[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 3-3
Seasonal Record: 54-50 (4th, 5 GB)
Stars of the Week
Donnie Jones : 2 Wins, 18.0 IP, 2 BB, 11 K, 1.00 ERA
Charlie Woodbury : 16 AB, 6 H, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .375 AVG, 1.125 OPS
Skipper Schneider : 22 AB, 7 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .318 AVG, .809 OPS

Schedule
8-1: Win vs Sailors (10-0)
8-2: Win vs Sailors (9-1)
8-3: Loss vs Sailors (8-2)
8-4: Loss vs Foresters (5-4)
8-5: Loss vs Foresters (3-2)
8-6: Win vs Foresters (2-3)

Recap
5 games. Two months. That seems doable, right???

Now past the trade deadline, as teams will be limited to their organizational depth for any new additions to the active roster. There's always free agency and waivers, but the players offered there aren't often difference makers. Any major injury could have huge repercussions, but after our latest additions, I'm more confident then ever in our depth.

Despite seeing his brains bashed in two more times in Toronto (trade wasn't processed correctly so he was edited over after the week after allowing 18 hits, 13 runs, and 5 walks in 13.2 innings...), Max Wilder wants Jim Morrison third in the rotation. That doesn't really matter too much, as he won't pitch until later in the week, and right now we just go Donnie Jones and Pete Papenfus as much as their arms allow us. Donnie was just as brilliant as always, beating the Sailors and Foresters in front of his home fans. More people saw the Sunday win where he allowed 5 hits, 2 runs, and 2 walks in a 6-strikeout complete game, improving him to 12-9 on the season. The more impressive start came to start our week, as Jones allowed three hits and no walks in a 5-strikeout shutout as we obliterated the Sailors 10-0. Johnnie followed him with a similar gem, 6 hits, 3 walks, and just one run with 5 strikeouts in a 9-1 victory. That earned him his 10th win in 18 starts, and with just five losses he's got the best win percentage (667) in the rotation. His 3.40 ERA (118 ERA+) is pretty solid, but he's walking (85, 13.3) way more batters then he's striking out (64, 10.4). That always worries me, but since he does a great job keeping the ball in the mark, he can usually get a right to ground out to Skipper, who gets you out of any jam.

As good as the start of our week us, we quickly gave up momentum, as Duke Bybee was hit hard (5 IP, 9 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 4 BB, 2 K) and we dropped two one-run games to the Foresters. David Molina did his job in both, getting scoreless top of the 9th, but the offense seemed to run out of runs. Charlie Woodbury was really the only one who hit the whole week, going 6-for-16 with a double, homer, 4 walks, 4 runs, and 2 RBIs. He doesn't have to worry about the Hal Wood acquisition if he can keep hitting, as Woodbury is providing the offensive spark we need. Only Skipper () really helped him, but John Moss basically won us Johnnie Jones' start, as his grand slam off Sailors ace Win Lewis (6-9, 3.63, 80) in the first made it 5-0 and allowed our southpaw to really relax and focus on getting outs. Moss' .230/.329/.303 (70 OPS+) line has really hurt. It was his last hit of the week, though he did draw three walks, so it appears to not be the spark he needed to wake up.

Looking Ahead
Off again to start the week, but we'll welcome the New York Stars to town for two games to finish our homestand. This could determine first place in the CA, as they're a game behind the Saints. This is all while Vern Hubbard (8-10, 5.43, 51) has been terrible, Bill Barrett (.317, 12, 64) isn't homering, and Ed Cornett (10-4, 3.01, 57) being unironically the clear top performer on the staff. If he somehow redeems the Larry Gregory (.284, 11, 76) trade, as the Pioneers can thank the Stars for a good portion of their back-to-back titles. Even Cornett's 3.46 FIP (85 FIP-) thinks he deserves respect, as it's better then Pap's (3.70, 92) and all the other non-Donnie Jones rotation members. We're stuck facing the guy too, and he may know about my feelings for him, so he could be out to really dominate. He's coming off a 10 hit, 8 run clunker in New York against the Foresters, and we are responsible for his third loss. He's likely followed by ace Eli Panneton (13-9, 4.10, 76), who's well onto his way for another 250 inning season. And with it being in Chicago, Barrett, Bill Barnett (.287, 25, 72), Mack Sutton (.266, 25, 84), and Jack Welch (.269, 21, 63) are all going to homer, but the real gut punch is going to be when Elijah Bourdeau (.259, 2) caps off the sweep with his first homer of the season.

I'm counting on it!

If we survive New York, we won't get past the Kings, as we have to go there of four. I don't care that they went 11-18 in July and are now 51-54, that's just because they didn't play us. We are their Wolves, as they've won eight of the ten matchups so far. Leading their rotation right now is old friend Ron Berry (12-8, 3.87, 98), who would have been in AAA had I not traded him. He's earned it, leading the team in wins while his ERA is now a point higher then Joe Potts (5-11, 3.86, 70), who not only has poor record luck, but also FIP luck (3.27, 79), as he's been quite impressive in a majority of his starts. They're a weird team to pin down right now, as they both score and give up a lot of runs, so you never quite know what you are going to get. Ralph Johnson (.320, 13, 64) can change the game with a swing, and they have a lot of young talent in the lineup that can get on base and drive in runs. One guy in particular that has been helpful is catcher Dan Smith (.279, 12, 49), who like Larry McClure, is hitting good for anyone. His 122 WRC+ is second on the squad, and at 24 he could be a fixture here in the Big Apple. This will be a huge test for us as the games really start mattering, and I'm quite worried we're not going to be up to the task.

No minor league report, but as I somewhat expected Elmer Grace won Player of the Month in the Century League. The switch hitter slashed .378/.435/.673 (202 OPS+) in July with 4 doubles, 2 triples, 7 homers, and 20 RBIs.