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ayaghmour2 · 09-20-2023, 08:11 PM

9th Round, 131st Overall: LHP Dean Astle
School: Berkeley Bears
1934 (CLE): 17-7, 281.2 IP, 3.07 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 76 BB, 110 K, 137 ERA+, 6.5 WAR
1936 (CLE): 21-15, 2 SV, 283.1 IP, 3.59 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 73 BB, 90 K, 127 ERA+, 6.4 WAR
1938 (CLE): 17-15, 2 SV, 300.1 IP, 3.21 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 88 BB, 105 K, 124 ERA+, 6.1 WAR
1942 (BOS): 16-8, 235.1 IP, 2.60 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 47 BB, 85 K, 137 ERA+, 5.5 WAR
1946 (BOS): 11-6, 149.1 IP, 1.57 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 44 BB, 41 K, 213 ERA+, 3.5 WAR
Career (BOS): 60-38, 921.1 IP, 2.65 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 230 BB, 292 K, 133 ERA+, 20.0 WAR
Career (CLE): 127-107, 6 SV, 2,216.2 IP, 3.64 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 597 BB, 703 K, 114 ERA+, 44.9 WAR
Career (FABL): 187-145, 6 SV, 3,048 IP, 3.34 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 827 BB, 995 K, 119 ERA+, 64.9 WAR

If it wasn't for a ruptured ulnar collateral ligament last Spring, Dean Astle would still be pitching, as the now 38-year-old southpaw was coming off one of the best seasons of his career. He did miss some time with injury, but the Minutemen co-ace was 11-6 with an elite 1.57 ERA (213 ERA+), and 1.05 WHIP, and if he stayed healthy he would have been in the Allen race where Lloyd Stevens (19-12, 2.25, 125) was eventually named the winner. He was still at the top of his game, but as they had so often in the past, injuries took their toll. He had seven injuries in their the three years prior, and with a full season of recovery he decided this was a good time to call it quits. He's not the last remaining player left, but it's safe to say that even with the early exit, the 6-Time All Star was the best pitcher of his class.

The journey began way back to the 1927 draft, where each team passed on him plenty before we got lucky with Astle in the 9th Round. It didn't look like that at first, as the then 18-year-old had an awful debut season, going 7-13 with a 7.14 ERA (69 ERA+) and 1.89 WHIP with 91 walks and just 22 strikeouts. That came in the lowest level of the system, but back then that was San Jose, not La Crosse, so he was playing against older and more developed prospects. The prospect people still liked his stuff and Astle debuted on the top 100 prospect list in the spring before being named #50 on the Opening Day edition. That was a lofty ranking, but Astle proved they were on to something back then.

The La Crosse Lions were founded the following season, and Astle was a part of the inaugural squad that won the first UMVA title. Astle made 18 starts, finishing 12-4 with a 2.90 ERA (111 ERA+) and 1.29 WHIP, this time with near equal walks (50) and strikeouts (51). He then finished the season in San Jose, where again the more developed guys got to him. He went 2-5 with a 6.83 ERA (69 ERA+) and 1.73 WHIP. The walk issues were back, and he allowed 31 of them while striking out just 9 in 83 innings. In my effort to improve a last place team, Astle was in plenty of talks, eventually being sent to the Gothams in a three player package for World Champion third basemen John Kincaid. He went 9-6 in 22 starts between three Gotham affiliates, and before the 1931 season Astle was part of another three player trade package, this time going to the Foresters in the Joe Perret trade with a fellow Cougar 9th Rounder Ben Turner. This was the best thing that could have happened for Astle, as once he arrived in Cleveland he broke out in a major way.

Astle spent the next few seasons in the Foresters farm, and they did an excellent job mastering Astle's control. In 1933 he got the call to the big leagues, and he proved it might have been a little late. Astle fired off a 12 start run, going 7-3 with a 2.57 ERA (140 ERA+), 1.13 WHIP, and 27 strikeouts. He walked just 18 batters (4.8%), and his 2.77 FIP (76 FIP-) and 2.3 WAR were all an indication of a top flight starter.

Now in 1934, the Chicago Cougars were looking to defend their pennant after falling short of a title with a loss to the Philadelphia Keystones. Many expected us to repeat, but the then 24-year-old was a crucial component of the Foresters first (and still only) World Championship ring. Astle was an All-Star in his first full season, going 17-7 with a 3.07 ERA (137 ERA+) and 1.23 WHIP in 35 starts. He walked 76 and struck out 110 in 281.2 innings, Astle was worth 6.5 WAR. He certainly helped them get there, but unfortunately when the lights were bright he didn't fair too well, allowing 22 hits and 10 runs with 4 walks and 3 strikeouts in his two starts. That didn't affect his regular season performance in their title defense, as Astle again led the Foresters to a first place finish. What made him so great was his ability to keep the ball in the park, and with 3 homers in 280.1 innings he led the CA in HR/9. He was an unlucky 16-12, as his 3.63 ERA (120 ERA+) and 3.44 FIP (78 FIP-) suggest he pitched worthy of a 20-win season. Again he didn't get the run support he deserved in the playoffs, as despite ten strikeouts and just one walk he had to pitch into the 11th. He eventually faltered, allowing 13 hits and 7 runs against a strong Gothams lineup that succeeded in the revenge match.

The Foresters have yet to return to the playoffs, but Astle was the undisputed ace of some pretty strong pitching staffs. He returned to the All-Star game again in 1936, and led the CA with 21 wins. He made 46 appearances, 34 of them starts, and even saved a pair of games as he pitched late innings for the Foresters. Even with all the moving around, he had a 3.59 ERA (127 ERA+), 1.30 WHIP, 73 walks, and 90 strikeouts in 283.1 innings pitched. That made three consecutive 280 inning seasons, with two more following. The final one was a 300 inning season, something very few modern pitchers have ever accomplished. Despite his 17-15 record, he led the league with a 6.1 WAR, and he owned a 3.21 ERA (124 ERA+) and 1.29 WHIP with 88 walks and 105 strikeouts. But after falling two games short of the eventual champion Stars in 1939, the Foresters finished dead last in 1940 and have yet to finish above 6th since.

The losing was hard on Astle, who went 8-14 with a career worst 4.29 ERA (93 ERA+) and 1.52 WHIP and for the first time in his pro career, he walked (74) more batters then he struck out (68). He wasn't himself again the following year, and come July his Foresters career came to a close. He was sent to the Minutemen with Bill Moore in a deal that brought back a 1st Rounder, Pete Sigmund, Si Crocker, and Elmer Lockwood. At the time of the trade, the 31-year-old was just 6-11 with a middling 4.20 ERA (94 ERA+) and 3.88 FIP (97 FIP-), again walking (53) more batters then he struck out (41). After the trade, he did improve the control a bit, striking out 28 and walking 22, improving both his walk (7.9 to 6.9) and strikeout (6.9 to 7.5) percentages. Still, 4-5 with a 3.96 ERA (101 ERA+) and 1.46 WHIP isn't the Astle we were used to seeing.

Despite the average finish, Astle remains one of the best Foresters pitchers statistically. He ranks 6th in wins (127), 9th in win percentage (.543) and second among pitchers with more then 2,000 innings, 3rd in WAR (44.9), 5th in starts (271), tied for 6th in shutouts (15), 6th in strikeouts (703), and tied for 3rd in r-WAR (44.7). In 2,126.2 innings he owned an impressive 3.64 ERA (114 ERA+) and 3.56 FIP (85 FIP-) with a 1.34 WHIP, but there was still more to come from the veteran. He helped the Minutemen secure their first pennant since 1915, and if you remember, 1941 was the last year the Cougars won a pennant. After three playoff losses, Astle got the minimal run support he was used to from pitching in Cleveland, but it didn't matter. Astle dominated our lineup, spinning a 4-hit shutout with 2 walks and 3 strikeouts in the 1-0 win. Since we lost all four one-run games, Astle now won a title with a Federal Association team, each time directly in opposition with the team that drafted and made the mistake of trading him.

In his first full season with the Minutemen Astle made his fifth All-Star appearance, finishing 16-8 with a 2.60 ERA (137 ERA+), 1.14 WHIP, 47 walks, and 85 strikeouts. That 1.8 K/BB would prove to be a career best, and his 8.7 K% was tied for his second highest. The team fell short in their repeat efforts, as the eventual champion Gothams won the Fed. The following season he started to develop injury issues, which limited him to just 10 starts. He was still highly effective, 5-2 with a 2.26 ERA (156 ERA+) and 1.03 WHIP with 22 strikeouts. If he was healthy, he could have helped them take down the Cannons in the WCS. He was healthy the next two seasons, but the Minutemen were hit by some enlistments and they were just average (76-78, 79-75) the next two seasons. Astle won 12 games each year, posting similar ERAs (2.87, 119; 2.97, 116) and WHIPs (1.25 and 1.24). Astle again led the league in HR/9 (0.1) in 1945, but made just 22 starts and threw 169.2 innings as injuries cost him a month. It was just his second season since becoming a full-time starter he failed to reach 200 innings, with ten of them in an eleven year stretch.

Astle came back healthy for the 1946 season, and the 36-year-old was one of the best pitchers before the All-Star break. He was selected for a 6th time despite missing most of June. The Minutemen were this time in the run for a pennant, but their hopes were dashed on the first of September when Astle ruptured a tendon in his finger. At the time of the injury, he led the league with a 1.57 ERA (213 ERA+) and was 11-6 with a 1.05 WHIP, 44 walks, and 41 strikeouts. He fell just short (149.1 IP) of qualifying for the ERA crown. Still, Astle returned to camp for the 1947 season, and a healthy Astle would have had the Minutemen right back in the running for a postseason birth. Instead, Astle ruptured his UCL in his first spring start, effectively ending his big league career. After an injury like that in his advanced age, the odds of him returning to the pitcher he was before the injury were slim, and he ended his successful FABL career. In over 3,000 innings, Astle finished 187-145 with a strong 3.34 ERA (119 ERA+) and 1.29 WHIP with 995 strikeouts in 416 appearances. 386 of those were starts, but Astle is one of the few pitchers who never had to work from the pen. His relief outings came while he was starting, making 25 or more starts in 11 of his 14 seasons. In his prime he was one of the best innings eaters in the league, and he seemed like a lock for the magical 200 win mark before the final injury. A Hall of Fame induction seems slim for Astle, but he was one of the finest pitchers in the 1930s and early 40s and will be remembered fondly by Foresters and Minutemen fans alike.

10th Round, 147th Overall: RHP Harry Stewart
School: Golden Gate Grizzlies
Career (C): 3-0, 18.2 IP, 6.27 ERA, 1.98 WHIP, 14 BB, 20 K, -0.6 WAR

No, not the Harry Stewart who was part of the Art White deal, but a journeyman reliever who went 3-16 in college with a 6.38 ERA (89 ERA+) and 1.71 WHIP. He did have 143 strikeouts in 139.2 innings, so the thought was he could become a decent reliever. He wasn't, and was quickly cut after allowing 22 hits, 17 runs, and 11 walks in 15.1 innings in his lone season as a Cougar (Class B San Jose). That wasn't the end of his career, as he caught on with the Foresters organization, and spent two years there. He was released before Opening Day in 1930, which triggered a crazy, money-filled year.

Name: A Crazy 1930.png
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Name: A Crazy 1930.png
Views: 240
Size: 302.2 KB

Yeah, pretty crazy! Hard to blame him for retiring after!

11th Round,163rd Overall: 3B John Kane
School: College of San Diego Friars
Career (C): .300/.425/.413, 112 G, 514 PA, 14 2B, 13 3B, 2 HR, 67 RBI, 8 SB, 155 WRC+, 6.1 WAR

Despite being a late pick, John Kane got some serious time early in his career, as after spending a year on the bench, he was an every day player on the Lions team that won the first UMVA title. He excelled, batting .300/.425/.413 (159 OPS+) with 29 extra base hits, 67 RBIs, 84 runs, and 88 walks. It was the most, and definitely the best he played, but he hung around the organization until being cut during the 1933 season. That started a three year independent career where he played for the Pueblo Mountaineers (31 G), El Paso Missions (9 G), and Des Moines Bears (14 G). It was very erratic playing time, so after being cut by the Bears in 1935 and not receiving another offer, he retired at the age of 29.

12th Round, 179th Overall: RF Lou Baltes
School: Lubbock State Hawks
Career (AAA): .246/.333/.284, 119 G, 493 PA, 11 2B, 3B, HR, 42 RBI, 65 WRC+, -0.7 WAR

He never played a game in our system, and just lasted five months in the organization, but Lou Baltes did play minor league baseball. It came in 1929, when the Austin Violets signed Baltes to their first season in the brand new Lone Star Association. It mostly didn't go well, as he hit just .246/.333/.284 (64 OPS+) with just 13 extra base hits in nearly 500 PAs. If there was a bright side, he did walk (55) more then he struck out (32), but with little speed or power he was a pretty replaceable piece. He did survive the offseason, but made just one start (0-4, 2 K) the following season, and was cut in mid-April. He didn't get another offer, and retired at the end of the 1930 season.

13th Round, 195th Overall: 1B Claude Matthews
School: Cleveland HS Barons
Career (C): .275/.361/.345, 112 G, 437 PA, 13 2B, 3 3B, 2 HR, 46 RBI, 117 WRC+, 3.1 WAR

An organizational player, Claude Matthews spent eight season in our organization, and like many of the other guys from the class, he was a big part of the first Lions team. He made more PAs (429) that season then rest of his career (291), and posted a strong .276/.357/.343 (117 OPS+) line in 101 games. But as a first basemen with limited power (2 HR), the ceiling was always low, and he never again started more then 21 games he started (32 overall) in San Jose in 1931. He did reach AA at 22, but went just 9-for-38 with 3 runs, 3 walks, and no extra base hits. He got into one game for San Jose in 1933 and spent most of the year as a free agent. At year's end, Matthews retired and returned to his hometown Sherwood, Oregon.

14th Round, 211th Overall: 1B Omar Parker
School: Liberty College Bells
Career (C): .329/.422/.470, 69 G, 192 PA, 12 2B, 4 3B, HR, 21 RBI, 139 WRC+, 1.7 WAR

Back-to-back first basemen? Yay! Like Matthews, Omar Parker is a light hitting first basemen. Parker's career was strictly set in San Jose, where he hit .329 with 12 doubles, 4 triples, a homer, and 33 runs scored. 167 of his 192 PAs came in 1928 where he hit .329/.431/.486 (138 OPS+) with 16 extra base hits (including the homer!) and 24 walks. He made just 11 appearances the next two seasons and was cut in January of 1931. He remained unsigned until October, where he officially retired.

Just one more of these left, with the finale coming sometime this week. There is still one big leaguer left, so I didn't want this one to run large. I'll also share the totals as I did with the first two, and as expected this class comes up quite short. Astle was the lone gem, and while John Kincaid was a very reliable player for us, he's pretty much all we got out of this class. Very few of these guys even played in Chicago, with Black the only draftee to throw an inning or take an at bat in a Cougar uniform. I'd trade it all for a title, and that's what this class helped do, as without John Kincaid we may not win it all in '31 and the pennant in '33. Kincaid has an interesting player tree, coming from Astle and then indirectly leading to Donnie Jones. He was traded for Bill Dickens and Stumpy Beaman, with Beaman eventually part of the deal that brought Juan Pomales and Del Burns to Chicago. Pomales then went to Toronto with Hal Wood for the reigning Allen Winner, who at 28 is consistently ranked among the top 20 pitchers in FABL. If Donnie can win us a title, then maybe this class will become somewhat worth it a few decades later.

09-20-2023, 08:11 PM	#1214
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	A Look Back at the 1927 Draft: Part 2 9th Round, 131st Overall: LHP Dean Astle School: Berkeley Bears 1934 (CLE): 17-7, 281.2 IP, 3.07 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 76 BB, 110 K, 137 ERA+, 6.5 WAR 1936 (CLE): 21-15, 2 SV, 283.1 IP, 3.59 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 73 BB, 90 K, 127 ERA+, 6.4 WAR 1938 (CLE): 17-15, 2 SV, 300.1 IP, 3.21 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 88 BB, 105 K, 124 ERA+, 6.1 WAR 1942 (BOS): 16-8, 235.1 IP, 2.60 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 47 BB, 85 K, 137 ERA+, 5.5 WAR 1946 (BOS): 11-6, 149.1 IP, 1.57 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 44 BB, 41 K, 213 ERA+, 3.5 WAR Career (BOS): 60-38, 921.1 IP, 2.65 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 230 BB, 292 K, 133 ERA+, 20.0 WAR Career (CLE): 127-107, 6 SV, 2,216.2 IP, 3.64 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 597 BB, 703 K, 114 ERA+, 44.9 WAR Career (FABL): 187-145, 6 SV, 3,048 IP, 3.34 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 827 BB, 995 K, 119 ERA+, 64.9 WAR If it wasn't for a ruptured ulnar collateral ligament last Spring, Dean Astle would still be pitching, as the now 38-year-old southpaw was coming off one of the best seasons of his career. He did miss some time with injury, but the Minutemen co-ace was 11-6 with an elite 1.57 ERA (213 ERA+), and 1.05 WHIP, and if he stayed healthy he would have been in the Allen race where Lloyd Stevens (19-12, 2.25, 125) was eventually named the winner. He was still at the top of his game, but as they had so often in the past, injuries took their toll. He had seven injuries in their the three years prior, and with a full season of recovery he decided this was a good time to call it quits. He's not the last remaining player left, but it's safe to say that even with the early exit, the 6-Time All Star was the best pitcher of his class. The journey began way back to the 1927 draft, where each team passed on him plenty before we got lucky with Astle in the 9th Round. It didn't look like that at first, as the then 18-year-old had an awful debut season, going 7-13 with a 7.14 ERA (69 ERA+) and 1.89 WHIP with 91 walks and just 22 strikeouts. That came in the lowest level of the system, but back then that was San Jose, not La Crosse, so he was playing against older and more developed prospects. The prospect people still liked his stuff and Astle debuted on the top 100 prospect list in the spring before being named #50 on the Opening Day edition. That was a lofty ranking, but Astle proved they were on to something back then. The La Crosse Lions were founded the following season, and Astle was a part of the inaugural squad that won the first UMVA title. Astle made 18 starts, finishing 12-4 with a 2.90 ERA (111 ERA+) and 1.29 WHIP, this time with near equal walks (50) and strikeouts (51). He then finished the season in San Jose, where again the more developed guys got to him. He went 2-5 with a 6.83 ERA (69 ERA+) and 1.73 WHIP. The walk issues were back, and he allowed 31 of them while striking out just 9 in 83 innings. In my effort to improve a last place team, Astle was in plenty of talks, eventually being sent to the Gothams in a three player package for World Champion third basemen John Kincaid. He went 9-6 in 22 starts between three Gotham affiliates, and before the 1931 season Astle was part of another three player trade package, this time going to the Foresters in the Joe Perret trade with a fellow Cougar 9th Rounder Ben Turner. This was the best thing that could have happened for Astle, as once he arrived in Cleveland he broke out in a major way. Astle spent the next few seasons in the Foresters farm, and they did an excellent job mastering Astle's control. In 1933 he got the call to the big leagues, and he proved it might have been a little late. Astle fired off a 12 start run, going 7-3 with a 2.57 ERA (140 ERA+), 1.13 WHIP, and 27 strikeouts. He walked just 18 batters (4.8%), and his 2.77 FIP (76 FIP-) and 2.3 WAR were all an indication of a top flight starter. Now in 1934, the Chicago Cougars were looking to defend their pennant after falling short of a title with a loss to the Philadelphia Keystones. Many expected us to repeat, but the then 24-year-old was a crucial component of the Foresters first (and still only) World Championship ring. Astle was an All-Star in his first full season, going 17-7 with a 3.07 ERA (137 ERA+) and 1.23 WHIP in 35 starts. He walked 76 and struck out 110 in 281.2 innings, Astle was worth 6.5 WAR. He certainly helped them get there, but unfortunately when the lights were bright he didn't fair too well, allowing 22 hits and 10 runs with 4 walks and 3 strikeouts in his two starts. That didn't affect his regular season performance in their title defense, as Astle again led the Foresters to a first place finish. What made him so great was his ability to keep the ball in the park, and with 3 homers in 280.1 innings he led the CA in HR/9. He was an unlucky 16-12, as his 3.63 ERA (120 ERA+) and 3.44 FIP (78 FIP-) suggest he pitched worthy of a 20-win season. Again he didn't get the run support he deserved in the playoffs, as despite ten strikeouts and just one walk he had to pitch into the 11th. He eventually faltered, allowing 13 hits and 7 runs against a strong Gothams lineup that succeeded in the revenge match. The Foresters have yet to return to the playoffs, but Astle was the undisputed ace of some pretty strong pitching staffs. He returned to the All-Star game again in 1936, and led the CA with 21 wins. He made 46 appearances, 34 of them starts, and even saved a pair of games as he pitched late innings for the Foresters. Even with all the moving around, he had a 3.59 ERA (127 ERA+), 1.30 WHIP, 73 walks, and 90 strikeouts in 283.1 innings pitched. That made three consecutive 280 inning seasons, with two more following. The final one was a 300 inning season, something very few modern pitchers have ever accomplished. Despite his 17-15 record, he led the league with a 6.1 WAR, and he owned a 3.21 ERA (124 ERA+) and 1.29 WHIP with 88 walks and 105 strikeouts. But after falling two games short of the eventual champion Stars in 1939, the Foresters finished dead last in 1940 and have yet to finish above 6th since. The losing was hard on Astle, who went 8-14 with a career worst 4.29 ERA (93 ERA+) and 1.52 WHIP and for the first time in his pro career, he walked (74) more batters then he struck out (68). He wasn't himself again the following year, and come July his Foresters career came to a close. He was sent to the Minutemen with Bill Moore in a deal that brought back a 1st Rounder, Pete Sigmund, Si Crocker, and Elmer Lockwood. At the time of the trade, the 31-year-old was just 6-11 with a middling 4.20 ERA (94 ERA+) and 3.88 FIP (97 FIP-), again walking (53) more batters then he struck out (41). After the trade, he did improve the control a bit, striking out 28 and walking 22, improving both his walk (7.9 to 6.9) and strikeout (6.9 to 7.5) percentages. Still, 4-5 with a 3.96 ERA (101 ERA+) and 1.46 WHIP isn't the Astle we were used to seeing. Despite the average finish, Astle remains one of the best Foresters pitchers statistically. He ranks 6th in wins (127), 9th in win percentage (.543) and second among pitchers with more then 2,000 innings, 3rd in WAR (44.9), 5th in starts (271), tied for 6th in shutouts (15), 6th in strikeouts (703), and tied for 3rd in r-WAR (44.7). In 2,126.2 innings he owned an impressive 3.64 ERA (114 ERA+) and 3.56 FIP (85 FIP-) with a 1.34 WHIP, but there was still more to come from the veteran. He helped the Minutemen secure their first pennant since 1915, and if you remember, 1941 was the last year the Cougars won a pennant. After three playoff losses, Astle got the minimal run support he was used to from pitching in Cleveland, but it didn't matter. Astle dominated our lineup, spinning a 4-hit shutout with 2 walks and 3 strikeouts in the 1-0 win. Since we lost all four one-run games, Astle now won a title with a Federal Association team, each time directly in opposition with the team that drafted and made the mistake of trading him. In his first full season with the Minutemen Astle made his fifth All-Star appearance, finishing 16-8 with a 2.60 ERA (137 ERA+), 1.14 WHIP, 47 walks, and 85 strikeouts. That 1.8 K/BB would prove to be a career best, and his 8.7 K% was tied for his second highest. The team fell short in their repeat efforts, as the eventual champion Gothams won the Fed. The following season he started to develop injury issues, which limited him to just 10 starts. He was still highly effective, 5-2 with a 2.26 ERA (156 ERA+) and 1.03 WHIP with 22 strikeouts. If he was healthy, he could have helped them take down the Cannons in the WCS. He was healthy the next two seasons, but the Minutemen were hit by some enlistments and they were just average (76-78, 79-75) the next two seasons. Astle won 12 games each year, posting similar ERAs (2.87, 119; 2.97, 116) and WHIPs (1.25 and 1.24). Astle again led the league in HR/9 (0.1) in 1945, but made just 22 starts and threw 169.2 innings as injuries cost him a month. It was just his second season since becoming a full-time starter he failed to reach 200 innings, with ten of them in an eleven year stretch. Astle came back healthy for the 1946 season, and the 36-year-old was one of the best pitchers before the All-Star break. He was selected for a 6th time despite missing most of June. The Minutemen were this time in the run for a pennant, but their hopes were dashed on the first of September when Astle ruptured a tendon in his finger. At the time of the injury, he led the league with a 1.57 ERA (213 ERA+) and was 11-6 with a 1.05 WHIP, 44 walks, and 41 strikeouts. He fell just short (149.1 IP) of qualifying for the ERA crown. Still, Astle returned to camp for the 1947 season, and a healthy Astle would have had the Minutemen right back in the running for a postseason birth. Instead, Astle ruptured his UCL in his first spring start, effectively ending his big league career. After an injury like that in his advanced age, the odds of him returning to the pitcher he was before the injury were slim, and he ended his successful FABL career. In over 3,000 innings, Astle finished 187-145 with a strong 3.34 ERA (119 ERA+) and 1.29 WHIP with 995 strikeouts in 416 appearances. 386 of those were starts, but Astle is one of the few pitchers who never had to work from the pen. His relief outings came while he was starting, making 25 or more starts in 11 of his 14 seasons. In his prime he was one of the best innings eaters in the league, and he seemed like a lock for the magical 200 win mark before the final injury. A Hall of Fame induction seems slim for Astle, but he was one of the finest pitchers in the 1930s and early 40s and will be remembered fondly by Foresters and Minutemen fans alike. 10th Round, 147th Overall: RHP Harry Stewart School: Golden Gate Grizzlies Career (C): 3-0, 18.2 IP, 6.27 ERA, 1.98 WHIP, 14 BB, 20 K, -0.6 WAR No, not the Harry Stewart who was part of the Art White deal, but a journeyman reliever who went 3-16 in college with a 6.38 ERA (89 ERA+) and 1.71 WHIP. He did have 143 strikeouts in 139.2 innings, so the thought was he could become a decent reliever. He wasn't, and was quickly cut after allowing 22 hits, 17 runs, and 11 walks in 15.1 innings in his lone season as a Cougar (Class B San Jose). That wasn't the end of his career, as he caught on with the Foresters organization, and spent two years there. He was released before Opening Day in 1930, which triggered a crazy, money-filled year. Yeah, pretty crazy! Hard to blame him for retiring after! 11th Round,163rd Overall: 3B John Kane School: College of San Diego Friars Career (C): .300/.425/.413, 112 G, 514 PA, 14 2B, 13 3B, 2 HR, 67 RBI, 8 SB, 155 WRC+, 6.1 WAR Despite being a late pick, John Kane got some serious time early in his career, as after spending a year on the bench, he was an every day player on the Lions team that won the first UMVA title. He excelled, batting .300/.425/.413 (159 OPS+) with 29 extra base hits, 67 RBIs, 84 runs, and 88 walks. It was the most, and definitely the best he played, but he hung around the organization until being cut during the 1933 season. That started a three year independent career where he played for the Pueblo Mountaineers (31 G), El Paso Missions (9 G), and Des Moines Bears (14 G). It was very erratic playing time, so after being cut by the Bears in 1935 and not receiving another offer, he retired at the age of 29. 12th Round, 179th Overall: RF Lou Baltes School: Lubbock State Hawks Career (AAA): .246/.333/.284, 119 G, 493 PA, 11 2B, 3B, HR, 42 RBI, 65 WRC+, -0.7 WAR He never played a game in our system, and just lasted five months in the organization, but Lou Baltes did play minor league baseball. It came in 1929, when the Austin Violets signed Baltes to their first season in the brand new Lone Star Association. It mostly didn't go well, as he hit just .246/.333/.284 (64 OPS+) with just 13 extra base hits in nearly 500 PAs. If there was a bright side, he did walk (55) more then he struck out (32), but with little speed or power he was a pretty replaceable piece. He did survive the offseason, but made just one start (0-4, 2 K) the following season, and was cut in mid-April. He didn't get another offer, and retired at the end of the 1930 season. 13th Round, 195th Overall: 1B Claude Matthews School: Cleveland HS Barons Career (C): .275/.361/.345, 112 G, 437 PA, 13 2B, 3 3B, 2 HR, 46 RBI, 117 WRC+, 3.1 WAR An organizational player, Claude Matthews spent eight season in our organization, and like many of the other guys from the class, he was a big part of the first Lions team. He made more PAs (429) that season then rest of his career (291), and posted a strong .276/.357/.343 (117 OPS+) line in 101 games. But as a first basemen with limited power (2 HR), the ceiling was always low, and he never again started more then 21 games he started (32 overall) in San Jose in 1931. He did reach AA at 22, but went just 9-for-38 with 3 runs, 3 walks, and no extra base hits. He got into one game for San Jose in 1933 and spent most of the year as a free agent. At year's end, Matthews retired and returned to his hometown Sherwood, Oregon. 14th Round, 211th Overall: 1B Omar Parker School: Liberty College Bells Career (C): .329/.422/.470, 69 G, 192 PA, 12 2B, 4 3B, HR, 21 RBI, 139 WRC+, 1.7 WAR Back-to-back first basemen? Yay! Like Matthews, Omar Parker is a light hitting first basemen. Parker's career was strictly set in San Jose, where he hit .329 with 12 doubles, 4 triples, a homer, and 33 runs scored. 167 of his 192 PAs came in 1928 where he hit .329/.431/.486 (138 OPS+) with 16 extra base hits (including the homer!) and 24 walks. He made just 11 appearances the next two seasons and was cut in January of 1931. He remained unsigned until October, where he officially retired. Just one more of these left, with the finale coming sometime this week. There is still one big leaguer left, so I didn't want this one to run large. I'll also share the totals as I did with the first two, and as expected this class comes up quite short. Astle was the lone gem, and while John Kincaid was a very reliable player for us, he's pretty much all we got out of this class. Very few of these guys even played in Chicago, with Black the only draftee to throw an inning or take an at bat in a Cougar uniform. I'd trade it all for a title, and that's what this class helped do, as without John Kincaid we may not win it all in '31 and the pennant in '33. Kincaid has an interesting player tree, coming from Astle and then indirectly leading to Donnie Jones. He was traded for Bill Dickens and Stumpy Beaman, with Beaman eventually part of the deal that brought Juan Pomales and Del Burns to Chicago. Pomales then went to Toronto with Hal Wood for the reigning Allen Winner, who at 28 is consistently ranked among the top 20 pitchers in FABL. If Donnie can win us a title, then maybe this class will become somewhat worth it a few decades later.