[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 4-2
Seasonal Record: 20-19 (6th, 4 GB)
Stars of the Week
Gene Case : 25 AB, 9 H, 3 HR, 8 RBI, .360 AVG, 1.260 OPS
Henry Watson : 26 AB, 9 H, 3 HR, 8 RBI, .346 AVG, 1.201 OPS
Jerry McMillan : 32 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .281 AVG, .638 OPS

Schedule
5-14: Win vs Cannons (3-5)
5-15: Win vs Cannons (2-3)
5-16: Win vs Cannons (5-8)
5-17: Loss vs Kings (2-1)
5-18: Win vs Kings (3-5)
5-19: Loss vs Kings (8-2)

Recap
Back over .500!

Thanks to a sweep of the Cannons, we won 20 games before we lost 20, and now sit 20-19 and 4 games out. Still in 6th despite maintaining the 2nd best run differential, we did have trouble with the Kings, and after beating Cincy in a one-run affair we dropped one to KC two days later and let them take the series. It was an inconsistent week, some days we pitched well, some days we hit well, and I guess in the 5-3 wins you can say we did both, but for every player with a great week, it seemed there was another to counter that with a poor one.

Gene Case was one of the guys who was great, as he stayed hot with a 9-for-21 week. Adding an RBI, triple, 3 doubles, 4 runs, and 4 walks, he was our top offensive performer, and he increased his May triple slash to a more then twice above average .388/.500/.687 (219 OPS+). Now with a 139 WRC+ in 39 games, he's third among Cougars with more then 15 starts, and has helped carry the load with Jack Gibson hurt. He should be back next week, or maybe the week after, which will only make our lineup stronger. His replacements haven't done much, but this week the rest of infield did. Along with Case, both Tom Halliday and Cal Randall produced with the bat, including a rare homer from Halliday. He had just two last season, and his solo shot off Jerry York (1-2, 3.43, 26) ended up the difference in a 3-2 game. Finishing 7-for-19, he added 2 doubles, 2 walks, 3 runs, and a 2nd RBI, providing a much needed boost to his .248/.319/.325 (76 OPS+) line. Randall homered too, 8-for-22 with a double, 2 runs, and 7 RBIs. Sporting a similar .257/.277/.389 (79 OPS+) line, neither has offered much at the plate, but both have well above average defensive numbers on the left side of the infield. Still, I'd love to see more offense from them, and it was nice to see production from guys who haven't done much this year.

On the mound, Dick Champ continued his rebound, but he couldn't get his second win of the season. Lasting 7.1, he left with 7 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 5 strikeouts, and we didn't take the lead until the bottom of the 8th. Champ's now allowed 2 or fewer runs in 4 of his last 5 starts, dropping his ERA from 12.91 to a closer to palatable 4.83 (83 ERA+). Ken Stone also got to drop his ERA, going 7.2 innings with 7 hits, 2 runs (1 earned), 4 walks, and a season high 8 strikeouts. Stone has now gone 7 or more in 6 of 7 starts, 4-2 with a 3.44 ERA (117 ERA+) and 31 strikeouts. The walks are still high, something I just cannot comprehend, but if he's winning games and eating innings either before or after a Don Griffin start, I'll keep letting him do what he's doing. The pen had some issues, as did some of our starters, but Pug White quickly turned things around. After a brutal week, he went 6.1 innings, allowing 3 hits and a run with 8 strikeouts and no walks. Appearing in just over half (20) of our 39 games, his 40 innings of work have been mostly good, striking out 31 with 11 walks. 6 homers have did him in, as his 1.3 HR/9 is over twice as high as last season's 0.6, but he's allowed less walks and hits per inning. Earle Turner added 4 more shutout innings with 2 from Arch Wilson, as the back of our pen helped us pull off some close wins against good teams.

Looking Ahead
Off again to start the week, as we continue our nice and long homestand. Up first is the Wolves, who at 21-18 sit a game ahead of us in the standings. Ranked 5th in runs scored and runs against with 182, Toronto is having a bizarre season. Tom Reed (.209, 5, 19) sucks, Arnie Smith (3-2, 5.07, 38) sucks, George Hoxworth (2-5, 9.08, 27) sucks and got optioned. But Chick Reed? He's slugging at a Hank Williams pace. A relatively unheralded 27-year-old outfielder, Reed has blasted 13 homers with 32 RBIs, slashing .350/.344/.611 (147 OPS+) as he absolutely refuses to take the fourth ball. Like my road to the show player, he's abstained from free passes, so his .344 OBP is lower then his .350 average. A clubhouse leader, he's been a big reason for their success, though it's been graduated 9th ranked prospect Ed Savage (.302, 7, 23) who's been the best bat. Sure, Reed has the slug, but Savage has 23 walks to just 22 strikeouts, and while they have matching 147 OPS+, his 162 WRC+ is three points higher. These two have done near all the heavy lifting, but glovemen Sid Cullen (.286, 4, 11) has scored plenty, while rotation members Phil Colantuono (5-1, 2.49, 31) and Bill Medley (4-3, 3.21, 35) have pitched like Smith and Hoxworth should be. A solid team, I do think we're better, and especially home there is no excuse for not winning. Even if we get Colantuono, Medley, and Smith.

It get's tougher after that, as we'll welcome the third place Foresters for three before an off day ends our homestand. At 24-18, they're just a game and a half out of first, and enjoying another prime season of Adrian Czerwinski (5-2, 2.87, 33). Not to be confused, of course, with former Cougar Marty Czyzewski (0-2, 4.26, 17), who I can't believe not only made the Foresters, but got 4 starts and hasn't been released yet. He's one of eight non-Czerwnisnki pitchers to make a start, as they've rotated out their guys who have struggled, making way for Ike Johnson (2-1, 3.19, 25), Sibby Smith (4-0, 1.91, 28), and Sonny Stoyer (3-1, 3.19, 27). A staff of misfits, they don't jump out at you, but Czerwinski is still an ace, Johnny Ogden (1-3, 6, 3.22, 24) is an elite stopper, and I think both Johnson and Les Hanauer (4-2, 4.18, 48) can be useful mid rotation arms. The lineup is better, though it's very top heavy. Stan Kleminski (.291, 1, 17, 6) is everything you want in a leadoff hitter, setting up a star studded segment with John Low (.288, 1, 18), Tom Carr (.290, 1, 15, 10), Hal Kennedy (.297, 5, 19), and Paul Williams (.324, 3, 25). The lineup will be even more dangerous when Sherry Doyal (.462, 1, 6, 1) returns, hopefully after they leave town, but deep down I think we're the better team, and this coming week could help get us back in the top half of the standings.

Minor League Reports
3B Mooney Vetter (AAA Milwaukee Blues): He may not have hit a lick in the majors last year, but boy is Mooney Vetter elite when it comes to hitting Century League pitching. His first go was 48 games in 1958, where he hit .340/.374/.531 (162 OPS+) with 8 doubles, 9 homers, and 25 RBIs. He was back for 111 the next year, and somehow that line improved to .356/.385/.560 (172 OPS+), as the former 8th pick clubbed 28 doubles and 20 homers with 103 RBIs. Each of his next three seasons came completely in Chicago, but since he had options and others didn't, he was back at Conover Park in April.

It's been more of the same for Vetter, now getting his reps at short, who through 118 PAs has an outstanding .381/.400/.559 (164 OPS+) line, producing a 177 WRC+ with 4 doubles, 5 homers, 16 runs, 32 RBIs, and a triple. The eventual Century League Player of the Week, Vetter had a major game in our 12-4 win over Toledo, a perfect 5-for-5 with a run and 4 RBIs. All singles, he finished his week with 2 doubles and a triple, 13-for-26 with 6 runs and 8 RBIs. A guy who excels at putting the ball in play, he didn't walk or strikeout, and has rates of 2.4 and 5.6 respectively on the year. Both lower then his FABL metrics, it's been a breeze for him to make contact on lesser pitchers, and I'm really hoping it helps bring his confidence back. In his three seasons as a starter, most of his stats trended down, and as a singles hitter he really needs to be able to keep the average up, and bashing in some minor league pitching can help get him back above .280.

RF Cliff Coleman (A Rockford Wildcats): We've been winning Players of the Week in twos, as down in the Heartland League Cliff Coleman was able to take home the award. Just like last week, we won here and in the Century League, as Coleman had a power surge. Going 11-for-27, he clunked 4 homers and drove in 13, giving him 10 and 27 on the season. Coleman added a double too, as he's got 15 extra base hits and a .359/.473/.761 (225 OPS+) line in 112 PAs. He must have had a great offseason, as this is way above the .276/.314/.410 (106 OPS+) in San Jose last year, and the former 14th Rounder is showing why he ranks in our top-10. Checking in at 7th on the team and 125st overall, he's are highest ranked guy outside of the top 100, as Rule-5 pick Pete Meany has bounced up to 87th. A much different player, Coleman is a slugger not a contact hitter, and he'll both walk and strikeout. He's walking (20) more then he's striking out (13) now, but he's already 7 walks away from his total in 136 games last season. I doubt he maintains a 17.9 BB%, or even anything above 12, but this is a guy who's on pace for 56 homers, 151 RBIs, 112 walks, 118 runs, and a 0-for-22 stolen base success rate. Jokes aside, he's a decent outfielder who's got plus-plus pop, and if he can turn that 3 into a 4, we may have a big league starter on our hands. As crowded as the outfield is, it's going to be tough for him to work his way in, but he's just 22 and has real promise. It may be too early to start thinking promotion, but he'll be Rule-5 eligible in the offseason, and it would be smart to get him in AA to see just how close he is to joining us in Chicago.