Week 12: July 2nd-July 8th
 

Weekly Record: 2-4
Seasonal Record: 43-34 (5th, 7 GB)
Stars of the Week
Henry Watson : 28 AB, 12 H, 3 HR, 11 RBI, .429 AVG, 1.305 OPS
Jerry McMillan : 29 AB, 15 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .517 AVG, 1.138 OPS
Gene Case : 25 AB, 8 H, 2 HR, 7 RBI, .320 AVG, 1.198 OPS

Schedule
7-2: Win at Saints (11-6)
7-3: Loss at Saints (5-8)
7-5: Win at Wolves (7-3): 10 innings
7-6: Loss at Wolves (4-8)
7-7: Loss at Wolves (2-6)
7-8: Loss vs Kings (2-0)

Recap
Canada! Why do you do this to us!

The Wolves (36-41) and Saints (32-45) may not be doing much damage to the good teams in the league, but of course, they both decided to take two of three from us north of the border. When we returned home, are fortunes weren't any better, as rookie Allie Boone threw a 2-hit, 6-strikeout shutout in his first career start. The 2-4 week dropped us from the tie for 2nd to 5th, as out opponents got to four behind the Foresters. If we keep playing like we did this week, they might be able to get even closer!

Our starting pitching was rough, with only two starts of any quality. One was wasted, as poor Hank Walker was hit with a loss in the Boone shutout. He allowed just a single run, finishing 6 with 2 hits, a walk, and 2 strikeouts. It's his third start of four with just a single earned run, but today's was actually the first of those four he didn't allow an unearned run. Roy Ellis had the next closest thing to a good start, 6 innings with 6 hits, 3 runs, and a strikeout. It wasn't his typical good start, but he didn't allow a walk, and with late scoring in extras we were able to come away victorious. Arch Wilson got the win, his 7th of the season, and one of three shutout opportunities this week. He picked up 5.1 innings with 4 hits, a walk, and 5 strikeouts, dropping his ERA back down to 0.75 (598 ERA+).

Most of the offense struggled, but not Gene Case! Now considered a top-5 first basemen, Case went 9-for-24 with a double, 3 homers, 7 RBIs, 4 runs, 3 walks, and a steal. Case's next homer will be his 20th, and he's hitting a robust .318/.402/.578 (151 OPS+) on the season. It's a shame he didn't get credit for his amazing June, as our slugger hit 11 homers and drove in 26 runs, drawing 19 walks to 17 strikeouts. His .327/.423/.703 (186 OPS+) month line was equally impressive, but he's just stuck playing in the same association as Hank Williams. No player of the week either, has Hal Kennedy's 12-for-23 with 3 homers, 7 RBIs, and 6 runs got the job done. Yes, it was deserved, but I would have loved for our budding young star to get some league wide respect.

Looking Ahead
We get two more with the Kings in Chicago, as Bob Allen (5-4, 5.64, 52) and Roy Ellis (6-2, 3.58, 67) take on 2-Time Allen winner Fred Washington (7-6, 4.60, 66) and second year pitcher Curly Anderson (6-2, 4.69, 59). Allen was on a nice little stretch before allowing 8 runs (7 earned) in his last outing, but the Kings lineup is one of the toughest ones to face when you are looking to right the ship. We are lucky to get the back-end of the rotation, avoiding the talented Beau McClellan (11-3, 3.53, 106) who is expected to start their series with the Sailors. Obviously, the worry comes from the lineup, where along with June Batter of the Month Hank Williams (.371, 25, 69), there are weapons from top to bottom. One that gets overlooked is the speedy Pat Davis, who after winning the Kellogg last year is hitting .350/.382/.527 (130 OPS+) with a Continental high 24 stolen bases. It took him awhile to get his first home run, that came on May 12th against up, but he's up to 8 now with 17 doubles, 6 triples, 50 RBis, and 53 runs scored. The speedy outfielder has been strong in left (3.5, 1.064), making him a dangerous all-around threat that should be taken seriously. Lucky for them, he's just one of many options, and probably the most over-qualified six hitter in FABL.

This will be a fun series!

Thankfully, it does get easier after, as while we will be on the road, we get to face the one team in the Continental that has never beat us before. That's the New York Imperials, who are 0-8 against us, and a still miserable 18-51 against everyone else. They've beat the other eight teams that share the CA with us, and they've been equally bad at scoring (289) and preventing runs (484), ranked 10th in both cases. If there is a bright side, it's that they have two talented young sluggers, including personal favorite of mine Turk Ramsey. The 27-year-old leads the team with 20 longballs, behind just Whitney contenders Dallas Berry (.354, 28, 80, 10) and Hank Williams in the CA's race. His .279/.318/.516 (109 OPS+) just a bit above average, as he's the classic high power, high whiff slugger who can find a spot in any lineup. His performance was expected, but that of Jack Woods has been a surprise. A few months younger, he turns 27 in September, and has hit a respectable .294/.324/.486 (104 OPS+) with 16 homers and 35 RBIs. Like Turk, there's a lot of power and a lot of strikeouts, and both are bat only types. Their youth works in their favor, as the Imperials aren't going to compete any time soon, but on a team without may performing vets they could be the only trade pieces of value.

New York has some former Cougar draftees they could trade as well, as the only other member of their lineup with at least an average OPS+ or WRC+ is my former 6th Rounder Joe Dorch. One of the guys we lost in the expansion draft, it was Dorch's second stint in the organization, as he got minimal time from 1955 to 1959, before being lost to the Foresters on waivers. Two years later, we claimed him back, and he hit a respectable .324/.379/.438 (117 OPS+) in 116 PAs post-claim. Combined with the four he took with the Foresters, the 120 was second to his rookie season, but he's already up over 200 for the league's worst team. Now 32, he's hit .297/.361/.423 (100 OPS+), adding 12 doubles, 3 homers, and 21 RBIs. Skilled at putting the ball in play, he's taken advantage of his opportunity, and for a team in need of a bench bat, he could be had cheap. Same could be said for former 4th Rounder Milt Lane (2-5, 4.21, 30), who was a regular rotation member for the Saints' AAA team, and has impressed as a 32-year-old rookie. It's just 7 starts, but his ERA+ (108) is above average, and his 4.73 FIP (103 FIP-) isn't terrible. It's at least better then another former draftee of mine, Ernie Tisdale (3-9, 5.59, 56), and with a few more solid starts before the deadline, New York can convert Lane into prospect capital. They have a large rebuilding project in front of them, so it's nice seeing that some of the roles in their lost season are being filled by former Cougars who never quite got a fair shake.

Our weekend is spent back at home, where we host the Cincinnati Cannons for the first two of a three game set. At 44-33, they're tied with the Sailors for third, a game ahead of us and six behind the leaders. Most of their success is due to their star, as Whitney favorite Dallas Berry has pounded CA pitching, mashing to the tune of .354/.469/.769 (208 OPS+) with 18 doubles, 28 homers, 55 walks, 68 runs, and 80 RBIs. Already worth a whopping 5.6 WAR, a measure nearly every player in FABL who plays this season won't sniff in a full year, Berry has strengthened his hold on the top position player, and will be a nightmare for us to deal with. Planning to neutralize Bonnie Chapin (.320, 16, 53) can be difficult too, and on the mound we have to worry about Chicago's Charlie Warren (10-3, 3.22, 81) and Lockport's Red Cunningham (6-4, 3.78, 56). Both Illinois hurlers are pitching to the best of their ability, and their overperforming has allowed the Cannons to play as well as they have.

Minor League Report
CF Bob Starr (AA Little Rock Governors): So it seems like promoting players is a way to get their performance up? Who knew!

It wasn't a Player of the Week for Bob Starr, who went from Rockford to Little Rock, but the Chicago native had a masterful three homer game. Somehow, the 58th ranked prospect didn't do enough, as despite his 4-for-5 effort, the Governors fell to Knoxville 9-8. Responsible for 5 of the 8 runs, all but one of his hits for the week came in this game, so he has a quirky .217/.296/.609 (134 OPS+) line through his first six games. One of the most disciplined hitters in our system, Starr has a 5 rated eye, but he still has a tendency to swing and miss. That's led to 10 strikeouts in 27 PAs, and despite the impeccable eye, whiff issues may follow him. His contact tool is the only one below average, as he's an elite defender with solid pop. He has the traits of a quality starting center fielder, but in a system with so many good outfield bats, it might be hard for the 21-year-old to separate himself from the rest of the group.

But a three homer game? Talk about a way to get yourself front and center!

Week 12: July 9th-July 16th
 

Weekly Record: 4-3
Seasonal Record: 47-37 (t-4th, 5 GB)
Stars of the Week
Gene Case : 23 AB, 9 H, 4 HR, 8 RBI, .391 AVG, 1.543 OPS
Chappy Sanders : 21 AB, 6 H, 3 HR, 7 RBI, .286 AVG, 1.095 OPS
Pug White : 1 Win, 2 Saves, 7.1 IP, 2 BB, 6 K, 0.00 ERA

Schedule
7-9: Win vs Kings (3-5)
7-10: Loss vs Kings (12-2)
7-11: Win at Imperials (7-2)
7-12: Loss at Imperials (3-5)
7-13: Win at Imperials (5-4)
7-14: Loss vs Cannons (8-4)
7-15: Win vs Cannons (2-5)

Recap
We finally lost to the New York Imperials, as Andy Logue (L, 6 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K) didn't have his best stuff and a Chappy Sanders error on a bunt attempt proved to be the difference in a 5-3 game. It wasn't Gene Case's fault, he was 4-for-4 with a pair of solo shots, and since we won that series we finished 4-3 for the week. Now within five things are really starting to get interesting, and I made a trade today (post probably tomorrow) that could help us shrink the deficit further.

Case became the first Cougar to enter one of the top-20 list, as FABL's 17th ranked position player continues to hit everything out of the park. He had homers in two other games this week, 9-for-23 with 3 doubles, 6 runs, 5 walks, and 8 RBIs. Case has now set a new career high with 23 homers in a season, two past his total in 509 PAs last season. This year it's came in 366, as he's hit a robust .324/.410/.612 (161 OPS+). A useful all-around player, Case has been worth 3.8 WAR, providing top level defense with 15 doubles, 70 runs, 64 RBIs, 49 runs, and 10 steals. My vote for CA All-Star first basemen, he seems like a lock to at least make the roster, as our second year slugger is having one of the best seasons we've had. Case is on track to become the second Cougar to surpass 40 homers, and a near lock to be the fifth guy with 30 in a season.

Despite an error costing us a game, Chappy Sanders had a solid week, going 6-forf-21 with 2 doubles, 3 homers, and 7 RBIs. The singles still aren't coming, but he's up to 8 homers in 268 PAs, and he does have 19 total extra base hits. When he makes contact, he hits the ball hard, but he's still not putting the ball in play enough. He's been lucky that there's no better option on the market, or at least that Bill Plunkett isn't a better defender. The old rookie was 4-for-8 with a solo homer for his first career homer. He continues to make one or two starts a week, and in 88 PAs he's hit a productive .321/.386/.397 (104 OPS+). Chappy handles the staff much better, but in abbreviated stints Plunkett has proved his worth.

Our starters weren't great, but John Mitchell had a much needed bounce-back outing after allowing 8 runs off 8 hits and 5 walks in a loss to the Wolves. The 25-year-old went the distance, allowing just 7 hits, 2 runs, and a walk with 5 strikeouts in a 7-2 win over the Imperials. He needed just 106 pitches as he was effective and efficient, giving the overworked pen some needed rest. Pug was needed four times, tossing 7.1 scoreless innings with 4 hits, 2 walks, and 6 strikeouts. He picked up a win and two saves, now 6-4 with 12 saves and 2 holds, maintaining an excellent 3.02 ERA (147 ERA+), 3.33 FIP (74 FIP-), and 1.15 WHIP. He's also up to 60 strikeouts in 80.1 innings, and he's got a real shot at being the team qualified ERA leader. Him and Arch Wilson (7-1, 0.93, 23), who allowed his fourth run in our 5-3 win over the Kings, have been as lockdown as it gets in the late innings, and one of the main reasons we're in the pennant race with an up and coming roster.

They'll have a new pen mate this coming week, as I picked up former Forester Earle Turner on waivers from the Foresters. One of the many pitchers I've attempted to claim on waivers, I was shocked to actually get Turner, as he's one of the better ones that has gotten cut. Just 27, he's an extreme groundballer who almost never allows a homer, attacking hitters with his low-90s sinker. As a sidearmer it comes from a funky armslot, and he's usually really tough to square up.

I say usually because this season he's really struggled, allowing 14 earned runs off 29 hits and 12 walks in 17 innings. He's struck out one fewer hitter (16) then he's walked, and his 7.41 ERA (62 ERA+) and 2.41 WHIP make you want to shield your eyes. He's not usually like this, as evidenced even by the 4.37 FIP (94 FIP-), as he was solid the past three seasons. His rookie year was like this one, so he sports a 4.64 ERA (97 ERA+) in 159 innings, but I love the 14.1 K% and 54% groundball rate. It's always above 50, and with our infield defense he will be rolling up plenty of outs on the ground.

Turner is out of options, so he pushes the optionable Phil Means down to Milwaukee. Making his first Opening Day roster, he had some successful pen outings, but hitters were starting to catch on lately. In 51.2 innings he has a poor 5.40 ERA (83 ERA+) and 1.45 WHIP, in large part due to the 15 home runs. That accounts for more then half his earned runs, but he struck guys out (35, 15.4) and limited walks (15, 6.6). I still really like his stuff, and if he can just stay in the park, he'd be a useful reliever. He should be a great benefit to the Milwaukee pen, and I'm sure he'll be one of the guys we bring up in September.

Looking Ahead
One more with the Cannons, who we split the first two with. Lockport native Red Cunningham (6-4, 3.48, 60) takes the mound for the Cannons, while John Mitchell (6-4, 4.21, 55) looks to build off his complete game victory. A win here would put us in a tie for third, and we have a chance to win if we can keep their lineup in check. Ironically, Dallas Berry (.351, 28, 81, 11) only played in their loss, with Larry Lewis (.294, 21, 3) 1-for-5 with a pair of RBIs in the 8-4 win. Sloppy play did us in for that one, so if we can keep men off base when Berry is up we have a chance to win. Bonnie Chapin (.314, 17, 57) is the only other guy with a WRC+ above 125, as they are more of a duo then a top group. Our biggest advantage may be defense, as they rank 9th in efficiency (.665) and 10th in zone rating (-25.4) while we're 2nd (.705) and 1st (+35.9). With home field advantage, I like our chances, and with the off day following we can use whoever we need to finish the game.

For once we get to stay at home, as after the off day we'll host the Dallas Wranglers for three. 35-49, they're just a game behind the Saints (36-48) for eighth, with a sixteen game cushion on their expansion counterparts for last. A big part of that is 25-year-old Butch Abrams, who has recently been promoted to staff ace. Through 17 starts he's 8-6 with a 3.93 ERA (115 ERA+) and 53 strikeouts. 33-year-old lefty Steve Miller (3-6, 3.30, 55) has been even better, emerging as both a team leader and productive starter. No indications from them have been made about selling, as they could attempt to post a respectable record. Hanging on to Miller and guys like Ray Hughes (.301, 9, 27, 4) and Ed Thompson (.266, 4, 30) can help them stay competitive, but I imagine for the right price, anyone but Abrams and corner infielder basemen Ken Hudson (.264, 14, 38) can be had.

We'll then spend our weekend in San Francisco, playing two with the Sailors. It will be the final series of the first half, as we'll face the team we enter the week tied with. They got dealt a blow when shortstop Carlos Jaramillo (.296, 4, 27, 16) hit the IL with a partially torn labrum, potentially costing him his 4th All-Star selection. Out for a month, it's a major loss, and they have yet to indicate who will replace him. Whoever they go with, there's no replacing Jaramillo, and the lineup will be much easier to tackle. They've also moved back to a traditional five man rotation, with Larry Knez (2-1, 2.75, 10) taking up the fifth spot. Zane Kelley (6-5, 4.74, 60) has struggled, but the front three of Charlie Lawson (8-5, 3.61, 89), George Fuller (6-9, 3.78, 77), and Hank Lacey (7-3, 3.67, 73) has held up well. With the off day they can line up their rotation in multiple ways, but they'll give us a competitive fight no matter who's on the mound.

Minor League Report
CF Orlando Benitez (A Rockford Wildcats): Promotion has been no challenge for Orlando Benitez, who took home a second Player of the Week in the Heartland League. It's his third overall, as this time Benitez was 13-for-30 with 2 doubles, a triple, a homer, 3 runs, and 7 RBIs. This upped his Rockford line to .358/.455/.621 (183 OPS+), adding 6 doubles, 2 triples, 5 homers, 26 RBIs, 17 walks, and 6 steals. With how good he's been I'm tempted to promote him again, but at 19 I don't want to rush him. There's no room for him in the outfield right now, and it may be worth improving his versatility before he gets to Chicago. Center is the only position he's reach his potential at, with work needed to master third, left, and right. He's the type of guy that needs to feel challenged to perform at the highest level, and I may need to test him so he can keep up the good work.

Trade News!
 

We did it! The rotation has been upgraded!

Out of nowhere, the trade market caught fire, and we hit up our crosstown rival Chiefs for a 4-Time All-Star. Despite the last name, he's never won a title, but Dick Champ has consistently been one of the most reliable starting pitchers in the Fed. Known for his excellent control, Champ broke out with a 21-win season in 1957, starting a Fed high 35 games for the Pittsburgh Miners. Their former 2nd Round selection, he worked to a 3.37 ERA and 1.34 WHIP, striking out 196 batters in 270 innings pitched. His 7.6 BB% was well above average, and it was his first of four consecutive All-Star selections.

The other three came in Chicago, as the Miners acquired Frank Selander and Fred Murray for Champ and minor league catcher Ray McNabb. It's worked well for both teams, as Selander has developed into a quality regular for Pittsburgh, and Champ provided similar excellence in his first year with the Chiefs. He finished 19-9 with a 3.54 ERA (121 ERA+), 1.30 WHIP and 128 strikeouts in 224 innings pitched. The Chiefs rotation is a stronger one, so he wasn't leaned on as heavily on his new team, but he won 17 games in 1959 and has continued to finish well over .500. He hasn't lost more then 10 games since his 21-win season, and his first game he wins with us will his 100th as a FABL pitcher. 5-4 this year, his 4.20 ERA (107 ERA+) would be second in our rotation, and despite flyball tendencies he has allowed just 10 homers in 109.1 innings. The Chiefs park isn't as small as ours, but the average Fed park is much easier to hit homers in, which gives me faith he can survive in our park.

A guy who generates a ton of weak contact, he'll also be benefited moving from a bottom defense to a top one, as the Chiefs' are one of the worst in the Fed while in the Conti we rank first in zone rating and second in efficiency. As un-Cougar like as it sounds, our staff has been carried by the pen, and Champ might actually be our new best pitcher. The scouts are a little too high on him, as OSA calls him "an overlooked ace" while Dixie's outdated report says something about ace-level production with a solid defense. I think they're both full of it, but Champ is definitely a quality starting pitcher. The consistency is evident, with an above average ERA+ is six of his last seven seasons. His 8.7 BB% and 13.2 K% are in line with his career marks of 7.9 and 13.7, and he should continue to be the pitcher he has been for many years with us. Recently 31, he's got plenty of time to pitch, and he has yet to miss an appearance as a professional.

With no pieces locked down in our rotation, this is a major acquisition, specifically taking time away from Hank Walker and Bob Allen. Neither has had much success this season, and they'll now get to compete with each other for the rest of the season. They both get to make a start this week, the last chance to prove who belongs. Ideally, they can both pitch well, and we'll use the two pitchers situationally as the season continues. Walker has the edge, as his 4.33 FIP (97 FIP-) is way better then his 5.13 ERA (87 ERA+), and like Champ he keeps the ball in the park. Even better, he dropped his BB% three points, with a chance to have his first season with a sub-10 BB%. Allen, however, has had less success, but my former 1st Rounder is an innings eater who keeps the ball on the ground. He's giving up too many runs, but he's getting strikeouts and winning starts. It's a classic case of luck vs. skill, but when that's dealing with your fifth spot it's much more manageable.

With any quality pitching acquisition, the cost is high, and we parted with the highly rated prospect duo of Bob Starr and Ricardo Castillo. Star ranked 5th in our organization and 59th overall, but outfield is a huge strength of ours in the farm and on the big league club. Starr may be an elite defender, but I don't have any plans on moving Jerry McMillan (.326, 13, 45, 15) out of center, and along with Henry Watson (.300, 15, 71), we also have the now third ranked prospect in baseball Dode Caudill. OSA thinks 1963 will be his debut year, and left field looks perfect for his potential resting spot. That made Starr more expendable, as while I will miss his elite eye, he's going to have to start being protected from the Rule-5 draft. It does suck giving up a Chicagoan, but hey! If he makes it with the Chiefs, he'll still get to be a hometown success story! He should join Rod Shearer (.302, 11, 56, 5) in the outfield soon, as there is room for someone to patrol center there.

Ricardo Castillo gets to return home to the Chiefs, who took him 25th in the 1960 draft. Traded for my former 2nd Rounder Frank Reece, I at one point had extremely high hopes for Castillo, but that's when I thought he was a better defender. Now that we can see ratings, his infield defense isn't as good as I thought, and while he can handle second, third, and short, he looks better suited for the outfield. Ranked 10th in our system and 110th overall, he was hitting a strong .299/.402/.443 (123 OPS+) with 20 doubles, 6 homers, 31 RBIs, and 10 steals in Class A. I would have preferred to hang on to him an potentially improve his infield defense, but when he was brought up in negotiations, it was a fitting way to finish the deal, as we still have way too many outfielders. I hate the shape our farm is in currently, but this deal allows us to acquire a legitimate starting pitcher by trading from a strength.

I'm hoping more moves are left to come, but for now we'll have to work on our five game deficit. We have a few more weeks to make upgrades to the team, and it's all be without our best player. This team is really set up to do well in 1963, but why not steal one from the dominant team early? It's happened so much to us?

Let's go and win a title!

Week 13: July 17th-July 22nd
 

Weekly Record: 3-3
Seasonal Record: 50-40 (4th, 6 GB)
Stars of the Week
Jim Barton : 24 AB, 12 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .500 AVG, 1.020 OPS
Gene Case : 19 AB, 6 H, 3 HR, 5 RBI, .316 AVG, 1.304 OPS
Henry Watson : 26 AB, 8 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI, .308 AVG, .885 OPS

Schedule
7-16: Win vs Cannons (6-10)
7-18: Loss vs Wranglers (3-2)
7-19: Win vs Wranglers (2-4)
7-20: Loss vs Wranglers (9-4)
7-21: Win at Sailors (5-4)
7-22: Loss at Sailors (1-2)

Recap
Gene Case

That's it

That's the post

Just kidding, just our only All-Star! The rosters are too small and everyone gets included, so Arch Wilson (7-1, 5, 1.48, 26), Pug White (6-4, 14, 2.84, 62), and Jerry McMillan (.328, 13, 46, 15) don't get to add All-Stars to their resumes.

Beyond all, Case was the most deserving All-Star, so if we were only allowed one I'm glad it's the first timer at first base. To the surprise of no one, I was his only vote for starter, but the home run machine has quietly been one of the best hitters in baseball. Rightfully overshadowed by the Hank Williams' (.375, 28, 80) and the Dallas Berry's (.344, 30, 84, 11) of the world, Case hit three more homers this week, giving him 10 in July and 26 on the season. Ranked third in the CA in homers to Berry and Williams, he's also hit an outstanding .323/.410/.628 (164 OPS+), but that's still a level below. Recently, no one is hitting better, as he has a 248 WRC+ in July, and if their were team MVP awards he'd be making a very good case for one. With 74 runs, 17 doubles, 3 triples, 69 RBIs, 52 walks, 10 steals, and 4 WAR, he's got all the counting stats, and at 24 the best may truly yet to come. A Leo Mitchell type, he probably could have played the infield as a right hander, but his defense at first stands above. Whether he is a star or not is yet to be determined, but

Looking Ahead
Trading for Champ when we did turned out to be extremely advantageous, as there are four days between the team's next two games. He'll get to start them both.

Since the Dallas Wranglers were the team to challenge us this week, dropping two of three to the measly expansion team that will be represented by journeyman Steve Miller (3-7, 3.10, 68) on the 25th. We didn't face him, but this is a guy who didn't get a win in a game he pitched into the ninth, allowing just four hits and a run with 7 strikeouts.in a gem of a no decision. We really should have beat them, but Bob Allen (6.1 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 5 BB, K) and Arch Wilson (2 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, BB, 2 K) struggled to keep runs off the board. 9 runs was tough to beat, but 14 hits led to just 4 runs for us, as we squandered many opportunities like the Cougar team I know and love.

The closest we can be out of first is five games, and that would require us to beat the Sailors and the 21-69 Imperials beating the first place Foresters. Solving Charlie Lawson (9-5, 3.44, 97) will be tough, and it could keep the back-to-back All-Star out of the midweek game. If he makes this start, it will be his 20th, and the well deserved All-Star has a 131 ERA+,. 85 FIP-. and 2.1 K/BB. That will make win #100 tough for our newly acquired pitcher, but considering this is the last game fans get to see for a bit, they'll get treated to a nice pitcher's duel. Despite being hurt, Carlos Jaramillo (.296, 4, 27, 16) was voted the game's starting shortstop, so the Sailors may not see either of their All-Stars participate. Heinie Spitler (.332, 4, 37, 11) and John Kingsbury (.333, 11, 60, 6) could have joined one of the 23 other first-time All-Stars, as both impressed at the plate, on the bases, and in the field. They're vulnerable without Jaramillo in the interim, and they've elected to entrust short to 23-year-old Art Johnson. Ranked 25th in their system and 324th overall, he's not considered one of their top prospects, but he's a competent defender who can put the ball in play. He was 1-for-7 against us and 5-for-23 in his debut week, and looks to spend the next month at short for a team with no fewer then 52 wins at the break.

I've used the trade and break to shake up the rotation, as for the near future we will operate Champ, Ellis, Mitchell, Logue, Walker in the rotation. Allen is being bumped out after Hank Walker impressed against the Wranglers (W, 7 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K). Moving Logue from ace to fourth may seem harsh too, but despite what Dixie Marsh says, I think Champ is currently our best starter, and Manager Buck Cuppett seems to agree with me. We're in agreement on it all, as Roy Ellis (7-3, 3.88, 82) as been our best pitchers and Logue may be pressing lately. Giving him some extended rest could do him well, and with the break we'll get to set up the exact order we want. He may be fourth for now, but if I skip a guy it's Walker, so Logue will get approximately the same amount of starts. If he turns it around, he can work his way back up, but for the first time all season I'm confident in four of our five starts for the week.

LA may opt to do the same, so Champ and Ellis could face Dewey Allcock (8-5, 3.91, 81) and whoever they want to make their second starter. They moved on from Bud Henderson (2-4, 7.17, 22), as well as third basemen Virgil Ewing (.295, 10, 63), and could shake up their rotation more from there. Sy Dunn (8-6, 5.13, 92) and Floyd Warner (6-9, 5.84, 70) have had their share of struggles, but both are talented young pitchers who are better then the stats show. Trading Henderson makes me think the staff has faith in them, and the graduated 10th prospect Harry Stout (6-4, 1, 4.52, 51) has flashed some seriously flashy stuff. He's moved between the rotation and the pen, but now that Henderson is gone, it seems like the 21-year-old phenom will have a rotation spot guaranteed the rest of the season. The offense can handle the loss of Ewing, with All-Stars Ralph (.299, 25, 75, 4) and Charlie Barrell (.294, 16, 49) contributing mightily to the 3rd ranked offense. Lou Allen (.294, 16, 50), Ed Moore (.309, 8, 42, 7), and Charlie Sax (.318, 5, 25, 4) are all young and fitted to stay, but I did breath a sigh of relief knowing the the 26-year-old Ewing is now the Fed's problem.

Just wish I knew he was available...

I would have given more!

Just not Dode.

He's not going anywhere. I sure love a 3rd ranked prospect who's set to debut next season.

Poor Jim Barton (.314, 6, 40) never stood a chance. Hope he's happy being an overqualified fourth outfielder. Long as he keeps hitting the former All-Star will get plenty of at bats. Someone's bound to get hurt, and having a guy who can make it so all your starters play six days a week is a blessing. On the surface, he's already worse then or equal to Dode at everything, as the funkiness of 1-5 scale has Dode's straight 3s technically worse then Barton's 3s and recent 2s at power and eye. He was a 3 there for a long time, and his 3s for contact and gap are far higher the Dode's. Dode has the ceiling advantage, but even next year Barton may be the better hitter, and we won't rush Dode up when we still have a quality third outfielder.

Minor League Report
RHP John Allen (B San Jose Cougars): Named eerily similar to my absolute favorite quarter back, John Allen as secretly become one of my favorite pitching prospects, and a few minutes after that I find out he threw a 5-hit, 5-strikeout shutout!

The fascination came when I stumbled upon him when scouting some outdated players, and I found a somewhat unheralded 21-year-old who's got nice stuff and elite stamina. The ultimate innings eater, he's actually struggled with the Cougars this year, as in 16 starts he's 5-10 with a 4.33 ERA (75 ERA+) and 1.31 WHIP. With a 66-to-10 strikeout-to-walk ratio you'd think he'd be dominating the league, but for some reason he's been allowing runs at the worst time. A hardworking late round pick, he was the Cougars 13th rounder in 1959, putting up poor marks in terms of ERA+ at all but one stop so far. That stop was the first, as after his draft year he was 3-2 with a 4.22 ERA (132 ERA+), 1.52 WHIP, and 51 strikeouts in 53.1 innings. The control wasn't as good, walking 42 for a 17.9 BB%, but that's the only time he's been able to stop runs.

An ultimate project prospect, there's talent and no results, and despite an outstanding work ethic he's dumb as bricks. The fastball/slider combo is sick, and he even sits in the mid 90s, but his starts are extremely hit or miss. One day he'll work his magic, the next he might leave pitches in the zone, as he's still learning the art of pitching. With literally no prospects of notes, there's no reason not to focus on a 3-2-2 pitcher with 5 stamina, as now all five starters in the San Jose rotation have excited. I think it's time I promote one of them, so I'm going to get a pitcher from outside the organization and force a move up.

Let's just say there's a guy....

No, not Frank Reece, who when I learned was a free agent signed.

It's someone with no connection to the Cougars who will probably end up sucking, but he's actually exciting!!!

Okay I lied... There's also a former Cougar... One I wanted to re-sign for a while. Just didn't see him when I made the declaration! We might get two pitchers!

LHP Otis Mill (C La Crosse Lions): Class C ball is always funky, but in 1962, it seems like guys strike out at a more reasonable rate. There's still plenty of runs, but instead of 16+ strikeout shoutouts we're just getting regular shutouts.

A mainstay of the La Crosse rotation, former 6th Rounder Otis Mill is off to a nice start, putting together a 7-hit, 6-strikeout shutout of the St. Cloud Lumberjacks. He allowed three runs in each of his first two starts, continuing throwing well over 100 pitches each time out. He's worked a 2.61 ERA (210 ERA+) and 1.50 WHIP in 20.2 innings, walking 10 with 16 strikeouts. Runs are easy to score, especially for the Lions who lead the UMVA with 143, so even in a super small sample his ERA is impressive. Him and 1962 15th Round pick Marv Triplett (2-1, 2.82, 16) have outperformed the star of the staff Jim Place (2-0, 6.00, 19), but neither come close to his upside. Mill's best case seems like a swingman role, but aside from Place manager Snipe Ellison has him as the top starter. Already in his fourth year at La Crosse, a start like this gets him on the map, and since we always get injured far more after the draft we'll start to see spots open up in the upper levels.

LF Sam Morrison (C La Crosse Lions): La Crosse also produced a Player of the Week, as 19-year-old Sam Morrison went 10-for-24 with 8 runs, 3 doubles, a homer, 8 RBIs, 8 walks, and 2 steals. An all-around excellent performance, the 1960 5th Rounder is one of the fastest guys in the system, given a 5 for speed, 4 from outfield range, and 4/5 in left field. As quick as he is, he's nothing special when it comes to error or arm, but he has developed into a solid little prospect. Too good for La Crosse, we just have too many outfielders who need starts. Not ranked among our top 30 prospects, he has the makings of a bubble player, but with a great eye and range good enough to command center, he'll be an organizational favorite. I'm not ready to guarantee him playing time, but I like what he's doing right now, and as a former 5th Rounder he's not completely deprived of prospect upside.

Week 14: July 23rd-July 29th
 

Weekly Record: 2-1
Seasonal Record: 52-41 (4th, 6 GB)
Stars of the Week
Mooney Vetter : 10 AB, 6 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .600 AVG, 1.200 OPS
Dick Champ : 1 Win, 15.0 IP, 1 BB, 9 K, 1.80 ERA
Henry Watson : 13 AB, 4 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .308 AVG, .769 OPS

Schedule
7-23: Loss at Sailors (3-5)
7-28: Win vs Stars (0-1)
7-29: Win vs Stars (3-4)

Recap
Awful, awful news...

Ray Dishman signed before Ollie Norris, so the 19-year-old free agent with no professional experiences was assigned to the open spot in AAA, and then for some reason former Cougar Tommy Russel decided to throw Dishman in one of the five games he was on the roster.

Isn't that awful!? A classic OOTPer released on draft day before bouncing around-team-to-team ends up making his pro debut in AAA.

And it's all my fault!

Dishman and Norris were the two pitchers I was talking about, as both are interesting for very different reasons. Dishman is the well journeyed minor leaguer, a 16th Round selection of the Sailors who has been signed and released four times sense. It's three independent teams and the Washington Eagles, but I don't have any plans in releasing the six pitch southpaw.

The issue with most young pitchers is the change, but Dixie says its a 4, and three of his other pitches are all threes or higher. Despite being a flyball pitcher who sits in the 90-92 range, the stuff is already off the charts, he just can't locate it. His pitches are often in the center plate, so even though they're hard to hit, if you hit em they go far.

At least in his defense, he's got 2 AAA innings and nothing else, so that's kind of expected. Even if there is no room for improvement in his movement and control now, anything can happen, and with his stuff holy cow he could be amazing. He could start or stop, starting is the goal for now, but we have no real exciting pitching prospects and regardless of the lists, he's #1 now. And has no down arrow in AAA! A ball seems to be the best spot for him to start, and I cannot wait for his "real" minor league debut.

AAA is for Ollie Norris, the former player of mine I mentioned. Acquired in 1951 for Ernie Frost that was so minor it didn't get its own post, Norris became a decently regarded prospect, and before the fast-forward he was considered a future starter. After he became one of the Cougars top pitching prospects, debuting in 1954 and becoming a full-time starter in 1956. That year he was 7-12 with a 3.88 ERA (95 ERA+), 1.32 WHIP, and 116 strikeouts, but a league leading 31 home runs kept his ERA below average. 47 the following year was a nightmare, but he had three more seasons in the rotation.

Unfortunately for us, in 1961 he was released, and stayed there through the season. When we took back control, I wanted to sign him, but I didn't have enough money to convince him to sign with us. The Dynamos gave him $36,000, but he made one appearance before cutting him. Then when released, the Minutemen scooped him up first, and after they released him he was hoping to get a major league deal.

He didn't, so when I stumbled on him I offered him a minor league deal he accepted. It's nice to reunite with one of my former players, especially one who threw 1,065.1 innings with the organization. Along with his inning as a Dynamo, Norris has made 180 appearances, going 54-67 with 3 saves, a 4.30 ERA (93 ERA+), and 1.32 WHIP. Homers were always an issue, 172 of the 173 came as a Cougar, though he's walked (336) far fewer hitters then he struck out (641). The control is great, and I figured a return home might do him well. He'll hang out in the farm for now, and if he gets his form back, I might be able to get some use out of him for the big league team.

Just in the pen. Where he can't allow 40 homers a season.

So I actually buried the lead in this one, as the big news of the week should have been the back-to-back starts for Dick Champ. Something that probably hasn't happened since the Tommy Wilcox massacre, I started the same guy twice in a row, and this time it was awesome!

The first start was good enough to win, as in 6 innings he allowed 6 hits and 3 runs. We ended up losing 5-3, as Arch Wilson (L, IP, 2 H, 2 ER, BB) has turned into a pumpkin, but most encouraging was no walks. After the break, we got the ace level performance the scouts rave about. We needed every bit of his 5-hit shutout, striking out 5 with just a single walk. In the shutout, only his RBI single produced a win, the perfect way to celebrate his 100th FABL victory.

Obviously it's two starts, but it couldn't have gone much better. We'll get plenty more starts from our new Champ, hopefully every fifth day the rest of the way, as we try to keep up our perfect 2-0 second half. No more Gene Case homers, though he was 4-for-11 during the regular season and a walk in his All-Star appearance. We didn't do much hitting elsewhere, but Mooney Vetter. The third basemen is hoping I can't find a new infielder, and a 6-for-10 with an RBI and two runs scored helped him plead his case. The former first rounder has normally hit around average, as his .277/.312/.371 (76 OPS+) line is way under. I doubt this is the start of a surging second half, but the defense is always good, and we can always count on him putting the ball in play.

Looking Ahead
We have the chance to sweep the Stars, as John Mitchell (7-5, 4.11, 64) looks to get his ERA back under 4 against 22-year-old Sy Dunn (9-6, 4.89, 99). Dunn ended his first half well, 7 strikeouts with just 2 hits and walks in 6 scoreless innings, and will be poised to start is second half in a similar fashion. Our staff did a good job keeping them in check at Cougars Park, and the only home run came from leadoff man Tom Clement (.245, 4, 18, 14). Neither Barrell has homered off us, and Mitchell has plenty of starts where he keeps the mistakes to a minimum. I'm liking our chances here, and these wins are crucial continue what's next.

We're stuck facing the association leading Foresters, who got the devestating news that Rufus Barrell is calling it quits at 45. Just named to his 12th All-Star Game, Barrell was 12-5 with a 3.18 ERA (145 ERA+), 1.16 WHIP, and 65 strikeouts in the first half. That doesn't read like someone who is "over the hill," but Deuce holds himself to such high standards that he would rather go out too early then too soon. His 684th start will be against us to start the series, and the inner-circle Hall-of-Famer will go into it with exactly 2,700 strikeouts and the third most wins in FABL history. Just Charlie Sis (395) and Allan Allen (514) himself have won more games then Deuce, and we'll have to be at our best to prevent him from winning #355. Elite doesn't begin to describe him, having won 5 Allens and accumulating 119.9 WAR in a 24-year career. A 3-Time 20-game winner, 4-Time ERA champ, and the Continental K/BB in every 1940 season, the game will be losing a true icon. Part of me wants the Foresters to win the Conti so he can when his 4th title, but the competitor in me truly believes the Cougars can pull off the six game comeback.

Working in our benefit is Jake Pearson (12-4, 2.86, 91) scheduled to pitch in the finale in his old stadium, we'll miss him here, and dodging the All-Star game starter is a win of its own. Les Hanauer (6-8, 5.29, 90) may be a sight for sore eyes after Barrell humbles us, and this year the Mad Professor's (10-5, 4.34, 115) lessons have been easier to solve this year. Our offense is good, and I'm confident in each of our starts. Their lineup is tough, no doubt about that, but we sort of have starters that can handle deep lineups. Cleveland kind of looks mortal again, but not for a second am I doubting Sherry Doyal (..341, 16, 70, 5), Paul Williams (.303, 14, 58), and John Low (.284, 8, 53). And should Hank Williams and Dallas Berry mysteriously disappear, Hal Kennedy (.353, 16, 53) would win a Whitney. We can't let them sweep them, and honestly I could see us stealing the second two games if odd month Hank Walker is the one to show up on August 1st.

Ironically, I'm most worried about how we finish the week, as the Montreal Saints fired their manager and have absolutely dominated us in recent memory. The three games will be in Chicago, but that should only inspire Ham Flanders (.397, 13, 71, 8), who could somehow hit .400 this season. It would be the second time in four seasons, and I guess Kennedy would need Flanders to disappear too as the Andy Logue return piece has a 185 WRC+ and 47 extra base hits. All in just 400 PAs. He's looking like a true difference maker, and even though he's not good on defense having him at second with Case at first would be a dream come true. Logue is scheduled for the finale, setting up an exciting faceoff, and it'll be a moral victory if Logue can best Ham in a win. And it would make me feel better for not getting anyone at the deadline!

Amateur Report
7th Round, 130th Overall: LHP Hank Harris
School: Eastern Florida
1962: 4-8, 108.1 IP, 5.82 ERA, 1.86 WHIP, 83 BB, 72 K
Career: 4-8, 108.1 IP, 5.82 ERA, 1.86 WHIP, 83 BB, 72 K

One of the few guys drafted that our minor leaguer coaches have given time to, Hank Harris has been handed the third spot on the Lions rotation. He pitched just one season at Eastern Florida, going 4-8 with a 5.82 ERA, but scouts like the movement he gets on his three pitch arsenal. It's been tough for minor league hitters to handle, as in his first start he went 8 with 9 hits, 4 walks, 7 strikeouts, and 3 unearned runs. He picked up the win, doing the same in start two, and after allowing 6 in 4.2 innings last week he pitched the best game of his life. Then run support might have been the trick, but of the twelve runs scored only his was truly needed. That's because our 7th Rounder kept the Moline Pioneers off the board, striking out 10 with 6 hits and 5 walks. An extreme groundballer, it also upped his homerless streak to 29.2 innings, hoping to make a lasting impression on his new club. As nice as it looks now, I'm just afraid he doesn't have much upside, but right now he's put himself in a position where if we need to promote a starter from La Crosse, he would be the guy.

Week 15: July 30th-August 5th
 

Weekly Record: 5-2
Seasonal Record: 57-43 (4th, 3 GB)
Stars of the Week
Jerry McMillan : 29 AB, 14 H, 3 HR, 8 RBI, .483 AVG, 1.482 OPS
Jim Barton : 28 AB, 14 H, 1 HR, 6 RBI, .500 AVG, 1.286 OPS
Gene Case : 24 AB, 8 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI, .333 AVG, 1.077 OPS

Schedule
7-30: Loss vs Stars (9-2)
7-31: Loss at Foresters (3-7)
8-1: Win at Foresters (11-4)
8-2: Win at Foresters (6-2)
8-3: Win vs Saints (12-13)
8-4: Win vs Saints (2-3)
8-5: Win vs Saints (9-10)

Recap
I like this. I like this a lot!

We are right back in this thing!

Despite losing the first two games of the week, ours was a huge success, as we took two-of-three from the Foresters and managed to sweep the Montreal Saints. Not sure what was more surprising there, beating the Saints or winning all three games by a single run, but we are now just three games out of first with two months left, and the Forester lead has been cut all the way down to one. There's two teams between us and them, and plenty of time for us to be the ones to come out on top.

Simply put, the offense was amazing, as we scored 10, 11, and 13 runs in games, and we did something even better then that.

We had timely hitting!

AND YOU'LL NEVER GUESS WHAT WE DID!?!?!?!

BEAT A TEAM WORSE THEN US WITH THREE ONE RUN GAMES!?!?!?!!?!

I'M ACTUALLY GOING CRAZY WHO IS THIS TEAM!?!?!?!

***

Phew

Deep breaths...

Compose yourself! They're fake wins! Fake one run wins!

The best kind!

Okay. The offense. Four guys with a weekly WRC+ above 180!!!!!!!

Two make sense. One isn't crazy. But the fourth! Chappy Sanders!!!

Out of necessity, I've stuck with him all season, and a week like this makes it all worth it. His week was the "worst" of the group, but our catcher was 8-for-20 with 5 doubles, 5 RBIs, and 4 runs. Almost completely erasing his miserable start, he's actually hitting a catcher-like .242/.297/.399 (78 OPS+) with 16 doubles, 9 homers, and 41 RBIs. It's not great, don't get me wrong, but he's getting his extra base hits and the walks will come with experience. Even better, his K% was in the 20s in April and May, and he dropped it to 15 in June and July. I gotta give him credit, he never gave up and slacked off, and that hard work is starting to pay dividends.

The non-obvious one Jim Barton, who had a nice 14-for-28 line with a double, 2 triples, a homer, a walk, 5 runs, and 6 RBIs. He's gotten hot, as his rollercoaster ride of a season continues. That's led to a solid .324/.356/.439 (104 OPS+) with 10 doubles, 5 triples, 7 homers, and 46 RBIs. Solid, if unspectacular, he's given me exactly what's expected on the aggregate even if the path to get there has been unsteady. It's tough for him to secure his spot in the outfield long-term, as the #4 prospect Dode Caudill is just begging for a promotion, but if he can work some magic the rest of the way it will do his 1963 job security quite well.

One of the obvious factors was Gene Case, who just keeps on mashing! Two more homers for Case, who now has 28 on the season, and he was 8-for-24 with a double, a steal, 6 walks, 6 RBIs, and 7 runs scored. Continuing to inflate his batting line, he's up to .325/.414/.620 (163 OPS+) with 18 doubles, 12 steals, 60 walks, 75 RBIs, and 82 runs. Two games away from 100, he seems to be getting better and better, and at this point I don't think there's a limit to how good he can hit.

Saving the best for last, Jerry McMillan might have had the best week in the world, 14-for-29 with 3 doubles, a triple, 3 homers, 2 walks, a steal, 8 RBIs, and 9 runs scored. About as good a week as one could have, he hit nearly .500 to take home his second Player of the Week of the season. Hitting an excellent .333/.381/.536 (124 OPS+) he's got 16 homers and 17 steals, well on his way to another 20/20 season. His 84 runs are most on the team, and he's just reached the 4 WAR mark for the fifth time in five seasons. Three of those four years saw him over 5, but he's on pace for a career high 6.2 in 152 games. Like many of our other players, the best may be yet to come, and it just makes me excited thinking about how these guys could be apart of our lineup for a very long time.

The pitching was bad, at least for the most part, but one bad thing I want to mention is Bob Allen. He had three outings, two of which saw him allow four unearned runs. In 5.2 innings, he had 11 hits and a walk with 5 strikeouts, but a lot of those hits came after he should have been out of the inning. Games like that are funky, and considering none of the errors actually impacted the game, we can just go laugh it off. Our good outing, or at least the best one, was Dick Champ, who has been worth every prospect. He did give up another homer, but he allowed just 3 hits, 2 walks, and a single run with 3 strikeouts. Going 8, he picked up another win, and we'll get two more starts from him this next week.

Unfortunately, there is a little bad news, as Jack Gibson suffered a setback in his rehab. Likely out for the year anyways, it's now official, as he'll need five months to become healthy. His second setback already, he's going to go nearly 24 months between games, and I'm starting to get real nervous that the Jack Gibson we'll get is not the Jack Gibson that made me look like a genius for taking him in the 2nd Round of the last human draft before the fast forward.

Looking Ahead
Behind again, so let's make this quick! Three hosting the Wolves, three vising the Kings. We need wins! I know we won't get them!

Ugh. Well. Till next time!

Minor League Report
CF Wayne Wilson (AA Little Rock Commodores): July was great for Wayne Wilson, hitting .301/.343/.753 (183 OPS+) with 12 homers and 25 RBIs. Somehow, that wasn't enough for Batter of the Month, and to voice his displeasure, Wilson decided to take home Player of the Week instead. A former minor league signing, Wilson was 10-for-22, providing 3 runs, a double, a walk, 2 homers, and 7 RBIs. The 22-year-old is in the middle of a strong season, slashing .260/.337/.551 (132 OPS+) in 91 games. Despite looking vastly different, that OPS+ (and WRC+) is almost identical to the 134 he posted for both in 22 games last year, but he's traded a lot of walks for a lot of homers. He's still walking at a healthy 10.8 clip, but the 24 homers are a huge surprise, as before this season he had never hit more then 15 at a level. He did have 16 and 17 in a year, but with two months left that's way shy of where he is now. A potential September callup to Milwaukee, he's got a real good chance to hit 30 homers before that, as the big 6'4'' lefty seems to be much stronger then the rest of his competition. An average power hitter, he may one day have issues barreling up the ball consistently, but for now he's making a convincing case to be considered for a big league role.

CF Orlando Benitez (A Rockford Wildcats): As if Player of the Week awards weren't enough, Orlando Benitez had to have the Heartland League Batter of the Month for July. It was a great month, as our former 1st Rounder hit .376/.477/.624 (191 OPS+) with 5 doubles, 3 triples, 4 homers, 16 runs, 18 RBIs, 18 walks, and 3 steals. Including his five August games, Benitez has 42 in Rockford, hitting a robust .357/.468/.617 (187 OPS+) with 8 doubles, 4 triples, 8 homers, 9 steals, 35 RBIs, 32 walks, and 32 runs. Combined with his 49 games in San Jose, he's been worth an insane 5.9 WAR, producing WRC+ of 193 and 191. Still 19, I don't know how I don't end up promoting him to Little Rock, as he just has had no issues hitting minor league pitching. A crowded outfield pitchers and his age will likely keep him here most, if not all, of the remainder of the season, but seeing such great production from the 49th ranked prospect has got me excited. A toolsy player, he's got the chance to hit around .300 with 25+ homers and steals, and with a little more work in the outfield he'll be a great center fielder. Put him in a corner and he'll be among the league leaders, and he's already got more pop then some of our big league batters. A potential star, he could really crowd up out outfield situation, but I'll never complain about having too much top level talent.

SS Bill Grimm (C La Crosse Lions); It was a great month for our 1st Rounders, as this year's selection Bill Grimm was named Batter of the Month in his first pro month. Now up to 27 on the prospect list, Grimm has had no struggles with pro pitching, batting .365/.534/.615 with 4 doubles, a triple, 6 homers, 29 RBIs, 34 walks, 39 runs, and 12 steals. A tremendous showing, through 30 minor league games his BB% (23.5) is more then 10% higher then his K% (12.4), and he's got a 162 WRC+ in 153 PAs. Clearly advanced for his age, he works the count well and showcases plus power potential, but I've really been surprised with how well he's stolen bases. He's no Jerry McMillan or Gene Case, but 12-for-15 is excellent at any level, and I would have expected him to be a 15ish total steal guy. Still considered elite by Dixie and OSA, nabbing Grimm already looks like an excellent deal, even before considering no one drafted after him ranks ahead of him. As much as most of the draft sucked, Grimm could save the entire class, as I'm convinced he'll be a FABL All-Star with a long career.

Few other little notes: John Allen had another shutout, a 5-hitter to improve to 6-11. It's his second shutout in his last three starts and he's walked just one guy 33 innings pitched. Pretty impressive! Art Ozburn had another shutout too, as he continues to put his name on the map. Also despite a poor scouting description, Ray Dishman's movement and control improved to 2, so he's a 4-2-2 pitcher signed as a minor league free agent! That's almost a FABL ready player!

Congrats on the solid week with your series win over the Foresters and the one-run wins over the Saints! The Continental is now TIGHT! Stay hot and it is your association to control. Bonne chance!

And..... I just opened the "Figment" thread and got spoiled about this coming week. Damn!

Ha yeah we continue to be inconsistent. Win 6, lose 5. I'm now two behind and guess what!?!? Another week with 5+ wins or losses lol.

If we can master consistency this team is going to be great!

Week 16: August 6th-August 12th
 

Weekly Record: 1-5
Seasonal Record: 58-48 (4th, 6 GB)
Stars of the Week
Buddy Byrd : 19 AB, 8 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, .421 AVG, 1.000 OPS
Earle Turner : 1 Win, 4.0 IP, 1 BB, 4 K, 2.25 ERA
Jerry McMillan : 25 AB, 6 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, .240 AVG, .641 OPS

Schedule
8-6: Win vs Wolves (2-4)
8-7: Loss vs Wolves (5-3)
8-8: Loss vs Wolves (2-1)
8-10: Loss at Kings (1-7)
8-11: Loss at Kings (1-2)
8-12: Loss at Kings (5-6)

Recap
This team. This team. This team...

WHY ARE WE SO INCONSISTENT!?!?!?!?!

Ugh...

From three to six, we slid behind the first place Sailors, who unlike us, can build wins in a row without throwing in a complete stinker of a week. I mean, we won six in a row just to lose five?!?!? Right back where we started!?!?!?

You know the week is bad when Buddy Byrd is the star of the week, as the other seven starters had a lower weekly WRC+. Even better, Bob Decker, Byron Burnett, Bill Plunkett, and Milt Payne were a combined 7-for-18 with 3 doubles, a homer, 3 runs, 3 RBIs, and 2 walks. The homer came from Burnett, who's now hit .455/.533/.909 (265 OPS+) in his 15 August plate appearances. His effort has improved his season line to an exactly league average .263/.384/.388 (100 OPS+). His next PA will be his 100th, and with a 17.2 BB% that means he's got a nice 107 WRC+. After a brutal start to the season, the 25-year-old has developed into a perfect fourth outfielder, and since we have so few lefties in the lineup when he gets the occasional start it helps balance the lineup. Even after a Dode Caudill or Bobby Martinez secures a roster spot, his versatility, eye, and gap power make him a 24th man type. He gives us a unique look and the versatility allows us to get more creative on the bench. Don't forget, we've had three catchers all season, and have no issues covering the games needed. On a team with a lesser outfield, he'd have a chance to earn a starting role, but as long as he's happy we'll keep him in Chicago to help improve the team overall.

Back to Byrd, he did actually have a good offensive week, it's just everyone else was bad. Buddy went 8-for-19 with 2 runs, a double, triple, and steal. No walks or RBIs, because literally no one did anything, but the speedy second basemen has 13 steals in 14 attempts. He's lucky I couldn't get an infielder, even more so with Gibson's setback, as there was no one out there to challenge him. He can't hit, a pitiful .261/.294/.358 (68 OPS+) line, but he doesn't strike out and gets on base in some of the strangest ways possible. Bloops, infield hits, and poor defense included, and once he's on he can score. He has 47 runs to 18 RBIs, and above all his defense helps save our pen. With a 11.7 zone rating and 1.069 efficiency, he cleans house with most of the Conti, tied with Stan Kleminski for the efficiency league. Buddy has the higher zone rating, playing a few more innings, and his hard work and occasional and occasional gems make him a decent enough player.

Looking Ahead
I miss morning sims! I can't believe it! I have the weekend to recover, but we already played our next week. It's three hosting the Imperials (I keep thinking Stars), three in Cincy, and one in Dallas. At least now I have until Monday night, so I'll be able to get caught back up. Six games is a tough deficit, but leads have come and gone quickly. Semi-spoiler, the Pioneers saw their double digit lead go down to six, and with how often we get hot, who knows what could happen when the Sailors inevitably cool down!

Minor League Report
LF Sam Morrison (C La Crosse Lions): It's hard not to start liking Sam Morrison, who parlayed a 5-for-6 day with 2 homers and 4 RBIs into his second Player of the Week in the season. He had more then a couple more hits, 13-for-28 with 10 runs, 2 doubles, 5 homers, 9 RBIs, 4 walks, and 2 steals. I can't remember if I promoted him or not with my export, but he will be up by Monday, as the 1960 5th Rounder has been outstanding and I just have two find a way to get him a spot in San Jose. Promotions should give come soon for plenty of guys, but the 19-year-old Morrison is hitting an outstanding .410/.536/.691 (188 OPS+) with 9 homers, 10 doubles, 34 RBIs, 38 walks, and 10 steals. The top scoring offense will miss him, but it's clear he has nothing left to prove. He's struggled previously in two small Class B stints, but he was more above average then elite in La Crosse those years. I think he'll keep up the good work, potentially positioning himself for a promotion to Rockford for next season.

Week 17 August 13th-August 20th
 

Weekly Record: 5-2
Seasonal Record: 63-50 (4th, 6 GB)
Stars of the Week
Jim Barton : 23 AB, 10 H, 2 HR, 9 RBI, .435 AVG, 1.197 OPS
Jerry McMillan : 26 AB, 10 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .385 AVG, .967 OPS
Mooney Vetter : 26 AB, 10 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .385 AVG, .830 OPS

Schedule
8-13: Win vs Imperials (5-6)
8-14: Win vs Imperials (1-8)
8-15: Loss vs Imperials (5-3)
8-16: Win at Cannons (6-2)
8-17: Loss at Cannons (4-5)
8-18: Win at Cannons (2-0)
8-19: Win at Wranglers (4-1): 11th inning

Recap
See what I mean!?!?! Inconsistent!!!!!

Lesser competition was certainly a factor, as four of the games were against the expansion teams, but wins are wins. Especially those in extras or decided by one run! It's obviously in large part due to the Association's best pen, but the starters are starting to approach their level. Even when we were leading the Conti in runs allowed, our rotation ERA was outside of the top-3, but with the addition of Champ and Hank Walker's luck turning, we've pulled into 3rd for starter's ERA. Just the first pace Sailors have allowed fewer runs, and it has gotten me so excited for next season.

Walker actually had his first rough start in a while, 6.1 innings with 8 hits, 5 runs (4 earned), and 6 walks in a no decision to start the week, but he was dominant as we won the series against the Cannons. 125 pitches seems to be his max, and since we finally scored our first two runs off Chicagoan Charlie Warren (12-8, 3.08, 132) in the ninth, Buck went to Arch for the last two outs. Walker allowed just 3 hits and 3 walks, striking out 8 to set himself up for his 7th win of the season. Walker might have been disappointed being taken out after Bonnie Chapin's (.321, 21, 72, 4) single, but since Arch got a pinch-hitter out for the second out, he had to deal with Whitney co-favorite Dallas Berry (.326, 35, 105, 11), who was 0-for-2 with a walk and two strikeouts. Part of why Wilson was brought in was the fact that one of the top sluggers in baseball didn't have a homer in 37 at bats, and for at bat 38 Wilson attacked to get him down in the count before setting him down to complete the hat-trick. Now an even 7-7, Walker has won four straight decisions, he's allowed three or fewer runs in five of his last seven starts, including two with none. As hard as it may be to believe, he now has an above average 4.37 ERA (104 ERA+), much closer to his 4.26 FIP (94 FIP-). An outside shot for August Pitcher of the Month, he's 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA (201 ERA+), 1.14 WHIP, and 16 strikeouts in 4 starts, finally recording stats that match the quality of his pitching this year.

Matching stats hasn't been an issue for Roy Ellis, to has been our best and most consistent starter since Opening Day. Ellis dominated the Imperials, picking up a 99 pitch game complete game victory as we dispatched the Imperials 8-1. Sporting brilliant command, Ellis struck out 11 without walking a single hitter, just a single, double, and Turk Ramsey (.271, 27, 61) solo homer causing Ellis stress. With plenty of run support, including a pair of Jim Barton (.322, 9, 55) home runs, Ellis improved to 8-4, lowering his season ERA and WHIP to 3.90 (116 ERA+) and 1.19. This start was a huge boost to his K/BB, an impressive 2.8 that's even higher then the 2.6 he led the Conti with last season. Ellis was our first pitcher to strikeout 100 batters this season, up to 106 in 147.2 innings. The tall 27-year-old has really emerged as a capable weapon towards the top of the rotation, as him and Dick Champ have both had tremendous success keeping runners off the base. Champ hasn't pitched as deep into games as I've wanted, just 6 innings with 5 hits, 2 runs, a walk, and 7 strikeouts in an eventual 5-4 loss, but it's hard to be mad at the quality of said work. He's got a sterling 25-to-8 strikeout-to-walk ratio, holding an elite 2.68 ERA (169 ERA+) and 0.99 WHIP as a Cougar. It's not often we see a midseason trade like this work out so well, as with all the Tommy Wilcoxs and Sal Pestillis we tend to see guys have their production drop out when they put on the Cougar threads. Our new ace, Champ has acquainted himself to his team well, and when young guys like Ken Stone and Henry Henderson are up I really hope he teaches them a few tricks.

A few other pitchers deserve shoutouts, namely Andy Logue, who now has back-to-back 2-run, 6-inning starts. This time he won, snapping a five game losing streak that's saw his ERA balloon to the largest of the rotation. Now at 4.50 (101 ERA+), he's almost below average, going from staff-ace to fighting for starts. On the bright side, his leadership has never wavered through his struggles, and if early season Logue is back we may have a chance to catch the Sailors. The other shutout goes to Pug White, who is so close to qualifying for the ERA crown. After allowing just 1 run in 6 innings with a loss, save, 3 hits, and 2 strikeouts, he's up to 104.1 innings on the season. That translates to a 142.1 inning page, a little more then 10 innings shy of the eventual 154 innings requirement. If by some miracle he can reach it, Pug has a chance to be the only qualified pitcher with a sub-3 ERA, as current CA leader Jake Pearson (14-6, 3.02, 109) saw a 7-run struggle against the Wranglers push him over. A comfortable 2.67 (169 ERA+), our talented stopper is 8-6 with 15 saves, a 1.17 WHIP, and 75 strikeouts, and I still cannot believe he was not named an All-Star. One of the biggest reasons for a success, we're probably a .500 team without him, and even though I often praise him for his reliability and availability, his hard work deserves plenty of recognition.

The offense seems a little tired, four guys in yellow energy before the Wrangler game to open the week, as Wednesday's off day can't get here soon enough. One guys who looks refreshed and relaxed is Jim Barton, who finished his week 10-for-23 with a double, walk, 3 runs, and 9 RBIs. Up to nine homers due to his two-homer showing, he's been one of the game's hottest hitters, slashing .403/.424/.645 (172 OPS+) in 18 August appearances. This surge improved his season line to .322/.354/.443 (105 OPS+), as despite being allergic to the free pass he's got a 113 WRC+ and .357 wOBA. Solid numbers from the quality left fielder, who will need to continue to produce to hold off all our talented young outfielders. A week like this where he commanded the offense does him well, but unlike Buddy last week we were able to string hits together. Jerry McMillan was back to his old self, 10-for-26 with a homer, 4 RBIs, 4 runs, 4 walks, and 2 steals. He's up to 20 bags swiped on the year, and with three more homers he'll record his second consecutive 20/20 season. Chappy Sanders homered too, 7-for-25 with 3 doubles, 3 RBIs, 4 runs, and 2 walks. 32 of his 82 hits on the season have gone for extra bases, and his WRC+ is up to 85 in 90 games. Last hitter of note was Mooney Vetter, as the third basemen went 10-for-26 with a double, run, and 2 RBIs. He's one of the four tired starters, as we might have a very makeshift lineup to start the week.

Looking Ahead
Two more with the Wranglers in Dallas, adding a stretch of 11 consecutive games. A respectable 48-65, they're two games back of the Saints for eighth and 20 ahead of the Imperials for last. We'll get their All-Star Steve Miller (4-10, 4.03, 75) to start the week, but since his appearance he's allowed 6 runs in three of his four starts. After that it's Rex Conner (7-7, 4.59, 52), but the 27-year-old righty has a FIP exactly 50 points higher then his ERA. I like our lineup's chances here, even if in game two it's weaker and Conner is on a nice two stretch start (15.2 IP, 10 H, ER, 4 BB, 10 K). On top of that, Roy Ellis (8-4, 3.90, 106) and Andy Logue (7-13, 4.50, 85) should be able to carve through the 9th ranked lineup. Ken Hudson (.245, 17, 53) is their most dangerous hitter, but his production cratered in June and July. He doesn't have much protection either, and their 5 through 8 hitters all have a sub-80 WRC+. They are good at home, 30-27 so far, but if we play to our abilities this should be a fun stat-padding series before the critical home series that follows.

I'm sure you can guess who we're hosting, as the new Continental leading Sailors will draw port in Chicago. Four games above the Kings and Foresters, their next win will be #70, and I'm hoping we'll keep them at whatever they enter the series with. A quality road team (31-25), they rely on their arms, but the return of Carlos Jaramillo (.300, 4, 28, 17) has completely energized the team. Already starting to win when he was out, they've won five of six since his return on the 14th. 8-for-23 with a double, triple, and RBI, he also walked and scored seven times, all while continue to make acrobatic plays in the infield. His staff is grateful for his return, as groundballers Charlie Lawson (12-6, 3.75, 129), Hank Lacey (10-6, 3.83, 106), and Sam Franklin (5-0, 3.22, 52) can all breath a little easier when they're on the mound. The reverse of our staff, Lawson leads the #1 rotation while the swingman Franklin and stopper Eddie Chapman (7-9, 18, 4.03, 50) anchor the #3 pen. Due to the strong staffs, this is almost destined to be an absurd slugfest, and despite what the records show, these are two similar teams who pitch well, play elite defense, and run the bases well. The difference comes at the plate, where he hit more homers and they do better walking and putting the ball in play. We may not be the #2 team in the Conti, but if we can steal a series we'll be right back in striking distance of first.

Assuming of course, we don't blow the easy games!

Finishing the week is the first of three with the Stars in LA. At 62-51, they did what we did this week, go 5-2 but makeup no ground. A game behind us, they'll be tough to manage, and their offense is back to being one of the best. 25-year-old Ed Howard (.384, 4, 28) has made up for the move of Virgil Ewing (.290, 13, 75), as the super-utility man is looking to shed that role that destines players for a bench role. He can cover short and center, but I'd trust him for plus play everywhere else but catcher and pitcher, and he's already one of the team leaders. He's got a 167 WRC+ in 163 PAs, and the graduated 78th prospect has already been slotted behind young star Ralph Barrell (.295, 28, 91, 4) in the lineup. They won't be an easy opponent, and I'm hoping we can steal the first game before starting what could be another tough week.

Week 18: August 21st-August 26th
 

Weekly Record: 3-3
Seasonal Record: 66-53 (t-3rd, 7 GB)
Stars of the Week
Mooney Vetter : 17 AB, 11 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .647 AVG, 1.431 OPS
Tom Halliday : 30 AB, 11 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .367 AVG, .887 OPS
Jim Barton : 21 AB, 7 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .333 AVG, .887 OPS

Schedule
8-20 Win at Wranglers (6-4): 12 innings
8-21: Win at Wranglers (11-1)
8-23: Loss vs Sailors (9-4)
8-24: Loss vs Sailors (8-5)
8-25: Win vs Sailors (4-5)
8-26: Loss at Stars (4-5)

Recap
A rare middling week puts another dent into our pennant hopes, but the results on the field weren't the biggest problem to happen this week. To be fair, two of the losses came against the first place Sailors, but at home I really had a shred of hope we'd win the series. The main issue, however, was the first real injury of note, as we will be without our star center fielder Jerry McMillan for at least two weeks. Suffering a hamstring strain towards the end of our 11-1 thrashing of the Wranglers, it was one of his best games of the season, 4-for-5 with a double and 3 RBIs. It extended his hit-streak to nine, but he'll have to now wait until September before appearing in his 114th game of the season. Snapping what would have been four years with at least 150 appearances, McMillan's loss will be tough to stomach, as he's been worth over 4 WAR with 17 doubles, 10 triples, 17 homers, 20 steals, 62 RBIs, and 90 runs scored. Add in his 135 WRC+ and .335/.385/.524 (133 OPS+) batting line, and our lineup gets a lot weaker without him at the top.

Coming up from the farm is a FABL debut, as scheduled to start our first game of the week is talented 23-year-old Bobby Martinez. Taken 5th in the 1957 draft, Martinez gives us a high contact lefty bat with speed and athleticism. Granted the latter two aren't to the level of McMillan, but where Martinez has the advantage is putting the ball in play. In 515 PAs, he has a miniature 4.3 K%, leading to an average .274/.332/.387 (100 OPS+) batting line. With an almost equal split between center (502.1, 3.5, 1.020) and right (482.1, 8.0, 1.080), the 54th ranked prospect has shown that he can handle both well, though with his cannon of an arm right may be the best spot for him. He has the range for center, even if a little less then McMillan, and that's where we'll play him. I debated moving Henry Watson (.295, 20, 94) from right to center, but he's been great there (8.5, 1.048) and I don't want to upset his rhythm. Martinez has a chance to develop into a reliable every day player, and now is his first chance to show he belongs in our young and talented outfield.

Looking back on the week that happened, we actually hit well despite the lack of winning. Surprisingly, Mooney Vetter carried the offense, an insane 11-for-17 with a triple, walk, run, and 4 RBI. Henry Watson (7-19, 3 2B, RBI, 4 R, 2 BB), Tom Halliday (11-30, 4 2B, 2 RBI, 5 R, BB), and Jim Barton (7-21, 2B, HR, 5 RBI, 2 R, BB) all hit well, while Gene Case put himself in the Cougar record books. Our young first basemen became the fifth Cougar to hit 30 or more home runs in a season, joining Jerry Smith (47, 1953; 35, 155; 30, 1952), Jack Gibson (43, 1960; 38, 1959), Sal Pestilli (33, 1948), and Tom Taylor (31, 1934; 30, 1932). Case hit his 30th, and 31st, homer on August 25th against Hank Lacey, and three of his five hits came in that 5-4 win. He's cooled a bit in August, hitting "just" .259/.394/.506 (131 OPS+) with 5 homers and 19 RBIs, but the 24-year-old is still hitting at a 40 homer pace with a 150 WRC+, 75 walks, 88 RBIs, and 94 runs. Without McMillan, we'll lean even more on Case, who with just four more home runs would be alone for 5th most in team history.

After getting demoted in the rotation, Andy Logue has taken it in stride, as instead of letting it continue his slump, it's allowed him to steady the ship. The additional rest has worked wonders, and his performance against the Wranglers was one of his best. Sure, 11 runs helps, but in 7 innings he held them to a run on 5 hits, 3 walks, and 5 strikeouts. His third consecutive start with two or fewer earned runs, the now 8-13 Logue regained an above average ERA. Down to 4.35 (103 ERA+) in 151 innings, he's got a solid 1.44 WHIP with 61 walks and 90 strikeouts. Beyond the stat sheet, he's among the team leaders, and the undisputed head of the pitching staff. When he talks, guys listen, and he's a big part of the reason we've allowed the second fewest runs in the Conti.

Roy Ellis has helped as well, and despite pitching well in wins he didn't get one in either of his two starts. Errors cost him a chance at a shutout in Dallas, as he would have had 6.2 scoreless innings with 5 hits, 3 walks, and 7 strikeouts as what's normally a routine double play for Tom Halliday turned into two runs. Going from two outs to none, both guys ended up scoring, albeit, with a single and error contributing later. Pug (BS, 2.1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 K) blew it in the ninth, so we had to play three extra innings, earning new guy Earle Turner (2 IP, 2 H) a win and demoted starter Bob Allen (IP, H) a save. Turner has been an unsung hero, as the waiver claim added four more scoreless innings to his Cougar tenure. In 15.1 innings with us he's allowed just 14 hits, 5 runs, and 3 walks, striking out 11 in 10 games. His 2.93 ERA (153 ERA+) and 1.11 WHIP are way better then what he did in Cleveland, and for some reason Dixie Marsh thinks he's our second best starting pitcher behind Arch Wilson.

Maybe it's the team leading 10 wins? That does look like a starter!

Turner is closer to a starter then Arch, but without a third pitch don't expect him to start many games. He can't eat like Arch could, and even if his change up didn't suck I wouldn't expect many starts over six innings. That being said, he'd be an interesting choice for the dev lab, as he's an extreme groundballer with a nasty sinker. Lefties hit the sidearmer well, but if our lineup is any indication he won't have to face too many, although I can see a team like the Kings giving him fits. We have so many more high upside candidates to choose from, but a positive result from Turner could mean a 28-year-old #3 starter. That seems pretty nice, don't you think?

Looking Ahead
One more week of August, which means just one more sim until we get to make our September callups. All five of our minor league teams are over .500, though at 57-56 in San Jose it's almost a technicality, so I don't want to ruin anyone's season for a guy just to sit on the bench. There are plenty of candidates, including a healthy McMillan, but one of the guys who would have gotten recalled is already us. An infielder is a must, likely Moe Holt, and I made a waiver claim that should be ours. I can rule out a few guys, such as the returning to health George McKee (.256, 8, 66) and future ace Ken Stone (11-7, 2.96, 119), though if there is room once the Century League season is over they'd be the first two up. If we didn't pick up Champ, Henry Henderson (9-6, 2.77, 97) would probably join as a 5th or 6th starter, but him and Stone should be able to finish out the season in Milwaukee. If it wasn't for weird usage, they'd be prospects, and both youngsters can be huge long-term pieces if they reach their respective peaks.

Before we get to that, we have a tough path, with two in LA, three hosting the Foresters, and the first two in Montreal. Sure, Cleveland has been awful lately, but we're exactly what they need to right the ship, and without Jerry McMillan leading the lineup, it's going to be tough to score. Buddy Byrd is Buck Cuppett's choice, a bold one for sure, but he was already having the veteran lead against lefties when I didn't get involved with the daily lineup. I was kind of hoping for Martinez, but instead our skipper will go L-R almost entirely through the lineup, with southpaws in the 2nd, 4th, and 6th spot. In modern baseball that's a huge perk, and at least in the 60s it means changing where the pitcher may attack with regularity. Of course, Ham Flanders or a healthy Jack Gibson at second probably ends up with us winning a pennant, but if a few guys step up we can keep a float for the first of two weeks without our best player.

Minor League Report
SS Bill Grimm (B San Jose Cougars); I did all my promotions, including Sam Morrison, last sim, but it turns out there was one more guy that I needed to make room for. Already with an up arrow, 18-year-old Bill Grimm has mastered Class C, slashing .340/.498/.715 (151 OPS+) with 10 doubles, 10 homers, 47 RBIs, 64 runs, and 24 steals. Counting stats are well and good, but most guys his age don't have a 58-to-30 walk-to-strikeout ratio. Or if they do, it's because they're the ones throwing the pitches.

Already ranked 26th among FABL prospects, Grimm is widely regarded as elite, and his current ratings keep on rising. A lock for the dev lab this offseason, he's got an amazing eye, but I'd first love to tap into his power. That's what could separate him from the rest of the top-50 prospects, as he's a plus defender on the left side of the infield who can hit. Don't expect steal numbers like this again, but Grimm is a true athlete who's just beginning to grow into himself. He's able to play in the outfield or infield, potentially best suited for third base, but while he's on the way up our system we will be working on his range. Right now, I don't see him playing good enough defense to displace Tom Halliday, and the arm for third is enticing. In San Jose, he'll start getting reps at the hot corner, as last year's 4th Rounder Sam Pratt has started to catch my eye. At 19, he's got similar current skills to Grimm, but he's a lock defensively for short. Most of the time he'll be an overqualified second basemen, but since both have FABL futures, they both get to be the shortstop.

Just Grimm most of the time. Because he's the infield guy right now. And the only thing stopping me from eternally hating the 1962 draft!

Week 19: August 27th-September 2nd
 

Weekly Record: 1-6
Seasonal Record: 67-59 (5th, 11 GB)
Stars of the Week
Gene Case : 27 AB, 8 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI, .296 AVG, 1.036 OPS
Jim Barton : 23 AB, 7 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .304 AVG, .913 OPS
Bobby Martinez : 24 AB, 8 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .333 AVG, .718 OPS

Schedule
8-27: Loss at Stars (0-2)
8-28: Loss at Stars (2-6)
8-29: Loss vs Foresters (8-4)
8-30: Win vs Foresters (3-8)
9-1: Loss at Saints (1-6)
9-2: Loss at Saints (6-10)

Recap
Streakiest team in baseball!

Dropping six here means we'll win five next week, as after a rare 3-3 week we had to pick one of the extremes. The only win came at home against the Foresters, as we lost both games in LA and Montreal. The Saints continue to be a thorn in our side, despite being on the brink of elimination, and we're now an insurmountable 11 games behind the leading Sailors.

I shouldn't be too surprise, I mean Jerry McMillan was out, and our lineup was much easier to manage. Gene Case did his thing, two more homers to reach 33, a useful 8-for-27 with a double, triple, 5 walks, 6 runs, and 6 RBIs. Our young first basemen surpassed 5 wins above replacement on the season, and he's on track to hit exactly 40 home runs on the season. Jim Barton, Mooney Vetter, and Chappy Sanders joined him with homers, with two of the three actually producing despite the poor record. Vetter didn't, as his solo homer was all of note in a 3-for-20 week, but the other two hit above .300. No walks for either, with Barton 7-for-23 with 2 doubles, a triple, 2 runs, and 4 RBIs, while Chappy was 6-for-19 with a doble. As crazy as it sounds, four singles is a good thing for our catcher, as he wasn't finding holes unless he was plastering the ball. After a poor start to the season, he produced monthly WRC+ of 97, 97, and 107, and somehow in 408 PAs he has an 88. It's not too long ago he was hitting below .200 and striking out 20+% of the time, now batting .251 with a 15.9 K%. In the end, sticking with him panned out, and there's a good chance we won't seek a catcher in the offseason.

For the first time all season, the pen blew up, with runs from Pug White (2.2 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 3 K), Arch Wilson (1.1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, K), Bob Allen (2.2 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, 5 BB), and Earle Turner (5.1 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, BB, 2 K). Pug blowing up surprises me the most, and the only guy to keep runs off the board left his second outing with a minor calf issue. That would be Bob Burdick, 3.1 scoreless innings with a single, walk, strikeout, and hit, lowering his ERA to an impressive 2.83 ERA (159 ERA+) in 66.2 innings pitched. Believe it or not, that's now the best ERA on the staff, and if it stays that way it will come from a guy that I fully expected to waive before the season started. And then after getting a waiver claim. Or at least before the season ended.

But no! Bob Burdick prevailed! The perfect long man!

Looking Ahead
As it always does, a ton of injuries hit us in bunches right when rosters expanded, as five members of the organization got hurt this week. Thankfully, none are season enders, but it did greatly impact our September callups. It also led to be not placing Bob Decker on the IL, as while he is dealing with a sprained elbow, he doesn't play too much anyways. We have an off day this week too, and I'm hoping with limited play he can heal without an IL stint. There's not really a shortstop option to bring up from the minors, and he's out go-to backup at the position. A glove-first 24-year-old, he's not here for the .200/.294/.293 (53 OPS+) batting line, but he's an elite corner infielder and a solid middle one. Occasionally spelling Halliday at short, it's how he got hurt here, as he was starting the game to give our regular his first day off in ten days.

Even with injuries, we had a few guys coming back and a few signing as free agents, allowing us to end up with 28 players on the active roster. An increase of three, we added a pitcher, infielder, and outfielder, though I expect more to come as the month goes on. Starting with the add from outside the organization, I acquired a guy I once traded for George Oddo, 1961 FABL champion Jeep Erickson. Available from the Keystones on waivers, Jeep was once a highly touted power hitter, and in a 56 game debut in 1847 he hit .350/.403/.542 (153 OPS+) with 8 doubles, 3 triples, 9 homers, and 34 RBIs. As good as that was, he was never able to secure much playing time, as he slumped to a 83 WRC+ as a sophomore, and the 452 PAs he put up in year three have remained a career high. In fact, in the past decade he has just 408 FABL plate appearances, but he made at least once in each year for the Keystones. That accounts for all his time in the City of Brotherly Love, but it didn't come close to the 1,437 PAs he had in five seasons as a Miner.

I don't expect Jeep to get many at bats with us, but he's a useful pinch hitter who can still hit at 36. His .229/.267/.375 (65 OPS+) line doesn't inspire too much confidence, but he has a 4 rated gap power and avoid Ks. He's got a decent eye and solid pop, and the lefty swinger may still have some magic left. We just won't let him see the field.

Moe Holt may, as the 34-year-old vet will return to the roster after 75 games with the Blues. His time in Chicago was short, no hits in three separate pinch hit at bats, but Holt does have some positional versatility. For the Blues, he made 20+ appearances at second and first, and I wouldn't mind him at third or left if absolutely necessary. Skilled at putting the ball in play, he hit a near average .257/.317/.410 (101 OPS+) in 252 PAs, doubling 17 times with 23 walks and 25 strikeouts. Still an outstanding baserunner and stealer, he can pinch run or move runners over, and he's the perfect trail runner in a double steal. With one option left, he may be kept as depth, as both William Buttry and Bob Decker are ahead of him in the pecking order.

The lone pitcher is southpaw Doc Cook, who the Blues may quickly miss. Spending a chunk of the season as the stopper, the 25-year-old 4th Rounder was 5-6 with 15 saves, a 1.64 ERA (232 ERA+), 1.26 WHIP, and 53 strikeouts. The ERA obviously jumps off the page, and while some of that is luck, his 3.33 FIP (87 FIP-) is still fond of his work. Debuting for us last season, he's an option for a pen spot in 1963, and if he had more stamina he might have gotten one this year. A diminutive 5'7'' hurler, he's a one inning guy, but worked to a strong 2.96 ERA (152 ERA+) despite a 4.89 FIP (109 FIP-), 1.42 WHIP, and more walks (23) then strikeouts (18). 45.2 of his 68.2 innings came in Chicago, but down in Milwaukee this season he showed more length. He threw 93.1 innings in 58 appearances, including a few outings with seven or more outs. His audition starts early, and with Pug being the only other lefty he could see some innings.

We've got some games too, though the results may not matter too much. I envision us getting swept by the Saints, but after our off-day maybe we can start winning. The three in Toronto are must-win games, as I'm sure we'll struggle with the Kings. At 75-51, they're the only team within five games of first, just three shy of the leading Sailors. Though the most interesting player of the week may be the Wolves' Ed Savage, who currently ranks as the 16th best prospect in baseball. Called up for his debut, the 25-year-old from Benld, Illinois had an excellent debut week. On the 30th he had a stellar 5-for-6, including his first big league homer. Through 31 PAs, he's hit .538/.613/.923 (280 OPS+), and we'll definitely have to be careful of him. Same can be said of the now healthy Phil Colantuono (3-0, 1.90, 21), who looks even better then he did before his forearm inflammation. I think we'll get him in Toronto, and I'm curious to see how our weaker lineup will do with him.

Week 20: September 3rd-September 9th
 

Weekly Record: 5-2
Seasonal Record: 72-61 (5th, 11 GB)
Stars of the Week
Bobby Martinez : 27 AB, 14 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .519 AVG, 1.165 OPS
Pug White : 2 Wins, 7.2 IP, 2 BB, 6 K, 2.35 ERA
Arch Wilson : 1 Win, 2 Saves, 4.0 IP, 1 BB, 6 K, 2.25 ERA

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

Recap
See!?!? Time for the wins!

I swear we're only allowed to have large win/loss gaps, as the 1-6 is almost countered by the 5-1!

The two wins against the Kings may have sunk their season, as the two losses against us pushed them back to five out. Three weeks is not a lot of time, as it looks like the Kings are running out of chances to take the Continental this season.

Second week rookie Bobby Martinez can be directly attributed to the success, as it looks like the Jerry McMillan at home is just as good as advertised. Our fourth ranked prospect had the week of his life, 14-for-27 with 2 steals, 5 RBIs, and 6 runs scored. Martinez also hit his first career homer, a solo shot off Bob Nelson (11-5, 1, 4.25, 112) in the 6th of our 3-2 win, as the rookie helped us avoid the sweep in Montreal. That was one of three, three-hit games this week, and he already had one in a 14-5 loss to the Foresters last week. Off to an excellent start to his pro career, he's hit .431/.463/.490 (147 OPS+) with 3 walks, 3 steals, 8 RBIs, and 9 runs scored. It's going to be tough to move him to the bench when McMillan returns, but he earned himself a third week in the lineup with top level production. If he was struggling, I'd bring regular back today, but despite a single day left to recover I'm keeping McMillan on the IL just one sim longer. When he's back, I'll have to find away to work the 5th overall pick into the outfield mix, but none of the guys in the lineup deserve to lose their playing time at his expense.

Case in point, Jim Barton, who was 8-for-25 with a double, 2 triples, 3 RBIs, and 4 runs scored. That actually lowered his batting average slightly, as he's hit .322/.352/.459 (108 OPS+) with 15 doubles, 8 triples, 11 homers, 42 runs, and 67 RBIs. One day I hope I can get the .338/.393/.569 (151 OPS+) hitter from 1960, but with guys like Martinez and Dode Caudill, he may need to find a home somewhere else. Working in his favor is his consistency, as while guys like Chappy Sanders (6-17, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, 2 R, BB) and Buddy Byrd (6-18, 3 2B, RBI, 3 R, 2 BB) did better then him this week, in most others he gives us better value.

Pug White and Arch Wilson both won their 11th game of the season, which is absolutely baffling considering how our staffs were constructed before the fast-forward. Gone are the days of an elite staff and pen that loves blowing games, as now we have two elite high leverage arms who get the results we need. Pug needed two wins, and it came in a starter-like effort. His 7.2 innings were third most on the team, and along with the wins he had 6 strikeouts with 5 hits, 2 walks, and 2 runs. With 120 innings, he's going to fall short of ERA qualifiers, but among pitchers with more then 100 innings on the season he has a chance to lead the CA, or at least the team. His 3.15 (143 ERA+) is a bit higher then Arch Wilson's 2.91 (155 ERA+), though his has come in 58.2 innings. That's what makes his win total so impressive, as if there was a win per inning stat I'm sure he'd rank towards the top. Used in different ways, they'll both end up with double digit wins and saves, and if we want to compete next year we'll need these two to do this one more time.

Some starters deserve praise too, with Dick Champ, Andy Logue, and Roy Ellis all allowed just two runs in their start. Funny enough, Champ's the only one to win, as he went 8 with 8 hits, 2 walks, and 3 strikeouts. Just 3-3 in his 10 starts with us, his 3.86 ERA (117 ERA+) and 3.94 FIP (87 FIP-)are far more impressive. Even better, he's been unleashed into games, going 110 or more in each of the last three starts. Roy Ellis got an undeserved loss, as our starter with the most wins (9) allowed 4 hits and a walk with 6 strikeouts. His 2.6 K/BB now matches his association high total last year, but it won't come close to the lead in '62. Lastly, Logue got a no-decision in our 4-2 extra inning win, going 7 with 6 hits, 2 walks, and 3 strikeouts. It's nice to see him back on track, even if he hasn't won in his last three starts, and the 4 earned runs he allowed last week were the most in his last six. The rotation is going to start getting crowded, so Logue is doing himself a favor by righting the ship late.

Looking Ahead
So I'm changing the callup strategy, as the Milwaukee Blues are about to take home a Century League title, and I want all the guys to get credit for it on their page. With the season ending Sunday, that means I can't call them up next sim (which has happened) if I want them to get it. That would leave just one week, and for guys like Henry Henderson, Ken Stone, and George McKee, I don't really want to give them just one or two games after a nice long season in Milwaukee. With 28 players, we have plenty of open spots, and we have 30 accounted for with McMillan and the recently recalled Jack Drake. On the Little Rock roster, they're almost better off without him, as the borderline bench bat will hang out on ours for the next few days. He's playing everyday for the Governors, but his .250/.341/.399 (93 OPS+) line is not good enough for a first basemen. Recently 24, he's not a lost cause, but with one option left his time in the organization may be running low. This cup of coffee will give him a chance to prove his case before the offseason, as we may make plenty of changes to our 40-man roster.

A hardworking former 3rd Rounder, he came over from the Pioneers for Foster Smith two years after being drafted. 1959 was his first season in our system, and he got things off in Class B. He worked his way all the way up to AA, and then last season got a callup like this. It got him two appearances, going 0-for-2 with a strikeout as a pinch hitter. Never playing too much at a level, the 478 PAs were his most at one stop in a season. Quick enough that you'd think he'd be good at defense, he's a third basemen who should never see that base, and at 6'2'' he's at least useful at first. The home run power isn't there, but he'll get a lot of extra base hits if he can make contact. That's been a struggle, and so far it's capping his effectiveness. Next season he might get a chance in AAA, but even if we didn't have Gene Case entrenched at first, Drake wouldn't be getting meaningful at bats in Chicago.

The schedule will be manageable, as we face the Kings once more before a quick three game road trip in New York. Games against the Imperials are must wins, and anything less then a sweep is a missed opportunity, but I like our chances over the weekend too. It'll be the first of two against the Cannons, and in Chicago we could pile up some runs on their rotation. I'm pretty sure we're missing Chicagoan Charlie Warren (15-9, 2.98, 159), who is leaps and bounds better then everyone else in the rotation. They can look forward to improvements from the recently 22-year-old Jack Meeks (14-9, 4.32, 125), who has put together a nice two-season career. Warren's stuff is much more impressive, but Meeks commands the zone well and doesn't let up as the game goes on.

Like us, they're looking forward to next season, with the hopes that Jim York's (11-11, 5.51, 95) nightmare season ends. Not only was his ERA over a full run higher then his FIP (4.36), he recently underwent surgery to remove bone chips in his elbow. Another Chicagoan, he was a 20-win All-Star in 1960, but his luck has gone from bad to worse. 26 in February, he's an interesting guy to watch, but he's missed significant time in each of the last two seasons. With a Whitney candidate like Dallas Berry (.321, 37, 113, 14), runs are going to be scored, so having someone like York provide vintage starts can really make a difference in next year's pennant race.

Minor League Report
1B Ed Duncan (AAA Milwaukee Blues): I don't usually highlight veterans in the minors, but when you hit your 1,500th Century League hit, you deserve a shoutout.

Almost all of them came with the independent Denver Bears, but his third of four hits against the St. Paul Disciples on the 6th gave him the large milestone. Now with 1,506 in his Century League career, he's alone at 4th overall, and with a week to go he has a chance for Clyde Peter's 1,512. With no signs of retiring, he should easily pass that, but George Hoosier's 1,604 will be much more difficult. He does have 102 hits this year, but the soon-to-be 37-year-old isn't a long-term piece in the organization. There's no guarantee he keeps the effectiveness either, as a .301/.386/.466 (136 OPS+) line is tough to maintain. Fueled by 20 doubles, 10 homers, 58 RBIs, 50 walks, and 55 runs, he's impressed in his return to a FABL organization, and part of me wants to give the former 15th overall pick a deserved promotion.

Week 21: September 10th-September 17th
 

Weekly Record: 5-2
Seasonal Record: 77-62 (t-4th, 11 GB)
Stars of the Week
Henry Watson : 30 AB, 16 H, 5 HR, 11 RBI, .533 AVG, 1.600 OPS
Buddy Byrd : 21 AB, 10 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .476 AVG, 1.179 OPS
Bobby Martinez : 29 AB, 12 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .414 AVG, .900 OPS

Schedule
9-10: Loss vs Kings (6-4)
9-11: Win at Imperials (8-3)
9-12: Loss at Imperials (5-7): 12 innings
9-13: Win at Imperials (7-5)
9-14: Win vs Cannons (2-7)
9-15: Win vs Cannons (2-11)
9-16: Win vs Cannons (2-8)

Recap
Another five week win for the streaky Cougars, but we didn't make up any ground on the Sailors, and are almost officially eliminated. The best part of the week was our series with the Cannons, where we held them to two runs in every game of the sweep. It certainly makes up for losing to the Imperials in extras, as Pug couldn't quite finish off the three inning win. He got seven outs, charged with 3 hits and a run, striking out 4, but after we took the lead in the 9th, he gave it right back up. Bob Allen helped with 2.1 scoreless innings, but eventually the Imps got two off callup Doc Cook, who was charged with his second career loss. Otherwise, it was a pretty great week, and we'll get Jerry McMillan back for the rest of the year.

Henry Watson put together one of the best weeks I've seen all season, going 16-for-30 with 5 homers, 9 runs, and 11 RBIs, adding a double and steal to seal his second Player of the Week of the season. The 24-year-old is red hot, hitting .367/.387/.700 (173 OPS+) in 14 September games, allowing him to improve his season line to .310/.335/.515 (115 OPS+). Through 135 games he has 25 doubles, 6 triples, 26 homers, 79 runs, and 111 RBIs, proving to be among the best young outfielders in the game.

Watson wasn't alone either, as plenty of bats had excellent weeks. Slugger Gene Case put two more over the fence, 6-for-20 with all but one of his hits fo extra basses. He had a triple and two doubles, adding 6 walks, 6 runs, and 7 RBIs. Buddy Byrd keeps up his nice little streak, 10-for-21 with a double, triple, 2 RBIs, 3 runs, and 4 walks. 4 walks is the most surprising part, as he has just 25 on the season, walking at a 5.2% clip. Rookie Bobby Martinez stayed hot as well, 12-for-29 with a double, a walk, 11 runs, and 3 RBIs. The lefty swinger is averaging over a run per game, 20 in 19 before unfortunately losing his starting spot to the now healthy McMillan. He's still going to get starts in the final two weeks, and he'll have a legitimate chance to poach Jim Barton's spot in 1963. Of course, everyone is worried about Dode Caudill replacing them, so Barton or Martinez could be nice trade pieces while we look to turn this 80 game winner into a champion.

Our rotation was great, and both two-start starters were excellent. Andy Logue won his 9th and 10th game of the season, beating the Imperials and Cannons. Depending on how you judge starts, either could be the better one, as he had a complete game win in New York, but allowed fewer runs in Chicago. With the Imps, he allowed 9 hits, 3 runs, and 2 walks with 4 strikeouts, but considering it took just 118 pitches and he doesn't usually go deep into games, it was an extremely impressive start. But against the Cannons, Logue allowed just 1 run off 7 hits with 3 walks and 5 strikeouts, completing 7 innings before Cuppett went to the pen. For Roy Ellis, it was easy to discern the better start, as when he faced the Cannons, he went all nine. Ellis allowed just 5 hits and 2 runs with 6 strikeouts, improving to 10-5 on the season. He was also the pitcher for our loss to the Kings, but Ellis was not given a decision. He went just 6, allowing 5 hits, 2 runs, and 2 walks with just a single strikeout. Our most effective starter this season, he's got a 3.61 ERA (126 ERA+) and 1.18 WHIP with 134 strikeouts and just 50 walks in 189.2 innings pitched.

Looking Ahead
Games don't matter as much now, as things are all but over, but they count for our record and all the stats read just the same. Off to start the week, we'll open with three in Chicago, hosting the 9th place Wranglers. At 56-83, the 62-77 Saints will be tough to catch, making it likely that Dallas will finish 9th, where they've been most of the year. Winning here is crucial, as after that it's three with the first place Sailors. Even if we sweep them, they're seven up of the Kings, and should be a lock for their first pennant in over a decade. They just saw old pal Zane Kelley do one of the most improbable things, recording a three homer game in a 3-hit shutout. Kelley is one of baseball's worst hitters, entering the game 1-for-55, and he had just one homer in his prior 478 plate appearances. But on September 16th, he drew in his inner Max Morris, hitting a home run on each of his first three swings.

Minor League Report
1B Ed Duncan (AAA Milwaukee Blues): No need to rehash what I wrote last post, but Ed Duncan homered in back-to-back games against the Fort Wayne Warriors to hit his 299th and 300th Century League home run. He's had the second most homers for a while, and I think I've committed to letting him play regularly in Milwaukee for the foreseeable future. In a sense, he's a historic player here, as for ten seasons he was part of the independent Denver Bears. Now affiliated, that team goes by the name Bruins now, the highest level of the Dallas Wrangler system. Duncan was given his release early in the partnership, and after being left unsigned for a few months he finally agreed to sign with us. Now that all six Century League teams are affiliated, there wasn't anyone willing to give him everyday playing time, but now that's finally changed.

2B Rafael Zambrano (B San Jose Cougars): I debated promoting 20-year-old Rafael Zambrano to Rockford, but for his sake it might have been a good thing. He's not happy, but I think being named Player of the Week should cheer him up a little. Going 12-for-21 with a triple and three double, he was the best C-O-W performer. It gave a nice boost to his now .274/.301/.369 (92 OPS+) batting line on the season. A 3.3 BB% has been his downfall, though he does have 20 doubles, 4 triples, 7 homers, 34 RBIs, and 49 runs. A former 3rd Rounder, he's our 20th ranked prospect and inside the top-500 at 426. A versatile bench bat, he's a shortstop that's better at second, and I'm sure he'd pick up third easily. A decent athlete, he has a quick bat and makes hard contact, but he's just not experienced enough at the plate to truly excel at the plate. What works in his favor is his work ethic, as he's always looking for ways to improve his game. It's nice seeing him finish the season with a week like this, as with a big offseason he could work his way into the Wildcat liineup.

RHP John Allen (B San Jose Cougars): Another shutout for John Allen, as the 21-year-old righty was in command from start to finish against the Everett Eagles. Now with one in each of the last three months, this time he allowed 3 hits and 2 walks with 8 strikeouts, improving to 9-15 with a 3.91 ERA (83 ERA+) on the season. One of the least inspiring arms in the #1 rotation, he has the worst ERA of any guy who's made a start, but he seems to be effected by our mediocre defense. He's a true innings eater with nice stuff, and I'm hoping to open a spot for him in Rockford next season. I already sent up Art Ozburn (8-8, 2.56, 110) and Roy Weinberger (2-2, 3.26, 102), but we don't really have many legit pitching prospects. I'm sure some guys will get cut and/or traded, opening up a spot for Allen.

Week 22: September 18th-September 23rd
 

Weekly Record: 3-3
Seasonal Record: 80-65 (5th, 13 GB)
Stars of the Week
John Mitchell : 1 Win, 9.0 IP, 1 BB, 3 K, 0.00 ERA
Henry Watson : 24 AB, 7 H, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .292 AVG, .862 OPS
Jerry McMillan : 25 AB, 7 H, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .280 AVG, .840 OPS

Schedule
9-18: Loss vs Wranglers (5-4)
9-19: Win vs Wranglers (0-2)
9-20: Win vs Wranglers (2-4)
9-21: Loss at Sailors (0-3)
9-22: Loss at Sailors (1-6)
9-23: Win at Sailors (4-3)

Recap
While it's been known for a while, we were officially eliminated from playoff contention this week, fittingly by the Sailors in San Francisco. Then to finish the week, we won our 80th game, fulfilling my "goal" for the team in my first season back. There's a lot to build on, much of which I'll dive in depth into at some point, but no need to get ahead! We still have some games left!

Best performance of the week goes to John Mitchell, who's second half hasn't gone as planned. He was great against the Wranglers, spinning a 6-hit shutout with a walk and 3 strikeouts. His first of the season and the 4th of his career, he lowered his season ERA to 4.36 (104 ERA+) in 30 starts and 200.1 innings. He'll get two more starts, and if he can keep his ERA where it is, he'll finish with four consecutive seasons with an ERA+ above 100.

We pitched pretty well, in the rotation and the pen, with Pug White picking up his 12th win of the season. In a starters workload, he threw 8 innings, allowing 5 hits, a run, and 2 walks with 7 strikeouts. He won't hit the innings qualifier, but our talented stopper has thrown 133.2 innings in 71 appearances, 12-8 with 16 saves, a 3.16 ERA (143 ERA+), 1.19 WHIP, and 104 strikeouts. The only guy with mores strikeouts then him is Roy Ellis, who struck out 2 in a 4-2 win over the Wranglers. He didn't get the decision, 6 innings with 3 hits, 2 runs (1 earned), and a walk, lowering his ERA and WHIP to 3.54 (128 ERA+) and 1.16. A huge breakout from our new #2, he's been one of our most effective pitchers all season, and if his next start lasts 4.2 innings, he'll reach 200 innings for the first time in his career. He's one of the few guys I'm willing to guarantee a rotation spot to next year, and he has a chance to be a fixture in our rotation this decade.

Offensively, not much was done, though our outfield did the best of the bunch. Henry Watson and Jerry McMillan were the only two guys with 10 or more PAs and an OPS+ above 100, and each of them added a home run. Watson was 7-for-24 with a double, triple, walk, 2 RBIs, and 3 runs, while McMillan was 7-for-25 with 2 doubles, a triple, a steals, 3 RBIs, and 4 runs scored. A bit better was Bobby Martinez, though he only made 8 PAs. 3-for-7, he added a walk and RBI, continuing his amazing start to his career. Our last outfielder, Jim Barton, might have had a 97 OPS+, but the 104 WRC+ would make him a little above average. 6-for-17, he added a double, RBI, and two runs. It sucks seeing the offense slump like this, but we did still go 3-3, and two of those losses were against the #1 staff.

Looking Ahead
Nine more games left, six this week, with three hosting the Stars and three in Cleveland. Both teams have more wins then us, with the Stars at 82 and the Foresters at 84. It's going to be tough to end this week on the positive, but anything other then a sweep at this point is acceptable. The games don't really matter, and while we can get to 3rd or 4th, we at least can't fall out of 5th. I want to win as much left as we can, but for the first time all season, we have no-stress games where we can build on what we do for next season.

Week 23: September 24th-September 30th
 

Weekly Record: 4-2
Seasonal Record: 84-67 (t-4th, 13 GB)
Stars of the Week
Tom Halliday : 21 AB, 12 H, 1 HR, 7 RBI, .571 AVG, 1.280 OPS
Henry Watson : 23 AB, 8 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI, .348 AVG, 1.043 OPS
Gene Case : 23 AB, 7 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .304 AVG, .950 OPS

Schedule
9-24: Win vs Stars (3-9)
9-25: Loss vs Stars (5-2)
9-26: Loss vs Stars (8-1)
9-27: Win at Foresters (5-4)
9-28: Win at Foresters (7-3)
9-29: Win at Foresters (6-5)

Recap
This week was certainly a surprise, as after dropping our home series with the Stars, we swept the Foresters to enter a tie with them for 4th. With three games left, the best we can hope for his 3rd, as the Stars are two games ahead of us. More importantly, we could actually win 87 games this years, which seemed impossible at the beginning of the season. 85 would be a nice return to relevance for a team who hasn't won that many since 1948. Which actually feels kind of sad considering how good some of my late teams were.

And they couldn't win more then this bunch!

Two wins would be best, as not only would that be a series win, but it would give us exactly ten more wins then the team last year. That's a nice round number for improvement, and we certainly have the talent to compete. There's a lot of good young players on this roster, and if I can just add a few new complimentary pieces, we could be built for a sustained pennant run.

Best news of the sim is Dixie's "Very High" scouting report of "solid, healthy, valuable second starter, and the ace on some teams" for John Mitchell, but I really appreciate the work Tom Halliday did at the plate. Our glove first shortstop hit his 2nd homer of the season, 12-for-21 with a walk, steal, and 7 RBIs. A down year offensively, Halliday won't be able to move his .278/.325/.350 (74 OPS+) line up much more, and his 81 WRC+ is over twenty points lower then it was last season (102). Still one of the top defenders out there, he provides plenty of value to the team, and if we can get him hitting like this next year, our lineup would get a whole lot longer.

Henry Watson continued his power surge, adding a pair of doubles and homers with 5 runs and 6 RBIs. If he can homer in one of our last three games, he'll record his first career 30-home run season. He finished a 9 homer September with a .346/.364/.664 (159 OPS+) line, short just of his torrid June where that was .412/.459/.745 (205 OPS+). His 119 RBIs are third in FABL, a solid mark for a third year player. He's set career highs in doubles (28), homers, RBIs, hits (177), and PAs (619), with one more series to add to them. If he homers, he'll get to join Case as the first two Cougar teammates to hit 30-homres. 40 is out of reach, unless he gets one a game the rest of the way, but 37 came this week. It snapped a streak of subpar performance, as Case was 7-for-23 with a double, triple, 3 walks, 4 RBIs, and 5 runs scored. He's likely set to finish third in the Continental in home runs, and if he can get two more he'd be alone for the third highest in Cougar history. For now, he's behind teammate Jack Gibson (38, 1959), who could have made a huge impact for us this year.

Looking Ahead
Three games left, as we'll get to host the Saints to finish things off. As crazy as it sounds, this season was really successful, as we got an exciting young shortstop prospect, won a lot of games, and picked up a top quality pitcher. Sure, I fumbled the draft, but it was a weaker class I wasn't too familiar with anyways. I'm still prepping for the '63 draft, but I have a better hold on it then I did for last year. Not sure when it happens or where we will pick, but I'm sure the system will get a nice boost to it no matter where we pick. Plus even if some aren't highly ranked, I picked up a bunch of interesting prospects from minor league signings, adding plenty of depth to a staff devoid of it. We have a lot of work to do, but I'm excited for next season.

It just all starts with Jack Gibson. Please be healthy soon. Please.

He's still the 2nd ranked second basemen!

There were some positives heading out of the season: a winning record, beating on the Foresters late, and, as you stated, some promising prospects. 1963 is the Cougars' season!

Yep plenty to build off of, a lot more then I expected too when returning. Not used to this team being ahead of schedule!

And I say it almost every year, but I'm with you! 1963 is our year!

Week 24: October 1st-October 3rd
 

Weekly Record: 2-1
Seasonal Record: 86-68 (t-4th, 12 GB)
Stars of the Week
Henry Watson : 8 AB, 4 H, 3 HR, 7 RBI, .500 AVG, 2.125 OPS
Andy Logue : 1 Win, 8.0 IP, 3 BB, 8 K, 1.12 ERA
Jim Barton : 8 AB, 4 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .500 AVG, 1.125 OPS

Schedule
10-1: Win vs Saints (5-7)
10-2: Loss vs Saints (7-2)
10-3: Win vs Saints (1-9)

Recap
86.

That's how many games we won this year!

I was hoping for 80 and we surpassed that, and if you told me that we'd finish the season with the same record as the Foresters I'd have been thrilled. In this case, that 4th place and 12 games out of first. Sweeping them on the road allowed us to even our season record with them as well, and since our other 136 games are against the same eight teams, there's absolutely nothing to determined the difference between us.

Except I guess, alphabetically, and since we get the advantage over everyone there, we're listed as the 4th place team. And that's all that matters!

It was nice seeing Andy Logue get a little revenge on his old team too, picking up a win with 8 strong innings. Logue allowed just 4 hits, 3 walks, and a run, striking out 8 to improve to finish his 32 starts 11-17. The record doesn't match his 4.11 ERA (110 ERA+), working to a 1.40 WHIP in 210.1 innings with 80 walks and 126 strikeouts. He's no Ham Flanders (.361, 26, 105, 13), but he started and finished the season well, and he's been really good since coming over in the trade himself. Since being acquired, he's got a 3.70 ERA (122 ERA+) with 308 strikeouts, impressive innings from the almost 30-year-old. We don't need to upgrade the rotation, but Ken Stone is waiting in AAA, and I may want to add an outside arm as insurance. I can rely on Logue to give us innings when his number is called.

I gave former 1st Rounder Bob Allen a chance to make his 17th start, and the 34-year-old rewarded me with his 7th win. He went 7.2 innings, and while he did allow 5 runs, just 2 were earned. He walked 2 and struck out 4, finishing the year with a 5.22 ERA (87 ERA+) and 1.58 WHIP. I wanted a bit more from my former top prospect, but it looks like there will be no late career resurgence as a starter. He's still an option for the pen, with a slightly above average 102 ERA+ in 24.1 innings. I expect us to roll with five pen members all season, and for now he's going to have one of those spots.

Henry Watson almost ruined Hank Williams' (.376, 43, 128), driving in seven runs in his two starts. Just two away from Williams, the Kings slugger is lucky I gave Watson a day off, as he could have easily tied or surpassed Williams win another good game. One of our more productive players, the 24-year-old Watson hit .305/.337/.538 (122 OPS+) in year three, hitting 28 doubles, 7 triples, and 32 homers with 126 RBIs. That helped him finish 2nd in the CA in RBIs, and his 32 homers were 7th most in a season for a Cougar. He joined Gene Case as the fifth and sixth Cougars to homer at least 30 times in a season. They both homered on the final day of the season, so Case ended tied for 3rd in team history with Jack Gibson. His 38 were third in the Conti, and he finished with 26 doubles, 7 triples, 120 runs, 117 RBIs, 96 walks, and 15 strikeouts. Case hit .302/.399/.578 (149 OPS+) worth just shy of 6 WAR (5.9) in 151 games. Emerging as one of the top young players in the league, he ranks as FABL's 17th best player, and I'll give him the third spot on the Whitney ballot to reward his tremendous performance.

Looking Ahead
The St. Louis Pioneers (97-57) and San Francisco Sailors (98-56) are currently tied at one game a piece, as the Sailors are looking to beat the team that's beat them in each of their last three postseason appearances. Most recently in 1951, all the series were in Philadelphia, so perhaps the change in venue can serve them well. Frenchy Mack (25-5, 2.06, 288) and Billy Hasson (20-9, 3.11, 185) will welcome the Sailors to St. Louis, while game five is uncertain. Charlie Lawson (16-10, 4.02, 169) won game one and is expected to pitch game five, with Walt Zecher making the bold choice of pitching stopper Eddie Chapman (8-12, 23, 3.50, 66) in game three. This pushed Hank Lacey (15-8, 4.10, 143) back to game four, but I have to imagine Zane Kelley (14-7, 4.49, 114) comes in during Chapman's start.

Meanwhile, I have stuff I can work on at my own pace, including a Minor League Report. Despite not starting as a highly ranked farm, we're up to 6th, in large part to Dode Caudill (3rd) and my first pick back Bill Grimm (24th). We won a lot of games has an organization, with all five teams winning more games then they lost. Just one ended up with a title, but this year allowed me to get more acquainted with our system and uncover a few hidden gems. Not all of these guys will have a standing in our prospect lists, but now that we can see currents, it's a little easier to see some of the guys they might be missing. Unlike most seasons, a lot of older guys took a lot of opportunities, but with one more draft class we should have enough young talent to move most of them to AAA or a reserve role.