JULY 30, 1940 - SPECIAL TRADE DEADLINE UPDATE
Not much trade deadline news when the biggest stories are the New York Stars cutting salary in a desperate attempt to free up money to sign their second round draft pick and the New York Gothams thinking a .197 hitter is the answer to their problems.
Actually the Gothams acquisition of Leon Drake (.197,7,26) may turn out okay. Perhaps Drake just needed a change of scenery as it was clearly not working out for the 31 year old with the Chicago Cougars. Drake was an outstanding hitter in 1937 & 38 with Detroit and very good with Cleveland prior to that before taking a step back last season. The Dynamos moved him to the Cougars for a solid outfield prospect in Tony Mullis and a journeyman pitcher in Cy Sullivan. Chicago hoped Drake might challenge for a third 20-20-20 (2B-3B-HR) season but he had a rough start to the season and never got going in Chicago.
In return for the opportunity to allow Drake to try and salvage his season the Gothams parted ways with 1936 first round pick Fred Vargas, a 22 year old top 100 prospect who projects to have a bright future but likely not as the power hitter the Gothams feel they need.
Adding Drake was an awful lot cheaper than what the Gothams would have paid should they have gone after Moxie Pidgeon. They were close to deciding to give up their first round pick and OSA's top prospect in 20 year old Ed Bowman to get the power bat but a 5-1 showing in the final full week prior to the trade deadline made the Gothams feel they are on the right track and did not need to send a big piece of their future away. Whether that turns out to be the case or not remains to be seen.
A potential move the Gothams likely should look at if they want to add power to their lineup is find a way to play Walt Messer(.277,5,25) every day. Presently Messer is platooning at first base with veteran Bud Jameson (.294,8,33) and Jameson is doing quite well but Messer is a power bat, likely the one the Gothams crave, so perhaps it is time to try him in the outfield if they insist on playing Jameson against righthanders.
CASH STRAPPED STARS
Despite winning the World Championship Series a year ago the New York Stars just don't have any money. They also had 5 draft picks in the first two rounds and it has been a struggle to get them all signed. Four are inked now but outfielder Newt Cooper is playing hardball with the club, threatening to return for his senior season at American Atlantic University unless the Stars meet his bonus demands. New York waived several fringe players last week in hopes some might get picked up and free up some cash but even that was not enough so the Stars made a pair of details with the entire focus being on saving money.
Shortstop Floyd Briscoe , outfitted with a $10,000 contract to play AAA ball, was sent to the Detroit Dynamos in exchange for an 8th round pick and a marginal prospect on a minor league contract by the name of Bill Jenkins. The Stars also sent 26 year old AAA outfielder Dick Earl to the Chicago Cougars in exchange for another player on a minor league contract in Izzy Sevilla and $5,000 cash. The Stars feel they now should have enough money to get Cooper under contract. Cooper is seen as a potential heir to Chink Stickels in centerfield for the Stars.
UNSIGNED PICKS
Cooper is one of three players selected in the first three round who have yet to sign a contract. Jack Bullock, the Stars regional pick in the third round is the second one and it appears the New York area high schooler will be enrolling at Bayou State instead of joining the Stars although he is said to be very willing to sign a deal so perhaps New York club will have enough money left over once they get Cooper under contract.
The other player is catcher Johnny Thacker who has been unwavering in his commitment to Columbia Military Academy. The 17 year old West Virginia native was Washington's second round pick, 21st overall. It will be a tough loss for the Eagles, who did not have a first round selection after the decision to move that pick to the Gothams prior to the draft in exchange for pitcher Jim Birdwell. The 25 year old Birdwell (2-7, 6.14) was a mess in Washington and did not look very good in his first start in Kansas City following a recent demotion to AAA. Interestingly enough that pick was moved two more times and ended up belonging to the New York Stars, who got into their draft bonus mess because they needed to pay B.B. Barnett, the talented high school first baseman they selected 5th overall.
NOT FOR LACK OF TRYING
The deadline has been extremely quiet but not because no one was trying to get something done. The Boston Minutemen have been probably the busiest as they are said to have approached Montreal, Brooklyn, Cincinnati and others in an effort to get that final piece or two they feel they need to perhaps end a 25 year pennant drought. The Gothams are also reported to have attempted to land young slugger 'Tiny Tim' Hopkins from Brooklyn but the Kings, just 5.5 games out of the lead are standing pat in hopes they have one more pennant left in them. It is no secret the Chiefs need a shortstop - they have had 7 different players lead the team in games played at that position in the past 8 years - and Ducky Jordan (.189,1,16), this year's experiment, is clearly not the answer. Cleveland's George Dawson looks like a possible solution but, and quite understandably, the new Foresters General Manager might not be willing to make any moves until he has had more time to assess his club. If not Dawson, there are not many choices left for the Chiefs - perhaps Gothams backup infielder Jim Jenkins is a possibility.
FREDDIE FARHAT SPEAKS
Detroit World writer/ on-again, off-again alcoholic Freddie Farhat has some updates from Thompson Field.
Somewhere next week P Ed Whetzel will get his first start and with Boston and Philly coming up it will be in a very important game. Whetzel has made 2 relief appearances so far for the Dynamos and has pitched 5.1 IP giving up just 3 hits and no runs. He picked up a 4 inning save in his debut July 23rd against Pittsburgh giving up just 2 hits and a walk. We will see if the #15 prospect is up for the challenge this coming week. SP Cy Sullivan is going to get a chance here pretty soon as well. Oscar Morse is hanging on by a thread but has picked up 3 straight saves in his new stopper role for now. He hasn't been DFA yet as we continue to cling to him as insurance if another SP goes down until we have seen what Whetzel and Sullivan can do.
The Dynamos have had a solid run of late again, but we have seen 2 week runs before this season. The issue has been Detroit's lackluster play on the road. This week would have been exactly what the doctor had ordered if the Dynamos didn't stink it up against Pittsburgh on Tuesday. Losing 12-5 is just a ridiculous outcome in a game where they were hoping to start off the series on the right foot. Fortunately the boys rebounded nicely on Wednesday with a 15-0 drubbing of the Miners which must have been equally as frustrating to Miner fans.
6 at home this week against Boston and Philly. If Detroit is going to do anything this season they need to sustain this two-week run of good form.
Detroit is sitting on 4 picks in the top 32 for the 1941 draft. Will they keep them all and try to rebuild the minor league system or will they try and add pieces to the puzzle for a run in the 1941 season? Word is they would pay dearly for a top line starting catcher, but none seem to be available. Word is also out that they are looking for left side of the infield pieces that could eventually replace veteran Frank Vance when he decides to retire or upgrade the SS position. 2B is the other glaring position that they have tried to address in the past. They had traded for Chick Wilhelm at the deadline last year but the 26 year old hasn't put together enough in the teams eyes to merit the promotion from AAA just yet. 2B Dale Robbins was a top 100 prospect but they haven’t given him the keys either yet. Multi positional 3B Constantine Peters is getting his break and tackling 2B but might be better suited to replace Vance when that time comes.
Time is running out to make a deal before the deadline, but most likely the players they are discussing wouldn't have a big impact this season. Will there be a big last minute deal for a quality catcher or at he other spots? Time will tell.
REMINDS ME OF 1927
This pennant race is shaping up to potentially rival the greatest multi-team race of all-time. That happened in 1927 when the Continental Association finished with 4 teams separated by just 2 games and fifth team just 5 off the pace. The Brooklyn Kings held off both the Philadelphia Sailors and Toronto Wolves by a single game to win that year with the Cleveland Foresters two back. The Federal Association also had quite a battle that season with the Philadelphia Keystones needing a 1-game playoff to defeat the Detroit Dynamos and the Chicago Chiefs finished only 2 games back.
Baseball fans in Cincinnati breathed a sign of relief when the Cannons put out a statement that Moxie Pidgeon would not be traded. Outrage was the primary emotion when word leaked out earlier in the day the Cannons were considering approaching the New York Gothams after the Big Apple club said it would be willing to move it's first round draft pick in January as well as Ed Bowman, said to be the best pitching prospect in the minors. The Gothams subsequently changed their tune and decided to look to the Chicago Cougars for a much less expensive outfield option in the struggling Leon Drake but in the meantime Cannons brass was fielding numerous enquiries from several teams for Pidgeon's services.
"We did get an attractive preliminary offer from two Federal Association clubs," admitted Assistant General Manager Red Franklin. "Both were promising and certainly caught our attention but after further discussions we decided to stand pat as while we would like to set this team set up to be a powerhouse for years to come, the most important thing for our fans is to show them this club is committed to winning."
It is believed that internal 'discussion' came in the form of normally very reserved manager George Theobald telling his bosses in no uncertain terms they were out of there tree if they moved Pidgeon. When asked to comment on his morning meeting in the General Manager's office the 77 year old Theobald was, as usual, very diplomatic.
"The possibility of adding that kid Bowman to the collection of young arms we have here would have been tempting of course," Theobald admitted. "But as a group we quickly decided that even with the bad month we have had this pennant is certainly a possibility. I have been around a long time and chances to play in October do not come up every year. We have one here. We have one now and Moxie (Pidgeon) is a big reason why. Besides New York had a change of heart and maybe that brought us back to our senses. Plus, it would be shame not to let this group try and finish the job, especially with where so many of them have come from."
Theobald was of course referring to the five consecutive last place finishes for the club while based in Baltimore. It has been a rough month (Cannons are 9-17 in July) but with how strong May was (24-5) this club certainly has the potential to to get hot again and complete a miracle turnaround from last season. It sure would be something if in the end it turned out that the Gothams 5-1 showing last week proves to be the greatest thing to happen to the Cannons organization in years. It kept Moxie a Cannon. Now let's see if the team can complete the dream-like start to their first season in Cincinnati.
BIG MOMENT FOR DEUCE BARRELL: Last week was special for Deuce Barrell of the Cincinnati Cannons as he finally got a win over his uncle, Brooklyn's Tom Barrell. He and Tom have faced each other 3 times, once each year. Deuce(11-5) went the distance on Wednesday, allowing 4 earned runs on 9 hits in a 6-4 victory over Tom (7-11), who pitched 7 2/3 allowing all 6 Cincinnati runs on 13 hits including a pair from Deuce.
The previous two meetings were both wins for Tom and the Kings. In May of 1939 Brooklyn won 5-4 with each going 7 innings in that contest. Tom allowed 10 hits on 4 runs but only 2 earned. Deuce also allowed 10 hits but 5 earned runs. Deuce went 1-for-2 at the plate vs his uncle but Tom lit up Deuce going 3-for-3 including an rbi double.
Their first meeting came in Deuce's rookie season. August 12, 1938 and the Kings won 5-2 as Tom went 8 2/3 allowing just 2 runs on 8 hits. Deuce went 7 innings allowing 5 runs on 9 hits. Tom again had his way with Deuce at the plate, going 2-for-3. Deuce did get 1 hit off of Tom.
Fred Barrell has faced Deuce quite a bit and is batting .242 (8 for-33), which is slightly above his overall average this season but below Fred's career totals. Harry, the third Barrell brother on the Kings, has had a little better success, hitting .303 vs his nephew (10-for-33) but Tom is 4-for-8 vs Deuce. None of the three have ever homered off of Deuce.
SOMETHING IS BETTER THAN NOTHING
We will have to wait and see if the Gothams deadline trade is enough "Something" to satisfy Leland Winthrop. More likely a couple more 5-1 weeks will help. The Gothams went out looking for an outfield bat, preferably one that would add some power to the line-up. For a while they were dangling top end prospect Ed Bowman and their top pick in the offseason draft. Maybe given a night to think it over, cooler heads prevailed and sights were set a little lower. Or perhaps the pickings were a bit slimmer than GM Tom Ward had hoped. So with the clock running down and Winthrop's demand ringing in his ear, Ward worked out a deal with the Cougars for a player who would have been a very exciting addition just over a year ago. Leon Drake will be coming to New York with his big bat, and .197 batting average. Coming into last season Drake had strung together 5 c0nsecutive 20 homer seasons. Two of them of the 20-20-20 (D-T-HR) variety. Then in 1939 he fell off in all categories, was dealt from Detroit to Chicago and has struggled even more this year. The Gothams are hoping a change of scenery with help Drake turn it around. The cost to take this chance? AAA OF Fred Vargas, one of the top outfielders in the Gothams system and their upcoming 2nd round pick. Rounding out the trade the Gothams will also receive SP Walker Pearce, a former 2nd round pick. Pearce is having a solid season at AAA and is likely to get a shot in NY this season.
One other note of interest. As suggested in the local and national press, manager Ed Ziehl has said he is not opposed to giving 1B Walt Messer a run in leftfield in order to get his and Bud Jameson's bats in the lineup together. When asked about trading in his 1B mitt for a fielder's glove Messer replied, "Anything I can do to help the ball club. Compared to 1B, the outfield will be like a day off."