THIS WEEK IN FIGMENT BASEBALL
Spring Training 1937
The Figment Sporting Journal printing press is battling with a hard drive issue and the periodical is forced to rely on an outdated laptop system but we are on the eve of spring training so we should take a look at each team and it's top prospects to watch. First up is the Federal Association.
CHICAGO CHIEFS
1936 finish 1st (101-53) and World Championship Series winners
Everything went right a year ago for the Chiefs as they established a franchise record for victories and won their first World Championship Series since 1917. The Chiefs are expected to make no key changes, at least to start the season, so the question is whether or not Rabbit Day and Al Miller have enough magic to carry the team to a second straight title.
PROSPECT TO WATCH: Pitcher Bob Walls. 1932 first round pick is now 25 but made his big league debut last season and was 14-12 3.44 in his second season at the AAA level.
PITTSBURGH MINERS
1936 finish 2nd (93-61)
The Miners made the biggest news over the winter, at least in terms of big league additions, by the decision to trade for outfielder Mahlon Strong. Strong hit .345 with 26 homers for the New York Gothams last year despite missing a month with a neck injury. Even without Strong the Miners led the Federal Association in runs per game a year ago so the big question For Miners fans is will his addition be enough to propel Pittsburgh to it's first pennant since 1924?
There are some concerns about Lefty Allen, who went 17-11 in his first full season in the majors last year. Word is some in the Miners scouting department are worried Allen may have lost a little over the winter after a late season arm injury.
PROSPECT TO WATCH: Lew Seals, a 23 year old out of Bluegrass State who was taken 7th overall in 1934 is the Miners top prospect but he is a natural corner outfielder and his path is blocked by Strong and Joe Owens. However, Seals has been playing some centerfield in the minors but the guess is he will need a season or two more in the minors before he is ready for a big league test. Seals hit just .264 in A ball this past season.
BOSTON MINUTEMEN
1936 finish 3rd (82-72)
The Minutemen had high hopes entering the 1936 season but they were quickly derailed by several injuries to key young talent. One of those was Dick Higgins who, at age 23, was enjoying a very strong start to the season before blowing out his elbow. The bad news for Boston is Higgins, who went down in mid-June last season, will miss camp and is not expected to be ready to return until at least June. The good news is 23 year old first baseman Bob Donoghue has been cleared to return to action and all eyes will be on "Mr. Clout" to see if he is fully recovered from the foot injury that cost him most of last season. Prior to the injury Donoghue was hitting .358 with 5 homers through the first 17 games of the season.
PROSPECT TO WATCH- SS Lew McClendon. The Minutemen need an upgrade on John Wood at shortstop and the 20 year old McClendon may be ready this year. Originally a 2nd round pick of Pittsburgh in 1934 out of Nicholls High School in New Orleans, McClendon spent most of last season at AA but a good camp might allow him to start the season in Boston.
ST LOUIS PIONEERS
1936 finish 4th (80-74)
The Pioneers seem loaded with talent led by Sam Sheppard (20-13) and David Abalo (17-10) on the mound and infielders Frank McCormick (.351,16,109) and Freddie Jones (.354,3,64). Certainly the multiple injuries to Jones last season were a big reason the Pioneers went from back to back second place finishes to the middle of the pack. There is more talent coming this season as a pair of top ten prospects in Al Tucker and Heinie Zimmer seem set to make their big league debuts.
PROSPECT TO WATCH: Tucker and Zimmer. Tucker is a 24 year old outfielder who missed a month last season with hamstring troubles but still hit .303 for AAA Oakland. Zimmer is a 22 year old catcher who came to St Louis from Montreal along with Tucker in the deal that sent Tom Bird to the Saints. Tucker, originally a second round pick of the Gothams out of Nashville High School in 1932, made the big jump all the way from Class B to AAA a year ago and hit .341 for Oakland. It may be tricky finding each of them a place to play as Tucker will have to try and wrestle a spot from either Art Cascone (.274,7,85) or Alex Ingraham (.285,13,97) while Zimmer must contend with starting catcher Jack Flint (.322,2,63)
WASHINGTON EAGLES
1936 finish 5th (72-82)
It is clear where Washington needs to improve. Only Pittsburgh scored more than the 6.1 runs per game the Eagles amassed last season but nobody in the Fed allowed more runs that the Eagles conceded. With a full season of Moxie Pidgeon, who was part of the Gothams fire sale, along with the likes of Andy Carter, Sam Brown, Harry Shumate, Mel Carroll, Jim Beard and hopefully a healthy Wally Flowers offense will once again not be a problem in the nation's capital. On the mound the Eagles need 28 year old Bill Anderson (22-14) to prove his first season since coming over from Toronto was not a fluke. 29 year old Karl Johnson (18-16) also had a strong year winning a career high number of games but beyond those two there are some concerns.
PROSPECT TO WATCH: At 26 he is a little old to be considered a prospect but 1932 5th overall draft pick George Gilliard looked good in 3 big league outings last season. Unfortunately they were sandwiched around a pair of injuries that cost the former Henry Hudson Explorer over 3 months of the season. Maybe Gilliard will be the additional starting pitcher they need or perhaps it might be 1934 first overall pick Bobo White, despite the fact the former St Blane College star looked overmatched in AAA a year ago, or 1933 second round pick Ike Keller, who received a taste of big league life in 8 appearances out of the Eagles pen a year ago, might be the answer. Whoever it is, the Eagles will need someone to step up if they are going to take the next step as a franchise and contend for a pennant in 1936.
NEW YORK GOTHAMS
1936 finish 6th (69-85)
The Gothams fall from a championship team to the second division was self-orchestrated with a mass trade-off of talent in June that culminated with the decision to ship slugger Mahlon Strong to Pittsburgh immediately after the season. Most of the big names are gone but the Gothams are suddenly loaded with minor league talent led by high school sensation Walt Messer, who was drafted second overall in December. Messer is a long ways away from being ready for the Bright Lights of New York, just as the Gothams are a ways away from contention but it will be interesting to watch their rebuilding process.
PROSPECT TO WATCH: There will be plenty of them in the low minors including Messer but of those closer to the big leagues Howard Brown Jr and Billy Dalton are worth keeping an eye on. Brown Jr made his Gotham debut last season and will likely be given every opportunity to be a starter in the New York outfield. He was acquired from Boston in the deal that sent catcher John Wicklund to the Minutemen after being a 1934 third round pick out of Ohio Poly. Dalton is a 22 year old third baseman who came over from the Chicago Chiefs in the Rabbit Day deal. The 1935 10th overall draft pick out of Perry State College spent most of the season in Class A last year. He has loads of potential but his path is presently blocked by Johnny McDowell.
PHILADELPHIA KEYSTONES
1936 finish 7th (64-90)
Any team with Bobby Barrell, Rankin Kellogg and Rip Cirry should not finish seventh but the Kellogg had a terrible start last season and the Keystones never could get untracked despite a career year from Barrell (.353,53,162). Barrell is just 26 and it's scary to think he is just reaching his prime. Kellogg will be 34 this season but if his second half last season is any indication he will continue to be a force. The big concern in Philadelphia remains pitching. Ed Baker is a solid front to the rotation but Art Myers and Frank Crawford each had down years a season ago. The Keystones desperately need 24 year old George M Brooks, who was 8-9 with a 5.48 era as a rookie last year, to have a break out season or someone like AAA pitchers Gene White or Jim Whiteley to emerge, otherwise they will have a tough time keeping up with the elite club's in the Fed.
PROSPECT TO WATCH: White and/or Whiteley need to come up big at camp in order to give the Keystones another dependable starter. Lloyd Stevens is possibly the best of the Philadelphia pitching prospects but the 21 year old, who was taken in the third round of the 1934 draft out of Suffolk High School in Virginia, has yet to pitch above Class B. He is quite a story as he was a third baseman in high school ball but converted to a pitcher by the Keystones in 1935.
DETROIT DYNAMOS
1936 finish 8th (55-99)
Things are looking up in Detroit and there certainly is a buzz in the city after the Dynamos made a couple of big off-season moves. The most notable was trading for home run king Max Morris and installing him in the manager's seat as well as on the field. What can't be overlooked is Detroit also acquired Leon Drake who was a 20-20-20 guy in Cleveland a year ago with 20 doubles, 21 triples and 21 homers for the Foresters. Despite all of the excitement around the pair of former Foresters the most anticipated debut in Detroit may well be that of Sal Pestilli. The first overall draft pick, winner of 2 Christian Trophy's as College Baseball's Player of the Year, will be bidding to become the first draftee to go straight from the campus to the big leagues since Freddie Jones did it in 1932. The Dynamos are saying all the right things at the moment such as "Pestilli will start in AAA Newark unless he proves he belongs in the big leagues with a strong spring," but you have to believe the Detroit management team will be under a lot of heat from owner Eddie Thompson to have Pestilli in the opening day lineup.
PROSPECT TO WATCH: Obviously Pestilli is the big one but pitchers Ray McCarthy and Jack Wood should also get plenty of attention in the spring. McCarthy, who was acquired from independent El Paso of the Lone Star League a year ago, was expected to be in Detroit for most of last season but he blew out his arm in his AAA debut and missed the rest of the year. Early indications are he is fully recovered from the injury. The 24 year old Wood did make his Detroit debut last season, going 3-4 after starting the year in Newark. He was originally a 3rd round pick of Brooklyn out of Henry Hudson University before coming to Detroit in trade that sent Al Wheeler and Frank Vance to the Kings.
CONTINENTAL ASSOCIATION SPRING PREVIEW
BROOKLYN KINGS
1936 finish 1st (98-56)
After a pair of second place finishes the Kings finally got over one hump last season and claimed their first pennant since 1927 but were then swept by the Chicago Chiefs in the World Championship Series. Brooklyn is loaded with talent and there will be very few changes, if any, from last seasons pennant winner. The only focus in spring will be on keeping everyone healthy.
PROSPECT TO WATCH: While everyone will be focused on Sal Pestilli in Detroit, his older brother Alf rose quickly through the Kings system and will be making a bid to crack the 23 man roster. Pestilli hit 43 homers as a rookie pro in Class C in 1935 and followed that up by hitting .320 with 18 homers between stops in A, AA and AAA last year.
PHILADELPHIA SAILORS
1936 finish 2nd (95-59)
The Sailors are back. After winning 3 straight pennants and a pair of World Championships between 1928-30 the club took a slight step back the first half of this decade but they exploded into the race with a 95 win season last year after back to back 78-76 campaigns. The Sailors have a lot of young talent close to major league ready and a pair of established stars in Jack Cleaves and John Kincaid. The Sailors always seem to find a breakout pitcher or two and last year it was Merritt Thomas, a 28 year old who doubled his previous career high by winning 20 games and being a perfect compliment to the always dependable William Jones atop the Philadelphia rotation. A lot went right for the Sailors last season with Bobby Bond, Lou Williams and Dick Walker all enjoying seasons above their career norms but the Sailors look like a team that will contend again this season.
PROSPECT TO WATCH: The Sailors have a bunch of infielders on the verge of making their mark in FABL led by Rip Lee, Bob Smith, Gil London and Marion Boismenu. Any one of them might be the Sailors breakout star this year but judging by their history it will likely be a pitcher no one expected to have such an impact.
CLEVELAND FORESTERS
1936 finish 3rd (91-63)
The Foresters may have angered some of their fan base by parting ways with Hall of Fame slugger Max Morris for the second time in team history but the move made sense as they acquired first baseman Bill Moore from Detroit in return. Moore, who was named the greatest college baseball player of the first quarter century of the sport a few years back, looks to be finally living up to his potential after hitting .327 as a rookie with the Dynamos. Most of the stars that led Cleveland to back to back pennants in 1934-35 return including Charlie Berry, T.R. Goins, Dan Fowler and George Dawson. It will be interesting to see if 32 year old Lyman Weigal can duplicate the success he had last year when he won 15 games just 2 years after being waived twice.
PROSPECT TO WATCH: He looks like a good one but the Foresters may have a tough time finding a spot for Hank Stratton to play, at least in the near future. The 22 year old third baseman was acquired from the Chicago Cougars in a draft day deal and he is expected to eventually be the replacement for 38 year old Charlie Barry, but Barry is coming off a season in which hit hit a career best .368 and won his first batting title. Stratton hit .353 in AA last season and you have to think if he has a great camp it will be difficult for the Foresters to send him to AAA Cincinnati.
TORONTO WOLVES
1936 finish 4th (77-77)
It's a long ways down from the big three in the CA to fourth place and that might still be the case this year but there is a lot to like about the Toronto Wolves future. It has been an awful long time since a 'lot to like' and 'Toronto Wolves' have appeared in the same sentence as this club has not finished above .500 since 1927. However there is a lot of young talent led by 1933 first overall draft pick Joe Hancock, who won 15 games as a 23 year old rookie last season. Another former first rounder in 27 year old Chuck Cole won 21 games and give Toronto it's first pair of decent starters since perhaps Charlie Sis and Jack Long in the late teens. Now, neither Hancock or Cole will be confused for the Hall of Famer Sis, but both are very solid pitchers and there is more on the way. Buddy Long, a 7th round pick out of Syracuse High School in 1932, has looked very good in the past two seasons at AA and AAA. Long may just break camp with the big club this season and some scouts feel he is a future ace. Further down the pipeline are 1935 third overall pick George Garrison and this season's 16th overall Jim Morrison. Those three combine with Hancock to give Toronto a prospect list of pitchers that rivals that of Baltimore.
PROSPECT TO WATCH- We focused on the pitchers already so let's talk about centerfielder Levi Redding. The 26 year old hit .319 in a small sample of big league games last summer and looks like an ideal leadoff man after hitting .316 with 28 stolen bases in AAA Buffalo.
MONTREAL SAINTS
1936 finish 5th (75-79)
The Saints have some talent led by dependable 27 year old third baseman Hank Barnett, doubles machine Vic Crawford and young catcher Adam Mullins but the fear is they may be trapped in the middle of the pack, both now and in the future. Montreal does not have the horses to compete with the big three in the CA right now and the thinking is they lack the wealth of prospects that the Cougars, Toronto and Baltimore possess for the future. There may well be a changing of the guard in a few seasons when the pitching of the Cougars, Toronto and Baltimore lifts them into contention just as age slows down Cleveland and Brooklyn. Montreal does not seem to possess the same wealth of prospects so there is a good chance the Saints, while never a bad team will also not become a great team either.
PROSPECT TO WATCH: Montreal's best prospects, especially those that are close to the big leagues, are outfielders. Ideally 23 year old Red Bond is healthy all season and he can play everyday in right field. Bond hit .362 in 83 games last season but the 1931 second round pick out of Toledo High School missed nearly 3 months with a variety of injuries. A healthy Bond and a full season for 1934 first round pick Adam Mullins, who missed the final two months of the season with a broken hand, will go a long ways towards helping the Saints creep a little closer to the elite clubs in the CA this season.
CHICAGO COUGARS
1936 finish 6th (63-91)
Cougars owner Ben Hunter has put a lot of pressure on his management team with the expectation his club will win the pennant this season. That unfortunately for Chicago fans seems completely unrealistic but fear not as multiple titles might not be that far away for the club with the richest collection of minor league depth in either league. There is a lot of talent on the big club as well, but likely not enough to contend this year. Chicago did add veteran righthander Oscar Morse as a waiver pickup from the Philadelphia Sailors and he is expected to join Dave Rankin and Milt Fritz in the rotation. First baseman Ray Ford and outfielder Leo Mitchell were two of the prospects who debuted last season and there are a lot more on the way.
PROSPECTS TO WATCH: There are a lot with shortstop Billy Hunter possibly the closest. Hunter, the Cougars first rounder in 1932 out of Cincinnati High School, spent most of last season in AA and is said to be ready for the big leagues. He may have to shift to second base to start his career with Ollie Page likely returning as the Cougars everyday shortstop. There are a number of other prospects who may spend some time in Chicago this season including catcher Harry Mead, centerfielder Carlos Montes and pitchers Harry Parker, Karl Wallace, Pug Bryan and Joe Foote.
NEW YORK STARS
1936 finish 7th (62-92)
The Stars 1936 season was their lowest win total since 1919 and their two straight second division finishes the past two seasons (they were 5th in 1935) is the first time that has happened to New York since 1920-21. Their pitching was middle of the pack last season but only Baltimore scored less runs in the CA than New York did. The Stars are also a fairly old team with 6 of their 8 starters from last season at least 30 years old and the other two were 29 and 28 respectively. The pitching staff was a little younger but it is clear the Stars have hit a time when they need to retool.
PROSPECT TO WATCH: 26 year old outfielder Art McMahon has oozed potential since being selected 8th overall out of Waco High School in 1930 and he has had a pretty good combination of batting average and speed throughout his minor league career but never got a chance in the New York outfield until a brief stint last season. He struggled in an 11 game audition but perhaps this is the year he finally breaks out.
BALTIMORE CANNONS
1936 finish 8th (55-99)
It has been an awful decade so far for the Cannons, who have gone 310-460 (.402) since the start of the 1932 season and played just .387 ball the past four seasons. Three straight last place finishes have given the Cannons plenty of high draft picks and they started to pay off last season with the debut of pitchers Gus Goulding and John Edwards. The offense remains a major concern and there will be a ton of pressure on Goulding and Edwards every time they take the mound. This team is bad and there is no way to deny it. However, the future might finally be starting to arrive so things may get much brighter in a hurry. However, that won't happen this year.
PROSPECTS TO WATCH: Edwards was 2-2 with a 1.80 era as a September call-up while Goulding was a perfect 8-0 since his promotion. The question is are the two former first round picks for real and if so just how good will this rotation become once Rufus Barrell II joins them?