Notes on 1950-51 All-Braeland Team
Starting Pitcher
There were some fine pitching performances this past season, but in my view, one stood clearly above the rest. 32-year old RHP
Roberto Taváres is an eight-time all-star (he failed to qualify in 1942-43, his first full season in the ULB) and previously won the Satchel Paige Award back in 1944-45 with the Sherburn Tigers, where he went 20-8, 2.33 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 2.90 FIP, 156 ERA+. His performance this year was right on par with that and he was clearly the top pitcher in the United Leagues. But he was not alone in enjoying a banner year on the mound. Below are some other performances that I felt were worth noting in addition to Taváres (league leading stats in
bold). Personally, I’ve developed a soft spot for 26-year old RHP
Rodrigo González, Balmoral Giants’ No. 3 starter. The Puerto Rican González was the 110th overall pick (14th pick, round 7) back in 1944-45 and enjoyed a tremendous season, just his second in the majors. He’s already earned two all-star selections, so here’s hoping his success continues.
• Fort Richmond’s
Roberto Taváres -
21-10,
2.40 ERA, 34 GS, 281.0 IP, 77 K, 1.26 WHIP,
0.4 HR/9, 2.9 BB/9, 2.5 K/9, .258 BABIP, 3.37 FIP, 164 ERA+, 5.9 WAR.
• Embro’s 32-year old LHP
Aaron Saunderson – 19-12, 3.29 ERA,
35 GS,
292.2 IP, 120 K, 1.37 WHIP, 0.6 HR/9, 3.2 BB/9, 3.7 K/9, .277 BABIP, 3.51 FIP, 122 ERA+, 5.9 WAR.
• Cambria’s 28-year old LHP
Jamie Wigley – 15-10, 2.44 ERA,
35 GS, 266.0 IP, 135 K, 1.15 WHIP, 0.5 HR/9, 2.4 BB/9, 4.6 K/9, .259 BABIP, 2.96 FIP, 163 ERA+, 7.4 WAR.
• Fort Richmond’s 28-year old RHP
Ch’ang-chieh Li – 15-11, 2.78 ERA, 33 GS, 278.2 IP, 128 K,
1.13 WHIP, 0.6 HR/9, 2.6 BB/9, 4.1 K/9,
.240 BABIP, 3.27 FIP, 142 ERA+, 6.3 WAR.
• Balmoral’s
Rodrigo González –
21-10, 2.78 ERA, 32 GS, 265.1 IP, 96 K, 1.27 WHIP, 0.8 HR/9, 2.5 BB/9, 3.3 K/9, .266 BABIP, 3.72 FIP, 144 ERA+, 4.6 WAR.
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Catcher
Initially, I absent-mindedly selected Braeland City’s 29-year old
Christopher Dainty as the top catcher in the United Leagues before remembering that Fort Richmond’s 30-year old
Louis Wearne won the Western League Babe Ruth Award this season. Both are worthy choices as top catcher, but Wearne was obviously the deserving one this year. Nevertheless, Dainty had an outstanding year, the best thus far of his four-year career. Its not hard to envision him as a top choice in the not-too-distant future.
Camasura and Denis also had fine seasons, but Wearne and Dainty were clearly the two top choices.
•
Louis Wearne – .297/.403/
.576, 131 H, 21-2B,
34 HR, 90 RBI, 80 BB, .979 OPS, 178 OPS+, 7.2 WAR, 1.085 EFF.
•
Christopher Dainty – .342/.444/.528, 155 H, 30-2B, 16 HR, 79 RBI, 83 BB, .972 OPS, 155 OPS+, 7.0 WAR, 1.015 EFF.
• Kingston’s 25-year old
Carlos Camasura – .326/.406/.476, 148 H, 27-2B, 11 HR, 65 RBI, 64 BB, .882 OPS, 144 OPS+, 5.9 WAR, 1.043 EFF.
• Wolseley’s 26-year old
Éric Denis – .331/.388/.467, 170 H, 26-2B, 14 HR, 85 RBI, 46 BB, .855 OPS, 136 OPS+, 5.8 WAR, .927 EFF.
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First Base
For the past 11 seasons, three players have vied as the top first baseman in the ULB: Jim Friend (7 times), Dean Bishop (twice) and Stuart Bentham (twice). Friend (37 years old) and Bishop (36) both endured down years, especially compared to their previous seasons and their careers appear to be winding down. But Brunswick's 34-year old
Stuart Bentham enjoyed another outstanding season – at least at the plate – and earned his third selection to the All-Braeland Team. Still, there is a definite ‘changing of the guard’ feel to the position, with the likes of Cobourg’s 25-year old
Harry Doxey and Braeland City’s 27-year old
Dean Witherden leading the charge. Other talented first basemen, such as Cambria’s 24-year old
Carlos Correa (3.6 WAR) and Queensland’s 25-year old
Ryan Conisford (3.3 WAR), could soon be joining them in the annual discussion.
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Stuart Bentham – .348/.442/.554, 207 H, 35-2B, 27 HR, 97 RBI, 95 BB, .995 OPS, 162 OPS+, 5.5 WAR, .892 EFF.
•
Harry Doxey – .347/.388/.513,
219 H,
45-2B, 16 HR, 105 RBI, 48 BB, .901 OPS, 137 OPS+, 5.2 WAR, 1.046 EFF.
•
Dean Witherden – .333/.378/.503, 198 H, 31-2B, 22 HR, 78 RBI, 44 BB, .881 OPS, 130 OPS+, 4.0 WAR, .981 EFF.
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Second Base
Two players who moved full-time to second base this past season enjoyed unqualified success. Downie’s 25-year old
Dominic Dudding was selected as the top third baseman two seasons ago but yielded to 23-year old rookie
Louie Revill (4th overall pick – 1947-48). Dudding was just outstanding and was the easy pick as the top second baseman. But Kingston’s 14-year veteran, 35-year old
Katsunan Chikafuji, enjoyed his best season in 5 years after moving back to second base full-time. Chikafuji earned his first selection to the All-Braeland Team as a second baseman in the ULB’s inaugural season. But he made the shift to shortstop full-time the following year and earned three more selections to the All-Braeland Team from 1943 to 1945. He nearly earned his fifth selection but Dudding was the clear choice.
•
Dominic Dudding – .335/.423/.559, 190 H, 38-2B, 23 HR, 109 RBI, 87 BB, .982 OPS, 165 OPS+, 7.7 WAR, 1.020 EFF.
•
Katsunan Chikafuji – .318/.415/.551, 138 H, 19-2B, 26 HR,
100 RBI, 67 BB, .965 OPS, 166 OPS+, 6.6 WAR, 1.008 EFF.
• Braeland City’s 25-year old
Patrick Lidgate – .301/.381/.541, 181 H, 28-2B, 28 HR, 100 RBI, 75 BB, .921 OPS, 140 OPS+, 6.2 WAR, 1.014 EFF.
• Stratford’s 38-year old
Jake Walker –
.351/
.465/.465, 181 H, 32-2B, 7 HR, 86 RBI, 112 BB, .930 OPS, 148 OPS+, 5.0 WAR, .910 EFF.
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Third Base
After two relatively down years, Cobourg’s 29-year old
Alexander Tolmie came back in a big way this past season to earn his second selection to the All-Braeland Team. Tolmie is currently rated as the top third baseman in the ULB and he certainly played like it.
Jorge Arredondo, who earned his first selection to the Team last year, did not have as quite a strong season, while Rookie of the Year winner
Carlos Ortíz is already rated as the 3rd best third baseman. He will be someone to watch in subsequent years.
•
Alexander Tolmie – .334/.421/.525, 184 H, 33-2B, 24 HR, 101 RBI, 91 BB, .946 OPS, 149 OPS+, 6.3 WAR, .983 EFF.
• Brunswick’s 30-year old
Jorge Arredondo – .285/.385/.440, 170 H, 19-2B, 21 HR, 87 RBI, 97 BB, .825 OPS, 117 OPS+, 4.9 WAR, 1.008 EFF.
• Wolseley’s 22-year old
Carlos Ortíz – .340/.399/.550, 120 H, 26-2B, 12 HR, 56 RBI, 36 BB, .949 OPS, 161 OPS+, 3.7 WAR, .948 EFF.
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Shortstop
26-year old
Nobuyoshi Yoshida spent the 1949-50 season as Fort Richmond’s starting second baseman and received consideration for the All-Braeland Team. But with the acquisition of 25-year old Derek Reed, Yoshida returned to the shortstop position this year and enjoyed his best season by far. Although the position has always produced a strong field of candidates, Yoshida made this selection easy. He beat out last year’s selection,
César Ruíz.
•
Nobuyoshi Yoshida –
.348/.399/.464,
210 H, 32-2B, 10 HR, 78 RBI, 49 BB, .864 OPS, 147 OPS+,
8.2 WAR, 1.071 EFF.
• Cambria’s 31-year old
César Ruíz – .318/.410/.556, 141 H, 36-2B, 20 HR, 91 RBI, 71 BB, .966 OPS, 172 OPS+, 6.4 WAR, .985 EFF.
• Hespeler's 28-year old
Zhao-hui Qian – .316/.376/.477, 189 H, 22-2B, 17 HR, 75 RBI, 62 BB, .854 OPS, 134 OPS+, 6.2 WAR, 1.022 EFF.
• Wolseley's 30-year old
George Kimpton – .296/.371/.473, 185 H, 37-2B, 19 HR, 87 RBI, 75 BB, .844 OPS, 132 OPS+, 5.4 WAR, .948 EFF.
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Leftfield
Wolseley's 30-year old
Carlton Hawking has been selected to the All-Braeland Team in four of the past five seasons. His dominance continued this year as he earned his fifth selection. But he is no longer considered the top-ranked left fielder. That distinction now belongs to Wellington’s 24-year old sophomore,
Matthew Floyd. There is currently a large gap between them and the rest of the field, although Queensland’s 25-year old rookie
Rod Dennis (2.6 WAR) may one day join them.
•
Carlton Hawking – .314/
.448/.551, 171 H, 28-2B, 29 HR, 97 RBI,
129 BB,
.999 OPS, 175 OPS+, 6.9 WAR, .968 EFF.
•
Matthew Floyd – .312/.369/.553, 188 H, 33-2B, 30 HR, 113 RBI, 54 BB, .923 OPS, 147 OPS+, 6.3 WAR, 1.049 EFF.
• Embro’s 29-year old
Rizalino Ringor – .302/.451/.454, 133 H, 12-2B, 13 HR, 58 RBI, 124 BB, .904 OPS, 141 OPS+, 3.8 WAR, .957 EFF.
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Centerfield
The centerfield spot in the United Leagues is filled with young, dynamic players, led by Downie's 25-year old
Alfonso León and Cobourg’s 25-year old
Raymond Williams. Williams earned a spot on the Team last year and was outstanding once again, but León put in one of the greatest seasons by a ULB position player. He richly deserved the honor this time around.
Below are the current Top Five centerfielders ranked in order. It will be interesting to how rookies Tyson and Mars develop in future seasons.
•
Alfonso León – .342/.407/
.611, 205 H, 43-2B,
32 HR,
126 RBI, 71 BB,
1.018 OPS, 174 OPS+,
9.3 WAR, 1.029 EFF.
•
Raymond Williams – .328/.418/.576, 190 H, 40-2B, 30 HR, 121 RBI, 88 BB, .994 OPS, 161 OPS+, 7.7 WAR, 1.009 EFF.
• Pulberry’s 24-year old
Cooper Tyson – .263/.320/.429, 153 H, 35-2B, 13 HR, 46 RBI, 49 BB, .749 OPS, 112 OPS+, 5.1 WAR, 1.047 EFF.
• Wellington’s 25-year old
Jim Mars - .325/.395/.481, 179 H, 26-2B, 12 HR, 82 RBI, 66 BB, .876 OPS, 136 OPS+, 4.8 WAR, .978 EFF.
• Fort Richmond’s 29-year old
Dylan Moyne – .272/.343/.406, 154 H, 18-2B, 16 HR, 70 RBI, 57 BB, .749 OPS, 114 OPS+, 4.2 WAR, 1.016 EFF.
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Rightfield
Rightfield is currently the weakest spot by far in the ULB. Brunswick’s 30-year old
Marcus Peyto enjoyed his best season in three years to pick up his second selection to the All-Braeland Team, but it was still a far cry from his 1947-48 season when he earned 6.1 WAR. Kingston’s 27-year old
Mo Spenceley (2.3 WAR) is ranked as the top rightfielder, but he is taking a long time to get comfortable in the majors. His offense is improving nicely, but his defense is woeful (-9.7 ZR, .986 EFF) despite his outstanding defensive ratings at the outfield corners.
It may take a fresh-faced 23-year old to lift the position out of the doldrums. Pulberry’s 2nd overall pick from 1946-47,
John Oldknow (32/80) finally reached the majors late last season and will embark on his rookie campaign as the Trolley’s starting rightfielder. In the early going, he will bat in the No. 5 spot against RHP and lead-off against LHP.
•
Marcus Peyto – .291/.392/.507, 156 H, 38-2B, 24 HR, 93 RBI, 92 BB, .899 OPS, 136 OPS+, 3.8 WAR, .979 EFF.
• Stratford’s 34-year old
Nicky Willis – .278/.415/.477, 134 H, 25-2B, 23 HR, 98 RBI, 117 BB, .892 OPS, 137 OPS+, 2.8 WAR, .927 EFF.
• Embro’s 25-year old
Jose Maldonado – .290/.384/.464, 146 H, 19-2B, 17 HR, 58 RBI, 80 BB, .848 OPS, 125 OPS+, 2.4 WAR, .973 EFF.