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ayaghmour2 · 10-03-2023, 11:39 PM

Weekly Record: 3-3
Seasonal Record: 78-65 (t-2nd, 5 GB)
Stars of the Week
Hal Sharp : 25 AB, 10 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI, .400 AVG, 1.164 OPS
Walt Pack : 24 AB, 6 H, 3 HR, 10 RBI, .250 AVG, .947 OPS
Red Bond : 14 AB, 6 H, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .429 AVG, 1.315 OPS

Schedule
9-14: Win vs Foresters (4-10)
9-15: Win vs Foresters (2-6)
9-16: Loss vs Foresters (5-6)
9-17: Win vs Wolves (4-7)
9-18: Loss vs Wolves (4-3)
9-19: Loss vs Cannons (3-2)

Recap
Yep, I think that's it... A useless 3-3 week may prove detrimental, as the Sailors have won eight of their last ten and expanded their lead to five. The Stars continue their collapse, dropping all four games this week, now tied with us for second but behind on percentage points. All three of our losses this week were of the one-run variety, dropping us to 20-28 on the season. This time we outscored our opponents 34-22, and there's really no excuse for us not having a perfect week. It's not even funny at this point how awful we are in one run games, and it's something I'm going to investigate a bit deeper come season's end. We still have eleven games left in 1948, but we have to pretty much win them all, as Philly's magic number is down to just seven. We do play them twice in Chicago before the season ends, but even with a sweep our chances of coming out on top are barely non-zero.

History was made this week -- and no -- not consecutive seasons as the preseason favorite with nothing to show for it, but it didn't even take a game after Leo Mitchell tied the franchise home run record, for him to set it. He saw just one pitch against Augie Hayes Jr. (14-14, 4.25, 67) in the first inning of our 10-4 win, lacing one almost 400 feet to right center to open the scoring. It was the second time Mitchell has taken Hayes deep in his career, and the 35-year-old got a wild ovation from the Cougars faithful, as they cheered on their beloved outfielder as he rounded the bases. It took 1,685 games for Mitchell to set the record, and with no active player having even 100 homers, the record should stand for a fairly long time. Ray Ford (93) is closest, but at 37 I don't think he has 44 more homers in him, and Mitchell should add a few more to his tally before he retired. The only other Cougar in the top 10 is Carlos Montes (73), but since Sal Pestilli entered the lineup playing time has been tough for the Cuban native. I'd wager Pestilli has the best chance to top Mitchell, as he'll need 5 or 6 20+ homer seasons. Still, it's an astounding feat for the 6-Time All-Star, who has hit .326/.370/.438 (127 OPS+) since debuting back in 1935. His streak of 12-consecutive 100 or higher WRC+ seasons is in danger of being snapped, and his 9-year streak of 130 or higher was snapped last season. 36 in May, he's not the same hitter he once was, but he's the captain in the clubhouse and one of the best to don a Cougar uniform. When he inevitably hangs it up, his #2 will be retired, and we'd love to keep the well-liked lefty in the organization as a coach or front office member to reward him for all he's done for the franchise.

One guy we'll be without for the final two weeks is Red Bond, who took a Cookie Myers fastball to the face, causing a fractured cheekbone and ending his season early. It's the third injury of the season for Bond, who was on track to shatter the Cougars single season home run record. His first full season as a Cougar will be just 114 games, pounding 27 homers with 14 doubles and 77 RBIs. He produced a 141 WRC+ in 467 PAs, slashing .281/.347/.524 (130 OPS+) with 40 walks and just 47 strikeouts. His 8.6 BB% was his best since 1941, and his 27 homers were more then all seasons except 1940, when he led the CA with 30 homers and 111 RBIs. With the injury, our franchise home run leader will shift from left to first, and with the AAA season over, his replacement in left will be Johnny Peters. Peters, 24, spent most of his season in center, and hit .320/.415/.462 (122 OPS+) with 26 doubles, 5 triples, 13 homers, and 63 RBIs. The former 3rd Overall Pick produced a robust 136 WRC+ and added 97 runs, 80 walks, and 7 steals, worth 4.5 WAR in 136 games. Currently ranked as the 40th best prospect in baseball, Peters is a tremendous hitter, boasting an elite eye and plus-plus hit tool. He's got legit power, good speed, and with his strength he can really hit the ball hard. Left field may be his final position, but he's a capable center fielder with experience in right and at first as well. The last two weeks will function as an early audition for the starting left field role next year, and he'll spend most of the Spring there as he gets more acquainted with the corner outfield. Peters isn't the only guy joining the roster for the last two weeks, but I'll cover them in the minor league report.

We hit a lot of homers this week, but only four guys did anything during the week. Three of the homers came from Walt Pack, who went 6-for-24 with a double and ten RBIs. Pack now has 23 homers in 120 games, upping his season line to .282/.352/.494 (124 OPS+) with a 130 WRC+ and more walks (45) then strikeouts (36). Hal Sharp hit his 10th and 11th homers of the season, going 10-for-25 with a pair of doubles, walks, 5 RBIs, and 6 runs. It's been a bit of a down year for him, but he's hitting a respectable .313/.387/.433 (119 OPS+) with a more impressive 130 WRC+. Still lowest as a Cougar and first time with us below 145, but the 34-year-old can still hit. Another 34-year-old, Harry Mead, was 7-for-20 with a double, homer, and 3 RBIs, and his .269/.336/.426 (103 OPS+) season line is a bit above average. The last productive hitter was Ray Ford, who was 2-for-7 with a double, run, and RBI. The 37-year-old may see less playing time the rest of the way, as we have a lot of guys coming up from AAA that could use his at bats. I'm not sure if he's coming back next season, but there's a chance we could move on from him in the offseason. I doubt a trade will come, but for the first time in his FABL career, he's at actual risk of losing his roster spot. I'm hoping there is some magic left in the bats, but it may just be about padding stats the rest of the way.

Johnnie Jones' rough end of the season continues, with his fourth start out of five with five or more earned runs. It was exactly five this time, as he lasted just 6.1 innings with 11 hits, 5 runs, 2 walks, and 3 strikeouts. His ERA was at 3.10 as late as August 17th, but that has ballooned to 3.60 (109 ERA+) in 207.2 innings. He's walked (115) a lot more guys then he's struck out (92), and his 1.46 WHIP is just okay. He's prone to stretches like this, but when he's on he's on, and maybe 1949 will be the first season he can dominate start to finish. Donnie was much better, picking up a win and no decision. He went all nine against the Foresters, allowing 7 hits, 4 runs, and 2 walks with 7 strikeouts. He went just 7 in our 3-2 loss against the Foresters, but he allowed just 7 hits, 2 runs, and 3 walks with 4 strikeouts. Despite a middling 13-11 record, he's been worth an even 5 WAR in 31 starts, and he's now put together his 4th consecutive season with 140 or more innings pitched.

Pete Papenfus has stayed hot, winning his 18th game of the season after a complete game win over the Foresters. Peter the Heater set down 5, charged with just 6 hits, 2 runs, and 3 walks as he lowered his season ERA to 3.05 (129 ERA+), a full 90 points lower then last season. George Oddo evened his record to 9-9 with a complete game win, but he didn't strike out a single hitter. It wasn't his best start either, allowing 10 hits, 4 runs (2 earned), and a walk, but he's now won each of his last three decisions and hasn't lost since August 11th. Duke Bybee lost to the Wolves, going all nine with 4 hits, 4 runs, 2 walks, and 5 strikeouts. Ken Matson did all the relief work, but drew losses in two of his three appearances. It's been a rough end to the season for him, but he was charged with just two runs in 5.2 innings on 7 hits, 3 walks, and 2 strikeouts. His 4.10 (96 ERA+) season ERA is a bit below average, and his 9.8 K% would be his first season in single digits. He'll have to fight for the stopper job next season, with Harry MacRae his main competitor.

Looking Ahead
The game says that Chris Clarke (3-4, 2.88, 24) will be the Cannons starter in the finale, but I'm not buying it. Rufus Barrell (21-7, 1.97, 122) is fully rested, and with our luck, I don't see how he's not on the mound against one of our Allen Winners, Pete Papenfus (18-10, 3.05, 128). Butch Smith (6-9, 7, 4.25, 43) beat us in possibly his best start of the season, and his RBI single proved to be the difference in our 3-2 loss. I know if the Cannons are looking to sell, I may reach out on Sam Brown (.305, 8, 54) or Fred Galloway (.254, 6, 59). Brown is on the older side, 38 in November, but we don't necessarily need anything more then a one-year stop gap, and he had a 117 WRC+ with 20 doubles, 5 triples, 8 homers, 54 RBIs and a .305/.369/.429 (107 OPS+) batting line. Galloway is five years younger, turning 33 next week, but he's on pace for his lowest OPS+ (92) and WRC+ (104) since his debut season back in 1938. What he does do is play excellent center field (11.1, 1.030), and he'd do outstanding out in left. And despite the low average, he walks (79) more then he strikes out (46), has been worth over 4 (4.1) wins above replacement in 141 games, and owns a career .268/.366/.388 (113 OPS+) line in almost 6,000 PAs (5,939). There are many other interesting trade pieces in that lineup, and Cannons fans may be stuck listening to trade rumors until baseball returns again in the Spring.

At times I get dramatic, so stop me if you have heard this, but this series does actually determine our season. I wish it was four games, like we have against the Stars, but we get just two chances to cut directly into the Sailors division lead. They don't play Monday, so they get to reset their rotation for the rest of the week. The Sailors are red hot, 11-5 in September, and at 83-60 they've out performed their expected record by seven by going 24-15 in one run games. They are just 4-3 against us in one run games, so expect the fifth and six victories to come here. Hypothetically, if we lose both games, that would increase our elimination number (not necessarily their magic number as that depends on the Stars and Wolves as well) by four. If we beat the Cannons, we would be down to 4 of a combination of Sailor losses and Cougar wins in the final week and a half.

Win Lewis (14-9, 2.77, 94) was the winner of the 11-0 beatdown of the Stars to finish the week, which is good news for us. The Sailors do have a deep rotation, and the numbers display no "easy" matchup, but we're expected to face their #2 and #3 in Charlie Gordon (13-6, 3.88, 86) and Al Duster (13-9, 2.87, 89). It's been a breakout season for Duster, who's 142 ERA+ and 1.34 WHIP are personal bests. He's setting personal bests for wins and WAR (2.5) in his aged 29-season, and has been exactly what the Sailors needed to replace Slick Wesolowski. Focusing on the lineup, Ed Reyes (.343, 7, 71) is doing exactly what I thought Leo Mitchell would do, on pace for his fourth consecutive batting title. So badly do I wish I traded for my former 1st Rounder when I was offered him after the 1945 season, as once again it looks like a former draftee of ours is going to lead an opposing team to a Continental Association title. He's the closest thing they have to a star, and the supporting cast is a lot of above average hitters. Top 100 prospect Joe Scott (.292, 7, 57) has been as advertised in his debut season, while veterans Harvey Brown (.295, 3, 53, 30), Rip Lee (.281, 1, 71), and Marion Boismenu (.368, 37, 8) have put together solid years. They score runs, keep runs off the board, and seem to have the "clutch" factor needed to win games. If things hold up, they'll get a chance for revenge against the St. Louis Pioneers (83-60), who hold a 4.5 game lead over the Eagles (83-60) and a 5 game lead over the preseason favorite Gothams (77-64). The 3-H rotation led by former Cougar draftee Danny Hern (11-7, 3.65, 75) while Chicago native Larry Gregory (.328, 22, 95) is making a push to dethrone Bobby Barrell (.302, 41, 112) as the Whitney Winner in the Fed. If the rematch happens, it will be the first time since 1934 and 1935 win the Foresters and Gothams trading titles. The Sailors will hope that pattern continues, but if we can pull of the short sweep in front of our home fans in what could be another 2-million ticket season. It'd be nice to give them a reward for showing out and make the repeat quest a bit tougher, but I'm definitely nervous about this one.

After that it's on the road for our last road trip of the season. It's just three games, starting with just one against the Saints. They've officially been eliminated from the playoffs, but at 72-73 they still have a chance for their first winning season since 1930. I'm rooting for them, but I'm hoping they'll repay me for my support by dropping this one. The Saints system has moved down to sixth, but that's not all bad as they've graduated #10 prospect Bill Elkins (.282, 1, 38, 13) and 24th ranked prospect Ted Coffin finished the season in AAA. Nicknamed "The Grim Reaper", Coffin was the 8th Pick in the 1944 draft, and was who I wanted to take instead of Bert Rogers, who went 12th. Coffin is probably still a year away, but he's got plenty of upside, featuring an excellent knuckle curve and slider that get funky swings due to the break. He keeps the ball on the ground and his command has improved, but his sinker tops out at 87. Lucky for him, he has a deep arsenal with a strong splitter and 12-6 curve, so he can pick his spots with the sinker. If Coffin lives up to his potential, he could join an improving rotation led by young ace Bert Cupid (15-13, 2.69, 95).

We're off on Friday, and will get a chance to pile on to the Stars slump with a weekend series in the Big Apple. Down to 80-67, they're a percentage point behind us and four of their last seven games are against us. They've gone just 4-11 in September, as the back three of Chuck Cole (13-13, 4.94, 47), Richie Hughes (11-13, 4.52, 108), and Henry Shaffer (11-10, 4.84, 69) hasn't held up and Vern Hubbard (12-11, 3.77, 80) has gone 0-4 with a 5.40 ERA (74 ERA+) in his September starts. With all the off days we're probably stuck with Hubbard and Eli Panneton (16-13, 3.95, 107), making our life very difficult. And one thing are staff struggles with is home runs, so dealing with Barrett, Mack Sutton (.248, 29, 100) and Jack Welch (.273, 30, 87) will be tough. This is an important series for both teams, but if we beat up on each other all we're going to do is let the Sailors skip to the finish. If either wants a chance, they have to at least win these two to stay in reach of first and a Sailors stumble.

Minor League Report
The Minor League seasons ended today, and eventually I'll do a standalone Minor League Report. Today, we'll get the rest of our callups as well as an impressive weekly performance.

RHP Harry MacRae (AAA Milwaukee Blues): Like the rest of the team, Harry MacRae had an awful September, but the 27-year-old still put together an excellent season for the Blues. He made 73 appearances and threw nearly 100 innings (94.1), finishing 8-4 with 23 saves. He was worth almost 3 WAR (2.7) and posted an elite 2.10 ERA (215 ERA+) with a 1.25 WHIP, 32 walks, and 48 strikeouts. MacRae will finish out the season as our setup man, and will have a shot to prove he deserves the stopper role next season. A two-pitch pitcher, MacRae has a sharp curve and effective low 90s fastball, but he didn't have the greatest showing with us last time. He was just 1-5 with a 3.80 ERA (99 ERA+) and 1.56 WHIP in 23.2 innings pitched. He did walk 9 while striking out 19, but he's never come close to that 17.8 K% again. I'm hoping he can regain some of that form in some huge wins over the Sailors.

LHP Frank Sartori: Joining MacRae in our pen will be southpaw Frank Sartori, who probably wishes he was never claimed off waivers. A former Sailors 11th Rounder, he pitched in parts of the past two seasons on their staff, going 11-9 with a 3.69 ERA (102 ERA+) and 1.47 WHIP with 85 walks and 101 strikeouts in 183 innings pitched. He started 23 of his 39 appearances, but started all 24 of the games he pitched for the Blues this year. It went all right, as he finished 9-5 with a 4.46 ERA (101 ERA+) and 1.58 WHIP. Those are average numbers, as were his 80 walks and 83 strikeouts, but he was able to go 100 pitchers with regularity while still sitting in the 95-97 range. The velocity is what I love most, as the lanky lefty can pound the zone with his fastball while his slider is almost unhittable for same side hitters. The change is a reliable third pitch as well, and all three will play very well out of the pen. I do like him as starter depth, so there's a chance for him to make a few starts if innings are needed. 26 in a few weeks, his work ethic has earned him an opportunity to fill a big league staff, and I wouldn't bet against him carving out a solid career for himself.

1B Bob Schmelz: One of the most talented hitters in our system, the 23-year-old hit .324/.429/.498 (134 OPS+) with an impressive 149 WRC+ in 113 games. Schmelz fell just short of 500 PAs, accumulating 20 doubles, 6 triples, 13 homers, 75 RBIs, and 74 runs with a whopping 76-to-29 walk-to-strikeout ratio. He'll get at least one start this week, and if we get eliminated, I may give him a few more to give Leo Mitchell a few extra days off. Currently ranked as the 169th best prospect in baseball, Schmelz is a bat only prospect, but that bat could be a great one. He hits the ball hard and often, and his plate discipline is bordering on elite. He can hit the ball to all fields and has started to hit the ball out a few times as well. I don't think he'll ever be a 15 homer guy in the majors, and as a guy who can't play much defense, adding that to his game would be huge. I may have to give him a few reps in the outfield to see if he can become a Hal Sharp type, but right now more at bats are available at first and second, and with an option left he'll likely play both in Milwaukee next year.

3B Otto Christian: After a rough start with the Blues, Otto Christian had an amazing August, and ended up making 201 trips to the plate with a 130 WRC+. He hit .322/.363/.508 (119 OPS+) with a whopping 10 homers, driving in 35 runs with 24 runs and 12 walks. One of the top young sluggers, "The Walla Walla Walloper" was ineffective in 31 games for us, hitting just .162/.244/.270 (38 OPS+) with 2 doubles, 2 homers, and 8 RBIs. His 15.1 K% was on the high side, but his 10.5 BB% was the highest its been since he spent some time in the Cuban Winter League. He won't return to the lineup this week, but if we fall out for the final week he'll get a handful of starts to finish things off. I'm hoping next year is the year he takes off, but power prospects tend to take a long time to develop. He'll be in the running for at least a share of the third base job next year, and I'm hoping he can add to his three career homers before the year ends.

We still have one spot left, but I'm saving that for now as I have a claim out, and I'm debating if I want to bring Mike Bordes up. For now, I'm sticking with Steve Mountain, but if starts behind the plate open up, I'll give Bordes a quick cup of coffee to end the year.

LHP Ron Berry (AA Mobile Commodores): Wow, this young lefty is really good! As the Commodores were looking to close out a Dixie League pennant, their Ace gave one of his best efforts, putting together an 8-hit shutout in his second to last start of the season. He finished with 12 starts, the same tally as he had in Lincoln, but saw his inning count jump from 81 to 104. He couldn't quite match the dominance with the Legislators when he went 7-3 with a 2.11 ERA (192 ERA+), 1.00 WHIP, and 3.1 K/BB ratio, but Berry again won seven games and finished with a 2.94 ERA (146 ERA+) and 1.20 WHIP. He struck out 51 and walked 41, and while his 3.86 FIP (88 FIP-) was about a run higher, it was still well above average. When you consider he doesn't turn 23 until October, it's even more impressive, and he's done everything he can to show he has what it takes to be a top pitcher. A four pitch starter, Berry has excellent stuff, dominating opposing hitters with a nasty change. Eventually FABL hitters will be able to solve it, so I'd like for the former 7th Rounder to throw harder then the 85-87 he does now. The more separation between the fastball and change the better, but his slider and curve are good enough that it doesn't matter if he stays a soft tosser. It would determine whether he'd be an ace or just a regular old starting pitcher, but I find it hard to believe that Berry won't be at least a dependable back-end guy. Our rotation is full, but if we miss the playoffs there's no way I don't make a move, and Berry could be a high valued prospect for a team without many pitching prospects.

10-03-2023, 11:39 PM	#1220
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 22: September 13th-September 19th Weekly Record: 3-3 Seasonal Record: 78-65 (t-2nd, 5 GB) Stars of the Week Hal Sharp : 25 AB, 10 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI, .400 AVG, 1.164 OPS Walt Pack : 24 AB, 6 H, 3 HR, 10 RBI, .250 AVG, .947 OPS Red Bond : 14 AB, 6 H, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .429 AVG, 1.315 OPS Schedule 9-14: Win vs Foresters (4-10) 9-15: Win vs Foresters (2-6) 9-16: Loss vs Foresters (5-6) 9-17: Win vs Wolves (4-7) 9-18: Loss vs Wolves (4-3) 9-19: Loss vs Cannons (3-2) Recap Yep, I think that's it... A useless 3-3 week may prove detrimental, as the Sailors have won eight of their last ten and expanded their lead to five. The Stars continue their collapse, dropping all four games this week, now tied with us for second but behind on percentage points. All three of our losses this week were of the one-run variety, dropping us to 20-28 on the season. This time we outscored our opponents 34-22, and there's really no excuse for us not having a perfect week. It's not even funny at this point how awful we are in one run games, and it's something I'm going to investigate a bit deeper come season's end. We still have eleven games left in 1948, but we have to pretty much win them all, as Philly's magic number is down to just seven. We do play them twice in Chicago before the season ends, but even with a sweep our chances of coming out on top are barely non-zero. History was made this week -- and no -- not consecutive seasons as the preseason favorite with nothing to show for it, but it didn't even take a game after Leo Mitchell tied the franchise home run record, for him to set it. He saw just one pitch against Augie Hayes Jr. (14-14, 4.25, 67) in the first inning of our 10-4 win, lacing one almost 400 feet to right center to open the scoring. It was the second time Mitchell has taken Hayes deep in his career, and the 35-year-old got a wild ovation from the Cougars faithful, as they cheered on their beloved outfielder as he rounded the bases. It took 1,685 games for Mitchell to set the record, and with no active player having even 100 homers, the record should stand for a fairly long time. Ray Ford (93) is closest, but at 37 I don't think he has 44 more homers in him, and Mitchell should add a few more to his tally before he retired. The only other Cougar in the top 10 is Carlos Montes (73), but since Sal Pestilli entered the lineup playing time has been tough for the Cuban native. I'd wager Pestilli has the best chance to top Mitchell, as he'll need 5 or 6 20+ homer seasons. Still, it's an astounding feat for the 6-Time All-Star, who has hit .326/.370/.438 (127 OPS+) since debuting back in 1935. His streak of 12-consecutive 100 or higher WRC+ seasons is in danger of being snapped, and his 9-year streak of 130 or higher was snapped last season. 36 in May, he's not the same hitter he once was, but he's the captain in the clubhouse and one of the best to don a Cougar uniform. When he inevitably hangs it up, his #2 will be retired, and we'd love to keep the well-liked lefty in the organization as a coach or front office member to reward him for all he's done for the franchise. One guy we'll be without for the final two weeks is Red Bond, who took a Cookie Myers fastball to the face, causing a fractured cheekbone and ending his season early. It's the third injury of the season for Bond, who was on track to shatter the Cougars single season home run record. His first full season as a Cougar will be just 114 games, pounding 27 homers with 14 doubles and 77 RBIs. He produced a 141 WRC+ in 467 PAs, slashing .281/.347/.524 (130 OPS+) with 40 walks and just 47 strikeouts. His 8.6 BB% was his best since 1941, and his 27 homers were more then all seasons except 1940, when he led the CA with 30 homers and 111 RBIs. With the injury, our franchise home run leader will shift from left to first, and with the AAA season over, his replacement in left will be Johnny Peters. Peters, 24, spent most of his season in center, and hit .320/.415/.462 (122 OPS+) with 26 doubles, 5 triples, 13 homers, and 63 RBIs. The former 3rd Overall Pick produced a robust 136 WRC+ and added 97 runs, 80 walks, and 7 steals, worth 4.5 WAR in 136 games. Currently ranked as the 40th best prospect in baseball, Peters is a tremendous hitter, boasting an elite eye and plus-plus hit tool. He's got legit power, good speed, and with his strength he can really hit the ball hard. Left field may be his final position, but he's a capable center fielder with experience in right and at first as well. The last two weeks will function as an early audition for the starting left field role next year, and he'll spend most of the Spring there as he gets more acquainted with the corner outfield. Peters isn't the only guy joining the roster for the last two weeks, but I'll cover them in the minor league report. We hit a lot of homers this week, but only four guys did anything during the week. Three of the homers came from Walt Pack, who went 6-for-24 with a double and ten RBIs. Pack now has 23 homers in 120 games, upping his season line to .282/.352/.494 (124 OPS+) with a 130 WRC+ and more walks (45) then strikeouts (36). Hal Sharp hit his 10th and 11th homers of the season, going 10-for-25 with a pair of doubles, walks, 5 RBIs, and 6 runs. It's been a bit of a down year for him, but he's hitting a respectable .313/.387/.433 (119 OPS+) with a more impressive 130 WRC+. Still lowest as a Cougar and first time with us below 145, but the 34-year-old can still hit. Another 34-year-old, Harry Mead, was 7-for-20 with a double, homer, and 3 RBIs, and his .269/.336/.426 (103 OPS+) season line is a bit above average. The last productive hitter was Ray Ford, who was 2-for-7 with a double, run, and RBI. The 37-year-old may see less playing time the rest of the way, as we have a lot of guys coming up from AAA that could use his at bats. I'm not sure if he's coming back next season, but there's a chance we could move on from him in the offseason. I doubt a trade will come, but for the first time in his FABL career, he's at actual risk of losing his roster spot. I'm hoping there is some magic left in the bats, but it may just be about padding stats the rest of the way. Johnnie Jones' rough end of the season continues, with his fourth start out of five with five or more earned runs. It was exactly five this time, as he lasted just 6.1 innings with 11 hits, 5 runs, 2 walks, and 3 strikeouts. His ERA was at 3.10 as late as August 17th, but that has ballooned to 3.60 (109 ERA+) in 207.2 innings. He's walked (115) a lot more guys then he's struck out (92), and his 1.46 WHIP is just okay. He's prone to stretches like this, but when he's on he's on, and maybe 1949 will be the first season he can dominate start to finish. Donnie was much better, picking up a win and no decision. He went all nine against the Foresters, allowing 7 hits, 4 runs, and 2 walks with 7 strikeouts. He went just 7 in our 3-2 loss against the Foresters, but he allowed just 7 hits, 2 runs, and 3 walks with 4 strikeouts. Despite a middling 13-11 record, he's been worth an even 5 WAR in 31 starts, and he's now put together his 4th consecutive season with 140 or more innings pitched. Pete Papenfus has stayed hot, winning his 18th game of the season after a complete game win over the Foresters. Peter the Heater set down 5, charged with just 6 hits, 2 runs, and 3 walks as he lowered his season ERA to 3.05 (129 ERA+), a full 90 points lower then last season. George Oddo evened his record to 9-9 with a complete game win, but he didn't strike out a single hitter. It wasn't his best start either, allowing 10 hits, 4 runs (2 earned), and a walk, but he's now won each of his last three decisions and hasn't lost since August 11th. Duke Bybee lost to the Wolves, going all nine with 4 hits, 4 runs, 2 walks, and 5 strikeouts. Ken Matson did all the relief work, but drew losses in two of his three appearances. It's been a rough end to the season for him, but he was charged with just two runs in 5.2 innings on 7 hits, 3 walks, and 2 strikeouts. His 4.10 (96 ERA+) season ERA is a bit below average, and his 9.8 K% would be his first season in single digits. He'll have to fight for the stopper job next season, with Harry MacRae his main competitor. Looking Ahead The game says that Chris Clarke (3-4, 2.88, 24) will be the Cannons starter in the finale, but I'm not buying it. Rufus Barrell (21-7, 1.97, 122) is fully rested, and with our luck, I don't see how he's not on the mound against one of our Allen Winners, Pete Papenfus (18-10, 3.05, 128). Butch Smith (6-9, 7, 4.25, 43) beat us in possibly his best start of the season, and his RBI single proved to be the difference in our 3-2 loss. I know if the Cannons are looking to sell, I may reach out on Sam Brown (.305, 8, 54) or Fred Galloway (.254, 6, 59). Brown is on the older side, 38 in November, but we don't necessarily need anything more then a one-year stop gap, and he had a 117 WRC+ with 20 doubles, 5 triples, 8 homers, 54 RBIs and a .305/.369/.429 (107 OPS+) batting line. Galloway is five years younger, turning 33 next week, but he's on pace for his lowest OPS+ (92) and WRC+ (104) since his debut season back in 1938. What he does do is play excellent center field (11.1, 1.030), and he'd do outstanding out in left. And despite the low average, he walks (79) more then he strikes out (46), has been worth over 4 (4.1) wins above replacement in 141 games, and owns a career .268/.366/.388 (113 OPS+) line in almost 6,000 PAs (5,939). There are many other interesting trade pieces in that lineup, and Cannons fans may be stuck listening to trade rumors until baseball returns again in the Spring. At times I get dramatic, so stop me if you have heard this, but this series does actually determine our season. I wish it was four games, like we have against the Stars, but we get just two chances to cut directly into the Sailors division lead. They don't play Monday, so they get to reset their rotation for the rest of the week. The Sailors are red hot, 11-5 in September, and at 83-60 they've out performed their expected record by seven by going 24-15 in one run games. They are just 4-3 against us in one run games, so expect the fifth and six victories to come here. Hypothetically, if we lose both games, that would increase our elimination number (not necessarily their magic number as that depends on the Stars and Wolves as well) by four. If we beat the Cannons, we would be down to 4 of a combination of Sailor losses and Cougar wins in the final week and a half. Win Lewis (14-9, 2.77, 94) was the winner of the 11-0 beatdown of the Stars to finish the week, which is good news for us. The Sailors do have a deep rotation, and the numbers display no "easy" matchup, but we're expected to face their #2 and #3 in Charlie Gordon (13-6, 3.88, 86) and Al Duster (13-9, 2.87, 89). It's been a breakout season for Duster, who's 142 ERA+ and 1.34 WHIP are personal bests. He's setting personal bests for wins and WAR (2.5) in his aged 29-season, and has been exactly what the Sailors needed to replace Slick Wesolowski. Focusing on the lineup, Ed Reyes (.343, 7, 71) is doing exactly what I thought Leo Mitchell would do, on pace for his fourth consecutive batting title. So badly do I wish I traded for my former 1st Rounder when I was offered him after the 1945 season, as once again it looks like a former draftee of ours is going to lead an opposing team to a Continental Association title. He's the closest thing they have to a star, and the supporting cast is a lot of above average hitters. Top 100 prospect Joe Scott (.292, 7, 57) has been as advertised in his debut season, while veterans Harvey Brown (.295, 3, 53, 30), Rip Lee (.281, 1, 71), and Marion Boismenu (.368, 37, 8) have put together solid years. They score runs, keep runs off the board, and seem to have the "clutch" factor needed to win games. If things hold up, they'll get a chance for revenge against the St. Louis Pioneers (83-60), who hold a 4.5 game lead over the Eagles (83-60) and a 5 game lead over the preseason favorite Gothams (77-64). The 3-H rotation led by former Cougar draftee Danny Hern (11-7, 3.65, 75) while Chicago native Larry Gregory (.328, 22, 95) is making a push to dethrone Bobby Barrell (.302, 41, 112) as the Whitney Winner in the Fed. If the rematch happens, it will be the first time since 1934 and 1935 win the Foresters and Gothams trading titles. The Sailors will hope that pattern continues, but if we can pull of the short sweep in front of our home fans in what could be another 2-million ticket season. It'd be nice to give them a reward for showing out and make the repeat quest a bit tougher, but I'm definitely nervous about this one. After that it's on the road for our last road trip of the season. It's just three games, starting with just one against the Saints. They've officially been eliminated from the playoffs, but at 72-73 they still have a chance for their first winning season since 1930. I'm rooting for them, but I'm hoping they'll repay me for my support by dropping this one. The Saints system has moved down to sixth, but that's not all bad as they've graduated #10 prospect Bill Elkins (.282, 1, 38, 13) and 24th ranked prospect Ted Coffin finished the season in AAA. Nicknamed "The Grim Reaper", Coffin was the 8th Pick in the 1944 draft, and was who I wanted to take instead of Bert Rogers, who went 12th. Coffin is probably still a year away, but he's got plenty of upside, featuring an excellent knuckle curve and slider that get funky swings due to the break. He keeps the ball on the ground and his command has improved, but his sinker tops out at 87. Lucky for him, he has a deep arsenal with a strong splitter and 12-6 curve, so he can pick his spots with the sinker. If Coffin lives up to his potential, he could join an improving rotation led by young ace Bert Cupid (15-13, 2.69, 95). We're off on Friday, and will get a chance to pile on to the Stars slump with a weekend series in the Big Apple. Down to 80-67, they're a percentage point behind us and four of their last seven games are against us. They've gone just 4-11 in September, as the back three of Chuck Cole (13-13, 4.94, 47), Richie Hughes (11-13, 4.52, 108), and Henry Shaffer (11-10, 4.84, 69) hasn't held up and Vern Hubbard (12-11, 3.77, 80) has gone 0-4 with a 5.40 ERA (74 ERA+) in his September starts. With all the off days we're probably stuck with Hubbard and Eli Panneton (16-13, 3.95, 107), making our life very difficult. And one thing are staff struggles with is home runs, so dealing with Barrett, Mack Sutton (.248, 29, 100) and Jack Welch (.273, 30, 87) will be tough. This is an important series for both teams, but if we beat up on each other all we're going to do is let the Sailors skip to the finish. If either wants a chance, they have to at least win these two to stay in reach of first and a Sailors stumble. Minor League Report The Minor League seasons ended today, and eventually I'll do a standalone Minor League Report. Today, we'll get the rest of our callups as well as an impressive weekly performance. RHP Harry MacRae (AAA Milwaukee Blues): Like the rest of the team, Harry MacRae had an awful September, but the 27-year-old still put together an excellent season for the Blues. He made 73 appearances and threw nearly 100 innings (94.1), finishing 8-4 with 23 saves. He was worth almost 3 WAR (2.7) and posted an elite 2.10 ERA (215 ERA+) with a 1.25 WHIP, 32 walks, and 48 strikeouts. MacRae will finish out the season as our setup man, and will have a shot to prove he deserves the stopper role next season. A two-pitch pitcher, MacRae has a sharp curve and effective low 90s fastball, but he didn't have the greatest showing with us last time. He was just 1-5 with a 3.80 ERA (99 ERA+) and 1.56 WHIP in 23.2 innings pitched. He did walk 9 while striking out 19, but he's never come close to that 17.8 K% again. I'm hoping he can regain some of that form in some huge wins over the Sailors. LHP Frank Sartori: Joining MacRae in our pen will be southpaw Frank Sartori, who probably wishes he was never claimed off waivers. A former Sailors 11th Rounder, he pitched in parts of the past two seasons on their staff, going 11-9 with a 3.69 ERA (102 ERA+) and 1.47 WHIP with 85 walks and 101 strikeouts in 183 innings pitched. He started 23 of his 39 appearances, but started all 24 of the games he pitched for the Blues this year. It went all right, as he finished 9-5 with a 4.46 ERA (101 ERA+) and 1.58 WHIP. Those are average numbers, as were his 80 walks and 83 strikeouts, but he was able to go 100 pitchers with regularity while still sitting in the 95-97 range. The velocity is what I love most, as the lanky lefty can pound the zone with his fastball while his slider is almost unhittable for same side hitters. The change is a reliable third pitch as well, and all three will play very well out of the pen. I do like him as starter depth, so there's a chance for him to make a few starts if innings are needed. 26 in a few weeks, his work ethic has earned him an opportunity to fill a big league staff, and I wouldn't bet against him carving out a solid career for himself. 1B Bob Schmelz: One of the most talented hitters in our system, the 23-year-old hit .324/.429/.498 (134 OPS+) with an impressive 149 WRC+ in 113 games. Schmelz fell just short of 500 PAs, accumulating 20 doubles, 6 triples, 13 homers, 75 RBIs, and 74 runs with a whopping 76-to-29 walk-to-strikeout ratio. He'll get at least one start this week, and if we get eliminated, I may give him a few more to give Leo Mitchell a few extra days off. Currently ranked as the 169th best prospect in baseball, Schmelz is a bat only prospect, but that bat could be a great one. He hits the ball hard and often, and his plate discipline is bordering on elite. He can hit the ball to all fields and has started to hit the ball out a few times as well. I don't think he'll ever be a 15 homer guy in the majors, and as a guy who can't play much defense, adding that to his game would be huge. I may have to give him a few reps in the outfield to see if he can become a Hal Sharp type, but right now more at bats are available at first and second, and with an option left he'll likely play both in Milwaukee next year. 3B Otto Christian: After a rough start with the Blues, Otto Christian had an amazing August, and ended up making 201 trips to the plate with a 130 WRC+. He hit .322/.363/.508 (119 OPS+) with a whopping 10 homers, driving in 35 runs with 24 runs and 12 walks. One of the top young sluggers, "The Walla Walla Walloper" was ineffective in 31 games for us, hitting just .162/.244/.270 (38 OPS+) with 2 doubles, 2 homers, and 8 RBIs. His 15.1 K% was on the high side, but his 10.5 BB% was the highest its been since he spent some time in the Cuban Winter League. He won't return to the lineup this week, but if we fall out for the final week he'll get a handful of starts to finish things off. I'm hoping next year is the year he takes off, but power prospects tend to take a long time to develop. He'll be in the running for at least a share of the third base job next year, and I'm hoping he can add to his three career homers before the year ends. We still have one spot left, but I'm saving that for now as I have a claim out, and I'm debating if I want to bring Mike Bordes up. For now, I'm sticking with Steve Mountain, but if starts behind the plate open up, I'll give Bordes a quick cup of coffee to end the year. LHP Ron Berry (AA Mobile Commodores): Wow, this young lefty is really good! As the Commodores were looking to close out a Dixie League pennant, their Ace gave one of his best efforts, putting together an 8-hit shutout in his second to last start of the season. He finished with 12 starts, the same tally as he had in Lincoln, but saw his inning count jump from 81 to 104. He couldn't quite match the dominance with the Legislators when he went 7-3 with a 2.11 ERA (192 ERA+), 1.00 WHIP, and 3.1 K/BB ratio, but Berry again won seven games and finished with a 2.94 ERA (146 ERA+) and 1.20 WHIP. He struck out 51 and walked 41, and while his 3.86 FIP (88 FIP-) was about a run higher, it was still well above average. When you consider he doesn't turn 23 until October, it's even more impressive, and he's done everything he can to show he has what it takes to be a top pitcher. A four pitch starter, Berry has excellent stuff, dominating opposing hitters with a nasty change. Eventually FABL hitters will be able to solve it, so I'd like for the former 7th Rounder to throw harder then the 85-87 he does now. The more separation between the fastball and change the better, but his slider and curve are good enough that it doesn't matter if he stays a soft tosser. It would determine whether he'd be an ace or just a regular old starting pitcher, but I find it hard to believe that Berry won't be at least a dependable back-end guy. Our rotation is full, but if we miss the playoffs there's no way I don't make a move, and Berry could be a high valued prospect for a team without many pitching prospects.