[ayaghmour2]

This technically happens during the week, but it will flow better separate:

Here are rosters and associated votes. I'll * every player that I voted for:

Federal Association

Catcher
T.R. Goins, Washington Eagles (8/8): .328/.406/.485 (145 OPS+), 7 HR, 40 RBI, 305 PA*
Jim Pool, Pittsburgh Miners: .296/.369/.487 (143 OPS+), 7 HR, 35 RBI, 214 PA

First Base
Rankin Kellogg, Philadelphia Keystones (8/8): .383/.445/.665 (196 OPS+), 21 HR, 78 RBI, -4.1 ZR, 384 PA*
Fred McCormick, St. Louis Pioneers: .382/.451/.612 (187 OPS+), 5 HR, 38 RBI, -6.2 ZR, 195 PA

Second Base
Freddie Jones, St. Louis Pioneers (8/8): .321/.415/.404 (123 OPS+), 4 HR, 46 RBI, +1.3 ZR, 366 PA*

Third Base
Frank Vance, Detroit Dynamos (4/8): .274/.349/.432 (115 OPS+). 10 HR, 32 RBI, +3.3 ZR, 395 PA
Charlie Berry, Boston Minutemen (2/8): .345/.386/.435 (125 OPS+), 3 HR, 39 RBI, -1.0 ZR, 351 PA
Ed Stewart, Pittsburgh Miners (1/8): .285/.337/.430 (113 OPS+), 13 HR, 49 RBI, 9 SB, +2.5 ZR, 367 PA

Shortstop
Pete Asher, Pittsburgh Miners (8/8): .334/.377/.400 (122 OPS+), 1 HR, 36 RBI, -1.3 ZR, 332 PA*

Left Field
Jim Hampton, Chicago Chiefs (7/8): 327/.384/.506 (142 OPS+), 13 HR, 62 RBI, 11 SB, +4.8 ZR, 354 PA*
Henry Jones, Detroit Dynamos (1/8): .303/.359/.509 (138 OPS+), 13 HR, 53 RBI, -6.8 ZR, 376 PA

Center Field
Grover Lee, Philadelphia Keystones (7/8): .307/.393/.517 (144 OPS+), 10 HR, 32 RBI, +3.2 ZR, 239 PA*

Right Field
Bobby Barrell, Philadelphia Keystones (8/8): .401/.461/.569 (174 OPS+), 6 HR, 74 RBI, 9 SB, +8.8 ZR, 380 PA*
Al Wheeler, Detroit Dynamos: .294/.385/.482 (139 OPS+), 12 HR, 64 RBI, -1.7 ZR, 374 PA

Starters
Ed Baker, Philadelphia Keystones (5/8): 10-3, 3.41 ERA (117 ERA+), 1.39 WHIP, 31 BB, 49 K, 132 IP*
Roy Calfee, Detroit Dynamos (5/8): 10-6, 2.95 ERA (132 ERA+), 1.18 WHIP, 24 BB, 64 K, 152.2 IP*
Jim Lonardo, New York Gothams (5/8): 10-7, 3.61 ERA (106 ERA+), 1.23 WHIP, 21 BB, 53 K, 134.2 IP
Bill Ketterman, Pittsburgh Miners (4/8): 10-6, 3.21 ERA (118 ERA+), 1.26 WHIP, 47 BB, 47 K, 143 IP
Bill Morrill, Pittsburgh Miners (2/8): 5-9, 2.54 ERA (149 ERA+), 1.15 WHIP, 37 BB, 47 K, 142 IP*
Brad Magnuson, St. Louis Pioneers: 9-7, 3.41 ERA (116 ERA+), 1.24 WHIP, 37 BB, 43 K, 140 IP
Bob Simmon, Pittsburgh Miners: 6-8, 3.57 ERA (106 ERA+), 1.22 WHIP, 33 BB, 48 K

Relievers
Wilbur Dennis, Philadelphia Keystones (7/8): 4-4, 8 SV, 1.85 ERA (216 ERA+), 1.36 WHIP, 18 BB, 19 K, 48.2 IP*
Ben Curtin, St. Louis Pioneers (3/8): 4-2, 11 SV, 2.68 ERA (148 ERA+), 1.39 WHIP, 20 BB, 22 K

Continental Association

Catcher
Mike Taylor, Chicago Cougars (5/8): .298/.402/.425 (121 OPS+), 8 HR, 36 RBI, 338 PA*
Mickey Dowell, Montreal Saints (3/8): .282/.327/.382 (101 OPS+), 2 HR, 30 RBI, 238 PA

First Base
Max Morris, Cleveland Foresters (3/8): 299/.356/.535 (145 OPS+), 18 HR, 55 RBI, -5.6 ZR, 331 PA*
Dick Walker, Philadelphia Sailors (2/8): .278/.415/.452 (147 OPS+), 7 HR, 30 RBI, +4.3 ZR, 307 PA
Vic Crawford, Montreal Saints: .325/.379/.508 (151 OPS+), 6 HR, 54 RBI, +0.4 ZR, 348 PA

Second Base
Pete Layton, New York Stars (4/8): 344/.401/.521 (154 OPS+), 9 HR, 54 RBI, -1.9 ZR, 322 PA*
Jack Cleaves, Philadelphia Sailors (2/8): .293/.388/.461 (142 OPS+), 6 HR, 36 RBI, -1.4 ZR, 345 PA

Third Base
John Lawson, New York Stars (8/8): .393/.447/.561 (178 OPS+), 9 HR, 58 RBI, +1.4 ZR, 369 PA*


Shortstop
Woody Armstrong, Montreal Saints (4/8): .316/.368/.480 (140 OPS+), 4 HR, 21 RBI, +0.7 ZR, 186 PA*
Harry Barrell, Brooklyn Kings (4/8): .313/.364/.424 (111 OPS+), 1 HR, 31 RBI, +20.4 ZR, 277 PA

Left Field
Art Summers, Brooklyn Kings (7/8): .331/.417/.528 (152 OPS+), 9 HR, 48 RBI, 4 SB -0.5 ZR, 339 PA*

Center Field
Bob Worley, Montreal Saints (7/8): 282/.363/.413 (120 OPS+), 10 HR, 47 RBI, +7.9 ZR, 345 PA*

Right Field
Moxie Pidgeon, Cleveland Foresters (8/8): 331/.402/.515 (154 OPS+), 11 HR, 46 RBI, -1.7 ZR, 346 PA*
Bobby Bond, Philadelphia Sailors: .304/.376/.393 (120 OPS+), 3 HR, 41 RBI, +0.7 ZR, 343 PA
Lou Kelly, Baltimore Cannons: .303/.369/.483 (133 OPS+), 9 HR, 52 RBI, 363 PA

Starters
Tommy Wilcox, Chicago Cougars (7/8): 11-7, 2.53 ERA (159 ERA+), 1.32 WHIP, 27 BB, 64 K, 152.2 IP*
Ken Carpenter, Baltimore Canons (5/8): 11-6, 2.79 ERA (141 ERA+), 1.17 WHIP, 37 BB, 54 K, 135.1 IP
Dick Leudtke (3/8): 10-4, 2.78 ERA (145 ERA+), 1.21 WHIP, 34 BB, 48 K, 145.2 IP*
Dick Lyons, Chicago Cougars (3/8): 12-3, 3.03 ERA (133 ERA+), 1.16 WHIP, 24 BB, 32 K, 130.2 IP*
Rollie Beal, Philadelphia Sailors (2/8): 12-4, 2.59 ERA (145 ERA+), 1.25 WHIP, 49 BB, 54 K, 142.1 IP
Les Zoller, New York Stars: 8-2, 2.88 ERA (135 ERA+), 1.21 WHIP, 40 BB, 46 K, 109.1 IP

Relievers
Lee Drouillard, Baltimore Cannons (4/8): 1-1, 20 SV, 0.51 ERA (771 ERA+), 1.08 WHIP, 5 BB, 9 K, 17.2 IP*
Boyd Harper, New York Stars (3/8): 3-9, 11 SV, 2.41 ERA (161 ERA+), 1.36 WHIP, 21 BB, 23 K, 52.1 IP*
Chick Meehan, Chicago Cougars (3/8): 2-0, 10 SV, 1.21 ERA (332 ERA+), 1.01 WHIP, 9 BB, 16 K, 29.2 IP*

A few notes of mine. Lot of players really stood out in their position. And a lot of these players I really like. Starting with Freddie Jones, during the 1931 draft I tried everything I could to get Jones. I got to the point where I was offered Tom Barrell, Joe Johnson, Fred Barrell, and Mel Leonard and we almost came to an agreement. Considering Tom and Fred went to Wilcox and Taylor and Johnson and Leonard to Sprague, I think I'm still better off, but I really wish I had enough draft capital at that point. We were coming off a title so I did really empty the farm going all out to win, but I think if I lost Jones would have been a Cougar. Like with St. Louis, he would have been a starter since day one and flat out dominated. Kid really is as good as it gets and if the Pioneers can add a few pieces around him, 23-year-old Fred McCormick (who actually came over in the Max Morris trade), and 24-year-old shortstop Ray Russell this team is going to be really good. They're above .500 right now and one reason is former Cougar Vince York, one of the pieces they added in the offseason. York wasn't an All-Star, but the switch hitter is hitting .311/.363/.437 (117 OPS+) with 4 homers and 36 RBI's. Him and Alex Ingraham make up a solid corner outfield combo and they have a young stud CF waiting in AA.

Darn you Bobby Barrell... Why did you have to break your kneecap (11 months) in your draft season? I was scared that a speedy centerfielder like you would be hurt so much by that, that I went with the lefty Mike Murphy instead. Now, that's not to say Murphy isn't good. He's an excellent young starter. But Bobby Barrell is so good. He's only 22, but he's already put together 1,723 FABL plate appearances with a .334/.385/.534 (139 OPS+) batting line to go with 56 homers, 24 steals, and 286 RBI's. He's not Tom Taylor out in right field, but Barrell is really good out there. He's got a +28.0 zone rating and 1.038 efficiency in over 3,000 innings. He's approaching the three full season mark where you can start to more accurately understand defensive statistics. The Georgia Jolter may be the "keystone" to Philly's lineup and they're looking like a very formidable foe out in the Fed. At 52-30, they're five ahead of the Dynamos and hands down the best offense in the league. With Ranking Kellogg at first, Grover Lee in center, Bobby in right, and former Cougar farmhand Rabbit Forrest competing with him for a batting title, I can't wait to see our pitching staff get a crack at that. Usually I love no inter league play, but I'd love to see what our rotation could do against their offense during the regular season.

Go Ben Curtin! The former Cougar starting pitching prospect has now turned into a really effective pen arm for St. Louis. He made 9 starts for us in 1929, going 3-4 with a 4.95 ERA (93 ERA+), 1.90 WHIP, and 13 strikeouts with 42 walks in 63.2 innings. He was just 23 and a well regarded prospect, and sent to the Gothams in the John Kincaid trade. His stay in New York was short, as he was moved the next offseason in the Max Morris trade that sent him from St. Louis to New York. That same Max Morris trade Fred McCormick was a part of. Curtin made just 10 starts after we traded him, so he's been strictly a pen guy, but it's turned out well for him as he's an inaugural all star.

So then we have to talk Max Morris. The 38-year-old is probably the best ever FABL player and he represented the CA at first base. He has been traded a few times, with all off Jim Cator, James Gerhardt, John Hill, Milt Sexton, Ray Benson, Calvin Brown, Fred McCormick, Jack Richardson, Ben Curtin, John Turner, Alex Thompson, Pete Thomas, and Bob Adams. Cator, Gerhardt, Hill, and Sexton are all from a trade way back in 1919, but the rest have been since 1930. Already, Curtin and McCormick were named All Stars and with so much talent left you have to imagine there is much more.

I can't imagine this is going to be McCormick's only trip. This is year three as the Pioneers first basemen, and he's hit .343/.403/.514 (141 OPS+) with 19 homers and 215 RBI's across 1,581 trips to the plate. He's also just 23 and already playing like a top 3 first basemen. A former 11th Round pick of the Gothams back in 1927, he was quickly ranked a top prospect and was #9 at the time of the trade.

John Turner, another top 50 prospect, was actually undrafted out of high school. He signed a contract worth $1,500 with the Gothams afterwards, probably much more then he would have got if he was drafted. It paid out for both teams as Turner really caught his stride in 1929. He got recognition and was one of the three pieces in the Joe Perrett deal that brought him to the Empire city. That's how Cleveland got Turner, so they actually sold him back to the Gothams in the Morris deal. After the Perrett trade, he was ranked the 61st best prospect in baseball and when he was traded back to the Gothams he ranked 43rd. This was during last season. Turner played with the Gothams in 64 games last year and hit .273/.380/.391 (110 OPS+) with a homer, 14 steals, and 31 RBI's. He'll be 26 in a little over a week, and he's a dependable leadoff hitter for the Gothams.

Let's not forget Alex Thompson, a former 1st Round Pick with a career .320/.360/.430 (117 OPS+) line with 3 homers and 72 RBI's across 529 plate appearances. He's 26, but ruptured his MCL in June. He's not a speedy guy and doesn't really need to move much, so hopefully he can recover from this injury. He's not much a power hitter either, so I think he should be able to do fine coming back. He'll miss all this year, but he could get right on track back in 1934. If it wasn't for a really rough season, I'd go more in depth on Ray Benson of the Pioneers. He had an average 1932 season, but he fell off hard this year. That's not to say he's done for, he's just 26, but the Chicago native will need to get back on track quickly as the Pioneers have some strong arms that can displace him.

Going away from Morris, there is another former Cougar prospect. It was our 12th Round Pick in the 1926 draft. That class was filled with future big leaguers including Fred Barrell (1st), Bill Kline (2nd), Heinie Bretz (4th), Ben Turner (9th), and Bobby Allen (10th), Bob Worley may be the best of them. He was moved in a five player trade to the Stars in 1927, but was then one of the three prospects in the Charlie Stedman trade. He went from New York to Montreal along with Earle Whitten and Ed Smith. After a rough rookie season, he broke out this year and is looking like a future top 5 center fielder. He's a really good defender too, not Cy Bryant good, but +7.9 zone rating and 1.023 efficiency good.

Well of course, I also have to make notes on the current Cougar All Stars. Even though the whole team will be in Chicago for the All-Star game (but you have to imagine the rest will be their in support), five will represent the team. Those five are Mike Taylor, Tommy Wilcox, Dick Lyons, Dick Leudtke, and Chick Meehan. I really wanted Max Wilder to get the call and while I do think Bill Ashbaugh deserved it, there really was no snub. Someone actually voted for Russ Combs. I didn't, but he did have the production when healthy to warrant a selection. I'm guessing he was healthy when that person voted. We were definitely well represented, but I do with the rosters were larger to encompass more players.

The game was won 8-5 by the Fed with young shortstop Pete Asher taking MVP. He was 3-for-4 with a double and 3 RBI's. All our pitchers threw and Mike Taylor hit 6th and started at catcher. Wilcox pitched the first, but allowed 4 hits and a run. Leudtke got the 4th. He struck out one in a perfect frame. Lyons relieved him and allowed two hits, but no runs. Chick Meehan finished the game, 1.2 innings with a hit and strikeout.