[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 3-5
Seasonal Record: 75-64 (3rd, 10 GB)
Stars of the Week
Skipper Schneider : 30 AB, 10 H, 0 HR, 5 RBI, .333 AVG, .845 OPS
Cliff Moss : 33 AB, 8 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .242 AVG, .597 OPS
Don Lee : 34 AB, 7 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .206 AVG, .613 OPS

Schedule
9-3: Loss vs Kings (4-3): 10 innings
9-3: Loss vs Kings (1-0): 12 innings
9-5: Win at Sailors (7-4)
9-6: Loss at Sailors (1-8)
9-7: Win at Sailors (5-2): 10 innings
9-8: Loss at Sailors (1-2)
9-9: Loss at Foresters (1-3)
9-9: Win at Foresters (7-3)

Recap
Yep, it's that time of year already...

The time where we have to look forward to next year...

In the most crippling blow to our slim title chances, we dropped not one, but two one-run extra-inning home games to the Brooklyn Kings where we scored just three runs in 22 innings. Yay! We did split with the Sailors, which I thought would be what would do us in, but splitting with the Foresters as well really hurt. The final nail in the coffin was that four of our five losses saw us score one or fewer runs, as the offense was nowhere to be found. Now 10 out and technically still eligible for the postseason, there's really not much to do other then hope we stay healthy and call up a few more reinforcements once the minor league season ends.

Duke Bybee made his big league debut, and while it started out great, things did not end too well. Bybee was cruising against the Sailors, tossing five scoreless frames with 3 hits and a walk. Things fell apart in the second where Bybee himself tried to get out of the inning with a double play, but the 6'4'' lefties throw to his 5'6'' shortstop was way too high. This sparked a Sailors rally in a 1-0 game, as they put up 7 runs (2 earned) on 5 hits and 3 walks before Bybee left with two on and two outs. He did strike out four, but was charged with the loss as we didn't score after the first inning. He'll be right back out on Monday against the Foresters before being saddled with the Wolves on Friday.

Peter the Heater had some bad luck this week, as despite two dominant starts, he didn't win a single game. The first game was the offenses fault, as he tossed what should have been a 2-hit shutout with 2 walks and 8 strikeouts, but we couldn't score a single run when he was on the mound. We couldn't score after he left either, as the Kings topped us 1-0 in 12 despite the fact that we out hit them 10-7. Mike Thorpe was charged with the loss, allowing 3 hits and a run in the 12th after Ben Curtin threw two scoreless frames with just two hits. Curtin actually lost game one of the double header, dropping to 0-6, and he finished the week with 4.1 innings, 4 hits, a run, and a strikeout. Papenfus then lost his second start, going 8 with 8 hits, 2 runs, and 8 strikeouts. In his last three starts he's allowed just 3 earned runs in 26 innings with 16 hits, 7 walks, and 25 strikeouts, but has just one win to show for it. He's gotten one run of support or fewer in three of his five starts since returning, and more then half (8 of 15) came in the start he allowed 7. Not quite the welcome back I expected we'd show him, but he's already struck out (37) more batters in 39.2 innings then Art White (33) has in over 230.

Billy Riley made a pair of starts, topping the Sailors while getting Papenfus-like run support against Cleveland. He was actually better in Cleveland, going 8 with 7 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts. In the win, he went an inning shorter with more hits (8), runs (4), and walks (4) with half as many strikeouts (2). In 32 starts he's 17-11, tied for second in the CA in wins with Doc Newell, while leading the circuit with six shutouts. His 1.16 WHIP is behind just Rufus (1.06) and Harry Parker (1.12), but his 3.35 ERA (105 ERA+) isn't all that impressive. Rusty Petrick picked up his 14th win, but it didn't come in his start, as the Kings got 9 hits, 3 runs, and 7 walks in a complete game loss. Petrick did strike out 5, and then beat the Sailors with 2 innings out of the pen, allowing just two hits with another strikeout. Petrick seems ticketed for the pen the rest of the way, but he's a respectable 14-12 with a 3.19 ERA (110 ERA+) and 1.38 WHIP. George Oddo came an out away from a complete game victory, allowing 6 hits, 3 runs, and 2 walks with 7 strikeouts against the Foresters. He also didn't allow a home run, improving to 7-6 in 16 starts. Oddo has a start lined up against the Cannons in our Sunday double header, but with just seven games in fourteen days to finish the season after the double header, he'll likely end his season two weeks early. Harry Parker looked good in a no decision, going 7 with 6 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts. The towering righty has now allowed exactly two earned runs in each of his last five starts, and two or fewer in 9 of his last 10. Can't blame the pitching for our collapse, as we rank 1st or 2nd in each category except WAR (6th), homers (7th), and walks (6th).

The crazy thing about the offense is we didn't even hit that bad, we just couldn't score runs. Don't get me wrong, there was no non-stop mashing, but we did have a few hitters who produced well. Skipper Schneider had a big week, going 10-for-30 with 3 doubles, 5 RBIs, 4 walks, and a run scored. Ray Struble had a decent week filling in, and while he was just 4-for-19, it came with a triple, homer, steal, 2 walks, 2 runs, and 2 RBIs. Ollie Page continued to hit, 5-for-17 with 4 walks and a run. Dick Walker didn't show any signs of fatigue after his herniated disc, going 5-for-19 with a homer, 2 walks, 2 RBIs, and 3 runs. Rabbit Mudd went 4-for-17 with a homer, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 2 RBIs. Mike Taylor was effective off the bench, 3-for-8 with 2 runs and 4 walks. It was far better then Harry Mead, who was a poor 4-for-25 with a walk, run, and pair of RBIs. The lack of run scoring really set us back, as we're now 6th in runs scored with a little less then a month left to go.

Looking Ahead
Not much to look forward to, as after two with the Foresters, you can pretty much pencil in "Ls" the rest of the week. At 50-86, they seem like a lock for another last place finish, with the Kings five games clear of the cellar. We'll start the week with Jimmy Collins (5-10, 5.75, 53), who even our putrid offense should be able to put some runs on. After Collins its a tougher task in Ducky Davis (13-15, 3.52, 80), who tossed a 10 inning shutout against the Stars his last time out. No major callups for the Foresters, but for some reason they put Chuck Harrington (.203, 1, 16) back in the lineup at short. I'm not the least bit scared of their lineup, as they've managed to score 99 fewer runs then we have. Brooks Meeks (.287, 9, 46, 4) may come off the IL this week, which would push Harrington right back out of the lineup, with Jim Adams Jr. (.242, 4, 46, 9) returning to short. They did callup soon-to-be 24-year-old Pete Sigmund (.143, 1) after he returned from the Coast Guard, but he didn't hit all that much in 3 starts and 3 appearances off the bench. The switch hitter is a very patient hitter who can hit the ball hard and far, and is one of the few young bats they have close to the majors that isn't enlisted. The only other intriguing youngster fitting that bill is this year's 5th rounder Ivey Henley, a top 100 prospect who had a 163 OPS+ in AA and a 125 in AAA. I doubt he'll get the call this season, but he can shift Hank Stratton over to third, and open 1946 as the Foresters first basemen. It might take the Foresters a few seasons to get out of the second division, but I don't think they'll be finishing 7th or 8th for much longer.

The road trip continues with three in Toronto, but the Wolves have started to scuffle themselves. Now 3.5 games out of first, they're running out of time to dethrone the Cannons, who seem set on a third wartime pennant. Part of this is due to a tough August from George Garrison (16-8, 3.07, 114), but the former 3rd Overall Selection allowed just a single run in a complete game win over the Stars in his last start. He leads a rotation with five above average arms, as Jim Laurita's (9-12, 3.48, 78) 105 ERA+ is the worst of the bunch. Chick Wirtz (14-9, 3.03, 71) has shown last year was no fluke and Bob Walls (12-4, 3.44, 39) has done a complete 180, as his ERA was above 5 when June started. They score plenty of runs too, as Fred McCormick (.267, 11, 38, 3) cracked double-digit homers for the 8th time in his career and Walt Pack (.308, 28, 90) leads the Conti with nearly 30. Charlie Artuso (.284, 8, 64, 9) is trying to catch Skipper to be the CA WAR lord, and is on pace to top 10 for the first time in his career. If there is a weakness, its Gus Hall (.228, 8, 75) in right, as even Clarence Howerton (.248, 2, 42, 6) provides plenty of value to the pitching staff and clubhouse. I'd love to see the Wolves catch the Cannons, but that means we have to lose to them and beat the Cannons. And I think we'll only manage one of those...

We'll spend our weekend in Cincinnati with three games of a four game set. It's a double header on Sunday with the likely first place Cannons, who sit at 83-52 and 3.5 games above the Wolves. Injuries have started to pile up on the Cannons, as they'll be without resurgent Tom Barrell (16-5, 3.26, 53) for the rest of the season with a strained hamstring. "Jersey Jim" Anderson (1-2, 3.62, 12) suffered a more minor strain, and may be back after a week, but their rotation will look plenty different when we come to town. We're likely stuck dealing with Rufus Barrell II (15-5, 2.34, 91), as we seem to always catch him, but guys like Dan Adams (14-8, 1, 3.07, 78) and Red Hampton (10-12, 3.31, 53) give them plenty of good starts too. I'm not overly worried about the staff, as we can't really hit anyone, but the lineup is beyond scary. When Denny Andrews (.268, 13, 48) and his 88 walks is sitting in the six hole, you know the lineup is strong, and they have two serious sluggers in Chuck Adams (.302, 25, 99) and Al Wheeler (.308, 26, 87). Mix in outfielders Gail Gifford (.319, 9, 55, 18) and Fred Galloway (.281, 7, 35) with Ten Time Tom (.269, 8, 56), our defense will be plenty busy. It'll be fun to see how Peter the Heater handles the Cannons, but he may be the only guy to survive Cincy, as he can make even the best hitters look silly at the plate.

Minor League Report
RHP Lonnie Sis (C La Crosse Lions): After a dominant first season in C ball, Lonnie Sis has really struggled this season. Last year he owned a 2.35 ERA (149 ERA+) and 1.16 WHIP, but those have jumped to 3.79 (79 ERA+) and 1.34 in his 12 starts this season. The "Sizzler" did sizzle in his last outing, however, tossing a brilliant 4-hit shutout with a walk and 6 strikeouts. It's a step in the right direction for the 19-year-old, who's actually throwing a bit harder (90-92 to 91-93) this season then last year. He's given up a lot more runs, but he's walked 26 and struck out 50 in 2 innings fewer then last year. That's compared to 24 and 42 in '44, giving him a higher BB/9 (3.0) and K/9 (5.7), with the increase in K/9 (+1.0) much larger then the BB/9 (+0.3). A hard working righty, Sis has a nice low 90s cutter to pair with a good change and nice curve. Those pitches are very underdeveloped, but should eventually surpass his cutter as he continues to polish up his stuff. His command isn't great, so walks may be an issue, but at times he can overcome it with strikeouts. He's got plenty of work to do, but I'll bet on the St. James native making the big leagues before its all said and done.