[ayaghmour2]

11th Round, 168th Overall: LHP Art Ramsey
School: Cleveland
Commit School: Chesapeake State
1939: 5-1, 69 IP, 1.96 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 11 BB, 62 K
Career: 15-3, 226.2 IP, 2.30 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 60 BB, 203 K

Definitely a little unlucky here, as Tom's best available pitcher turned out to be the impossible to sign Art Ramsey. Ramsey isn't the first impossible Art we have drafted, and while he does have elite command, I'm not so sure he'll be worth signing. He wants more then $19,000, and while I could give him that, I don't think it will be worth it. I sent a $15,000 offer in, and I expect him to decline. The southpaw is probably best suited attending Chesapeake State, as it will give him time to add velo to his mid 80s fastball. His curveball should be his out pitch, but home runs right now are his true weakness. He does have a future in a big league rotation, but he has a lot of work and might not have the right mix of talent and drive to get there.

12th Round, 84th Overall: 3B Bill Mangrum
School: Stringtown
Commit School: Texas Presbyterian University
1939: .438/.509/.674, 108 PA, 12 2B, 3 3B, HR, 23 RBI, 18 SB
Career: .438/.509/.674, 108 PA, 12 2B, 3 3B, HR, 23 RBI, 18 SB

While not impossible, I will have to send a signing bonus to "Okie" Mangrum if I want to convince him to become a Cougar instead of attending Texas Presbyterian. Just a one year starter at Stringtown, Mangrum had a rather high OPS despite just a single homer in his 21 prep games. He is an above average defender at third while his offensive potential may be limited by his poor plate discipline. I'm not overly excited by him, but it would sting to have my first two AI picks not become Cougar farmhands. No bonus has been sent in yet, but I may double back later and convince the Tulsa native to forgo his commitment.

13th Round, 200th Overall: 3B Dick Carson
School: Carolina Poly
1939: .259/.324/.373, 251 PA, 12 2B, 3B, 4 HR, 42 RBI, 11 SB
Career: .266/.363/.428, 781 PA, 34 2B, 3 3B, 23 HR, 124 RBI, 37 SB

A guy I actually considered for my regional pick, and then smartly decided against, I put the Chicagoan as the first player on the Round 13 list, so technically this was not an AI pick. A three year starter at Carolina Poly, 1939 was easily his worst season, with a career low in all three triple slash marks and his first slugging below .400. Since hitting 11 homers as a freshman, he hasn't quite shown that power again, 8 last year before cutting that in half to 4 this year. Unlike the first two guys, he signed without a bonus, and may get a game or two down in La Crosse, before potentially working his way into a starting role. I'm hoping he can show power once again, but he has struggled getting the barrel on the ball. OSA thinks he's an excellent defender, and he does have the ability to play second and short as well. Definitely a longshot for being a useful farmhand, but I will always take a chance on a Chicago kid.

14th Round, 226th Overall: CF Ernie Martini
School: Darnell State
1939: .296/.333/.398, 246 PA, 9 2B, 7 3B, 43 RBI, 40 SB
Career: .305/.348/.421, 687 PA, 24 2B, 22 3B, 2 HR, 114 RBI, 111 SB

Another Chicagoan! Weinstock's first pick to sign, Martini was actually a guy I had scouted, but I stayed away due to his lack of power and limited upside. His best role is likely as a pinch runner, but the athletic Martini can fill in at second, short, left, and right as well. A light hitter who likely won't ever secure a starting role, Martini is a ground ball hitter who may end up with more infield then outfield singles, although he did show a tendency to triple in college. I won't cut him, he'll have a chance to fill in down in La Crosse, but this probably will be the last time you see Martini's name.

15th Round, 232nd Overall: LHP Otis Martin
School: Washington
1939: 6-5, 109 IP, 3.80 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, 67 BB, 65 K
Career: 29-12, 424 IP, 2.97 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 187 BB, 324 K

If he wasn't the only pitcher Tom drafted that signed, I might have cut the New Yorker Otis Martin on the spot. He somehow managed to have an ERA closer to 4 then 3 in high school, where some guys are able to put together seasons below 1.25. He also walked more guys then he struck out as a senior, is a flyball pitcher, and his future lies strictly in the bullpen. But, since I don't have too many young arms, the 6'4'' Martin will likely get a chance to eat an inning or two out of the pen. He does throw a high 80s fastball, but he has below average stuff, control, and movement. He may have one less letter in his last name then Ernie, but I doubt you'll see his name again either.

16th Round, 248th Overall: 2B Vince Conforti
School: Jackson
Commit School: University of New Jersey
1939: .526/.552/.746, 125 PA, 14 2B, 3B, 3 HR, 33 RBI, SB
Career: .517/.552/.732, 474 PA, 55 2B, 4 3B, 9 HR, 122 RBI, 8 SB

Starting an unintentional run of three impossible draftees, the tiny second basemen Vince Conforti could be worth convincing to join us. Weinstock isn't the biggest fan, but OSA thinks he could hit .330 and force his way into the lineup. He should be a decent second basemen as well, I think that might be his only position. But considering Conforti managed to hit .500 in all four of his seasons, even if twice it was just .500, there has to be some sort of talent there. I'm giving him $25,000, more then Skipper, Goff, Hufford, Harris, and Petty combined, but I'm not sure he'd accept the offer. If he doesn't sign, I think the New Yorker would be an interesting Regional Round signing, but Conforti, who always puts the ball in play, will likely not fall to the AI portion again.

17th Round, 264th Overall: SS Dave Gilbert
School: Lick-Wilmerding
Commit School: Texas Panhandle
1939: .383/.451/.486, 124 PA, 11 2B, 26 RBI, 6 SB
Career: .404/.475/.558, 367 PA, 33 2B, 3 3B, 3 HR, 72 RBI, 26 SB

Sometimes a player has an "Impossible" signing because they are really talented, other times it's because they're an interesting high school, but not quite good enough to be a first round pick, and other times it's just because the game needed a certain amount of impossible singings for the pool. I'll wager the latter when it comes to Gilbert. Hitting below .400 in high school is basically like having an ERA above 3, and Gilbert barely hit .400 for his career. Not only that, Tom gives a very thorough report of Gilbert; "Originally chosen 264th by the Chicago Cougars in 1939, Dave Gilbert is a 6-foot-0, 165-pound shortstop. Gilbert doesn't have the bat or glove to make it to the majors." Yeah, he's going to college...

18th Round, 280th Overall: CF Hack Mills
School: Portland Christian
Commit School: Eastern Oklahoma
1939: .457/.548/.724, 119 PA, 13 2B, 5 3B, HR, 28 RBI, 32 SB
Career: .436/.528/.735, 344 PA, 13 2B, 13 3B, 7 HR, 76 RBI, 98 SB

Hack did look best as a senior, his highest average and OBP, but his slugging was actually the lowest. He hit four homers as a sophomore and two as a junior, but just one as a senior. He has good speed and isn't a bad defender, but he's likely to end up in a corner. He has a good eye and upper level minor league hitting tools, but I think college should help him potentially turn into a better prospect.

19th Round, 296th Overall: C Hugh Elasser
School: Yonkers
1939: .407/.440/.602, 119 PA, 12 2B, 3 HR, 31 RBI, 5 SB
Career: .442/.466/.617, 502 PA, 59 2B, 3 3B, 5 HR, 120 RBI, 15 SB

Our first catcher! It was a tale of two careers for Elasser, who looked like a much different player his first two years as opposed to his second. Elasser hit .407 the past two seasons after hitting ,482 and .473, with OPS' of 1.171 and 1.126. The only good thing about his senior year was he hit a majority of his home runs, but he was still far less valuable as a senior. Not much love in the reports from him, declaring him to be fully "entrenched in bad habits at the plate" and doesn't credit his defense. But, at 18, he has a lot of room to grow, and you can never have too many extra catchers on hand. I have Skidmore and Rollins down in La Crosse currently, but with no obvious third catcher, he could get a little bit of time.

20th Round, 312th Overall: 2B Gordon Miller
School: Burlington
Commit School: Coastal State
1939: .427/.457/.598, 128 PA, 13 2B, 2 3B, HR, 32 RBI, 17 SB
Career: .438/.493/.619, 461 PA, 44 2B, 7 3B, 5 HR, 112 RBI, 62 SB

The last of the impossibles! A four year starter from Burlington, Miller turned into a doubles machine, 27 in his past two seasons. Unfortunately for Miller, but fortunate for Coastal State, he's not the most exciting prospect and I don't plan on making him a Cougar. He has good speed and is a defensive asset at second, but his bat isn't all that exciting. College should do him well, as he really wouldn't have a spot with us.

21st Round, 328th Overall: C Harry Dean
School: Eastern State
1939: .255/.354/.325, 316 PA, 11 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 35 RBI, 6 SB
Career: .260/.359/.336, 768 PA, 27 2B, 3B, 7 HR, 95 RBI, 13 SB

A new catcher named Harry, I doubt Dean will ever match Mead in talent or production, but he'll compete with Elasser for the scraps when Skidmore is on the bench. A tall, 6'3'' switch hitter, the 21-year-old in the 21st Round will start out in La Crosse, but I imagine he could back up in San Jose as well. Dean didn't have much success at the plate, but he has a good eye and potential upper level minor league talent. Especially at catcher, youngsters can develop into much better, and you can never have too many backup catchers.

22nd Round, 344th Overall: 1B Clem Coyle
School: Overbrook
1939: .404/.457/.561, 129 PA, 15 2B, HR, 27 RBI, 8 SB
Career: .404/.480/.648, 461 PA, 62 2B, 3B, 10 HR, 102 RBI, 19 SB

A no bat first basemen with absolutely no power? Count me in! Even better, he's a moody kid who lets the losses stick with him, so you can imagine why I cut him before he made a pro plate appearance.

23rd Round, 360th Overall: 2B Grover Taylor
School: Shenandoah Valley State
1939: .267/.353/.435, 12 2B, 5 3B, 7 HR, 48 RBI, 37 SB
Career (HS): 407/.500/.709, 232 PA, 27 2B, 9 3B, 4 HR, 46 RBI, 34 SB
Career (COL): .268/.355/.437, 747 PA, 29 2B, 14 3B, 18 HR, 110 RBI, 101 SB

I doubt any readers remember his name, but I sure do! Originally our 14th Round selection in 1936, I let him go to college instead of signing him, but it didn't quite work out for Taylor. He wasn't too great in college, but he did show a decent amount of pop, something that could develop into more. He has decent speed, but is a rather inpatient hitter who's hacking tendency will lead to lower averages and more strikeouts. I can't see him lasting too long, but he'll hang around for a bit as a somewhat useful bench piece.

24th Round, 376th Overall: 1B Buck Adams
School: Bayou State College
1939: .272/.329/.382, 251 PA, 10 2B, 5 HR, 41 RBI, 11 SB
Career: .274/.352/.394, 794 PA, 28 2B, 3B, 18 HR, 129 RBI, 26 SB

A first basemen with power, Buck Adams will actually get to stick around. A three year starter at Bayou State, he could probably fill in with San Jose as well, but he'll hang out in La Crosse to start. Tom doesn't think he has the bat or glove to make the big leagues, and I tend to agree with him. Right now he's just a filler piece, and considering how rarely 24th Rounders make the big leagues, I imagine we'll both be right when it is all said and done.

25th Round, 392nd Overall: CF Charlie Wells
School: Riverdale
1939: .421/.467/.579, 120 PA, 10 2B, 2 3B, HR, 25 RBI, 13 SB
Career: .411/.474/.634, 336 PA, 30 2B, 8 3B, 6 HR, 76 RBI, 45 SB

If he wasn't from Chicago, Wells would be joining Coyle in the free agent pool. Wells had a really weird career, as his average increased each season, while his OBP dropped and his slugging bounced up then back down. 4 homers in 1938 basically made that his best season, but his three years at Riverdale weren't very impressive. At 18, however, he has a lot of room to grow, but OSA and Weinstock only talk about how bad his tools are, not how good they could be. I expect nothing from Wells, but it would be a cool storyline if the local 25th Rounder goes from back of the roster scrub to World Series winner!

I have 49 of 50 roster spots filled at La Crosse at the moment, and a FA offer on a pitcher, but I will eventually have to knock it down to 35. A lot of these guys will likely end up cut this year or next, but you never know who could potentially emerge from this group. Milt Fritz himself was a 12th Rounder, and there have been a decent amount of talented players who were passed on in the first 10 rounds. That being said, Ramsey could develop into a decent starter and I'm a big fan of the Chicagoans Carson and Martini, but chances are most of these guys will not be mentioned much again.