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reds1 · 02-24-2017, 01:48 AM

September 2, 1946

1946 Off-Season: Reading the Riot Act

It was a relatively quiet off-season – at least on the surface. Only a few trades worthy of note took place leading up to the first day of ‘Spring Training’. But the Owners are feeling the heat. The Leagues are attempting to turn their attention to the future and leave the recent austere past behind. While it was understandable that team owners scrutinized their bottom lines carefully during the war years, a few were found to be a little too zealous, allowing the product on the field to suffer while their own pocketbooks bulged. Making matters worse, such impropriety was now being noticed by fans and news media alike. The Commissioner’s chagrin was palpable and he did not mince words in a recent confidential communique.

“Get your financial houses in order”, wrote the Commissioner in a stern letter to all Owners on the eve of the Coconut Leagues. “We cannot have reporters poking their noses into our affairs and embarrassing us. The Commissioner’s Office can only stonewall for so long. The future of the United Leagues is bright, but only if all Owners are fully committed to investing into that future. This Office has a mandate to ensure the Leagues continue to grow and thrive; we cannot tolerate Owners using franchises solely for their own personal enrichment and alienating fans. If any Owner is unable or unwilling to commit to this mandate, the Commissioner’s Office will not hesitate to take immediate corrective measures.”

What exactly those “immediate corrective measures” were was not spelled out, but it wasn’t necessary. The Owners were being put on notice and the mandate to ‘grow’ the Leagues was understood by all: while the physical footprint could not change, the financial health and quality of play in the United Leagues could – and would. The shenanigans of a few would not be tolerated. The honeymoon was over.

On that happy note, here are the noteworthy transactions made this off-season:

May 2:

The Embro Suns sign 23-year old SS Rafael De La Cruz (23/66), a free agent out of the Dominican Republic.

Knee-jerk reaction: The Suns’ current shortstop is 39-year old Gary Watkinson (64/64). While the 7-time all-star is still an elite hitter, he is a train wreck defensively as well as an injury concern. Enter De La Cruz. While he is merely average in the field (his strongest position is at 3B), he projects to be a hitter comparable to Watkinson with jaw-dropping speed and stealing ability. Thus the Suns view him as their shortstop of the (not-too-distant) future.

-----------

May 12:

The Pulberry Trolleys sign former all-star SP Neil Guerin to a 3-year contract as their new field manager.

Knee-jerk reaction: The Trolleys fired 49-year old Zachary Smith back in April, after two middling seasons at the helm. Smith had a ‘fair’ reputation. He is replaced by an ‘unproven’ one. But 43-year old Neil Guerin is no stranger to the United Leagues, having spent five seasons as a starting pitcher. Guerin is a 5-time all-star, winner of the 1937-38 Satchel Paige Award and won the United Cup in 1939-40 with the Cambria Cannons. After four and half seasons with the Cannons, he was claimed off of waivers by the Pulberry Trolleys midway through the 1940-41 season and retired as a player at its conclusion. He finished with a 69-50, 3.25 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 131 ERA+ record. This is his first managerial job at any level. He is said to have a balanced, conventional management style with a player-friendly personality. As a player, he knew how to win. The Trolleys are hoping he can win from the dugout as well. They’re giving him three years to prove it.

-----------

May 22:

The Sherburn Tigers acquired 27-year old OF Baden Morrall (66/68) from the Wellington Athletics.

In return, the Athletics received 26-year old SP Arthur Bence (58/61) and $15,700.

Knee-jerk reaction: In desperate need of competent pitching, Wellington went out and got LHP Arthur Bence, a former 3rd round pick from 1940-41. In Sherburn, Bence was little more than a 5th starter; in Wellington, he’ll be their ace. His stuff is nothing to get excited about, but his movement and control are decent and he has a nice repertoire of pitches at his disposal.

Morrall, a former 2nd round pick, has struggled with consistency over his career and has divided his time between the minors and majors as a result. But he has shown good mechanics and patience at the plate at times and his defense in LF is outstanding. The Tigers are hoping he will find the spark in Sherburn and be an upgrade at that position for them.

-----------

May 24:

The Wellington Athletics traded for 28-year old SS Thomas Murphy (67/74) from the Cambria Cannons. The Cannons received 36-year old SP Max Littler (40/40).

Knee-jerk reaction: Having acquired SP Bence two days earlier, Wellington parted with Littler in order to upgrade their infield. I like this trade for Wellington, as it gives them a very serviceable player while giving up relatively little in return (or is it Littler in return?) Thomas was originally drafted by the Athletics in the first round back in 1940-41. After being traded to Cambria in 1943 just before he left to serve two years in the Armed Forces, Murphy now finds himself back in Wellington. The one-time all-star is still trying to find his footing since returning. He will move to 3B with the Athletics.

As for Cambria, well who knows what they’re trying to do? Littler’s coming off a season to forget (he led the West in losses and HR surrendered – 19 & 35 respectively) and figures to be little more than a fifth starter. Not exactly a trade to inspire confidence in Cambria in my humble opinion.

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June 17:

The Braeland City Monarchs acquired 28-year old IF Dennis Borton (46/51) from the Cobourg Red Stockings.

In return, the Red Stockings received two minor leaguers:

22-year old SP Chris Johnson (20/25),
21-year old SS Joshua Huxtable (21/23)

Knee-jerk reaction: On the surface, it appears that the Red Stockings are up to their old tricks again, trading away a talented player for ho-hum prospects. Borton was an all-star and won the Eastern League batting title last season, mostly playing 1B. Moving to shortstop, where he is slotted in with Braeland City, has depressed his ratings, but there’s nothing to suggest his offensive talent will regress as well. Borton will take over from 26-year old Otton Overbeek, who was shipped to Sherburn in a minor deal in April.

As for the minor leaguers, only SP Johnson offers a remote chance of making the majors. While his stuff could use a bump, his movement and control are decent, if unremarkable. It’s true the Red Stockings need to improve their pitching depth if they want to compete, but this transaction looks really underwhelming.

-----------

August 6:

The Braeland City Monarchs received 28-year old CF Jason Pollock (66/67) from the Balmoral Giants.

In return, the Giants received 26-year old OF Phillip Ferguson (53/54), 20-year old minor league C Ryan Cory (21/37) and $4,400 in cash.

Knee-jerk reaction: Their outfield performed poorly last season at the plate, so Braeland City has set about overhauling it. They figure to have three new faces in the outfield on Opening Day. The last piece and most significant, is Pollock, who will man CF and lead-off against RH pitching. Pollock’s strongest position is LF (80), but can hold his own in CF (60). He appeared to be a rising player in 1943-44 and 1944-45, when he led the Western League in triples both times, but regressed, if just a little, last season. But overall, he should be fine.

In Balmoral, it appears that they are going with 23-year old Clyde Whitaker (74/75) in LF. Whitaker was a 9th overall pick by the Giants in 1942-43 and he won his first Top Fielder Award last season while playing 1B. His defense is equally as good in the OF, so that is not a concern. His poor work ethic could be however.

Ferguson will be buried in the Giants’ outfield depth chart. He earned a berth to the all-star once and picked up his first Top Fielder Award last season playing LF. But his anemic bat will hold him back from being anything more than just a utility guy.

-----------

The War Gained chart below shows how quiet an off-season it was overall. Only Braeland City and Cobourg saw significant shifts, and that was due largely to one player, Dennis Borton.

02-24-2017, 01:48 AM	#328
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,919	September 2, 1946 1946 Off-Season: Reading the Riot Act It was a relatively quiet off-season – at least on the surface. Only a few trades worthy of note took place leading up to the first day of ‘Spring Training’. But the Owners are feeling the heat. The Leagues are attempting to turn their attention to the future and leave the recent austere past behind. While it was understandable that team owners scrutinized their bottom lines carefully during the war years, a few were found to be a little too zealous, allowing the product on the field to suffer while their own pocketbooks bulged. Making matters worse, such impropriety was now being noticed by fans and news media alike. The Commissioner’s chagrin was palpable and he did not mince words in a recent confidential communique. “Get your financial houses in order”, wrote the Commissioner in a stern letter to all Owners on the eve of the Coconut Leagues. “We cannot have reporters poking their noses into our affairs and embarrassing us. The Commissioner’s Office can only stonewall for so long. The future of the United Leagues is bright, but only if all Owners are fully committed to investing into that future. This Office has a mandate to ensure the Leagues continue to grow and thrive; we cannot tolerate Owners using franchises solely for their own personal enrichment and alienating fans. If any Owner is unable or unwilling to commit to this mandate, the Commissioner’s Office will not hesitate to take immediate corrective measures.” What exactly those “immediate corrective measures” were was not spelled out, but it wasn’t necessary. The Owners were being put on notice and the mandate to ‘grow’ the Leagues was understood by all: while the physical footprint could not change, the financial health and quality of play in the United Leagues could – and would. The shenanigans of a few would not be tolerated. The honeymoon was over. On that happy note, here are the noteworthy transactions made this off-season: May 2: The Embro Suns sign 23-year old SS Rafael De La Cruz (23/66), a free agent out of the Dominican Republic. *Knee-jerk reaction:* The Suns’ current shortstop is 39-year old Gary Watkinson (64/64). While the 7-time all-star is still an elite hitter, he is a train wreck defensively as well as an injury concern. Enter De La Cruz. While he is merely average in the field (his strongest position is at 3B), he projects to be a hitter comparable to Watkinson with jaw-dropping speed and stealing ability. Thus the Suns view him as their shortstop of the (not-too-distant) future. ----------- May 12: The Pulberry Trolleys sign former all-star SP Neil Guerin to a 3-year contract as their new field manager. *Knee-jerk reaction:* The Trolleys fired 49-year old Zachary Smith back in April, after two middling seasons at the helm. Smith had a ‘fair’ reputation. He is replaced by an ‘unproven’ one. But 43-year old Neil Guerin is no stranger to the United Leagues, having spent five seasons as a starting pitcher. Guerin is a 5-time all-star, winner of the 1937-38 Satchel Paige Award and won the United Cup in 1939-40 with the Cambria Cannons. After four and half seasons with the Cannons, he was claimed off of waivers by the Pulberry Trolleys midway through the 1940-41 season and retired as a player at its conclusion. He finished with a 69-50, 3.25 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 131 ERA+ record. This is his first managerial job at any level. He is said to have a balanced, conventional management style with a player-friendly personality. As a player, he knew how to win. The Trolleys are hoping he can win from the dugout as well. They’re giving him three years to prove it. ----------- May 22: The Sherburn Tigers acquired 27-year old OF Baden Morrall (66/68) from the Wellington Athletics. In return, the Athletics received 26-year old SP Arthur Bence (58/61) and $15,700. *Knee-jerk reaction:* In desperate need of competent pitching, Wellington went out and got LHP Arthur Bence, a former 3rd round pick from 1940-41. In Sherburn, Bence was little more than a 5th starter; in Wellington, he’ll be their ace. His stuff is nothing to get excited about, but his movement and control are decent and he has a nice repertoire of pitches at his disposal. Morrall, a former 2nd round pick, has struggled with consistency over his career and has divided his time between the minors and majors as a result. But he has shown good mechanics and patience at the plate at times and his defense in LF is outstanding. The Tigers are hoping he will find the spark in Sherburn and be an upgrade at that position for them. ----------- May 24: The Wellington Athletics traded for 28-year old SS Thomas Murphy (67/74) from the Cambria Cannons. The Cannons received 36-year old SP Max Littler (40/40). *Knee-jerk reaction:* Having acquired SP Bence two days earlier, Wellington parted with Littler in order to upgrade their infield. I like this trade for Wellington, as it gives them a very serviceable player while giving up relatively little in return (or is it Littler in return?) Thomas was originally drafted by the Athletics in the first round back in 1940-41. After being traded to Cambria in 1943 just before he left to serve two years in the Armed Forces, Murphy now finds himself back in Wellington. The one-time all-star is still trying to find his footing since returning. He will move to 3B with the Athletics. As for Cambria, well who knows what they’re trying to do? Littler’s coming off a season to forget (he led the West in losses and HR surrendered – 19 & 35 respectively) and figures to be little more than a fifth starter. Not exactly a trade to inspire confidence in Cambria in my humble opinion. ----------- June 17: The Braeland City Monarchs acquired 28-year old IF Dennis Borton (46/51) from the Cobourg Red Stockings. In return, the Red Stockings received two minor leaguers: 22-year old SP Chris Johnson (20/25), 21-year old SS Joshua Huxtable (21/23) *Knee-jerk reaction:* On the surface, it appears that the Red Stockings are up to their old tricks again, trading away a talented player for ho-hum prospects. Borton was an all-star and won the Eastern League batting title last season, mostly playing 1B. Moving to shortstop, where he is slotted in with Braeland City, has depressed his ratings, but there’s nothing to suggest his offensive talent will regress as well. Borton will take over from 26-year old Otton Overbeek, who was shipped to Sherburn in a minor deal in April. As for the minor leaguers, only SP Johnson offers a remote chance of making the majors. While his stuff could use a bump, his movement and control are decent, if unremarkable. It’s true the Red Stockings need to improve their pitching depth if they want to compete, but this transaction looks really underwhelming. ----------- August 6: The Braeland City Monarchs received 28-year old CF Jason Pollock (66/67) from the Balmoral Giants. In return, the Giants received 26-year old OF Phillip Ferguson (53/54), 20-year old minor league C Ryan Cory (21/37) and $4,400 in cash. *Knee-jerk reaction:* Their outfield performed poorly last season at the plate, so Braeland City has set about overhauling it. They figure to have three new faces in the outfield on Opening Day. The last piece and most significant, is Pollock, who will man CF and lead-off against RH pitching. Pollock’s strongest position is LF (80), but can hold his own in CF (60). He appeared to be a rising player in 1943-44 and 1944-45, when he led the Western League in triples both times, but regressed, if just a little, last season. But overall, he should be fine. In Balmoral, it appears that they are going with 23-year old Clyde Whitaker (74/75) in LF. Whitaker was a 9th overall pick by the Giants in 1942-43 and he won his first Top Fielder Award last season while playing 1B. His defense is equally as good in the OF, so that is not a concern. His poor work ethic could be however. Ferguson will be buried in the Giants’ outfield depth chart. He earned a berth to the all-star once and picked up his first Top Fielder Award last season playing LF. But his anemic bat will hold him back from being anything more than just a utility guy. ----------- The War Gained chart below shows how quiet an off-season it was overall. Only Braeland City and Cobourg saw significant shifts, and that was due largely to one player, Dennis Borton. __________________ United Leagues of Braeland Last edited by reds1; 07-17-2017 at 08:11 PM.