[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 4-3
Seasonal Record: 4-3 (2nd, 1.5 GB)
Stars of the Week
Skipper Schneider : 29 AB, 8 H, 0 HR, 6 RBI, .276 AVG, .667 OPS
Otto Christian : 12 AB, 5 H, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .417 AVG, 1.107 OPS
Johnnie Jones : 1 Win, 9.0 IP, 6 BB, 3 K, 1.00 ERA

Schedule
4-19: Win vs Saints (1-5)
4-20: Loss vs Saints (9-0)
4-21: Win vs Saints (2-4)
4-22: Win at Stars (2-1)
4-23: Loss at Stars (2-4): 11 innings
4-24: Loss at Stars (6-7)
4-24: Win at Stars (8-4)

Recap
For some strange reason, I just had this sinking feeling yesterday that we were going to go 0-7. I just couldn't shake it! So for the first time since probably 1936, I was absolutely stoked to find out we went 4-3! Still, it was a classic Cougar week. The rotation was brilliant, with just one game seeing the starter allow more then three earned runs, but the offense and bullpen (specifically Ken Matson who was for some reason in the stopper role and is making me wish I optioned him...) let us down. That bad start came in the 9-0 loss to the Saints, which was the only game we lost to them, as we later split both the series and double header with the Stars.

The most notable event of the week came in the 4-2 extra inning loss in New York, as Red Bond kicked things off with a solo home run in the first innings. That wasn't a regular homer by any means, as it was the 36-year-olds 200th FABL longball. He didn't have a great opening week, just 4-for-17, but Bond is coming off his best offensive season since he nearly won the 1940 Whitney. Since becoming a regular with the Saints in 1938, he's been one of the league's most prolific sluggers, slashing a robust .301/.361/.472 (132 OPS+) with 207 doubles and 797 RBIs. Had he not spent all but 162 of his 1,346 FABL games with the Saints, he could be at or around 300 homers, a milestone that may now be tough to reach. Still, 200 is something only 30 people have done, and his 165 homers with the Saints are most in team history. He's hit 20 or more homers in five different seasons, including a league high and Saints high 30 in his standout 1940 season. Bond ranks 9th among active hitters in home runs (Sal is 5th while former Cougars Hank Barnett and Leon Drake are 3rd and 8th respectively), and is ten homers behind Hall-of-Famer Pete Layton for 29th all time. If he has another 20+ homer season, Bond has a chance to move up to 25th, as he looks to get closer to joining the 19 players (could be more depending on Fred McCormick, Sig Stofer, and Leon Drake) who have reached the 250 mark.

I mentioned the pitching did well, with the lone poor start coming from Donnie Jones in the 9-0 letdown with the Saints. They tagged him for 8 hits and 6 runs in just 3.2 innings, as he tripled his spring earned run total in a start that lasted shorter then any of his spring starts. He did rebound some in New York, allowing 8 hits and 4 runs (3 earned) in 8.1 innings, but he walked 7 with 4 strikeouts. Another pitcher who struggled was Ken Matson, who lost the other two games. He allowed 7 hits and 6 runs (5 earned) in 2.2 innings. Charlie Kelsey mopped up Donnie in the blowout loss, allowing just 1 run in 5.1 innings with 4 hits, 5 walks, and 3 strikeouts.

Peter the Heater was brilliant on Opening Day, with the only blemish on his mark a Maurice Carter solo shot in the 5th. Pap went all nine, finishing with 4 hits, 2 walks, and 5 strikeouts. He was in line for the win in game one of the double header, but the almost 31-year-old veteran had to leave after 140 pitches in 8 innings. He allowed 3 runs on 5 hits and 3 walks with 4 more strikeouts before the Stars' huge 4-run ninth that ended in Joe Angevine beating Skipper's throw to the plate on an infield grounder. Duke Bybee had the whiffs coming against the Saints, setting down 9 in a complete game win. He did walk 3, but allowed just 5 hits and 2 runs in the series finale. Johnnie Jones walked 6, but allowed just 1 run in his complete game win, finishing with 5 hits and 3 strikeouts. George Oddo deserved to win, but we didn't do much scoring, so he got a no decision after 8 strong innings. He allowed 8 hits and 2 runs with 2 walks and strikeouts before Ken Matson eventually blew that game in extras.

The offense, simply put, was not good enough. Not even close. But Otto Christian certainly looks like he's ready to get more regular playing time. The Walla Walla Walloper was an impressive 5-for-12 with a double, homer, 2 runs, and 3 RBIs. His platoon buddy Walt Pack was decent too, 4-for-13 with a triple, run, and RBI. Chubby Hall had a nice debut week as a Cougar, going 3-for-12 with a double, homer, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 4 RBIs. Ray Ford was 3-for-11 with a double and two walks. Otherwise, there wasn't much else. George Dawson was 1-for-2 with a run scored, while Bond, Sharp, Mead, and Pestilli combined to go just 19-for-76 with three extra base hits and Carlos Montes was just 2-for-30 with Clark Car an even worse 3-for-24. Sure, both stole bases (Sal as well), but this was not nearly enough offensive production from what should be a good lineup. We need these guys, or at least Bond, Pestilli, and Sharp to help carry the load offensively, or else we'll likely see ourselves fall short of a pennant. Yes, it's too early to talk about that stuff now, as we can just as easily score 50 runs next week, but the offense isn't doing much of anything right early on. Well, other then not strikeout (just 17 in 7 games!)...

The last bit of news is Billy Hunter is healthy and will head to Mobile for what will likely be a two week rehab assignment. I didn't want him in Milwaukee as we already have a lot of guys vying for time in the infield, while there really isn't a utility guy on the Commodores I want getting regular playing time. He won't play everyday, but should get some time at all four infield spots. Hunter has plenty of experience at second, third, and short, but he's yet to play first base. Now 34, it's only a matter of time before his defense fades, so I wanted to get a head start. Clark Car had a brutal first week after an amazing spring, but I am more then confident of him returning to form.

Looking Ahead
For one reason or another, the schedule always alternates a ton between home and road for us at the beginning. That means home, away, home this week, starting with two games in Chicago against the Kings. The Kings are off to a nice 5-2 start, and lucky for us, we get to miss Bob Arman (17-13, 2.66, 175), the CA's starts (36), innings (280.2), strikeouts, and K/9 (5.6) leader from last season. He's struck out 10 in 16 innings already, and won both his starts so far. I really like our chances here at home, as he have a chance to ambush top-100 prospects Joe Potts (3-1, 3.23, 11) and Paul Byler (3-1, 2.12, 20), who both debuted for Brooklyn last season. Both struggled in their first start, with Byler going an out away from a complete game despite 8 hits, 9 runs (8 earned), and 12 walks in a game the Stars throttled their crosstown rivals 12-1. And it's not like his pitch count was low -- manager Tom Barrell let him throw 175 pitches before finally ending his nightmare. Pitching isn't the strength of the club, at least at this point in time, so even if we get 5+ runs each game, it may not be enough. Ralph Johnson (.302, 30, 114) got off to a slow start, but he led the CA in WAR (7.7 and 9.2) in back-to-back seasons and at 24 is already one of the best players in the game. Second year sluggers Chuck Collins (.307, 9, 72) and reigning Kellogg Winner Pat Petty (.284, 18, 93) have hit a combined 17-for-42 with 3 homers and 11 RBIs and there is more young talent on the way with #3 prospect Ken Newman and #37 prospect Dan Smith now starting at catcher and third. This isn't quite the Kings year, but with the abundance of young talent and the #2 system (we're number one now!) the future is very bright in Kings County.

Our next two games come in Montreal, with a Saints team that has only beaten us so far after being swept at home by the Kings. We get lucky in the rotation, as we are set to face their back two in Pete Ford (2-2, 4.39, 22) and Andy Lyon (9-10, 4.10, 80). On paper, we should have a huge advantage (especially in Lyon v Papenfus), but aside from Bert Cupid's 3-hit shutout against us, Ford and Lyon have had the next best starts. Surprisingly, the Saints also rank 2nd in the CA in homers, as both Gordie Perkins (.322, 7, 75, 9) and Bill Greene (.260, 12, 63, 23) have a pair of longballs. Otis O'Keefe has one too (and of course Carter who was mentioned earlier), but the highly touted prospect went just 3-for-15 in his debut week. Anything less then a sweep here would be a letdown, but this Saints keep is a sneaky contender, so we'll need to put runs on the board early and often to escape with the series win.

We then finish the week hosting the Stars for three games before our first off day of the season. The Stars not only split with us, but also the Kings, so they're an even 4-4 early on. Despite a team full of stars, Paul Watson (.298, 3, 23, 2) and Ed Holmes (.286, 2, 37, 11) are doing the heavy lifting while Bill Barrett (.300, 43, 130) is barely hitting over .200 (.206).

He's clearly washed, send him to Chicago!

Granted, Barrett also has a steal, 2 homers, 4 walks, and 7 RBIs while Jack Welch (.267, 30, 88) is hitting .310 with 3 homers and 9 RBIs, so its no surprise the they have scored the most runs in the association so far. What is surprising is Henry Shaffer (11-11, 4.83, 72) allowing just one-run in a complete game win over the Kings, and we seem likely to face him. Stats aside, that's great news for us, as for the third time already, we get amazing rotation luck! It seems like we got none of that last year, but we will miss their top two and instead face Jack Wood (1-0, 1, 4.27, 29), Shaffer, and Chicagoan Richie Hughes (11-13, 4.38, 112). While we technically almost always have the pitching advantage, this assures it, as even though I think Hughes is a way better pitcher then what he's shown in New York, I don't think any of this trio cracks our rotation. The Stars always play us tough, but if we can take advantage of the staff we stand a chance. The offense is impossible to stop, you can only hope to contain it, something that our part won't do to their sluggers. It's going to be a tough way to end the week, but I think we are the better team and we have a good opportunity to show that early in the season.

Cougars in the GWL
1B Jim Hatfield (Los Angeles Knights): At 37, I was worried the Los Angeles Knights would not keep Jim Hatfield, but luckily the front office decided to bring "The Bandit" back for another year. We're only a week in, but it looks like he still has what it takes to play every day. Hatfield was named the first Great Western League Player of the Week in 1949, slashing .500/.543/.719 (231 OPS+) with a double, 2 homers, and 7 RBIs. He did strike out 9 times, which accounted for over half (56.3%) of his outs, but he scored 8 times, drew 3 walks, and help the Knights get off to a nice 5-2 start. He had a big 2-for-3 game with a walk and two runs in another former Cougar, Karl Wallace's first start, as the former Dynamo, Saint, and Sailor pitched a complete game victory in a 5-3 win. Wallace allowed 10 hits and 2 walks with a strikeout, picking up his first win of the season. More games like this will be expected for Hatfield, who is coming off a third season with an OPS+ of 135 or better, and had he started a few more games he would have been worth over 5 wins above replacement. The Knights have a pretty solid team, so expect Hatfield to be a key piece of any pennant attempt.