[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 4-2
Seasonal Record: 58-60 (5th, 15. GB)
Stars of the Week
Frank Reece : 22 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .409 AVG, 1.004 OPS
Buddy Schneider : 17 AB, 7 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .412 AVG, 1.062 OPS
David Molina : 1 Win, 1 Saves, 3.2 IP, 2 BB, 2 K, 0.00 ERA

Schedule
8-14: Win at Saints (4-0)
8-15: Loss at Saints (1-2)
8-16: Win at Saints (12-5)
8-17: Win at Kings (2-1): 10 innings
8-18: Loss at Kings (4-6)
8-19: Win at Kings (5-1)

Recap
Guess what? We finally had minor league injuries. All at the draft pick signing deadline! I planned ahead, so we have five players signed to counter the five minor league injuries. Here's all the guys we didn't sign, and when they will be eligible for the draft again:

5th Round: RHP Joe Holt: Ferguson (1954)
12th Round: LHP Don Grossi: Eastern State (1952)
14th Round: CF Frank Selander: Carolina Poly (1954)
15th Round: RHP Bert Wood: St. Dominic's (1954)
17th Round: LHP Don Smith: Wisconsin Catholic (1952)
18th Round: RHP Dan Landis: Shenandoah Valley State (1952)
19th Round: 1B Dan Williams: McHenry College (1954)
22nd Round: C Bill Grigsby: Mobile Maritime (1952)
23rd Round: 3B Jim Carr: Weston (1954)
24th Round: C Duane Price: Georgia Baptist (1952)
25th Round: C Bill Woods: CC Los Angeles (1954)

We continued to win games and only lose the close ones, as the road didn't change our two of three from the Saints and Kings. A lot was do to the emergence of Frank Reece, who went 9-for-22 with 3 doubles, 3 runs, and 3 RBIs. He drew his first two walks too, and is hitting .327/.353/.449 (111 OPS+) with a 120 WRC+ in his first 51 trips to the plate. He handled the Parc Cartier well, and will have a chance at home to get his first FABL home run. It will also be a nice time for Buddy Schneider to continue his home run hitting arc, as the lefty Schneider hit his 4th homer in 22 games. Skipper's brother went 7-for-17 to raise his Cougar average to .342/.386/.592 (155 OPS+). Skipper hasn't seen the same increase, hitting just .258/.317/.331 (72 OPS+), but he's swiped an association high 26 bases and leads both associations with his 16.6 zone rating and 1.108 efficiency.

George Polk picked up a much deserved first win as a Cougar, tossing 7.2 scoreless innings with 3 hits, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts. It's his fifth straight start where he's left in the eighth inning, and he's allowed two or fewer runs in all but one. It's the only thing keeping Bob Allen in AAA, as he twirled two 8-inning, 2-run outings to improve to 6-1 with a 1.95 ERA (171 ERA+), 1.01 WHIP, 23 walks, and 44 strikeouts in his 8 starts. I don't know what I'm going to do with all these pitchers next year, but I think it's an excellent problem to have as you never know who's going to get hurt.

Speaking of good pitching, Duke Bybee came an out away from a shutout, but instead left with a no decision. Thankfully, George Sutterfield homered in the 10th, and after David Molina got a strikeout for the final out in the ninth, he allowed just a single to FABL hit leader Charlie Rogers (178) in a scoreless 10th. His ERA is actually below 7 now, and he picked up a four out save in a combined shutout with George Polk. Please tell me I didn't jinx him.

Looking Ahead
Okay, this week we're at home and I really want to win. We get an off day to reset our rotation, before dealing with the 34-83 Toronto Wolves. George Garrison (5-15, 3.85, 59) pitched in the double header, so we should avoid him, instead looking to face Les Ledbetter (2-5, 5.49, 40), Jerry York (5-13, 4.27, 77), and Harry Phillips (1-4, 5.40, 23). I'm loving the work Zane Kelley (5-2, 4, 2.96, 39) is doing as their stopper, having gone nine outings without a loss or blown save. It's crazy to think how much better off we'd be with him pitching late innings instead of David Medina (8-11, 13, 6.82, 38), but instead we'll try to stop his little streak. The Wolves have won just one of their last nine, and we really need to pule onto that. Ducky Cole (.283, 1, 20) has gotten playing time in left field, getting to hit a fair amount with corner mate Kirby Copeland (.309, 7, 57, 7) on base, but Ducky will need to do more to support him and Tony Ballinger (.295, 8, 28) if he wants to keep playing regularly.

It's then an unconventional Friday-Saturday series with the Cincinnati Cannons, who have about a quarter of a chance of finishing the week above .500. They have six games and are 60-60, as they've gone 26-14 since the All-Star break. Rufus Barrell (10-5, 3.26, 84) may have lost his last two starts, but he's trying to push for his fourth Allen Award, and we're lucky enough to miss him. The rest of the rotation has been solid, even Tony Britten (12-10, 4.16, 81) has an above average ERA+ (102) was is a well above average FIP- (85 FIP-). I think we're the only teams with a rotation of only positive ERA+, and just like their .500 record, they have almost the same amount of runs scored and allowed. The offense is generally just Mike T. Taylor (.342, 17, 77, 23) and Chuck Adams (.280, 18, 89), but the team has been scoring lately, and they could come in hot and earn the quick sweep.

The last game of the week is the most important, as we'll have to play the first place Sailors. I want to beat them the most, as they're in competition for the pennant and I need an epic comeback from the Saints. I'll probably cover them more Monday, but if I can pick one game to lock the win, it's this one. Until I see the "e" next to our team like the Wolves have now, I'll be deluded enough to think we can pull of a comeback, and there's nothing wrong with playing a good spoiler.