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reds1 · 07-21-2015, 09:21 PM

January 1, 1939

Eastern League: The Free-For-All Continues

After picking things up in November, the Brunswick Legends broke it open in December, putting up a 19-8 record and moving into top spot in the Eastern League. While their offense has held steady (3rd-4th ranked), their pitching and defense improved across the board – especially their overall ERA (from 6th to 2nd).

The starting rotation really stepped it up, particularly LHP Mathew Monroe (7-3, 2.20 ERA, 1.22 WHIP) who went 3-1, 1.67 in December, RHP Roger Battle (4-8, 3.85 ERA, 1.48 WHIP) – 5-2, 2.13 and LHP Rob Fields (7-5, 4.32 ERA, 1.69 WHIP) – 4-3, 2.73. Fields was acquired last month from the Cobourg Red Stockings.

On offense, 2B Matthew Shelley (.315/.367/.438, 5 HR, 46 RBI, 44 R, 25 BB) and RF Rovilson Valdevieso (.325/.357/.516, 9 HR, 42 RBI, 45 R, 16 BB, 13 SB) lead the charge.

Key Injuries: None.

Performance Highlights: Contributing to the team’s success this month was two Legends:
40-year old relief pitcher RHP Tong-yeop Lee (8-4, 8 SV, 3.00ERA, 1.26 WHIP) who won Pitcher of the Month Honours and 25-year old 1B Rubén Sánchez (.305/.355/.432, 6 HR, 36 RBI, 48 R, 23 BB) who earned Batter of the Month honours.

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Like the month before, the Braeland City Monarchs went 14-12 in December. As other teams faltered behind the Legends, the Monarchs were able to keep within a game of top spot. Offensively, the Monarchs continue to rank 1st in a slew of categories, whereas their pitching and defense ranks average to slightly below average. 25-year old SS Adam Ashley (.315/.361/.452, 4 HR, 40 RBI, 49 R, 23 BB) continued his impressive play, winning his third consecutive rookie of the month award.
The Monarchs are a team led by two dynamic youngsters: Adam Ashley, who was rated as the #6 prospect in the ULB at the start of the season, and 22-year old 2B Trevor Bolen (.311/.353/.481, 8 HR, 43 RBI, 40 R, 21 BB), the first overall pick in last season’s amateur draft.
Supporting them is 31-year old 3B Louie Hetherington (.325/.416/.453, 8 HR, 41 RBI, 51 R, 50 BB).

Key Injuries: None.

Performance Highlight: Trevor Bolen became the third player in United League history to hit for the cycle. He did on December 20 against the Stratford Barons. Bolen started off with a solo-shot off Justin Hayhurst in 1st, flied out in the 3rd, hit an RBI triple in the 5th, hit an RBI double in the 7th and hit a two-run single in the 9th. Despite his effort, the Monarchs fell to the Barons, 6-5.

Key Trade: The Monarchs pulled the trigger on a major trade with the Hespeler Stars on December 20. The Monarchs received 28-year old all-star C Kane Broom (79/79 – .334/.364/.439, 3 HR, 48 RBI, 34 R, 15 BB). In return, the Stars received four minor league players: No. 17 overall prospect, 23-year old SP LHP Gavin Hewat (23/62), 19-year old C Bob Spivey (23/52), 22-year old RF Roberto Juárez (22/23), 20-year old 1B Héctor Gutiérrez (21/34) and 23-year old C Tsuneari Sato (22/23).
The Monarchs now have the 2nd highest rated catcher in the ULB, behind only Kingston’s Cereneo Tolentino.

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After two strong months, the Embro Suns ran out of steam in December, limping to an 11-14 record and falling 1.5 games out of first place. They remain a fairly strong offensive team (2nd in the EL) and are decent in pitching (3rd-4th), but they are struggling in defensive efficiency (8th). Complicating matters for them is a serious injury to one of their top offensive players, 2B Alejandro Valdés (.358/.410/.503, 21-2B, 33 RBI, 55 R, 31 BB, 10 SB).
Besides Valdés, 33-year old RF Paul Hooks (.309/.380/.559, 17 HR, 67 RBI, 56 R, 36 BB) is having a fine season as well. Hooks is rated the #1 RF in the ULB.

Key Injuries: 35-year old all-star Alejandro Valdés, who is the top-rated 2B in the leagues, suffered a torn back muscle while throwing the ball in a game against the Stratford Barons on December 23. He will miss 3-4 months. Replacing him for now in the lineup is the 16th rated 2B in the ULB, 26-year old Darren Blume (.274/.338/.355, 3-2B, 11 RBI, 8 R, 7 BB, 3 SB).
35-year old back-up OF Dominic Aston (.247/.316/.316, 3-2B, 4 RBI, 10 R, 8 BB) sprained his ankle in a game against the Queensland Eagles. He will miss 4 weeks.

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Like the Embro Suns, the Stratford Barons stumbled in December, going 12-15, after starting the season with two solid months. They still remain very much in the thick of things, just 2 games back of first, and one back of the wild card. The Barons’ pitching continued to be their strength, ranking first in the East in ERA (3.38), starters’ ERA (3.53) and bullpen ERA (2.51).
Four of their five starters are lefties. 34-year old Justin Hayhurst (9-6, 2.21 ERA, 1.21 WHIP) is the ace, while 34-year old Kazuhiko Chikafuji (9-5, 2.62 ERA, 1.28 WHIP) pitches third. 29-year old Barry Brear (1-0, 6 SV, 1.38 ERA, 1.14 WHIP) was recently promoted from the bullpen to the rotation as the fifth starter.

Key Injuries: None.

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As anticipated, the Queensland Eagles began to fade in December, finishing the month with a 11-15 record to fall one game below .500 and 6.5 games out of first place. They are simply not a very good team overall, currently rated 7th - 8th on offense as well as on pitching and defense. They have some nice pieces, but not enough depth and a few too many players are having below average seasons. It’s the little things that are taking their toll on the Eagles. 27-year old SP Max MacColl (9-5, 3.43 ERA, 1.26 WHIP) is one of the league’s top pitchers, but he had a bit of an off month in December, going 2-2, 4.12; while 28-year old Ross New (3-9, 5.00 ERA, 1.78 WHIP) imploded, going 0-4, 6.48. Missing 31-year old SP Stewart Colcott (7-7, 3.86 ERA, 1.33 WHIP) for a couple of weeks due to an injury did not help things. He has been hot since his return to the rotation.
While 23-year old SS Katsunan Chikafuji (.288/.349/.483, 11 HR, 36 RBI, 49 R, 32 BB) continues to lead the Eagles’ offense, his production is down just a bit from last season. The rest of lineup has follow suit, and it’s taking a toll on Queensland’s fortunes in the standings.

Key Injuries: SP-RHP Stewart Colcott missed two weeks in December due to a tired arm suffered in a game against the Wellington Athletics on December 15. He returned to the rotation on December 30 and pitched a 6-hit shutout against the Braeland City Monarchs.

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The Downie Chiefs appear to be living in denial. On November 30, the front office signalled that they were concentrating on a ‘win now’ approach to the season. The Chiefs are indeed separating themselves from the other teams chasing for a playoff spot, but not in a good way. The club promptly went 10-15 in December. The result is that the Chiefs are now 4 games below .500 and 8.0 games out of first. Their offensive rankings reflect perfectly their struggles, ranking 6th-8th. They are somewhat better on the pitching side of things (4th-5th), but are dead last in home runs allowed and strikeouts.
The Chiefs are blessed with a solid starting three in the rotation. RHP Frank Leadbeater (9-7, 2.73 ERA, 1.11 WHIP) pitched two shutouts in December, both against the Embro Suns. RHP Bradley Paris (6-7, 3.30 ERA, 1.25 WHIP) and LHP Robert Renton (10-5, 3.16 ERA, 1.31 WHIP) provide able support. However, there is a steep drop off after them in the rotation and bullpen.
Downie also has three fine position players taking the lead offensively. But after 2B Wayne Balmer (.319/.373/.450, 5 HR, 34 RBI, 52 R, 27 BB 9 SB), 3B Andy Johnson (.348/.379/.447, 3 HR, 49 RBI, 47 R, 15 BB) and 1B Jeaic Risbrough (.318/.402/.479, 9 HR, 37 RBI, 38 R, 28 BB), there is also a big drop off in production.

Key Injuries: CF Lenny Wyatt (.279/.315/.382, 2 HR, 25 RBI, 30 R, 13 BB) suffered shoulder swelling after throwing the ball in a blowout loss to the Brunswick Legends on December 12. He returned to the lineup on the last day of the month.
Back-up C Ala’ bin Kasim (.300/.323/.400, 3-2B, 2 RBI, 3 R, 1 BB) suffered strained neck muscles in a collision against the Wellington Athletics on December 16. He missed two weeks.

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Wellington Athletics’ lackluster season continued in December, as they went 13-12. They remain 8 games back of Brunswick for first place and 4 games below .500.
They range from 3rd to 5th in a host of offensive categories and continue to lead the ULB in stolen bases by a comfortable margin. But their pitching performance has regressed, falling to 6th in most categories.
29-year old Clyde Boney (7-9, 3.69 ERA, 1.34 WHIP), who finished 2nd in last season’s Satchel Paige Award voting (when he went 19-5, 2.42 ERA, 1.12 WHIP), is not doing as well this year. In fact, none of the Athletics pitchers are doing anything to write home about.
On the other hand, 36-year old RF Quentin Stubber (.314/.456/.508, 4 HR, 30 RBI, 49 R, 50 BB, 10 SB) is having an outstanding season. Unfortunately, he is out for several weeks.
That leaves 30-year old LF Bob Boynton (.332/.427/.500, 5 HR, 40 RBI, 40 R, 42 BB), the #1 rated LF in the ULB and 2B Ryley McLarnon (.319/.343/.426, 1 HR, 48 RBI, 45 R, 13 BB, 14 SB) to try and hold the fort offensively in Wellington.

Key Injuries: 34-year old SP Michael Hanley (5-8, 5.51 ERA, 1.70 WHIP) tore a knee joint in a game against the Downie Chiefs on December 24. He is out for 4 weeks.
Quentin Stubber badly sprained his ankle on December 26 in a game against the Braeland City Monarchs. He is expected to miss 5 weeks.

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The Cobourg Red Stockings enjoyed their second consecutive month with an above .500 record, going 14-13. But they still remain in last place, 10 games back of Brunswick.
Overall, the pitching has been abysmal. While ace SP Joel Fearn (9-8, 3.75 ERA, 1.17 WHIP) was outstanding in December (4-1, 2.25), others, like Trevor Penaligan (5-10, 5.04 ERA, 1.66 WHIP) in particular, were not (0-5, 5.79).
While he has struggled in a few games since coming back, he did pitch a complete game shut-out against the Pulberry Trolleys on November 12, picking up the win in an 8-0 victory. Fearn allowed 5 hits, 3 BB and struck out 3.
The offense has not been overly dominant either, but are some fine players, such as C Dave Wilson (.282/.340/.436, 8 HR, 38 RBI, 38 R, 25 BB), RF Brian Herdman (.333/.404/.481, 2 HR, 26 RBI, 45 R, 23 BB) and 2B Matthew Lane (.288/.364/.481, 12 HR, 40 RBI, 43 R, 35 BB).

Key Injuries: None.

Key Trades: The Red Stockings made one final trade before the deadline, picking up 37-year old RP Larry Parrish (80/80 – 5-3, 2 SV, 2.82 ERA, 1.53 WHIP) from the Pulberry Trolleys on December 14. For his services, Cobourg shipped minor leaguers 22-year old SP Patrick Tennant (20/66), 20-year old 1B Lance Beamish (21/42), 20-year old RP Morgan Tice (20/63) and 22-year old RF Rory Brear (22/22).
Tennant is considered the #2 overall prospect in the ULB, and the #1 pitching prospect. Parrish is a very good relief pitcher, but he’s still just a relief pitcher and to me it seems like the Red Stockings gave up too much. I don’t see this helping them move up the standings anytime soon. Tennant’s potential ratings did drop to 66 from 78 in the latest report, so perhaps Cobourg felt he wasn’t going to pan out.

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07-21-2015, 09:21 PM	#106
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,919	January 1, 1939 Eastern League: The Free-For-All Continues After picking things up in November, the Brunswick Legends broke it open in December, putting up a 19-8 record and moving into top spot in the Eastern League. While their offense has held steady (3rd-4th ranked), their pitching and defense improved across the board – especially their overall ERA (from 6th to 2nd). The starting rotation really stepped it up, particularly LHP Mathew Monroe (7-3, 2.20 ERA, 1.22 WHIP) who went 3-1, 1.67 in December, RHP Roger Battle (4-8, 3.85 ERA, 1.48 WHIP) – 5-2, 2.13 and LHP Rob Fields (7-5, 4.32 ERA, 1.69 WHIP) – 4-3, 2.73. Fields was acquired last month from the Cobourg Red Stockings. On offense, 2B Matthew Shelley (.315/.367/.438, 5 HR, 46 RBI, 44 R, 25 BB) and RF Rovilson Valdevieso (.325/.357/.516, 9 HR, 42 RBI, 45 R, 16 BB, 13 SB) lead the charge. Key Injuries: None. Performance Highlights: Contributing to the team’s success this month was two Legends: 40-year old relief pitcher RHP Tong-yeop Lee (8-4, 8 SV, 3.00ERA, 1.26 WHIP) who won Pitcher of the Month Honours and 25-year old 1B Rubén Sánchez (.305/.355/.432, 6 HR, 36 RBI, 48 R, 23 BB) who earned Batter of the Month honours. -------- Like the month before, the Braeland City Monarchs went 14-12 in December. As other teams faltered behind the Legends, the Monarchs were able to keep within a game of top spot. Offensively, the Monarchs continue to rank 1st in a slew of categories, whereas their pitching and defense ranks average to slightly below average. 25-year old SS Adam Ashley (.315/.361/.452, 4 HR, 40 RBI, 49 R, 23 BB) continued his impressive play, winning his third consecutive rookie of the month award. The Monarchs are a team led by two dynamic youngsters: Adam Ashley, who was rated as the #6 prospect in the ULB at the start of the season, and 22-year old 2B Trevor Bolen (.311/.353/.481, 8 HR, 43 RBI, 40 R, 21 BB), the first overall pick in last season’s amateur draft. Supporting them is 31-year old 3B Louie Hetherington (.325/.416/.453, 8 HR, 41 RBI, 51 R, 50 BB). Key Injuries: None. Performance Highlight: Trevor Bolen became the third player in United League history to hit for the cycle. He did on December 20 against the Stratford Barons. Bolen started off with a solo-shot off Justin Hayhurst in 1st, flied out in the 3rd, hit an RBI triple in the 5th, hit an RBI double in the 7th and hit a two-run single in the 9th. Despite his effort, the Monarchs fell to the Barons, 6-5. Key Trade: The Monarchs pulled the trigger on a major trade with the Hespeler Stars on December 20. The Monarchs received 28-year old all-star C Kane Broom (79/79 – .334/.364/.439, 3 HR, 48 RBI, 34 R, 15 BB). In return, the Stars received four minor league players: No. 17 overall prospect, 23-year old SP LHP Gavin Hewat (23/62), 19-year old C Bob Spivey (23/52), 22-year old RF Roberto Juárez (22/23), 20-year old 1B Héctor Gutiérrez (21/34) and 23-year old C Tsuneari Sato (22/23). The Monarchs now have the 2nd highest rated catcher in the ULB, behind only Kingston’s Cereneo Tolentino. -------- After two strong months, the Embro Suns ran out of steam in December, limping to an 11-14 record and falling 1.5 games out of first place. They remain a fairly strong offensive team (2nd in the EL) and are decent in pitching (3rd-4th), but they are struggling in defensive efficiency (8th). Complicating matters for them is a serious injury to one of their top offensive players, 2B Alejandro Valdés (.358/.410/.503, 21-2B, 33 RBI, 55 R, 31 BB, 10 SB). Besides Valdés, 33-year old RF Paul Hooks (.309/.380/.559, 17 HR, 67 RBI, 56 R, 36 BB) is having a fine season as well. Hooks is rated the #1 RF in the ULB. Key Injuries: 35-year old all-star Alejandro Valdés, who is the top-rated 2B in the leagues, suffered a torn back muscle while throwing the ball in a game against the Stratford Barons on December 23. He will miss 3-4 months. Replacing him for now in the lineup is the 16th rated 2B in the ULB, 26-year old Darren Blume (.274/.338/.355, 3-2B, 11 RBI, 8 R, 7 BB, 3 SB). 35-year old back-up OF Dominic Aston (.247/.316/.316, 3-2B, 4 RBI, 10 R, 8 BB) sprained his ankle in a game against the Queensland Eagles. He will miss 4 weeks. -------- Like the Embro Suns, the Stratford Barons stumbled in December, going 12-15, after starting the season with two solid months. They still remain very much in the thick of things, just 2 games back of first, and one back of the wild card. The Barons’ pitching continued to be their strength, ranking first in the East in ERA (3.38), starters’ ERA (3.53) and bullpen ERA (2.51). Four of their five starters are lefties. 34-year old Justin Hayhurst (9-6, 2.21 ERA, 1.21 WHIP) is the ace, while 34-year old Kazuhiko Chikafuji (9-5, 2.62 ERA, 1.28 WHIP) pitches third. 29-year old Barry Brear (1-0, 6 SV, 1.38 ERA, 1.14 WHIP) was recently promoted from the bullpen to the rotation as the fifth starter. Key Injuries: None. -------- As anticipated, the Queensland Eagles began to fade in December, finishing the month with a 11-15 record to fall one game below .500 and 6.5 games out of first place. They are simply not a very good team overall, currently rated 7th - 8th on offense as well as on pitching and defense. They have some nice pieces, but not enough depth and a few too many players are having below average seasons. It’s the little things that are taking their toll on the Eagles. 27-year old SP Max MacColl (9-5, 3.43 ERA, 1.26 WHIP) is one of the league’s top pitchers, but he had a bit of an off month in December, going 2-2, 4.12; while 28-year old Ross New (3-9, 5.00 ERA, 1.78 WHIP) imploded, going 0-4, 6.48. Missing 31-year old SP Stewart Colcott (7-7, 3.86 ERA, 1.33 WHIP) for a couple of weeks due to an injury did not help things. He has been hot since his return to the rotation. While 23-year old SS Katsunan Chikafuji (.288/.349/.483, 11 HR, 36 RBI, 49 R, 32 BB) continues to lead the Eagles’ offense, his production is down just a bit from last season. The rest of lineup has follow suit, and it’s taking a toll on Queensland’s fortunes in the standings. Key Injuries: SP-RHP Stewart Colcott missed two weeks in December due to a tired arm suffered in a game against the Wellington Athletics on December 15. He returned to the rotation on December 30 and pitched a 6-hit shutout against the Braeland City Monarchs. -------- The Downie Chiefs appear to be living in denial. On November 30, the front office signalled that they were concentrating on a ‘win now’ approach to the season. The Chiefs are indeed separating themselves from the other teams chasing for a playoff spot, but not in a good way. The club promptly went 10-15 in December. The result is that the Chiefs are now 4 games below .500 and 8.0 games out of first. Their offensive rankings reflect perfectly their struggles, ranking 6th-8th. They are somewhat better on the pitching side of things (4th-5th), but are dead last in home runs allowed and strikeouts. The Chiefs are blessed with a solid starting three in the rotation. RHP Frank Leadbeater (9-7, 2.73 ERA, 1.11 WHIP) pitched two shutouts in December, both against the Embro Suns. RHP Bradley Paris (6-7, 3.30 ERA, 1.25 WHIP) and LHP Robert Renton (10-5, 3.16 ERA, 1.31 WHIP) provide able support. However, there is a steep drop off after them in the rotation and bullpen. Downie also has three fine position players taking the lead offensively. But after 2B Wayne Balmer (.319/.373/.450, 5 HR, 34 RBI, 52 R, 27 BB 9 SB), 3B Andy Johnson (.348/.379/.447, 3 HR, 49 RBI, 47 R, 15 BB) and 1B Jeaic Risbrough (.318/.402/.479, 9 HR, 37 RBI, 38 R, 28 BB), there is also a big drop off in production. Key Injuries: CF Lenny Wyatt (.279/.315/.382, 2 HR, 25 RBI, 30 R, 13 BB) suffered shoulder swelling after throwing the ball in a blowout loss to the Brunswick Legends on December 12. He returned to the lineup on the last day of the month. Back-up C Ala’ bin Kasim (.300/.323/.400, 3-2B, 2 RBI, 3 R, 1 BB) suffered strained neck muscles in a collision against the Wellington Athletics on December 16. He missed two weeks. -------- Wellington Athletics’ lackluster season continued in December, as they went 13-12. They remain 8 games back of Brunswick for first place and 4 games below .500. They range from 3rd to 5th in a host of offensive categories and continue to lead the ULB in stolen bases by a comfortable margin. But their pitching performance has regressed, falling to 6th in most categories. 29-year old Clyde Boney (7-9, 3.69 ERA, 1.34 WHIP), who finished 2nd in last season’s Satchel Paige Award voting (when he went 19-5, 2.42 ERA, 1.12 WHIP), is not doing as well this year. In fact, none of the Athletics pitchers are doing anything to write home about. On the other hand, 36-year old RF Quentin Stubber (.314/.456/.508, 4 HR, 30 RBI, 49 R, 50 BB, 10 SB) is having an outstanding season. Unfortunately, he is out for several weeks. That leaves 30-year old LF Bob Boynton (.332/.427/.500, 5 HR, 40 RBI, 40 R, 42 BB), the #1 rated LF in the ULB and 2B Ryley McLarnon (.319/.343/.426, 1 HR, 48 RBI, 45 R, 13 BB, 14 SB) to try and hold the fort offensively in Wellington. Key Injuries: 34-year old SP Michael Hanley (5-8, 5.51 ERA, 1.70 WHIP) tore a knee joint in a game against the Downie Chiefs on December 24. He is out for 4 weeks. Quentin Stubber badly sprained his ankle on December 26 in a game against the Braeland City Monarchs. He is expected to miss 5 weeks. -------- The Cobourg Red Stockings enjoyed their second consecutive month with an above .500 record, going 14-13. But they still remain in last place, 10 games back of Brunswick. Overall, the pitching has been abysmal. While ace SP Joel Fearn (9-8, 3.75 ERA, 1.17 WHIP) was outstanding in December (4-1, 2.25), others, like Trevor Penaligan (5-10, 5.04 ERA, 1.66 WHIP) in particular, were not (0-5, 5.79). While he has struggled in a few games since coming back, he did pitch a complete game shut-out against the Pulberry Trolleys on November 12, picking up the win in an 8-0 victory. Fearn allowed 5 hits, 3 BB and struck out 3. The offense has not been overly dominant either, but are some fine players, such as C Dave Wilson (.282/.340/.436, 8 HR, 38 RBI, 38 R, 25 BB), RF Brian Herdman (.333/.404/.481, 2 HR, 26 RBI, 45 R, 23 BB) and 2B Matthew Lane (.288/.364/.481, 12 HR, 40 RBI, 43 R, 35 BB). Key Injuries: None. Key Trades: The Red Stockings made one final trade before the deadline, picking up 37-year old RP Larry Parrish (80/80 – 5-3, 2 SV, 2.82 ERA, 1.53 WHIP) from the Pulberry Trolleys on December 14. For his services, Cobourg shipped minor leaguers 22-year old SP Patrick Tennant (20/66), 20-year old 1B Lance Beamish (21/42), 20-year old RP Morgan Tice (20/63) and 22-year old RF Rory Brear (22/22). Tennant is considered the #2 overall prospect in the ULB, and the #1 pitching prospect. Parrish is a very good relief pitcher, but he’s still just a relief pitcher and to me it seems like the Red Stockings gave up too much. I don’t see this helping them move up the standings anytime soon. Tennant’s potential ratings did drop to 66 from 78 in the latest report, so perhaps Cobourg felt he wasn’t going to pan out. -------- __________________ United Leagues of Braeland Last edited by reds1; 07-01-2017 at 10:09 PM.