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reds1 · 07-08-2016, 06:00 PM

March 27, 1945

Eastern League: Familiar Foes Will Meet for the Pennant

For the 1945 playoffs, two foes very familiar with each other will square off, as both the Brunswick Legends and Embro Suns took care of business and secured playoff spots rather handily. The Legends finished with 101 victories, the only team to win more than 90 games in the United Leagues this season. That was more than enough for them to finish in first place in the Eastern League for the first time.
But things weren’t looking up for Embro as this season dawned. The team finished 10 games below .500 the year before and then lost the services of its marquee player, 1B Jim Friend, to the war effort. The team regrouped though to win 88 games and soon took over the wild card spot and never looked back. However, it now has the daunting task of facing a team that so far, has had its number in the playoffs.

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The Brunswick Legends went wire-to-wire in 1944-45, winning 15 straight games to start the season and was never seriously challenged for first place in the East the rest of the way. They finished with 101 victories, by far the best mark in the entire United Leagues. The Legends appeared to have suffered a critical loss when No. 1 starter Anastasio Rodríguez went down to an extended injury. But 27-year old RHP Hun Park (16-12, 3.38 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 3.16 FIP, 107 ERA+) did well in his first year and gives Brunswick much needed depth in the upcoming playoffs.

Offense: .274/.346/.379 (2nd/2nd/1st)
Pitching: 2.90/2.95/2.47 (1st/1st/1st)
Defense: .699 (3rd)

Top Position Player – Season: A tough call, but I’ll go with 26-year old CF Harry Chatwin (.324/.379/.452, 6 HR, 62 RBI, 77 R, 47 BB, 15 SB, 4.8 WAR) who was consistent all year leading off Brunswick’s lineup. He was steady on defense as well, giving him a slight edge over 28-year old 1B Stuart Bentham (.316/.427/.471, 20 HR, 67 RBI, 95 R, 109 BB, 4.6 WAR), who was outstanding as well. Bentham led the team in a slew of offensive categories.

Top Pitcher – Season: The pitching crew was second to none this season and finished strong despite the loss of ace Anastasio Rodríguez. Another tough choice, but I’ll go with 30-year old LHP Hirotada Fukushima (20-9, 2.57 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 3.12 FIP, 140 ERA+), who led the team in eleven pitching categories. 34-year old LHP Matthew Monroe (22-6, 2.51 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 2.96 FIP, 143 ERA+) led the pitching staff in shutouts (5), WAR (6.1) and ERA and would be great choice as well.

Key Injury: 28-year old LHP Anastasio Rodríguez (13-5, 2.80 ERA, 1.13 WHIP) suffered a dislocated finger in a game back on January 21. He is gone for the season (3 months).

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The Embro Suns make it back to the playoffs after one season, but whether they can solve the problem that is the Brunswick Legends remains to be seen. The Suns have been swept by the Legends the past two times they met in the Eastern League finals. The offense was tops in the East, averaging 4.6 R/G, but the pitching was only so-so (4.3 R/G). Brunswick, by comparison, averaged 4.4 R/G on offense, 3.4 R/G on the pitching side of things. Embro will have to be stouter on pitching and defense if they are to finally make the United Cup finals.

Offense: .277/.350/.366 (1st/1st/4th)
Pitching: 3.83/3.89/3.46 (6th/6th/4th)
Defense: .695 (5th)

Top Position Player – Season: I’m tempted to go with 38-year old SS Gary Watkinson (.337/.435/.411, 1 HR, 72 RBI, 90 R, 104 BB, 11 SB, 6.0 WAR) as he led in so many offensive categories for the team but once again his defense was a liability, although not as bad as it was last season.
So my pick is 31-year old CF Terence Durney (.299/.383/.410, 8 HR, 101 RBI, 78 R, 83 BB, 11 SB, 5.8 WAR), who, in addition to hitting in the heart of the order, was solid on defense (.991 PCT, 2.99 RNG, +10.0 ZR, 1.030 EFF).

Top Pitcher – Season: Embro’s pitching was not the strongest unit around, but it saw a definite improvement over last season. Two pitchers deserve mentioning. First off, my selection for top pitcher is 30-year old RHP Myung-gu Son (19-8, 3.06 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 2.94 FIP, 118 ERA+), who enjoyed a nice bounce-back year (last season he went 8-21, 4.30 ERA, 1.48 WHIP).
But 31-year old ace RHP Oscar Burress (15-13, 3.41 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 2.94 FIP, 105 ERA+) was pretty good too.
35-year old RHP Colm Soper (9-4, 14 SV, 2.78 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 2.97 FIP), who was Embro’s ace at one time and a former Satchel Paige Award winner has been a steady presence working out of the bullpen the past two seasons.

Key Injury: 23-year old 2B José Sánchez (.281/.353/.383, 1 HR, 37 RBI, 40 R, 34 BB, 14 SB, 2.5 WAR) tore a back muscle while running the bases in a game back on February 4. He will be laid up for 3 months.

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The Queensland Eagles started off well in October, but soon fell back to being a .500 club, going 37-37 since January 1. But the Eagles are not that far from seriously challenging for a playoff spot, with some nice pieces already in place, such as RF Jilenko Vergara, C Elijah Sheppard (.251/.322/.375, 10 HR, 62 RBI, 67 R, 55 BB, 3.4 WAR) and RHP Pi-ao Quian (16-14, 2.66 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 3.20 FIP, 135 ERA+). There’s no reason to think that Queensland cannot improve on this season next year.

Offense: .264/.334/.373 (5th/3rd/3rd)
Pitching: 3.35/3.10/5.55 (2nd/2nd/8th)
Defense: .693 (7th)

Top Position Player – Season: Queensland has some fine players, but this one was easy. 28-year old LF Jon Moreau (.338/.368/.525, 11 HR, 80 RBI, 76 R, 26 BB, 6.5 WAR) was head and shoulders above his teammates, leading the Eagles in a number of offensive categories. He also won the Eastern League batting title.

Top Pitcher – Season: 27-year old RHP Francisco López (19-6, 2.33 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 2.97 FIP, 154 ERA+) was the No. 4 starter, but the four-year veteran had his best season yet and was his team’s best pitcher. López was the Eagles’ 9th overall pick from 1940-41.

Key Injury: 25-year old RF Jilenko Vergara (.315/.364/.445, 8 HR, 48 RBI, 42 R, 27 BB, 2.4 WAR) was injured in a collision at home plate on March 23. He suffered an intercostal strain and will be out 2-3 weeks.

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The Braeland City Monarchs just could not recover from a slow start in October and November, but it’s doubtful whether this team had a realistic chance of competing for the wild card anyway. The Monarchs signalled a switch to rebuilding mode in late November, and the trade of all-star 1B Dean Bishop was a clear indication of that. Bishop is currently rated No. 5 overall among first basemen in the ULB. 1B Kyle Pryor, as a rookie, is already rated as No. 6. So if Pryor is the real deal, then first base in ‘Capital’ city should be in good hands for years to come.

Offense: .269/.330/.378 (3rd/4th/2nd)
Pitching: 3.64/3.62/3.74 (4th/4th/6th)
Defense: .698 (4th)

Top Position Player – Season: Although 22-year old rookie 1B Kyle Pryor (.273/.356/.489, 19 HR, 67 RBI, 60 R, 48 BB, 2.7 WAR) made quite the splash when he took over from the recently traded Dean Bishop, 31-year old 3B/SS Adam Ashley (.319/.363/.412, 3 HR, 58 RBI, 89 R, 41 BB, 14 SB, 4.5 WAR) was Braeland City’s best offensive player over the course of the season.

Top Pitcher – Season: His won-loss record doesn’t do him justice, but 35-year old LHP David Cooling (14-16, 2.48 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 3.00 FIP, 145 ERA+) was his team’s best pitcher this year, as Cooling led the Monarchs in 13 pitching categories.

Key Injuries: 36-year old RF Scott Kessler (.272/.352/.382, 2 HR, 22 RBI, 18 R, 23 BB, 0.9 WAR) strained a hamstring while running the bases in a game on January 24. He should be fully recuperated in a few more days.

28-year old 2B Trevor Bolen (.283/.317/.406, 12 HR, 77 RBI, 60 R, 24 BB, 1.0 WAR) experienced knee inflammation while running the bases on March 24. He should be 100% in 1-2 weeks.

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After finishing in first place last year, the Stratford Barons fell 10 games below .500. A 7-16 February really hurt the team, but again, it was apparent that the Barons were not going to make a serious push for the playoffs this year. Stratford may not be competitive next season either, as they are undergoing a bit of a transition. Some stalwarts are starting to regress and the Barons are trying to compensate. But a look at Stratford’s prospect depth is encouraging. They have at least 7 prospects ranked in the Top 10 at their respective positions and Stratford’s farm system is rated 4th overall. Thus the Barons may be able to make a relatively quick turnaround.

Offense: .264/.329/.358 (4th/5th/5th)
Pitching: 3.60/3.49/4.31 (3rd/3rd/7th)
Defense: .694 (6th)

Top Position Player – Season: His defense was largely forgetful, but offensively 32-year old SS Jake Walker (.328/.425/.462, 7 HR, 69 RBI, 81 R, 95 BB, 5.2 WAR) had his best season in three years.

Top Pitcher – Season: Not exactly a clear cut choice, but 26-year old RHP Bill Blair (17-11, 3.28 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 3.52 FIP, 110 ERA+) was very consistent and reliable throughout the season.

Key Injuries: 36-year old LHP Ryan Borden (8-6, 1.81 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 2.55 FIP) experienced shoulder inflammation while pitching in a game on December 19. He will be laid up a further 3 weeks.

23-year old RF Lyndon Inagaki (.293/.362/.404, 8 HR, 66 RBI, 59 R, 56 BB, 1.1 WAR) strained a rib cage muscle on defensive play back on March 21. He is expected to be back up to speed in a week.

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The Downie Chiefs lumbered home to their sixth straight losing season, but help may finally be on the way. Indeed, for many of the teams that have been struggling for years, the one solace has been player development. In 9 of 10 player positions, the Chiefs have prospects rated in the Top 10 of their respective positions, so there is reason for hope. They appear to have an exciting young catcher in C Spencer Fletcher, who was a 5th-round pick in the 1941-42 draft, originally by the Sherburn Tigers. He is now rated 5th overall among catchers in the ULB. They have the top-ranked prospect at 2B with 22-year old George Coker, who is still in Double-A. He was a 3rd-round pick back in 1943-44. The one area that Downie needs to address however is starting pitching, where they are rated dead last in the overall depth rankings.

Offense: .262/.313/.356 (6th/6th/6th)
Pitching: 3.66/3.71/3.27 (5th/5th/2nd)
Defense: .706 (1st)

Top Position Player – Season: 25-year old RF Ricardo Castellanos (.296/.359/.433, 10 HR, 61 RBI, 75 R, 53 BB, 13 SB, 5.0 WAR) was once again his team’s best player by a comfortable margin and was terrific on defense (.962 PCT, 2.48 RNG, +13.5 ZR, 1.072 EFF).

Top Pitcher – Season: Downie’s pitching saw some improvement this season over last year. One reason was 22-year old Fijian RHP Kelii Pelanekelina (11-15, 3.24 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 4.04 FIP, 111 ERA+). The former third round pick from 1941-42 took over the No. 1 spot in the rotation in just his first full season in the ULB.
31-year old RHP Manuel Páez (15-12, 3.69 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 3.89 FIP, 97 ERA+) enjoyed his first winning season with an ERA below 4.00. His record over the previous four seasons is 34-77, 4.97 ERA.

Noteworthy: 27-year old C Spencer Fletcher (.324/.368/.422, 6 HR, 46 RBI, 41 R, 28 BB, 3.6 WAR) had quite the month of March. On March 5, he was acknowledged with a Player of the Week Award, for batting .500 (14 H in 28 AB) with 4 RBI the previous week. Two weeks later, he won his second Player of the Week Award. He batted .526 (10 H in 19 AB), with 2 HR, 4 RBI. A good portion of that came in a game played against the Cobourg Red Stockings on March 13. Fletcher went 4 for 4 with 2 HR, 3 RBI, 5 R. The Chiefs won the game, 8-4.

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The Wellington Athletics endured their worst season thus far as they could only muster 60 wins to finish a whopping 41-games back of first place. Wellington has a long haul ahead of them: their roster is wholly unable to compete for a playoff spot and their farm system is one of the weakest in the ULB (14th overall). The two best players for the Athletics since their inception in 1937 have been 35-year old LHP Clyde Boney and 34-year old Ryley McLarnon (.288/.339/.359, 1 HR, 43 RBI, 46 R, 38 BB, 14 SB, 2.6 WAR). But they are both past their prime and can no longer be counted among the elite players of the United Leagues. Things are looking pretty grim right now and for the foreseeable future in Wellington.

Offense: .250/.309/.337 (8th/7th/8th)
Pitching: 3.92/3.97/3.59 (7th/7th/5th)
Defense: .699 (2nd)

Top Position Player – Season: He may have been traded to Kingston in late January, but I’m going with 32-year old 2B Brian Main (.297/.355/.472, 8 HR, 50 RBI, 52 R, 34 BB, 2.8 WAR). Not a lot of positives on this team right now, although 22-year old SS Mac Medley (.260/.320/.355, 3 HR, 51 RBI, 69R, 51 BB, 24 SB, 2.6 WAR) made some nice strides in his sophomore season.

Top Pitcher – Season: Got to go again with 35-year old LHP Clyde Boney (12-16, 3.75 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 3.46 FIP, 96 ERA+) as the rest of the rotation is in flux.

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After escaping the cellar last season, the Cobourg Red Stockings fell to 8th place again for the sixth time in eight campaigns. They have never finished higher than sixth place or won more than 76 games (back in Year 1). All that losing has brought them a lot of young talent and sooner or later, that talent should blossom, shouldn’t it? As they said in Brooklyn, just wait ‘til next year.

Offense: .262/.309/.355 (7th/8th/7th)
Pitching: 4.09/4.20/3.38 (8th/8th/3rd)
Defense: .684 (8th)

Top Position Player – Season: 23-year old 3B Alexander Tolmie (.271/.347/.394, 12 HR, 68 RBI, 63 R, 69 BB, 3.5 WAR) has all the makings of being a star in this league for a very long time.

Top Pitcher – Season: Not a stellar year for Cobourg pitcher, so I’ll go with 27-year old RHP Pedro Gómez (10-21, 3.99 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 3.51 FIP, 90 ERA+) who definitely deserved better run support.

Key Injuries: 26-year old 1B Brad Mitchinson (.290/.346/.430, 6 HR, 17 RBI, 20 R, 17 BB) collided at a base on December 31. The diagnosis is a partially torn labrum and he will miss another 1-2 weeks.

22-year old RHP Trent Beaton (4-10, 3.86 ERA, 1.51 WHIP) tore a back muscle while pitching in a game on January 15. He will be out of commission for another 2 months.

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07-08-2016, 06:00 PM	#283
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,925	March 27, 1945 Eastern League: Familiar Foes Will Meet for the Pennant For the 1945 playoffs, two foes very familiar with each other will square off, as both the Brunswick Legends and Embro Suns took care of business and secured playoff spots rather handily. The Legends finished with 101 victories, the only team to win more than 90 games in the United Leagues this season. That was more than enough for them to finish in first place in the Eastern League for the first time. But things weren’t looking up for Embro as this season dawned. The team finished 10 games below .500 the year before and then lost the services of its marquee player, 1B Jim Friend, to the war effort. The team regrouped though to win 88 games and soon took over the wild card spot and never looked back. However, it now has the daunting task of facing a team that so far, has had its number in the playoffs. -------- The Brunswick Legends went wire-to-wire in 1944-45, winning 15 straight games to start the season and was never seriously challenged for first place in the East the rest of the way. They finished with 101 victories, by far the best mark in the entire United Leagues. The Legends appeared to have suffered a critical loss when No. 1 starter Anastasio Rodríguez went down to an extended injury. But 27-year old RHP Hun Park (16-12, 3.38 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 3.16 FIP, 107 ERA+) did well in his first year and gives Brunswick much needed depth in the upcoming playoffs. Offense: .274/.346/.379 (2nd/2nd/1st) Pitching: 2.90/2.95/2.47 (1st/1st/1st) Defense: .699 (3rd) *Top Position Player – Season:* A tough call, but I’ll go with 26-year old CF Harry Chatwin (.324/.379/.452, 6 HR, 62 RBI, 77 R, 47 BB, 15 SB, 4.8 WAR) who was consistent all year leading off Brunswick’s lineup. He was steady on defense as well, giving him a slight edge over 28-year old 1B Stuart Bentham (.316/.427/.471, 20 HR, 67 RBI, 95 R, 109 BB, 4.6 WAR), who was outstanding as well. Bentham led the team in a slew of offensive categories. *Top Pitcher – Season:* The pitching crew was second to none this season and finished strong despite the loss of ace Anastasio Rodríguez. Another tough choice, but I’ll go with 30-year old LHP Hirotada Fukushima (20-9, 2.57 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 3.12 FIP, 140 ERA+), who led the team in eleven pitching categories. 34-year old LHP Matthew Monroe (22-6, 2.51 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 2.96 FIP, 143 ERA+) led the pitching staff in shutouts (5), WAR (6.1) and ERA and would be great choice as well. *Key Injury:* 28-year old LHP Anastasio Rodríguez (13-5, 2.80 ERA, 1.13 WHIP) suffered a dislocated finger in a game back on January 21. He is gone for the season (3 months). -------- The Embro Suns make it back to the playoffs after one season, but whether they can solve the problem that is the Brunswick Legends remains to be seen. The Suns have been swept by the Legends the past two times they met in the Eastern League finals. The offense was tops in the East, averaging 4.6 R/G, but the pitching was only so-so (4.3 R/G). Brunswick, by comparison, averaged 4.4 R/G on offense, 3.4 R/G on the pitching side of things. Embro will have to be stouter on pitching and defense if they are to finally make the United Cup finals. Offense: .277/.350/.366 (1st/1st/4th) Pitching: 3.83/3.89/3.46 (6th/6th/4th) Defense: .695 (5th) *Top Position Player – Season:* I’m tempted to go with 38-year old SS Gary Watkinson (.337/.435/.411, 1 HR, 72 RBI, 90 R, 104 BB, 11 SB, 6.0 WAR) as he led in so many offensive categories for the team but once again his defense was a liability, although not as bad as it was last season. So my pick is 31-year old CF Terence Durney (.299/.383/.410, 8 HR, 101 RBI, 78 R, 83 BB, 11 SB, 5.8 WAR), who, in addition to hitting in the heart of the order, was solid on defense (.991 PCT, 2.99 RNG, +10.0 ZR, 1.030 EFF). *Top Pitcher – Season:* Embro’s pitching was not the strongest unit around, but it saw a definite improvement over last season. Two pitchers deserve mentioning. First off, my selection for top pitcher is 30-year old RHP Myung-gu Son (19-8, 3.06 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 2.94 FIP, 118 ERA+), who enjoyed a nice bounce-back year (last season he went 8-21, 4.30 ERA, 1.48 WHIP). But 31-year old ace RHP Oscar Burress (15-13, 3.41 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 2.94 FIP, 105 ERA+) was pretty good too. 35-year old RHP Colm Soper (9-4, 14 SV, 2.78 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 2.97 FIP), who was Embro’s ace at one time and a former Satchel Paige Award winner has been a steady presence working out of the bullpen the past two seasons. *Key Injury:* 23-year old 2B José Sánchez (.281/.353/.383, 1 HR, 37 RBI, 40 R, 34 BB, 14 SB, 2.5 WAR) tore a back muscle while running the bases in a game back on February 4. He will be laid up for 3 months. -------- The Queensland Eagles started off well in October, but soon fell back to being a .500 club, going 37-37 since January 1. But the Eagles are not that far from seriously challenging for a playoff spot, with some nice pieces already in place, such as RF Jilenko Vergara, C Elijah Sheppard (.251/.322/.375, 10 HR, 62 RBI, 67 R, 55 BB, 3.4 WAR) and RHP Pi-ao Quian (16-14, 2.66 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 3.20 FIP, 135 ERA+). There’s no reason to think that Queensland cannot improve on this season next year. Offense: .264/.334/.373 (5th/3rd/3rd) Pitching: 3.35/3.10/5.55 (2nd/2nd/8th) Defense: .693 (7th) *Top Position Player – Season:* Queensland has some fine players, but this one was easy. 28-year old LF Jon Moreau (.338/.368/.525, 11 HR, 80 RBI, 76 R, 26 BB, 6.5 WAR) was head and shoulders above his teammates, leading the Eagles in a number of offensive categories. He also won the Eastern League batting title. *Top Pitcher – Season:* 27-year old RHP Francisco López (19-6, 2.33 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 2.97 FIP, 154 ERA+) was the No. 4 starter, but the four-year veteran had his best season yet and was his team’s best pitcher. López was the Eagles’ 9th overall pick from 1940-41. *Key Injury:* 25-year old RF Jilenko Vergara (.315/.364/.445, 8 HR, 48 RBI, 42 R, 27 BB, 2.4 WAR) was injured in a collision at home plate on March 23. He suffered an intercostal strain and will be out 2-3 weeks. -------- The Braeland City Monarchs just could not recover from a slow start in October and November, but it’s doubtful whether this team had a realistic chance of competing for the wild card anyway. The Monarchs signalled a switch to rebuilding mode in late November, and the trade of all-star 1B Dean Bishop was a clear indication of that. Bishop is currently rated No. 5 overall among first basemen in the ULB. 1B Kyle Pryor, as a rookie, is already rated as No. 6. So if Pryor is the real deal, then first base in ‘Capital’ city should be in good hands for years to come. Offense: .269/.330/.378 (3rd/4th/2nd) Pitching: 3.64/3.62/3.74 (4th/4th/6th) Defense: .698 (4th) *Top Position Player – Season:* Although 22-year old rookie 1B Kyle Pryor (.273/.356/.489, 19 HR, 67 RBI, 60 R, 48 BB, 2.7 WAR) made quite the splash when he took over from the recently traded Dean Bishop, 31-year old 3B/SS Adam Ashley (.319/.363/.412, 3 HR, 58 RBI, 89 R, 41 BB, 14 SB, 4.5 WAR) was Braeland City’s best offensive player over the course of the season. *Top Pitcher – Season:* His won-loss record doesn’t do him justice, but 35-year old LHP David Cooling (14-16, 2.48 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 3.00 FIP, 145 ERA+) was his team’s best pitcher this year, as Cooling led the Monarchs in 13 pitching categories. *Key Injuries:* 36-year old RF Scott Kessler (.272/.352/.382, 2 HR, 22 RBI, 18 R, 23 BB, 0.9 WAR) strained a hamstring while running the bases in a game on January 24. He should be fully recuperated in a few more days. 28-year old 2B Trevor Bolen (.283/.317/.406, 12 HR, 77 RBI, 60 R, 24 BB, 1.0 WAR) experienced knee inflammation while running the bases on March 24. He should be 100% in 1-2 weeks. -------- After finishing in first place last year, the Stratford Barons fell 10 games below .500. A 7-16 February really hurt the team, but again, it was apparent that the Barons were not going to make a serious push for the playoffs this year. Stratford may not be competitive next season either, as they are undergoing a bit of a transition. Some stalwarts are starting to regress and the Barons are trying to compensate. But a look at Stratford’s prospect depth is encouraging. They have at least 7 prospects ranked in the Top 10 at their respective positions and Stratford’s farm system is rated 4th overall. Thus the Barons may be able to make a relatively quick turnaround. Offense: .264/.329/.358 (4th/5th/5th) Pitching: 3.60/3.49/4.31 (3rd/3rd/7th) Defense: .694 (6th) *Top Position Player – Season:* His defense was largely forgetful, but offensively 32-year old SS Jake Walker (.328/.425/.462, 7 HR, 69 RBI, 81 R, 95 BB, 5.2 WAR) had his best season in three years. *Top Pitcher – Season:* Not exactly a clear cut choice, but 26-year old RHP Bill Blair (17-11, 3.28 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 3.52 FIP, 110 ERA+) was very consistent and reliable throughout the season. *Key Injuries:* 36-year old LHP Ryan Borden (8-6, 1.81 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 2.55 FIP) experienced shoulder inflammation while pitching in a game on December 19. He will be laid up a further 3 weeks. 23-year old RF Lyndon Inagaki (.293/.362/.404, 8 HR, 66 RBI, 59 R, 56 BB, 1.1 WAR) strained a rib cage muscle on defensive play back on March 21. He is expected to be back up to speed in a week. -------- The Downie Chiefs lumbered home to their sixth straight losing season, but help may finally be on the way. Indeed, for many of the teams that have been struggling for years, the one solace has been player development. In 9 of 10 player positions, the Chiefs have prospects rated in the Top 10 of their respective positions, so there is reason for hope. They appear to have an exciting young catcher in C Spencer Fletcher, who was a 5th-round pick in the 1941-42 draft, originally by the Sherburn Tigers. He is now rated 5th overall among catchers in the ULB. They have the top-ranked prospect at 2B with 22-year old George Coker, who is still in Double-A. He was a 3rd-round pick back in 1943-44. The one area that Downie needs to address however is starting pitching, where they are rated dead last in the overall depth rankings. Offense: .262/.313/.356 (6th/6th/6th) Pitching: 3.66/3.71/3.27 (5th/5th/2nd) Defense: .706 (1st) *Top Position Player – Season:* 25-year old RF Ricardo Castellanos (.296/.359/.433, 10 HR, 61 RBI, 75 R, 53 BB, 13 SB, 5.0 WAR) was once again his team’s best player by a comfortable margin and was terrific on defense (.962 PCT, 2.48 RNG, +13.5 ZR, 1.072 EFF). *Top Pitcher – Season:* Downie’s pitching saw some improvement this season over last year. One reason was 22-year old Fijian RHP Kelii Pelanekelina (11-15, 3.24 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 4.04 FIP, 111 ERA+). The former third round pick from 1941-42 took over the No. 1 spot in the rotation in just his first full season in the ULB. 31-year old RHP Manuel Páez (15-12, 3.69 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 3.89 FIP, 97 ERA+) enjoyed his first winning season with an ERA below 4.00. His record over the previous four seasons is 34-77, 4.97 ERA. *Noteworthy:* 27-year old C Spencer Fletcher (.324/.368/.422, 6 HR, 46 RBI, 41 R, 28 BB, 3.6 WAR) had quite the month of March. On March 5, he was acknowledged with a Player of the Week Award, for batting .500 (14 H in 28 AB) with 4 RBI the previous week. Two weeks later, he won his second Player of the Week Award. He batted .526 (10 H in 19 AB), with 2 HR, 4 RBI. A good portion of that came in a game played against the Cobourg Red Stockings on March 13. Fletcher went 4 for 4 with 2 HR, 3 RBI, 5 R. The Chiefs won the game, 8-4. -------- The Wellington Athletics endured their worst season thus far as they could only muster 60 wins to finish a whopping 41-games back of first place. Wellington has a long haul ahead of them: their roster is wholly unable to compete for a playoff spot and their farm system is one of the weakest in the ULB (14th overall). The two best players for the Athletics since their inception in 1937 have been 35-year old LHP Clyde Boney and 34-year old Ryley McLarnon (.288/.339/.359, 1 HR, 43 RBI, 46 R, 38 BB, 14 SB, 2.6 WAR). But they are both past their prime and can no longer be counted among the elite players of the United Leagues. Things are looking pretty grim right now and for the foreseeable future in Wellington. Offense: .250/.309/.337 (8th/7th/8th) Pitching: 3.92/3.97/3.59 (7th/7th/5th) Defense: .699 (2nd) *Top Position Player – Season:* He may have been traded to Kingston in late January, but I’m going with 32-year old 2B Brian Main (.297/.355/.472, 8 HR, 50 RBI, 52 R, 34 BB, 2.8 WAR). Not a lot of positives on this team right now, although 22-year old SS Mac Medley (.260/.320/.355, 3 HR, 51 RBI, 69R, 51 BB, 24 SB, 2.6 WAR) made some nice strides in his sophomore season. *Top Pitcher – Season:* Got to go again with 35-year old LHP Clyde Boney (12-16, 3.75 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 3.46 FIP, 96 ERA+) as the rest of the rotation is in flux. -------- After escaping the cellar last season, the Cobourg Red Stockings fell to 8th place again for the sixth time in eight campaigns. They have never finished higher than sixth place or won more than 76 games (back in Year 1). All that losing has brought them a lot of young talent and sooner or later, that talent should blossom, shouldn’t it? As they said in Brooklyn, just wait ‘til next year. Offense: .262/.309/.355 (7th/8th/7th) Pitching: 4.09/4.20/3.38 (8th/8th/3rd) Defense: .684 (8th) *Top Position Player – Season:* 23-year old 3B Alexander Tolmie (.271/.347/.394, 12 HR, 68 RBI, 63 R, 69 BB, 3.5 WAR) has all the makings of being a star in this league for a very long time. *Top Pitcher – Season:* Not a stellar year for Cobourg pitcher, so I’ll go with 27-year old RHP Pedro Gómez (10-21, 3.99 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 3.51 FIP, 90 ERA+) who definitely deserved better run support. *Key Injuries:* 26-year old 1B Brad Mitchinson (.290/.346/.430, 6 HR, 17 RBI, 20 R, 17 BB) collided at a base on December 31. The diagnosis is a partially torn labrum and he will miss another 1-2 weeks. 22-year old RHP Trent Beaton (4-10, 3.86 ERA, 1.51 WHIP) tore a back muscle while pitching in a game on January 15. He will be out of commission for another 2 months. -------- __________________ United Leagues of Braeland Last edited by reds1; 07-14-2017 at 07:55 PM.