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reds1 · 06-03-2016, 04:17 PM

Notes on 1943-44 All-Braeland Team

Starting Pitcher

The selection of the ‘top’ pitcher for this past season was not an easy one, as a number of pitchers had impressive seasons. In the end, I went with one of the Satchel Paige Award winners, LHP Ryan Borden.

Borden led all the candidates I considered in FIP and WAR (8.6). But the following were also worthy of the honour in my opinion:

• Brunswick’s Anastasio Rodríguez (20-10, 2.39 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 2.84 FIP, 6.7 WAR);
• Stratford’s Joel Fearn (18-10, 2.29 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 2.72 FIP, 7.3 WAR); and
• Embro’s Oscar Burress (20-10, 2.53 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 2.74 FIP, 7.1 WAR).

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Catcher

Kingston’s Danny Trowbridge is firmly entrenched as the United Leagues top catcher and the second overall rated player, behind Balmoral’s RF Carlton Broadbent. He enjoyed a terrific season as well, making this selection rather easy.

A couple of other catchers also worth mentioning:

• Cobourg’s Neil Voigt (.300/.343/.424, 12 HR, 71 RBI, 48 R, 34 BB, 4.7 WAR); and
• Queensland’s Elijah Sheppard (.284/.335/.436, 11 HR, 71 RBI, 64 R, 39 BB, 4.6 WAR).

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First Base

Dean Bishop put it all together this past season to not only win his first Babe Ruth Award, but also his first selection to the All-Braeland Team. Bishop has always been a strong defensive first baseman, but his offensive output had been regressing the previous two seasons. He reversed that trend in a big way this year. Incidentally, Bishop is currently rated as the No. 4 first baseman in the ULB. The players listed below, rated at No. 3 and 2 respectively, were also under consideration for All-Braeland honours:

• Embro’s Jim Friend (.307/.388/.453, 14 HR, 102 RBI, 83 R, 83 BB, 5.2 WAR); and
• Stratford’s Don Adkins (.298/.394/.547, 19 HR, 72 RBI, 57 R, 67 BB, 4.0 WAR).

Brunswick’s Stuart Bentham (.290/.386/.463, 19 HR, 60 RBI, 73 R, 80 BB, 3.3 WAR) remains the No. 1 first baseman in the United Leagues, but he had to contend with a number of injuries this season that cut into his playing time. But he was very productive when healthy.

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Second Base

A definite changing of the guard occurred when considering the top performing 2B this season. I went with second-year Maurice Keyworth, who combined good offense, great defense and 26 SB to earn his first All-Braeland Team selection.

Also in the running were:

• Pulberry’s Colin Strudwick (.319/.354/.437, 1 HR, 58 RBI, 67 R, 25 BB, 3.9 WAR); and
• Balmoral’s Allen Cattanach (.294/.377/.384, 5 HR, 44 RBI, 84 R, 62 BB, 3.8 WAR).

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Third Base

Otton Overbeek has consistently improved over his ULB career, such that by his third season he finished third in the Western League Babe Ruth Award voting and earned his first selection to the All-Braeland Team. He is also the No. 1 rated 3B.

Also considered were:

• Downie’s Elliot Tugby (.271/.352/.343, 1 HR, 36 RBI, 62 R, 64 BB, 20 SB, 4.7 WAR); and
• Cobourg’s Shelby Cain (.277/.353/.410, 8 HR, 60 RBI, 72 R, 59 BB, 18 SB, 4.4 WAR).

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Shortstop

This season, it came down to two players:

• Kingston’s Katsunan Chikafuji (.307/.373/.452, 16 HR, 97 RBI, 99 R, 61 BB, 11 SB, 7.2 WAR); and
• Balmoral’s Francisco Rodríguez (.321/.362/.435, 3 HR, 85 RBI, 105 R, 44 BB, 19 SB, 7.0 WAR).

Rodríguez is the No. 1 rated shortstop; Chikafuji No. 2. Rodríguez won a Top Fielder Award this year, but Chikafuji was right behind him and finished 2nd in the Western League Babe Ruth Award voting. I went with Chikafuji, who previously earned an All-Braeland Team selection back in 1937-38 as a 2B.

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Leftfield

Another two player race:

• Pulberry’s Bruno Lapthorne (.305/.337/.471, 14 HR, 90 RBI, 80 R, 34 BB, 21 SB, 5.5 WAR); and
• Cambria’s Clint Jones (.297/.362/.430, 16 HR, 98 RBI, 81 R, 62 BB, 4.7 WAR).

Jones is an immensely versatile fielder, who saw significant playing time at LF, CF and 1B this season, in addition to playing a handful of innings at 2B, 3B, SS and RF. He is currently listed as Cambria’s 3B and is rated No. 2 at that position, just behind Otton Overbeek. But Lapthorne, the former 2nd overall pick from 1940-41, had a great season, combining all-star offense with a Top Fielder Award-winning defense.

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Centerfield

This was the most difficult choice to make, as I continually flip-flopped trying to nail down my selection. It came down to three players:

• Queensland’s Jon Moreau (.287/.304/.418, 9 HR, 70 RBI, 75 R, 16 BB, 3.8 WAR);
• Embro’s Terence Durney (.269/.360/.385, 9 HR, 70 RBI, 82 R, 85 BB, 4.2 WAR); and
• Kingston’s Jamie Couch (.275/.335/.340, 5 HR, 63 RBI, 95 R, 57 BB, 25 SB, 3.5 WAR).

Moreau earned a selection to the team last year, but did not have quite the season he did last season. Still, it’s a toss-up. I’m tempted to flip-flop again and go with Couch over Durney. Couch was terrific on defense and won a Top Fielder Award. He also stole 25 bases (but was caught 23 times). I’ll stick with the veteran Durney, but man, was this ever a tough choice.

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Rightfield

OK, Balmoral’s Carlton Broadbent (.315/.404/.511, 26 HR, 106 RBI, 106 R, 87 BB, 4.3 WAR) is the top-rated player in the ULB and won his first Babe Ruth Award, so I will not needlessly rack my brain over this selection.

But there were a couple of other worthy rightfielders worth mentioning:

• Downie’s Ricardo Castellanos (.297/.347/.425, 8 HR, 61 RBI, 65 R, 40 BB, 11 SB, 5.3 WAR); and
• Wolsley’s Rizalino Ringor (.290/.379/.424, 11 HR, 50 RBI, 99 R, 78 BB, 35 SB, 5.2 WAR).

All three were all-stars and both Casellanos and Ringor were significantly better defenders than Broadbent. But Broadbent gets the nod on the strength of his formidable bat.

06-03-2016, 04:17 PM	#268
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,919	Notes on 1943-44 All-Braeland Team Starting Pitcher The selection of the ‘top’ pitcher for this past season was not an easy one, as a number of pitchers had impressive seasons. In the end, I went with one of the Satchel Paige Award winners, LHP Ryan Borden. Borden led all the candidates I considered in FIP and WAR (8.6). But the following were also worthy of the honour in my opinion: • Brunswick’s Anastasio Rodríguez (20-10, 2.39 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 2.84 FIP, 6.7 WAR); • Stratford’s Joel Fearn (18-10, 2.29 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 2.72 FIP, 7.3 WAR); and • Embro’s Oscar Burress (20-10, 2.53 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 2.74 FIP, 7.1 WAR). -------- Catcher Kingston’s Danny Trowbridge is firmly entrenched as the United Leagues top catcher and the second overall rated player, behind Balmoral’s RF Carlton Broadbent. He enjoyed a terrific season as well, making this selection rather easy. A couple of other catchers also worth mentioning: • Cobourg’s Neil Voigt (.300/.343/.424, 12 HR, 71 RBI, 48 R, 34 BB, 4.7 WAR); and • Queensland’s Elijah Sheppard (.284/.335/.436, 11 HR, 71 RBI, 64 R, 39 BB, 4.6 WAR). -------- First Base Dean Bishop put it all together this past season to not only win his first Babe Ruth Award, but also his first selection to the All-Braeland Team. Bishop has always been a strong defensive first baseman, but his offensive output had been regressing the previous two seasons. He reversed that trend in a big way this year. Incidentally, Bishop is currently rated as the No. 4 first baseman in the ULB. The players listed below, rated at No. 3 and 2 respectively, were also under consideration for All-Braeland honours: • Embro’s Jim Friend (.307/.388/.453, 14 HR, 102 RBI, 83 R, 83 BB, 5.2 WAR); and • Stratford’s Don Adkins (.298/.394/.547, 19 HR, 72 RBI, 57 R, 67 BB, 4.0 WAR). Brunswick’s Stuart Bentham (.290/.386/.463, 19 HR, 60 RBI, 73 R, 80 BB, 3.3 WAR) remains the No. 1 first baseman in the United Leagues, but he had to contend with a number of injuries this season that cut into his playing time. But he was very productive when healthy. -------- Second Base A definite changing of the guard occurred when considering the top performing 2B this season. I went with second-year Maurice Keyworth, who combined good offense, great defense and 26 SB to earn his first All-Braeland Team selection. Also in the running were: • Pulberry’s Colin Strudwick (.319/.354/.437, 1 HR, 58 RBI, 67 R, 25 BB, 3.9 WAR); and • Balmoral’s Allen Cattanach (.294/.377/.384, 5 HR, 44 RBI, 84 R, 62 BB, 3.8 WAR). -------- Third Base Otton Overbeek has consistently improved over his ULB career, such that by his third season he finished third in the Western League Babe Ruth Award voting and earned his first selection to the All-Braeland Team. He is also the No. 1 rated 3B. Also considered were: • Downie’s Elliot Tugby (.271/.352/.343, 1 HR, 36 RBI, 62 R, 64 BB, 20 SB, 4.7 WAR); and • Cobourg’s Shelby Cain (.277/.353/.410, 8 HR, 60 RBI, 72 R, 59 BB, 18 SB, 4.4 WAR). -------- Shortstop This season, it came down to two players: • Kingston’s Katsunan Chikafuji (.307/.373/.452, 16 HR, 97 RBI, 99 R, 61 BB, 11 SB, 7.2 WAR); and • Balmoral’s Francisco Rodríguez (.321/.362/.435, 3 HR, 85 RBI, 105 R, 44 BB, 19 SB, 7.0 WAR). Rodríguez is the No. 1 rated shortstop; Chikafuji No. 2. Rodríguez won a Top Fielder Award this year, but Chikafuji was right behind him and finished 2nd in the Western League Babe Ruth Award voting. I went with Chikafuji, who previously earned an All-Braeland Team selection back in 1937-38 as a 2B. -------- Leftfield Another two player race: • Pulberry’s Bruno Lapthorne (.305/.337/.471, 14 HR, 90 RBI, 80 R, 34 BB, 21 SB, 5.5 WAR); and • Cambria’s Clint Jones (.297/.362/.430, 16 HR, 98 RBI, 81 R, 62 BB, 4.7 WAR). Jones is an immensely versatile fielder, who saw significant playing time at LF, CF and 1B this season, in addition to playing a handful of innings at 2B, 3B, SS and RF. He is currently listed as Cambria’s 3B and is rated No. 2 at that position, just behind Otton Overbeek. But Lapthorne, the former 2nd overall pick from 1940-41, had a great season, combining all-star offense with a Top Fielder Award-winning defense. -------- Centerfield This was the most difficult choice to make, as I continually flip-flopped trying to nail down my selection. It came down to three players: • Queensland’s Jon Moreau (.287/.304/.418, 9 HR, 70 RBI, 75 R, 16 BB, 3.8 WAR); • Embro’s Terence Durney (.269/.360/.385, 9 HR, 70 RBI, 82 R, 85 BB, 4.2 WAR); and • Kingston’s Jamie Couch (.275/.335/.340, 5 HR, 63 RBI, 95 R, 57 BB, 25 SB, 3.5 WAR). Moreau earned a selection to the team last year, but did not have quite the season he did last season. Still, it’s a toss-up. I’m tempted to flip-flop again and go with Couch over Durney. Couch was terrific on defense and won a Top Fielder Award. He also stole 25 bases (but was caught 23 times). I’ll stick with the veteran Durney, but man, was this ever a tough choice. -------- Rightfield OK, Balmoral’s Carlton Broadbent (.315/.404/.511, 26 HR, 106 RBI, 106 R, 87 BB, 4.3 WAR) is the top-rated player in the ULB and won his first Babe Ruth Award, so I will not needlessly rack my brain over this selection. But there were a couple of other worthy rightfielders worth mentioning: • Downie’s Ricardo Castellanos (.297/.347/.425, 8 HR, 61 RBI, 65 R, 40 BB, 11 SB, 5.3 WAR); and • Wolsley’s Rizalino Ringor (.290/.379/.424, 11 HR, 50 RBI, 99 R, 78 BB, 35 SB, 5.2 WAR). All three were all-stars and both Casellanos and Ringor were significantly better defenders than Broadbent. But Broadbent gets the nod on the strength of his formidable bat. __________________ United Leagues of Braeland Last edited by reds1; 07-10-2017 at 08:37 PM.