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ayaghmour2 · 12-07-2024, 06:34 PM

Weekly Record: 1-5
Seasonal Record: 7-6 (t-5th, 2 GB)
Stars of the Week
Jim Barton : 26 AB, 9 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI, .346 AVG, .947 OPS
Jerry McMillan : 24 AB, 8 H, 2 HR, 4 RBI, .333 AVG, .985 OPS
Gene Case : 22 AB, 6 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .273 AVG, .619 OPS

Schedule
4-23: Loss at Wranglers (1-5)
4-24: Win vs Sailors (1-4): 10 innings
4-25: Win vs Sailors (4-5)
4-26: Loss vs Sailors (6-2)
4-27: Loss at Stars (1-2): 10 innings
4-28: Loss at Stars (2-5)
4-29: Loss at Stars (3-5)

Recap
As expected, the wheels fell off very quickly, as our 5-win week was quickly followed up by a 5-loss one. As disappointing as it may feel, 7-6 is really exactly where I expected to be as we approach May, so we're right on track as I return to control in 1962. Losing to Dallas sucked, and getting swept by the Stars sucked even more, but we were on the road for both. In Chicago, we took two of three from the Sailors, winning a pair of one-run games, so really the only thing I'm disappointed in is the 2-1 loss to the Stars. Andy Logue was brilliant, allowing just 5 hits and a run with 5 strikeouts, completing 6 strong innings before giving way to Pug White. White gave us 2 scoreless with 2 strikeouts and Arch Wilson got a scoreless ninth. That should have been enough for a win, but we couldn't solve the Stars pitching. The trend continued in the 10th, but backup catcher Ron Johnston led off the bottom half with a bomb off Wilson, giving them momentum they'd use to start the sweep.

Logue was easily our most effective pitcher, but John Mitchell was excellent in our 4-1 win over the Sailors. Unfortunately, he almost had a shutout, but instead ended with a no decision. Pitching into the 9th, Mitchell allowed young backstop Larry McLaren to start the inning with a double. He got to third on a passed ball, though thankfully there was on scoring on a flyout to Watson in right. With the infield in, Tom Halliday gunned McLaren out at home, though instead of Mitchell getting to get the last out, Buck Cuppett went to Arch Wilson. It didn't work, he walked Edwin Hackberry on four pitches, and then allowed John Kingsbury to break the tie with an RBI single. With runners on second and third, Wilson walked Heinie Spitler to load the bases, and got a quick flyout to end the inning. We didn't score in the bottom half, so despite 8.2 innings of 7 hits, 1 run, and 3 walk, ball (with 4 strikeouts), Mitchell did not receive a win. Arch managed to poach it, as an 0-for-4 Jerry McMillan sent the fans home happy with a 2-out, 3-run homer.

It was McMillan's third homer of the season, and he hit his fourth in our 6-2 loss to finish the series. Off to an excellent start, he went 8-for-24 this week, slashing an incredible .396/.429/.755 (198 OPS+) with a double, 3 triples, 4 homers, 10 RBIs, 13 runs, and 3 steals. As good, if not better, then advertised, McMillan has done his best to spark the lineup, leading to strong performances from some of our best players. That includes Jim Barton, who joined his outfielder counterpart with a 2-homer week. Barton was 9-for-26, now hitting a strong .348/.375/.565 (139 OPS+) with 3 homers and 10 RBIs. This week, the duo didn't have as much support, but both Gene Case (.319, 1, 7, 3) and Tom Halliday (.321, 9, 1) are off to nice starts at the plate. Despite that, the rest of the lineup has really struggled, as we've been held to the 7th most runs in the CA. Chappy Sanders saw a quick drop-off, just 1-for-23, but guess what? That one was a homer! In fact, half of his six hits have left the park, but he's got 11 strikeouts to just a single walk, with a .133/.152/.378 (31 OPS+) line that looks like a member of his staff.

Unlike most Cougar teams I've had, the strength of the pitching has been the pen, as three of our rotation members have ERAs over 7 while all four pen members are under. The highest is Phil Means' 3.60 (127 ERA+), and that metric is still over 25% then average. Arch Wilson (2-1, 1.42, 3) has just one earned run, Pug White (1-0, 2, 1.93, 12) three, and even 34-year-old Bob Burdick (0-0, 3.18, 4) has looked good in a small sample. I was not able to claim any of the many players I tried to add, so for now it looks like this four man group is here to stay. Part of me wants to claim "Half-Pint" Ray Paulson, my former 5th Rounder, who they recently DFA'd. Paulson got all four batters he faced out, including a strikeout, and he's pitched in parts of four seasons for the Gothams. The results have been uninspiring, 28 hits, 15 runs, and 9 walks with 13 strikeouts in 31 innings. I love his leadership abilities and I love bringing old Cougars home, but with how good Means has been, I'm not sure it's worth disrupting that. His stuff is worse then Means and his stamina lower then Burdick, so aside from sentimentality it doesn't seem worth it. Luckily, I have until Monday night to decide!

I did have to make a roster move, as I had to find someone to send down for William Buttry. Buttry, who was claimed off waivers from the Stars last week, gives us another warm body for shortstop. A skilled situational player, he's a quality third basemen due to his plus-plus arm, and he's one of the toughest guys to strikeout. Late in game he gives us defensive flexibility, a quality baserunner, and a guy who can put the ball in play. He won't hit for a high average or much power, but if you need someone to move a batter over, he'll do his best to accomplish that. He'll now take the spot of the 34-year-old Moe Holt, who graciously accepted an optional assignment to Milwaukee. Another former Star, Holt was a regular for four seasons , two in New York, two in LA, and joined the Cougars in a 1955 offseason deal. He got two seasons as a starter too, but the four following seasons saw his playing time decrease, and if he finishes with 3 PAs (0-3) this year he'll keep that trend up. The optional assignment may not be too long, Billy Thompson (1-9, BB) hasn't hit much and is taking away time from Byron Burnett, but for now I want to stick with him and his glove, as I get Bobby Martinez more comfortable in center. Thompson is the superior defender, so sending him down would move Martinez back to right. I want him getting at least a month here, so Thompson has some time to get his bat back on track.

Looking Ahead
We're off on the final day of April, meaning we'll enter May 7-6 with a quick homestand. It's a tough one too, as we'll host the three time pennant winning Foresters, who are 8-5 and a game ahead of us and a game behind the first place tie. Regardless of how the first few months go, I'd still bet on the Foresters winning the CA, as they have a great lineup and staff, with very few weaknesses on the roster. With an off-day of their own, they'll likely skip their 5th starter too, leaving us with #4 Sonny Stoyer (1-0, 6.23, 10) in the opener, before facing the co-aces Jake Pearson (2-0, 2.35, 23) and Adrian Czerwinski (1-1, 5.56, 16). Czerwinski is still the elite pitcher he was when we left him, and they've gotten a decade of quality from Rufus Barrell (3-0, 2.62, 9) behind him. That alone would be enough to compete, but the offense is great. Former Whitney winner Sherry Doyal (.333, 3, 8, 1) now bats seventh, as past winners Earl Howe (.224, 1, 7), Tom Carr (.250, 7), and last year's winner John Low (.400, 3, 14) bat ahead of him. Paul Williams (.286, 7) is good enough to have won one in the past, and Hal Kennedy (.422, 3, 14) is the best catcher in the game. If you line us up player-for-player, our only edge is in the pen, as Pug White is far better then Johnny Ogden (0-3, 3, 4.15, 12), and former Forester Arch Wilson probably has the edge. But since baseball isn't determined by soley your top two relievers, expect most if not all the wins between these two teams to go to the team without a pennant drought.

In terms of competition, it gets easier, as while we will have to hit the road, our destination will be Montreal. At 4-9, the Saints are in 9th place, ahead of just the 2-11 New York Imperials. If you thought our rotation had ugly ERAs, there's are even worse, as 27-year-old Jerry Duncan's (2-1, 5.40, 9) 5.40 ERA (85 ERA+) is best among pitchers with 9 innings pitched. You can thank Bob Nelson (0-0, 2.08, 6) and Cliff Dinger (0-0, SV, 2.16, 9) have more then 8 but fewer then 9 innings, providing a quick haven from the runs in the pen. They have been scoring a bunch, surprisingly 4th in runs scored, as former Cougar 6th Rounder Art Robbins, who I totally forgot I drafted in the 6th Round. Aside from one of the AI GMs sending him to Montreal for Bert Cupid, it was a great pick, as Robbins was an All-Star in 1957, and is hitting an outstanding .422/.490/.711 (203 OPS+) in his first 51 PAs. Obviously, this isn't sustainable, but Art is a quality defender and career .266/.318/.411 (99 OPS+) hitter in 861 FABL games. If they decide to sell, he could be a heavily targeted piece, with other options outfielder Jim Johnston (.306, 2 4), former Cougar Garland Phelps (.306, 1, 6), and desperate change-of-scenery candidate Jim Montgomery (1-2, 7.41, 13). On paper, we should be winning this one easily, and while it's not a brand new stadium, it will be my first trip with the team to the Stade Memorial. Long gone are the days of the spacious Parc Cartier, as we'll look to hit plenty of poor pitches over the outfield fences.

Minor League Report
LF Dode Caudill (AA Little Rock Governors): It almost never happens this way, but our first Player of the Week happens to be our first ranked prospect! Up to 21st in the league after making a jump due to defensive improvements, it was the bat of Dode Caudill that caught the eye of the Dixie League voters. Named Player of the Week on his 23rd birthday, Caudill hit .438/.571/.1.000 (318 OPS+) with 3 homers, 7 RBIs, 5 walks, and 2 steals. Our first rounder in 1960, he made huge strides defensively in the offseason, and while I still don't trust him in center, he could play that well. With his arm, he might be best in right, but the more obvious spot in our outfield is left. Barton is technically the weakest link, and both Watson and McMillan have stronger arms then Caudill. Caudill might have the most power potential, as it's already evident now and still has room to improve. It's probably at the level of Barton and McMillan right now, with just Watson showing more now. Add in pitch recognition skills, discipline, and a strong contract tool, and you've got a potential middle-of-the-rotation hitter. Dixie thinks he'll be better then any of our non-McMillan outfielders, and part of that is likely due to our Canadians defensive prowess. I have extremely high hopes for our top prospect, who's probably FABL ready today, and it would take a legit superstar for me to part with him. Though as big league ready as he is, don't expect him in Chicago this season, as this week was his first five games in AA, and there's no need to rush him up to a bench role.

3B Bob Brown (B San Jose Cougars): The other Player of the Week for the organization, it came from an extremely unlikely source. Taken in the 16th Round last season, Bob Brown got into just 18 games, half in La Crosse, half in San Jose, and the now 19-year-old made just a single start in his first half-season. This year, he's been given the starting third base job for the baby Cougars, and he's already been better then he was last year. Brown went 6-for-16, providing San Jose with 6 runs, 6 RBIs, and 4 walks. Only one of his hits wasn't for extra bases, as he has a double, triple, and three home runs. This all equates to a highly unusual .375/.524/1.125 (331 OPS+) batting line that even a superstar like Dallas Berry or Buddy Miller might not be able to match. An unheralded prospect, I didn't even know who he was before today, but perhaps he deserves a second look. A quality second and third basemen, he's got an advanced eye, great speed, and a cannon of an arm, but there's not much to suggest his recent success will lead to a FABL career. Still, there's something to be said about performance, and this 5-game sample may do him wonders whenever it's time to trim the edges of the organization.

12-07-2024, 06:34 PM	#1542
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,012	Week 2: April 23rd-April 29th Weekly Record: 1-5 Seasonal Record: 7-6 (t-5th, 2 GB) Stars of the Week Jim Barton : 26 AB, 9 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI, .346 AVG, .947 OPS Jerry McMillan : 24 AB, 8 H, 2 HR, 4 RBI, .333 AVG, .985 OPS Gene Case : 22 AB, 6 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .273 AVG, .619 OPS Schedule 4-23: Loss at Wranglers (1-5) 4-24: Win vs Sailors (1-4): 10 innings 4-25: Win vs Sailors (4-5) 4-26: Loss vs Sailors (6-2) 4-27: Loss at Stars (1-2): 10 innings 4-28: Loss at Stars (2-5) 4-29: Loss at Stars (3-5) Recap As expected, the wheels fell off very quickly, as our 5-win week was quickly followed up by a 5-loss one. As disappointing as it may feel, 7-6 is really exactly where I expected to be as we approach May, so we're right on track as I return to control in 1962. Losing to Dallas sucked, and getting swept by the Stars sucked even more, but we were on the road for both. In Chicago, we took two of three from the Sailors, winning a pair of one-run games, so really the only thing I'm disappointed in is the 2-1 loss to the Stars. Andy Logue was brilliant, allowing just 5 hits and a run with 5 strikeouts, completing 6 strong innings before giving way to Pug White. White gave us 2 scoreless with 2 strikeouts and Arch Wilson got a scoreless ninth. That should have been enough for a win, but we couldn't solve the Stars pitching. The trend continued in the 10th, but backup catcher Ron Johnston led off the bottom half with a bomb off Wilson, giving them momentum they'd use to start the sweep. Logue was easily our most effective pitcher, but John Mitchell was excellent in our 4-1 win over the Sailors. Unfortunately, he almost had a shutout, but instead ended with a no decision. Pitching into the 9th, Mitchell allowed young backstop Larry McLaren to start the inning with a double. He got to third on a passed ball, though thankfully there was on scoring on a flyout to Watson in right. With the infield in, Tom Halliday gunned McLaren out at home, though instead of Mitchell getting to get the last out, Buck Cuppett went to Arch Wilson. It didn't work, he walked Edwin Hackberry on four pitches, and then allowed John Kingsbury to break the tie with an RBI single. With runners on second and third, Wilson walked Heinie Spitler to load the bases, and got a quick flyout to end the inning. We didn't score in the bottom half, so despite 8.2 innings of 7 hits, 1 run, and 3 walk, ball (with 4 strikeouts), Mitchell did not receive a win. Arch managed to poach it, as an 0-for-4 Jerry McMillan sent the fans home happy with a 2-out, 3-run homer. It was McMillan's third homer of the season, and he hit his fourth in our 6-2 loss to finish the series. Off to an excellent start, he went 8-for-24 this week, slashing an incredible .396/.429/.755 (198 OPS+) with a double, 3 triples, 4 homers, 10 RBIs, 13 runs, and 3 steals. As good, if not better, then advertised, McMillan has done his best to spark the lineup, leading to strong performances from some of our best players. That includes Jim Barton, who joined his outfielder counterpart with a 2-homer week. Barton was 9-for-26, now hitting a strong .348/.375/.565 (139 OPS+) with 3 homers and 10 RBIs. This week, the duo didn't have as much support, but both Gene Case (.319, 1, 7, 3) and Tom Halliday (.321, 9, 1) are off to nice starts at the plate. Despite that, the rest of the lineup has really struggled, as we've been held to the 7th most runs in the CA. Chappy Sanders saw a quick drop-off, just 1-for-23, but guess what? That one was a homer! In fact, half of his six hits have left the park, but he's got 11 strikeouts to just a single walk, with a .133/.152/.378 (31 OPS+) line that looks like a member of his staff. Unlike most Cougar teams I've had, the strength of the pitching has been the pen, as three of our rotation members have ERAs over 7 while all four pen members are under. The highest is Phil Means' 3.60 (127 ERA+), and that metric is still over 25% then average. Arch Wilson (2-1, 1.42, 3) has just one earned run, Pug White (1-0, 2, 1.93, 12) three, and even 34-year-old Bob Burdick (0-0, 3.18, 4) has looked good in a small sample. I was not able to claim any of the many players I tried to add, so for now it looks like this four man group is here to stay. Part of me wants to claim "Half-Pint" Ray Paulson, my former 5th Rounder, who they recently DFA'd. Paulson got all four batters he faced out, including a strikeout, and he's pitched in parts of four seasons for the Gothams. The results have been uninspiring, 28 hits, 15 runs, and 9 walks with 13 strikeouts in 31 innings. I love his leadership abilities and I love bringing old Cougars home, but with how good Means has been, I'm not sure it's worth disrupting that. His stuff is worse then Means and his stamina lower then Burdick, so aside from sentimentality it doesn't seem worth it. Luckily, I have until Monday night to decide! I did have to make a roster move, as I had to find someone to send down for William Buttry. Buttry, who was claimed off waivers from the Stars last week, gives us another warm body for shortstop. A skilled situational player, he's a quality third basemen due to his plus-plus arm, and he's one of the toughest guys to strikeout. Late in game he gives us defensive flexibility, a quality baserunner, and a guy who can put the ball in play. He won't hit for a high average or much power, but if you need someone to move a batter over, he'll do his best to accomplish that. He'll now take the spot of the 34-year-old Moe Holt, who graciously accepted an optional assignment to Milwaukee. Another former Star, Holt was a regular for four seasons , two in New York, two in LA, and joined the Cougars in a 1955 offseason deal. He got two seasons as a starter too, but the four following seasons saw his playing time decrease, and if he finishes with 3 PAs (0-3) this year he'll keep that trend up. The optional assignment may not be too long, Billy Thompson (1-9, BB) hasn't hit much and is taking away time from Byron Burnett, but for now I want to stick with him and his glove, as I get Bobby Martinez more comfortable in center. Thompson is the superior defender, so sending him down would move Martinez back to right. I want him getting at least a month here, so Thompson has some time to get his bat back on track. Looking Ahead We're off on the final day of April, meaning we'll enter May 7-6 with a quick homestand. It's a tough one too, as we'll host the three time pennant winning Foresters, who are 8-5 and a game ahead of us and a game behind the first place tie. Regardless of how the first few months go, I'd still bet on the Foresters winning the CA, as they have a great lineup and staff, with very few weaknesses on the roster. With an off-day of their own, they'll likely skip their 5th starter too, leaving us with #4 Sonny Stoyer (1-0, 6.23, 10) in the opener, before facing the co-aces Jake Pearson (2-0, 2.35, 23) and Adrian Czerwinski (1-1, 5.56, 16). Czerwinski is still the elite pitcher he was when we left him, and they've gotten a decade of quality from Rufus Barrell (3-0, 2.62, 9) behind him. That alone would be enough to compete, but the offense is great. Former Whitney winner Sherry Doyal (.333, 3, 8, 1) now bats seventh, as past winners Earl Howe (.224, 1, 7), Tom Carr (.250, 7), and last year's winner John Low (.400, 3, 14) bat ahead of him. Paul Williams (.286, 7) is good enough to have won one in the past, and Hal Kennedy (.422, 3, 14) is the best catcher in the game. If you line us up player-for-player, our only edge is in the pen, as Pug White is far better then Johnny Ogden (0-3, 3, 4.15, 12), and former Forester Arch Wilson probably has the edge. But since baseball isn't determined by soley your top two relievers, expect most if not all the wins between these two teams to go to the team without a pennant drought. In terms of competition, it gets easier, as while we will have to hit the road, our destination will be Montreal. At 4-9, the Saints are in 9th place, ahead of just the 2-11 New York Imperials. If you thought our rotation had ugly ERAs, there's are even worse, as 27-year-old Jerry Duncan's (2-1, 5.40, 9) 5.40 ERA (85 ERA+) is best among pitchers with 9 innings pitched. You can thank Bob Nelson (0-0, 2.08, 6) and Cliff Dinger (0-0, SV, 2.16, 9) have more then 8 but fewer then 9 innings, providing a quick haven from the runs in the pen. They have been scoring a bunch, surprisingly 4th in runs scored, as former Cougar 6th Rounder Art Robbins, who I totally forgot I drafted in the 6th Round. Aside from one of the AI GMs sending him to Montreal for Bert Cupid, it was a great pick, as Robbins was an All-Star in 1957, and is hitting an outstanding .422/.490/.711 (203 OPS+) in his first 51 PAs. Obviously, this isn't sustainable, but Art is a quality defender and career .266/.318/.411 (99 OPS+) hitter in 861 FABL games. If they decide to sell, he could be a heavily targeted piece, with other options outfielder Jim Johnston (.306, 2 4), former Cougar Garland Phelps (.306, 1, 6), and desperate change-of-scenery candidate Jim Montgomery (1-2, 7.41, 13). On paper, we should be winning this one easily, and while it's not a brand new stadium, it will be my first trip with the team to the Stade Memorial. Long gone are the days of the spacious Parc Cartier, as we'll look to hit plenty of poor pitches over the outfield fences. Minor League Report LF Dode Caudill (AA Little Rock Governors): It almost never happens this way, but our first Player of the Week happens to be our first ranked prospect! Up to 21st in the league after making a jump due to defensive improvements, it was the bat of Dode Caudill that caught the eye of the Dixie League voters. Named Player of the Week on his 23rd birthday, Caudill hit .438/.571/.1.000 (318 OPS+) with 3 homers, 7 RBIs, 5 walks, and 2 steals. Our first rounder in 1960, he made huge strides defensively in the offseason, and while I still don't trust him in center, he could play that well. With his arm, he might be best in right, but the more obvious spot in our outfield is left. Barton is technically the weakest link, and both Watson and McMillan have stronger arms then Caudill. Caudill might have the most power potential, as it's already evident now and still has room to improve. It's probably at the level of Barton and McMillan right now, with just Watson showing more now. Add in pitch recognition skills, discipline, and a strong contract tool, and you've got a potential middle-of-the-rotation hitter. Dixie thinks he'll be better then any of our non-McMillan outfielders, and part of that is likely due to our Canadians defensive prowess. I have extremely high hopes for our top prospect, who's probably FABL ready today, and it would take a legit superstar for me to part with him. Though as big league ready as he is, don't expect him in Chicago this season, as this week was his first five games in AA, and there's no need to rush him up to a bench role. 3B Bob Brown (B San Jose Cougars): The other Player of the Week for the organization, it came from an extremely unlikely source. Taken in the 16th Round last season, Bob Brown got into just 18 games, half in La Crosse, half in San Jose, and the now 19-year-old made just a single start in his first half-season. This year, he's been given the starting third base job for the baby Cougars, and he's already been better then he was last year. Brown went 6-for-16, providing San Jose with 6 runs, 6 RBIs, and 4 walks. Only one of his hits wasn't for extra bases, as he has a double, triple, and three home runs. This all equates to a highly unusual .375/.524/1.125 (331 OPS+) batting line that even a superstar like Dallas Berry or Buddy Miller might not be able to match. An unheralded prospect, I didn't even know who he was before today, but perhaps he deserves a second look. A quality second and third basemen, he's got an advanced eye, great speed, and a cannon of an arm, but there's not much to suggest his recent success will lead to a FABL career. Still, there's something to be said about performance, and this 5-game sample may do him wonders whenever it's time to trim the edges of the organization.