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May 30th, 1932
Toronto Wolves (16-30): 2
Chicago Cougars (31-15): 5
Game 1

W: Dick Leudtke (5-3)
L: Buddy Adams (0-1)

It was a perfect start to a double header as Dick Leudtke went all nine with minimal damage in a 5-2 win. He did allow 11 hits, but just 2 runs with no walks and 4 strikeouts in the complete game win. At the plate he was 2-for-3 with a run scored and driven in. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-4 with a double, run scored, steal, and RBI. Arnold Bower was 2-for-3 with a triple, run scored, and RBI. John Kincaid was 1-for-3 with a triple, walk, and RBI.

May 30th, 1932
Toronto Wolves (16-31): 3
Chicago Cougars (32-15): 4
Game 2

W: Claude Purvis (4-1)
L: Bernie Johnson (0-3)

Game two was much closer, as the Wolves rallied for three in the 8th to tie the game. In the 9th, Phil Vaughan sent the fans home happy with a walk-off double. It was a big game for him, as he was 3-for-5 with the double, homer, 2 runs, and 2 RBI's. Arnold Bower was a perfect 3-for-3 with a walk and RBI. Jim Kyle was 3-for-4 with an RBI. Cy Bryant was 3-for-4 with a triple and run scored. Dick Lyons made the start, 8 innings with 7 hits, 3 runs, 5 walks, and 2 strikeouts. Claude Purvis picked up the win, allowing a hit in a scoreless ninth.

May 31st, 1932
Toronto Wolves (16-32): 0
Chicago Cougars (33-15): 3

W: Tom Barrell (1-0)
L: Birdie Smith (4-5)

Welcome to the big leagues Tom Barrell! There is a lot of pressure when you make your big league debut as a former #1 overall pick, and even more so when you're a Barrell. Now the fourth Barrell to debut (Dan, Bobby, and Fred the other three), he did not look like a pitcher making his debut today. Maybe it was the fact he was throwing to his brother Fred just like they did so many times as a Kid, but Barrell was dominant. He tossed a 3-hit shutout with 2 strikeouts as we shutdown the Wolves 3-0 to set up a sweep. He even showed off with the bat, going 1-for-4 with a triple, run, and RBI. Vince York was 3-for-4 with a run scored. John Kincaid was 2-for-4 with a double and RBI. Fred Barrell was 1-for-4 with an RBI.

June 1st, 1932
Toronto Wolves (16-33): 3
Chicago Cougars (34-15): 7

W: Steve Castellini (1-1)
L: Harry Myers (1-7)
SV: Claude Purvis (9)

We started June the same way we finished May, and finished off the Wolves 7-3 to complete a four game sweep. Tom Taylor was 4-for-5 with a run scored. Cy Bryant was 3-for-5 with a double and three driven in. Vince York was 3-for-4 with a double, run, and 2 RBI's. Arnold Bower was 1-for-3 with a walk, steal, and run. Starter Steve Castellini was 1-for-2 with a sac-bunt, triple, run scored, and 2 RBI's. Back to back games with triples for our pitchers! He was brilliant on the mound, as unexpected as it may be, 7 innings with 6 hits, 3 unearned runs, and a walk. Claude Purvis tossed two perfect frames with four strikeouts to earn the save (he entered when it was 4-3).

June 2nd, 1932
Chicago Cougars (34-16): 3
Philadelphia Sailors (28-22): 4

W: Rollie Beal (7-2)
L: Jim Crawford (7-3)

We were off to Philly to play three with the Sailors before heading home for the fourth game. We came up just short in this one, as the hosts took the opener 4-3. Jim Crawford went 8 with 12 hits, 4 runs (3 earned), 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts. Harry Simmons was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Vince York was 1-for-4 with a double, run, and RBI. Bill Ashbaugh was 1-for-4 with a double and run scored.

June 3rd, 1932
Chicago Cougars (34-17): 2
Philadelphia Sailors (29-22): 4

W: Eddie Hite (4-1)
L: Max Wilder (6-4)

We couldn't get the offense going again, and the Sailors topped us 4-2. Max Wilder went 8 with 12 hits, 4 runs, a walk, and a strikeout. Tom Taylor was 2-for-4 with a triple and run scored. Cy Bryant was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Arnold Bower was 2-for-4 with a double and run scored. Harry Simmons was 2-for-3 with a walk and RBI.

June 4th, 1932
Chicago Cougars (35-17): 6
Philadelphia Sailors (29-23): 3

W: Dick Lyons (7-1)
L: Oscar Morse (3-8)
SV: Claude Purvis (10)

A three run 8th proved to make the difference as we avoided the sweep with a 6-3 victory. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-4 with a two run homer. Vince York was 2-for-3 with a triple, walk, two runs, and two RBI's. Tom Taylor was 1-for-3 with a walk, double, run, and RBI. Cy Bryant was 1-for-4 with a double and run scored. Dick Lyons improved to 7-1, going 8 innings with 9 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, and 3 strikeouts. Claude Purvis became the first CA pitcher to reach 10 saves, allowing a walk and hit in a scoreless frame.

June 5th, 1932
Philadelphia Sailors (29-24): 1
Chicago Cougars (36-17): 5

W: Dick Leudtke (6-3)
L: Russ Reel (4-3)

Tied at one through 7 and a half, we rallied for four in the 8th and took the home game 5-1. Luedtke was strong, going all nine with 9 hits, a run, and 2 strikeouts. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-4 with a triple, run scored, and 2 RBI's. Vince York was 2-for-3 with a triple, walk, and RBI. Fred Barrell was 2-for-3 with a walk and RBI. Cy Bryant was 1-for-3 with a run and hit by pitch.

Stars of the Week
V. York : 31 AB, 12 H, 0 HR, 7 RBI, .387 AVG, 1.022 OPS
A. Bower : 24 AB, 10 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .417 AVG, 1.023 OPS
C. Purvis : 1 Win, 2 Saves, 4.0 IP, 1 BB, 4 K, 0.00 ERA

Weekly Summary
We're back in first place! With a 6-2 week and a little help from the Saints (26-27) taking three from the Stars (34-17) this week, we have two more wins then New York and will hopefully keep the lead the rest of the way. While unlikely, it would make things easier as you hate to give up first place after you get it back. We start the week with an off day, but we have a long road trip ahead of us. We start with four in Brooklyn (22-29), four in Baltimore (20-33), and four in Montreal before an off day. Then we see the Stars for four, another off day, Toronto (16-37) for three, and then finally two off days to end the trip. With all the road games, it will be hard to stay on top, but out 12-7 road record so far is pretty solid.

I now have a starting pitching problem, as I thought for sure one of Leudtke, Barrell, or Castellini (especially Castellini...) would have a rough start. Instead, they barely gave up any runs and they won every start this week. I'm keeping the rotation at six for the week, but will make a move no matter what next week. If all three continue to be dominant, Castellini is the odd man out. Barrell will get to see his older brother Dan in Brooklyn, which will be cool for both of them. The only way he can face Bobby is if we meet the Keystones (31-20) in the World Series. Philly leads the FA by three games with the Dynamos (30-25) behind them.

Russ Combs is set to start a rehab assignment, and with Arnold Bower's surprising success, I'm going to try him out at second. With all of Combs' injury issues and occasional defensive lapses combined with Harry Simmons rough season, I plan on rotating the three guys in the starting lineup. Bower has looked like a totally different player since coming over from Brooklyn, hitting .391/.429/.565 (150 OPS+) with a homer, steal, and 10 RBI's. Harry Simmons, however, is hitting just .279/.347/.358 (79 OPS+) with 2 homers, 3 steals, and 25 RBI's. Simmons has 205 plate appearances compared to Bower's 49, so obviously there is a sample size discrepancy, but it's not going to be easy to take everyday playing time away from Bower. There still are two weeks (assuming no setbacks) until Combs returns to the big league club, so Bower could fall back to earth, but regardless I will rotate the three infields at least to some degree.

Lastly, what's wrong with Jim Crawford? After breaking out last season and looking like a top 5 starter, he's been the worst member of our rotation so far. He's 7-3, but his 4.69 ERA (94 ERA+) and 1.49 WHIP could not be further form last year's numbers of 3.15 (130 ERA+) and 1.35 WHIP. He's also walked (32) nearly as many as he's struck out (33) and he's really had some poor starts. Obviously, there is no risk of him losing starts, but he's going to need to find himself again if we wrong to stay in first place.

Injury Report
RF Curt Ross (AA Mobile Commodores): Acromioclavicular joint irritation (2 weeks)
SP Pete Carey (A Lincoln Legislators): Activated from the DL
LF Dave Ward (A Lincoln Legislators): Activated from the DL
RP Jerry Coates (B San Jose Cougars): Fractured elbow (5-6 months)
3B Sam Crum (B San Jose Cougars): Sever hip strain (3 months)
SP Frank Cavanaugh (C La Crosse Lions): Activated from the DL

Minor League Report

CF Ken Allen (AA Mobile Commodores): It was an excellent month for the 24-year-old Ken Allen who was named Batter of the Month in the Dixie League. He hit .336 with a pair of homers, 19 RBI's, and 29 runs scored. It's been a strong year for the 24-year-old who's hitting .321/.354/.467 (120 OPS+) with 2 homers, 31 RBI's, and 3 steals in just under 200 trips to the plate. Used only as a center fielder, Allen is stuck behind top prospect Joe Johnson, so he'll need a few more months like this to force himself into the picture. He's a plus defender with great speed and above average contact potential. We think he could be an FABL starter, but if he stays in Chicago, his future is likely as a fourth outfielder.

C Joe Rainbow (C La Crosse Lions): So, this is the #50 prospect in all of baseball? This year's 18th Round Pick is off to a terrible start to his professional career, and the 18-year-old is hitting .137/.259/.236 (31 OPS+) with 3 homers and 13 RBI's. He's supposed to make hard contact and have an above average eye with at least average power. He hasn't shown much potential, but my scout and OSA thinks that this is a future big leaguer who will be better then incumbent starter Fred Barrell. Already an enigma of a prospect, our current #3 prospect hasn't shown much of anything and I can't imagine how he's going to develop. It's hard to cut someone like this, but now he'll share starts with struggling first rounder James Demastus who was just as bad in San Jose as Rainbow has been in La Crosse.

Amateur Report

With the playoffs just under way in College baseball, I'll highlight some of the top upcoming draftees who didn't make the postseason:

CF Levi Redding (Central Ohio Aviators): After Freddie Jones was taken #2 overall last season, Levi Redding was supposed to carry the Aviators back to the playoffs. It didn't go well, as the toolsy center fielder hit just .347/.408/.495 (125 OPS+) with 7 homers, 27 steals, and 39 RBI's in his junior season. To finish his college career, he's a .338/.399/.469 (125 OPS+) with 16 homers, 94 RBI's, and 60 steals in 150 career games. He also worked to a +5.4 zone rating in center with a 1.023 efficiency and .993 fielding percentage in 1,342.1 innings pitched. Redding has game changing speed and an elite hit tool, but he seems to be a little raw for a college prospect. He's a Chicago native, so if he's available when we pick it'd be hard for me to pass up some hometown talent.

LF Rich Langton (Detroit City College Knights): Usually, college players get better each season. Rich Langton, however, decided to go the opposite way. His .340/.376/.547 (127 OPS+) batting line was the worst of his three year career, and he finished with a career .348/.396/.585 (151 OPS+) line. He hit 27 homers, drove in 135 runs, and stole 18 bases while playing competent defense out in left. Langton projects to be a high average hitter and profiles a little like a right handed Vince York. He's got power and speed, and while not necessarily game changing, he seems to always hit. The down season as a junior did hurt his stock a little, but he should still command a nice bonus with an early round selection.

SP Art White (George Fox Reds): Here's an interesting draft prospect. Despite not pitching as a Freshman or Sophomore, Art White projects to be one of the first pitchers taken out of college. A lefty who keeps the ball on the ground, he was okay as a junior. White was 4-4 with a 3.90 ERA (135 ERA+), 1.37 WHIP, and 45 strikeouts in 57.2 innings pitched. He's got excellent command with just 5 walks (0.8 BB/9) and he has five quality pitches including a plus splitter. His number were much better before his last start, where he allowed 11 hits and 8 runs in just 4.2 innings against Grafton, who was one of the Wild Card teams.