[ayaghmour2]

September 1st, 1930
Chicago Cougars (70-60): 11
Cleveland Foresters (60-70): 9
Game 1

W: Chick Meehan (6-4)
L: Jack Gunderson (4-9)
SV: Dick Kadlec (6)

The Foresters had a 9-7 lead heading into the 8th, but we rallied for 3 in the 8th and added one more in the 9th to take the first game of the double header 11-9. Slick Hostetter was 2-for-5 with 2 doubles, 2 runs, and 3 RBI's. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-4 with a walk and three runs scored. Harry Simmons was 2-for-5 with 2 runs and an RBI. Cal Blackshear was 2-for-5 with a double. Vince York was 1-for-3 with a sac-bunt, walk, and a pair of runs scored. Jim Kyle hit a big pinch hit two run homer in the 8th.

September 1st, 1930
Chicago Cougars (70-61): 3
Cleveland Foresters (61-70): 4
Game 2

W: Karl Johnson (1-0)
L: Karl Clasby (0-1)

This game saw a battle of Karl's, one making his big league debut (Johnson) and the other his team debut (Clasby). This game was much closer, but the Foresters put up three in the 6th and held on to split the double header. Clasby pitched fine in likely his only Cougar start, going 8 innings with 7 hits, 4 runs, a walk, and 5 strikeouts. He was also was 1-for-1 with a double, two sac-bunts, and an RBI. Fred Barrell was 2-for-4 with a triple and RBI. Russ Combs was 2-for-5 with an RBI. Bob McCarty was 2-for-3. George Jordan was 1-for-3 with a double, walk, and two runs scored. Vince York was 1-for-4 with a double and run scored.

September 3rd, 1930
Chicago Cougars (70-62): 3
Philadelphia Sailors (77-54): 4

W: Maurice Demby (4-4)
L: Dick Leudtke (7-2)

This was a bad break, as we took a 3-1 lead in the 9th. A Ross Combs error lead to three unearned runs capped off by Tom Taylor walking it off with a two run single. It ruined an excellent start by Dick Leudtke, who went 8.2 innings with 9 hits, 4 runs (1 earned...), a walk, and a strikeout. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-3 with a walk and two steals. Combs was 2-for-5 with a triple and run scored. Fred Barrell was 1-for-3 with a double, walk, and run scored. Bob McCarty was 1-for-4 with a double.

September 4th, 1930
Chicago Cougars (70-63): 3
Philadelphia Sailors (78-54): 7

W: Rollie Beal (15-8)
L: Dick Lyons (12-12)

The Sailors got the best of us again, taking game two 7-3. Dick Lyons went just 6 and allowed 10 hits, 6 runs, a walk, and struck out 3. Claude Purvis made his major league debut, allowing 2 hits, a run, and 2 walks in 2 innings. Fred Barrell was 2-for-4 with 2 doubles and run scored. John Kincaid was 2-for-4 with a triple, run scored, and RBI. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-4 with a double. Vince York was 1-for-3 with a sac-fly.

September 5th, 1930
Chicago Cougars (70-64): 4
Philadelphia Sailors (79-54): 5

W: Herm Lowman (13-8)
L: Dick Kadlec (6-13)

Tied at four in the ninth, Forrest Sylvester singled home a run off Dick Kadlec, and the Sailors needed just one more win to reach 80 wins and a four game sweep. Kadlec pitched an inning with 3 hits, a run, and 2 walks. Max Wilder made the start, 7.1 innings with 9 hits, 4 runs (2 earned), 2 walks, and 5 strikeouts. Dick Fessel went 3-for-5 with a double and 2 runs scored. Russ Combs was 2-for-5 with a run scored. John Kincaid was 1-for-3 with 2 walks and an RBI. Vince York was 1-for-4 with a triple, run scored, and 2 RBI's.

September 6th, 1930
Chicago Cougars (71-64): 9
Philadelphia Sailors (79-55): 3

W: Tommy Russel (12-10)
L: Johnny Davis (0-1)

We avoided the sweep and would head home with the Sailors after a nice 9-3 win. John Kincaid was 3-for-5 with a triple, run scored, and 2 RBI's. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-5 with a double, homer, 2 runs, and 2 RBI's. Harry Simmons was 2-for-5 with a run scored and driven in. Vince York was 2-for-5 with a run scored and RBI. Russ Combs was 1-for-4 with a walk and two run homer. Bob McCarty was 1-for-3 with a double, walk, and run scored. Tommy Russel was 1-for-4 with a run scored and driven in. He also picked all 9 innings, walking 4, allowing 3 runs (2 earned) and 8 hits with 2 strikeouts.

September 7th, 1930
Philadelphia Sailors (79-55): 5
Chicago Cougars (71-64): 6
11 Innings

W: Chick Meehan (7-4)
L: Dan Waldman (3-4)

Now that we were at home, the Sailors couldn't walk us off! Instead, we decided to do the late scoring, tieing the game at 5 with two to force extras. In the 11th, Fred Barrell doubled home Bill Ashbaugh and we won our fourth to last home game of the year. Barrell was 4-for-5 with a sac-bunt, the double, and 3 RBI's. Bill Ashbaugh was 4-for-5 with a triple, solo homer, and 4 runs scored. Harry Simmons was 2-for-3 with 2 sac-bunts with a walk, run scored, and RBI. John Kincaid was 2-for-5 with a sac-bunt and run scored. Mack Deal was 1-for-3 with a pair of walks. Jim Crawford went 7 innings, allowing 7 hits, 3 runs, and 3 walks with 2 strikeouts. Len Moore went 2 innings and allowed 4 hits and a run.

Star of the Week
Bill Ashbaugh : 25 AB, 12 H, 2 HR, 4 RBI, .480 AVG, 1.487 OPS
Fred Barrell : 20 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .450 AVG, 1.226 OPS
Chick Meehan : 2 Wins, 3.0 IP, 2 BB, 2 K, 6.00 ERA

Weekly Summary
It wasn't the best week, but I'm not expecting too many winning weeks. We finished 3-4, splitting the double header with the Foresters and then dropping 3 of 5 from the Sailors. They expanded their lead, up 4 over the Saints. What's more interesting, is last year's worst team in the Federal Association, the New York Gothams (87-51) are leading the Philadelphia Keystones by 5 games.

The Class C season ends today, so I'll be bringing a few extra players up from the bottom to fill the roster. We'll also start pitching starters just once a week to hopefully avoid injuries and see how the younger guys can do against big leaguers.

We're off today to travel before we spend all of this week in New York. First three games with the Kings (65-60) and three games with the Stars (69-67), with the Stars series containing a double header on Saturday. We also play them again Sunday after an off day. There's not much left in this season, but I'm definitely excited for next. We have a chance to win 80 games for the first time since 1923, and I can only hope that we continue this upward trend.

Injury Report
SP Lynn Albright (B San Jose Cougars): Activated from the DL
3B Dave Wasson (B San Jose Cougars): Activated from the DL
SP Roger Wagner (B San Jose Cougars): Herniated disc (6 days)
RP Bob Bliss (B San Jose Cougars): Bone spur (elbow) (2-3 months)
SS Dave Griffin (C La Crosse Lions): Activated from the DL

Transactions
Recalled SP Gus Cain, SP Milt Nelson, and 2B Slim Bloom. Purchased the contract of SS Clyde Hinzman and RF Ed Rhoden.

Minor League Report

SP Gus Cain: He made his big league debut last season, making 5 starts where he went 0-2 with a 4.64 ERA (101 ERA+), 1.70 WHIP, and 18 strikeouts. He was dominant in AAA, going 15-4 with a 2.65 ERA (158 ERA+), 1.14 WHIP, and 180 strikeouts in 159.1 innings with the Blues. Cain is a little old, 27 in October, but the lefty has had an extremely impressive track record in the minors. I'm giving him a start this week, and depending how it goes, maybe one or two more before the year ends. I don't view him as a long term piece, but I bet I could find a taker for him or move him to the bullpen.

SP Milt Nelson: Nelson also debuted last season, but he had two awful starts. He was 0-2 with a 11.32 ERA (41 ERA+), 3.00 WHIP, and 6 strikeout sin 10.1 innings. He did much better in AAA, going 11-4 with a 3.33 ERA (126 ERA+), 1.42 WHIP, and 190 strikeouts in 143.1 innings. He did walk 108 batters, which is a little concerning, but he's always had control issues. Nelson is a hard thrower, sitting in the middle to upper 90s and he may end up in the bullpen. I do still want to keep him in the rotation, but with all the starting pitching talent we have, he may be an odd man out. He also is our #7 prospect, but likely won't be ranked next season due to age. He'll pitch out of the pen this week, but I'm probably going to give him at least one start before the season ends. He's a lot like Dick Kadlec, but Nelson does strikeout more batters. I can see Nelson filling the stopper role for us next year if he doesn't end up in the rotation.

SS Slim Bloom: It was a little bit of a disappointing season for Slim Bloom, as he hit .281/.341/.393 (95 OPS+) with 5 homers, 8 steals, and 54 RBI's in 436 trips to the plate. Bloom is going to get a few starts as we finish September, and I'll let him play a little all across the infield. With Kincaid and Combs set on the left side of the infield, Bloom has kind of lost a spot in the starting lineup. I think he's going to replace Cal Blackshear's role as the main backup infielder next year. Bloom is our 5th best prospect and 87th in the league, so he definitely has a ton of talent, but I'm not sure where he's going to end up.

SS Clyde Hinzman: A 6th Round Pick in what proved to be a really deep 1925 draft class, HInzman has developed into an elite defender with an average bat. He did, however, have a disappointing season in AAA with a .243/.321/.336 (76 OPS+) line with 5 homers, 9 steals, and 54 RBI's. His +14.0 ZR was his best since 1926, and has added to his +70.7 career rating at short. I initially anticipated him to be our everyday shortstop soon, but then I went to trade for Russ Combs who currently ranks as the second best shortstop in the league. Even then, I didn't know if Combs could handle short and I would then use Hinzman at short and move Combs to second. But now with Simmons turning into a dependable big leaguer, it's a little harder to find a spot for Hinzman. He's still our 4th best prospect and 76th in the league, and I'd love to see him continue his career with us, but I'll have to find a spot for him. He's set to make his big league debut.

RF Ed Rhoden: Another guy set for his big league debut, Rhoden was a 13th Round Selection in that 1925 draft and he currently ranks as our 13th best prospect. He's an excellent defender out in right, can play left and center as well, and has a ton of speed. He's a good contact hitter as well and should end up as an average big leaguer. He was excellent in AA, hitting .373/.432/.567 (157 OPS+) with 4 steals, 5 homers, and 37 RBI's before getting promoted to AAA. It wasn't as great, but he still hit .327/.375/.444 (118 ERA+) with 2 homers, 7 steals, and 23 RBI's. Rhoden is stuck behind Vince York in right, but I'd still like to see what he can do. He's also just 23, so he probably still needs a little time before he's fully developed.