 2.96 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 68 BB, 189 K, 142 ERA+, 8.4 WAR 1935 (BRK): 22-11, 37 G, 299 IP, 2.86 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 65 BB, 160 K, 153 ERA+, 7.6 WAR 1936 (BRK): 21-6, SV, 42 G, 306 IP, 3.41 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 55 BB, 158 K, 134 ERA+, 8.1 WAR 1937 (BRK): 12-6, 26 G, 176.1 IP, 3.42 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 26 BB, 95 K, 118 ERA+, 4.2 WAR 1944 (CIN): 11-8, 30 G, 166.1 IP, 2.92 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 51 BB, 33 K, 122 ERA+, 1.1 WAR 1945 (CIN): 16-5, 26 G, 188 IP, 3.26 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 66 BB, 53 K, 113 ERA+, 2.7 WAR Career (BRK): 135-82, SV, 270 G, 2,075.1 IP, 3.72 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 489 BB, 1,055 K, 110 ERA+, 43.6 WAR Career (CIN): 27-13, 56 G, 354.1 IP, 3.10 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 117 BB, 86 K, 117 ERA+, 3.8 WAR Career (FABL): 179-111, 6 SV, 409 G, 2,722.2 IP, 3.68 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 724 BB, 1,257 K, 109 ERA+, 48.9 WAR There are some people that you just cannot tell the story of baseball without them. Tom Barrell is one of those players. Ever since he stepped foot on the Georgia Baptist Campus, it was obvious Tom was going to be a star. And I'll be honest, when I drafted him, I really thought he was going to the Hall-of-Fame on the first ballot. Instead, he got just 20% of the votes, and I'm not sure how much more he can get then that. Even with three 20-win seasons, 299-inning seasons, and Allen Awards, Tom had a three season peak that was sandwiched by inconsistency and injury. That held him to 179 wins, 2,722.2 innings, and a somewhat pedestrian 3.68 ERA (109 ERA+), despite having a peak that was higher then almost anyone. But let's start from the beginning: Tom spent a full four seasons at Georgia Baptist, and he pretty much improved each season. As a freshman, he was 7-1 with a 2.78 ERA (164 ERA+) and 1.04 WHIP with 23 walks and 100 strikeouts in 90.2 innings pitched. That was the lone season he got to throw to Fred, although he did plenty of that later in his career, but perhaps as the only Barrell he was able to fully shine. As a sophomore, he pitched a collegiate high 123 innings, making 15 starts and 4 relief outings, finishing 10-3 with a save, 3.07 ERA (166 ERA+) and 1.11 WHIP with 135 strikeouts to just 21 walks. That equates to a stellar 4.2 BB% and 27.2 K% and a personal best 6.3 K/BB. That's why his 3.27 FIP (63 FIP-) was even better then the 3.46 (75 FIP-) from the season before, so its no surprise he took a huge leap forward next. He went 17-4 in his next two seasons, posting microscopic ERAs of 2.16 (188 ERA+) and 2.10 (220 ERA+) with matchup 0.92 and 0.80 WHIPs. He struck out 254 hitters while walking just 46 in 211.1 innings as an upperclassmen. Even crazier, his FIPs were 2.64 (64 FIP-) and 1.97 (42 FIP-), as he allowed just eight homers in that time. Tom wrapped up his college career 34-8 with a 2.54 ERA (182 ERA+), and he even had a 263/.342/.539 (131 OPS+) triple slash. He played a little first base, hitting 26 homers and 86 RBIs in 398 trips to the plate. Obviously the pitching was better, as its hard to top a 0.97 WHIP, 2.83 FIP (61 FIP-), and 489 strikeouts in 425 innings pitched. With numbers so impressive, it was a foregone conclusion he would be the first overall pick. That came in 1929, which was the first and only time the Cougars have made the first selection of the Amateur Draft. I tried to move Barrell up the ladder quickly, as he started in Lincoln and had a strong 16 start sample. He went 9-6 with a 2.68 ERA (152 ERA+) and 1.08 WHIP through 110.2 innings, striking out 114 while walking just 23. I was hoping he'd be ready for a promotion, and he got a five start audition, but the 22-year-old allowed 36 hits, 24 earned runs, and 16 walks with 12 strikeouts in 33.1 innings pitched. He started the next season in Mobile, but had to leave his start with an injury while a single out away from a shutout. That's when the worse case happened, as the young Commodore got the worst news he could hear: his season was over. Lucky for Tom, the arm seemed fine, and he was up in Milwaukee and steamrolling anyone in his way. He made 11 starts, going 6-1 with a 1.42 ERA (319 ERA+) and 0.82 WHIP with 15 walks and 96 strikeouts. With an injury to Steve Castellini, we needed someone to cover starts, and Tom made three of them. They went well, as he was 2-0 after allowing 20 hits, 8 earned runs, and just 2 walks with 9 strikeouts in 24 innings pitched. As good as that was, I for some reason demoted him when Castellini came back, before doing the one thing that everyone hear knows about and probably wonders if it will ever end? You know... The trade... That's all I'll say here, as long story short, the Cougars couldn't finish and Tom went on a 8-3 run with a 2.48 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and 2.8 K/BB (68-to-24) in 101.2 innings. He was obviously more then ready for FABL hitters, and the Kings looked like big winners right off the back. Of course, that wasn't quite the case, as the young Barrell took a big step back in his first year as a starter, while a certain someone took home the 1933 Allen after a certain team blew a 2-0 lead in the WCS. Tom went 13-16 in his 32 starts, working to a 3.86 ERA (93 ERA+) and 4.01 FIP (111 FIP-) with a 1.38 WHIP in 247.1 innings pitched. He led the league with 22 home runs allowed, something he never did again, and ironically it was the first of many major categories he led his association in. Wise readers know that that's not anywhere close to the way the story end, as 1934 began the start of the dominant and succinct Tom Barrell Era that made Brooklyn fans believe in the Kings for the first time in a while. I wish I could remember 1934 as just that, and just for today I think I can manage. The runaway Allen Winner, Tom led the Continental Association in wins (29), starts (38), innings (319.1), strikeouts (189), WHIP (1.06), K/BB (2.8), FIP- (77), and WAR (8.4), with an outstanding 2.96 ERA (142 ERA+) and similar 3.26 FIP. As you might expect, he was an All-Star that season, the first of a run of three consecutive. Barrell followed up his dominant '34 season with a just as impressive '35 season. This time, the then 27-year-old led the CA with a 2.86 ERA (153 ERA+), to go with league leads in WHIP (1.14), strikeouts (160), FIP- (78), and WAR (7.6). The now two-time Allen Winner finished his season 22-11, coming an inning short of 300. As good as that was, it just wasn't quite enough, as for the second straight season the Kings came a game short of the pennant. Tom wouldn't let that happen again, making an association high 39 starts in an association high 306 innings, though the association high 21 wins is a little less impressive considering he shared it with Cuck Cole (21-11, 4.33, 123) and former Cougar draftee Dean Astle (21-15, 2, 3.59, 90). But with the Kings finally getting over the hump and securing their long awaited Continental Association pennant, so the Allen Award seemed like a lock. After all, he had a 3.41 ERA (134 ERA+) and 3.50 FIP (76 FIP-), and the FIP-, WAR (8.1), and WHIP (1.16). And not only did he strike out a league high 158 batters, his 2.9 K/BB was almost a full strikeout (0.9; 2.0) higher then one of the craziest trio of pitchers you'd ever see for a K/BB leaderboard: longtime Miners ace and current Gotham Lefty Allen (17-11. 3.46, 122), who was just 22 and in his rookie season, the oft-injured Venezuelan David Abalo (17-10, 4.45, 117) who was 22 and in his third season with the Pioneers, and an often forgot about Jake Smith (13-13, 1, 4.31, 67), who may be best known for being part of the package that brought Fred McCormick to the Wolves a few seasons later. One of the three Barrell brothers on the Kings, Tom took the mound for the first time in the postseason against the Chicago Chiefs, but it happened to be game one against Hall-of-Famer Rabbit Day (25-3, 2, 2.41, 156), who held the Kings to one run in a complete game victory. Tom didn't pitch well, allowing 8 runs, but considering half of those were unearned, its hard to be too mad. He allowed 7 hits, but just 1 walk with 6 strikeouts. Unfortunately, the Kings looked overmatched all series, and with elimination already on the line, he made the start in game four. and while he gave it his all, he only got two runs of support. That would have been enough, had the Kings not made three errors, as only one of his three runs were earned. Tom walked three and struck out five, but the big blunder came when opposing starter Ron Coles (15-5, 1, 3.82, 84) hit a surprising home run in the third that gave them a 1-0 lead they'd hold the rest of the day. The embarrassing sweep put a chip on Tom's shoulder, and even today as a manager I don't think it left. He pushed himself too hard, with a strained hamstring interrupting his season, leaving him with just 26 appearances (23 starts) and 176.1 innings. While not as dominant as he has been in year past, he did manage to accumulate a 4.2 WAR with a 3.42 ERA (118 ERA+), 3.25 FIP (80 FIP-), and 1.21 WHIP. He struck out 95 and walked just 26, leading to a league high 3.7 K/BB. Again, the Kings took home the Continental Association pennant, but it took a game 145 to make it happen. You can thank another Cougar for that one, as Mike Murphy twirled a 4-hit shutout in a commanding 8-0 win. This allowed them to take on the Pittsburgh Miners, which meant that one of the league's longest droughts would be broken. The Kings had never won a World Championship Series, with their only past titles in the Border Association in 1889 and 1891, while the Miners hadn't won since 1901 as they did what the Bills couldn't do, and win a title after failing three years in a row. This year it was not Tom on the mound in game one, but that made sense considering the Kings had the eventual Allen winner in Joe Shaffner (20-4, 2.32, 69) who more then filled in for Barrell atop the Kings rotation. But like him last year, Shaffner dropped the opener, leaving Tom on the mound for game two. Despite an early run in the first, the Kings failed to score runs for their reigning Allen winner. Or at least until the 8th, where they thrashed Lou "Cougar" Ellertson (13-4, 10, 3.46, 59) for seven runs. Tom was allowed to come back for the 8th, and he had no issues, leaving with 7 hits, 3 runs, and 4 strikeouts before Chicagoan Bob Cummings (2-6, 5.42, 54) finished off the ninth. The Kings continued to roll, as trade-mate Mike Murphy (17-12, 3.52, 60) won game three and Joe Shaffner fought back with a 3-hit, 5-strikeout shutout to put the Kings and the former #1 pick a win away from history. The Miners jumped on Tom early, but the Kings battled back with four in the first and held a 6-2 lead through seven. Unfortunately, that's when things got real for the Miners, who got two in the 8th and chase Tom out with two outs, and a grand total of 8 hits, 5 runs, 2 walks, and 3 strikeouts. That brought in FABL save leader Del Lyons (10-7, 20, 2.37, 41), who survived a pair of baserunners to capture the Kings first ever World Championship series. The Kings did well to defend their title, capturing a third consecutive pennant, outlasting the Toronto Wolves by two games to repeat their title. Tom wasn't really a factor, but you can blame bad luck for that. Despite a CA best 81 FIP-, Tom was just 13-14 with a 4.33 ERA (91 ERA+) and 1.30 WHIP. The walk and strikeout numbers were still good enough to continue leading the CA, with a 2.4 from 129 strikeouts and 54 walks. The Kings definitely recognized that Barrell was far better then what the numbers said, lining him up to face Rabbit Day (26-7, 3, 3.06, 120) -- the same guy who flexed on Tom two seasons prior. The vet rose the occasion, allowing just 4 hits, a run, and 2 strikeouts with 11 strikeouts in the 4-1 complete game win. The Kings split the next two games, and the aggressive Powell Slocum brought him out for game four. Again, the Kings ace impressed, tossing 7.2 innings with 5 hits, a run, 2 walks, and 6 strikeouts. They needed just one more win, but recent Hall-of-Fame inductee Jim Lonardo (25-7, 1, 2.68, 81) and current Chief ace Al Miller (15-12, 1, 3.72, 140), who could end up there with him one day, were able to force a game seven. Once more, it was Barrell vs. Day, but it was the game that nobody expected. Day didn't come out for the fourth, as he already allowed 8 hits and 5 runs, while despite 6 strikeouts Tom Barrell was chased out with two outs in the fourth, leaving with 6 runs, 4 hits, and 3 walks. The two teams traded runs through the sixth, where the Chiefs were holding on to a 11-10 lead. From that point on, Red Hampton (4-6, 3, 5.60, 24) and Joe Shaffner (16-14, 3.68, 85) traded zeros the rest of way, once again doing what the Chicago Cougars fail to do: close out a season. As you might expect, Tom took the loss rather hard, and again his body paid the price. He tore his rotator cuff the following July, ending his season with 109.1 unlucky innings. His ERA+ (87) and FIP- (86) were almost identical, as his 4.94 ERA was over a full run higher then his 3.71 WHIP. But the strikeouts were down, as his 10.1 K% was a career low, and it came with a 5.6 BB% that was his highest since his sophomore slump. If he stays healthy, there's always the chance he rights the ship, with positive regression seemingly forthcoming. Instead, it seemed to be a cliff for the 31-year-old, one that it looked like he may never dig himself out of. When Tom came back for the 1940 season, he was a shell of himself, throwing slower and the stuff just wasn't sharp. His walk rate jumped to 7.1 and his K% fell to 8.3, the first time he failed to strike out at least 10% of the batters he faced. He finished just 10-17, with an awful 5.50 ERA (73 ERA+) in 250.1 innings pitched. He did have a more respectable 4.48 FIP (111 FIP-), but that was still more then 10% below average, and his 1.55 WHIP was a career high. With his struggles, the team struggled too, and the Kings made the surprising move to part with one of their Barrell's that offseason. Tom was shipped off to the Miners for Gene Zavala and a 4th Round Pick, as the team Tom once bested in the postseason now wants to employ him in their rotation. The overall results weren't great, but he went 11-9 and started 22 of his 28 appearances, working to a 4.24 ERA (95 ERA+) and 1.47 WHIP, but he walked 65 with 71 strikeouts. In 1942, the three-time Allen Winner didn't look great in camp, and ended up leaving early with back stiffness. He dealt with a strained abdominal muscle later, and when he returned to Pittsburgh, he was used strictly out of the pen. It couldn't have gone much worse, as the 34-year-old worked to a 4.88 ERA (73 ERA+) and 1.63 WHIP, and for the first time in his long career, walked (18) more hitters then he struck out (15). He threw 31.1 innings across 21 appearances, but aside from the return to double digit strikeout percentage (10.4), but as the war out east continued to drain the FABL ranks, there was still a roster spot for Tom in 1943. That ended up his last season with the Miners, and he took a more prominent role in the pen. He threw 59.1 innings in 31 appearances, going 2-4 with a 3.79 ERA (95 ERA+) and 1.45 WHIP, although his 33-to-21 walk-to-strikeout ratio was beginning to be unplayable. Still, Barrell was back in camp for the Miners in '44, and right around Opening Day they sent him to Cincinnati for longtime Forester Moxie Pidgeon, who was on the ballot with Barrell for the hall this offseason. Now 36, Tom functioned as a swingman, and actually made 17 starts with just 13 relief outings after 50+ consecutive outings in the pen. Rather surprisingly, he looked like a FABL pitcher once again, helping the Cannons secure their first pennant since they were in Baltimore back in 1914. Tom went 11-8, with an impressive 2.92 ERA (122 ERA+) that was not backed by his FIP (3.92, 109) or K/BB (0.6; 33/51). Still, he made his 8th and final playoff start that year, picking up a win with 10 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts in 7 innings pitched. The Cannons ended up winning the series, making the grizzled vet a two-time champion, but he wanted to run it back once more. Barrell broke camp as a 37-year-old starter, and started 23 of his 26 appearances. He pitched so well, that he was even named an All-Star, finishing the year 16-5 with a 3.26 ERA (113 ERA+) and 1.20 WHIP, though he couldn't pitch in the Cannons title defense as he strained his hamstring in September and was not healthy for the postseason. The Cannons needed him, as the Keystones got revenge and prevented the threepeat. With players starting to trickle back from the war, and then the official end in Japan, Tom realized that his time was up, hanging up the cleats at the start of the offseason. This ended his playing career, as Tom finished 179-111 with a 3.68 ERA (109 ERA+), 1.27 WHIP, 724 walks, and 1,257 strikeouts, but the 37-year-old was not done with baseball. He decided to take a position with the team he spent so much time with, as the Brooklyn Kings named him their manager for the 1946 season. Coming off a 61-93 season, growing pains were expected, but Tom did manage to increase the team's win total by two. The young Kings were much better in Barrell's sophomore season, the opposite of his playing career, as a team led by young Ralph Johnson (.318, 25, 108) and supported by John Moss (.270, 8, 79), Buddy Long (20-11, 3.41, 82), and Johnny Slaney (16-12, 3.13, 82) finished 82-72, good for third and just four out in a contested Continental Association. It looked like the start of the new era of Kings, but the young squad believed they were not quite ready to compete, and continued their youth movement. This resulted in back-to-back 72-82 seasons, finishing 6th and 5th, but they have an enviable young core that should allow Barrell to contend in the 1950 season. It will be his fifth with the team, though he recently signed an extension that keeps him under contract through 1951. As a baseball lifer, he has an advantage for the hall even if he falls off the ballot as a player, as a strong managerial career could sway the veterans committee a decade or more from now. The Brooklyn kid has really done it all, but there's always going to be the chorus of "what-ifs" when you think about the recently turned 42-year-old Barrell. A third championship would silence some of the critics who point to his missed potential, but he's done the incredible. Three Allen Awards, let alone three in a row, is a huge accomplishment, and he was worth nearly 50 wins above replacement in his FABL career. No pitcher from his draft class was worth more, with just position players Mel Carrol (72.84, still active), Chick Donnelly (55.37), and George Dawson (53.79) ahead of him. Even in a draft redo, I can't imagine Barrell gong anything but first. You just hope the GM that ends up with him decides not to trade him... Old Draft Writeups Tom Barrell Rounds 2-5 Rounds 6-25 |
A Look Back at the 1929 Draft: Part 2
2nd Round, 17th Overall: CF Joe Johnson
School: Central Ohio Aviators Career (FABL): .258/.318/.362, 292 G, 1,109 PA, 46 2B, 11 3B, 12 HR, 132 RBI, 31 SB, 85 WRC+, 3.0 WAR Career (NYG): .259/.318/.363, 286 G, 1,093 PA, 45 2B, 11 3B, 12 HR, 130 RBI, 31 SB, 85 WRC+, 3.2 WAR Career (AAA): .255/.336/.389, 320 G, 1,063 PA, 40 2B, 3 3B, 26 HR, 101 RBI, 60 SB, 98 WRC+, 5.5 WAR The first of our two second round picks, Joe Johnson was actually a higher touted prospect then Tom Barrell, ranking inside the top 25 and even the top 15 for a lot of his career as a prospect. When drafted, his ceiling was sky high, a potential "premier center fielder" that should have patrolled our outfield for years to come. But like Tom, Johnson had his issues with injuries, taking multiple trips to the IL while he was working up our system. He did make it to the top in 1932, where he hit .280/.368/.454 (120 OPS+) with 29 doubles, 18 homers, 31 steals, and 56 RBIs for the Blues through 120 games. This earned a promotion to Chicago, where he went 3-for-13 with a double, 2 walks, 2 RBIs, and 3 runs scored. That ended up being his last few days as a Cougar, as after coming short to the Stars in the '32 pennant race, I went to acquire a new center fielder, Bobby Sprague, for Johnson and another 2nd Round Pick, Mel Leonard. The Gothams instantly inserted Johnson into the lineup, where he hit .251/.309/.355 (84 OPS+) as a rookie. With solid defense, he was worth 1.4 WAR in 101 games, and he added 13 doubles, 8 triples, 4 homers, 13 steals, and 50 RBIs. 1934 seemed to be Johnson's year, but three separate injuries kept him off the field. When healthy, he was excellent, hitting .304/.375/.440 (112 OPS+), but he was held to just 68 games. Still, he was worth a career high 2.3 WAR, and he provided 22 doubles, 3 triples, 3 homers, and 43 RBIs with 7 steals in 307 trips to the plate. But the good fortune did not last, as he played less and less games in the next two seasons, before being waived a few months before the 1937 season. He didn't pass, as he made a return to the Cougars, but he was again DFA'd and this time cleared. Johnson spent almost two seasons in AAA, but he had a 49 WRC+ with the Blues in 87 games in 1937, before a 60 in 51, all of which came off the bench. He was cut in August and retired a few months later at 30, a quick end to what should have been a promising career. Johnson always flashed signs of greatness, but he was never able to stay healthy long enough to make the promise a reality. 2nd Round, 28th Overall: RHP Roy Byrd School: Omaha HS Plainsman Career (B): 3-7, SV, 38 G, 94.1 IP, 7.06 ERA, 1.95 WHIP, 57 BB, 36 K, 65 ERA+, -0.9 WAR Career (C): 14-26, 70 G, 341.2 IP, 4.98 ERA, 1.68 WHIP, 160 BB, 245 K, 86 ERA+, 5.0 WAR Historically, the second round is an awful round to get pitchers in. Since the human draft in 1925, it's produced Ed Wood, Sam Sheppard, Jake DeYoung, Del Lyons, Leo Hayden. Oh and Al Allen. But not the good one, his son. That's about it! But that won't stop me from trying! One of the many misses on second round pitchers, Roy Byrd never really had it. I knew he was a risk from the beginning, but this was an extra pick we got from shipping Johnny Douglas out, in which the real prize proved to be Rabbit Forrest. I always knew Byrd would be a risk, but it was back in the feeder days and he really stood out. After having ERA+ (95 and 107) that didn't match his FIP- (85 and 89), he dominated as a senior, going 5-1 with a 0.82 ERA (397 ERA+) and 0.65 WHIP in 55 innings pitched. His 1.59 FIP (48 FIP-) was amazing and he had just 11 walks with 60 strikeouts. It was impossible to pass him up, even with a negative scouting report. One that proved to be right. Byrd did okay year one, going 9-7 in 22 starts with La Crosse. The 5.05 ERA (103 ERA+) was actually above average, and he struck out 86 in 112.1 innings pitched. That ended up being the last above average ERA until 1935, but that was just in 5 innings with San Jose as a 24-year-old. It was also the year before Byrd retired, though he did start regularly until 1933. Eventually he started to walk guys instead of striking them out, and he was out of baseball at 25 before retiring at 27. 4th Round, 49th Overall: LF Ken Allen School: St. Matthew's College Senators Career (FABL): .300/.300/.500, 6 G, 10 PA, 2 2B, RBI, 122 WRC+, -0.1 WAR Career (AAA): .293/.347/.418, 560 G, 1,511 PA, 59 2B, 17 3B, 27 HR, 180 RBI, 5 SB Career (A): .327/.385/.468, 340 G, 1,182 PA, 47 2B, 8 3B, 29 HR, 155 RBI, 34 SB This is the draft where I thought we got comp picks when guys didn't sign, so 3rd Rounder Jim Mason returned to school, making our next pick Ken Allen. A three-year starter at St. Matthew's, Allen had WRC+ of 191 and 179 before dropping to 119 as a junior. I wasn't discouraged, but perhaps I should have, as Allen never showed the early signs of offensive sparks he did in college. He made a slow climb up our system, but with a few of his early promotions, he hit a minor roadblock. He made it to AAA in 1933, where he hit .293/.327/.439 (98 OPS+) with 26 doubles, 11 triples, 10 homers, and 71 RBIs in 568 trips to the plate. A decent overall showing, but that was the most he'd play the rest of his career, as he became a backup most of the way. He did make it to the majors the next season, but that was just because we needed an emergency replacement. Allen made one start, going 2-for-5 with an RBI and a pair of doubles, but in AAA he started just 21 of his 52 appearances. The .347/.398/.449 (124 OPS+) line was nice, but he was DFA'd and no one came coming. But what comes next is most exciting. Allen spent '35 and '36 in our farm, but was cut before appearing in a game for any of our affiliates in the '37 season. He wasn't a free agent for long, as he caught on with the Kings two days later. He then spent seven years as organizational depth before finally being rewarded in the eighth. After hitting .301/.381/.366 (102 OPS+) in 244 trips to the plate, a war-decimated Kings needed someone to fill a roster spot, and they chose Ken Allen. His last FABL PA came a full ten years prior, but instead of a start with five of them, he had five in five off the bench. This time it was 1-for-5, and they were the last of his career. He was cut when everyone returned from the war, and retired a year later, so he ended up an even .300 hitter for his career. Not too bad! 5th Round, 65th Overall: RHP Gordie Thompson School: Wisconsin State Brewers Career (FABL): 1-0, 2 G, 7.1 IP, 4.91 ERA, 1.91 WHIP, 86 ERA+ Career (AA): 30-19, 68 G, 429 IP, 4.59 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 108 BB, 176 K, 95 ERA+, 4.9 WAR Career (A): 23-14, SV, 52 G, 337.2 IP, 2.99 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 58 BB, 241 K, 136 ERA+, 7.9 WAR Remembered best from his noticeable $10 signing bonus, Gordie Thompson was our 5th Rounder. A seemingly close-to-ready pitcher out of college, Gordie spent his first full season in Lincoln, a team he had his best performances on. Gordie went 16-8 in his 30 starts, working to a 3.23 ERA (126 ERA+) and 1.09 WHIP, striking out 176 batters to just 31 walks in a 200.1 inning season. Gordie was back there the following season, and he was on the top of his game, working to a 1.35 ERA (276 ERA+) and 0.78 WHIP with 26 strikeouts to just 3 walks. That came in six starts, as a torn labrum ended his season. He was back for '32, and after again dominating Class A for four more starts, he showed his arm was fine and ready for AA. He did okay, 7-8 with a 4.46 ERA (97 ERA+), 1.44 WHIP, 32 walks, and 63 strikeouts, but left his 18th start with a partially torn UCL. When he came back, the strikeouts were down, and he spent 1933 in AA and A, with most of 1934 coming in AA. He got one, three inning relief outing with the Blues, before a late season callup to Chicago. He made a start and a relief appearances, finishing with 14 hits and 4 runs, but not a single walk or strikeout in his 7.1 innings pitched. That was all he'd get with us, as 80.1 of his 84 innings came with Mobile the following year, and he had an awful 6.27 ERA (73 ERA+) and 1.61 WHIP, with similar walk (33) and strikeout (36) numbers. He was cut the following spring, before being signed and released 50 (!!) times from May 1st to October 3rd, before giving up the glove three days later. 6th Round, 81st Overall: 1B Jim Hatfield School: St. Matthew's College Senators 1946 (LA): .353/.395/.503, 130 G, 487 PA, 20 2B, 4 3B, 13 HR, 62 RBI, 19 SB, 167 WRC+, 4.8 WAR 1948 (LA): .333/.369/.421, 143 G, 549 PA, 20 2B, 5 3B, 5 HR, 52 RBI, 16 SB, 143 WRC+, 4.9 WAR 1949 (LA): .377/.422/.532, 154 G, 678 PA, 28 2B, 6 3B, 19 HR, 99 RBI, 29 SB, 168 WRC+, 6.8 WAR Career (FABL/GWL): .337/.378/.460, 702 G, 2,697 PA, 96 2B, 31 3B, 50 HR, 309 RBI, 95 SB, 144 WRC+, 20.1 WAR Career (BAL): .297/.312/.401, 132 G, 386 PA, 16 2B, 7 3B, 3 HR, 44 RBI, 12 SB, 0.1 WAR Career (LA): .345/.389/.471, 570 G, 2,311 PA, 80 2B, 24 3B, 47 HR, 265 RBI, 83 SB, 19.9 WAR Career (AA): .359/.403/.492, 801 G, 3,427 PA, 134 2B, 59 3B, 55 HR, 438 RBI, 223 SB, 27.3 WAR I was right! Jim Hatfield's work ethic did turn him into a dependable big leaguer! It just may not have happened in the way he thought. "The Bandit" was known for his speed, as despite being a first basemen, it was easily his best tool. Part of that was because he was a lefty thrower, as he's the type of first basemen who could have played short had he threw right handed. He swiped 39 bases in his first season with the Lions, and the then 18-year-old hit a respectable .311/.379/.429 (106 OPS+) with 21 doubles, 8 triples, 10 homers, and 75 RBIs. That came in 139 games, and he even drew 52 walks while scoring an impressive 115 runs. He spent the next two seasons impressing with San Jose and Lincoln, but when it came to his aged 20 season, he struggled with the Legislators. He's always had strikeout issues, but Hatfield was set down 215 times, and he hit just .238/.290/.338 (80 OPS+) and was worth almost a win and a half (1.4) below replacement. Despite that, I held face in Hatfield, and even gave him a promotion to Mobile. He quickly rewarded that faith, and put together the best season of his young career, slashing .373/.404/.500 (143 OPS+) with 40 doubles, 14 triples, 2 homers, 20 steals, and 80 RBIs. He was worth nearly 6 (5.8) WAR in 140 games, and worked his way up to 130th in the prospect rankings. He was set to start 1934 in Milwaukee, but after losing the WCS I couldn't help but participate in the Baltimore Cannons fire sale. I missed out on Rabbit Day, so I went to get Lou Kelly, sending Hatfield and two others for Kelly and a 5th Round Pick. Hatfield then opened the season as the 97th ranked prospect, and after a few games in the minors he spent the rest of the year as a part-timer for the Cannons. He made 316 trips to the plate, hitting .294/.310/.386 (89 OPS+) with 15 doubles, 5 triples, a homer, 10 steals, and 34 RBIs. That was the most time he got in Baltimore, as he made just 42 appearances over the next two seasons. Hatfield was surprisingly released in the May of 1937, but no FABL team had a chance to sign him, as the 25-year-old was snapped up by the San Antonio Gunslingers of the Lone Star Association the next day. He was a fixture in their lineup for the next five seasons, putting up WRC+ between 135 and 162. That made him the Gunslinger's All-Time batting leader, as his .356 average tops all Gunslingers. His .402 OBP is second and his .490 slugging fifth, and he ranks top five in OPS (3rd, .892), WAR (1st, 21.4), runs (4th, 472), hits (4th, 910), triples (2nd, 45), and steals (1st, 203) despite being outside the top five in games and PAs. He would have been 30 going into the 1942 season, but he decided to enlist in Army instead of continuing his independent career. When he returned, he was 34, but the GWL needed bodies and the Los Angeles Knights decided to employ "The Bandit" for one more run. It turned out to be the best decision they made, as he led the GWL with a .503 slugging, and hit .353 with 20 doubles, 4 triples, 13 homers, 62 RBIs, 74 walks, and 19 steals in 130 games. He followed that up with two years of star level production, before arguably becoming the GWL MVP in his last season. Despite being 38 when the season ended, Hatfield led the league with 6.8 wins above replacement, and hit .377/.422/.532 (157 OPS+) with 28 doubles, 6 triples, 19 homers, and 99 RBIs. He led the league in runs (111), hits (236), steals (29), WRC+ (168), and wOBA (.433). This helped him finish his career on a high note, hitting .345/.389/.471 (148 OPS+) in his time as a Knight. If the league continued for 1950, he probably would have been the best player in the league, and if it wasn't for Bernie Millard's anti-GWL bias, I think there's a few teams that could benefit from him as their starting first basemen. Instead, he'll end with 80 doubles, 24 triples, 47 homers, 265 RBIs, 324 runs, and 83 steal. While playing at such a high level, I can't see that stopping even if every so often he's facing Pete Papenfuses instead of Ira Hawkers. It's a shame he never got a chance with another organization, as once the Cannons gave up on him, he never had a chance to get back. |
A Look Back at the 1929 Draft: Part 3
Spring Training officially starts tomorrow, so I might actually finish the look backs before that post. There's just one more after this!
7th Round, 97th Overall: SS Tom Spitzer School: Houston HS Hurricanes Career (FABL): .302/.339/.406, 165 G, 449 PA, 19 2B, 2 3B, 7 HR, 54 RBI, 2 SB, 99 WRC+, 0.7 WAR Career (AA): .323/.368/.454, 347 G, 1,464 PA, 71 2B, 26 3B, 18 HR, 202 RBI, 5 SB, 122 WRC+, 7.8 WAR Career (A): .301/.354/.432, 950 G, 4,124 PA, 204 2B, 27 3B, 79 HR, 566 RBI, 32 SB, 25.9 WAR While he was drafted as a shortstop, Tom Spitzer played near equal games at third (750) and short (710), with second base (623) not too far behind. Once he joined our affiliated ranks, he was a common member of our top 30 prospect list. He had an up-and-down start to his career, but he was finally starting to click in 1932. That's when a fractured fibula ended his season, with Spitzer playing in 75 games for the Lions. He hit a respectable .274/.308/.455 (116 OPS+) with a 121 WRC+ despite an astronomical 37.7 K%. He did hit 12 homers with 15 doubles and 55 RBIs, but whiffs of that level are unsustainable. Now 22, Spitzer started the 1933 season in Mobile, where he hit .318/.351/.432 (110 OPS+) with 41 doubles, 10 triples, 3 homers, and 77 RBIs. The 139 games he played in was the highest of his career. He found success as he cut that strikeout rate down to a much better 12.4%. Spitzer was back in Mobile for 1934, where he hit a similar .303/.349/.422 (110 OPS+) in 424 trips to the plate. That would be his last season as a Cougar, as in a minor deal that only got a footnote on the Cy Bryant/Pete Asher deal, as we needed a starter and Spitzer was someone that needed a 40-man spot. The return was Hank Spencer, who spent a little over a year with us. He went 3-6 with a 5.61 ERA (78 ERA+), 1.71 WHIP, 38 walks, and 31 strikeout in 11 starts and 7 relief outings. The reason his time was short, as he was used to acquire current Gotham Joe Brown, who is in his eleventh FABL season and went 70-57 with 20 saves and a 3.55 ERA (109 ERA+) in 1,086.1 innings as a Cougar. Spitzer spent a season and a half in the minors with the Gothams before making his debut for them in 1936. His defense at short may have been atrocious, but he hit .323/.357/.463 (112 OPS+) in 213 trips to the plate. The 25-year-old did look better at second, and hit 12 doubles, 2 triples, 4 homers, and 25 RBIs. He got a second chance in 1937, but this time in 93 games he hit just .292/.326/.371 (85 OPS+) before being banished to their AAA affiliates bench. He got minimal time the next season, and was cut before the start of the 1939 campaign. He lasted one day on the market, joining the Omaha Cowboys of the Western Baseball League. It was a stable home for the Aberdeen native, as he spent each of the next seven seasons there. He posted a 100 WRC+ or better each time out, and he made 120 or more appearances in five of the seven seasons. The best, however, were the last two, where he had back-to-back six win seasons with WRC+ of 140 and 144. When the GWL absorbed the Western Baseball League, he became property of the Los Angeles Knights, but he was never able to join Jim Hatfield on the GWL roster. He spent his first affiliated season in San Antonio, then split time between there and Omaha, before a ninth and final season with the Cowboys at 37. He was an excellent hitter for the Cowboys, batting .312/.368/.446 in a franchise high 947 games. He's all over their team leaderboards, ranked top five in average (3rd), OBP (5th), slugging (5th), OPS (5th, .815), WAR (1st, 26.9), runs (1st, 539), hits (1st, 1,150), doubles (1st, 201), triples (5th, 30), RBIs (1st, 571), and walks (3rd, 330). Now I'm not too sure that being an Omaha Cowboy team legend was what Tom Spitzer grew up dreaming about, but he did fulfil his dream of becoming a FABL player, and got to play the game he loved for 19 seasons as a professional. 8th Round, 113th Overall: 2B Elmer Hutchins School: Portland HS Lumberjacks 1945 (CHI): .334/.374/.500, 136 G, 379 PA, 29 2B, 4 3B, 7 HR, 55 RBI, 154 WRC+, 2.6 WAR 1947 (LA): .280/.326/.380, 142 G, 535 PA, 30 2B, 2 3B, 5 HR, 60 RBI, 116 WRC+, 3.1 WAR Career (FABL/GWL): .284/.329/.412, 582 G, 1,899 PA, 112 2B, 14 3B, 28 HR, 246 RBI, 6 SB, 116 WRC+, 7.7 WAR Career (CHI): .293/.337/.427, 300 G, 1,005 PA, 62 2B, 7 3B, 16 HR, 132 RBI, SB, 119 WRC+, 2.9 WAR Career (LA): .274/.320/.396, 282 G, 894 PA, 50 2B, 7 3B, 12 HR, 114 RBI, 5 SB, 112 WRC+, 4.8 WAR Career (AAA): .293/.347/.419, 875 G, 2,913 PA, 158 2B, 24 3B, 43 HR, 379 RBI, 16 SB, 114 WRC+, 7.1 WAR There's something about players from this draft class, as like Ken Allen, Elmer Hutchins had a huge gap between FABL plate appearances. But like many former Cougar draftees, Elmer started in La Crosse, where he spent the first season of his professional career. It wasn't anything special (412 PA, 101 WRC+, 29 2B), but when he returned as a 20-year-old, he was a brand new hitter. It took 42 games for him to earn a promotion, as the Delaware native hit .337/.411/.472 (156 OPS+) with 12 doubles, 2 triples, 2 homers, and 21 RBIs. He then finished his season in San Jose, and despite being one of the youngest players on the team, he hit a respectable .256/.358/.388 (108 OPS+) with 38 doubles, 3 triples, and 4 homers in 495 trips to the plate. He scored 56 runs, drew 47 walks, and drove in 45 runs as the everyday second basemen. Hutchins was ready to be challenged in 1932, but he fell flat when running into the pitchers of the Heartland League. He hit .just .234/.301/.339 (83 OPS+) in a then high 495 trips to the plate. He did hit two more triples, but he saw drops in doubles, homers, walks, steals, and RBIs. Of course, most all rate stats dropped as well, so there was not much the 21-year-old did right that season. For some reason, the meant a promotion to Mobile was the cure. and guess what! It ... worked? The then 22-year-old must've felt the buzz of a pennant chase on the big league club, as the Commodore second basemen hit .327/.356/.473 (122 OPS+) with 47 doubles, 10 triples, 5 homers, and 94 RBIs. He was worth 4.6 WAR with 86 runs, though his 26 walks and 4.3 BB% are something you'd prefer your pitchers possess. With such success, it's no surprise his next stop was Milwaukee, and he was off to a solid start to his season. Elmer was hitting .323/.366/.434 (111 OPS+) with 12 doubles and 25 RBIs in his first 52 games. While he was doing alright, the team that started the season ranked top three in C, 1B, 3B, SS, LF, CF, RF, SP, and RP was sitting around .500, so I made a monster move, sending a whole lot of prospects, including the young second basemen, for Joe Masters and Dave Rankin. As awful as this trade ended up being, nothing was as bad as what came a month later when we lost Tommy Wilcox, but Hutchins kept a similar .318/.360/.453 (114 OPS+) with 22 doubles and 36 RBIs. The next season, he spent most of his time in AAA on the bench, though he did get a 31 game sample with the Chiefs. He even started all but two of those, though it came with a poor .259/.328/.315 (69 OPS+) triple slash, with just four doubles and a triple. That poor production forced him into a complete bench role in 1936, where all 57 of his appearances for the Fort Wayne Warriors came off the bench. He did hit well in AAA, though when he returned to the Chiefs, he was even better. He again started 29 games, though with an extra game off the bench, and hit a robust .355/.375/.538 (140 OPS+) with 9 doubles, 2 homers, and 20 RBIs. Despite that, there was no job waiting for him in 1938, where he was again playing for the Fort Wayne Warriors. Even with the demotion, Hutchins never gave up, even when he lost his 40-man roster spot. He kept waiting for a call, appearing in games for seven consecutive seasons without another FABL chance. That changed in 1945, when a wore-torn Chiefs made the decision to give him a roster spot Opening Day. He more then rewarded them for their commitment to him, where in 379 trips to the plate he hit an outstanding .334/.374/.500 (157 OPS+) with 29 doubles, 4 triples, 7 homers, and 55 RBIs. Of course, '45 was the last year of the war, so plenty of players were ready to claim his playing time. He managed to hold them off, and the then 35-year-old followed it up with 406 PAs and a .247/.296/.363 (95 OPS+) line. He did still hit 7 homers, but with the drop in triple slash, there was a drop in doubles, triples, RBIs, runs, WAR, and WRC+. As expected, that was his last FABL season, as the Chiefs cut him after the season. He did catch on with Jim Hatfield's LA Knights, signing around two months before the GWL season started. They played him 142 times, and he hit an above average .280/.326/.380 (112 OPS+) with 30 doubles, 5 homers, and 60 RBIs. He was back in camp for the 1948 season, but now at 37, he was running out of juice. He moved to a part-time role, but did manage a 121 WRC+ in 137 trips to the plate. He made 222 the next year, but posted a below average .259/.306/.424 (96 OPS+) slash. Had the GWL returned for 1950, Hutchins may have competed for a bench role once more, but when it was disbanded, he was ready to retire even if he wasn't forced to. It's clear there was no place for him on a FABL or even AAA roster, and he can retire with nearly $150,000 in earnings. Between the two major leagues, Hutchins appeared in 582 games spanning 15 calendar years. He had a decent enough .284/.329/.412 (114 OPS+) line with a 116 WRC+, 112 doubles, 206 runs, and 246 RBIs. 9th Round, 129th Overall: RHP Phil Clarke School: Dallas HS Rangers Career (B): 3-5, 4 SV, 17 G, 29.1 IP, 7.98 ERA, 2.05 WHIP, 14 BB, 27 K, 52 ERA+, -1.2 WAR Career (C): 3-3, SV, 22 G, 60.2 IP, 4.60 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, 18 BB, 38 K, 110 ERA+, 0.7 WAR Our 9th Round Pick, Phil Clarke didn't have much success as a minor league starter, as he made just three starts for the Lions in 1929, and three more in 1930. That's where most of his time came, though his best was a 29.1 inning sample with the Lions in '30. He went 2-0 with a save in 3 starts and 4 relief outings, working to a 0.61 ERA (612 ERA+) and 1.02 WHIP with an elite 28-to-3 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Despite this great, albeit, miniscule sample, he was pretty bad in three of his last four stints, with all four totaling less then 35 innings. There wasn't too much notable about Clarke, really underlining the risk you always have when taking a pitcher in the first ten rounds. 10th Round, 145th Overall: RF Billy Marshall School: Birmingham HS Bulldogs 1934 (BAL): .295/.360/.421, 105 G, 455 PA, 21 2B, 5 3B, 7 HR, 34 RBI, 11 SB, 120 WRC+, 1.9 WAR 1946 (DAL): .300/.344/.397, 130 G, 575 PA, 23 2B, 4 3B, 7 HR, 43 RBI, 22 SB, 123 WRC+, 2.1 WAR Career (FABL/GWL): .285/.338/.387, 569 G, 1,694 PA, 64 2B, 10 3B, 25 HR, 141 RBI, 37 SB, 111 WRC+, 5.6 WAR Career (BAL): .292/.356/.416, 216 G, 671 PA, 30 2B, 5 3B, 12 HR, 57 RBI, 13 SB, 118 WRC+, 2.8 WAR Career (DAL): .281/.326/.368, 353 G, 1,023 PA, 34 2B, 5 3B, 13 HR, 84 RBI, 24 SB, 2.8 WAR Career (AA): .335/.394/.440, 1,080 G, 4,817 PA, 190 2B, 58 3B, 50 HR, 589 RBI, 219 SB, 142 WRC+, 38.8 WAR Another guy who played for both the Cannons and the Knights, Billy Marshall didn't play much in his first pro season, but he made a name for himself in his second season. He made 140 appearances for the Lions, hitting .289/.384/.389 (125 OPS+) with 23 doubles, 3 triples, 8 homers, 44 RBIs, and 37 steals with 73 walks. When the season ended, he ranked right behind Leo Mitchell as our 20th ranked prospect. He started the season in San Jose, where he hit .287/.376/.477 (140 OPS+) with 9 doubles, 10 homers, 13 steals, and 36 RBIs. He was then moved up to Lincoln, but his line slumped down to .218/.293/.378 (91 OPS+) with 111 doubles, 7 homers, and 22 RBIs in just one fewer plate appearance. Like many of our more interesting prospects at this time, he was pushed up a level to Mobile, where like Jim Hatfield he held his own. Marshall hit an impressive .351/.411/.473 (138 OPS+) with 21 doubles, 5 triples, 7 homers, 71 RBIs, and 14 steals. That got him a late season promotion to Milwaukee, where he exploded onto the scene. He hit a whopping .391/.426/.623 (170 OPS+) with 6 doubles, 7 triples, 4 homers, and 38 RBIs. Sure, that came in just 34 games, but it's hard to notice a performance like that. The Gothams surely did, picking him up for cash. But the real prize was using him to acquire future Hall-of-Famer Rabbit Day from the then Baltimore Cannons. In need of young everyday players to start their rebuild, our former 10th Rounder was handed the starting right field job, and hit .295/.360/.421 (113 OPS+) at 23. He made 455 trips to the plate in 105 games, recording 21 doubles, 5 triples, 7 homers, 34 RBIs, and 11 steals. Despite that, the Cannons didn't want him in their outfield next season, as he spent most of his time in AAA. There he hit .324/.387/.537 (130 OPS+) with 20 doubles, 4 triples, 10 homers, and 21 steals, and 62 RBIs. He eventually got a callup, but was held to just one extra base hit in a 7-for-34. 1935 was similar, good minor league production with a poor showing in limited time in the minors, but when he was out of options in 1936, he made the team Opening Day. He made just 169 trips to the plate spread across 94 games, but actually hit .286/.349/.422 (114 OPS+) with 6 doubles, 5 homers, and 18 RBIs. He was designated before the next season, and was used as bench filler on the Class C Burlington Bears. He hit great, as he should against much lesser competition, but when the draftees were coming in July he was cut to make room. That's when he made his foray into independent ball, spending the next season and a half with the Houston Bulls. He swiped 53 bases in 190 games, adding 25 doubles, 4 triples, 19 homers, and 88 RBIs. Despite this, he was released prior to the 1940 season, thought it was exactly what he needed. It allowed the 29-year-old to catch on with the Austin Violets, where he got the opportunity he looked for. He had arguably the best season of his career, slashing .331/.387/.437 (154 OPS+) with 25 doubles, 3 triples, 5 homers, 60 RBIs, and 20 steals. He followed that up with a 142 WRC+, 32 extra base hits, and 28 steals. As you'd expect, he kept getting a shot in the Violets lineup, and produced WRC+ of 141, 148, 152, and 145. Like others from this class, Marshall was on a team who was absorbed by the GWL, so this ended his six season run in Austin. He's currently their all time leader in batting average (.339) and he ranks top five in OBP (3rd. .397), slugging (3rd, .439), OPS (2nd, .835), WAR (2nd, 32.8), runs (3rd, 512), hits (4th, 1,069), triples (3rd, 49), and steals (2nd, 152). He's not top five in games (7th, 784), though he is in at bats (5ths, 3,153). His 7-WAR 1943 is a Violet best, and he stole a team high 54 base. He then followed that up with the most hits (216) in a single season, and when you look at top 10s for both single and career records he's all over them. The GWL team that acquired him was the Dallas Centurions, and Marshall spent the inaugural season as their right fielder. Like when the Cannons gave him his first chance, the now 35-year-old performed, batting .300/.344/.397 with 23 doubles, 4 triples, 7 homers, 43 RBIs, and 22 steals in 575 trips to the plate. Despite the high level production, that's more then Marshall got in the last three years of the GWL, with most of his time coming off the bench. In total, Marshall appeared in 353 games for the Centurions, and hit .281/.326/.368 (103 OPS+) with 34 doubles, 13 homers, 84 RBIs, and 37 24 steals. Even if the GWL survived, I'm not sure Marshall would have, as he would be 39 a month into the season and he had just a 71 WRC+ last year. There had to have been better options out there, but it's a shame Marshall never got a shot after the Cannons released him. 11th Round, 161th Overall: LHP Eddie Calhoun School: Norfolk HS Navigators Career (A): 2-7, 5 SV, 37 G, 103 IP, 7.08 ERA, 1.91 WHIP, 67 BB, 34 K, 58 ERA+, -1.0 WAR Career (C): 17-15, 24 SV, 136 G, 294.1 IP, 5.26 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 105 BB, 185 K, 91 ERA+, -0.8 WAR Nothing but minor leaguers the rest of the way, and all they got were stats instead of sentences. For Eddie Calhoun, it makes sense, as he allowed 61 hits, 47 earned runs, and 22 walks in 44.2 innings pitched. Obviously it wasn't all bad, as at times he had semi-decent numbers. He was actually quite impressive in 1932, where he was excellent in 55.2 innings pitched. He had just a 1.94 ERA (218 ERA+) and 0.93 WHIP with 14 walks and 63 strikeouts. Considering that came with the Lions as a 20-year-old and it was the only other time he had an ERA below 4. Unfortunately, in his next seven stints, all but one had an ERA+ below 90, with most coming here with the Lions. He did spend 1936 with a trio of independent teams, going 2-4 with 4 saves, a 6.43 ERA (67 ERA+) and 1.85 WHIP with an ugly 56-to-18 walk-to-strikeout ratio. 12th Round, 177th Overall: CF Harry Jones School: Ellery Bruins Career (B): .232/.325/.329, 232 G, 797 PA, 22 2B, 2 3B, 13 HR, 62 RBI, 42 SB, 85 WRC+, 2.3 WAR As a college grad, Harry Jones didn't spend too much time in La Crosse, with 74 of his 92 appearances in San Jose. He didn't hit too good, just .238/.340/.313 (69 OPS+) with 6 doubles, 3 homers, and 22 RBIs. This was one of only two times he hard regular playing time, with the other a full season at 23 in San Jose. While swiping 32 bases was nice, he didn't do much else, hitting .225/.316/.335 (84 OPS+) with 16 doubles, 2 triples, 9 homers, 38 RBIs, and 64 runs. He did spend two more seasons in our system, getting all the way up to Mobile, but he made just six more starts before retiring after the 1935 season. |
A Look Back at the 1929 Draft: Part 4
13th Round, 193rd Overall: LHP Roy Arnold
School: Little Rock HS Pioneers Career (AA): 27-30, 6 SV, 122 G, 496 IP, 3.57 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 88 BB, 268 K, 101 ERA+, 10.8 WAR Career (A): 51-33, 8 SV, 152 G, 802 IP, 3.53 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 177 BB, 414 K, 120 ERA+, 15.1 WAR He may not be the most well known pitcher, but "Rowdy Roy" Arnold weas one of the few guys to pitch well into his 30s. Part of that was because he was a relatively decent prospect despite the late pick, and he started his minor league career as a starting pitcher. He started 16 of his 20 appearances with the Lions in year one, going 2-5 with 4 saves, a 4.10 ERA (127 ERA+), 1.40 WHIP, 37 walks, and 71 strikeouts in 123 innings pitched. The next three seasons he bounced between La Crosse and San Jose, and in 1933 he found himself in Lincoln. He had back-to-back 2.5+ WAR seasons for the Legislators, including a 1934 where he had a 3.67 FIP (78 FIP-) in 17 starts before earning a three start stint in Mobile. It went spectacular, as he allowed just 3 walks and 3 earned runs with 24 hits and 12 strikeouts in 27 innings. He got seven starts in Mobile to start 1935, but the then 24-year-old did not look very good. This got him demoted to Lincoln, where only 8 of his 22 outings came as a starter. Those became the last starts for him as a Cougar, as he spent the next five and a half seasons as an organizational reliever. After we cut him, the Sailors picked him up, though he cut before the 1943 season. He quickly signed with the Cannons, and ended up winning a MAL Championship with the Camden Rockets. Arnold pitched well in a swingman role, going 12-4 with a 3.76 ERA (127 ERA+), 1.26 WHIP, 30 walks, and 92 strikeouts. It came in 150.2 innings, split between 16 starts and 10 relief outings. He then had an even better season, going 15-12 with 2 saves, a 2.30 ERA (131 ERA+) and 0.98 WHIP. He's struck out 137 with just 31 walks, and he threw 223.1 innings across 29 outings (25 starts). The Cannons then did bring him up to AA for the 1945 season, where he went 11-13 in 26 starts. He came an out away from another 200 inning season, and held a 3.29 ERA (94 ERA+) and 1.18 WHIP with a much better 2.40 FIP (77 FIP-). Despite pitching that well, he realized that there was no shot of him every making his FABL debut, so Rowdy Roy eventually hung up the cleats once the 1945 season finished. 14th Round, 209th Overall: LF Dave Ward School: Henry Hudson Explorers Career (AA): .212/.266/.287, 78 G, 336 PA, 5 2B, 6 3B, 2 HR, 22 RBI, 5 SB, 50 WRC+, -1.1 WAR Career (B): .310/.363/.479, 89 G, 335 PA, 20 2B, 2 3B, 9 HR, 48 RBI, 18 SB, 117 WRC+, 2.3 WAR A three year starter at Henry Hudson, Dave Ward dominated early for the Lions, hitting .419/.486/.565 (167 OPS+) before a well deserved promotion. He played 35 games with the Lions, tallying 10 doubles, 2 homers, 11 steals, and 20 RBIs. He held his own with San Jose, hitting .301/.357/.449 (106 OPS+) in 307 trips to the plate, he added 16 doubles, 2 triples, 7 homers, 17 steals, and 39 RBIs. He was back there for 1931, he was 11-for-27, adding 4 doubles, 2 homers, and 9 RBIs. Thought it came mostly off the bench, it got him to Lincoln, where he hit just .216/.267/.388 (93 OPS+) in 150 trips to the plate. He dealt with injuries that year and the next year, but at 23 Ward produced in A ball. He hit an impressive .309/.350/.489 (138 OPS+) with 6 doubles, 4 triples, a homer, and 7 RBIs. He didn't make it back to the roster for 1934, instead playing with the Waco Wranglers of the Lone Star Association. It did not work one bit, as in 336 trips to the plate he hit just .212/.266/.287 (49 OPS+) with 5 doubles, 6 triples, and 2 homers with 31 runs, 22 RBIs, and 5 steals. They cut him after, and he hooked on with the Pueblo Mountaineers of the WBL. He made just 32 appearances, hitting just .280/.355/.336 (77 OPS+) with 3 doubles, a homer, 10 steals, and 15 RBIs. They cut him in September, and then a month later, he decided to hang up the cleats. 15th Round, 225th Overall: RHP Frank Coleman School: Buffalo HS Bison Career (C): 0-1, 5 G, 7.1 IP, 9.82 ERA, 2.59 WHIP, 4 BB, 7 K, 53 ERA+, -0.8 WAR Frank Coleman's career was short and sweet, as he pitched just five times and allowed 15 hits, 8 earned runs, and 4 walks with 7 strikeouts in 7.1 innings pitched. Most impressively, he allowed 6 homers, and was cut two months in to the season. He didn't sign anywhere the rest of the season, or the next, and Coleman quickly retired after the 1931 season. 16th Round, 241st Overall: 2B Bob Crocker School: Coastal Carolina Dolphins Career (A): .238/.295/.311, 167 G, 254 PA, 9 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 19 RBI, SB, 70 WRC+, 0.1 WAR Career (B): .277/.327/.401, 214 G, 673 PA, 27 2B, 3B, 16 HR, 65 RBI, 20 SB, 102 WRC+, 2.6 WAR A guy who played a little baseball across a lot of years, Bob Crocker wasn't anything special as a second basemen, but he spent five seasons in our organization, going from La Crosse to Mobile with most of his time in San Jose. You could say his best time came in 1932, where he hit .292/.333/.410 (109 OPS+) in 84 games. Crocker swiped 16 games and provided 40 runs, 12 doubles, 9 homers, and 34 RBIs. We never cut Crocker, but he left the organization in the now defunct independent draft, as he went to the Denver Plainsmen for Chink Stickels. That's the same Chink Stickels that plays center field for the Toronto Wolves, and was part of the monster John Lawson deal that brought the Hall-of-Famer back to the organization that drafted him. Crocker didn't have nearly as much interesting on his end, and the Plainsmen actually cut him before appearing in a game. He spent the next four seasons bouncing between five teams, though he never started more then the 26 games he did with the San Antonio Missions to start his independent career. His best year came in 1937, where he split time between the Wichita Rustlers and Des Moines Bears. The only issue was he had a combined 29 plate appearances, which somewhat lessens the shine of his .333/.379/.444 (130 OPS+) line. He played just one more season, retiring at 29 after the 1938 season. 17th Round, 257th Overall: RHP Cy Plummer School: Ellery Bruins Career (A): 3-3, 6 SV, 75.1 IP, 6.69 ERA, 1.79 WHIP, 20 BB, 15 K, 69 ERA+, -1.3 WAR Career (R): 3-8, 17 G, 90.2 IP, 4.37 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 28 BB, 69 K, 87 ERA+, 1.6 WAR A teammate of 12th Rounder Harry Jones at Ellery, Cy Plummer was a Cougar lifer, making stops at every level except AAA. His best work came in 1930, but it was just 13 innings with 7 hits, 7 walks, an earned run, and 12 strikeouts. It was the only time he had an ERA below 4, though his 4.12 in 39.1 innings for the Lions in 1932 was exactly league average. We cut him before the draft in 1935, and after being signed and released multiple times without ever throwing an inning, he decided to retire once the offseason officially started. 19th Round, 289th Overall: RF Bill De Berardinis School: Brunswick Knights Career (A): .282/.349/.399, 240 G, 706 PA, 22 2B, 14 3B, 8 HR, 67 RBI, 33 SB, 101 WRC+, 1.9 WAR Career (B): .241/.344/.362, 160 G, 554 PA, 24 2B, 3 3B, 9 HR, 53 RBI, 35 SB, 95 WRC+, 1.4 WAR A Long Beach native, Bill De Berardinis didn't do too great his first two seasons at Brunswick, but as a junior he hit .344/.424/.401 (123 OPS+) with 15 steals, 12 doubles, and 25 homers, and ended up a 19th Round pick of ours. The lack of homers should have been a concern, but he got into a great start at La Crosse. De Berardinis slashed an impressive .372/.436/.545 (149 OPS+) with 14 doubles, 2 triples, 8 homers, 16 steals, and 49 RBIs. He did okay in the 51 out of 121 games he played with San Jose. That was the most he ever played, though he only spent the next two years in our organization. Over the next five seasons, he spent most of his time in the Western Baseball League, a Class-A league, where he spent time with five different clubs. He also got a 16 game stint in the Lone Star Association, though the only time he was ever really any good was his first year of independent ball. It started with the Tulsa Roughnecks, where he hit .346/.393/.500 (135 OPS+), but they cut him after just 13 games. He then signed with Amarillo Stars, where he hit an even better .347/.423/.531 (151 OPS+), finishing with 10 doubles, 8 triples, 6 homers, 12 steals, 30 walks, and 27 RBIs between the two levels. Unfortunately, he quickly fell off, hitting just .288/.340/.411 (90 OPS+) in 38 games, which led to his release. He eventually retired after the 1937 season a few weeks before his 29th birthday. 21th Round, 331st Overall: CF Tom Robinson School: Cumberland University Explorers Career (B): .273/.322/.355, 87 G, 120 PA, 7 2B, 3B, 10 RBI, 2 SB, 0.3 WAR Another college outfielder, Tom Robinson never really got a chance, with just 13 starts through 4 seasons. Granted, he wasn't any good, as he never had a WRC+ above 100. He had a few homers in college, but never in the minors, and he quickly retired in 1934. 22nd Round, 337th Overall: RF Bobby Belcher School: Sadler Bluecoats Career (A): .345/.429/.532, 88 G, 161 PA, 7 2B, 2 3B, 5 HR, 28 RBI, 154 WRC+, 1.3 WAR If quality of name had anything to do with baseball quality, Bobby Belcher would be hitting hundreds of FABL homers, instead of spending half a season as a member of our organization. He went just 2-for-14 with the Lions, and was cut in late May. He was signed by the Amarillo Stars, and actually looked good off the bench. Belcher hit .353/.410/.471 (140 OPS+) with a triple and two doubles. Despite that, he was cut, yet again caught somewhere else and hit well off the bench. It was with one of the Stars' opponents, the Tulsa Roughnecks, with a picturesque .444/.444/.1.111 (292 OPS+) line. Yeah, it's just 18 at-bats, but the Roughnecks weren't thrilled, cutting him loose. He got three more tries, including a decent run with the Denver Plainsmen where he hit .353/.476/.485 (152 OPS+) with 3 doubles, 2 homers, and 11 RBIs in 29 games. He struggled in five starts with them the season after, and after sitting out all of 1934, he ended up retiring. 23rd Round, 353rd Overall: LHP Bob Flynn School: Lincoln Presidents Career (AA): 5-6, 8 SV, 47 G, 117 IP, 4.69 ERA, 1.51 WHIP, 53 BB, 70 K, 105 ERA+, -0.3 WAR Career (B): 16-10, 29 G, 251.1 IP, 3.26 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 119 BB, 148 K, 129 ERA+, 3.8 WAR Despite going to nearby Lincoln College, Bob Flynn never pitched an inning for our organization, and was cut the day after the draft. He spent 1930 in independent ball, but then caught on with the Sailors organization. He spent 1931 as a member of the Miami Sailors rotation, going 16-10 with a 3.26 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, and 148 strikeouts. He dropped down to Class C in 1932, though he pitched in AA and A the following season. He was alright, but before the 1934 season the Sailors decided to part ways. He bounced between a ton of independent clubs, suiting up for just two, both in the Lone Star Association. He went 1-1 with a 5.01 ERA (110 ERA+) and 1.80 WHIP, but with 16 walks to just 5 strikeouts. Still, Flynn knew even at 25 he'd never make it to the majors, and retired at the end of the season. 24th Round, 369th Overall: C Bud Ward School: Opelika State Wildcats Career (A): .221/.293/.352, 250 G, 832 PA, 32 2B, 2 3B, 20 HR, 99 RBI, 9 SB, 75 WRC+, 2.7 WAR Career (B): .276/.355/.407, 89 G, 366 PA, 18 2B, 8 HR, 49 RBI, 2 SB, 101 WRC+, 1.7 WAR Bud Ward, no relation to 14th Rounder Dave Ward, spent five seasons in our organization as a catcher. He only had one stint above 100 PAs when he was an above average hitter in both OPS+ and WRC+, and it was his first in La Crosse. Bud hit .275/.349/.571 (131 OPS+) with 16 doubles, 7 homers, and 24 RBIs in 106 trips to the plate. He did alright after a promotion to San Jose, hitting an almost exactly average .287/.357/.418 (99 OPS+) with 16 doubles, 7 homers, and 43 RBIs, then he finished it with a nice four game sample with Lincoln. He split time between San Jose and Lincoln the following season, but he stalled out with three poor seasons in Lincoln. We cut him before the 1935 season, and as he remained unsigned for the year, he retired at the start of the offseason. 25th Round, 385th Overall: CF Tom Robinson School: Brooklyn HS Trojans Career (C): .228/.316/.307, 42 G, 114 PA, 3 2B, 3B, HR, 15 RBI, 5 SB, 68 WRC+, 0.1 WAR Rounding out the 1929 class was Tom Robinson, who's career consisted of three high school seasons and 42 games with the Lions in 1930. He did survive the year, despite hitting .228/.316/.307 (59 OPS+), though he was cut before the 1931 season. He waited for two years before finally giving up, retiring at just 21. FABL Totals Big League Debuts: 8 of 23 (34.8%) Parts of 5 Seasons: 2 Parts of 10 Seasons: 1 Parts of 15 Seasons: 0 500 Games: 0 1,000 Games: 0 1,500 Games: 0 500 PA Seasons: 0 1,000 Career PAs: 1 2,500 Career PAs: 0 5,000 Career PAs: 0 15 HR Seasons: 0 20 HR Seasons: 0 50 Career HR: 0 100 Inning Seasons: 12 200 Inning Seasons: 6 300 Inning Seasons: 2 500 Career Innings: 1 1,000 Career Innings: 1 2,500 Career Innings: 1 10 Win Seasons: 11 20 Win Seasons: 3 50 Career Wins: 1 100 Career Wins: 1 150 Career Wins: 1 4 WAR Seasons: 5 Total WAR: 57.8 GWL Totals Parts of 2 GWL Seasons: 3 Parts of 4 GWL Seasons: 2 500 Games: 1 500 PA Seasons: 5 750 Career PAs: 3 1,000 Career PAs: 2 100 Run Seasons: 1 15 HR Seasons: 1 15 Steal Seasons: 3 25 Steal Seasons: 1 Total WAR: 27.5 FABL Accolades Allen Awards: 3 All-Star Selections: 4 World Championships: 3 This was nothing more then the Tom Barrell class, but there could have been so much more to come. Jim Hatfield and Billy Marshall were likely both good enough to play in FABL, but once they were stuck in the independent leagues, they never had a chance to get out. Still, most of our FABL debutees were like them, who didn't even make it to year five, though plenty got past that if the GWL was considered. Obviously plenty is said about the Tom Barrell trade, but we still did get stuff out of some of our other prospects. Getting Lou Kelly was a big move on paper, and Tom Spitzer got Hank Spencer which a year later got Joe Brown. That's two legit pieces, and Joe Johnson did help land Bobby Sprague too. It's funny how these early classes turned out, and in hindsight, it's really not that surprising we took such a nosedive after Tommy Wilcox got hurt. A lot of these early classes produced either a longtime contributor or minor league filler, with a lot of misses that shrunk our depth. The key contributors were used mostly to acquire outside help, and even then most of those guys didn't do too much. The 1932 draft was one that produced plenty of talent, and I can't wait to get to that one, but we have one more class before I think I really started to hit my groove. All it took was later draft picks! Just a little fun fact I noticed to end this: from 1931 to 1941, all twelve players selected by the Cougars in the first round played in at least one FABL game. The only thing to stop this streak? The 1942 draft didn't have a Cougar first rounder! (Though I don't think Tommy Seymour '43 and Bert Rogers '44 will join anytime soon...) |
Start of Spring Training!
It took a bit, but we made it! Spring Training! The games kickoff tomorrow, where 53 members of the organization will be in camp to compete for 24 spots. Most of those aren't up for grabs, as I feel we have one of the deepest and most talented groups we've ever had. The real stories will be focused on a few guys undergoing position changes, as I need Sal Pestilli and George Sutterfield to be ready to go in right and at second. Obviously, there's always health, but pretty much everything else is just waiting for the highly anticipated start of the season. That comes on April 18th, where we'll be in New York to take on the Stars. It's going to be a fight all season, but I really can't remember the last time I was this confident in a Cougar team. It may not be the most talented group, but I think it's well constructed, and one that really should contend for a pennant all year.
Here's who we have in camp, with * representing players who are a lock for the roster assuming health: RHP Jimmy Ballard RHP Bill Ballantine LHP Mal Bianco LHP Duke Bybee* RHP Mack Eichner LHP Barney Gunnels RHP Jack Hale LHP Bob Hobbs RHP Donnie Jones* LHP Johnnie Jones* RHP Zane Kelley RHP Charlie Kelsey LHP Jim Kenny RHP Ken Matson RHP David Molina* RHP George Oddo* RHP Pete Papenfus* RHP Harry Parker RHP Bob Petty LHP Bert Rogers RHP Tommy Seymour C Mike Bordes C Jim Foley C Eddie Howard* C Harry Mead* C Lee Tiede 1B Billy Biggar 1B Red Bond* 2B Clark Car 2B Johnny Carlisle 2B Eddie Curtis 2B Rupert Heinbaugh 2B Billy Hunter* 2B Charlie Woodbury* 3B Otto Christian* 3B Al Clement SS Joe Dackett SS Elmer Grace SS Skipper Schneider* SS George Sutterfield* LF Harry Austin LF Chubby Hall* LF Leo Mitchell* LF Clyde Parker LF Clyde Zimmerman CF Rupert Abbott CF Don Lee CF John Moss* RF Bob Allen RF Paul Caissie RF Ducky Cole RF Jimmy Hairston RF Sal Pestilli* I've said a lot the last few days, so I'll leave it with this. Let's go Cougars! This is the year! I know it! |
Spring Training: Week 1
Weekly Record: 5-1
Overall Record: 5-1 (2 GA) Clyde Zimmerman: If Bernie Millard had his way, the only way Clyde Zimmerman could enter a FABL stadium is with a paid ticket. But we're not going to let some old coal baron tell us what to do! When we come up short we do it in style! That's exactly what Clyde Zimmerman did, as he went 5-for-10 with a homer, 2 doubles, and 2 RBIs. We play the Wolves to start the week, so I'm half hoping Max Wilder pencils his name in the lineup, though he's been quick to give the hard worker playing time early on. That gives me faith he'll do it again, which I'm sure will spark some comments from the outspoken owner. Whether he truly is a FABL quality talent or not, he does have the distinction of being the only Cougar to homer so far, as sluggers like Otto Christian (1-9, 4 BB), Sal Pestilli (1-13, 2B, R), and Red Bond (4-9, 2 2B, RBI, 2 R, BB) have yet to clear the fence. No one has out-hit him yet, but Eddie Howard (7-15, 2B, 2 R, 3 RBI), Leo Mitchell (4-13, 2B, 3 R), and new Cougar John Moss (3-8, 2B, RBI, 2 R, BB) have all impressed early on. Nothing But Zeros: Four of the six guys we started this week put up nothing but zeros, as Donnie Jones, Johnnie Jones, and Zane Kelley threw four scoreless innings in their spring debut. Peter the Heater would've joined him, but his own error led to the only run he allowed. Donnie headlined the group, just one hit with six strikeouts in his victory, Johnnie (2 H, BB, 4 K), Kelley (W, H, 3 K), and Pap (W, H, 3 BB, 5 K) were all still excellent, and it's always fun seeing these guys pitch. Even if the games don't mean much, they go out and impress, and even the "bad" starts were still great. Duke Bybee struck out 4 with 3 hits, 2 runs, and a walk in 5 innings while George Oddo went 4 with 2 hits, a run, a walk, and 3 strikeouts. The pen looked good too, as we got to see David Molina in a Cougar uniform for the first time. Sure, it's one of those goofy spring training ones, but he was excellent as always. He allowed a pair of hits and struck out two in 2.1 innings, picking up a hold with Mal Bianco (2 IP, H) and Mark Eichner (IP, 2 K) to allow former first rounder Bert Rogers (IP, H, BB) pick up the save. It may be spring, but high pressure innings are high pressure innings, with these happening to come against the Sailors. Injuries Hit!: Fear not Cougar fans! It's not any of the big guys, as non-roster invitee Jimmy Ballard left his first outing with shoulder inflammation. Lucky for him, it's minor enough to cause just 3-4 weeks, but the 27-year-old will head to the minors to rehab. Ironically, I almost didn't call Ballard up at all, but I wanted to reward the former 6th Round pick for his years of service to the club. Unfortunately for Ballard, injuries are a common theme for him, as it's knocked him so far down that he stayed in Mobile all season. He at least pitched well, 14-7 with a 3.60 ERA (111 ERA+) and 1.46 WHIP, but if he pitched well in the spring he could have found himself in Milwaukee. Instead, he'll make his way to Little Rock (obviously I instinctively type "back to Mobile he goes," because you know that's something I've type hundreds of times), where he'll be a part of the Governors initial entry to the Dixie League. All Jimmy will be focusing on is avoiding another injury, but barring setback he should be good-to-go on Opening Day. Ballard wasn't the only one dealt an injury, though in Billy Biggar's case it's just a really bad headache. Don't worry, nobody hit him in the head, but the Canadian first basemen will miss the next few days with a migraine. He's not going to be seeing much time anyways, with Don Lee and Jimmy Hairston actually getting playing time at first, so he may not have played in the next three days anyways. No matter how good he hit, he'd be the Blues' every day first basemen, and he'll look to match or improve his .336/.397/.462 (124 OPS+) batting line from his 250 PA sample. Even if Red Bond gets hurt, I don't envision Biggar replacing him, but if he hits in the Century League he'll eventually earn a shot to steal at bats late in the season. |
Spring Training: Week 2
Weekly Record: 3-3
Overall Record: 8-4 (t-1st, 2 GA) A Whole Lot of Zeros!: This time it was a full four scoreless starts for Cougars starter, with some truly impressive starts from our pitchers. Once again, Zane Kelley and the Jones Brothers didn't allow any runs, but the star of the week has to be George Oddo. The guy Max Wilder wants to me #4 in the rotation, Oddo threw a staff high 5.1 innings, allowing 3 hits and a walk with 9 strikeouts. Oddo is two outs away from ten innings, and he's got a superb 12-to-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio with 5 hits and just a single earned run. Still, Donnie Jones has to be most impressive, as he's had back-to-back four inning shutouts with six strikeouts and not a single walk. This time he allowed three hits instead of one, but the 3-Time All-Star and 1947 Allen Award Winner looks poised to lead the troops into battle this season. Johnnie looked far better then most back-end starters, a hit away from five perfect innings. Yes, Johnnie "I Always Have to Walk 100 Guys a Year" Jones didn't walk anyone this week, and he's got just one compared to eight strikeouts in the equivalent of a complete game shutout. Zane Kelley would still need another inning, as he allowed a hit and walk with three strikeouts in four scoreless. This poor guy is going to be sent down to Milwaukee, and as our sixth starter, he's got a legitimate chance to be the last member of the rotation to allow an earned run. Duke Bybee did that last week, and allowed one more in four effective innings (5 H, ER, 2K), and despite six Ks, Pete Papenfus' run this week was earned. Even the pen has been effective, as just Jack Hale (4 IP, 10 H, 5 ER, BB, 5 K) and Bob Petty (3.1 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, BB, K) have ERAs of 2.25 (4 IP, ER) or better. And Petty and Hale aren't pitching for us this season. It's nice to see such little rust, so long as we stay healthy things should start out well. More Injuries for Minor Players: We can't stay healthy for some reason, with the latest casualty Johnny Carlisle. For him, it might be a benefit, as it's just a fractured hand and nothing more severe. He'll be out for five weeks, which means that instead of being optioned to Milwaukee to start the season, he'll probably collect a few game checks he wouldn't have gotten otherwise. He's actually done alright, 3-for-4 with a run scored, but any level of production wouldn't be enough. After all, there's very few spots, and the super utility man hit .284/.341/.377 (87 OPS+) with 16 doubles and 4 triples. This is his last option year, and he may spend it playing a few positions off the bench. I wish he was a better fielder, otherwise he'd be a lock to make the roster next season, so he'll have to hit to stick. It's going to be tough for him, but even if he loses a 40-man roster spot, he should stick as minor league depth and there's not reason to think I can't find a spot on one of our minor league teams for him. Catcher Power: After just a Clyde Zimmerman homer last week, three Cougars cleared the fences this time around, though two of them have something in common. They're the guys catching! The first came from Eddie Howard, who finished the week 3-for-9 with a double, and is now hitting .317/.440/.625. The other came a day later, as his tandem partner Harry Mead got a hold of one, and is now 3-for-6 with a walk in limited time. These two have started nearly every game for us over the past three seasons, but 1950 could be a little different. This season it's Eddie Howard expected to get a majority of the starts, and he's seemingly a lock for his first 250 PA season as a FABL catcher. Howard got hot to end the season, and at 26 he's almost a full decade younger then the now 35-year-old Mead. I think it's time the reigns will be passed, and with how well he's hit so far, I'm confident he'll keep it up during the regular season. Though 1950 is an even year... And in all five even years of the 1940s, Harry Mead had a WRC+ above 100! The pattern has to hold! |
Spring Training: Week 3
Weekly Record: 3-4
Overall Record: 11-8 (t-2nd, 2 GB) Who Breaks First?: The whole rotation has gone through three starts, and guess what? Not many earned runs! Donnie Jones had two that were unearned, to go with his 5 hits, 2 walks, and 5 strikeouts, but older brother Johnnie and the unbeatable Zane Kelley have still yet to give up a single run. I'm not sure how these guys are doing it, but the trio has combined for 37 innings with 22 hits, 6 walks, and an impressive 35 strikeouts. 17 of them come from Donnie, who has a near 9 K/BB early on. Then you have Pap and Oddo who have been almost as good, just a single earned run a piece. Pap has set down 15 with just 3 walks, allowing 7 hits in 13 innings while Oddo has gone 13.1 with 8 hits, 2 walks, and 18 strikeouts. The rotation has been nothing short of remarkable, so you know what that means! Right when the season starts, we'll be allowing all the runs! A Healthy Week!: Even though the injuries before hand were minor, its nice not having any of that this week! Half way through the spring, all the important pieces are still on the board, as we look to prepare for the regular season. For the most part, we have a very durable team, and of all the regulars, I don't really see anyone likely to get hurt. The closest would be the veteran Red Bond, who missed some time last season, but otherwise I can't really think of someone who we need to really on that will get hurt. There's always Billy Hunter, but his role should be limited if all goes well, and I don't think Harry Parker, even if he makes the roster, will throw enough innings to get hurt. All we can hope is for the next three weeks the wheels stay on the bus, as everything is in place for a truly special season at Cougars Park. |
Spring Training: Week 4
Weekly Record: 3-3
Overall Record: 14-11 (t-2nd, 2 GB) And Then There Was One: I knew at some point it had to happen, as there was just no way three pitchers could go all spring without allowing an earned run. Donnie Jones was first to pitch, but despite 4 walks, he finished 5 shutout innings with 3 hits and 6 strikeouts, keeping his streak of zero earned runs (there were two unearned last week) in tack. Brother Johnnie didn't find that same success, as the Kings got to him for 2 runs off 4 hits in 5 innings. Despite that, I'm super psyched, as Johnnie didn't walk anyone and struck out a spring high five. This improved his K/BB to an even 5 in 18 innings pitched. The next day, Zane Kelley looked like a guy who was set to start the season in AAA, not the dominant and brilliant pitcher we've grown to love. The first place Saints chased him for 8 hits and 5 runs with 2 walks and 4 strikeouts. He left with two outs in the second, as the Saints broke the tie atop the CA spring standings with the win. Despite three scoreless starts to start the spring, Kelley now has the highest ERA among rotation members at 3.07. That's because Duke Bybee struck out 6 in 4 scoreless innings to drop to 2.65, now fifth among our starters. Johnnie, on the other hand, is fourth despite his streak, as a 1.00 ERA is higher then Pap (0.50) and Oddo (0.52). Man I love this rotation! Age is Just a Number: It was his shortest sample since he was 23 in 1936, but Leo Mitchell was more or less himself last season, posting a 139 WRC+ in 110 games. 37 in May, the longtime Cougar doesn't look it, as he leads all batters is with 20 or more PAs with his .389 average, and his 155 WRC+ trails only GWL standout Clyde Zimmerman (160), who's managed an impressive 8 runs, 7 walks, 6 RBIs, and 5 doubles with a homer in his 51 trips to the plate. Mitchell has played much less, making just 38 trips, but he's got a double, homer, and even a steal. It's great seeing a veteran and team leader like him putting up great numbers early on, though he's not the only graying Cougar with big numbers. Harry Mead is doing his even year thing, batting .412/.444/.588 with a homer and 184 WRC+ in his 18 PAs. I'd love to see both these guys turn back the clock this year, as they're running out of seasons to win the title they've chased their whole careers. Pen Battle Nears Conclusion: While there are a ton of guys eating innings out of the pen, only a few are fighting for a spot behind new stopper David Molina (8 IP, 6 H, ER, BB, 12 K). He recently allowed his first earned run of the season, leaving southpaw Jim Kenny as the only Cougar pitcher to not allow a run of any kind. Kenny has thrown 8 shutout innings with 5 hits, 3 walks, and 4 strikeouts, almost officially securing one of the three pen spots that hopefully don't need too much calling upon. Somewhat surprisingly, the next most effective arm has been former 1st Rounder Tommy Seymour, who's struck out 19 with just 3 walks in 10 innings pitched. He's allowed just 8 hits and a single walk, and I'm honestly considering turning him into a reliever fulltime. He's not on the 40, so there's no shot of him taking one of the last two spots, with the most likely recipients Harry Parker (0-1, 3 HLD, 5 IP, 5 H, ER, 5 K), Ken Matson (1-1, SV, 12 IP, 3 ER, 6 BB, 10 K), and Charlie Kelsey (0-2, 2 HLD, 10.2 IP, 10 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 7 K). They're making it tough on me, as all three are pitching well, but someone has to be the odd man out. Rule-5 Update: The New York Stars were cutting their roster down, and after leaving town on the 26th, they left one man behind, as Franklin Thomas was informed he would not make the Opening Day roster. A 9th Round Pick of ours in 1946, Thomas was the four selections made by the Stars, which made it likely he wouldn't break camp with them. A 25-year-old outfielder, Thomas split time between Mobile and Milwaukee, with his time in Milwaukee extremely noteworthy. It was just 49 games, but he slugged .333/.439/.503 (152 OPS+) with 6 doubles, 3 triples, 5 homers, and 23 RBIs. He stole six bases, produced a 155 WRC+, and was worth nearly 3 (2.8) wins above replacement with the combo of offense and plus right field defense (3.4, 1.025). We have a Rule-5 guy of our own, Paul Caissie, who's actually been the best hitter. The Minutemen draftee is hitting .500 with a 214 WRC+, but that's because he's played so little. 2-for-4 with a walk and run is still nice, but you can't really read too much out of it. I'm still deciding whether the 23-year-old will make the Opening Day roster, but we have a lot of good guys in camp I don't want to risk losing. |
Spring Training: Week 5
Weekly Record: 5-2
Overall Record: 19-13 (2nd, 1 GB) Donnie = Him: I don't generally pay too close attention to spring training stats, but oh man! Can you do better then Donnie Jones! Donnie made six starts totaling 27 innings, accumulating 17 hits, 6 walks, and 32 strikeouts. And yes, no earned runs. I don't know how he did it, but the guy scheduled to beat the New York Stars on April 18th would have thrown 27 shutout innings had Sal Pestilli not been in his 12th game ever in right field, and misplayed Paul Porter's flyball. The rates starts are beautiful, an infinite ERA+, 0.85 WHIP, 1.61 FIP (40 FIP-), and a 5.3 K/BB. But what stands out most is the absurd 70% groundball rate as "Mole Killer" is surely living up to his reputation. Set to enter the season as the second rated pitcher in FABL, ahead of Rufus Barrell and behind Ed Bowman, no Cougar since at least 1929 has gone this many innings with out allowing a run in spring training, and it's hard to not feel anything except excitement when thinking about how he's going to start his aged 30 season. The reigning WHIP leader (1.19) is coming off one of his best seasons yet, setting bests in innings (264.1), ERA+ (135), FIP- (82), and WAR (6.1). He has to be the odds on favorite for the Allen this year, and the team captain should be an obvious selection to his fourth All-Star game if everything goes according to plan. The craziest part of all of this may be that Pete Papenfus has been almost as good, though unlike his fellow co-ace one of the two runs he allowed was earned. Pap enters his last start with a 0.39 ERA (1012 ERA+) and 0.74 WHIP with 25 strikeouts and just 5 walks. It was a huge improvement from last season, as even though he struck out an association high 150 hitters, he walked 126. He's in need of a big year himself, as he wasn't quite himself last season. Sure, the spring numbers mean very little, but you have to be some kind of talented to perform this exceptionally at any level for any stretch. This could be a preview of what to come, as a full spring is three trips through the rotation, and I envision plenty of three start runs like this from our top two. Camp Rosters Thin Before Final Week: We are down to 37 players in camp, as I got rid of most of the guys who aren't going to make the team. Some notable cuts include former first rounder Bert Rogers (1-1, 2, 2.81 ERA, 16 IP, 11 H, 15 BB, 11 K), CWL star Elmer Grace (3-10, 2 BB, 3 RBI), and longtime Cougar Clark Car (4-12, 4 R, 3B, BB, SB) who's still willing to hang around and help the youngsters down on the farm. Both Billy Biggar (1-4, 2B, BB) and Barney Gunnels (2.2 IP, 6 H, BB, K) are nursing minor injuries, so they got early exits as well. They'll be good to go far before opening day, which for the minors is April 19th, but there was no need to risk any further setback. We have four non-roster guys left, none expected to make it, but there are some pretty exciting battles left. The pen in particular, as Charlie Kelsey (0-2, 2.13 ERA, 12.2 IP, 11 H, 2 BB, 7 K), Ken Matson (2-1, 2 SV, 1.80 ERA, 15 IP, 9 H, 7 BB, 13 K), and Harry Parker (0-1, 7 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 9 K) are competing for two spots behind David Molina (2-0, 0.79 ERA, 11.1 IP, 7 H, BB, 19 K) and Jim Kenny (2 SV, 0.00 ERA, 10 IP, 9 H, 4 BB, 5 K). The bench is even tougher to sort out, but I'll have all weekend for that! Mitch is the Man!: In one only reminds me of Whitney levels, Leo Mitchell was an impressive 7-for-11 with a triple and 3 RBIs, bringing his spring line up to an impressive .447/.480/.574. He trails just former teammate Hal Sharp, though his .465/.500/.674 is shockingly the best around. Though if you cave me the pick of the two, I'm more then happy with the one I kept. 1950 will be the 15th season for the former 2nd Rounder, and he's going to have to prove that his best seasons are still ahead of him. Not many make it to 37, but the vet has 2,257 hits to his name and I know he's going to want to get to 2,500. |
I have been rooting for Donnie Jones since he was first announced as a draft prospect! :D I hope Donnie Jones PUNTS the rest of the competition!
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Quote:
Crazy to think that was three years ago. Pretty much from the moment I saw him I knew he would be a Cougar. Wasn't sure how or when, but I knew it. But until your post I never associated the pitcher with the punter. 30-year-old Donnie Jones led the league in punt yards (2010, 4,276), so perhaps this version leads in innings! He also had a personal best in touchback percentage. I think it's a sign! |
Spring Trianing: Week 6
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Weekly Record: 0-4 Overall Record: 19-17 (3rd, 3 GB) Ugly End: After looking good most of the spring, we just fell apart at the end, dropping our last four games. There were two one run games, including a 13-inning affair, a four run loss, and then an embarrassing 8-0 shutout at the hands of the Sailors to finish things up. I'm not too sure what happened at the end, but we stopped hitting and some of the pen arms finally ran into issues. The rotation was as good as ever, including a ten strikeout game from Pap, but the run support was just not there after the opener. Most importantly though, we are at full strength to kick things off, with even Johnny Carlisle just a few days away from being game ready. Roster Down to 29: With games finished, we need to make just five more cuts, as I have to settle on the last pen spot and the rest of the bench. Only the rotation and the catching tandem is set in stone, though the outfield picture is most up in the air. Four spots are reserved, but that still leaves Clyde Zimmerman, Don Lee, Ducky Cole, and Rule-5 Pick Paul Caissie. Clyde and Lee can both be optioned to Milwaukee, but I think they're the better two. I didn't even expect Clyde to be in contention for a spot, but he hit .286/.361/.413 with 5 doubles, a homer, and 8 RBIs in his 72 trips to the plate. Even as a GWL lifer, Dixie Marsh is convinced he's no worse then a 4th or 5th outfielder in FABL, but that option may work against it. Other then him, the most surprising player left in camp is Al Clement, as I guess we have less infield depth then I thought. Right now he's set to make the initial roster, but I may carry an extra outfielder or even pitcher considering Skipper never misses a game and any number of our outfielders can fill in first. The oft-injured Billy Hunter can play wherever and we still have former Saint and King Charlie Woodbury if Hunter needs to miss a day or two. He can play second when George Sutterfield needs some rest, or Sutterfield can slide to the left side of second if Otto or Skipper needs a day. A Few Fun Statlines to End It Pitching stats by the projected five man rotation: 135 IP, 89 H, 25 R, 19 ER, 33 BB, 141 K, 1.26 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 4.27 K/BB David Molina: 2-0, 3 HLD, 13.1 IP, 7 H, ER, BB, 19 K, 0.67 ERA, 0.60 WHIP, 19 K/BB Ducky Cole and Paul Caissie: 19-for-45, 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 9 R, 4 BB Chubby Hall and Leo Mitchell: 36-for-99 (.363/.404/.535), 3 2B, 3B, 4 HR, 14 RBI, 11 R, 8 BB, SB Harry Mead: 8-for-23, HR, 3 RBI, R, BB |
Opening Day!
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EDIT: Forgot the actual roster and the team picture!
It's the best time of the year! Cougars baseball is back! And while I know I say it every year, I think this is the year. I really don't know the last time I was this excited and this confident going into the season. I'm not seeing many holes on this team, unless you want to count Harry Parker at the back of the pen, but my best guess is he won't top 25 innings this season What gets me really excited for next season is the offseason we had, as despite parting with some really exciting prospects and a few capable vets, I think we made a huge step forward in terms of talent while almost everyone else stayed put. Adding to the confidence is the fact I might have turned a weakness into a strength, as no one is better at closing down games then David Molina. Not only that, our outfield defense might be one of the best in team history, even with stellar pace of Leo Mitchell out in left. Though when it's a lefty on the mound Chubby Hall will be on the grass, and he's pretty handy with the glove himself. Then you got potentially the best double play duo in George Sutterfield and Skipper Schneider, we're not going to be giving up many runs. Then of course, there's the guys who are going to be pitching. Some of the best! Check out this squad: LHP Duke Bybee RHP Donnie Jones LHP Johnnie Jones RHP Charlie Kelsey LHP Jim Kenny RHP David Molina RHP George Oddo RHP Pete Papenfus RHP Harry Parker C Eddie Howard C Harry Mead 1B Red Bond 2B Billy Hunter 2B Charlie Woodbury 2B George Sutterfield 3B Otto Christian 3B Al Clement SS Skipper Schneider LF Chubby Hall LF Leo Mitchell CF Don Lee CF John Moss RF Ducky Cole RF Sal Pestilli OSA backs up my confidence, projecting us to win the association by a full ten games! They peg Donnie Jones (15-12, 2.97, 124) and Pete Papenfus (17-10, 3.25, 154) as the favorites for the Allen while Red Bond (.297, 34, 98) and Leo Mitchell (.351, 16, 53) crack the top ten for the Whitney race. Even Johnnie Jones (16-10, 3.17, 98) gets a nod behind last year's winner Adrian Czerwinski (17-15, 3.52, 105) and a guy who's done it all the time in Rufus Barrell (17-10, 3.04, 117). I'll tell you something, if Leo Mitchell is hitting .351 he's going to play more then 111 games, as I would do everything in my power to get Mitchell another shot at a Whitney. I think OSA is being generous, but I'm excited to see what the hopeful Hall of Famer can do in the twilight of his career. Our system has taken a bit of a hit, but we're still ranked 6th in the league with 113 points. We're also just three points behind the Wolves, who are buoyed by John Wells (2nd) and Les Ledbetter (7th) and only have 25 prospects in the top 500. We have 51, led by top 20 prospects Bob Allen (8th) and Jerry Smith (19th). We only have four other in the top 100, as for some reason Garland Phelps was in the 60s and just recently got back up to 49, though there are 25 in the top 250.Even with multiple trades, we are extremely deep in the farm, and only the recent basement dweller Miners have 40 representatives. We start our season with three in the Big Apple, as our top three of Donnie Jones (15-13, 2.89, 140), Pete Papenfus (13-12, 1, 3.17, 150), and Duke Bybee (14-12, 3.99, 96) will start the season trying to keep Bill Barrett (.300, 37, 104, 10) in the park. That's impossible in Chicago, but at least we have a chance on the road in a larger stadium. The Stars look a little different to start the season, as Paul Watson (.260, 8, 34) opens the season at short with Joe Angevine (.229, 1, 36, 30) and Ralph Hanson (.234, 8, 6) starting on the bench. 23-year-old Dan Atwood (.262, 11, 46) will now handle the staff that just let Henry Shaffer (3-10, 1, 4.21, 45) go on waivers. Though their top three stays the same, as we're set to face Vern Hubbard (18-7, 3.15, 71), Eli Panneton (13-14, 3.93, 97), and Jack Wood (14-15, 3.36, 100). That's not an easy task, but we'll hold the advantage each time out. But with extra energy from the home crowd in the opening series, I'm not expecting this to be an easy series. Our biggest competitor this season is lining up to be the Montreal Saints, who will come to town after hosting the Brooklyn Kings at the Parc Cartier. A team loaded with offense, I'm worried about stopping them in Chicago, as they have plenty of guys who can go deep. Maurice Carter (.300, 28, 118) would be a 40 homer hitter in the Fed, and Otis O'Keefe (.293, 17, 97) and Bill Greene (.265, 12, 79, 15) have no problem clearing the fences. Then there's Montreal native Joe Austin (.310, 5, 62, 53) who will always be playing with an extra edge against the team that drafted him. Especially when Red Bond (.287, 27, 78) is in the lineup. Add in Gordie Perkins (.303, 8, 63, 5), who might actually be better then Skipper (.295, 3, 65), and you have a real star to anchor the lineup. Making things tougher is there isn't a weak spot, as Bill Elkins (.268, 2, 37), Jake Hughes (.280, 2, 40, 9), and former Cougar Homer Guthrie (.326, 2, 57) can all handle the bat. Lucky for us, I'm not the slightest bit worried about Wally Reif (5-15, 7.05, 66) and Pete Ford (17-5, 84), though Bert Cupid (15-15, 3.41, 81) is one of the best arms out there. It's fun having a tough challenge so early in the season, although I may change my tone when we start the year 2-4. |
Prediction to win the CA by 10 games. Get 'er done!
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Week 1: April 18th-April 23rd
Weekly Record: 3-3
Seasonal Record: 3-3 (4th, 1.5 GB) Stars of the Week Leo Mitchell : 21 AB, 12 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .571 AVG, 1.353 OPS Donnie Jones : 2 Wins, 18.0 IP, 6 BB, 8 K, 0.00 ERA Skipper Schneider : 22 AB, 8 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .364 AVG, .773 OPS Schedule 4-18: Win at Stars (1-0) 4-19: Loss at Stars (2-3): 10 innings 4-20: Loss at Stars (2-3) 4-21: Loss vs Saints (5-3) 4-22: Win vs Saints (3-4) 4-23: Win vs Saints (0-3) Recap Well, the pitching was as good as expected, as we allowed the fewest runs per game (2.3), but guess what the issue was? We scored the fewest per game (2.5) too! The only guy who didn't have trouble producing runs was the spring star Leo Mitchell, who was 12-for-21 with a double and homer to start his Whitney Campaign! I'm only have serious, as the 37 on Monday lefty can't do this all season long. Besides, even if he put up another great season, he'd end up runner up like he did in '44 and '46, and it's truly a shame the U.S. Army snatched away the back-to-back batting title winner in the final year of the war. It's also a bit disingenuous to say our six time All-Star did it all by himself, but eight guys made more then 15 trips to the plate and only 3 of them managed to get more then five hits. Mitchell managed more then Otto, Eddie Howard, George Sutterfield and one of the newest Cougars, John Moss, but Skipper went 8-for-22 with a double, steal, 2 runs, and 3 RBIs. Sal Pestilli was just 6-for-21, but he drew 4 walks, stole 4 bases, and even tripled in his first official week as a right fielder. If anyone could have helped these three, we would have been 5-1, but to be fair we faced some really good pitchers, and it's not going to be like that all season. One thing that did concern me was Duke Bybee's start. Not because he pitched poorly, he allowed 10 hits, 3 runs, and a walk with 3 strikeouts, but because we couldn't give him any run support. He got just two in nine, as my arch nemesis Jack Wood kept us guessing all day. I mean, what's the point of trading for David Molina if you're not going to use him? An extra inning game would have been the perfect time for a debut, as Donnie and Pap went the distance in the first two games. Molina was fully rested, and there's no way he doesn't outduel George Scruggs (13-4, 13, 2.35, 41) in the tied game. Instead, our new stopper pitched just one inning in George Oddo's loss, retiring the top three hitters in order. While this was the perfect time to use him, I wish I could tell Max Wilder personally to use Molina whenever the game goes to extras, as there might not be many other times to get him in. That's because we have guys like Donnie Jones, who just refuse to give up earned runs. Leo Mitchell might have assisted him with a clutch two-out RBI single, but Donnie single handedly won this game. He scattered four walks and hits, striking out two Stars as he kept us off the board in a tough duel with Vern Hubbard (18-7, 3.15, 71). Somehow, he managed to one up himself back home, as he more-or-less curb stomped the talented Montreal Saints. Surprisingly enough, Bill Elkins (.268, 2, 37) had the only hit, as Donnie walked two and struck out six in his second shutout of the week. As you might expect, that earned him a rare Player of the Week as a pitcher! He's actually done it two other times, but what's most impressive is he's thrown 45 innings in 1950 and is still yet to allow an earned run. At some point, it has to end, but the 30-year-old could make this run one of the most impressive for any FABL pitcher. Donnie hogged two of the wins, but he saved the third for older brother Johnnie, who was back to walking (5) more guys the he struck out (5). But when runners were on, "The Patron Saint of Groundballs" took advantage of his defense, as he held the Saints to 8 hits and 3 runs in a 4-3 complete game victory. Pap had a similar start, but it lasted just eight since we were in New York and only scored him two runs. The 31-year-old co-ace struck out 5 with 9 hits, 3 runs, and 3 walks. George Oddo was the only guy who had any real struggles, as his loss was for once deserved. The usual no decision, Oddo went 6 with 10 hits, 5 runs, 3 walks, and 5 strikeouts. Surprisingly, it wasn't the homers that did him in, as this may have been the first week ever the entire staff kept the ball in the park. Part of that is most of the innings came from the rotation, with just the one frame for Molina and a perfect 7th and 8th from Jim Kenny. Even though they weren't used much, that could end up being a lockdown back of the pen, which infuriates me that much more when Bybee went out for the tenth... Looking Ahead There may be no sim tomorrow, as we're dealing with some file issues, but it's still time to look ahead! As if our start couldn't get any tougher, we quickly head to Brooklyn for two with the first place Kings. They swept the Saints in Montreal and split with the Stars in Brooklyn after winning both halves of a double header on Sunday. That could work well for us, as we skip their top two and are likely going against Joe Potts (15-10, 3.56, 86) and the vastly talented Ron Berry, who walked 8 in a tough debut (7 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 2 K) against the Kings. It will be interesting to see how John Moss (.271, 11, 74) will be received in his return to Kings County Park. Not only did he lead the league with 705 PAs last season, the 1947 All-Star spent parts of five seasons in a Kings uniform. His replacement, Charlie Rogers (.356, 3, 5) now leads the lineup that has scored the most runs (40) in the association. That's what having Ralph Johnson (.321, 27, 102, 6) will do for you, and he's already slugged 4 homers and drove in 10 a week into the new campaign. Dan Smith (.237, 5, 48) is a homer away from him for the team lead, and already two away from his total in 121 games last season. Along with Smith, the Kings have gotten great starts from Ken Newman (.293, 5, 56), Chuck Collins (.235, 11, 39), and Billy Bryant (.258, 8, 65), and we may have our hands full even with two top twenty pitchers on the mound. Our yo-yo schedule continues with two back at home, hosting the Stars who hosted us to start the year. One-run games were how they topped us at Dyckman Stadium, and we'll now look to keep a powerful lineup out of the seats. Surprisingly, Bill Barrett (.300, 37, 104, 10) has yet to go deep, and he's just 5-for-25. In fact, they haven't gotten much from anyone at the plate, though Mack Sutton (.252, 30, 94) has drawn 9 walks with 2 doubles and a homer, and Paul Watson (.260, 8, 34) slashed .346/.393/.538 (149 OPS+) in what he hopes is the first week of his first full season as a starter. This offense will wake up at some point, especially once they get a few games in at Cougars Field, but we might have caught them at the right time. Like the Kings, they're coming off a double header, so even if we get Vern Hubbard (18-7, 3.15, 71), it would be on short rest. I expect him and Ed Cornett (0-1, 1, 4.86, 10), who managed to deliver a solid start (9 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 3 K) against the Kings in Brooklyn. Still, I'll take those odds, as Johnnie (15-13, 3.55, 101) is ten times the pitcher as Cornett, and until proven otherwise, Donnie Jones (15-13, 2.89, 140) just doesn't give up runs. This is a big home series for us, as I'm sure you can guess our next series in on the road. It'll be a long trip up to Montreal, as we get three with the struggling Saints. Despite high expectations, they are 1-5, with the only win against yours truly. They just haven't hit the ball hard, as not a single Saint hit a home run. Big Moe Carter (.300, 28, 118) was just 1-for-21, and the speedy Joe Austin (.310, 5, 62, 53) is the only Saint hitting above .250. Pretty much nothing has gone right, as only Austin (102) and another Cougar draftee Homer Guthrie (99) have WRC+ above 70. I'm not sure what's wrong in Montreal right now, but for our sake, I hope they wait a week to figure it out, as it's the last time we play them until mid-June. I don't buy the slow start one bit, as there's a chance the four best teams started the season against each other and someone has to lose. Minor League Report CF Clyde Zimmerman (AAA Milwaukee Blues): Our minor league teams went 14-3 in the opening week, and there's at least one guy who proved he doesn't not belong in the minor leagues: Clyde Zimmerman. The GWL star looked like more then just a AAAA player in his return to affiliated ball, going 12-for-25 with 2 doubles, 2 homers, 2 steals, 5 runs, and 12 RBIs. It's hard to ask for a better start from Zimmerman, who's on a torrid 21.6 WAR pace for a 140 game season! Yes, yes, that's not going to be even remotely attainable, but this is the type of guy who doesn't let anything get him down. He leaves it all on the field and is a great influence for the young guys, and I'm really excited to see how he does as the season progresses. and the first time an outfielder goes down, he's going to be the guy who goes up. CF Frank Reece (AA Little Rock Governors): Yes, I still right Commodores every time. And yes, that will continue for the near future... Just like I hope Frank Reece's production will! Our 2nd Round Pick in 1946, he's dropped to 10th in our system and 130th overall, but in the organizational ladder he's at a higher level then all the CF's (Jerry Smith, Henry Norman, Jeff King, Bob Allie) ranked higher then him. He played like it too, as the new Governor won Player of the Week in Little Rock's entrant into affiliated ball. Reece was 8-for-19 and slugged three homers, adding 2 doubles, 4 runs, and 6 RBIs in a stellar debut week. The 22-year-old isn't new to the Dixie League, as he appeared in 55 games for the Commodores last year, and hit an impressive .304/.354/.433 (113 OPS+) with 13 doubles, 6 homers, 20 RBIs, and 16 steals. I'd be happy with a repeat of that, but the power surge is something to watch. While not a slugger by any means, he's hit 8 or more homers in each of his four previous seasons, and with speed like his there may be a few inside the parkers as well. He's always seemed to be able to get extra base hits, and as a guy who puts the ball in play a lot, a little more muscle is only a good thing. Yes, our outfield picture is as crowded as ever, but Reece has developed quite well, and there's a lot to like about the talented young outfielder. CF Jerry Smith (A Lincoln Legislator): This is absolutely absurd, but we won 4 of the possible 5 Player of the Weeks! One of the center fielders more highly touted then Reece, the 15th ranked prospect Jerry Smith managed to capture Player of the Week in the Heartland League. Smith was even better then Reece, an even 8-for-16 with a weekly cycle, 2 walks, 5 runs, and 5 RBIs. His WRC+ was an astronomical 324, and he's now got the absolute best personality I've seen in a while: "Jerry has the swagger fans like!" Okay, it's a period, not an exclamation mark, but that's how excited I am about the former 5th Round Pick. A guy with more tools then a handyman with a packed schedule, I think I'm going to call Smith a six-tool player, with swagger the obvious six option, as he's got the ability to hit, hit for power, run, throw, and catch. He's an elite hitter and defender, and if you want a seventh tool, he can even bunt for a hit! Honestly, I'm a bit surprised he's not one of the top five prospects, but with a ceiling as high as his, he could be ranked 278th for all I care and I'd still be on the edge of my seat waiting to see what he does next. If we were desperate for an outfielder, we could arguably push him all the way up to Chicago by the year end, but my goal for Smith is 1952. By then, Leo Mitchell may be stuck to first base, and a Smith-Moss-Pestilli outfield could be the best defensive trio we'll ever see. RHP Pat Burnett (B San Jose Cougars): No one really came close to earning a Player of the Week in the California-Oregon-Washington league, but you know what, I covered a guy from the first three levels who celebrated Opening Day, why not the fourth? Ironically, no one had a better start then the Baby Cougars, who won all four of their games to start their 1950 iteration. It's no surprise Bob Allen (8 IP, 6 H, ER, 4 BB, 5 K), who was supposed to be promoted, went out and dominate, but even with the earned run, no pitcher was more dominant then Pat Burnett. A guy who could probably play better then some of the scrubs on the Chicago Panthers, Burnett is a 6'10'' monster who's mid 80s fastball gets on you like its 95. Last year's 12th Rounder, he matched that in strikeouts, allowing just 4 hits and 2 walks in the 3-1 victory over the Tacoma Captains. The 21-year-old has the rare distinction of being our draftee twice, though he may end up being known for much more then that. He's even ranked as the 454th prospect, as OSA took note of his impressive work out of the Lions pen last season. Sheridan struck out 43 hitters in 27.2 innings pitched, going 5-2 with 4 saves, a 1.95 ERA (241 ERA+) and 1.08 WHIP. He walked just 10 hitters, leading to a 4.3 K/BB and still well above average 3.49 FIP (74 FIP-). I'm curious to see how he follows up this dream start, and if he keeps it up he'll be promoted in no time. |
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