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Cuban Winter League: Week 5
The big news of the week is that we picked up a guy who probably shouldn't have been on waivers. Sure, he's going to be 38 in February, but it's almost a disservice to Forester fans that Cleveland unceremoniously waived longtime high leverage arm Walt Hill. He made 382 appearances for them, the fifth most of any Forester pitcher, as he gave Cleveland a nice 1-2 punch with Frank Phillips before replacing the grizzled team save leader (148) as the stopper in 1948. He was a huge part of the back-to-back pennant winning teams, going 14-9 with 33 saves. Aside from the season they tried to use him as a starter, Hill had an above average ERA+, and he had an above average FIP- in all but his rookie season. In 693.2 FABL innings, he's earned an elite 3.06 ERA (121 ERA+) with a 1.37 WHIP, 53 saves, and 239 strikeouts. This year he was dominant in 57.2 innings out of the Foresters pen, working to an elite 2.50 ERA (171 ERA+). He had a strong 1.32 WHIP, and despite walking more hitters in his career then strikeouts, he set down 28 with just 24 free passes. If you ask Dixie Marsh, the only reliever better then him is David Molina. If that's the case, those two and Steve Groves could be an elite trio. Does this mean we win more one-run games? Probably not. But our pen was the worst this year and could legitimately be the best now. That leaves a longman which could be Jerry Decker, but there's a whole offseason left before any of the final decisions need to be made.
A guy unlikely to be in those discussions, Al Clement was the one losing his 40-man spot, and I don't see anyone wasting a spot on him. 27 in March, the Indiana native hit just .250/.308/.333 (70 OPS+) in 26 trips to the plate. Clement has always hit a lot in AAA, slashing .286/.366/.475 (129 OPS+) in about the equivalent of two full seasons. With 59 doubles, 14 triples, 35 homers, 151 RBIs, 128 walks, and 27 steals. That makes it easy to see why he was a 2nd Round selection, but the defense isn't great and he's out of options. I'd love for him to stick around as minor league depth, and he's the perfect temporary replacement in the infield if we have an extra 40-man spot and don't want to burn an eventual option. LHP Mack Lyons (#208 Overall) Acquired: Via Trade with Chiefs (1949) A: 5-0, 78 IP, 0.58 ERA (594 ERA+), 0.83 WHIP, 31 BB, 60 K B: 8-4, 100.1 IP, 1.88 ERA (207 ERA+), 1.36 WHIP, 57 BB, 78 K CWL: 0-0, 4 SV, 17.1 IP, 2.08 ERA (218 ERA+), 1.38 WHIP, 5 BB, 11 K Part of the Crocodiles struggles can be placed on the manager, who continues to use Pat Kisel at second despite the fact that both our guys are healthy again, and Roxy Hilts can actually play second base. Not only is Kisiel an awful defender (-3.5, .761), he's hit a putrid .182/.276/.288 (44 OPS+) with the same amount of hits (12) as strikeouts. Him batting leadoff has been killing rallies, and at 8-11 the Crocs are the only team not in the three-way tie for first place. One of the few guys to survive the worst CWL defense is Mack Lyons, who I'm starting to think is the reincarnation of Dick Lyons. Sure, the elder Lyons may not know what to do as a reliever, but Mack absolutely pummeled minor league pitching before transitioning to stopper for the CWL season. That's more a Cienfuegos thing then a Cougar thing, as we'll be sending him to Little Rock and he'll be towards the top of the rotation. I'm still in awe of his 0.58 ERA (594 ERA+) and 1.99 FP (57 FIP-) in Lincoln, and he's cut through prospects that are hitting in AA and AAA. In 17.1 innings he's allowed just 19 hits, 4 runs, and 5 walks, striking out 11 while picking up four saves in five attempts. Mack's 2.08 ERA (218 ERA+) is an Aaron Judge equivalent better then the average hurler, and his 1.38 WHIP is third among Croc's with 15 or more innings. Dixie Gaines (a groundballer) has somehow managed a 3.20 WHIP, giving you another look at the poor defense, so everything Mack has done in high leverage situations is that much more impressive. His hardwork is paying off daily, as the son of the almost 200-game winning lefty is well positioned for a major league debut. It's going to be almost impossible to fit him into our rotation, but injuries can strike at any time and he might be 3rd or 4th in the large collective of arms that waits behind our new front six. Pap's not scheduled to return to play until May, but a midseason early injury to the remaining staff can open up another rotation spot to fill. No one is susceptible to bad days, so Lyons could end up pitching well enough to survive the eventual return of everyone's favorite fireballer. |
Cuban Winter League: Week 6
RHP Ernie Tisdale (#168 Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 20th Overall (1950) A: 4-3, 60 IP, 2.55 ERA (134 ERA+), 1.25 WHIP, 29 BB, 48 K B: 4-6, 112.2 IP, 3.75 ERA (104 ERA+), 1.70 WHIP, 73 BB, 91 K CWL: 2-5. 49.2 IP, 3.44 ERA (133 ERA+), 1.51 WHIP, 25 BB, 38 K It may not have been a shutout, he finished two innings early, but Ernie Tisdale tossed a gem against the Havana Sharks, giving the Crocs their 4th win in their last 14 games. "Big E" allowed just 6 hits and 3 walks, striking out 7 to improve to an unlucky 2-5 despite the 3.44 ERA (133 ERA+). The 22-year-old has been one of the only Cougar starters to have success, as both Bob Allen (1-3, 6.08, 28) and Dixie Gaines (0-3, 10.07, 18) have been brutalized by CWL hitters. Ernie has been the only one to overcome the bad defense behind him, as by allowing just 3 homers in 49.2 innings he's done a good job limiting the major damage. His 1.5 K/BB is right in line with his regular season, and as we turn the calendar tomorrow he's put himself in good position. The prospect ranking isn't very favorable, but he's looking big league ready, and I almost feel like I'll be forced to start him in Little Rock to start their threepeat quest. Losing Bob Hobbs in the Rule-5 draft helps a bit with rotation spots, but there are some guys in the upper minors I'm not ready to force into a relief role. |
Cuban Winter League: Week 7
We actually got to the lottery today, and just like literally every other time, the Cougars have no luck in the first round. Even with two balls, we were the last team to be picked, positioning us for 14th in the draft. Since the lottery began in 1945, we've had just two single digit picks, and since the last first we traded we've only been last or second to last. This includes when all three of our lottery balls were the last taken, and I think only one of the four attempts saw us with just one ball. This draft is super deep (and flying by!), so we'll still get good talent at 14, but there's a lot of elite players we could have had with better luck. And I don't think most, if any, will be there at 14.
As always, we did better in the second lottery, so after picking 14th we don't have to wait too long. We're back at 20th, as we'll pick 4th in the 2nd Round. Knowing myself, one of these two picks will be pitchers, but there could be some lineup changing at-bats. Even one that could go right to Chicago. But that's not who we'll get. He went 10th. Last thing worth noting is the shocking claim of Al Clement by the still Brooklyn Kings. I'd be surprised if our former 2nd Rounder breaks camp with the inaugural season of the Kansas City Kings, so the not-so-young infielder will likely be exposed to waivers during the brand new year. RHP Bob Allen (#14 Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 10th Overall (1946) FABL: 2-2, 30 IP, 4.80 ERA (86 ERA+), 1.37 WHIP, 14 BB, 12 K AAA: 6-2, 80.1 IP, 1.68 ERA (196 ERA+), 1.03 WHIP, 33 BB, 51 K AA: 8-3, 93.2 IP, 3.36 ERA (122 ERA+), 1.30 WHIP, 40 BB, 53 K CWL: 2-3, 49 IP, 4.96 ERA (94 ERA+), 1.71 WHIP, 30 BB, 34 K Just like my favorite quarterback, what makes Bob Allen so great is that even when he's been dealt a few rough blows, he can just go on out and look flawless. Even without considering the poor defense behind him, he's walking too many guys, but as the calendar flipped to 1952 it's almost like Allen flipped a switch. The 23-year-old ace took advantage of 8 runs of support, holding Santiago to 3 hits and 3 walks. Allen struck out six for the second straight start, totaling 34 in 49 innings. It does come with 30 walks, and a 13.2 BB% that is higher then his AA, AAA, and FABL innings. He has now dropped his ERA to a more respectable 4.96 (94 ERA+), and with about a month left there's plenty of time for him to record an above average ERA+. He's lucky his CWL performance wouldn't impact his sixth starter status for better or worse, as this could have been a different writeup with a healthier Pete Papenfus or a traded George Polk. With Donnie (4th), Duke (5th), and Johnnie (9th) all in OSAs top ten for pitchers, the top is sealed, leaving for clearly defined roles for most players in the organization. For a guy who just likes to go do his thing, no stories or pressure surrounding his performance can only help, and it's clear his bad outings don't really do anything to prevent the possibility of a future good outing. He'll just go out and pitch. Sometimes it's a clunker. Sometimes it's a shutout. I'm just hoping more often then not it ends with him leaving with a lead. |
Cuban Winter League: Week 8
We've gotten to make our first and second round picks already, but we'll cover the Cuba stuff first, because if we knock out this draft by Monday I'll be able to have all ten picks in a row without interruptions. A nice temporary intermission in Cienfuegos' miserable season. It's all because of the Opening Week injuries, and the season will likely end with less the half the games started by Jerry Smith and Roxy Hilts. Obviously, Smith is the bigger talent loss, but the Chiefs have good outfield depth so his production isn't missed as much. With Hilts, my new nemesis Pat Kisiel hitting leadoff with a 51 WRC+ that looks even better then his -3.7 zone rating (.797 EFF). His 27 games are far past Roxy's 17 (Smith only has 14!). At 14-17, they're close to being eliminated from the playoffs, as the first place Havana Sharks (20-11) hold a six game lead over Cienfuegos. The lead over second place Matanzas (19-12) is much slimmer, just a single game between the two teams who might be duking it out the last three weeks of the season.
C Garland Phelps (#28 Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 21st Overall (1947) AA: .314/.366/.468 (122 OPS+), 522 PA, 42 2B, 7 3B, 11 HR, 153 RBI, 2 SB CWL: .284/.360/.373 (88 OPS+), 114 PA, 6 2B, HR, 10 RBI Once recent #1 pick Stan Czerwinski signs with the Chicago Chiefs, Garland Phelps will lose his title as the top catching prospect, something he's held for as long as I can remember. The second round pick in what could be a 1947 draft class that is as top heavy as the 1931. One of the only times the lottery did us well, the 92-63 Cougars got the 5th pick in the 1st and 2nd Rounds, and I was absolutely thrilled to land Phelps and the future of our franchise Jerry Smith which I guess used up all our future luck. The advantage Phelps has over the recent 1.1 is development time, as "Einstein" is only a year away from the majors after a breakout season in AA. Always offering quality defense, Phelps hit a strong .347/.391/.468 (122 OPS+) in 522 trips to the plate. That's the most he's had in what's been a stable minor league career, and he's hit better in Cuba this year then he did last year. His .284/.360/.373 (88 OPS+) line has a 95 WRC+, a steady drop from his 133 in Little Rock, as he's tallied 34 doubles, 9 homers, and 102 RBIs between the two spots. The first of just four top 100 catching prospects, his bat still isn't big league ready, but at each level he's eventually showed it for a sustained period of time. He swings a lot, and while there will be whiffs, when he makes contact he hits the ball hard. He sprays a lot of line drives leading to doubles and big hits, and both Dixie and OSA expect him to develop above average power. That's been his focus in our practice facility, as more consistent power will work wonders for his game. His keen eye and wealth of pitching knowledge allows him to limit the strikeouts, as he'll go from his aggressive doubles approach to a cautioned, protect-mode approach once the count gets to two strikes. Even in Cuba his 13.0 K% is no worse then average, which is more then fair considering his relative youth and playing level. He'll get his first chance at AAA this season, and I think the pitching staff would love to work with him. He consistently throws out half the runners that steal, and he calls a very good game behind the plate. Aside from George Cleaves and I guess maybe Larry McClure, there isn't a current catcher standing in the way of Garland Phelps, as his bat should easily surpass the rest and most can't handle a staff like him. Before we get too excited, that's still multiple seasons out, as even Mike Bordes and Harry Mead are more polished at the plate then our 3rd ranked prospect. RHP Bob Allen (#22 Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 10th Overall (1946) FABL: 2-2, 30 IP, 4.80 ERA (86 ERA+), 1.37 WHIP, 14 BB, 12 K AAA: 6-2, 80.1 IP, 1.68 ERA (196 ERA+), 1.03 WHIP, 33 BB, 51 K AA: 8-3, 93.2 IP, 3.36 ERA (122 ERA+), 1.30 WHIP, 40 BB, 53 K CWL: 3-3, 58 IP, 4.19 ERA (107 ERA+), 1.53 WHIP, 32 BB, 39 K This guy is just so darn good! Another 3-hit shutout! As dumb as his current prospect rating is, Bob Allen is pitching like a top five or ten prospect, recording another shutout against a 3rd place Hawks team that wouldn't be anywhere near the not nearly as bad Crocs in the standings. As Holguin is ahead of Santiago, it makes sense Allen had one fewer walk and strikeout, evening his record to 3-3 in the winter. Only former Cougar draftee Jim Williams (5-2, 3.18, 28) has thrown multiple shutouts, once more proving that Cougar pitchers are the absolute best. Allen hasn't had nearly as much success, but it's nice to see him starting to hit his groove. I'm starting to think he's a feel guy who needs time to adjust, and once he gets into his rhythm it's hard to knock him out of it. A master and getting groundballs, Allen's curve has developed into a lethal weapon, and we've been spending the winter focusing on his command. The more experience he gets, the quicker he'll be able to put away batters, as evidenced by just 102 and 106 pitches in his two shutouts. As annoying as this offseason has been, having his full season debut has kept me on the edge of my seat. Lucky for him, he'll graduate from the prospect list before #3 pick Mike Fresh signs, as Fresh reminds me of everything Allen was when he was a draft prospect. I think he'll be the next top pitcher, and if this was the one time we won the lottery I'd be talking all about him in my next post. |
1952 Draft: Round 1
1st Round, 14th Overall: RF Elmer Hoffman
School: Wagoner Bulldogs 1951: .443/.500/1.000, 124 PA, 14 2B, 15 HR, 43 RBI Career: .461/.523/.945, 363 PA, 44 2B, 2 3B, 15 HR, 43 RBI With the 14th pick in the draft, most of the guys I really, really wanted were already gone, and I debated here between making the smart or sexy pick. The smart pick was Dixie Marsh's #4 player in the pool, even if he has serious makeup concerns, while the sexy pick was a young and fun shortstop who can hit homers. Believe it or not, I went with the safe, or at least safer, pick, Elmer "Fudd" Hoffman is a towering 6'5'' lefty who can hit the ball a mile. I even just re-scouted, and Dixie agrees with OSA, calling him an elite right fielder. We could really use one of those right now, but at 17 he's a long way away from playing a FABL game. That's actually a good thing, as this dingbat thinks he's already the best best hitter in the world who's absolutely flawless at doing everything despite the fact that there are guys like Jimmy Hairston and Charlie Everitt who could out-hit him in any sort of contest. That being said, neither compares to Hoffman in terms of upside, and there's an outside chance of him becoming our top prospect. Allen and Smith will have graduated by time he's officially drafted, and many around the lead had great things to say about what our would be second Elmer if he makes his way to Chicago. Set to be a four year starter for the Wagoner Bulldogs, he's hit 34 home runs in his minor league career, and I think he'll surpass his personal high of 15 as a junior last season. There's a ton of talented hitters, but Hoffman may actually have the best power, with the only comparable guy I see Eddie Black. As a lefty, Elmer has the advantage, and I think it's fair to say he has the most power from the left side. I think that will be the case in the organization too, as we don't really have any big power bats. Sure there's Red Bond, but that's more consistent power the highlight real power. 40 homers may be pushing it, but as a flyball hitter he'll love the left and right field walls that can be easy to clear. His hit tool could use some work, but I care more about the eye, which projects to be at least average. The power is key to his big league success, and if you look at Otto Christian, it takes more then power to make it in the big leagues. One of the reasons why I don't like keeping negative influences around is because of guys like this. He needs a quality coaching staff and clubhouse to ease him into the grind of a minor league schedule, as his work ethic is poor and he doesn't feel the need to make strides towards improvement. The one thing in our favor is that he's smart, so if he stops hitting like the best player in the world he might actually try to put in the bare minimum. That's why guys like Ed Watson and Warren ross can be so helpful, as they really help keep guys in line. I will spend plenty of time attempting to cultivate a positive atmosphere around him. He seems like an early candidate for the dev lab next year, as we'll want to up that power right away. I can't wait to see his prep stats during the season, as he could be among the high school leaders in home runs. I almost never take corner bats who are bat first prospects in the first round, but it's hard to pass up on a guy who probably lasted all the way until the last pick between lottery teams. |
1952 Draft: Round 2
2nd Round, 20th Overall: SS Jack B Gibson
School: Loyola Knights 1951: .452/.529/1.012. 102 PA, 10 2B, 2 3B, 11 HR, 32 RBI Career: .439/.524/.845, 225 PA, 20 2B, 4 3B, 16 HR, 64 RBI Don't let anyone ever tell you that if you're smart you can't be sexy too, as the other player I wanted at 14 was still available after five more selections. One of the youngest players in the draft, Jack Gibson doesn't turn 17 until April, so on his 24th birthday Skipper Schneider will be 37. That's excellent news for him, even if he doesn't end up at shortstop, as there is really no one in his way since he'll need so long to develop. I may end up regretting not taking a pitcher here, as two of the guys I really wanted were taking directly after and three more were taken after Gibson. This left us with just two really good pitchers, but I couldn't pass on one of the most enticing players in this draft. An added bonus is that this is a really weak class at short, with no real equivalent to Gibson available. I'd even say he's better then the #2 pick Claude Richerson, but he's closer to the big leagues and carries far less risk. Both boast the potential to hit a ton of home runs, with our second rounder coming off an 11 homer season in his second year as a varsity starter. Like Hoffman, he doesn't really have the best personality, but the above average power potential is the real key here. He has the tools to stick at short and a great approach at the plate, so 20+ homers would make him an elite infielder regardless of position. OSA loves him, praising his "good potential" and "very promising future" as well as comments on his power, approach, patience, and even contact. Aside from being a very underdeveloped prospect, there's not a gap in his game, and there's really not an average tool either. I don't envision strikeout issues or a lack of extra base hits, and even if he doesn't end up at short he's got the defensive ability to be a plus defender at second or third. He almost reminds me of Elmer Grace, but Grace had the advantage of being a switch hitter and college bat. Gibson upside seems to outpace him, as as crazy as it sounds we now have our first shortstop of the future since, well, Skipper Schneider! It would be awesome if Gibson enters the system with higher potential then our longtime shortstop, but the only certainty is he'll never match out 8-Time All-Stars wizardry at short. The rest? I just see one guy with more upside then Gibson. That's Joe Kleman. But I'd be happy with Paul Watson, or Cecil LaBonte, or Gordie Perkins. Just with the potential to hit more homers then even the eventual 20-home run hitter Watson. The '52 Lions may have some serious star power in the lineup this Summer. Hopefully while Jerry Smith and Bob Allen are flexing on FABL stars. |
1952 Draft: Rounds 3 and 4
I won't like, I'm very upset with how the draft happened, as for some reason the draft timer shrunk to 15 minutes for the 3rd and 10 for the 4th, and since for some other reason it turned on at 8 eastern, I wasn't able to make either of these two picks, and had to frantically scramble to make my 5th while barely awake. Easily ruining my weekend, I'll try not to take it out on these pitchers, who I wanted, just definite not with my 3rd, and probably not with my 4th. We're also doing all 20 rounds in StatsPlus now (actually already through the usual 10), but since I'll review the guys again in the Summer, I'm not going to mention any of the last 10 rounds. We could actually get some useful guys here though, but no more late gems from the six months of development.
3rd Round, 42nd Overall: LHP Swede Cheatham School: Monroe Cheesemakers 1951: 8-1, 90.2 IP, 1.09 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 17 BB, 123 K Career: 16-2, 180.1 IP, 1.05 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 37 BB, 263 K "If he's the worst arm in the staff, it likely means you have a very good rotation, but not someone you want pitching a big game for you." That's pretty much always the case for whoever fills the last spot in our rotation, as Swede Cheatham is a solid arm, but not an ace or even a #2. Another ultra-young selection, Swede doesn't turn 17 until March 11th, just a month older then second rounder Jack Gibson. A four pitch groundballer, I think he'll fill the middle of a rotation, especially if he can add a little velo. An 88-90 sinker is solid, but if it's in the 91-93 range it could prove lethal. I really like his change and curve, giving him three plus pitches, but I like his decent slider too. Even better, his command looks great, and in his junior season he walked just 4.5 % of the hitters he faced. That led to a 7.2 K/BB ratio, and in 12 starts he was 8-1 with a 1.09 ERA. He was 8-1 as a sophomore too, and between the years he has a 1.05 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, and 263 strikeouts. High school pitchers are risky, and there were some legit bats here, but I guess I shouldn't be too sad about landing another quality pitcher. Along with the talent, he's unshakeable on the mound, showing poise and confidence, while not afraid to take it to the next level when the situation calls for it. It could take him five plus season to sniff the majors, but the mix of stuff and command is enticing enough, and when you add the ground ball abilities he could really develop into an excellent pitcher. 4th Round, 58th Overall: RHP Milt Lane School: Potomac College Pelicans 1951: 6-4, 95.1 IP, 3.40 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 30 BB, 90 K Career: 17-7, 225.1 IP, 3.12 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 71 BB, 232 K Our first college pitcher, Milt Lane pitched two seasons at Potomac College, going 17-7 with a 3.12 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, and 232 strikeouts. A four pitch pitcher, Lane has the makings of a trusty back-end or number five starter, leaning heavily on a developing change. His fastball and sinker can be located well, and his slider can be tough on same side hitters. He doesn't dominate guys like Swede might be able to, but he's our first pick close to contributing. Maybe a few seasons out, he's sort of a boring pitcher, but that shouldn't be taken as too much of an insult. He's steady and reliable, expected to provide quality innings. No real strength, but no obvious weakness, Lane will actually be 22 on draft day, and I'm debating sending him straight to Lincoln. He's still a junior, so the 6'2'' righty isn't one of the college arms who are selected and don't sign. I'd love to see him pitching in the 90s, he's topping out at 89 now, but adding velo isn't a must. He has a great foundation, leading me to believe he'll be a solid organizational arm, but he doesn't have the upside of some of the bats I would have wanted to take here. |
1952 Draft: Rounds 5 and 6
I should have done two sets of draft recaps (we finished super fast yesterday) yesterday, but I was pretty gassed, so hopefully I can get us through ten rounds today. If not, we'll start with that tomorrow, and I can push back the CWL posts as long as needed. I mentioned it yesterday, but we actually did all 20 rounds in January, and for once we actually got some pretty solid guys all the way through. Plenty can change between now and then, but I may actually sign a lot of these guys! Still, I don't really want to grind through an additional ten draftees all at once, and to keep with the general pattern I'll do a second writeup of the top ten in June, followed by probably two, five round writeups of the guys taken in the 11th to 20th. Granted, I reserve the right to change my mind, and on a boring weekend I might decide to do some (or all) of what used to be the AI portion of the draft.
5th Round, 74th Overall: 1B Jim Campanelli School: Aurora Chargers 1951: .430/.495/.828, 105 PA, 8 2B, 3B, 9 HR, 34 RBI Career: .449/.511/.763, 227 PA, 22 2B, 2 3B, 12 HR, 68 RBI I had to panic at this point to not get a third consecutive pitcher, especially since the third pitcher was not nearly as skilled as the first two, who would have been more then acceptable with this pick. In fact, this guys not great, especially as a first basemen, but he's from Aurora and I was exhausted and on the clock, so this is what had to do for the pick. Better known as "Campy," Jim Campanelli is from a Chicago suburb, and is set to embark on his third season at his Aurora High School. The numbers so far aren't great, just 12 homers in 46 games with a middling .440/.511/.763 line, but he's a 6'2'' lefty who ranked 30th on Dixie Marsh's list of hitters. That was the best available, or at least so I think, and considering I missed out on Dixie's #11 batter and fellow first basemen Leon Peck in the 3rd, I quickly settled on Campy and his excellent bat. Unlike Peck, he's also a mentally strong kid that doesn't think he's him, and those around him would say he's clutch even though that's not something you can quantify. His defense is irrelevant, as all his offensive skills are average or better, with most well above. The power hasn't surfaced yet, but that should be above average, and he's got a quick bat that can handle most pitches. He won't whiff often, featuring strong bat-to-ball skills, and his ability to walk will add to his offensive upside. Not a complete slugger, Campy reminds me more of a Leo Mitchell then a Red Bond. I'd love for him to strike out less then both, but I see averages around .300 with 50+ walks and 15+ homers. Not exactly what you want from your first basemen, but clearly effective, and if we get a better outcome on his development he could be a 20-25 home run guy that could anchor our lineup. Just expect more solid then star, and you won't be disappointed here. 6th Round, 90th Overall: SS Art Robbins School: Shawnee State Bison 1951: .297/.345/.546, 203 PA, 8 2B, 3B, 12 HR, 35 RBI Career: .299/.354/.525, 497 PA, 20 2B, 8 3B, 22 HR, 87 RBI This is where we went back to going live, as I was able to make my 6th through 20th round picks in relatively quick succession because it wasn't 7:30 in the morning! My first intentional college selection, Art Robbins in the prototypical college shortstop that we seem to take around this time every year. As an added bonus, Robbins hits from both sides of the plate with pop, which actually may be his best tool. In two seasons with Shawnee State, Robbins mashed 22 longballs, hitting just below .300 with 50 extra base hits, 87 RBIs, and 111 runs. The Bison don't play in a strong conference, so these aren't really game changing numbers, but they're well above average and give us a glimpse of the player he may develop into. I mentioned the power, but don't think that means he'll have to move to second or third. He's got wheels and oodles of defensive talent, with both OSA and Dixie complimenting his ability to play shortstop. I think he'll stick there, and despite having a lot less upside on draft day, he's giving me a lot of Elmer Grace vibes. Grace has hit 20 homers in the minors while offering excellent defense, though Robbins contact tool is less impressive. While scouts view both has .270 hitters, Grace seems to be the type that can hit around .300, with Robbins more accurately described at .270. Like Grace, he'll skip right past La Crosse, but I can see him all the way up in AA. Lincoln or San Jose seems more likely, and if he's lucky, he can get a season or two in Chicago before 20th overall selection Jack Gibson forces his way into the lineup. |
1952 Draft: Rounds 7 and 8
7th Round, 106th Overall: RHP Chris Bonebrake
School: Greenon Knights 1951: 3-1, 46.1 IP, 1.36 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 12 BB, 61 K Career: 3-1, 46.1 IP, 1.36 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 12 BB, 61 K I really hope his name isn't indicative of his future injury history, as a pitcher with the last name "Bonebrake" might have scared some GMs away. Another 16-year-old, he might actually be the youngest draft-eligible player, as he won't turn 17 until October. That's also why it is of little surprise that he pitched so little in his first varsity season, as he didn't even top 50 in his 11 appearances. 6 of those were starts, as the towering 6'5'' righty struck out 61 and walked just 12 in 46.1 innings. A four pitch pitcher from Knoxville, Bonebrake is intimidating on the mound, and he was one of the most projectable players in the draft. Considering his youth, I can't imagine his fastball stays at 86-88, and if all goes well he'll be comfortably in the mid 90s. This would allow him to overpower lesser hitters, but the control may be a problem. He's always going to get strikeouts, his splitter is excellent and the overall stuff is great, but he needs to be on to have success. If he's outside the zone, it can be tough for him to get back in, leading him to overcompensate and hang his slider or change when he needs a strike. I think his FABL viability is all pinned on his velo, because if he's like Pap in the high 90s or even Johnnie in the low-to-mid, he can make up for the walks. He's the type of guy who we might have to wait almost a decade before dividends are paid, but this late in the draft, how do you pass-up the 6'5'' potential fireballer who scouts already think could develop into a spot starter. That's a reasonable floor, and if the starting stuff doesn't work out, I see a high leverage reliever who can overpower teams late in games. 8th Round, 122nd Overall: CF Stan Hennen School: Bergen College Knickerbockers 1951: .295/.360/.405, 236 PA, 9 2B, 3B, 4 HR, 39 RBI Career (COL): .304/.374/.412, 500 PA, 18 2B, 3 3B, 8 HR, 90 RBI Career (HS): .449/.523/.628, 526 PA, 49 2B, 9 3B, 4 HR, 121 RBI Another towering prospect, Stan Hennen is an inch shorter then Bonebrake, standing 6'4'' in the center of the Knickerbockers outfield. A former 17th Round selection of the Dynamos, I think Hennen lasted too long this year as well, as he's a high floor, regular ceiling type prospect who is extremely bright. The rare prospect who could have gotten accepted into his college of choice had he not been gifted with baseball talents, his brilliance is shown in his play, as he's a smart hitter, versatile defender, and quality baseball player who has the mental game down pat. Dixie has noticed his significant improvements at the plate, and while him and OSA don't dig in too deep about his overall skills, they love his contact tools. Hitting around .300 in college, he might be able to do that in FABL too, as he has a good swing and the tools to be a solid supplemental player. The type where you don't necessarily make room for him, but you also don't want to kick him out of the lineup, and realizing this he's expanded his defensive profile. A talented outfielder at all three spots, he picked up second and third in college, and if I'm feeling spicy I'll give him some reps at short too. He's got the profile of a leadoff hitter too, excellent at getting on base, stealing once on, and distracting the opposing pitcher and fielders. His eye could use some work, last season was his first with more strikeouts then walks, but he's a big league quality player with little risks, and him being available this late really shows how deep this class is. No scrubs here! |
1952 Draft: Rounds 9 and 10
9th Round, 138th Overall: 3B Randy Stout
School: Empire State-Albany Warriors 1951: .287/.346/.479, 263 PA, 7 2B, 13 HR, 53 RBI Career (COL): .289/.350/.476, 503 PA, 16 2B, 23 HR, 104 RBI Career (HS): .429/.496/.702, 228 PA, 23 2B, 2 3B, 9 HR, 60 RBI Similar to our last pick Stan Hennen, Randy Stout is a college junior who was taken in the 17th Round out of high school. For Stout it was the Cannons, not the Dynamos, and he's now ready for his third season at Empire State. A big bat who can hit a lot of home runs, Stout is a free swinger, so he may develop some strikeout issues. Still, the power entices, as he hit 13 homers last year, a nice three homer increase in five extra games. Comfortable at the hot corner, he doesn't have the versatility of Hennen, so his offense is going to be paramount to his success. Projected as more of a role player then star, he's the type of guy brought in to fit a specific need, and his area of expertise is power from the right handed side. OSA thinks he can hit around .270, I think that's probably his peak, spending more time in the .250 range if he doesn't get the whiffs under control. Another way to mitigate the impact of the strikeout is by drawing more walks, as he needs a better feel for the strikezone. It'll be tough, but we're lucky that Stout's the type to put in extra work on top of the extra work, and as the game says he "doesn't just listen. He takes notes." I love picturing the 21-year-old Stout with his college backpack in the dugout with him, frantically scribbling when his coach says something interesting. As much as his teammates might have made fun of them, none of them will be joining a FABL club in the summer, and if all goes well he'll have a spot in one of our lineups waiting for his arrival. 10th Round, 154th Overall: 2B Charlie Chase School: Western Wolverines 1951: .482/.500/.754, 120 PA, 15 2B, 2 3B, 4 HR, 32 RBI Career: .508/.538/.707, 357 PA, 36 2B, 3 3B, 8 HR, 99 RBI No longer the tenth and final pick, we went back to the high school ranks to nab a four year starter for a high school in Baltimore. A native of Philly, Charlie Chase moved to Maryland when he was in middle school, he hit over .500 his first two seasons before slumping to "just" .482 as a junior. It did come with 4 homers, equal to his first two seasons total, but his 2.5 BB% was less then half his previous low. I'm not sure I'd want less walks and more homers from Chase, who's best tool is to put the ball in play. An expert at hitting hard line drives, Chase should hit around .300 if the contact tool fills out, and he doesn't have much swing and miss in his game. When he's up, the defense better be on their toes, as chances are the ball is going to be hit hard and in play. No eye will lead to better pitchers getting him out on weak contact, and despite his athleticism, I don't even see 10 homers a season in his game. On top of that, he has focus issues, which contributed to his slide all the way down to the 10th. As a one tool player, you have to limit the weaknesses, and he just hasn't done that yet. Still, the hit tool is at least plus-plus, giving him the floor of a useful late-inning situational bat. I wish he had more speed, then I'd have more faith in his second base defense, but he could be as much of a second basemen as Ray Ford is. A move to first may be in the cards for him, and despite his high upside, PAs may be tough to come by in the lower minors. Ideally one of Biff Tiner or Andy Robinson will be in San Jose on draft day, but we have a logjam of low minors infielders, and he may be stuck waiting his turn after the draft. Maybe we can teach him focus by making him watch baseball! It's worth a try! |
Cuban Winter League: Week 9
CF Jerry Smith (#8 Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 5th Overall (1947) FABL: .293/.438/.431 (131 OPS+), 5 2B, HR, 5 RBI, SB AAA: .265/.373/.425 (129 OPS+), 212 PA, 10 2B, 5 3B, 3 HR, 22 RBI, 8 SB AA: .329/.439/.675 (186 OPS+), 301 PA, 24 2B, 10 3B, 14 HR, 55 RBI, 8 SB CWL: .296/.449/.481 (139 OPS+), 69 PA, 2B, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 5 SB Since he's not in the starting lineup, Jerry Smith isn't playing enough as he should, but that hasn't stopped him from making the most of his 69 plate appearances. Our #1 prospect is hitting .296 with 3 homers, 5 steals, 9 RBIs, 22 runs, and 154 WR. His 15-to-8 walk-to-strikeout ratio that is almost a complete replica of his FABL career to date. He has one extra walk in Cuba, making four fewer PAs. He'll match if not surpass this in his next start, though I don't know how many more of those are left. With two weeks to go his time is running out, but this time it's not really the managers fault. It's okay that they're taking it easy on him. Plus all three outfielders are hitting well. I'm always a fan of four man outfields if all four men are effective, and the Chiefs Ed Whiting has actually outhit Henry Norman. The former 7th Rounder has hit .323/.378/.466 (116 OPS+) with 5 homers, 24 RBIs, and a 122 WRC+. A catcher who can play outfield, the defense in left isn't great, but he's earned playing time as Norman (5.1, 1.055) continues in center and Smith gets time in center (1.7, .990) and at first (-0.7, .514). That's not a position I've ever played him at, but he can do it alright and Roy Nickerson (.269, 2, 14, 1) hasn't done much at the plate. Smith's bat is good enough for any position, and his drive to succeed should allow him to develop into a star in this game. It would have been nice to see how he could do when healthy, and I have to imagine the Crocs (16-19) would be competing with the Sharks (21-14) and Buccaneers (21-14) for the Western Division crown. |
Cuban Winter League: Week 10
RF Harley Dollar (#213 Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 9th Round, 131st Overall (1947) AA: .375/.476/.474 (147 OPS+), 185 PA, 10 2B, 3B, HR, 27 RBI A: .311/.471/.487 (170 OPS+), 408 PA, 28 2B, 6 3B, 5 HR, 40 RBI CWL: .333/.443/.435 (125 OPS+), 131 PA, 8 2B, HR, 17 RBI The Crocs may have been eliminated from the playoffs before the final week, but that hasn't stopped Harley Dollar from putting on a show for the loyal fans that keep coming out. The everyday right fielder, Dollar has produced an impressive 135 WRC+ in his 32 games, boasting an elite 21-to-8 walk-to-strikeout ratio. Though just like with the Governors, he's not hitting for much power, as even in the homer friendly league he has hit just one out of the park. Even Pat Kisiel has two, and he's struck out in over 17% of his plate appearances. Dollar is at just 6.1, showing how tough it is to set him down. It's never "Easy Money" for an opposing pitcher, as he's taking tough pitches and fouling off the pitches he can't handle before knocking a single over the shortstops head. He could put a little more effort into his defense, but for now it's the bat that's pushing him up our system. WRC+ of 180 and 168 excuse a lot of laziness, though his lack of effort may be the only thing standing between him and being a legitimate FABL prospect. It's also standing in the way of his debut, but now that he's on the 40 he's got a legitimate shot at making his FABL debut. |
Cuban Winter League: Week 11
RHP Bob Allen (#13 Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 10th Overall (1946) FABL: 2-2, 30 IP, 4.80 ERA (86 ERA+), 1.37 WHIP, 14 BB, 12 K AAA: 6-2, 80.1 IP, 1.68 ERA (196 ERA+), 1.03 WHIP, 33 BB, 51 K AA: 8-3, 93.2 IP, 3.36 ERA (122 ERA+), 1.30 WHIP, 40 BB, 53 K CWL: 4-4, 70 IP, 4.24 ERA (109 ERA+), 1.47 WHIP, 35 BB, 47 K Best way to end your winter? Why not a third shutout in four starts? That's what future Cougar ace Bob Allen did, as after getting roughed up in a two inning start he went right on back to dominating. Santiago fell victim once again, as our little righty didn't walk a single batter in a 14-0 thrashing led by Harley Dollar (3-5, 3 R, RBI, BB), Henry Norman (3-6, 2 RBI), and Garland Phelps (3-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB). Allen still stole the show, striking out 7 with just 6 hits in the 111-pitch shutout. This allowed him to even up his final record, 4-4 in 12 appearances, where all but one were starts. The Crocs ace struck out 47 in 70 innings, earning a solid 4.24 ERA (109 ERA+) and 1.47 WHIP. Even with the slow start and poor defense, Allen impressed the scouts in attendance, and he's cemented his status as our #5 starter. That's usually a good spot to begin the season, as the former 10th Overall Pick could be one of the top favorites for the Kellogg Award this year. We've never had a legit contender, as good as Elmer Grace was he just didn't come up early enough, and with Allen and Smith set to make their full season debuts both have a legit chance to earn the award. I'd give the young pitcher the edge too, as with our defense his numbers could look a lot better then they should be. Striking guys out and getting double plays is all you can ask for in a pitcher, and if he continues to do both well, he could earn some votes in the Allen. CF Jerry Smith (#6 Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 5th Overall (1947) FABL: .293/.438/.431 (131 OPS+), 5 2B, HR, 5 RBI, SB AAA: .265/.373/.425 (129 OPS+), 212 PA, 10 2B, 5 3B, 3 HR, 22 RBI, 8 SB AA: .329/.439/.675 (186 OPS+), 301 PA, 24 2B, 10 3B, 14 HR, 55 RBI, 8 SB CWL: .365/.505/.595 (180 OPS+), 95 PA, 3 2B, 3B, 4 HR, 12 RBI, 9 SB The other Kellogg favorite, Jerry Smith ended things about as good as you could, going 8-for-10 with 3 walks in his last two starts. This included a 9-7 win where he scored four times, tripled, and drew a walk on the last day of the season. Just shy of 100 PAs, our top prospect put up Whitney level numbers, slashing .365/.505/.595 (180 OPS+) with a 194 WRC+ in 24 games. Along with a 21-to-9 walk-to-strikeout rate, he stolen 9 bases, slapped 8 extra base hits, and scored 18 runs. This was worth 1.6 WAR, second only to Henry Norman (1.7) on the team, and Norman played in almost 20 more games then him. Smith's immense value was on full display when he played, and he now currently ranks as the 9th best center fielder in FABL. This is a new development, as prior to the CWL Don Lee was listed, and I think when I changed his position Smith was in the bottom four. Max Wilder continues to bat him fourth, and if our vets play their age he's got a legitimate chance to be our best hitter all season. I'd love for Mitchell, Hall, and Bond to keep raking, but expecting all three of them to again post a WRC+ above 125 again is a tough ask. Still, this could be the year the vets pass the torch, as Smith and Elmer Grace will be getting a lot of at bats once the season starts. I'm expecting Henry Norman and Frank Reece to be in Milwaukee, but there's a chance once sticks around as a fourth outfielder. Even Garland Phelps may not be too far off. It's rare to see rookie hitters get large amounts of playing time for us, with only really Skipper Schneider coming to mind. It's not often the best player at a certain position is a young guy, and I'm really going to miss having a top-10 prospect, but now that we're just over two months away from Opening Day, it's getting harder and harder to wait for the season begin. Oh yeah! Hope's already springing eternal! We're going to win the pennant! Let me be delusional and forget about how good Cleveland is! The last thing worth noting is that after having the most consistent farm there is, we got our second change in three seasons. This time it's a rebranding, as Big Mack Dalmer seems intent on embracing the cat theme. The Legislators will move to Rockford to become the Wildcats, making half the organization boast a feline name. You can add a fourth if you consider Governors fat cats. I like the change too, as we now have an instate affiliate as the locations of our organizations continue to consolidate. Other then Little Rock. which was still closer then Mobile, and San Jose, everything is close to home, making travel easier for our young guys. |
Important Announcement
So I have some bad news, that could end up being good news. See if I announced it when I found out, I probably would have phrased it differently, but after a lot of discussion and an eventual compromise that I surprisingly think leaves everyone happy (which at a certain point did not seem to be likely), or at least satisfied/cautiously optimistic/intrigued.
The bad news, however, is that Figment as we know it, and the Chicago Cougars, are no more. Yes, I know, something you may never have expected to read. And hopefully it doesn't leave you anywhere near as devastated I was. But believe it or not, there is a light at the end of the tunnel! Long story short, there's an issue with some ratings/stats in the years that are coming up, and since our commish doesn't want to fairly/unfairly lower players ratings to get more reasonable totals (i.e. no 80+ home run hitter(s) every few seasons), we could not continue the league as it is. But fear not! Instead of completely closing down the league, which was a thought at one point, we will be quick simming to 1969. Not like all 15+ seasons at once, but in a short span, and none of the teams would be run by humans at that point. As awful as this sounds, it turned out to be one of those "best with what you have" scenarios because the total shuttering would have been dreadful. Sure, I'm completely torn apart that I won't get to carefully mold the careers of Bob Allen and Jerry Smith, allow Leo Mitchell to retire a Cougar, or win a stinking title for all my stupid talented players that love to underperform, but all those guys disappearing would have been just as bad as this dreadfully cursed Blue Jays season that's only redeeming factor is that I got to see them win three games (out of four), including today, in a year that everything has gone wrong. So that brings up three question:? What happens to the Cougars? What happens to me? What happens to this dynasty report? Well for starters, I personally just cannot go back to a team with this much time between. It just... wouldn't feel like my Cougars. The stupid organization I nurtured and transcribed for some of the best five (almost!) years of my life. I can't even begin to describe how much I loved doing this, pretty much consistently five days (or more!) a week for those five years, so I'm not even going to try. It's just been that awesome! So I won't lie when I say I was about as sad as I've been since my grandmother passed. And for a moment, I felt quite lost. Cooler heads eventually prevailed, and eventually an excellent suggestion from our commish (who handled all of this well, especially today during the "aftermath" of the announcement) that stemmed from all the discussion between myself and others, who embraced this change in different degrees. I already mentioned the actual plan, but the initial plan was a fast sim to the 1970s, likely 1974, and the Cougars would have kept on chugging as baseball naturally expanded in a similar way to real life. The proposal was simple: instead of the 70s, what about 1969? We get a little AI expansion, but then a fresh expansion year to start things off, allowing us to get used to the new teams before the eventual addition of free agency. In a way that almost seemed catered to me, the Cougars would now no longer make it to the 70s in Chicago. They'll move to Milwaukee (which was originally planned but sort of put on hold for a mix of my dedication to the Cougars and the teams success) at some point. B Before this, I was on the fence about staying (I'm sure I would have convinced myself but it was day of and you know, feelings running high), but the Cougars moving was an easy way for me to disconnect the "new" Figment from the old one. Whether I continued with the league or not, it would have sucked seeing the Chicago Cougars succeed, but guess what!?!?! They're not going to be here when we return! Instead, I'll get one of the brand new expansion teams for 1969, something I've always wanted to do in an online league. And the cherry on the sundae? It's another Chicago team!!! The Chicago Blues!!! So yeah, if my eventual beginning of graduate school doesn't get too much in the way of my OOTPing, expect to see a Chicago Blues (FABL) dynasty report in hopefully no more then a month! But that leaves just one thing: this dynasty report! Over 1,500 posts, this one the 1,420th of mine, it seems sad to let this die. So guess what??? I'm not going to let that happen! Sure, the old format is gone. No more daily recaps. Eventually no more Chicago Cougars. But until we get to 1969? Well why not recap what's going on with our favorite team and favorite players? I sure want to see how many strikeouts Peter the Heater will have, how high Skipper Schneider's zone rating will get, and how many pennants the Smith/Allen combo can win if the stupid AI is smart enough to keep my precious prospects together. I'm hoping I can keep up with real time, writing out yearly recaps and covering some of the seasons the players I leave behind do, but I can also spend some time more on the creative side. If there's time, I can do player features, deep dives, and some lookbacks, as well as continue to review the old draft classes. I mean, I have the 1932 through 1952 class (I might go back and do those last ten picks too because, why not!) to come back to as we progress. 1969 almost gets us to the 20-year-point for all the classes, and with the speeding through So yeah, this is the semi-retirement post of my beloved Chicago Cougars dynasty report! It's been a blast detailing the trials and tribulations of these cool cats, and I hope you've enjoyed your journey up until this point. It's not my first dynasty report, and certainly won't be the last, but the success is something I couldn't imagine. Sure, most of the 150,000+ views are myself and my league members, but being able to keep this up for as many years as I did is a matter of personal pride. I've loved watching my writing evolve and improve throughout this five year journey, and taking the risk to start this when I did in college has certainly paid off. Not only has it made my mental and personal life way better (at least, when we're not losing a WCS by four one-run games or watching our ace's UCL blow out), but I think it's really helped prepare me and set me up for success in my professional life. Looking back, the memories are all good, and while it's not the end I wanted, it surely isn't the worst case. I'm actually excited for this next step in our league, even if it's not what I want, as a way was found for me to at least try to replicate what I had with the Cougars elsewhere. I don't think I'll ever be as attached or as dedicated to anything like I was to this (sorry future wife!), but you know what? When I started this I had no idea it would go on as long as it did. Or be as fun as it has been. Or even build the relationships I have along the way. Now don't let this be a sad goodbye! It's an optimistic advancement! The Cougs will always hold a special place in my heart, but like all good things, they come to an end. I'm so grateful and thankful for all the people who have been apart of this grand journey, and I hope to continue to bring myself and others joy through this report and This Week in Figment Sports (which is thankfully surviving, even if we're switching from weekly to annually!), as with all the craziness in this world, we can all come together in the craziness of fake baseball that is Out of the Park Baseball. I'll miss Pap, Leo, Skipper, the Jones Brothers, and all the other fun characters we've created and followed as the league has flourished from one man's brilliant idea for a historical fiction baseball league, to a combination of stories from the few dozen GMs who have come and gone in the 26 seasons of Figment 1.0. I mean who knows, maybe in a year or so I'll be writing about how Leo Mitchell Jr., Spencer Schneider, and Preston Papenfus are leading the Chicago Blues to their third consecutive Western Division title before finally winning that first World Championship Series. Wouldn't that be fun, huh! |
I have had an intensively busy week this past week+ so I missed this. Sorry to see the Cougars go, but the Blues will hopefully paint the town red.
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Quote:
I've spent most of my time writing baseball recaps for The Figment Sporting Journal, but I do plan on doing some sort of continuation here. I haven't quite decided how I want to do it, or really had the time for it, but I have the 1952 league file ready for action. I think I'm going to start with monthly posts, but the focus may at times be skewed more to players who were mine. It may be hard watching what happens to some of them, especially the guys everyone likes. Whether through trade, injury, or performance. But I feel some ending is better then no ending. Well, maybe not []. I'm sure you'll be able to figure out who that is eventually. I wish I could still pretend all the wonderful things he could do. Though considering we're just three seasons in, there could be plenty! Once the team feels less mine, it will probably move to yearly recaps and more retrospective stuff. There's a lot of fun prospect and draft writeups, and I do want to get all my draft writeups. If I finish the 1952 draft, it'll be 25 full draft classes. 1972 will be the third year of the reboot, so I couldn't even complete those before starting a main thread for the Blues. Two is more work, but I plan on saving each yearly league file, so I can continue this at my own pace. There's always times I wish I had something to write, but I haven't been able to get fully invested into another project. Or even worse, I get fully invested, and something gets messed up that I don't want to put in the effort to fix. |
April 1952
Not quite sure how I'm going to format these from here on out, but let's start with monthly posts! Basically I'm going to cover some of what is going on with current Cougars, past Cougars, and Cougars on the farm. I may change things up as things go on, but these will not come out on a regular basis. Still not sure if I'll cover Rounds 11 through 20 in the 1952 draft, and it may be a while between posts. Or a bunch in a short time period. Never had to do dynasty this way! Will be interesting to say the least!
Monthly Recap April 15th: It's time for Opening Day! This is the first time we won't introduce the roster, or give updates on farm systems and that stuff, but the Cougars do open the season with the 5th (Jerry Smith) and 7th (Bob Allen) ranked prospect, both of which are on the Opening Day roster to take on the Cannons in Chicago. Expectations aren't too high for the Cougars, as the roster is very similar to where we left off, and the Foresters are really good. April 16th: After dropping the game on Opening Day, the Cougars offense and pitching was in midseason form, as the hometown Cougars clobbered the vising Cannons 11-0. He may have had plenty of support, but the star of the day was Duke Bybee, who held Cincy to just 5 hits and 4 walks in his 3-strikeout shutout. The offense jumped on Tony Britten for 6 in the first, adding 2 more in the second to knock him out with just two outs. Charlie Griffith (6.1, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 5 BB) managed to tip-toe around runners on base, but all he really managed to do was save the pen for the finale. After just one home run last season, Jerry Smith hit his first of the season in the 4th inning of Griffith, finishing his night a perfect 2-for-2 with 2 walks, 3 runs, and 3 RBIs. It was the second homer of the game, as Harry Mead launched a two-out, three-run homer to make it 6-0 in the first. It was his only hit, but he later walked and scored. Skipper Schneider had a big three hit game, 3-for-4 with a run, walk, and RBI. Billy Hunter (2-5, R, 3 RBI), who got the surprise start at first, and the former Cougar 4th Rounder I actually signed to a minor league deal right before the fast-forward, Bunny Hufford (2-5, 3 R), had big games in their first start of the season. April 18th: Guess the pitching is still good! Just two days after Bybee's shutout and the day after a 4-3 victory that earned the Cougars their first series win of the season, last year's waiver claim George Polk twirled a dominant 2-hit shutout with 2 walks and 7 strikeouts. Looking to prove his time with us last year was not a fluke, Polk was excellent against a tough Stars team, allowing just Ed Holmes (1-4) and opposing starter Hub Armstrong (8 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 5 K; 1-2) to get hits off of him. The offense was more relaxed today, but Skipper had another three hit outing, a perfect 3-for-3 with a walk and some solid work in the field. Double play partner George Sutterfield matched his hit total, 3-for-5 atop the lineup with a steal, run, and double. Jerry Smith gave the team much needed insurance in the 8th, saving his only hit for his fourth trip. It was a big one, driving in two on a triple to make it 3-0, before scoring on Elmer Grace's (0-4, RBI) ground out to short. April 23rd: I guess it's George Polk's team now! The 26-year-old potential ace followed up a 4-baserunner shutout with another 4-baserunner shutout, turning 2 hits, 2 walks, and 7 strikeouts into a slightly better 3 hits, 1 walk, and 8 strikeout game. He needed 20 more pitches to face the same amount of batters, as the Cougs had no trouble stifling the Saints 6-0. Polk scored a run himself, 0-for-3 with a walk, and that could have been enough to earn him the victory. Luckily, he had help, as team captain Don Lee hit well in the leadoff spot, 3-for-5 with a run and 2 RBIs. Behind him, George Sutterfield was arguably more effective, 2-for-4 with a walk, double, homer, 2 runs, and 2 RBIs. Elmer Grace was a key contributor as well, 2-for-5 with a solo shot off Saints starter Ted Coffin (5.2 IP, 9 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 2 K) in the second. April 26th: The impressive amount of shutouts continued in Chicago, where Johnnie Jones handled his arch nemesis New York Stars in a tight 2-0 victory. Improving to 3-0 on the season, Jones allowed just 3 hits and a walk with 5 strikeouts, lowering his ERA to 2.08 in 27 innings. He outdueled Eli Panneton, who could have had a shutout of his own if Ed Holmes didn't boot George Sutterfield's (0-2, R, BB, SB) leadoff grounder. Making matters worse, after Sutterfield swiped second, Holmes couldn't field Garland Phelps' (1-3, R) grounder either, so a 1-2-3 inning (Skipper flew out in between) turned into runners on the corners with one out. Things could have turned here for the Stars, as Johnnie Jones was up and an easy double play candidate, but a wild pitch on 1-2 allowed Sutterfield to score and Phelps to advance. Johnnie then popped up for the second out, but a Don Lee (1-4, 2B, RBI) double game him the extra insurance before getting the last three outs. We only had three hits ourselves, as aside from the Lee double, all we had were singles from Phelps and Henry Norman (1-4) in the win. April Record: 10-7, .588 Season Record: 10-7, .588, t-1st, 0.5 GA Summary A month in and the Cougars are in first place, 10-7 and tied with the 9-6 Kings who have both won and lost one fewer game. The pitching is usually the strength, and you'd think so with how many shutouts we had, but just Polk and Johnnie Jones have starts and ERAs below 4.50. In both cases, it's way lower, with Polk allowing just one earned run in 25.2 innings. This leads to a 0.35 ERA in his 3 starts, and he's got a beautiful 0.78 WHIP and 17-to-6 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He does have a loss, with his error against the Sailors the difference in a 2-1 game, but he's been easily our best starter. Johnnie has been great too, 3-0 with a 2.08 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 7 walks, and 15 strikeouts, but both Donnie (1-3, 4.94, 15) and Duke (1-0, 4.71, 14) have not got going. Even worse, Bob Allen has been tagged for 17 hits, 14 runs, and 16 walks, striking out just 6 in 17.1 innings. More outings like this and he'll end up in AAA or the pen, opening a spot for Dixie Gaines (1-1, 10.80, 3), a healthy Pap (on rehab!), or one of the many solid AAA depth arms I left former assistant GM and Chicago Cougar Bill Bordwell. The offense was mostly inconsistent, but George Sutterfield got off to an excellent aged-30 season. The second basemen hit a robust .423/.492/.635 with 3 doubles, a triple, 2 homers, 8 runs, 8 walks, 12 RBIs, and 4 steals in what should be good enough for Batter of the Month. Aside from Sutterfield, however, just two other players with at least 50 at bats had an OPS above .800. One was expected, Jerry Smith, as our hopeful star slashed .290/.410/.484 with 3 homers, 10 RBIs, and 14 walks. The other wasn't, as if it wasn't for the OOTP AI's love for defense at first base, Don Lee would barely see the field. Instead, he's the starting left fielder (Mitchell at first, Bond on the bench...), and has hit .355/.431/.484 with 4 doubles, 2 triples, 9 runs, and 6 RBIs. Known for his eye and speed, only one was working, as he had 9 walks but an 0-for-3 success rate on steals. This is the 30-year-olds first real starting opportunity since 1947, where he made more starts (66) then the next four years (62) combined. For reasons unknown to me, the AI optioned Eddie Howard to AAA, and as dumb as it was starting Harry Mead (.234, 4, 15) instead, at least it led to playing time for Garland Phelps. As the backup, the rookie hit .368/.400/.526 with 3 doubles and 4 RBIs in a small 20 PA sample. Entering the season as the 49th ranked prospect, tied for the lowest rank in his career, Phelps has a good chance to graduate the list, and should quickly seize the starting job from the almost 38-year-old Mead. Minor League Updates April 23rd: It's not a Cougar season without dominant minor league performances, and in their quest for a threepeat, Jimmy Isgro was crucial in the Governor's victory. Opening the season as the 36th ranked prospect, Isgro impressed on Opening Day, tossing a 5-hit shutout with 4 walks and 7 strikeouts. It was also the former King prospects first Dixie League start, promoted after making 9 with Lincoln last season. After going 7-4 in 14 starts with San Jose, Isgro was just 1-4 despite a 2.60 ERA (132 ERA+), 1.44 WHIP, and 34 strikeouts in 62.1 innings pitched. Isgro himself was 1-for-4 with a run scored, a run that could have been enough to win the game, as he scored on a Billy Nash (1-4, RBI, BB) single. The rest of the offense came from Roy Gass (1-3, R, 2 BB), Johnnie Love (2-4), and Dick Poplaski (2-4), but Little Rock will need more offensive production to keep hold of the top spot year round. April 28th: It didn't take very long for a Cougar farmhand to get an accolade, as 21-year-old utility man Jeff King was named C-O-W Player of the Week in the season's opening week. The former 3rd Rounder had a power explosion, hitting three homers while batting 7-for-16 with 5 runs and 8 RBIs. It's a welcome start for King, who split time between La Crosse and San Jose last year. He struggled in San Jose, batting just .234/.342/.272 (67 OPS+) with a single homer in 184 trips to the plate. A fifth year player, King usually ranks in the 125-250 prospect range, and will have his work cut out for him this year if he wants to earn a 40-man spot. Monthly Records AAA Milwaukee Blues: 5-6, .455 AA Little Rock Governors: 4-3, .571 A Rockford Wildcats: 3-4, .429 B San Jose Cougars: 3-4, .429 |
Update
So I know I haven't gotten anything posted here in a while, but with all the writing I've been doing at TWIFS (1960 is in the works!) and beginning graduate school, I haven't had as much additional creative writing time to dedicate to the Cougars. On top of that, the monthly format really wasn't working for me. I tried May a few times but it just didn't really flow. And the Cougars I knew and love all got moved around and it was a big mess.
Anyway, to the important part: Figment has gone through another change. The fast-forward process has been slow, which is good since it allows myself and other's to build a really detailed history for t he quick play years, but also bad since, well let's be honest. We all want to get back to making moves in our favorite league! On top of all that, it's a lot of work for our commish, who not only sims and maintains baseball, but also basketball, hockey, and football too. Recognizing this, he floated a pivot plan for a quicker start date. One of the reasons we fast forwarded was an issue with the talent level, but that's now back at a more ideal distribution so to speak. Sure, there were other reasonable reasons, but this was like the #1 it's going to cause issues if we keep going thing that more-or-less brought on the initial fast-forward. In a more comfortable position, the new plan is simple: Finish TWIFS for '60, sim all sports for '61, write TWIFS for '61, set up expansion in '62, and go live! So what does this mean for my Chicago Blues? Well, that was planned for '69, and with the new start date, expansion may not go as planned. Another thing that might no go as planned is the Cougars moving, so guess what??? The Chicago Cougars are back!!! And mine again!!! I just couldn't stay away! I thought I'd be able to separate, but between writing TWIFS and still seeing some of my old players stick around, there was no disconnect. No lack of fandom. Cougars through and through! And with '69 expansion up in the air, and the Cougars staying in Chicago indefinitely, there was no reason to leave my beloved (still titles since '31) Cougars behind! One of my last ever draft picks, Jack B. Gibson, has blossomed into a slugging star that took three seasons to crack the Cougars top-10 All-Time in homers, the guy I tried to trade away, Frank Reece, has become a fixture in center, and young pitching prospects I acquired Pug White and Ollie Norris have been mainstays of the rotation. Add in exciting young stars like Jerry McMillan, Jim Barton, Hank Walker, John Mitchell, and hopefully Stan Czerwinski, a lot of fun players to keep an eye on! In terms of the dynasty report, I'm debating either making a Cougars 2.0 thread that starts in '62 (with some backstory before the action starts on 1/1/62), or just continuing here. I see pros of both, namely that by separating it I can do yearly recaps here up to '61 as well as assorted other write ups. But on the flipside, if I just continue here, I can sprinkle in some stuff about the historical Cougars or old draft classes on weekends and breaks as little "interludes" from what is going to be currently happening in the FABL world. Plus, wouldn't it be fun to hit 2,000 posts and 250,000 views? And then all our favorite Cougars are in one place! Regardless, I'd like to get some yearly writeups before we start back up, but I know the odds of that are slim. It would be awesome to get 1952 to 1961 before we start the '62 season so there's no interruption, but that's a lot of words in a short time frame. But either way, my Cougars will be back! Whether you like it or not! And unless something drastically changes, we'll continue to not win pennants! Just like old times! And I can complain and complain about all the awesome players in my time off that were either traded for peanuts or saw their careers take a nosedive. Still crazy that every '51 Cougar who appeared in more then 100 games or pitched more then 80 innings is either retired or out of the big leagues. Except somehow Duke Bybee who somehow survived major arm injuries at 37 and 38, and will go for round 16 in '61. Just don't ask what happened to Pap, Skipper, and the Jones Brothers... Or Leo Mitchell. Who has to survive one or two more ballots before I can aggressively campaign for him to make the Hall. He had 2,800 hits after all! And 12 seasons with a WRC+ above 125! But most importantly, 34 steals at 38 despite just 54 in the years that came before! Like if that doesn't get you into the Hall-of-Fame, then what's the point of having one!?!?! It's for the best of the best! The unicorns! The guys who got robbed of well-deserved Whitney's! At least the AI never traded or released him. That would have broke me... |
Wow! Great news all around! Glad to see the Cougars still exist!
Congrats on the beginning of your graduate school. I am in the last legs of my doctorate with the expected finish of my dissertation sometime in early 2025. I am still trying to claw out writing time to escape the boredom of academic writing, but there are definitely some bottleneck times that keep me away. I love to write on my dynasty, so I make the time when it's possible. :laugh: |
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Nice to hear you're almost finished too! I imagine it's nice to be in the home stretch. Glad you still have time to provide us with our favorite Fallout themed baseball universe! I imagine it can be a nice break going from the super-serious stuff to rolling dice and creating storylines for wasteland attacks hahaha |
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