[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 2-3
Seasonal Record: 72-55 (3rd, 9 GB)
Stars of the Week
Clark Car : 20 AB, 7 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .350 AVG, 1.000 OPS
Leo Mitchell : 17 AB, 6 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .353 AVG, 1.097 OPS
Dick Lyons : 1 Win, 9.0 IP, 0 BB, 1 K, 0.00 ERA

Schedule
8-31: Loss at Stars (4-5)
9-2: Loss vs Saints (5-4)
9-3: Win vs Saints (2-13)
9-4: Loss vs Saints (5-4)
9-5: Win vs Saints (0-2)

Recap
Can it get any worse?

No, seriously... I'm actually asking! Can it!?!?!?

It's crazy to think that we were actually in first about a month ago, and now the Cannons are nine up on us and eight up on Toronto. This week was a major slap in the face in multiple ways, starting with the three identical 5-4 losses. Add in the fact that we outscored our opponents by 10 runs (27-17) and one just two games, and you begin to question everything your eyes are telling you. At least the nightmare that was August (10-15) is over, and if you play the run differential game, our record should be 8 wins better then it is. Still not first, but definitely not waiting until 1944. As crazy as it may seem, since August 15th we are 6-13, but have scored one more run (70) then we have allowed (69).

That's what 8(!) one run losses will do to you...

Any consolation?

Well, Dick Lyons had a good start!

After an awful week, Dick Lyons was back to his youthful self, keeping the Saints in check to pick up his 10th win of the season. The crafty lefty struck out 1 and allowed 5 hits in a 2-0 shutout over the Saints. His 2.42 ERA would be the best of his 17 full seasons, and his 140 ERA+ is better then all years he did not when the Allen Award. Joe Brown stayed hot, picking up a complete game win with 9 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 5 strikeouts. Of course, that means none of our other starters got wins, with rough outings from both Jim Lonardo and Johnnie Jones. Both lost 5-4 games, although it was 100% Ollie Page's fault for Jones. I used the supposedly good defender at short for one game this week, and he made 3 errors, leading to one of Jones' runs (although I'm sure the rest hurt) being unearned. No Skipper hurts (and even worse, is recover time is now unknown), as Johnnie allowed 11 hits with 5 walks and strikeouts and got all but one out in the game. All Lonardo's runs were earned, going 8 with 10 hits, 5 runs, a walk, and 2 strikeouts. Art White picked up a no decision, 12 hits, 4 runs, 2 walks, and a strikeout in 8 innings pitched. Ben Curtin made the only two appearances out of the pen, going an inning and a third with a hit, run, strikeout, and 3 walks. He was charged with the loss in White's start.

We didn't hit much, with four of our hitters doing most of the work. Leo Mitchell finally had a good week, going 6-for-17 with 2 doubles, a homer, 5 RBIs, 4 runs, and 3 walks. The CA batting leader is hitting .322/.358/.394 (119 OPS+) and holds a 8 point lead on Sailor first basemen Marion Boismenu (.314, 5, 43, 5). This is still Mitchell's worst offensive season since becoming a regular in 1937, but his 85 strikeout pace would be the first time he didn't record more then 95 since the '38 season. Dan Fowler finally showcased his power, hitting two homers in three games, going 3-for-12 with 4 runs and 4 RBIs. Clark Car is approaching the 6 WAR mark, finishing this week 7-for-20 with 3 doubles, a homer, 5 runs, and 4 RBIs. The breakout star is now tied with Dick Walker and Hank Barnett for a team high 10 homers, more then his combined total since 1939. Cliff Moss had a decent return to the roster, 2-for-9 with a homer and two runs scored and driven in. He did leave the game on the 4th with a strained hamstring, and he'll miss today's double header at home. We needed Hank Barnett, this week 4-for-14 without an extra base hit, to not have his worse month in August, as things have really spiraled for us. We have still scored the most runs in the CA, but we are not leading in much else.

Rosters are now expanded to 35, and we'll add a few more players to the active roster. One I thought would be Don Homer, but the Sailors reclaimed him. If he passed, I could have brought him up or sent him to Milwaukee to bring up Hufford or Browning, but we don't really need an extra outfielder so it was more just to make roster limits work. We will get two arms, with the recently claimed Merritt Thomas and deadline pickup Frank Crawford joining the Cougar 24. Crawford's 4 starts in Milwaukee weren't all that inspiring, as he was 2-1 with a 4.43 ERA (84 ERA+), 1.84 WHIP, 10 walks, and 8 strikeouts in 22.1 innings pitched. We do have some double headers coming up, so Crawford may get a start or two this month, but both are going to be used primarily out of the pen. We do have one to start the week, but Crawford is on 4 days rest just like Art White, and I trust White about a thousand times more, even if he's just been average since coming over. We do have a few more adds, but I'll cover those in the minor league report. Most of our exciting prospects will continue to get everyday time in more meaningful games, so the first round is more depth then anything else.

Looking Ahead
Since we can't quick play until 1944, we just have to try to win as many games left, as there really isn't much difference between picking 10th, 12th, or 14th anyways. We should be able to handle the Kings at home, they're just 56-70, but we've been playing well below our talent lately and I wouldn't be surprised if we fail to win yet another series. It's a double header to start the week, followed by an off day and then the finale on Wednesday. The opener will be a very exciting one, as Art White will take on former Cougar prospect Oliver Allen, who was part of his four pitcher package. Our 4th Rounder in 1938, the Kings called the 23-year-old up on the 17th, and he's had two impressive 6 inning outings. He's allowed just 10 hits, a run, and 4 walks with 5 strikeouts. We're also set to see fellow rookie Jim Kenney (10-8, 2.77, 12), who despite plenty more walks then strikeouts, has done very well in 20 starts. Of course, with roster expansion we may see a lot of different players, leading to a lot of uncertainty in the rotation and lineup. Really the only guys who won't have to worry are Kenny, Tiny Tim Hopkins (.250, 14, 45), and Jim Crawford (11-14, 3.34, 31), but most of the Kings young talent is either a year away, injured, or off to war. Down in AAA they could bring up former 5th Rounder Ben Brazel or returned Rule-5 Pick Manny Franco, but had top 50 prospect Orie Martinez not been dealing with a hip strain, we'd probably see the Rincon Rifle batting third and manning left field instead of utility man Jim Alarie (.250, 34, 12).

We'll then get another go with the now six place Stars, who are also 24 games behind the Cannons, but have two more wins and losses then the Kings. New York has caught fire, 17-10 in August and off to a 3-1 start in September. Vern Hubbard (15-8, 3.34, 98) and Billy Riley (6-14, 3.57, 74) have both allowed 2 or fewer runs in each of their last four starts, but the rest of the pitching is still suspect. They do have an intriguing option to bring up in the games #12 prospect Wally Hunter, who is 11-5 with a 1.89 ERA (179 ERA+), 1.09 WHIP, 54 walks, and 88 strikeouts in 171 impressive innings for AAA Los Angeles. The 21-year-old has dominated much older competition, and has even hit a productive .286/.332/.384 (108 OPS+) while making semi-regular starts in the outfield. The Stars have all three spots covered by Chubby Hall (.273, 8, 43), Henry Jones (.259, 12, 52), and fellow top prospect Elijah Bourdeau (.268, 5, 24, 2), but you have to imagine he's a better option on the mound then Alex Vaughn (1-9, 1, 5.58, 38) or Bill Keith (4-8, 4.66, 40). The Stars could bring up a few other of their 13 top 100 prospects, with catcher Chick MacKnight in AAA and first basemen and #11 prospect Bill Barnett in AA. MacKnight may not be a name most Cougar fans know, but he's actually who the Stars used with our pick in the trade that netted Clark Car and a 4th and 7th Rounder. Both MacKnight and Barnett may need a little more seasoning, but both should be ready to produce once "William the Conqueror" returns to conquering baseballs and not axis fighters.

Minor League Report
RHP John Little (AAA Milwaukee Blues): Well, someone's earned a callup! After four consecutive starts with one earned run allowed, John Little bested himself, tossing a 6-hit shutout with a walk and 3 strikeouts as Milwaukee beat Minnesota 3-0. That improved Little to 11-6 on the season with a 2.50 ERA (149 ERA+), 1.12 WHIP, 38 walks, and 69 strikeouts in 176.1 innings pitched. It's been a tremendous season for the 27-year-old, who set career bests for ERA, WHIP, ERA+, and BB/9 (1.9) in his seventh season as a professional. A 5th Round selection back in 1937, Little will now officially become an FABL pitcher, likely getting a relief outing or two before the season ends. The righty has never relieved a game in his career, but he definitely won't crack our rotation and both OSA and head scout Tom Weinstock view Little as a pen guy. He's a flyball pitcher who's stuff isn't that great, but his command is strong and he locates his pitches well. Don't expect many strikeouts, but he can go deep in games and soak up as many innings as needed. Since he's on the older side and will turn 28 next month, his 40-man spot isn't the most secure, but if he can hold on he'll have a shot to earn a pen spot next season.

LF Huck Hanes (AAA Milwaukee Blues): While nearly every Cougar had an awful August, Huck Hanes decided to go against the grain, winning Batter of the Month in the Century League. The 61st Pick of the 1941 draft hit an impressive .380/.424/.491 (155 OPS+) with 7 doubles, 2 steals, a homer, and 15 RBIs. 25 in October, I've debated whether Hanes will get a call to Chicago, but I am leaning towards letting him finish the season in Milwaukee. With less then 4 years of service time I don't have to worry about protecting him in the Rule-5 Draft, and he's not likely to replace Leo Mitchell any time soon. After a dreadful start to the season, Hanes is hitting an above average .287/.350/.408 (111 OPS+) with 18 doubles, 4 triples, 10 homers, and 60 RBIs. The once concern is the strikeouts, as he had just 14 in 575 PAs last year, but that's skyrocketed to 52 in 517 this season. His lack of strikeouts were a huge part of his appeal, and while he has at least hit as many homers this season as his first season and a half combined, OSA and Tom don't think he's got big league home run power. He's a groundball hitter who's at his best when he puts the ball in play, and he's not putting the ball in play nearly enough. Scouts have soured on him a bit, thinking he's no more then a bench bat, but he has a low floor and could suit up effectively for an FABL team that had a need for a corner bat.

RHP Ken Matson (AAA Milwaukee Blues): A nice sweep down in AAA, as with Hanes taking the Batter of the Month, Ken Matson was named Pitcher of the Month. Like Hanes, Matson will get the next three weeks to play regularly in Milwaukee, but he's almost guaranteed a callup once the season ends. His August results make me excited, as Matson is looking once again like a big league starting pitcher. The 25-year-old went a perfect 4-0 with a 1.91 ERA (195 ERA+), 1.11 WHIP, 14 walks, and 27 strikeouts in his 6 starts. Matson is having the best season of his minor league career, tossing 116 effective innings atop the Blues rotation. Now 8-2, Matson owns a 2.56 ERA (146 ERA+) and 1.25 WHIP with 49 walks and 84 strikeouts. His 6.5 is elite, just a few points behind Pap's league leading 6.9 in '41. Now I'm not saying Matson is even half the pitcher our favorite fireballer is, but the strikeout numbers are very enticing. His cutter is filthy, hands down one of the best pitches in our system, and his curve and change will always get ugly swings from opposing hitters. The one issue is his control, which is why he's more of a back-end guy then front-end, but OSA speculates he could be a #2. With the age of some members in our rotation, Matson has a legit chance to enter the front five (or six if we have a ton of double headers) next season, but I can't really see a scenario where he returns to Milwaukee unless his results are just abysmal.

CF Don Lee (AA Mobile Commodores): With all the center field trouble we have, maybe I should have just looked within. Make it two Player of the Week awards for Don Lee since his promotion to AA, as the 21-year-old outfielder continues to rake at the plate. The brother of Sailors shortstop Rip Lee, "Rap" Lee was 10-for-24 with 2 homers and 6 RBIs in his third overall Player of the Week and fifth in the past three seasons. He's now surpassed his PA total from Lincoln in Mobile, hitting an outstanding .309/.436/.487 (145 OPS+) with 13 doubles, 4 triples, 7 homers, 16 steals, and 44 RBIs. In total Lee has been worth 5.1 WAR with 27 doubles, 19 homers, 40 steals, and 86 RBIs, and if there was an organizational MVP, Lee would most certainly take it. The prospect pickers don't give him nearly enough credit, ranked 114th overall and 6th in our system, but I think Lee is going to be a tremendous big leaguer. The former 2nd Rounder is already a captain, has elite speed on the bases, and mixes elite plate discipline with excellent batspeed. Lee has walked 102 times in 138 games this season, while striking out just 43 times. For someone his age and against the competition he's faced, this doesn't look like just a second division starter, as the only real knock on him is he's just average out in center. His bat is more then capable for a corner guy, and Lee is doing his very best to convince me it's time to give the young outfielder a callup. I can't see him in Chicago this season, but I'm leaning towards starting him in Milwaukee and giving him the chance to take time away from the veteran Dan Fowler.

RHP Charlie Kelsey (A Lincoln Legislators): Well, if we can't win games, why not win awards! Granted, I do hate when relievers win them, and even more so when the results aren't that great. That's not to say Kelsey did bad, but I have to think there was a better option then a reliever who had a 3.45 ERA (138 ERA+) and 1.15 WHIP. Sure, he was 5-1 with 2 saves, 4 walks, and 26 strikeouts, and yes, 28.2 innings is a decent amount, but his own teammate Jimmy Maness had a 1.95 ERA (245 ERA+) and 1.21 WHIP. But he was only 1-1 so obviously he sucks...

Anyways, the numbers have been good for Kelsey, who was called up last month to Lincoln. Since then he's gone 5-3 with a 3.40 ERA (140 ERA+) and 1.16 WHIP, a bit better then his numbers with San Jose. What the former 9th Rounder has done, is vastly improved his walks and strikeouts, with 8 and 40 respectively. That's good for an elite 1.7 BB/9 and 8.5 K/9, and the signs have been really encouraging for a potential dominant stopper. The 21-year-old doesn't throw too hard, sitting in the high 80s with his fastball and sinker, but he limits hard contact and is able to get a lot of swings and misses. His stuff is solid and he generates a ton of groundballs, and if guys get on base they usually don't score. Kelsey projects to be a very useful bullpen piece, and with his ability to throw multiple innings, he could be a useful bridge in a high scoring close game where he can come in the 7th or 8th and finish things off.

SS Dick Hamilton (B San Jose Cougars): Happy 23rd birthday to Dick Hamilton, who also recently celebrated a Batter of the Month selection in the California-Oregon-Washington League. Hamilton was the best hitter in August, slashing a superb .361/.453/.505 (176 OPS+) with 4 doubles, 2 triples, 2 homers, 5 steals, and 16 RBIs. Hamilton has had one of the weirdest statistical seasons, and you wouldn't really be able to tell that from his .266/.379/.403 (125 OPS+) season line. In 108 games, he has 73 walks, 72 strikeouts, and a dreadful 8-for-27 stolen base success rate to go with 13 doubles, 4 triples, 11 homers, and 61 RBIs. He has a lot of three true outcome appearances and for some reason continues to attempt to swipe bags. His 5-for-10 this month was the best, as before that he was just 3-for-16. Is he slow? Unlucky? A terrible base stealer? Who knows! But it is something to keep an eye on as he does have a lot of interesting tools. He's got a great eye despite all the whiffs, and Hamilton consistently hits the ball hard. His defense at short is improving, likely at least average, and he's looked good in limited time at second and third too. I think he could be a decent double play partner with Skipper (who is actually younger), but with Clark Car emerging as a top 5 player (he's currently #3 on the top 20 list for some reason) Hamilton may not contribute in Chicago for a while. He's probably ready for A ball, but we'll let him finish the season here and he'll start in Lincoln next spring.