[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 5-3
Seasonal Record: 8-6 (t-2nd, 0.5 GB)
Stars of the Week
Carlos Montes : 33 AB, 10 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .303 AVG, .803 OPS
Leo Mitchell : 26 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .346 AVG, .895 OPS
Skipper Schneider : 31 AB, 10 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .323 AVG, .686 OPS

Schedule
4-20: Win vs Kings (0-1)
4-21: Loss vs Kings (6-5): 10 innings
4-22: Win at Kings (8-6)
4-23: Win at Kings (2-1): 10 innings
4-24: Win at Stars (5-1)
4-25: Loss at Stars (2-10)
4-26: Loss at Stars (4-5): 11 innings
4-26: Win at Stars (3-0)

Recap
Another three loss week, but with eight games being played, three losses is nothing to complain about. Especially with how congested the CA has been to start the season. We're half a game behind the Wolves, and tied with New York, Philly, and Brooklyn, so the top five teams in our league all have eight wins. Playing half our games against the Stars had made things difficult, but being 8-6 is a solid start. Sure we had one series against the Saints, but 11 of our 14 games have been against teams with 85 or more wins last year.

The pitching has been inconsistent, but we got three dominant outings this week. The first was Harry Parker's start to start the week, as he helped us escape the Kings 1-0. He allowed 7 hits and a walk with 4 strikeouts in his first of likely many shutouts this season. Start two wasn't nearly as effective, as he allowed 14 hits and 7 runs against the Stars, but with two runs in that game it likely wouldn't have mattered how well he pitched. We got another shutout from Joe Brown to end the week, 6 hits, a walk, and 2 strikeouts in our 3-0 win over the Stars. It was his first win of the season, and like Parker, his other start left a lot to be desired. He went nine plus an out, allowing 11 hits, 6 runs, and 2 walks with 2 strikeouts in our 10 inning loss to the Kings. Brown allowed three homers in that game, including a game tieing one in the 8th to Al Wheeler, which will be immortalized in FABL history. It was Wheeler's 400th, as he became just the third to reach that mark (or even 300). The third start wasn't a shutout, but Donnie Jones was excellent in our 2-1 extra inning win over the Kings. Jones needed help with the final out, with Ben Curtin getting Lee Shapiro to ground out and end the game, but he allowed just 4 hits, 5 walks, and a run with 3 strikeouts to take home the victory. It's early, but our young star has managed to throw 139 or more pitches in each of his two starts, and owns a beautiful 1.96 ERA (174 ERA+) and 1.09 WHIP in 18.1 innings pitched.

Jim Lonardo continued to keep runs off the board, but an elevated pitch count caused him to pitch just 7 in our 5-1 win over the Stars. Lonardo left after 139 pitches, despite just 5 hits, a run, and 3 walks. Our temporary ace leads the entire FABL in ERA, 0.72 (475 ERA+), and is a perfect 3-0 with a 0.84 WHIP, 9 walks, and 3 strikeouts. The lack of strikeouts is a little concerning, especially considering a slight drop in velocity, but Lonardo has picked up right where he left off last year. Dick Lyons didn't have a great week, picking up a pair of no decisions. The game we won he pitched worse, 7 innings with 11 hits, 5 runs, a walk and a strikeout. The game we lost he was on short rest in the double header, but still managed to go 8 with 8 hits, 3 runs, and a walk. Lyons has been average to start the year, and I'm not too concerned with his performances, but we may see Donnie jump him in the rotation to keep him as fresh as possible. Looking to the pen, Ben Curtin had a bit of a rough week, allowing 7 hits and 3 runs with a pair of walks. He won a game, lost a game, and saved a game. Hooks Camp had a rough big league debut, allowing 4 hits, 3 runs, and a walk with a punchout in a rough inning against the Stars. Milt Fritz looked much better, 2 hitless frames with just a walk to his name.

Clark Car had a much better week two as a Cougar, and while he did make another error, he was an extra base machine. Car was 6-for-19 with a walk, 2 doubles, 2 triples, 3 runs, and 3 RBIs. He didn't get much support, but the surprising CA WAR leader Carlos Montes continued his hot start. He went 10-for-33 with a double, homer, 6 runs, 4 walks, and 4 RBIs. Leo Mitchell got into the fun, 9-for-26 with a double, triple, 3 walks, 3 RBIs, and 4 runs scored. Beyond that trio, we didn't get too much done. Freddie Jones was decent, 4-for-11 with a run and RBI, and John Lawson (8-29, HR, RBI) and Skipper Schneider (10-31, 3 RBI, 5 R) were just average. We'll need more from Lawson and Skipper, two of the better players in the league, but Skipper has been elite yet again at short and Lawson is still doing fine for a player you aren't expecting star production from. We have managed to score more runs then we allow, but early on we're in the middle of pack when we should be one of the top two teams offensively.

Looking Ahead
Off to start the week, before three in the Foresters in Cleveland. Last season they finished well below .500, but they're off to a nice 6-6 start early on. Cleveland hasn't been scoring a lot, but they've gotten solid production from one of their corner infielders. Former Cougar draftee Hank Stratton is off to a quick start, hitting a productive .340/.365/.400 (111 OPS+) with a double, triple, and 7 RBIs. Him and the frequently quick starter Dan Fowler (.250, 1, 6) are the only Foresters in the early goings with an OPS+ above 110, but corner outfielders Cal Howe (.319, 1) and Eli Harkless (.283, 6) have both been solid at the plate. With no Dean Astle in the rotation, Dave Rankin (0-0, 2.38, 6) has stepped into the 1 spot and they brought the #30 prospect Dick Lamb on the Opening Day roster. He's off to a nice start despite his 1-2 record, with a strong 3.16 ERA (116 ERA+) and 1.21 WHIP, although he has yet to strike out a hitter and has walked five. He's just 22, and far from a finished product, but he projects to be a reliable middle of the rotation arm. His stuff needs some polishing, as his pitches aren't quite big league quality, but his command is outstanding and if he can keep the ball in the part, the Foresters should have a nice long term piece. Still, I think we are the far better team, and I'd love for us to pick up our first sweep.

Next stop is Philly, for two with the hard hitting Sailors. Despite having a really rough 1941 season, the Sailors are leading the CA in runs, average, OBP, slugging, OPS, wOBA, hits, steals, and extra base hits. It's a little surprising, as the Sailors don't really have many star quality players in their lineup. Bob Smith (.278, 8, 2) is there best position player, but he's been outperformed by Lou Williams (.358, 7), Marion Boismenu (.356, 5), and Harvey Brown (.368, 11, 1). Boismenu may be able to keep it up, as he's trying to replace Smith as the leader of the offense, but I don't think the two corner outfielders will be able to sustain this production for very long. Illinois native Woody Stone (.275, 2, 16) is already just a homer away from his season total last year, and a rebound season for him could help push the Sailors back into the first division. The pitching is weaker then usual, and while they will get Dutch Sheldon back in about three weeks, there is no way of knowing if he's going to be the same pitcher he was pre-UCL tear. Chuck Murphy (2-1, 3.03, 4) and Doc Newell (2-1, 3.12, 11) are off to a nice start, but there are a lot of question marks behind them. Herb Flynn (2-1, 4.30, 2) is off to a tough start despite his record, and he hasn't had an above average season since 1939, while Tom Cipolla (0-1, 5.40, 7) and Johnny Cook (1-1, 6.43, 2) aren't guys you want starting many games. Their is hope in the pen in the form of young top prospects David Molina and Al Duster, who both came from Detroit and could develop into reliable big league arms. I'd love to draw Cipolla and Cook when we see them, but I like our chance in Philly, and I think we can slow their hot start a bit.

Last stop for the week is Toronto, where we have two on Sunday before an off day and the finale on Tuesday. At 8-5, the Wolves are the only CA team with a record better then ours, and their pitching has been tremendous. Part of that has been former Cougar prospect Juan Pomales, who is off to a nice start at the plate and on the mound. Pomales is 2-1 with a 2.78 ERA (128 ERA+), 1.01 WHIP, 4 walks, and 3 strikeouts, while hitting .308/.379/.385 (112 OPS+) with a triple and 2 RBIs. He's filled in as Bernie Johnson is on the IL with a ruptured finger tendon, but Chick Wirtz (1-0, 2.35, 3) is doing his best Johnson impersonation while Joe Hancock (1-2, 2.62, 8) and George Garrison (3-0, 1.44, 16) have been dominant. It's going to be hard to score off them, and while their top four of Frederick, Artuso, Pack, and Holliday have really struggled, the back of the order has been outstanding. Reginald Westfall, Mike Rollinson, Gus Hull, and Clarence Howerton are all hitting above .300 while Rollinson is sharing the WAR lead with Montes and leading the CA in batting average. The 27-year-old had a great Spring, and has carried that into a .373/.396/.490 (144 OPS+) line. This will be tough, but I'm hoping we can at least split the double header, and find ourselves atop the standings when the series finishes.

Minor League Report
RHP George Oddo (C La Cross Lions): Few Cougar prospects have had larger rises in the top prospect list then George Oddo, who at current time is all the way up to 123rd in the league. He's doing his best to back up that faith, tossing a gem in his first start of the year. Oddo allowed just 5 hits and 2 walks with 4 strikeouts as the Lions crushed the Marshalltown Maples 10-0. Oddo's worked out hard in the offseason, upping his fastball velocity to the high 80s, and he's show great improvement in his stuff. OSA grades his curve as elite, and both them and Tom Weinstock thinks his change is great too. His fastball is reliable with great life, and when your worst pitch is your fastball, you usually have a good repertoire. He's just 19, and has a lot of room to grow, but he's an intimidating, 6'4'' arm and I expect him to continue to improve his velocity, as he's already done a great job polishing his stuff. He's one of the prospects in our system I really have my eye on, and if he continues on his ascent, he could be our next top 100 prospect.