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Tiger Fan · 11-19-2024, 11:51 AM

FEBRUARY 12, 1962

MEET THE NEWEST FABL TEAMS

With the expansion draft completed and teams preparing for Spring Training, the team at TWIFS decided to take a look at a few players of note on each expansion team:

Dallas Wranglers
One for Now: RHP Hank Berkowitz
1961 Stats: 5-3, 3.00 ERA (148 ERA+), 3.76 FIP (84 FIP-), 84 IP, 28 BB, 46 K, 1.25 WHIP, 1.6 K/BB, 1.4 FIP-
FABL Career: 57-47, 73 SV, 4.20 ERA (100 ERA+), 4.00 FIP (95 FIP-), 678.2 IP, 252 BB, 424 K, 1.43 WHIP, 1.7 K/BB, 5.7 WAR

A long time reliever of the Cleveland Foresters, there are plenty of teams out there who would have been comfortable giving Hank Berkowitz a rotation spot. Acquired from the Stars in the ill-fated trade that sent Richie Hughes to the Big Apple for Berkowitz, Joe Wood, Larry McClure, and Bill Grove, the former 8th Rounder has been part of three World Champion teams and was selected to the 1954 All-Star game. That was one of his most productive seasons, where he finished 12-7 with a CA high 23 saves. Berkowitz worked to a 3.96 ERA (107 ERA+) and 1.48 WHIP in 91 innings, second only to the 92.1 he threw in 1958. A minor league starter, it took until 1958 for his first FABL start, but in each of the three seasons that followed he started two or more of his appearances. That includes the most recent season, where he was at his best. In 26 outings (7 starts) he went 5-3 with a 3.00 ERA (148 ERA+), 1.25 WHIP, and 46 strikeouts, turning 34 last July.

With the Foresters depth, a swingman role would likely have continued, but on a brand new Dallas team with little to get excited for, Berkowitz is now the best pitcher on the staff. His stuff is decent, headlined by a really nice splitter, but what makes Berkowitz so good is his control. He always keeps the ball away from the center of the plate, allowing him to get outs without overwhelming stuff. For a young team like Dallas, he'll be tasked with eating a ton of innings, and if he looks like the pitcher he was for Cleveland last season, he could net them a pretty promising prospect or two. If not, he can be a useful mentor as the Wranglers carve out their identity, as many of his former teammates commented on his work ethic and the respect his teammates have for him.

One for the Future: RHP Butch Abrams
1951 Stats: 0-0, SV, 2.84 ERA (155 ERA+), 2.57 FIP (58 FIP-), 12.2 IP, 6 BB, 11 K, 1.42 WHIP, 1.8 K/BB, 0.3 WAR
FABL Career: 49-56, SV, 4.35 ERA (98 ERA+), 3.96 FIP (93 FIP-), 960.1 IP, 337 BB, 563 K, 1.36 WHIP, 1.7 K/BB, 16.1 WAR

It feels weird calling a guy with 143 FABL starts one for the future, but considering all of those starts came before his 25th birthday, the towering 6'6'' righty Butch Abrams certainly fits that mold for Dallas. Until last season, Abrams was a mainstay in the Pioneer rotation, as the 17th overall pick in 1955 debuted less then a year after he was drafted. Just 19, he posted a productive season (8-9, 4.14, 93), joining young stars Billy Hasson (19-8, 2.85, 188) and Frenchy Mack (7-8, 2.83, 131), with Hasson actually two years older then Abrams and Mack just under a year younger.

While never as highly touted, Abrams was still a top-100 prospect in his short and expected to be a suitable middle rotation arm. At times he's shown that, but right now his five pitch is undeveloped. The fastball and change are both plus to plus-plus offerings, but his curve and slider don't get many whiffs, and his sinker can get hit hard. Sure, a lot of times that's right into the ground, but it's not reliable enough of a pitch to get a double play on command. I think that's the key to his success, as he's an extreme groundballer who sits comfortable in the mid 90s. If Dallas' pitching staff can polish that pitch, they might have uncovered a gem, but right now his best skill is his ability to eat innings. With an option left, they have a lot of possibilities for where he starts the season, as he could fill the rotation or pen in Dallas, as well as a rotation spot down in AAA Denver. As you'd expect with an expansion club, they don't have many pitchers with upside, but Abrams is a guy that a lot of organizations would be happy to have.

One for the Past: 2B Chuck Lewis
1951 Stats: 95 G, 354 PA, 38 R, 14 2B, 4 3B, 7 HR, 38 RBI, 42 BB, 8 SB, .223/.316/.361 (76 OPS+), 81 WRC+, 1.5 WAR
FABL Career: 1,930 G, 7,588 PA, 777 R, 289 2B, 85 3B, 159 HR, 863 RBI, 665 BB, 94 SB, .237/.303/.373 (87 OPS+), 83 WRC+, 28.3 WAR

There were plenty of choices here, especially on the pitching staff, but with the focus on two pitchers already, I decided to hone in on veteran middle infielder Chuck Lewis. Known best for his 14 seasons with the Kings, it's easy to forget that's not where he started his career, as the Chicago Chiefs took him in the 2nd Round of the 1947 draft, and called him up to the big league club when rosters expanded. That 14 game sample is all he did in FABL with a team that wasn't the Kings, as that offseason the Chiefs sent him to Brooklyn in a 1-for-1 swap for outfielder Joe Rutherford. Lewis started his Kings career in AAA, but until a rehab assignment in 1961, the rest of his time came in FABL. Appearing in over 1,900 games in a King uniform, Lewis played a ton at both middle infield spots, hitting an okay .237/.303/.373 (87 OPS+) with 285 doubles, 85 triples, 159 homers, and 861 RBIs. A strong eye, good speed, and quality defense kept him in the lineup almost everyday, as he started 140 or more games in 10 of his 14 seasons.

Now 36, he's not really the guy you want doing that anymore, but he was a valued member of the Kings organization that some of the fans may miss. He won't hold the record for much longer, as both Ken Newman (.255, 28, 108, 6) and Charlie Rogers (.312, 16, 94, 12) should both pass him, but Lewis' 1,916 appearances are the most by any King ever. His 6,811 at bats are second to Rogers (7,703), and he's top 10 in runs (10th, 775), hits (10th, 1,611), total bases (6th, 2,543), doubles (6th, 285), homers (4th, 159), RBIs (6th, 861), and walks (4th, 662). With such a storied career for the franchise, it's a surprise they were willing to let him go, but when you have your eyes on a pennant and younger replacements, he was expendable. Now he'll get to lead a rag-tag group of Wranglers, expected to bat first and man second on a team that might be able to compete for a Century League lineup. With his age, he's likely not to garner much trade value unless he hits like he did 20s, but he's a skilled defender and decent roster filler for a team with holes everywhere.

Los Angeles Suns
One for Now: C Stan Czerwinski
1961 Stats: 134 G, 472 PA, 41 R, 6 2B, 3B, 15 HR, 54 RBI, 24 BB, 2 SB, .211/.254/.331 (67 OPS+), 41 WRC+, -0.3 WAR
FABL Career: 666 G, 2,374 PA, 253 R, 53 2B, 5 3B, 90 HR, 301 RBI, 93 BB, 6 SB, .241/.272/.389 (79 OPS+), 69 WRC+, 5.4 WAR

It's not all that often an expansion team is able to select a former #1 pick on the right side of 30, but with the way Stan Czerwinski has hit so far, Suns fans may want to temper expectations. Among the games top prospects, the Chiefs never got the future star catcher they desired, eventually including the brother of future Hall-of-Famer Adrian Czerwinski (18-9, 3.54, 163) in a quantity-over-quality package that sent Doc Zimmerman (.267, 8, 81, 13) from one side of Chicago to the other.

Despite never playing above A-ball, the Cougars inserted Czerwinski right into the starting lineup, and it went almost exactly as you would think. The 23-year-old hit just .215/.245/.371 (76 OPS+) with a 63 WRC+, but he showed promise behind the plate and with his power. In 135 games he launched 20 home runs, and quickly asserted himself as one of the premier pitch framers. Since his debut, he's been worth 15.7 runs above average, with his lowest a still solid 1.5 in 1959. 1959 also happens to be his only above average offensive season, producing a 105 OPS+, but his 94 WRC+ was still below. This is due to high K rates and miniscule walk rates, not a good combo for a slugging catcher who doesn't put the ball in play. Still, he brings tremendous value to a team with an awful pitching staff, as Czerwinski does everything well behind the plate. Few catchers can frame, throw, or block as well as he does, and there really isn't anyone out there who can do everything better then him. In a stress-free environment, the offensive potential could be extracted, but for now the expectations are just for Stan to make their staff look better then it is.

One for the Future: RHP Red Burtch
1951 Stats: N/A
FABL Career: N/A

There were very few exciting prospects available in the expansion draft, but the Suns were able to get a useful young pitcher in Red Burtch. Just 24, he's gone a long way from being a 12th Round pick by the Gothams. In fact, he was cut six times before finally sticking with the Foresters, the team that left Burtch unprotected. Currently ranked 4th in the Suns system and 217th overall, he's one of four top 350 pitching prospects in the system, and he's the guy that's furthest along. A hard throwing righty, Burtch's fastball is nothing short of elite, and with great conditioning he's able to maintain his velocity deep into games. The fastball leads his four pitch mix, with a decent slider, curve, and change, and he gets solid marks for his movement and control too.

Yet to debut, Burtch made 22 of his 29 starts in AAA, going 5-4 with a 3.37 ERA (110 ERA+), 3.16 FIP (85 FIP-), and 1.20 WHIP, walking 40 with 93 strikeouts in 147 innings. Without a rotation spot available in Cleveland, being selected could help spark his career, as there are a lot of spots available in what could be one of the league's youngest rotations. As it shapes out now, he could join Doc Carver (26), Grant Davis (26), and Paul Debo (25), all within two years of the 24-year-old righty. Any of those guys could fit here, Debo in particular due to his stellar sutff and elite fastball, but Burtch has the feel of a big leaguer. With three options left, the Suns could delay the start of his career, but if I'm in charge of an expansion team, I'd rather lose with talented young guys then 30 something year old vets that most clubs would barely consider worth hanging onto as AAA depth.

One for the Past: 1B Danny Taylor
1951 Stats: 39 G, 44 PA, 5 R, 2 2B, HR, 6 RBI, 2 BB, .317/.341/.439 (103 OPS+), 110 WRC+, 0.2 WAR
FABL Career: 719 G, 1,591 PA, 197 R, 52 2B, 10 3B, 53 HR, 230 RBI, 135 BB, .289/.349/.449 (114 OPS+), 114 WRC+, 7.3 WAR

There was a time in Boston when Danny Taylor was supposed to be part of an elite outfield that contained Rick Masters (.274, 12, 49) and Yank Taylor. Now, none of them are left in Beantown, and only Masters can be considered to have a successful FABL career. In Taylor's defense, Boston never really gave him a chance, as after hitting a solid .305/.332/.464 (113 OPS+) as a rookie, he spent three seasons almost strictly in the minors. He got more time in 1955 at 27, hitting a productive .289/.377/.453 (118 OPS+) as he got his strikeouts under control and his walks back up while providing some power. It then looked like he was finally ready to play regularly, but the Minutemen shipped him to the Cougars, who returned Taylor to a bench role. In six seasons he started just 61 of his 420 appearances, and it's no surprise he was left unprotected by Chicago.

Now with his third organization, Taylor has a chance to add to his 53 career home runs, a shockingly low tally considering he had multiple 20+ home run stints in the minors. Sure, playing time has always been a struggle for him, but the projected elite power hitter has only been average compared to his peers. "Dynamite Dan" is now better at not striking out then slugging, and the former outfielder is now strictly a first basemen only. OSA thinks the 34-year-old is their second best player behind Czerwinski, so perhaps he can finally get the playing time he deserves, and have a nice little late career resurgence out west.

Minneapolis Millers
One for Now: RHP Joe McDowell
1961 Stats: 15-7, 4.29 ERA (103 ERA+), 4.21 FIP (94 FIP-), 199.1 IP, 60 BB, 90 K, 1.44 WHIP, 1.5 K/BB, 3.2 WAR
FABL Career: 47-51, SV, 4.77 ERA (91 ERA+), 4.27 FIP (98 FIP-), 828.2 IP, 285 BB, 446 K, 1.45 WHIP, 1.6 K/BB, 11.6 WAR

A guy who not only should not have been protected, but also probably the guy who should have went #1, Joe McDowell is not your typical expansion pitcher. Perhaps the $85,000 salary scared away some teams, but McDowell has started an association high 33 games two years in a row, and since he's became a regular rotation member in 1958, he's been as consistent as it gets. While far from an ace, there's not a single rotation that couldn't use him, as the soft-tossing groundballer has excellent control and a near spotless injury record. He's coming off his best season too, as the 29-year-old went 15-7 with a 4.29 ERA (103 ERA+), 1.44 WHIP, and 90 strikeouts in a career high 199.1 innings pitched. I'd expect McDowell to break that this year, as it seemed like the Miners staff was always looking to keep his inning total down.

The question now for Minneapolis is whether they build around McDowell or try to entice a contender in the next few seasons to overpay for their new ace. The farm is almost completely empty, just one prospect in FABL's top 250 (and he's 247), and with McDowell and the upcoming draft the new staff has a chance to restock the farm quickly. With his track record, control, and ability to keep the ball on the ground, the only thing stopping teams may be the previously mentioned salary, but that's something the Millers can help with. They have very little on the books, making retention that much easier, and I'm curious to see what route they end up taking with the former 4th Round selection.

One for the Future: 2B Clarence Jackson
1951 Stats: N/A
FABL Career: N/A

Just 22, it was a relatively surprising the Toronto Wolves left infielder Clarence Jackson unprotected, and of little surprise that the former 7th Rounder was selected. Making it up to AA this season, Jackson appeared in 93 of his 129 games there, hitting a solid .249/.386/.364 (103 OPS+). 21 for most of the season, he had a nice 114 WRC+ with 14 doubles, 8 homers, 11 steals, and 22 RBIs, drawing 77 walks to just 39 strikeouts. An extremely disciplined hitter, he's got a great eye, and projects to hit around .280. An excellent athlete, he's quick, a superb baserunner, and a gifted fielder, outstanding at second and third and above average at short. A perfect clubhouse presence despite his youth, he's a true leader with the will to win, and he's got the ability to impact the game in multiple ways.

For a poor team like the Millers, that type of presence in the clubhouse is huge, as despite his youth he can do a lot to help keep the group together. Projected to be the Opening Day second basemen, at worst an excellent utility infielder, but with his age there has to be some untapped potential. With a low stress environment and regular at bats, his bat can really shine, and with his eye he'll always give tough at bats. Add in the hit tool, his speed, and his athleticism, and he's got a lot of tools that work in his favor. The only questions is how impactful he'll be when he makes contact with the bat, as there's no shortage of slap hitting singles hitters who don't do much more then get to first base or move a runner up.

One for the Past: RHP Don Hillshire
1951 Stats: N/A
FABL Career: 3-1, 2 SV, 3.09 ERA (141 ERA+), 4.25 FIP (99 FIP-), 32 IP, 9 BB, 16 K, 1.25 WHIP, 1.8 K/BB, -0.1 WAR

One of the most controversial first round picks of the 1950s, the Philadelphia Sailors made Don Hillshire the 9th pick of the draft, despite having no experience in organized baseball. At first, the questionable picked looked okay, as the league put him in the ends of the top 100, but his stay there was short. He struggled to get much traction in the minors, and it took until 27 for him to debut. That came in just one inning, where he got a save with a homer, walk, and strikeout, and he made three appearances for San Francisco over the next two seasons. Traded at the '58 deadline to the Miners, he went straight to their pen, going 2-1 with a save, 3.97 ERA (110 ERA+), and 1.37 WHIP, striking out 7 with just 4 walks. While solid, Pittsburgh didn't want to keep him on the 40, and until the expansion draft, that's where he stayed.

Now 33, Hillshire will have a chance to carve out a late career renaissance with the Minneapolis team that's far close to his Springfield home then San Francisco. The stuff isn't great, but aside from former Miner teammates Joe McDowell and Ed Power (8-18, 6.13, 86), the rotation is barren as can be. Hillshire provides the team with a level headed vet who can get his team through the early innings, and is currently in line to be the #3 starter. He's yet to make a FABL start, but all 312 of his minor league and CWL appearances have been starts, so it's not like he can't handle pitching multiple innings. Whether he can keep runs off the board is another thing, but at this stage in the Millers history, they can afford to take a risk on a former 1st Round pick.

New York Imperials
One for Now: RHP Jim Cooper
1961 Stats: 12-4, 3.68 ERA (117 ERA+), 4.62 FIP (107 FIP-), 154 IP, 81 BB, 83 K, 1.40 WHIP, 1.0 K/BB, 1.5 WAR
FABL Career: 46-32, 7 SV, 4.17 ERA (101 ERA+), 4.63 FIP (109 FIP-), 654 IP, 315 BB, 307 K, 1.49 WHIP, 0.9 K/BB, 4.6 WAR

Another guy who probably shouldn't have been left unprotected, Jim Cooper is a 28-year-old starter fresh off a World Championship. On top of that, he's had an above average ERA+ in each of his three full seasons in the rotation, and in 1958 where he started (14) and relieved (24) for the Keystones, he had a 4.29 ERA (99 ERA+) and 3.77 FIP (89 FIP-). Aside form his rookie season in 1957, he's been a very reliable pitcher, but his control is bad and the Keystones do have a lot of depth. Still, I feel like there had to have been a better guy to leave unprotected, but the Keystones loss may now be the Imperials gain.

Originally the 6th pick of the 1952 draft, the Cleveland Foresters sent him to the Keystones in a big deal for Sid Moulton (8-7, 4.22, 72), who was another guy taken in the expansion draft. Cooper quickly entered the top 100 prospect lists, even if he never got in the top half, and looked to be a quality middle rotation starter. To this point, he's lived up to it, as despite his command issues he doesn't allow many base hits. Not quite effectively wild, but he does keep batters on their toes with five pitches, even if none of them stand out. But by generating weak contact, he allows himself to compete and keep his game close, making him a very useful asset for a team that doesn't enter the season with much value. Already having traded Bob Allen, Cooper could be out the door before the season starts, as there are plenty of contenders who could use an arm like.

One for the Future: 1B Turk Ramsey
1951 Stats: 82 G, 125 PA, 2 2B, 9 HR, 27 RBI, 4 BB, .308/.328/.550 (127 OPS+), 130 WRC+, 0.6 WAR
FABL Career: 109 G, 195 PA, 6 2B, 3B, 14 HR, 40 RBI, 8 BB, .290/.318/.559 (129 OPS+), 123 WRC+, 0.8 WAR

Another member of the champion Keystones to make his way to the Big Apple, you could argue that Cooper and Turk Ramsey are the two best players on the new squad. A former 6th Rounder, the 26-year-old Ramsey didn't have much of a role on the Keystones, though he did appear in 82 games during their title winning season. Only 16 were starts, but he hit a strong .308/.328/.550 (127 OPS+) with 9 homers and 27 RBIs. As you can tell from the home run numbers, he can hit the ball far, and there are very few FABL sluggers who can hit it harder and farther then Ramsey. In 122 AAA games last season, he slugged 37 home runs, and while hitting around .300 won't happen for long, he might be able to sit in the .260 range.

As a lefty swinger, Dyckman stadium is one of the easier parks to hit homers in for the Conti, but he's the type of guy built for Broad Street Park. Granted, with his power he can hit the ball out of any park, as even the Parc Cartier and Dominion Stadium can't hold in the force that is Turk Ramsey. Getting to start with the Imperials from day one, he has a really good chance to be the early franchise home run leader, and if he stays his career in the Big Apple there's a legitimate chance he holds it for multiple seasons. The only thing stopping him from being a great slugger is his poor eye, but scouts think he's getting more patient at the plate. With little protection, teams may be comfortable going right at him, allowing him the opportunity to see plenty of balls in the zone.

One for the Past: RHP Eddie Webb
1951 Stats: 1-1, SV, 4.12 ERA (106 ERA+), 6.08 FIP (138 FIP-), 19.2 IP, 10 BB, 16 K, 1.47 WHIP, 1.6 K/BB, -0.3 WAR
FABL Career: 48-37, 6 SV, 4.02 ERA (101 ERA+), 3.81 FIP (93 FIP-)

It's crazy to think Eddie Webb is just 29, but considering how far he's fallen since leading the CA in ERA back in 1958, it would make more sense if he was 39. Not only was he kicked out of the rotation, but he threw under 20 innings this season with a FIP north of 6. A shell of the guy that went 13-11 with a 2.86 ERA (150 ERA+), 1.22 WHIP, and 155 strikeouts in an All-Star season, Webb likely won't crack the Imperials rotation, as his curve no longer fools anyone, and his sinker/fastball combo is not good enough to go through the order more then once. There's rumors that his poor work ethic have contributed to his downfall, and encouraged LA to trade him, and that's something the Imperials new staff may want to monitor.

Expected to be the closer, Webb could thrive in that role, as he got big strikeout numbers last season even with the decline in stuff. His 18.2 K% in FABL was actually better then the 15.5% he posted in AAA, but both are well above average even out of the pen. His command has slipped recently, but it should be at least average, and he's always done well maintaining K/BBs above 1.5. And as a former starter, he can go multiple innings, with a legit chance to crack 100 innings if he pitches reasonably effective. For someone who doesn't like to try too much, pitching for an expansion team may be rewarding, and he could rebuild some of his past value before he turns 30 in September.

A New Spring

As players gather here in St. Petersburg, Florida as much to introduce themselves as to get in shape for a new season I caught up with Imperials Manager Ed Ziehl to get his perspective on his expansion club. As expected the Ol' Lion pulled few punches.

"Ed, how do you feel about this squad that's been cobbled together for you?"
Ziehl-"Ah Al, it is Al? Well it kind of reminds me of my days in Los Angeles. Lots of sunshine, palm trees and just a few ball players. The old clubs haven't done us any favors and we're going to be in a tough spot here. I'm thinking I may have to suit up and bring Bud and Walt with me to add some professionalism to the occasion."

"You don't see many likely candidates out there?"
Ziehl"Now don't be putting words in my mouth. I got plenty of them already. We've got a few likely candidates."
Here Ziehl takes a look around the field. Players stretching and tossing. He sighs and continues, "Scotty McDonald can keep the ball in the park, so that's good. If that kid Webb can find the plate, he'll strike out a bunch. The new fellow, Woods he can hit 'em a long way. There's a couple more. It's just we have a problem of too old or not young enough. Most of these guys have been around long enough to know what they're not."

"So, you're saying fans should be patient."
Ziehl"Hell, everyone should be patient. We'll coach 'em up the best we can. I'll make sure they play hard and give our fans the best show they can. Fans in New York have been without Continental League ball for a long time. They want a team to be proud of so they can face up to the Gothams fans who have had it easy for so long."

"Do you still have any connections over in Queens?"
Ziehl"Nope. Not ties at all. Can't say as Jameson or even Messer do either." Here the aging baseball giant stares off towards the outfield perhaps remembering his days with the Gothams. "Damn shame. Ok I have to go tell these guys a few things. Maybe inspire them. You take care. You're the new guy?"

"Yes, this is my first team assignment."
Ziehl"Maybe you'll get better along with the team."

And that was my first interview with Ed Ziehl. We'll have a better feel for the available talent when games get started. Then a full run down of the club as cuts are made. It's sure to be a busy season."

Entering his age 34 season Ed Bloom is 9th all-time in walks with 1457, just 315 away from equaling Max Morris' career record. He's led the FED in walks in nine of his eleven full seasons and has averaged 126 walks/season over that eleven year span. If he were to average 126 walks for the next two seasons then he would pass Morris in less than three seasons.
The Kansas City Times tells us that outfielder Charlie Rogers is still going strong for the Kings at age 32. He has amassed 2,398 hits and already has 482 doubles. The current league record for doubles is 601 and with Rogers hitting 50 last year he seems to be a shoe in for 3,000 hits and also over 600 doubles. If he has a healthy 62 season, he should be well over 2,600 hits and probably in the top 12 in doubles all time with 525+. He is also the only active player who is top 50 (at #50) in hits. If healthy he should have a very real opportunity to be top 5 all time in hits and #1 in doubles.
Back in the 1940s a catcher by the name of Woody Stone was in the right spot at the right time to collect a big paycheck. Stone was released by the them Philadelphia based Sailors and became the subject of bidding war with some FABL teams and clubs from the old Great Western League during its brief stint as a major league. Stone ended up signing a then record contract for nearly $100,000 per year and was paid more than even Bobby Barrell for a stretch. Now it is a 27-year-old career minor leaguer by the name of Howie French that is likely going to land a huge payday. French happens to be a rare species - a player scouts like who happens to be a free agent- and as a result a number of teams are making overtures. It is doubtful bidding will approach the $200,000 per annum that Adrian Czerwinski, Dallas Berry and Jerry Smith will each collect for 1962 but French could top the 100 grand mark despite the fact he has never thrown a big league pitch. The righthander was a fifth round pick of Montreal's in 1956 but was quickly released and signed with the Minneapolis Lumberjacks, an unaffiliated club. The Lumberjacks folded up shop with the arrival of the Minneapolis Millers so French was set free after going 77-52 with a 2.74 era over half a dozen Triple A seasons.
The expansion Minneapolis Millers are hoping some very familiar baseball names will help with attendance as the club signed both John Stallings and Ralph Johnson to contracts. The 36-year-old Stallings was the first overall pick in the 1946 draft and went on to make three all-star teams and post a 157-149 record with the Chiefs, Gothams and Washington. He was 1-2 out of the Eagles bullpen a year ago before being released last month. Johnson, 37, was a 4-time Whitney Award winner with the Brooklyn Kings and won 4 WCS titles with Detroit but was cut last August after playing sparingly for the Dynamos the past few seasons.

PACKERS TAKE OVER TOP SPOT IN NAHC

The Chicago Packers took three of a possible four points in first place showdown with Detroit to begin the month and continued to roll through the opening two weeks of February. Chicago has lost just one of its past six games and with a 14-6-5 run since Christmas the Packers have pulled ahead of Detroit by four points in the race for first place in the North American Hockey Confederation.

Veteran rearguard Phil Stukas, a two-time first team All-Star selection, had a goal and an assist to lead the Packers to big a 4-2 victory over the Motors at Lakeside Auditorium and in the rematch the Packers held on for a 3-3 tie with the Motors the next night at Thompson Palladium. From there the Packers went on to win three and tie one of their next five games with the lone blemish being a surprising loss to the lowly New York Shamrocks. While the Packers prospered after the head-to-head battles, the Motors stumbled, losing three of their next five games, a stretch which also included a defeat at the hands of the last place Shamrocks.

The other team heading the wrong way quickly is the Boston Bees, who have won just five games since Christmas and are 1-5-1 in their last seven outings. The Bees still own a 3-point lead on Montreal in the battle for the final playoff berth which makes this Wednesday's meeting between the two at Denny Arena a fairly important contest.

NO SLOWING FALCONS DOWN

The Toronto Falcons, long-time doormats of the Federal Basketball League, continued their dream season with five straight victories over the past two weeks. With 16 wins in their last 18 outings the Falcons have increased their lead over second place St. Louis to 13.5 games.

The strong showing the past dozen days included 4 consecutive victories over the reeling Chicago Panthers. Chicago, which will have to suffer through five more dates with Toronto over the next three weeks, has dropped 13 of its last 14 games and are on track for the worst season in franchise history. There is some good news in the Windy City as third year forward Bob Christensen, who is leading the FBL in rebounds per game, looks close to be able to return to the lineup. The 24-year-old out of Western Iowa has been sidelined with a broken finger since January 21.

Speaking of tough seasons, the Washington Statesmen are on their way to setting a franchise record for futility. The Statesmen, who have 5 league titles under their belt, have dropped 35 of 45 games this season and are almost assuredly going to miss the playoffs for just the second time in FBL history. With both Washington and Chicago struggling their appears to be very little uncertainty about the playoff participants this year, despite the fact there are more than two months remaining in the regular season. The only suspense may well be if St Louis can hold off Detroit for second place in the West Division and whether the East Division leading Boston Centurions, presently 3.5 games up on Philadelphia, can hold off the Phantoms. If so, it will be the first time in franchise history - going back to 1937 and the old American Basketball Conference- that the Centurions finished a season in first place.

ADMIRALS RISING IN SAC

Overshadowed in the South Atlantic Conference for most of their existence, the Charleston Tech Admirals may well be continuing a dominance only known by Carolina Poly. The Admirals are looking for their third consecutive conference title and are now 6-1 in section play after recent wins over both Maryland State and Carolina Poly. The 49-41 victory over the mighty Cardinals Saturday afternoon also caught the eye of national pollsters, as the Admirals cracked the top five for the first time this season.

Charleston Tech, which had never won an SAC title until they started this current streak, still has a tough path ahead with road games at both the second ranked Bengals and fourth ranked Carinals as well as a home game against #8 North Carolina Tech, which is the only SAC school to beat the Admirals so far this season.

The SAC may dominate the polls with four of its member schools in the top ten but the number one ranking once belongs to Deep South Conference leader Noble Jones College. The Colonels dropped to number two last week after stumbling 50-48 at home against Alabama Baptist but regained the top spot with lobsided victories over Georgia Baptist and Opelika State last week.

RECENT KEY RESULTS

]32-year-old Bill Sanderson, who had a couple of shots at the middleweight title but came up short against Mark McCoy in 1953 and George Hatchell 3 years later, needed less barely 2 minutes to score a TKO victory over journeyman Ed Taylor in Sacramento, CA., last week. The New York City native now sports a 42-6-2 record and remains hopeful for a third chance at the world title.
In Chicago last weekend, Windy City favourite Andy Barnes (29-4-1) scored an unanimous decision over Artie Wilson in a heavyweight clash. The 23-year-old is considered one of the top 15 fighters in his weight class.
Former World Heavyweight champion Steve Leivers improved to 47-3-1 after a 10th round TKO win over fellow Brit Trevor Treleaven in a bout in Liverpool. Leivers beat Joe Brinkworth to win the title in 1956 and successfully defended it against Joey Tierney before losing the belt a year later to Brad Harris. The 32-year-old also had a title shot against George Galleshaw just under a year ago but lost by disqualification.
Italian welterweight Carl Rondinelli made his return to the ring, claiming a fourth round TKO win over Brad Evans in a bout in England. Rondinelli's last outing was a title shot against Lonnie Griffin but the champ knocked out Rondinelli in the 14th round of a spirited tussle in Bigsby Garden in December.

UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS

Mar 3 in Boston: new heavyweight champion Bert Parks will make his first title defense since upsetting George Galleshaw to win the World Title. Parks will face Houston Harry Pratt, 27, in a bout at Denny Arena. Parks shocked the boxing establishment with a 7th round KO of Galleshaw in Chicago in their December bout. The Los Angeles native is 28-8 and ruined what was expected to be a fairly easy evening for Galleshaw. Pratt, a 26-year-old Texan, owns a 28-4 record but, other than a win over Dave Courtney, has not beaten any big name opponents.
Apr 12 in Las Vegas: Longtime welterweight champion Lonnie Griffin defends his crown against Dan McMullan. The 30-year-old Griffn (40-5-1) has held the title on four different occasions and his bout against McMullan will be his third defense this time around. McMullan (22-1) is a 23-year-old rising star from South Carolina and is getting his first shot at the welterweight title.

The Week That Was
Current events from the week ending 2/11/1962

Released American U-2 spy pilot Francis Gary Powers will face a grilling from the CIA now that he has been returned to American soil following a prisoner exchange with Russia.
In a letter received by President Kennedy, Russian Premier Khrushchev has proposed that eighteen heads of government meet in Geneva March 14 to open the conference on general disarmament. This after talks between the US, Britain and Russia on nuclear disarmament fell apart two weeks ago.
Tensions are increasing rapidly in France as the danger of an attempt to overthrow the government of Charles de Gaulle by force and the possibility of a civil war in that country loom large.
A leftist demonstration against the right wing Secret Army started quietly in Paris, as more that 30,000 French policemen were on hand, many in full riot gear armed with submachine guns to watch over some 200,000 protesters.
US Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy arrived in Indonesia yesterday for a six-day visit.
African Americans demanding desegregation of Macon city buses have called for a boycott of the transit system in the Georgia city and urged all "to walk in dignity rather than to ride in disgrace."
Everything is a "go" but the weather as the orbital flight of Mercury astronaut John Glenn continues to wait for a safe flight window. Weather and some minor technical issues have delayed the launch more than two weeks.

11-19-2024, 11:51 AM	#1025
Tiger Fan Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Ontario Canada Posts: 9,810	February 12, 1962 FEBRUARY 12, 1962 MEET THE NEWEST FABL TEAMS With the expansion draft completed and teams preparing for Spring Training, the team at TWIFS decided to take a look at a few players of note on each expansion team: Dallas Wranglers One for Now: RHP Hank Berkowitz 1961 Stats: 5-3, 3.00 ERA (148 ERA+), 3.76 FIP (84 FIP-), 84 IP, 28 BB, 46 K, 1.25 WHIP, 1.6 K/BB, 1.4 FIP- FABL Career: 57-47, 73 SV, 4.20 ERA (100 ERA+), 4.00 FIP (95 FIP-), 678.2 IP, 252 BB, 424 K, 1.43 WHIP, 1.7 K/BB, 5.7 WAR A long time reliever of the Cleveland Foresters, there are plenty of teams out there who would have been comfortable giving Hank Berkowitz a rotation spot. Acquired from the Stars in the ill-fated trade that sent Richie Hughes to the Big Apple for Berkowitz, Joe Wood, Larry McClure, and Bill Grove, the former 8th Rounder has been part of three World Champion teams and was selected to the 1954 All-Star game. That was one of his most productive seasons, where he finished 12-7 with a CA high 23 saves. Berkowitz worked to a 3.96 ERA (107 ERA+) and 1.48 WHIP in 91 innings, second only to the 92.1 he threw in 1958. A minor league starter, it took until 1958 for his first FABL start, but in each of the three seasons that followed he started two or more of his appearances. That includes the most recent season, where he was at his best. In 26 outings (7 starts) he went 5-3 with a 3.00 ERA (148 ERA+), 1.25 WHIP, and 46 strikeouts, turning 34 last July. With the Foresters depth, a swingman role would likely have continued, but on a brand new Dallas team with little to get excited for, Berkowitz is now the best pitcher on the staff. His stuff is decent, headlined by a really nice splitter, but what makes Berkowitz so good is his control. He always keeps the ball away from the center of the plate, allowing him to get outs without overwhelming stuff. For a young team like Dallas, he'll be tasked with eating a ton of innings, and if he looks like the pitcher he was for Cleveland last season, he could net them a pretty promising prospect or two. If not, he can be a useful mentor as the Wranglers carve out their identity, as many of his former teammates commented on his work ethic and the respect his teammates have for him. One for the Future: RHP Butch Abrams 1951 Stats: 0-0, SV, 2.84 ERA (155 ERA+), 2.57 FIP (58 FIP-), 12.2 IP, 6 BB, 11 K, 1.42 WHIP, 1.8 K/BB, 0.3 WAR FABL Career: 49-56, SV, 4.35 ERA (98 ERA+), 3.96 FIP (93 FIP-), 960.1 IP, 337 BB, 563 K, 1.36 WHIP, 1.7 K/BB, 16.1 WAR It feels weird calling a guy with 143 FABL starts one for the future, but considering all of those starts came before his 25th birthday, the towering 6'6'' righty Butch Abrams certainly fits that mold for Dallas. Until last season, Abrams was a mainstay in the Pioneer rotation, as the 17th overall pick in 1955 debuted less then a year after he was drafted. Just 19, he posted a productive season (8-9, 4.14, 93), joining young stars Billy Hasson (19-8, 2.85, 188) and Frenchy Mack (7-8, 2.83, 131), with Hasson actually two years older then Abrams and Mack just under a year younger. While never as highly touted, Abrams was still a top-100 prospect in his short and expected to be a suitable middle rotation arm. At times he's shown that, but right now his five pitch is undeveloped. The fastball and change are both plus to plus-plus offerings, but his curve and slider don't get many whiffs, and his sinker can get hit hard. Sure, a lot of times that's right into the ground, but it's not reliable enough of a pitch to get a double play on command. I think that's the key to his success, as he's an extreme groundballer who sits comfortable in the mid 90s. If Dallas' pitching staff can polish that pitch, they might have uncovered a gem, but right now his best skill is his ability to eat innings. With an option left, they have a lot of possibilities for where he starts the season, as he could fill the rotation or pen in Dallas, as well as a rotation spot down in AAA Denver. As you'd expect with an expansion club, they don't have many pitchers with upside, but Abrams is a guy that a lot of organizations would be happy to have. One for the Past: 2B Chuck Lewis 1951 Stats: 95 G, 354 PA, 38 R, 14 2B, 4 3B, 7 HR, 38 RBI, 42 BB, 8 SB, .223/.316/.361 (76 OPS+), 81 WRC+, 1.5 WAR FABL Career: 1,930 G, 7,588 PA, 777 R, 289 2B, 85 3B, 159 HR, 863 RBI, 665 BB, 94 SB, .237/.303/.373 (87 OPS+), 83 WRC+, 28.3 WAR There were plenty of choices here, especially on the pitching staff, but with the focus on two pitchers already, I decided to hone in on veteran middle infielder Chuck Lewis. Known best for his 14 seasons with the Kings, it's easy to forget that's not where he started his career, as the Chicago Chiefs took him in the 2nd Round of the 1947 draft, and called him up to the big league club when rosters expanded. That 14 game sample is all he did in FABL with a team that wasn't the Kings, as that offseason the Chiefs sent him to Brooklyn in a 1-for-1 swap for outfielder Joe Rutherford. Lewis started his Kings career in AAA, but until a rehab assignment in 1961, the rest of his time came in FABL. Appearing in over 1,900 games in a King uniform, Lewis played a ton at both middle infield spots, hitting an okay .237/.303/.373 (87 OPS+) with 285 doubles, 85 triples, 159 homers, and 861 RBIs. A strong eye, good speed, and quality defense kept him in the lineup almost everyday, as he started 140 or more games in 10 of his 14 seasons. Now 36, he's not really the guy you want doing that anymore, but he was a valued member of the Kings organization that some of the fans may miss. He won't hold the record for much longer, as both Ken Newman (.255, 28, 108, 6) and Charlie Rogers (.312, 16, 94, 12) should both pass him, but Lewis' 1,916 appearances are the most by any King ever. His 6,811 at bats are second to Rogers (7,703), and he's top 10 in runs (10th, 775), hits (10th, 1,611), total bases (6th, 2,543), doubles (6th, 285), homers (4th, 159), RBIs (6th, 861), and walks (4th, 662). With such a storied career for the franchise, it's a surprise they were willing to let him go, but when you have your eyes on a pennant and younger replacements, he was expendable. Now he'll get to lead a rag-tag group of Wranglers, expected to bat first and man second on a team that might be able to compete for a Century League lineup. With his age, he's likely not to garner much trade value unless he hits like he did 20s, but he's a skilled defender and decent roster filler for a team with holes everywhere. Los Angeles Suns One for Now: C Stan Czerwinski 1961 Stats: 134 G, 472 PA, 41 R, 6 2B, 3B, 15 HR, 54 RBI, 24 BB, 2 SB, .211/.254/.331 (67 OPS+), 41 WRC+, -0.3 WAR FABL Career: 666 G, 2,374 PA, 253 R, 53 2B, 5 3B, 90 HR, 301 RBI, 93 BB, 6 SB, .241/.272/.389 (79 OPS+), 69 WRC+, 5.4 WAR It's not all that often an expansion team is able to select a former #1 pick on the right side of 30, but with the way Stan Czerwinski has hit so far, Suns fans may want to temper expectations. Among the games top prospects, the Chiefs never got the future star catcher they desired, eventually including the brother of future Hall-of-Famer Adrian Czerwinski (18-9, 3.54, 163) in a quantity-over-quality package that sent Doc Zimmerman (.267, 8, 81, 13) from one side of Chicago to the other. Despite never playing above A-ball, the Cougars inserted Czerwinski right into the starting lineup, and it went almost exactly as you would think. The 23-year-old hit just .215/.245/.371 (76 OPS+) with a 63 WRC+, but he showed promise behind the plate and with his power. In 135 games he launched 20 home runs, and quickly asserted himself as one of the premier pitch framers. Since his debut, he's been worth 15.7 runs above average, with his lowest a still solid 1.5 in 1959. 1959 also happens to be his only above average offensive season, producing a 105 OPS+, but his 94 WRC+ was still below. This is due to high K rates and miniscule walk rates, not a good combo for a slugging catcher who doesn't put the ball in play. Still, he brings tremendous value to a team with an awful pitching staff, as Czerwinski does everything well behind the plate. Few catchers can frame, throw, or block as well as he does, and there really isn't anyone out there who can do everything better then him. In a stress-free environment, the offensive potential could be extracted, but for now the expectations are just for Stan to make their staff look better then it is. One for the Future: RHP Red Burtch 1951 Stats: N/A FABL Career: N/A There were very few exciting prospects available in the expansion draft, but the Suns were able to get a useful young pitcher in Red Burtch. Just 24, he's gone a long way from being a 12th Round pick by the Gothams. In fact, he was cut six times before finally sticking with the Foresters, the team that left Burtch unprotected. Currently ranked 4th in the Suns system and 217th overall, he's one of four top 350 pitching prospects in the system, and he's the guy that's furthest along. A hard throwing righty, Burtch's fastball is nothing short of elite, and with great conditioning he's able to maintain his velocity deep into games. The fastball leads his four pitch mix, with a decent slider, curve, and change, and he gets solid marks for his movement and control too. Yet to debut, Burtch made 22 of his 29 starts in AAA, going 5-4 with a 3.37 ERA (110 ERA+), 3.16 FIP (85 FIP-), and 1.20 WHIP, walking 40 with 93 strikeouts in 147 innings. Without a rotation spot available in Cleveland, being selected could help spark his career, as there are a lot of spots available in what could be one of the league's youngest rotations. As it shapes out now, he could join Doc Carver (26), Grant Davis (26), and Paul Debo (25), all within two years of the 24-year-old righty. Any of those guys could fit here, Debo in particular due to his stellar sutff and elite fastball, but Burtch has the feel of a big leaguer. With three options left, the Suns could delay the start of his career, but if I'm in charge of an expansion team, I'd rather lose with talented young guys then 30 something year old vets that most clubs would barely consider worth hanging onto as AAA depth. One for the Past: 1B Danny Taylor 1951 Stats: 39 G, 44 PA, 5 R, 2 2B, HR, 6 RBI, 2 BB, .317/.341/.439 (103 OPS+), 110 WRC+, 0.2 WAR FABL Career: 719 G, 1,591 PA, 197 R, 52 2B, 10 3B, 53 HR, 230 RBI, 135 BB, .289/.349/.449 (114 OPS+), 114 WRC+, 7.3 WAR There was a time in Boston when Danny Taylor was supposed to be part of an elite outfield that contained Rick Masters (.274, 12, 49) and Yank Taylor. Now, none of them are left in Beantown, and only Masters can be considered to have a successful FABL career. In Taylor's defense, Boston never really gave him a chance, as after hitting a solid .305/.332/.464 (113 OPS+) as a rookie, he spent three seasons almost strictly in the minors. He got more time in 1955 at 27, hitting a productive .289/.377/.453 (118 OPS+) as he got his strikeouts under control and his walks back up while providing some power. It then looked like he was finally ready to play regularly, but the Minutemen shipped him to the Cougars, who returned Taylor to a bench role. In six seasons he started just 61 of his 420 appearances, and it's no surprise he was left unprotected by Chicago. Now with his third organization, Taylor has a chance to add to his 53 career home runs, a shockingly low tally considering he had multiple 20+ home run stints in the minors. Sure, playing time has always been a struggle for him, but the projected elite power hitter has only been average compared to his peers. "Dynamite Dan" is now better at not striking out then slugging, and the former outfielder is now strictly a first basemen only. OSA thinks the 34-year-old is their second best player behind Czerwinski, so perhaps he can finally get the playing time he deserves, and have a nice little late career resurgence out west. Minneapolis Millers One for Now: RHP Joe McDowell 1961 Stats: 15-7, 4.29 ERA (103 ERA+), 4.21 FIP (94 FIP-), 199.1 IP, 60 BB, 90 K, 1.44 WHIP, 1.5 K/BB, 3.2 WAR FABL Career: 47-51, SV, 4.77 ERA (91 ERA+), 4.27 FIP (98 FIP-), 828.2 IP, 285 BB, 446 K, 1.45 WHIP, 1.6 K/BB, 11.6 WAR A guy who not only should not have been protected, but also probably the guy who should have went #1, Joe McDowell is not your typical expansion pitcher. Perhaps the $85,000 salary scared away some teams, but McDowell has started an association high 33 games two years in a row, and since he's became a regular rotation member in 1958, he's been as consistent as it gets. While far from an ace, there's not a single rotation that couldn't use him, as the soft-tossing groundballer has excellent control and a near spotless injury record. He's coming off his best season too, as the 29-year-old went 15-7 with a 4.29 ERA (103 ERA+), 1.44 WHIP, and 90 strikeouts in a career high 199.1 innings pitched. I'd expect McDowell to break that this year, as it seemed like the Miners staff was always looking to keep his inning total down. The question now for Minneapolis is whether they build around McDowell or try to entice a contender in the next few seasons to overpay for their new ace. The farm is almost completely empty, just one prospect in FABL's top 250 (and he's 247), and with McDowell and the upcoming draft the new staff has a chance to restock the farm quickly. With his track record, control, and ability to keep the ball on the ground, the only thing stopping teams may be the previously mentioned salary, but that's something the Millers can help with. They have very little on the books, making retention that much easier, and I'm curious to see what route they end up taking with the former 4th Round selection. One for the Future: 2B Clarence Jackson 1951 Stats: N/A FABL Career: N/A Just 22, it was a relatively surprising the Toronto Wolves left infielder Clarence Jackson unprotected, and of little surprise that the former 7th Rounder was selected. Making it up to AA this season, Jackson appeared in 93 of his 129 games there, hitting a solid .249/.386/.364 (103 OPS+). 21 for most of the season, he had a nice 114 WRC+ with 14 doubles, 8 homers, 11 steals, and 22 RBIs, drawing 77 walks to just 39 strikeouts. An extremely disciplined hitter, he's got a great eye, and projects to hit around .280. An excellent athlete, he's quick, a superb baserunner, and a gifted fielder, outstanding at second and third and above average at short. A perfect clubhouse presence despite his youth, he's a true leader with the will to win, and he's got the ability to impact the game in multiple ways. For a poor team like the Millers, that type of presence in the clubhouse is huge, as despite his youth he can do a lot to help keep the group together. Projected to be the Opening Day second basemen, at worst an excellent utility infielder, but with his age there has to be some untapped potential. With a low stress environment and regular at bats, his bat can really shine, and with his eye he'll always give tough at bats. Add in the hit tool, his speed, and his athleticism, and he's got a lot of tools that work in his favor. The only questions is how impactful he'll be when he makes contact with the bat, as there's no shortage of slap hitting singles hitters who don't do much more then get to first base or move a runner up. One for the Past: RHP Don Hillshire 1951 Stats: N/A FABL Career: 3-1, 2 SV, 3.09 ERA (141 ERA+), 4.25 FIP (99 FIP-), 32 IP, 9 BB, 16 K, 1.25 WHIP, 1.8 K/BB, -0.1 WAR One of the most controversial first round picks of the 1950s, the Philadelphia Sailors made Don Hillshire the 9th pick of the draft, despite having no experience in organized baseball. At first, the questionable picked looked okay, as the league put him in the ends of the top 100, but his stay there was short. He struggled to get much traction in the minors, and it took until 27 for him to debut. That came in just one inning, where he got a save with a homer, walk, and strikeout, and he made three appearances for San Francisco over the next two seasons. Traded at the '58 deadline to the Miners, he went straight to their pen, going 2-1 with a save, 3.97 ERA (110 ERA+), and 1.37 WHIP, striking out 7 with just 4 walks. While solid, Pittsburgh didn't want to keep him on the 40, and until the expansion draft, that's where he stayed. Now 33, Hillshire will have a chance to carve out a late career renaissance with the Minneapolis team that's far close to his Springfield home then San Francisco. The stuff isn't great, but aside from former Miner teammates Joe McDowell and Ed Power (8-18, 6.13, 86), the rotation is barren as can be. Hillshire provides the team with a level headed vet who can get his team through the early innings, and is currently in line to be the #3 starter. He's yet to make a FABL start, but all 312 of his minor league and CWL appearances have been starts, so it's not like he can't handle pitching multiple innings. Whether he can keep runs off the board is another thing, but at this stage in the Millers history, they can afford to take a risk on a former 1st Round pick. New York Imperials One for Now: RHP Jim Cooper 1961 Stats: 12-4, 3.68 ERA (117 ERA+), 4.62 FIP (107 FIP-), 154 IP, 81 BB, 83 K, 1.40 WHIP, 1.0 K/BB, 1.5 WAR FABL Career: 46-32, 7 SV, 4.17 ERA (101 ERA+), 4.63 FIP (109 FIP-), 654 IP, 315 BB, 307 K, 1.49 WHIP, 0.9 K/BB, 4.6 WAR Another guy who probably shouldn't have been left unprotected, Jim Cooper is a 28-year-old starter fresh off a World Championship. On top of that, he's had an above average ERA+ in each of his three full seasons in the rotation, and in 1958 where he started (14) and relieved (24) for the Keystones, he had a 4.29 ERA (99 ERA+) and 3.77 FIP (89 FIP-). Aside form his rookie season in 1957, he's been a very reliable pitcher, but his control is bad and the Keystones do have a lot of depth. Still, I feel like there had to have been a better guy to leave unprotected, but the Keystones loss may now be the Imperials gain. Originally the 6th pick of the 1952 draft, the Cleveland Foresters sent him to the Keystones in a big deal for Sid Moulton (8-7, 4.22, 72), who was another guy taken in the expansion draft. Cooper quickly entered the top 100 prospect lists, even if he never got in the top half, and looked to be a quality middle rotation starter. To this point, he's lived up to it, as despite his command issues he doesn't allow many base hits. Not quite effectively wild, but he does keep batters on their toes with five pitches, even if none of them stand out. But by generating weak contact, he allows himself to compete and keep his game close, making him a very useful asset for a team that doesn't enter the season with much value. Already having traded Bob Allen, Cooper could be out the door before the season starts, as there are plenty of contenders who could use an arm like. One for the Future: 1B Turk Ramsey 1951 Stats: 82 G, 125 PA, 2 2B, 9 HR, 27 RBI, 4 BB, .308/.328/.550 (127 OPS+), 130 WRC+, 0.6 WAR FABL Career: 109 G, 195 PA, 6 2B, 3B, 14 HR, 40 RBI, 8 BB, .290/.318/.559 (129 OPS+), 123 WRC+, 0.8 WAR Another member of the champion Keystones to make his way to the Big Apple, you could argue that Cooper and Turk Ramsey are the two best players on the new squad. A former 6th Rounder, the 26-year-old Ramsey didn't have much of a role on the Keystones, though he did appear in 82 games during their title winning season. Only 16 were starts, but he hit a strong .308/.328/.550 (127 OPS+) with 9 homers and 27 RBIs. As you can tell from the home run numbers, he can hit the ball far, and there are very few FABL sluggers who can hit it harder and farther then Ramsey. In 122 AAA games last season, he slugged 37 home runs, and while hitting around .300 won't happen for long, he might be able to sit in the .260 range. As a lefty swinger, Dyckman stadium is one of the easier parks to hit homers in for the Conti, but he's the type of guy built for Broad Street Park. Granted, with his power he can hit the ball out of any park, as even the Parc Cartier and Dominion Stadium can't hold in the force that is Turk Ramsey. Getting to start with the Imperials from day one, he has a really good chance to be the early franchise home run leader, and if he stays his career in the Big Apple there's a legitimate chance he holds it for multiple seasons. The only thing stopping him from being a great slugger is his poor eye, but scouts think he's getting more patient at the plate. With little protection, teams may be comfortable going right at him, allowing him the opportunity to see plenty of balls in the zone. One for the Past: RHP Eddie Webb 1951 Stats: 1-1, SV, 4.12 ERA (106 ERA+), 6.08 FIP (138 FIP-), 19.2 IP, 10 BB, 16 K, 1.47 WHIP, 1.6 K/BB, -0.3 WAR FABL Career: 48-37, 6 SV, 4.02 ERA (101 ERA+), 3.81 FIP (93 FIP-) It's crazy to think Eddie Webb is just 29, but considering how far he's fallen since leading the CA in ERA back in 1958, it would make more sense if he was 39. Not only was he kicked out of the rotation, but he threw under 20 innings this season with a FIP north of 6. A shell of the guy that went 13-11 with a 2.86 ERA (150 ERA+), 1.22 WHIP, and 155 strikeouts in an All-Star season, Webb likely won't crack the Imperials rotation, as his curve no longer fools anyone, and his sinker/fastball combo is not good enough to go through the order more then once. There's rumors that his poor work ethic have contributed to his downfall, and encouraged LA to trade him, and that's something the Imperials new staff may want to monitor. Expected to be the closer, Webb could thrive in that role, as he got big strikeout numbers last season even with the decline in stuff. His 18.2 K% in FABL was actually better then the 15.5% he posted in AAA, but both are well above average even out of the pen. His command has slipped recently, but it should be at least average, and he's always done well maintaining K/BBs above 1.5. And as a former starter, he can go multiple innings, with a legit chance to crack 100 innings if he pitches reasonably effective. For someone who doesn't like to try too much, pitching for an expansion team may be rewarding, and he could rebuild some of his past value before he turns 30 in September. A New Spring As players gather here in St. Petersburg, Florida as much to introduce themselves as to get in shape for a new season I caught up with Imperials Manager Ed Ziehl to get his perspective on his expansion club. As expected the Ol' Lion pulled few punches. "Ed, how do you feel about this squad that's been cobbled together for you?" Ziehl-"Ah Al, it is Al? Well it kind of reminds me of my days in Los Angeles. Lots of sunshine, palm trees and just a few ball players. The old clubs haven't done us any favors and we're going to be in a tough spot here. I'm thinking I may have to suit up and bring Bud and Walt with me to add some professionalism to the occasion." "You don't see many likely candidates out there?" Ziehl"Now don't be putting words in my mouth. I got plenty of them already. We've got a few likely candidates." Here Ziehl takes a look around the field. Players stretching and tossing. He sighs and continues, "Scotty McDonald can keep the ball in the park, so that's good. If that kid Webb can find the plate, he'll strike out a bunch. The new fellow, Woods he can hit 'em a long way. There's a couple more. It's just we have a problem of too old or not young enough. Most of these guys have been around long enough to know what they're not." "So, you're saying fans should be patient." Ziehl"Hell, everyone should be patient. We'll coach 'em up the best we can. I'll make sure they play hard and give our fans the best show they can. Fans in New York have been without Continental League ball for a long time. They want a team to be proud of so they can face up to the Gothams fans who have had it easy for so long." "Do you still have any connections over in Queens?" Ziehl"Nope. Not ties at all. Can't say as Jameson or even Messer do either." Here the aging baseball giant stares off towards the outfield perhaps remembering his days with the Gothams. "Damn shame. Ok I have to go tell these guys a few things. Maybe inspire them. You take care. You're the new guy?" "Yes, this is my first team assignment." Ziehl"Maybe you'll get better along with the team." And that was my first interview with Ed Ziehl. We'll have a better feel for the available talent when games get started. Then a full run down of the club as cuts are made. It's sure to be a busy season." Entering his age 34 season Ed Bloom is 9th all-time in walks with 1457, just 315 away from equaling Max Morris' career record. He's led the FED in walks in nine of his eleven full seasons and has averaged 126 walks/season over that eleven year span. If he were to average 126 walks for the next two seasons then he would pass Morris in less than three seasons. The Kansas City Times tells us that outfielder Charlie Rogers is still going strong for the Kings at age 32. He has amassed 2,398 hits and already has 482 doubles. The current league record for doubles is 601 and with Rogers hitting 50 last year he seems to be a shoe in for 3,000 hits and also over 600 doubles. If he has a healthy 62 season, he should be well over 2,600 hits and probably in the top 12 in doubles all time with 525+. He is also the only active player who is top 50 (at #50) in hits. If healthy he should have a very real opportunity to be top 5 all time in hits and #1 in doubles. Back in the 1940s a catcher by the name of Woody Stone was in the right spot at the right time to collect a big paycheck. Stone was released by the them Philadelphia based Sailors and became the subject of bidding war with some FABL teams and clubs from the old Great Western League during its brief stint as a major league. Stone ended up signing a then record contract for nearly $100,000 per year and was paid more than even Bobby Barrell for a stretch. Now it is a 27-year-old career minor leaguer by the name of Howie French that is likely going to land a huge payday. French happens to be a rare species - a player scouts like who happens to be a free agent- and as a result a number of teams are making overtures. It is doubtful bidding will approach the $200,000 per annum that Adrian Czerwinski, Dallas Berry and Jerry Smith will each collect for 1962 but French could top the 100 grand mark despite the fact he has never thrown a big league pitch. The righthander was a fifth round pick of Montreal's in 1956 but was quickly released and signed with the Minneapolis Lumberjacks, an unaffiliated club. The Lumberjacks folded up shop with the arrival of the Minneapolis Millers so French was set free after going 77-52 with a 2.74 era over half a dozen Triple A seasons. The expansion Minneapolis Millers are hoping some very familiar baseball names will help with attendance as the club signed both John Stallings and Ralph Johnson to contracts. The 36-year-old Stallings was the first overall pick in the 1946 draft and went on to make three all-star teams and post a 157-149 record with the Chiefs, Gothams and Washington. He was 1-2 out of the Eagles bullpen a year ago before being released last month. Johnson, 37, was a 4-time Whitney Award winner with the Brooklyn Kings and won 4 WCS titles with Detroit but was cut last August after playing sparingly for the Dynamos the past few seasons. PACKERS TAKE OVER TOP SPOT IN NAHC The Chicago Packers took three of a possible four points in first place showdown with Detroit to begin the month and continued to roll through the opening two weeks of February. Chicago has lost just one of its past six games and with a 14-6-5 run since Christmas the Packers have pulled ahead of Detroit by four points in the race for first place in the North American Hockey Confederation. Veteran rearguard Phil Stukas, a two-time first team All-Star selection, had a goal and an assist to lead the Packers to big a 4-2 victory over the Motors at Lakeside Auditorium and in the rematch the Packers held on for a 3-3 tie with the Motors the next night at Thompson Palladium. From there the Packers went on to win three and tie one of their next five games with the lone blemish being a surprising loss to the lowly New York Shamrocks. While the Packers prospered after the head-to-head battles, the Motors stumbled, losing three of their next five games, a stretch which also included a defeat at the hands of the last place Shamrocks. The other team heading the wrong way quickly is the Boston Bees, who have won just five games since Christmas and are 1-5-1 in their last seven outings. The Bees still own a 3-point lead on Montreal in the battle for the final playoff berth which makes this Wednesday's meeting between the two at Denny Arena a fairly important contest. NO SLOWING FALCONS DOWN The Toronto Falcons, long-time doormats of the Federal Basketball League, continued their dream season with five straight victories over the past two weeks. With 16 wins in their last 18 outings the Falcons have increased their lead over second place St. Louis to 13.5 games. The strong showing the past dozen days included 4 consecutive victories over the reeling Chicago Panthers. Chicago, which will have to suffer through five more dates with Toronto over the next three weeks, has dropped 13 of its last 14 games and are on track for the worst season in franchise history. There is some good news in the Windy City as third year forward Bob Christensen, who is leading the FBL in rebounds per game, looks close to be able to return to the lineup. The 24-year-old out of Western Iowa has been sidelined with a broken finger since January 21. Speaking of tough seasons, the Washington Statesmen are on their way to setting a franchise record for futility. The Statesmen, who have 5 league titles under their belt, have dropped 35 of 45 games this season and are almost assuredly going to miss the playoffs for just the second time in FBL history. With both Washington and Chicago struggling their appears to be very little uncertainty about the playoff participants this year, despite the fact there are more than two months remaining in the regular season. The only suspense may well be if St Louis can hold off Detroit for second place in the West Division and whether the East Division leading Boston Centurions, presently 3.5 games up on Philadelphia, can hold off the Phantoms. If so, it will be the first time in franchise history - going back to 1937 and the old American Basketball Conference- that the Centurions finished a season in first place. ADMIRALS RISING IN SAC Overshadowed in the South Atlantic Conference for most of their existence, the Charleston Tech Admirals may well be continuing a dominance only known by Carolina Poly. The Admirals are looking for their third consecutive conference title and are now 6-1 in section play after recent wins over both Maryland State and Carolina Poly. The 49-41 victory over the mighty Cardinals Saturday afternoon also caught the eye of national pollsters, as the Admirals cracked the top five for the first time this season. Charleston Tech, which had never won an SAC title until they started this current streak, still has a tough path ahead with road games at both the second ranked Bengals and fourth ranked Carinals as well as a home game against #8 North Carolina Tech, which is the only SAC school to beat the Admirals so far this season. The SAC may dominate the polls with four of its member schools in the top ten but the number one ranking once belongs to Deep South Conference leader Noble Jones College. The Colonels dropped to number two last week after stumbling 50-48 at home against Alabama Baptist but regained the top spot with lobsided victories over Georgia Baptist and Opelika State last week. RECENT KEY RESULTS ]32-year-old Bill Sanderson, who had a couple of shots at the middleweight title but came up short against Mark McCoy in 1953 and George Hatchell 3 years later, needed less barely 2 minutes to score a TKO victory over journeyman Ed Taylor in Sacramento, CA., last week. The New York City native now sports a 42-6-2 record and remains hopeful for a third chance at the world title. In Chicago last weekend, Windy City favourite Andy Barnes (29-4-1) scored an unanimous decision over Artie Wilson in a heavyweight clash. The 23-year-old is considered one of the top 15 fighters in his weight class. Former World Heavyweight champion Steve Leivers improved to 47-3-1 after a 10th round TKO win over fellow Brit Trevor Treleaven in a bout in Liverpool. Leivers beat Joe Brinkworth to win the title in 1956 and successfully defended it against Joey Tierney before losing the belt a year later to Brad Harris. The 32-year-old also had a title shot against George Galleshaw just under a year ago but lost by disqualification. Italian welterweight Carl Rondinelli made his return to the ring, claiming a fourth round TKO win over Brad Evans in a bout in England. Rondinelli's last outing was a title shot against Lonnie Griffin but the champ knocked out Rondinelli in the 14th round of a spirited tussle in Bigsby Garden in December. UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS Mar 3 in Boston: new heavyweight champion Bert Parks will make his first title defense since upsetting George Galleshaw to win the World Title. Parks will face Houston Harry Pratt, 27, in a bout at Denny Arena. Parks shocked the boxing establishment with a 7th round KO of Galleshaw in Chicago in their December bout. The Los Angeles native is 28-8 and ruined what was expected to be a fairly easy evening for Galleshaw. Pratt, a 26-year-old Texan, owns a 28-4 record but, other than a win over Dave Courtney, has not beaten any big name opponents. Apr 12 in Las Vegas: Longtime welterweight champion Lonnie Griffin defends his crown against Dan McMullan. The 30-year-old Griffn (40-5-1) has held the title on four different occasions and his bout against McMullan will be his third defense this time around. McMullan (22-1) is a 23-year-old rising star from South Carolina and is getting his first shot at the welterweight title. The Week That Was Current events from the week ending 2/11/1962 Released American U-2 spy pilot Francis Gary Powers will face a grilling from the CIA now that he has been returned to American soil following a prisoner exchange with Russia. In a letter received by President Kennedy, Russian Premier Khrushchev has proposed that eighteen heads of government meet in Geneva March 14 to open the conference on general disarmament. This after talks between the US, Britain and Russia on nuclear disarmament fell apart two weeks ago. Tensions are increasing rapidly in France as the danger of an attempt to overthrow the government of Charles de Gaulle by force and the possibility of a civil war in that country loom large. A leftist demonstration against the right wing Secret Army started quietly in Paris, as more that 30,000 French policemen were on hand, many in full riot gear armed with submachine guns to watch over some 200,000 protesters. US Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy arrived in Indonesia yesterday for a six-day visit. African Americans demanding desegregation of Macon city buses have called for a boycott of the transit system in the Georgia city and urged all "to walk in dignity rather than to ride in disgrace." Everything is a "go" but the weather as the orbital flight of Mercury astronaut John Glenn continues to wait for a safe flight window. Weather and some minor technical issues have delayed the launch more than two weeks. __________________ Cliff Markle HOB1 greatest pitcher 360-160, 9 Welch Awards, 11 WS titles