[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 4-0
Seasonal Record:45-40 (2nd, 9.5 GB)
Stars of the Week
John Lawson : 13 AB, 8 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .615 AVG, 1.369 OPS
Leo Mitchell : 21 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 5 RBI, .429 AVG, .976 OPS
Harry Parker : 1 Win, 9.0 IP, 0 BB, 1 K, 0.00 ERA

Schedule
7-9: Win at Foresters (4-3)
7-11: Win at Foresters (6-1)
7-12: Win at Sailors (15-2)
7-12: Win at Sailors (10-4)

Recap
This team really is frustrating... A rested and rejuvenated Cougar squad decided it was time to start winning games, sweeping the Foresters and then the double header with the Sailors to start the second half. Sure, the first game was a one run win, but the rest were won pretty handily, as we outscored our opponents 35-10. We're back in second and within single digits, as the Stars stumbled out of the gate. Our Pythagorean is now 51-34, which would put us 3.5 games behind the Stars, so maybe things will even out a bit more as the season marches on. The Fed won the All Star game, scoring 5 in the 8th to take a 7-4 lead they'd take to the finish, as after shutting us out a few days before, Billy Riley couldn't get an out. Carlos Montes had a nice game, 1-for-2 with a 2-out, 2-run, 2nd inning double. One of the runs he drove in was Leo Mitchell, who was 1-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored. Mead also scored on the Montes double, finishing 0-for-1 with a pair of walks. Skipper pinch hit in the 6th and finished the game at short, going 0-for-1 with a sac-fly. Cougar players drove in three of the CA's four runs as well as scored three of the four runs.

We actually didn't hit all that well as a team, but we scored a lot of runs. John Lawson had a rare breath of life, going 8-for-13 with 2 doubles and 3 runs scored. It almost feels like he doubled his season hit total, but he did raise his OPS+ almost 10 points. Part timers Clark Car, Rich Langton, and Mike Taylor each got a single start, and combined to go 6-for-14 with 2 doubles, 7 runs, and 4 RBIs. Mitchell was 8-for-18 in a Cougar uniform with a double, 6 runs, and 5 RBIs while Montes was 4-for-15 with a triple, 2 steals, 4 walks, 4 runs, and 2 RBIs. Billy Hunter wasn't great, but looked much better, 4-for-13 with a double and 3 runs scored and driven in. I can live with little offense if we are winning games, but in all fairness, the offense has been really good this year despite it's inconsistencies.

All four starters this week picked up complete game victories. Harry Parker continued his stretch of dominance, just 6 hits, a strikeout, and an unearned run in a brilliant start. He's allowed one run or fewer in three of his last four starts, with all four complete game victories. Joe Brown, who has managed to crack the top 20 pitchers list and check in at #14, allowed 8 hits, 2 runs, and 2 walks with a strikeout as he improved to 9-7. Jim Lonardo allowed just 6 hits, a walk, and 3 runs with 4 strikeouts to improve to 10-8. Donnie Jones had the worst start of the four, but was still effective, giving up 7 hits and 4 runs with 5 walks and strikeouts. We'll have a lot more winning weeks if we continue to pitch like this, and I may have to lean on these four as we try to claw our way back in the race.

All the draftees I wanted to sign have signed, and as expected, none of our class cracked the top 100. We did get Dick Hamilton (125th) inside the top 200, with various guys in the top 500. 4th Rounder Babe Stinson (227th) and Bill Chapman (230th) rank 20th and 21st in our system and 5th Rounder Ed Neal (247th) sneaks into the top 250, while Harry MacRae (274th), Sam Hess (277th), and 2nd Rounder Henry DeVeaux (284th) fill out the 200s. Stinson, Neal, and DeVeaux were the last remaining draftees, and we also have Billy Biggar (369th), Ducky Cole (410th), and Homer Guthrie (441st) inside the top 500. As expected, our system now ranks 5th, led by #12 prospect Johnnie Jones. He's one of three guys in the top 20, and we have 7 in the top 100, 24 in the top 250, and an even 50 in the top 500. Yes, every 10th ranked prospect is a Cougar farmhand, but the 6th ranked Sailors actually have two more prospects in the top 500 then us. Our farm depth continues to be a strength, and as usual, some of these lower ranked guys will develop into something much more.

Looking Ahead
Can we keep it up? I hope so! Off to start the week, but then we finish off the finale with the Sailors. They helped us by taking two of three from the Stars before dropping the double header against us. The dropped to six at 40-43, as the Cannons have surged to fourth and the Wolves have started to heat up as well. They are closer to last (8) then first (13.5) and we will hope to keep them down. Even with the off day, I expect them to go with Scotty Thomas (3-7, 4.00, 34), who shut us out the only time we faced him. It shouldn't happen again, and I like our chances here with Lonardo on the mound. The lineup isn't bad, but I am shocked to see their home run leader Eddie Heaton (.265, 4, 20) remain on the bench despite his 141 OPS+ in 125 PAs. He has a tremendous .392 OBP due to 21 walks, but the Sailors have gone with Joseph Mills (.276, 2, 14) out in right instead, who has been slightly below average. Even if they wanted to keep Mills in, he could play left or center, where Lou Williams (.257, 1, 26, 8) and Don Homer (.249, 1, 27, 3) are starting and not hitting much at all. Marion Boismenu (.316, 3, 15) is the only every day player with an OPS+ above 100, but they've still scored the fourth most runs in the CA. Losing here wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, but we just started to build some momentum, and I don't want that to stop.

Speaking of momentum, we then have to play three games in Cincinnati, with the red hot Cannons. Winners of their last eight, the Cannons have gone from dead last to .500 and are 23-12 since June 1st. Former #1 Pick Vic Carroll has been nothing short of elite since returning from a major elbow injury, going 4-2 with a 2.35 ERA (150 ERA+) and 1.14 WHIP with 21 walks and 27 strikeouts. He allowed three or fewer earned runs in six of his seven starts, with the most recent one giving up 4 against the Kings despite allowing just 4 hits. One of those seven starts was in Chicago, where he scattered 9 hits and 3 walks with 7 strikeouts in a 4-2 complete game win. I'm hoping he pitches against the Saints, instead of us, and would love to draw Roger Perry (4-4, 3.79, 37) and Art Edwards (5-2, 1, 2.94, 26). These guys are still good, as is the rebounding Butch Smith (5-9, 1, 3.42, 57), but if we get Carroll and the automatic win that is Rufus Barrell (14-3, 2.30, 101), we might as well chalk this series up as lost. Lucky for us, they don't hit all that much, and our arms could keep runs off the board. They did get a reinforcement with Denny Andrews (.256, 4, 24), who has moved to the hot corner because of the CA homer leader Chuck Adams (.320, 13, 35), and first time All-Star Jim Hensley (.274, 6, 31) has done a good job proving he's more then just a glove. Moxie Pidgeon (.224, 3, 17) continues to slump and there are various holes in the lineup, but the Cannons lineup can occasionally surprise, and we'll need to make sure they only hit while Barrell shuts us out. We may have caught them at the wrong time, but hopefully we can cool them off a bit as we look to heat up ourselves.

Our week and road trip ends with two games in three days against the 42-44 Wolves. I'm hoping they can sweep the Stars before our series, and then let us sweep them, which could bring us right back into the playoff race. Unnecessary optimism? Perhaps... But, the Wolves have the pitching to stymie the Stars offense, and hopefully they can use Joe Hancock (10-7, 2.20, 64) and George Garrison (13-5, 2.22, 81) against them and not us. Bernie Johnson is still about a month away from returning, but Chick Wirtz has filled his shoes admirably. The 34-year-old was as consistent as it gets, putting up ERA+s of 93-98 in all seven of his seasons with the Wolves, before dominating this season. He's an unlucky 5-7, but with a 2.69 ERA (133 ERA+), 1.15 WHIP, 33 walks, and 30 strikeouts. I'd wager he'll find a way back down to the 90s, but for now they'll continue to ride the vet. Their pitchers have been the most valuable in the CA according to WAR, and the top three is the reason for it. They don't always support them with runs, and Reginald Westfall (.286, 3, 41) and Mike Rollison (.304, 2, 32) have started to cool down. Walt Pack (.248, 4, 33) still hasn't gotten into gear, and if we pitch well, we should be able to win this series. Our staff should be able to navigate their lineup, and if we can finally win some one run games, we could be in really good shape after this week. But of course, that's a really big if...