[ayaghmour2]

2B Bob Schmelz (173rd Overall)
Acquired: Via Trade with Detroit (1945)
Drafted: 1st Round, 11th Overall (1942)
Alma Mater: Dravosburg Flyers

Shoulder tendinitis in July cost Bob Schmelz a full month, and prevented him from getting a longer look on the big league club. We were in need of a bat to improve the lineup and a roster spot was available. Instead, Schmelz finished the Century League season in Milwaukee, only appearing in Chicago for the final two week of the season. The former 1st Rounder tore up AAA pitching, slashing .324/.429/.498 (134 OPS+) with 20 doubles, 6 triples, 13 homers, and 75 RBIs. Schmelz had an elite 15.4 BB% with 76 walks compared to just 29 strikeouts (5.9 K%). His 149 WRC+ was higher then team leader Red Bond (142), and despite not being much of a defender he was worth 3.4 WAR in 113 games. He played just two games with the Cougars, hitting into four outs in four tries. 24 in November, Schmelz has one option left, so a numbers game may keep him off the Opening Day roster. He'll be with the team in camp, but with Ray Ford returning for year eleven there's not much room for a bat-first player. Plus if I keep him in Milwaukee, he can work on his defense at second. He's done fine with the balls hit right at him, so perhaps more familiarity could allow him to improve his range. Otherwise there's the option to move him to left field, a spot that could use someone who can hit consistently. 1949 will be a big year for him, as he's on the cusp of earning a role on a big league club.

CF Clyde Skinner (179th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 11th Round, 164th Overall (1948)
Alma Mater: San Bernadino Falcons

An AI pick, Clyde Skinner was actually a player I liked come draft day, and I was very excited to get him in the 11th Round. 19 in November, skinner was a four-year starter for the Falcons, and displayed an above average contact tool and eye. A natural center fielder, he's not one of the quickest players, which is why he spent most of his season in a corner. In terms of WRC+ (98), Skinner was almost exactly average in his first 126 trips to the plate, but his .301/.363/.416 (86 OPS+) triple splash was uninsipring. What surprised me was the poor walk (8, 6.3) and strike out numbers (28, 22.2), considering those are two things he should excel in. High school prospects tend to get off to tough starts on the three true outcomes, so I'm not worried about struggles in a small sample. Skinner will be back in La Crosse to start next season, and he'll have plenty of competition for the outfield spots. He's a longshot prospect, but he has the tools to be an average big leaguer, and if he works at it he could find himself in a big league lineup.

1B Dudley Sapp (181st Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 3rd Round, 45th Overall (1947)
Alma Mater: Union City Bulldogs

It was a tale of two seasons for Dudley Sapp, who was elite in La Crosse and awful in San Jose. Last year's 3rd Rounder hit an impressive .433/.486/.507 (138 OPS+) in 76 PAs with the Lions, but it dropped to just .233/.291/.247 (40 OPS+) in 79 PAs with the Cougars. He hit his only homer in Class C and had just one extra base hit (a double) against the tougher competition. A towering 6'4'' righty, Sapp is best known for his pop, but the homers just weren't there this year. He should be a 20+ home run guy when fully developed, so it was really concerning to see such a low output in year two. Off-speed pitches have been tough on him, so he'll have to make an adjustment as he moves up the system, and the new logjam at first is hurting his time in the lineup. He may be stuck waiting in La Crosse or he'll be in a timeshare with Charlie Everitt in San Jose. If the longballs come quickly he'll be playing every day, but he hasn't done enough to separate himself from the pack yet. While he's a solid defender, his big league success is tied to his power, and if he reaches his potential he may be the perfect first basemen for our stadium.

SS Willie Watson (233rd Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 10th Round, 157th Overall (1947)
Alma Mater: Evansville Eagles

The defense was great all year long for Willie Watson, who posted elite numbers at both second (2.6, 1.114) and short (1.71, 1.152), tallying over 100 innings at both spots. That will have to remain the case for the Illinois native, as Watson isn't the most dangerous hitter, and he hit just .298/.338/.347 (64 OPS+) with 6 double and 19 RBIs in 136 trips to the plate. 20 in December, the former 10th Rounder is the ultimate all-glove, no-bat infielder, so I'm not all too concern about the lack of offense. Don't get me wrong, I want a lot better then a 71 WRC+, but he's still young enough to make improvements at the plate. If he can give better at bats and put the ball in play, he could at least move runners up, and with solid speed he can do damage on the basepaths. I don't think he'll ever hit enough to play every day at short, but I like his chance to become a capable defensive substitute that could fill out a bench.

CF Harley Dollar (233rd Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 7th Round, 131st Overall (1947)
Alma Mater: Nutley Maroon Raiders

1948 was a season to forget for Harley Dollar, who struggled at all three levels he played at. Between Class A, B, and C, Dollar had just 6 doubles, a triple, and a homer in 76 games, and in his largest sample, 165 PAs with San Jose, he hit just .220/.309/.241 (43 OPS+) with 17 runs, 14 RBIs, and 18 walks. A natural centerfielder, "Easy Money" spent most of his time in right, where he was just average (0.8, 1.009) in almost 400 innings. He does have the range to stick in center, but we have so many other better defensive center fielders that he may have to get used to right. That means he's going to have to hit better, and just a single home run is unacceptable. Or at least if you can't hit high in the .300s. Dollar may be able to do that, and he did hit a much better .237/.318/.421 (108 OPS+) with San Jose last season. Dixie doesn't think he's ready to leave La Crosse, so I'm not sure where he's going to end up starting next season. It would be nice to move some of my prospects to open up lineup spots, and Dollar could be one of the odd men out. The trade front is quiet so far, but if player start to be available, Dollar could be one of the many prospects I dangle to upgrade the big league team.