[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 5-2
Seasonal Record: 71-66 (4th, 15 GB)
Stars of the Week
Skipper Schneider : 23 AB, 10 H, 1 HR, 7 RBI, .435 AVG, 1.109 OPS
Red Bond : 17 AB, 7 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .412 AVG, 1.171 OPS
Elmer Grace : 15 AB, 5 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .333 AVG, .922 OPS

Schedule
9-3: Win vs Kings (0-2)
9-3: Loss vs Kings (5-1)
9-5: Win vs Stars (4-5)
9-6: Win vs Stars (1-3)
9-7: Loss vs Stars (8-3)
9-8: Win vs Saints (4-8)
9-9: Win vs Saints (6-7)

Recap
We just can't stop winning!

With a 4-2 week impossible this time around, we took it a level higher, winning 5 of 7 to move within two games of the third place Saints. As weird as it sounds, it was nice to lose some non-close games, even winning the close ones, as we attempt to be a more normal team. There was one problem this week, however, as a beautiful streak of pitching was broken after Peter the Heater had to exit the 7th of our 7-6 win (and replacement Jerry Decker was the cause of four of those runs...) with shoulder inflammation. That was his 29th and final start of the season, as for the first time since his return from the Navy he failed to make at least 32 starts. Pap wasn't his sharpest this season, just 9-11 with a 3.99 ERA (104 ERA+) and 1.32 WHIP, with the 3.99 ERA his highest in a season with more then 130 innings pitched. He did strike out 125 with just 89 walks, leading to a 9.9 BB% that's actually his third best in any sample, but the 33-year-old fireballer wasn't as dominant as he's used to being.

The only "good" thing about the injury is it opens the rotation back up for five men, though all six arms were able to start a game this time through. All eyes were on the Bob Allen debut, which was equal part work and progress and equal part dominance. Allen got 26 of the 27 outs in an 8-3 loss, as he was charged with 11 hits and 5 runs, with 3 in the first, 1 in the 7th, and 1 more in the 9th. The dominance came from the 9 strikeouts and just 2 walks, as in the middle innings he had the Stars guessing. The top pitching prospect showed signs of why he's up so high, as no Cougar this season has struck out more then 9 in a game. Sure, Pap, Donnie, and Johnnie all have done it, but it's just once, while Allen frontrunner Duke Bybee has actually topped out at 6. The other big debut came from Jerry Smith, though it was just one out as a pinch hitter in the loss to the Kings. He did single and walk in his first start, a 5-4 win over New York, but the 8th ranked prospects first week saw him 1-for-10 with 4 walks. The discipline is awesome, and the hits will come, but the just turned 23-year-old (September 6th!) doesn't look like he'll be taking playing time away from Frank Reece anytime soon.

I mentioned last post or a few posts ago that my new goal is to get Duke Bybee the Allen award, but with how he's pitching, it doesn't look like I'm going to have to do much campaigning. Bybee came an out away from his third shutout in five weeks, scattering 4 hits and 2 walks with 6 strikeouts in our 2-0 win to kick off the week. Bybee has allowed just two runs in his last five starts, lowering his CA best ERA to 2.44 (170 ERA+) with a 1.07 WHIP, 60 walks, and 88 strikeouts. Now that he's second in wins, I see only Adrian Czerwinski (20-5, 3.19, 116) giving him any trouble since he's a 20-game winner on a good team, but he may have to deal with Lloyd Stevens (15-7, 4, 3.13, 73) if voters choose to ignore his atrocious numbers with the other Philly team. Bybee might have had competition from Johnnie Jones had he started out hot like he tends to, as the 33-year-old vet put together his 5th straight start with 2 or fewer runs, now winning 8 of his last 9 decisions. Johnnie allowed just 5 hits, a run, and 3 walks with 5 strikeouts to improve to 12-9 with a 3.47 ERA (119 ERA+) and an even 100 strikeouts. These two have been instrumental to our recent form, and I'd love to see this carry into next season.

The bats sort of had it going, though recently its been the original Schneider brother who's on the hot streak. Skipper had a huge 4-for-5 game with a pair of steals in our 8-4 win over the Saints, and finished his week 10-for-23 with a double, homer, 5 runs, 7 RBIs, 3 walks, and 3 steals. He was actually caught twice, but he's still an elite 31-for-36 in stolen base attempts. That didn't put him in the lead, as Leo Mitchell swiped three as well, now with 33 in 40 attempts. In 1,286 games between 1941 to 1950 he stole just 33 bases, and the 38-year-old now leads both associations in successful stolen base attempts. Elmer Grace kept up his excellent rookie campaign, 5-for-15 with a homer, 2 walks, 3 runs, and 5 RBIs. Red Bond broke his four way tie with himself for homers on our single season record books, now with 28 after his two-run shot was all the action in Bybee's almost shutout. He had a three hit game to end his week too, 7-for-17 with a double, 4 runs, 4 walks, 4 RBIs, and get this. 2 steals! Bond now has 5 on the season, a third of his career totals and half the amount he had entering the season.

Why are all our old guys stealing bases!?!?!?!

I ... love it???

I'm not sure what to think...

Looking Ahead
This coming week might suck. Two off days will limit the damage, but we have two in Cleveland and two in Philly before the first of two in Cincinnati. The Sailors now have a 3 game lead, and considering all the help we've given them, we'll probably drop those two and sweep the Foresters. At 87-52, they have the best FABL record, but are left in the dust by the 93-33 Little Rock Governors who are in cruise control the rest of the way. An off day before they come to town could shake things up, but I really hope we get a chance to blemish Lloyd Stevens and his stupid 2.53 (169 ERA+) Continental ERA and 1.04 Continental WHIP. He got us good in Chicago, so maybe it's best if the Stars do the beating, but he still doesn't compare to Bybee when focusing only on the innings since he switched associations. It will irk me beyond belief if he steals an Allen from the more deserving candidate, who Max Wilder now inserts into the 1 spot in our rotation. He'll have a tough task against the Foresters, preventing what would be a potentially epic Bybee vs Stevens brawl for all the marbles. I'd love to keep up our two loss trend, but this is going to be a tough one, as we have to play the two best teams in the Association and eventually are good fortune will run out.

Better off this year too, then next year, right???

I mean next year is our year!

Minor League Report
2B Roxy Hilts (AAA Milwaukee Blues): A member of the 1951 Champion Milwaukee Blues, Roxy Hilts got an early gift, picking up the most recent Player of the Week. A guy who started with the Dixie League champion Little Rock Governors, Hilts went 12-for-22 with a double, homer, 4 runs, and 5 RBIs. The former 4th Rounder upped his season line to an average .258/.320/.382 (101 OPS+) in 256 trips to the plate. He hit much better in the 190 PAs before, as in Little Rock he produced a 142 WRC+ -- almost fourth points higher then his 104 to the date. Most surprisingly, he's got an 11.5 zone rating and 1.096 efficiency at second. Never considered much of a fielder, this is great news for him if he can maintain it. We have a lot of open 40-man roster spots right now, but as an unranked prospect he could slip through the cracks. He projects as a bench player with a high IQ and the type of kid who's willing to take a smaller role to help the team. The type of player you never want to let go of, but if they can get a shot elsewhere, you let them pursue it. If he sticks around, I can see him hitting his way to a roster spot, and the prospect people envision a 1952 debut for the 23-year-old.

RHP Ernie Tisdale (A Lincoln Legislators): It took a lot of debate, but I eventually settled on promoting Ernie Tisdale to Lincoln after the deadline. There's an argument he should have been there to start with, going 6-2 with a 3.32 ERA (133 ERA+), 1.36 WHIP, and 55 strikeouts in 10 starts with San Jose last year, but we have a lot of young pitchers who had no business in San Jose, and Tisdale was just drafted last season. The issue this year was that he was allowing a lot of hits and more walks, pitching to an unattractive 1.70 WHIP in 112.2 innings this year. This raised his ERA to 3.75 (104 ERA+), but a .339 BABIP suggested he was unlucky. San Jose actually has a bad defense this year, I must be doing something weird with the positions, and with a 3.09 FIP (79 FIP-) that had a FIP- just 1 point higher then during his dominance last season.

Then there's the chance he just needed to feel challenged, as after a 5-run clunker in start four he responded with back-to-back 5-hit shutouts. Between the two he walked 9 and struck out 11, improving to 3-2 with a 2.60 ERA (134 ERA+) and 1.29 WHIP. Allowing just one homer in 45 innings, he's got a skill that will serve him well in Chicago. I've made a concerted effort to upgrade our pitching depth in the minors, so the former 2nd Rounder has now slipped to 7th among pitchers as the 18th of 23 top 150 prospects. "Big E" is one of the best builds for a pitcher, an intimidating 6'4'' righty who's 90 might feel closer to 95. That's his new max, as he's gone from 85-87 to effortless high 80s, which could account for his continued success. The command isn't great, but if he keeps his splitter low he'll generate swings and misses, giving him the perfect compliment in a sinker/change mix. He uses all five of his pitches, so there's no good pitch to sit on, and if you guess wrong your swing may look silly. He's one of our most far along prospects, with probably just Allen, Dixie Gaines, and Cliff Wallace better pitchers at this time. There's a lot more guys with upside, but that's all hypothetical till it happens, and the big righty has a head start in the race to Chicago.