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ayaghmour2 · 02-02-2025, 10:20 PM

3B George McKee (188th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 6th Round, 86th Overall (1954)
Alma Mater: Pomona Panthers

Debuting for the Cougars in 1960, he got 5 games then and 30 last year, but a bruised hand in mid-August kept him in Milwaukee for the whole season. Had he been healthy, I'd probably have brought him up for roster callups, but I figured it was best letting him play more regularly to get back into the swing of things. In total, McKee got into 122 games, where I had the natural third basemen spend most of his time in the middle infield. 25 a few days after the season ended, McKee hit a below average .261/.315/.370 (89 OPS+), but he walked (39) more then he struck out (26), consistently putting the ball in play. Add in 24 doubles, 9 homers, 52 runs, and 74 RBIs, it wasn't a bad season, and he's one of the slickest fielders we have. Only thing stopping him from replacing Halliday at short is the range, as McKee makes fewer errors, has a better arm, and may be a better double play turner. But the difference in range is large enough that Halliday has nothing to worry about.

Instead, Mooney Vetter is the one who might have to worry, as Buck wants McKee to take third base over. Very similar players, they do best when they put the ball in play and both are excellent defenders. There are a few difference, Vetter can hit some homers, he had 12 this year and last with 18 in 1960, but McKee is better at turning double plays and making clean plays. Neither has a good eye and neither will be stars, but both are useful back-of-the-lineup hitters who can move baserunners and make plays in the field. Assuming no outside additions, the battle for third base will be our most interesting of the spring, though since McKee is out of options, neither is at risk of losing their 40-man spot. Even better, McKee is a lefty and Vetter a righty, allowing us to form a strict or loose platoon, and with their defensive acumen both options leave us plenty of room for constructing the rest of the roster.

LF Doug Lang (324th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 26th Overall (1961)
Alma Mater: Ohio Poly Cardinals

The big gap here is between 11 and 12, as Doug Lang is almost further away from McKee (-136) then Dode Caudill is from McKee (+185). Fittingly, Lang isn't really worthy of being a non-expansion team's 11th best prospect, and part of me thinks the only reason he's rated so highly is his draft pedigree. For some reason the AI GM took him in the 2nd Round last season, as he was an older corner outfield prospect with limited upside. A bat only prospect, Lang is the reason Cliff Coleman was in right, as Lang's range is extremely limited. His arm is okay and he'll make some plays, but they have to be hit very close for him. It's not like he's a tortoise, he's fast and (generally) a good base runner, but he can't read the ball off the bat and has a slow first step. Even worse, the then 23-year-old hit an average .265/.287/.417 (99 OPS+) in 494 trips to the plate, and if you average his OPS+ and WRC+ (101) you get an even 100. The counting stats were fine -- can't complain about 22 doubles, 10 triples, 10 homers, 44 RBIs, and 42 runs -- but can you really be happy about that either?

Oh yeah. The Generally. 4-for-15 on stolen base attempts. 4s across the board in speed, ability, and baserunning but sure he'll have the most fails and the worst percentage on the entire team.

On top of all that, he's hitting like the 20-year-ols on the team, and our 1st Rounder Bill Grimm is already a better hitter. With no baserunning, defense, or walks, he couldn't make his average line work for him. He was below replacement level this year (-0.2) and last in La Crosse (-0.5), and the only thing working in his favor is his work ethic. We're still deep in the outfield, but there's so much dead weight that even an outstanding draft class could leave a line up spot for Lang at his worst. At his best, he hits his way up to Rockford, and depending on how many chances I get to run a defense program, he's a fine candidate. We got 1-2 weeks before Dode and McMillan finish their programs, but right now the plan is Grimm and Raul Zamora for round two.

1B Carlos Morales (337th Overall)
Acquired: Via Trade with Dynamos (1957)
Drafted: 2nd Round, 32nd Overall (1956)
Alma Mater: Oakland Wildcats

A former 2nd Round selection of the Detroit Dynamos way back in 1956, he spend a season and a half in their organization before being acquired by trade in December of 1957. At the time, "El Gato" was probably the headliner, as we sent a pair of pitchers to Detroit for a three prospect package. One was Doug Stearns, cut four months later and now retired, one was Morales, a now 24-year-old corner infielder who pretty much is stuck at first base, and an unheralded 11th Round pick of the Sailors who was released a few days later and spent the next three plus seasons in a swingman role.

Fast forward almost exactly five years, and the trade looks like an absolute steal for us. Not because of Morales, he's no more then an afterthought, but because that unheralded pitcher is actually Roy Ellis, arguably our best starting pitcher and Buck Cuppett's initial choice for Opening Day starter. He's been a reliable starter for us in each of the last two seasons, and in four years he's 23-23 with a 3.85 ERA (117 ERA+), 1.17 WHIP, and 342 strikeouts in 104 FABL appearances (67 starts). Ellis' emergence has taken a ton of pressure off Morales, who at 24 seems to have stalled out. This year he was stuck in Rockford after reaching Little Rock in '60 and '61, as the righty hit just .260/.357/.377 (93 OPS+), totaling just shy of a win above replacement (0.7). Working in his favor is his discipline, he drew 71 walks at a 13.1% clip, but his strikeout numbers (78, 14.4) were both higher. 20 doubles was nice too, he's got some gap power, but as a first basemen he needs homers and he just doesn't provide those. Likely to be unpicked again in the Rule-5 draft, I might try to force him up to Little Rock, but either way he'll get some starts, and he's still got a chance to force a callup to Chicago if he sticks around long enough.

RHP Ed Wells (345th Overall)
Acquired: Via Minor League Signing (1958)
Drafted: 13th Round, 199th Overall (1957)
Alma Mater: Marietta Panthers

It's extremely indicative of our system that our 2nd best pitching prospect is a reliever ranked 345th in all of baseball, and it just brings a tear to my eye how far the Cougars pitching lab has fallen in the short time I was away. Even better, Wells' isn't just a reliever, but a 13th Round one that was cut right after being drafted, as the Chiefs had no idea the type of stuff he'd develop. A five pitch pitcher, if he had any sort of stamina he'd be a starter, but instead he's a hard throwing righty who's allergic to groundballs. An intimidating 6'6'' power pitcher, he can overwhelm hitters with his elite fastball, and most of the time he places it well. Wells maintained an impressive 54-to-6 strikeout-to-walk ratio, walking just 2.3% of hitters he faced in 63.2 San Jose innings. It came with 14 saves, a 2.26 ERA (143 ERA+), 1.95 FIP (60 FIP-), and 1.15 WHIP, total dominance for the Cougar stopper. Unfortunately, Class-A hitters weren't phased by his fastball, as his 4.54 ERA (95 ERA+) and 1.35 WHIP weren't as special. Despite that, I imagine Wells will be up in Lincoln, assuming no one takes a flyer on the stuff. I don't want to give him a 40 spot, at least not yet, but if we can get him back on track next year, ideally finishing in Little Rock, he'll have a chance to make a long awaited FABL debut.

2B Marv Sandau (356th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 26th Overall (1959)
Alma Mater: Springtown Porcupines

Taken with the exact same pick as Doug Lang, just two years earlier, Marv Sandau was our 2nd Round pick in 1959. He's out of high school, so at 22 he's younger, and if he could at least throw the ball harder then a 25-year-old scrub with a twice torn rotator cuff, he could be a somewhat functional prospect. Instead, he probably has the worst arm in our organization, and despite being a slick double play turner, it'll make it hard for him to stick at second. A 1-2-3-4 fielder, his arm, range, error, and DP ability incline, and combine for a noodle-armed second basemen with a little speed, a nice eye, and a knack for hitting singles. Split between Rockford and Little Rock this year, he got into 126 games. He hit well in Rockford, slashing .291/.439/.409 (124 OPS+), but in a bit less then twice the time in Little Rock it slumped to .220/.337/.329 (74 OPS+). Combined, he grabbed 11 doubles, 5 triples, 7 homers, 49 RBIs, 57 runs, 78 walks, and 8 steals. The walks are the best part, but he's a light hitter who prefers singles, and without Buddy Byrd like defense, he'll be stuck in the minors or as a gadget type player.

02-02-2025, 10:20 PM	#1585
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Top Prospects: 11-15 3B George McKee (188th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 6th Round, 86th Overall (1954) Alma Mater: Pomona Panthers Debuting for the Cougars in 1960, he got 5 games then and 30 last year, but a bruised hand in mid-August kept him in Milwaukee for the whole season. Had he been healthy, I'd probably have brought him up for roster callups, but I figured it was best letting him play more regularly to get back into the swing of things. In total, McKee got into 122 games, where I had the natural third basemen spend most of his time in the middle infield. 25 a few days after the season ended, McKee hit a below average .261/.315/.370 (89 OPS+), but he walked (39) more then he struck out (26), consistently putting the ball in play. Add in 24 doubles, 9 homers, 52 runs, and 74 RBIs, it wasn't a bad season, and he's one of the slickest fielders we have. Only thing stopping him from replacing Halliday at short is the range, as McKee makes fewer errors, has a better arm, and may be a better double play turner. But the difference in range is large enough that Halliday has nothing to worry about. Instead, Mooney Vetter is the one who might have to worry, as Buck wants McKee to take third base over. Very similar players, they do best when they put the ball in play and both are excellent defenders. There are a few difference, Vetter can hit some homers, he had 12 this year and last with 18 in 1960, but McKee is better at turning double plays and making clean plays. Neither has a good eye and neither will be stars, but both are useful back-of-the-lineup hitters who can move baserunners and make plays in the field. Assuming no outside additions, the battle for third base will be our most interesting of the spring, though since McKee is out of options, neither is at risk of losing their 40-man spot. Even better, McKee is a lefty and Vetter a righty, allowing us to form a strict or loose platoon, and with their defensive acumen both options leave us plenty of room for constructing the rest of the roster. LF Doug Lang (324th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 26th Overall (1961) Alma Mater: Ohio Poly Cardinals The big gap here is between 11 and 12, as Doug Lang is almost further away from McKee (-136) then Dode Caudill is from McKee (+185). Fittingly, Lang isn't really worthy of being a non-expansion team's 11th best prospect, and part of me thinks the only reason he's rated so highly is his draft pedigree. For some reason the AI GM took him in the 2nd Round last season, as he was an older corner outfield prospect with limited upside. A bat only prospect, Lang is the reason Cliff Coleman was in right, as Lang's range is extremely limited. His arm is okay and he'll make some plays, but they have to be hit very close for him. It's not like he's a tortoise, he's fast and (generally) a good base runner, but he can't read the ball off the bat and has a slow first step. Even worse, the then 23-year-old hit an average .265/.287/.417 (99 OPS+) in 494 trips to the plate, and if you average his OPS+ and WRC+ (101) you get an even 100. The counting stats were fine -- can't complain about 22 doubles, 10 triples, 10 homers, 44 RBIs, and 42 runs -- but can you really be happy about that either? Oh yeah. The Generally. 4-for-15 on stolen base attempts. 4s across the board in speed, ability, and baserunning but sure he'll have the most fails and the worst percentage on the entire team. On top of all that, he's hitting like the 20-year-ols on the team, and our 1st Rounder Bill Grimm is already a better hitter. With no baserunning, defense, or walks, he couldn't make his average line work for him. He was below replacement level this year (-0.2) and last in La Crosse (-0.5), and the only thing working in his favor is his work ethic. We're still deep in the outfield, but there's so much dead weight that even an outstanding draft class could leave a line up spot for Lang at his worst. At his best, he hits his way up to Rockford, and depending on how many chances I get to run a defense program, he's a fine candidate. We got 1-2 weeks before Dode and McMillan finish their programs, but right now the plan is Grimm and Raul Zamora for round two. 1B Carlos Morales (337th Overall) Acquired: Via Trade with Dynamos (1957) Drafted: 2nd Round, 32nd Overall (1956) Alma Mater: Oakland Wildcats A former 2nd Round selection of the Detroit Dynamos way back in 1956, he spend a season and a half in their organization before being acquired by trade in December of 1957. At the time, "El Gato" was probably the headliner, as we sent a pair of pitchers to Detroit for a three prospect package. One was Doug Stearns, cut four months later and now retired, one was Morales, a now 24-year-old corner infielder who pretty much is stuck at first base, and an unheralded 11th Round pick of the Sailors who was released a few days later and spent the next three plus seasons in a swingman role. Fast forward almost exactly five years, and the trade looks like an absolute steal for us. Not because of Morales, he's no more then an afterthought, but because that unheralded pitcher is actually Roy Ellis, arguably our best starting pitcher and Buck Cuppett's initial choice for Opening Day starter. He's been a reliable starter for us in each of the last two seasons, and in four years he's 23-23 with a 3.85 ERA (117 ERA+), 1.17 WHIP, and 342 strikeouts in 104 FABL appearances (67 starts). Ellis' emergence has taken a ton of pressure off Morales, who at 24 seems to have stalled out. This year he was stuck in Rockford after reaching Little Rock in '60 and '61, as the righty hit just .260/.357/.377 (93 OPS+), totaling just shy of a win above replacement (0.7). Working in his favor is his discipline, he drew 71 walks at a 13.1% clip, but his strikeout numbers (78, 14.4) were both higher. 20 doubles was nice too, he's got some gap power, but as a first basemen he needs homers and he just doesn't provide those. Likely to be unpicked again in the Rule-5 draft, I might try to force him up to Little Rock, but either way he'll get some starts, and he's still got a chance to force a callup to Chicago if he sticks around long enough. RHP Ed Wells (345th Overall) Acquired: Via Minor League Signing (1958) Drafted: 13th Round, 199th Overall (1957) Alma Mater: Marietta Panthers It's extremely indicative of our system that our 2nd best pitching prospect is a reliever ranked 345th in all of baseball, and it just brings a tear to my eye how far the Cougars pitching lab has fallen in the short time I was away. Even better, Wells' isn't just a reliever, but a 13th Round one that was cut right after being drafted, as the Chiefs had no idea the type of stuff he'd develop. A five pitch pitcher, if he had any sort of stamina he'd be a starter, but instead he's a hard throwing righty who's allergic to groundballs. An intimidating 6'6'' power pitcher, he can overwhelm hitters with his elite fastball, and most of the time he places it well. Wells maintained an impressive 54-to-6 strikeout-to-walk ratio, walking just 2.3% of hitters he faced in 63.2 San Jose innings. It came with 14 saves, a 2.26 ERA (143 ERA+), 1.95 FIP (60 FIP-), and 1.15 WHIP, total dominance for the Cougar stopper. Unfortunately, Class-A hitters weren't phased by his fastball, as his 4.54 ERA (95 ERA+) and 1.35 WHIP weren't as special. Despite that, I imagine Wells will be up in Lincoln, assuming no one takes a flyer on the stuff. I don't want to give him a 40 spot, at least not yet, but if we can get him back on track next year, ideally finishing in Little Rock, he'll have a chance to make a long awaited FABL debut. 2B Marv Sandau (356th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 26th Overall (1959) Alma Mater: Springtown Porcupines Taken with the exact same pick as Doug Lang, just two years earlier, Marv Sandau was our 2nd Round pick in 1959. He's out of high school, so at 22 he's younger, and if he could at least throw the ball harder then a 25-year-old scrub with a twice torn rotator cuff, he could be a somewhat functional prospect. Instead, he probably has the worst arm in our organization, and despite being a slick double play turner, it'll make it hard for him to stick at second. A 1-2-3-4 fielder, his arm, range, error, and DP ability incline, and combine for a noodle-armed second basemen with a little speed, a nice eye, and a knack for hitting singles. Split between Rockford and Little Rock this year, he got into 126 games. He hit well in Rockford, slashing .291/.439/.409 (124 OPS+), but in a bit less then twice the time in Little Rock it slumped to .220/.337/.329 (74 OPS+). Combined, he grabbed 11 doubles, 5 triples, 7 homers, 49 RBIs, 57 runs, 78 walks, and 8 steals. The walks are the best part, but he's a light hitter who prefers singles, and without Buddy Byrd like defense, he'll be stuck in the minors or as a gadget type player.