[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 4-2
Seasonal Record: 11-8 (t-4th, 2 GB)
Stars of the Week
Tom Halliday : 22 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .409 AVG, .955 OPS
Mooney Vetter : 22 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .409 AVG, .889 OPS
Archie Wilson : 1 Win, 1 Saves, 3.2 IP, 2 BB, 1 K, 0.00 ERA

Schedule
5-1: Win vs Foresters (6-9)
5-2: Loss vs Foresters (4-1): 11 innings
5-3: Loss vs Foresters (1-0): 10 innings
5-4: Win at Saints (5-3)
5-5: Win at Saints (6-3)
5-6: Win at Saints (6-4)

Recap
As expected, we struggled against the Foresters and succeeded against the Saints, but I was very impressed with how competitive we were hosting the Foresters. We took care of business, getting nine off Les Hanauer (0-2, 6.02, 16) and Lynn Horn (0-0, 1, 5.68, 6), and in both of our losses the defending pennant winners needed extra innings to dispatch of us. We just had the misfortune of facing Adrian Czerwinski (1-1, 4.50, 21) and Jake Pearson (3-0, 1.64, 25), the latter of which fashioned a 5-hit shutout. He struck out and walked two in ten impressive innings, as Henry Watson (2-4) and Jim Barton (3-4, 2B) were just too far apart in the lineup to make a difference. Andy Logue (6.1 IP, 2 H, ER, 6 BB, 3 K) and Roy Ellis (6 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 3 K) both pitched well enough to win, and it's a shame that they didn't get wins to go with them. It would have been nice to see these guys pitch deeper into their starts, but long gone are the days where Peter the Heater, Duke Bybee, and the Jones Brothers could all throw complete game victories despite allowing a run or two.

Against lesser competition, the offense had better luck, getting 5 or more runs in each game of our sweep. A lot of our success can be attributed to the top ranked pitching staff, as believe it our not our aceless rotation has allowed the fewest runs in baseball. Only Hank Walker had poor starts, as the outspoken 29-year-old allowed 4 runs in both of his starts. We managed to win both, with Walker himself picking up the victory in Montreal. He allowed 9 hits and 4 walks with 5 strikeouts in 7 innings, pitching well enough to get it to the pen. Surprisingly, Bob Burdick got the call, but the veteran righty managed to pick up his second save. Pitching the 8th and 9th, he avoided runs despite two hits and walks, capping off our sweep. The first win came in the opener, following an outstanding John Mitchell start. The 25-year-old went 8 innings with 8 hits, 3 runs, and 2 walks, striking out 7 before ceding control to Burdick in the 9th. With a 5-3 lead, he walked just one in a scoreless 9th, pushing our record back over .500. The middle game was Bob Allen's best start of the season, as my former 1st Rounder allowed 7 hits, a run, and 2 walks with 4 strikeouts in 6 innings. He didn't get a decision, as he left down 1-0. Pug White then made it 3-0, allowing 2 in the 8th, a rare misstep for our solid stopper. He allowed 4 hits and a walk, striking out 2 in 2 innings of work.

Obviously we won, but the 9th inning is still worth retelling, as our offense showed fight I didn't expect. Down 3-0 against the starter who stifled them all game, backup catcher Bill Plunkett drew his second walk of the game, and thankfully he was quickly replaced by Buddy Byrd, who grounded into a fielder's choice. It was a huge upgrade, as we took our catcher off the bases and added one of the top baserunners in the league. His skills weren't needed, as Chuck Droste (0-4, 5.52, 15) walked both Chappy Sanders and Jerry McMillan to load the bases. Even with the walk being on four pitches, Montreal skipper Lynn Gray stuck with his starter, setting up a duel with Tom Halliday. It was a quick one, as Halliday pounced on the first pitch and singled over the second basemen.

At this point, Gray went to the pen, bringing in Chicagoan Bob Nelson (0-0, 1, 3.68, 10) for the save. The 22-year-old righty had to deal with the lefty Gene Case, who brought us within one with a single over the third basemen. Bases still loaded, 23-year-old All-Star Henry Watson had a chance to break the tie, and he roped one the fly to right. With three great baserunners, everyone was able to score, and Watson slid in easily with a base clearing triple. Jim Barton worked a 3-2 count before getting called looking, but third basemen Mooney Vetter picked him up with an RBI single. Up 6-0, Bill Plunkett got to finish what he started, flying out to shallow center to end the inning. Instead of Pug, Arch Wilson got the 9th, and it started poor when Fred Jones singled on the first pitch. Lucky for us, Arch works best with runners on, as his groundball often end in double plays. Over excited, Al Bennett fell victim to one, quickly quashing the Montreal rally. Bill Elkins offered little resistance with two gone, hitting one to Case at first to go down easy. An impressive win, we'll need to use that energy to keep us going, with tougher games scheduled ahead.

Looking Ahead
The Canadian roadtrip continues and finishes with Toronto, where we'll play three at Dominion Stadium with the 3rd Place Wolves. At 12-7, they're just a game back of the Kings, but dropping two of three to us would allow us to pass them. A sweep of us, however, could do well to put them on top, as Toronto will look to throw George Hoxworth (3-0, 3.09, 24) in the opener to get a head start. After that, we won't have to deal with a top arm, instead getting former Cougar draftee Mike Emerson (2-2, 7.33, 9) and top 100 prospect Bill Medley (0-4, 5.04, 18). Medley is an exciting prospect, and could be a quality rotation arm soon, but I think the 21-year-old righty may need more experience in the minors. He threw just 7 innings in AAA last season, which was also the first year he pitched above A-ball. But with the way Tom Reed (.453, 4, 14, 1) has been hitting so far, it doesn't really matter who's pitched, and he's supported well in the outfield with Jim Allen (.324, 3, 7) and Sid Cullen (.324, 4, 11). Another hero from him is an old friend, as our former 11th Rounder Charlie Harvey has hit ..373/.449/.458 (131 OPS+) in 69 trips to the plate. Obviously, it's a small sample, but Harvey did have a 109 WRC+ last season, and despite his defensive flaws he's been helping the Wolves score a lot of runs. Despite all the runs, I'm not too scared of this lineup, and since we get the top of our rotation I'm confident in getting the results we need.

It won't get easier after that, as we'll have to deal with the first place Kings before our Sunday offday. Homefield advantage may not be a good thing, as I don't want Hank Williams (.371, 7, 16) taking advantage of our short fences. With guys like him, Al Farmer (.325, 5, 16), and Ken Newman (.311, 2, 17, 3) the back of our rotation could be in trouble, as they can all go deep. Newman is dealing with an elbow injury, which could limit his effectiveness, but this lineup is deep enough to survive that and the struggles of Illinois native Charlie Rogers (.221, 1, 3, 3). Bob Burge (.310, 1, 13) looks comfortable in the starting catcher role, and if reigning Kellogg winner Pat Davis (.342, 12, 6) is still homerless when we meet, he'll certainly get one against us. The 24-year-old hit 19 of them last season, but more impressively he provided the Kings with 33 doubles, 33 steals, and a Continental high 17 triples. Even without a homer, he has a 127 WRC+ and .507 slugging, legging out 5 triples with a pair of doubles, 6 walks, and 13 runs scored. Even if the staff has question marks, they're having results better then pretty much everyone but us, and our lineup doesn't come anywhere close to theirs. It will be a tough series for sure, and I would not be surprised if we lost more of these then we won.

Minor League Report
RHP Ken Stone (AAA Milwaukee Blues): If he was still a prospect, Ken Stone would be the clear #1 in our system, as the 22-year-old righty has the most upside of any pitcher in our system, and Dixie Marsh basically says he's our best starter now and forever. A 2nd Rounder in 1957, Stone could be a throwback ace, able to pitch effectively deep into games. Of course, he can also get you out quickly, as he managed a 1-hit, 3-strikeout shutout with just 76 pitches. 76! The Blues have been awful this year, so that 1-0 shutout led to win #4 on the year, as Stone himself improved to 1-2 despite allowing just 2 runs or fewer in three of his four starts. Ranked as high as 14th on the prospect list, Stone's got a lethal curve that's among the best in the league, and with an excellent mid-to-high 90s fastball that pairs perfectly with a nifty change. Add in two more fastballs for fun and Stone can really overpower, but what makes him a perfect fit for Chicago is his ability to keep the ball on the ground. From a sidearm slot, he's tough to elevate, and he may be one of the few pitchers to keep homers low in Chicago. The last thing he's working out now is the command, as in his first two seasons in Chicago he gave hitters too many punishable pitches. While not wild, there was too much middle/middle, and aside from his first AAA start, he's done well to limit that down in Milwaukee. If all goes well, 1962 will be his first and only year of optional assignment, and he can play a key part in our future rotations for seasons to come.

CF Wayne Wilson (AA Little Rock Governors): We've done well with Player of the Week awards, as Wayne Wilson took home another in the Dixie League. The 22-year-old outfielder hit a strong 10-for-26 with a double, triple, 5 homers, and 12 RBIs. The most impressive part is that he twisted his ankle on the first, and all five homers came after the incident. This included a three game streak and two in a 9-3 win over the Reliables to end the week, upping his season line to a spectacular .295/.354/.795 (201 OPS+) in 12 games. He entered the week with a home run, and now has 9 extra base hits in 48 plate appearances. The former Stars 11th Rounder is striking out a fair bit, already 8 on the year, but he's countered it with four walks, and obviously, the power. A big 6'4'' lefty, he's the type of guy you expect to hit a lot of homers, but what makes him exciting is his athleticism. He's got outstanding range in the outfield, even if he isn't the fastest guy out there. Sure, we have more exciting outfield options ahead of him, but he could already fill a 5th outfielder role, and his presence allows us to feel comfortable trading more desirable prospects if we choose.

CF Orlando Benitez (B San Jose Cougars): Regardless of how the week went, I was going to cover Orlando Benitez, but to force my hand the 19-year-old went out and won himself a Player of the Week. One of my favorite prospects, the Cuban born outfielder was the Cougars first rounder last year, and ranks 55th on the prospect list. He'd hit as you'd expect a highly regarded youngster to hit, 12-for-21 with 2 doubles, triples, homers, and steals. The award winner added on 4 walks, 7 runs, and 9 RBIs, and is now hitting .436/.500/.744 (232 OPS+) in a near perfect start to his first pro season. A toolsy prospect with work ethic questions, there is no denying the natural talent, as despite his size he's a prospect evaluators dream. He's got top line speed which should lead to lop line defense, and he's got a plus-plus arm at third to go with the outfield. I don't expect him to get much time on the dirt, but he'd be capable at the hot corner, and his raw power would play there. He's got an enticing hit tool too, capable of maintaining high averages with more then just singles. The only question left now is how much he wants to be a star, as there will always be questions about the aforementioned work ethic. You don't have to be the hardest worker in the world to succeed, but if at some point the competition catches up to him, he'll be faced with the dilemma of working for improvement.

RHP Art Ozbun (B San Jose Cougars): One thing the AI loved doing is releasing guys right after they were drafted, and in the case of former 10th Rounder Art Ozburn, we were the one that eventually profited. To be fair, we released him once too, but after bringing him back the day after he was cut by the Eagles (for the third time) we snapped him up. I don't plan on cutting him any time soon, as the 21-year-old has a five rated fastball and slider with a four change for fun. There's a middling cutter too, but in the high 90s almost anything is tough to hit. I mean, tell the Vancouver Mounties that it's only a "three" after he sliced through their lineup in San Jose's 2-0 win. The young righty allowed just 4 hits, striking out 12 in a thorough domination. Most impressively, he didn't walk a single batter, with just one in his first 15.1 innings. With his stuff I'm already salivating about his future, as if he can just make any progress with his movement or control he's going to be legit.

Obviously Pug White has filthy stuff, but I honestly don't see another guy with better stuff then Oz. Sure the other eight guys are at least twice the pitcher he is, but that just shows you how lucky we are to have a guy like him. At his absolute worst, he's got FABL stuff you can stash in the pen, as I'd like to see Jim Barton, Mooney Vetter, and Buddy Byrd to try to start a rally against this guy. He's really tough to put bat to ball against, and with his "always loose as a goose" personality, the fireballing Oz has elite fireman written all over him. That's a great fallback plan, and a areal knock on the overall prospect rankings. He just finally entered the top 500, ranked 494th and 29th in our system. Aside from Ken Stone and maybe Henry Henderson, there's not another guy in this farm I'd trade Oz for, and since I actually have a chance to develop him, he may feel like my first real prospect. It's definitely going to take sometime for the team to feal truly like mine, but as evident with Oz here, it's pretty easy for these 1s and 0s to act and feel like real life ballplayers.