[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 4-3
Seasonal Record: 4-3 (4th, 0.5 GB)
Stars of the Week
John Lawson : 29 AB, 12 H, 1 HR, 7 RBI, .414 AVG, 1.089 OPS
Skipper Schneider : 25 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .360 AVG, .840 OPS
Harry Mead : 21 AB, 7 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .333 AVG, .905 OPS

Schedule
4-15: Win vs Saints (3-5)
4-16: Win vs Saints (3-4)
4-17: Loss vs Saints (7-5)
4-18: Loss at Kings (5-7)
4-19: Win at Kings (6-1)
4-19: Win at Kings (5-4)
4-20: Loss at Saints (1-5)

Recap
It's time to play ball! Our home opener had over 30,000 Cougar fans cheering on the home team as we edged the Saints 5-3 to start the 1941 season. Unfortunately, we had trouble with the Saints, with two of our three losses coming at their hands. These are their only two wins, of course, as the Stars had no problem decimating them by scores of 7-0 and 20-7. Yes, it's still early, but we're already dropping games that we should be winning rather easily. We did sweep the double header in Brooklyn and took two of three from the Kings, but I think we should be 5-2 if not 6-1 based on the teams we played. Good news for us, reigning Whitney Winner John Lawson picked up right where he left off, taking home the CA Player of the Week. The 3-Time Winner went 12-for-29 with 3 doubles, a homer, and 7 RBIs. We'll also have Billy Hunter back, which means Orlin Yates is the odd man out, and the 29-year-old who managers love (despite his lack of work ethic) will head down to Milwaukee. He's more then capable of starting in the big leagues, but I don't want to let Rule-5 Pick Ossie Grogan go and I can't option Aart MacDonald. Carlos Montes is now dealing with a twisted ankle, but he should only miss three more days, giving Aart a few starts that would have gone to Yates. I still have to eventually make room for Ray Ford, and I can already see Bobby Mills and Johnny McDowell start sweating.

The offense did play well, as we put up a lot of runs, despite the ineptness of our corner outfield. Just like Leon Drake last year, Cliff Moss is starting his season off in the worst way possible, going 2-for-16 with a double and 2 RBIs. Leo Mitchell has somehow been worse, 4-for-26 with a double, and of course, 7 strikeouts. Langton and MacDonald struggled as well, with the pair combining to go 4-for-27 with three runs a piece. On the flip side, Skipper Schneider got off to a nice start, with the 20-year-old going 9-for-25 with 3 doubles and a run scored and driven in. Harry Mead, who has graduated from platoon partner to full time backstop showed he deserves all (well, most, since he's a catcher) the starts, 7-for-21 with 2 doubles, a homer, and 4 RBIs. Freddie Jones looks like the '39 version and not the '40 version in the very early goings, 7-for-19 with 3 walks and 4 RBIs. Mike Taylor and Johnny McDowell looked good in their limited time, 7-for-15 with 4 Taylor RBIs. McDowell won't see much time, but Taylor will still get a few starts each week as he's still a capable starter, it's just Mead has started to hit his prime at 26.

We didn't really pitch well, especially Harry Parker, who tried to replicate his final spring start. Just 1.2 innings instead of 4, but Parker allowed 9 hits and 7 runs with a walk and 2 strikeouts. Dick Lyons pitched like someone in his 40s, and allowed 10 hits and 5 runs with 2 walks and a strikeout in 6 innings. Jim Lonardo got a win and a loss, going 17 total innings with 20 hits, 8 runs, 3 walks, and 5 strikeouts. Peter the Heater won both his starts, and flashed signs of dominance, striking out 19 and walking just 6 in 17 innings pitched. He did allow 16 hits and 7 runs, but he's the only starter in baseball to top Jim Whitley's and Wally Doyle's 11 strikeouts. Eddie Quinn made his case to stay in the rotation, just a single run with 8 hits, 3 walks, and 3 strikeouts in a complete game victory. Everyone but Pug got time in the pen, with Allen Purvis allowing just a single hit with a pair of walks and strikeouts in 5.1 innings relieving Parker. Ben Curtin and Joe Brown each allowed a run, with Curtin's coming in 3 frames and Brown's in 2. I expect the pitching to recover, it's just one week after all, but tied for second in runs scored and tied for fifth in runs allowed after a week is the opposite of what I expected.

Looking Ahead
The next two in Montreal should be treated as must win, as I will be very angry if our first series loss of the season comes at the hands of a team who hasn't won 80 games in over a decade. I mentioned Doyle's 11 strikeouts, and all of the came against us. We won't face him again as he won the finale, but the Waco Kid has a nice 1.32 ERA in his 13.2 innings pitched. It looks like we'll see Jake DeYoung and former Cougar farmhand Karl Wallace, their #3 and 4. DeYoung also beat us, but allowed 9 hits and 5 runs with 3 strikeouts in his complete game win. Wallace lost to the Stars and allowed 10 hits, 4 runs, and 2 walks with 3 strikeouts in 7.2 innings pitched. Whitney runner up Red Bond is off to an expected hot start, slashing .409/.480/.682 (212 OPS+) with 3 doubles, a homer, and 6 RBIs. He ends a top four of Heinie Billings, Jake Hughes, and Bert Lass, who are all hitting .350 or better. The top of their lineup definitely has to be respected, especially Lass, who's .313/.370/.456 (122 OPS+) line last season was definitely overshadowed by Bond's offensive explosion. If we can keep the top four quiet, I like our chances, but we didn't have much success with that this week. Just like this week, we also finish the week with the Saints, this time at home for just a single game.

We return home after, and will host the Stars for two games. The BNN favorite for winning the pennant, New York is tied with Toronto and Philadelphia at 4-2. The Stars traded former ace George Phillips to the Miners this offseason for Hinsdale native Lew Seals, who I pursued before acquiring Cliff Moss. The 27-year-old doesn't hit for a high average, but slashed .260/.395/.474 (129 OPS+) and .260/.357/.462 (125 OPS+) the past two seasons in Pittsburgh with 38 homers and 157 RBIs. Like Moss, his season hasn't gone as planned, and he's just 2-for-18 in the early going. Dave Trowbridge only got three starts, but was an impressive 6-for-13 with a double, homer, and 4 RBIs. The longtime face of the Stars may be getting up their in age, but this seems like the season he will pass the baton to the future; Big Bad Billy Barrett. A favorite for the Whitney this year, he's already hitting .375/.429/.542 (165 OPS+) with a homer and 5 RBIs. They made a change at catcher this season, adding former Cougar prospect Joe Rainbow from the Cannons, and placing him behind the plate. He's off to a slow start, hitting .250/.286/.350 (74 OPS+) in his first five games in New York. On the mound, Billy Riley, who we are likely to see, tossed an 8-hit shutout against Montreal and didn't allow an earned run in any of his 16 spring innings. Vern Hubbard seems to have shaken off his tough 1940 season, allowing 5 hits and a run with 3 walks and 2 strikeouts in an 8.1 inning win. The Stars are a good team and our first real test of the season, but at home we should be able to get the best of them.

Friday and Saturday will be spent against the Kings, who this time come to Chicago. At 3-4, they actually gave the Stars their only two losses. Jack Goff got one of the wins, allowing 7 hits, 3 runs, and a walk with 2 strikeouts in a complete game win. Art White has had some bad luck, losing both to us and the Stars, but working to a respectable 3.31 ERA (109 ERA+) with a 1.41 WHIP, 7 walks, and 4 strikeouts. Frank LeMieux ended up starting at third, and it worked out for Brooklyn as the 27-year-old hit .400/.400/.500 (144 OPS+) with 2 doubles, 2 runs, and an RBI. Tiny Tim Hopkins started 4 of his 7 appearances, and was 4-for-14 with a triple, 6 walks, and an RBI. 35-year-old Frank Lightbody has shown some signs of life, and his .450 average is the best in the CA after one week. He's also homered and drove in 6 with a walk and zero strikeouts. I'm hoping we can take both games here as well and I like our chances for another winning week. The Stars will be a tough contest, but home field advantage comes in clutch no matter what team you are, and we seem to love playing in the Windy City.

Minor League Report
LHP Johnnie Jones (AAA Milwaukee Blues): 1940 wasn't a great year for the Patron Saint of Groundballs, as he missed some time with injury and finished just 8-10 with a 4.66 ERA (99 ERA+) and 1,79 WHIP in AA Mobile. Still, I thought he was ready for AAA, and the 15th ranked prospect seemed to agree. Johnnie Jones was impressive, tossing a 7-hit shutout with 4 walks and 8 strikeouts as the Blues beat Fort Wayne 4-0. The lanky 22-year-old is set to make his big league debut this season, and with more starts like this, it may come before September. Jones is one of the most exciting young pitchers in the game, as he does an excellent job keeping the ball on the ground with his mid 90s sinker. All four of his pitches have outstanding movement, and while he does have some issues with control, that is something he can grow into. It's early, but seeing a shutout already is very encouraging, and I'm hoping he has a few more of those in what could be his last season in the minors.

RHP Fred Thaxton (A Lincoln Legislators): Going into the season, I had a little bit of a numbers crunch, as all my young pitchers wanted to be in San Jose, and got scared when I tried promoting them to Lincoln. Well, all of them except Fred Thaxton. Despite just 10 starts with San Jose after being selected in the 7th Round last season, I rolled the dice and moved the 22-year-old up to Lincoln. It seems like it was the right call, as the righty did his best and befuddled the Cedar Rapid Chiefs in his first start of the season. Thaxton allowed just 2 hits and walks with 4 strikeouts in a 5-0 shutout victory. I guess I shouldn't be too surprised he was ready for A ball, as our currently ranked 29th prospect was dominant in 76.2 innings there. He went 5-2 with a 2.35 ERA (206 ERA+), 0.98 WHIP, 14 walks, and 28 strikeouts. He's got good stuff and a really nice change, but if there is a knock on Thaxton, it's that he's not the sort of player who comes in early and works his hardest and to him, optional means I don't have to do it. Still, Tom likes his potential and thinks he could be a decent spot starter, and he's already got the stuff to start FABL games.