[ayaghmour2]

Before Opening Day, I did make a small trade, sending Willie Gonzalez Jr. to the Kings for Rule-5 Pick Ken Matson. I didn't want to lose him or Hooks Camp, and with a lot of guys who could not be sent down in the pen, I knew it would be hard to keep two Rule-5 pitchers. Instead, Matson will now be optionable, and will report to AAA where he can make consistent starts. The 1942 season starts tomorrow, and we'll hope to defend our pennant. The folks at BNN don't think that will happen, giving the Stars the pennant, but with us, the Wolves, and Cannons all within three games of first. I still think we're the best of the bunch, but a pennant race like that would be very exciting. Despite a tied for third place finish, we do have three projected top pitchers; Jim Lonardo (1st, 23-16, 2.79, 75), Joe Brown (5th, 19-12, 2.48, 103), and Harry Parker (6th, 19-18, 3.26, 136). Our farm system is also one of the strongest, ranked 3rd with 170 points. Our top prospect, Donnie Jones (6th) will graduate this season, and we have three others in the top 25, 8 in the top 100, 20 in the top 250, and 46 in the top 500.

Below is our roster for the coming season:
RHP Joe Brown
RHP Pug Bryan
RHP Hooks Camp
RHP Ben Curtin
RHP Milt Fritz
RHP Donnie Jones
LHP Dick Lyons
RHP Harry Parker
C Harry Mead
C Mike Taylor
1B Ray Ford
1B Dick Walker
2B Clark Car
2B Freddie Jones
3B John Lawson
3B Johnny McDowell
SS Tip Harrison
SS Skipper Schneider
LF Leo Mitchell
CF Aart MacDonald
CF Carlos Montes
RF Rich Langton
RF Cliff Moss

Eddie Quinn ended up accepting an optional assignment, so Pug Bryan will remain a Cougar. Both him and Ollie Page shocked me, but I won't complain here! Having them on hand in AAA for depth will be huge, as injuries or even more enlistments are sure to effect the roster as we move through the season. We start the season with three in Montreal, before our home opener on the 17th against the Stars. That will be a three game series as well.

Opening Day Lineup at Montreal:
CF Carlos Montes
RF Rich Langton
3B John Lawson
1B Ray Ford
LF Leo Mitchell
C Harry Mead
SS Skipper Schneider
2B Freddie Jones
RHP Jim Lonardo

Montreal starts with a lefty, young ace Wally Doyle, so there is no Clark Car, Dick Walker, or Cliff Moss in the starting lineup. Those three lefties play against righty pitchers, while Jones, Langton, and Ford start against southpaws. Of course, Ford, Langton, Moss, and Walker will likely get playing time against same sided pitchers at time as I look to keep guys fresh. Our righty lineup has six lefties, with the lone righties Montes and Mead. Mike Taylor will get a share of starts against righties as well, so at times (including this week) we will have seven lefties in the lineup, and since there could be an 8th if Dick Lyons pitches in games Taylor catches.