[ayaghmour2]

We have an entirely different infield alignment for this Opening Day compared to last season. Most of this has to do with the late injury to 2B Bill Ashbaugh. A lot of youngsters started in the Spring, including SS Slim Bloom, who was a tough roster cut, but he has yet to play in AAA and his bat just isn't quite there yet even with his strong Spring. I'll introduce the starters before the bench:

1B John Dibblee: One of the best players in the history of the FABL, the formerly elite CF (career +200 ZR even with a -15.9 showing as a 37-year-old) now calls first base home. "The Top Cat" has been a big league since he was 17 way back in 1906 and he's never had a below average offensive season in his 22-year-career. Now 40, Dibblee owns a .346/.428/.514 line with 3,574 hits, 744 steals, and 1,361 RBI's. He never had much power, just 80 career homers, but he hits the gaps well and has 499 doubles and 500 triples. He holds the single season record for triples with 57 in 1913 and his top 10 All-Time in numerous offensive categories including #2 in hits and triples, #5 in RBI's and OBP, and 3rd in WAR, steals, and runs. He doesn't show any signs of slowing down and is ranked as the 6th best 1B in the league. A fan favorite and legend in Chicago, Dibblee has a job with this team as long as he chooses to play.

2B Gary Sanders: This should be Bill Ashbaugh's spot, but with his injury Gary Sanders will play his third position in four seasons. It is temporary, but the slick fielding Sanders will man the keystone for at least the first two weeks of the season. Our 2nd Round pick in 1922, Sanders has never played an inning at second, but owns a +19.6 and +24.5 ZR at third and short respectively in just 300 games a piece. Generally a league average hitter, Sanders had a rough 1928 and fell to a .235/.278/.325 (62 OPS+) line in his second full season at short. His .298/.323/.410 career line is much better, but we're not too sure he can regain that form. His glove will always help him find a job on a big league roster, however, and even once Ashbaugh returns, he'll still have a spot on the roster.

3B Mack Deal: Just 22 and the #26 prospect in the league, Mack Deal earned the job out of Spring after slashing .415/.500/.561 to take the job from last year's starter Ben Hathaway. Deal got in to 16 September games last year, hitting .284/.294/.403 (87+ OPS) with a homer, 3 RBI's, and 5 steals. Formerly a shortstop, Deal had a little trouble at that position and has taken to third well the past two seasons in the minors. He'll never be known for his glove, but he's not going to hurt you in the field and he'll more then make up for it at the plate and on the basepaths. He tore through AA and AAA pitching last season, with OPS+ of 120 and 127 respectively with 7 homers, 76 RBI's, and 11 steals. Taken 6th Overall out of Detroit HS in 1924, Deal appears to have lived up to that potential and should man the hot corner for the next decade here in Chicago.

SS Harry Simmons: If you haven't noticed yet, I love Rule-5 picks, and even with forgetting to export for the 1928 one, I've made at least 10 in the past three seasons. Simmons is one of them, as the former 8th Round selection by the Dynamos in 1923 (they took him in the 4th round the year before) will at least temporarily hold the starting shortstop job. He moved to a full time 3B job after the 1925 season, but he has a +6.2 ZR there with a similar (in regards to innings) +17.7 ZR at the hot corner. I like his defense better then Deal's, so the 24-year-old gets his shot to hold down short at least until Ashbaugh returns and shifts the defensive alignment again. With AA Akron last season, he hit .319/.369/.398 (122 OPS+) with 19 steals and 50 runs driven in. My scout is a big fan of the lefty, and he's nearly a lock to spend the whole season with us.

3B Ben Hathaway: The first member of the bench, the 29-year-old Ben Hathaway was a waiver claim from Cleveland at the beginning of the 1927 season. He was the starter at the hot corner until now, with nearly identical 99 and 98 OPS+ totaling 13 homers and 157 RBI's in two full seasons with the Cougars. For his career, the former 15th Overall selection by the Foresters owns a .296/.354/.430 with 33 homers and 266 RBI's in just over 2,000 FABL plate appearances. He isn't the best defender out there, but he had an amazing +13.2 ZR in 1925 that is actually better then his career total. He'll be out #1 pinch hitter as most of our other bench guys are better defenders then hitters.

SS Charlie Gamble: The Cougars took Charlie Gamble 8th Overall out of Ellery, the same school teammate Ace McSherry attended, and though he'd be the shortstop of the future. He's an excellent defender (+63.5 ZR), but the bat never really surfaced. His career .284/.343/.374 line isn't terrible by any means, but the 30-year-old switch hitter doesn't hit the ball very hard. He's a fringe starter, but has been benched in favor of Gary Sanders in recent years. He has a chance to move off the bench if Simmons and Sanders both struggle, and he should see more time then he did last season. He's fast on the bases as well which makes him a nice late game asset.

SS Tom Rogers: A Rule-5 Pick from the Stars this season, Rogers has been a quality defender at both third and short in the minors, and I'm looking to get him some reps at second too. He's on the older side at 27, but he's got good speed and was an average hitter in AAA last season, owning a .258/.323/.346 line with 14 steals and 48 RBI's. A 2nd Round pick out of Pierpont, Rogers may not have much time to show that he deserves to stay on the team as he was the last man to make the team.

Speaking of last to make the team, Rogers beat out 1B Roy Evans, who was waived and designated for assignment. The 29-year-old was acquired in a deadline deal with Toronto in 1924, but he doesn't look too promising. His bat isn't terrible, and he may get claimed, but I have no room for a 29-year-old corner infielder when I already have a more proven hitter in Hathaway on the bench. The only other real roster casualty in the infield was Slim Bloom, who despite a solid spring, will head to AAA Milwaukee. The 23-year-old was a former 13th Round pick of ours out of New York HS, and he's now the 76th ranked prospect in all of baseball. Interesting enough, his high school as a few interesting prospects I'm keeping my on for the upcoming drafts.

The outfield will be next and I may get to them tonight!