DECEMBER 27, 1939
ELEVEN SELECTED IN RATHER UNEVENTFUL RULE FIVE DRAFT
It seemed like a rather pedestrian group of players were eligible for the Rule Five draft but a pair of teams - the Chicago Cougars and Philadelphia Sailors did elect to select three players each. Traditionally the Rule Five draft does not generate very much talent changing hands and the feeling around the league was this crop was even less skilled than most. Perhaps one or two of the players listed below may eventually have an impact on their new club but looking at the list it is hard to imagine even half of the them sticking in the major leagues this season. If they do not remain on the drafting team's big league roster the entire season they are returned to their original organization.
Here are the Rule Five selections:
ROUND ONE
CINCINNATI: Jesse Bowen P- Bowen is a 23 year old righthander who was originally selected by the Philadelphia Sailors in the 5th round of the 1934 draft. Last season he was 8-12 with a 4.47 era at AA and OSA says if he can add another quality pitch, he could work his way into the rotation.
WASHINGTON: Vic Hall CF- The 23 year old was selected from the New York Gothams organization after hitting .302 at AAA Toledo last season. An 8th round pick in 1934, Hall had spent some time in the top 100 prospects list but OSA now feels he is a below average centerfielder suitable for a reserve role.
SAILORS: Jack Hale P- Hale was 13-13 with a 5.11 era at AA Portland in the Cleveland Foresters system last year. He is two years older than Bowen, the pitcher the Sailors lost to Cincinnati but OSA feels he could perhaps make the back end of a big league rotation. Was originally a 2nd round pick of Washington in 1935 but was dealt to Cleveland in the trade that brought Mel Carrol to the Foresters.
COUGARS: Mickey Fulton 2B- The Cougars always seem to be quite active in the Rule Five and this year was no different with Fulton being the first of three selections for Chicago. A 1935 third round pick of Montreal, Fulton hit .293 split between AA and AAA in the Saints system last year but missed a month with an injury. Now 25, OSA says with enough injuries, Fulton might force his way into the line-up.
DETROIT: Jim Baker P - Detroit rounds out the first round by selecting the 21 year old righthander from the Pittsburgh Miners organization. Pittsburgh originally drafted him in 1936 (round 12) but released him in his rookie pro year. He bounced around in the Lone Star Association for a spell and was also signed briefly by Washington before being released and brought back to the Miners. He was originally a second baseman but converted to pitcher last season and went 6-7 with a 4.11 era between Class A & B. OSA says he is projected to be a pretty solid relief pitcher but hard to see how a pennant contender like the Dynamos would be willing to hide him on their big league roster all season.
ROUND TWO
CINCINNATI: Art Black P - The 30 year old righthander has enjoyed two very strong seasons as the anchor of the bullpen in AAA Milwaukee so the Cannons, in need of a pitching upgrade, decided to grab the 30 year old out of the Cougars organization. A minor league veteran with 252 games of AAA experience, Black has appeared in just 11 as a big leaguer, back in 1934 and 1935 with the Cougars. Chicago selected him way back in 1927 in the fifth round. OSA is not sold on his chances at the major league level, feeling he could have some real problems with lefthanded bats.
WASHINGTON: Bill Morris OF- Just as the Cannons went with two pitchers, the Eagles also doubled up selecting a pair of centerfielders. Morris is a 23 year old Buffalo native who was drafted by St Louis in 1934 in the 22nd round. He hit .292 between AA and AAA last season and OSA feels he is a utility player but does praise his defense and strong outfield arm.
SAILORS: Joe Scott OF - Like first round selection Jack Hale, Scott is 25 years old. He hit .237 for AAA Toledo in the Gothams system last year. OSA likes his bat and his hustle and thinks he deserves an audition as a rightfielder with the Sailors. Originally a 13th round pick out of Daniel Boone College in 1935.
COUGARS: Luke Conway P - The 23 year old Conway was a fourth round pick of Boston in 1924. Last season he was 8-16 with a 4.41 era pitching at the AA level in the Minutemen organization. OSA feels he is an emergency starter at best.
ROUND THREE
SAILORS: Lou McEwen 1B - At 32 McEwen is the oldest player selected in this year's rule five draft. He had a huge third of a season in AAA a year ago, batting .415 in Los Angeles in the New York Stars organization but was only ordinary at AA the rest of the year. Originally a Sailor as he was signed as an undrafted free agent in 1925 and played 143 games for the big league club in the early thirties. He also spent some time with the Stars in 1937 and 1938. He is a career .251 hitter with 9 homers in 334 FABL games. OSA feels he has the skills to be an acceptable big league starter.
COUGARS: Sam Barnes 2BThe Cougars took a pair of second basemen in their three picks with Barnes, a 23 year old from the Cannons organization, being the second one. He hit .301 with 7 homers at AA a year ago and OSA feels the 1934 9th round draft pick may make the big leagues as a backup.
WHO WILL PITCH IN NEW YORK?
Courtesy of the New York World Telegram
The short answer is, not the same guys as last year. As reported at the end of the season, GM Tom Ward's angry cry of "find me some damn pitchers" echoed down the hallways of the Gothams team offices. Well, the found some pitchers. Are they the right pitchers? We won't know that until 1940.
What we do know...Oscar Morse, his 4.42 ERA and his sour attitude will not be in New York. Nate Spear (6-0, 2.21) will top the rotation and try to prove his injury woes of 1939 are past him. Bob Adams (5-5 3.64), also injured this past season will join him. Gus Goulding (12-17 3.89 in Baltimore) will likely slot in at #1 or #2.
Then what...The final two rotation spots will be up for grabs. It's likely that highly touted prospect Bunny Edwards (6-10 5.57) will get a shot in spring training to prove he's ready for major league innings. Also in the mix will be recently acquired pitchers Harry Carter (13-8 3.12 for the Stars AAA affiliate), John Douglas (20-8 3.04, also in AAA for the Stars) and Doc Smith (11-4 3.60 at AA for the Cougars). I'm sure we will be seeing a bit of the usual suspects in the spring, Mule Earl, Charlie Sutton, Ernie Wise, Fred Ratcliffe and Sam Hodge.
With a steady lineup behind them, Gothams management feel there is enough to propel the team upwards in the FA standings. Only time will tell whether the right moves were made. Still Gothams Assistant General Manager George Rinkenberger says the club accomplished what it set out to do this offseason. "Bring in some decent pitching and add a bat with some pop, without dealing any of the core group we identified at the beginning of the offseason."
Here are the additions and deletions (not shown is Washington’s #1 which passed through) from a busy month for the Gothams. Lots of picks used as capital, but the club says they were very comfortable doing that.
BREAKDOWN OF GOTHAMS OFF-SEASON MOVES
ADDED
SP Gus Goulding - 26 years old, 12-17 last year in his fourth season with Baltimore.
SP Jim Miller - 26 years old ,went 4-5 last season with a 4.78 era in AAA with the Cougars organization.
SP Doc Smith - 25 year old was 11-4 3.60 in AA with the Cougars organization.
CF Hal Roberts - 26 year old hit .269 with 31 homers in 112 games for AAA Los Angeles in the Stars organization.
6th rd pick from Detroit
SP John Douglas - 28 year old was 20-8, 3.04 in AAA last season. 0-0, 5.40 in 4 career FABL appearances with Stars.
SP Harry Carter - 29 year old was 38-44 over 5 seasons with Stars but spent last year in AAA, compiling a 13-8 record.
TRADED AWAY
SP Jim Birdwell - 24 year was 3-11, 5.97 as a rookie with Gothams last year. Traded to Eagles.
SP Oscar Morse -36 year old veteran was 11-18, 4.42 for Gothams last season and is 144-135 for his career. Dealt to Detroit.
C Jack Flint - 30 year old hit .266 with 8 homers and 63 RBI's for Gothams last season. Dealt to Cincinnati Cannons.
P Dan Adams - 25 year old minor league was 8-17, 6.12 in AAA for Gothams organization last season. Dealt to Cincinnati Cannons.
1st rd pick
2nd rd pick
4th rd pick
5th rd pick
6th rd pick
6th rd pick (Pittsburgh)
8th rd pick
QUICK HITS
- The Cincinnati Cannons made another trade as the winter meetings came to an end and once more the player they acquired had a connection to Cannons manager and former Detroit skipper George Theobald. Cincinnati picked up veteran pitcher William Jones from the New York Stars. Jones was brought to New York at the trade deadline in a deal with the Dynamos but made just 7 starts with the Stars before a sore shoulder ended his season. It was a tough year all around for the 35 year old, who is 172-125 all-time and owns 3 World Championship Series rings counting the one he picked up with New York this past October. This season he pitched well in Detroit, posting a 3.56 era but going 3-10 and things did not go much better with the Stars after the deal, for whom he posted a 1-3 mark before his injury perhaps mercifully ended the worst season of his career prematurely. The price was cheap, the Cannons sending just a 7th round pick to the champs, but there is risk whether Jones can fully recover from the injury and he has been showing signs of breaking down as he missed significant time each of the past two years.
- Perhaps a bit of a surprise to see Federal Association rivals Pittsburgh and Boston partner up on a trade but the Miners needed to find a home for Elmer Lockwood, a sweet swinging 28 year old who just wasn't getting playing time in Pittsburgh so he was dispatched to Boston at the price of an 8th round draft pick.
The Week That Was
Current events from the week ending 12/27/1939
- 34 British air bombers were said to be shot down in a terrific air battle off the north German coast, considered the largest of the war so far.
- Paris reports the Nazis violated an undeclared truce on the western front Christmas day by engaging in patrol operations which resulted in a small scale battle.
- Finland is claiming a major victory in a battle with Red Army troops as she continues to attempt to slow Russian advances. Reports indicate more than 30,000 Russians have died in trying to take Artic Finland as the snow and cold have played havoc with Russian supply lines and troop movement.
- Struggling in attempts to advance on the ground, Russia has put more of an emphasis on bombing runs and found great success.
- Helsinki is also dealing with a typhus plague and President Roosevelt has sent two US Public Health Services experts to Finland to help in prevention and treatment.
- 42,000 reported dead or injured after a major earthquake strikes Turkey. A smaller quake was also felt in Los Angeles on the same day.
- Amateur German Canadian boxer Ernie Haas admits guilt in murder of the secretary to the German Consul General in New York after being arrested in Toronto. He is said to have acted alone and not part of any greater conspiracy.
- Franklin Roosevelt Jr, son of the President, and his wife were injured in an automobile accident while driving to Washington from a party in northern Virginia. Neither's injuries were considered life threatening.