[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 1-5
Seasonal Record: 63-91 (6th, 35 GB)
Stars of the Week
Ray Ford : 26 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .346 AVG, .832 OPS
Marty Roberts : 10 AB, 4 H, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .400 AVG, 1.333 OPS
John Lawson : 23 AB, 6 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .261 AVG, .781 OPS

Schedule
9-21: Loss vs Wolves (9-4)
9-22: Loss vs Sailors (5-4)
9-23: Loss vs Sailors (5-2)
9-24: Loss vs Sailors (4-2)
9-25: Loss at Wolves (0-6)
9-27: Win at Wolves (8-3)

End of Season Recap
Despite going 1-5, we'll finish in 6th because the Stars were 1-6. That means we pick sixth, again, just late enough that I don't get who I want and just high enough that I might as well pick at the end of the draft. I'm hoping to move up or down, doesn't matter which way, so I either can get Sal or grab a pitcher and not feel like I'm reaching too hard. If we don't trade the pick, expect Billy Woytek or Al Jennings to be our pick. My guess 1-4 is Sal, Messer, Jones, and Edwards in some order, but I could pick up Pete Papenfus or Jim Morrison a round early towards the end of the first. With the Kings and Chiefs starting the championship Monday, there is still a ton of time to prep for the draft. My scout is a big Mike T. Taylor fan too, but he's a corner outfielder with no positional rating and our current Mike Taylor isn't working out all that well.

Enough about what is coming up, let's talk about what happened. Starting with the pitching staff, we decided to rank 7th in nearly each pitching category. Despite the easiest park to hit home runs in, we actually ranked 3rd in home runs allowed, so at least we did something right! Technically, tied for 3rd, but other then pen ERA (6th) and strikeouts (6th) we were seventh in everything else. All that being said, we still had an All-Star atop the rotation who has now unfortunately led the league in losses back-to-back years and three times total. 30-year-old Dave Rankin was 16-22 with a 4.06 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 80 walks, and 117 strikeouts. He fell an inning short of 300 because of the stupid day-to-day injury, but finished the season with three consecutive complete games for a Continental Association best 23 on the season. Rankin is everything you want in this era for a starting pitcher, someone who can just pitch all nine innings. That's what Tommy Wilcox used to do. Except Wilcox just did it a little better... Not to take anything away from Rankin, but just because he's an ace, doesn't mean he is an ace. I hope he ends up our four once we're competitive, behind some combination of Cy Sullivan, Pug Bryan, Harry Parker, Karl Wallace, Joe Foote, and Stumpy Beaman. A few of these guys could be up next season and Rankin is almost the benchmark for them to pass. He's as reliable as it gets and the more we improve the defense the better his numbers are going to look.

Rankin may be the most interesting pitcher, but he's not the only one worth talking about in the rotation. Hardin Bates really struggled this season, but the 6'5'' righty just had a bad season. After five seasons with 150 or more innings without a below average ERA+, Bates was just 6-15 with a 5.95 ERA (79 ERA+), 1.69 WHIP, 93 walks, and 70 strikeouts in 202.2 innings with us and the Gothams. This will also get better, it's just an off year. All pitchers have them, and for Bates, it happens to be this one. In 1,286.2 big league innings he is 78-61 with a 3.83 ERA (127 ERA+), 1.41 WHIP, 474 walks, and 480 strikeouts. Bates isn't quite the complete game machine that Rankin is, but he's can do it when he's pitching good. He's still in his prime at 29 and he has a lot of innings left in him.

Milt Fritz had an okay year, 17-15 with a 4.82 ERA (96 ERA+), 1.53 WHIP, 104 walks, and 78 strikeouts in 270.2 innings pitched. Fritz doesn't strike many hitters out, so I'm really going to need a strong infield defense. I think with Hunter eventually at short and Page at second Frtiz will really enjoy pitching in Chicago. He doesn't really give up many home runs, so our park is almost pitcher friendly for him. He's passed his Gothams win total (11) and is now three away from passing his Saints total. I'm hoping he can win more with us then everyone else combined, but he's going to need to put together a stronger season next year if he wants to add on to his win total. He got really lucky in some of starts and I think the league is just getting better pitchers. He was early bloomer, but I still think there is some untapped potential I can work out. This season should be the floor. Each year we are going to get better as a team and when the team is winning Fritz is winning. A winning Fritz is a happy Frtiz and a happy Fritz can dominate. He eats a ton of innings too and that's why I thought him and Rankin could be an amazing 1-2 combo. There's still time, but I don't think I'll get to live out that dream.

Last pitcher to mention is the longest tenured Cougar Dick Lyons. Even at 36 he is effective, 8-12 with a 4.90 ERA (95 ERA+), 1.54 WHIP, 36 walks, and 57 strikeouts in 200.1 innings. There it is! He sneaks another 200 inning season, making in nine straight. Lyons' command is excellent, he almost never allows a homer, and like Fritz, a strong middle infield could really improve his numbers. For Lyons, it would prolong his career as a starter. Like Tommy Wilcox, he has unlimited job security because you can always stash guys in your pen. As long as Lyons keeps his command, he can continue in the rotation until a better option emerges.

The offense was disappointing, with a lot of subpar seasons. John Lawson had his worst season, but I wasn't all that surprised or disappointed. He still hit .330/.391/.491 (125 OPS+) with 20 homers, 39 doubles, and 93 RBI's in 697 trips to the plate. Lawson has little protection in the lineup, but it was still a star level season. His defense was capable and he was an All-Star yet again. Funny enough, I brought Johnny Douglas back on a minor league contract. He announced his retirement at the end of the season (so now), but despite 38 injuries he kept playing for his love of the game. I'm hoping to add him to our organization as a pitching coach. He almost feel like the original Tommy Wilcox, dominated pitcher ravished by injuries.

Unfortunately Doc Love and Rich Langton had down seasons too. Starting with Love, he hit just .305/.354/.472 (111 OPS+) with 28 doubles, 13 homers, 15 homers, and 89 RBI's in 649 plate appearances. It's a new floor for the 30-year-old left fielder who may have to worry about Leo Mitchell. Mitchell isn't ready to play left in the big leagues yet, and if he never is, that means eventually Love will be out of luck. For the 25-year-old Langton, I knew the park factors adjustment would hamper him. He had a comparable .303/.345/.480 (110 OPS+) batting line with 27 doubles, 13 triples, 14 homers, and 89 RBI's in 576 trips to the plate. He walked 35 times and struck out 33 times and he played average defense in right. It was his first full season out there, but he did miss some time with injury. It does seem to be a theme for Langton, but when he's healthy he does produce.

I was really hoping for a big season from Ray Ford, but he hit just .319/.371/.430 (105 OPS+) with 38 doubles, 7 triples, 5 homers, and 87 RBI's in an unlucky 666 plate appearances. Cause for alarm? Not when he walks 52 times and strikes out just 16 times. If he could just play a little defense we would of had a perfect infield with Page at third, him at second, Mitchell at first, and Hunter at short, but Ford decided that fielding was optional. He doesn't suck at first and he can probably do left field, but he's got to hit more then this. He's a gamer though, he plays his heart out and will work to improve his craft. This kid can flat out hit and the sky is the limit for Ford.

Final shoutout goes to Marty Roberts! He made 58 trips to the plate and hit .306/.397/.510 (131 OPS+) with a double, 3 triple, a homer, and 9 RBI's. He was caught stealing all three times, so that is pretty impressive too, but he really outperformed all expectations. He's the early favorite for the starting center field job next season as Roy Moore and Bert Wilson had their struggles. Orlin Yates and Carlos Montes will have their shot too, but I don't think Montes is ready. He's going to be amazing, just not yet. Hopefully a minor league report tomorrow, maybe today. I was considering a playoff preview, but both playoff teams have their own reports so it's not really needed. Might end up doing a review of the mock draft too as we approach draft day. My scout is going to be busy!