[ayaghmour2]

August 26th, 1929
Cleveland Foresters (54-69): 9
Chicago Cougars (49-73): 1

W: George Barker (6-1)
L: Charley O'Hare (7-7)
SV: Cat Spanos (1)

It was an awful game all around as the now visiting Foresters dominated us 9-1. It was a rough start for Charley O'Hare, allowing 12 hits and 9 runs with 3 walks and 2 strikeouts in 4.2 innings pitched. Ray Powell, however, tossed 4.1 hitless innings with just 1 walk and 2 strikeouts. Fred Barrell was 2-for-4 with a double. Luke Nixon was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Bob McCarty was 1-for-4 with a run scored.

August 27th, 1929
Cleveland Foresters (54-70): 8
Chicago Cougars (50-73): 9
10 Innings

W: Chick Meehan (1-2)
L: Ernie Davey (3-4)

We picked up win #50 on the season to split the home portion of the series before heading off to Philadelphia to get likely swept by the Sailors. Bill Ashbaugh went 2-for-4 with a walk, homer, and 3 RBI's. Luke Nixon was 2-for-5 with a double and 2 runs scored. Harry Simmons was 2-for-5 with a run scored. Mack Deal was 1-for-2 with 3 walks and an RBI. Fred Barrell was 1-for-4 with a double, walk, 2 runs, and 2 RBI's. Mike Smith was 1-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored. Joe Davis had a pinch-hit 2 run single in the 5th. He pinch hit for Joe Foley, who allowed 8 runs (6 earned) in 5 innings with 9 hits, 5 walks, and a strikeout.

August 28th, 1929
Chicago Cougars (50-75): 4
Philadelphia Sailors (81-44): 11

W: Russ Reel (14-5)
L: Dick Lyons (14-11)

The best of the CA were too much to handle, as they took the opener 11-4. They hit Dick Lyons hard, 14 hits and 8 runs in 6.1 innings with just a walk and a strikeout. Chick Meehan allowed 3 hits and 3 runs with 2 walks and a strikeout in 1.2 innings. Bill Ashbaugh was 3-for-5 with a triple. Art Panko was 2-for-4 with a steal and 2 runs scored. Bob McCarty was 2-for-4 with a double and RBI. Dick Fessel was 1-for-3 with a double, walk, and RBI.

August 29th, 1929
Chicago Cougars (50-76): 3
Philadelphia Sailors (82-44): 9

W: Johnny Davis (14-12)
L: Dick Kadlec (4-11)

Another rough showing against the Sailors as they put us away with little effort expended. The only bright spot of this game was backup SS George Sanders was 4-for-4 with a double, two triples, a run, and RBI. Dick Kadlec was charged with 11 hits, 9 runs, and 7 walks with just 2 strikeouts in 5.2 innings. Bob McCarty was 1-for-4 with a double, walk, and RBI. Fred Barrell was 1-for-4 with a run scored.

August 30th, 1929
Chicago Cougars (50-77): 4
Philadelphia Sailors (83-44): 5
11 Innings

W: John Mahoney (3-0)
L: Chick Meehan (1-3)

Dick Walker singled home Tom Taylor in the 11th to give the Sailors a chance for the sweep tomorrow. Charley O'Hare put together 7.1 innings with 5 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), 6 walks, and 6 strikeouts. Chick Meehan allowed a hit, run, walk, and strikeout in 2.1 innings. Luke Nixon was 3-for-5 with a run scored and sac-fly. John Dibblee was 3-for-5 with a hit by pitch, steal, and run scored. George Sanders was 1-for-3 with a walk and 2 RBI's. Tom Rogers was 1-for-4 with an RBI.

August 31st, 1929
Chicago Cougars (50-78): 1
Philadelphia Sailors (84-44): 11

W: John Mahoney (3-0)
L: Chick Meehan (1-3)

We might as well have not have shown up for the finale, as the Sailors crushed us 11-1. Andy Chastain allowed 7 hits, 7 runs, and 6 walks with 2 strikeouts in 6 innings. Ray Powell allowed 4 hits, 4 runs, and 3 walks in 1.1 innings. Bob McCarty was 1-for-4 with a double and run scored while Harry Simmons was 1-for-4 with a double and RBI. Mack Deal was 1-for-3 with a steal.

September 1st, 1929
Toronto Wolves (54-71): 9
Chicago Cougars (50-78): 8
10 Innings

W: Don Cannaday (9-12)
L: Chick Meehan (1-4)

We started September with a heartbreaking extra inning loss against the Toronto Wolves at North Side Grounds. They tied it with 2 in the 9th and added another in the 10th to finish us off. Mack Deal was 4-for-5 with a two run homer. Luke Nixon was 3-for-5 with 2 doubles, a run scored, and RBI. Harry Simmons was 3-for-5 with 2 RBI's. Bob McCarty was 2-for-6 with a triple, 2 runs, and an RBI. Fred Barrell was 2-for-4 with a walk, RBI, and 2 runs scored. Art Panko was 1-for-3 with a walk, run scored, and RBI. Dick Lyons continued to see his ERA rise, with 6 runs (4 earned) in 7.1 innings with 6 hits, 3 walks, and 7 strikeouts. Ace McSherry allowed 3 hits and 2 runs with a walk and strikeout in 1.2 innings. Chick Meehan allowed the final run with 2 hits and a walk in the 10th.

Stars of the Week
Luke Nixon : 23 AB, 10 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .435 AVG, .982 OPS
Bill Ashbaugh : 24 AB, 8 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .333 AVG, .902 OPS
Bob McCarty : 28 AB, 8 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .286 AVG, .798 OPS

Looking Ahead
For good teams, September means a playoff push, but for bad team's like ours we're just happy for roster expansion! The active roster expands to 35 today so I can start bringing call ups up as our minor league seasons end. C La Crosse's season ends today, but they are 87-35 and will play in the postseason. B San Jose plays until the 23rd, but I will move guys up since the roster size of 30 is bigger then needed to play games. Same for A Lincoln, who plays until the 23rd as well. AA Mobile and AAA Milwaukee play as long, but I will replenish their rosters with guys from the lower levels to keep each team with 23 players.

For the major leaguers, we have a double header with Toronto (54-71) who like us and the Foresters are officially eliminated from the postseason (while the rest of the CA is unofficially eliminated). We're off before three more against the Wolves in Toronto. It's a quick road trip as we'll host the Cannons (69-58) for three more before another off day. I would've loved these off days when we didn't have reinforcements.

Speaking of the reinforcements, I'll detail each guy getting the call in the transactions portion of the report. I will be using 7-Day Lineups for the first time in my OOTP career to involve some of the new additions to the roster and add pitchers to the rotation. With just 26 games left this season, I can't wait until the offseason where I can add a bunch of new faces to the organization.

Awards

2B Bill Ashbaugh was named the Continental Association Batter of August! It was a great month for Ashbaugh, who hit .405 with 5 homers and 28 RBI's. For the season, our slugging young start is hitting .332/.384/.541 (124 OPS+) with 17 homers, 13 steals, and 78 RBI's in 101 games.

Injury Report
I think it's safe to call SP Ike Quinn a bust already, as the 18-year-old and recent 2nd Round Pick will miss all of next season with a ruptured ulnar collateral ligament. It's his fifth injury this season as he was only able to make 9 starts with the Lions in Class C. He was 2-2 with a 3.20 ERA (104 ERA+), 1.32 WHIP, and 50 strikeouts in 59 innings.

Transactions
SP Ben Curtin will return to the major league roster. He'll finish his AAA season 10-9 with a 3.52 ERA (120 ERA+), 1.45 WHIP, and 72 strikeouts across 163.2 innings with the Blues. In 5 big league starts, he was 1-2 with a 5.55 ERA (84 ERA+), 1.79 WHIP, and 6 strikeouts to 20 walks in 35.2 innings. He'll get some more starts to improve on what he started and possibly earn himself a rotation spot for next season.

I also purchased the contract of SP Gus Cain. He wasn't great for Milwaukee, 4-7 with a 4.66 ERA (90 ERA+), 1.49 WHIP, and 76 strikeouts in 114 innings, but I don't like the guys starting games for us now any more then I like him. The lefty is a good teammate as well, and will look to make his major league debut 5 years after the Toronto Wolves made him a 10th Round pick and decided to release him.

C Tony Stewart will also join the big league club to give us an additional option behind the plate. In 153 at bats with the Blues he hit just .255/.328/.340 (74 OPS+) with 2 homers and 25 RBI's. I don't expect him to play too much, but it can help relax the catching load on Fred Barrell by having an extra able catcher on the roster.

CF George Jordan and RF Johnny Johnson were recalled from AAA while LF Vince York got his contract purchased. The switch hitting Jordan hit .274/.319/.433 (94 OPS+) with 9 homers, 18 steals, and 55 RBI's. Last year with us, he hit .245/.309/.367 (82 OPS+) with a steal and 6 RBI's. He will play a little in center, but expect him to get a few starts in left and right as well. Johnson, 26, will debut after being a 4th Round selection in 1924. He hit .325/.372/.444 (111 OPS+) with 7 homers, 7 steals, and 59 RBI's in 532 trips to the plate. He isn't likely to see much time starting, but he should get a lot of pinch hit appearances. York, 23, was taken in the 2nd Round the same year as Johnson and will also make his big league debut. After hitting over .400 in AA last season, he hit .311/.359/.451 (109 OPS+) with 10 homers and 75 RBI's in 513 plate appearances. I'll be looking to give the switch hitter a few starts a week in the corners.

SS Slim Bloom will be the last call up, however, he is dealing with a minor day-to-day injury. The 24-year-old was a 13th Round Pick in 1923 and will be set to make his big league debut. He hit .274/.350/.347 with 2 homers, 12 steals, and 54 RBI's in 486 plate appearances.

Our active roster now sits at 30 of 35, but I will make a few more call ups before the season ends. Guys likely to get the call are Cotton Taylor, Ed Woodward, and Ben Hathaway, although I may clear up the 40 man a bit to purchase the contracts of a few other younger guys who will need to be protected in the offseason.

Minor League Report

RF Sam Reeves (B San Jose Cougars): The 22-year-old hit .419 with 2 homers and 21 RBI's to pick up the C-O-W- Batter of the Month Award for August. The former 14th Round Pick is slashing .348/.412/.525 (134 OPS+) with 5 homers, 28 steals, and 73 RBI's in 525 trips to the plate with San Jose. Now ranked the #28 prospect in our system, Reeves is looking for a long term position as he's tried to stick at third, left, center, and right. He's got outstanding speed and the potential to be an above average hitter as well, so his future depends on his glove. He's been in our system since 1925, but has made more at bats this season then the rest of his seasons combined. He'll start next season in A Lincoln as he attempts to pave his path to Chicago.

SP Johnny Walker (C La Crosse Lions): Despite a slight setback when promoted to B San Jose, our 3rd Round pick has done an excellent job this season. After a 2-hit shutout of the Marshalltown Kings, he'll have just 1 start left in the regular season. With the Lions, he's 12-3 with a 2.27 ERA (146 ERA+), 1.12 WHIP, and 137 strikeouts in 150.2 innings pitched. He's at least tied for the team lead in each category, but with a win today he'll pass Dean Astle for most wins on the season for the Lions. If there is a postseason (not sure now that I look at it), Walker will look to pitch La Crosse to the championship in their inaugural season.

3B John Kane (C La Crosse Lions): Another player of the month, John Kane hit 319 with 11 RBI's and 21 runs scored for La Crosse. It's been a strong season for the 11th Round pick who hit .300/.425/.413 (146 OPS+) with 2 homes, 8 steals, and 67 RBI's in 112 games with the Lions. He's a little hold for C Ball at 23, but he's been considered more of a filler player then a prospect. He was converted from the outfield this season to play third base, and he's taken to the new position very well. He'll return to San Jose, and likely took his last at bats with La Crosse.