[ayaghmour2]

LHP Jonnie Jones (15th Overall)
Acquired: Via Trade with Washington (1939)
Drafted: 1st Round, 4th Overall (1936)
Alma Mater: St. Paul Golden Bears

Taken two picks before former #1 Overall Prospect and current Cougar Pete Papenfus, I considered trading up and adding a top 5 pick to secure Jones, dreaming of a rotation containing Peter the Heater and the Patron Saint of Groundballs. It can now be a reality, as I moved former Cougar top prospect Chubby Hall to the Eagles at the Deadline with Lee Scott to pick up the lanky 21-year-old southpaw. It's been a whirlwind of a career for the highly touted prospect, traded twice in less then a year, I'm hoping to bring some stability to the youngster. I may or may not be working on an acquisition that could make him happy as well, but I know I'll have to take it slow with him. Excluding the 26 appearances with just 16 starts in his first pro season and a 17 game relief stint in 1938 with the Stars organization, he has put together many below average seasons in terms of ERA+. I have no worries about the past, Weinstock thinks he has higher upside then even the 4-Time Allen Winner Jim Lonardo, as well as every other non-Peter the Heater pitcher in our system. This year he made 30 starts between Atlanta and Mobile, finishing just 12-15 with a 5.61 ERA (83 ERA+), 1.74 WHIP, 107 walks, and 74 strikeouts in 215 innings pitched. Definitely not what you expect from an ace, but he did add more velocity to his excellent sinker, sitting in the 91-93 range. It's his go to for a double play, and when his money pitch is on, he can make up for walks and rack up the strikeouts. He has everything you look for in a frontline starter, excellent stuff, top notch movement to keep the ball in the park, and a very durable arm. His ceiling is sky high, but I don't think we'll see Jones in the big leagues next season, and as a high school draftee, we still have two more seasons before he has to be added to a 40-man roster. And while even though no prospects are sure things, I really think I have a generational talent in Jones, and a 1-2 of him and Papenfus could be one of the best of All-Time. Just maybe not quite yet...

C Solly Skidmore (30th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 12th Overall (1938)
Alma Mater: Monroe Hurricanes

I am very glad the lottery system is now gone, as we seemed to get everyone we didn't want from the pods. Luckily, one of the picks was salvaged, and while I would have much rather had Johnnie's better Donnie, Skidmore was actually a guy I would spend a first round pick on, and I would have had my eye on him in a regular draft. We lucked out, chances are he would not have slid to 12, and we were able to add an elite catching prospect to give Harry Mead and Mike Taylor motivation to succeed in the majors. It kind of worked, both were almost average hitters and strong defenders, and despite an injury, Skidmore looked good this season. He's not the greatest defender yet, he came without a positional rating and he threw out less then 30% of baserunners this season, but he has shown a lot of improvement behind the plate and both Tom and OSA think he'll be at least an average backstop defensively. He's young, just 19, but his bat is well above average, and his tools are very exciting at the plate. He should be able to maintain averages above .300 once he's fully developed, and his eye is top notch as well. He's one of those guys who could draw more walks then he strikes out, and he showed a decent amount of pop in his 395 PA's with the Lions. Offense was up, so his .342/.419/.484 (109 OPS+) line was just a little above average, but considering he doesn't turn 20 until next May, it's very encouraging. I also liked the 11 homers, as if he can continue to be a double digit power hitter, his offensive game will have no weakness. Skidmore's athleticism also works in his favor, hopefully allowing him to stay in shape longer then the average catcher, but he did have a pair of injuries this season and it is not a trend I would like to see continue. Mead is still developing, I don't think he's a finished product yet, but I do think Solly has much more upside then him and Taylor. I'm definitely comfortable waiting 4 or 5 seasons if I need to for him to reach his potential, but I'm sure he'll be knocking on the door much sooner then that.

SS Skipper Schneider (36th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 7th Overall (1939)
Alma Mater: Northwestern Colts

Despite just being 18 on draft day, the recently turned 19-year-old Skipper Schneider is already a big league quality shortstop. We do have Billy Hunter, who is much further along, but I did something I don't think I've ever done; debuted a teen in AA. He did get hurt almost a week in, a slight setback, but that didn't stop the versatile Schneider from starting his pro career red hot. He hit .349/.387/.409 (134 OPS+) with 14 doubles, 4 triples, 2 homers, 3 steals, and 31 RBIs in just shy of 200 PAs. The real masterpiece was his work in the field, an elite 18.8 zone rating and 1.140 efficiency in his first 370.2 innings out at short. An absolute marvelous defender, even though he'll be an elite shortstop, he has played a lot at third, second, left, and right in high school. I'm sure he could handle center as well, and even as early as next season I could work him into a Tip Harrison role in the big leagues. An outstanding young defender with a healthy bat and tremendous upside can make the difference down the line, and with his ability to play multiple positions, I don't really need to take anyone out of the lineup. Hunter and Jones aren't going anywhere any time soon, but ensuring they didn't start seven games in a week kept them healthy nearly all season, and I don't think a soon-to-be 37-year-old in John Lawson would mind a day off. Plus as a lefty, he can help Hunter and Jones with tough righties, and same goes for right fielder Rich Langton. I think Skipper will start next season in Mobile, but I'd be surprised if he stays down there very long. The tiny Detroit native already can handle most fastballs, and while he's still working on hitting the off-speed stuff, most 19-year-old would have no luck against guys in their early-to-mid 20s, while Skipper managed to dominate. Skipper will be a productive piece on any team looking to compete, and instead of struggling to find a position for him, it will a struggle to keep him off the field.

SS Hal Wood (38th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 8th Overall (1935)
Alma Mater: Smithfield College Bulldogs

An oft-mentioned name in trade talks, one thing is for sure; Hal Wood will be on a 40-man roster come January. Whether that is ours is yet to be determined, but the 25-year-old is more then ready to compete for a major league role. Wood joined our system in 1935, after I made numerous draft day trades as I held the fifth pick in a draft where I really liked four players, and had to watch all four of them (Rufus Barrell, Red Johnson, George Garrison, Mack Sutton) get selected before I could make a pick. All four have debuted, and despite the occasional struggles from the non-Red Johnson draftees, they all look like organizational building blocks. Wood isn't one of those by any means, but he's a captain on the field and he makes his team better. In each of his 50+ game stints, he's been an above average hitter and defender at short. I started giving him a little time at second and third, and while it shockingly didn't go well, I know he'll be able to master either of those positions. He is an above average fielder, but his range is probably more Billy Hunter then Freddie Bennett. He does have a strong hit tool at the plate, likely hitting for a high average, while also displaying a keen eye and patience. I can't ever see him hitting for much power, but he does have good speed and has 24 triples in the past two seasons. His steals fell off greatly, 40 last year to just 5 this season, but he's a very athletic player. If he remains a Cougar, I think he might be able to earn a roster spot, as we could use his leadership off the bench. He is a little underdeveloped, both Skipper and Freddie Bennett are currently better shortstops, but I don't think either has the upside of Wood. His age may work against him reaching his lofty potential, but I have a feeling he'll be a productive regular and make a few trips to the All-Star game.

RHP/CF Juan Pomales (45th Overall)
Acquired: Via Trade with Detroit (1937)
Alma Mater: St. Francis Bobcats

I surprised myself today! For the first time since I acquired him from the Dynamos, I actually considered trading Juan Pomales. Sure, it's just in one very specific trade, but the fact that I even considered it is really something. It's hard to find a weakness in "El Conejo", who will celebrate his 25th birthdays tomorrow. I do expect him to remain a Cougar, and I think Pomales could force himself on the big league roster next season. Being able to pitch and play plus defense in all three outfield positions gives him a ton of value, and it would allow me to be very creative with my roster configuration. Pomales has excelled all expectations so far, being an above average hitter, pitcher, and fielder in three consecutive seasons, with each season coming at a higher level. It would fit pattern for him to spend all of next season in Chicago, but I am on the hunt for an impact bat in the outfield. Pomales isn't one yet, but he has tremendous speed and Weinstock thinks he can hit .350 in the big leagues, potentially challenging for a few batting titles with Leo Mitchell. He's a great base runner and profiles as the prototypical leadoff man, and if he played a few more games, he may have reached double digit homers for the first time in his minor league career. I thought he was more raw on the mound, as his pitches aren't all that great, but his movement and command really carry him now. I'm disappointed his fastball and sinker sit in the mid 80s, but he was an impressive 15-6 with a 3.84 ERA (131 ERA+), 1.27 WHIP, 38 walks, and 99 strikeouts while being worth nearly five wins above replacement. The 5.2 K/9 ratio was a huge jump from the past two seasons, as his curveball was really working this year. His command is borderline elite, which as Dick Lyons knows, can make up for being a soft tosser, and Pomales dominates the bottom of the strike zone. It's hard to find a flaw in the Havana native, but you could say his stuff may never be more then average. Still, Pomales is arguably the most interesting player in the file, and while he's no Shohei Ohtani, Pomales can put up some crazy high WAR numbers of his own (7.9 WAR in 122 games). If he does end up in Chicago next season, I can see him getting four or five starts a week, as he can take a start from Mitchell, one or two from Montes and Langton, and perhaps another in left to use Mitchell to relieve Ford. I can't see him starting many games, as I'd prefer those extra starts going to Lonardo, Lyons, and Parker instead of an adjusted six man, but he's perfect for double headers and we can have an extra pen arm when he's on the bench.