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reds1 · 04-28-2021, 12:21 AM

March 30, 1954

Western League: Trolleys, Generals Ready for Battle

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Offense: .279/.341/.427 (2nd/4th/2nd)
Pitching: 3.87/3.75/4.31 (4th/4th/4th)
Defense: .711 (2nd)

Although at times it looked as though the Pulberry Trolleys would fall short of the playoffs once again, they responded to the challenge with a strong March, finally securing their first post-season appearance on the 27th, the next to last day of season. After finishing in 3rd place the past two seasons, Pulberry captured top spot for the first time when they defeated the Fort Richmond Generals in the tiebreaker. Boasting the best record in the United Leagues, they are now set to face the Generals for the Western League Pennant.

48-year old manager Ryo Ichikawa has set his rotation for the Pennant Series:

• 26-year old RHP Taylor Folkard (16-10, 3.04 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 135 ERA+)
• 37-year old RHP Ron Cowen (12-13, 4.12 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 100 ERA+)
• 32-year old RHP Alexander Ellacott (16-7, 3.78 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 109 ERA+)
• 27-year old RHP Harley Rodman (15-8, 3.21 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 128 ERA+)

The Trolleys are one of the most balanced teams in the ULB and are blessed with arguably the top player in the Western League in 25-year old LF Aidan Thirkettle (.327/.417/.607, 33 HR, 122 RBI, 92 BB, 16 SB7.8 WAR). But Thirkettle appeared to slow down a little in March (.295/381/.442) from his torrid pace. The Trolleys are hoping that he will return to his elevated play for the playoffs. On the other hand, 29-year old RF Ellis Dibble (.349/.408/.566, 24 HR, 95 RBI, 58 BB, 6.0 WAR) seemed to get stronger as the season wore on and won his first Batting Title.

Player of the Week Awards:

February 22 – RF Ellis Dibble (.435, 10 H, 2 HR, 3 RBI)

Noteworthy:

February 26 – It was a low scoring affair between the Trolleys and Wellington Athletics at Trolleys Stadium, but Pulberry managed to eke out a 1-0 victory. RHP Ron Cowen was brilliant as he pitched a complete game 2-hit shut-out. He went 9.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 84 PI, GS: 83. Wellington’s RHP Darren Etheridge matched zeros with Cowen until the bottom of the 9th. That was when RF Ellis Dibble led off with a single. CF Cooper Tyson followed with a walk-off triple into right-centerfield to end the game.

March 6 – The Trolleys prevailed over the Fort Richmond Generals 4-2 in 11 innings at Generals Stadium. Leading the way for Pulberry was RF Ellis Dibble who went 5 for 6 on the afternoon. After flying out in the 1st, Dibble singled in the 3rd and 5th innings, doubled in the 7th, singled in the 9th and hit the go-ahead run in the 11th with an RBI single.

March 8 – Two days later, RF Ellis Dibble saw his 21-game hitting streak come to an end, going 0-4 against the Balmoral Giants. The Trolleys still won, however, 8-5.

First Round Draft Pick Update:

11th overall – OF Joe Riding (20/50). Riding made 79 starts in Double-A, hitting .211/.262/.324, 6 HR, 31 RBI, 12 BB, 7 SB, 93 SO, -1.0 WAR in 275 AB. He played mostly in centerfield (550.0 innings, -5.0 ZR).

Current Injuries:

January 17 – LHP Allan Fidge – surgery to remove bone chips. Out for: 7 weeks.
January 20 – LF Jon Pring – fractured knee. Out for: 5-6 months.
February 13 – RHP Wilfried Schop – ruptured tendon (finger). Out for: 2-3 months.

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Offense: .274/.333/.388 (3rd/5th/6th)
Pitching: 3.62/3.57/3.87 (1st/2nd/2nd)
Defense: .724 (1st)

On February 22, the Fort Richmond Generals sat in first place in the West, 5 games ahead of their nearest competitors. But that lead quickly evaporated as the Generals struggled in March and before long, they found themselves in a dogfight just to hold onto the wildcard. Although they regained first place temporarily on March 22, they were unable to fend off the Trolleys. In the end they had to settle for the wildcard after losing the tiebreaker game to Pulberry. But the Generals can claim a moral victory, as simply making the playoffs was impressive enough considering they lost three key players to serious injuries. They head into the Pennant Series without two of their best pitchers in 33-year old LHP Nicholas Grimes (12-4, 2.90 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 141 ERA+) and 35-year old RHP Roberto Taváres (6-7, 3.51 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 116 ERA+) as well as their top position player, 29-year old Nobuyoshi Yoshida (.320/.352/.444, 6 HR, 42 RBI, 16 BB, 3.0 WAR).

Faced with those losses, manager John Mathis is expected to go with the following 4-man rotation:

• 26-year old LHP Diarmid Rowet (10-7, 3.72 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 110 ERA+)
• 38-year old RHP Kazunori Fujimoto (13-13, 4.06 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 101 ERA+)
• 31-year old RHP Nicky Sherlock (19-6, 2.92 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 140 ERA+)
• 31-year old RHP Ch’ang-chieh Li (10-17, 4.15 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 98 ERA+)

On offense, Fort Richmond will be relying on 26-year old CF Greg Cusack (.324/.375/.451, 10 HR, 72 RBI, 51 BB, 10 SB, 5.2 WAR) and 26-year old 1B Jacob Gadsden (.349/.394/.508, 11 HR, 62 RBI, 30 BB, 3.3 WAR), who both enjoyed break-out years in their young careers.

Noteworthy:

March 17 – The Generals defeated the Tigers, 4-2 at the Paramount in Sherburn. However, 29-year old RF Brandon Robinson (.292/.343/.436, 14 HR, 81 RBI, 45 BB, 1.8 WAR) went 0-3 with 2 BB, ending his 23-game hitting streak.

Player of the Week Award:

February 8 – CF Greg Cusack (.583, 12 H, 1 HR, 8 RBI)

First Round Draft Pick Update:

10th overall – 1B Takuji Kanno (26/52). Kanno enjoyed a solid debut in Double-A, going .261/.313/.429, 10 HR, 66 RBI, 24 BB, 70 SO, 1.1 WAR in 333 AB. He was impressive defensively as well (694.0 innings, 4.7 ZR).

Current Injuries:

November 26 – LHP Frank Lita – torn flexor tendon. Out for: 7-8 weeks.
November 26 – RHP Roberto Taváres – shoulder inflammation. Out for: 8 weeks.
January 14 – LHP Nicholas Grimes – bone chips (elbow). Out for: 3 weeks.
February 21 – RHP Louis Le Roy – torn Labrum. Out for: 5 months.
March 21 – SS Nobuyoshi Yoshida – strained abdominal muscle. Out for: DtD, 2 weeks.

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Offense: .266/.346/.390 (5th/3rd/5th)
Pitching: 3.70/3.47/4.61 (3rd/1st/5th)
Defense: .701 (4th)

The Wolseley Unions were in the playoff hunt all season long and even flirted with first place for a few days thanks to a strong March. But ultimately, they fell just short and will miss the playoffs for the first time in seven years. It was a tremendous run, one that saw them capture three United Cups. Although they may not be the powerhouse they once were, they are still a talented team that should not be ruled for returning to the playoffs next season.

Why They Missed the Playoffs: The main reason is parity in the West. With no less than six clubs fighting over the two available playoff spots, four had to be left out. Last season, the Unions won 87 games with a weaker offense to boot and still finished in first place. They simply had stouter opposition – and more of it – this time around.

What they need to do: Find some young, impact players to give their offense the boost it needs. Multiple 1st-place finishes have left Wolseley’s farm system one of the weakest (12th overall) and outside of 22-year old 3B Rusty McLaren (42/64), the club is bereft of good, young position players that are capable of injecting some life into a lineup that is starting to show its age. 32-year old LF Carlton Hawking (.326/.464/.484, 17 HR, 71 RBI, 141 BB, 5.9 WAR), 32-year old SS George Kimpton (.308/.380/.4554, 16 HR, 80 RBI, 63 BB, 4.2 WAR) and 24-year old 1B Carlos Ortíz (.281/.351/.462, 24 HR, 80 RBI, 68 BB, 2.6 WAR) enjoyed fine seasons at the plate, but the rest of the lineup struggled.

The rotation remains Wolseley’s biggest strength. However, the stalwarts are getting older as well, suggesting that the Unions’ playoff window will be closing soon. Nevertheless, their top-two aces were solid this year. Although 28-year old RHP Roberto Garza (11-13, 3.41 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 124 ERA+) struggled a bit in February (0-2, 4.66 ERA), 35-year old RHP Bill Blair (20-10, 2.57 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 164 ERA+) should get serious consideration for his second Satchel Paige Award.

Player of the Week Award:

March 15 – 1B Carlos Ortíz (.423, 11 H, 3 HR, 9 RBI)

Noteworthy:

March 11 – Balmoral could not get anything going against RHP Bill Blair all afternoon, as the Giants fell 1-0 on 2 hits. Blair’s final line was 9.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 10 K, 109 PI, GS: 92. The difference was a lead-off solo home run in the bottom of the 5th inning by CF Joey South off LHP Pat Houseman.

March 16 – The Unions may have fallen to the Pulberry Trolleys, 5-3, but the day was highlighted by LF Carlton Hawking reaching a milestone. In the bottom of the 1st, Hawking singled off RHP Harley Rodman for his 2000th career hit. He is the 11th player to achieve that feat in United Leagues history.

First Round Draft Pick Update:

15th overall – IF/OF Curt Holmes (30/54). In Double-A, Holmes saw limited playing time this season. He batted .247/.291/.305, 0 HR, 14 RBI, 12 BB, 32 SO, 0.0 WAR in 190 AB. In the field, he played all but 6.0 innings at 3B (403.1 innings, 2.5 ZR).

Current Injuries: None.

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Offense: .290/.354/.449 (1st/1st/1st)
Pitching: 4.37/4.19/4.99 (7th/6th/6th)
Defense: .679 (8th)

The was no lightning in a bottle this year for the Cambria Cannons. Last season, they won 85 games as well and parlayed the wild card into a United Cup championship. This year it got them only 4th place and a spectator’s chair for the playoffs. They made it interesting down the stretch though, going 11-2 in the second half of February to catapult them from 7 games out of 1st place on February 15th to just one game back of the wild card one month later. They hung in until the final day of the regular season when they were finally eliminated from contention.

Why They Missed the Playoffs: Parity certainly played a role, but uneven pitching and lousy defense were the main culprits. 25-year old RHP Ray Lambright (17-6, 3.56 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 116 ERA+) emerged as an ace and 36-year old RHP Hun Park (14-8, 3.43 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 122 ERA+) won Pitcher of the Month honors after coming over from Balmoral in January. In fairness, 28-year old RHP Masami Fujihara (17-11, 3.78 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 109 ERA+) was fine at times as well, but overall, the pitching staff is a bit of a shambles.

What they need to do: Shoring up the pitching would help the Cannons take advantage of the West’s top-rated offense. In the bullpen, the Cannons have a reliable stopper in 28-year old RHP Keith Roche (3-6, 2.67 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 155 ERA+) and an up-an-coming reliever in 21-year old LHP Sebastian Cromwell (36/66). But much more will be needed.

The offense, though, is strong and getting stronger. 24-year old CF Sam Tite (.297/.397/.515, 28 HR, 109 RBI, 94 BB, 6.2 WAR – 67/75) emerged as a quickly rising star and two rookies gave a glimpse of future stardom, namely 23-year old LF Calvin Hanbridge (.287/.410/.477, 18 HR, 73 RBI, 115 BB, 4.7 WAR – 60/71) and 22-year old 2B Doug Martin (.326/.389/.478, 1 HR, 29 RBI, 21 BB, 2.4 WAR – 46/69). 34-year old SS César Ruíz (.288/.371/.504, 29 HR, 109 RBI, 71 BB, 3.9 WAR, -19.4 ZR) and 27-year old 1B Carlos Corea (.335/.375/.566, 30 HR, 115 RBI, 35 BB, 3.6 WAR, -21.9 ZR) were terrific at the plate but were nightmares defensively.

Player of the Week Awards:

February 15 – SS César Ruíz (.435, 10 H, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 7 R)
March 1 – 3B Luis Torres (.379, 11 H, 11 RBI, 4 R)

Noteworthy:

February 28 – The Cannons fell to the Hespeler Stars, 10-6, at the Fabulous Avalon. Although 28 hits were belted out between the two clubs, CF Sam Tite was held hitless, going 0-3 with 1 BB, ending his 22-game hitting streak.

March 21 – The Cannons had a field day against the Trolleys in Pulberry, racking up 22 hits and outscoring the Trolleys, 15-7. 22-year old rookie 2B Doug Martin went 5 for 6, collecting 4 singles, 1 triple and 3 R.

First Round Draft Pick Update:

13th overall – 2B Chia-Liang Fang (37/53). Fang did very well in his first year in Double-A, hitting .331/.403/.459, 6 HR, 37 RBI, 31 BB, 47 SO, 2.0 WAR in 266 AB. He was solid defensively as well (607.2 innings, 3.7 ZR).

Current Injuries:

December 9 – LHP Hirotada Fukushima – fractured elbow. Out for: 2 months.
December 23 – 2B George Lasseter – broken bone in elbow. Out for: 3 months.
January 27 – RHP Lenny Tennison – torn UCL. Out for: 4 months.

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Offense: .274/.348/.409 (4th/2nd/3rd)
Pitching: 4.22/4.23/4.18 (5th/7th/3rd)
Defense: .699 (5th)

The Kingston Pelicans started off strong and shared first place with the Generals at one point, but a rough December/January forced them to play catch-up the rest of the way. Ultimately, they fell short and were eliminated from the playoffs on the next-to-last day of the season. Still, they improved by 14 wins over last year and have enough to talent to take a run at the wild card next season – especially if the West remains a free-for-all.

Why They Missed the Playoffs: Although Kingston could go on a tear at times (they went 16-3 at one point in February/March), they are not built for sustained success quite yet. This is especially true with the rotation, where long-time stalwarts are fading with few real options to take their place. While they scored 4.8 R/G, the Pelicans allowed 4.7 R/G, making their margin of error rather small.

What they need to do: Shore up the back end of the rotation, their biggest need. 29-year old ace RHP Kieran Bunce (17-8, 3.44 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 122 ERA+) finished strong, going 9-0, 2.07 ERA, 1.14 WHIP in February/March. No. 2 starter, 27-year old LHP Rob Hutchence (15-10, 3.29 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 128 ERA+) provided consistent outings all season as well, but things start to drop off after them.

The offense was rated third overall in the West in runs scored and could get even better next season as new faces joined the lineup. 27-year old C Carlos Camasura (.309/.462/.419, 7 HR, 64 RBI, 133 BB, 5.3 WAR – 71/77) and 25-year old SS Charlie Cockin (.301/.369/.445, 9 HR, 87 RBI, 53 BB, 4.0 WAR – 67/67) are the offensive leaders on this club. This season, though, the offense got a big boost from both 26-year old sophomore IF Harry Herold (.321/.372/.514, 21 HR, 101 RBI, 39 BB, 4.9 WAR – 52/52) and 23-year old rookie CF Chris Ramsbottom (.288/.340/.443, 22 HR, 59 RBI, 50 BB, 19 SB, 3.0 WAR – 50/60), an 8th overall pick from 1951-52.

Player of the Week Awards:

March 8 – SS Charlie Cockin (.471, 8 H, 3 HR, 11 RBI)
March 22 – 1B Harry Herold (.500, 11 H, 2 HR, 4 RBI)

Noteworthy:

March 3 – The visiting Pelicans pulled out a 13-inning, 1-0 win over the Wellington Athletics. However, the Athletics were able to stop CF Chris Ramsbottom’s 23-game hitting streak, as he went 0-5 on the afternoon.

March 3 – The Pelicans crushed the visiting Wolseley Unions 23-2 on 22 hits. Leading the charge was SS Charlie Cockin, who blasted 3 home runs. In the 1st inning, he hit a 3-run home run off RHP Aaron Saunderson, a 2-run homer off RHP Robert Kingsnorth in the 4th and a two-run home run off RHP Kai Tosh in the 7th. In all, Cockin went 4 for 5, collecting 3 R, 7 RBI, 1 BB.

First Round Draft Pick Update:

4th overall – IF/OF Eddie Reed (26/41). Reed saw limited action this season, playing mostly in RF (143.1 innings, -1.9 ZR). He hit .289/.364/.588, 8 HR, 18 RBI, 10 BB, 22 SO, 0.9 WAR in 97 AB.

Current Injuries:

November 3 – CF George Nipper – torn meniscus (knee). Out for: 3-4 months.
March 21 – 1B Dean Bishop – severe hip strain. Out for: 3 weeks.
March 22 – 1B Harry Herold – hip flexor strain. Out for: unknown.

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Offense: .264/.328/.377 (8th/6th/7th)
Pitching: 3.68/3.69/3.63 (2nd/3rd/1st)
Defense: .711 (3rd)

The Balmoral Giants enjoyed one torrid month in January where they went 17-9, but otherwise, they were a below average team. They managed to reach second place and the wild card in early February but soon faded. By March 19, they were 10 games back and officially eliminated from the playoffs.

Why They Missed the Playoffs: Despite the boost provided by 33-year old LF Ángel Costa (.334/.399/.530, 19 HR, 79 RBI, 58 BB, 4.7 WAR – 67/67), the Giants’ offense remains one of the most anemic in the United Leagues, averaging just 3.9 R/G. Last season without Costa, Balmoral averaged only 3.6. So, until Balmoral finds a bunch more Ángel Costas to fill out the rest of the lineup, this team will struggle just to reach the first division.

What they need to do: Easy. Inject some life into one of the Leagues’ worst offenses to compliment one of the League’s best pitching staffs. They are set at the catcher position in 28-year old Alexander Pyatt (.342/.372/.480, 11 HR, 53 RBI, 21 BB, 4.4 WAR). But every other position other than LF should be viewed as upgradable. Unfortunately, Balmoral does not have the deepest farm system (13th overall), but they do have some mid-level prospects that could help. 24-year old IF Hayden Gunton (46/57) and 24-year old IF Morgan Tyreman (45/53) both joined the major league roster late in the season, but it remains to be seen if they will still be there at the start of next season.

The rotation appears to be peaking and the Giants would be foolish not to take advantage of it. Really, 30-year old LHP Ron Albin (13-17, 3.47 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 120 ERA+), 28-year old RHP Rodrigo González (13-13, 3.25 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 128 ERA+) and 27-year old LHP Lucas Nott (17-12, 3.65 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 114 ERA+) all enjoyed solid seasons. Even 29-year old LHP Pat Houseman (4-1, 1.73 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, .183 BABIP), a late-season call-up, was terrific in his 6 starts.

Noteworthy:

February 23 – The Giants dropped a close game, 1-0, against the hometown Hespeler Stars. 27-year old RF Roy Belknap (.255/.290/.364, 9 HR, 57 RBI, 26 BB, 8 SB, -0.2 WAR) went 0-4 with 3 K, ending his 23-game hitting streak.

March 15 – It was a tough day for Balmoral, as the Pelicans beat them 8-2 at Kingston Park. They also ended C Alexander Pyatt’s 22-game hitting streak, as he went 0-4 on the afternoon.

First Round Draft Pick Update:

3rd overall – IF/OF Quido De Jesús (23/61). Balmoral’s top prospect made 281 AB in Double-A, batting .221/.297/.295, 3 HR, 28 RBI, 27 BB, 5 SB, 55 SO, -0.4 WAR. He spent most of his time at CF (523.2 innings, 0.1 ZR).

Current Injuries:

January 10 – LF Won-ho Kim – ruptured tendon (finger). Out for: 3 days.

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Offense: .265/.325/.403 (6th/7th/4th)
Pitching: 5.03/4.83/5.79 (8th/8th/8th)
Defense: .685 (7th)

Unlike the other six clubs above them, the Hespeler Stars never made even a remote threat of challenging for a playoff spot all season and it is unlikely that they will anytime soon. In a way, it is an accomplishment that they avoided finishing in the basement, for not only is the team talent-poor, but what talent they have has been seriously mismanaged.

Why They Missed the Playoffs: You’re not going to get far with just one star. Really, this team should just be called the Hespeler ‘Star’, as 30-year old SS Zhao-hui Qian (.323/.378/.490, 22 HR, 101 RBI, 55 BB, 6.8 WAR – 71/71) is the only player on the roster who is a bona fide star in all facets of the game. 27-year old sophomore 3B Mike Park (.340/.388/.471, 9 HR, 62 RBI, 42 BB, 2.1 WAR – 59/59) was solid at the plate but was simply abysmal in the field (-21.1 ZR, .878 EFF). 29-year old 2B Vic Lewis (.261/.320/.439, 19 HR, 87 RBI, 39 BB, 1.7 WAR – 64/64) also regressed this season in all facets of the game. He racked up 5.4 WAR last season. The pitching staff is almost a total write-off as well.

What they need to do: To me, an entire culture change in the organization must take place. Hespeler cannot expect to keep doing the same old thing and expect different results. It’s time to jettison almost 80% of this tired, old roster and LET THE YOUNG PLAYERS PLAY. Seriously. Young, promising prospects such as 24-year old SS Apia Yarrah (50/69) and 23-year old RF Bill Spaeth (43/57) are stagnating. Otherwise, the same thing that happened to 25-year old Tim Beattie (35/40) will happen to them. Beattie was a 7th overall pick back in 1947-48 and was once rated as the 15th best prospect in the ULB in 1949. He won a Platinum Stick Award and the Josh Gibson Award in Triple-A in 1950. Then he was called up to the majors in 1951 to simply wither on the vine. Inexcusable.

Noteworthy:

February 27 – 3B Mike Park enjoyed a big day at the plate, going 5 for 5 against the Cambria Cannons. However, the Stars came up short, 8-7. Park hit 5 singles, with two of them driving in runs. In all, he collected 1 R, 2 RBI.

First Round Draft Pick Update:

7th overall – IF Shigemori Saikawa (28/52). Saikawa hit .289/.327/.429, 8 HR, 38 RBI, 14 BB, 17 SB, 46 SO, 1.2 WAR in 266 AB in Double-A. He split most of his time between SS (319.1 innings, -2.7 ZR) and 2B (258.0 innings, -0.8 ZR).

Current Injuries:

March 26 – 2B Rodney Gabrielson – back spasms. Out for: DtD, unknown.

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Offense: .265/.319/.369 (7th/8th/8th)
Pitching: 4.25/3.90/5.71 (6th/5th/7th)
Defense: .696 (6th)

The Sherburn Tigers finished in last place and with the worst record in the United Leagues for the second year in a row. That means they will select first once again in next season’s amateur draft. But unlike the Hespeler Stars, the Tigers are committed to playing their talented young players regularly. For the most part, anyway. By season’s end, four rookies found themselves in the regular starting lineup. It should be five, but maybe that will change next season.

Why They Missed the Playoffs: An uneven offense largely sunk any chance at competing this season, but the lineup screams future potential. We should have a better idea next season if that potential translates into tangible results.

What they need to do: Keep running out the prospects everyday. By doing so, they are playing their best players as well. 24-year old SS Dwayne Vick (.282/.322/.381, 2 HR, 65 RBI, 29 BB, 3.5 WAR – 57/68), 23-year old CF Ryan Blenkhorn (.348/.383/.449, 4 HR, 54 RBI, 25 BB, 10 SB, 2.9 WAR – 57/57) and 23-year old 2B Bernard Kerkin (.353/.399/.566, 5 HR, 17 RBI, 14 BB, 2.1 WAR) were the top three players on the squad in terms of WAR, although Vick struggled in the second half of the season and Kerkin accomplished what he did in just 44 games. 24-year old RF Albert Sulley (.270/.339/.382, 3 HR, 37 RBI, 32 BB, 0.6 WAR – 51/58) was made the everyday right fielder in February. All should benefit from the regular playing heading into the next season. Now if they could only commit to playing 25-year old Archie Eridge (44/62) at third base everyday as well.

30-year old RHP Jesús Chapa (11-17, 3.49 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 121 ERA+ - 63/63) may not be the dominant pitcher he once was, but he’s still one of the best. If 27-year old RHP Ben Buschlen (5-5, 2.22 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 194 ERA+ - 61/61) can come back healthy and if 26-year old RHP Bradley Strawson (5-13, 3.94 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, 107 ERA+ - 52/59) continues to progress, Sherburn will have a nice starting three for next season. But it will be all for naught if the offense can’t pick it up its bootstraps.

First Round Draft Pick Update:

1st overall – IF/OF Bernard Kerkin (51/72). The highly touted Kerkin came as advertised. The top-ranked prospect batted .444/.494/.771, 10 HR, 39 RBI, 14 BB, 2 SB, 10 SO, 3.5 WAR in 153 AB at Double-A before being promoted to the major league roster. All he did on the Tigers roster is hit .353/.399/.566, 5 HR, 17 RBI, 14 BB, 3 SB, 23 SO, 2.1 WAR. He was steady in the field as well, playing almost exclusively at 2B with Sherburn (381.0 innings, 1.2 ZR).

Current Injuries:

December 26 – RHP Ben Buschlen – torn flexor tendon. Out for: 5 months.
December 28 – C Christopher Dainty – torn labrum. Out for: 3 months.

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04-28-2021, 12:21 AM	#644
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,919	March 30, 1954 Western League: Trolleys, Generals Ready for Battle -------- Offense: .279/.341/.427 (2nd/4th/2nd) Pitching: 3.87/3.75/4.31 (4th/4th/4th) Defense: .711 (2nd) Although at times it looked as though the Pulberry Trolleys would fall short of the playoffs once again, they responded to the challenge with a strong March, finally securing their first post-season appearance on the 27th, the next to last day of season. After finishing in 3rd place the past two seasons, Pulberry captured top spot for the first time when they defeated the Fort Richmond Generals in the tiebreaker. Boasting the best record in the United Leagues, they are now set to face the Generals for the Western League Pennant. 48-year old manager Ryo Ichikawa has set his rotation for the Pennant Series: • 26-year old RHP Taylor Folkard (16-10, 3.04 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 135 ERA+) • 37-year old RHP Ron Cowen (12-13, 4.12 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 100 ERA+) • 32-year old RHP Alexander Ellacott (16-7, 3.78 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 109 ERA+) • 27-year old RHP Harley Rodman (15-8, 3.21 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 128 ERA+) The Trolleys are one of the most balanced teams in the ULB and are blessed with arguably the top player in the Western League in 25-year old LF Aidan Thirkettle (.327/.417/.607, 33 HR, 122 RBI, 92 BB, 16 SB7.8 WAR). But Thirkettle appeared to slow down a little in March (.295/381/.442) from his torrid pace. The Trolleys are hoping that he will return to his elevated play for the playoffs. On the other hand, 29-year old RF Ellis Dibble (.349/.408/.566, 24 HR, 95 RBI, 58 BB, 6.0 WAR) seemed to get stronger as the season wore on and won his first Batting Title. Player of the Week Awards: February 22 – RF Ellis Dibble (.435, 10 H, 2 HR, 3 RBI) Noteworthy: February 26 – It was a low scoring affair between the Trolleys and Wellington Athletics at Trolleys Stadium, but Pulberry managed to eke out a 1-0 victory. RHP Ron Cowen was brilliant as he pitched a complete game 2-hit shut-out. He went 9.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 84 PI, GS: 83. Wellington’s RHP Darren Etheridge matched zeros with Cowen until the bottom of the 9th. That was when RF Ellis Dibble led off with a single. CF Cooper Tyson followed with a walk-off triple into right-centerfield to end the game. March 6 – The Trolleys prevailed over the Fort Richmond Generals 4-2 in 11 innings at Generals Stadium. Leading the way for Pulberry was RF Ellis Dibble who went 5 for 6 on the afternoon. After flying out in the 1st, Dibble singled in the 3rd and 5th innings, doubled in the 7th, singled in the 9th and hit the go-ahead run in the 11th with an RBI single. March 8 – Two days later, RF Ellis Dibble saw his 21-game hitting streak come to an end, going 0-4 against the Balmoral Giants. The Trolleys still won, however, 8-5. First Round Draft Pick Update: 11th overall – OF Joe Riding (20/50). Riding made 79 starts in Double-A, hitting .211/.262/.324, 6 HR, 31 RBI, 12 BB, 7 SB, 93 SO, -1.0 WAR in 275 AB. He played mostly in centerfield (550.0 innings, -5.0 ZR). Current Injuries: January 17 – LHP Allan Fidge – surgery to remove bone chips. Out for: 7 weeks. January 20 – LF Jon Pring – fractured knee. Out for: 5-6 months. February 13 – RHP Wilfried Schop – ruptured tendon (finger). Out for: 2-3 months. -------- Offense: .274/.333/.388 (3rd/5th/6th) Pitching: 3.62/3.57/3.87 (1st/2nd/2nd) Defense: .724 (1st) On February 22, the Fort Richmond Generals sat in first place in the West, 5 games ahead of their nearest competitors. But that lead quickly evaporated as the Generals struggled in March and before long, they found themselves in a dogfight just to hold onto the wildcard. Although they regained first place temporarily on March 22, they were unable to fend off the Trolleys. In the end they had to settle for the wildcard after losing the tiebreaker game to Pulberry. But the Generals can claim a moral victory, as simply making the playoffs was impressive enough considering they lost three key players to serious injuries. They head into the Pennant Series without two of their best pitchers in 33-year old LHP Nicholas Grimes (12-4, 2.90 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 141 ERA+) and 35-year old RHP Roberto Taváres (6-7, 3.51 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 116 ERA+) as well as their top position player, 29-year old Nobuyoshi Yoshida (.320/.352/.444, 6 HR, 42 RBI, 16 BB, 3.0 WAR). Faced with those losses, manager John Mathis is expected to go with the following 4-man rotation: • 26-year old LHP Diarmid Rowet (10-7, 3.72 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 110 ERA+) • 38-year old RHP Kazunori Fujimoto (13-13, 4.06 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 101 ERA+) • 31-year old RHP Nicky Sherlock (19-6, 2.92 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 140 ERA+) • 31-year old RHP Ch’ang-chieh Li (10-17, 4.15 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 98 ERA+) On offense, Fort Richmond will be relying on 26-year old CF Greg Cusack (.324/.375/.451, 10 HR, 72 RBI, 51 BB, 10 SB, 5.2 WAR) and 26-year old 1B Jacob Gadsden (.349/.394/.508, 11 HR, 62 RBI, 30 BB, 3.3 WAR), who both enjoyed break-out years in their young careers. Noteworthy: March 17 – The Generals defeated the Tigers, 4-2 at the Paramount in Sherburn. However, 29-year old RF Brandon Robinson (.292/.343/.436, 14 HR, 81 RBI, 45 BB, 1.8 WAR) went 0-3 with 2 BB, ending his 23-game hitting streak. Player of the Week Award: February 8 – CF Greg Cusack (.583, 12 H, 1 HR, 8 RBI) First Round Draft Pick Update: 10th overall – 1B Takuji Kanno (26/52). Kanno enjoyed a solid debut in Double-A, going .261/.313/.429, 10 HR, 66 RBI, 24 BB, 70 SO, 1.1 WAR in 333 AB. He was impressive defensively as well (694.0 innings, 4.7 ZR). Current Injuries: November 26 – LHP Frank Lita – torn flexor tendon. Out for: 7-8 weeks. November 26 – RHP Roberto Taváres – shoulder inflammation. Out for: 8 weeks. January 14 – LHP Nicholas Grimes – bone chips (elbow). Out for: 3 weeks. February 21 – RHP Louis Le Roy – torn Labrum. Out for: 5 months. March 21 – SS Nobuyoshi Yoshida – strained abdominal muscle. Out for: DtD, 2 weeks. -------- Offense: .266/.346/.390 (5th/3rd/5th) Pitching: 3.70/3.47/4.61 (3rd/1st/5th) Defense: .701 (4th) The Wolseley Unions were in the playoff hunt all season long and even flirted with first place for a few days thanks to a strong March. But ultimately, they fell just short and will miss the playoffs for the first time in seven years. It was a tremendous run, one that saw them capture three United Cups. Although they may not be the powerhouse they once were, they are still a talented team that should not be ruled for returning to the playoffs next season. Why They Missed the Playoffs: The main reason is parity in the West. With no less than six clubs fighting over the two available playoff spots, four had to be left out. Last season, the Unions won 87 games with a weaker offense to boot and still finished in first place. They simply had stouter opposition – and more of it – this time around. What they need to do: Find some young, impact players to give their offense the boost it needs. Multiple 1st-place finishes have left Wolseley’s farm system one of the weakest (12th overall) and outside of 22-year old 3B Rusty McLaren (42/64), the club is bereft of good, young position players that are capable of injecting some life into a lineup that is starting to show its age. 32-year old LF Carlton Hawking (.326/.464/.484, 17 HR, 71 RBI, 141 BB, 5.9 WAR), 32-year old SS George Kimpton (.308/.380/.4554, 16 HR, 80 RBI, 63 BB, 4.2 WAR) and 24-year old 1B Carlos Ortíz (.281/.351/.462, 24 HR, 80 RBI, 68 BB, 2.6 WAR) enjoyed fine seasons at the plate, but the rest of the lineup struggled. The rotation remains Wolseley’s biggest strength. However, the stalwarts are getting older as well, suggesting that the Unions’ playoff window will be closing soon. Nevertheless, their top-two aces were solid this year. Although 28-year old RHP Roberto Garza (11-13, 3.41 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 124 ERA+) struggled a bit in February (0-2, 4.66 ERA), 35-year old RHP Bill Blair (20-10, 2.57 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 164 ERA+) should get serious consideration for his second Satchel Paige Award. Player of the Week Award: March 15 – 1B Carlos Ortíz (.423, 11 H, 3 HR, 9 RBI) Noteworthy: March 11 – Balmoral could not get anything going against RHP Bill Blair all afternoon, as the Giants fell 1-0 on 2 hits. Blair’s final line was 9.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 10 K, 109 PI, GS: 92. The difference was a lead-off solo home run in the bottom of the 5th inning by CF Joey South off LHP Pat Houseman. March 16 – The Unions may have fallen to the Pulberry Trolleys, 5-3, but the day was highlighted by LF Carlton Hawking reaching a milestone. In the bottom of the 1st, Hawking singled off RHP Harley Rodman for his 2000th career hit. He is the 11th player to achieve that feat in United Leagues history. First Round Draft Pick Update: 15th overall – IF/OF Curt Holmes (30/54). In Double-A, Holmes saw limited playing time this season. He batted .247/.291/.305, 0 HR, 14 RBI, 12 BB, 32 SO, 0.0 WAR in 190 AB. In the field, he played all but 6.0 innings at 3B (403.1 innings, 2.5 ZR). Current Injuries: None. -------- Offense: .290/.354/.449 (1st/1st/1st) Pitching: 4.37/4.19/4.99 (7th/6th/6th) Defense: .679 (8th) The was no lightning in a bottle this year for the Cambria Cannons. Last season, they won 85 games as well and parlayed the wild card into a United Cup championship. This year it got them only 4th place and a spectator’s chair for the playoffs. They made it interesting down the stretch though, going 11-2 in the second half of February to catapult them from 7 games out of 1st place on February 15th to just one game back of the wild card one month later. They hung in until the final day of the regular season when they were finally eliminated from contention. Why They Missed the Playoffs: Parity certainly played a role, but uneven pitching and lousy defense were the main culprits. 25-year old RHP Ray Lambright (17-6, 3.56 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 116 ERA+) emerged as an ace and 36-year old RHP Hun Park (14-8, 3.43 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 122 ERA+) won Pitcher of the Month honors after coming over from Balmoral in January. In fairness, 28-year old RHP Masami Fujihara (17-11, 3.78 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 109 ERA+) was fine at times as well, but overall, the pitching staff is a bit of a shambles. What they need to do: Shoring up the pitching would help the Cannons take advantage of the West’s top-rated offense. In the bullpen, the Cannons have a reliable stopper in 28-year old RHP Keith Roche (3-6, 2.67 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 155 ERA+) and an up-an-coming reliever in 21-year old LHP Sebastian Cromwell (36/66). But much more will be needed. The offense, though, is strong and getting stronger. 24-year old CF Sam Tite (.297/.397/.515, 28 HR, 109 RBI, 94 BB, 6.2 WAR – 67/75) emerged as a quickly rising star and two rookies gave a glimpse of future stardom, namely 23-year old LF Calvin Hanbridge (.287/.410/.477, 18 HR, 73 RBI, 115 BB, 4.7 WAR – 60/71) and 22-year old 2B Doug Martin (.326/.389/.478, 1 HR, 29 RBI, 21 BB, 2.4 WAR – 46/69). 34-year old SS César Ruíz (.288/.371/.504, 29 HR, 109 RBI, 71 BB, 3.9 WAR, -19.4 ZR) and 27-year old 1B Carlos Corea (.335/.375/.566, 30 HR, 115 RBI, 35 BB, 3.6 WAR, -21.9 ZR) were terrific at the plate but were nightmares defensively. Player of the Week Awards: February 15 – SS César Ruíz (.435, 10 H, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 7 R) March 1 – 3B Luis Torres (.379, 11 H, 11 RBI, 4 R) Noteworthy: February 28 – The Cannons fell to the Hespeler Stars, 10-6, at the Fabulous Avalon. Although 28 hits were belted out between the two clubs, CF Sam Tite was held hitless, going 0-3 with 1 BB, ending his 22-game hitting streak. March 21 – The Cannons had a field day against the Trolleys in Pulberry, racking up 22 hits and outscoring the Trolleys, 15-7. 22-year old rookie 2B Doug Martin went 5 for 6, collecting 4 singles, 1 triple and 3 R. First Round Draft Pick Update: 13th overall – 2B Chia-Liang Fang (37/53). Fang did very well in his first year in Double-A, hitting .331/.403/.459, 6 HR, 37 RBI, 31 BB, 47 SO, 2.0 WAR in 266 AB. He was solid defensively as well (607.2 innings, 3.7 ZR). Current Injuries: December 9 – LHP Hirotada Fukushima – fractured elbow. Out for: 2 months. December 23 – 2B George Lasseter – broken bone in elbow. Out for: 3 months. January 27 – RHP Lenny Tennison – torn UCL. Out for: 4 months. -------- Offense: .274/.348/.409 (4th/2nd/3rd) Pitching: 4.22/4.23/4.18 (5th/7th/3rd) Defense: .699 (5th) The Kingston Pelicans started off strong and shared first place with the Generals at one point, but a rough December/January forced them to play catch-up the rest of the way. Ultimately, they fell short and were eliminated from the playoffs on the next-to-last day of the season. Still, they improved by 14 wins over last year and have enough to talent to take a run at the wild card next season – especially if the West remains a free-for-all. Why They Missed the Playoffs: Although Kingston could go on a tear at times (they went 16-3 at one point in February/March), they are not built for sustained success quite yet. This is especially true with the rotation, where long-time stalwarts are fading with few real options to take their place. While they scored 4.8 R/G, the Pelicans allowed 4.7 R/G, making their margin of error rather small. What they need to do: Shore up the back end of the rotation, their biggest need. 29-year old ace RHP Kieran Bunce (17-8, 3.44 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 122 ERA+) finished strong, going 9-0, 2.07 ERA, 1.14 WHIP in February/March. No. 2 starter, 27-year old LHP Rob Hutchence (15-10, 3.29 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 128 ERA+) provided consistent outings all season as well, but things start to drop off after them. The offense was rated third overall in the West in runs scored and could get even better next season as new faces joined the lineup. 27-year old C Carlos Camasura (.309/.462/.419, 7 HR, 64 RBI, 133 BB, 5.3 WAR – 71/77) and 25-year old SS Charlie Cockin (.301/.369/.445, 9 HR, 87 RBI, 53 BB, 4.0 WAR – 67/67) are the offensive leaders on this club. This season, though, the offense got a big boost from both 26-year old sophomore IF Harry Herold (.321/.372/.514, 21 HR, 101 RBI, 39 BB, 4.9 WAR – 52/52) and 23-year old rookie CF Chris Ramsbottom (.288/.340/.443, 22 HR, 59 RBI, 50 BB, 19 SB, 3.0 WAR – 50/60), an 8th overall pick from 1951-52. Player of the Week Awards: March 8 – SS Charlie Cockin (.471, 8 H, 3 HR, 11 RBI) March 22 – 1B Harry Herold (.500, 11 H, 2 HR, 4 RBI) Noteworthy: March 3 – The visiting Pelicans pulled out a 13-inning, 1-0 win over the Wellington Athletics. However, the Athletics were able to stop CF Chris Ramsbottom’s 23-game hitting streak, as he went 0-5 on the afternoon. March 3 – The Pelicans crushed the visiting Wolseley Unions 23-2 on 22 hits. Leading the charge was SS Charlie Cockin, who blasted 3 home runs. In the 1st inning, he hit a 3-run home run off RHP Aaron Saunderson, a 2-run homer off RHP Robert Kingsnorth in the 4th and a two-run home run off RHP Kai Tosh in the 7th. In all, Cockin went 4 for 5, collecting 3 R, 7 RBI, 1 BB. First Round Draft Pick Update: 4th overall – IF/OF Eddie Reed (26/41). Reed saw limited action this season, playing mostly in RF (143.1 innings, -1.9 ZR). He hit .289/.364/.588, 8 HR, 18 RBI, 10 BB, 22 SO, 0.9 WAR in 97 AB. Current Injuries: November 3 – CF George Nipper – torn meniscus (knee). Out for: 3-4 months. March 21 – 1B Dean Bishop – severe hip strain. Out for: 3 weeks. March 22 – 1B Harry Herold – hip flexor strain. Out for: unknown. -------- Offense: .264/.328/.377 (8th/6th/7th) Pitching: 3.68/3.69/3.63 (2nd/3rd/1st) Defense: .711 (3rd) The Balmoral Giants enjoyed one torrid month in January where they went 17-9, but otherwise, they were a below average team. They managed to reach second place and the wild card in early February but soon faded. By March 19, they were 10 games back and officially eliminated from the playoffs. Why They Missed the Playoffs: Despite the boost provided by 33-year old LF Ángel Costa (.334/.399/.530, 19 HR, 79 RBI, 58 BB, 4.7 WAR – 67/67), the Giants’ offense remains one of the most anemic in the United Leagues, averaging just 3.9 R/G. Last season without Costa, Balmoral averaged only 3.6. So, until Balmoral finds a bunch more Ángel Costas to fill out the rest of the lineup, this team will struggle just to reach the first division. What they need to do: Easy. Inject some life into one of the Leagues’ worst offenses to compliment one of the League’s best pitching staffs. They are set at the catcher position in 28-year old Alexander Pyatt (.342/.372/.480, 11 HR, 53 RBI, 21 BB, 4.4 WAR). But every other position other than LF should be viewed as upgradable. Unfortunately, Balmoral does not have the deepest farm system (13th overall), but they do have some mid-level prospects that could help. 24-year old IF Hayden Gunton (46/57) and 24-year old IF Morgan Tyreman (45/53) both joined the major league roster late in the season, but it remains to be seen if they will still be there at the start of next season. The rotation appears to be peaking and the Giants would be foolish not to take advantage of it. Really, 30-year old LHP Ron Albin (13-17, 3.47 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 120 ERA+), 28-year old RHP Rodrigo González (13-13, 3.25 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 128 ERA+) and 27-year old LHP Lucas Nott (17-12, 3.65 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 114 ERA+) all enjoyed solid seasons. Even 29-year old LHP Pat Houseman (4-1, 1.73 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, .183 BABIP), a late-season call-up, was terrific in his 6 starts. Noteworthy: February 23 – The Giants dropped a close game, 1-0, against the hometown Hespeler Stars. 27-year old RF Roy Belknap (.255/.290/.364, 9 HR, 57 RBI, 26 BB, 8 SB, -0.2 WAR) went 0-4 with 3 K, ending his 23-game hitting streak. March 15 – It was a tough day for Balmoral, as the Pelicans beat them 8-2 at Kingston Park. They also ended C Alexander Pyatt’s 22-game hitting streak, as he went 0-4 on the afternoon. First Round Draft Pick Update: 3rd overall – IF/OF Quido De Jesús (23/61). Balmoral’s top prospect made 281 AB in Double-A, batting .221/.297/.295, 3 HR, 28 RBI, 27 BB, 5 SB, 55 SO, -0.4 WAR. He spent most of his time at CF (523.2 innings, 0.1 ZR). Current Injuries: January 10 – LF Won-ho Kim – ruptured tendon (finger). Out for: 3 days. -------- Offense: .265/.325/.403 (6th/7th/4th) Pitching: 5.03/4.83/5.79 (8th/8th/8th) Defense: .685 (7th) Unlike the other six clubs above them, the Hespeler Stars never made even a remote threat of challenging for a playoff spot all season and it is unlikely that they will anytime soon. In a way, it is an accomplishment that they avoided finishing in the basement, for not only is the team talent-poor, but what talent they have has been seriously mismanaged. Why They Missed the Playoffs: You’re not going to get far with just one star. Really, this team should just be called the Hespeler ‘Star’, as 30-year old SS Zhao-hui Qian (.323/.378/.490, 22 HR, 101 RBI, 55 BB, 6.8 WAR – 71/71) is the only player on the roster who is a bona fide star in all facets of the game. 27-year old sophomore 3B Mike Park (.340/.388/.471, 9 HR, 62 RBI, 42 BB, 2.1 WAR – 59/59) was solid at the plate but was simply abysmal in the field (-21.1 ZR, .878 EFF). 29-year old 2B Vic Lewis (.261/.320/.439, 19 HR, 87 RBI, 39 BB, 1.7 WAR – 64/64) also regressed this season in all facets of the game. He racked up 5.4 WAR last season. The pitching staff is almost a total write-off as well. What they need to do: To me, an entire culture change in the organization must take place. Hespeler cannot expect to keep doing the same old thing and expect different results. It’s time to jettison almost 80% of this tired, old roster and LET THE YOUNG PLAYERS PLAY. Seriously. Young, promising prospects such as 24-year old SS Apia Yarrah (50/69) and 23-year old RF Bill Spaeth (43/57) are stagnating. Otherwise, the same thing that happened to 25-year old Tim Beattie (35/40) will happen to them. Beattie was a 7th overall pick back in 1947-48 and was once rated as the 15th best prospect in the ULB in 1949. He won a Platinum Stick Award and the Josh Gibson Award in Triple-A in 1950. Then he was called up to the majors in 1951 to simply wither on the vine. Inexcusable. Noteworthy: February 27 – 3B Mike Park enjoyed a big day at the plate, going 5 for 5 against the Cambria Cannons. However, the Stars came up short, 8-7. Park hit 5 singles, with two of them driving in runs. In all, he collected 1 R, 2 RBI. First Round Draft Pick Update: 7th overall – IF Shigemori Saikawa (28/52). Saikawa hit .289/.327/.429, 8 HR, 38 RBI, 14 BB, 17 SB, 46 SO, 1.2 WAR in 266 AB in Double-A. He split most of his time between SS (319.1 innings, -2.7 ZR) and 2B (258.0 innings, -0.8 ZR). Current Injuries: March 26 – 2B Rodney Gabrielson – back spasms. Out for: DtD, unknown. -------- Offense: .265/.319/.369 (7th/8th/8th) Pitching: 4.25/3.90/5.71 (6th/5th/7th) Defense: .696 (6th) The Sherburn Tigers finished in last place and with the worst record in the United Leagues for the second year in a row. That means they will select first once again in next season’s amateur draft. But unlike the Hespeler Stars, the Tigers are committed to playing their talented young players regularly. For the most part, anyway. By season’s end, four rookies found themselves in the regular starting lineup. It should be five, but maybe that will change next season. Why They Missed the Playoffs: An uneven offense largely sunk any chance at competing this season, but the lineup screams future potential. We should have a better idea next season if that potential translates into tangible results. What they need to do: Keep running out the prospects everyday. By doing so, they are playing their best players as well. 24-year old SS Dwayne Vick (.282/.322/.381, 2 HR, 65 RBI, 29 BB, 3.5 WAR – 57/68), 23-year old CF Ryan Blenkhorn (.348/.383/.449, 4 HR, 54 RBI, 25 BB, 10 SB, 2.9 WAR – 57/57) and 23-year old 2B Bernard Kerkin (.353/.399/.566, 5 HR, 17 RBI, 14 BB, 2.1 WAR) were the top three players on the squad in terms of WAR, although Vick struggled in the second half of the season and Kerkin accomplished what he did in just 44 games. 24-year old RF Albert Sulley (.270/.339/.382, 3 HR, 37 RBI, 32 BB, 0.6 WAR – 51/58) was made the everyday right fielder in February. All should benefit from the regular playing heading into the next season. Now if they could only commit to playing 25-year old Archie Eridge (44/62) at third base everyday as well. 30-year old RHP Jesús Chapa (11-17, 3.49 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 121 ERA+ - 63/63) may not be the dominant pitcher he once was, but he’s still one of the best. If 27-year old RHP Ben Buschlen (5-5, 2.22 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 194 ERA+ - 61/61) can come back healthy and if 26-year old RHP Bradley Strawson (5-13, 3.94 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, 107 ERA+ - 52/59) continues to progress, Sherburn will have a nice starting three for next season. But it will be all for naught if the offense can’t pick it up its bootstraps. First Round Draft Pick Update: 1st overall – IF/OF Bernard Kerkin (51/72). The highly touted Kerkin came as advertised. The top-ranked prospect batted .444/.494/.771, 10 HR, 39 RBI, 14 BB, 2 SB, 10 SO, 3.5 WAR in 153 AB at Double-A before being promoted to the major league roster. All he did on the Tigers roster is hit .353/.399/.566, 5 HR, 17 RBI, 14 BB, 3 SB, 23 SO, 2.1 WAR. He was steady in the field as well, playing almost exclusively at 2B with Sherburn (381.0 innings, 1.2 ZR). Current Injuries: December 26 – RHP Ben Buschlen – torn flexor tendon. Out for: 5 months. December 28 – C Christopher Dainty – torn labrum. Out for: 3 months. -------- __________________ United Leagues of Braeland Last edited by reds1; 04-28-2021 at 01:14 AM.