[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 4-3
Seasonal Record: 28-12 (1st, 4 GA)
Stars of the Week
Hank Barnett : 28 AB, 13 H, 0 HR, 5 RBI, .464 AVG, 1.090 OPS
Art White : 2 Wins, 18.0 IP, 3 BB, 4 K, 1.00 ERA
Leo Mitchell : 29 AB, 12 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .414 AVG, .931 OPS

Schedule
5-23: Win vs Saints (0-2)
5-24: Loss vs Wolves (3-1)
5-25: Win vs Wolves (8-9): 10 innings
5-26: Loss vs Wolves (6-2)
5-27: Loss vs Foresters (4-1)
5-28: Win vs Foresters (3-4)
5-28: Win vs Foresters (0-2)

Recap
We are starting to cool off a bit, but it's a fifth straight week above .500 and we have still yet to lose more then 3 games in a week. I think part of our cooling down has more to do with how hot the Wolves have been, as we snapped their 10 win streak but they took two of three in Chicago while outscoring us 17-12. We won the single game against the Saints and flipped the script on the Foresters, losing the lone game before winning the double header. We do have another game left in that series, so a series win has not been secured, but as usual, I like our chances. As good as guys like Hank Barnett and Leo Mitchell were, this week was all about Art White, who has had as good of start as anyone this season. White started the week against the Saints and ended the week against the Foresters, winning both games to improve to a perfect 7-0 on the season. He was almost perfect against Montreal, tossing a 3-hit shutout with a walk and 3 strikeouts, and then White picked up a second complete game win with 7 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), 2 walks, and a strikeout. We have won all eight of White's starts, as he's worked to an impeccable 2.13 ERA (162 ERA+) and 1.07 WHIP despite just 13 strikeouts in 71.2 innings pitched. Only Toronto's Bernie Johnson (1.45) has a lower ERA out of CA pitchers, but our veteran lefty leads the circuit in wins. He's probably been a bit lucky, as evidenced by his 102 FIP-, but White does an excellent job keeping runners off base, and he's an expert double play roller. With a lot of time left in the season and potential issues with Harry Parker's endurance, Art is going to be crucial in our pennant push, and we may have to ride him a bit harder at the end.

White may have had the better week, but Hank Barnett was named Player of the Week for the second the straight week. Our talented slugger went 13-for-28 with 4 doubles, 4 runs, and 5 RBIs, so it looks like a 4 homer week isn't the only way to secure accolades. Barnett is now riding an 18-game hit streak, the highest active streak in the league, which has propelled his season line to .362/.421/.550 (178 OPS+) with 10 doubles, 6 homers, and 30 RBIs. I'm not sure who deserves the Whitney more, him or Leo Mitchell, as both continue to put up elite week after week. Mitchell continued to perform, going 12-for-29 with 3 doubles and 3 RBIs. His .425 average is the highest in the CA, and the next closest player in either circuit is Ron Rattigan's .401. We also got a good week from Skipper, who was 7-for-20 with with a double, RBI, 2 walks, and 3 runs scored. Barnett, Mitchell, and Skipper currently rank 1-2-3 in the CA for positional WAR, giving us far and away the most valuable lineup in the Continental Association.

Despite the production from the trio above, the rest of the lineup had some issue, and the closest thing to average production we got was from Harry Mead. He was just 6-for-22, but Mead hit his first homer of the season. Cliff Moss finally came back down to earth, hitting just 2-for-19 with 3 walks. Billy Hunter had similar struggles, 2-for-17 with a walk and a run. His second base counterpart Jimmie James was just 1-for-8 with a run and walk. Dick Walker walked just 5 times, and was 4-for-27 with a double, homer, steal, and 5 runs scored. Orlin Yates had more of the same, 6-for-27 with a double, 2 walks, 2 runs, and 5 RBIs. It was impressive we still won four games with so many players underperforming, but the Wolves pitching staff is really good, and we had to deal with Bernie Johnson.

Harry Parker will want to avoid Johnny Slaney and the Foresters, as his second loss of the season once again came at Slaney's arm. Parker again allowed 4 runs in 8 innings, this time with 10 hits, 2 walks, and 3 strikeouts. He has yet to allow more then two runs against any team other then the Foresters, and they have inflated his ERA and WHIP to 2.43 (142 ERA+) and 1.11. Mike Murphy also had a rough start, 12 hits, 6 runs (5 earned), a walk, and a strikeout in his first loss of the season. Ken Matson was a bit unlucky, although we still won the game, allowing 8 hits and 7 runs with 3 walks and a strikeout in 4.1 innings pitched. Only one of those runs were earned, as the Wolves got six in the first inning after a Skipper Schneider error. Dick Lyons turned the clock back a bit, with a pair of solid starts. He did lose to the Wolves, going 6 innings with 6 hits, 2 runs, and 3 walks, but he was far better against the Foresters. He tossed 7.1 scoreless innings with 4 hits and a strikeout. Lyons is now an even 3-3 with a 2.41 ERA (143 ERA+) and 1.20 WHIP in 52.1 innings. Ben Curtin had another strong week out of the pen, tossing 5.2 scoreless with a win and a save. He allowed 4 hits and a walk with a strikeout, as his ERA dropped to a sparkly 1.03 (337 ERA+) in his 16th big league season. Rusty Petrick didn't make a start, but the hard thrower looked good out of the pen, throwing 2 scoreless with a hit, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts. Merritt Thomas and Cal Knight both allowed a run, Thomas in 2.1 and Knight in 2.2 innings, although Knight's all came in one outing and Thomas split his innings into three pieces. We've been lucky in close games, a lot of that due to the late inning pitching, but we have a really tough week coming up with a pair of double headers.

Looking Ahead
One more in Chicago with the Foresters, as we look to secure a series win in the four game set. Right now it's shaping up to be Ken Matson (2-2, 3.96, 19) and former Cougar Dave Rankin (1-5, 6.70, 10) in a pitching matchup that surely favors the home nine. The Foresters have adjusted their lineup a bit, with Chicagoan Frank Hill (.235, 2, 2) returning from the IL and Hank Stratton (.287, 23), the lone lefty in the lineup, dropping from 3rd to 6th. Bob Mullins (.263, 2, 15, 2) replaced him, but him and Brooks Meeks (.294, 4, 25, 2) have already started to cool down. This should be a quick and easy finale for us, as the now 17-22 Foresters have started to cool off and make their way back down towards the basement.

Our next guest is the Sailors, who we host for a double header to begin the four games series. The Sailors have vastly overperformed their expected record, as they've allowed three more runs then they've scored, but have still managed a very good 23-16 record. They sit half a game behind the Wolves for second, but things may turn south quickly if they keep up their trend. Their individuals have started to level out a bit as well, as Doc Newell (3-4, 3.03, 25) has had a few rough starts and they're down to just three above average hitters. Two of those have been Marion Boismenu (.382, 2, 21, 2) and Joseph Mills (.308, 5, 21) who have been nothing short of outstanding, while the third Frank Covarrubias (.306, 5) has started to cool down. Ray Struble (.272, 1, 16, 2) was projected to be one of the top center fielders in the game, but the 29-year-old has not been very effective at the plate, and they'll need a stronger showing from him atop the order if they want to contend all season. The pitching may hold them back, as despite elite performance from Illinois' own Hannibal Davis (1-1, 6, 1.59, 15), the back-end rotation trio of Rube Fields (3-3, 4.67, 14), Dick Tillman (4-4, 5.47, 15), and Ray McCarthy (4-2, 4.60, 13) leave a lot to be desired. We'll get at least two of them, which may be all we need to secure at least a split in the series.

It doesn't get any easier after that, as we're dealing with the Cannons for four games in three days before a much needed day off. The Cannons have been unlucky early on, in terms of both injuries and game results, as the defending champs are just 19-19 and closer to last (5 GA) then us (8 GB). Don't let that fool you, as while I do think we are the best team in the league, the Cannons are far closer to us then the Kings or Stars. They've dealt with more then their share of injuries, with Denny Andrews (.307, 1, 17) set to miss a good portion of the season. Replacement Henry Jones (.310, 4, 13) has managed to slug his way to regular playing time, and the now 40-year-old may not let go once Andrews returns. Sam Brown (.370, 2, 9) was dealing with a shoulder strain and is healthy now, but replacement Rufus Daniels (.312, 7, 1) filled in admirably. Bob Griffith (.353, 3, 23, 1) is still raking and Billy Dalton (.254, 4, 21) and Chuck Adams (.287, 4, 25) provide a ton of pop. And as tough as it is to deal with their offense, they have a really good top two with Butch Smith (5-3, 2.35, 34) and Chris Clarke (3-1, 1, 2.61, 22), and with four games, we're stuck with at least one of them. Both Vic Carroll (3-3, 3.88, 33) and Roger Perry (2-3, 3.89, 13) have had an up and down season, but Carroll is really starting to heat up with 2 or fewer runs allowed in each of his last three starts. Their pen has had struggles, so we may be able to take advantage of them late, but they are going to give us a tough series as always.

Minor League Report
RHP Harry MacRae (AA Mobile Commodores): The game may keep telling me that Harry MacRae is a bullpen guy, but all the former 7th Rounder does is win games. He wasn't the sharpest on the 22nd, as he allowed 6 hits and 5 walks with 2 strikeouts, but MacRae tossed his first shutout of the year in our 3-0 win. He's now allowed 2 runs in 4 of his last 6 starts, and is an impressive 5-1 on the year. MacRae has a sparkly 2.21 ERA (177 ERA+) to go with a 1.17 WHIP, 19 walks, and 15 strikeouts in 53 innings pitched. His only non-complete game was his only loss, and he's surpassed 145 pitches twice already. The thing holding him back is his two pitch arsenal, but his fastball and curve are great pitches and he does an excellent job keeping the ball on the ground. A few more starts like this and he'll make his way up to Milwaukee, as he's built off of his 9 strong starts from last season. MacRae went 6-1 with a 3.58 ERA (128 ERA+), 1.17 WHIP, 23 walks, and 28 strikeouts. Our pen is filled with a trio of arms above 30, so the young MacRae will have an easier chance of cracking a pen spot next season or the year after. If he was Rule-5 eligible this offseason he'd be on the big league roster by September, but for now he'll continue to start games in the farm.