JULY 28, 1941
MINUTMEN LOAD UP A DEADLINE
The Boston Minutemen were the first, and so far at least, only team to make a big move geared towards tipping the balance of power in the Federal Association in advance of this week's trade deadline. The Minutemen addressed a pair of needs by acquiring veteran pitcher Dean Astle and first baseman Bill Moore from the Cleveland Foresters in advance of the July 31st trade cut-off date. In return the rebuilding Foresters receive a pair of solid minor league prospects including OSA's 42nd ranked Pete Sigmund as well as the Minutemen's first round pick in the January draft and veteran backup infielder Elmer Lockwood.
The trade was necessitated by Boston in no small part because of the injury suffered by Art Spencer last week. Spencer (.342,4,26) was having a career year and filling in admirably at first base for another injured Boston first sacker in Bob Donoghue (.267,4,21). Donoghue will return to the lineup this week but with his health not assured Moore (.293,9,49) seems an ideal pickup to spell Donoghue as well as handle the left-handed pinch-hitting duties. Moore is an underrated big leaguer but the 29 year old, who was a 2-time Christian Trophy winner in college and named the greatest AIAA player of the first 25 years of college baseball, has quietly put together some decent, consistent seasons for the Foresters.
The 31 year old Astle (6-10, 4.36) has struggled the past two seasons right along with the entire Foresters team but prior to that he was a 4-time all-star and the ace of Cleveland's pair of pennant winning clubs in the middle of the decade. At worst he can fill in as a reliever in the Boston pen but there is a good chance he may replace John Edwards (5-11, 5.72) in the Boston rotation, although the unpredictable Edwards has strung together a couple of solid starts recently.
As for the Foresters this would be the first major move of the new regime as the club struggles through it's second straight dreadful season. It has been no secret that Astle, Moore and others in Cleveland would likely be moved as the deadline approached and with a couple of days left there is a good chance any other deadline deal made this week will involve the Foresters. The centerpiece of this trade for Cleveland, aside from the draft pick, is Pete Sigmund. The 19 year old was Boston's fourth round pick in 1939 and despite being just 19 years of age has already advanced to the AA level where he is performing quite well. He likely will not play in Cleveland at all this season but if he continues at his current pace he may well challenge for a spot next spring. Si Crocker is a 22 year old who reminds one much of Sigmund. Both were 4th round picks (Crocker in 1936) and both reached AA at a fairly young age. Crocker has split each of the past two seasons between AA and AAA. He has performed very well at the lower level but struggled last season at the higher one. OSA sees him as more of a depth piece rather than as a key contributor. The final piece is the lone player from the trade who will likely see time in Cleveland this season. Elmer Lockwood (.305,0,10) was a spare part first baseman/pinch-hitter on the Boston roster who would likely have been cut to make room for Moore so he will get a chance to see if he can win the job as Moore's replacement at first for the Foresters for the remainder of the season. The 29 year old has spent the past five seasons in the majors but never started more than 26 games in a season.
A solid move for both clubs. While I feel the Minutemen likely still need to do more to solidify themselves as the pennant favourite this deal does improve their chances of finally ending their 27 year title drought, but they have plenty of competition for the Fed flag. Moore is a dependable hitter and could at the very least platoon with Donoghue should the slugger struggle upon his return. He is also a much more dangerous bat off the bench than Lockwood provided, although Lockwood was hitting .333 as a pinch-hitter this season. They also have the option of trying to see if Donoghue can navigate left field on his wonky knee and let Moore man first base if Chick Donnelly (.262,12,56) struggles. Astle is a nice pickup as well and if he can get back on track with a winning team behind him he could be a key piece down the stretch. At the very least he provides great injury insurance for Boston. The cost was one Boston could easily absorb as while they did move their first round pick and a top 100 prospect the Minutemen still own Washington's first rounder, which stands to be a much higher selection than Boston's own pick.
Adding a first round pick is never a bad thing and, despite the fact this draft class appears to be one of the weaker ones in recent memory, it is still another asset for the Foresters to add as they try to turn things around. Astle was struggling the past couple of seasons and Cleveland would not contend either with or without Moore so moving both makes sense as it allowed the Foresters to add a top-50 prospect like Sigmund. The Foresters are quietly collecting and developing young assets and the rebuild, which was a long time coming, finally seems to be in full swing. As mentioned above it would come as no surprise to see Cleveland move another veteran piece to one of the other contenders before the week is out. I am not sure Mel Carrol is going anywhere, and his stock is lower than it was a year ago at this time, but perhaps pitcher Dave Rankin finds a suitor, or a depth move by another club sees them add a Dan Fowler or George Dawson type.
WILL THE STARS MAKE A MOVE? -There is no questioning the strength of the New York offense but with the season ending injury to Chuck Cole recently the Stars pitching staff is further weakened. Will they make a move and can they possibly overtake the Cougars if they fail to add another solid arm? So far at least there is no indication the Stars having anything planned and sources within the organization do not believe New York will make a move.
The Federal Association is also surprisingly quiet at the deadline. The Boston Minutemen made their move but will any of Detroit, Chicago or Pittsburgh do something to try and match the Minutemen? They all have draft picks they could deal, and each has been known to do so but prospect depth, especially for Pittsburgh, is wearing thin. The Chiefs could move top 10 outfield prospect Joe Rutherford but they have dealt much of their future away in recent years so the question is how much more would they be willing to part with. Detroit is possibly the most desperate of the three clubs chasing Boston at the moment, as the Dynamos, unlike the Miners and Chiefs, do not have a recent pennant and are quite disappointed with three straight second place finishes. The recent injury to Sergio Gonzales has to hurt but is tempered by the continued success recently of Frank Crawford, who beat Boston 6-1 for his third straight victory after struggling upon return from his lengthy injury. Will Detroit look to add pitching depth or perhaps another bat in an attempt to finally get over the hump and win that elusive pennant?
My gut feeling is we won't see a lot happening this week for two reasons. First, there is not a lot out there, aside from possibly a few Foresters, that would be both available to a contender and of sufficient quality to provide them with an upgrade. We have seen less deadline movement in recent years for this very reason. The second point is very new and quite frankly I am not sure many clubs know how to prepare for it. There is little doubt that war is coming and when it does it is expected to have a major effect on FABL. We have seen a trickle of players, including Toronto Wolves star Fred McCormick, get called to service from the draft but it sounds like what we have seen will be just a drop in the bucket. When the faucet turns fully open it may well throw the balance of power in both associations upside down so many teams are afraid to move older players now because they may be all that is left for an organization if many of the players in their twenties get the call to arms. Strange times and they have left many FABL GM's overly cautious at a time when normally those in contention might elect to go all in.
COUGARS CONTINUE TO LEAD CONTINENTAL
The Chicago Cougars are the model of consistency this season as they regularly seem to win 4 out of 6 games each week and enjoy a 3.5 game lead on the New York Stars atop the Continental Association. While New York got off to an amazing 15-2 start before slowing in May, the Cougars have simply moved steadily along like a well oiled machine. Here are the Cougars records each of the first four months of the season:
Code:
APRIL 11-6 .647
MAY 18-11 .621
JUNE 21-7 .750
JULY 15-8 .652
They are nearly unbeatable at Cougars Park (38-14) but equally comfortable on the road (27-18) and it doesn't matter if you throw a righthander (32-18) or a southpaw (33-14) against them. So there really is no way to stop them. Only the Brooklyn Kings (5-5) have played .500 ball against the Cougars this season and the second place Stars have been close as Chicago is 7-6 vs the New Yorkers. Where the Cougars have feasted is on the second division particularly against Philadelphia (13-4) and Cleveland (16-2).
This pennant race is exciting in no small part because of two individual stories that really showcase the strength of each club. For the Cougars that strength is pitching led by the breakout season for 23 year old Pete Papenfus while New York is all about the offense and none show off that better than 21 year old Bill Barrett who one now has to consider the best player in the sport. It will be interesting to see how Papenfus and Barrett fare down the stretch.
Here we go again. We've seen the "Do something" demand from owner Leland Winthrop. That led to some changes. But now a year later the Gothams don't seem to have gotten anywhere. Sure they've won a few more games, but they still reside with the dregs of the Federal Association. They continue to bring in players who underperform, they continue to wait for prospects to develop. Now the word around Gothams Stadium is that one or both of GM Tom Ward or Manager Ed Ziehl could be on the way out. The cloud hanging over the big ballpark in Queens is starting to resemble the one hanging over Europe, despite the difference in relative importance of the two.
For the first time there is talk in Queens that Ed Ziehl's job as Manager of the New York Gothams may be in danger. While Ed is a team legend there are questions as to whether he is the man to develop young players. As an unnamed source explained, "Sure, Ed was great when handed a team of allstars and Hall of Fame pitchers, but the past few years have seen painfully slow development of a bevy of high draft picks. The team is stuck in a place somewhere below mediocre. Patience is wearing thin." Also brought into question is the coaching staff's inability to get their younger pitchers to hit the strike zone more often. This seems to be an issue throughout the organization where promising young pitchers continue to struggle.
When asked about these rumors Manager Ziehl brushed them off, "I don't have time for that garbage. We're working hard here everyday to win ballgames."
What is a team to do? Trade their better players? Or their better prospects? Or do they wait, and wait, and wait. Fans are grumbling. Average attendance is down from early season levels and general interest in the team is waning. Endless losing will do that. With everything going on in the world the best course of action may be to ride it out and see where it leads. If I had more info on what the team planned I'd pass it along, however at the moment there is only silence and closed doors in the Gothams offices.
1942 DRAFT PREVIEW PART THREE: HIGH SCHOOL HITTERS
Catchers dominate the top ten among high school hitters, at least in our rankings 6 months in advance of the 1942 draft. However, as a whole this group, much like the high school pitchers, leaves us wanting more as it feels like there is a clear shortage of high end talent coming out of the high school graduating class this season. That being said here are the top ten position players among high schoolers according to TWIFB with an assist from the OSA.
1- SAM LANTING 17 CF -Sulpher Springs (TX) HS :Hometown -Sulpher Springs, TX: Emerged on the high school scene this season as he made his debut as a junior, batting .485 with 4 homers and 31 rbi's in 24 games. Not sure the stats back it up but OSA feels the potential is there and Lanting has the skills to flourish as a big league center fielder.
2: CRAB CROWLEY C -Framingham (MA) HS : Hometown -Providence, RI: A two time first team All-America selection, Crowley has been very consistent his three seasons of high school ball. He is another in the growing list of talented ballplayers to come out of Rhode Island, a list highlighted by the 4 Pestilli brothers but also includes Montreal's Bill Greene and several solid minor league prospects. OSA sees Crowley as someone who can play a lot in the majors once he matures. He was ranked as the top position player in TWIFB's way too early mock 1942 draft last summer.
3: BOB SCHMELZ 2B - Dravosburg (PA) HS: Hometown - Charleroi, PA: Still just 16, Schmelz had a very strong freshman season and was an All-American selection as a sophomore but his numbers dipped slightly last season. OSA sees him as someone who could perhaps challenge for a batting title, tabbing him as a possible .350 hitter in his prime. The verdict from the scouting service is Schmelz will be an above average second baseman.
4: SAM CLARKE C - Crane HS, Chicago: Hometown -Chicago, IL: Another of the group of young catchers that OSA loves. Clarke does not have the offensive numbers of a player like Crowley but OSA still sees him A player who can be penciled in for a lion's share of starts behind the plate.
5: JACK SPAHR C - Mayfield (PA) HS: Hometown -Wellsburg, WV: High school numbers are a little better than Clarke's and he gets a similar scouting report. Looks like an average big league starter according to OSA.
6: MILT RADER OF - Stroud (OK) HS: Hometown -Seminole, OK: Bidding to become the fifth player selected out of Stroud High in the past 6 years but his stats are trending in the wrong direction as his batting average and on-base percentage have lowered each of his three seasons of high school ball. He was ranked 7th overall on our top 10 for his draft class report last July but has slid in the past year. Despite that OSA feels he has plus contact skills and an above average eye which should put him at a second division starter level.
7- IVEY HENLEY 1B - Phillipsburg (NJ) HS: Hometown -Brooklyn, NY: Made his high school debut as a junior this past season slashing .486/.554/.739. OSA sees the 17 year old as a consistent hitter with a disciplined plate approach that should make him a solid starter.
8- ART GOINS OF - Arlington (TX) HS: Hometown - Washington, DC: In a draft with a number of catchers ranked near the top of a class it is a bit of a surprise that the son of one of the best catchers ever to play the sport is an outfielder and not a catcher like his dad. Make no mistake - Art Goins is his own man and not T.R. Goins in really any form except for last name. The younger Goins is not the feared slugger his two-time Whitney Award winning father was in his prime but he did finish in the top ten among high school players nationally last season in on-base percentage while also posting a respectable .506 batting average in 20 games. He does have some power, with 5 homers and a .949 slugging percentage in his lone year of high school play in his father's hometown of Arlington, Texas but the center fielder appears to project as more a lead-off bat with decent speed and strike zone judgement rather than a slugger. OSA says he could hit .270 but the scouting service is not sold on Goins becoming a big league regular.
9- DUCKY COLE OF - Long Beach (CA) HS: Hometown -Long Beach, CA: In what feels like a down year all around, but especially on the west coast Ducky Cole is considered the top high school player from California but OSA is not sold on his chances of becoming a big league regular. One thing the 17 year old has going for him is his drive - he is described by his coach as a "baseball rat, he's the first one at the park and the last one to leave." Cole was an honourable mention All-American this past season as a junior after hitting .513 in his third season of high school play.
10- ROGER CLEAVES C - Hoboken (NJ) HS: Hometown -West New York, NJ: Brother of current Pittsburgh Miners stars George and Jack Cleaves has been a three year starter at his high school and cracked the top ten in our look at the '42 class a year ago. Cleaves clearly has great bloodlines, he is the grandson of the legendary manager George Theobald and scouting guru Rufus Barrell in addition to being a half brother to the Pittsburgh duo. Despite those bloodlines OSA downplays Cleaves potential impact, grading him as a below average catcher and hitter. However, the class is weak and we expect Cleaves will be selected in January and quite possibly in the first round.
Next issue we will turn our focus even further into the future and give you a glimpse at the early favourites to be top selections in the 1943 draft.
QUICK HITS
- In a completely too early look at Whitney contenders, this is how Percy Sutherland sees things: In the FA, there is no one who is having a clearly dominating season. I see two groups forming. At the top you have: Mahlon Strong, Bill Burkett, Sal Pestilli, and Ron Rattigan. Just after them comes Walt Messer, Red Johnson, and Bobby Barrell. And in the CA, of course, there is Bill Barrett, getting your 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place votes all to himself.
- Barrett is on pace to generate over 96 batting runs (BatR). Max Morris had 4 seasons with more than 100 batting runs, including an incredible 122.7 in 1921 (.411/.511/.785, 53 HR, wRC+ 247). Without digging through all the seasons, I'm going out on a limb and saying that this is the record. Kellogg's best was 100.6 BatR in 1933 (.390/.457/.684, 45 HR, 211 wRC+).
- Lloyd Stevens of the Philadelphia Keystones is 8-11 this year with half of his wins being shutouts. The 25 year old also tied for the Fed lead in shutouts last season with 4.
- Oh, the fickle New York media. Last Monday (see column above) they were calling for the heads of their long-time GM as well as franchise legend of a manager Ed Ziehl and demanding a trade of the struggling Gus Goulding (7-11, 4.37) but after a 4-2 week that included a pair of wins over the Pittsburgh Miners it sounds like everyone is happy in the Gothams front office once again. The Gothams have been very good at times (a 19-13 stretch starting at the beginning of May) but also very bad (a 5-16 slump in June). Truth is the Gothams are simply not as good as the May version and not as bad as the June version of their club. New York is an improving club but they are still well below the top four teams in the Fed. The Gothams have had some success against Detroit this season, winning 7 of 10 but against the other Big Three in the Fed the Gothams are a combined 17-30.
The Week That Was
Current events from the week ending 7/27/1941
- In a plea to the nation, President Roosevelt asked Congress to declare a National emergency as a means of retaining selectees and National Guardsmen in active service for the duration of the emergency. In a message to Congress and the world, FDR warned that America's Army would begin to disintegrate within the next two months unless Congress acts.
- On the Eastern Front, Germany is claiming that 6 Russian divisions were "annihilated" and that a "large number of Soviet divisions are trapped and in danger of being crushed" in the area north of Vitebak. The Nazis continue to throw increased manpower at the Soviet Russia forces. Nazi bombs also blasted a huge crater near the US Embassy in Moscow as they close in on Russia's capital city.
- Things are heating up in the Far East as Japan reaches an agreement to occupy French naval bases in the area which prompts the United States to move into the Philippines and take command of that commonwealths forces for the duration of the emergency. Japan is increasing it's warship presence in Indo-China, to the point where they now have double the number of warships that Britain has in Asiatic waters off of Saigon. Britain also renounced all trade pacts with Tokio.
- Scrap metal drives are being organized with incredible response across the country to gather old pots, pans, even farm equipment to be repurposed and used in the construction of airplanes, weapons and other war material.