OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post

reds1 · 05-28-2023, 09:18 PM

February 1, 1957

Western League: Trolleys, Tigers Making Mockery of the Rest

--------

The Pulberry Trolleys and Sherburn Tigers continue their dominance of the Western League with two months remaining in the season. Not only is the playoff picture all but a forgone conclusion, but Pulberry and Sherburn may be only two teams in the League that will finish with winning records. That has not been an uncommon occurrence in the West. It happened twice before, in 1940-41 and 1946-47. But the 1938-39 season saw just one team finish with a winning record - the Kingston Pelicans with 103 wins.

The Trolleys remain the top team although they did stumble a bit in December, enduring their first losing month since February 1953 (11-12). They bounced back in January, going on an 8-game winning streak around the All-Star break. But they ended the month dropping 2 of 3 each to the lowly Downie Chiefs and Cobourg Redlegs, the top team in the United Leagues.

Just as the New York Yankees of the 1920s had their incredible duo of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, so the Trolleys are enjoying the one-two punch of 29-year old CF Cooper Tyson (.323/.413/.562, 19 HR, 65 RBI, 56 BB, 13 SB, 7.0 WAR – 80/80) and 28-year old LF Aidan Thirkettle (.358/.468/.704, 26 HR, 82 RBI, 74 BB, 10 SB, 8.0 WAR – 80/80). The Nos. 3 and 4 hitters respectively appear to be enjoying career peaks (they can’t get any better, can they?) Thirkettle currently leads the entire United Leagues in 6 offensive categories. There dominance is good news for Pulberry as the rest of the lineup has taken a step back from last season. Thus, the Trolleys are relying on their dynamic duo even more this year, which could expose them if either one of them goes into a slump.

While the lineup may be uneven, that can’t be said of the pitching staff, which has been remarkably consistent and effective.

Pulberry’s two lefthanders, 21-year old Bart Ohara (14-7, 2.65 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 2.69 FIP, 146 ERA+) and 27-year old LHP Dermott Rathbone (8-3, 16 SV, 3.78 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 3.28 FIP, 103 ERA+) anchor the rotation and bullpen respectively. Ohara is rated as the No. 2 stater in the United Leagues (behind only Queensland’s Logan Belsey) while Rathbone is rated the top closer. Noteworthy too, is 29-year old RHP Harley Rodman (8-3, 2.67 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 3.36 FIP, 145 ERA+), who is currently enjoying the best season thus far of his 6-year career. Rodman was a 6th-round pick by the Braeland City Monarchs in 1945-46 who in turn released him in January 1947. The Trolleys signed him to a minor league contract in February of that year. After enjoying an impressive minor league career (4-time all-star, twice runner-up to the best pitcher awards in both AA and AAA), Rodman was promoted to the majors for good in 1951. He is currently Pulberry’s No. 5 starter.

All-Star Selections:

SP Quintiliano Galeo (2nd)
SP Robin Medellin (4th)
SP Bart Ohara (2nd)
SP Harley Rodman (2nd)
CL Dermott Rathbone (3rd)
C Paul England (2nd)
LF Aidan Thirkettle (5th)
CF Cooper Tyson (7th)

--------

The Sherburn Tigers have remained consistent over the first four months of the season, solidifying their hold on the wild card in the process. But they have been unable to catch the first-place Trolleys. In the 11 games that they have squared off against each other thus far, the Tigers have lost 7 of them, being outscored 47-33. They will meet the Trolleys four more times in the final week of the season – in Pulberry. Those games may very well decide who finishes in first place.

The Tigers do not have any players enjoying the kind of season that either Aidan Thirkettle or Cooper Tyson are enjoying, but the lineup is young and promising. The most notable is 25-year old CF/RF Leon Albrecht (.279/.404/.508, 15 HR, 82 RBI, 80 BB, 7 SB, 4.7 WAR – 64/71). The former 1st overall pick from 1954-55 slumped in December (.208/.351/.349) but he has been shifted around the outfield due to injuries to his teammates. Still, Albrecht is projected to become one of the most valuable commodities in the United Leagues in the not-too-distant future. 27-year old 3B Adrian Flynn (.310/.364/.523, 16 HR, 75 RBI, 35 BB, 3.6 WAR – 69/69) is enjoying his best season yet and is rated the No. 2 second baseman in the United Leagues, behind only Cobourg’s Douglas Jones. Flynn was particularly hot in January, batting .356/.420/.575. But like the Trolleys, the rest of the lineup is experiencing a bit of a letdown from last season.

Overall, the pitching staff has improved but the club is really leaning on their top two starters. 33-year old ace RHP Jesús Chapa (16-5, 2.46 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 2.59 FIP, 162 ERA+) just seems to get better with age. The 3-time Satchel Paige Award winner is on pace for 23 wins. No. 2 starter, 31-year old RHP Keiran Bunce (11-5, 3.18 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 3.21 FIP, 126 ERA+), is thriving since coming over to Sherburn from Kingston last offseason. He picked up his first career Pitcher of the Month honor in January.

The bullpen overall is still struggling, with only 36-year old stopper RHP Cris Herrera (6-6, 14 SV, 1.61 WHIP, 3.68 FIP, 115 ERA+) providing consistent outings.

All-Star Selections:

SP Jesús Chapa (8th)
3B Adrian Flynn (1st)
SS Dwayne Vick (4th)
LF Ross Shewman (2nd)
CF Leon Albrecht (1st)

Player of the Week Awards:

January 28 – CF Ross Shewman (.600, 9 H, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 4 R)

Noteworthy:

December 23 – The Tigers swept a three-game set against the visiting Kingston Pelicans. But the highlight came in game 3 when RHP Jesús Chapa blanked the Pelicans, 8-0 on four singles to earn his 200th career victory. He becomes the 9th pitcher in United Leagues’ history to reach that milestone. The game was also highlighted by two triples from OF Leon Albrecht who collected 2 R and 2 RBI.

January 31 – The Tigers dropped the first two games against the Queensland Eagles but salvaged the win on the last day of January, thumping the Eagles 18-1 right in Queensland. The Eagles led 1-0 until the 5th inning when Sherburn exploded. After scoring 2 runs in the 5th and 3 runs in the 6th, the Tigers erupted for 9 runs in the 7th, then added 3 more in the 8th and one more in the 9th. Every Tigers’ batter got a least one hit, with 29-year old back-up LF Richard Gastelum (.222/.344/.259, 1-2B, 5 RBI, 5 BB, 0.00 WAR) going 3 for 4 with 4 RBI, 4 R and 3 BB. OF Leon Albrecht went 2 for 4, including a 3-run home run and a bases-loaded double. In all, Albrecht collected 7 RBI, with 1 R, 1 BB.

Key Trade: January 15 with the Hespeler Stars:

To Sherburn – 31-year old 2B Vic Lewis (53/53)

To Hespeler – 22-year old minor league C Dick Jenkins (49/60)

Knee-jerk reaction: Sherburn perhaps makes the biggest splash leading up to the trade deadline, acquiring the 5-time All-Star Lewis. The Hespeler-native has also won a Ball Hawk Award and was Hespeler’s all-time leader in home runs (145). Indeed, the natural defender is a home run threat (65/65) and possesses good strike zone judgement (65/65). He is rated 5th overall in the ULB among second basemen. But the Tigers already have 26-year old Bernard Kerkin (.280/.320/.385, 3 HR, 32 RBI, 17 BB, 0.4 WAR – 55/55), a former 1st overall pick from 1953-54. But for whatever reason, Sherburn has not been using him in the lineup on a regular basis. Be that as it may, the Tigers get a major upgrade at second with Lewis playing full-time.

On the other hand, it’s not clear what Hespeler’s intentions are. Jenkins, a 5th round pick from 1952-53, is projected to become a solid hitter with some pop. But the Stars already have two very good catchers on the roster: former 2nd-overall pick 24-year old Aidan Bennie (59/69) and former 2nd-round pick 26-year old Tristan Digby (53/53) serving as his back-up. Bennie is considered a future all-star while Digby is rated as an above-average catcher with outstanding defensive skills. So why trade your clean-up hitter for a catcher that will be buried behind them? As of now, 25-year old Oda Miyamoto (45/48) will be filling Lewis’ shoes or at least trying to. They do have a promising infielder in 19-year old Hidekazu Kudo (20/77) that they drafted earlier this season, but he is still years away from being major league ready. A definite swing and miss for Hespeler as they could have acquired a promising player for where they have an actual need.

--------

For the rest of the Western League, its either about looking to next year or perhaps finishing as close as possible to .500 this year. The Wolseley Unions appear to have the best shot at doing so as they finished January with an above .500 record.

But their season took a blow with the loss of 22-year old rookie CF Jonathan Higgins (.310/.365/.498, 4 HR, 35 RBI, 25 BB, 9 SB, 2.7 WAR – 50/70). Higgins ruptured his Achilles tendon while running the bases in Wolseley’s 20-3 win over the Kingston Pelicans in early January and is gone for the season. That leaves 35-year old LF Carlton Hawking (.305/.419/.501, 15 HR, 66 RBI, 74 BB, 2.5 WAR) as the only productive player currently in the lineup.

On the pitching side of things, the Unions have had only two dependable starters this season: 31-year old ace RHP Robert Garza (7-11, 3.22 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 3.09 FIP, 123 ERA+), who was sensational in December & January (5-4, 2.19 ERA, 1.12 WHIP) and 21-year old RHP Theo Morse (12-8, 3.27 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 4.26 FIP, 122 ERA+ - 51/80) who has moved into the No. 2 spot.

All-Star Selection:

SP Roberto Garza (4th)
SP Theo Morse (1st)
SS Lenny McQuhirr (1st)
LF Carlton Hawking (11th)

Noteworthy:

January 14 – The Unions got their 4-game series against the Cambria Cannons off on the right foot thanks to an impressive performance by sophomore RHP Theo Morse who blanked the Cannons, 3-0 on 2 hits. Giving up just a single and a double, Morse went 9.0 IP, 3 BB, 8 K, 122 PI, GS: 88. The offense was provided by 32-year old back-up C Éric Denis (.246/.296/.408, 6 HR, 25 RBI, 10 BB, 0.6 WAR), who slammed two homers and drove in all three runs. The Unions would go on to take 3 of 4 from Cambria.

--------

At first, it looked like it would be the Balmoral Giants who had the best chance of reaching .500. By the All-Star break, they were just 4 games below the break even mark, but a 7-game losing skid to end the month has seen them fall back into the second division. And its not at all surprising.

29-year old 3B Makani Kahale (.288/.353/.416, 7 HR, 37 RBI, 39 BB, 3 SB, 3.1WAR) has been far and away Balmoral’s best all-around player this season, his first with the Giants since he was acquired from the Trolleys this past off-season. 28-year old 1B Erik Perry (.286/.326/.428, 5 HR, 55 RBI, 25 BB, 5 SB, 2.5 WAR) has also contributed as Balmoral’s clean-up hitter and was hot in December (.317/.349/.548), hitting 4 of his 5 home runs during that month. But its fair to say that the former 7th overall pick from 1950-51 has not delivered on his initial promise. The Giants currently have the second-best farm system in the United Leagues, but all of their top prospects are still in Double-A. Thus, patience is the order of the day.

That would hold true on the pitching squad as well, with just 23-year old rookie stopper RHP Bart Minto (8-6, 11 SV, 4.38 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 3.70 FIP, 90 ERA+) offering any glimmer of hope. Minto struggled in November and December but rebounded in January to win Rookie of the Month honors.

All-Star Selections:

1B Erik Perry (2nd)
3B Makani Kahale (5th)
SS Hayden Gunton (2nd)

Player of the Week Awards:

January 7 – 3B Makani Kahale (.476, 10 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI)

--------

In December, the Hespeler Stars won 18 games, the most they have won in a single month since December 1942 (18-9). But true to form, they traded away one of their best players in January while getting little in return. They then cratered, losing 9 of 12 to round out the month. This after having just taken two of three from the Pulberry Trolleys.

On offense, only 29-year old RF John Anthony (.306/.390/.543, 17 HR, 65 RBI, 52 BB, 6 SB, 3.2 WAR) has shone. In fact, the 6-year veteran has gotten better as the season has progressed and won his first Player of the Month honor in January. 24-year old sophomore C Aidan Bennie (.259/.299/.454, 8 HR, 28 RBI, 11 BB, 1.4 WAR), the former 2nd-overall pick from 1954-55, continues to show promise as an all-round player, both on offense and defense.

On the mound, only two pitchers are worth noting. 36-year old LHP Patrick Denman (10-9, 3.66 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 3.20 FIP, 109 ERA+) is the ace of a rather weak squad. Denman was particularly good in December (4-0, 2.71 ERA, 1.25 WHIP). And 23-year old RHP Eduardo Rodríguez (7-1, 3 SV, 2.34 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 3.16 FIP, 171 ERA+) was promoted to the rotation in late January, winning his first career start 7-1 against the Balmoral Giants. He is currently pitching out of the No. 4 spot.

All-Star Selections:

2B Vic Lewis (5th)
RF John Anthony (1st)

Player of the Week Awards:

January 21 – RF John Anthony (.357, 10 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 6 R)

--------

The Cambria Cannons crashed in January, losing 18 games, the most in a month since December 1952 when they lost 19. While they are still capable of scoring runs (523, the most in the West), they have surrendered 563 runs in 108 games so far (5.2 R/G), 25 more than the next worst team in that category, the Kingston Pelicans. Its not hard to see why – their pitching is in shambles, and they have the worst-ranked defense in the United Leagues.

On offense, 27-year old RF Sam Tite (.313/.424/.684, 37 HR, 96 RBI, 69 BB, 3 SB, 6.8 WAR – 80/80) is an anomaly. The top-ranked right fielder in the United Leagues is enjoying a phenomenal season at the plate and he is outstanding defensively as well. None of his teammates can make that claim. In fact, while Tite is just one home run off the United Leagues’ lead, only one of his teammates currently has more than 10: 32-year old 3B Louis Torres (.269/.340/.431, 13 HR, 58 RBI, 36 BB, 1.4 WAR).

With 31-year old stopper RHP Keith Roche having been traded to the Cobourg Redlegs in mid-January, only 31-year old LHP Jarod Faulkner (2-1, 2 SV, 3.18 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 3.03 FIP, 122 ERA+) who has taken over stopper duties, is providing any sort of reliable pitching on this squad.

All-Star Selections:

CL Keith Roche (3rd)
C Min-gook Lee (2nd)
1B Carlos Corea (6th)
LF Calvin Hanbridge (4th)
RF Sam Tite (2nd)

Player of the Week Awards:

December 10 – LF Calvin Hanbridge (.429, 12 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI)
December 17 – RF Sam Tite (.350, 7 H, 3 HR, 6 RBI)
December 31 – 1B Carlos Corea (.526, 10 H, 4 HR, 6 RBI, 7 R)
January 14 – RF Sam Tite (.600, 9 H, 4 HR, 6 RBI)

Noteworthy:

December 14 – The Cannons took 2 of 3 from the visiting Pulberry Trolleys with the Cannons earning an impressive 6-0 win in game 1. 37-year old LHP Ricardo Cruz (9-5, 4.03 ERA, 152 WHIP, 4.42 FIP, 97 ERA+) was the player of the game, holding the Trolleys to 2 hits. Cruz had a no-hitter going until the 5th inning when Cooper Tyson led off with a single, one of only two singles Cruz would surrender. On the afternoon, the Guatemalan-native went 9.0 IP, with 2 BB, 3 K, 87 PI, GS: 84. The Cannons got to LHP Bart Ohara early when 30-year old C Min-gook Lee (.290/.351/.412, 6 HR, 40 RBI, 26 BB, 1.7 WAR) hit a two-out Grand Slam home run in the bottom of the 1st.

--------

The Kingston Pelicans recovered somewhat from a disastrous November where they won only 5 games. January was shaping up to be their first winning month this season with a 11-9 record, until they were swept by the Cobourg Redlegs (0-3) and dropped 2 of 3 to the lowly Downie Chiefs to end the month. They have 18 more games to play against Eastern League teams in February. With the East dominating the West this season (Eastern Leagues teams have won 145 of 240 games so far, .604), the Pelicans could be in for a long month (in the shortest month of the year).

In the lineup, 24-year old 1B Ira Bannatyne (.315/.387/.525, 13 HR, 50 RBI, 41 BB, 3.0 WAR) and 26-year old C Ronald Armstrong (.243/.339/.465, 19 HR, 58 RBI, 48 BB3.3 WAR) are the No. 3 and No. 4 hitters respectively, and for good reason. They have been the most consistent hitters this year, although Bannatyne cooled off just a little from his impressive (and unsustainable) start in October/November. Leading off is 23-year old CF Dan Hesketh (.264/.342/.396, 5 HR, 41 RBI, 38 BB, 4 SB, 1.9 WAR – 65/71). The former 1st overall pick from 1955-56 has been very respectable thus far in his rookie season.

On the pitching staff, there has been only one standout. 27-year old stopper RHP Lester Beddoes (4-6, 15 SV, 2.59 ERA, 1.59 WHIP, 3.72 FIP, 154 ERA+) has been the club’s best pitcher. 23-year old rookie RHP Jacob Jones (2-3, 1 SV, 1.93 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 2.66 FIP, 206 ERA+ - 49/57) was showing promise pitching out of the bullpen but was sent back down to Triple-A in late December. His replacement, 20-year old RHP Ernesto Luna (0-1, 9.82 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 8.18 FIP, 40 ERA+) has not enjoyed the same level of success.

All-Star Selections:

C Ronald Armstrong (1st)
1B Ira Bannatyne (1st)

Player of the Week Awards:

December 3 – C Ronald Armstrong (.333, 5 H, 3 HR, 6 RBI)

Noteworthy:

January 16 – It was all 22-year old LHP Ronald Dulihanty (7-10, 4.27 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, 4.60 FIP, 93 ERA+) against the Fort Richmond Generals, as the sophomore blanked the home team, 5-0 on 2 hits. Dulihanty limited the Generals to a single in both the first and second innings, going 9.0 IP, 4 BB, 7 K, 125 PI, GS: 86. Dulihanty also went 2 for 4 at the plate with two singles and 3 RBI.

--------

Just three years removed from their most recent United Cup championship, the Fort Richmond Generals are in danger in finishing in last place in the West for just the second time in their history. Perhaps its just as well. While the Generals have one of strongest farm systems in the United Leagues (3rd overall), they only have one prospect ranked in the top 20. Fort Richmond will need more high end prospects if they hope to eventually turn things around. Interestingly, of the eight Western League teams, only the Generals finished with a winning record against Eastern League teams in the final six games of January (5-1). But they still have 18 more against them in February.

On offense, 28-year old lead-off hitter CF Greg Cusack (.289/.355/.406, 4 HR, 34 RBI, 44 BB, 11 SB, 4.2 WAR) has emerged as Fort Richmond’s best all-round player this year. 32-year old RF Brandon Robinson (.327/.327/.444, 7 HR, 46 RBI, 32 BB, 4 SB, 2.0 WAR) has been productive at the plate but has been downright awful in the field (.983 PCT, 2.52 RNG, -11.6 ZR, .940 EFF).

As in the lineup, there are precious few highlights on the pitching staff. A couple of southpaws are having some success this season. 31-year old LHP Gavin Flatt (8-3, 3.53 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 3.93 FIP, 109 ERA+) is enjoying a bit of a bounce back after having been demoted to Triple-A the past couple of seasons, while 24-year old LHP John Witheycombe (3-3, 7 SV, 1.96 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 2.42 FIP, 197 ERA+) has easily been the Generals’ best pitcher this year and has moved into the stopper role after the departure of 32-year old RHP José Rodríguez to the Stratford Barons in mid-December.

Finally, 2-time Satchel Paige Award winner and 8-time All-Star, RHP Roberto Taváres (1-0, 1.81 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 2.85 FIP, 213 ERA+), announced during the All-Star break that he will be retiring at the end of the season. But that has not stopped the 16-year veteran from pitching effectively out of the bullpen this season.

All-Star Selection:

CL John Witheycombe (1st)
2B Dale Linkletter (1st)
CF Greg Cusack (2nd)
RF Brandon Robinson (5th)

Player of the Week Awards:

December 24 – SS Nobuyoshi Yoshida (.571, 12 H, 3 RBI, 2 R)

Noteworthy:

January 28 – The Generals took the rubber match of a 3-game set against the Monarchs, 7-1 in Braeland City. Leading the way was 23-year old 2B Dale Linkletter (.259/.376/.321, 15-2B, 27 RBI, 56 BB, 6 SB, 1.5 WAR), who went 5 for 5, all singles. The rookie drove in 2 RBI with 1 R.

--------

05-28-2023, 09:18 PM	#786
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,919	February 1, 1957 Western League: Trolleys, Tigers Making Mockery of the Rest -------- The Pulberry Trolleys and Sherburn Tigers continue their dominance of the Western League with two months remaining in the season. Not only is the playoff picture all but a forgone conclusion, but Pulberry and Sherburn may be only two teams in the League that will finish with winning records. That has not been an uncommon occurrence in the West. It happened twice before, in 1940-41 and 1946-47. But the 1938-39 season saw just one team finish with a winning record - the Kingston Pelicans with 103 wins. The Trolleys remain the top team although they did stumble a bit in December, enduring their first losing month since February 1953 (11-12). They bounced back in January, going on an 8-game winning streak around the All-Star break. But they ended the month dropping 2 of 3 each to the lowly Downie Chiefs and Cobourg Redlegs, the top team in the United Leagues. Just as the New York Yankees of the 1920s had their incredible duo of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, so the Trolleys are enjoying the one-two punch of 29-year old CF Cooper Tyson (.323/.413/.562, 19 HR, 65 RBI, 56 BB, 13 SB, 7.0 WAR – 80/80) and 28-year old LF Aidan Thirkettle (.358/.468/.704, 26 HR, 82 RBI, 74 BB, 10 SB, 8.0 WAR – 80/80). The Nos. 3 and 4 hitters respectively appear to be enjoying career peaks (they can’t get any better, can they?) Thirkettle currently leads the entire United Leagues in 6 offensive categories. There dominance is good news for Pulberry as the rest of the lineup has taken a step back from last season. Thus, the Trolleys are relying on their dynamic duo even more this year, which could expose them if either one of them goes into a slump. While the lineup may be uneven, that can’t be said of the pitching staff, which has been remarkably consistent and effective. Pulberry’s two lefthanders, 21-year old Bart Ohara (14-7, 2.65 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 2.69 FIP, 146 ERA+) and 27-year old LHP Dermott Rathbone (8-3, 16 SV, 3.78 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 3.28 FIP, 103 ERA+) anchor the rotation and bullpen respectively. Ohara is rated as the No. 2 stater in the United Leagues (behind only Queensland’s Logan Belsey) while Rathbone is rated the top closer. Noteworthy too, is 29-year old RHP Harley Rodman (8-3, 2.67 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 3.36 FIP, 145 ERA+), who is currently enjoying the best season thus far of his 6-year career. Rodman was a 6th-round pick by the Braeland City Monarchs in 1945-46 who in turn released him in January 1947. The Trolleys signed him to a minor league contract in February of that year. After enjoying an impressive minor league career (4-time all-star, twice runner-up to the best pitcher awards in both AA and AAA), Rodman was promoted to the majors for good in 1951. He is currently Pulberry’s No. 5 starter. All-Star Selections: SP Quintiliano Galeo (2nd) SP Robin Medellin (4th) SP Bart Ohara (2nd) SP Harley Rodman (2nd) CL Dermott Rathbone (3rd) C Paul England (2nd) LF Aidan Thirkettle (5th) CF Cooper Tyson (7th) -------- The Sherburn Tigers have remained consistent over the first four months of the season, solidifying their hold on the wild card in the process. But they have been unable to catch the first-place Trolleys. In the 11 games that they have squared off against each other thus far, the Tigers have lost 7 of them, being outscored 47-33. They will meet the Trolleys four more times in the final week of the season – in Pulberry. Those games may very well decide who finishes in first place. The Tigers do not have any players enjoying the kind of season that either Aidan Thirkettle or Cooper Tyson are enjoying, but the lineup is young and promising. The most notable is 25-year old CF/RF Leon Albrecht (.279/.404/.508, 15 HR, 82 RBI, 80 BB, 7 SB, 4.7 WAR – 64/71). The former 1st overall pick from 1954-55 slumped in December (.208/.351/.349) but he has been shifted around the outfield due to injuries to his teammates. Still, Albrecht is projected to become one of the most valuable commodities in the United Leagues in the not-too-distant future. 27-year old 3B Adrian Flynn (.310/.364/.523, 16 HR, 75 RBI, 35 BB, 3.6 WAR – 69/69) is enjoying his best season yet and is rated the No. 2 second baseman in the United Leagues, behind only Cobourg’s Douglas Jones. Flynn was particularly hot in January, batting .356/.420/.575. But like the Trolleys, the rest of the lineup is experiencing a bit of a letdown from last season. Overall, the pitching staff has improved but the club is really leaning on their top two starters. 33-year old ace RHP Jesús Chapa (16-5, 2.46 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 2.59 FIP, 162 ERA+) just seems to get better with age. The 3-time Satchel Paige Award winner is on pace for 23 wins. No. 2 starter, 31-year old RHP Keiran Bunce (11-5, 3.18 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 3.21 FIP, 126 ERA+), is thriving since coming over to Sherburn from Kingston last offseason. He picked up his first career Pitcher of the Month honor in January. The bullpen overall is still struggling, with only 36-year old stopper RHP Cris Herrera (6-6, 14 SV, 1.61 WHIP, 3.68 FIP, 115 ERA+) providing consistent outings. All-Star Selections: SP Jesús Chapa (8th) 3B Adrian Flynn (1st) SS Dwayne Vick (4th) LF Ross Shewman (2nd) CF Leon Albrecht (1st) Player of the Week Awards: January 28 – CF Ross Shewman (.600, 9 H, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 4 R) Noteworthy: December 23 – The Tigers swept a three-game set against the visiting Kingston Pelicans. But the highlight came in game 3 when RHP Jesús Chapa blanked the Pelicans, 8-0 on four singles to earn his 200th career victory. He becomes the 9th pitcher in United Leagues’ history to reach that milestone. The game was also highlighted by two triples from OF Leon Albrecht who collected 2 R and 2 RBI. January 31 – The Tigers dropped the first two games against the Queensland Eagles but salvaged the win on the last day of January, thumping the Eagles 18-1 right in Queensland. The Eagles led 1-0 until the 5th inning when Sherburn exploded. After scoring 2 runs in the 5th and 3 runs in the 6th, the Tigers erupted for 9 runs in the 7th, then added 3 more in the 8th and one more in the 9th. Every Tigers’ batter got a least one hit, with 29-year old back-up LF Richard Gastelum (.222/.344/.259, 1-2B, 5 RBI, 5 BB, 0.00 WAR) going 3 for 4 with 4 RBI, 4 R and 3 BB. OF Leon Albrecht went 2 for 4, including a 3-run home run and a bases-loaded double. In all, Albrecht collected 7 RBI, with 1 R, 1 BB. Key Trade: January 15 with the Hespeler Stars: To Sherburn – 31-year old 2B Vic Lewis (53/53) To Hespeler – 22-year old minor league C Dick Jenkins (49/60) *Knee-jerk reaction:* Sherburn perhaps makes the biggest splash leading up to the trade deadline, acquiring the 5-time All-Star Lewis. The Hespeler-native has also won a Ball Hawk Award and was Hespeler’s all-time leader in home runs (145). Indeed, the natural defender is a home run threat (65/65) and possesses good strike zone judgement (65/65). He is rated 5th overall in the ULB among second basemen. But the Tigers already have 26-year old Bernard Kerkin (.280/.320/.385, 3 HR, 32 RBI, 17 BB, 0.4 WAR – 55/55), a former 1st overall pick from 1953-54. But for whatever reason, Sherburn has not been using him in the lineup on a regular basis. Be that as it may, the Tigers get a major upgrade at second with Lewis playing full-time. On the other hand, it’s not clear what Hespeler’s intentions are. Jenkins, a 5th round pick from 1952-53, is projected to become a solid hitter with some pop. But the Stars already have two very good catchers on the roster: former 2nd-overall pick 24-year old Aidan Bennie (59/69) and former 2nd-round pick 26-year old Tristan Digby (53/53) serving as his back-up. Bennie is considered a future all-star while Digby is rated as an above-average catcher with outstanding defensive skills. So why trade your clean-up hitter for a catcher that will be buried behind them? As of now, 25-year old Oda Miyamoto (45/48) will be filling Lewis’ shoes or at least trying to. They do have a promising infielder in 19-year old Hidekazu Kudo (20/77) that they drafted earlier this season, but he is still years away from being major league ready. A definite swing and miss for Hespeler as they could have acquired a promising player for where they have an actual need. -------- For the rest of the Western League, its either about looking to next year or perhaps finishing as close as possible to .500 this year. The Wolseley Unions appear to have the best shot at doing so as they finished January with an above .500 record. But their season took a blow with the loss of 22-year old rookie CF Jonathan Higgins (.310/.365/.498, 4 HR, 35 RBI, 25 BB, 9 SB, 2.7 WAR – 50/70). Higgins ruptured his Achilles tendon while running the bases in Wolseley’s 20-3 win over the Kingston Pelicans in early January and is gone for the season. That leaves 35-year old LF Carlton Hawking (.305/.419/.501, 15 HR, 66 RBI, 74 BB, 2.5 WAR) as the only productive player currently in the lineup. On the pitching side of things, the Unions have had only two dependable starters this season: 31-year old ace RHP Robert Garza (7-11, 3.22 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 3.09 FIP, 123 ERA+), who was sensational in December & January (5-4, 2.19 ERA, 1.12 WHIP) and 21-year old RHP Theo Morse (12-8, 3.27 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 4.26 FIP, 122 ERA+ - 51/80) who has moved into the No. 2 spot. All-Star Selection: SP Roberto Garza (4th) SP Theo Morse (1st) SS Lenny McQuhirr (1st) LF Carlton Hawking (11th) Noteworthy: January 14 – The Unions got their 4-game series against the Cambria Cannons off on the right foot thanks to an impressive performance by sophomore RHP Theo Morse who blanked the Cannons, 3-0 on 2 hits. Giving up just a single and a double, Morse went 9.0 IP, 3 BB, 8 K, 122 PI, GS: 88. The offense was provided by 32-year old back-up C Éric Denis (.246/.296/.408, 6 HR, 25 RBI, 10 BB, 0.6 WAR), who slammed two homers and drove in all three runs. The Unions would go on to take 3 of 4 from Cambria. -------- At first, it looked like it would be the Balmoral Giants who had the best chance of reaching .500. By the All-Star break, they were just 4 games below the break even mark, but a 7-game losing skid to end the month has seen them fall back into the second division. And its not at all surprising. 29-year old 3B Makani Kahale (.288/.353/.416, 7 HR, 37 RBI, 39 BB, 3 SB, 3.1WAR) has been far and away Balmoral’s best all-around player this season, his first with the Giants since he was acquired from the Trolleys this past off-season. 28-year old 1B Erik Perry (.286/.326/.428, 5 HR, 55 RBI, 25 BB, 5 SB, 2.5 WAR) has also contributed as Balmoral’s clean-up hitter and was hot in December (.317/.349/.548), hitting 4 of his 5 home runs during that month. But its fair to say that the former 7th overall pick from 1950-51 has not delivered on his initial promise. The Giants currently have the second-best farm system in the United Leagues, but all of their top prospects are still in Double-A. Thus, patience is the order of the day. That would hold true on the pitching squad as well, with just 23-year old rookie stopper RHP Bart Minto (8-6, 11 SV, 4.38 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 3.70 FIP, 90 ERA+) offering any glimmer of hope. Minto struggled in November and December but rebounded in January to win Rookie of the Month honors. All-Star Selections: 1B Erik Perry (2nd) 3B Makani Kahale (5th) SS Hayden Gunton (2nd) Player of the Week Awards: January 7 – 3B Makani Kahale (.476, 10 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI) -------- In December, the Hespeler Stars won 18 games, the most they have won in a single month since December 1942 (18-9). But true to form, they traded away one of their best players in January while getting little in return. They then cratered, losing 9 of 12 to round out the month. This after having just taken two of three from the Pulberry Trolleys. On offense, only 29-year old RF John Anthony (.306/.390/.543, 17 HR, 65 RBI, 52 BB, 6 SB, 3.2 WAR) has shone. In fact, the 6-year veteran has gotten better as the season has progressed and won his first Player of the Month honor in January. 24-year old sophomore C Aidan Bennie (.259/.299/.454, 8 HR, 28 RBI, 11 BB, 1.4 WAR), the former 2nd-overall pick from 1954-55, continues to show promise as an all-round player, both on offense and defense. On the mound, only two pitchers are worth noting. 36-year old LHP Patrick Denman (10-9, 3.66 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 3.20 FIP, 109 ERA+) is the ace of a rather weak squad. Denman was particularly good in December (4-0, 2.71 ERA, 1.25 WHIP). And 23-year old RHP Eduardo Rodríguez (7-1, 3 SV, 2.34 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 3.16 FIP, 171 ERA+) was promoted to the rotation in late January, winning his first career start 7-1 against the Balmoral Giants. He is currently pitching out of the No. 4 spot. All-Star Selections: 2B Vic Lewis (5th) RF John Anthony (1st) Player of the Week Awards: January 21 – RF John Anthony (.357, 10 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 6 R) -------- The Cambria Cannons crashed in January, losing 18 games, the most in a month since December 1952 when they lost 19. While they are still capable of scoring runs (523, the most in the West), they have surrendered 563 runs in 108 games so far (5.2 R/G), 25 more than the next worst team in that category, the Kingston Pelicans. Its not hard to see why – their pitching is in shambles, and they have the worst-ranked defense in the United Leagues. On offense, 27-year old RF Sam Tite (.313/.424/.684, 37 HR, 96 RBI, 69 BB, 3 SB, 6.8 WAR – 80/80) is an anomaly. The top-ranked right fielder in the United Leagues is enjoying a phenomenal season at the plate and he is outstanding defensively as well. None of his teammates can make that claim. In fact, while Tite is just one home run off the United Leagues’ lead, only one of his teammates currently has more than 10: 32-year old 3B Louis Torres (.269/.340/.431, 13 HR, 58 RBI, 36 BB, 1.4 WAR). With 31-year old stopper RHP Keith Roche having been traded to the Cobourg Redlegs in mid-January, only 31-year old LHP Jarod Faulkner (2-1, 2 SV, 3.18 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 3.03 FIP, 122 ERA+) who has taken over stopper duties, is providing any sort of reliable pitching on this squad. All-Star Selections: CL Keith Roche (3rd) C Min-gook Lee (2nd) 1B Carlos Corea (6th) LF Calvin Hanbridge (4th) RF Sam Tite (2nd) Player of the Week Awards: December 10 – LF Calvin Hanbridge (.429, 12 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI) December 17 – RF Sam Tite (.350, 7 H, 3 HR, 6 RBI) December 31 – 1B Carlos Corea (.526, 10 H, 4 HR, 6 RBI, 7 R) January 14 – RF Sam Tite (.600, 9 H, 4 HR, 6 RBI) Noteworthy: December 14 – The Cannons took 2 of 3 from the visiting Pulberry Trolleys with the Cannons earning an impressive 6-0 win in game 1. 37-year old LHP Ricardo Cruz (9-5, 4.03 ERA, 152 WHIP, 4.42 FIP, 97 ERA+) was the player of the game, holding the Trolleys to 2 hits. Cruz had a no-hitter going until the 5th inning when Cooper Tyson led off with a single, one of only two singles Cruz would surrender. On the afternoon, the Guatemalan-native went 9.0 IP, with 2 BB, 3 K, 87 PI, GS: 84. The Cannons got to LHP Bart Ohara early when 30-year old C Min-gook Lee (.290/.351/.412, 6 HR, 40 RBI, 26 BB, 1.7 WAR) hit a two-out Grand Slam home run in the bottom of the 1st. -------- The Kingston Pelicans recovered somewhat from a disastrous November where they won only 5 games. January was shaping up to be their first winning month this season with a 11-9 record, until they were swept by the Cobourg Redlegs (0-3) and dropped 2 of 3 to the lowly Downie Chiefs to end the month. They have 18 more games to play against Eastern League teams in February. With the East dominating the West this season (Eastern Leagues teams have won 145 of 240 games so far, .604), the Pelicans could be in for a long month (in the shortest month of the year). In the lineup, 24-year old 1B Ira Bannatyne (.315/.387/.525, 13 HR, 50 RBI, 41 BB, 3.0 WAR) and 26-year old C Ronald Armstrong (.243/.339/.465, 19 HR, 58 RBI, 48 BB3.3 WAR) are the No. 3 and No. 4 hitters respectively, and for good reason. They have been the most consistent hitters this year, although Bannatyne cooled off just a little from his impressive (and unsustainable) start in October/November. Leading off is 23-year old CF Dan Hesketh (.264/.342/.396, 5 HR, 41 RBI, 38 BB, 4 SB, 1.9 WAR – 65/71). The former 1st overall pick from 1955-56 has been very respectable thus far in his rookie season. On the pitching staff, there has been only one standout. 27-year old stopper RHP Lester Beddoes (4-6, 15 SV, 2.59 ERA, 1.59 WHIP, 3.72 FIP, 154 ERA+) has been the club’s best pitcher. 23-year old rookie RHP Jacob Jones (2-3, 1 SV, 1.93 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 2.66 FIP, 206 ERA+ - 49/57) was showing promise pitching out of the bullpen but was sent back down to Triple-A in late December. His replacement, 20-year old RHP Ernesto Luna (0-1, 9.82 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 8.18 FIP, 40 ERA+) has not enjoyed the same level of success. All-Star Selections: C Ronald Armstrong (1st) 1B Ira Bannatyne (1st) Player of the Week Awards: December 3 – C Ronald Armstrong (.333, 5 H, 3 HR, 6 RBI) Noteworthy: January 16 – It was all 22-year old LHP Ronald Dulihanty (7-10, 4.27 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, 4.60 FIP, 93 ERA+) against the Fort Richmond Generals, as the sophomore blanked the home team, 5-0 on 2 hits. Dulihanty limited the Generals to a single in both the first and second innings, going 9.0 IP, 4 BB, 7 K, 125 PI, GS: 86. Dulihanty also went 2 for 4 at the plate with two singles and 3 RBI. -------- Just three years removed from their most recent United Cup championship, the Fort Richmond Generals are in danger in finishing in last place in the West for just the second time in their history. Perhaps its just as well. While the Generals have one of strongest farm systems in the United Leagues (3rd overall), they only have one prospect ranked in the top 20. Fort Richmond will need more high end prospects if they hope to eventually turn things around. Interestingly, of the eight Western League teams, only the Generals finished with a winning record against Eastern League teams in the final six games of January (5-1). But they still have 18 more against them in February. On offense, 28-year old lead-off hitter CF Greg Cusack (.289/.355/.406, 4 HR, 34 RBI, 44 BB, 11 SB, 4.2 WAR) has emerged as Fort Richmond’s best all-round player this year. 32-year old RF Brandon Robinson (.327/.327/.444, 7 HR, 46 RBI, 32 BB, 4 SB, 2.0 WAR) has been productive at the plate but has been downright awful in the field (.983 PCT, 2.52 RNG, -11.6 ZR, .940 EFF). As in the lineup, there are precious few highlights on the pitching staff. A couple of southpaws are having some success this season. 31-year old LHP Gavin Flatt (8-3, 3.53 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 3.93 FIP, 109 ERA+) is enjoying a bit of a bounce back after having been demoted to Triple-A the past couple of seasons, while 24-year old LHP John Witheycombe (3-3, 7 SV, 1.96 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 2.42 FIP, 197 ERA+) has easily been the Generals’ best pitcher this year and has moved into the stopper role after the departure of 32-year old RHP José Rodríguez to the Stratford Barons in mid-December. Finally, 2-time Satchel Paige Award winner and 8-time All-Star, RHP Roberto Taváres (1-0, 1.81 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 2.85 FIP, 213 ERA+), announced during the All-Star break that he will be retiring at the end of the season. But that has not stopped the 16-year veteran from pitching effectively out of the bullpen this season. All-Star Selection: CL John Witheycombe (1st) 2B Dale Linkletter (1st) CF Greg Cusack (2nd) RF Brandon Robinson (5th) Player of the Week Awards: December 24 – SS Nobuyoshi Yoshida (.571, 12 H, 3 RBI, 2 R) Noteworthy: January 28 – The Generals took the rubber match of a 3-game set against the Monarchs, 7-1 in Braeland City. Leading the way was 23-year old 2B Dale Linkletter (.259/.376/.321, 15-2B, 27 RBI, 56 BB, 6 SB, 1.5 WAR), who went 5 for 5, all singles. The rookie drove in 2 RBI with 1 R. -------- __________________ United Leagues of Braeland