[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 4-2
Seasonal Record: 25-15 (2nd, 1 GB)
Stars of the Week
Ray Ford : 15 AB, 10 H, 3 HR, 4 RBI, .667 AVG, 2.173 OPS
Ben Curtin : 1 Win, 2.0 IP, 1 BB, 1 K, 0.00 ERA
Harry Parker : 1 Win, 12.0 IP, 3 BB, 4 K, 0.00 ERA

Schedule
5-19: Win at Cannons (6-3)
5-20: Loss at Cannons (0-1)
5-21: Win at Wolves (3-1): 12 innings
5-22: Loss at Wolves (0-2)
5-24: Win vs Stars (3-5)
5-25: Win vs Stars (5-6)

Recap
Way to end the week! Sure, it was frustrating to split with the week with the Cannons and Wolves, but we can take some solace in the fact that we won all the games we scored in! Plus, we finally beat the Stars! That brought us within a game of them, and with one more game in Chicago before heading to New York, we can finish the sweep with a tie of first place. We got news on injury, but as one player returns, another leaves. Billy Hunter is back and healthy, but for the first time in his entire career, Jim Lonardo will miss more then three days. The 36-year-old left our 6-5 win against the Stars with a sprained ankle and is likely to miss at least two weeks. Lonardo struggled in it too, 9 hits and 5 runs in 6.1 innings pitched. He hasn't had the greatest season, but he's 5-3 with a 4.11 ERA (95 ERA+), 1.31 WHIP, 11 walks, and 27 strikeouts. With him leaving the roster, Eddie Quinn will return to the rotation after not getting a single relief outing. I'm hoping Quinn can get back on track as his five starts haven't gone well, but there are definitely worst options for spot starts. Allen Purvis cleared waivers, but since he didn't accept a demotion to Milwaukee, so he'll be the lucky one to replace Lonardo on the roster.

Despite losing Lonardo, and his performance, the pitch was outstanding. Harry Parker continued his outstanding season, winning an extra inning game that never should have gone to extras. An Ollie Page error in the third was the only run the Wolves got, as the inning eater threw a 12-inning, 168 pitch complete game. He allowed just 8 hits and 3 walks with 4 strikeouts to improve to 5-3 with a 2.53 ERA (154 ERA+), 1.12 WHIP, 20 walks, and 26 strikeouts. The best parts is the lack of homers, just 4 (0.5 HR/9) on the season after a league high 36 and 30 the past two seasons. Now I don't think he mastered the home run, but I feel like homers are down in the league this season. Still, it looks like someone else will lead the CA in homers this year. Milt Fritz had a much better second start, tossing a complete game win with 7 hits, 3 runs (1 earned), 6 walks, and 2 strikeouts. Peter the Heater lost the 2-0 game against the Wolves, allowing 5 hits and 2 runs with 4 walks and 7 strikeouts in 8 quality innings. Dick Lyons had a good start too, picking up a win with 8 innings, 7 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, and a strikeout. I'm hoping we can keep this up as we finish up with the Stars.

The offense really struggled, as we continue to not do both things right, with just our first basemen having above average weeks. Ray Ford took home another Player of the Week, 10-for-15 with 2 walks, 3 doubles, 3 homers, 4 RBIs, and 7 runs scored. Dick Walker picked up his 2,000th career hit, and despite going just 3-for-15, he walked twice, doubled, homers, 3 runs, and 2 RBIs. Somehow, the next best week went to Leo Mitchell, and he was just 4-for-16 with a double. Best part is he only struck out three times, the lowest of a week so far. The middle infield pair of Freddie Jones and Skipper Schneider were ice cold, combining to go 3-for-36 with 4 walks and 3 Skipper RBIs. The 20-year-old is dealing with a huge sophomore slump, hitting just .289/.345/.333 (84 OPS+) with 6 doubles and 17 RBIs. He does have a superb 12-to-2 walk-to-strikeout ratio and an impressive 5.8 zone rating and 1.088 efficiency at short. I have faith he'll turn things around, as it's tough to get mad at 20-year-old for not dominating big league pitchers. With Hunter back, Skipper may get a day or two off so Freddie Jones can still get some at bats with Hunter sliding over to short. I'm hoping for better production next week, but I'll trade good hitting for consistent 4-2 weeks.

Looking Ahead
One more with the Stars in Chicago before heading to New York for two more. They are just 24-12, playing in four fewer games then we have, which equates to a one game cushion for first. They've still allowed the fewest runs while scoring the most, while Bill Barrett has over half the teams home run output. He dropped below .400, but is still hitting .397/.488/.730 (219 OPS+) with 7 doubles, 2 triples, 12 homers, and 41 RBIs with an impressive 26-to-4 walk-to-strikeout ratio. He did suffer a mild hamstring in the game Lonardo left, but he should be good for the away portion. Him and Trowbridge are the only two hitting above .300, but Chink Stickels has started to improve and brought his line to an above average .285/.380/.380 (102 OPS+) with 2 doubles, 4 triples, a homer, 2 steals, and 17 RBIs to go with a 21-to-2 walk-to-strikeout ratio. We'll start the series with Lou Robertson before Chuck Cole and Vern Hubbard. Robertson is 3-2 with a 3.23 ERA (123 ERA+), 1.39 WHIP, 19 walks, and 12 strikeouts. Hubbard suffered his first loss of the season against the Cannons, now 5-1 with a 1.69 ERA (235 ERA+), 1.33 WHIP, 26 walks, and 20 strikeouts. Cole is now 6-2 with a 2.37 ERA (167 ERA+), 1.17 WHIP, 17 walks, and 19 strikeouts. All three are very good pitchers and we'll have to be at our best to keep our little run going.

We're off on Thursday, but it won't really feel like it, as it's just before a double header with the Saints. They're currently in the cellar, 14-24 and 11 games out of first. Wally Doyle is having a great season, but the rest of the rotation has really struggled. Ed Baker has been a bit unlucky, but is 2-7 with a 5.50 ERA (73 ERA+), 1.65 WHIP, 22 walks, and 22 strikeouts. Jake DeYoung has struggled to match his early career numbers, this season 2-5 with a 5.53 ERA (73 ERA+), 1.47 WHIP, 12 walks, and 26 strikeouts. Jake Hughes hasn't had much success in the field, but the 25-year-old is hitting .382/.429/.551 (153 OPS+) with 11 doubles, 2 triples, 2 steals, and 13 RBIs. He's no Red Bond, but that line is technically better then the new first basemen, who is hitting .319/.390/.478 (125 OPS+) with 5 homers and 29 RBIs. They recently traded Gary Carmichael away to the Stars to make room for Mark Burns, who has hit .353/.402/.565 (149 OPS+) with 6 doubles, 3 triples, 2 homers, 2 steals, and 21 RBIs. Their lineup isn't bad, but they are not scoring a lot of runs and they've allowed more runs then any team in the league. They've already beat us three times and we can't continue to drop games to them.

It's a short road trip as we return home to Chicago to start a three game series Former Cougar prospect Juan Pomales got a start this week as the Wolves has a lot of games in a row, getting a no decision with 5 hits, 2 runs, 4 walks, and a strikeout in 6.1 innings pitched. Another former Cougar prospect Reginald Westfall, who is hitting .299/.379/.468 (119 OPS+) with 15 doubles, a triple, 3 homers, and 18 RBIs. He's no Fred McCormick, but between him, Walt Pack, and Larry Vestal, they have trio of really solid hitters. Tom Frederick and Charlie Artuso should eventually stop underperforming, but both are outstanding middle infielders so they still provide value when the bat is struggling. I also really hope we don't have to face Bernie Johnson, who's 4-2 with a 1.47 ERA (275 ERA+), 1.07 WHIP, 15 walks, and 16 strikeouts. Right now him, Walls, and Pomales are the projected starters, but the Wolves will probably return to a five man rotation, so we could really see any of them to finish the week.

Minor League Report
CF Bunny Hufford (AA Mobile Commodores): He may have dropped out of the top 100, but there hasn't been any decline in production from Bunny Hufford. The 23-year-old was a big part of the Commodores 20-8 victory over the Knoxville Knights, going 6-for-7 with 2 doubles and 4 runs scored. This helped him take home Player of the Week, finishing 13-for-26 with a homer and 8 runs scored. He's now appeared in 38 AA games, and is slashing an impressive .372/.429/.510 (141 OPS+) with 8 doubles, 3 triples, 2 homers, 7 steals, and 23 RBIs. He's also made just one error in center, although his .976 efficiency isn't as encouraging. Tom Weinstock is a huge fan of Hufford, expecting him to flourish as a center fielder with above average contact skills and good strike zone recognition. Hufford is extremely fast, leading to a lot of steals and extra base hits, as well as range in the outfield. I don't need to rush him up, but I do think his bat is near big league ready, and he could fill in sooner if injuries pile up.

1B Hod Seagroves (A Lincoln Legislators): It's still early, but this season is looking to be a breakout for the 23-year-old from Chicago. Like Hufford, he's fallen a bit in the prospect rankings, but unlike Hufford who is still in our 10 and the top 150, Seagroves dropped to 20 and 262nd. He's done a great job at the plate, however, slashing .362/.440/.586 (178 OPS+) with 13 doubles, 5 triples, a homer, 16 RBIs, and 17 walks. He has yet to strikeout in 134 trips to the plate and has only struck out five times in the past two seasons. Easily one of the most disciplined hitters in the system, he always gives outstanding at bats and he should be a consistent .300 hitter in the big leagues. He's played a lot of first base for us since he's tall and we don't have many options there, but I'd be more then comfortable moving him to second if needed. I think he's ready for Mobile, and when one of Billy Hunter or Freddie Jones inevitably get injured, I can see him moving on up.

Amateur Report
it's draft time! A few picks have already been made, including a player I really wanted to take, but we do have a pair of 4ths and 6th and pick 13th in the remaining six rounds. I updated my draft database, but I will also give updates on the four players we already selected:

1st Round, 13th Overall: 3B Otto Christian
School: Walla Walla
Commit School: Red River State
1941: .486/.545/.972, 123 PA, 13 2B, 13 HR, 43 RBI, 8 SB
Career: .473/.534/.979, 498 PA, 47 2B, 4 3B, 53 HR, 166 RBI, 24 SB

The Walla Walla Walloper will go down as one of the most prestigious power hitters of the non-feeder era, adding 13 homers to his career total. He finished with 53 homers and 166 RBIs, and hit for his highest average and second highest OBP as a high schooler. Tom isn't as big of a fan of him now as he was back in January, but I have absolutely no regrets on this pick. Despite what he's shown, John Lawson won't be able to play forever, and Otto has the power to potentially impact the game. If he pans out, he could easily be the greatest power hitting Cougar and potentially one of the all time great sluggers. His contact tool is really just average, but with his power, expect a lot of scared pitchers pitching around him, leading to a pile of walks. I wouldn't be surprised if he has to deal with strikeouts his whole career, as power usually comes with a lot of them, but he can change the game with one swing of the bat. He should also be a decent defender at third. It would be cool if we were able to go from Hall of Fame third basemen to another, and I'm hoping Lawson can help mentor Christian once he's big league ready. The mock only lists him as a second rounder, but I don't think there is a single hitter with as much upside as he boasts.

2nd Round, 20th Overall: C Eddie Howard
School: St. Joseph
Commit School: Cumberland University
1941: .510/.574/.820, 118 PA, 20 2B, 3B, 3 HR, 30 RBI, 3 SB
Career: .529/.586/.779, 486 PA, 78 2B, 5 3B, 5 HR, 126 RBI, 20 SB

He didn't hit 13 homers like Otto, but Eddie Howard had a career high 3 in his fourth consecutive .500 season at St. Joseph. .510 was actually his lowest mark, as he was never able to match the .551/.611/.847 line, but his OBP and slugging were improved from last season. He'll be 18 in a week, and takes the final spot in the initial Mock top 10. He has well above average contact potential and has shown a lot of promise defensively behind the plate. He's got a good eye and could eventually draw 50 walks a season, and he has all the tools to get on base a lot and not strike out too much. He's a really raw prospect with a lot of upside, but it could be a long trek up the system. He's not quite blocked by Solly Skidmore, as he's already in A ball and could finish the season in AA, but eventually Skidmore will get in his way. Depending on how Howard develops, he could push himself in front, or end up as trade bait for a future upgrade. We recently had a huge surplus of top quality catching prospects, and while Skidmore is no longer the only top 50 backstop, there are only 7 in the top 150. and 4 of the top 9 catching prospects are Keystones, so there could be a lot of interest for an exciting young catcher.

2nd Round, 29th Overall: LHP Leo Hayden
School: Benicia
Commit School: Redwood University
1941: 8-0, 82.2 IP, 0.76 ERA, 0.73 WHIP, 13 BB, 136 K
Career: .18-3, 207.1 IP, 1.65 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 46 BB, 265 K

In hindsight, I with this pick would have been Lazaro Deleon, but that's not to say Leo Hayden is not a quality pitching prospect. He is one of just ten pitchers in the initial mock, and he ranks 6th, right behind "El Mago". He did start a career low 12 games as a senior, but the 6'6'' southpaw was dominant. He was a perfect 8-0 with a career best in ERA, WHIP, BB/9 (1.4), and K/9 while matching his 5.6 WAR from last season in about 20 fewer innings. Just three eligible pitchers had a lower ERA then Hayden this season, and if I passed on him, I imagine he would have been one of the first pitchers selected this Summer. He's an intimidating mound presence, with his fastball currently in the high 80s. He features a curve, slider, and change too, with the curve the best pitch. At times it is unhittable, and he should be able to strike out a ton of batters in affiliated ball. He did limit concern about his command with a huge drop in walks, but he may end up giving up a few more homers then he should as he'll occasionally hang a change or slider. OSA thinks all his skills are plus, Tom thinks he'll fill the back of a rotation, and I think he could end up as a similar pitcher to Harry Parker. Hayden should really help keep our pitching depth in the low minors up, giving La Crosse another extremely valuable arm.

3rd Round, 45th Overall: SS Jim Dickinson
School: Calumet Catholic
1941: .270/.373/.344, 255 PA, 8 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 37 RBI, 38 SB
Career: .270/.377/.336, 687 PA, 20 2B, 3 3B, 4 HR, 96 RBI

It's looking like I hit with my regional pick this year, as the mock actually has Jim Dickinson as the projected 13th Pick, where we took Otto Christian. "Speck" is the only college player we took, and he hit a decent .270/.373/.344 leading the Calumet Catholic lineup in one of the toughest college leagues. 1941 was the first season the Springfield native managed more then a single homer, and he set career bests in doubles, triples, RBIs, and walks while matching his top steal total. He's gotten time at second and third as well as short, but Tom thinks he's a defensive marvel there. He has great speed and can get to balls hit all around the shortstop position, and OSA shares Tom's love of his defense. He has good plate vision, but I don't see him hitting for much power or even a very high average. Expect a lot of grounders from him, but he has the speed to beat out the slow rollers and avoid double plays. He lacks star power, but reminds me a lot of former Cougar first rounder Hal Wood. At 22, he could rise up the system quick, and I could see him and Jimmie James eventually getting used to each other as double play partners in the minors.