[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 4-3
Seasonal Record: 19-20 (5th, 6 GB)
Stars of the Week
John Lawson : 28 AB, 12 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI, .429 AVG, 1.181 OPS
Ray Ford : 30 AB, 10 H, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .333 AVG, .861 OPS
Doc Love : 18 AB, 7 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .389 AVG, 1.056 OPS

Schedule
5-24: Loss vs Cannons (5-1)
5-25: Win vs Stars (4-5)
5-26: Win vs Stars (2-6)
5-27: Win vs Stars (2-3): 10 innings
5-28: Loss vs Foresters (8-5)
5-29: Win vs Foresters (2-9)
5-30: Loss vs Foresters (10-8): 11 innings

Recap
If you told me that a day before May ended that we'd be a game below .500, I'd say you were crazy. Especially after the awful way we started the season! But none the less, it's almost June and the Cougars are only half a game out of third and somehow making noise. It was just a 4-3 week, but it involve out second sweep of the season. We ran through the Stars who are now on track for the #1 pick. The Foresters bested us this time, but we still managed to steal a game and almost the finale as well. Dave Rankin tossed a gem, a 10 inning dub with 6 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 6 strikeouts. Milt Fritz tossed 18 innings across two starts and a relief outing, finishing 1-1 with 18 hits, 7 runs (5 earned), 9 walks, and 7 strikeouts. Clarence Crane continued his tight rope walk routine, 9.1 innings in a start and relief outing with 7 hits, 2 runs, 6 walks, and a single strikeout. Even Dick Lyons made two fine starts, 16 innings with 21 hits, 8 runs (7 earned), a walk, and 5 strikeouts with a win and no decision. Somehow our pitching staff now holds the 3rd best earned run average (3.82) and I can imagine it will only get better the more experience Page gets at second and the more Hunter plays at short.

John Lawson's hit streak was stopped at 26, but it didn't stop him from the best week of his season. He was 12-for-28 with 2 doubles, 2 homers, 8 runs, 2 walks, and 5 RBI's. Doc Love had another strong week, 7-for-18 with a homer, 4 runs, 4 RBI's, and 3 walks. Ray Ford was 10-for-30 with a double, homer, 3 RBI's, 7 runs, and 3 walks. Some of our part-time players did really well, with Russ Griffin, Ed Pinkham, Bert Wilson, and Johnny Turner all surprisingly playing well. The four combined to go 10-for-23 with 2 doubles, 5 RBI's, 4 runs, and 3 walks. Wilson saved his job, as Roy Moore is now healthy and Orlin Yates has really struggled. While Wilson has hit an average .295/.368/.385 (99 OPS+) Yates hit just .190/.281/.215 (33 OPS+). He's down to AAA now, and Moore will return to the lineup. He only got a handful of at bats earlier in the season, but with how awful Yates has been I didn't even want to give Moore a rehab assignment.

Looking Ahead
Our long stretch of games will end after a double header with the Wolves. Toronto is just a game behind us, 18-21 and seven out of first, but I'm not sure we're a better team then them. We'll get Chick Wirtz first, who's just 1-5 with a 4.55 ERA (98 ERA+), 1.73 WHIP, 25 walks, and 18 strikeouts in 57.1 innings pitched. Not sure who will go for the double header, but it might be Chuck Cole who's really struggling. He's just 2-5 with a 4.88 ERA (91 ERA+) and 1.53 WHIP with 26 walks and strikeouts. Either that or ace Otis Cook, who threw 5 pitches yesterday. He's 5-2 with a 3.08 ERA (144 ERA+), 1.25 WHIP, 14 walks, and 8 strikeouts. I think I rather face Cook, because I have no idea why he is doing well. Of course, one player that is doing well that I'm not surprised one but about is Larry Vestal. The 27-year-old is off to an outstanding start, slashing .364/.425/.576 (152 OPS+) with 7 doubles, 8 triples, 3 homers, 2 steals, and 20 RBI's. Unfortunately for him, however, he's all alone in the lineup with no other Wolve starter boasting an OPS+ above 80.

After the needed off day, we'll stay in Canada for three with the Saints. Montreal has dropped to 17-22 and are two games behind us. They've moved Walker Moore to the rotation after 11 excellent relief appearances. He pitched 24.1 innings with 21 hits, 6 runs, 6 walks, and 9 strikeouts. His first start didn't go well, but the rest of the rotation has struggled. They have gotten five good starts from Earle Whitten who's recovered from a torn rotator cuff. He's 3-1 with a 3.30 ERA (134 ERA+), 1.27 WHIP, 11 walks, and 7 strikeouts in 30 innings. The top of the lineup is very strong, with the top 5 all boasting above average OPS+. They have a strong defense, but it hasn't helped the pitching much. What has been weird is Adam Mullins' struggles. The young catcher his hitting just .273/.355/.348 (80 OPS+) with a homer and 20 RBI's. He does have an outstanding 19-to-3 walk-to-strikeout ratio and I expect him to turn things around.

Last stop for the week is Baltimore where we play the third place Cannons. They're just a half a game ahead with an extra win and we could potentially end up in third with a good week. Pinky Conlan continues his strong season, 5-3 with a 2.75 ERA (157 ERA+), 1.08 WHIP, 19 walks, and 29 strikeouts in 78.2 innings pitched. They got a scare as the oft injured Conlan left his last start with a tired arm. He's fine, but injuries do seem to be a common theme for the 28-year-old. Rusty Petrick is also having a strong rookie year, 4-6 with a 3.79 ERA (114 ERA+), 1.43 WHIP, 45 walks, and 41 strikeouts in 78.1 innings pitched. Once Goulding and Edwards straighten up their stuff, it's going to be impossible to score on this team. The outfield is strong, with OPS+ of 112, 126, and 134 for Abel Man, Whit Williams, and Jim Mason. The infield is struggling, but I expect Clark Car to improve his .243/.297/.389 (79 OPS+) batting line and Frank Covarrubias won't hit .248/.283/.317 (57 OPS+) the rest of his career.

Minor League Report
RHP Joe Foote (AA Mobile Commodores): We have three pitchers in Mobile with sub 2.00 ERA's, and none of them are Harry Parker! With a 1.86 ERA (168 ERA+) Joe Foote slightly edges out Cy Sullivan for the team lead. The 22-year-old Foote is one of the many guys I'll need to make room for on the 40, but I am a little shocked he's still working on polishing his arsenal. He has a nice mid 90s sinker that does a great job generating groundballs, but the curve and slide still aren't there. The sinker is still dominant enough that he can start, but I'd love for the secondary offerings to develop further. His command is strong, but he's not striking out anyone this year. Just 9 strikeouts with 15 walks is not ideal, but when you also have a 1.18 WHIP, it's okay. He doesn't let too many hitters get on base, and when he does, he's good at erasing them. I feel bad for him because he's almost on the outside looking in. Pete, Scott, Parker, Sullivan, Wallace, and Beaman all rank ahead of him and you can't forget about Fritz, Rankin, and Pug. Our pitching situation is getting a little murky, but you can never have too many pitchers!

RF Chubby Hall (C La Crosse Lions): Last year was a nightmare for the 3rd Rounder, but in 340 less plate appearances, he's already matched his homer run total from last year. He also took home Player of the Week this season, going 14-for-28 with with 6 runs scored and 7 driven in. He's striking out four times as much as he walks, but Hall is hitting a nice .324/.349/.518 (147 OPS+) with 6 doubles, 7 homers, 25 RBIs, and even a pair of steals. I've been giving him time at all three outfield positions, but I expect Chubby to hang out in La Crosse until the draft adds a ton of new players to our system. The lefty has a ton of contact potential and he should be a capable corner defender, while possibly even passable out in center. Currently rated our 5th best prospect and 52nd in the league (we actually have 53, 54, 58, and 59 too), Hall has a long way to go before being big league ready, but once he is, he could become one of the best outfielders in the game. I think he'll end up in right, but I expect him to turn into a high OBP and hopefully high slugging corner bat.