[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 4-2
Seasonal Record: 36-39 (5th, 17 GB)
Stars of the Week
Red Bond : 18 AB, 8 H, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .444 AVG, 1.085 OPS
Pete Papenfus : 1 Win, 9.0 IP, 3 BB, 4 K, 0.00 ERA
John Moss : 17 AB, 6 H, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .353 AVG, 1.071 OPS

Schedule
6-26: Loss at Saints (2-3)
6-27: Loss at Saints (0-3)
6-28: Win at Saints (7-6)
6-29: Win vs Stars (0-4)
6-30: Win vs Stars (4-6)
7-1: Win vs Stars (0-3)

Recap
Well do you believe that? We actually swept a team!

We still lost half a game on the Sailors, as the Saints took the low scoring games 1 and 2, and then we got the high scoring finale before the Stars sweep. Two guys made big statements for their All-Star candidacies, as Red Bond continued his excellent season. The veteran first basemen went 8-for-18 with his 17th home run of the season. I can't see a way he's not elected the starter at first base, as the 38-year-old has hit .338/.417/.606 (167 OPS+) with 7 doubles and 45 RBIs. It would be just his fourth selection, and second as a Cougar. Peter the Heater stayed hot too, throwing a 6-hit shutout with 3 walks and 4 strikeouts. He'll still pitch before the great, but today's the last chance to vote. He "finishes" 6-5 with a 3.04 ERA (139 ERA+), 1.20 WHIP, and 69 strikeouts, which might not be good enough for a fifth star.

One guy who deserves to join Red there is Duke Bybee, who split his starts for the week. Bybee still pitched well in Montreal, going 7.2 innings with 8 hits, 3 runs, 4 walks, and 3 strikeouts. But when at home against a slugging Stars offense, he threw 8 scoreless innings with 6 hits, a walk, and 6 strikeouts. This improved him to 8-4 with a 2.64 ERA (160 ERA+), 1.07 WHIP, 50 strikeouts, and a 1.8 K/BB. His WHIP is almost ten points lower then the next smallest in the CA, and he leads in BB/9 (2.2), rWAR (4.3), and quality starts (13). He's top five in plenty of other useful stats, and is again pitching like the dominant pitcher he was when he first came up.

Though the biggest news of the week is the recalling of the recently turned 24-year-old Elmer Grace. The 82nd ranked prospect has been ready for a while, and his 57 games with the Blues to start the season showed exactly why. The CWL standout hit .290/.400/.435 (139 OPS+) with 12 doubles, 3 triples, 4 homers, 27 RBIs, 32 runs, and 39 walks. The switch hitter will now get a chance to play regularly in the majors, just not at his traditional shortstop. That's always going to be Skipper, so Grace will move to second, shifting George Sutterfield over to third. The odd man out is the struggling Hal Wood, who hit just .235/.332/.296 (67 OPS+) in 226 trips to the plate. It's nothing like the player he was last year, as age (or the upgrade) hit him down hard. He's been DFA'd, though I can't see anyone claiming him. I may have to release him, as I already tried optioning our former 1st Round pick instead of DFA'ing. It would be a sad end to a solid 11 year career, as Wood has appeared in 1,341 games. He hit .294/.364/.388 (112 OPS+), adding 234 doubles, 548 runs, 474 walks, and 553 RBIs.

Looking Ahead
As we enter the break we alternate between road and home, starting with two in Brooklyn with the Kings. The Kings are in third despite being an even 37-37, and have recently announced they would take offers on Bob Arman (6-6, 4.82, 55). He's one of the many Kings who has struggled, as Ron Berry (4-6, 5.80, 55) and Leo Hayden (4-7, 5.79, 40) have been even worse. Even Ralph Johnson (.288, 12, 39) hasn't been himself, so it's surprising the Kings are just a sweep away from being over .500. Johnson has still helped the lineup, but Chuck Collins (.303, 13, 46) leads the team in homers and Charlie Rogers (.362, 3, 37, 13) actually leads the team with a 144 WRC+. Him and Collins are both over 140, and they've gotten great production from Fred Miller (.319, 6, 43, 7). They did just lose new third basemen Marion Boismenu (.318, 1, 14, 3) for what may be the the season with a broken hand. They have plenty of replacement options, but I hope former Cougar draftee Tom Brownleaf (.200, 1) is the one who gets the call up. I expect Ken Newman (.273, 5, 40) to go back to third, giving Chuck Lewis (.264, 8, 38) a new double play partner. The key to success will be scoring runs, but Berry has done well against us and Arman is still a quality pitcher.

The next stop is home against the Saints, where we'll host a double header before the finale on the 5th. Two games in three days is always tough, and at 37-38 the Saints are the team between us and the Kings. They can changed things with the double header, but I expect to see the front three of Pat Weakly (6-5, 4.08, 59), Wally Doyle (8-4, 3.63, 64), and Pete Ford (5-4, 3.08, 38). Lucky for us, they don't hit many home runs, as just catcher Jess Garman (.225, 10, 36) has double digits. Maurice Carter (.237, 5, 25) has struggled through his worst season, as has Gordie Perkins (.229, 2, 20, 5), which has made it impossible for them to stay in the pennant race. When your best two players aren't performing, you're not going to win many games. They have a performing supporting cast of Joe Austin (.270, 5, 29, 10), Otis O'Keefe (.310, 5, 36, 4), and Luke Weaver (.267, 8, 49, 3), but without the stars there is only so much they can do. I like the matchup for our staff here, and if we can keep them in the park, we should win the series.

We then end the first half of the season with three in New York, though for the first time since he stole a championship from us, we won't see Mack Sutton (.294, 18, 51), who was traded in a 1-for-1 swap with 39th ranked prospect Hub Armstrong. A former 6th Round Pick from Chicago, Hub was 5-5 with a 3.20 ERA (121 ERA+) and 42 strikeouts in 84.1 innings pitched with the Dynamos' AAA affiliate. The Stars rotation is in need of an upgrade, and they could put the 22-year-old right into the rotation. I'm not sure he's ready yet, but he's got a lot of upside, and could be a solid #2 in the rotation. They already have a future #1 in Paul Anderson (3-1, 1, 3.34, 24), who recently replaced Bob Allen as the #1 pitching prospect. He actually faced us last week, but we tagged him for 6 runs on just 3 hits and 4 walks in his first career start. He came an out away from a complete game, striking out 6 before he collapsed for a five run ninth. A pinch-hit Don Lee (.298, 3, 12) walk-off grand-slam spoiled Anderson's night, and I bet he hopes to avoid us this time around. If we see Ed Cornett (6-8, 4.01, 33), it may be the last time, as he's been directly shopped as the Stars look to retool. With all the young talent like Anderson and former #1 prospect Ralph Hanson (.328, 3, 22, 11) either on the big league club or in AAA, they're ready to start the next chapter as Bill Barrett (.271, 16, 56) continues in his 30s.

Minor League Report
LF Clyde Parker (AAA Milwaukee Blues): Clyde Parker didn't let the demotion or two weeks off of baseball get him down, as the 24-year-old returned to the Century League with a Player of the Week. Parker went 12-for-29 with 2 doubles, 3 homers, and 6 runs scored and driven in, now hitting .316/.378/.443 (135 OPS+) on the year. He has an excellent 146 WRC+ with 5 doubles, 2 triples, 6 homers, and 24 RBIs in 238 trips to the plate. I'd like to see him keep doubling like he did this week since I know there won't be many more three home run weeks. He's show he can hit minor league pitching, and even though he didn't get a chance in his first callup, I expect a second one where he should finally get that first at bat he's been waiting so long for.

CF Jerry Smith (AA Little Rock Governors): It's no surprise a Governor took home Batter of the Month for July in the Dixie League, as our #1 prospect Jerry Smith was the Governor who took home the award. Currently ranked 6th, Smith slashed .301/.472/.656 (192 OPS+) with 6 doubles, 3 triples, 7 homers, 4 steals, 21 RBIs, 28 runs, and 31 walks. He's been so good all season that his .320/.429/.649 (178 OPS+) line is just as impressive, and the former 5th pick has added 20 doubles, 8 triples, 13 homers, 8 steals, 44 walks, 49 RBIs, and 64 runs. Already worth 4.4 WAR in 60 games, Smith has been outstanding for Little Rock, and he should follow Frank Reece up to Milwaukee shortly. I want Reece to get a little time in center on his own, and decide just exactly how I want to make room for Smith in AAA. It's only a matter of time before he's in Chicago, and part of me wants to completely tear down to usher in this new wave of talent.

Class B San Jose Cougars: The Cougars swept the awards in the C-O-W League, as Phil Boyes took home the Batter of the Month and Mack Lyons the Pitcher of the Month. Boyes, 23, is currently waiting for a promotion to Lincoln, and has hit .310/.416/.498 (147 OPS+) with 16 doubles, 6 triples, 5 homers, and 39 RBIs. In June the line was an impressive .354/.459/.566 (177 OPS+) with 6 doubles, 3 triples, 3 homers, and 28 of his 39 RBIs. Mack was a perfect 5-0, working to an identical 1.06 ERA and WHIP. He did walk 20 in his 5 starts, but the younger Lyons struck out 34 -- good for a 19.7 K%. On the season he's 7-3 with a 1.77 ERA (215 ERA+), 2.77 FIP (72 FIP-), and 1.28 WHIP, striking out 65 in 86.2 innings pitched.