OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post

reds1 · 04-06-2016, 12:24 PM

December 1, 1943

Eastern League: Reshuffling the Deck

October and November saw a slew of teams rise and fall in the unsettled Eastern League standings. At least three teams took turns at the top of the standings, starting with the Queensland Eagles and ending with the Stratford Barons. In between was the Cobourg Red Stockings, who surged in early November to occupy first place before crashing. Familiar teams that we are accustomed to seeing at the top, namely the Brunswick Legends and especially the Embro Suns struggled to reassert themselves.

All-in-all it’ been a wild ride in the East, and we’re just getting started.

--------

At the end of October, the Stratford Barons were tied with the Brunswick Legends for wild card, two games back of first place, but came alive in November to overtake the Queensland Eagles for top spot. The Barons are a nicely balanced team. They rank no lower than third in any offensive and pitching category, except for home runs (4th) and bullpen ERA (7th). And they are doing this without one of the best players in the United Leagues, as OF Steven Winstanley left at the end of last season to serve in the Armed Forces.

Offense: .283/.361/.381 (1st/1st/2nd);
Pitching: 3.03/2.86/4.36 (1st/1st/7th – ERA/Starter’s ERA/Bullpen ERA);
Defense: .698 (3rd).

Top Position Player: 30-year old SS Jake Walker (.310/.415/.443, 8-3B, 14 RBI, 37 R, 36 BB) leads in a number of team offensive categories in the early going.

Top Pitcher: 33- year old LHP Joel Fearn (8-1, 1.29 ERA, 0.91 WHIP) is off to a sensational start. Although he went 5-1, 1.36 ERA in November, he did not pick up the Pitcher of the Month Award. That honour went to his teammate, 35-year old LHP Ryan Borden (8-2, 2.43 ERA, 1.30 WHIP). As of right now, Borden is rated the top pitcher in the United Leagues, ahead of Brunswick’s Anastasio Rodríguez. Fearn is rated No. 3 overall.

Noteworthy: The Barons have a bit of battle going on at the catcher position, with 23-year old Geoff Lemoine (.291/.405/.362, 2 HR, 17 RBI, 12 R, 25 BB) starting against RH pitchers and 32-year old Gavin Hurley (.412/.461/.512, 1 HR, 14 RBI, 11 R, 8 BB) facing LH pitching.
Lemoine went 4-5 with 1 R against Cobourg on October 8 and set the team regular season record for BB in an extra-inning game with 4 on November 24.
Meanwhile, Hurley went 4-4 against Brunswick with 2 RBI and 2 R on October 19. On October 30, Hurley went 4-6 with 1 RBI, 2 R against the Braeland City Monarchs.

Key Injuries: None.

--------

The Queensland Eagles traded off key players last season (SS Katsunan Chikafuji and LHP Mac MacColl) and that appeared to signal a rebuild. But the Eagles began a quick rebound, thanks to some shrewd trades that brought in CF Jon Moreau and 1B Merlin Teeters to finish the season in third place.
This season they lost Teeters to the war effort, but didn’t miss a beat in October, starting out 7-0 and holding down first place to end the month. They stumbled in November but continue to occupy the wild card spot by 4.5 games. It’s still early, but if Queensland has more months like October, then the playoffs may see a new player in the mix.

Offense: .277/.339/.376 (4th/3rd/3rd);
Pitching: 3.37/3.32/3.78 (3rd/2nd/6th);
Defense: .703 (2nd).

Top Position Player: The story of the Eagles in the first two months has been 25-year old rookie C Elijah Sheppard (.296/.340/.497, 8 HR, 31 RBI, 25 R, 11 BB). A second round pick from 1939-40, Sheppard spent 5 seasons in the minors before getting a taste of the majors late last season. All he has done to start this season is win the first two Rookie of the Month Awards and lead the team in a slew of offensive categories. In the process, he has taken over the regular catching duties from 34-year old, 4-time all-star David Wilson.

Top Pitcher: 26-year old RHP Pi-ao Quian (7-4, 2.55 ERA, 1.17 WHIP) is enjoying his best start to the season, winning Pitching of the Month honours in October. This is the fifth season in the majors for the former 9th overall pick from 1939-40. Quian pitched two 4-hit shutouts in October: one against the Wellington Athletics and the other against the Brunswick Legends.

Key Injuries: None.

--------

Last season, the Braeland City Monarchs endured a slew of injuries that dashed any hope of competing. The fact that they almost finished at .500 no doubt gave them hope that staying healthy would have led to much better things. This season, it appears that pitching will hold the Monarchs back, as they are really struggling in the early going. But on offense, they are quite good.

Offense: .281/.340/.383 (2nd/2nd/1st);
Pitching: 4.40/4.53/3.26 (8th/8th/3rd);
Defense: .670 (8th).

Top Position Player: 29-year old 1B Dean Bishop (.302/.397/.460, 7 HR, 42 RBI, 26 R, 29 BB) is a fine all-round player and he enjoyed a terrific start to the season, winning Batter of the Month honours in October. Also doing well is 30-year old 3B Adam Ashley (.311/.355/.408, 9-2B, 6 RBI, 28 R, 14 BB). Ashley fractured his ankle in ‘spring training’ but returned to the lineup in late October.

Top Pitcher: The starting pitchers are struggling for the most part, but 39-year old RHP Frank Leadbeater (5-4, 2.93 ERA, 1.22 WHIP) has started off strong as the No 4 pitcher.

Key Injuries: None.

Noteworthy: 2B Trevor Bolen (.306/.332/.442, 7 HR, 31 RBI, 37 R, 9 BB, 7 SB) went 5-5 on October 26 against the Cobourg Red Stockings. He picked up 1-2B, 1 RBI and 1 R.

Adam Ashley saw his 23-game hitting streak end on November 1 against the Queensland Eagles.

34-year old RHP Lenny Freke (5-5, 4.44 ERA, 1.48 WHIP) was ejected and suspended for four games as a result of a bench clearing brawl against the Kingston Pelicans on November 19. After surrendering a two-run home run to Fergus Chitty to make it 5-0 Kingston in the third inning, Freke hit LF Jayden Tennant with a 2-0 pitch. That ignited a bench-clearing brawl. His suspension, along with Tennant’s, who also got four games, are the first in United Leagues history.

--------

The Cobourg Red Stockings found themselves in unfamiliar territory on November 7, when they were sole occupants of first place in the East with a 17-13 record. But then they started to sink, going 2-13, which included a 9-game losing streak. They recovered to finish the last 6 games of the month with a 4-2 record. But this is a very young team that has gone through some growing pains as the young prospects get the hang of things. It would appear that some have, especially on offense. After being dreadful last season, the team’s offense has picked up and the improvement is seen across the board.

Offense: .277/.329/.370 (3rd/5th/4th);
Pitching: 4.12/4.31/2.91 (6th/7th/2nd);
Defense: .675 (7th).

Top Position Player: 25-year old C Neil Voigt (.288/.332/.419, 4 HR, 23 RBI, 15 R, 11 BB) is having his best season thus far. He is a solid defender behind the plate as well. The good news though is that it appears other players will be vying for this space in the coming months. The Red Stockings may be shedding their laughing-stock reputation with a nicely balanced lineup.

Top Pitcher: The pitching staff hasn’t blown anyone away in the early going, but 26-year old Pedro Gómez (4-6, 3.62 ERA, 1.32 WHIP) is the No. 1 starter and hasn’t embarrassed himself. Gómez was originally a 7th round pick (104th overall) back in 1937-38 by the Stratford Barons.

Key Injuries: 30-year old 1B Héctor Torres is having a devil of a time staying healthy. In ‘spring training’, he strained a thigh muscle and missed 4 weeks. Then on October 26, he broke a wrist bone in a collision. He is out a further 4 weeks.

Last season’s first overall pick, 21-year old 2B Alexander Tolmie (.278/.333/.383, 1 HR, 12 RBI, 9 R, 10 BB), suffered a knee-bone bruise in a game back on November 23. He can come off the DL in a week.

Noteworthy: 26-year old LF Cliff Jordan (.382/.418/.445, 3-2B, 18 RBI, 15 R, 8 BB, 5 SB) went 5-5 against the Downie Chiefs on November 2. He picked up 1 RBI and 2 R.

--------

The start of the 1943-44 season provided a rude awakening for the Brunswick Legends, as they stumbled badly in November, falling 6 games below .500 and 5.0 games out of playoff spot. Injuries tell only part of the story, as the overall performance of the team is down from the past two seasons.

Offense: .260/.336/.349 (6th/4th/6th);
Pitching: 3.75/3.79/3.44 (4th/4th/5th);
Defense: .681 (6th).

Top Position Player: 27-year old 1B Stuart Bentham (.281/.369/.459, 8 HR, 28 RBI, 22 R, 27 BB) is leading in a number of offensive categories in the early going. But the offense is down overall as previously mentioned.

Top Pitcher: 27-year old LHP Anastasio Rodríguez (6-3, 2.77 ERA, 1.37 WHIP) continues to be Brunswick’s ace. November was a fine month, as he went 4-1, 2.05 ERA, 44.0 IP. In October, he accumulated 32 strikeouts verses 18 BB (2-2, 3.45 ERA, 47.0 IP). In November, he threw out only 11 batters (verses 8 BB). Baseball is a funny game.

Key Injuries: 26-year old OF Laroya Quindiagan tore a rib cage muscle on a defensive play back on October 8. He is out a further 5-6 weeks after only 15 AB.

25-year old LF Harry Chatwin (.263/.336/.368, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 14 R, 11 BB) suffered a high ankle sprain while running the basis back on November 2. He is expected to miss another 4 weeks.

Noteworthy: With the injury to Chatwin, recent acquisition CF Daniel Martin (.275/.321/.399, 2 HR, 23 RBI, 18 R, 10 BB) stepped in. Martin won the Player of the Week Award on November 22, after going 4-6 against the Fort Richmond Generals with 1 R on November 14 and going 4-6 against the Pulberry Trolleys, with 3 RBI, 2 R on November 20.

--------

The Wellington Athletics continue their slide into the second division this season and signalled their intent to rebuild by unloading a couple of veteran players for prospects. The offense has been pretty woeful in the early going while the defense and pitching have been top notch. They have already moved in some youngsters into the lineup and no doubt will endure some lean patches as they continue the transition.

Offense: .255/.317/.322 (7th/7th/8th);
Pitching: 3.25/3.46/1.58 (2nd/3rd/1st);
Defense: .715 (1st).

Top Position Player: Definitely some lean pickings here right now. But I’ll go with 32-year old 1B Keane Fysh (.289/.354/.358, 2 HR, 16 RBI, 20 R, 21 BB), who shook off a slow October with a fine November, batting .326/.404/.424. This is the guy I chided Wellington over for acquiring him last season from the Cambria Cannons for 25-year old SS Thomas Murphy. Murphy is now serving in the Armed Forces and Fysh is producing. I’m not suggesting Wellington knew Murphy’s intention that far in advance, but baseball is a funny game. Or did I mention that already?

Top Pitcher: Some mighty fine performances on the pitching side of things. First off is 34-year old LHP Clyde Boney (7-3, 2.46 ERA, 1.25 WHIP), who was solid right from the get-go. Interestingly, his record exactly a year ago at this time was very similar: 7-3, 2.31 ERA, 1.02 WHIP. He currently holds the United Leagues career records for Wins (124), shutouts (29) and strikeouts (900), among others.
Also worth mentioning is 25-year old RHP Luke Woodward, who is saddled with a questionable reputation and who has been traded six times in his brief career. It would appear that he is finally settling down as he is off to his best start by far: 1-2, 4 SV, 1.33 ERA, 1.04 WHIP.

Key Injuries: On November 14, 32-year old 3B Ryley McLarnon (.242/.280/.362, 3 HR, 20 RBI, 14 R, 8 BB), tore a knee joint in a collision. He is out another week.

Key Trade #1: October 27 with the Balmoral Giants.

To Balmoral – 32-year old RHP Derek Cawley (60/60 – 7-4, 1.98 ERA, 1.11 WHIP).
To Wellington – five minor league players:
• 20-year old SS Frazer Rae (22/51);
• 23-year old LF John Steggall (22/34);
• 24-year old LHP Zak Tuxford (20/44);
• 22-year old RHP Dorian Geissler (27/57) and
• 24-year old CF Billy Unworth (23/35).

Knee-jerk reaction: Balmoral decided to shake up their shaky pitching staff with the acquisition of Cawley. Cawley immediately becomes Balmoral’s No. 1 pitcher, but he has been barely average over his career. Still, he has decent stuff and control and a change of scenery appears to have done him some good (more on that when we get to Balmoral’s write-up).
In return, Wellington gets some useful young players that could contribute soon in the majors, particularly Rae, who has good contact and speed, and Geissler, who could become a bullpen asset in the near future.

Key Trade #2: October 29 with the Embro Suns.

To Embro – 35-year old LF Bob Boynton (32/32) and 20-year old minor league 1B Percy Mathijssen (21/51)
To Wellington – 26-year old RF Spencer Marsland (62/67)

Knee-jerk reaction: Wellington is Marsland’s third team in three seasons. The former second round pick from 1939-40 has not developed into a productive every day starter, but the Athletics are hoping that he still can.
Boynton is a former 4-time all-star, but he is clearly past his prime and will see very little playing time. Clearly his starting days are behind him, so it is not entirely clear what Embro sees in him. Mathijssen has tremendous power potential and solid speed, but could work on his defense and plate discipline/pitch recognition.

--------

Much like Brunswick, the Embro Suns received a cold dose of reality as they find themselves 10 games out of first place and just one game out of last place. And like the Legends, the Suns crashed in November, winning all of 9 games. Such anemic totals are usually reserved for the likes of Cobourg or Downie, but Embro is facing a crisis. Clearly, their offense is not what it was in recent seasons. They got off to a slow start last season, but still managed to win 104 games. But their struggles this season are much deeper. To their credit, they are not standing idle. In November, in the midst of their tailspin, the Suns made a couple of trades to try and right the ship.

Offense: .253/.320/.341 (8th/6th/7th);
Pitching: 3.88/3.95/3.33 (5th/5th/4th);
Defense: .689 (5th).

Top Position Player: CF Terence Durney (.273/.354/.421, 5 HR, 28 RBI, 32 R, 26 BB, 5 SB) gets the nod here for his terrific November, despite the team’s struggles. Durney started off slow in October like most of his teammates, but caught fire in November to win Batter of the Month honours.

Top Pitcher: The pitching is struggling as well, so I have to go with a pitcher who just came over in a trade on November 11. 29-year old RHP Oscar Burress (6-4, 2.80 ERA, 1.17 WHIP) has been exactly what the Suns were hoping for when they acquired him. In four starts, he has gone 2-2, 2.25 ERA. On November 13, he pitched a 3-hit shutout against the Wolseley Unions with 6 K, 2 BB in his first start for the Suns. In his second start, he pitched a 5-hit shutout against the Sherburn Tigers with 5 K, 1 BB. He won a Player of the Week Award for his efforts for good measure.

Key Injuries: Kian Meadmore (.239/.323/.364, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 10 R, 11 BB) broke his hand in a collision back on November 1. He is out 2-3 months.

Key Trade #1: November 11 with the Fort Richmond Giants.

To Embro – RHP Oscar Burress (72/78).
To Fort Richmond – four minor league players:
• 19-year old RHP Shinzo Okamoto (20/74);
• 21-year old RHP John Bullivant (29/78);
• 22-year old C John Snowden (22/50) and
• 20-year old RHP Allan Morrall (20/23).

Knee-jerk reaction: Now here is a trade that offers value for both teams. In Burress, Embro gets a 5-time all-star with terrific stuff and movement. Only his control betrays him from time to time. Burress is also considered a ‘cancer to his teammates’; but he knows how to pitch and he immediately becomes Embro’s ace.
For Fort Richmond, they get two terrific pitching prospects in Okamoto (16th overall pick last season) and John Bullivant. Okamoto is a future starter with sensational movement and control. Only his stuff could use a bit of improvement. Bullivant projects to be a future go-to guy out of the bullpen. His stuff/movement/control are all big league quality. Even Snowden and Morrall have some talent that could see them reach the majors if they continue to progress. All-in-all, it’s a nice trade that can benefit both sides.

Key Trade #2: November 16 with the Fort Richmond Giants.

To Embro – 26-year old 3B Britt Wing (66/69 - .303/.344/.351, 1 HR, 22 RBI, 26 R, 13 BB)
To Fort Richmond – five minor league players:
• 19-year old C Zachary Wordsworth (22/51);
• 23-year old C Elmo Reid (23/46);
• 24-year old RF Danny Huggett (23/39);
• 23-year old 1B Ryan Vowell (21/23) and
• 20-year old 2B Brad Richards (21/25).

Knee-jerk reaction: Five days later, the same two teams make another deal. Wing, a former second round pick from 1938-39, has made slow but steady progress offensively in the United Leagues, but he is not going win any fielding awards. In fact, his poor fielding and speed eats away at his overall value.
In return, Fort Richmond gets a couple of mid-grade prospects. Both Wordsworth and Reid are capable defenders with Wordsworth being the better hitter. The rest of the haul is pretty hit or miss, with only Vowell having some serious power potential to take note of.

--------

With the Cobourg Red Stockings starting to make some noise this season, the Downie Chiefs appear to have the basement to themselves (unless Embro continues to fade). The Chiefs are essentially a non-descript team with raw players and a focus on bolstering their farm system. Only one player in the starting lineup, 31-year old SS Ninfa Puzon (.280/.338/.386, 1 HR, 21 RBI, 17 R, 19 BB) is over 30. They have some fine talent in the farm system, which is rated third overall. But they still could use some more, especially pitchers.

Offense: .262/.310/.350 (5th/8th/5th);
Pitching: 4.14/4.05/4.58 (7th/6th/8th);
Defense: .693 (4th).

Top Position Player: Despite his recent struggles, 23-year old CF Ricardo Castellanos (.314/.384/.444, 2 HR, 19 RBI, 23 R, 19 BB) has been a steady presence in the lineup to start the season.

Top Pitcher: 34-year old RHP Darwin Monday (6-5, 3.06 ERA, 1.38 WHIP) started the season as Downie’s No. 1 starter and the former 2-time all-star continues to go the distance for each of his starts most time than not. Downie claimed him off waivers from Stratford back in January. On November 21, Monday pitched a 3-hit shut-out against the Wolseley Unions with 5 K, 1 BB. He injured himself in the first inning of his most recent outing, but it proved to be a mild thigh muscle strain and he’s not expected to miss a start.

Key Injuries: None.

--------

04-06-2016, 12:24 PM	#250
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,903	December 1, 1943 Eastern League: Reshuffling the Deck October and November saw a slew of teams rise and fall in the unsettled Eastern League standings. At least three teams took turns at the top of the standings, starting with the Queensland Eagles and ending with the Stratford Barons. In between was the Cobourg Red Stockings, who surged in early November to occupy first place before crashing. Familiar teams that we are accustomed to seeing at the top, namely the Brunswick Legends and especially the Embro Suns struggled to reassert themselves. All-in-all it’ been a wild ride in the East, and we’re just getting started. -------- At the end of October, the Stratford Barons were tied with the Brunswick Legends for wild card, two games back of first place, but came alive in November to overtake the Queensland Eagles for top spot. The Barons are a nicely balanced team. They rank no lower than third in any offensive and pitching category, except for home runs (4th) and bullpen ERA (7th). And they are doing this without one of the best players in the United Leagues, as OF Steven Winstanley left at the end of last season to serve in the Armed Forces. Offense: .283/.361/.381 (1st/1st/2nd); Pitching: 3.03/2.86/4.36 (1st/1st/7th – ERA/Starter’s ERA/Bullpen ERA); Defense: .698 (3rd). *Top Position Player:* 30-year old SS Jake Walker (.310/.415/.443, 8-3B, 14 RBI, 37 R, 36 BB) leads in a number of team offensive categories in the early going. *Top Pitcher:* 33- year old LHP Joel Fearn (8-1, 1.29 ERA, 0.91 WHIP) is off to a sensational start. Although he went 5-1, 1.36 ERA in November, he did not pick up the Pitcher of the Month Award. That honour went to his teammate, 35-year old LHP Ryan Borden (8-2, 2.43 ERA, 1.30 WHIP). As of right now, Borden is rated the top pitcher in the United Leagues, ahead of Brunswick’s Anastasio Rodríguez. Fearn is rated No. 3 overall. *Noteworthy:* The Barons have a bit of battle going on at the catcher position, with 23-year old Geoff Lemoine (.291/.405/.362, 2 HR, 17 RBI, 12 R, 25 BB) starting against RH pitchers and 32-year old Gavin Hurley (.412/.461/.512, 1 HR, 14 RBI, 11 R, 8 BB) facing LH pitching. Lemoine went 4-5 with 1 R against Cobourg on October 8 and set the team regular season record for BB in an extra-inning game with 4 on November 24. Meanwhile, Hurley went 4-4 against Brunswick with 2 RBI and 2 R on October 19. On October 30, Hurley went 4-6 with 1 RBI, 2 R against the Braeland City Monarchs. *Key Injuries:* None. -------- The Queensland Eagles traded off key players last season (SS Katsunan Chikafuji and LHP Mac MacColl) and that appeared to signal a rebuild. But the Eagles began a quick rebound, thanks to some shrewd trades that brought in CF Jon Moreau and 1B Merlin Teeters to finish the season in third place. This season they lost Teeters to the war effort, but didn’t miss a beat in October, starting out 7-0 and holding down first place to end the month. They stumbled in November but continue to occupy the wild card spot by 4.5 games. It’s still early, but if Queensland has more months like October, then the playoffs may see a new player in the mix. Offense: .277/.339/.376 (4th/3rd/3rd); Pitching: 3.37/3.32/3.78 (3rd/2nd/6th); Defense: .703 (2nd). *Top Position Player:* The story of the Eagles in the first two months has been 25-year old rookie C Elijah Sheppard (.296/.340/.497, 8 HR, 31 RBI, 25 R, 11 BB). A second round pick from 1939-40, Sheppard spent 5 seasons in the minors before getting a taste of the majors late last season. All he has done to start this season is win the first two Rookie of the Month Awards and lead the team in a slew of offensive categories. In the process, he has taken over the regular catching duties from 34-year old, 4-time all-star David Wilson. *Top Pitcher:* 26-year old RHP Pi-ao Quian (7-4, 2.55 ERA, 1.17 WHIP) is enjoying his best start to the season, winning Pitching of the Month honours in October. This is the fifth season in the majors for the former 9th overall pick from 1939-40. Quian pitched two 4-hit shutouts in October: one against the Wellington Athletics and the other against the Brunswick Legends. *Key Injuries:* None. -------- Last season, the Braeland City Monarchs endured a slew of injuries that dashed any hope of competing. The fact that they almost finished at .500 no doubt gave them hope that staying healthy would have led to much better things. This season, it appears that pitching will hold the Monarchs back, as they are really struggling in the early going. But on offense, they are quite good. Offense: .281/.340/.383 (2nd/2nd/1st); Pitching: 4.40/4.53/3.26 (8th/8th/3rd); Defense: .670 (8th). *Top Position Player:* 29-year old 1B Dean Bishop (.302/.397/.460, 7 HR, 42 RBI, 26 R, 29 BB) is a fine all-round player and he enjoyed a terrific start to the season, winning Batter of the Month honours in October. Also doing well is 30-year old 3B Adam Ashley (.311/.355/.408, 9-2B, 6 RBI, 28 R, 14 BB). Ashley fractured his ankle in ‘spring training’ but returned to the lineup in late October. *Top Pitcher:* The starting pitchers are struggling for the most part, but 39-year old RHP Frank Leadbeater (5-4, 2.93 ERA, 1.22 WHIP) has started off strong as the No 4 pitcher. *Key Injuries:* None. *Noteworthy:* 2B Trevor Bolen (.306/.332/.442, 7 HR, 31 RBI, 37 R, 9 BB, 7 SB) went 5-5 on October 26 against the Cobourg Red Stockings. He picked up 1-2B, 1 RBI and 1 R. Adam Ashley saw his 23-game hitting streak end on November 1 against the Queensland Eagles. 34-year old RHP Lenny Freke (5-5, 4.44 ERA, 1.48 WHIP) was ejected and suspended for four games as a result of a bench clearing brawl against the Kingston Pelicans on November 19. After surrendering a two-run home run to Fergus Chitty to make it 5-0 Kingston in the third inning, Freke hit LF Jayden Tennant with a 2-0 pitch. That ignited a bench-clearing brawl. His suspension, along with Tennant’s, who also got four games, are the first in United Leagues history. -------- The Cobourg Red Stockings found themselves in unfamiliar territory on November 7, when they were sole occupants of first place in the East with a 17-13 record. But then they started to sink, going 2-13, which included a 9-game losing streak. They recovered to finish the last 6 games of the month with a 4-2 record. But this is a very young team that has gone through some growing pains as the young prospects get the hang of things. It would appear that some have, especially on offense. After being dreadful last season, the team’s offense has picked up and the improvement is seen across the board. Offense: .277/.329/.370 (3rd/5th/4th); Pitching: 4.12/4.31/2.91 (6th/7th/2nd); Defense: .675 (7th). *Top Position Player:* 25-year old C Neil Voigt (.288/.332/.419, 4 HR, 23 RBI, 15 R, 11 BB) is having his best season thus far. He is a solid defender behind the plate as well. The good news though is that it appears other players will be vying for this space in the coming months. The Red Stockings may be shedding their laughing-stock reputation with a nicely balanced lineup. *Top Pitcher:* The pitching staff hasn’t blown anyone away in the early going, but 26-year old Pedro Gómez (4-6, 3.62 ERA, 1.32 WHIP) is the No. 1 starter and hasn’t embarrassed himself. Gómez was originally a 7th round pick (104th overall) back in 1937-38 by the Stratford Barons. *Key Injuries:* 30-year old 1B Héctor Torres is having a devil of a time staying healthy. In ‘spring training’, he strained a thigh muscle and missed 4 weeks. Then on October 26, he broke a wrist bone in a collision. He is out a further 4 weeks. Last season’s first overall pick, 21-year old 2B Alexander Tolmie (.278/.333/.383, 1 HR, 12 RBI, 9 R, 10 BB), suffered a knee-bone bruise in a game back on November 23. He can come off the DL in a week. *Noteworthy:* 26-year old LF Cliff Jordan (.382/.418/.445, 3-2B, 18 RBI, 15 R, 8 BB, 5 SB) went 5-5 against the Downie Chiefs on November 2. He picked up 1 RBI and 2 R. -------- The start of the 1943-44 season provided a rude awakening for the Brunswick Legends, as they stumbled badly in November, falling 6 games below .500 and 5.0 games out of playoff spot. Injuries tell only part of the story, as the overall performance of the team is down from the past two seasons. Offense: .260/.336/.349 (6th/4th/6th); Pitching: 3.75/3.79/3.44 (4th/4th/5th); Defense: .681 (6th). *Top Position Player:* 27-year old 1B Stuart Bentham (.281/.369/.459, 8 HR, 28 RBI, 22 R, 27 BB) is leading in a number of offensive categories in the early going. But the offense is down overall as previously mentioned. *Top Pitcher:* 27-year old LHP Anastasio Rodríguez (6-3, 2.77 ERA, 1.37 WHIP) continues to be Brunswick’s ace. November was a fine month, as he went 4-1, 2.05 ERA, 44.0 IP. In October, he accumulated 32 strikeouts verses 18 BB (2-2, 3.45 ERA, 47.0 IP). In November, he threw out only 11 batters (verses 8 BB). Baseball is a funny game. *Key Injuries:* 26-year old OF Laroya Quindiagan tore a rib cage muscle on a defensive play back on October 8. He is out a further 5-6 weeks after only 15 AB. 25-year old LF Harry Chatwin (.263/.336/.368, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 14 R, 11 BB) suffered a high ankle sprain while running the basis back on November 2. He is expected to miss another 4 weeks. *Noteworthy:* With the injury to Chatwin, recent acquisition CF Daniel Martin (.275/.321/.399, 2 HR, 23 RBI, 18 R, 10 BB) stepped in. Martin won the Player of the Week Award on November 22, after going 4-6 against the Fort Richmond Generals with 1 R on November 14 and going 4-6 against the Pulberry Trolleys, with 3 RBI, 2 R on November 20. -------- The Wellington Athletics continue their slide into the second division this season and signalled their intent to rebuild by unloading a couple of veteran players for prospects. The offense has been pretty woeful in the early going while the defense and pitching have been top notch. They have already moved in some youngsters into the lineup and no doubt will endure some lean patches as they continue the transition. Offense: .255/.317/.322 (7th/7th/8th); Pitching: 3.25/3.46/1.58 (2nd/3rd/1st); Defense: .715 (1st). *Top Position Player:* Definitely some lean pickings here right now. But I’ll go with 32-year old 1B Keane Fysh (.289/.354/.358, 2 HR, 16 RBI, 20 R, 21 BB), who shook off a slow October with a fine November, batting .326/.404/.424. This is the guy I chided Wellington over for acquiring him last season from the Cambria Cannons for 25-year old SS Thomas Murphy. Murphy is now serving in the Armed Forces and Fysh is producing. I’m not suggesting Wellington knew Murphy’s intention that far in advance, but baseball is a funny game. Or did I mention that already? *Top Pitcher:* Some mighty fine performances on the pitching side of things. First off is 34-year old LHP Clyde Boney (7-3, 2.46 ERA, 1.25 WHIP), who was solid right from the get-go. Interestingly, his record exactly a year ago at this time was very similar: 7-3, 2.31 ERA, 1.02 WHIP. He currently holds the United Leagues career records for Wins (124), shutouts (29) and strikeouts (900), among others. Also worth mentioning is 25-year old RHP Luke Woodward, who is saddled with a questionable reputation and who has been traded six times in his brief career. It would appear that he is finally settling down as he is off to his best start by far: 1-2, 4 SV, 1.33 ERA, 1.04 WHIP. *Key Injuries:* On November 14, 32-year old 3B Ryley McLarnon (.242/.280/.362, 3 HR, 20 RBI, 14 R, 8 BB), tore a knee joint in a collision. He is out another week. *Key Trade #1:* October 27 with the Balmoral Giants. To Balmoral – 32-year old RHP Derek Cawley (60/60 – 7-4, 1.98 ERA, 1.11 WHIP). To Wellington – five minor league players: • 20-year old SS Frazer Rae (22/51); • 23-year old LF John Steggall (22/34); • 24-year old LHP Zak Tuxford (20/44); • 22-year old RHP Dorian Geissler (27/57) and • 24-year old CF Billy Unworth (23/35). *Knee-jerk reaction:* Balmoral decided to shake up their shaky pitching staff with the acquisition of Cawley. Cawley immediately becomes Balmoral’s No. 1 pitcher, but he has been barely average over his career. Still, he has decent stuff and control and a change of scenery appears to have done him some good (more on that when we get to Balmoral’s write-up). In return, Wellington gets some useful young players that could contribute soon in the majors, particularly Rae, who has good contact and speed, and Geissler, who could become a bullpen asset in the near future. *Key Trade #2:* October 29 with the Embro Suns. To Embro – 35-year old LF Bob Boynton (32/32) and 20-year old minor league 1B Percy Mathijssen (21/51) To Wellington – 26-year old RF Spencer Marsland (62/67) *Knee-jerk reaction:* Wellington is Marsland’s third team in three seasons. The former second round pick from 1939-40 has not developed into a productive every day starter, but the Athletics are hoping that he still can. Boynton is a former 4-time all-star, but he is clearly past his prime and will see very little playing time. Clearly his starting days are behind him, so it is not entirely clear what Embro sees in him. Mathijssen has tremendous power potential and solid speed, but could work on his defense and plate discipline/pitch recognition. -------- Much like Brunswick, the Embro Suns received a cold dose of reality as they find themselves 10 games out of first place and just one game out of last place. And like the Legends, the Suns crashed in November, winning all of 9 games. Such anemic totals are usually reserved for the likes of Cobourg or Downie, but Embro is facing a crisis. Clearly, their offense is not what it was in recent seasons. They got off to a slow start last season, but still managed to win 104 games. But their struggles this season are much deeper. To their credit, they are not standing idle. In November, in the midst of their tailspin, the Suns made a couple of trades to try and right the ship. Offense: .253/.320/.341 (8th/6th/7th); Pitching: 3.88/3.95/3.33 (5th/5th/4th); Defense: .689 (5th). *Top Position Player:* CF Terence Durney (.273/.354/.421, 5 HR, 28 RBI, 32 R, 26 BB, 5 SB) gets the nod here for his terrific November, despite the team’s struggles. Durney started off slow in October like most of his teammates, but caught fire in November to win Batter of the Month honours. *Top Pitcher:* The pitching is struggling as well, so I have to go with a pitcher who just came over in a trade on November 11. 29-year old RHP Oscar Burress (6-4, 2.80 ERA, 1.17 WHIP) has been exactly what the Suns were hoping for when they acquired him. In four starts, he has gone 2-2, 2.25 ERA. On November 13, he pitched a 3-hit shutout against the Wolseley Unions with 6 K, 2 BB in his first start for the Suns. In his second start, he pitched a 5-hit shutout against the Sherburn Tigers with 5 K, 1 BB. He won a Player of the Week Award for his efforts for good measure. *Key Injuries:* Kian Meadmore (.239/.323/.364, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 10 R, 11 BB) broke his hand in a collision back on November 1. He is out 2-3 months. *Key Trade #1:* November 11 with the Fort Richmond Giants. To Embro – RHP Oscar Burress (72/78). To Fort Richmond – four minor league players: • 19-year old RHP Shinzo Okamoto (20/74); • 21-year old RHP John Bullivant (29/78); • 22-year old C John Snowden (22/50) and • 20-year old RHP Allan Morrall (20/23). *Knee-jerk reaction:* Now here is a trade that offers value for both teams. In Burress, Embro gets a 5-time all-star with terrific stuff and movement. Only his control betrays him from time to time. Burress is also considered a ‘cancer to his teammates’; but he knows how to pitch and he immediately becomes Embro’s ace. For Fort Richmond, they get two terrific pitching prospects in Okamoto (16th overall pick last season) and John Bullivant. Okamoto is a future starter with sensational movement and control. Only his stuff could use a bit of improvement. Bullivant projects to be a future go-to guy out of the bullpen. His stuff/movement/control are all big league quality. Even Snowden and Morrall have some talent that could see them reach the majors if they continue to progress. All-in-all, it’s a nice trade that can benefit both sides. *Key Trade #2:* November 16 with the Fort Richmond Giants. To Embro – 26-year old 3B Britt Wing (66/69 - .303/.344/.351, 1 HR, 22 RBI, 26 R, 13 BB) To Fort Richmond – five minor league players: • 19-year old C Zachary Wordsworth (22/51); • 23-year old C Elmo Reid (23/46); • 24-year old RF Danny Huggett (23/39); • 23-year old 1B Ryan Vowell (21/23) and • 20-year old 2B Brad Richards (21/25). *Knee-jerk reaction:* Five days later, the same two teams make another deal. Wing, a former second round pick from 1938-39, has made slow but steady progress offensively in the United Leagues, but he is not going win any fielding awards. In fact, his poor fielding and speed eats away at his overall value. In return, Fort Richmond gets a couple of mid-grade prospects. Both Wordsworth and Reid are capable defenders with Wordsworth being the better hitter. The rest of the haul is pretty hit or miss, with only Vowell having some serious power potential to take note of. -------- With the Cobourg Red Stockings starting to make some noise this season, the Downie Chiefs appear to have the basement to themselves (unless Embro continues to fade). The Chiefs are essentially a non-descript team with raw players and a focus on bolstering their farm system. Only one player in the starting lineup, 31-year old SS Ninfa Puzon (.280/.338/.386, 1 HR, 21 RBI, 17 R, 19 BB) is over 30. They have some fine talent in the farm system, which is rated third overall. But they still could use some more, especially pitchers. Offense: .262/.310/.350 (5th/8th/5th); Pitching: 4.14/4.05/4.58 (7th/6th/8th); Defense: .693 (4th). *Top Position Player:* Despite his recent struggles, 23-year old CF Ricardo Castellanos (.314/.384/.444, 2 HR, 19 RBI, 23 R, 19 BB) has been a steady presence in the lineup to start the season. *Top Pitcher:* 34-year old RHP Darwin Monday (6-5, 3.06 ERA, 1.38 WHIP) started the season as Downie’s No. 1 starter and the former 2-time all-star continues to go the distance for each of his starts most time than not. Downie claimed him off waivers from Stratford back in January. On November 21, Monday pitched a 3-hit shut-out against the Wolseley Unions with 5 K, 1 BB. He injured himself in the first inning of his most recent outing, but it proved to be a mild thigh muscle strain and he’s not expected to miss a start. *Key Injuries:* None. -------- __________________ United Leagues of Braeland Last edited by reds1; 07-06-2017 at 08:15 PM.