Chicago Cougars (FABL)

[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 6-1
Seasonal Record: 68-66 (5th, 15.5 GB)
Stars of the Week
Don Grossman : 2 Wins, 2 Saves, 6.2 IP, 1 BB, 1 K, 1.35 ERA
Joe Masters : 29 AB, 10 H, 2 HR, 10 RBI, .345 AVG, .953 OPS
John Kincaid : 32 AB, 13 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .406 AVG, .938 OPS

Weekly Schedule
9-3: Win at Sailors (6-5)
9-4: Win vs Foresters (5-6): 11 innings
9-4: Win vs Foresters (2-4)
9-6: Win vs Stars (13-14): 12 innings
9-7: Win vs Stars (2-3)
9-8: Loss vs Stars (8-5)
9-9: Win vs Stars (10-11)

Summary
God I hate this team...

We decide to randomly have a 6-1 week and make up 3 and a half games on first to cut the deficit to a whopping 15 and a half games. The Kings (83-50) and Foresters (81-53) both had rough weeks, but there is still no way we make the playoffs and we are just ruining our draft position little by little. I'd love to save these wins for next year, but it did feel nice waking up in the morning and seeing the former usual 6-1 instead of the way too common 3-4 I've grown accustomed to. It was total luck, as after losing nearly every close game this year, five of our six wins were one run wins and the six was a two run win. Obviously not sustainable, but at least it brings our Pythagorean closer to our actual record.

I haven't focused on many individual seasons, but the September 6th game against the Stars was absolutely insane. The 5th, 7th, 10th, and 11th were the only innings that didn't have runs. Not only that, but the lead changed like a million times. We took a 1-0 lead in the first, then they tied it in the second. The Stars put up a three spot, and then we tied it with the first of four three spots of our own. The Stars jumped ahead 5-4 in the 4th before we put together the second three spot. They got another run in the 6th before exploding for 5 in the 8th. Fear not, we put up our third three spot in the bottom half to bring the game within one. With the game on the line, Mike Smith's fielder's choice scored Tom Taylor to force extras. Tied at 11 in the 12th, former Cougar farmhand John Lawson doubled doubled home a pair of runners with two outs, and it looked like the Stars were going to win.

But again, fear not Cougar fans! Another three run inning is on the horizon! Woody Armstrong drew a quick four pitch walk off another former Cougar farmhand Phil English needed a strike real bad, and he left an easy one for Mike Taylor who deposited 380 feet from home plate to tie the game! Cy Bryant struck out, but another walk, this time Clyde Hinzman before a Forrest Sylvester single. With first and second, Tom Taylor flew out on the first pitch trying to pull a Mike Taylor searching for his second homer of the game. We had one more chance, with John Kincaid up, and he put up an excellent fight. He fouled off four pitches, got the count to 3-2, and then singled Hinzman home to win the game. I miss this type of baseball!

Well, not the giving up 13 runs part and the fact that their starter allowed 6 unearned runs, but the actual fight we showed! The comeback! Not giving up! And all the false sense of hope that we could still make the playoffs! At least I can redirect it more to hope for next season, but man if we win six or seven this week I will declare that we can win the pennant again! Even though we probably will be inches away from elimination...

Looking ahead, at least four wins is possible in the Cannons (48-87) series where we get to host them. The four with the first place Kings (83-50) will be the tougher part, but there is a chance we can get two of the first three games. I'm not betting on it, but the Kings can't win every game and they probably won't have another 18+ win month. So there is false hope! Even though they rank 1st or 2nd in literally every category... We have 20 games left and if we win the next 20, we'll finish 88-66. Brooklyn has 83 wins. So yeah... False hope... But it's still hope!

Looking at the individual performances, Dick Leudtke put together another strong start, going 8 strong innings with 10 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 5 strikeouts. He may end up as our best healthy pitcher on the season despite his terrible start and I am glad Leudtke turned things around. Dick Lyons, however, has fallen into a little slump, and after a strong start on short rest in the double header, he allowed 15 hits and 7 runs with 2 strikeouts in just 5 and a third in the 11-10 win over the Stars. Both guys recently turned 34, so of course, age is a worry, but I don't plan on moving Lyons ever. He's one of just two Cougar lifers that have played a significant role for us.

Dave Rankin has also fallen on tough times, allowing 23 hits and 12 runs (11 earned) with 6 walks and 7 strikeouts in 16.2 innings across two starts. And while Herb Lowman's start was okayish, Norm Stewart allowed 10 hits and 6 runs with 2 walks and 3 strikeouts in the crazy extra inning win against the Stars. The real star of the staff was Don Grossman, appearing in six of the seven games. He was 2-0 with a pair of saves, 7 hits, an earned run, an unearned run, a walk, and strikeout. He's adjusted well to the closer role and his Rookie season has been excellent. He's 5-1 with a 2.34 ERA (195 ERA+), 1.20 WHIP, 22 walks, and 16 strikeouts in 50 strong innings out of the pen. We've never had a reliever star of the week, and it's likely going to be one of the few if not only until relievers play more of a role. We will be without Pete Walker for 1-2 weeks, so he'll hit the DL and I'll bring up another arm. I'm going with Gordie Thompson who's on the 40. He's struggling in AA, but he has a nice fastball that should translate well to the bullpen. He can eat innings for us out of the pen when Norm Stewart inevitably has another awful start.

All of our starters with three or more starts had an 100 OPS+ or higher for the week except Tom Taylor who was just 8-for-36 with 6 strikeouts. He did hit homer #28 and drove in 6 runs to increase his total to 94. He's now just 2 homers, 6 RBI's, and 1 steal to reach the 30/100/20 season. He also has 26 doubles, and could have 30 doubles on the year too. The best trio was actually Mike Smith, Forrest Sylvester, and Claude Ramsey who combined to go 10-for-22 with 2 doubles and 3 RBI's. Of the starters, however, John Kincaid and Joe Masters both had excellent weeks. The hero Kincaid was 13-for-32 with with a steal, 3 RBI's, 5 walks, and 8 runs scored. Joe Masters added 2 homers and 10 RBI's while going 10-for-29. Lou Kelly and Mike Taylor both hit a homer and 7 RBI's a piece while combining to go 19-for-63. Kelly scored 8 runs and Taylor scored 2 of his own. I was hoping for more from Doc Love, who was just 10-for-30 without a homer. He did score and drive in six runs, but I was hoping for a homer or two. We will get Bill Ashbaugh back this week, so our lineup will be rotating a bit as I'll try to fit him in where I can.

[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 4-3
Seasonal Record: 72-69 (4th, 15.5 GB)
Stars of the Week
Tom Taylor : 30 AB, 12 H, 3 HR, 10 RBI, .400 AVG, 1.258 OPS
Lou Kelly : 27 AB, 11 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .407 AVG, .944 OPS
Mike Taylor : 25 AB, 10 H, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .400 AVG, .943 OPS

Weekly Schedule
9-10: Win vs Cannons (4-5)
9-11: Win vs Cannons (6-8)
9-12: Loss vs Cannons (9-8)
9-13: Win vs Cannons (1-6)
9-14: Loss vs Kings (6-2)
9-15: Win vs Kings (4-5)
9-16: Loss vs Kings (15-1)

Summary
History was made! With an impressive 3 homer, 10 RBI, and 1 steal week, The Canadian Club Tom Taylor becomes the third player in FABL history to put together a 30+ homer, 20+ steal, and 100+ RBI season! The other two? 1928 Tom Taylor and 1929 Tom Taylor!

In a year full of disappointment, the Cougars continue to do what we do best! Break meaningless records! In 1929 we set the now broken highest team ERA and earned runs records (held for just one year), but that awful staff still holds the worst WHIP (1.736) for a Continental Association team. In 1930 (didn't realize this until Steve's Brooklyn Kings post mentioned it) we set the all time CA batting average record of .321 as well as at bats (5,680), modern day run record (964, 1900 on), and hit record (1,823). The 1931 Cougars set the attendance record with 1,606,116 fans just for the 1932 team to break it the next year (1,690,014) and the 1933 team came in third (1,532,848). And of course, the 1933 Cougars shattered nearly every human play pitching record including the extremely impressive 2.84 staff ERA which would rank third in baseball this season behind the Gothams Hardin Bates (2.35) and injured Sailors ace William Jones (2.53).

Looking at our week, if you take out the 15-1 loss to the Kings I thought we won as I saw the winning pitcher D. Lyons and assumed Dick not Del, we actually had another good week. We are thankfully officially eliminated from the playoffs, but at 72-69 we're now up to fourth and a game and a half behind the Stars for third. Brooklyn (87-53) holds a one and a half game lead over the Foresters (86-55) with just two weeks left. They split a series this week, but the Foresters are back on track and picked up a few more games. They are done playing each other, but we have one more against Brooklyn and two more against Cleveland. After the finale with the Kings, we'd welcome Montreal (66-74) to town for four. We're off after, then we get two with the Sailors (73-30) before our last off day of the year. We finish the season with two in Cleveland and four in Toronto (59-84). I'd love to reach 80 wins, which means we have to go just 8-5. It's definitely doable, but I won't be devastated if we fall short.

Back to Taylor, he took home yet another Player of the Week award. The streaky slugger has won this 13 times. He's also done something else really incredible, he's hit 11(!) leadoff home runs this season! 11! I wish there was a way to see if this a record, but I have to imagine it'd be hard press to find any individual with 11 career leadoff homers, let alone 11 in one season. Taylor's 108 OPS+ is really misleading, but even his 120 WRC+ seems awfully low. A lot of this is due to our hitter friendly home, but his batting splits aren't too far apart. It's .293/.339/.521 with 17 homers and 58 RBI's at home and .277/.333/.475 with 14 homers and 46 RBI's on the road. I'm excited to see what he can do next year, especially if he can lock down center field. He's average there currently in just 66 career starts, so with more reps in Spring training I have to imagine he'll be pretty above average. Of course, he's historically great in right field, but with him in center our offense gets significantly better.

Speaking of significantly better, that's how Lou Kelly has been playing. With another strong week, he's hitting .361/.431/.459 in September, albeit with just a single homer. He's drove in ten and scored 11 times. It'll be hard for him to hit five homers in the next 13 games, so this will likely be his first career season with less then 20 homers. After 30+ from 1928 to 1932, I'm really worried there isn't much power left. Still, his .306/.371/.470 (111 OPS+) batting line isn't terrible, but definitely much lower then I wanted. With just one more RBI, it will be Kelly's sixth season with 100 or more runs scored and driven in. Fresh off the DL, Bill Ashbaugh had likely the best week of his season, slashing .391/.500/.435 with five runs scored and two driven in. Mike Taylor also had a strong week, 10-for-25 with a homer and 3 RBI's. He's brought his batting line back up to .280/.340/.443 (96 OPS+) with 18 homers and 80 RBI's. He's got two more weeks to bring his OPS+ above 100, which would be the seventh consecutive season for the Wyoming (Michigan) native. Doc Love added another homer, up to 20 on the season, becoming the second Cougar to reach that mark. Cleveland is a Dan Fowler homer away from four players with 20, so they'll likely achieve was I set out to do. Including Masters' Chiefs homers, we still have a chance to reach 20 with four, but it's looking tougher and tougher.

On the pitching side of things, Norm Stewart is going back down to AAA. He did win his start against the Cannons, but allowed 13 hits, 6 runs, and 2 walks, but with 6 strikeouts in 8.2 innings pitched. The one against the Kings, however, was pretty awful as he allowed 9 hits, 7 runs, and a walk with 3 strikeouts in just three and two thirds. What was impressive was the 12 strikeouts in his last three starts, but 9 homers and a 2.33 WHIP in 35.2 innings is, well, not quite big league material. This is the same pitcher who had a 2.72 ERA (136 ERA+) and 1.18 WHIP in 36.1 innings last year as a rookie. He just doesn't quite feel like that anymore. Replacing him in the rotation is a 26-year-old I just claimed off waivers from the Stars. Art Jackson has some Cougar history, as I signed him as an undrafted free agent back in 1925. He spent a year and a half in our organization before being released, and after bouncing around a bit in the independent circuits, he caught on with the Stars in the 1928 season. He has yet to debut and hasn't had too much success this year in AAA, but we are desperate for anyone who can not allow 5+ runs a game. Jackson is an excellent teammate and he's got a really strong sinker that generates a ton of groundballs. It's one of his five pitches, all average enough to be effective as a starter. I have very low expectations for him, but he should get a start or two before the season ends. He's set to make his big league debut on the 20th against Montreal.

Dave Rankin had an excellent start on the 13th in the 6-1 win over the Cannons. He allowed just one run and four hits (albeit, with 7 walks) while striking out six in a complete game victory. Rankin hasn't been great for us since the trade, but I'm hoping he's saving his good starts for next season. We really need him to have a strong season next year as we'll be without Wilcox for likely the entire season. Dick Lyons pitched well in a loss to the Kings, 8 innings with 10 hits, 2 earned runs, 2 unearned runs, a walk, and a strikeout. Herb Lowman had a pair of relatively identical starts, complete game wins in 5-4 games. He allowed 4 runs and two homers in both games, but with 8 hits, 4 walks, and 2 strikeouts against the Cannons and 9 hits, a walk, and 5 strikeouts in the win against the Kings. Lowman has done okay in his 6 starts, 3-1 with a 4.76 ERA (95 ERA+), 1.52 WHIP, 12 walks, and 26 strikeouts. He'll get every shot to earn a starting role next season, but if I want to compete for a pennant I'm going to need to upgrade the rotation.

I'm bringing up another arm from AAA, the 36-year-old veteran Pete Sposito. With Stewart starting games in AAA now, I had too many players on the roster so it's worth bringing someone up so I don't have to send anyone else down.

[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 3-3
Seasonal Record: 75-72 (4th, 18.5 GB)
Stars of the Week
Doc Love : 22 AB, 8 H, 1 HR, 10 RBI, .364 AVG, 1.127 OPS
John Kincaid : 20 AB, 10 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .500 AVG, 1.124 OPS
Bill Ashbaugh : 14 AB, 6 H, 2 HR, 3 RBI, .429 AVG, 1.429 OPS

Weekly Schedule
9-17: Loss vs Kings (7-5)
9-18: Win vs Saints (1-4)
9-19: Win vs Saints (3-5)
9-20: Loss vs Saints (7-5)
9-21: Win vs Saints (2-7)
9-23: Loss vs Sailors (6-2)

Summary
Down to one week (plus a day) left in the regular season and the Brooklyn Kings (93-53) hold a two game lead over the Cleveland Foresters (92-56). As much as I hate not being in it, I'm glad that we have an exciting pennant race. The Fed isn't as close, with the Gothams (87-61) hanging on to a four game lead over the Pioneers (83-65). Winning 80 for us may be tough, going 3-3 this week, but I am glad this aggravating season is coming to a close. I took home a World Series in another league yesterday, so it's alleviating the pain of our 1934 collapse a bit, and with the offseason almost here I'm brought with new excitement for potential offseason acquisitions. As mentioned before, I'll be looking for a shortstop and starting pitcher, but I do tend to surprise myself...

Starting with the pitching, Herb Lowman's arm died, so yet again I'll need to find someone else to allow 5+ runs in a start. His last start of the year was probably his best, a complete game win with 7 hits, 2 runs, and 3 strikeouts. He'll finish the year 5-1 with a 3.72 ERA (122 ERA+), 1.48 WHIP, 28 walks, and 47 strikeouts while allowing 11 homers in just 84.2 innings pitched. He was better out of the pen, but in his 7 starts he was 4-1 with a 4.31 ERA (105 ERA+), 1.40 WHIP, 12 walks, and 29 strikeouts are more then respectable. Worst case, if he's our #4 next year it's not terrible. But, I'd much rather him be the five until good 'ol Tommy Wilcox is back and stronger then ever. I won't be calling up an arm from AAA, but Pete Walker will return from the DL. Gordie Thompson will slide into the rotation and make his first big league start. Art Jackson made his first in a 7-5 loss to the Saints. He tossed 6 and a third with 7 hits, 4 runs, 5 walks, and 5 strikeouts. Obviously it wasn't an ideal start, but hey, 5 strikeouts! He's a big strikeout pitcher and that is something we need. Of course, it would be much better if he didn't allow a bunch of runs, but at least he managed to stay below five.

Speaking of bad starts, Dick Leudtke had two starts with 6 runs without getting out of the sixth innings. The first loss was 5.2 innings with 10 hits, 6 runs, a walk, and 4 strikeouts against the Kings. The second loss was just 3 innings in a loss to the Sailors with 7 hits, 6 runs, and 2 walks. Going back to last week, he allowed 6 runs as well, so it's been a really weird season for Leudtke. The middle was great, but the start and end has been awful. He's got maybe one start left, and it's likely he'll end up with a sub 100 ERA+. Dave Rankin, on the other hand, had another excellent start. He allowed 7 hits with a run, walk, and 3 strikeouts in another complete game win. Dick Lyons also pitched well, 8 innings with 11 hits, 3 runs, and 3 strikeouts.

I think Bill Ashbaugh needed to get injured as he's just hit everything in site since then. He was 6-for-14 with 2 homers and 3 RBI's. This is all after hitting just .263/.354/.368 (88 OPS+) with a homer and 6 RBI's in 65 plate appearances down in Single A Lincoln. He's now batting .307/.373/.465 (110 OPS+) with 6 homers, 5 steals, and 46 RBI's in 287 trips to the plate in the big leagues, still easily the worst season in his 8 season career. Ashbaugh is my first ever Figment draft pick and probably the only Cougar I'll never trade. As mentioned, him and Russ Combs are set to platoon at second to keep them healthy, but I can see Ashbaugh getting a decent amount of time at first.

Doc Love had had the strong week I was looking for, going 8-for-22 with a triple, homer, and ten driven in. John Kincaid added another strong week of his home, going 10-for-20 with a homer and 4 RBI's. We also had four bench players, Mike Smith, Woody Armstrong, Claude Ramsey, and Forrest Sylvester combined to go 8-for-15 with 2 doubles and 5 RBI's. We did have three starters each with weekly OPS+ below 11; Mike Taylor, Joe Masters, and Lou Kelly. They combined to go 10-for-60 with 5 RBI's and shattered any chance of having another 20 homer hitter.

Slight edit: Made an extra callup. Rich Langton is coming back off the DL in AAA so I'm bringing Ken Allen up for extra outfield depth.

[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 3-4
Seasonal Record: 78-76 (5th, 20 GB)

Weekly Schedule
9-24: Win vs Sailors (8-9)
9-26: Loss at Foresters (2-3)
9-27: Loss at Foresters (2-11)
9-28: Loss at Wolves (2-4)
9-29: Win at Wolves (7-6)
9-30: Win at Wolves (10-7)
10-1: Loss at Wolves (4-5)

Summary
So we sort of ended the season tied for third with the Stars and Sailors, but we're listed fifth, so maybe we get a better draft pick? As it shapes out we're set to pick 8th, the highest since 1929 when we picked #1 overall. Remember who that pick was? Just the 1934 Continental Association Al Allen Award Winner Tom Barrell who finished 29-3 with a 2.96 ERA (153 ERA+), 1.06 WHIP, 68 walks, and 189 strikeouts in 319.1 innings pitched.

Man I miss Tommy Wilcox...

Barrell and the Kings (97-57) finished just one game short of the Cleveland Foresters (98-56) who won six straight including 15 of the last 16 after blowing an eight game lead. They'll face the Fed champion New York Gothams (91-63) who we beat in the 1931 World Series. The Gothams have a crazy pitching staff, with the 1-2-3 ranked pitcher's in terms of ERA and 3 Allen Award Winners. It will be four once Hardin Bates takes home this year's, but the 27-year-old got hurt on the 20th and will miss the playoffs. Bates was 19-5 with a 2.35 ERA (184 ERA+), 1.19 WHIP, 69 walks, and 121 strikeouts. I considered trading for Bates when New York was shopping some of their starters, but I poorly decided against it as I was comfortable with my rotation. Of course, there's no way he would have performed like this if he pitched in Chicago, but the Gothams have enviable pitching depth and have been really good with identifying good arms.

Anyways, now that our season is over, I can do a season in review report. Obviously, there was a lot of disappointment, but I'll try not to dwell on that. Only one team can make the playoffs in each division, so I almost rather be in our position then the Kings, which was basically what we dealt with in 1932. There's a lot of work to be done, but we do seem to have a strong enough core that I should be able to compete with an extra piece or two. We've now got two top 10 prospects, Ford (4th) and Mitchell (10th) who both play the same position. I'd like to see Ford play in the outfield some too, but I can't see myself moving Mitchell. Still, we have 8 in the top 50, 11 in the top 100 and 23 in the top 200. Our system is better then ever thanks to the strong 1932 draft class which gives me hope for the future. Not sure I want to wait until the prospects are ready, but perhaps if we suck next year we may have to try to start back from scratch.

The Pitching Staff
Unfortunately it's quite obvious who our best pitcher was this year. It was just 19 starts (really just 17...), but Tommy Wilcox was leaps and bounds better then every other pitcher in our organization. Before his arm broke (well, his UCL ruptured), Wilcox was an unlucky 7-11 with a 2.93 ERA (155 ERA+), 1.19 WHIP, 37 walks, and 60 strikeouts. His ERA would've been third in the CA and his WHIP second with just one more out. For a guy on pace to lose 22 games (which would've been the most in the league), pretty impressive numbers all around. I'm scared that this will be the best season of his career after his former best season last year. He's going to be 28 or 29 next time he throws a pitch, so he still has age on his side, but this same injury has ended careers. I'm hoping with his lack of injury history he'll be spared, but I'm hoping for the best while expecting the worse. I may have to make plans for a Wilcox-less rotation, or at least a rotation where he's no longer an ace. Of course, we have much more problems in the rotation...

Dick Lyons was worth nearly 6 wins this year and he ended up finishing with a season very similar to his career average. He made 33 starts and finished 13-10 with a 4.14 ERA (110 ERA+), 1.51 WHIP, 45 walks, and 78 strikeouts. It's his most amount of starts since 1929 where he led one of the worst rotations in history. Still, since his first full season in 1928, Lyons has thrown 230 or more innings with the only injury he ever faced a cold back in 1930. I've praised Wilcox's Iron Man arm, when really it's Lyons who's the true Iron Man. He's 34, but the veteran ranks as the 11th best pitcher in baseball at the moment and the only healthy Cougar in the top 20 on either side. If you remember, when the season started we had three top 20 hitters (Lou Kelly, Tom Taylor, and Doc Love) and two top 20 pitchers (Tommy Wilcox and Dick Leudtke) plus Dave Rankin who now pitches for us.

Both Rankin and Leudtke didn't have great seasons, with very average years. A late season struggle cost Leudtke an above average year, as he finished 12-15 with a 4.64 ERA (98 ERA+), 1.56 WHIP, 79 walks, and 86 strikeouts in 234.2 innings pitched. Most of his numbers were career lows/worsts, including innings, runs, hits, walks, WHIP, ERA+, BABIP, BB/9, and losses. I'm not worried about Leudtke, as the 33-year-old has a ton of talent and was elite in both 1932 and 33. Even my scout hasn't soured on him, still dubbing him a middle of the rotation starter despite the subpar performance from this year. I'm really hoping to shore up the defense in the offseason which should help Leudtke out. With Rankin, he made 18 starts for us and finished an even 7-7 with a 4.48 ERA (102 ERA+), 1.56 WHIP, 50 walks, and 54 strikeouts across 138.2 innings. Not exactly what I wanted after trading a trio of talented pitchers, but Bill Ross has bone spurs and Jim Crawford had a 7 game stint in AAA. Still, Crawford was 5-3 with a 3.91 ERA (114 ERA+), 1.43 WHIP, 20 walks, and 25 strikeouts in 78.1 innings (10 starts), but at least not the super powered explosion I expected.

We did have a ton of other pitchers make starts, but really only Herb Lowman succeeded. I covered him last post, so I won't spend too much time on him, but after having only six guys make starts last season (Norm Stewart had one), 12 players made 3 or more starts and 14 total Cougars started a game. Of those, none of them pitched very well in the rotation. Ace McSherry had a strong year out of the pen, 1-2 with a 2.05 ERA (221 ERA+), 1.11 WHIP, 11 walks, and 14 strikeouts, but his 3 starts weren't as effective. He was 2-1, but with a 4.98 ERA (91 ERA+), 1.48 WHIP, 9 walks and 4 strikeouts. Rookie Johnny Walker made four starts, going 1-2 with a 4.97 ERA (92 ERA+), 1.55 WHIP, 15 walks, and 14 strikeouts, but again, not very effective. Norm Stewart was terrible, Art Black really struggled, and George Johnson made it clear why he was waived twice this season. Art Jackson didn't look good in his two starts, but at least Gordie Thompson allowed only two earned runs (6 total) in a 10-7 win over the Wolves. Still, it became very clear that we will need to add at least one arm in the offseason if we want to have any shot of winning games next year.

The pen was solid despite Chick Meehan's struggles. The 37-year-old was dominant in '32 and '33, but fell back down to his '31 levels. He finished with a 4.34 ERA (105 ERA+), 1.46 WHIP, 17 walks, and 29 strikeouts in 56 innings pitched. He was 5-2 with 10 saves, but he's likely done finishing games. He's still a dependable pen arm, but he may have to fight for a roster spot next year. Don Grossman looks like the new stopper, finishing the year 5-3 with 6 saves, a 2.37 ERA (192 ERA+), 1.29 WHIP, 28 walks, and 22 strikeouts in 60.2 innings as a rookie. Bill Kline had a bit of a down year, but still finished with a 3.40 ERA (134 ERA+), 1.13 WHIP, 12 walks, and 25 strikeouts across 42.1 innings. Our 1926 2nd Round Pick, Kline is one of the few players I've drafted that got significant playing time on the active roster. The bullpen is one of the few spots on the roster I'm really happy with and I won't need to add any new pieces there.

Grossman was named Rookie of the Month in September, something I found quite shocking considering how many rookies generally come up in the last month of the year. He was 3-2 with a 1.86 ERA, 7 strikeouts, and 8 walks in 19.1 innings pitched. Definitely strong numbers, but I would've expected at least one other CA rookie to be more deserving.

The Batters
So if I had to use just one word to describe the offense this year it would be disappointing. Raise your hand if you had the worst offensive season in your career this year!

(Claude Ramsey, Mike Taylor, Lou Kelly, Bill Ashbaugh, Russ Combs, John Kincaid, Joe Masters, Slim Bloom, Arnold Bower, Clyde Hinzman, and Cy Bryant all raise their hands)

Yeah, it was that bad...

Doc Love was really the only hitter that excelled, batting .325/.381/.511 (123 OPS+) with 21 homers and 98 RBI's in his first full season as a starter. 146 of his 162 career starts came this season and he really did make the most of it. He added 22 doubles and 13 triples with more then double his walks (57) then strikeouts (24). So at least in a season full of disappointment, Doc Love did more or less exactly what I expected. Tom Taylor wasn't great and wasn't nearly as good as he was in 1928 and 1929, and even though it was likely his worst season as a Cougar, Taylor led the league with 31 homers (as well as 751 plate appearances and 688 at bats) and hit a strong .294/.344/.496 (109 OPS+) with 23 steals and 116 RBI's. He spent a third of the season in center and was average there, but he was elite in right as usual. His +9.9 zone rating and 1.057 efficiency was best in all of baseball at right. The zone rating is crazy impressive as he ranked 8th in innings. Taylor also took homer Batter of the Month in September, slashing .345/.380/.538 with 4 homers, 4 steals, and 30 RBI's. It was easily the best month of his season despite the relatively low homer count, and I'm hoping he can carry it in to 1935.

Even with all the down seasons by our hitters, we still ranked 3rd or 4th in every single offensive category except hits, which we ranked 2nd in. Of course, Cleveland and Brooklyn generally ranked 1st and 2nd, as you would expect, and both of them could pitch. The more I look at things, the more I feel the lineup is strong, but I just don't like our defense. I really need someone to man short and I'm really betting on Tom Taylor turning into a capable defender out in center. This doesn't mean Cy Bryant is out of a job, I still plan on giving him 70-100 games out in center, but his bat has hurt.

The Farm
If you told me that our farm would rank 1st in all of baseball when the season ended, I'd call you crazy. Especially after the trade with the Chiefs! But, despite all that, our system ranks as the best in the league with 212 points, 5 more then the Washington Eagles. No one else is all that close, with St. Louis (144) in third. The Gothams (13th, 68) Cleveland (16th, 6) and Brooklyn (14th, 50) rank at the bottom, but considering all three won 90+ games, I think it's for the best. And I'd trade the #1 farm in a heart beat to win 90+ games again. I'll start a top prospect report soon, but here's how are top 30 shapes out:

1. 1B Ray Ford (4th Overall): Not in organization
2. 1B Leo Mitchell (10th Overall): 3rd/46th
3. SS Billy Hunter (17th Overall): 1st/18th
4. SP Cy Sullivan (32nd Overall): 5th/65th
5. LF Rich Langton (39th Overall): 4th/49th
6. C Harry Mead (43rd Overall): 6th/66th
7. SP Karl Wallace (47th Overall): Not in organization
8. CF Marty Roberts (64th Overall): 9th/82nd
9. 3B Hank Stratton (72nd Overall): 16th/115th
10. SS Ducky Jordan (89th Overall): 21st/148th
11. RF Bobby Mills (98th Overall): 14th/107th
12. 2B Homer Ray (109th Overall): 22nd/165th
13. SP Joe Foote (120th Overall): Not in organization
14. CF Roy Moore (126th Overall): 26th/171st
15. SS Tommy Wilson (132nd Overall): 1933 Draftee
16. 2B Gene Evans (137th Overall): 25th/170th
17. LF Dave Haight (145th Overall): 24th/169th
18. 3B Freddie Bennett (147th Overall): 20th/145th
19. SP Frank Gordon (155th Overall): Not Ranked
20. LF Larry Robinson (157th Overall): Not Ranked
21. RF Lou Roach (160th Overall): 11th/86th
22. RF Dick Earl (166th Overall): 30th/200th
23. 1B Cuno Myer (196th Overall): Not Ranked
24. RF Johnny Waters (230th Overall): 29th/195th
25. CF Elias Canady (236th Overall): Not Ranked
26. 3B Tom Spitzer (251st Overall): 23rd/167th
27. SP Art Black (314th Overall): Not Ranked
28. SP Chet Peacock (337th Overall): Not Ranked
29. SP Neal Wilkinson (348th Overall): Not Ranked
30. SP John Hartz (350th Overall): Not Ranked

Our system is not as deep, as last year all our top 30 prospects ranked in the top 200, but we have a lot more top of the line talent then we did before. Of course, we'll have a decent enough draft pick to add even more depth, but I'm not nearly as confident heading into this draft as usual. With the feeders removed, this draft will definitely be a challenge, but one all sixteen of us have to adjust to. I've been scouting the pool nonstop, but I do miss being able to pour through all the stats and teams as we once were able to. Still, I think we should be able to add a ton of new pieces to strengthen an already strong system.

Ray Ford, our now top prospect, had a rough start to his Cougar career, but really turned things up in September. He took home Heartland Player of the Month after hitting .389 with 2 homers, 19 RBI's, and 22 runs scored. The 23-year-old hasn't had much minor league success, but hit .320/.400/.440 (118 OPS+) in 285 trips to the plate with the Legislators. I'm hoping I can start him in Mobile next year, but I'm leaning towards making him a right fielder. I have no idea if he can handle it, and while the early returns at first are okay, he's just 5'10'' and I like having taller first basemen. Granted, Leo Mitchell is just an inch taller, but what I like more then tall first basemen are what I call "lefty shortstops" and I'm pretty sure that's what Mitchell is. I've debated trying him in the outfield as well, but I think it may be best keeping him at first.

Final Notes
Despite all our struggles, we still ranked 3rd in attendance (1,039,366). It's our lowest mark since 1929 when we managed just over 600,000, but that makes five consecutive seasons with more then a million Cougar fans packing into North Side Grounds. Our revenue was way down, which definitely makes sense, but it was still 3rd just like our attendance. In both attendance and revenue, just the two pennant winners rank ahead of us. We topped media revenue and merchandise and made about $800 thousand during the season.

I still haven't decided what I'm going to do with Hank Leitzke. He finished 40-34 with us and the clubhouse is somehow ecstatic. He's managed the personalities well, but he doesn't really have a good relationship with the players at the moment. This could be just because he's new, but I don't like how only the pitchers like him while all the hitters don't. I have until the World Series ends to offer him an extension, and I'll likely come decide on Monday or Tuesday whether Leitzke gets another year (he wants four) in Chicago.

I've already reached out to a few teams in regards to a new shortstop and probably after the draft is done I'll start browsing for starting pitchers. It's always hard to find arms and I want to scout those targets before making a move. Shortstop is a much more pressing need, so I want to get that taken care of as soon as possible.

Best of luck to both the Gothams and Foresters in the World Series! Even though we failed to meet all my expectations and the low ball (or at least what I thought) projections from OSA, it was still another great year in Figment. With such a great group of GMs, it makes losing feel a little bit better. It sucks I can't add another title, but both guys have put together excellent teams and we're set to have another first time champion. This is the Gotham's fourth pennant since 1926, but will be Cleveland's first (last one back in 1920) and it should be a really exciting series.

[StLee]

Well, better than .500 is something to build on.

[ayaghmour2]

1B Ray Ford (14th Overall)
Acquired: Via Trade with Chicago (7-16-1934)
Drafted: 14th Round, 217th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Coastal Carolina Dolphins

Usually I have a cool story behind acquiring players or something that I saw in them where I realized that they would be a good pick. When it comes to Ford, there is none of that. It was just pure luck. I was scouting the Chiefs organization, by scout liked a guy sitting on their A team's bench, and I sent Johnny Cox their way. I didn't think it was going to be a big trade in the gran scheme of things that I didn't even dedicate a whole post to the trade.

But somehow Ray Ford got a nice little talent boost and is ranked a top prospect out of nowhere. There has to be something that OSA can see that we cannot, as Ford has had a pretty uninspiring minor league career. Combined with his time in the Chiefs organization the 23-year-old hit .304/.386/.419 (109 OPS+) with 4 homers, 3 steals, and 44 RBI's in 332 trips to the plate. None of this screams top prospect material, but he may be another Mahlon Strong. Ford also isn't much of a defender, a natural second basemen who I don't think can handle the position, and I'm hoping he can adjust well to first or a corner outfield spot. I'm not treating Ford as a top prospect yet, I'd like to see him show a bit more, especially because the guy right behind him looks much better.

1B Leo Mitchell (10th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 28th Overall (1931)
Alma Mater: Atlanta HS Peaches

The 21-year-old broke out last year and followed it up with an even better season. He hit almost .400 in AA, batting .397/.433/.503 (148 OPS+) with 5 homers and 94 RBI's. My guess is that if I brought him up now he could hit big league pitching, but even though his upside is far higher, he's not a better player then Bill Ashbaugh or Lou Kelly at the moment. He is, however, leaps and bounds better defensively with an impressive +13.2 zone rating and 1.110 efficiency at first. Generally advanced metrics are a little misleading with a catcher or first basemen, but with numbers like this it is just clear that he is leaps and bounds better then the average first basemen. Of course, he's also a team leader who can absolutely mash, muscling hit after hit onto the right side of the field. This year he really cut down on his strikeouts and almost walked more then he punched out. There is very little left for Mitchell to prove, and I think he's going to be the first home grown player in a while to really make a big difference for us.

SS Billy Hunter (17th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 14th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Cincinnati HS Tigers

Still one of the best prospects in our system, Hunter looked okay in his second year, moving up one spot overall despite dropping to third in our system. Hunter ended the season in San Jose where he hit .312/.353/.457 (104 OPS+) with 8 homers and 60 RBI's across 380 trips to the plate. A sore elbow cost him 5 weeks, but that was the only real setback the former 14th Overall pick had to deal with. His glove is still developing, but he showed improvement out in the field and still profiles as an above average or better defender at short. He's got a ton of contact potential and will never have an issue with strikeouts and I like the power potential he's shown in the lower levels. With 5 more homers down in La Crosse he totaled 13 on the season which is an improvement from last year. We really need a big league shortstop in the majors as Hunter won't turn 20 until November, but if I'm patient, Hunter should be the franchise player I'm currently looking for.

SP Cy Sullivan (32nd Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 60th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Austin HS Senators

Standing tall at 6'6'', Cy Sullivan is about as scary of a pitcher that you can face based just off of his stature alone. He's still waiting for that big velocity boost, but he sits comfortably in the high 80s and he's really hard to hit a homerun off of. He does have his control issues as most young pitchers do, and I'm expecting a slow climb up the organizational ladder (although that is what I'm okay with). He had a decent 24 start campaign this year, finishing 6-5 with a 5.29 ERA (102 ERA+), 1.76 WHIP, 71 walks, and 39 strikeouts in 143 innings. Sullivan has four strong pitches in his arsenal and definitely has the tools to start. I think his ceiling is an ace, but he does have a very low floor. I'm hoping he can stay healthy (mostly has his career) as the sky really is the limit for Sullivan and pitching prospects can be so valuable to an organization.

LF Rich Langton (39th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 3rd Round, 46th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Detroit City College Knights

There was no slow ascent for Rich Langton, who has gone from San Jose to Milwaukee in his two pro years. His longest stint has been up in Milwaukee, where he has an at bat over 300 in 76 games this season. He hit .319/.402/.429 (113 OPS+), really impressive numbers for a recently 23-year-old at the highest level. He added 4 homers, 3 steals, and 49 RBI's while looking decent out in left. He's easily our most advanced prospect in the system and if it wasn't for Doc Love, Langton probably would've seen some big league at bats this season. He'll get a shot to make his debut next Opening Day, but I'm not too sure I want to send him down once he debuts. He's got a really strong pure hit tool and decent speed on the bases. The coolest part may be his eye, however, with 5 times (50 to 10) walks to strikeouts this year. He's basically a righty Doc Love, but perhaps with a little less power.

[ayaghmour2]

C Harry Mead (43rd Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 58th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Memphis HS Pharaohs

A rarity, Harry Mead is a left handed catcher, the only in our organization and likely in the league. The 20-year-old from Illinois had a decent second season, batting .322/.379/.444 (97 OPS+) with 10 homers and 89 RBI's in 573 trips to the plate. He's a solid defensive catcher according to my scout, and that's really the only way we can judge catcher defense. He does have strong athletic abilities and can man first, left, or right if catching doesn't pan out, but his value really lies in his ability to catch. He's got a strong eye at the plate and has an above average contact tool that pairs well. The power isn't really a pull yet, but this was the first time he reached double digits in a season. He may need another month or two down in La Crosse, but I can't see him ending the season down here again. With Mike Taylor only 28, I don't need to rush Mead up and I can wait until the onfield performance reflects his future ceiling.

SP Karl Wallace (47th Overall)
Acquired: Via Trade with Boston (6-18-1934)
Drafted: 6th Round, 91st Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Memphis HS Pharaohs

Acquired in the midseason Max Wilder trade, the season did not go all that great for the 20-year-old. He was 2-10 with a 6.24 ERA (79 ERA+), 1.71 WHIP, 27 walks, and 31 strikeouts in 98 innings down in San Jose. Obviously, these weren't very encouraging results and he definitely will need a second try at Class B. What is much more encouraging his his physical tools, as he's got all the pieces to front a rotation. He's a groundballer standing at 6'1'' with a nice 92-94 mile per hour fastball. It's the best of his four pitches and he has great control of all of them. Walks shouldn't ever be much of an issue for him and I'm glad he's already added some speed to his pitches since high school and he's still got a long way to grow. He's got good stuff and movement too and if he reaches his peak, he'll be one of the stronger pitchers in the league.

CF Marty Roberts (64th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 23rd Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Brunswick Knights

After 225 trips to the plate in Lincoln, Marty Roberts earned a call up to AA Mobile. He hit .340/.387/.476 (123 OPS+) with 2 homers and 21 RBI's. He then made 383 trips to the plate with the Commodores, batting a strong .271/.368/.392 (102 OPS+) with a homer, 6 steals, and 35 RBI's against much older and stronger competition. Defensively he did fine in center in A ball, but had some issues with Mobile and got some reps in left. We did have an elite defensive center fielder in Roy Moore who pushed Roberts over to left. I still think his future is in center, but if he moves to left he'd be one of the best out there. He's got excellent speed and the potential to win a batting title or two. He could reach the .350 mark consistently while offering some extra base pop as well. He won't hit many homers, something he did do a little of in college. He does have a chance to add some muscle, but for now I can't expect much pop from him.

3B Hank Stratton (72nd Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 5th Round, 78th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Chicago HS Wildcats

He's not a Chicago native, but Harry Stratton spent his high school years at Chicago HS before we made him a 5th Round selection. He started this season in La Cross, slashing .395/.440/.601 (147 OPS+) with 9 homers and 58 RBI's in a strong 69 game showing before a promotion up to San Jose. He hit .320/.356/.428 (98 OPS+) in 84 games to end the year, adding just 3 homers and 46 RBI's. For a 20-year-old these are very respectable numbers and he added excellent defensive play as well. He's got a smooth swing with strong contact ability and he seems to be a disciplined hitter so far. He reminds me a lot of John Kincaid, just sacrificing the speed for a little more power.

SS Ducky Jordan (89th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 6th Round, 92nd Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Little Rock HS Pioneers

One of our more advanced draftees, Duck Jordan spent all of last season in La Crosse before posting 117 OPS+ in 42 games with San Jose and 85 in Lincoln. He hit 11 homers, drove in 86 runs, and stole 11 bases. His defense at short is generally solid, but he had some issues up in Lincoln. My scout is back to calling him a shortstop, but I do think if Billy Hunter and him play at the same level, I may let him take reps in center. "The Hot Springs Hot Shot" has strong speed and improving pitch recognition abilities, and as a switch hitter he can handle both lefties and righties pretty well. He is rather tiny, just 5'7'' 145, but he's got a ton of natural talent with a tremendously high upside. He also has a great work ethic and the drive to get better. He's the type of guy scouts and coaches alike love and he should find his way on to a big league roster one way or another.

[ayaghmour2]

RF Bobby Mills (98th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 6th Round, 90th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: San Antonio HS Warriors

"Nutball" split half his season in La Crosse and the other in San Jose, but he registered identical 103 OPS+. In La Crosse he hit .301/.360/.497 with 8 homers and 39 RBI's while in San Jose he hit .326/.346/.460 with 6 homers and 57 RBI's. He did have over 100 more plate appearances in San Jose, and I am happy that he didn't seem to slow down when he was promoted. Mills is not much of a defender, so the Snohomish native is going to have to hit if he wants to be a big leaguer. He's an above average hitter right now with a good eye and a quick swing. He's in good shape, but he'll never be a speed threat. At just 20, he's got a lot of time to grow, but the future looks good for Mills.

2B Homer Ray (109th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 3rd Round, 47th Overall (1931)
Alma Mater: San Antonio HS Warriors

Ray and Mills were actually teammates in 1930 and 1931 at San Antonio HS. They haven't been teammates yet in our organization, as the 21-year-old Ray has spent just one season at each level. In year three he hit .313/.354/.446 (107 OPS+) with 17 triples and 81 RBI's in 575 trips to the plate. Ray has absolutely no home run power, not a single one this year, but the 17 triples is a huge increase from 15 in his career. He seems to be a really good gap power hitter, and should get a ton of extra base hits instead of homeruns. Still, Ray is also a strong defender and will likely get to start next season in Mobile. I have the always injured Bill Ashbaugh and Russ Combs positioned to start next year, but with a few injuries, perhaps Ray finds his way onto the big league roster next year. He's got the most upside in the system at second and all my backup middle infielders were awful this year.

SP Joe Foote (120th Overall)
Acquired: Via Trade with Montreal (6-25-1034)
Draft: 6th Round, 84th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Greensboro HS Giants

Taken six picks before Bobby Mills, Joe Foote was Montreal's 6th Round selection in the 1932 draft. I picked him and Woody Armstrong up for Bobby Sprague back in June. He was 19 and pitching in Class B, and I thought he many need to sharpen up in La Crosse first. It took just two starts there (1.59 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 5 K) to realize I was wrong, and I let him return to Class B. With Montreal's affiliate, the Mobile Monarchs of the Southeastern League, Foote was 4-3 with a 5.16 ERA (93 ERA+), 1.45 WHIP, 18 walks, and 13 strikeouts in 66.1 innings pitched. He made 10 starts there and then made 10 starts in San Jose. Foote went 4-2 with a 3.88 ERA (127 ERA+), 1.43 WHIP, 14 walks, and 9 strikeouts in 51 innings with us. We then needed an arm in Lincoln at the end of the year, so he made two more starts up in A ball. He did really good, winning one with a 2.45 ERA (189 ERA+), 1.09 WHIP, 3 walks, and 6 strikeouts in 11 innings. I guess the now 20-year-old will start next year in Lincoln, as he looks like he's ready to pitch up their. He's got a real nice sinker that sits in the 92-94 range. He doesn't need to strike you out, as if you get on base he'll just get you to ground into a double play. He does have a curveball and slider, but he relies heavily on the sinker. He's got strong command of his pitches, so if he can turn one of them into an out pitch he could become a really good big league pitcher. I think he's got a lot of upside, but he's so young that he may never reach it.

CF Roy Moore (126th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 63rd Overall (1931)
Alma Mater: Hartford HS Blue Sox

He started the season in AA and the 21-year-old was as good as ever out in center field. He pushed Marty Roberts over to left and he hit an average .314/.350/.391 (97 OPS+) with 6 steals, a homer, and 60 RBI's in 471 trips to the plate. He got the late season promotion to AAA and hit a strong .360/396/.424 (110 OPS+) with 2 homers, a steal, and 14 RBI's in 150 trips to the plate. I think Moore is big league ready as a fielder, but I'm hoping the bat is almost there too. He's got excellent speed and range and he does have a strong hit tool. He just won't hit many homers or draw many walks. He profiles as a fourth outfielder and will get a shot this spring to try and win a job.

SS Tommy Wilson (132nd Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 31st Overall (1933)
Alma Mater: Elmira HS Emeralds

I already traded the guy I took first in the 1933 draft, so Wilson is the highest pick from that class to play a game in our organization. The 19-year-old had a rough first season, hitting just .207/.318/.352 (61 OPS+) with 7 homers, 6 steals, and 50 RBI's in 382 trips to the plate. He's not a Chicago kid, but he was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana which is not too far. He was probably a Cougar fan growing up, and now he gets to play for them. Wilson has all the tools defensively to succeed, so hopefully the poor batting line is just because of the tough competition for a high schooler in C ball. He does have a good eye and managed to draw one more walk (47) then his strikeouts (46). He's as good as it gets with the glove, so hopefully he continues to develop his bat. He looks to be a better defender then Ducky Jordan and Billy Hunter, so he may end up pushing one of them over to second to get both players in the lineup.

2B Gene Evans (137th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 10th Round, 159th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Worcester HS Warriors

He did get a 12 game cup of coffee in San Jose, but the 20-year-old Gene Evans spent most of the season down in La Crosse. He hit well, batting .334/.383/.495 (109 OPS+) with 9 homers, 18 steals, and 88 RBI's in 621 trips to the plate. These are strong numbers for the 10th Round Pick, but he'll need to hit even better to make up for his subpar defense. He doesn't look great at second and has been dreadful at third. He's looked okay at first, but he doesn't have the bat for first. He's either got to work on his glove or add some pop if he wants a big league spot in our organization.

LF Dave Haight (145th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 13th Round, 207th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Toledo HS Wildcats

Taken in the 13th Round back in 1932, Haight was one of the guys I had on my shortlist to take. He played 42 more games this year, but just like last season, recorded a 96 OPS+ in La Cross. His triple slash for the year was .305/.340/.488 and he added 16 homers, 26 steals, and 99 RBI's in a strong second season. The 20-year-old looks good out in left field and seems to have developed some new power. That would be a huge plus as he's already got great speed, and if he could be a Tom Taylor sort of hitter that would be perfect. He wasn't born in Canada, but just like Taylor Haight even has some Canadian roots. I'm hoping he can handle San Jose next year, but I can't see him finishing the season in La Crosse again.

SS Freddie Bennett (147th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 12th Round, 191st Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: New York HS Eagles

Taken a round before Haight was a New York native Freddie Bennett. He is an outstanding defender, and showed great glove play at second, third, and short this season. He hit .283/.340/.519 (103 OPS+) in 579 plate appearances for the Lions, but was a 20/20/100 player with 25 homers, 21 steals, and 114 RBI's. This was a really strong showing for the 6'3'' Bennett who's developed into quite a nice power hitter. I'm a huge fan of his tools, but even if the bat never returns to these levels, his glove secures him a spot in an organization. This kid is young, but I think he's got all the tools to flourish in the majors. He may not be rated all that high, but I think he's much more talented then a lot of the guys ranked above him.

SP Frank Gordon (155th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 18th Round, 287th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Trenton HS Titans

Another 1932 draftee, Gordon is one of the few I had no impact on drafting. He was one of the pitchers my old scout wanted, and he seemed to have found something. The righty started in La Crosse, going 3-1 with a 3.90 ERA (137 ERA+), 1.38 WHIP, 27 walks, and 40 strikeouts in 80.2 innings before a promotion to San Jose. He held his own against the older competition, going 4-1 with a 4.86 ERA (101 ERA+), 1.73 WHIP, 24 walks, and 13 strikeouts in 53.2 innings. He'll get another go at San Jose next year, and if he follows his pattern, he'll add some more speed to his fastball in November or December. Sitting at the high 80s low 90s, it's a strong pitch he has excellent command of. He has a splitter and change too, but neither are really strikeout pitches. With young pitchers it is always really hard to predict what is going to happen, but I'll be keeping an eye on Gordon as he progresses in our system.

LF Larry Robison (157th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 19th Round, 303rd Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Queens HS Islanders

After just 17 games off the bench in La Cross last season, Robison got into over 100 games this season. He started the year up in San Jose and earned a starting job in the outfield. He hit .319/.354/.529 (121 OPS+) with 5 homers, 5 steals, and 31 RBI's in 225 trips to the plate before a promotion up to Lincoln. It did not go well, as Robison finished the season hitting .245/.286/.331 (60 OPS+) with 5 steals, a homer, and 34 RBI's in 301 plate appearances. I'm not too surprised he had his struggles, but towards the end of the season there was a real logjam in the minor league outfields. Robison will get another go at Lincoln if not a return to San Jose. He does have a nice hit tool and looks alright out in left, so perhaps Robison can force his way into our plans.

A little news. I decided to add a new manager, the 59-year-old Jim "The Buffalo Bull" Cathey. A former hitting coach in the minor leagues, the Philadelphia Sailors signed him to be their bench coach in 1925. By 1927 he was their manager, and by 1928 he won a championship. In his 6 seasons with Philly he won 100 games twice and two world championships. He lost his job after starting 1932 5-14, but then signed with the Washington Eagles later on. They let go of him this season, but I picked him up because he has a good relationship with basically everyone on the team.

Hank Lietzke was okay, getting us to finish 40-34 after getting hired. He should be able to get a job somewhere else, but all the hitters hated him. The rest of the major league staff will stay the same, but I was making other minor league changes already.

[ayaghmour2]

RF Lou Roach (160th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 62nd Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Mississippi A&M Generals

While most of our prospects trended up this season, Lou Roach's stock fell a bit. He dropped 10 spots in our system and fell out of the top 100, down almost 80 spots. Still, it was a decent season for the 23-year-old who spent most of his 1934 in Lincoln. He hit .320/.367/.491 (121 OPS+) with 12 homers and 80 RBI's in 590 trips to the plate before a late season callup to Mobile. Originally a center fielder, Roach has looked a little lost out there so far and looks more like a corner outfielder. The early returns are at least average in both left and right, but he's got under 100 starts at each corner position. The Park Ridge, Illinois native projects to have okay range and decent power, and should be a strong doubles hitter. One of the older prospects in our system, Roach should be able to make an impact in the FABL in the next couple of seasons. I'd love for him to show a little more with the bat as he was a dominant hitter in college, especially since it doesn't look like he can do much out in center.

RF Dick Earl (166th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 17th Round, 271st Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Meridian HS Rebels

He didn't see much playing time in 1933, but he got 161 plate appearances in La Crosse and 199 in San Jose this season. The 20-year-old corner outfielder looked better with the Lions where he hit 4 homers and drove in 18 RBI's with a .293/.383/.468 (103 OPS+) batting line. To the promotion to San Jose didn't go as well, with just a homer and 34 RBI's to go with a .275/.307/.418 (82 OPS+) line. Earl is passable out in the corners, but if he wants to be a big leaguer he's going to have to hit is way onto a big league roster. He has a nice swing that consistently gets the barrel onto the ball, but he doesn't always hit it that hard. He did double 34 times, pretty impressive numbers for limited time, but he doesn't have the best on base tools. I think he's a bench player at best, but he's got a lot of time to prove me wrong.

1B Cuno Myer (196th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 22nd Round, 351st Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Norfolk HS Navigators

Previously unranked, it was a great season for the switch hitting first basemen Cuno Myer. He struggled in a small sample down in La Crosse last year, but he was hitting everything in site this time around. He finished with a .360/.406/.534 (123 OPS+) batting line in 323 trips to the plate. He added 7 homers and 51 RBI's, but he was a beyond awful defender. His -15.0 zone rating and .750 efficiency at first base are very concerning considering first base is usually the best position to hide a poor defender. Myer is a bat, nothing more, which will limit his value. When he's hot, he's hitting everything in sight and he managed to strikeout (23) just as much as he walked. I hope he can eventually be average at first, but his bat is enough to keep me interested. He's just 20, so there is a lot of time for defensive growth, but it will likely be a slow climb up the system for the switch hitter.

RF Johnny Waters (230th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 15th Round, 239th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Lincoln Presidents

The switch hitter just turned 23, but already has a full season at AA Mobile under his belt. He hit an impressive .332/.359/.469 (119 OPS+) with 33 doubles, 10 triples, 3 homers, and 94 RBI's in 479 trips to the plate. He missed some time with injury, but when healthy, Waters managed to make a ton of contact. He had just 11 strikeouts and 22 walks, consistently lining the ball in play. He's not a home run hitter, but he should hit a ton of extra base hits which makes up for not being able to walk much. He's awful defensively in right at the moment, and shares a lot of similarities with former Cougar Vince York. York managed to hit a few homers too, something I don't see Waters ever doing.

CF Elias Canady (236th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 8th Round, 126th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Portland HS Lumberjacks

There was once a time I thought Elias Canady would be a top pick. After a sophomore and junior year of high school with OPS+'s of 210 and 195, he looked like one of the best prep hitters there was. After an awful senior season where he hit .185/.247/.284 (38 OPS+), he dropped down on draft boards and we managed to get him in the 8th round. Last season was tough on him, but this year in La Crosse his .286/.366/.429 (90 OPS+) batting line was more respectable and he added 7 homers and 73 RBI's in 423 trips to the plate. He's just 19, so very young and raw, but unfortunately he has yet to show the promise he did those two years in high school. The defense is a huge plus, and his +14.4 zone rating and 1.073 efficiency are excellent numbers for a youngster. He's got great work ethic and continues to work on getting better, so I'm hoping Canady can correct whatever issue that has plagued him since his senior year. The glove will always keep him in an FABL organization, but I'm hoping he can hit better then a Cy Bryant type.

3B Tom Spitzer (251st Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 7th Round, 97th Overall (1929)
Alma Mater: Houston HS Hurricanes

This was year five for Spitzer in our organization, and it was the second one he spent in Mobile. He hit .303/.349/.422 (104 OPS+) with 3 homers and 55 RBI's while spending most of his time at second. He made 100 starts this year and will be eligible for the Rule-5 draft for the first time this season. I'd imagine that I'll protect him as I have a few open spots and not too many worthy prospects in need of protection. Spitzer projects to be an above average contact hitter who should be a decent defender at either second or third. He used to be a shortstop and has a lot of glove skills, but he doesn't quite have the range for the position. He could be an intriguing bench piece, and will get a shot to earn a bench position next spring. If not, he'll probably be handy depth in Milwaukee in case of injury or an underperformer on the big league squad.

SP Art Black (314th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 5th Round, 67th Overall (1927)
Alma Mater: Cincinnati HS Tigers

Our only top 30 prospect with big league experience, Art Black made his FABL debut this season. He made three starts in year one, but it did not go so well. The former 5th Rounder was 1-1 with a 5.59 ERA (81 ERA+), 2.17 WHIP, 15 walks, and 6 strikeouts in 19.1 innings. Most of his year was spent in Milwaukee where he was an effective 12-5 with a 3.65 ERA (126 ERA+), 1.38 WHIP, 75 walks, and 39 strikeouts in 150.1 innings. As you can see, Black will walk a ton of hitters and won't strike too many out. The 25-year-old sits in the 92-94 range with his fastball and cutter, but he'll need to rely on his defense for a lot of outs. He throws three offspeed pitches, a curve, slider, and change, but none look like a reliable out pitch yet. We don't have much rotation depth at the moment, so hopefully with a strong offseason Black can crack the big league rotation. Behind Lyons, Luedtke, and Rankin there isn't much else, so with two spots open in the rotation Black will hope for a strong spring.

SP Chet Peacock (337th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 6th Round, 90th Overall (1930)
Alma Mater: Lynn HS Legends

The 22-year-old Chet Peacock hasn't had too much minor league success yet, but his 11 starts in San Jose this year were very encouraging. He was 3-1, but with a 3.42 ERA (144 ERA+), 1.32 WHIP, 16 walks, and 32 strikeouts. After those 79 innings, he made 13 starts across 86.2 innings with the Lincoln Legislators. That did not go as well, as he was just 1-5 with a 5.71 ERA (81 ERA+), 1.78 WHIP, 38 walks, and 30 strikeouts. He'll get another shot at Lincoln next season, but I was hoping Peacock would have had better success in A ball. He's got a nice 90ish mile per hour fastball with an effective curve and slider, but he's really taken his time polishing his stuff. This was his fourth year, so just one more before he's Rule-5 eligible, and Peacock will need a strong 1935 to warrant protection.

SP Neal Wilkinson (348th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 16th Round, 255th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Brooklyn HS Trojans

After just 15 innings in 1933, Neal Wilkinson was a much more important member of the La Crosse staff this year. He made 24 starts and went 8-6 with a 4.92 ERA (109 ERA+), 1.67 WHIP, 47 walks, and 67 strikeouts. This was a very strong showing from the 20-year-old righty who has shown great improvement in his young career. He's got a nice four pitch arsenal headlined by an 89-91 MPH fastball. He does a good job keeping the ball on the ground, and his curveball should develop into an excellent strikeout pitch. His stuff isn't all that great, but with his ability to rack up double plays he should do well if runners get on base against him. I plan on taking it slow with him, as it can take a few years before a high school pitcher really breaks out. He's slated to start next season in LaCrosse, but I'd be surprised if he doesn't end up in San Jose.

SP John Hartz (350th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 31st Overall (1931)
Alma Mater: Denver HS Mountaineers

A 2nd Round Pick in the 1931 draft, John Hartz rounds out our top 30 for the 1935 season. I may have taken him a bit too early, as Hartz is not one of our more highly touted prospects. He started this season in La Crosse, and the 21-year-old was 7-3 with a 3.74 ERA (144 ERA+), 1.34 WHIP, 18 walks, and 34 strikeouts in 77 innings. This was a really strong performance, so I gave him another shot at Class B San Jose, where he struggled in 1933. It was a bit better, as Hartz was 5-8 with a 5.01 ERA (98 ERA+), 1.55 WHIP, 32 walks, and 23 strikeouts across 82.2 innings. He'll be 22 shortly, and it's clear Hartz hasn't quite developed how we wanted him to. I doubt he'll ever end up a middle of the rotation arm, but he does have the tools t start big league games. His future may be as a spot starter/swingman and if he adds more to his fastball he could transition well into the pen. The top five in the 1931 class has had some mixed results, with fellow 2nd Rounder Leo Mitchell ranked 2nd in our system and 10th in all of baseball. Ed Reyes was our 1st Rounder and ranks 60th in baseball and 6th in the Cheifs organization. Both 3rd and 4th Rounder Homer Ray and Roy Moore rank in our top 30 while 5th Rounder Ben McDonald is unranked. And at least at this time, the 6th-25th rounders don't look all that exciting.

[ayaghmour2]

Haven't had much to post about, but with the draft starting tomorrow, I thought I'd cover the current first round of the OSA Mock Draft. I generally don't use the Mock Draft feature, but with no more feeders, I'll at least look at it throughout the draft. Here is who OSA projects to be the first 16 picks in the 1934 draft. This will be my 10th draft with the Chicago Cougars.

C Woody Stone
Class Year: HS Senior
School: Dunlap (TN)
Commit School: College of San Diego
.541/.586/.806, 116 PA, 2 HR, 35 RBI, 2.7 WAR

An Illinois kid projected to go number one! The River Grove native doesn't live in Illinois anymore, but instead flourished as the starting catcher for Dunlap. He had an excellent season at the plate, ranking second for all catchers in average and first in OBP, slugging, and OPS. My scout likes him, raving about his pitch recognition abilities and strong contact tools. He's good defensively behind the plate, but I guess he does not have much of an arm. I think he's going to be one of the better catchers in the league, a position that there is not too much talent at.

C Adam Mullins
Class Year: COL Junior
School: Eastern Oklahoma
.317/.413./460, 189 PA, 3 HR, 31 RBI, 15 SB, 1.2 WAR

While his numbers don't look as good as Stone's, Mullins had "Great" competition at Eastern Oklahoma, but had the least amount of games for the 9 other junior catchers. He did have the best batting line by a mile, but Mullins hasn't showed much power. The 22-year-old is already a leader on his college team and projects to be a strong hitter. Like Stone, he should have an excellent eye and you can't go wrong with either player. Stone has the upside, but Mullins could start in an FABL lineup in just a season or two. There are a few really good catchers in this pool, but I like some of the other upcoming guys more then these two catchers.

CF Bennie Griffith
Class Year: COL Junior
School: All Hallows
.323/.416/.617, 234 PA, 11 HR, 32 SB, 48 RBI, 2.4 WAR

There are a few players who had a more impressive season then Bennie Griffith. The junior was a relative unknown until this year, but with an impressive showing at the plate and in the field Griffith vaulted his way up to the top 5. Griffith's speed is unmatched and it translates to the field as well. He'll track down every ball hit out in center and has the skill to stick up the middle. At the plate, he's got really impressive power and he'll hit for a high average as well. He's one of the most valuable players in this class, and whoever gets him is in for a treat.

CF Lew Seals
Class Year: COL Junior
School: Bluegrass State
.283/.379/.496, 264 PA, 8 HR, 37 SB, 38 RBI, 1.4 WAR

Another center fielder and another Illinois native, Lew Seals is another really talented prospect. The Bluegrass State star didn't have as great of a line, but he faced tougher competition then Griffith did. Seals also has experience at left, right, first and second, but he's a center fielder with excellent range and he can track down anything. He'll steal a ton of bases and hit a few homers as well. It's really a coin flip between him and Griffith, but it is nice to see a lot of talented center fielders at the top of this class.

LF Bob Donohue
Class Year: COL Junior
School: Iowa A&M
.317/.420/.579, 264 PA, 15 HR, 11 SB, 50 RBI, 2.6 WAR

He's been my scouts favorite since day one, but I cannot see myself taking a corner outfielder with my first pick. But, "Mr. Clout" may be the best offensive player in the entire pool. This kid absolutely rakes and has record setting power potential. He'll draw a ton of walks and he routinely puts the ball in play. With strong competition he put up gaudy numbers and led the entire NAIA with 15 homers. With all that being said, he doesn't have much value on defense and is pretty much stuck in left field. Regardless, he's going to be one of the best hitters we see and it shouldn't be too long before he's in the FABL.

SS Charlie Artuso
Class Year: HS Senior
School: Lebanon (TN)
Commit School: Coastal State
.477/.528/.720, 128 PA, 2 HR, 23 SB, 31 RBI, 2.2 WAR

He might be my favorite player in the pool, but that might be because I am so desperately searching for a shortstop. Charlie Artuso looks to be the best available, and the Lebanon, Tennessee native had a strong Senior year. He's got excellent range out at short and he's smart and fast enough to steal a ton of bases. Power isn't his game, but he'll get his share of doubles and almost never strikes out. He has the arm for third, but I think he's actually better suited for short. He's just 5'6'', but at 19 he has time to grow and with that add more power. He's one of my favorites, but I can't imagine him falling to us.

SP Bobo White
Class Year: COL Junior
School: St. Blane College
9-5, 2.78 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 126.1 IP, 35 BB, 82 K, 3.5 WAR

This kid is easily the best player in the pool and who I would take #1, but the mock draft refuses to ever rank pitchers early. Regardless, the soon to be 21-year-old Bobo White had a strong junior season and looks poised to be one of the first few picks in the draft this year. He sits in the high 80s with his fastball and cutter, with the cutter his most reliable pitch. He also boasts a curve and change and he locates all four pitches with excellent precision. He racked up strikeouts all year and ranked 4th in the NAIA for ERA. He's probably the top prospect in any organization and he should be among one of the best pitchers in the game.

CF Fred Galloway
Class Year: HS Senior
School: Evansville (IN)
Commit School: Central Kentucky
.515/.617/.737, 130 PA, 1 HR, 23 SB, 29 RBI, 2.8 WAR

A member of the .500 club, there are very few players in the pool with a higher upside then Fred Galloway. He's a tiny little guy, just 5'5'' 140, but he's an above average defender out in center who can get on and steal bases. He struck out just 5 times all year and walked 27 times. With all the tools he has, the only thing in his way is time. Whoever takes him will have to wait a bit for him to develop, but he's as good as it gets.

RF Dan Rogers
Class Year: HS Senior
School: Canton South (OH)
Commit School: Topeka State
.512/.584/.1.060, 101 PA, 9 HR, 14 SB, 36 RBI, 3.0 WAR

Only one draft eligible player, first basemen Sig Stofer (1.669) had an OPS better then Dan Roger's 1.644. He managed to knock out 9 longballs in just 20 games while averaging a hit every other at bat. "Handsome Dan" can handle first and all three outfield spots, but right field looks like the best spot for him. He's got great bat speed and strong power, and even with his young age, he seems to be pretty developed at the plate. If he's taken in the first round, I can't see him not signing, but there is a good change if he falls out he'll head to college. I can't see him getting passed the first round as his offensive talent is unmatched. Of course, he's young and has a lot of risk, but he seems rather safe.

SS Jim Hensley
Class Year: HS Senior
School: Walton (NY)
Commit School: Chesapeake State
.464/.534/.714, 104 PA, 1 HR, 11 SB, 26 RBI, 1.8 WAR

A decent consolation prize for those targeting Artuso, but Jim Hensley should still be a first round pick. He's got a strong glove too with a quick bat and a knack for making hard contact. He's got a good eye and decent speed despite not having too much power. He won't ever hit many homers, so for him it's imperative to excel defensively at short. I do like his potential with the bat, so he could eventually move over to second if needed, but I'm betting on Hensley becoming a future big league shortstop.

LF Art Cascone
Class Year: COL Junior
School: Bigsby College
.299/.424/.466, 270 PA, 8 HR, 46 RBI, 1.9 WAR

I'm not sure he's first round worthy, but the Brooklyn native Art Cascone does look like a good future piece. He's got decent power and can fill in at first, left, center, or right. He should be a strong corner player, but I'm not too sure if he'll end up being any better then average at center. He does do a good job working the count and drawing walks and as a lefty hitter he has value there too. He'll be 21 in four days, but probably won't need to spend much time in the minors.

CF Carlos Montes
Class Year: HS Senior
School: Citronelle (AL)
Commit School: Carbondale
.443/.527/.745, 131 PA, 2 HR, 30 RBI, 2.3 WAR

One of my favorites in the pool, I think he'd rank much higher in a regular season, but there are so many good center fielders. The Cuban native Carlos Montes moved to the states as a kid and settled down in Alabama. He was the star centerfielder for the Citronelle baseball team and projects to be a first round selection this year. He has a lot of talent out in center, but also has the ability to play left, right, first, and second. His speed is elite and he can stretch singles into doubles. He works the plate well and consistently puts the ball in play. He reminds me a lot of Jose Serna, who I still think can be a quality big league center fielder. Montes has a lot of potential, and although extremely raw, I think he'll be a franchise centerfielder in five or six seasons.

CF Earl West
Class Year: HS Senior
School: St. Peter's Boys (NY)
Commit School: White Sands University
.448/.524/.667, 126 PA, 2 HR, 31 RBI, 34 SB, 2.0 WAR

Yet another center fielder! And he's from Chicago! Born on Christmas Eve, the still 18-year-old West is a tiny speedster with excellent defensive potential out in center. He's an average contact hitter, but he almost never strikes out. With all the other talented center fielders, it may be hard for West to be a first round selection. The only reason I would be interested in him would be because of his hometown, but I can't see myself taking him in the first round. Still, he could be a future big leaguer and he won't stay available for too long.

2B Joe Nichols
Class Year: COL Junior
School: Golden Gate University
.300/.401/.438, 257 PA, 2 HR, 44 RBI, 36 SB, 1.3 WAR

Back to the college ranks for one of the old feeder players Joe Nichols. He had a decent junior season and still looks to be a potential first round pick. He should be an above average hitter who won't make too many mistakes in the field. His range and arm are okay, but not what you look for in a shortstop. He's a smart hitter who walked more then three times as much as he struck out and he'll steal a ton of bases too. I think Nicholas has a lot of talent and while not quite a Freddie Jones type player, they do share some similarities.

RF Ruben Sanchez
Class Year: HS Senior
School: Hamilton (CA)
Commit School: Indiana A&M
.500/.540/.855, 125 PA, 3 HR, 34 RBI, 31 SB, 2.8 WAR

A Tijuana native, "The Tijuana Cannon" has spent most of his life out in California and this kid reminds me of Tom Taylor. He's got a great arm in right and a lot of speed and probably could have played center in high school too. He doesn't have nearly as much power, but but he will hit home runs and should always have good pitch recognition skills. He's got quick hands and almost never strikes out. He should be a big league starter and potentially one of the better outfielders of his time.

SS Lew McClendon
Class Year: HS Senior
School: Nicholls (LA)
Commit School: Gates University
.465/.545/.698, 103 PA, 1 HR, 25 RBI, 1.8 WAR

Rounding out the first 16 is another shortstop. The lefty hitting Lew McClendon is the third in this years projected first round, but while my scout thinks he'll stick at shortstop, I'm not convinced yet. He does have above average contact potential and while he won't hit many homers, he should find the gaps quite a bit.

I'm excited to start the draft tomorrow and hopefully select a few impactful players. We've had our share of really strong drafts, and with 1935 next season, I can do a 10 season recap of my first ever draft class. The 1925 class had some big leaguers, including longtime Cougar Bill Ashbaugh and current Cougar Clyde Hinzman.

[ayaghmour2]

Not sure this is the answer for shortstop, but he's at least way better then what we have now. We reached an agreement to send our 3rd Round Pick and CF Cy Bryant to the Pittsburgh Miners for SS Pete Asher.

Asher is someone I've been interested in for a while, dating way back to when the Foresters selected him in the 1926 Rule-5 Draft. He was a part of a 1929 trade to the Miners after just appearing in the majors for the Foresters in the 1927 season. He's been an everyday player since 1930 and in 3,138 trips to the plate he owns a .278/.333/.360 (91 OPS+) batting line. He won't hit many homers or steal many bases, but he's hit 30 or more doubles in each of his full seasons and is generally a strong defender at short. The soon to be 28-year-old.is much better then what we currently have at shortstop and this will allow us to use Bill Ashbaugh and Russ Combs at second to keep them both healthy.

This gives Tom Taylor sole possession of center field as we shipped out the 28-year-old Bryant. He had a decent season, batting .296/.372/.371 (88 OPS+) with a homer, 5 steals, and 51 RBI's across 458 plate appearances. In his FABL career, he's made 2,437 at bats with a .289/.348/.388 (97 OPS+) batting line, but his true value is his glove. He's elite in center with a career +88.5 zone rating and 1.055 efficiency.

The big thing this trade does is at least gives me an idea of what our positional alignment will be. Mike Taylor will catch, and left to right in the infield will be John Kincaid, Pete Asher, Bill Ashbaugh/Russ Combs, Joe Masters and the outfield will be Doc Love, Tom Taylor, Lou Kelly. The defense won't be great, but the offense should be really good. Masters will see some time at third too, Ashbaugh and Kelly at first, and Combs at short. The bench is really open and I have a lot of pieces that I can potentially add from the minors or through trade and the Rule-5 draft. There is also the waiver wire, which I can be rather active on. I've already cut two players, infielders Arnold Bower and Lee Sparks.

EDIT:

I made another trade! We sent 2B Tom Spitzer to the Gothams for 25-year-old lefty Hank Spencer. The Gothams rotation is filled with talent and there is no obvious spot in their rotation for the former 14th Round Pick. My scout is a fan, intrigued by his 94-96 mile per hour fastball. He locates his curve and change well, but hasn't had much success in the minors the past two seasons. Still, I think he could end up as a decent big leaguer and we are desperate for arms. With Dave Rankin, Dick Lyons, and Dick Leudtke all guaranteed spots, Spencer will get to fight for the 4th or 5th spot. This may be my last trade of the offseason, but it won't be for lack of trying.

[ayaghmour2]

There were a few players I really wanted that I knew wouldn't fall to me (and one I thought would fall later), but I am very happy with my selection. With the 12th pick in the 1934 First Year Player Draft, the Chicago Cougars select CF Carlos Montes from Citronelle. Montes was born in Cuba, but came over to the states as a kid. He was the star of the Citronelle baseball team and hit an impressive .443/.527/.745 as a senior. He stole 35 bases, drove in 30 runs, and recorded 22 extra base hits in 131 trips to the plate. He'll never hit for much power, but I basically got a Cy Bryant replacement here. The 18-year-old has experience at third, short, second, and left, but his home is center field. He's got excellent speed both on the bases and in the field and he's a very smart hitter. He struck out just 9 times while walking 16. He's extremely athletic and he's exactly what I'm looking for in a center fielder. Tom Taylor is there for now, but he's not there to stay. I'd love for Montes to be our franchise center fielder and my scout thinks he has the talent for that role. We do have some good young prospects out in center including Marty Roberts, Ray Moore, and Elias Canady, but I think he is much better then all of them.

I did also make a trade, picking up shortstop Ollie Page from the Washington Eagles for backup catcher Claude Ramsey, former 2nd Rounder Ike Quinn, and our 4th Round pick this year. I already picked up Pete Asher to play short, but I am a little worried that he may not be around too long. Page is 24 and currently ranks as the 18th best prospect in baseball. A 5th Round pick in 1928, his high school stats did not really warrant the selection. But, none the less, the talent was there. He hit just .187/.276/.252 (40 OPS+) at Decatur HS, not too far from Chicago. Page grew up watching Cougar games, and will now get to play for them. He may not quite be ready for the majors, but in his first taste of AAA he hit .281/.363/.407 (95 OPS+) with 5 homers, 7 steals, and 66 RBI's in 528 trips to the plate.

The shortstop is Asher's job and he has a spot reserved, but I'm not sure how much longer he can play short. Despite a +13 zone rating and 1.035 efficiency in 1932, Pete Asher hasn't looked too good recently at short. This year he had a +1.5, but it comes with a .992 efficiency. Still, much better then all our shortstops (minus the 40 innings from Forrest Sylvester) that we trotted out this year. Page has a decent +5.1 and 1.031 in AAA and has a +63.4 and 1.054 in 7,189 innings as a shortstop. I think his glove will be good in the majors and my scout agrees. He reminds me a lot of Russ Combs, which is a little scary. Combs was as good as it gets when healthy, but healthy he rarely was. Page seems to have better luck, but prime Combs was really good. An above average hitter and strong defensive shortstop. I had to give up a decent amount, but it was a good match. Claude Ramsey deserves to start and Washington has Jim Beard (who I actually like better and asked about too) which makes Page's future a little unclear.

Looking back to the draft, we don't have too many picks. We'll be picking 28th, 47th, 66th, and 76th. I traded my fourth today and I traded my third yesterday, but I added the Gothams third from the Eagles and the Cannons fifth before the season started. Those are all our picks in the first five rounds, but I could easily make more trades. We make all the picks through the tenth round, and the last fifteen will be through auto. We should be able to add a few nice new prospects, and could potentially maintain the top spot in the farm system rankings.

[ayaghmour2]

I traded a lot of picks, so in some rounds I have just my pick, others no pick, others two picks, and others one pick, but one that is not my own. Here are the newest Cougars:

2nd Round, 28th Overall: SP Pug Bryan
School: Lincoln College

Pitching was being scooped up quick, so I made sure to grab a pitcher with this pick. I've spent a ton of seconds on high school pitchers, but this time I went with a college arm in Pug Bryan. One of the feeders kids, he attended Lincoln College down in Springfield. He had a decent senior year, 6-3 with a 3.23 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 31 BB, and 80 strikeouts in 92 innings against the toughest college competition. What really stands out to me is the strikeouts. He ranked 6th in the NAIA in K/9 for starting pitchers and he has a lot of exciting tools. Marv says he has "great raw stuff" and projects him as a middle of the rotation starter. He throws five pitches and always keeps the ball on the ground. His fastball and sinker sit comfortably in the high 80s and his slider, change, and forkball all look like strong pitches. He doesn't have the best command, but that's okay for a young pitcher. If you induce a lot of groundballs it isn't always bad to walk hitters. I'm really excited to add an arm like Bryan as I feel like there are not too many great pitchers in this class. There are a lot of project picks, but pitching was snapped up early. There is a decent run of hitters following what I think could be a future Cougar #2. And that's just because Tommy Wilcox will be the ace.

3rd Round, 47th Overall: SS Ivan Cameron
School: Meridian (MS)
Commit School: St. Pancras College

I didn't have my pick in this round, but I did have the Gothams' which I got from the Pioneers. I went back to the prep leagues and selected a young shortstop Ivan Cameron. He hit .433/.504/.670 with 8 steals and 28 RBI's in 114 trips to the plate. My scout thinks he'll be a well above average defender and OSA thinks he needs to rely on his glove. My scout is a big fan of his bat and thinks he could be a solid starter at short. There's not much power, but I really need to find good defensive shortstops even if it means sacrificing some offense. In this case, it's power, as Cameron won't ever hit many homers.

5th Round, 66th Overall: LF Henry Cox
School: Rodeo (CA)
Commit School: Darnell State

I have two picks in the fifth, with this one belonging to the Baltimore Cannons due to the Lou Kelly trade. I decided to trust my scout who raves over Cox. He's a natural left fielder, but he thinks he's a reliable outfielder and he has position ratings for center. His real treat is the power, and the senior hit 11 homers and drove in 36 runs in 24 games. His .398/.463/.843 batting line wasn't too impressive, but he was tied for the most homers for any high schooler. OSA isn't as big of a fan, but my scout thinks he could be a righty Doc Love. The only difference is Cox looks like he'll be a dependable defender.

5th Round, 76th Overall: 3B Phil McKenna
School: Coastal California

Back in the feeder league era, there was a point where I thought McKenna might be a first round selection. Before last year's draft I even wrote "Out of need, McKenna could see himself as the first bat taken off the board, even though Sundberg is probably the better prospect," but it turns out McKenna wasn't even draft eligible and it was just a glitch (part of why we got rid of feeders). Now his stock has fallen a bit, but I'm still happy to get a solid bat like McKenna's in the 5th Round. I used both my 5s on guys my scouts were fond of, and he thinks he should be an above average defender and decent contact hitter. As a junior he hit .306/.395/.465 with 8 homers and 46 RBI's and showed an excellent eye at the plate. He has the tools and talent to succeed, we just have to hope he puts it all togehter.

[ayaghmour2]

I tried my best to pick up extra picks and even ended up costing myself one, so we picked 12th in each of the next five rounds. This was a tough draft with the switch to the no feeders, so I really wanted to experiment with picks. I have no idea if any of of these guys are going to be any good, but they are going to be really good players to watch. One current undrafted player, Ray Tracy, is a lock for my 11th Round Pick as he is the guy that went to my school. I would have waited later, but since every player gets drafted this year, I had to make sure I got Tracy. Anyways, here is the rest of the human picks in this years draft:

6th Round, 92nd Overall: SP Sam Hodge
School: St. Matthew's University

I think this kid is going to be good. Scouts really hate pitchers, so "hopes are at the back end of the rotation" is not as bad as it sounds. He actually thinks Hodge might be a big league pitcher! I do to, as Hodge worked hard this offseason and added 3 miles to his cutter and fastball. Standing at 6'4''. he also throws a curve, slider, and change. I think he's going to improve on his junior year against the toughest competition. He was 6-6 with a 4.18 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 38 walks, and 54 strikeouts in 114 innings. This was all before the work in the offseason, which makes me think Hodge would do much better if he went back for his senior season. Instead, he's set to sign with us and will likely head to San Jose to begin his Cougar career.

7th Round, 108th Overall: SP Harry Parker
School: Bushwick (NY)
Commit School: Portland Tech

No, not my 1927 23rd Round Pick who also happened to be my Rule-5 pick this year that I returned. This is a different Harry Parker who is developed well beyond his years. At 19 my scout actually thinks he can start in the big leagues right now. I'm not going to let him test that theory out, but man I am excited. He's a big guy, standing 6'6'' with an impressive six pitch arsenal. He sits in the 90-92 mile per hour range with his fastball and cutter while also boasting a curveball, slider, changeup, and splitter. I like everything about this kid, and he struck out 111 hitters in 100.1 innings. My scout isn't the biggest fan, but I'm trusting my evaluations here. He has a ton of strikeout potential and appears much more developed then other high school pitchers I've seen. Once he signs I'm intrigued to see where my scout thinks he should play.

8th Round, 124th Overall: C Johnnie Williamson
School: Rainier College

I went back to my scout to grab my first catcher of the class. Playing at the elite Rainier College, Williamson hit .290/.367/.355 with a homer, 13 steals, and 48 RBI's in 281 trips to the plate. I would like to see some power here, but the high average is encouraging. My scout likes his defense abilities and thinks he could be a dependable backup catcher. He likes his contact potential, but Williamson will never hit for power. Behind Harry Mead, we really don't have any other catching prospects, so Williamson will not have too much in his way.

9th Round, 140th Overall: SP Jim Miller
School: Indiana A&M

In 30.1 innings out of the pen, Jim Miller saved 16 games with a 3.26 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 14 walks, and 28 strikeouts. So why would I select a guy like this? And why is he listed as a stating pitcher? Well, I think Miller is going to be our best 9th Round Pick since World Series Champion Dean Astle.

So why am I excited for Miller?

Well, he had a three pitch arsenal in the spring: a fastball, sinker, and slider. The slider is pretty good and gets a lot of swings and the sinker breaks well and rolls up a ton of double plays. But I can just tell that the fastball sucks. Why else would this guy not start a single game?

Well, fast-forward to October and our Midwest college scout lets us know that Miller spent Summer workouts working on a new pitch; a knuckle curve! The lefty now has three serviceable pitches and is listed as a starting pitcher potential instead of borderline starter, and his teammates love him. I'm hoping this means he puts the fastball on the side and it will help limit his walks. I'm going to start him in the rotation and I'm hoping to see him take off.

10th Round, 156th Overall: CF Red Looney
School: Indianapolis Tech

Had to end the human portion with a Chicago kid! My scout really likes him too, and loves his speed and defensive ability. He works the count well, has some power, and will steal a ton of bases. He hit .294/.380/.475 with 10 homers, 40 steals, and 56 RBI's in 307 trips to the plate for Indianapolis Tech. He looks to strike out a lot, but I don't think it is going to matter. He's hitting a ton of homers, drawing a ton of walks, and stealing a ton of bases. He's even an awesome defender! But both Marv and OSA view him as more of a bench player then a starter, but I think Looney has a ton of talent. The issue may be his personality, as "teammates avoid Looney after a loss," but I'd love to see the Chicago kid get a chance with his home town team.

6th to 10th Round Picks can be very valuable and I've had some decent ones in the past. In 1925, it produced two big leaguers in Clyde Hinzman (6th) and Rabbit Forrest (7th) while Curt Ross (10th) technically is a big leaguer two due to a 2 game cup of coffee in 1933. 1926 saw current Foresters Ben Turner (9th) and Bobby Allen (10th). 1927 as the previously mentioned Astle as well as 6th Rounder George DeForest who debuted with the Kings this year and was part of the big Wilcox deal. No one from 1928 has debuted yet, but 1929 produced two Cannons rookies Jim Hatfield (6th) and Billy Marshall (10th).

[ayaghmour2]

Since the 1925 Amateur Draft, I have been in charge of making selections for the Chicago Cougars. That means 10 years ago (1924) was the last AI draft class for the Cougars. Let's see how the previous regime did:

The Cougars had a pair of first round selections, and used the 6th pick of the draft on a young high school shortstop named Mack Deal. Deal got a cup of coffee for us in 1928 and then spent the next two seasons as a regular in our lineup. He moved around a bit, playing short, second, and third (plus a little left), before headlining the three player package that brought 1934 CA Home Run Leader Tom Taylor to Chicago. He's spent the past four seasons in Philly, starting 136 and 137 games before just 79 and 80 the past two seasons. He's hit fine in his FABL career, owning a .281/.336/.378 (94 OPS+) batting line while playing a pretty decent third base. He's added 91 steals, 23 homers, and 322 RBI's in 3,016 career plate appearances. He was a success, at least for us, as Taylor was a crucial piece of our World Series team and he's probably our best position player at the moment. The other 1st Rounder was the now retired Johnny Davis. For some reason the Cougars released him April of 1925 and then it took three months for him to sign with the Minutemen. He didn't last long there, joined the Sailors in the offseason, and then pitched 4.2 innings in a pen appearance in 1926. He started 33 and 34 games in '28 and '29 and took home the '28 Allen Award after going 24-8 with a 2.73 ERA (141 ERA+), 1.14 WHIP, 96 walks, and 104 strikeouts. That was the only good year he had, and by 1930 he was in the pen and in 1932 he retired. The Cougars old GM fumbled the bag here, not even giving Davis a chance, and at just 31 he could have been pitching meaningful innings for us had things gone a little different for him.

The Cougars also had two second round picks, and like the first rounders, both did debut. Vince York was the first, and at one point he looked like a longtime Cougar mainstay. After OPS+ of 134 and 139 in his first two seasons, York dropped a bit and then was moved to the Pioneers in the 1932 offseason for a 2nd Round Pick. He never saw too much time with the Pioneers and they waived him in the offseason. Still, York has never had a below average offensive season and owns a .339/.384/.484 (125 OPS+) batting line with 43 homers and 423 RBI's in 2,671 FABL plate appearances. He's now with the Wolves (I placed a claim on him too), and will look to reestablish himself at 28. The other second rounder was inaugural All-Star Ben Curtin. Part of the John Kincaid deal in 1929, he spent a year and a day with the Gothams organization before being used in the Max Morris package. He pitched for us in '29, the Gothams in '30, and now he's called St. Louis home for the past four seasons. They've used him as a stopper and he even led the Fed with 21 saves and 69 games pitched last year. In 401.2 innings with the three teams he's 32-22 with 45 saves, a 4.71 ERA (94 ERA+), 1.61 WHIP, 174 walks, and 163 strikeouts.

3rd Rounder Woodie Dudley never made the majors, but he's with the AA Galveston Gunners and was part of the Claude Ramsey exchange. 4th Rounder Johnny Johnson debuted with us in 1929, but hasn't played in the big leagues sense. He went 5-for-20 with 4 walks and 5 RBI's.

Our 5th Round Pick was more impactful, the 1928 Continental Association ERA leader Buzz Hamm. After debuting for us that year, I sent him to the Kings for Milt Nelson and an 8th Round Pick. Ham continued to excel, finishing with a 2.57 ERA (171 ERA+), 1.22 WHIP, 10 walks, and 44 strikeouts in 154 innings. He hasn't done much else, but had a nice 1930 with the Baltimore Cannons. In 26 starts and 4 relief appearances he was 14-7 with a 3.54 ERA (134 ERA+), 1.23 WHIP, 48 walks, and 72 strikeouts. Still with Baltimore, he has a career 3.76 ERA (122 ERA+), 1.47 WHIP, 221 walks, and 273 strikeouts in 730 innings. He hasn't started much since the 1930 season, but looked really good out of the pen in 1933.

Others with FABL experience include 10th Rounder Al Stanton. He amassed 17 at bats from 1926-1929 with the Kings. 11th Rounder Gordie Woods debuted for the Kings in 1930, tossing 108 innings with a 5.00 ERA (97 ERA+), 1.81 WHIP, 60 walks, and 37 strikeouts. He hasn't been back, but has hung around their farm system. 19th Rounder Jim Schaffer has gotten a decent amount of playing time, 685 trips to the plate from 1926-1933, with most of them in '32 and '33. Most of the time has been with the Wolves, and his career .247/.311/.334 (87 OPS+) line with 4 homers and 68 RBI's.

[StLee]

Great breakdown on players after 10 years! Baseball drafts are so dynamic and much more unpredictable than other major sports, so the best judge of a baseball draft is indeed years later.

[ayaghmour2]

Originally Posted by StLee

Great breakdown on players after 10 years! Baseball drafts are so dynamic and much more unpredictable than other major sports, so the best judge of a baseball draft is indeed years later.

Yep, and they're always really cool to look back on. Can't wait for the first class I wrote the draft reviews on so I can see how wrong (or right!) I was on some of these guys. May be a few years before you'll be able to get a feel for your Fallout draftees, but I bet you'll enjoy looking back at some of the first couple ones. Always cool seeing the token late rounder that develops into a star.

[ayaghmour2]

Here are the rest of the 1934 Chicago Cougars draft class. Some will last years in our organization, others just s a few days. I'm hoping there will be a few steals, but for now, I don't have too much faith in any of these guys becoming big league stars. It's a bit different then the 1932 class, which continues to look like one of the best. My list didn't work, so Ray Tracy did not get taken with my 11th Round pick. Instead, he went to the Sailors in the 19th Round. I'm upset I missed out on him, but it's probably better for our system.

11th Round, 172nd Overall: SP Dick Gibbs
School: South Boston

A 5'6'' high schooler, he's got seven pitches yet somehow listed as a Bullpen/Emergency Starter. I guess it could be stamina, with just 10 of his 15 appearances starts, but I'm going to let Gibbs start. He doesn't throw too hard, just 84-86, but he's got a really good slider that got a lot of strikeouts. He went 5-2 with a 1.64 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 21 walks, and 92 strikeouts in 76.2 innings. That's a lot of strikeouts, especially for a tiny guy like Gibbs. If he grows, who knows what could happen. I like this pick by my scout.

12th Round, 188th Overall: C John McLemore
School: Tallmadge State

We are really weak in the catching department, so John McLemore ranks third in our system now behind Harry Mead and 8th Rounder Johnnie Williamson. McLemore had a decent junior year, hitting .269/.377/.448 with 10 homers, 12 steals, and 43 RBI's in 318 trips to the plate. He walked an impressive 44 times, but other then that, not sure McLemore has too much future value. The power is nice, but I'm not sure if it will transfer to affiliated ball.

13th Round, 204th Overall: SP Rusty Watts
School: Northwest

It's a pretty cool name for the 13th Rounder Rusty Watts, the second pitcher my scout wanted to add. Held back a year as a kid, Watts will turn 20 on May 28th. He's a tall 6'2'' lefty who can absolutely flame. He keeps adding speed to his fastball, now up to 93-95. The only problem is he doesn't have reliable secondary pitches. He'll need to polish his slider or change if he wants to start in the majors, but Watts if he doesn't, he could profile has a dominant stopper. He did have command issues, with 60 walks compared to just 80 strikeouts in 125.1 innings this season. He did have a strong 3.16 ERA and 1.38 WHIP, and I think Watts has a lot of untapped potential. I'll let him start out as a starter, and he may even get to pitch in San Jose.

14th Round, 220th Overall: C Joe Henry
School: Commerce
Commit School: Lane State

For his sake, I'm going to let the kid go to Lane State. I could meet his demand, money isn't really an issue for us, but I think he could be taken earlier after three seasons of college ball. Henry hit .429/.521/.622 with a homer and 27 RBI's in 124 trips to the plate. He just turned 18 in November so he's on the younger side and he also hits left handed. In three drafts we will know how to judge pools better, so that also could determine when Henry is selected next time.

15th Round, 236th Overall: 2B Cal Lofton
School: Forney

Another high school kid, the second basemen Lofton hit .417/.519/.611 with a homer, 12 steals, and 29 RBI's in 133 trips to the plate. He's got a good eye and decent speed and he can handle second fine. He'll never be a great player, but you can't expect too much out of the 15th Round.

16th Round, 252nd Overall: SP Eli Best
School: Rogers
Commit School: Daniel Boone College

He's impossible to sign, so I'll let him go to Daniel Boone. He had a nice senior season, 6-3 with a 1.87 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 21 walks, and 95 strikeouts in 91.1 innings. He sits at 84-86 now with a decent five pitch mix. I like his change up and he added a splitter this year. He could be a guy to watch for a future draft.

17th Round, 268th Overall: SP Don Jones
School: Epps

A high school arm that will sign, Don Jones turned 19 on the 24th and is tall 6'1'' righty. He had an okay senior year, 8-2 with a 2.08 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 31 walks, and 92 strikeouts in 108.1 innings pitched. Not sure if he's able to start and he doesn't throw very hard, but you never know with high school arms. He went to Epps, a high school in a city with the same name in Louisiana.

18th Round, 284th Overall: 3B Dick Voss
School: Travis College

This kid actually ranks 388th in the current top 500 prospect list. He'll likely fall down into the 400 range, but should maintain the top 500 spot even after everyone signs. He had an okay year, batting .290/.368/.398 with 2 homers, 11 steals, and 29 RBI's in 201 plate appearances with the Travis College Bucks. My scout really likes his eye at the plate and thinks he's got decent leadoff potential. His glove looks good and if he could just improve his contact tool he'd profile like a John Kincaid.

19th Round, 300th Overall: C Val Smith
School: Dexter
Commit School: George Baptist

Another impossible guy, I'll let him go. He hit .442/.512/.538 with 28 RBI's as a high school senior. Not really much to see here.

20th Round, 316th Overall: CF Gene White
School: Northeastern
Commit School: Maryland State

Also impossible, he'll head to Maryland State. He hit .437/.512/.621 with 11 steals and 24 RBI's in 124 trips to the plate. My scout thinks he could be a fourth outfielder, so perhaps he'll get a lucky breakout in college.

21st Round, 332nd Overall: CF Hop Villers
School: Rice Lake

We continue with high schoolers, but this one will sign with us. Villers is from Rice Lake, Wisconsin and hit 407/.510/.686 with a homer, 33 steals, and 22 RBI's. I love that speed and I hope that will translate to range in center. He's got a good eye with a so-so hit tool and will need a lot of hardwork to reach Chicago. He does have a good personality though, so perhaps their is some untapped potential we can get out of him.

22nd Round, 348th Overall: CF Charlie Tucker
School: Portsmouth

He just turned 18 on the 26th and still managed to hit .442/.515/.616 with 13 steals and 25 RBI's in his final year of prep ball. He's a strong and athletic kid, but it hasn't translated to power potential yet. I like how he struck out just twice in 20 games and scored 34 times.

23rd Round, 364th Overall: RF Clarence Harris
School: Utopia

My scout loves outfielders! A lefty-lefty, Clarence Harris has experience at first and all three outfield spots. He hit .410/.528/.699 with a homer, 14 steals, and 20 RBI's in 109 trips to the plate. He has good speed and an okay bat, but I can't see Harris ever being more then a filler bench player.

24th Round, 380th Overall: 1B Bud Lehr
School: Paducah State

A Chicago kid! Finally! A Paducah State native, Bud Lehr hit .304/.390/.408 with 4 homers and 35 RBI's as a junior. I would like to see more power from a first basemen, but it's hard to be picky with a 24th Rounder. If he wasn't from the Chi I would have cut him.

25th Round, 396th Overall: C Howie Browning
School: South Philadelphia

Boring catcher to finish it off. He hit .404/.492/.567 as a senior with 3 homers and 24 RBI's. I have a lot of catchers, so he'll be released. Not too much to like here, but you never know.

5th Rounder Henry Cox has already signed, with the only negotiations in the top five going to Montes, Bryan, Cameron, and McKenna. I'm meeting all their demands. Of the current guys who signed, only 6th Rounder Sam Hodge cracked the top 30. He ranks 26th in our organization and 227th in all of baseball. In the top 500, we also have 8th Rounder Johnnie Williamson (386th), 9th Rounder Jim Miller (394th), and 18th Rounder Dick Voss (388th). We rank 1st in the league for farm system with 230 points. This is mainly because of four prospects in the 9-16 range. The second place Eagles (177th), third place Pioneers (150th), and fourth place Cannons (128) could catch us, but I do think I drafted pretty well.

On to the Rule-5 draft! Lot's of roster moves to make. Once all my picks sign, I'll take note of all my draftees who appear in the top 500.

[ayaghmour2]

A little news first, first rounder Carlos Montes signed his signing bonus and ranks 11th in our system and 95th in all of baseball. We still have to sign our 2nd, 3rd, and 5th, but most teams have signed all their guys. In the Rule-5 draft, we made four picks, but only three of them survive the day. The downside of the in game lists is you can get stuck with back-to-back picks of the same position. And that happened twice here...

The first pick came from our crosstown rivals and you can almost call him this year's Bret Harrison. The first of two centerfielders was Bert Wilson, a 23-year-old who had a strong 55 game run in his first taste of AA ball. Originally an 8th Round Pick back in 1929, he hit .342/.414/.401 (119 OPS+) with 31 RBI's. He didn't hit a homer, but had 6 in 69 games down in A ball. He projects to be an above average hitter with a quick stroke and advanced instincts on the basepaths. He's shaping up to be at least an average defender out in center and I think he has the range to stick out there. Other then Mike Smith, we don't have many outfield bench bats, so Wilson is almost guaranteed a roster spot. And with how young he is, even after a year in the majors he'll still start 1936 at 24. He checks in at 8th in our system and 56 in the league. Our second pick was another outfielder, Ed Freeman from the Wolves, but he won't make the team with Wilson on the roster.

I also grabbed two pitchers, both Dick's and both from the Stars. The first was Sexton, a 24-year-old righty who made 4 starts in AAA and 20 in AA. In AA he was 6-6 with a 4.29 ERA (101 ERA+), 1.40 WHIP, 42 walks, and 62 strikeouts in 115.1 innings. The former 1928 23rd Round selection's 4 starts in AAA were better, going 23.1 innings with 26, 9 runs, 7 walks, and 11 strikeouts. This kid could start now due to his impressive four pitch arsenal. He headlines it with a 93-95 mile per hour fastball and a really good curveball that generates swings and misses. His change and forkball are solid as well, and he uses them when needed. Reid was also a 1928 Pick, but he was a 13th Round selection. The 24-year-old lefty had a tough season in AA, but I'm a big fan of his stuff. He has a 95-97 fastball with a cutter, curve, slider, change, and splitter. Reid is a guy I scouted in the 1928 draft and I was a big fan of his stuff back then too. He's a long shot to make the roster, Sexton is probably the better pitcher, but it's hard not to like a hard throwing six foot lefty.

The minor league draft is next, followed by the independent league draft. I don't expect to take a player in the first, but the second will have a lot of interesting players.

[ayaghmour2]

A little action as we start to approach Spring Training! In a trade of waived players, we sent SP Art Jackson to the Foresters for 3B Jake Moore. It's not like we needed another third basemen, but our bench was really bad last season and I'm working on adding more useful pieces. Before last season, Moore started 100 or more games in five of six years for the Foresters and the former 9th Overall Pick owns a productive .288/.358/.422 (113 OPS+) career batting line. He hit 18 of his 57 career homers in 1930, but it was the only time he managed double digits. He does have 512 RBI's in almost 1,000 games with the Foresters as well. He can handle either corner in the infield and should be our go to bat off the bench.

We participated in the Independent League Draft as well, selecting CF Chink Stickels from the Denver Plainsman in exchange for 2B Bob Crocker. I've been looking at Stickels for a while, he was one of my targets in the 1932 draft class. He was a 5th Round selection out of George Fox by the Pioneers, but didn't spend any time with the organization. He found his home in the Western League and hit a solid .290/.355/.448 (103 OPS+) with 6 homers, 26 steals, and 57 RBI's in his first real taste of professional play. I think this kid has a ton of talent as a big league center fielder, but his speed on the bases and range out in center are amazing. There were a few other center fielders I really liked (including one I wouldn't have gotten).

We'll have an extra seventh round pick in the 1935 draft as I moved lefty Herb Lowman to the Pittsburgh Miners. Pittsburgh has a huge park that is impossible for righties to hit homers at. This is perfect for Lowman, who is notorious for allowing homers. The recently 33-year-old did well for us this year, going 5-1 with a 3.72 ERA (122 ERA+), 1.48 WHIP, 28 walks, and 47 strikeouts in 84.2 innings. Pittsburgh has been on the lookout for pitching, and with some of the arms I've been able to add, I'm comfortable moving Lowman. The top three of the rotation is set; Lyons-Rankin-Leudtke, but there will be a full out battle for the 4th and 5th spot. New manager Jim Cathey wants to give the spots to George Johnson and Norm Stewart, but that's not what I want to see. I'd love for it to be Hank Spencer and Dick Sexton, but I am excited for the spring to start. There are a lot of guys trying out for a spot, including Johnny Walker, Don Grossman, Dick Reid, and Gordie Thompson as well.

It is past the draft pick signing deadline, and four of our guys will spend their 1935 in college instead of the professional circuit. 14th Rounder C Joe Henry will attend Lane State, 16th Rounder SP Eli Best will attend Daniel Boone, 19th Rounder C Val Smith will attend Georgia Baptist, and 20th Rounder CF Gene White will attend Maryland State. All are eligible for the 1937 draft.

Now with all picks signed, the farm systems are more or less consistent. We still rank first with 220 points. Washington (186) ranks right behind us with St. Louis (150), Baltimore (146), and the Sailors (136) rounding out the top five. Below are the new additions to the top 500 prospects:

4/20: SS Ollie Page
8/54: CF Bert Wilson
10/66: CF Chink Stickels
11/89: CF Carlos Montes
19/152: SP Hank Spencer
20/160: SP Pug Bryan
22/171: SS Ivan Cameron
26/201: SP Mutt Clabough (random minor league FA)
32/272: 3B Phil McKenna
34/294: SP Sam Hodge
38/448: 3B Dick Voss
41/477: SP Jim Miller
42/481: C Johnnie Williamson

EDIT: Included trade