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reds1 · 02-06-2018, 01:01 AM

December 1, 1948

Western League: Generals Pulling Away in Early Going

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Offense: .292/.362/.451 (1st/1st/1st)
Pitching: 2.82/2.63/4.44 (1st/1st/4th)
Defense: .730 (1st)
Chemistry: Happy

The defending United Cup Champions have picked up where they left off from last season. Much like the Braeland City Monarchs in the East, the Fort Richmond Generals are setting the pace, outclassing the rest of the West in almost all statistical categories. The Generals appeared to have suffered a serious blow when No. 2 starter, 24-year old RHP Shinzo Okamoto (2-1, 2.65 ERA, 1.18 WHIP) seriously fractured his ulna on November 11, effectively ending his season. But Fort Richmond has excellent pitching depth and both 25-year old RHP Nicky Sherlock (8-2, 1.71 ERA, 1.20 WHIP) and 27-year old LHP Mo Goldstraw (6-3, 2.95 ERA, 1.38 WHIP) have done an admirable job picking up the slack. 23-year old rookie LHP Gavin Flatt (3-1, 2.04 ERA, 0.99 WHIP) has also been terrific since moving into the rotation.

The offense has no shortage of stars, but 26-year old CF Dylan Moyne (.349/.403/.585, 8 HR, 48 RBI, 17 BB, 7 SB) is in his prime and playing like it. He is rated 3rd overall among position players in the ULB.

Player of the Week Awards:

November 8 – C Louis Wearne (.615, 8 H, 2 HR, 7 RBI)

Current Injuries:

RHP Shinzo Okamoto – November 11 – fractured ulna (arm). Out for: 4-5 months.
RHP John Bullivant – November 13 – torn meniscus (knee). Out for: 3 months.
2B Maurice Keyworth – November 19 – plantar fasciitis. Out for: 3 weeks.

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Offense: .266/.345/.375 (3rd/4th/6th)
Pitching: 4.04/3.77/5.10 (4th/2nd/7th)
Defense: .699 (6th)
Chemistry: Content

The Sherburn Tigers came alive in November, moving them up from 6th place into the wild card spot, just a half game up on the Wolseley Unions. Sherburn is dealing with a spate of injuries – some major, some minor – enough that they have had to constantly juggle their lineup and pitching staff. But they are buoyed by some outstanding performances, such as No. 2 starter RHP Roberto Taváres (7-3, 2.77 ERA, 1.07 WHIP), who is off to his best start in four seasons. Pitching behind him in the rotation is 33-year old LHP Daniel Pierson (5-1, 2.84 ERA, 1.28 WHIP). Pierson is enjoying perhaps the best start of his entire 9-year career.

But few players have had as much immediate impact as has 22-year old rookie 2B Jack Burt (.335/.409/.472, 14-2B, 17 RBI, 19 BB – 74/80), who is already leading his club in a slew of offensive categories this season. Burt was pencilled in as the No. 3 batter in the lineup and he has risen to the challenge. At the start of the season, he was rated 14th overall among second basemen in the ULB; now just two months in, he is rated 5th overall.

Noteworthy:

November 17 – The Tigers overpowered the Embro Suns 9-2 at the Paramount and 2B Jack Burt was the star, going 5-5 on the day. Burt hit an RBI triple in the 1st and then singled in the 2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th innings. He was a second overall pick in 1947-48 and is rated 4th overall among prospects.

Current Injuries:

CF Noah Teale – October 26 – broken hand. Out for: 2 months.
RF Ron Westmacott – October 28 – recurring back spasms. Out for: 1 week.
RHP Hyuk Kim – November 5 – ruptured tendon (finger). Out for: 3 months.
RF Louie Pate – November 26 – sore elbow. Out for: 4 days.
CF Javier Serrano – November 28 – bruised thumb. Out for: DtD, 4 days.
LHP Phil Wiebe – November 29 – torn elbow ligament. Out for: 6 months.
RHP Bartolo Sánchez – November 30 – forearm soreness. Out for: DtD, 1 week.

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Offense: .281/.357/.394 (2nd/2nd/4th)
Pitching: 3.95/3.79/4.80 (2nd/3rd/5th)
Defense: .689 (8th)
Chemistry: Unhappy

The Wolseley Unions are a bit of an enigma right now, as a team that appeared to be on the rise a few seasons ago and destined for great things has regressed and seem content on being merely a good team. They have the talent to be a perennial contender and have made some shrewd moves to beef up their pitching staff, but for whatever reason, the Unions are simply treading water. Perhaps if they get some key players back from injury soon, they may find their groove and give Fort Richmond a run for their money.

One player that has blown the doors off so to speak is 24-year old C Éric Denis (.374/.395/.555, 6 HR, 45 RBI, 9 BB), who is on pace for the best season of his 3-year career. He currently leads the team in a slew of offensive categories to go along with his solid defense.

Player of the Week Awards:

October 11 – 2B Make-Make Kamaka (.545, 12 H, 6 RBI)
November 1 – Éric Denis (.500, 14 H, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 3 R)
November 15 – Éric Denis (.435, 10 H, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 8 R)

Noteworthy:

October 6 – 25-year old SS Make-Make Kamaka (.298/.365/.425, 3 HR, 28 RBI, 19 BB) went 5-6 against the Kingston Pelicans, helping the Unions to a 15-2 beat down. The Fujian Kamaka grounded out in the 1st, hit an RBI double in the 3rd, singled in the 5th, singled in the 6th, hit a 3-run double in the 7th and singled in the 9th.

October 29 – Wolseley outscored the Cambria Cannons 13-12 in an 11-inning affair and C Éric Denis was front and center, going 5 for 6 on the day. Denis flied out in the 2nd, hit a solo shot in the 3rd, hit an RBI double in the 5th, doubled in the 7th, hit an RBI single in the 8th and singled in the 10th.

November 13 – The Unions overpowered the Embro Suns 23-8. Playing a large part in the 25-hit explosion was newly acquired 27-year old RF Evan Houk (.288/.370/.407, 1 HR, 19 RBI, 16 BB), who went 5 for 6. Houk hit a 2-run single in the 2nd, an RBI single in the 3rd, singled in the 4th, flied out in the 4th, hit a 3-run triple in the 6th and hit an RBI single in the 7th.

Key Trade: October 23 with the Stratford Barons

To Wolseley – 30-year old RHP Bill Blair (61/61)
To Stratford – 25-year old IF/OF Vincent Colón (65/69)

Knee-jerk reaction: Two teams look to shore up some weaknesses in the early going. The Unions have had a rash of injuries plague their starting pitchers and looked-for reinforcement. They found a trading partner in the Barons who were willing to part with Bill Blair (6-4, 4.53 ERA, 1.28 WHIP), their former No. 4 starter. His fastball and various off-speed pitches are merely serviceable, but he has very good command. He will most likely occupy the No. 4 spot in the rotation once ace Jeremy Albury returns from injury. Stratford feels that 22-year old RHP Bill Wolf (2-6, 1 SV, 4.56 ERA, 1.43 WHIP – 70/78) is ready to take over Blair’s spot in the rotation. Wolf was a 15th overall pick in 1944-45.

In return, the Barons receive Colón (.259/.350/.345, 1 HR, 19 RBI, 18 BB), who takes over from an underperforming Britt Wing (.247/.318/.273, 1-3B, 14 RBI, 8 BB). Colón is a decent spray hitter who has good speed and excellent defense at third base. He will be an upgrade, as he is rated 8th overall at the hot corner (compared to Wing at 15th overall). 26-year old 3B Burt Willey (.255/.349/.327, 1 HR, 17 RBI, 16 BB – 69/70), who finished 2nd in the Western League Rookie of the Year Award voting in 1946-47, is now being given the chance to prove he can be an everyday starter with Wolseley.

Current Injuries:

RHP Jeremy Albury – October 20 – hamstring strain. Out for: 4 days.
RF Ramón Tavira – November 20 – fractured hip. Out for: 5-6 months.
LHP Gavin Hewat – November 28 – finger blister. Out for: DtD, 1 day.

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Offense: .262/.342/.409 (4th/5th/2nd)
Pitching: 4.43/4.24/5.00 (7th/6th/6th)
Defense: .697 (7th)
Chemistry: Happy

The Cambria Cannons turned a lot of heads in October, pacing the Western League with an impressive 18-8 record. That included one stretch where they went 12-1. Alas, it was too good to last as they came crashing back down to earth in November. Offense has not been the problem. They continue to be one of the top run-producing teams in the West with 5.0 R/G. Unfortunately, they are surrendering 5.0 R/G as well.

As such, it’s the offense that is providing the impressive performances. 31-year old RF Nicky Willis (.306/.432/.497, 7 HR, 38 RBI, 39 BB) is enjoying his best season in years, as is 27-year old CF Brian Cosey (.287/.329/.461, 7 HR, 25 RBI, 13 BB). And while 32-year old SS Wensceslas Jasmin (.294/.366/.408, 1 HR, 17 RBI, 23 BB) continues to be his usual solid self, Cambria is getting an additional boost from 25-year old rookie LF Edmond Boswell (.307/.379/.569, 8 HR, 20 RBI, 16 BB). The former 2nd-round pick from 1945-46 is a regular for the first time this year.

Player of the Week Awards:

October 18 – CF Brian Cosey (.346, 9 H, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 8 R)
November 22 – CF Brian Cosey (.440, 11 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI)

Current Injuries:

2B Neil Boyle – October 24 – sprained knee. Out for: 1 more day.
RHP Wing-kit Liu – November 20 – oblique strain. Out for: 4 weeks.

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Offense: .258/.348/.395 (5th/3rd/3rd)
Pitching: 4.30/4.58/3.19 (6th/8th/1st)
Defense: .713 (3rd)
Chemistry: Happy

The Kingston Pelicans are a team in transition, as a number of stalwarts are seeing their playing time reduced (such as 34-year old 1B Dean Bishop and 31-year old CF Jamie Couch) to make way for younger players trying to establish themselves full-time. Things appear more promising in the lineup however, than on the pitching staff. Injuries and indifferent performances have sunk the rotation to the bottom in the Western League rankings, something that would have been unheard of just a couple of seasons ago. 28-year old ace RHP Ben Currall (2-2, 3.57 ERA, 1.28 WHIP) missed 3 weeks in October dealing with a dead arm and now up to another two weeks with a sore elbow. 28-year old LHP Patrick Denman (3-7, 5.25 ERA, 1.61 WHIP) is off to the worst start of his career.

Even 30-year old C Danny Trowbridge (.331/.451/.573, 9 HR, 27 RBI, 34 BB) is not immune. While still one of the best players in the ULB, his performance thus far is a step below from his sublime performances over the past five seasons. Some of that may be due to having weaker support surrounding him in the lineup as he had in the past.

Player of the Week Awards:

October 25 – SS Mo Derrick (.700, 7 H, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 4 R)

Noteworthy:

November 30 – The Pelicans blanked the Stratford Barons 3-0 at Kingston Park. But the 22,974 fans in attendance saw more than just a home team victory. They witnessed the 6th NO-HITTER in United Leagues history, with 38-year old RHP Joey Cumberledge (5-4, 3.93 ERA, 1.48 WHIP) accomplishing the rare feat. Cumberledge held the Barons hitless with 5 strikeouts and 4 walks on 106 pitches (game score = 88).

Current Injuries:

RHP Luis Velásquez – November 3 – shoulder tendinitis. Out for: 5 days.
RHP Ben Currall – November 29 – sore elbow. Out for: DtD, 4 days.

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Offense: .258/.329/.378 (6th/6th/5th)
Pitching: 4.01/4.20/3.21 (3rd/5th/2nd)
Defense: .716 (2nd)
Chemistry: Content

The Balmoral Giants made some upgrades to their front-line talent, but they still have a bit more to do for them to make a serious run for a playoff spot. Their lineup is reasonable solid, but they lack quality depth behind it. They have two really nice young starters at the top of the rotation in 28-year old LHP Ricardo Cruz (5-5, 2.64 ERA, 1.15 WHIP – 62/63) and 23-year old RHP Quintiliano Galeo (5-4, 2.85 ERA, 1.47 WHIP – 42/80). But there is a steep drop-off after them.

On offense, 30-year old LF Carlton Broadbent (.374/.445/.595, 5 HR, 27 RBI, 24 BB) has started off the season strong. He has struggled, especially on defense, the past two seasons. This year he is much closer to league average, which is saying something.

Player of the Week Awards:

November 29 – RF Carlton Broadbent (.571, 8 H, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 5 R)

Current Injuries:

RHP Paddy Vanderven – November 3 – surgery to remove bone chips (elbow). Out for: 5 months.
RHP Max Dunston– November 21 – strained oblique. Out for: DtD, 2 weeks.
LHP Cris Herrera – November 27 – oblique strain. Out for: 1 week.
SS Francisco Rodríguez – November 29 – back tightness. Out for: 5 days.
SS Corey Markham – November 30 – high ankle sprain. Out for: 6 weeks.

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Offense: .247/.315/.350 (7th/8th/8th)
Pitching: 4.26/4.28/4.16 (5th/7th/3rd)
Defense: .711 (4th)
Chemistry: Content

The Hespeler Stars were not going to fool anyone into thinking they could seriously challenge for a spot in the 1st division, but the Stars have some nice pieces, especially in the rotation that should be performing better than they have. While 33-year old ace LHP Hirotada Fukushima (6-3, 3.63 ERA, 1.31 WHIP) is his usual sturdy self and 25-year old LHP Miles van den Bogaert (3-1, 2.72 ERA, 1.21 WHIP – 42/62) has been a pleasant surprise in the No. 5 spot, 24-year old RHP Stephen Tindall (3-5, 4.09 ERA, 1.47 WHIP – 67/77) and 23-year old RHP Paul Woodruff (3-7, 5.65 ERA, 1.61 WHIP – 52/78) have been disappointments so far.

The offense has been nothing to write home about either; however, 26-year old C Enrique García (.273/.385/.404, 5 HR, 32 RBI, 29 BB – 71/71) has made some nice strides in his third season in the ULB. He was a 2nd-round pick back in 1944-45.

Current Injuries: None.

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Offense: .244/.322/.368 (8th/7th/7th)
Pitching: 4.57/4.19/6.54 (8th/4th/8th)
Defense: .709 (5th)
Chemistry: Unhappy

A cursory review of the lineup for the Pulberry Trolleys would suggest that they should raking with the best of them, but outside of 29-year old RF Jarod Dwyer (.307/.434/.543, 6 HR, 27 RBI, 27 BB) and 27-year old SS Roland Binns (.314/.381/.503, 3 HR, 25 RBI, 17 BB), the lineup is just not cutting it.

But help is on the way. The Trolleys boast the strongest farm system in the ULB with No. 2 overall prospect 20-year old OF John Oldknow (59/80) and 6th overall prospect 22-year old Bryan Goetz (63/79) working their way up the system. Hopefully they will soon inject some spark into the Trolleys’ lifeless engine. But what Pulberry really needs is some decent arms. There is a dearth of real pitching talent on the roster and in their farm system. Unless they address that, the Trolleys are going nowhere.

Current Injuries:

RHP Ben Banwell – November 17 – torn labrum (shoulder). Out for: 3-4 months.
LF Jon Pring – November 17 – separated shoulder. Out for: 1 week.
CF Tadamichi Matsumoto – November 24 – sprained ankle. Out for: DtD, 2 weeks.

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02-06-2018, 01:01 AM	#416
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,942	December 1, 1948 Western League: Generals Pulling Away in Early Going -------- Offense: .292/.362/.451 (1st/1st/1st) Pitching: 2.82/2.63/4.44 (1st/1st/4th) Defense: .730 (1st) Chemistry: Happy The defending United Cup Champions have picked up where they left off from last season. Much like the Braeland City Monarchs in the East, the Fort Richmond Generals are setting the pace, outclassing the rest of the West in almost all statistical categories. The Generals appeared to have suffered a serious blow when No. 2 starter, 24-year old RHP Shinzo Okamoto (2-1, 2.65 ERA, 1.18 WHIP) seriously fractured his ulna on November 11, effectively ending his season. But Fort Richmond has excellent pitching depth and both 25-year old RHP Nicky Sherlock (8-2, 1.71 ERA, 1.20 WHIP) and 27-year old LHP Mo Goldstraw (6-3, 2.95 ERA, 1.38 WHIP) have done an admirable job picking up the slack. 23-year old rookie LHP Gavin Flatt (3-1, 2.04 ERA, 0.99 WHIP) has also been terrific since moving into the rotation. The offense has no shortage of stars, but 26-year old CF Dylan Moyne (.349/.403/.585, 8 HR, 48 RBI, 17 BB, 7 SB) is in his prime and playing like it. He is rated 3rd overall among position players in the ULB. Player of the Week Awards: November 8 – C Louis Wearne (.615, 8 H, 2 HR, 7 RBI) Current Injuries: RHP Shinzo Okamoto – November 11 – fractured ulna (arm). Out for: 4-5 months. RHP John Bullivant – November 13 – torn meniscus (knee). Out for: 3 months. 2B Maurice Keyworth – November 19 – plantar fasciitis. Out for: 3 weeks. -------- Offense: .266/.345/.375 (3rd/4th/6th) Pitching: 4.04/3.77/5.10 (4th/2nd/7th) Defense: .699 (6th) Chemistry: Content The Sherburn Tigers came alive in November, moving them up from 6th place into the wild card spot, just a half game up on the Wolseley Unions. Sherburn is dealing with a spate of injuries – some major, some minor – enough that they have had to constantly juggle their lineup and pitching staff. But they are buoyed by some outstanding performances, such as No. 2 starter RHP Roberto Taváres (7-3, 2.77 ERA, 1.07 WHIP), who is off to his best start in four seasons. Pitching behind him in the rotation is 33-year old LHP Daniel Pierson (5-1, 2.84 ERA, 1.28 WHIP). Pierson is enjoying perhaps the best start of his entire 9-year career. But few players have had as much immediate impact as has 22-year old rookie 2B Jack Burt (.335/.409/.472, 14-2B, 17 RBI, 19 BB – 74/80), who is already leading his club in a slew of offensive categories this season. Burt was pencilled in as the No. 3 batter in the lineup and he has risen to the challenge. At the start of the season, he was rated 14th overall among second basemen in the ULB; now just two months in, he is rated 5th overall. Noteworthy: November 17 – The Tigers overpowered the Embro Suns 9-2 at the Paramount and 2B Jack Burt was the star, going 5-5 on the day. Burt hit an RBI triple in the 1st and then singled in the 2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th innings. He was a second overall pick in 1947-48 and is rated 4th overall among prospects. Current Injuries: CF Noah Teale – October 26 – broken hand. Out for: 2 months. RF Ron Westmacott – October 28 – recurring back spasms. Out for: 1 week. RHP Hyuk Kim – November 5 – ruptured tendon (finger). Out for: 3 months. RF Louie Pate – November 26 – sore elbow. Out for: 4 days. CF Javier Serrano – November 28 – bruised thumb. Out for: DtD, 4 days. LHP Phil Wiebe – November 29 – torn elbow ligament. Out for: 6 months. RHP Bartolo Sánchez – November 30 – forearm soreness. Out for: DtD, 1 week. -------- Offense: .281/.357/.394 (2nd/2nd/4th) Pitching: 3.95/3.79/4.80 (2nd/3rd/5th) Defense: .689 (8th) Chemistry: Unhappy The Wolseley Unions are a bit of an enigma right now, as a team that appeared to be on the rise a few seasons ago and destined for great things has regressed and seem content on being merely a good team. They have the talent to be a perennial contender and have made some shrewd moves to beef up their pitching staff, but for whatever reason, the Unions are simply treading water. Perhaps if they get some key players back from injury soon, they may find their groove and give Fort Richmond a run for their money. One player that has blown the doors off so to speak is 24-year old C Éric Denis (.374/.395/.555, 6 HR, 45 RBI, 9 BB), who is on pace for the best season of his 3-year career. He currently leads the team in a slew of offensive categories to go along with his solid defense. Player of the Week Awards: October 11 – 2B Make-Make Kamaka (.545, 12 H, 6 RBI) November 1 – Éric Denis (.500, 14 H, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 3 R) November 15 – Éric Denis (.435, 10 H, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 8 R) Noteworthy: October 6 – 25-year old SS Make-Make Kamaka (.298/.365/.425, 3 HR, 28 RBI, 19 BB) went 5-6 against the Kingston Pelicans, helping the Unions to a 15-2 beat down. The Fujian Kamaka grounded out in the 1st, hit an RBI double in the 3rd, singled in the 5th, singled in the 6th, hit a 3-run double in the 7th and singled in the 9th. October 29 – Wolseley outscored the Cambria Cannons 13-12 in an 11-inning affair and C Éric Denis was front and center, going 5 for 6 on the day. Denis flied out in the 2nd, hit a solo shot in the 3rd, hit an RBI double in the 5th, doubled in the 7th, hit an RBI single in the 8th and singled in the 10th. November 13 – The Unions overpowered the Embro Suns 23-8. Playing a large part in the 25-hit explosion was newly acquired 27-year old RF Evan Houk (.288/.370/.407, 1 HR, 19 RBI, 16 BB), who went 5 for 6. Houk hit a 2-run single in the 2nd, an RBI single in the 3rd, singled in the 4th, flied out in the 4th, hit a 3-run triple in the 6th and hit an RBI single in the 7th. Key Trade: October 23 with the Stratford Barons To Wolseley – 30-year old RHP Bill Blair (61/61) To Stratford – 25-year old IF/OF Vincent Colón (65/69) *Knee-jerk reaction:* Two teams look to shore up some weaknesses in the early going. The Unions have had a rash of injuries plague their starting pitchers and looked-for reinforcement. They found a trading partner in the Barons who were willing to part with Bill Blair (6-4, 4.53 ERA, 1.28 WHIP), their former No. 4 starter. His fastball and various off-speed pitches are merely serviceable, but he has very good command. He will most likely occupy the No. 4 spot in the rotation once ace Jeremy Albury returns from injury. Stratford feels that 22-year old RHP Bill Wolf (2-6, 1 SV, 4.56 ERA, 1.43 WHIP – 70/78) is ready to take over Blair’s spot in the rotation. Wolf was a 15th overall pick in 1944-45. In return, the Barons receive Colón (.259/.350/.345, 1 HR, 19 RBI, 18 BB), who takes over from an underperforming Britt Wing (.247/.318/.273, 1-3B, 14 RBI, 8 BB). Colón is a decent spray hitter who has good speed and excellent defense at third base. He will be an upgrade, as he is rated 8th overall at the hot corner (compared to Wing at 15th overall). 26-year old 3B Burt Willey (.255/.349/.327, 1 HR, 17 RBI, 16 BB – 69/70), who finished 2nd in the Western League Rookie of the Year Award voting in 1946-47, is now being given the chance to prove he can be an everyday starter with Wolseley. Current Injuries: RHP Jeremy Albury – October 20 – hamstring strain. Out for: 4 days. RF Ramón Tavira – November 20 – fractured hip. Out for: 5-6 months. LHP Gavin Hewat – November 28 – finger blister. Out for: DtD, 1 day. -------- Offense: .262/.342/.409 (4th/5th/2nd) Pitching: 4.43/4.24/5.00 (7th/6th/6th) Defense: .697 (7th) Chemistry: Happy The Cambria Cannons turned a lot of heads in October, pacing the Western League with an impressive 18-8 record. That included one stretch where they went 12-1. Alas, it was too good to last as they came crashing back down to earth in November. Offense has not been the problem. They continue to be one of the top run-producing teams in the West with 5.0 R/G. Unfortunately, they are surrendering 5.0 R/G as well. As such, it’s the offense that is providing the impressive performances. 31-year old RF Nicky Willis (.306/.432/.497, 7 HR, 38 RBI, 39 BB) is enjoying his best season in years, as is 27-year old CF Brian Cosey (.287/.329/.461, 7 HR, 25 RBI, 13 BB). And while 32-year old SS Wensceslas Jasmin (.294/.366/.408, 1 HR, 17 RBI, 23 BB) continues to be his usual solid self, Cambria is getting an additional boost from 25-year old rookie LF Edmond Boswell (.307/.379/.569, 8 HR, 20 RBI, 16 BB). The former 2nd-round pick from 1945-46 is a regular for the first time this year. Player of the Week Awards: October 18 – CF Brian Cosey (.346, 9 H, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 8 R) November 22 – CF Brian Cosey (.440, 11 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI) Current Injuries: 2B Neil Boyle – October 24 – sprained knee. Out for: 1 more day. RHP Wing-kit Liu – November 20 – oblique strain. Out for: 4 weeks. -------- Offense: .258/.348/.395 (5th/3rd/3rd) Pitching: 4.30/4.58/3.19 (6th/8th/1st) Defense: .713 (3rd) Chemistry: Happy The Kingston Pelicans are a team in transition, as a number of stalwarts are seeing their playing time reduced (such as 34-year old 1B Dean Bishop and 31-year old CF Jamie Couch) to make way for younger players trying to establish themselves full-time. Things appear more promising in the lineup however, than on the pitching staff. Injuries and indifferent performances have sunk the rotation to the bottom in the Western League rankings, something that would have been unheard of just a couple of seasons ago. 28-year old ace RHP Ben Currall (2-2, 3.57 ERA, 1.28 WHIP) missed 3 weeks in October dealing with a dead arm and now up to another two weeks with a sore elbow. 28-year old LHP Patrick Denman (3-7, 5.25 ERA, 1.61 WHIP) is off to the worst start of his career. Even 30-year old C Danny Trowbridge (.331/.451/.573, 9 HR, 27 RBI, 34 BB) is not immune. While still one of the best players in the ULB, his performance thus far is a step below from his sublime performances over the past five seasons. Some of that may be due to having weaker support surrounding him in the lineup as he had in the past. Player of the Week Awards: October 25 – SS Mo Derrick (.700, 7 H, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 4 R) Noteworthy: November 30 – The Pelicans blanked the Stratford Barons 3-0 at Kingston Park. But the 22,974 fans in attendance saw more than just a home team victory. They witnessed the 6th NO-HITTER in United Leagues history, with 38-year old RHP Joey Cumberledge (5-4, 3.93 ERA, 1.48 WHIP) accomplishing the rare feat. Cumberledge held the Barons hitless with 5 strikeouts and 4 walks on 106 pitches (game score = 88). Current Injuries: RHP Luis Velásquez – November 3 – shoulder tendinitis. Out for: 5 days. RHP Ben Currall – November 29 – sore elbow. Out for: DtD, 4 days. -------- Offense: .258/.329/.378 (6th/6th/5th) Pitching: 4.01/4.20/3.21 (3rd/5th/2nd) Defense: .716 (2nd) Chemistry: Content The Balmoral Giants made some upgrades to their front-line talent, but they still have a bit more to do for them to make a serious run for a playoff spot. Their lineup is reasonable solid, but they lack quality depth behind it. They have two really nice young starters at the top of the rotation in 28-year old LHP Ricardo Cruz (5-5, 2.64 ERA, 1.15 WHIP – 62/63) and 23-year old RHP Quintiliano Galeo (5-4, 2.85 ERA, 1.47 WHIP – 42/80). But there is a steep drop-off after them. On offense, 30-year old LF Carlton Broadbent (.374/.445/.595, 5 HR, 27 RBI, 24 BB) has started off the season strong. He has struggled, especially on defense, the past two seasons. This year he is much closer to league average, which is saying something. Player of the Week Awards: November 29 – RF Carlton Broadbent (.571, 8 H, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 5 R) Current Injuries: RHP Paddy Vanderven – November 3 – surgery to remove bone chips (elbow). Out for: 5 months. RHP Max Dunston– November 21 – strained oblique. Out for: DtD, 2 weeks. LHP Cris Herrera – November 27 – oblique strain. Out for: 1 week. SS Francisco Rodríguez – November 29 – back tightness. Out for: 5 days. SS Corey Markham – November 30 – high ankle sprain. Out for: 6 weeks. -------- Offense: .247/.315/.350 (7th/8th/8th) Pitching: 4.26/4.28/4.16 (5th/7th/3rd) Defense: .711 (4th) Chemistry: Content The Hespeler Stars were not going to fool anyone into thinking they could seriously challenge for a spot in the 1st division, but the Stars have some nice pieces, especially in the rotation that should be performing better than they have. While 33-year old ace LHP Hirotada Fukushima (6-3, 3.63 ERA, 1.31 WHIP) is his usual sturdy self and 25-year old LHP Miles van den Bogaert (3-1, 2.72 ERA, 1.21 WHIP – 42/62) has been a pleasant surprise in the No. 5 spot, 24-year old RHP Stephen Tindall (3-5, 4.09 ERA, 1.47 WHIP – 67/77) and 23-year old RHP Paul Woodruff (3-7, 5.65 ERA, 1.61 WHIP – 52/78) have been disappointments so far. The offense has been nothing to write home about either; however, 26-year old C Enrique García (.273/.385/.404, 5 HR, 32 RBI, 29 BB – 71/71) has made some nice strides in his third season in the ULB. He was a 2nd-round pick back in 1944-45. Current Injuries: None. -------- Offense: .244/.322/.368 (8th/7th/7th) Pitching: 4.57/4.19/6.54 (8th/4th/8th) Defense: .709 (5th) Chemistry: Unhappy A cursory review of the lineup for the Pulberry Trolleys would suggest that they should raking with the best of them, but outside of 29-year old RF Jarod Dwyer (.307/.434/.543, 6 HR, 27 RBI, 27 BB) and 27-year old SS Roland Binns (.314/.381/.503, 3 HR, 25 RBI, 17 BB), the lineup is just not cutting it. But help is on the way. The Trolleys boast the strongest farm system in the ULB with No. 2 overall prospect 20-year old OF John Oldknow (59/80) and 6th overall prospect 22-year old Bryan Goetz (63/79) working their way up the system. Hopefully they will soon inject some spark into the Trolleys’ lifeless engine. But what Pulberry really needs is some decent arms. There is a dearth of real pitching talent on the roster and in their farm system. Unless they address that, the Trolleys are going nowhere. Current Injuries: RHP Ben Banwell – November 17 – torn labrum (shoulder). Out for: 3-4 months. LF Jon Pring – November 17 – separated shoulder. Out for: 1 week. CF Tadamichi Matsumoto – November 24 – sprained ankle. Out for: DtD, 2 weeks. -------- __________________ United Leagues of Braeland