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ayaghmour2 · 01-03-2025, 03:07 PM

Weekly Record: 2-4
Seasonal Record: 43-34 (5th, 7 GB)
Stars of the Week
Henry Watson : 28 AB, 12 H, 3 HR, 11 RBI, .429 AVG, 1.305 OPS
Jerry McMillan : 29 AB, 15 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .517 AVG, 1.138 OPS
Gene Case : 25 AB, 8 H, 2 HR, 7 RBI, .320 AVG, 1.198 OPS

Schedule
7-2: Win at Saints (11-6)
7-3: Loss at Saints (5-8)
7-5: Win at Wolves (7-3): 10 innings
7-6: Loss at Wolves (4-8)
7-7: Loss at Wolves (2-6)
7-8: Loss vs Kings (2-0)

Recap
Canada! Why do you do this to us!

The Wolves (36-41) and Saints (32-45) may not be doing much damage to the good teams in the league, but of course, they both decided to take two of three from us north of the border. When we returned home, are fortunes weren't any better, as rookie Allie Boone threw a 2-hit, 6-strikeout shutout in his first career start. The 2-4 week dropped us from the tie for 2nd to 5th, as out opponents got to four behind the Foresters. If we keep playing like we did this week, they might be able to get even closer!

Our starting pitching was rough, with only two starts of any quality. One was wasted, as poor Hank Walker was hit with a loss in the Boone shutout. He allowed just a single run, finishing 6 with 2 hits, a walk, and 2 strikeouts. It's his third start of four with just a single earned run, but today's was actually the first of those four he didn't allow an unearned run. Roy Ellis had the next closest thing to a good start, 6 innings with 6 hits, 3 runs, and a strikeout. It wasn't his typical good start, but he didn't allow a walk, and with late scoring in extras we were able to come away victorious. Arch Wilson got the win, his 7th of the season, and one of three shutout opportunities this week. He picked up 5.1 innings with 4 hits, a walk, and 5 strikeouts, dropping his ERA back down to 0.75 (598 ERA+).

Most of the offense struggled, but not Gene Case! Now considered a top-5 first basemen, Case went 9-for-24 with a double, 3 homers, 7 RBIs, 4 runs, 3 walks, and a steal. Case's next homer will be his 20th, and he's hitting a robust .318/.402/.578 (151 OPS+) on the season. It's a shame he didn't get credit for his amazing June, as our slugger hit 11 homers and drove in 26 runs, drawing 19 walks to 17 strikeouts. His .327/.423/.703 (186 OPS+) month line was equally impressive, but he's just stuck playing in the same association as Hank Williams. No player of the week either, has Hal Kennedy's 12-for-23 with 3 homers, 7 RBIs, and 6 runs got the job done. Yes, it was deserved, but I would have loved for our budding young star to get some league wide respect.

Looking Ahead
We get two more with the Kings in Chicago, as Bob Allen (5-4, 5.64, 52) and Roy Ellis (6-2, 3.58, 67) take on 2-Time Allen winner Fred Washington (7-6, 4.60, 66) and second year pitcher Curly Anderson (6-2, 4.69, 59). Allen was on a nice little stretch before allowing 8 runs (7 earned) in his last outing, but the Kings lineup is one of the toughest ones to face when you are looking to right the ship. We are lucky to get the back-end of the rotation, avoiding the talented Beau McClellan (11-3, 3.53, 106) who is expected to start their series with the Sailors. Obviously, the worry comes from the lineup, where along with June Batter of the Month Hank Williams (.371, 25, 69), there are weapons from top to bottom. One that gets overlooked is the speedy Pat Davis, who after winning the Kellogg last year is hitting .350/.382/.527 (130 OPS+) with a Continental high 24 stolen bases. It took him awhile to get his first home run, that came on May 12th against up, but he's up to 8 now with 17 doubles, 6 triples, 50 RBis, and 53 runs scored. The speedy outfielder has been strong in left (3.5, 1.064), making him a dangerous all-around threat that should be taken seriously. Lucky for them, he's just one of many options, and probably the most over-qualified six hitter in FABL.

This will be a fun series!

Thankfully, it does get easier after, as while we will be on the road, we get to face the one team in the Continental that has never beat us before. That's the New York Imperials, who are 0-8 against us, and a still miserable 18-51 against everyone else. They've beat the other eight teams that share the CA with us, and they've been equally bad at scoring (289) and preventing runs (484), ranked 10th in both cases. If there is a bright side, it's that they have two talented young sluggers, including personal favorite of mine Turk Ramsey. The 27-year-old leads the team with 20 longballs, behind just Whitney contenders Dallas Berry (.354, 28, 80, 10) and Hank Williams in the CA's race. His .279/.318/.516 (109 OPS+) just a bit above average, as he's the classic high power, high whiff slugger who can find a spot in any lineup. His performance was expected, but that of Jack Woods has been a surprise. A few months younger, he turns 27 in September, and has hit a respectable .294/.324/.486 (104 OPS+) with 16 homers and 35 RBIs. Like Turk, there's a lot of power and a lot of strikeouts, and both are bat only types. Their youth works in their favor, as the Imperials aren't going to compete any time soon, but on a team without may performing vets they could be the only trade pieces of value.

New York has some former Cougar draftees they could trade as well, as the only other member of their lineup with at least an average OPS+ or WRC+ is my former 6th Rounder Joe Dorch. One of the guys we lost in the expansion draft, it was Dorch's second stint in the organization, as he got minimal time from 1955 to 1959, before being lost to the Foresters on waivers. Two years later, we claimed him back, and he hit a respectable .324/.379/.438 (117 OPS+) in 116 PAs post-claim. Combined with the four he took with the Foresters, the 120 was second to his rookie season, but he's already up over 200 for the league's worst team. Now 32, he's hit .297/.361/.423 (100 OPS+), adding 12 doubles, 3 homers, and 21 RBIs. Skilled at putting the ball in play, he's taken advantage of his opportunity, and for a team in need of a bench bat, he could be had cheap. Same could be said for former 4th Rounder Milt Lane (2-5, 4.21, 30), who was a regular rotation member for the Saints' AAA team, and has impressed as a 32-year-old rookie. It's just 7 starts, but his ERA+ (108) is above average, and his 4.73 FIP (103 FIP-) isn't terrible. It's at least better then another former draftee of mine, Ernie Tisdale (3-9, 5.59, 56), and with a few more solid starts before the deadline, New York can convert Lane into prospect capital. They have a large rebuilding project in front of them, so it's nice seeing that some of the roles in their lost season are being filled by former Cougars who never quite got a fair shake.

Our weekend is spent back at home, where we host the Cincinnati Cannons for the first two of a three game set. At 44-33, they're tied with the Sailors for third, a game ahead of us and six behind the leaders. Most of their success is due to their star, as Whitney favorite Dallas Berry has pounded CA pitching, mashing to the tune of .354/.469/.769 (208 OPS+) with 18 doubles, 28 homers, 55 walks, 68 runs, and 80 RBIs. Already worth a whopping 5.6 WAR, a measure nearly every player in FABL who plays this season won't sniff in a full year, Berry has strengthened his hold on the top position player, and will be a nightmare for us to deal with. Planning to neutralize Bonnie Chapin (.320, 16, 53) can be difficult too, and on the mound we have to worry about Chicago's Charlie Warren (10-3, 3.22, 81) and Lockport's Red Cunningham (6-4, 3.78, 56). Both Illinois hurlers are pitching to the best of their ability, and their overperforming has allowed the Cannons to play as well as they have.

Minor League Report
CF Bob Starr (AA Little Rock Governors): So it seems like promoting players is a way to get their performance up? Who knew!

It wasn't a Player of the Week for Bob Starr, who went from Rockford to Little Rock, but the Chicago native had a masterful three homer game. Somehow, the 58th ranked prospect didn't do enough, as despite his 4-for-5 effort, the Governors fell to Knoxville 9-8. Responsible for 5 of the 8 runs, all but one of his hits for the week came in this game, so he has a quirky .217/.296/.609 (134 OPS+) line through his first six games. One of the most disciplined hitters in our system, Starr has a 5 rated eye, but he still has a tendency to swing and miss. That's led to 10 strikeouts in 27 PAs, and despite the impeccable eye, whiff issues may follow him. His contact tool is the only one below average, as he's an elite defender with solid pop. He has the traits of a quality starting center fielder, but in a system with so many good outfield bats, it might be hard for the 21-year-old to separate himself from the rest of the group.

But a three homer game? Talk about a way to get yourself front and center!

01-03-2025, 03:07 PM	#1561
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 12: July 2nd-July 8th Weekly Record: 2-4 Seasonal Record: 43-34 (5th, 7 GB) Stars of the Week Henry Watson : 28 AB, 12 H, 3 HR, 11 RBI, .429 AVG, 1.305 OPS Jerry McMillan : 29 AB, 15 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .517 AVG, 1.138 OPS Gene Case : 25 AB, 8 H, 2 HR, 7 RBI, .320 AVG, 1.198 OPS Schedule 7-2: Win at Saints (11-6) 7-3: Loss at Saints (5-8) 7-5: Win at Wolves (7-3): 10 innings 7-6: Loss at Wolves (4-8) 7-7: Loss at Wolves (2-6) 7-8: Loss vs Kings (2-0) Recap Canada! Why do you do this to us! The Wolves (36-41) and Saints (32-45) may not be doing much damage to the good teams in the league, but of course, they both decided to take two of three from us north of the border. When we returned home, are fortunes weren't any better, as rookie Allie Boone threw a 2-hit, 6-strikeout shutout in his first career start. The 2-4 week dropped us from the tie for 2nd to 5th, as out opponents got to four behind the Foresters. If we keep playing like we did this week, they might be able to get even closer! Our starting pitching was rough, with only two starts of any quality. One was wasted, as poor Hank Walker was hit with a loss in the Boone shutout. He allowed just a single run, finishing 6 with 2 hits, a walk, and 2 strikeouts. It's his third start of four with just a single earned run, but today's was actually the first of those four he didn't allow an unearned run. Roy Ellis had the next closest thing to a good start, 6 innings with 6 hits, 3 runs, and a strikeout. It wasn't his typical good start, but he didn't allow a walk, and with late scoring in extras we were able to come away victorious. Arch Wilson got the win, his 7th of the season, and one of three shutout opportunities this week. He picked up 5.1 innings with 4 hits, a walk, and 5 strikeouts, dropping his ERA back down to 0.75 (598 ERA+). Most of the offense struggled, but not Gene Case! Now considered a top-5 first basemen, Case went 9-for-24 with a double, 3 homers, 7 RBIs, 4 runs, 3 walks, and a steal. Case's next homer will be his 20th, and he's hitting a robust .318/.402/.578 (151 OPS+) on the season. It's a shame he didn't get credit for his amazing June, as our slugger hit 11 homers and drove in 26 runs, drawing 19 walks to 17 strikeouts. His .327/.423/.703 (186 OPS+) month line was equally impressive, but he's just stuck playing in the same association as Hank Williams. No player of the week either, has Hal Kennedy's 12-for-23 with 3 homers, 7 RBIs, and 6 runs got the job done. Yes, it was deserved, but I would have loved for our budding young star to get some league wide respect. Looking Ahead We get two more with the Kings in Chicago, as Bob Allen (5-4, 5.64, 52) and Roy Ellis (6-2, 3.58, 67) take on 2-Time Allen winner Fred Washington (7-6, 4.60, 66) and second year pitcher Curly Anderson (6-2, 4.69, 59). Allen was on a nice little stretch before allowing 8 runs (7 earned) in his last outing, but the Kings lineup is one of the toughest ones to face when you are looking to right the ship. We are lucky to get the back-end of the rotation, avoiding the talented Beau McClellan (11-3, 3.53, 106) who is expected to start their series with the Sailors. Obviously, the worry comes from the lineup, where along with June Batter of the Month Hank Williams (.371, 25, 69), there are weapons from top to bottom. One that gets overlooked is the speedy Pat Davis, who after winning the Kellogg last year is hitting .350/.382/.527 (130 OPS+) with a Continental high 24 stolen bases. It took him awhile to get his first home run, that came on May 12th against up, but he's up to 8 now with 17 doubles, 6 triples, 50 RBis, and 53 runs scored. The speedy outfielder has been strong in left (3.5, 1.064), making him a dangerous all-around threat that should be taken seriously. Lucky for them, he's just one of many options, and probably the most over-qualified six hitter in FABL. This will be a fun series! Thankfully, it does get easier after, as while we will be on the road, we get to face the one team in the Continental that has never beat us before. That's the New York Imperials, who are 0-8 against us, and a still miserable 18-51 against everyone else. They've beat the other eight teams that share the CA with us, and they've been equally bad at scoring (289) and preventing runs (484), ranked 10th in both cases. If there is a bright side, it's that they have two talented young sluggers, including personal favorite of mine Turk Ramsey. The 27-year-old leads the team with 20 longballs, behind just Whitney contenders Dallas Berry (.354, 28, 80, 10) and Hank Williams in the CA's race. His .279/.318/.516 (109 OPS+) just a bit above average, as he's the classic high power, high whiff slugger who can find a spot in any lineup. His performance was expected, but that of Jack Woods has been a surprise. A few months younger, he turns 27 in September, and has hit a respectable .294/.324/.486 (104 OPS+) with 16 homers and 35 RBIs. Like Turk, there's a lot of power and a lot of strikeouts, and both are bat only types. Their youth works in their favor, as the Imperials aren't going to compete any time soon, but on a team without may performing vets they could be the only trade pieces of value. New York has some former Cougar draftees they could trade as well, as the only other member of their lineup with at least an average OPS+ or WRC+ is my former 6th Rounder Joe Dorch. One of the guys we lost in the expansion draft, it was Dorch's second stint in the organization, as he got minimal time from 1955 to 1959, before being lost to the Foresters on waivers. Two years later, we claimed him back, and he hit a respectable .324/.379/.438 (117 OPS+) in 116 PAs post-claim. Combined with the four he took with the Foresters, the 120 was second to his rookie season, but he's already up over 200 for the league's worst team. Now 32, he's hit .297/.361/.423 (100 OPS+), adding 12 doubles, 3 homers, and 21 RBIs. Skilled at putting the ball in play, he's taken advantage of his opportunity, and for a team in need of a bench bat, he could be had cheap. Same could be said for former 4th Rounder Milt Lane (2-5, 4.21, 30), who was a regular rotation member for the Saints' AAA team, and has impressed as a 32-year-old rookie. It's just 7 starts, but his ERA+ (108) is above average, and his 4.73 FIP (103 FIP-) isn't terrible. It's at least better then another former draftee of mine, Ernie Tisdale (3-9, 5.59, 56), and with a few more solid starts before the deadline, New York can convert Lane into prospect capital. They have a large rebuilding project in front of them, so it's nice seeing that some of the roles in their lost season are being filled by former Cougars who never quite got a fair shake. Our weekend is spent back at home, where we host the Cincinnati Cannons for the first two of a three game set. At 44-33, they're tied with the Sailors for third, a game ahead of us and six behind the leaders. Most of their success is due to their star, as Whitney favorite Dallas Berry has pounded CA pitching, mashing to the tune of .354/.469/.769 (208 OPS+) with 18 doubles, 28 homers, 55 walks, 68 runs, and 80 RBIs. Already worth a whopping 5.6 WAR, a measure nearly every player in FABL who plays this season won't sniff in a full year, Berry has strengthened his hold on the top position player, and will be a nightmare for us to deal with. Planning to neutralize Bonnie Chapin (.320, 16, 53) can be difficult too, and on the mound we have to worry about Chicago's Charlie Warren (10-3, 3.22, 81) and Lockport's Red Cunningham (6-4, 3.78, 56). Both Illinois hurlers are pitching to the best of their ability, and their overperforming has allowed the Cannons to play as well as they have. Minor League Report CF Bob Starr (AA Little Rock Governors): So it seems like promoting players is a way to get their performance up? Who knew! It wasn't a Player of the Week for Bob Starr, who went from Rockford to Little Rock, but the Chicago native had a masterful three homer game. Somehow, the 58th ranked prospect didn't do enough, as despite his 4-for-5 effort, the Governors fell to Knoxville 9-8. Responsible for 5 of the 8 runs, all but one of his hits for the week came in this game, so he has a quirky .217/.296/.609 (134 OPS+) line through his first six games. One of the most disciplined hitters in our system, Starr has a 5 rated eye, but he still has a tendency to swing and miss. That's led to 10 strikeouts in 27 PAs, and despite the impeccable eye, whiff issues may follow him. His contact tool is the only one below average, as he's an elite defender with solid pop. He has the traits of a quality starting center fielder, but in a system with so many good outfield bats, it might be hard for the 21-year-old to separate himself from the rest of the group. But a three homer game? Talk about a way to get yourself front and center!