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reds1 · 06-14-2016, 02:48 PM

August 28, 1944

1944 Offseason: War, Trades and Free Agents

For nearly five years now, the unprecedented hostilities of the Second World War have been raging, and despite Braeland’s relative isolation, it has not remained untouched by the War’s long reach. While the economy rebounded thanks to industrial mobilization geared to support the Braeland Armed Forces, the populace has had to endure the rationing of fuel, food and clothing. In response to their urgent calls, Braeland has exported both to Australia and Britain significant amounts of meat, cheese and eggs throughout the conflict.

Braeland has also sent off nearly 90,000 of its abled-bodied men to the Pacific theatre to this point. That includes nearly 200 players and coaches that have left the United Leagues since the start of hostilities.
But the months of July and August have witnessed perhaps the greatest reasons for optimism that the end of war is in sight. Operation Cartwheel, of which most of Braeland’s military personnel is involved, has successfully isolated Japanese naval installations at Rabaul and crippled much of Japan’s sea and air supremacy. On July 9, U.S. Army and Marines captured the island of Saipan in the Marinas, putting the Japanese mainland within striking distance for the first time. On July 21, they invaded Guam. Finally, the news of August 25 that U.S., British and Free France forces had liberated Paris brought further elation and hope.

Thus, in spite of the various austerity measures endured by Braelanders, moral was higher than ever. And as baseball fans looked to the new baseball season, the growing sentiment was that perhaps – just perhaps – the 1944-45 season would be the last one played under wartime restrictions.

So the business of baseball carried on throughout the offseason, with teams pulling the trigger on four major trades. But they also bided against each other on a couple of immensely talented free agents originally from Korea and Taiwan, giving further cause for hope that the War was loosening its grip, if just a little.

Here are the noteworthy trades this offseason:

April 28:

The Embro Suns acquired 26-year old OF Yoshino Ito (74/76) from the Pulberry Trolleys.

In return, the Trolleys received two minor leaguers:

18-year old 1B Zachary Willmott (21/66) and
22-year old C Ellis Bletsoe (22/30).

Knee-jerk reaction: Ito, a former 2nd round pick from 1937-38, is a dynamic player that is coming off one of his best seasons. The Kingston native is one of the top base-stealers in the United Leagues and is a dependable defender in leftfield, where he has won two Top Fielder Awards. The only concern is that his career has been up and down thus far. Last season, he earned 4.5 WAR. In 1941-42, he earned 4.3 WAR and an all-star appearance. But in 1942-43 he slumped (1.4 WAR). He is expected to lead off for the Suns.

In return, the Trolleys receive two former 2nd round picks. Willmott is an all-offense, no defense-type of player. Willmott should be a plus contact hitter with incredible power, but needs to work on his plate discipline and atrocious defense. Bletsoe is nothing to write home about, projecting to be a mediocre hitter and defender but with good speed. Neither Willmott nor Bletsoe make Pulberry’s top prospect list (whose farm system is rated 7th overall at the time of this writing).

-----------

May 23:

The Queensland Eagles acquired 25-year old RHP Aaron Saunderson (76/79) from the Wolseley Unions.

In return, the Trolleys received five minor leaguers:

19-year old C Éric Denis (23/76 – 12th overall pick in 1943-44);
21-year old RHP Jeremy Albury (21/70 – 7th overall pick in 1942-43);
20-yearold C Ebert van Dijk (22/40);
22-year old C Harry Britton (23/45) and
23-year old 3B Clyde Porritt (22/23).

Knee-jerk reaction: The Eagles make an interesting move to acquire the 9th overall rated pitcher in the United Leagues. Queensland will have a nice one-two punch at the front of their rotation, as they have 37-year old RHP Stewart Colcott (4th overall) serving as their No. 1 starter – for now. Saunderson has decent stuff with incredible movement and excellent control.

For their part, the Unions continue their long-term rebuild and get a boat-load of young catchers. One of them, Denis, has the tools to be an offensive powerhouse with plus-plus contact, tremendous power and decent defense. But to me, the real prize is Albury. The 21-year old is projected to be a front-line starter with above-average stuff, decent movement and outstanding control. He immediately becomes Wolseley’s top prospect and will get an invite to this year’s training camp.

-----------

May 25:

The Cambria Cannons traded for 26-year old 2B Shaun Attenborough (53/71) from the Fort Richmond Generals.

In return, the Generals received two minor leaguers:

19-year old LHP Pat Houseman (20/63) and
20-year old C Louie Marr (23/43).

Knee-jerk reaction: Attenborough is coming off his first all-star appearance which may portend to greater things, but all-in-all the former 2nd rounder from 1940-41 is not the most dynamic player around. Still, he has above-average contact and power and is well-respected by his teammates. But he has a hard time laying off pitches and is not the most defensively sound 2B, the only position he is rated for.

The Generals receive a couple of interesting young players, particularly Houseman, whose stuff has great potential, along with well above-average movement. His control is merely borderline however. But he if can improve that, even just a little, he could be a nice addition to Fort Richmond’s future rotation. Marr may not be more of a projected platoon player at this point, but if he can work on his plate discipline and defense a bit more, he could a very useful piece.

-----------

July 9:

The Cambria Cannons acquired 25-year old 3B Shelby Cain (73/73) from the Cobourg Red Stockings.

In return, the Red Stockings received three minor leaguers:

19-year old 1B Jayden Bould (21/50);
22-year old OF Wilson León (22/39) and
21-year old LHP Rafael Hernández (21/39).

Knee-jerk reaction: Mark this down as a coup for Cambria in my opinion. The Cannons receive a player projected to be the heir apparent of 37-year old Louie Heatherington, who was a formidable player in his early years with the Braeland City Monarchs, but who is now well past his prime. Cain enjoyed his best season last year, earning his first all-star selection. However, despite being a former 1st overall pick, there are signs that he will not be a game-changer as originally projected. He is described as being a decent hitter with average power and a good eye; a reliable defender at the hot corner and a slightly above-average runner. Thus Cain is considered a very good player, but not necessarily great.

That said it’s hard to know what Cobourg was thinking in letting him go for so little. Bould, a former 5th round pick from 1943-44, could be a surprise, as he has above-average contact, plus-plus power and a good eye. As for León and Hernández, they are not projected to be impact players. All-in-all, a bit underwhelming return for a player like Cain.

-----------

A couple of free agents that could be game-changers will join the ULB this season:

June 14:

The Cambria Cannons inked a deal with 28-year old Taiwanese 1B Hao Wang (69/69).

Scouts who had a chance to see Wang play say that he is a pull hitter who has decent plate judgment (.240 hitter). While he has big-league power, he doesn’t have the greatest eye. His strongest position is in rightfield. Still, he will be a serious threat on the base paths and is already rated as the No. 2-1B is the ULB, behind only Brunswick Legends’ Stuart Bentham.

-----------

June 18:

The Brunswick Legends came to terms with 26-year old Korean RHP Hun Park (76/78).

Park was initially advertised as a reliever, but in reality he is a starter – and what a starter. Park immediately joins the Legends not only considered as their best pitcher, but as the No. 1 pitcher in the entire United Leagues, just ahead of fellow teammate, Anastasio Rodríguez. Scouts are drooling over his repertoire of pitchers (particularly his curveball), his late subtle movement that has confounded batters and his ability to paint the corners. A real competitor, Park could prove to be a game-changer for the Legends.

Incidentally, the signing of Wang and Park has catapulted them to the top of the richest contract list in the ULB:

Hao Wang, Cambria - $35,000 (Braeland currency)
Hun Park, Brunswick - $34,400
Carlton Broadbent, Balmoral - $27,630
Danny Trowbridge, Kingston - $26,940
Mark Elston, Brunswick - $26,500

-----------

Below is the War Gained chart. It is pretty straight forward, as the top teams, namely Queensland, Cambria and Embro, were the biggest movers in acquiring established talent this offseason. What is does not reflect of course, is the impact of the two recent free agent signings, namely Hao Wang and Hun Park. If it did, then both Cambria and Brunswick would show significant gains. How much of a boost those teams will see, well, the upcoming 1944-45 season can only tell.

06-14-2016, 02:48 PM	#275
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,919	August 28, 1944 1944 Offseason: War, Trades and Free Agents For nearly five years now, the unprecedented hostilities of the Second World War have been raging, and despite Braeland’s relative isolation, it has not remained untouched by the War’s long reach. While the economy rebounded thanks to industrial mobilization geared to support the Braeland Armed Forces, the populace has had to endure the rationing of fuel, food and clothing. In response to their urgent calls, Braeland has exported both to Australia and Britain significant amounts of meat, cheese and eggs throughout the conflict. Braeland has also sent off nearly 90,000 of its abled-bodied men to the Pacific theatre to this point. That includes nearly 200 players and coaches that have left the United Leagues since the start of hostilities. But the months of July and August have witnessed perhaps the greatest reasons for optimism that the end of war is in sight. Operation Cartwheel, of which most of Braeland’s military personnel is involved, has successfully isolated Japanese naval installations at Rabaul and crippled much of Japan’s sea and air supremacy. On July 9, U.S. Army and Marines captured the island of Saipan in the Marinas, putting the Japanese mainland within striking distance for the first time. On July 21, they invaded Guam. Finally, the news of August 25 that U.S., British and Free France forces had liberated Paris brought further elation and hope. Thus, in spite of the various austerity measures endured by Braelanders, moral was higher than ever. And as baseball fans looked to the new baseball season, the growing sentiment was that perhaps – just perhaps – the 1944-45 season would be the last one played under wartime restrictions. So the business of baseball carried on throughout the offseason, with teams pulling the trigger on four major trades. But they also bided against each other on a couple of immensely talented free agents originally from Korea and Taiwan, giving further cause for hope that the War was loosening its grip, if just a little. Here are the noteworthy trades this offseason: April 28: The Embro Suns acquired 26-year old OF Yoshino Ito (74/76) from the Pulberry Trolleys. In return, the Trolleys received two minor leaguers: 18-year old 1B Zachary Willmott (21/66) and 22-year old C Ellis Bletsoe (22/30). *Knee-jerk reaction:* Ito, a former 2nd round pick from 1937-38, is a dynamic player that is coming off one of his best seasons. The Kingston native is one of the top base-stealers in the United Leagues and is a dependable defender in leftfield, where he has won two Top Fielder Awards. The only concern is that his career has been up and down thus far. Last season, he earned 4.5 WAR. In 1941-42, he earned 4.3 WAR and an all-star appearance. But in 1942-43 he slumped (1.4 WAR). He is expected to lead off for the Suns. In return, the Trolleys receive two former 2nd round picks. Willmott is an all-offense, no defense-type of player. Willmott should be a plus contact hitter with incredible power, but needs to work on his plate discipline and atrocious defense. Bletsoe is nothing to write home about, projecting to be a mediocre hitter and defender but with good speed. Neither Willmott nor Bletsoe make Pulberry’s top prospect list (whose farm system is rated 7th overall at the time of this writing). ----------- May 23: The Queensland Eagles acquired 25-year old RHP Aaron Saunderson (76/79) from the Wolseley Unions. In return, the Trolleys received five minor leaguers: 19-year old C Éric Denis (23/76 – 12th overall pick in 1943-44); 21-year old RHP Jeremy Albury (21/70 – 7th overall pick in 1942-43); 20-yearold C Ebert van Dijk (22/40); 22-year old C Harry Britton (23/45) and 23-year old 3B Clyde Porritt (22/23). *Knee-jerk reaction:* The Eagles make an interesting move to acquire the 9th overall rated pitcher in the United Leagues. Queensland will have a nice one-two punch at the front of their rotation, as they have 37-year old RHP Stewart Colcott (4th overall) serving as their No. 1 starter – for now. Saunderson has decent stuff with incredible movement and excellent control. For their part, the Unions continue their long-term rebuild and get a boat-load of young catchers. One of them, Denis, has the tools to be an offensive powerhouse with plus-plus contact, tremendous power and decent defense. But to me, the real prize is Albury. The 21-year old is projected to be a front-line starter with above-average stuff, decent movement and outstanding control. He immediately becomes Wolseley’s top prospect and will get an invite to this year’s training camp. ----------- May 25: The Cambria Cannons traded for 26-year old 2B Shaun Attenborough (53/71) from the Fort Richmond Generals. In return, the Generals received two minor leaguers: 19-year old LHP Pat Houseman (20/63) and 20-year old C Louie Marr (23/43). *Knee-jerk reaction:* Attenborough is coming off his first all-star appearance which may portend to greater things, but all-in-all the former 2nd rounder from 1940-41 is not the most dynamic player around. Still, he has above-average contact and power and is well-respected by his teammates. But he has a hard time laying off pitches and is not the most defensively sound 2B, the only position he is rated for. The Generals receive a couple of interesting young players, particularly Houseman, whose stuff has great potential, along with well above-average movement. His control is merely borderline however. But he if can improve that, even just a little, he could be a nice addition to Fort Richmond’s future rotation. Marr may not be more of a projected platoon player at this point, but if he can work on his plate discipline and defense a bit more, he could a very useful piece. ----------- July 9: The Cambria Cannons acquired 25-year old 3B Shelby Cain (73/73) from the Cobourg Red Stockings. In return, the Red Stockings received three minor leaguers: 19-year old 1B Jayden Bould (21/50); 22-year old OF Wilson León (22/39) and 21-year old LHP Rafael Hernández (21/39). *Knee-jerk reaction:* Mark this down as a coup for Cambria in my opinion. The Cannons receive a player projected to be the heir apparent of 37-year old Louie Heatherington, who was a formidable player in his early years with the Braeland City Monarchs, but who is now well past his prime. Cain enjoyed his best season last year, earning his first all-star selection. However, despite being a former 1st overall pick, there are signs that he will not be a game-changer as originally projected. He is described as being a decent hitter with average power and a good eye; a reliable defender at the hot corner and a slightly above-average runner. Thus Cain is considered a very good player, but not necessarily great. That said it’s hard to know what Cobourg was thinking in letting him go for so little. Bould, a former 5th round pick from 1943-44, could be a surprise, as he has above-average contact, plus-plus power and a good eye. As for León and Hernández, they are not projected to be impact players. All-in-all, a bit underwhelming return for a player like Cain. ----------- A couple of free agents that could be game-changers will join the ULB this season: June 14: The Cambria Cannons inked a deal with 28-year old Taiwanese 1B Hao Wang (69/69). Scouts who had a chance to see Wang play say that he is a pull hitter who has decent plate judgment (.240 hitter). While he has big-league power, he doesn’t have the greatest eye. His strongest position is in rightfield. Still, he will be a serious threat on the base paths and is already rated as the No. 2-1B is the ULB, behind only Brunswick Legends’ Stuart Bentham. ----------- June 18: The Brunswick Legends came to terms with 26-year old Korean RHP Hun Park (76/78). Park was initially advertised as a reliever, but in reality he is a starter – and what a starter. Park immediately joins the Legends not only considered as their best pitcher, but as the No. 1 pitcher in the entire United Leagues, just ahead of fellow teammate, Anastasio Rodríguez. Scouts are drooling over his repertoire of pitchers (particularly his curveball), his late subtle movement that has confounded batters and his ability to paint the corners. A real competitor, Park could prove to be a game-changer for the Legends. Incidentally, the signing of Wang and Park has catapulted them to the top of the richest contract list in the ULB: Hao Wang, Cambria - $35,000 (Braeland currency) Hun Park, Brunswick - $34,400 Carlton Broadbent, Balmoral - $27,630 Danny Trowbridge, Kingston - $26,940 Mark Elston, Brunswick - $26,500 ----------- Below is the War Gained chart. It is pretty straight forward, as the top teams, namely Queensland, Cambria and Embro, were the biggest movers in acquiring established talent this offseason. What is does not reflect of course, is the impact of the two recent free agent signings, namely Hao Wang and Hun Park. If it did, then both Cambria and Brunswick would show significant gains. How much of a boost those teams will see, well, the upcoming 1944-45 season can only tell. __________________ United Leagues of Braeland Last edited by reds1; 07-10-2017 at 08:47 PM.