OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post

reds1 · 11-07-2019, 11:38 PM

February 1, 1952

Western League: Trolleys, Pelicans in Tight Battle for Wild Card

--------

Offense: .277/.358/.414 (1st/1st/1st)
Pitching: 3.00/3.12/2.36 (1st/1st/1st)
Defense: .712 (4th)

The Wolseley Unions continue to be the class of the United Leagues, dominating both sides of the ball and sporting the best record in the ULB. But the defending United Cup Champions did experience a bit of a hiccup in January. After opening the month with a 6-game winning streak before the All-Star break, the Unions faltered thereafter, going just 9-10 the rest of the way. That stretch included a 6-game losing streak where they were swept by the Pulberry Trolleys and dropped 2 of 3 to the Sherburn Tigers. They did right the ship at the end of the month however, taking 2 of 3 from the Kingston Pelicans and sweeping a 2-game series from the Trolleys to exact some revenge. Those are the teams chasing the Unions right now, so Wolseley can’t afford to become complacent.

Despite injuries to 28-year old RHP Jeremy Albury (8-1, 3.05 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 3.34 FIP - gone for the season) and 35-year old LHP Anastasio Rodríguez (7-5, 4.04 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 3.29 FIP - currently on rehab assignment) for the second season in a row, the pitching staff is still firing on all cylinders. Though a rookie, 26-year old RHP Roberto Garza (12-7, 2.55 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 2.59 FIP) is currently considered by scouts as the top-rated pitcher in the ULB and its hard to argue with that assessment. But he is not alone – there is nary a weak spot on the entire staff. The team acquired 32-year old RHP Aaron Saunderson (6-12, 3.86 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 4.13 FIP) from Embro to address the injuries and the Unions also promoted 24-year old RHP Joseph Sellwood (2-2, 3.30 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 4.95 FIP) to serve in long relief. The future starter was drafted 14th overall in 1949-50 and is rated as the No. 2 pitching prospect (10th overall).

The lineup continues to be arguable the strongest in the United Leagues, with 30-year old LF Carlton Hawking (.342/.467/.553, 16 HR, 90 RBI, 93 BB, 5.2 WAR) continuing his awesome ways and 30-year old SS George Kimpton (.289/.375/.459, 22 HR, 65 RBI, 59 BB, 4.3 WAR) enjoying the best season of his eight-year career.

Eight players were selected to the All-Star game: SP Bill Blair (3rd), SP Roberto Garza (1st), CL John Palm (11th), C Éric Denis (5th), 2B Make-Make Kamaka (2nd), 3B Carlos Ortíz (2nd), SS George Kimpton (3rd) and LF Carlton Hawking (7th).

Current Injuries:

December 10 – RHP Jeremy Albury – ruptured ulnar collateral ligament. Out for: 5 more months.

--------

Offense: .267/.337/.400 (2nd/2nd/2nd)
Pitching: 3.75/3.46/4.95 (5th/2nd/7th)
Defense: .721 (2nd)

After an impressive 22-7 start to the season, the Pulberry Trolleys fell back to earth in November and December, losing 5 more games than they won. They rebounded in January however and continue to hang onto the wild card spot. Their lead over the Kingston Pelicans is now down to just half a game though, so the final two months of the season should be very interesting. Both Kingston and Fort Richmond are well within reach of overtaking the Trolleys down the stretch if they’re not careful.

The club’s overall ERA is the best its been in four seasons, but the rotation still has that patchwork feel to it and the bullpen has been downright awful. The Trolleys acquired 30-year old RHP Robin Medellin (6-14, 4.61 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 4.34 FIP) and 24-year old RHP Taylor Folkard (1-1, 1 SV, 5.13 ERA, 1.65 WHIP, 5.30 FIP) from Braeland City to try and beef up its rotation and bullpen respectively, but it remains to be seen whether they will actually make a difference down the stretch. Like Roberto Garza in Wolseley, 22-year old LHP Ramón Castro (8-4, 2.39 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 2.68 FIP) is a rookie who has become his team’s top starter. He is also highly rated: 5th overall among all pitchers in the ULB. But Castro does not have the supporting cast that Garza enjoys. That said, 24-year old RHP Harley Rodman (8-4, 2 SV, 3.12 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 3.17 FIP), a former 6th-round pick from 1945-46 and long-time minor leaguer, is pitching effectively out of the No. 5 spot.

The offense is on a much surer footing and looks more impressive with each passing day. 24-year old CF Cooper Tyson (.300/.387/.468, 11 HR, 63 RBI, 58 BB, 5.5 WAR) has been tremendous and leads the entire ULB in WAR (Cobourg’s Alexander Tolmie is just behind him with 5.4). Four-year veteran, 27-year old RF Ellis Dibble (.339/.399/.476, 6 HR, 55 RBI, 42 BB, 3.2 WAR), is enjoying his best season thus far. His performance this year has forced 23-year old OF John Oldknow (.274/.346/.421, 4 HR, 21 RBI, 20 BB, 1.3 WAR) to remain riding the pine, after pre-season expectations that he would be Pulberry’s everyday rightfielder. Finally, 23-year old LF Aidan Thirkettle (.272/.354/.482, 9 HR, 51 RBI, 41 BB, 12 SB, 2.0 WAR) is enjoying a fine rookie campaign.

Four Trolleys were selected to the All-Star Game: SP Ramón Castro (1st), 3B Makani Kahale (2nd), LF Ellis Dibble (1st) and CF Cooper Tyson (2nd).

Player of the Week Awards:

December 31 – CF Cooper Tyson (.565, 13 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI)
January 14 – LF Aidan Thirkettle (.444, 8 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI)
January 21 – SP Harley Rodman (2-0, 0.00 ERA, 10 K, .159 OBA)

Noteworthy:

January 26 – Indicative of his impressive season, RF Ellis Dibble went 5 for 5 against the Sherburn Tigers. He singled 5 times, in the 1st, 3r, 5th, 7th and 8th innings, collecting 2 R. The Trolleys prevailed 6-2.

Current Injuries: None.

--------

Offense: .250/.330/.384 (7th/3rd/4th)
Pitching: 3.63/3.86/2.68 (3rd/6th/2nd)
Defense: .708 (6th)

In mid-December, the Kingston Pelicans set their team focus from ‘neutral’ to ‘rebuild’, but you wouldn’t know it from their play in January. Their strong play moved them into second place ahead of the Fort Richmond Generals and just a half-game back of the Trolleys. But a closer look at their roster indicates that they may not have the depth to sustain a serious push for the wild card the rest of the way.

After 31-year old LHP Patrick Denman (14-7, 3.37 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 3.87 FIP) and 26-year old RHP Kieran Bunce (11-6, 3.15 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 3.63 FIP), the rotation has been inconsistent. The numbers indicate that the bullpen has performed a little better overall, but there has been quite of bit of turnover through continuous promotions/demotions and waiver wire losses. But the Pelicans do boast one of the best relievers in the ULB: 27-year old RHP stopper Kaula Mafileo (7-5, 18 SV, 2.35 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 3.61 FIP).

The offense isn’t actually dominant either, with only 36-year old 2B Katsunan Chikafuji (.283/.356/.466, 16 HR, 59 RBI, 42 BB, 3.4 WAR) and 25-year old C Carlos Camasura (.274/.380/.362, 4 HR, 32 RBI, 60 BB, 3.2 WAR) having decent years. But both are having down years compared to last season. 27-year old RF Mo Spenceley (.294/.368/.483, 13 HR, 55 RBI, 46 BB, 1.6 WAR) continues to contribute offensively, but his poor defensive work is a liability (.980 PCT, 2.51 RNG, -6.7 ZR, .978 EFF).

Five Pelicans made the All-Star team: SP Kieran Bunce (1st), RP Kaula Mafileo (1st), C Carlos Camasura (2nd), SS Katsunan Chikafuji (12th) and RF Mo Spenceley (1st).

Player of the Week Awards:

December 3 – RF Mo Spenceley (.478, 11 H, 3 HR, 5 RBI)
December 17 – CF Glen Traill (.409, 9 H, 5 RBI)

Key Trade: January 27 with the Stratford Barons:

To Kingston – 27-year old OF Lance Oakley (48/48)
To Stratford – 26-year old 1B Bob Goodyear (52/52) and 24-year old minor league 1B John Finnell (26/35)

Knee-jerk reaction: In the recent 1941-42 draft review, I noted that 29-year old 1B Andre Gale (.307/.349/.416, 4 HR, 20 RBI, 9 BB, 0.2 WAR) finally had a chance playing regularly in the majors after toiling in the minors for nine seasons. But after just 39 games, the Barons have decided to acquire the 4-year veteran Goodyear to take over first base and ship Gale back down to Triple-A. Goodyear, a former 2nd-round pick from 1943-44, is considered an above average first baseman with solid batting skills, good strike zone judgement and decent defense. He takes over the No. 5 spot of the lineup.
As for the Pelicans, they acquire Oakley, a former 16th overall pick from 1945-46 to take over centerfield and the lead-off spot from 30-year old Glen Traill (.195/.301/.326, 9 HR, 32 RBI, 61 BB, 10 SB, 0.8 WAR). Traill was struggling this season and Oakley, who hails from Wagga Wagga, Australia, should be a modest upgrade. He is simply outstanding defensively, with a strong, accurate throwing arm and blazing speed. He has modest to slightly above batting skills. But the real concern going forward is their giving up Goodyear, who at the very least, provided some insurance should 37-year old 1B Dean Bishop (.235/.371/.415, 12 HR, 61 RBI, 66 BB, 1.6 WAR) suffer a major injury. Kingston is gambling that Bishop can stay healthy during their push for a playoff spot. We’ll have to see whether that pays off or blows up in their face.

Current Injuries:

January 4 – SS Ryoma Hakui – strained groin. Suffered setback. Out for: 3-4 more weeks.
January 20 – 1B Dean Bishop – sore knee. Out for: DtD, unknown.
January 27 – RHP Paddy Vanderven – mild oblique strain. Out for: DtD, 2 more days.

--------

Offense: .257/.318/.370 (5th/7th/6th)
Pitching: 3.53/3.54/3.49 (2nd/3rd/3rd)
Defense: .726 (1st)

The Fort Richmond Generals are just on the verge of making a serious push for the playoffs, but perhaps didn’t do enough at the trade deadline to beef up their offense. In the final month of the regular season, they will play six games against both the Wolseley Unions and Pulberry Trolleys as well as four against the Kingston Pelicans. Those are the teams that are ahead of them in standings. Thus, March will either make or break their playoff hopes.

The pitching staff is about as good as any in the United Leagues, with 31-year old LHP Nicholas Grimes (15-6, 1.97 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 3.12 FIP) enjoying his best season yet, even better than his Satchel Paige Award winning season back in 1948-49 (where he went 21-9, 3.06 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 3.39 FIP). 29-year old RHP Nicky Sherlock (9-10, 3.52 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 3.71 FIP) is providing able support, but like the rest of the staff, could use a little more support from the offense.

The offense is resting largely on the shoulders of two men: 29-year old CF Dylan Moyne (.295/.354/.437, 13 HR, 46 RBI, 37 BB, 4.3 WAR) and 27-year old SS Nobuyoshi Yoshida (.310/.368/.429, 6 HR, 60 RBI, 35 BB, 4.3 WAR). There is quite a drop-off after them in terms of WAR. That includes 30-year old C Louis Wearne (.212/.299/.328, 10 HR, 48 RBI, 42 BB, 1.2 WAR), who has really struggled at the plate this season. A startling downturn considering he won the Western League Babe Ruth Award last season.

Six Generals were selected to this year’s All-Star game: SP Nicholas Grimes (2nd), CL José Rodriguez (4th), 1B Jacob Gadsden (1st), 3B Alberto Esquivel (1st), SS Nobuyoshi Yoshida (3rd) and CF Dylan Moyne (6th).

Noteworthy:

January 13 – The Generals and Cambria Cannons battled for 15 innings before the hometown Cannons prevailed 8-7 on a run-scoring triple by 1B Carlos Correa. But the game may have ended sooner had it not been for SS Nobuyoshi Yoshida. He went 6 for 8 with all his hits coming as singles. He collected 2 R and 1 RBI on the day.

Key Trade: December 25 with the Cambria Cannons:

To Fort Richmond – 30-year old 3B Alberto Esquivel (54/54)
To Cambria – 22-year old minor league 2B Quincy Blencowe (30/48) and 24-year old league LF Callum Follitt (26/33)

Knee-jerk reaction: This deal would normally fly under the radar without much comment, except that Esquivel (.295/.349/.496, 12 HR, 41 RBI, 22 BB, 2.4 WAR) won Rookie of the Month honors for October and earned a trip to the All-Star game. The Venezuelan native was signed to a minor league contract by the Cannons and made an immediate impression in the ULB. He has excellent contact and strike zone judgment with solid defensive skills at the hot corner. He is already rated as the 3rd-top third baseman in the United Leagues, so it’s not entirely clear why Cambria parted ways with him. None of his replacements are an improvement. In Fort Richmond, Esquivel is now a utility player. Another rookie, 23-year old Mason Geake (.211/.310/.286, 1 HR, 16 RBI, 27 BB, 0.1 WAR – 40/60), is getting the starts. Geake should be a fine player one day, but to me playing Esquivel regularly would make more of an impact on the Generals’ push for a playoff spot.
Blencowe is a phenomenal defensive player who can handle either third base or shortstop. But his offensive ratings are not overly impressive (45/55-contact, 50/50-gap, 30/30-eye) and while he’s in the lineup at present, that may change once some of the regulars return from injury. So I don’t see a positive in this deal for Cambria. But Fort Richmond does get some infield depth for the stretch run.

Current Injuries:

December 11 – SS Juan Ramírez – broken hand. Out for: 7 more weeks.
January 28 – RHP Glen Limon – mild shoulder strain. Out for: DtD, 1 more week.

--------

Offense: .259/.327/.393 (4th/5th/3rd)
Pitching: 4.32/4.07/5.17 (8th/8th/8th)
Defense: .693 (8th)

With all the injuries and struggles experienced by the pitching staff, it’s a marvel that the Cambria Cannons are not farther down in the standings. Cambria has been bitten by the injury bug big-time. Their top position player prospect (22-year old CF Sam Tite – 49/79) and top pitching prospect (24-year old RHP Mario Gallardo – 23/45) have missed extended playing time this year. The Canadian-born Tite is the No. 1-rated prospect and his absence has been a major setback for the club, who no doubt were expecting exciting things from him this season.

Their pitching is the worst in the Western League (second only to the Brunswick Legends overall), but if not for the injury bug, things might have been a little different. 28-year old LHP Jamie Wigley (4-6, 4.12 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 3.69 FIP) finished second in the Western League Satchel Paige Award voting last season but was sidelined for over four months this season with a torn labrum. But the upheaval has at least opened up opportunities for a couple of young pitchers to get some regular playing time. 26-year old RHP Masami Fujihara (10-9, 3.51 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 3.52 FIP) and 22-year old LHP Bill Southern (9-13, 4.06 ERA, 1.51 WHIP, 4.21 FIP), came over in the same trade with the Stratford Barons back in January 1950. Fujihara, an 8th-round pick from 1944-45 and Southern, a 1st-round pick from 1947-48, are now holding down the top two spots in the rotation respectively.

The offense is performing a little bit better, led by 30-year old SS César Ruíz (.296/.407/.515, 17 HR, 59 RBI, 68 BB, 4.8 WAR), 25-year old 1B Carlos Correa (.274/.330/.413, 12 HR, 54 RBI, 30 BB, -0.2 WAR) and 23-year old RF Seung-jae Park (.305/.334/.429, 3 HR, 48 RBi, 19 BB, 1.5 WAR), but their overall contributions have been undermined by some dreadful defensive work. That applies to the entire lineup at the moment.

SS César Ruíz (3rd) was the lone Cannon selected to the All-Star game.

Player of the Week Awards:

December 10 – 1B Carlos Correa (.481, 13 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI)
January 28 – 1B Carlos Correa (.464, 13 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 8 R)

Current Injuries:

October 20 – CF Sam Tite – post-concussion syndrome. Out for: 1 more week.
December 19 – 2B Wenceslas Jasmin – fractured hand. Out for: 2 more days.
December 23 – RHP Mario Gallardo – shoulder inflammation. Out for: 5 more weeks.
December 25 – 3B Wayne Hudson – fractured wrist. Suffered setback in January; required surgery. Out for: 2 more months.
January 12 – C Alexander Pyatt – torn posterior cruciate ligament. Out for: 6 more months.
January 13 – RHP Luke Woodward – partially torn UCL. Out for: 6 more months.

--------

Offense: .266/.323/.367 (3rd/6th/7th)
Pitching: 3.94/3.69/4.87 (6th/5th/6th)
Defense: .698 (7th)

A winning record over the previous two months, along with the struggles of both the Hespeler Stars and Balmoral Giants have ‘catapulted’ the Sherburn Tigers out of the basement, if just barely. The lack of front-line talent is evident, and the Tigers just don’t have a deep farm system at present. Its going to be tough going in Sherburn in the short term at least.

But the Tigers do have the making of an impressive 1-2-3 punch in the rotation. 28-year old RHP Jesús Chapa (9-10, 2.77 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 3.05 FIP) has consistently ranked as one of the top starters in the ULB (currently 2nd only to Wolseley’s Roberto Garza), but 25-year old RHP Ben Buschlen (11-11, 3.40 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 4.10 FIP) has been a solid No. 2 starter since he was acquired from the Fort Richmond Generals three seasons ago. And 24-year old RHP Bradley Strawson (7-11, 3.69 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 3.86 FIP) is making strides in this first full season. He was a 4th-overall pick just last season.

But any improvements made by the pitching staff will be all for naught, if the club doesn’t address their anemic offensive and defensive efforts. 25-year old 2B Jack Burt (.343/.386/.492, 1 HR, 41 RBI, 23 BB, 3.9 WAR) is the Tigers’ best player and is enjoying the best season of his four-year career. But he has yet to join the upper echelon of the top stars in the United Leagues. Both 28-year old RF Louie Pate (.300/.337/.460, 10 HR, 47 RBI, 20 BB, 0.7 WAR) and 30-year old CF Karl-Anthony Nuñez (.286/.334/.365, 6 HR, 30 RBI, 28 BB, -0.2 WAR) can hit but have been god-awful in the field. 25-year old LF Noah Teale (.265/.336/.415, 7 HR, 53 RBI, 44 BB, 13 SB, 1.8 WAR) has improved a bit compared to last year, but that’s still a far cry from his 1949-50 season when he earned 4.6 WAR.

Three Tigers qualified for the All-Star Game: SP Jesús Chapa (6th), 2B Jack Burt (2nd) and LF Noah Teale (2nd).

Player of the Week Awards:

December 24 – LF Louie Pate (.478, 11 H, 2 HR, 8 RBI)

Current Injuries:

December 23 – RHP Bobby Hogg – torn labrum. Out for: 3 more months.
January 22 – 2B Jack Burt – bone marrow edema (knee). Out for: 4-5 more weeks.

--------

Offense: .256/.330/.382 (6th/4th/5th)
Pitching: 4.12/4.04/4.49 (7th/7th/5th)
Defense: .709 (5th)

The Hespeler Stars crashed in January after hovering close to .500 for the first half of the season. The Stars enjoyed some success in December, going 10-3 against the top clubs in the West. That included a 3-game sweep of the Wolseley Unions and a 4-game sweep of the Pulberry Trolleys. But the Unions and Kingston Pelicans brought them back down to earth in January when the Unions took 5 of 6 games and the Pelicans took 3 of 4.

Hespeler should have a decent rotation, at least on paper. But 25-year old LHP Larry Kovnats (7-15, 4.24 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 3.53 FIP) shows no sign of developing into an effective pitcher. The former 3rd-overall pick from 1948-49 Achilles’ heel has been his lack of control (35/35). That is a shame. His stuff (55/60) and movement (60/65) are top drawer. He also boasts five impressive pitches: fastball (60/60), curve (55/60), changeup (55/55), sinker (55/60) and splitter (55/55), to go along with excellent stamina (75) and velocity (91-93 mph).
As of now, 27-year old RHP Stephen Tindall (11-10, 3.36 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 3.70 FIP) and 27-year old RHP Paul Woodruff (6-3, 3.32 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 4.25 FIP) have been offering up consistent outings and perhaps 25-year old RHP Dominic Whitmore (3-8, 5.38 ERA, 1.98 WHIP, 4.93 FIP), an 11th-overall pick from 1946-47, will develop one day into a useful starter as well.

The offense has provided it share of disappointing results, but there is room for some optimism. 26-year old 2B Vic Lewis (.311/.372/.516, 19 HR, 70 RBI, 32 BB, 4.4 WAR) is developing into a legitimate star and joins 28-year old SS Zhao-hui Qian (.306/.349/.439, 9 HR, 55 RBI, 32 BB, 4.3 WAR) in that category. But 24-year old sophomore CF John McMurray (.249/.309/.394, 9 HR, 42 RBI, 34 BB, 0.9 WAR) and 23-year old rookie RF Tim Beattie (.278/.359/.370, 3 HR, 23 RBI, 33 BB, 0.8 WAR) exude a lot of promise as they acclimate to the majors.

Four players represented the Stars are the All-Star Game: SP Stephen Tindall (1st), C Enrique García (1st), 2B Vic Lewis (1st) and SS Zhao-hui Qian (2nd).

Player of the Week Awards:

January 7 – SS Zhao-hui Qian (.550, 11 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 3 R)

Current Injuries:

November 21 – RHP Rodney Gabrielson – acute elbow soreness. Setback in January; required surgery. Out for: 8-9 more weeks.

--------

Offense: .232/.309/.321 (8th/8th/8th)
Pitching: 3.66/3.68/3.60 (4th/4th/4th)
Defense: .713 (3rd)

Its more of the same for the Balmoral Giants, as they are holding their own in terms of pitching while being down-right awful at the plate. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more impotent offense in any of my United Leagues iterations in the past, let alone this dynasty. They are averaging just 3.2 R/G, which would tie them with the 1943 Downie Chiefs for the worst runs generated per game average. Their .232 team batting average would set a new low, ‘surpassing’ the 1946-47 Sherburn Tigers, who batted .240 in that offensively-depressed season. And there’s not much optimism that things will turn around soon. GM Victor Lynch, who has been with the organization since Day 1, is in the final year of his current contract. I would expect that a change would be in order after the season for this mess.

The pitching staff continues to impress. They are second only to the Wolseley Unions in fewest R/G (4.0 to Wolseley’s 3.7) in the ULB. Despite suffering elbow tendinitis that sidelined him for two months, 32-year old LHP Ricardo Cruz (6-5, 2.81 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 3.39 FIP) continues as Balmoral’s ace. However, he has struggled to get back into his groove. He endured a rough January (0-5, 5.04 ERA, 1.54 WHIP) and has gone 1-6 in his last 7 starts. But in his most recent start, he went 9.2 IP, 8 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K in a 1-0 loss to the Downie Chiefs.
But both 26-year old RHP Quintiliano Galeo (12-11, 3.22 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 3.83 FIP) and 26-year old RHP Rodrigo González (8-10, 3.12 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 3.20 FIP) have been consistently good all season. Finally, journeyman stopper, 32-year old RHP Brent Nix (4-4, 8 SV, 3.06 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 4.24 FIP) is enjoying his best season in five years.

23-year old 2B Erik Perry (.203/.284/.287, 9-2B, 17 RBI, 23 BB, -0.3 WAR) enjoyed a promising November (.263/.317/.474) but has disappeared since then. Perhaps 25-year old LF Connor Wadsworth (.271/.344/.312, 1 HR, 15 RBI, 21 BB, 0.7 WAR), who has taken over leftfield from 34-year old Carlton Broadbent (.257/.315/.482, 13 HR, 45 RBI, 19 BB, 0.1 WAR), can provide some spark – someday? All in all, what a train wreck.

The Giants sent two players to the All-Star game: SP Ricardo Cruz (2nd) and SP Rodrigo González (3rd).

Current Injuries:

December 16 – SS Francisco Rodríguez – partially torn labrum. Out for: 6 more days.

--------

11-07-2019, 11:38 PM	#529
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,985	February 1, 1952 Western League: Trolleys, Pelicans in Tight Battle for Wild Card -------- Offense: .277/.358/.414 (1st/1st/1st) Pitching: 3.00/3.12/2.36 (1st/1st/1st) Defense: .712 (4th) The Wolseley Unions continue to be the class of the United Leagues, dominating both sides of the ball and sporting the best record in the ULB. But the defending United Cup Champions did experience a bit of a hiccup in January. After opening the month with a 6-game winning streak before the All-Star break, the Unions faltered thereafter, going just 9-10 the rest of the way. That stretch included a 6-game losing streak where they were swept by the Pulberry Trolleys and dropped 2 of 3 to the Sherburn Tigers. They did right the ship at the end of the month however, taking 2 of 3 from the Kingston Pelicans and sweeping a 2-game series from the Trolleys to exact some revenge. Those are the teams chasing the Unions right now, so Wolseley can’t afford to become complacent. Despite injuries to 28-year old RHP Jeremy Albury (8-1, 3.05 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 3.34 FIP - gone for the season) and 35-year old LHP Anastasio Rodríguez (7-5, 4.04 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 3.29 FIP - currently on rehab assignment) for the second season in a row, the pitching staff is still firing on all cylinders. Though a rookie, 26-year old RHP Roberto Garza (12-7, 2.55 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 2.59 FIP) is currently considered by scouts as the top-rated pitcher in the ULB and its hard to argue with that assessment. But he is not alone – there is nary a weak spot on the entire staff. The team acquired 32-year old RHP Aaron Saunderson (6-12, 3.86 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 4.13 FIP) from Embro to address the injuries and the Unions also promoted 24-year old RHP Joseph Sellwood (2-2, 3.30 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 4.95 FIP) to serve in long relief. The future starter was drafted 14th overall in 1949-50 and is rated as the No. 2 pitching prospect (10th overall). The lineup continues to be arguable the strongest in the United Leagues, with 30-year old LF Carlton Hawking (.342/.467/.553, 16 HR, 90 RBI, 93 BB, 5.2 WAR) continuing his awesome ways and 30-year old SS George Kimpton (.289/.375/.459, 22 HR, 65 RBI, 59 BB, 4.3 WAR) enjoying the best season of his eight-year career. Eight players were selected to the All-Star game: SP Bill Blair (3rd), SP Roberto Garza (1st), CL John Palm (11th), C Éric Denis (5th), 2B Make-Make Kamaka (2nd), 3B Carlos Ortíz (2nd), SS George Kimpton (3rd) and LF Carlton Hawking (7th). Current Injuries: December 10 – RHP Jeremy Albury – ruptured ulnar collateral ligament. Out for: 5 more months. -------- Offense: .267/.337/.400 (2nd/2nd/2nd) Pitching: 3.75/3.46/4.95 (5th/2nd/7th) Defense: .721 (2nd) After an impressive 22-7 start to the season, the Pulberry Trolleys fell back to earth in November and December, losing 5 more games than they won. They rebounded in January however and continue to hang onto the wild card spot. Their lead over the Kingston Pelicans is now down to just half a game though, so the final two months of the season should be very interesting. Both Kingston and Fort Richmond are well within reach of overtaking the Trolleys down the stretch if they’re not careful. The club’s overall ERA is the best its been in four seasons, but the rotation still has that patchwork feel to it and the bullpen has been downright awful. The Trolleys acquired 30-year old RHP Robin Medellin (6-14, 4.61 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 4.34 FIP) and 24-year old RHP Taylor Folkard (1-1, 1 SV, 5.13 ERA, 1.65 WHIP, 5.30 FIP) from Braeland City to try and beef up its rotation and bullpen respectively, but it remains to be seen whether they will actually make a difference down the stretch. Like Roberto Garza in Wolseley, 22-year old LHP Ramón Castro (8-4, 2.39 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 2.68 FIP) is a rookie who has become his team’s top starter. He is also highly rated: 5th overall among all pitchers in the ULB. But Castro does not have the supporting cast that Garza enjoys. That said, 24-year old RHP Harley Rodman (8-4, 2 SV, 3.12 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 3.17 FIP), a former 6th-round pick from 1945-46 and long-time minor leaguer, is pitching effectively out of the No. 5 spot. The offense is on a much surer footing and looks more impressive with each passing day. 24-year old CF Cooper Tyson (.300/.387/.468, 11 HR, 63 RBI, 58 BB, 5.5 WAR) has been tremendous and leads the entire ULB in WAR (Cobourg’s Alexander Tolmie is just behind him with 5.4). Four-year veteran, 27-year old RF Ellis Dibble (.339/.399/.476, 6 HR, 55 RBI, 42 BB, 3.2 WAR), is enjoying his best season thus far. His performance this year has forced 23-year old OF John Oldknow (.274/.346/.421, 4 HR, 21 RBI, 20 BB, 1.3 WAR) to remain riding the pine, after pre-season expectations that he would be Pulberry’s everyday rightfielder. Finally, 23-year old LF Aidan Thirkettle (.272/.354/.482, 9 HR, 51 RBI, 41 BB, 12 SB, 2.0 WAR) is enjoying a fine rookie campaign. Four Trolleys were selected to the All-Star Game: SP Ramón Castro (1st), 3B Makani Kahale (2nd), LF Ellis Dibble (1st) and CF Cooper Tyson (2nd). Player of the Week Awards: December 31 – CF Cooper Tyson (.565, 13 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI) January 14 – LF Aidan Thirkettle (.444, 8 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI) January 21 – SP Harley Rodman (2-0, 0.00 ERA, 10 K, .159 OBA) Noteworthy: January 26 – Indicative of his impressive season, RF Ellis Dibble went 5 for 5 against the Sherburn Tigers. He singled 5 times, in the 1st, 3r, 5th, 7th and 8th innings, collecting 2 R. The Trolleys prevailed 6-2. Current Injuries: None. -------- Offense: .250/.330/.384 (7th/3rd/4th) Pitching: 3.63/3.86/2.68 (3rd/6th/2nd) Defense: .708 (6th) In mid-December, the Kingston Pelicans set their team focus from ‘neutral’ to ‘rebuild’, but you wouldn’t know it from their play in January. Their strong play moved them into second place ahead of the Fort Richmond Generals and just a half-game back of the Trolleys. But a closer look at their roster indicates that they may not have the depth to sustain a serious push for the wild card the rest of the way. After 31-year old LHP Patrick Denman (14-7, 3.37 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 3.87 FIP) and 26-year old RHP Kieran Bunce (11-6, 3.15 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 3.63 FIP), the rotation has been inconsistent. The numbers indicate that the bullpen has performed a little better overall, but there has been quite of bit of turnover through continuous promotions/demotions and waiver wire losses. But the Pelicans do boast one of the best relievers in the ULB: 27-year old RHP stopper Kaula Mafileo (7-5, 18 SV, 2.35 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 3.61 FIP). The offense isn’t actually dominant either, with only 36-year old 2B Katsunan Chikafuji (.283/.356/.466, 16 HR, 59 RBI, 42 BB, 3.4 WAR) and 25-year old C Carlos Camasura (.274/.380/.362, 4 HR, 32 RBI, 60 BB, 3.2 WAR) having decent years. But both are having down years compared to last season. 27-year old RF Mo Spenceley (.294/.368/.483, 13 HR, 55 RBI, 46 BB, 1.6 WAR) continues to contribute offensively, but his poor defensive work is a liability (.980 PCT, 2.51 RNG, -6.7 ZR, .978 EFF). Five Pelicans made the All-Star team: SP Kieran Bunce (1st), RP Kaula Mafileo (1st), C Carlos Camasura (2nd), SS Katsunan Chikafuji (12th) and RF Mo Spenceley (1st). Player of the Week Awards: December 3 – RF Mo Spenceley (.478, 11 H, 3 HR, 5 RBI) December 17 – CF Glen Traill (.409, 9 H, 5 RBI) Key Trade: January 27 with the Stratford Barons: To Kingston – 27-year old OF Lance Oakley (48/48) To Stratford – 26-year old 1B Bob Goodyear (52/52) and 24-year old minor league 1B John Finnell (26/35) *Knee-jerk reaction:* In the recent 1941-42 draft review, I noted that 29-year old 1B Andre Gale (.307/.349/.416, 4 HR, 20 RBI, 9 BB, 0.2 WAR) finally had a chance playing regularly in the majors after toiling in the minors for nine seasons. But after just 39 games, the Barons have decided to acquire the 4-year veteran Goodyear to take over first base and ship Gale back down to Triple-A. Goodyear, a former 2nd-round pick from 1943-44, is considered an above average first baseman with solid batting skills, good strike zone judgement and decent defense. He takes over the No. 5 spot of the lineup. As for the Pelicans, they acquire Oakley, a former 16th overall pick from 1945-46 to take over centerfield and the lead-off spot from 30-year old Glen Traill (.195/.301/.326, 9 HR, 32 RBI, 61 BB, 10 SB, 0.8 WAR). Traill was struggling this season and Oakley, who hails from Wagga Wagga, Australia, should be a modest upgrade. He is simply outstanding defensively, with a strong, accurate throwing arm and blazing speed. He has modest to slightly above batting skills. But the real concern going forward is their giving up Goodyear, who at the very least, provided some insurance should 37-year old 1B Dean Bishop (.235/.371/.415, 12 HR, 61 RBI, 66 BB, 1.6 WAR) suffer a major injury. Kingston is gambling that Bishop can stay healthy during their push for a playoff spot. We’ll have to see whether that pays off or blows up in their face. Current Injuries: January 4 – SS Ryoma Hakui – strained groin. Suffered setback. Out for: 3-4 more weeks. January 20 – 1B Dean Bishop – sore knee. Out for: DtD, unknown. January 27 – RHP Paddy Vanderven – mild oblique strain. Out for: DtD, 2 more days. -------- Offense: .257/.318/.370 (5th/7th/6th) Pitching: 3.53/3.54/3.49 (2nd/3rd/3rd) Defense: .726 (1st) The Fort Richmond Generals are just on the verge of making a serious push for the playoffs, but perhaps didn’t do enough at the trade deadline to beef up their offense. In the final month of the regular season, they will play six games against both the Wolseley Unions and Pulberry Trolleys as well as four against the Kingston Pelicans. Those are the teams that are ahead of them in standings. Thus, March will either make or break their playoff hopes. The pitching staff is about as good as any in the United Leagues, with 31-year old LHP Nicholas Grimes (15-6, 1.97 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 3.12 FIP) enjoying his best season yet, even better than his Satchel Paige Award winning season back in 1948-49 (where he went 21-9, 3.06 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 3.39 FIP). 29-year old RHP Nicky Sherlock (9-10, 3.52 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 3.71 FIP) is providing able support, but like the rest of the staff, could use a little more support from the offense. The offense is resting largely on the shoulders of two men: 29-year old CF Dylan Moyne (.295/.354/.437, 13 HR, 46 RBI, 37 BB, 4.3 WAR) and 27-year old SS Nobuyoshi Yoshida (.310/.368/.429, 6 HR, 60 RBI, 35 BB, 4.3 WAR). There is quite a drop-off after them in terms of WAR. That includes 30-year old C Louis Wearne (.212/.299/.328, 10 HR, 48 RBI, 42 BB, 1.2 WAR), who has really struggled at the plate this season. A startling downturn considering he won the Western League Babe Ruth Award last season. Six Generals were selected to this year’s All-Star game: SP Nicholas Grimes (2nd), CL José Rodriguez (4th), 1B Jacob Gadsden (1st), 3B Alberto Esquivel (1st), SS Nobuyoshi Yoshida (3rd) and CF Dylan Moyne (6th). Noteworthy: January 13 – The Generals and Cambria Cannons battled for 15 innings before the hometown Cannons prevailed 8-7 on a run-scoring triple by 1B Carlos Correa. But the game may have ended sooner had it not been for SS Nobuyoshi Yoshida. He went 6 for 8 with all his hits coming as singles. He collected 2 R and 1 RBI on the day. Key Trade: December 25 with the Cambria Cannons: To Fort Richmond – 30-year old 3B Alberto Esquivel (54/54) To Cambria – 22-year old minor league 2B Quincy Blencowe (30/48) and 24-year old league LF Callum Follitt (26/33) *Knee-jerk reaction:* This deal would normally fly under the radar without much comment, except that Esquivel (.295/.349/.496, 12 HR, 41 RBI, 22 BB, 2.4 WAR) won Rookie of the Month honors for October and earned a trip to the All-Star game. The Venezuelan native was signed to a minor league contract by the Cannons and made an immediate impression in the ULB. He has excellent contact and strike zone judgment with solid defensive skills at the hot corner. He is already rated as the 3rd-top third baseman in the United Leagues, so it’s not entirely clear why Cambria parted ways with him. None of his replacements are an improvement. In Fort Richmond, Esquivel is now a utility player. Another rookie, 23-year old Mason Geake (.211/.310/.286, 1 HR, 16 RBI, 27 BB, 0.1 WAR – 40/60), is getting the starts. Geake should be a fine player one day, but to me playing Esquivel regularly would make more of an impact on the Generals’ push for a playoff spot. Blencowe is a phenomenal defensive player who can handle either third base or shortstop. But his offensive ratings are not overly impressive (45/55-contact, 50/50-gap, 30/30-eye) and while he’s in the lineup at present, that may change once some of the regulars return from injury. So I don’t see a positive in this deal for Cambria. But Fort Richmond does get some infield depth for the stretch run. Current Injuries: December 11 – SS Juan Ramírez – broken hand. Out for: 7 more weeks. January 28 – RHP Glen Limon – mild shoulder strain. Out for: DtD, 1 more week. -------- Offense: .259/.327/.393 (4th/5th/3rd) Pitching: 4.32/4.07/5.17 (8th/8th/8th) Defense: .693 (8th) With all the injuries and struggles experienced by the pitching staff, it’s a marvel that the Cambria Cannons are not farther down in the standings. Cambria has been bitten by the injury bug big-time. Their top position player prospect (22-year old CF Sam Tite – 49/79) and top pitching prospect (24-year old RHP Mario Gallardo – 23/45) have missed extended playing time this year. The Canadian-born Tite is the No. 1-rated prospect and his absence has been a major setback for the club, who no doubt were expecting exciting things from him this season. Their pitching is the worst in the Western League (second only to the Brunswick Legends overall), but if not for the injury bug, things might have been a little different. 28-year old LHP Jamie Wigley (4-6, 4.12 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 3.69 FIP) finished second in the Western League Satchel Paige Award voting last season but was sidelined for over four months this season with a torn labrum. But the upheaval has at least opened up opportunities for a couple of young pitchers to get some regular playing time. 26-year old RHP Masami Fujihara (10-9, 3.51 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 3.52 FIP) and 22-year old LHP Bill Southern (9-13, 4.06 ERA, 1.51 WHIP, 4.21 FIP), came over in the same trade with the Stratford Barons back in January 1950. Fujihara, an 8th-round pick from 1944-45 and Southern, a 1st-round pick from 1947-48, are now holding down the top two spots in the rotation respectively. The offense is performing a little bit better, led by 30-year old SS César Ruíz (.296/.407/.515, 17 HR, 59 RBI, 68 BB, 4.8 WAR), 25-year old 1B Carlos Correa (.274/.330/.413, 12 HR, 54 RBI, 30 BB, -0.2 WAR) and 23-year old RF Seung-jae Park (.305/.334/.429, 3 HR, 48 RBi, 19 BB, 1.5 WAR), but their overall contributions have been undermined by some dreadful defensive work. That applies to the entire lineup at the moment. SS César Ruíz (3rd) was the lone Cannon selected to the All-Star game. Player of the Week Awards: December 10 – 1B Carlos Correa (.481, 13 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI) January 28 – 1B Carlos Correa (.464, 13 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 8 R) Current Injuries: October 20 – CF Sam Tite – post-concussion syndrome. Out for: 1 more week. December 19 – 2B Wenceslas Jasmin – fractured hand. Out for: 2 more days. December 23 – RHP Mario Gallardo – shoulder inflammation. Out for: 5 more weeks. December 25 – 3B Wayne Hudson – fractured wrist. Suffered setback in January; required surgery. Out for: 2 more months. January 12 – C Alexander Pyatt – torn posterior cruciate ligament. Out for: 6 more months. January 13 – RHP Luke Woodward – partially torn UCL. Out for: 6 more months. -------- Offense: .266/.323/.367 (3rd/6th/7th) Pitching: 3.94/3.69/4.87 (6th/5th/6th) Defense: .698 (7th) A winning record over the previous two months, along with the struggles of both the Hespeler Stars and Balmoral Giants have ‘catapulted’ the Sherburn Tigers out of the basement, if just barely. The lack of front-line talent is evident, and the Tigers just don’t have a deep farm system at present. Its going to be tough going in Sherburn in the short term at least. But the Tigers do have the making of an impressive 1-2-3 punch in the rotation. 28-year old RHP Jesús Chapa (9-10, 2.77 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 3.05 FIP) has consistently ranked as one of the top starters in the ULB (currently 2nd only to Wolseley’s Roberto Garza), but 25-year old RHP Ben Buschlen (11-11, 3.40 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 4.10 FIP) has been a solid No. 2 starter since he was acquired from the Fort Richmond Generals three seasons ago. And 24-year old RHP Bradley Strawson (7-11, 3.69 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 3.86 FIP) is making strides in this first full season. He was a 4th-overall pick just last season. But any improvements made by the pitching staff will be all for naught, if the club doesn’t address their anemic offensive and defensive efforts. 25-year old 2B Jack Burt (.343/.386/.492, 1 HR, 41 RBI, 23 BB, 3.9 WAR) is the Tigers’ best player and is enjoying the best season of his four-year career. But he has yet to join the upper echelon of the top stars in the United Leagues. Both 28-year old RF Louie Pate (.300/.337/.460, 10 HR, 47 RBI, 20 BB, 0.7 WAR) and 30-year old CF Karl-Anthony Nuñez (.286/.334/.365, 6 HR, 30 RBI, 28 BB, -0.2 WAR) can hit but have been god-awful in the field. 25-year old LF Noah Teale (.265/.336/.415, 7 HR, 53 RBI, 44 BB, 13 SB, 1.8 WAR) has improved a bit compared to last year, but that’s still a far cry from his 1949-50 season when he earned 4.6 WAR. Three Tigers qualified for the All-Star Game: SP Jesús Chapa (6th), 2B Jack Burt (2nd) and LF Noah Teale (2nd). Player of the Week Awards: December 24 – LF Louie Pate (.478, 11 H, 2 HR, 8 RBI) Current Injuries: December 23 – RHP Bobby Hogg – torn labrum. Out for: 3 more months. January 22 – 2B Jack Burt – bone marrow edema (knee). Out for: 4-5 more weeks. -------- Offense: .256/.330/.382 (6th/4th/5th) Pitching: 4.12/4.04/4.49 (7th/7th/5th) Defense: .709 (5th) The Hespeler Stars crashed in January after hovering close to .500 for the first half of the season. The Stars enjoyed some success in December, going 10-3 against the top clubs in the West. That included a 3-game sweep of the Wolseley Unions and a 4-game sweep of the Pulberry Trolleys. But the Unions and Kingston Pelicans brought them back down to earth in January when the Unions took 5 of 6 games and the Pelicans took 3 of 4. Hespeler should have a decent rotation, at least on paper. But 25-year old LHP Larry Kovnats (7-15, 4.24 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 3.53 FIP) shows no sign of developing into an effective pitcher. The former 3rd-overall pick from 1948-49 Achilles’ heel has been his lack of control (35/35). That is a shame. His stuff (55/60) and movement (60/65) are top drawer. He also boasts five impressive pitches: fastball (60/60), curve (55/60), changeup (55/55), sinker (55/60) and splitter (55/55), to go along with excellent stamina (75) and velocity (91-93 mph). As of now, 27-year old RHP Stephen Tindall (11-10, 3.36 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 3.70 FIP) and 27-year old RHP Paul Woodruff (6-3, 3.32 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 4.25 FIP) have been offering up consistent outings and perhaps 25-year old RHP Dominic Whitmore (3-8, 5.38 ERA, 1.98 WHIP, 4.93 FIP), an 11th-overall pick from 1946-47, will develop one day into a useful starter as well. The offense has provided it share of disappointing results, but there is room for some optimism. 26-year old 2B Vic Lewis (.311/.372/.516, 19 HR, 70 RBI, 32 BB, 4.4 WAR) is developing into a legitimate star and joins 28-year old SS Zhao-hui Qian (.306/.349/.439, 9 HR, 55 RBI, 32 BB, 4.3 WAR) in that category. But 24-year old sophomore CF John McMurray (.249/.309/.394, 9 HR, 42 RBI, 34 BB, 0.9 WAR) and 23-year old rookie RF Tim Beattie (.278/.359/.370, 3 HR, 23 RBI, 33 BB, 0.8 WAR) exude a lot of promise as they acclimate to the majors. Four players represented the Stars are the All-Star Game: SP Stephen Tindall (1st), C Enrique García (1st), 2B Vic Lewis (1st) and SS Zhao-hui Qian (2nd). Player of the Week Awards: January 7 – SS Zhao-hui Qian (.550, 11 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 3 R) Current Injuries: November 21 – RHP Rodney Gabrielson – acute elbow soreness. Setback in January; required surgery. Out for: 8-9 more weeks. -------- Offense: .232/.309/.321 (8th/8th/8th) Pitching: 3.66/3.68/3.60 (4th/4th/4th) Defense: .713 (3rd) Its more of the same for the Balmoral Giants, as they are holding their own in terms of pitching while being down-right awful at the plate. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more impotent offense in any of my United Leagues iterations in the past, let alone this dynasty. They are averaging just 3.2 R/G, which would tie them with the 1943 Downie Chiefs for the worst runs generated per game average. Their .232 team batting average would set a new low, ‘surpassing’ the 1946-47 Sherburn Tigers, who batted .240 in that offensively-depressed season. And there’s not much optimism that things will turn around soon. GM Victor Lynch, who has been with the organization since Day 1, is in the final year of his current contract. I would expect that a change would be in order after the season for this mess. The pitching staff continues to impress. They are second only to the Wolseley Unions in fewest R/G (4.0 to Wolseley’s 3.7) in the ULB. Despite suffering elbow tendinitis that sidelined him for two months, 32-year old LHP Ricardo Cruz (6-5, 2.81 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 3.39 FIP) continues as Balmoral’s ace. However, he has struggled to get back into his groove. He endured a rough January (0-5, 5.04 ERA, 1.54 WHIP) and has gone 1-6 in his last 7 starts. But in his most recent start, he went 9.2 IP, 8 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K in a 1-0 loss to the Downie Chiefs. But both 26-year old RHP Quintiliano Galeo (12-11, 3.22 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 3.83 FIP) and 26-year old RHP Rodrigo González (8-10, 3.12 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 3.20 FIP) have been consistently good all season. Finally, journeyman stopper, 32-year old RHP Brent Nix (4-4, 8 SV, 3.06 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 4.24 FIP) is enjoying his best season in five years. 23-year old 2B Erik Perry (.203/.284/.287, 9-2B, 17 RBI, 23 BB, -0.3 WAR) enjoyed a promising November (.263/.317/.474) but has disappeared since then. Perhaps 25-year old LF Connor Wadsworth (.271/.344/.312, 1 HR, 15 RBI, 21 BB, 0.7 WAR), who has taken over leftfield from 34-year old Carlton Broadbent (.257/.315/.482, 13 HR, 45 RBI, 19 BB, 0.1 WAR), can provide some spark – someday? All in all, what a train wreck. The Giants sent two players to the All-Star game: SP Ricardo Cruz (2nd) and SP Rodrigo González (3rd). Current Injuries: December 16 – SS Francisco Rodríguez – partially torn labrum. Out for: 6 more days. -------- __________________ United Leagues of Braeland Last edited by reds1; 11-07-2019 at 11:58 PM.