[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 2-4
Seasonal Record: 10-9 (5th, 2 GB)
Stars of the Week
B. Hunter : 20 AB, 10 H, 1 HR, 6 RBI, .500 AVG, 1.274 OPS
J. Lawson : 26 AB, 10 H, 2 HR, 9 RBI, .385 AVG, 1.011 OPS
R. Langton : 26 AB, 10 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .385 AVG, 1.005 OPS

Schedule
5-9: Loss at Stars (5-9)
5-10: Win at Stars (9-4)
5-11: Loss at Kings (5-6)
5-12: Win at Kings (12-2)
5-13: Loss at Kings (4-5)
5-14: Loss at Saints (7-13)

Recap
A rough week, as we dropped out of first with a 2-4 showing. Road games are always tough, but losing the opener in Montreal really hurts. We actually looked really good in the Brooklyn series, crushing the Kings in the win while unfortunately dropping both one run games. We also split the Stars, which was unfortunate, but the teams we lost to do rank 2-3-4 in the standings right now. That's no excuse, however, and I was really hoping we would be able to stay in first a little bit longer.

Despite the poor results, Billy Hunter has started to really heat up, hitting an even .500 with a triple, homer, walk, three runs, and 6 RBIs while not striking out in any of his 20 at bats. He had some help from John Lawson, who added two more homers and drove in nine more runs. The vet was 10-for-26 with a double and five runs scored. Rich Langton was 10-for-26 with two doubles, a homer, and five runs scored and driven in. Harry Mead had a six hit week this time, in 14 at bats, with two doubles, two runs, and 3 RBIs. He took advantage of Brooklyn's lefties, and was 3-for-5 in our 12-2 win with a two run double off Mike Murphy. His platoon partner and Murphy trade piece Mike Taylor was just 3-for-11 with a single run scored and driven in. Taylor is hitting just .238/.319/.238 (46 OPS+) in the early goings while Mead is slashing an impressive .393/.393/.571 (146 OPS+) with 5 doubles and 4 RBIs. I expect Taylor to start heating up and Mead cooling down, but it is a much different picture then last year.

Carlos Montes had another rough week, and is hitting just .169/.222/.237 (19 OPS+) with 2 doubles, a triple, a steal, 4 walks, 5 RBIs, and 6 runs scored. It's been a tough season from Montes, whose season ended early in August last year due to a strained hamstring. I'm hoping that he's just rusty because of that, but even though I am confident of a return to form, I will start giving Orlin Yates a few starts against righties. Yates hasn't gotten much time, 1-for-7 with a pair of walks, runs, and RBIs. Both are good defenders out in center, and are very helpful for our pitching staff. Off the bench outfielders Doc Love and Tommy Sandstorm had good weeks, 2-for-3 and 3-for-5. Love doubled, walked, scored three, and drove in one while Sandstorm doubled, tripled, scored, and drove in four. Ollie Page looked good in his two starts, 4-for-9 with two doubles, a triple, and three runs scored.

Rough week for Peter the Heater, as he was really roughed up in his two starts. He didn't strike out a single hitter and walked 9 in 8 off 14 hits and 16 runs. I have no idea what happened there, as he had absolutely nothing working in either game. I only need four starters this week due to an off day, so I'll let Pete work out of the pen in late game situations. Harry Parker wasn't great either, 10 hits, 5 runs (4 earned), a walk and 3 strikeouts in 8 innings. Dick Lyons bested the Kings, 7 strong frames with 4 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts. Milt Fritz was just as good, 8 innings with 7 hits, 2 runs, 4 walks, and a strikeout. Cy Sullivan completed his third start in three attempts, picking up the win with 9 hits, 4 runs (3 earned), a walk, and a strikeout. Cal Knight had two bad relief outings and one good one, allowing 7 hits, 6 runs, and 10 walks while striking out 5 in 7.2 innings pitched.

Looking Ahead
We'll look to turn things around against the Saints, with two more in Montreal. The Saints are 11-9, and will likely send Karl's Weiss and Wallace to the mound. Weiss is a former 18th Round selection who made his big league debut this season. He made three starts and is 1-1 with a 5.82 ERA (80 ERA+), 1.76 WHIP, 8 walks, and 7 strikeouts. The former Cougar Karl Wallace has really struggled, nothing like his 13-13 season last year. The now 25-year-old had a 3.44 ERA (118 ERA+), 1.35 WHIP, 98 walks, and 88 strikeouts in an impressive 248.1 inning rookie season. His four starts this year couldn't have gone any worse, 0-2 with a 7.07 ERA (66 ERA+), 2.00 WHIP, 13 walks, and 5 strikeouts. Red Bond is picking up where he left off last season, slashing .362/.423/.638 (160 OPS+) with 2 doubles, a triple, 5 homers, and 17 RBIs. Vic Crawford is finding success in the seven spot, .351/.383/.468 (110 OPS+) with 3 doubles, 2 homers, and 15 RBIs. The lineup is really long, with all eight hitters having OPS+ above 90 with all but one over 100. I do think we can with these two games, but we will need much better outings then received from Pete.

We continue the road trip with two games in Baltimore. The Cannons are 8-13 and ahead of just the struggling Wolves. Rufus Barrell II is having a much better season, 3-1 with a 3.65 ERA (124 ERA+), 1.16 WHIP, 10 walks, and 17 strikeouts in 37 innings pitched. Him and Gus Goulding have been reliable, as Gus spends his birthday today after dropping to 3-3 on the season with a 3.42 ERA (132 ERA+), 1.40 WHIP, 14 walks, and 16 strikeouts. Rusty Petrick has struggled, as has Glenn Payne, who they picked up from the Stars in the Clark Car trade. Another recent trade acquisition, former Pioneer Calvin Brown is the new leadoff hitter, batting .just .307/.361/.364 (86 OPS+) with 3 doubles, a triple, and 12 RBIs. Fellow corner outfielder Whit Williams has looked much better behind him, .349/.414/.523 (138 OPS+) with 4 doubles, a triple, 3 homers, and 20 RBIs. Bunny Stapleton is off to a nice start as well, slashing .372/.398/.457 (118 OPS+) with 5 doubles, a homer, and 17 driven in.

We're off Friday, and then we end our road trip with three in Philly. The Sailors are an even 10-10, but are always a threat. Doc Newell leads the rotation, 3-2 with a 3.60 ERA (129 ERA+), 1.23 WHIP, 12 walks, and 14 strikeouts. Unfortunately for them, Walt Wells (5.34), Merritt Thomas (6.08), and Herb Flynn (5.66 ERA) have all been roughed up early on. They picked up Dutch Sheldon from St. Louis, and he's looked good in his two starts. The 30-year-old won them both and owns a 3.31 ERA (140 ERA+), 1.59 WHIP, 10 walks, and 12 strikeouts in 16.1 innings pitched. At the plate, Jim Beard has started to heat up, improving his statline to .351/.449/.404 (113 OPS+) with a homer and eight driven in. He's stole four bases, but despite 27 doubles last season, he hasn't hit a single one in 69 plate appearances this year. Joe Watson is fresh off a Player of the Week, and is hitting .329/.395/.553 (133 OPS+) with 5 doubles, 3 triples, 2 homers, and 14 RBIs. He's hitting above Bob Smith, who's off to a .314/.419/.471 (120 OPS+) start with 2 homers, 10 RBIs, 10 walks, and not a single strikeout. Jorge Nava has hit well in the leadoff spot, batting .308./.416/.462 (117 OPS+) with 7 doubles, a homer, two steals, and 10 RBIs. Shortstop Rip Lee, however, is off to a really awful start, hitting just .247/.276/.321 (48 OPS+) with a double, triple, homer, and 14 RBIs. The season is starting to pick up, and we can't have many more of these 2-4 weeks. It will nice to be home next week, and then we will see the first official Mock Draft on Friday. This will also generate statistics for the 1939 season, so I will get to see how my three draftees play as well as where they rank.

Minor League Report
LHP Rusty Watts (AA Mobile Commodores): One of the guys I considered for the lefty option in the pen, 23-year-old Rusty Watts was instead sent to Mobile where he would work as a starting pitcher. The fireballer had a tough first start, but hasn't allowed an earned run in the last two. The most recent was a true gem, a Dick Smith single away from a perfect game. Watts struck out four and has now struck out 10 on the season. He's worked to a 1.96 ERA (232 ERA+) and 0.83 WHIP in 23 innings so far, and he's looking like I made a mistake. A flyballer, Watts has an overpowering high 90s fastball and unlike good ol' Peter, he can located his stuff. His slider and change aren't all that good, which will likely hold him bat from being a big league starter, but his fastball is enough to work wonders out of the pen. He's on the 40, so I expect a debut from him at some point his season, and new scout Tom Weinstock is a fan. He thinks Watts could work as a spot starter and his stuff and movement is good enough with his strong command. OSA thinks he's better suited for the pen, and does not place him in the top 500. Watts is a hard worker even though he's not the brightest, the former 13th Round pick has made great strides since he entered our organization and has done a good job earning a roster spot.

LF Billy Jordan Jr. (C La Crosse Lions): Like Rucker, who I wrote about last post, Billy Jordan Jr. is likely headed up to San Jose once the new draftees fill the system. He had a big week, including a 5-for-6 against the Dubuque Dukes as the Lions came up big in a 19-2 victory. Jordan upped his batting line to .460/.526/.740 (163 OPS+) on the season with 5 doubles, 3 homers, and 21 RBIs. A 13th Rounder in 1935, Billy seems like a longshot to join his dad in a Cougar uniform, but the 22-year-old and fellow 13th Rounder tends to hand out in the 400-500 prospect rank range. Born in Chicago, Jordan played high school ball out in California and profiles at best as a fourth outfielder. He's started to show better gap power as he's aged, but has always displayed plus contact ability. Defense, however, is not his strong suit, and has held him back thusfar. He's never really had consistent playing time, but with a few injuries in the upper levels, Jordan can start to prove if he deserves a full time shot. Last year was his first season with 400 or more plate appearances, and he's on a pace to come close to 500 this year. I never really had much expectation for him, but I love a hometown guy and that could be all he needs to make a quick cameo for his childhood team.

CF Jasper Wright (C La Crosse Lions): Jordan wasn't the only Lion with a five hit game, as Jasper Wright managed a 5-for-6 of his own in a 20-12 win over the Burlington Bears. Acquired from the Miners in the Roy Moore trade this Winter, Wright has looked good in the early goings. He's hitting .321/.419/.566 (105 OPS+) so far with a double, steal, 4 homers, and 13 RBIs. Wright isn't the hardest worker, but the former 20th Rounder has the potential to be a very valuable utility player. He projects as an excellent defender out in center, and he can fill in the infield if needed. He's not the best hitter, but he's very patient and has shown good power this year. His speed may be his best asset, and he's an excellent bunter and takes advantage of poor defense. He checks in at 23rd and 303rd in our organization, right behind Ron Sexton, who was traded along with him. Wright has a long way to go, but I think he'll have a future on a big league team, and could be very useful for an organization if he doesn't have too many hiccups on the road up.