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reds1 · 01-03-2017, 07:52 PM

March 27, 1946

Western League: Pelicans, Tigers to Battle Again for Pennant

The match-up for the Western League Pennant was settled well before the regular season was officially completed, but the Pelicans and Tigers had to wait a little longer than normal until the Eastern League untangled itself with a couple of tie-breakers. Now that it’s settled, the two teams can finally get down to business with well-rested pitching staffs. But first, a brief end-of-season review of the Western League teams.

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The Kingston Pelicans were simply not interested in allowing things to get close in the final two months and so simply bull-dozed their way through the rest of the field to take a stranglehold of first place, 13 games ahead of anyone else. While that eliminated all potential drama of a tight race, it was not as though they had everyone’s number. In their final 4-game set against the Sherburn Tigers in March, they were beaten 3 games to 1, dropping their season match-up to the second place team with 6 wins vs. 9 losses. The Pelicans are far and away the class of the United Leagues, but that doesn’t seem to impress everyone (i.e. Sherburn).

Offense: .298/.376/.447 (1st/1st/1st)
Pitching: 3.37/3.26/3.95 (1st/1st/3rd)
Defense: .701 (2nd)

Player of the Week Awards:

February 11 – C Danny Trowbridge (.519, 14 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI)
March 4 – C Danny Trowbridge (.467, 7 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI)
March 11 – C/1B Jamie Wilday (.480, 12 H, 1 HR, 7 RBI)

Top Player:

30-year old Katsunan Chikafuji (.359/.414/.575, 30 HR, 139 RBI, 9.3WAR) had a season for the ages, but was still upstaged – by his teammate no less. 27-year old C Danny Trowbridge (.371/.442/.629, 34 HR, 106 RBI, 9.6 WAR) was just amazing, winning Player of the Week and Batter of the Month Awards left and right. He also won the Western League Batting Title with a .371 average, the highest in the West since Gary Watkinson hit .387 for the Sherburn Tigers back in 1937-38. Trowbridge totaled 211 hits, 38 doubles and 129 runs. Only his defense (-1.3 ZR) showed some weakness. By comparison, Chikafuji rated a +10.0 at shortstop.

Top Pitcher:

Got to go with 26-year old LHP Patrick Denman (27-6, 2.29 ERA, 1.17WHIP, 138 ERA+) who set a new ULB record for most wins in a season. He led the Western League in no less than 12 pitching categories, including H/9 IP (7.5), Opp AVG (.221), Opp OPS (.594) and BABIP (.237)
But 26-year old RHP Ben Currall (20-7, 2.97 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 141 ERA+) did all right for a rookie; he led the League in shutouts (5).

Key Injuries: None

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The Sherburn Tigers largely flailed against Eastern League teams in February, eliminating any real chance of closing in on the mighty Pelicans. But to their credit, they bounced back in March to finish the season strong. That should serve them well, as they gear up for their first playoff run since the inaugural season of 1937-38.

Offense: .282/.356/.392 (2nd/2nd/4th)
Pitching: 3.70/3.61/4.34 (2nd/2nd/6th)
Defense: .696 (3rd)

Top Player:

This belongs to 27-year old C Neil Voigt (.310/.347/.507, 20 HR, 120 RBI, 5.3 WAR) who led the team offensively all season after being acquired from the Cobourg Red Stockings last June. His able handling of the pitching cannot be overlooked as well.

Top Pitcher:

A slight edge is given to 22-year old RHP Jesús Chapa (19-13, 2.50 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 168 ERA+). He led the Western League in 4 categories: strikeouts (141), K/9 IP (4.6 – tied with teammate Arthur Bence), K/BB (1.57) and WAR (7.1).
But 27-year old RHP Roberto Taváres (18-8, 3.49 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 120 ERA+) was no slouch either, surrendering only 4 HR all-season.

Injuries:

27-year old RF Bert Helmer – broken elbow bone – 3-4 months

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The Wolseley Unions were a tale of two teams this season. In the first three months, they went 31-52 and were dead last in the West. But from January to March, they put up the best record in the entire United Leagues (48-23); better than even Kingston (46-25) or the Stratford Barons (44-28). That propelled them to third place in the West and their first winning season. That can largely be attributed to their pitching which got stronger as the season wore on. The Unions are poised for a breakout pretty soon: they have 3 of the top 10 prospects in the ULB and that does not include Westin Woollams (78/80) who is already easing into the lineup. If they all pan out and if the pitching continues to improve, then something special could be brewing in Wolseley.

Offense: .262/.351/.390 (6th/3rd/7th)
Pitching: 4.45/4.51/4.20 (4th/4th/5th)
Defense: .695 (4th)

Player of the Week Awards:

February 4 – LF Carlton Hawking (.500, 11 H, 9 RBI)
March 18 – RHP Kai Tosh (2-0, 0.00 ERA, 18.0 IP, 14 K, .148 Opp AVG)

Top Player:

The Unions have some fine offensive players, including 24-year old SS Jorge Arredondo (.319/.382/.465, 13 HR, 91 RBI, 22 SB, 6.3 WAR). His defense was top-notch as well (+10.9 ZR).
24-year old LF Carlton Hawking (.326/.441/.521, 17 HR, 89 RBI, 5.1 WAR) led the team in a number of offensive categories, but his defense was suspect (-7.5 ZR).

Top Pitcher:

22-year old RHP Jeremy Albury (19-11, 3.58 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 117 ERA+) was Wolseley’s most consistent pitcher all season long. But if 26-year old RHP Kai Tosh (15-11, 4.54 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 92 ERA+) can pitch like he did in March more consistently, the Unions would have a nice 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation. Tosh won a Player of the Week Award and a Pitcher of the Month Award in March. However, he had ERAs well over 5.00 in October, November, January and February.

Injuries:

24-year old LF Carlton Hawking – thigh stiffness – 6 days
24-year old RHP Les Gandy – separated hip joint – 3 months

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The Fort Richmond Generals continued their slow rebuild after bottoming out two seasons ago with a 56-98 record, easily the worst record in the ULB in 1943-44. This season they finish with 75 wins, the highest win total for the franchise. They have assembled the deepest farm system in the United Leagues and are blessed with an abundance of young pitching talent. One of them is 23-year old RHP Nicky Sherlock (6-9, 11 SV, 3.05 ERA, 1.36 WHIP), who is rated the top pitching prospect in the ULB. If the second rounder from 1942-43 can join the rotation and thrive next season, then perhaps the Generals finally will as well.

Offense: .260/.333/.369 (7th/6th/8th)
Pitching: 3.91/4.01/3.32 (3rd/3rd/1st)
Defense: .708 (1st)

Top Player:

A no doubter. 23-year old CF Dylan Moyne (.292/.351/.434, 10 HR, 82 RBI, 29 SB, 6.0 WAR) got stronger as the season wore on and was sensational in centerfield (+18.5 ZR). He was easily Fort Richmond’s top offensive player. But it was also nice to see 29-year old 3B Steven Wormleighton (.304/.348/.392, 3 HR, 52 RBI, 9 SB, 2.5 WAR) have a nice season after being away for two seasons serving in the military.

Top Pitcher:

Oh, this is a toughie, as Fort Richmond enjoyed some fine performances. But I’ll go with 32-year old RHP Noah Marfell (16-10, 3.66 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 111 ERA+) who enjoyed his first winning season in the ULB (after 8 seasons), won Pitcher of the Month honours in February and led his team in a number of pitching categories. 25-year old RHP Reece Leevers (15-14, 3.21 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 126 ERA+) wasn’t bad either.

Noteworthy:

March 13 – 23-year old SS Clive Lanham (.305/.368/.464, 7 HR, 46 RBI, 2.7 WAR) went 5 for 5 with four singles (including an RBI single) as well as double. It wasn’t enough however, as the Generals fell to the Sherburn Tigers, 15-6.

March 15 – 3B Steven Wormleighton went 6 for 6 against the Balmoral Giants, helping his team pull out a 6-5 victory in extra innings. Wormleighton doubled in the 2nd, singled in the 4th, hit a two-run double in the 5th and singled each in the 7th, 9th and 11th innings.

Key Injuries: None

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The strife engulfing the Cambria Cannons finally boiled over as the team collapsed in the final two months the season. This is a talented team that has begun to squander its window of opportunity fighting for a playoff spot. Since I’ve commented on this in previous posts, I won’t belabor the point. But the Cannons are in a precarious situation. They have no farm system to speak of, so their time is now. With a couple of smart trades, they could alleviate the grievances, plug up a couple of weak spots (such as on the rotation and at 2B) and be back with a vengeance. The team is at a cross-roads and the upcoming off-season will reveal which way they are going.

Offense: .272/.349/.391 (4th/4th/6th)
Pitching: 4.65/4.85/3.78 (6th/6th/2nd)
Defense: .686 (7th)

Top Player:

28-year old C Heung-su Pak (.289/.354/.446, 16 HR, 84 RBI, 4.6 WAR) led the team in a slew of offensive categories, but 30-year old SS Wenceslas Jasmin (.302/.363/.407, 4 HR, 75 RBI, 12 SB, 5.4 WAR) combined fine offense with outstanding defense (+14.6 ZR). He was Cambria’s top player this year.

Top Pitcher:

In a down year pitching-wise, 32-year old RHP Jin-man Kim (14-15, 3.73 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 110 ERA+) was Cambria’s top hurler, leading the team in 15 pitching categories.

Injuries:

34-year old RHP Pete Allison – shoulder swelling – 2-3 months

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The Hespeler Stars finished with their worst record since the 1940-41 season. But as mentioned in a previous post, the Stars appear to have sufficient talent to reverse the trend. I was pessimistic earlier about the quality of their assembled prospects, but looking at their organizational rankings it’s more impressive than I thought. Three prospects are rated No. 1 at their position while three more are rated No. 2. At any rate, it will be interesting to see how this all plays out as other teams, such as Wolseley and Fort Richmond, appear ready to compete very soon as well.

Offense: .270/.332/.399 (5th/7th/3rd)
Pitching: 5.06/5.27/4.40 (8th/8th/7th)
Defense: .675 (8th)

Player of the Week Awards:

February 25 – C Gareth Kody (.481, 13 H, 1 HR, 10 RBI, 4 R)

Top Player:

26-year old C Gareth Kody (.340/.353/.498, 16 HR, 78 RBI, 5.1 WAR) broke out in a big way in his third full season in the United Leagues after being traded from the Braeland City Monarchs back in September. He is rated No. 5 among catchers in the ULB.

Top Pitcher:

Not a great year for Hespeler pitchers. Thus I’ll stick with 27-year old LHP Carlton Sherrell (16-14, 3.64 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 115 ERA+) who really only had one rough month this season (1-4, 6.69 ERA in December). Take that out of the equation, and his ERA dropped to 3.11.

Injuries: None

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With other teams appearing poised to move up in the standings, the Balmoral Giants look more like they are ready to settle in near the bottom. They have talent on offense, no doubt about that, but it seems as though the team is about to go to seed. They simply do not have an abundance of young talent to keep up in the increasingly competitive West, 2B Sean Brearton (.305/.343/.417, 5 HR, 56 RBI, 2.5 WAR) notwithstanding. For the Giants, it may be time to blow things up and get some juicy prospects for their top players. At least, that’s what I would do.

Offense: .280/.344/.412 (3rd/5th/2nd)
Pitching: 4.75/4.90/4.15 (7th/7th/4th)
Defense: .690 (6th)

Player of the Week Awards:

January 28 – RF Carlton Broadbent (.455, 15 H, 6 HR, 10 RBI, 9 R)

Top Player:

From a purely offensive perspective, 28-year old RF Carlton Broadbent (.363/.442/.622, 32 HR, 108 RBI, 6.1 WAR) continues to be one of the elite players in the ULB. But his defense was so atrocious this season (-16.5 ZR), I just can’t let it slide.
So I’m going with 28-year old SS Francisco Rodríguez (.316/.361/.486, 7 HR, 85 RBI, 13 SB, 6.0 WAR) who held his own at the plate and was once again outstanding in the field (+13.2 ZR).

Top Pitcher:

There wasn’t much to inspire confidence in this group, but 34-year old RHP Derek Cawley (10-12, 3.84 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 108 ERA+) was as good as it got over the course of the season.

Injuries:

25-year old LHP Dan Moon – torn upper arm muscle – 4 weeks

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In Pulberry, the only thing really to get excited about is next season’s amateur draft. The Pulberry Trolleys have only a handful of impact players on the roster with little in the pipeline to get optimistic about. Perhaps it’s time to for the Trolleys to blow up what little they so have and finally get going on that 3-5 year rebuild that’s taken only 9 seasons so far.

Offense: .259/.327/.391 (8th/8th/5th)
Pitching: 4.56/4.54/4.67 (5th/5th/8th)
Defense: .693 (5th)

Player of the Week Awards:

February 18 – CF Tadamichi Masumoto (.474, 9 H, 2 HR, 2 RBI)

Top Player:

24-year old SS Roland Binns (.290/.336/.498, 23 HR, 121 RBI, 12 SB, 5.6 WAR) enjoyed his finest season yet in the United Leagues. In addition to his bat, he was terrific on defense (+11.5 ZR).

Top Pitcher:

27-year old RHP Lenny Tennison (10-16, 3.25 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 125 ERA+) is perhaps the top feel-good story of the year. After spending nine seasons toiling in the minors, he finally got his big break with the Trolleys this season. The rookie earned a trip to the all-star game and simply got better as the season progressed. He finished in style in February and March, going 3-7, 2.39 ERA for one the ULB’s most anemic offenses.

Injuries: None

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01-03-2017, 07:52 PM	#315
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,919	March 27, 1946 Western League: Pelicans, Tigers to Battle Again for Pennant The match-up for the Western League Pennant was settled well before the regular season was officially completed, but the Pelicans and Tigers had to wait a little longer than normal until the Eastern League untangled itself with a couple of tie-breakers. Now that it’s settled, the two teams can finally get down to business with well-rested pitching staffs. But first, a brief end-of-season review of the Western League teams. -------- The Kingston Pelicans were simply not interested in allowing things to get close in the final two months and so simply bull-dozed their way through the rest of the field to take a stranglehold of first place, 13 games ahead of anyone else. While that eliminated all potential drama of a tight race, it was not as though they had everyone’s number. In their final 4-game set against the Sherburn Tigers in March, they were beaten 3 games to 1, dropping their season match-up to the second place team with 6 wins vs. 9 losses. The Pelicans are far and away the class of the United Leagues, but that doesn’t seem to impress everyone (i.e. Sherburn). Offense: .298/.376/.447 (1st/1st/1st) Pitching: 3.37/3.26/3.95 (1st/1st/3rd) Defense: .701 (2nd) *Player of the Week Awards:* February 11 – C Danny Trowbridge (.519, 14 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI) March 4 – C Danny Trowbridge (.467, 7 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI) March 11 – C/1B Jamie Wilday (.480, 12 H, 1 HR, 7 RBI) *Top Player:* 30-year old Katsunan Chikafuji (.359/.414/.575, 30 HR, 139 RBI, 9.3WAR) had a season for the ages, but was still upstaged – by his teammate no less. 27-year old C Danny Trowbridge (.371/.442/.629, 34 HR, 106 RBI, 9.6 WAR) was just amazing, winning Player of the Week and Batter of the Month Awards left and right. He also won the Western League Batting Title with a .371 average, the highest in the West since Gary Watkinson hit .387 for the Sherburn Tigers back in 1937-38. Trowbridge totaled 211 hits, 38 doubles and 129 runs. Only his defense (-1.3 ZR) showed some weakness. By comparison, Chikafuji rated a +10.0 at shortstop. *Top Pitcher:* Got to go with 26-year old LHP Patrick Denman (27-6, 2.29 ERA, 1.17WHIP, 138 ERA+) who set a new ULB record for most wins in a season. He led the Western League in no less than 12 pitching categories, including H/9 IP (7.5), Opp AVG (.221), Opp OPS (.594) and BABIP (.237) But 26-year old RHP Ben Currall (20-7, 2.97 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 141 ERA+) did all right for a rookie; he led the League in shutouts (5). *Key Injuries:* None -------- The Sherburn Tigers largely flailed against Eastern League teams in February, eliminating any real chance of closing in on the mighty Pelicans. But to their credit, they bounced back in March to finish the season strong. That should serve them well, as they gear up for their first playoff run since the inaugural season of 1937-38. Offense: .282/.356/.392 (2nd/2nd/4th) Pitching: 3.70/3.61/4.34 (2nd/2nd/6th) Defense: .696 (3rd) *Top Player:* This belongs to 27-year old C Neil Voigt (.310/.347/.507, 20 HR, 120 RBI, 5.3 WAR) who led the team offensively all season after being acquired from the Cobourg Red Stockings last June. His able handling of the pitching cannot be overlooked as well. *Top Pitcher:* A slight edge is given to 22-year old RHP Jesús Chapa (19-13, 2.50 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 168 ERA+). He led the Western League in 4 categories: strikeouts (141), K/9 IP (4.6 – tied with teammate Arthur Bence), K/BB (1.57) and WAR (7.1). But 27-year old RHP Roberto Taváres (18-8, 3.49 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 120 ERA+) was no slouch either, surrendering only 4 HR all-season. *Injuries:* 27-year old RF Bert Helmer – broken elbow bone – 3-4 months -------- The Wolseley Unions were a tale of two teams this season. In the first three months, they went 31-52 and were dead last in the West. But from January to March, they put up the best record in the entire United Leagues (48-23); better than even Kingston (46-25) or the Stratford Barons (44-28). That propelled them to third place in the West and their first winning season. That can largely be attributed to their pitching which got stronger as the season wore on. The Unions are poised for a breakout pretty soon: they have 3 of the top 10 prospects in the ULB and that does not include Westin Woollams (78/80) who is already easing into the lineup. If they all pan out and if the pitching continues to improve, then something special could be brewing in Wolseley. Offense: .262/.351/.390 (6th/3rd/7th) Pitching: 4.45/4.51/4.20 (4th/4th/5th) Defense: .695 (4th) *Player of the Week Awards:* February 4 – LF Carlton Hawking (.500, 11 H, 9 RBI) March 18 – RHP Kai Tosh (2-0, 0.00 ERA, 18.0 IP, 14 K, .148 Opp AVG) *Top Player:* The Unions have some fine offensive players, including 24-year old SS Jorge Arredondo (.319/.382/.465, 13 HR, 91 RBI, 22 SB, 6.3 WAR). His defense was top-notch as well (+10.9 ZR). 24-year old LF Carlton Hawking (.326/.441/.521, 17 HR, 89 RBI, 5.1 WAR) led the team in a number of offensive categories, but his defense was suspect (-7.5 ZR). *Top Pitcher:* 22-year old RHP Jeremy Albury (19-11, 3.58 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 117 ERA+) was Wolseley’s most consistent pitcher all season long. But if 26-year old RHP Kai Tosh (15-11, 4.54 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 92 ERA+) can pitch like he did in March more consistently, the Unions would have a nice 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation. Tosh won a Player of the Week Award and a Pitcher of the Month Award in March. However, he had ERAs well over 5.00 in October, November, January and February. *Injuries:* 24-year old LF Carlton Hawking – thigh stiffness – 6 days 24-year old RHP Les Gandy – separated hip joint – 3 months -------- The Fort Richmond Generals continued their slow rebuild after bottoming out two seasons ago with a 56-98 record, easily the worst record in the ULB in 1943-44. This season they finish with 75 wins, the highest win total for the franchise. They have assembled the deepest farm system in the United Leagues and are blessed with an abundance of young pitching talent. One of them is 23-year old RHP Nicky Sherlock (6-9, 11 SV, 3.05 ERA, 1.36 WHIP), who is rated the top pitching prospect in the ULB. If the second rounder from 1942-43 can join the rotation and thrive next season, then perhaps the Generals finally will as well. Offense: .260/.333/.369 (7th/6th/8th) Pitching: 3.91/4.01/3.32 (3rd/3rd/1st) Defense: .708 (1st) *Top Player:* A no doubter. 23-year old CF Dylan Moyne (.292/.351/.434, 10 HR, 82 RBI, 29 SB, 6.0 WAR) got stronger as the season wore on and was sensational in centerfield (+18.5 ZR). He was easily Fort Richmond’s top offensive player. But it was also nice to see 29-year old 3B Steven Wormleighton (.304/.348/.392, 3 HR, 52 RBI, 9 SB, 2.5 WAR) have a nice season after being away for two seasons serving in the military. *Top Pitcher:* Oh, this is a toughie, as Fort Richmond enjoyed some fine performances. But I’ll go with 32-year old RHP Noah Marfell (16-10, 3.66 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 111 ERA+) who enjoyed his first winning season in the ULB (after 8 seasons), won Pitcher of the Month honours in February and led his team in a number of pitching categories. 25-year old RHP Reece Leevers (15-14, 3.21 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 126 ERA+) wasn’t bad either. *Noteworthy:* March 13 – 23-year old SS Clive Lanham (.305/.368/.464, 7 HR, 46 RBI, 2.7 WAR) went 5 for 5 with four singles (including an RBI single) as well as double. It wasn’t enough however, as the Generals fell to the Sherburn Tigers, 15-6. March 15 – 3B Steven Wormleighton went 6 for 6 against the Balmoral Giants, helping his team pull out a 6-5 victory in extra innings. Wormleighton doubled in the 2nd, singled in the 4th, hit a two-run double in the 5th and singled each in the 7th, 9th and 11th innings. *Key Injuries:* None -------- The strife engulfing the Cambria Cannons finally boiled over as the team collapsed in the final two months the season. This is a talented team that has begun to squander its window of opportunity fighting for a playoff spot. Since I’ve commented on this in previous posts, I won’t belabor the point. But the Cannons are in a precarious situation. They have no farm system to speak of, so their time is now. With a couple of smart trades, they could alleviate the grievances, plug up a couple of weak spots (such as on the rotation and at 2B) and be back with a vengeance. The team is at a cross-roads and the upcoming off-season will reveal which way they are going. Offense: .272/.349/.391 (4th/4th/6th) Pitching: 4.65/4.85/3.78 (6th/6th/2nd) Defense: .686 (7th) *Top Player:* 28-year old C Heung-su Pak (.289/.354/.446, 16 HR, 84 RBI, 4.6 WAR) led the team in a slew of offensive categories, but 30-year old SS Wenceslas Jasmin (.302/.363/.407, 4 HR, 75 RBI, 12 SB, 5.4 WAR) combined fine offense with outstanding defense (+14.6 ZR). He was Cambria’s top player this year. *Top Pitcher:* In a down year pitching-wise, 32-year old RHP Jin-man Kim (14-15, 3.73 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 110 ERA+) was Cambria’s top hurler, leading the team in 15 pitching categories. *Injuries:* 34-year old RHP Pete Allison – shoulder swelling – 2-3 months -------- The Hespeler Stars finished with their worst record since the 1940-41 season. But as mentioned in a previous post, the Stars appear to have sufficient talent to reverse the trend. I was pessimistic earlier about the quality of their assembled prospects, but looking at their organizational rankings it’s more impressive than I thought. Three prospects are rated No. 1 at their position while three more are rated No. 2. At any rate, it will be interesting to see how this all plays out as other teams, such as Wolseley and Fort Richmond, appear ready to compete very soon as well. Offense: .270/.332/.399 (5th/7th/3rd) Pitching: 5.06/5.27/4.40 (8th/8th/7th) Defense: .675 (8th) *Player of the Week Awards:* February 25 – C Gareth Kody (.481, 13 H, 1 HR, 10 RBI, 4 R) *Top Player:* 26-year old C Gareth Kody (.340/.353/.498, 16 HR, 78 RBI, 5.1 WAR) broke out in a big way in his third full season in the United Leagues after being traded from the Braeland City Monarchs back in September. He is rated No. 5 among catchers in the ULB. *Top Pitcher:* Not a great year for Hespeler pitchers. Thus I’ll stick with 27-year old LHP Carlton Sherrell (16-14, 3.64 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 115 ERA+) who really only had one rough month this season (1-4, 6.69 ERA in December). Take that out of the equation, and his ERA dropped to 3.11. *Injuries:* None -------- With other teams appearing poised to move up in the standings, the Balmoral Giants look more like they are ready to settle in near the bottom. They have talent on offense, no doubt about that, but it seems as though the team is about to go to seed. They simply do not have an abundance of young talent to keep up in the increasingly competitive West, 2B Sean Brearton (.305/.343/.417, 5 HR, 56 RBI, 2.5 WAR) notwithstanding. For the Giants, it may be time to blow things up and get some juicy prospects for their top players. At least, that’s what I would do. Offense: .280/.344/.412 (3rd/5th/2nd) Pitching: 4.75/4.90/4.15 (7th/7th/4th) Defense: .690 (6th) *Player of the Week Awards:* January 28 – RF Carlton Broadbent (.455, 15 H, 6 HR, 10 RBI, 9 R) *Top Player:* From a purely offensive perspective, 28-year old RF Carlton Broadbent (.363/.442/.622, 32 HR, 108 RBI, 6.1 WAR) continues to be one of the elite players in the ULB. But his defense was so atrocious this season (-16.5 ZR), I just can’t let it slide. So I’m going with 28-year old SS Francisco Rodríguez (.316/.361/.486, 7 HR, 85 RBI, 13 SB, 6.0 WAR) who held his own at the plate and was once again outstanding in the field (+13.2 ZR). *Top Pitcher:* There wasn’t much to inspire confidence in this group, but 34-year old RHP Derek Cawley (10-12, 3.84 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 108 ERA+) was as good as it got over the course of the season. *Injuries:* 25-year old LHP Dan Moon – torn upper arm muscle – 4 weeks -------- In Pulberry, the only thing really to get excited about is next season’s amateur draft. The Pulberry Trolleys have only a handful of impact players on the roster with little in the pipeline to get optimistic about. Perhaps it’s time to for the Trolleys to blow up what little they so have and finally get going on that 3-5 year rebuild that’s taken only 9 seasons so far. Offense: .259/.327/.391 (8th/8th/5th) Pitching: 4.56/4.54/4.67 (5th/5th/8th) Defense: .693 (5th) *Player of the Week Awards:* February 18 – CF Tadamichi Masumoto (.474, 9 H, 2 HR, 2 RBI) *Top Player:* 24-year old SS Roland Binns (.290/.336/.498, 23 HR, 121 RBI, 12 SB, 5.6 WAR) enjoyed his finest season yet in the United Leagues. In addition to his bat, he was terrific on defense (+11.5 ZR). *Top Pitcher:* 27-year old RHP Lenny Tennison (10-16, 3.25 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 125 ERA+) is perhaps the top feel-good story of the year. After spending nine seasons toiling in the minors, he finally got his big break with the Trolleys this season. The rookie earned a trip to the all-star game and simply got better as the season progressed. He finished in style in February and March, going 3-7, 2.39 ERA for one the ULB’s most anemic offenses. *Injuries:* None -------- __________________ United Leagues of Braeland Last edited by reds1; 07-17-2017 at 12:22 PM.