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reds1 · 12-06-2021, 03:15 AM

December 1, 1955

Eastern League: Barons Battle Back as Wellington Wearies

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Offense: .246/.331/.372 (6th/3rd/7th)
Pitching: 3.33/3.37/3.18 (2nd/2nd/3rd)
Defense: .717 (3rd)

The Stratford Barons have started off the season as the most consistent team in the East and have established themselves as once again the team to beat. Overall, offense is down a bit throughout the United Leagues compared to last season and this is reflected in the Barons’ lineup. Still, it has done enough to keep the defending United Cup Champions at the top of the heap.

36-year old C Aaron Skidmore (.300/.458/.545, 8 HR, 21 RBI, 33 BB, 2.1 WAR) is not showing signs of slowing down yet. He remains the top-ranked catcher in the ULB. 27-year old 2B Matthew Channing (.294/.356/.467, 6 HR, 32 RBI, 18 BB, 4 SB, 1.7 WAR) and 27-year old RF Andy Faulkner (.250/.384/.409, 7 HR, 21 RBI, 23 BB, 1.7 WAR) are providing able support.

The pitching is currently the team’s strength. No. 1 starter, 27-year old LHP Robin Wadsworth (7-3, 1.51 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 254 ERA+) is off to tremendous start, while second-year closer, 21-year old RHP Frank Greggs (2-1, 8 SV, 1.99 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 192 ERA+) anchors a strong bullpen.

Player of the Week Awards:

November 7 – 2B Matthew Channing (.478, 11 H, 1 HR, 8 RBI)

Noteworthy:

November 5 – It was a Saturday massacre in Stratford, as the Barons obliterated the Embro Suns 16-0 on 18 hits. The Suns just could not get anything going against 29-year old RHP Magtanggol Jaojoco (6-6, 4.10 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 93 ERA+), who pitched a 1-hit complete game shut out (2 BB, 5 K, GS: 88). Jaojoco carried a no-hitter into the 6th inning where LF Jesús Abreu broke it up with a 1-out double.

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Offense: .258/.330/.368 (3rd/4th/8th)
Pitching: 3.22/3.22/3.20 (1st/1st/4th)
Defense: .735 (1st)

The Wellington Athletics’ start in October was nearly the exact opposite of last year, when they stumbled out to a 4-23 start. And as projected, the pitching is leading the way, as the staff leads the East in six pitching categories after the first two months. But they stumbled against Western League teams in November. Thus, it remains to be seen whether their turnaround is for real.

Like the Stratford Barons, the offense has not as been strong as the pitching staff. Still, 30-year old RF Jim Mars (.346/.425/.492, 4 HR, 32 RBI, 26 BB, 2.4 WAR) has been outstanding and is off to his best start in four years, while 28-year old LF Matthew Floyd (.286/.393/.459, 8 HR, 35 RBI, 33 BB, 8 SB, 2.2 WAR) continues to progress after he broke a bone in his elbow two seasons ago.

Pre-season projections can be fickle, but they appear to have gotten it right with 27-year old RHP Vinnie Snell (5-3, 3.16 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 119 ERA+) and 30-year old RHP Troy Conlin (5-2, 3.14 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 120 REA+). Both got off to hot starts in October, although they cooled off a bit in November. Again, we’ll have to see how they fare the rest of way to see if they’re the real deal. Second-year starter, 24-year old RHP Mike Murray (5-4, 3.42 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 110 ERA+), got off to a promising start as well, before he was laid low with an injury. Also worthy of note is the play of 33-year old stopper, RHP Finley Capstick (3-2, 9 SV, 0.78 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 481 ERA+), who appears to have shaken off his previous two sub-par seasons.

Noteworthy:

October 8 – The Athletics took the first two games of a three-game set from the Stratford Barons. Game 2 was a lop-sided affair as Wellington thumped the Barons 12-1. RHP Vinnie Snell went the distance, limiting the Stratford batters to 4 hits on 7 strikeouts. 26-year old back-up catcher Doug Bowman (.356/.367/.441, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 1 BB, 0.6 WAR) made the most of hit start, going 5 for 5 with 2 R and 1 RBI. Bowman belted out 4 singles and a solo shot in the 8th inning that capped the Athletics scoring on the day.

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Offense: .270/.336/.398 (1st/1st/3rd)
Pitching: 4.19/4.20/4.15 (5th/4th/7th)
Defense: .709 (4th)

The Queensland Eagles are attempting to build upon their 78-76 season last year and try to end their 8-year playoff drought. The initial two months are promising, as the offense has been a strength after having been a weakness for so many seasons. Ironically, the pitching staff, once one of the most dominant in the United Leagues, got off to a slow start.

Six-year veteran, 29-year old LF Rod Dennis (.263/.341/.459, 9 HR, 35 RBI, 23 BB, 1.5 WAR) is enjoying a solid start, the best of his 4-year career. Two rookies have made the lineup attempting to establish themselves. 26-year old C Robbie Leivers (.278/.342/.414, 5 HR, 27 RBI, 16 BB, 1.3 WAR) and last year’s Eastern League Rookie of the Year, 22-year old RF Hal Dhu (.276/.347/.481, 8 HR, 31 RBi, 18 BB, 8 SB, 1.3 WAR) continue to progress. However, Queensland appears to be grappling with how to utilize both 23-year old SS Noel Eissens (.147/.143/.176, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 0 BB, -0.3 WAR) and SS Apia Yarrah (.321/.367/.472, 6 HR, 29 RBI, 12 BB, 9 SB, 1.0 WAR). Right now, they are starting Eissens, which makes absolutely no sense.

On the flip side, 30-year old RHP Logan Belsey (6-3, 3.64 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 104 ERA+) got off to a slow start in October, while 28-year old RHP Stiofan Micklethwait (6-1, 3.80 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 99 ERA+) cooled off a little in November after a hot start. But both should be just fine leading the way. 23-year old RHP Wayne O’Reilly (4-4, 3.30 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 115 ERA+), Queensland’s No. 4 starter, has been very consistent so far in his second full season.

Player of the Week Awards:

October 31 – SS Apia Yarrah (.391, 9 H, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 7 R)

Noteworthy:

October 20 – The Braeland City Monarchs headed into Queensland and received a rude welcome, as the Eagles won the first two games of their 3-game series with back-to-back shutouts. In the first game, RHP Stiofan Micklethwait surrendered only two hits, walking two and striking out four (GS: 85). The next day, 31-year old RHP Tyler Gissing (4-5, 5.17 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 73 ERA+) picked up his first win of the season with a 10-0 shellacking of the Monarchs. He gave up just 4 hits (1 BB, 2 K, GS: 80).

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Offense: .268/.326/.431 (2nd/5th/1st)
Pitching: 4.19/4.34/3.80 (5th/5th/6th)
Defense: .704 (6th)

The Braeland City Monarchs are hanging around the .500 mark to start the season but if their pitching staff can find more consistency, they may be able to challenge for a playoff spot. The Monarchs currently have the deepest farm system with some tantalizing pitching prospects still developing. But they may not be developing fast enough for Braeland City to take advantage of while they have one of the best players in the ULB currently in his prime. 19-year old LHP Charlie Honeysett (20/80 – 2nd round pick of 1953-54) and 22-year old LHP Johnny Hunter (30/71 – 8th overall pick of 1952-53) are still in Double-A, while 23-year old RHP Clive Clarke (38/63 – 2nd round pick in 1954-55) is in Triple-A. They all portend to form an incredible three-fifths of a rotation one day, as all are rated as future No. 1 starters.

The offense is impressive to start the season, with 30-year old 2B Patrick Lidgate (.325/.413/.629, 12 HR, 32 RBI, 25 BB, 3.2 WAR) returning to his Babe Ruth Award winning level from two seasons ago, at least in the early going. But both 31-year old 1B Dean Witherden (.332/.415/.576, 12 HR, 27 RBI, 24 BB, 2.5 WAR) and 25-year old RF Aidan Trembath (.316/.361/.500, 10 HR, 35 RBI, 17 BB, 1.3 WAR) are off to hot starts as well. Also, 26-year old CF Hayden Goodale (.244/.315/.528, 13 HR, 33 RBI, 20 BB, 1.3 WAR) continues to rake, just as he did last season when led the United Leagues with 36 HR. But the Monarchs also have 5th overall pick, 20-year old CF Bernard Burkitt (41/70), on the major league roster. That may force Goodale to a corner outfield spot, as Burkitt is strong at CF (65), but weak at the other spots (20).

The pitching has been another matter, however, with the majority struggling to begin the season. But No. 1 starter 29-year old LHP Larry Kovnats (3-2, 3.67 ERA, 1.68 WHIP, 105 ERA+) has improved in recent outings and No. 4 starter, 29-year old Danilo Narvaez (5-0, 2.16 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 179 ERA+), after 5 mediocre seasons, has been outstanding so far this year.

Player of the Week Awards:

October 10 – 1B Dean Witherden (.542, 13 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 6 R)
October 17 – RF Aidan Trembath (.444, 12 H, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 6 R)
November 21 – 2B Patrick Lidgate (.423, 11 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI)
November 28 – 2B Patrick Lidgate (.476, 10 H, 2 HR, 4 RBI)

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Offense: .235/.303/.387 (8th/8th/5th)
Pitching: 3.55/4.05/1.99 (3rd/3rd/1st)
Defense: .723 (2nd)

The Downie Chiefs were projected to be firmly entrenched in the second division this season and their first two months are certainly bearing that prediction out. The Chiefs have some young talent in the pipeline, but they’re either still too far away to help in the short term or can only play a position currently occupied by an established superstar. Case in point: Downie has a wonderful young player in 24-year old CF Ben Darvell (53/68) who is ready to start, but he is blocked by one of the best in 27-year old CF Alfonso León (.321/.396/.497, 6 HR, 17 RBI, 23 BB, 4 SB, 2.7 WAR), who is enjoying one of best starts. So it goes for some of these hard luck teams.

Besides León, only 29-year old 2B Dominic Dudding (.277/.328/.505, 11 HR, 37 RBI, 15 BB, 1.6 WAR) is providing any kind of offensive production.

The pitching is not much better, with 24-year old RHP Stefan Rankin (6-3, 3.64 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 103 ERA+) leading an underwhelming pitching staff.

Noteworthy:

November 16 – The Chiefs went into Balmoral and swept a 3-game set from the Giants at Foster Field. Game 3 saw 27-year old RHP Kent Dundon (5-4, 3.76 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 100 ERA+) pitch a 2-hit shut-out to lead the Chiefs to a 4-0 victory. Dundon kept the Giants off the bases until the 5th inning, when he surrendered a lead-off double to 1B Erik Perry. Dundon struck out 3 and gave up no walks (GS: 86).

November 18 – After a travel day, the Chiefs went into Sherburn and took 2 of 3 from the Tigers. In the first game, 32-year old LHP Hank Bennett (3-6, 4.45 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 84 ERA+) pitched Downie’s second consecutive shut-out, blanking the Tigers 1-0 on 2-hits. Bennett struck out two and walked three (GS: 82).

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Offense: .251/.322/.376 (5th/6th/6th)
Pitching: 4.03/4.86/2.14 (4th/8th/2nd)
Defense: .676 (8th)

Things appeared to be looking up for the Embro Suns. They went the distance against the eventual United Cup champions Stratford Barons in last season’s Eastern League Pennant Series and were red hot in Spring Training. But a disastrous November has seen them tumble down the standings and there is plenty of blame to go around.

A once dynamic offense has been a major disappointment with last year’s babe Ruth Award winner, 27-year old 3B Moromao Nakagawa (.264/.375/.503, 10 HR, 40 RBI, 35 BB, 1.7 WAR) leading the way in regressing in November. 25-year old SS Kieron Bradridge (.295/.357/.429, 7 HR, 32 RBI, 19 BB, 2.2 WAR) was sensational in October, but he too fell off a cliff the following month.

The pitching staff does not offer much to write home about either. 25-year old RHP Bob Nord (5-3, 4.21 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 91 ERA+) has had his moments, but he is not the pitcher he was two seasons ago when he was selected to his first all-star game. But 25-year old reliever RHP Phil McKelvey (5-0, 3 SV, 0.98 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 390 ERA+) has been a standout thus far.

Player of the Week Awards:

October 24 – SS Kieron Bradridge (.481, 13 H, 2 HR, 8 RBI)

Noteworthy:

October 18 – Down 8-4 against the Cobourg Redlegs, the Suns scored 4 runs in the top of the 9th to send the game into extras, where the Redlegs ultimately prevailed 9-8 in 11 innings. But they had to overcome 25-year old SS Kieron Bradridge, who went 5 for 6 on the day. Bradridge was on fire, hitting a single in the 1st, a double in the 3rd and a 3-run home run in the 5th. After flying out in the 6th, he hit another 3-run home in the 9th to pull Embro to within one run. After 27-year old Moromao Nakagawa tied the game up two batters later with a solo shot, Bradrige singled for this 5th hit in the top of the 11th. Alas, it wasn’t enough as the Redlegs drove in the winning in the bottom half.

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Offense: .254/.335/.401 (4th/2nd/2nd)
Pitching: 4.26/4.51/3.24 (7th/7th/5th)
Defense: .706 (5th)

The Brunswick Legends are another team beset by a largely motley crew of mediocre players with few impact players in their farm system to turn things around in the short term.

27-year old C Robert Kersey (.321/.393/.649, 11 HR, 41 RBI, 16 BB, 2.2 WAR) remains one of the top players in the United Leagues, but he has little support around him, other than 25-year old RF Jay Mitchell (.269/.385/.515, 9 HR, 30 RBI, 33 BB, 1.8 WAR) who appears to be coming into his own in his third major league season. 27-year old 1B Francis Jones (.266/.357/.524, 9 HR, 21 RBI, 18 BB, 2 SB, 1.4 WAR) is having a fine season, but he is being challenged by the one prospect Brunswick has on their roster – 24-year old IF/OF Edilberto Mandac (.262/.306/.455, 3 HR, 16 RBI, 9 BB, 2 SB, 0.3 WAR – 45/54). Currently, he is getting starts at first base against LH pitching. Meanwhile, future hall of famer, 39-year old 1B Stuart Bentham (38/38), has become an afterthought.

The pitching seems to be an afterthought as well. But 28-year old RHP Mhelter Pilapil (5-4, 3.36 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 115 ERA+) pitched well in November (3-1, 1.89 ERA), while 30-year old RHP Byron Ollson (1-1, 1 SV, 3.09 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 125 ERA+) has been a serviceable reliever over 23.1 innings this season.

Player of the Week Awards:

November 14 – C Robert Kersey (.500, 11 H, 3 HR, 10 RBI)

Noteworthy:

October 15 – The Stratford Barons were victimized by another back-up catcher when 26-year old Owen Besent (.302/.345/.340, 2-2B, 8 RBI, 4 BB, 0.1 WAR) led the charge for the Legends in their 11-8 victory in Stratford. Besent went 5 for 5, with four singles and a double, collecting 4 RBI and a run on the day. The Legends ultimately took 3 of 4 games from the defending United Cup Champions right in Stratford.

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Offense: .242/.310/.390 (7th/7th/4th)
Pitching: 4.48/4.37/4.82 (8th/6th/8th)
Defense: .685 (7th)

The Cobourg Redlegs remain perhaps the most frustrating team to watch, as they just cannot get any consistency going, despite their present stock of talent on the roster. Right now, they are struggling in all facets of the game. But that could soon change, as a number of their top prospects are on the major league roster. And the team now has some leadership, so there is no feuding going on despite the losing. Progress!

In the rotation, the Redlegs have rookie RHP Albert Johnson (4-6, 5.19 ERA, 1.77 WHIP, 74 ERA+ - 47/80). The 21-year old former 9th overall pick is pitching from the No. 3 spot but could be the ace soon if he continues to progress. Cobourg also has 23-year old IF/OF Luigi Purss (44/63), 23-year old IF Harold Prudom (43/54) and 25-year old LF Harrison Covey (.240/.352/.335, 3 HR, 22 RBI, 30 BB, 0.6 WAR – 47/52) who has already cracked the lineup and won Rookie of the Month honours in October. If any or all of these promising youngsters can develop, then the Redlegs may finally gain some traction in the standings.

Certainly, the likes of 29-year old CF Raymond Williams (.299/.377/.609, 13 HR, 37 RBI, 21 BB, 7 SB, 2.6 WAR), 33-year old 3B Alexander Tolmie (.306/.383/.491, 8 HR, 35 RBI, 22 BB, 2.0 WAR) and 27-year old LHP Bill Budd (4-5, 3.09 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 124 ERA+) deserve the support.

Lead off hitter, 24-year old SS Douglas Jones (.260/.327/.520, 4 HR, 7 RBI, 4 BB, 0.7 WAR) missed nearly 7 weeks due to a fractured hand suffered in early October, but he should be a major contributor as well, if he can stay healthy.

Noteworthy:

November 27 – 34-year old utility IF John Medley (.250/.297/.342, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 8 BB, -0.8 WAR) doesn’t get the starts he did in year’s past, but he started at first base against the Pelicans in Kingston. Although Kingston pulled out a walk-off 4-3 win, Medley went 2 for 4 on the afternoon, which included his 2000th career hit. It came on his second hit of the game, a line-drive single into rightfield off LHP Rob Hutchence in the 6th inning.

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12-06-2021, 03:15 AM	#724
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,919	December 1, 1955 Eastern League: Barons Battle Back as Wellington Wearies -------- Offense: .246/.331/.372 (6th/3rd/7th) Pitching: 3.33/3.37/3.18 (2nd/2nd/3rd) Defense: .717 (3rd) The Stratford Barons have started off the season as the most consistent team in the East and have established themselves as once again the team to beat. Overall, offense is down a bit throughout the United Leagues compared to last season and this is reflected in the Barons’ lineup. Still, it has done enough to keep the defending United Cup Champions at the top of the heap. 36-year old C Aaron Skidmore (.300/.458/.545, 8 HR, 21 RBI, 33 BB, 2.1 WAR) is not showing signs of slowing down yet. He remains the top-ranked catcher in the ULB. 27-year old 2B Matthew Channing (.294/.356/.467, 6 HR, 32 RBI, 18 BB, 4 SB, 1.7 WAR) and 27-year old RF Andy Faulkner (.250/.384/.409, 7 HR, 21 RBI, 23 BB, 1.7 WAR) are providing able support. The pitching is currently the team’s strength. No. 1 starter, 27-year old LHP Robin Wadsworth (7-3, 1.51 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 254 ERA+) is off to tremendous start, while second-year closer, 21-year old RHP Frank Greggs (2-1, 8 SV, 1.99 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 192 ERA+) anchors a strong bullpen. Player of the Week Awards: November 7 – 2B Matthew Channing (.478, 11 H, 1 HR, 8 RBI) Noteworthy: November 5 – It was a Saturday massacre in Stratford, as the Barons obliterated the Embro Suns 16-0 on 18 hits. The Suns just could not get anything going against 29-year old RHP Magtanggol Jaojoco (6-6, 4.10 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 93 ERA+), who pitched a 1-hit complete game shut out (2 BB, 5 K, GS: 88). Jaojoco carried a no-hitter into the 6th inning where LF Jesús Abreu broke it up with a 1-out double. -------- Offense: .258/.330/.368 (3rd/4th/8th) Pitching: 3.22/3.22/3.20 (1st/1st/4th) Defense: .735 (1st) The Wellington Athletics’ start in October was nearly the exact opposite of last year, when they stumbled out to a 4-23 start. And as projected, the pitching is leading the way, as the staff leads the East in six pitching categories after the first two months. But they stumbled against Western League teams in November. Thus, it remains to be seen whether their turnaround is for real. Like the Stratford Barons, the offense has not as been strong as the pitching staff. Still, 30-year old RF Jim Mars (.346/.425/.492, 4 HR, 32 RBI, 26 BB, 2.4 WAR) has been outstanding and is off to his best start in four years, while 28-year old LF Matthew Floyd (.286/.393/.459, 8 HR, 35 RBI, 33 BB, 8 SB, 2.2 WAR) continues to progress after he broke a bone in his elbow two seasons ago. Pre-season projections can be fickle, but they appear to have gotten it right with 27-year old RHP Vinnie Snell (5-3, 3.16 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 119 ERA+) and 30-year old RHP Troy Conlin (5-2, 3.14 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 120 REA+). Both got off to hot starts in October, although they cooled off a bit in November. Again, we’ll have to see how they fare the rest of way to see if they’re the real deal. Second-year starter, 24-year old RHP Mike Murray (5-4, 3.42 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 110 ERA+), got off to a promising start as well, before he was laid low with an injury. Also worthy of note is the play of 33-year old stopper, RHP Finley Capstick (3-2, 9 SV, 0.78 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 481 ERA+), who appears to have shaken off his previous two sub-par seasons. Noteworthy: October 8 – The Athletics took the first two games of a three-game set from the Stratford Barons. Game 2 was a lop-sided affair as Wellington thumped the Barons 12-1. RHP Vinnie Snell went the distance, limiting the Stratford batters to 4 hits on 7 strikeouts. 26-year old back-up catcher Doug Bowman (.356/.367/.441, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 1 BB, 0.6 WAR) made the most of hit start, going 5 for 5 with 2 R and 1 RBI. Bowman belted out 4 singles and a solo shot in the 8th inning that capped the Athletics scoring on the day. -------- Offense: .270/.336/.398 (1st/1st/3rd) Pitching: 4.19/4.20/4.15 (5th/4th/7th) Defense: .709 (4th) The Queensland Eagles are attempting to build upon their 78-76 season last year and try to end their 8-year playoff drought. The initial two months are promising, as the offense has been a strength after having been a weakness for so many seasons. Ironically, the pitching staff, once one of the most dominant in the United Leagues, got off to a slow start. Six-year veteran, 29-year old LF Rod Dennis (.263/.341/.459, 9 HR, 35 RBI, 23 BB, 1.5 WAR) is enjoying a solid start, the best of his 4-year career. Two rookies have made the lineup attempting to establish themselves. 26-year old C Robbie Leivers (.278/.342/.414, 5 HR, 27 RBI, 16 BB, 1.3 WAR) and last year’s Eastern League Rookie of the Year, 22-year old RF Hal Dhu (.276/.347/.481, 8 HR, 31 RBi, 18 BB, 8 SB, 1.3 WAR) continue to progress. However, Queensland appears to be grappling with how to utilize both 23-year old SS Noel Eissens (.147/.143/.176, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 0 BB, -0.3 WAR) and SS Apia Yarrah (.321/.367/.472, 6 HR, 29 RBI, 12 BB, 9 SB, 1.0 WAR). Right now, they are starting Eissens, which makes absolutely no sense. On the flip side, 30-year old RHP Logan Belsey (6-3, 3.64 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 104 ERA+) got off to a slow start in October, while 28-year old RHP Stiofan Micklethwait (6-1, 3.80 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 99 ERA+) cooled off a little in November after a hot start. But both should be just fine leading the way. 23-year old RHP Wayne O’Reilly (4-4, 3.30 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 115 ERA+), Queensland’s No. 4 starter, has been very consistent so far in his second full season. Player of the Week Awards: October 31 – SS Apia Yarrah (.391, 9 H, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 7 R) Noteworthy: October 20 – The Braeland City Monarchs headed into Queensland and received a rude welcome, as the Eagles won the first two games of their 3-game series with back-to-back shutouts. In the first game, RHP Stiofan Micklethwait surrendered only two hits, walking two and striking out four (GS: 85). The next day, 31-year old RHP Tyler Gissing (4-5, 5.17 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 73 ERA+) picked up his first win of the season with a 10-0 shellacking of the Monarchs. He gave up just 4 hits (1 BB, 2 K, GS: 80). -------- Offense: .268/.326/.431 (2nd/5th/1st) Pitching: 4.19/4.34/3.80 (5th/5th/6th) Defense: .704 (6th) The Braeland City Monarchs are hanging around the .500 mark to start the season but if their pitching staff can find more consistency, they may be able to challenge for a playoff spot. The Monarchs currently have the deepest farm system with some tantalizing pitching prospects still developing. But they may not be developing fast enough for Braeland City to take advantage of while they have one of the best players in the ULB currently in his prime. 19-year old LHP Charlie Honeysett (20/80 – 2nd round pick of 1953-54) and 22-year old LHP Johnny Hunter (30/71 – 8th overall pick of 1952-53) are still in Double-A, while 23-year old RHP Clive Clarke (38/63 – 2nd round pick in 1954-55) is in Triple-A. They all portend to form an incredible three-fifths of a rotation one day, as all are rated as future No. 1 starters. The offense is impressive to start the season, with 30-year old 2B Patrick Lidgate (.325/.413/.629, 12 HR, 32 RBI, 25 BB, 3.2 WAR) returning to his Babe Ruth Award winning level from two seasons ago, at least in the early going. But both 31-year old 1B Dean Witherden (.332/.415/.576, 12 HR, 27 RBI, 24 BB, 2.5 WAR) and 25-year old RF Aidan Trembath (.316/.361/.500, 10 HR, 35 RBI, 17 BB, 1.3 WAR) are off to hot starts as well. Also, 26-year old CF Hayden Goodale (.244/.315/.528, 13 HR, 33 RBI, 20 BB, 1.3 WAR) continues to rake, just as he did last season when led the United Leagues with 36 HR. But the Monarchs also have 5th overall pick, 20-year old CF Bernard Burkitt (41/70), on the major league roster. That may force Goodale to a corner outfield spot, as Burkitt is strong at CF (65), but weak at the other spots (20). The pitching has been another matter, however, with the majority struggling to begin the season. But No. 1 starter 29-year old LHP Larry Kovnats (3-2, 3.67 ERA, 1.68 WHIP, 105 ERA+) has improved in recent outings and No. 4 starter, 29-year old Danilo Narvaez (5-0, 2.16 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 179 ERA+), after 5 mediocre seasons, has been outstanding so far this year. Player of the Week Awards: October 10 – 1B Dean Witherden (.542, 13 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 6 R) October 17 – RF Aidan Trembath (.444, 12 H, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 6 R) November 21 – 2B Patrick Lidgate (.423, 11 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI) November 28 – 2B Patrick Lidgate (.476, 10 H, 2 HR, 4 RBI) -------- Offense: .235/.303/.387 (8th/8th/5th) Pitching: 3.55/4.05/1.99 (3rd/3rd/1st) Defense: .723 (2nd) The Downie Chiefs were projected to be firmly entrenched in the second division this season and their first two months are certainly bearing that prediction out. The Chiefs have some young talent in the pipeline, but they’re either still too far away to help in the short term or can only play a position currently occupied by an established superstar. Case in point: Downie has a wonderful young player in 24-year old CF Ben Darvell (53/68) who is ready to start, but he is blocked by one of the best in 27-year old CF Alfonso León (.321/.396/.497, 6 HR, 17 RBI, 23 BB, 4 SB, 2.7 WAR), who is enjoying one of best starts. So it goes for some of these hard luck teams. Besides León, only 29-year old 2B Dominic Dudding (.277/.328/.505, 11 HR, 37 RBI, 15 BB, 1.6 WAR) is providing any kind of offensive production. The pitching is not much better, with 24-year old RHP Stefan Rankin (6-3, 3.64 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 103 ERA+) leading an underwhelming pitching staff. Noteworthy: November 16 – The Chiefs went into Balmoral and swept a 3-game set from the Giants at Foster Field. Game 3 saw 27-year old RHP Kent Dundon (5-4, 3.76 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 100 ERA+) pitch a 2-hit shut-out to lead the Chiefs to a 4-0 victory. Dundon kept the Giants off the bases until the 5th inning, when he surrendered a lead-off double to 1B Erik Perry. Dundon struck out 3 and gave up no walks (GS: 86). November 18 – After a travel day, the Chiefs went into Sherburn and took 2 of 3 from the Tigers. In the first game, 32-year old LHP Hank Bennett (3-6, 4.45 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 84 ERA+) pitched Downie’s second consecutive shut-out, blanking the Tigers 1-0 on 2-hits. Bennett struck out two and walked three (GS: 82). -------- Offense: .251/.322/.376 (5th/6th/6th) Pitching: 4.03/4.86/2.14 (4th/8th/2nd) Defense: .676 (8th) Things appeared to be looking up for the Embro Suns. They went the distance against the eventual United Cup champions Stratford Barons in last season’s Eastern League Pennant Series and were red hot in Spring Training. But a disastrous November has seen them tumble down the standings and there is plenty of blame to go around. A once dynamic offense has been a major disappointment with last year’s babe Ruth Award winner, 27-year old 3B Moromao Nakagawa (.264/.375/.503, 10 HR, 40 RBI, 35 BB, 1.7 WAR) leading the way in regressing in November. 25-year old SS Kieron Bradridge (.295/.357/.429, 7 HR, 32 RBI, 19 BB, 2.2 WAR) was sensational in October, but he too fell off a cliff the following month. The pitching staff does not offer much to write home about either. 25-year old RHP Bob Nord (5-3, 4.21 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 91 ERA+) has had his moments, but he is not the pitcher he was two seasons ago when he was selected to his first all-star game. But 25-year old reliever RHP Phil McKelvey (5-0, 3 SV, 0.98 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 390 ERA+) has been a standout thus far. Player of the Week Awards: October 24 – SS Kieron Bradridge (.481, 13 H, 2 HR, 8 RBI) Noteworthy: October 18 – Down 8-4 against the Cobourg Redlegs, the Suns scored 4 runs in the top of the 9th to send the game into extras, where the Redlegs ultimately prevailed 9-8 in 11 innings. But they had to overcome 25-year old SS Kieron Bradridge, who went 5 for 6 on the day. Bradridge was on fire, hitting a single in the 1st, a double in the 3rd and a 3-run home run in the 5th. After flying out in the 6th, he hit another 3-run home in the 9th to pull Embro to within one run. After 27-year old Moromao Nakagawa tied the game up two batters later with a solo shot, Bradrige singled for this 5th hit in the top of the 11th. Alas, it wasn’t enough as the Redlegs drove in the winning in the bottom half. -------- Offense: .254/.335/.401 (4th/2nd/2nd) Pitching: 4.26/4.51/3.24 (7th/7th/5th) Defense: .706 (5th) The Brunswick Legends are another team beset by a largely motley crew of mediocre players with few impact players in their farm system to turn things around in the short term. 27-year old C Robert Kersey (.321/.393/.649, 11 HR, 41 RBI, 16 BB, 2.2 WAR) remains one of the top players in the United Leagues, but he has little support around him, other than 25-year old RF Jay Mitchell (.269/.385/.515, 9 HR, 30 RBI, 33 BB, 1.8 WAR) who appears to be coming into his own in his third major league season. 27-year old 1B Francis Jones (.266/.357/.524, 9 HR, 21 RBI, 18 BB, 2 SB, 1.4 WAR) is having a fine season, but he is being challenged by the one prospect Brunswick has on their roster – 24-year old IF/OF Edilberto Mandac (.262/.306/.455, 3 HR, 16 RBI, 9 BB, 2 SB, 0.3 WAR – 45/54). Currently, he is getting starts at first base against LH pitching. Meanwhile, future hall of famer, 39-year old 1B Stuart Bentham (38/38), has become an afterthought. The pitching seems to be an afterthought as well. But 28-year old RHP Mhelter Pilapil (5-4, 3.36 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 115 ERA+) pitched well in November (3-1, 1.89 ERA), while 30-year old RHP Byron Ollson (1-1, 1 SV, 3.09 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 125 ERA+) has been a serviceable reliever over 23.1 innings this season. Player of the Week Awards: November 14 – C Robert Kersey (.500, 11 H, 3 HR, 10 RBI) Noteworthy: October 15 – The Stratford Barons were victimized by another back-up catcher when 26-year old Owen Besent (.302/.345/.340, 2-2B, 8 RBI, 4 BB, 0.1 WAR) led the charge for the Legends in their 11-8 victory in Stratford. Besent went 5 for 5, with four singles and a double, collecting 4 RBI and a run on the day. The Legends ultimately took 3 of 4 games from the defending United Cup Champions right in Stratford. -------- Offense: .242/.310/.390 (7th/7th/4th) Pitching: 4.48/4.37/4.82 (8th/6th/8th) Defense: .685 (7th) The Cobourg Redlegs remain perhaps the most frustrating team to watch, as they just cannot get any consistency going, despite their present stock of talent on the roster. Right now, they are struggling in all facets of the game. But that could soon change, as a number of their top prospects are on the major league roster. And the team now has some leadership, so there is no feuding going on despite the losing. Progress! In the rotation, the Redlegs have rookie RHP Albert Johnson (4-6, 5.19 ERA, 1.77 WHIP, 74 ERA+ - 47/80). The 21-year old former 9th overall pick is pitching from the No. 3 spot but could be the ace soon if he continues to progress. Cobourg also has 23-year old IF/OF Luigi Purss (44/63), 23-year old IF Harold Prudom (43/54) and 25-year old LF Harrison Covey (.240/.352/.335, 3 HR, 22 RBI, 30 BB, 0.6 WAR – 47/52) who has already cracked the lineup and won Rookie of the Month honours in October. If any or all of these promising youngsters can develop, then the Redlegs may finally gain some traction in the standings. Certainly, the likes of 29-year old CF Raymond Williams (.299/.377/.609, 13 HR, 37 RBI, 21 BB, 7 SB, 2.6 WAR), 33-year old 3B Alexander Tolmie (.306/.383/.491, 8 HR, 35 RBI, 22 BB, 2.0 WAR) and 27-year old LHP Bill Budd (4-5, 3.09 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 124 ERA+) deserve the support. Lead off hitter, 24-year old SS Douglas Jones (.260/.327/.520, 4 HR, 7 RBI, 4 BB, 0.7 WAR) missed nearly 7 weeks due to a fractured hand suffered in early October, but he should be a major contributor as well, if he can stay healthy. Noteworthy: November 27 – 34-year old utility IF John Medley (.250/.297/.342, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 8 BB, -0.8 WAR) doesn’t get the starts he did in year’s past, but he started at first base against the Pelicans in Kingston. Although Kingston pulled out a walk-off 4-3 win, Medley went 2 for 4 on the afternoon, which included his 2000th career hit. It came on his second hit of the game, a line-drive single into rightfield off LHP Rob Hutchence in the 6th inning. -------- __________________ United Leagues of Braeland Last edited by reds1; 12-09-2021 at 01:30 PM.