[ayaghmour2]

Week 1 Record: 4-3
Stars of the Week
Gene Case : 27 AB, 12 H, 4 HR, 10 RBI, .444 AVG, 1.457 OPS
Dode Caudill : 30 AB, 12 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .400 AVG, .971 OPS
Jack Gibson : 28 AB, 9 H, 3 HR, 8 RBI, .321 AVG, 1.000 OPS

Schedule
8-6: Win vs Wranglers (2-5)
8-7: Win vs Wranglers (2-10)
8-8: Win vs Wranglers (3-11)
8-9: Loss at Stars (2-5)
8-10: Loss at Stars (1-9)
8-11: Win at Stars (5-2)
8-11: Loss at Stars (9-15)

Week 2 Record: 2-4
Seasonal Record: 73-51 (3rd, 14 GB)
Stars of the Week
Jerry McMillan : 30 AB, 10 H, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .333 AVG, .767 OPS
Dick Champ : 1 Win, 9.0 IP, 0 BB, 6 K, 0.00 ERA
Jack Gibson : 23 AB, 5 H, 2 HR, 8 RBI, .217 AVG, .728 OPS

Schedule
8-14: Loss at Saints (1-4)
8-15: Win at Saints (9-3)
8-16: Win at Cannons (7-0)
8-17: Loss at Cannons (3-5)
8-18: Loss at Cannons (4-9)
8-18: Loss at Cannons (1-2): 12 innings

Recap
I'm a bit behind and our season is lone done so I'm just going to combine the last two weeks. I've already been thinking of doing monthly or even biweekly so this is a nice little test run. Since we stopped playing well and the Kings are just too much better then everyone else, and even if we were still playing at an elite level we wouldn't be any closer to them then the Stars are. On the bright side, Dode Caudill's big month was not by chance, as OSA alerted me that Dixie might be a bit behind on his reports. After taking another look at him, Dixie upgraded him from straight 3s to 4s at Contact, Avoid Ks, Power, and Eye. This is a huge upgrade for our new cornerstone, who seems like a lock for a 20/20 rookie season. Through 122 games, he has 17 homers and 20 steals, hitting .313/.378/.508 (136 OPS+) with 97 runs, 20 doubles, 12 triples, 56 RBIs, 55 walks, and 4.4 WAR. In most seasons that's good enough for the Kellogg, but he needs a big August and September to come close. If only he can drag us to the playoffs!

Gene Case took home Player of the Week in the first week, going 12-for-27 with a double, 4 homers, 10 RBIs, 6 runs, 4 walks, and a steal. That improved his season line to .298/.396/.559 (153 OPS+), as he continues to show that he deserved his All-Star selection. He cooled a little this week, but through 124 games he's still played in each one, collecting 24 doubles, 8 triples, 25 homers, 81 runs, 87 RBIs, 73 walks, 13 steals, and 4.4 WAR. The production hasn't been impacted, his 154 WRC+ would be a career high, and it's just a shame he doesn't get more attention. It would help if we were if we were in a pennant race, but we're starting to gather a nice collection of young players all entering their prime, giving us hope for better times.

Dick Champ has really turned things around, as after seeing Bob Starr breakout across town, he's been at his best on the mound. That continued at the end of the period, as Champ got our only win in Cincy. A truly dominant effort, he had 6 hits and 6 strikeouts, shutting out the Cannons is a commanding 7-0 opening win. After a brutal patch in the midseason, he's allowed three or fewer runs in 7 of his last 8 starts. Somehow his 4.18 ERA (100 ERA+) is the third best among our five regular starters, trailing just Ken Stone (2.95, 141) and Hank Walker (3.71 112). Don Griffin was having issues, even losing his starter role, role, but he bounced back with a nice outing against the Saints. Going 5 innings he had just 3 hits, a run, and walk to improve to 10-4 on the season. The issue was he only struck out one, and lowered his ERA to 4.20 (99 ERA+). I'm not sure why he's struggled as he isn't walking anyone and he's not really allowing more homers then usual, so I'm hoping it's just bad luck and not a drop in his overall effectiveness.

Arch Wilson has really fell into rough times, seeing his ERA jump from 2.90 to 4.47 (93 ERA+) in just three outings. This includes 11 hits, 10 runs, and a walk with just 3 strikeouts in 2.2 innings pitched. Unable to get batters out, he cost us the extra inning one-run game, and has shown the volatility of reliever ERA. Just a few bad innings can wreck the stats, and if he can straighten up the rest of the way he'll finish with more respectable totals. We still have the lowest pen ERA in the Conti, but we've been leaky the past two weeks, with all four members allowing runs. They'll get John Mitchell a lot the rest of the way, just one double header left on the season, and I may bring up an arm or two once rosters expand. At 58-55, Milwaukee isn't a real threat in the Century League pennant race, so I'm fine getting a few filler players to bring some reinforcements for our final month.

Jack Gibson became the first Cougar to hit 30 homers this season, as our second basemen homered in back-to-back days to hit the milestone. The third time he's reached this, he's been relatively healthy after his lengthy absence, slashing .287/.314/.575 (132 OPS+) in 92 games. Providing us with 61 runs and 83 RBIs, he's one of our best run producers, even if he is pretty much homer or bust. He's got just 17 walks, 10 doubles, and 2 triples, and won't steal any bases. The defense is a plus, as he's got an outstanding 9.2 zone rating and 1.094 efficiency at second. If we just had this last season, we'd be the disappointing defending pennant winners, instead of again shifting our focus to the next season.

Looking Ahead
Just six games tis week, and since we'll be at home, I think we can actually win some. A tale of two teams, we're 43-18 in the confines of Cougars Park, but a dreadful 30-33 away from it. At least we get more home games the rest of the way, and after a Monday off day we start a nice long homestand that runs until roster expansion. It starts with three must-win games, as we'll host the Imperials before a tough set in LA. Two totally different teams, the Imps are second to last and recently eliminated, while the Stars are second and trying to pull off a miraculous comeback. 9.5 games out, they can still pull off the impossible, but I think we'll do our part in spoiling. Sure, they outplayed us in California, but the Windy City is where we play best, even if they will be able to hit home runs off us.

Minor League Report
CF Orlando Benitez (AA Little Rock Governors): Depending on how you look at it, this most recent one was a good one for Orlando Benitez. One of the top Dixie League hitters this season, Benitez won his second Player of the Week, 7-for-19 with 6 runs, a double, a triple, 3 homers, 6 RBIs, and 5 walks. The only problem is his back started to tighten up on him during Friday's 2-1 win in Knoxville. Benitez did make both starts over the weekend, 3-for-8 with 3 runs, 2 RBIs, and a walk, double, and triple, but in an abundance of caution, I'm placing the 20-year-old on the IL.

Now ranked as the 37th best prospect in FABL, he's a potential star in the making, and I don't want him to develop injury problems early. Taken 10th in the 1961 draft, he's hitting an impressive .299/.411/.581 (162 OPS+) in 450 PAs, showcasing his explosive tools. An advanced hitter for his age, he's clubbed 27 homers and swiped 12 bases, providing the third place Governors with 69 runs, 15 doubles, 5 triples, 86 RBIs, and 72 walks. A natural center fielder, he's shown improvements in left and right, and I'm leaning on playing him at third when he returns from what should be a quick IL stint. Our outfield is full at the big league level, and if Benitez can take the Dode Caudill route to the majors, we'll have a huge upgrade on offense. Cal Randall can stick around to play late game defense, while giving off-days to the entire infield. Benitez can help in the outfield too, and there's always the chance someone gets hurt. With no need to rush him, he'll finish out the year in Little Rock, but if the Cuban native ends up int he minors again next season, it will be in Milwaukee and not Little Rock, and I'd be very surprised if he does not get a callup to the big league club next season.

SS Sam Pratt (A Rockford Wildcats): Sam Pratt continued his dream season, as he joined Gene Case in winning a Player of the Week. In the same time period, Pratt was 12-for-27 with 2 doubles, a homer, 6 RBIs, and 6 walks. Despite not getting much recognition from the prospect rankers, he continues to be one of our most effective hitters this season. Ranked just outside the top 30 and 500, Pratt is now hitting .353/.433/.548 (162 OPS+) with 14 doubles, 5 triples, 11 homers, 57 RBIs, 40 walks, 55 runs, and 10 steals in 337 PAs with Rockford. Combined with his 27 game sample in San Jose, he's been worth 5.4 WAR with 39 extra base hits, 46 walks, 69 runs, 63 RBIs, and 13 steals, making appearances at all four infield positions. If we didn't have a surplus of outfielders, he could fill any of those three spots either, as he's got all the makings of a Swiss army knife utility man. Quick, able to work the count, and grind out at bats, he's a high floor guy that's trying to push the limits of his ceiling.

RF Harry Cummings (C La Crosse Lions): Somehow the best hitter the UMVA has ever seen, the uninspiring Harry Cummings continues to torment the league and it's pitching staffs. Capturing another Player of the Week, the unranked former 11th Rounder had back-to-back 4-hit games, finishing 14-for-21 with 3 doubles, 3 homers, 10 RBIs, 3 walks, and 3 steals. Through 190 PAs he now boasts a robust .442/.547/.779 (196 OPS+), earning 16 doubles, 3 triples, 10 homers, 44 RBIs, 33 walks, 38 runs, and 8 steals. With three weeks left in the season, he'll finish out a three year career with the Lions. Currently a .389/.515/.710 (189 OPS+) hitter, there's really no explanation for why he looks like Hank Williams' reincarnation, and he could finish with some team or even league records once the year finishes.