[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 6-0
Seasonal Record: 45-29 (2nd, 3.5 GB)
Stars of the Week
Joe Brown : 2 Wins, 18.0 IP, 0 BB, 6 K, 0.50 ERA
Hank Barnett : 23 AB, 8 H, 1 HR, 6 RBI, .348 AVG, 1.000 OPS
Clark Car : 21 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .429 AVG, .931 OPS

Schedule
6-30: Win vs Foresters (1-4)
7-1: Win vs Foresters (1-3)
7-2: Win vs Foresters (3-6)
7-3: Win vs Wolves (3-6)
7-4: Win vs Wolves (1-5)
7-4: Win vs Wolves (0-7)

Recap
Usually a 6-0 week is all smiles and rainbows, but it couldn't be further from the truth this week. Sweeping the Foresters was expected, and yes, sweeping the Wolves, who we just couldn't beat earlier in the season, was a pleasant surprise, but we only gained a single game on the Cannons. That's not even the worst part; just take a look at the injury report. Harry Parker is out for the season...

And to make matters worse, it happened with two outs in the 9th...

Before this season, the durable righty had never missed more then four days, let a lone a start, in his entire professional career. We all know he was dealing with a sore shoulder that cost him three weeks, but this time it's not the shoulder; it's the elbow. The 28-year-old Parker will miss the rest of the season, and potentially some of next season, with a torn flexor tendon in his elbow. This is a huge setback for us, as right when we were able to bolster our rotation with a top 5 pitcher, we lose our ace. From 1939-1942, Parker made 30 or more starts, 230 or more innings, and with an ERA+ above 100, and before this he could have still reached the ERA+ and maybe one of the innings or starts. In 12 starts he is 6-3 with a 2.89 ERA (118 ERA+), 1.14 WHIP, 18 walks, and 41 strikeouts in just over 100 innings pitched. For his career, Parker is 83-52 with a 3.48 ERA (111 ERA+), 1.20 WHIP, 270 walks, and 543 strikeouts in 1,243.2 reliable innings pitched. Lucky for us, one of the only better players to replace Parker with is Art White, but it would have been nice to have them both...

Joe Brown did his best to make up for the loss of Harry Parker, doing the almost unthinkable and winning Player of the Week as a pitcher! Brown's first start was a complete game win against the Foresters, allowing just 3 hits and a run with 5 strikeouts. He then did a bit better against the Stars, tossing a 99 pitch shutout with just 4 hits and a strikeout. It's been an up and down season for Brown, but he's now up to 9-5 with a 3.19 ERA (107 ERA+), 1.18 WHIP, 36 walks, and 52 strikeouts. Dick Lyons' resurgence has taken a little pressure off him, but we'll need more big weeks like this from the 29-year-old vet. Lyons did well too, going 7 innings with 8 hits, 3 runs, and a walk. Of course, in a 6-0 week, all the pitchers did well, as both Johnnie Jones and Jim Lonardo tossed 1-run complete game wins. Lonardo allowed 6 hits, a run, and a walk with a strikeout to improve to 7-6 on the season.

Johnnie Jones not only allowed just 2 hits, a run, 6 walks, and 4 strikeouts in his first start of July as a way to celebrate his award winning month. Jones was a perfect 5-0 in June with a 1.40 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 27 walks, and 19 strikeouts. Jones hasn't allowed more then 3 runs since May 16th, as he's now won 8 consecutive starts with 7 of them complete games. He has yet to allow a home run in 94.1 innings pitched, working to a 2.58 ERA (132 ERA+) and 1.21 WHIP with 50 walks and 45 strikeouts. Last year it was Donnie who broke out for us, and now it's the Patron Saint of Groundballs. The recently turned 25-year-old is still walking nearly 4.8 per 9, but he's allowed just 64 hits and our double play duo of Clark Car and Skipper Schneider can erase even the quickest of base runners. His emergence has been huge for us, as in a normal year he'd be either in the minors or pen, but with the war out east he's secured and fully taken advantage of his rotation spot.

Pretty much everyone hit this week except the two who have been struggling, Harry Mead and Orlin Yates. Mead was just 3-for-14 with a double and 2 RBIs while Yates was 3-for-18 with 2 doubles, 2 runs, and 3 RBIs. Every other hitter with 5 or more at bats had a weekly OPS+ of 140 or higher. That doesn't include Oscar Panduro, who singled in what would have been his only big league at bat had Parker got injured, and Eddie Curtis, who was 2-for-4 with a double and run scored. It does, however, include Mike Taylor who was 2-for-5 with a run, RBI, and 3 walks. Our former Chiefs followed up great last weeks with ones this week too. Cliff Moss took advantage of no Rich Langton, going 6-for-17 with a double, homer, 4 RBIs, 5 runs, and 6 walks. Hank Barnett added another homer, going 8-for-23 with 2 doubles, a triple, 5 runs, and 6 RBIs. Clark Car got back on track, 9-for-21 with a double, walk, steal, 3 runs, and 3 RBIs. Leo Mitchell now owns the batting title by a hundredth of a point, 8-for-22 with 3 doubles, 2 walks, 5 runs, and 5 RBIs. Dick Walker went 8-for-23 with 2 doubles, 2 RBIs, 3 walks, and 6 runs scored. Our offense was extremely impressive and I hope we can keep it up as or homestand continues.

Most of our draft picks have signed, with the only two left are our first two picks Tommy Seymour and Al Clement. Despite our 1st and 2nd Rounders not signing, we've added four top 200 prospects with 4th Rounder Jimmy Hairston (86th), 5th Rounder Johnny Weaver (124th), 6th Rounder Bob Rogers (167th), and 5th Rounder Lefty Jones (200th). Bob Rogers got a mega bonus to forego his commitment, getting a whopping $40,830. Why did I give him that much? Well, he wanted $28k, and just to be safe, I decided to give him the amount that the rest of our draftees combined would receive. Our other three draftees checked in the top 500, with regional pick Dick Garcia checking in at 267, 4th Rounder Bill Holloway at 304, and 10th Rounder Barney Gunnels at 407. 7th Rounder Alex Snyder already signed (and got a minor injury), but jumped up to 332. I can't imagine Seymour and Clement not checking in the top 500, so unless Gunnels falls nearly 100 points, all our signed draftees will crack the top 500.

Looking Ahead
I expect our winning streak to end right away, as we have four games with the Cannons in three days right after a double header. To make matters worse, we're force to use Angel Lopez in the double header, as we only have one rested starter. The Cannons are the best team in the CA record wise, 47-24 and 3.5 games above us. They added Chris Clarke (6-8, 3.33, 34) to an already stacked rotation. Rufus Barrell (10-3, 1.50, 76) continues to be elite against teams that aren't us, and Butch Smith (9-4, 1.91, 45) looks like the old Butch Smith. He's got a finger blister, so we may get to avoid him, but it's not like Vic Carroll (6-3, 2.32, 39) and Jim Anderson (7-3, 1, 2.12, 41) are any easier to hit off. We'll also get our first look at 32-year-old right fielder Sam Brown (.324, 3, 42, 3), a former Eagle who I've tried acquiring multiple times. Brown is a nice addition to an already strong Cannons lineup, owning a reliable .314/.357/.441 (115 OPS+) career line with 267 doubles, 105 homers, and 711 RBIs in 1,285 FABL games. He'll join Fred Galloway (.277, 2, 21, 2), Chuck Adams (.265, 9, 41), Adam Mullins (.350, 2, 28), Jim Hensley (.247, 4, 37), and fellow newcomer Billy Dalton (.317, 9, 56, 2). This series pits the #1 offense and #2 pitching staff with the #2 offense and #1 pitching staff, which should, and it should be must watch TV for FABL fans across the country.

It doesn't get easier, as we'll have to deal with five games in four days with the Sailors before the much needed All Star break. The Sailors are 39-35 and 9.5 games out, putting themselves in an interesting position. They are probably a bit too far out without making drastic adds to compete, but above .500 they're probably too good to tear down. They do have a few interesting pieces I know I would be interested in, including outfielders Harvey Brown (.305, 1, 34, 6) and Joseph Mills (.328, 3, 29), and pitchers Paul Richardson (3-4, 2.33, 35), Doc Newell (9-5, 2.75, 46), and Karl Wallace (6-7, 3.53, 43). There are plenty of other talented players beyond that bunch, including catcher Woody Stone (.295, 1, 30), first basemen Marion Boismenu (.324, 3, 26, 4), and second basemen Bob Smith (.291, 21, 4). We're finally starting to win at home, back to 24-16, and if we can keep our momentum through the Cannons series, the Sailors should be a much easier task.

Minor League Report
LF Bill Rich (AA Mobile Commodores): Fresh off a Player of the Week award, Bill Rich took home Dixie League Batter of the Month. Rich hits most months, but he took it to another level in June, slashing .316/.365/.553 (141 OPS+) with 7 doubles, a triple, 6 homers, and 25 RBIs. The 24-year-old is hitting an impressive .314/.367/.481 (124 OPS+) on the season with 15 doubles, 9 homers, and 40 RBIs through 63 games down in AA. I'm giving him some time in right too to increase his versatility, as with Don Lee now in center, only the corners are options. I'm hoping Rich can at least be passable in both corners and he's starting to remind me a lot of Rich Langton. Since Rich will be eligible for the Rule-5 Draft offseason, he does has a chance to make a big league debut, and it's hard for me to imagine he finishes his season in Mobile. He's getting closer and closer to being ready for big league pitching, and Rich should be one of those guys who outperforms his prospect rankings.

RHP Jack Huston (AA Mobile Commodores): We've done a good job sweeping awards this season, and we did it again in AA. 1941 5th Rounder Jack Huston took home the pitcher side, going 6-1 with a 2.81 ERA (162 ERA+), 1.06 WHIP, 22 walks, and 7 strikeouts in 57.2 innings pitched. He was 5-2 in May, so now an impressive 11-3 in 15 starts. He's tossed 120.2 innings, consistently going all nine, with an impressive 3.73 ERA (122 ERA+) and 1.30 WHIP with 46 walks and 54 strikeouts in a very high scoring environment. Huston isn't one of our highest ranked prospects, #31 in the system and #315th overall, but he was really good at Class A and B last season and has rode that into an impressive season this year. He'll be 24 in August, so he's on the older side for his draft class, but we won't have to worry about protecting him in the Rule-5 Draft. This likely means he'll only go up to AAA in an emergency, as I have Bill Tuttle who's on the 40, Ed Fisler who will need protecting, and Bill Chapman who despite being 19 Tom Weinstock thinks should be in Chicago. Huston's pitches need more work then that trio, as while his sidearmed slider is borderline elite, the fastball and curve aren't anything special. They should be at least average offerings, and if he can sit comfortably in the 90s his fastball should be a plus pitch. Unless he can hit the strike zone more frequently, he's likely just a spot starter, but his stamina and durability are huge pluses. He's topped 150 pitches three times, and the only times he didn't go all nine were his three losses where he allowed 6 runs once and 7 twice. With a few talent boosts he could become the next Harry Parker, but he's more likely a Vince DaCosta, and in both instances, without the home run problems.

CF Don Lee (AA Mobile Commodores): Can anything stop Don Lee? It took just one week in AA for him to win Player of the Week, slashing .480/.581/.720 (243 OPS+) with 2 doubles, 2 triples, 5 runs, 6 walks, and 7 RBIs in 31 trips to the plate. The more he plays, the more I love him, and I can't thank Tom Weinstock enough for convincing me that he should be our 2nd Round selection in the 1940 Draft. I can't quite remember exactly who I wanted over him (I have a suspicion it was regional pick Bill Rich), but unless it was Hal Hackney (who I had above Rich for my regional pick and is a top 20 prospect) I'm pretty sure the right decision was made. Sure, there were better prospects who didn't get drafted in the first three rounds, including the current #6 prospect in baseball. Wait, #6! Isn't that Duke Bybee! Guess everything worked out! Thanks Tom! In all seriousness, I might have to stop highlighting Lee all together as he just rakes 24/7 and there's really no need to update that. His leadership is huge, he's getting better in the outfield, and his speed can be game changing. Sure, he could flame out once he reaches the big leagues, but there has been nothing able to slow down the 21-year-old meteoric rise up our system.

RHP Charlie Kelsey (B San Jose Cougars): It's always weird when a reliever wins a monthly award, but Charlie Kelsey did make 14 appearances and toss 29.1 innings, almost equivalent to 5 six inning starts. The numbers were pretty good too, as he saved 7 games and went 3-1 with a 1.23 ERA (327 ERA+) and 0.85 WHIP. He struck out (17) far more hitters then he walked (4), and the 21-year-old righty has been a huge reason the Cougars are in first place in the C-O-W League. A strictly bullpen arm, the former 9th Rounder is having another great season in San Jose, going 6-3 with 12 saves, a 2.98 ERA (135 ERA+), 1.11 WHIP, 18 walks, and 47 strikeouts in 63.1 innings pitched. He's not a hard thrower, but he has three pitches, the best a high 80s sinker that a lot of hitters tend to roll over. That is harder then last year, as his velocity has gone from 85-87 to 87-89 since the end of last year. His overall stuff isn't great, he's really just a sinker only guy, but in the pen that can work. His fastball is decent too, but you'll almost never see him throw the change. You don't really "need" bullpen prospects, but guys like Kelsey are really helpful in the minors, and there is a reason Ben Curtin has thrown nearly 800 big league innings. Some guys can get outs for a few innings at a time, pitching most days, but just can't put it all together. He could probably pitch in AA if needed, but I expect Kelsey to finish out the season in San Jose before beginning next season up in Lincoln.