[ayaghmour2]

To almost nobodies surprise, the St. Louis Pioneers completed their dominant sweep of the Philadelphia Sailors, winning a tight game three 2-1 at home before a dominating 11-4 blowout victory. No MVP has been named yet, but you could give it to Hiram Steinberg, who won both his starts in complete game fashion, or one of Ray Bates or Homer Mills, who both went 3-for-5 in the finale and hit .412 on the postseason. The Pioneers now have a chance for the first threepeat since the Stars beat the Miners (1924), Eagles (1925), and Gothams (1926) in the 1920s. The offseason will officially begin tomorrow, but I've already been on the phone trying to upgrade the active roster. We'll have our work cut out for us, as there are plenty of teams with eyes on the pennant.

4th Round, 50th Overall: CF Buck Waldrop
School: Hartford HS Blue Sox
Career (FABL): .218/.283/.304, 108 G, 419 PA, 10 2B, 3B, 7 HR, 44 RBI, SB, 61 WRC+, 0.2 WAR
Career (AAA): .305/.368/.485, 307 G, 1,240 PA, 49 2B, 16 3B, 40 HR, 189 RBI, 3 SB, 132 WRC+, 11.8 WAR
Career (A): .317/.363/.493, 901 G, 3,524 PA, 159 2B, 45 3B, 124 HR, 711 RBI, 38 SB, 133 WRC+, 41.3 WAR

After three pitchers, we pivoted to the position player side, selecting talented center fielder Buck Waldrop, who was an athletic high schooler with an excellent combination of power and defense. One thing Waldrop struggled with as a prospect is making contact, so he tended to have low batting averages and a lot of strike outs. Waldrop spent the entirety of his first two seasons in La Crosse, appearing in 219 games and accumulating 34 doubles, 4 triples, 16 homers, 97 RBIs, and 4.7 WAR. He returned to La Crosse for 17 games in 1931, but then spent the rest of his season in San Jose, where he hit .239/.306/.447 (108 OPS+) with 19 doubles, 24 homers, 66 RBIs, and an impressive 3.1 WAR. As you can tell by the low average, there were a lot of whiffs, and Waldrop was set down on strikes 148 times in 125 games. He continued to strike out a lot the next year in Lincoln, with 145 more punchouts in 119 games, but he still maintained a bit above average triple slash at .233/.283/.447 (106 OPS+). He hit 25 homers and drove in 55 runs. Those from the early days may remember that I was very fond of the 1932 draft class, so that offseason I shipped Waldrop to Brooklyn for their 4th, 5th, and 6th Round selections. Those picks turned into current catcher Harry Mead, Ernie Carson, an outfielder who was used in the Masters/Rankin blockbuster, and Bobby Mills, who spent part of five seasons in Chicago.

It's safe to say that trade worked out well for us, as Mead has been our every day catcher since 1941, while Waldrop ended up retiring last season with just over 100 FABL games in his career, less then the 122 Mead played this season alone. But Brooklyn seemed to be a good stop for Waldrop, who split time in AA and AAA in 1933 before earning a promotion to the big league club. It didn't go great, as the 23-year-old hit just .216/.269/.299 (65 OPS+) in 145 trips to the plate, hitting just 2 homers in 38 games. What's surprising is he stopped striking out, being set down just six times while walking nine times. He was banished down to the minors, spending the next two seasons split between AA Knoxville and AAA Rochester. His numbers in 1934 weren't great, but he broke back out in 1935. Starting in Knoxville, he hit .328/.362/.516 (133 OPS+) with 6 doubles, 3 triples, 4 homers, and 24 RBIs. That earned him a promotion, which turned up his production, and the Pennsylvania native posted a 155 WRC+ with a .362/.433/.578 (151 OPS+) batting line. The power was back, as Waldrop launched 18 homers and drove in 80 with 42 walks and just 25 strikeouts.

Now 25, he started the season back in Rochester, and went 14-for-34 with 2 doubles, a triple, a homer, and 10 RBIs. This got him a promotion back to the big leagues for the first time since 1933, but went just 0-for-11. He was going to lose his roster spot, but the Detroit Dynamos took interest, sending minor league lefty Bob Haynesworth to Brooklyn. Waldrop was installed the outfield 65 times, but he hit just .230/.304/.323 (64 OPS+) with 7 doubles, 5 homers, and 35 RBIs in 263 trips to the plate. He didn't last long in Detroit, and was cut in May. He didn't last long as a free agent, as the Amarillo Stars of the Western Baseball League signed him on a minor league deal.

Waldrop became a fixture in the Stars lineup, starting most games out in center field. He got off to an impressive start, slashing .334/.387/.581 (165 OPS+) with 20 doubles, 28 homers, 12 steals, and 85 RBIs in 465 trips to the plate. He accumulated an outstanding 6.6 WAR in 112 games, leading the Stars to their first ever WBL title. Waldrop was also a big part of the repeat, slashing .346/.374/.510 (138 OPS+) in his first full WBL season, accumulating 29 doubles, 15 triples, 10 homers, 115 RBIs, and an elite 7.6 WAR. Waldrop then posted another 6.6 WAR season as the Stars threepeated, posting an absurd 113 runs and 143 RBIs with 27 doubles, 24 homers, and 9 steals. Waldrop hit a similar .336/.390/.519 (136 OPS+) in 634 PAs, matching his 138 games from before.

There would be no fourpeat, as Waldrop's .333/.381/.453 (121 OPS+) season line was a Stars worst, and his 5.6 WAR was the first time he didn't reach 6. Granted, these are all still impressive numbers, and it came with 28 doubles, 8 triples, 7 homers, 6 steals, and 112 RBIs. Lucky for the Stars, Waldrop was at his best again in 1941, and the 30-year-old slashed an excellent .325/.371/.504 (136 OPS+) with 25 doubles, 11 triples, 17 homers, and 126 RBIs, and this time he was worth 6.8 wins above replacement. The quest for 5th came 7 games short, and Waldrop had his worst season since joining, hitting just .293/.339/.437 (115 OPS+) with 15 doubles, 6 triples, 13 homers, and 75 RBIs in 117 appearances. That winter, Waldrop left Amarillo to enlist in the Navy, and there was no spot left for him when he returned.

There was a spot with his the team that selected him way back in 1928, and Waldrop appeared in 12 games for the Mobile Commodores. He didn't play much, but hit a strong .412/.500/.706 (243 OPS+) with 5 doubles and 3 RBIs. He was cut next spring, but signed with the Oakland Grays of the GWL. 77 of his 78 appearances came with AAA Waco, where he hit .293/.366/.477 (143 OPS+) with 12 doubles, 4 triples, 9 homers, and 39 RBIs. He then made an at bat in Oakland, and he did not reach base safely. He was cut in August, and as he remained unsigned in September, he decided to retire. It was a nice and long career for Waldrop, who was one of the best players Amarillo ever employed. He's all over their career leaderboard, ranked 3rd in average (.328), 6th in OBP (.374), 2nd in slugging (.499), 4th in OPS (.874), 2nd in WAR (38.4), 5th in runs (534), 4th in RBIs (1,013), 6th in doubles (144), 3rd in triples (43), 2nd in homers (99), and 3rd in RBIs (656). There's a chance he could have made a return to FABL, but by spending his aged 26 to 31 years there, it was clear he preferred the security and stardom the Western Baseball League provided for him. He was the lowest member of this class to make a FABL debut, as after the first four all made a big league debut, the rest spent their whole careers in the minors.

5th Round, 55th Overall: SS Larry Burns
School: Brunswick Knights
Career (B): .247/.309/.334, 334 G, 1,250 PA, 54 2B, 7 3B, 10 HR, 105 RBI, 36 SB, 70 WRC+, 3.2 WAR

The first member of the class to fail to reach the big leagues, Larry Burns got off to a hot start to his pro career, slashing .321/.398/.407 (149 OPS+) in 188 PAs, totaling 9 doubles, a triple, a homer, 14 steals, and 22 RBIs. But what was most impressive was his glove, as he put up an 11 zone rating and 1.179 efficiency in 346 inning. He was similarly impressive in San Jose, as in a larger 854.1 inning sample he had an excellent 14.7 zone rating and 1.082 efficiency. The problem for Burns was he could never hit like he did with the Lions, as even with elite defense a .271/.331/.349 (73 OPS+) line leaves plenty to be desired. He did have 16 doubles, 4 triples, a homer, 15 steals, and 27 RBIs, although that was barely better then how he performed in La Crosse.

Burns was back in San Jose for 1930, and hit a more respectable .277/.331/.349 (86 OPS+) in 105 games and 429 PAs. He even provided some power too, hitting 6 homers with 20 doubles, 47 runs, and 50 RBIs. Add in strong defense (5.6, 1.042) and it seemed like the 22-year-old was starting to turn the corner. He even got 14 games in A ball, but his .256/.319/.302 (73 OPS+) batting line was closer to his production the year before. He got another chance in Lincoln, but after hitting a pitiful .175/.214/.250 (38 OPS+) in 23 games he was sent back down to San Jose. The demotion seemed to affect him negatively, and the 5th Rounder hit just .203/.268/.266 (49 OPS+) with 83 strikeouts and just 28 walks. He stole just 4 bases in 94 games, tallying only 15 doubles, a triple, a homer, and 22 RBIs. This marked the end of his tenure as a regular stater, appearing in 66 games split between four levels (AA, A, B, C). Burns was released at the start of the offseason, and instead of looking for an opportunity elsewhere, he retired a day later.

6th Round, 82nd Overall: 1B Charlie Steele
School: St. Pancras Lions
Career (A): .263/.329/.370, 135 G, 465 PA, 29 2B, 3 3B, 3 HR, 54 RBI, 4 SB, 89 WRC+, 0.7 WAR
Career (B): .281/.343/.445, 172 G, 627 PA, 35 2B, 11 3B, 11 HR, 76 RBI, 6 SB, 100 WRC+, 1.0 WAR

After posting WRC+ of 192 and 184 in his sophomore and junior years, Charlie Steele looked like he was going to be an excellent big league hitter. Instead, he was almost never above average. Steele spent 1929 in San Jose, but hit an adjusted league average .286/.341/.456 with 33 doubles, 11 triples, 10 homers, and 67 RBIs. In 1930 he was given the chance to play first for Lincoln, and the then 22-year-old hit a similar .270/.338/.373 (97 OPS+). The issue is the power disappeared, as he had just 2 homers in 407 trips to the plate, providing just 25 doubles and 3 triples after impressive extra base numbers in San Jose. He did get one final promotion to Mobile, spending the last 36 games of 1930 there. The production completely plummeted after, as Steele's .257/.292/.331 (66 OPS+) was terrible. He made just 64 appearances over the next two seasons, and after being cut in May of 1933, he retired that Fall.

7th Round, 98th Overall: LHP Lynn Albright
School: Cumberland Explorers
Career (A): 15-12, 41 G, 272.2 IP, 3.60 ERA, 1.51 WHIP, 141 BB, 211 K, 105 ERA+, 2.6 WAR

Originally Posted by ayaghmour2

7th Round, 98th Overall: SP Lynn Albright
Alma Mater: Cumberland Explorers
I thought I was drafting Pat Albright. I was wrong. Pat was taken by the Gothams in the 2nd Round. Nothing to see here with Lynn...
Well, at least he's from Illinois...

Best write up ever??? I'll say!!!

Despite what you would be led to believe, Pat Albright wasn't any good either, and he actually ended up retiring a season before Lynn. Neither made it to the majors and both reached AAA, so in the end it didn't really matter!

Albright had awful college stats, going 6-14 with a 7.31 ERA (64 ERA+) and 1.77 WHIP. He did strike out 175 batters with just 111 walks, but his 4.32 ERA (94 ERA+) as a junior (20 G, 4 GS, 66.2 IP) was the closest he was to an above average pitcher at Cumberland. Despite being used primarily as a reliever, Albright started in the Lions rotation, and he was surprisingly brilliant. The Girard native went a near-perfect 11-1 with a 2.32 ERA (139 ERA+) and 0.98 WHIP. His 1.89 FIP (58 FIP-) is one of the lowest I've ever seen, and he struck out 105 in 108.2 innings with only 30 walks. How does a guy who sucks so bad against college players do this well against minor leaguers!?!?!?!

Albright's last six starts came up in San Jose, where he did come back down to earth a bit. He went 2-3 with a still far better then expected 3.78 ERA (125 ERA+) and 1.30 WHIP, but he walked and struck out 18 batters a piece. That stark decline in K/BB (3.5 to 1.0) was quite concerning, so it's no surprise he was just average in San Jose the following year. He appeared in 13 games (9 starts), going 4-4 with a save and 4.94 ERA (102 ERA+) and near equal 4.94 FIP (97 FIP-). His 1.71 WHIP was way higher then you'd like to see, but he at least struck out (69) more hitters then he walked (38). He made one start (7.1 IP, 7 H, ER, 4 BB, 3 K) for Lincoln, where 16 of his 20 1931 starts came. It was the first season Albright looked like the pitcher he was in college, finishing 4-9 with an inflated 5.82 ERA (64 ERA+) and 1.70 WHIP. He did strike out 91 in 116 innings, but his 71 walks and 13.4 BB% were career highs.

As a 25-year-old, Lynn was given one last chance in A ball, and he put together his best season. He started 20 games, going 10-3 with a miniscule 1.87 ERA (208 ERA+). He walked 64 and struck out 116, posting a 1.35 WHIP in 144.1 innings pitched. His last five starts came in Mobile, but the more experienced batters hit him hard, as he went 0-3 with an awful 9.66 ERA (45 ERA+) and 2.37 WHIP, walking 22 hitters while striking out just 12. That spelled the end of his time as a starter, as he spent each of the next three years in our system as a reliever. The overall numbers weren't great, and after the 1935 season ended, Albright was eventually let go. Two days later he retired, but Albright did reach AAA, and his 1.87 ERA in 1932 with the Legislators was the fourth lowest in a season for our A ball affiliate.

8th Round, 114th Overall: C Joe McPherson
School: Cambridge HS Colonials
Career (A): .238/.287/.363, 216 G, 703 PA, 23 2B, 20 3B, 6 HR, 92 RBI, SB, 63 WRC+, 0.3 WAR
Career (B): .251/.308/.355, 222 G, 755 PA, 29 2B, 12 3B, 6 HR, 80 RBI, 79 WRC+, 1.4 WAR

Naturally a center fielder, Joe McPherson spent a lot of time behind the plate, bouncing around a lot in our system. He never played 100 games at any level in a single season, spending a lot of time on benches while sharing starts with many different backstops. His first season was about as bad as it gets, as Joe McPherson hit just .151/.199/.197 (23 OPS+) in 167 PAs, and was worth a full win below average. He struck out 41 times and walked just 7 times, so it's no surprise he spent the next year in La Crosse. He appeared in 46 games and started just 28 of them, but hit a much better .296/.374/.452 (110 OPS+) with 6 doubles, 3 triples, 2 homers, and 22 RBIs. Now 20, McPherson split the difference on the two seasons, hitting just .199/.265/.305 (65 OPS+) in 40 games. As bad as that was, I still decided to promote him to San Jose, and he played a lot there the rest of the way. He made 71 appearances and accumulated 240 PAs, and hit a respectable .244/.308/.387 (93 OPS+) with 10 doubles, 3 triples, 5 homers, and 24 RBIs. He spent all of next season in San Jose, making 99 appearances and hitting .244/.301/.319 (76 OPS+), adding 10 doubles, 4 triples, a homer, and 31 RBIs in his largest stint at a single level.

He came close to the 307 PAs he made that year, but that proved to be the most he'd tally in a year. He still got relatively regular time until 1938, and he had decent stints with Lincoln in '35 (38 G, 74 PAs, 98 WRC+) and '36 (39 G, 120 PA, 107 WRC+), but the rest of the time his offense was uninspiring. He spent all of 1939 in La Crosse, a level he hadn't appeared in since 1931, but didn't get into a single game. Still, he was on the title winning roster that year, and eventually hung up the cleats after the celebration wore off.

8th Round, 122nd Overall: SS Joe Taylor
School: Detroit City College Knights
Career (C): .253/.337/.412, 122 G, 414 PA, 21 2B, 6 3B, 8 HR, 67 RBI, 4 SB, 121 WRC+, 3.8 WAR

So here's a weird one: I never did a write up for Joe Taylor, but he joined the organization due to a June 1928 trade where we sent eventual 1928 ERA leader Buzz Ham to the Kings for Milt Nelson and their 8th Round selection. Taylor got off to a great start to his minor league career, and the shortstop hit an impressive .252/.343/.436 (141 OPS+) with 15 doubles, 5 triples, 8 homers, and 54 RBIs. He was worth 3.8 WAR and walked (37) a bit more often then he struck out (32). Unfortunately for Taylor, the wheels came off the following season, and his triple slash cratered to .258/.317/.344 (69 OPS+) with just 6 doubles, a triple, and 13 RBIs. He made just 103 PAs after 211 the year before, and was relegated to a bench role by the end of the year. He did get a few games in San Jose, but went just 0-for-5. He was cut the next January, but waited all season by the phone (or I guess, telegram?) and didn't receive a single offer. He retired that fall, so what could have been a very promising career flamed out quickly.

9th Round, 130th Overall: LHP Herb Plummer
School: Brooklyn State Bears
Career (C): 10-5, 20 G, 160.1 IP, 3.42 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 16 BB, 39 K, 108 ERA+, 3.0 WAR

A teammate of Mike Murphy's at Brooklyn State, Herb Plummer pitched out of the Bears' pen, but he started all 15 of his games in La Crosse in 1929. The 21-year-old did alright, going 9-5 with a 3.03 ERA (106 ERA+) and 1.34 WHIP, walking 55 while striking out 96. He made 5 more starts the next season, and with a 4.66 ERA (112 ERA+) and 3.92 FIP (75 FIP-), he quickly got the call to San Jose. He appeared in 13 games, with all but one coming from the pen, but had an elevated 6.32 ERA (80 ERA+) and 1.78 WHIP with 17 walks and 37 strikeouts. He surprisingly got another promotion to Lincoln, and was actually way better, allowing just 8 hits, a run, and 2 walks with 9 strikeouts in 8.2 innings pitched. Despite that, he was cut next January, and spent a few months in the Houston Bulls system, before they cut him. With no more offers the rest of the season, he decided to retire following the 1931 season.

10th Round, 146th Overall: 2B Ed Thompson
School: San Antonio HS Warriors
Career (C): .267/.320/.366, 529 PA, 28 2B, 2 3B, 5 HR, 63 RBI, 5 SB, 94 WRC+, 2.7 WAR

Most of Ed Thompson's professional career came in his first two seasons, where he played 152 games with the Lions. He hit a poor .220/.276/.306 (80 OPS+) in year one, but it was up to an almost league average .315/.368/.413 (99 OPS+). After the 1930 season, he started just 40 games, with 35 of them coming in 1932 with San Jose. Thompson made 161 PAs and hit .211/.296/.373 (88 OPS+) with 11 doubles, 4 homers, and 16 RBIs. It's no surprise he didn't play much after that, but he lasted in our system until 1937. He was cut that August and retired in October, spending just 6 days at AA and never reaching AAA.