Once again, Braeland turns its attention to its second official holiday and most anticipated – Opening Day! Following the conclusion of the Coconut Leagues, the country is eager to follow its national pastime for what will be its 22nd season. It will also provide a welcome diversion for the nation as it turns aside from the outside pressures of the world.
Following the conclusion of the Korean War in July of 1953, Braeland has been under increasing pressure to join ANZUS, the collective security treaty that was established between Australia, New Zealand and the United States in 1951. With the decline of British power in Asia, the possibility of a resurgent Japan and the growing threat of communism in the region, all three nations sought a broad Pacific security agreement that would address those fears. But by the time the resulting treaty went into effect on April 29, 1952, Braeland’s non-participation in the agreement was conspicuous.
Despite increasing efforts from both the Dwight Eisenhower and Robert Menzies Administrations to engage Braeland in the negotiations, the country has remained aloof. Both the Douglas Avery and subsequent Wesley Bryans’ governments have consistently side-stepped and stalled its participation through the years, frustrating the other three countries and straining Braeland’s relationship with them.
But the Avery and Bryans administrations have been merely bowing to the mood of the public. The ordeals of World War II and the Korean War are still fresh in the public’s mind and have made Braelanders leery of further unwanted military entanglements. Resentment, rightly or wrongly, has also spread at the increasing influence of the United States in the region, which has resulted in sporadic student protests at the country’s major universities. And with a federal election expected to be held sometime in the new year, the Bryans government is even less willing to anger the country, especially while its base of support remains fragile.
Ironically, despite the outward resentment in general, American influence on the United Leagues continues and has resulted in a couple of positive steps leading up to Opening Day.
The news back on February 6 that the Boston Red Sox of the American League made their star outfielder, Ted Williams, the highest paid player in Major League Baseball when they resigned him for $135,000 US resonated with the players of the United Leagues and threatened to raise the issue of inadequate remuneration and perhaps even revive calls for the removal of the reserve clause entirely.
To head off any potential player unrest, Commissioner Okura Ito quietly convened an owner’s meeting in June with the objective of quickly gaining a consensus in raising the player salary base and in particular, the salary for players deemed the very best in the United Leagues. While an agreement to increase in the base salary was not reached, the Owners did agree in early July to raise the premier quality player’s salary to $172,000 in Braeland dollars going forward. That would put a star player’s salary in the United Leagues on par with the Splendid Splinter. It remains to be seen if a contract of the magnitude will be handed out anytime soon.
Finally, with the announcement on March 11 that the American League would be making the wearing of batting helmets mandatory for all its clubs for the 1958 season, and after a number of National League clubs having already adopted it in years prior, the United Leagues announced that batting helmets will also be required for all players in its Leagues starting this season.
Here are the results of the Coconut Leagues that have just been completed, as well pre-season predictions, player reports, selected career records that could be broken this season as well other news.
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New Logos and Uniforms
Three teams unveiled new looks for this season. A couple were fairly significant while another was much more subtle.
First, the Brunswick Legends made the first-ever update to their on-field look by adding stripes around the arms on both their home and away jerseys. That’s it. Everything else stays the same for this conservative organization. Reports of the earth wobbling slightly as a result of this earth-shattering makeover are unsubstantiated.
The Embro Suns updated their uniforms for the first time in 13 years. Their new look includes an update to their primary logo as well as pinstripes on the home uniform.
Also sporting a new look for the first time in 13 years are the Pulberry Trolleys. Besides a new logo, they have ditched the headspoon piping on both home and away uniforms and updated their team’s script.
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Eastern League Results
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The Cobourg Redlegs finished at the top of the heap in the East in Spring Training and the projections suggest that that is not a fluke. What stands out for me is the projected performance for 30-year old Juan Gonzáles, the newly acquired first baseman the Redlegs received in a trade from the Balmoral Giants back in May. CF Raymond Williams and Gonzáles are pencilled in to bat out of the Nos. 3 and 4 spots respectively and are forecasted to hit a combined total of 75 home runs, 41 by Gonzáles alone. That would be the most by any player in the United Leagues this year if the projection holds up.
But for the Redlegs to succeed, they will need the support around them in the lineup as well as in the rotation. That is where Cobourg could become really scary. In addition to their ace, 30-year old LHP Bill Budd (67/67), Cobourg has their 9th-overall pick from 1954-55, 24-year old RHP
Albert Johnson (61/65) ensconced in the No. 2 spot. Scouts feel Johnson has the talent to grow into the role of an ace in his own right. If 22-year old RHP Lester Bell (51/78 – 3rd-round pick, 1954-55) and 23-year old LHP Lachlan Lloyd (50/53 – 5th-round pick, 1952-53) continue to develop, the Redlegs may indeed make some noise this season.
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Western League Results
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There’s just something about the Coconut Leagues that brings out the best in the Balmoral Giants. For the 8th time in 22 seasons, the Giants finished in top spot (in comparison, both the Embro Suns and Wellington Athletics have each finished first in Spring Training six times). The point of this useless information of course is that the results of Spring Training is completely arbitrary. Only once did the Giants make the playoffs in a year they ‘won’ the exhibition season.
The projections in the West favor the Pulberry Trolleys. No surprise there, but once again, the Kingston Pelicans, Wolseley Unions, Sherburn Tigers and Giants appear to be in the mix for a serious playoff challenge. That did not pan out last season, as only the Tigers remained relevant throughout the season. But that may change.
The Pelicans boast three players in the Top Hitters projection. 29-year old LF George Nipper (56/56 – 11th overall pick, 1948-49), 25-year old CF
Dan Hasketh (73/74 – 1st overall pick, 1955-56) and 26-year old 1B Ira Bannatyne (62/63 – 2nd-round pick, 1950-51) are slated to bat 2-3-4 in the lineup. Hesketh is certainly the one to watch. The 1956-57 WL Rookie of the Year who has one All-Star selection already under his belt is rated as the 8th-best position player in the United Leagues and looks poised to challenge Pulberry’s 31-year old Cooper Tyson as the ULB’s top centerfielder. His defense, arm and speed are all off the charts and his batting instincts are not far behind.
The Wolseley Unions have a trifecta of players showing up on the projections list as well, but in this case, it’s the Top Pitchers. 33-year old RHP Roberto Garza (67/67 – free agent signing) is the Unions’ long-time ace who may be joined by two other capable pitchers in the rotation. 22-year old RHP
Theo Morse (59/72 – 2nd-round pick, 1953-54) and 25-year old RHP
Yasuo Yamauchi (49/53 – 2nd-round pick, 1955-56) are projected to have impressive seasons this year. Morse has elite stuff (75/80) while Yamauchi is capable of developing into a No. 2 starter in his own right if the scouts are correct.
The big question mark for the Unions is their lineup. They have a couple of aging stars in 37-year old 1B Carlton Hawking (61/61) and 37-year old SS George Kimpton (50/50) who will be looked to in leading the offense once again, along with some young players they are hoping will reach their potential. After playing 16 years in leftfield, Hawking will move to first base this season, making way for 24-year old OF Steven Burkill (50/51 – 6th-round pick, 1953-54, acquired from Stratford Barons in April 1957). Wolseley also has 24-year old RF Jonathan Higgins (49/59 – 2nd overall pick, 1955-56) and 23-year old CF Jack Jarrom (43/63 – 1st overall pick, 1956-57) who provide some hope for the offense going forward.
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Opening Day Reports
Here are the various player reports as updated for Opening Day:
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Leaderboard Watch
The following are Career Records capable of being broken this season. In short, it looks like it will be a tough year for the Babe, er, I mean for future Hall of Famer, Stuart Bentham. No less than five of his career records are set to fall this season, in addition to the one broken last year:
