[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 2-3
Seasonal Record: 62-44 (1st, 0.5 GA)
Stars of the Week
Hank Barnett : 15 AB, 7 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .467 AVG, 1.063 OPS
Billy Hunter : 17 AB, 6 H, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .353 AVG, .918 OPS
Skipper Schneider : 18 AB, 5 H, 0 HR, 5 RBI, .278 AVG, .667 OPS

Schedule
7-31: Loss vs Wolves (2-0)
8-1: Loss vs Wolves (6-0)
8-4: Win vs Kings (6-10)
8-5: Loss vs Kings (4-2)
8-6: Win vs Kings (1-7)

Recap
So about the playoffs... I don't think we're going to make it...

After taking two of three from the Wolves the previous week, we dropped the next two. And not only did we lose, we couldn't score in either of them. Sure, we took two of three from the Kings after, but our lead is now cut to just half a game over the Wolves, and with the Cannons 11 game win streak, they're now just a game behind Toronto. We can't hit, we can't pitch, and now we're back on the road. Our homestand did not go as planned, going 7-11 and we are now 14-26 since June 26th. About everything that could go wrong has gone wrong, and after this week we'll be lucky to be anywhere other then third.

We didn't do much right, but Harry Parker had a good week! He lost his first start, but that's just because we couldn't score against the Wolves. Parker went 8 with 5 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts. He then pitched even better against the Kings, picking up a complete game win with 4 hits, a run, walk, and 5 strikeouts. Art White picked up our other win, but he was not very good, charged with 15 hits and 6 runs (5 earned) with 2 strikeouts in 8.2 innings pitched. Billy Riley didn't pitch too well either, allowing 9 hits and 4 runs (3 earned) with 5 strikeouts in a complete game loss. Rusty Petrick struggled too, going 8 with 7 hits, 5 runs (4 earned), 6 walks, and 3 strikeouts. We didn't need the pen very much, with three relievers combining for 2.1 innings, 2 hits, a run, and 2 strikeouts. The pitching will need to be better, but if we don't score, it won't matter too much how many runs we allow...

Speaking of run scoring, we really only had two hitters produce. That would be Hank Barnett and Billy Hunter, who both put together decent weeks. Barnett looked good, 7-for-15 with a double, 2 walks, and 4 RBIs. Hunter, who has really started to heat up, was 6-for-17 with a walk, homer, and 3 runs scored. He was one of the few Cougars who had a good July, hitting .353/.400/.441 (140 OPS+) with 6 doubles and 9 RBIs. Most importantly, he's been healthy, something I would never have expected. He's hit well, batting .285/.346/.404 (114 OPS+) and he has an impressive 9.9 zone rating and 1.085 efficiency at second. The only other hitter to have some semblance of production was rookie Don Lee, who was 2-for-7 with 2 runs and 2 walks. Our offense has been really bad lately, but with such a large lead in runs scored, we still manage to rank #1 in the CA.

Looking Ahead
Well, it's not going to get any easier... Another pair of off days, and we'll use the second to hit the road for Cincinnati with the surging Cannons. At 58-43, they have won 11 consecutive games to come within a game and a half of first. This couldn't have come at a worse time for us, as we're losing to everyone we face, and the Cannons are having no trouble with the teams we are faltering against. This will be our first chance to see Tom Bird (.347, 12, 48), who went 8-for-21 with 3 doubles, a homer, and 5 RBIs in his first week as a Cannon. With four games, we might also see former Cannon legend Rabbit Day (13-8, 3.33, 56), a tough veteran righty who was a thorn in our side back in his Baltimore days. I missed out on trading for him twice, something I always regret, but at least this third time he's 40 and just a shell of his dominant self. Don't get me wrong, a shell of Rabbit Day is better then 85% of FABL pitchers, but I just have to make sure he doesn't try to chat with Dick Lyons (6-5, 2.30, 10) to obtain his secret anti-aging sauce.

The Cannons don't need another pitcher to dominate Cougar hitters, as even without Barrell and Carroll (6-3, 3.29, 55), they have Butch Smith (13-7, 1, 2.05, 86) and Chris Clarke (9-5, 1, 2.23, 51), and even Jake Smith (5-1, 2.99, 14) has been effective. They also sport a pair of former Cougars in Tom Barrell (4-6, 3.38, 20) and the recently acquired Jim Crawford (8-12, 3.91, 29). This is not what our offense needs to get back on track, and their offense can provide them with plenty of runs even if we do start scoring again. One good thing for us is star shortstop Jim Hensley (.248, 7, 45) won't he available for the series, as he'll miss the next two weeks with a herniated disc. They may get Jack Cleaves (.249, 2, 21) back, which would shift Tony White (.205, 2, 16) to short, but even combined they have less offensive and defensive value combined then Hensley. Of course, their offense is more then capable without Hensley, getting excellent production from Chuck Adams (.312, 14, 68), Bob Griffith (.281, 4, 45, 5), and Sam Brown (.333, 4, 24), with Al Wheeler (.216, 12, 53) always capable of hitting one out of the park. I'm very worried about this series, as the likely sweep will put a major dent, but perhaps both of our lucks will change in this one!

As if it could get any tougher, we then have to deal with the Wolves in Toronto. We get a double header on Sunday to finish the week, and we'll play two more in Toronto after. At 59-42, the Wolves are half a game behind us, and they could own sole possession of first by time we face them. It's not surprising that the Wolves are good, but what is shocking is Chick Wirtz. Wirtz joined the Wolves in 1935, and from then until 1941, he had an ERA+ of 91, 92, 93, 94, or 96. He broke out in '42, going 11-13 with a 2.91 ERA (113 ERA+) and 1.25 WHIP, but last season his production cratered. Now at 36, Wirtz is making a surprising case for the Allen, going 8-7 with a 1.83 ERA (197 ERA+) and 1.10 WHIP with 19 walks and 24 strikeouts. Him and Bernie Johnson (13-7, 2.59, 34) have made it tough for teams to score, and the only "slacker" in the rotation is Bob Walls (11-7, 3.75, 49), who has been slightly below average, but his 79 FIP- is far more impressive then his 96 ERA+. They key for us will be to keep them off the board, as Walt Pack (.267, 10, 53) hasn't done much other then hit homers, and as good as he's hit, I'm not all that scared of Gus Hall (.297, 7, 50). Still, until we start winning games, I'm kind of just going to assume we'll lose the series. We started the year with a .500 week and then 9 consecutive winning weeks before 4 straight losing ones, a .500 week, and then another losing week here. It's really been a tale of two seasons, but I hope a third one is coming with a return to our run of .500+ weeks.

Minor League Report
LHP Lefty Jones (B San Jose Cougars): Recently promoted to San Jose, Lefty Jones has been extremely effective in his 7 starts with the Cougars. He allowed 2 or 3 runs in each of his first six starts, and then he took things to the next level in #7. The 20-year-old lefty was firing on all cylinders against Tacoma, tossing a 3-hit shutout with 3 walks and 7 strikeouts as we topped the Captains 8-0. This improved Jones to 6-1 on the season with a stellar 2.40 ERA (148 ERA+) and 1.17 WHIP in 60 innings pitched. He's struck out 41 and walked just 22, increasing his K/BB from 1.3 at La Crosse to nearly 2. Our 5th Rounder a year ago, Jones has moved rather high on our prospect lists, currently ranked 10th in our system and 155th overall. Tom Weinstock thinks this ranking may be a bit on the high side, projecting him to be nothing more then a spot starter, but the Oregon native is very young and has a lot of time to improve. A three pitch pitcher, he attacks hitters with is high 80s cutter, and while his change and slider aren't great pitches, they should develop into at least average offerings. As a side armer, the slider is very effective against fellow lefties, but righties can track it rather well. If he can keep his strikeouts up and his walks down, he could be a big league starter, but 70 years from now he would have been the perfect lefty specialist.