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reds1 · 11-02-2015, 12:00 AM

March 31, 1941

Western League: Pelicans, Cannons Limp Into Playoffs

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The Kingston Pelicans finished in first place in the West comfortably, 15.0 games up on Cambria. However, the Pelicans lost some steam towards the end, finishing February-March with a 25-26 record. Whether that’s simply the team easing up due to the commanding lead they enjoyed this season or hints toward a more disturbing trend remains to be seen. The offense remained top-notch in the West (.285/.356/.435 – 1st/1st/1st), and so has the pitching staff, with the exception of the bullpen (3.66/3.40/5.20 – 1st/1st/8th). Kingston finished third in defensive efficiency (.702).

Top Position Player – Season: 29-year old SS Okura Ito was the top Pelican on offense and was solid on defense as well, batting .323/.364/.516, 29 HR, 126 RBI, 102 R, 45 BB, 7.1 WAR.

Top Pitcher – Season: 33-year old SP Brady Murdy made this selection easy. In 1940/41, Murdy went 25-10, 2.91 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 8.9 WAR. However, he struggled in February and March, going 2-4, 5.24 ERA and 2-4, 4.67 ERA respectively. Despite that, Murdy set a number of United League records this season, in wins (25), complete games (31), shutouts (8) and innings pitched (322.0).

Key Injury: SP Francis Slocock (10-6, 3.83 ERA, 1.09 WHIP) suffered elbow inflammation back on January 24. He is lost for the season (4 more weeks).

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The playoffs are a new season, and for the Cambria Cannons, that has significant meaning. They made the playoffs and can now try and put the struggles of the regular season behind them. The second half of the season saw them lose more games than they won (34-42) and only the continued struggles of the teams behind them in the standings helped the defending United Cup Champions return to the playoffs. Not only that, but their ace pitcher, 37-year old Neil Guerin, who won the 1938/39 Satchel Paige Award and is a 4-time all-star has regressed severely and finds himself in the bullpen for the playoffs.
But there are some positive signs. LF Ron Westmacott is due back from an extended injury in a couple of days and they are a fairly balanced team. Their offense hung in despite the injuries (.276/.342/.401 – 2nd/2nd/3rd) and their pitching continued to improve (3.84/4.00/3.00 – 2nd/3rd/1st).

Top Position Player – Season: 31-year old LF Joe Olver had a great season in 1939/40, but he was even better this season, batting .326/.363/.486, 13 HR, 79 RBI, 90 R, 36 BB, 5.6 WAR and providing rock-solid defense in the field.

Top Pitcher – Season: 29-year old SP Bradley Dodson was Cambria’s most consistent pitcher this season, going 18-11, 3.87 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 4.7 WAR.

Key Injuries: LF Ron Westmacott (.321/.442/.603, 4 HR, 26 RBI, 33 R, 28 BB) should be back in 2 more days after suffering torn ankle ligaments back in November.

35-year old B Kenneth Logan (.260/.326/.396, 13 HR, 73 RBI, 75 R, 54 BB, 1.9 WAR) sprained his finger in a game against the Pulbery Trolleys back on March 23. He is expected back in a week.

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The Fort Richmond Generals were a bit like Jekyll and Hyde, struggling in February, only to finish strong in March. Despite their fourth consecutive losing season, this season represented their best so far. They will need to improve offensively (.262/.318/.384 – 6th/8th/6th), but their pitching was a strength (389/3.96/3.42 – 3rd/2nd/2nd). They were the top defensive team in the West (.706).

Top Position Player - Season: 22-year old C Danny Trowbridge came into his own this season, batting .299/.334/.488, 15 HR, 92 RBI, 70 R, 26 BB, 4.8 WAR. He won his first Player of the Month honour in February.

Top Pitcher – Season: 27-year old SP Oscar Burruss was Fort Richmond’s top pitcher, going 15-11, 2.77 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 7.2 WAR.

Key Injuries: None.

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Like the Fort Richmond Generals, the Wolseley Unions suffered through a nightmarish February before rebounding in March. And like the Generals, the Unions enjoyed their best season, reaching 70+ victories. Now the challenge is to get above .500 on the season.
The Unions have some work to do, as the offense needs to pick it up a bit (.261/.323/.396 – 8th/6th/5th) as does the pitching (4.25/4.29/4.14 – 5th/5th/4th). Defensively, they were very good (.705- 2nd).

Top Position Player – Season: A tough choice between 22-year old CF Zak Kidd (.277/.331/.494, 25 HR, 87 RBI, 98 R, 43 BB, 25 SB, 5.6 WAR) and 27-year old SS Rubén Sánchez. Both were just outstanding defensively, but I’ll go with Sánchez, who batted .299/.346/.440, 12 HR, 82 RBI, 96 R, 49 BB, 5.2 WAR.

Top Pitcher - Season: 21-year old SP Aaron Saunderson, the former first round pick from 1937/38, is emerging as Wolseley’s ace. This season he went 11-13, 3 SV, 3.10 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 3.2 WAR.

Key Injuries: None.

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The Sherburn Tigers’ season ended in a whimper, losing 32 games and finishing in 5th place in a weak Western League. The Tigers have some nice pieces in their farm system, especially SP Gavin Wormersley (57/79) who is the top-rated pitching prospect in the United Leagues. But Sherburn could use more young talent like that to really make some noise in the West.
Sherburn’s offense got weaker near the end (.269/.336/.372 – 5th/3rd/8th) and their pitching overall could use some beefing up (4.47/4.54/4.09 – 6th/6th/3rd).

Top Position Player - Season: 34-year old 1B Isaac Harker got a chance to start regularly this season and emerged as arguably Sherburn’s best player, batting .343/.430/.437, 7 HR, 52 RBI, 63 R, 62 BB, 3.5 WAR, combined with good defense (1.022 EFF).

Top Pitcher - Season: SP Myung-gu Son may be the ace on the staff and won the WAR race (4.2) for pitchers, but 25-year old RP Daniel Pierson was Sherburn’s best overall pitcher, going 16-9, 9 SV, 3.77 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 0.5 WAR. He should be heading to the rotation in the not-too-distant future.

Key Injuries: None.
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The Balmoral Giants rebounded in February and March, winning 29 games verses 22 losses. It’s no coincidence that their improved play coincided with the improved play of veteran SP Dave Mapp. No doubt he took my recent criticism of his play to heart and responded with two great months, winning back-to-back Pitcher of the Month honours, his 2nd and 3rd on the season.
The Giants, offense was fairly good this year (.272/.324/.409 – 4th/5th/2nd), but their pitching is an area that needs to be addressed (5.04/5.15/4.65 – 8th/8th/6th). It improved slightly towards the end of the season, but not enough to help this team get out of the second division. Their defense was rated the worst in the West (.679) as well.

Top Position Player - Season: He’s still only 22-years old, but SS Francisco Rodríguez was head and shoulders the Giants’ top offensive player, batting .317/.362/.473, 8 HR, 70 RBI, 91 R, 44 BB, 6.1 WAR with tremendous defense at shortstop (1.060 EFF).

Top Pitcher – Season: How does a pitcher with a 5.18 ERA get the nod as a team’s best pitcher? You do if you’re SP Dave Mapp, who was all over the map this season. After starting off with a bang, Mapp went into a bad slump, but then rebounded in the final two months to return as the Western League’s top pitcher. Overall, Mapp went 15-14, 5.18 ERA, 1.74 ERA, 2.3 WAR.

Key Injuries: 39-year old 1B Roger Tyler (.277/.317/.393, 2 HR, 30 RBI, 46 R, 18 BB) injured himself while running the bases back on January 2. He broke a bone in his elbow and will be out of commission for another 3 months.

29-year old SP Simon Parker (6-9, 5.04 ERA, 1.68 WHIP, 1.2 WAR) suffered torn biceps back on February 8 in a game against the Embro Suns. He should be returning in 4 months.

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The Pulberry Trolleys went 26-24 in the final two months of the season, but they still finished near the bottom of the standings. All signs indicate that they will continue to struggle as they need more young talent to improve their fortunes. Their offense got a little better towards the end, but that is faint praise at best (.261/.322/.372 – 7th/7th/7th). Their pitching is a little better, but still could use an upgrade (4.23/4.18/4.51 – 4th/4th/5th).

Top Position Player – Season: Not a great season offensively for the Trolleys. Former first overall pick SS Wenceslas Jasmim was Pulberry’s best player, batting .273/.308/.408, 7 HR, 69 RBI, 8 R, 32 BB, 3.4 WAR, combined with solid defense.

Top Pitcher – Season: 36-year old SP Nathaniel Schwer was his team’s best pitcher, going 13-10, 3.75 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 2.9 WAR.

Key Injuries: None.

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The Hespeler Stars slipped back into last place for the third consecutive year. Will it be their last bottom feeder finish for the foreseeable future? Time will tell. But sooner or later, one of these prospect rich teams is going to emerge as a new force in the West. Not just this season. The offense was not that bad (.276/.331/.401 – 3rd/4th/4th) but the pitching was very weak (4.63/4.58/4.85 – 7th/7th/7th).

Top Position Player – Season: No contest. 25-year old LF Steven Winstanley was far and away Hespeler’s best player, batting .347/.407/.578, 27 HR, 106 RBI, 121 R, 61 BB, 8.5 WAR while playing outstanding defense in the outfield. He also won the Western League batting title, adding 208 H, 31-2B, 13-3B in 599 AB.

Top Pitcher – Season: 25-year old LHP Gavin Hewat (11-11, 3.72 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 4.7 WAR was Hespeler’s best pitcher this season.

Key Injuries: 32-year old RHP Brendon De san Miguel (4-5, 3.96 ERA, 1.29 WHIP) was diagnosed with a torn labrum in game back on November 21. He is out for 2 more months.

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11-02-2015, 12:00 AM	#180
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,919	March 31, 1941 Western League: Pelicans, Cannons Limp Into Playoffs -------- The Kingston Pelicans finished in first place in the West comfortably, 15.0 games up on Cambria. However, the Pelicans lost some steam towards the end, finishing February-March with a 25-26 record. Whether that’s simply the team easing up due to the commanding lead they enjoyed this season or hints toward a more disturbing trend remains to be seen. The offense remained top-notch in the West (.285/.356/.435 – 1st/1st/1st), and so has the pitching staff, with the exception of the bullpen (3.66/3.40/5.20 – 1st/1st/8th). Kingston finished third in defensive efficiency (.702). *Top Position Player – Season:* 29-year old SS Okura Ito was the top Pelican on offense and was solid on defense as well, batting .323/.364/.516, 29 HR, 126 RBI, 102 R, 45 BB, 7.1 WAR. *Top Pitcher – Season:* 33-year old SP Brady Murdy made this selection easy. In 1940/41, Murdy went 25-10, 2.91 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 8.9 WAR. However, he struggled in February and March, going 2-4, 5.24 ERA and 2-4, 4.67 ERA respectively. Despite that, Murdy set a number of United League records this season, in wins (25), complete games (31), shutouts (8) and innings pitched (322.0). *Key Injury:* SP Francis Slocock (10-6, 3.83 ERA, 1.09 WHIP) suffered elbow inflammation back on January 24. He is lost for the season (4 more weeks). -------- The playoffs are a new season, and for the Cambria Cannons, that has significant meaning. They made the playoffs and can now try and put the struggles of the regular season behind them. The second half of the season saw them lose more games than they won (34-42) and only the continued struggles of the teams behind them in the standings helped the defending United Cup Champions return to the playoffs. Not only that, but their ace pitcher, 37-year old Neil Guerin, who won the 1938/39 Satchel Paige Award and is a 4-time all-star has regressed severely and finds himself in the bullpen for the playoffs. But there are some positive signs. LF Ron Westmacott is due back from an extended injury in a couple of days and they are a fairly balanced team. Their offense hung in despite the injuries (.276/.342/.401 – 2nd/2nd/3rd) and their pitching continued to improve (3.84/4.00/3.00 – 2nd/3rd/1st). *Top Position Player – Season:* 31-year old LF Joe Olver had a great season in 1939/40, but he was even better this season, batting .326/.363/.486, 13 HR, 79 RBI, 90 R, 36 BB, 5.6 WAR and providing rock-solid defense in the field. *Top Pitcher – Season:* 29-year old SP Bradley Dodson was Cambria’s most consistent pitcher this season, going 18-11, 3.87 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 4.7 WAR. *Key Injuries:* LF Ron Westmacott (.321/.442/.603, 4 HR, 26 RBI, 33 R, 28 BB) should be back in 2 more days after suffering torn ankle ligaments back in November. 35-year old B Kenneth Logan (.260/.326/.396, 13 HR, 73 RBI, 75 R, 54 BB, 1.9 WAR) sprained his finger in a game against the Pulbery Trolleys back on March 23. He is expected back in a week. -------- The Fort Richmond Generals were a bit like Jekyll and Hyde, struggling in February, only to finish strong in March. Despite their fourth consecutive losing season, this season represented their best so far. They will need to improve offensively (.262/.318/.384 – 6th/8th/6th), but their pitching was a strength (389/3.96/3.42 – 3rd/2nd/2nd). They were the top defensive team in the West (.706). *Top Position Player - Season:* 22-year old C Danny Trowbridge came into his own this season, batting .299/.334/.488, 15 HR, 92 RBI, 70 R, 26 BB, 4.8 WAR. He won his first Player of the Month honour in February. *Top Pitcher – Season:* 27-year old SP Oscar Burruss was Fort Richmond’s top pitcher, going 15-11, 2.77 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 7.2 WAR. *Key Injuries:* None. -------- Like the Fort Richmond Generals, the Wolseley Unions suffered through a nightmarish February before rebounding in March. And like the Generals, the Unions enjoyed their best season, reaching 70+ victories. Now the challenge is to get above .500 on the season. The Unions have some work to do, as the offense needs to pick it up a bit (.261/.323/.396 – 8th/6th/5th) as does the pitching (4.25/4.29/4.14 – 5th/5th/4th). Defensively, they were very good (.705- 2nd). *Top Position Player – Season:* A tough choice between 22-year old CF Zak Kidd (.277/.331/.494, 25 HR, 87 RBI, 98 R, 43 BB, 25 SB, 5.6 WAR) and 27-year old SS Rubén Sánchez. Both were just outstanding defensively, but I’ll go with Sánchez, who batted .299/.346/.440, 12 HR, 82 RBI, 96 R, 49 BB, 5.2 WAR. *Top Pitcher - Season:* 21-year old SP Aaron Saunderson, the former first round pick from 1937/38, is emerging as Wolseley’s ace. This season he went 11-13, 3 SV, 3.10 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 3.2 WAR. *Key Injuries:* None. -------- The Sherburn Tigers’ season ended in a whimper, losing 32 games and finishing in 5th place in a weak Western League. The Tigers have some nice pieces in their farm system, especially SP Gavin Wormersley (57/79) who is the top-rated pitching prospect in the United Leagues. But Sherburn could use more young talent like that to really make some noise in the West. Sherburn’s offense got weaker near the end (.269/.336/.372 – 5th/3rd/8th) and their pitching overall could use some beefing up (4.47/4.54/4.09 – 6th/6th/3rd). *Top Position Player - Season:* 34-year old 1B Isaac Harker got a chance to start regularly this season and emerged as arguably Sherburn’s best player, batting .343/.430/.437, 7 HR, 52 RBI, 63 R, 62 BB, 3.5 WAR, combined with good defense (1.022 EFF). *Top Pitcher - Season:* SP Myung-gu Son may be the ace on the staff and won the WAR race (4.2) for pitchers, but 25-year old RP Daniel Pierson was Sherburn’s best overall pitcher, going 16-9, 9 SV, 3.77 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 0.5 WAR. He should be heading to the rotation in the not-too-distant future. *Key Injuries:* None. -------- The Balmoral Giants rebounded in February and March, winning 29 games verses 22 losses. It’s no coincidence that their improved play coincided with the improved play of veteran SP Dave Mapp. No doubt he took my recent criticism of his play to heart and responded with two great months, winning back-to-back Pitcher of the Month honours, his 2nd and 3rd on the season. The Giants, offense was fairly good this year (.272/.324/.409 – 4th/5th/2nd), but their pitching is an area that needs to be addressed (5.04/5.15/4.65 – 8th/8th/6th). It improved slightly towards the end of the season, but not enough to help this team get out of the second division. Their defense was rated the worst in the West (.679) as well. *Top Position Player - Season:* He’s still only 22-years old, but SS Francisco Rodríguez was head and shoulders the Giants’ top offensive player, batting .317/.362/.473, 8 HR, 70 RBI, 91 R, 44 BB, 6.1 WAR with tremendous defense at shortstop (1.060 EFF). *Top Pitcher – Season:* How does a pitcher with a 5.18 ERA get the nod as a team’s best pitcher? You do if you’re SP Dave Mapp, who was all over the map this season. After starting off with a bang, Mapp went into a bad slump, but then rebounded in the final two months to return as the Western League’s top pitcher. Overall, Mapp went 15-14, 5.18 ERA, 1.74 ERA, 2.3 WAR. *Key Injuries:* 39-year old 1B Roger Tyler (.277/.317/.393, 2 HR, 30 RBI, 46 R, 18 BB) injured himself while running the bases back on January 2. He broke a bone in his elbow and will be out of commission for another 3 months. 29-year old SP Simon Parker (6-9, 5.04 ERA, 1.68 WHIP, 1.2 WAR) suffered torn biceps back on February 8 in a game against the Embro Suns. He should be returning in 4 months. -------- The Pulberry Trolleys went 26-24 in the final two months of the season, but they still finished near the bottom of the standings. All signs indicate that they will continue to struggle as they need more young talent to improve their fortunes. Their offense got a little better towards the end, but that is faint praise at best (.261/.322/.372 – 7th/7th/7th). Their pitching is a little better, but still could use an upgrade (4.23/4.18/4.51 – 4th/4th/5th). *Top Position Player – Season:* Not a great season offensively for the Trolleys. Former first overall pick SS Wenceslas Jasmim was Pulberry’s best player, batting .273/.308/.408, 7 HR, 69 RBI, 8 R, 32 BB, 3.4 WAR, combined with solid defense. *Top Pitcher – Season:* 36-year old SP Nathaniel Schwer was his team’s best pitcher, going 13-10, 3.75 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 2.9 WAR. *Key Injuries:* None. -------- The Hespeler Stars slipped back into last place for the third consecutive year. Will it be their last bottom feeder finish for the foreseeable future? Time will tell. But sooner or later, one of these prospect rich teams is going to emerge as a new force in the West. Not just this season. The offense was not that bad (.276/.331/.401 – 3rd/4th/4th) but the pitching was very weak (4.63/4.58/4.85 – 7th/7th/7th). *Top Position Player – Season:* No contest. 25-year old LF Steven Winstanley was far and away Hespeler’s best player, batting .347/.407/.578, 27 HR, 106 RBI, 121 R, 61 BB, 8.5 WAR while playing outstanding defense in the outfield. He also won the Western League batting title, adding 208 H, 31-2B, 13-3B in 599 AB. *Top Pitcher – Season:* 25-year old LHP Gavin Hewat (11-11, 3.72 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 4.7 WAR was Hespeler’s best pitcher this season. *Key Injuries:* 32-year old RHP Brendon De san Miguel (4-5, 3.96 ERA, 1.29 WHIP) was diagnosed with a torn labrum in game back on November 21. He is out for 2 more months. -------- __________________ United Leagues of Braeland Last edited by reds1; 07-03-2017 at 11:48 PM.