Chicago Cougars (FABL)

[ayaghmour2]

Okay, let's try this again! Definitely a lot less words then before, but I think I did an okay enough job replicating the good stuffs

Wow. Just wow. After starting 3-13 and well on our way to another second division finish, something just snapped. We finished the season 80-58, a .580 pace that would have had us falling just short of the Kings and the Sailors. We climbed well out of the cellar and managed to hop over the Foresters for third place in the Continental Association. This gives me deja vu to the 1929-1931 Cougars; 92 losses to 84 wins to a 91 win championship. 1935 and 1936 have started similar; 91 losses to 83 wins to, well, let's hope a championship! Both 80 wins seasons I didn't think we had a chance to make the playoffs, and while the 1930 Cougars just missed the mark, this year's group was still rather far out. Nonetheless, it's going to be an extremely exciting offseason (with a trade already made! Joe Foote to the Minutemen for a 2nd Rounder).

The Bats
Generally the strength of the team, our offense was extremely inconsistent this year and we managed the 4th most runs in our league with the 2nd most homers. We led the league most of the year in homers before the Kings eventually jumped us in September. We did lead the league in hits and were second in average, slugging, OPS, and WAR. The biggest weakness, however, was our awful baserunning. We were 7th in steals and 8th in base running and we (probably) were the only team to fail to have a single batter with double digit steals. Still, there was a lot to be happy about. We had 10 everyday players (I'm counting Hunter and Mitchell), and seven of them had OPS+ above 100. Most were in the 114-128 range, so not quite star level performance, but other then the surprise cliff diving of Ollie Page's bat, there wasn't really a weakness in the lineup.

The best performers both had important 50's, with Billy Hunter starting 50 games and Johnny Waters making 50 appearances off the bench. They were are most effective players this season, although Hunter (obviously) played significantly more. He slashed .319/.393/.545 (146 OPS+) with 13 doubles, 6 triples, 6 homers, and 29 RBI's with an outstanding 25-to-6 walk-to-strikeout ratio before an injury ended his season. I cannot wait for a full season of Billy Hunter, but the poor kid has had an injury every season except 1935 and he missed about two and a half months with a pair of ailments this year. When healthy, this kid is a top 5 shortstop, and he was the only FABL shortstop with an above average OPS+ and defensive efficiency. And while not a building block like Hunter, the pinch hit specialist Johnny Waters was outstanding at the plate. The fellow rookie slashed .339/.381/.542 (142 OPS+) with 7 doubles, a triple, homer, and 10 RBI's. He seems to be a lock to our roster next year as the #1 pinch hitter, because he simply rakes and does it from both sides of the plate.

The next group contains a group of five who played a lot more, 100+ games and 450+ plate appearances from each member. John Lawson led the charge, as the CA's batting title champion hit .327/.371/.495 (128 OPS+) with 25 homers and 108 RBI's. It was the lowest single season average of his career, but still his fourth batting title. His homer total was the second highest of his career and he reached the 100 RBI for the seventh time in his potentially Hall of Fame career. The glove declined a bit, as the generally above average third basemen had a slightly below average -1.0 zone rating and .992 efficiency, but it's a little expected from an almost 35-year-older who's just 5'9'' and weighs 200 pounds. One of his closest competitors for the batting title was teammate Doc Love, who hit a productive .322/.361/.485 (122 OPS+) with 28 doubles, 11 triples, 13 homers, and 79 RBI's. Now on the wrong side of 30, Love continues to hit the ball well and actually put up his first positive season out in left (1.6 ZR, 1.002 EFF). Love did lose some at bats against lefties since he hits a much lower .289/.304/.417 against southpaws, and I expect him to see less time against lefties if we are able to add a big bat like I want. He's not really in danger of losing his starting job, yet, but Love could also be used in trade discussions.

The bottom three are the youngsters, but only one of them made more then 500 PA's. That would be Ray Ford, who's .290/.358/.452 (114 OPS+) batting line was near identical to last years .319/.371/.430 (114 OPS+) mark. The move to second slowed down Fords bat, as he did hit above .300 a majority of the season, but the -9.0 zone rating and .866 efficiency are a noticeable improvement over the -11.1 and .731 from last season. He did see a huge power boost, going from 5 homers to 18, much closer to his actual power. He also had an impressive walk-to-strikeout ratio, 57-to-15 with 32 doubles and 83 RBI's. His fellow 1B/OF Leo Mitchell matched Lawson's .327 average, but his 460 PA's weren't quite enough to qualify. Mitchell broke out in the second half, finishing with a solid .327/.393/.429 (118 OPS+) line after hitting .367 from August on. Still not much power from the 24-year-old, but he added 20 doubles, 2 triples, and 6 homers, all career highs. Lastly, rookie Carlos Montes appeared in exactly 100 games, playing above average offense and defense out in center. He had a 8.0 zone rating and 1.041 efficiency to go with a .292/.365/.453 (116 OPS+) batting line. Montes stole 9 bases and hit 19 doubles, 9 triples, and 10 homers with 55 RBI's and 71 runs scored. He was the perfect leadoff hitter for us, and considering how well he did as a 21-year-old, I'm stoked for next season.

Of course, it wasn't all good, as there was a reason we didn't finish closer to the top. Ollie Page's batting line when spelunking, hitting a pitiful .227/.298/.335 (68 OPS+) with 12 doubles, 13 triples, 7 homers, 8 steals, and 66 RBI's. He wasn't perfect at short, but definitely respectable, and looked really good at second when Hunter was healthy. Page is still just 27, and I think this was just a random outlier year, but the Montana native may find himself functioning as a utility infielder (or eventual Hunter injury replacement...) instead of the top of the order shortstop he functioned as for his first twoish years on the roster. Rich Langton also had a drop in his production, but he finished out strong to almost reach an average season line. He also missed some time with injury, and hit .265/.329/.414 (96 OPS+) with 13 doubles, 9 triples, 12 homers, and 55 RBI's. Langton is the biggest risk of losing a spot, but the 26-year-old has youth on his side and a year and a half track record of outstanding offense. He looked good in right too, with an alright 4.0 zone rating and 1.018 efficiency. I'd bet on a return to form for him next year, but with a lot of talented young outfielders in our system, he does have a lot of pressure.

And even though he hit a poor .265/.356/.375 (83 OPS+), it was actually an improvement for Mike Taylor after an even worse 1936. The former superstar catcher fell off a cliff in 1935, but he did start hitting a few more extra bases. He doubled 23 times, close to his 1934 mark, with 7 homers and 69 RBI's. Taylor is holding on by a thread, as I've already reached out about a replacement catcher and Harry Mead is knocking on the door. Mead got into 5 games in September, and hit .235/.278/.412 (80 OPS+). Really small sample of course, but it's not much different then Taylor. I'm leaning towards a Taylor/Williamson or Mead platoon, until Mead seizes the job himself.

The Pitchers
There is something about North Side Park that just makes pitching bipolar. The 1929 Cougars set the now broken record for highest single season ERA, then the 1933 Cougars set the human play ERA record and only team since 1919 to finish the year with a sub 3.00 ERA, just to collapse in 1935 to break our 1929 record (it's not the new record, since others have broken it too). Now it's 1937, and a rag tag group of hurlers finished with the best starting pitching ERA in the entire FABL.

I mean, just take a look at the staff: the ace is a perennial leader in losses who has lost 19 or more games four times and never finished with a winning record. The #2 was traded four times in five years, each for a seemingly smaller package. The #3 was a 34-year-old waiver claim castoff that no one wanted. The #4 was a rookie that the prospect rankers, OSA, and scouts alike have mocked me for using a 2nd Rounder on and the #5 is a 37-year-old southpaw who looked washed up and is the only Cougar to survive from 1925 to current day. But against all odds, this group that started the season ranked 11th and finished the season ranked 11th managed to etch their names in the history books and all put together above average seasons. Of course, that group is colloquially known as Dave Rankin, Milt Fritz, Oscar Morse, Pug Bryan, and Dick Lyons. And for some reason, they were really good this year.

Interesting enough, Rankin had the highest ERA at 3.87, but there's a reason for that. This guy will not be relieved. Only seven of his 38 starts he didn't finish (one was injury too) and he went more then nine three separate times. The inning eating machine ate 323.2 of them this year, and won his last four starts to avoid the 20 loss mark and another season leading the league in losses. He was 18-19 with a 109 ERA+, 1.30 WHIP, 90 walks, and 121 strikeouts. Of course, his numbers (mainly ERA) are a bit inflated because of the fact he'll never leave the game. He'll never admit to being tired, but he tends to give up late inning runs in games that aren't really close, and I push him hard. I'll almost always skip other pitchers to give him another outing and I try my hardest to pair him with good teams or good pitchers. The kid is fearless, and even though he's been targeted multiple times for trades, he's the glue that holds the team together.

Even more interesting is Milt Fritz, who had the best ERA (3.32, 127) and worst WHIP (1.42). The WHIP is because of the insane amount of walks, 4.0 per nine and 129 in 287 innings pitched. Like Rankin, he was under .500, 14-17, but he lost his last four starts and really struggled towards the end of the season. I might have pitched him a bit too much, but the 287 innings aren't the highest of his career. I do think the NTC has really allowed Fritz to settle in, and he's won 31 games for the Cougars. I want him to win more with us then his other teams combined (101), but he'll need just 10 next year to win more with us then any other individual team.

I would lump the bottom three together, but I have a lot to say about Pug Bryan. His first five starts, he was beyond awful, working to a pathetic 6.97 ERA and a 1.74 WHIP with 18 walks and strikeouts in his 31 innings pitched. Then came the Milwaukee demotion, where Bryan basically replicated his insane AA numbers. Just 6 starts in Milwaukee, but he was 3-2 with a 1.51 ERA (221 ERA+), 0.70 WHIP, 7 walks, and 21 strikeouts in 35.2 innings pitched. I forgot exactly what inspired it, my guess was I was fed up of Clarence Crane, Allen Purvis, and Jonah Brown's five starts, but Pug was back up in Chicago. The former 2nd Rounder was a brand new man, working to a 2.89 ERA (what would of been the second best in all of baseball), a 1.23 WHIP (tied for 5th with good ol' Dick Lyons), 46 walks, and 50 strikeouts in an arguably elite string of 18 starts. All told, Pug was 8-9 with a 3.69 ERA (115 ERA+), 1.33 WHIP, 64 walks, and 68 strikeouts in 158.2 FABL innings pitched. Still a remarkable season by any measure, especially when it's your first in the big leagues. Yes, I'm floating Pug's name in trades, but I think he's got a dozen seasons like this in him.

On to the two vets, Morse and Lyons, both getting up their in age, but also putting together their best seasons since 1933. Morse was the third member of the 200 inning club, tallying 238.1 with a 15-9 record, his best win percentage since he led the league in ERA back in 1930. He worked to a 3.70 ERA (114 ERA+), 1.38 WHIP, 83 walks, and 51 strikeouts. The homecoming worked far better then I could have expected for Morse, who I half expected to waive myself before the All Star break. I also thought the southpaw Dick Lyons would be out of the rotation by May, but somehow the 37-year-old persevered and put together an extremely impressive season. I did keep him over-rested, as I know age has slowed down Lyons, but he's now in 575 college, minor league, and major league games with just a one day cold in 1930 on his injury record. Lyons had his best win percentage of his career, 15-5 with a 3.84 ERA (110 ERA+), 1.23 WHIP, 36 walks, and 45 strikeouts. He managed just 187.2 innings pitched, the first season since 1927 he failed to reach 200, but I expected maybe 50 good innings out of Lyons, not 150. Since his first real season in 1927, he's been worth 2.5 WAR or better in each season, and 3.0 or better in each year except 27. He's barely holding off Sandoval, Parker, and Knight from taking his rotation spot, but one thing for sure is that Lyons will always have a spot on our roster. This could easily be his last good year, but how many players are still productive and reliable at 37?

The pen had a lot of shuffling around, but two guys maintained their spots all seasons; Allen Purvis and Clarence Crane. Purvis is there for his leadership, but he also did a strong job keeping runners on base. He tossed 62 innings in a start and 31 relief outings, going 3-1 with 5 saves, a 3.34 ERA (126 ERA+), 1.42 WHIP, 30 walks, and 21 strikeouts. The walks were extremely concerning, a 4.4 BB/9, but the 35-year-old is more there for his experience, mentorship, and leadership then his pitching performance. He'll fight for a job in the spring, but those qualities will weight heavily as I'm hoping the 1938 bullpen won't have to eat many innings. Crane, a lefty we poached from Boston, was the only Rule-5 pitcher to survive June, and despite his favorite tendency of walking two batters for every one he strikes out, he managed to tightrope out of trouble on more then one occasion. Crane went 63.1 innings in his 29 relief outings and 3 starts. The southpaw had a 3.13 ERA (135 ERA+), 1.48 WHIP, 39 walks, and 21 strikeouts to his credit. Bill Kline, Luis Sandoval, Joe Brown, Jonah Brown, and Jim Baggett all got some innings of their own, but the latter two are back in Cleveland while the other three combined for just 45 innings. I'm hoping I can really revamp the staff in the offseason, as if we were able to win 83 games with Oscar Morse and Dick Lyons, imagine what we could do with an arm like Dean Astle or Ed Wood (both arms I targeted and were declined on).

The Farm
On the surface, it looks like our farm is in worse shape then usual, as I'm guessing when the offseason list is posted tomorrow (Kings beat the Miners in five), it'll be the first time since we won the World Series where we don't have a top five system. That being said, a lot of top prospects have been graduated in the past three seasons; Leo Mitchell (10th), Ray Ford (1st), Billy Hunter (4th), Ollie Page (19th), Carlos Montes (51st, although he was in the top 30 during the season), Bert Wilson (28th, although that was with the Chiefs), and Rich Langton (30th) while Karl Wallace (49th) and Stumpy Beaman (72nd) are now out in Detroit. Even after all that, we still sit with 5 top 50 prospects, 11 top 100, 23 top 250, and 41 in the top 500. And of course, almost all the way at the tip top sits Pete Papenfus who should end up as the #1 prospect in baseball about two months into next season.

Of course, a lot of our prospects are right on the edge of graduating themselves. Harry Mead, Cy Sullivan, Joe Brown, Aart MacDonald, Ducky Jordan, and Bobby Mills are all on the 40-man roster and if all goes well, I can see Mead, Sullivan, and Brown all graduating next season. OSA also thinks Harry Parker, Ivan Cameron, and Tommy Wilson all have 1937 ETA's with Papenfus and Del Burnes set for 1938. All these guys rank in our top 20 and the leagues top 200. We've churned through a ton of players, and with a really rough 1937 draft, it may take a season or two to bring more top talent up. Finally Preacher Pietsch showed up in the top 500, but our two lottery picks are definitely bottom of the barrel and Joe Crosby was the only one to crack the top 200. I'm hoping to replenish the system with a few extra picks in this draft (hence the Foote trade), but there are a lot of exciting young players in the lower levels that don't get as much recognition as they might deserve. Still, the cupboard is running out of top of the line talent, and eventually we'll have a less exciting looking system.

The Future
Sure, I may be slightly biased, but things are really looking up for the Cougars. The fact that we were able to compete this year is rather astonishing, and since most of our good players are young, another year means things should keep getting better. It's a big if, but if Billy Hunter stays healthy all season and we're able to add a piece or two in the offseason, I think we have a legit shot to win 95 games. The only real worries in the lineup are Lawson and Love, but I'd imagine they'll still be able to maintain their high levels of production. I can only imagine that Rich Langton will turn things around and if Ollie Page is still in the starting lineup, there is no way he hits as pathetically as he did this year. It's possible guys like Ford, Montes, and Mitchell take steps back, but I have to imagine the opposite will be true. I really want to give the lineup another big masher even if it means giving up a big prospect. My way too early prediction for 1938 is 87 wins with no moves, 91 if we add a big bat, and 94 with a top line arm. One thing is for sure though, the Cougars are back, and there's not a Tommy Wilcox like injury that can cripple us into mediocrity. Other then Peter the Heater, Harry Parker, and Billy Hunter, however, there are no Cougars etched in stone. Time for an exciting offseason!

[ayaghmour2]

Before getting started with the first Cougars That Never Were edition where the results are happening during the same season. But before we get started, a huge announcement: #1 Lottery Pick Marv Smith is now ranked as the 499th best prospect in baseball! Sound the alarm bells! We started the offseason today, and it may be a long one, but that just gives me more time to work out trades. We moved Luis Sandoval for a 2nd/4th Round Pick (same as the Foote deal) and I expect a few more deals to materialize before the 1938 season starts.

Catchers
Fred Barrell (BRK): 47 OPS+, 4 HR, 50 RBI, -0.1 WAR
Jim Kyle (BRK): 86 OPS+, 2 HR, 21 RBI, 0.2 WAR

Infielders
Leo Mitchell (CHC): 118 OPS+, 6 HR, 41 RBI, 5 SB, 2.2 WAR
Billy Hunter (CHC): 146 OPS+, 6 HR, 29 RBI, SBM 3.0 WAR
Rabbit Forrest (PHI): 96 OPS+, 20 RBI, 6 SB, 1.2 WAR
Slim Bloom (DET): 42 OPS+, 9 RBI, SB, -0.6 WAR
Mack Deal (PHS): 71 OPS+, 4 HR, 32 RBI, 7 SB, 0.1 WAR
Red Moore (MON): 70 OPS+, 2 HR, 38 RBI, SB, 0.4 WAR
John Lawson (NYS): 128 OPS+, 25 HR, 108 RBI, SB, 5.7 WAR

Outfielders
Vince York (TOR/CHI): 93 OPS+, 3 HR, 34 RBI, SB, 0.1 WAR
Roy Moore (CHC): 67 OPS+, 8 RBI, 2 SB, 0.2 WAR
Rich Langton (CHC): 96 OPS+, 12 HR, 55 RBI, 6 SB, 1.6 WAR
Bert Wilson (CHC): 108 OPS+, 2 HR, 20 RBI, 2 SB, 0.3 WAR
Ed Reyes (NYG): 87 OPS+, 7 HR, 50 RBI, 0.7 WAR
Carlos Montes (CHC): 116 OPS+, 10 HR, 55 RBI, 9 SB, 3.9 WAR

Pitchers
Dick Lyons (CHC): 15-5, 110 ERA+, 45 K, 3.0 WAR
Dean Astle (CLE): 19-16, 2 SV, 110 ERA+, 94 K, 6.3 WAR
Tom Barrell (BRK): 12-6, 127 ERA+, 95 K, 4.4 WAR
Mike Murphy (BRK): 17-12, 123 ERA+, 60 K, 3.5 WAR
Bill Ross (MON): 11-11, 95 ERA+, 90 K, 1.4 WAR
Ben Turner (CLE): 5-2, 126 ERA+, 42 K, 2.1 WAR
Phil English (TOR): 2-2, 14 SV, 298 ERA+, 33 K, 1.0 WAR
Pug Bryan (CHC): 8-9, 115 ERA+, 68 K, 2.0 WAR

Totals
Offense: 18.9 WAR
Pitching: 23.7 WAR
Total: 42.6 WAR
Approximate Wins: 87

Looks like things are going in the right direction! The no trade Cougars are just barely better then the actual, although I'll blame the Tom Barrell injury and Dean Astle collapse at the end of the year for that. It was nice not having to adjust starts this time, and our actual offense (22.3) outperformed the fictional offense. This team would end up in third place far from the top as well, but I think next year the real Cougars will finish with more wins then the fake ones. This team could see a lot of improvement next year though. They'll get a full year of Hunter and Montes and while Dick Lyons won't repeat the season he did, I don't think Dean Astle will pitch at Lyons' level in 1938. I debated adding Cy Sullivan, Harry Parker, or Peter the Heater on the team for next year, but I haven't yet decided how much (or in Pete's case, if at all) time they'll get in the big leagues. I can't see our staff passing the fake one next year, but by 1939, I'm hoping the real Cougars will be much better.

Offseason Moves for 1938
Replace Jim Kyle with Harry Mead

Notable Prospects/Picks Traded
None that were drafted by the Cougars!

[ayaghmour2]

It's that time of year! With the season ended, we have a brand new set of OSA's top 500 prospects. And now with no December draft, it's a lot more accurate because no draftees will slide their way in after the official list is published. Our system ranks 6th in the league with 11 top 100 prospects, 22 top 250 prospects, and 41 top 500 prospects. The system is a little thinner then I've been used to the past few seasons, but there are still a lot of talented and intriguing youngsters that are hungry to work their way up!

1. RHP Pete Papenfus (2nd Overall): 6th Overall (1936)
2. LF Chubby Hall (37th Overall): 5th/46th
3. RHP Harry Parker (38th Overall): 9th/56th
4. C Harry Mead (44th Overall): 2nd/31st
5. RHP Bill Scott (50th Overall): 10th/71st
6. RHP/CF Juan Pomales (55th Overall): Acquired from Detroit
7. RHP Cy Sullivan (57th Overall): 3rd/35th
8. RHP Joe Brown (67th Overall): Not in top 30
9. SS Hal Wood (78th Overall): 4th/42nd
10. 2B Tommy Wilson (85th Overall): 13th/100th
11. CF Aart MacDonald (100th Overall): Acquired from Tulsa
12. SS Ducky Jordan (104th Overall): 8th/55th
13. 1B Bobby Mills (117th Overall): 12th/85th
14. RHP Del Burnes (119th Overall): Acquired from Detroit
15. RHP Art Saunders (127th Overall): 17th/135th
16. SS Ivan Cameron (154th Overall): 15th/118th
17. RHP Dan Everett (163rd Overall): 18th/136th
18. CF Tony Mullis (195th Overall): Acquired from Philadelphia
19. RHP Joe Crosby (198th Overall): 53rd Overall Pick (1937)
20. 3B Ralph O'Neal (202nd Overall): Not in top 30
21. CF Orlin Yates (229th Overall): 23rd/179th
22. LHP Harl Haines (240th Overall): Not in top 30
23. CF Elias Canady (243rd Overall): 22nd/174th
24. RHP John Little (282nd Overall): 66th Overall (1937)
25. 1B Larry Robison (302nd Overall): 20th/170th
26. SS Lee Scott (318th Overall): Not in to 30
27. 2B Hod Seagroves (332nd Overall): Acquired from Detroit
28. CF John Johnson (343rd Overall): 25th/202nd
29. LHP Danny Hern (345th Overall): Not in top 30
30. C Gidge Sumpter (357th Overall): 21st Overall (1937)

[ayaghmour2]

Before starting on the top prospects, we made a few coaching moves. John Dibblee decided to take up coaching, so he'll start his coaching career down in San Jose as the hitting coach. Our current hitting coach, Jack Jones, isn't that great, and with one year on his contract left, I basically am going to let him play that out before promoting Dibblee to the majors. He's "excellent" at teaching hitting and handling age, while good at handling development. I also replaced bench coach Jim Cathey with former Nashville Chieftains manager Pete Morris. He's got a poor rating, but all his coach ratings are good or better with four outstanding and a legendary. Morris' deal is for three while Dibs for two, but I gave a bigger contract then anyone in the staff pipeline other then manager Walt Bailey.

RHP Pete Papenfus (2nd Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 6th Overall (1936)
Alma Mater: West Plains Lions

Despite being a Lion for three years, Pete didn't make it a fourth season as he skipped La Crosse and San Jose to start his pro career in A Lincoln. 19 for nearly the entire season (18 for his first couple starts), he made 15 starts their going 6-4 with a 4.06 ERA (112 ERA+), 1.40 WHIP, 49 walks, and 69 strikeouts in 93 innings pitched. It proved to be a rather quick and effective stay for Peter the Heater, who then made his last 10 starts up in AA Mobile. I was a little worried at first, especially when he allowed 8 runs in the first start there, but the teenager showed poise far beyond his years. Even more impressive, manager Bill Searing didn't need to remove him from a single start (although he maybe should have in that first one...). Pete consistently went over 100 pitches, not a single start below 108 and he was able to surpass 130 six times. Of course, when you throw 130 100 MPH pitches a game, it's going to bring some injury concerns, but just a few minor DTD sorenesses in July. He's already got an elite fastball and great cutter, with the potential to have an above average change and curve as well. My scout and OSA are now a fan of his command, so his one tool weakness has now disappeared. Papenfus should anchor a rotation and see his name next to some of the FABL greats, and all he has to do is take care of that golden right arm. We may get a glimpse of his greatness next season, but I'd be very surprised if Pete isn't in Chicago before the 1939 season ends.

LF Chubby Hall (37th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 3rd Round, 34th Overall (1935)
Alma Mater: Westinghouse Warriors

It definitely feels a little weird not having a pair of top 20 prospects, but 20-year-old Chubby Hall is still a very exciting youngster. Just like last season, he spent all year in La Crosse, but he had a much more impressive .298/.341/.436 (127 OPS+) batting line. Hall hit 22 doubles, 3 triples, and 14 homers with 88 RBI's, 33 walks, and 35 strikeouts in 555 trips to the plate. My scout kept telling me during the season that he wasn't ready for San Jose, but he'll start next year at 21 and should be a Baby Cougar to start next season. He made great strides from last season, turning his WAR from -0.2 to 3.9 and he looks okay in left and right. He'll never be a great defender, it's a little tough for a 5'7'' 190 kid to track down balls in the outfield, but my scout thinks he'll be above average in either corner and he can fill in at center in a pinch. The true talent is at the plate, he's got a great eye and gap power and he hits the ball hard and in the air to left consistently. Everyone hits a lot of homers in the lower levels, but I think Hall could turn into a 20-30 homer hitter in a park like ours. The lift will really help him, and as he continues to get better and more comfortable at the plate, I expect to see more and more balls leave the yard with less and less swings and misses. Hall is probably our most valuable prospect I could move, but since we already missed out on two big targets, the chances of him getting moved are less and less.

RHP Harry Parker (38th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 7th Round, 108th Overall (1934)
Alma Mater: Bushwick Tigers

Interesting enough, in the recent sim Hall and Parker swapped spots, but in my head, Harry Parker is the best prospect who isn't Peter the Heater. Is that true? Who cares! The towering righty didn't have the best season out in Milwaukee, but he was worth 5.0 wins above replacement and 9-7 for a very young Blues team. Parker had a 3.42 ERA (98 ERA+), 1.08 WHIP, 22 walks, and 82 strikeouts, pretty impressive underlying numbers despite the rather average ERA. As you might expect, he had a pretty impressive FIP, 2.18 with a 65 FIP- (basically equivalent to a 154 ERA+) so it was quite clear he got unlucky. The strikeout numbers are elite, the walk numbers are elite, the WHIP is pretty elite, and his stuff is elite. Of course, he does have a glaring weakness, he's a flyball pitcher... But, when you comfortably sit in the 90s with a fantastic assortment of secondary offerings. My scout drools over him, clamoring over his "fantastic" control, "pretty good" stuff which he explains "may be more valuable." And if you like those last sentences, "if everything comes together Parker has the talent to pitch at the top of the rotation." It's only a matter of time before age ends Dick Lyons and Parker cements himself in our rotation. There's a chance he breaks camp in the rotation and doesn't let go, and I can't wait until we have a 1-2 of Pete-Parker. And we might get to watch that for a decade.

C Harry Mead (44th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 58th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Memphis HS Pharaohs

The first of our prospects to debut, Mead started the season in Mobile and finished it in Chicago. His Mobile numbers were impressive, batting .271/.355/.389 (128 OPS+) with 16 doubles, 3 homers, and 30 RBI's in 287 trips to the plate. He had about equal time in Milwaukee, 244 PA's, but his .248/.320/.317 (92 OPS+) line was much lower as the power started to disappear. He had just 13 doubles and not a single homer with 28 RBI's. Then in Chicago, 75% of his were doubles as he was 4-for-17 with a walk, run, and strikeout. An Illinois native, the Harvey born Mead is one of three active lefty throwing catchers and the only one in the FABL.

Not quite about Mead, but I found it interesting that while there aren't many lefty throwing catchers with any sort of impact, there were a handful in the early days of the league. The first came in 1876, the inaugural season, when a 31-year-old Irishman named Donny Monaghan started 61 games for St. Louis. It was his only season, as it's hard to employ someone who hits .162/.200/.185 (30 OPS+) for any length of time. Norman Watton also was there for the inaugural year, parts of seven seasons in the FABL with nearly all the games coming in '77, '78, or '82. He hit .230/.260/.259 (73 OPS+) Another Irishman Al Roberts made just 4 starts and 24 bench appearances with the Chiefs from 1883-1885 and 1888. In 1982, the Stars had Willie Beidleman who made 11 starts behind the plate. Then there was William Caliste, another Illinois native (Wheaten) who played 660 FABL games between 1884-1895 for seven different teams.. I think there's a trend, as another is William Elliott, who got into 7 games with the Keystones in 1895 and then 102 games with the Dynamos in 1900 and 1901, although most were off the bench. John Patrick debuted in 1880 with the Chiefs and then spent 1882-1888 with Providence and Toronto, and had a 99 career OPS+ after four consecutive 100 seasons to end his career. In 83' and 84' Henry Simmons made five starts behind the plate for the Wolves and a few games off the bench before 15 substitute games with Brooklyn in '86. The Wolves seemed to like the lefty throwing catchers, with C/OF James Walters having an excellent rookie season in 1892 where he hit .280/.350/.429 (129 OPS+) with 24 doubles, 17 triples, 4 homers, and 60 RBI's. He never really got another chance, '93 was his last year in the majors, and he functioned as a part time player. There was another James Walters, also a lefty catcher, but he got one season with the Stars in 1985 where he hit .240/.286/.312 (69 OPS+). The Gothams had a Russian backstop Peter Popov who played 1897-1901 and started the middle three seasons. He never hit much, career .242/.309/.308 (77 OPS+) hitter in 500 FABL games. Nathan Watters spent 1886-1891 with the Chiefs and Wolves and hit just .163/.212/.216 (70 OPS+) in 464 trips to the plate. There was an actual longtime starter, but like most of these guys, came pre 1900. Daniel Gladney was a big part of Washington's offense from 1888-1896 and spent 1885-1897 with them before a final year in 1899 with Boston. He hit .277/.341/.400 (102 OPS+) with 322 doubles, 103 triples, 87 homers, and 990 RBI's in over 7,000 plate appearances. In this century, there was a longtime backup Ed Modugno who spent parts of 1908 and 1912-1921 on FABL rosters. He got into just 281 games, but did make 228 starts behind the plate. His career .180/.272/.267 (61 OPS+) career line, however, left a lot to be desired. This gives Mead a legitimate chance to become the FABL's best lefty throwing catcher, and he should reasonably be able to play more then everyone other then Gladney without much trouble.

RHP Bill Scott (50th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 7th Round, 111th Overall (1933)
Alma Mater: Holyoke HS Oaks

He missed a chuck of the season with injury, but the soon-to-be 22-year-old made 14 roughly average starts in Lincoln this season. He was 5-5 with a 4.69 ERA (97 ERA+), 1.41 WHIP, 22 walks, and 51 strikeouts in 86.1 innings pitched. The inning count seems kind of low, but during the season he was able to go over 100 when his stuff was working and managed a 121 pitch complete game with 13 strikeouts in just the second start of the year. He did run into trouble on occasion, a few starts with 6 or more runs allowed, but that's expected when you're climbing up the ladder. The best sign of the season was yet another velocity boost, now up to 97-99 consistently. Kid has a polished three pitch mix an "outstanding fastball, a power slider, and a sweeping curve" and Marv starts that out with "His three-pitch arsenal includes," not, will include. But includes. In the past, his control has deserted him at times, but Scott has yet to strike out less then 5 per nine at any of his stops so far. The fireballing righty can blow by anyone, and with him Brown and Pete, we could have three guys consistently hitting triple digits with relative ease.

[ayaghmour2]

RHP/CF Juan Pomales (55th Overall)
Acquired: Via Trade with Detroit (1937)
Alma Mater: St. Francis Bobcats

No team was hit harder then the Cougars after the first lottery portion of the draft, but despite the failures there, I had to go out and get Juan Pomales. With a regular draft, Pomales likely would have been taken 5th Overall, and I'd still have Karl Wallace and Stumpy Beaman. And if I still had Karl Wallace, then maybe Hank Barnett would be a Cougar instead of a Dynamo. But, the lottery happened, I had to trade for Pomales, and it's looking like it's going to be a long and boring offseason for the Cougs. Enough whining, let's talk about "El Conejo" who just celebrated his 23rd birthday. Surprisingly, the two-way start actually pitched better then he hit, going 5-3 with a 3.97 ERA (114 ERA+), 1.25 WHIP, 25 walks, and 24 strikeouts in 81.2 innings. He hit a basically average .299/.339/.436 (99 OPS+) with 14 doubles, 4 triples, 2 homers, 15 steals, and 39 RBI's in 220 trips to the plate. All his time came in Lincoln, with 11 games on the mound, 14 in left, 16 in center, and 14 in right. His defense was above average at all spots, with a nice 1.104 efficiency out in right, likely due to his cannon of an arm. It doesn't really translate to velocity, just 84-86 with his fastball, but it's the worst of his three pitches. He features a great curve and decent sinker with good command and the ability to keep the ball in the park. Both Marv and OSA agree on him being a middle of the rotation starter, and with his work ethic, I expect him to exceed those expectations. He's probably better with the bat, with elite speed and an elite hit tool, plus the potentially elite capabilities out in the field. He does pull the ball a lot, but with his speed he can stretch singles into doubles. The plate discipline wasn't great to start, 11 walks and 23 strikeouts, but that'll improve with experience. He's older then most prospects, but as a two-way player he will have a slower ascent. I'm thinking he could be ready for Mobile next season, but I haven't yet decided where he'll begin the campaign.

RHP Cy Sullivan (57th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 60th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Austin HS Senators

He technically is a major leaguer, but in his seven days in the bigs he didn't get an outing. That would have been his third level of stats this year, starting the season with a truly elite 13 game stint in Mobile. The towering righty was 7-5 with a 1.83 ERA (173 ERA+), 1.04 WHIP, 18 walks, and 22 strikeouts in 113 innings pitched. He then got the call to Milwaukee, and the 23-year-old put up his best strikeout numbers yet. He stuck out 46 (3.9 K/9) and walked 19 with a 3.21 ERA (105 ERA+) and 1.04 WHIP in 106.2 innings pitched. Cy succeeds best when guys are hitting the ball in play, but if he can maintain this newfound strikeout rate, he could become a truly dominating force. His command is quite impressive and he upped his velo this year to 89-90 for the first time since 1934. My scout doesn't quite think he can anchor a rotation, but views him as a #2 with pinpoint command that makes up for his non-dominant stuff. He's still polishing his four pitch mix, but his slider is really the only reliable out pitch. He'll be 24 next May, and Cy will definitely be in camp looking to secure a roster spot or even a rotation spot.

RHP Joe Brown (57th Overall)
Acquired: Via Trade with Detroit (1936)
Drafted: 9th Round, 141st Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Reading HS Reds

Acquired in a trade for Hank Spencer last spring, no Cougar prospect has had as meteoric of a rise as Joe Brown. The Berwyn kid spent all of 1936 in San Jose before making his debut in Chicago this September. It wasn't perfect, 2 games with 5 innings, 7 hits, 4 runs, 4 walks, and 2 strikeouts, but it was after just 14 starts in Mobile and not a single start in Milwaukee. He was 10-3 with a 2.79 ERA (114 ERA+), 1.09 WHIP, 27 walks, and 39 strikeouts in 119.1 innings pitched. A clubhouse leader and a fan favorite, Brown added a knuckle curve in July and now his worm killing sinker registers between 96 and 98 miles per hour on a regular basis. He's an extreme groundballer with a nice splitter, a change, and curve to fill out his now five pitch mix. Marv says he's ready to start now, and he now lists him as our #2 starter (behind Pete, of course) in terms of potential. Brown does a great job keeping the ball on the corners and OSA views his command as elite. This kid has continuously surprised me as he's matured in our system, so I have no set "cap" on what he could turn out to. His speed will always work into his favor, and combine that with his clubhouse presence and Brown seems like a favorite to hold at least a pen spot in the 1938 season. If not, it'll likely be his first taste of AAA.

SS Hal Wood (78th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 8th Overall (1935)
Alma Mater: Smithfield College Bulldogs

It was a bit of an up and down season for Wood, about two thirds of the season in San Jose and about a third in Lincoln. They are two completely different offensive environments, however, so his .254/.355/.340 (101 OPS+) line in San Jose was very similar to the his .305/.344/.425 (98 OPS+) line in Lincoln. He combined for 31 doubles, 6 homers, 15 steals, and 74 RBI's in 590 trips to the plate. The 23-year-old is a decent defender at short, combining for a 4.0 zone rating and 1.021 efficiency in almost 1,200 innings at short. Now 23, Wood projects to be a solid contact hitter with a nice swing and good eye. He should be an above average defender and projects as a prototypical leadoff hitter. He's a line drive spray hitter who can hit to all fields and he's the perfect captain out in the field. He always has his teammates backs and the players on the team look up to him. It's been a bit of a slower trip up the system for our former 1st Rounder, but now that Hunter graduated, he's the top shortstop prospect in our system. He's penciled in as a future shortstop and despite being older then Billy Hunter, they could eventually make up a nice double play duo.

2B/SS Tommy Wilson (85th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 31st Overall (1933)
Alma Mater: Elmira HS Emeralds

While the 1932 draft class was absolutely stacked, the 1933 draft was as bear as it gets. But still, we selected one of the few big leaguers from that class (John Barnard) and a pair of top 100 prospects in Wilson and Scott. A natural shortstop, "Weed" Wilson spent most of his season up in Mobile, batting .223/.304/.301 (86 OPS+) with 17 doubles, 3 triples, 3 homers, and 31 RBI's. He spent time at the three main infield spots, 43 times at second, 26 at third, and 78 at short. He's probably best suited for second, but he can handle short and should be above average at third. He has a good quick bat and high end speed, but sometimes he has trouble with off-speed pitches. Him and Ducky Jordan will compete for the future second base job, as I expect Ollie Page to move to third once John Lawson has decided to call it quits.

[ayaghmour2]

CF Aart MacDonald (100th Overall)
Acquired: Via Minor League Draft (1937)

Officially the first FABL player from Aruba, Aart MacDonald put up impressive numbers in his first season of affiliated ball and he notched his first FABL home run in Cleveland off Lyman Weigel to leadoff an eventual 11-3 loss. MacDonald is one of the most unique players in the league, and not just because of his Nationality, but he's a low average slugger with a ton of speed. In Mobile he hit .242/.330/.472 (144 OPS+) in 89 games before hitting .205/.321/.371 (108 OPS+) in 42 games in Milwaukee. Combined between those two stops he had 21 doubles, 19 triples, 14 homers, 39 steals, and 51 RBI's. The lefty swinger makes the most of his hits, and he walks (55) about as much as he strikes out (56) and he plays exceptionally well in the outfield. Generally a center fielder, I started giving him reps in left and right as well since Tulsa just really used him in center. He's one of the more developed prospects in the system and Marv thinks he should be our fourth outfielder (5th if you count Mitchell, but he's more of a ninth man) come next Spring. I love the glove, his speed always gives him another base, and he's set to own a high OPS. He'll never hit for a high average, and may have a .220 season like Ollie Page, but MacDonald would probably still do it with a nice OBP and slugging. He's also on the older size, 26 in April, so his age will definitely work towards his favor on securing a roster spot. I can see him going 20-15-15 in Chicago and maybe even a 30 steal season or two if he gets everyday playing time.

SS Ducky Jordan (104th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 6th Round, 92nd Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Little Rock HS Pioneers

The "Hot Springs Hotshot" had a really rough season, and it ended with a sore elbow and setback that ended his cup of coffee early. Jordan was just 1-for-9, but he walked twice and drove in a pair of runs. It was much better then his Mobile line, just .204/.271/.272 (67 OPS+) with 10 doubles, 3 triples, 10 steals, and 19 RBI's in 265 trips to the plate. He actually did better in Milwaukee, hitting .192/.302/.352 (97 OPS+ because of the 8 homers. This stint was a similar size, 250 PA's, and Ducky doubled six times, tripled twice, stole nine bases, and drove in 28. I gave him time at second, third, and short, and he put up plus measures at each position. He hasn't hit this low since his debut season in La Crosse where he hit just .235/.276/.365 (71 OPS+). I'm not worried about Jordan, it should be a minor setback, but worst case he's just a switch hitting utility man who can provide good defense at second, third, and short. I still view him as our future second basemen, but he does have a lot of competition.

1B Bobby Mills (117th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 6th Round, 90th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: San Antonio HS Warriors

His name came up a lot in trade talks, but as usual, I wasn't able to find him a home. He fills a similar role as Johnny Waters would, but at 23, I still want him getting regular at bats. He hit a tremendous .329/.399/.548 (184 OPS+) in 288 AAA plate appearances, so he definitely is big league ready with the bat, but I still haven't found a good defensive position for him. First is fine, but he hasn't really looked so good there and the outfield is as crowded as ever. "Nutball" even looked good in his big league debut, 5-for-15 with a homer, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 2 RBIs. He projects to be a .330 hitter with excellent plate discipline and his power has started to develop. It will help, as he doesn't have the speed to triple so the homers can really help. He'll be 24 in February, and while I don't think he'll start the season in the big leagues, he's a good enough hitter to warrant an FABL spot.

RHP Del Burns (119th Overall)
Acquired: Via Trade with Detroit (1937)
Drafted: 1st Round, 3rd Overall (1934)
Alma Mater: Houston Coyotes

Picked up in the Juan Pomales deal, I've always been fascinated by the skinny 6'2'' righty who the Dynamos selected 3rd Overall back in 1934. He had tremendous high school numbers, but he was considered to be an unexpected selection that many felt was too early. He'll be 22 next April, and Burns has upped the velocity a lot, now throwing his fastball and cutter consistently in the mid 90s. He gets a lot of swings and misses on his forkball and it works as a nice compliment to the cut. He does a good job keeping the ball on the ground and Marv believes he'll fill the back of a rotation in a year or two. He gets plenty of movement on all five of his pitches and they combined to make a big league ready arsenal. He does need to polish the command a bit, 4.4 BB/9 with Detroit's AA affiliate
and 3.3 with ours, but he did seem to really struggle with us. He finished 7-7, but with a 4.08 ERA (78 ERA+), 1.43 WHIP, 39 walks, and 51 strikeouts.

RHP Art Saunders (127th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 9th Round, 133rd Overall (1935)
Alma Mater: Manning Bulldogs

He said it was impossible, but then I threw $20,000 at him and he decided his mind would be persuaded. He's spent most of that on medical bills already, seven injuries already that caused him to make just 9 starts last year and 18 this year. He hasn't won many, 5-10, but he has a respectable 3.81 ERA (105 ERA+), 1.45 WHIP, 46 walks, and 65 strikeouts. It was a total of 132.1 innings pitched, but to be fair, he did leave seven of those starts early. But, he now added a sinker to his repertoire and sits in the low 90s. He keeps the ball on the ground well and his curve is considered his "money pitch" if you ask Mr. Branson. He's a smart kid, but the injuries could end up standing in his way. He'll be 21 next June, and with limited innings under his belt, I might start him in La Crosse again, but my hope is that he'll move up to San Jose once the new draft class comes in.

[ayaghmour2]

SS Ivan Cameron (127th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 3rd Round, 47th Overall (1934)
Alma Mater: Meridian Eagles

He missed a little time this year with a knee injury that supposedly effected his left hand, but I started giving Cameron a few reps and second and third after spending nearly all his time at short. The first 43 games came in Lincoln where he hit .285/.360/.410 (99 OPS+) with 12 doubles, 2 homers, and 31 RBI's before earning a promotion to Mobile. Then he spent his next 54 games in Mobile where he hit a better .280/.317/.399 (118 OPS+) with 13 doubles, 2 triples, 2 homers, and 23 RBI's. Between the two spots, he made 369 plate appearances with 22 walks and just 6 strikeouts. The cut in strikeouts was major, but even before he had 28 his first season and 19 in his second. His biggest pull is on the field, however, where he pairs excellent range with a strong arm as he's able to make most plays on the field. He's not as gifted at the plate, but he's got an outstanding eye and can make his share of contact. There's absolutely no power or speed in his game, but any sort of value he provides with the bat is going to be a plus. My scout and OSA think he's going to be a future starter, but he's got Billy Hunter in front of him and he won't ever be able to hit like him.

RHP Dan Everett (163rd Overall)
Acquired: Via Trade with Cleveland (1936)
Draft: 4th Round, 79th Overall (1933)
Alma Mater: San Francisco HS Navigators

This was his first season in our organization as we grabbed him and a 2nd Rounder from the Foresters last offseason for Hank Stratton. And after three seasons in C Ball, I let Everett start his year in San Jose and then finish it in Lincoln. He was just 1-2 in 9 starts with the Cougars, but he had a 3.10 ERA (129 ERA+), 1.28 WHIP, 19 walks, and 31 strikeouts. He then made 16 starts with the Legislators, but they didn't quite go as well. While not terrible, he was 4-8 with a 5.00 ERA (91 ERA+), 1.51 WHIP, 37 walks, and 25 strikeouts in 86.1 innings pitched. It was a little worrisome, just over 5 innings a start, so stamina issues may come up in the future, but he's just 22 and has had a few issues with injury. Still, he has a pretty developed three pitch arsenal headlined by a curve that is already working as an out pitch, a great change, and an average fastball he boosted from 87-89 to 90-92 in October. My scout thinks he can work his way into the back of a rotation, as his strong movement allows him to keep balls in the park. The control is not there yet, but if he's able to locate his pitches a bit better, he can keep moving his way up.

CF Tony Mullis (195th Overall)
Acquired: Via Trade with Philadelphia (1937)
Drafted: 5th Round, 78th Overall (1936)
Alma Mater: Redford Trojans

Acquired less then a year after he was drafted, we picked up Tony Mullis from the Sailors for Marty Roberts at the deadline. He had an outstanding 40 game sample in La Crosse, hitting .307/.377/.409 (131 OPS+) with 8 doubles, 3 triples, 5 steals, and 19 RBIs in 155 trips to the plate. He didn't look to great out in center, working to a -3.2 zone rating and .948 efficiency out there. Granted, most of our center fielders in La Crosse put up rough numbers, but Mullis should eventually develop good range out in center. He's got a chance of hitting .330 in the big leagues, with OSA going as far to wager he could reach .350. I think that's a stretch, but Mullis is able to hit line drives across the field and he uses his speed to his advantage. He may end up in left, but I'm expecting his range to improve as he gets more time out in center.

RHP Joe Crosby (198th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 53rd Overall (1937)
Alma Mater: St. Peter's Spartans

Shout out to Marv for this one, as Crosby wasn't really on my radar and he decided to rank him (iirc) fourth of all the pitchers available. I was worried about stamina issues (which may develop), but his 10 starts with La Crosse left little to be desired. He was 5-4 with a 3.05 ERA (113 ERA+), 1.12 WHIP, 12 walks, and 15 strikeouts across 65 innings pitched. He relies a lot on his defense, not many walks or strikeouts, but "Boney Joe" is just 18 and has a lot of time to improve his pitches. Doesn't throw too hard yet, just 86-88 with his fastball, but it should turn into a reliable offering. The curve and slider have a lot of work to do, making him a long term development project. He's never going to be an overpowering arm, but he'll use his finesse to keep runners off the bases and continue to find ways to befuddle batters.

3B Ralph O'Neal (202nd Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 10th Round, 150th Overall (1936)
Alma Mater: Harvey Hornets

I'm definitely a little shocked O'Neal ranks almost in the top 200, as the poor kid had a nightmarish debut season. He hit just .216/.288/.277 (66 OPS+) with 11 doubles, 3 triples, and 16 RBI's in just over 300 trips to the plate. He spent 62 games at third and 41 at first, but he did not look too great at the hot corner. He projects to have a really good eye at the plate, and for some reason OSA thinks he can hit .350. What's nice for him is there will be no more prospects added until next June, so he has a chance to redeem himself to start next season. A lot of prep players struggle in their first pro season, so O'Neal could perform much better next season. Some of his teammates have already headed to San Jose and other will follow, so O'Neal will have a lot more at bats available for him before the draft. I expect him to take advantage of those, and we should see a few homers for the North Dakota kid.

[ayaghmour2]

I was writing by next prospect report and ended up writing a few trade proposals. I have some "Bad News". "That you didn't get Ed Stewart, John Edwards, or Hank Barnett?" "No... We already know that..."

"Bad News" is a three time stolen base champion! The Gothams have been selling any big leaguer they can as they craft a super farm system (277 pints!) and after not making an offer for Jim Lonardo (which I probably should have), I decided to acquire speedy third basemen Johnny McDowell for LF Dave Haight and RHP Del Thomas. McDowell had a down 1937, hitting .305/.342/.393 (91 OPS+) with 21 doubles, 8 triples, 34 RBI's, and 26 steals in 420 at bats. These are still decent numbers, and McDowell had very little protection in the lineup, with really just Charlie DeMars and Howard Brown Jr behind him in the lineup. Former Cougar Ed Reyes had a rough season, and while some of the youngsters like Dick Canfield did well in limited time, it's not the lineup he was used to batting in. Plus, he's a good base stealer which is something our lineup really lacks. A former 2nd Rounder in 1929, McDowell has a career .317/.361/.410 (101 OPS+) batting line with 114 doubles, 65 triples, 3 homers, 137 steals, and 287 RBIs in just under 700 games with the Gothams. Primarily a third basemen, he's going to get a shot at second base with Ollie Page and will work as injury security for the aging John Lawson who may end up needing a few more days off as he plays his aged 35 season. I don't expect McDowell to be a difference maker for us, but he has a unique skillset that really no one else in our lineup has. Of course, he strikes out a lot like some of our other guys do, but the cost is affordable and it makes the big league team a bit better.

[ayaghmour2]

CF Orlin Yates (229th Overall)
Acquired: Via with New York (1935)
Drafted: 9th Round, 131st Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Travis College Bucks

Likely his last year on the prospect list, Yates turned 26 this September and made his big league debut this April. It did not go all that well, as he hit just .200/.289/.225 (38 OPS+) with 2 doubles, 3 steals, 7 RBIs, and 8 walks in 91 trips to the plate. He functioned as the lefty side of the platoon with Roy Moore, but after Carlos Montes came up, Montes was the primary center fielder and Yates was hanging out in Milwaukee. He's working on his versatility, getting time in left and right, but Yates is an outstanding center fielder who's glove will always secure him a roster spot. He hit okay with the Blues too, batting a much better .229/.345/.329 (104 OPS+) with 18 doubles, a triple, 5 homers, 22 steals, and 28 RBIs. Despite not hitting for much contact, Yates has an outstanding eye, working to a 44-to-29 walk-to-strikeout ratio in 416 PAs with the Blues. Yates speed and eye are his two best assets and my scout thinks he "is a reliable hitter in the organization's grand scheme." I think of him more as a fourth outfielder, but his lefty bat and outstanding defense could allow him to be a very valuable platoon hitter. He really struggled against FABL southpaws, but it's still a very small sample size. Yates will enter the Spring a favorite with Bert Wilson to serve as our fourth outfielder next spring.

LHP Harl Haines (240th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 10th Round, 149th Overall (1935)
Alma Mater: Niagara Falls Big Red

This lefty may be the most interesting prospect in our system. He is one of four active submariners out there, and for some reason, they all throw over 90 MPH. Haines sits comfortably in the 94-96 range and the lefty has excellent command of all four of his pitches. His slider is his best offering, but all four of his pitches are big league quality. He spent the whole season up a level in San Jose, and he definitely held his own. Haines was 12-4 with a 3.70 ERA (108 ERA+), 1.25 WHIP, 54 walks, and 75 strikeouts across 143.2 innings pitched. Those were excellent numbers for a guy who pitched the whole season at 19 against much older competition. He's an extremely hard worker, and I thought the challenge would push him to get better. He's entered the top 30 for the first time and I think he'll be in the top 200 next year. Right now he's just a depth piece, but I think I can see him improving his prospect shine with another strong season.

CF Elias Canady (243rd Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 8th Round, 126nd Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Portland HS Lumberjacks

I floated his name in trade talks, but nothing stuck, so I decided to use one of my 40 man spots on Elias Canady. Our former 8th Round selection, Canady spent most of the season in Mobile and hit .208/.303/.328 (93 OPS+) with 31 doubles, 6 homers, and 45 RBIs in 469 trips to the plate. He was outstanding in center, recording a 14.5 zone rating and 1.061 efficiency out in center. Always known for his glove, Canady decides to tinker with his swing too much, and every time he seems to have it figured out, he changes things up. He's never been able to replicate his sophomore and junior season at the plate, but he's still 23 and has a lot of time to develop. He raked in his 14 game stint in Milwaukee with 4 homers and while it seems like something to get excited about, I'm guessing it's just a fluke. Marv thinks he'll be a good big leaguer, but I can't see him surpassing Carlos Montes. For now, he'll spend most of his time down in the minors, but if an injury arises and he's hot, he could get his shot to stick.

RHP John Little (282nd Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 5th Round, 66th Overall (1937)
Alma Mater: Marquis College Minutemen

I took a gamble on John Little this draft, as he followed up two poor seasons with an excellent junior year. The Minutemen ace was 9-6 with a 3.61 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 35 walks, and 87 strikeouts in 132 innings pitched. I pushed him a little hard in the minors, 4 starts in San Jose before 6 in Lincoln. He did do well with the Baby Cougars, 2-1 with a 2.90 ERA (137 ERA+), 1.26 WHIP, 8 walks, and 13 strikeouts, but as expected, his time in Lincoln wasn't as good. He was 0-4 with a 6.37 ERA (71 ERA+), 1.61 WHIP, 14 walks, and 11 strikeouts against much tougher competition. I might send him back to San Jose at least to start, but my scout thinks he can take Class A hitters. He has a decent four pitch arsenal with a nice 87-89 mile per hour fastball and OSA thinks he could be a back of the rotation arm. He just turned 22 in October, but I expect to take my time with him as we have a lot of arms much close to big league ready ahead of them.

1B Larry Robison (302nd Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 19th Round, 303rd Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Queens HS Islanders

I caved. I decided to protect him... He's just so fast! Robison swiped 74 bases this season and has stolen 135 in 429 minor league games. You would think that speed would make Robison good at defense, but as good as he is at swiping bases, he's awful in the outfield. He doesn't have the range for center and he isn't all that impressive in any corner, so I decided letting him get more time at first. He did hit really well this year, starting the season in Lincoln and finishing in Mobile. He hit .336/.402/.515 (136 OPS+) with 7 homers, 46 RBI's, 26 doubles, 4 triples, and 59 steals in 344 trips to the plate. He also struck out just 5 times and walked 34 times, and was caught in just 10 of his steal attempts. Mobile may have been more impressive, batting .253/.339/.393 (124 OPS+) with 10 doubles, 4 triples, a homer, 16 RBI's, 15 steals, and 20 walks without a single strikeout. He's always had excellent discipline, but never at this level, and with his speed, it's awesome how little he swings at bad pitches. If he puts the ball in play, he can probably beat the ball out, and his base stealing percentages are extremely impressive. Robison has an 80% career steal rate and worst case he could be a clutch late game base runner.

[ayaghmour2]

SS Lee Scott (318th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 54th Overall (1936)
Alma Mater: Henry Snyder High School Tigers

He didn't have much success with the bat, but I can't really blame the 19-year-old for struggling in San Jose when he was up. He didn't do much better down in La Crosse, hitting .268/.278/.347 (83 OPS+) with 8 doubles, 8 triples, a homer, 31 RBIs, and 42 steals. He also looked great at short, working to a 6.6 zone rating and 1.052 efficiency. A rather tiny player, Scott is just 5'6'' and it doesn't look like he'll ever hit for much power. He's a great runner with great bat speed, but I don't see him ever hitting for a high average or OBP. Most of his value will be derived from his glove, but I'd like to see a little more progress in the bat as he develops. I'm hoping he can at least finish next season in San Jose, but I know with Scott I'll have to take my time with him.

2B Hod Seagroves (332nd Overall)
Acquired: Via Trade with Detroit (1937)
Drafted: 3rd Round, 45th Overall (1936)
Alma Mater: Lake Park Panthers

One of the guys I was looking for in the 1936 draft, I ended up making a trade to acquire the Chicagoan Hod Seagroves a few months after the draft. It was a really rough season for the recently turned 20-year-old, who hit just .226/.242/.278 (53 OPS+) with 13 doubles, 2 triples, 2 steals, a homer, and 43 RBIs in 401 trips to the plate. It was an unfortunate debut season for the 6'3'' righty, but he looked well in the field, an 11.6 zone rating and 1.063 efficiency at the keystone. Seagrove is an athletic player with a quick bat and quality defensive skills who has the contact tool to hit over .300. He didn't show much discipline this year, just 9 walks on the season, but with all the other issues this season, there is no reason to focus in on that flaw. I thought he had the potential to be a big league starter when I traded for him, and even with this not-so-small setback, my opinion remains unchanged.

CF John Johnson (318th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 3rd Round, 37th Overall (1935)
Alma Mater: Grange College Mustangs

Our 3rd Rounder three drafts ago, I gave him all of his first season in San Jose before all of this season in Lincoln, with the goal of all next season to be played in Mobile. Johnson had another productive season, slashing .290/.370/.501 (124 OPS+) with 33 doubles, 10 triples, 12 homers, 31 steals, and 67 RBIs across 486 plate appearances. It was an impressive all around season for Johnson who also started getting some time out in right field. He had 48 games there and 69 in center, with zone ratings and efficiencies of 5.0, 1.052 and 3.7, 1.030 in right and center respectively. Johnson projects to be a quality defender, and I think his range is good enough for center. He's also got an excellent eye, almost even walks and strikeouts, and he should end up maintaining a very high on base percentage if he reaches the big leagues. He's got good speed as well, giving him the prototypical setup for a leadoff hitter, and he could develop into a reliable piece for a strong organization.

LHP Dany Hern (345th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 14th Round, 213th Overall (1935)
Alma Mater: Morton Huskies

More of an after thought last season, Hern transitioned into a full time starter this season and the soon-to-be 21-year-old made 23 starts this season, 19 of those coming in San Jose. The southpaw held his own despite just under 70 innings at La Crosse the year before, going 8-5 with a 3.77 ERA (106 ERA+), 1.31 WHIP, 43 walks, and 71 strikeouts in 133.2 productive innings. Hern is a pretty developed four pitch repertoire with a nice change and mid-to-high 80s fastball. His curve and slider are average pitches too, as he's really improved his stuff already. He may struggle with control eventually, but the walks were reasonable this season and he was able to go deep into games if needed. He's got a lot of developing to do, but with young high school arms you never really know what you're going to get.

C Gidge Sumpter (357th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 21st Overall (1937)
Alma Mater: Garden State Redbirds

I drafted Sumpter to have a catcher for San Jose, and while he does crack the top 30 (just barely!), he did look overmatched. A three year starter in college, Sumpter hit .256/.284/.335 (78 OPS+) with 8 doubles, 2 homers, and 21 RBIs in 212 PAs. Obviously, there is a lot of room for improvement, but I didn't expect too much from him as I knew he'd be facing rather tough competition. He's an advanced hitter with a strong bat, but my scout doesn't talk much about his defense. Catcher is a weak position in our system, really just Harry Mead as a notable catching prospect in our system in recent years, so Sumpter has little to no competition as he works his way up. Mead (and Williamson) are ready to contribute to the big league team already, so Sumpter can take his time until a better catcher enters the system. And even them, he's likely to have a head start.

[ayaghmour2]

We're on a little break in the offseason right now, and I got the urge to right something again, so here's an amateur report focusing on some of the interesting prospects that will be available in the upcoming 1938 draft. This will be our second Summer draft and the Cougars will be selecting 12th in each round as well as 7th and 15th in the 2nd Round of the actual draft. We have both our lottery picks at the moment, but hopefully a trade materializes and one or both of those picks are owned by another team. As far as I know, I haven't traded any of my picks for this upcoming draft, but of course, a lot can change before the draft. The pool is also not full yet, but 383 of the 400 players have already been generated.

RF Sammy Dillon
School: Mississippi A&M
1937: .279/.396/.489, 276 PA, 13 2B, 3B, 11 HR, 44 RBI, 21 SB
Career: .273/.389/.496, 498 PA, 25 2B, 2 3B, 21 HR, 86 RBI, 51 SB

If power is your thing, look no further then Outfield A&M's Sammy Dillon. Sure, he's a corner outfielder, and that's no fun, but Mississippi A&M has churned out quality corner outfielders year after year and Dillon is the next in the very long line. He'll be a three year starter, and Dillon has shown extreme power, double digit homers both of his seasons thusfar and I'd have to imagine that he'll reach that next season too. He's a patient hitter, which feeds into his power, but he's not likely to hit for a high average and he may end up being prone to strikeouts. He's not the greatest fielder either, but he won't kill you on in the outfield, and he makes all the plays he should. My scout isn't the biggest fan of him, viewing him as a bench bat, but Dillon profiles to be a quick riser and could bat in an FABL lineup in just a few seasons.

CF Bill Burkett
School: Eastern State
1937: .268/.365/.449, 319 PA, 13 2B, 6 3B, 8 HR, 49 RBI, 40 SB
Career: .268/.365/.449, 319 PA, 13 2B, 6 3B, 8 HR, 49 RBI, 40 SB

He didn't start as a Freshman, but Bill Burkett broke into the Eastern State lineup last season and finished with a tied for AIAA high 40 stolen bases and his 8 homers were tied for sixth. Burkett is a lefty swinger with obvious speed and a strong eye. He walked 39 times compared to just 17 strikeouts as his strike zone recognition is rather advanced. He's a surehanded center fielder who can track down most flyballs and line drives while he can consistently hit the ball over other centerfielders. He faced great competition in college and I think Burkett has the tools to start in the FABL. There are a handful of other good center fielders, but Burkett may be the most intriguing of the bunch. He's an extremely hard worker which should help him separate himself from the pack.

SS Frank Hill
School: Tallmadge State
1937: .287/.382/.481, 277 PA, 13 2B, 6 3B, 7 HR, 48 RBI, 32 SB
Career: .287/.382/.481, 277 PA, 13 2B, 6 3B, 7 HR, 48 RBI, 32 SB

I promise, every college hitter did not have 13 doubles this season, it's just these three happened to! Arguably Chicago's finest, Frank Hill had an outstanding sophomore year, totaling 26 extra base hits and he played reliable defense out at short. He's as sure handed as it gets out there and my scout thinks he's a lock to stick at short. He's got good discipline at the plate, and despite his small 5'8'' frame, he's got serious power to all fields. It's not top of the line power by any means, but for a shortstop you could consider it that. He's a decent runner too, but I don't see him as a big base stealer once he reaches affiliated ball. Of course, his city of birth makes him a huge target of mine, but his natural talent is enough to entice the other 15 teams as well. Hill is definitely not a star, but he's a useful piece that could potentially turn into an Ollie Page type player.

LHP Woody Yanez
School: Bayou State College
1937: 6-4, 97.2 IP, 3.69 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 57 BB, 115 K
Career: 11-7, 185.2 IP, 3.44 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 100 BB, 207 K

I usually don't do this, but I'm going to start this one with a glaring disclaimer: I personally wouldn't tough Woody with a ten foot pole, but it's really hard to ignore his performance. He's listed as a reliever with only two pitches, but that fastball-slider mix resulted in more strikeouts for Yanez this season then any other college arm and even a significant amount of high school arms. He doesn't throw too hard, sitting in the 83-85 range, but he does a great job keeping the ball on the ground. His fastball honestly sucks, but his slider is off the charts and probably responsible for 114 of the strikeouts this season. Relievers are very rarely used in this era, a lot of teams (myself included) just stack their staff with starters, but the wildly inconsistent Yanez may have some use in a pen. He could turn into a Boyd Harper type fireman, 90+ innings out of the pen year in and year out with excellent strikeout and save numbers, albeit, with a ton of walks. I'm going to keep my eye on Yanez, but I can't see him ending up in Chicago.

RHP Jim Douglass
School: Eastern State
1937: 8-2, 105.2 IP, 2.81 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 41 BB, 103 K
Career: 15-5, 198.2 IP, 2.67 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 72 BB, 196 K

Now here's an arm more to my liking! A teammate of Bill Burkett, Jim Douglass followed up an elite freshman year with a somewhat less elite sophomore year, but the 6'5'' righty has set himself up to be a top pick in the upcoming draft. The imposing righty doesn't have a very developed repertoire, but his sinker and slider are expected to be excellent and his change passable as the third offering. He has excellent movement on all three of his pitches, and the sinker heavy attack allows him to keep the ball on the ground at all times. There were a few signs for concern, he went from 14/14 starts to 15/20 and his BB/9, K/9, ERA, and WHIP all slightly trended in the wrong direction. A little regression was expected for Douglass, but if he can keep his ERA under 3 against next season, I'd imagine his lottery slot will be one of the first filled. OSA thinks frontline starter, my scout more back to middle of the rotation, but I have to side with OSA on this one. If all goes well, he's going to add speed on his pitches and he's already comfortably in the 90s. He's an imposing figure with a ton of downward action on his pitches, and he might be the most valuable college arm in the pool.

2B Howard Rivers
School: Brandeis
1937: .552/.593/.823, 109 PA, 15 2B, 4 3B, HR, 33 RBI, 14 SB
Career: .534/.574/.844, 338 PA, 50 2B, 16 3B, 3 HR, 94 RBI, 48 SB

This year we had a top second basemen from Chicago, and now next year we'll have a top second basemen from New York. I don't think Howard Rivers will be the consensus #1, but Rivers' 1.416 OPS this season was the best of anyone in his draft class and it wasn't even the best of his career. That would be 1936 when the sophomore hit .530/.565/.880 with 20 doubles, 6 triples, a homer, and 28 RBI's. The high schoolers have yet to announce there commitments yet, so no one really knows where Rivers will be next Fall, but I can't imagine Rivers doesn't sign with a team. He projects to hit for a batting title and drives the ball to all fields. He's an extraordinary athlete who also has some experience at short and in left, but his arm isn't all that strong so I can't see him really moving around. He's got good speed and a good eye and he gives me Freddie Jones lite vibes. Rivers projects to be a future big league starter, but at this time he doesn't seem like a star.

CF James Slocum
School: Xaverian
1937: .485/.541/.701, 111 PA, 12 2B, 3 3B, HR, 25 RBI, 16 SB
Career: .474/.526/.694, 351 PA, 39 2B, 8 3B, 4 HR, 78 RBI, 42 SB

Son of former player, current manager, and World Champion Powell Slocum, I had really high hopes for James Slocum. Unfortunately, James doesn't quite have the skill of his dad. Slocum will be a four year starter, but he didn't quite set the world on fire in high school, and now he's got just one season left to try to jump up draft boards. He is a very disciplined hitter at the plate and will draw his share of walks as he does an excellent job laying off pitches out of the zone. He could flirt with a .300 average in the majors, but he seems like more of a journeyman then an every day player. He doesn't have much power and he may have to move to a corner due to his range, but he's extremely athletic with a lot of raw talent. His baseball pedigree will probably make a team reach for him, but if they're able to develop him well, he could maybe surpass his dad's 55 career homers. He won't, however, come anywhere close to those 4,144 hits, he'll be lucky to get that many at bats.

C Rick York
School: Terre Haute
1937: .441/.493/.737, 137 PA, 13 2B, 2 3B, 6 HR, 36 RBI, 9 SB
Career: .435/.492/.784, 390 PA, 45 2B, 5 3B, 21 HR, 106 RBI, 21 SB

This year we had Pete Casstevens, elite catching prospect who was son of a former FABL player. Next year, we'll have Rick York, elite catching prospect who was son of a former FABL player. His brother Joe was Brooklyn's first round selection last year and his dad Dick was a longtime catcher for the Detroit Dynamos. My guess is that York will be one of the lottery players, so he won't likely get selected in the draft. Whoever lands him will be lucky, as York has serious power and can hit to all fields from the left side of the plate. The kid is a workout machine who prides himself on improving his talents. He's a strong kid too, but scouts are undecided about his defense behind the plate. His bat, however, is more then enough to get him to the big leagues, and worst case he ends up at first base. He'd be much more valuable behind the plate, so if he is able to handle a professional staff well, York could be one of the top catchers in the league.

RHP Donnie Jones
School: Minneapolis
1937: 11-0, 116.1 IP, 0.77 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, 24 BB, 184 K
Career: 33-3, 370.1 IP, 0.97 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 67 BB, 525 K

Donnie Jones is this year's Pete Papenfus (guy I was set on for awhile) and I would do just about anything within reason to get my hands on him. Brother of Stars prospect and 1st Round selection Johnny Jones, Donnie has put up some insane high school numbers. It started last season, when "Mole Killer" Jones finished 12-0 with a 0.43 ERA, 0.67 WHIP, 20 walks, and 215 strikeouts in 126 innings pitched. Jones became the first pitcher to strike out 200 batters in a season and he was worth almost 10 wins above replacement. The 6'2'' righty turns 18 on December 1st, but this kid already has big league stuff and an outstanding four pitch repertoire. He throws in the high 80s now, so with any velocity boost Jones is going to get that much more filthy. His sinker is devastating and hitters are prone to rolling over it while his filthy curveball makes the best hitters miss and is the go to strikeout option. His fastball and change are reliable options and he can turn to them if he's having issues with one of his primary options. Jones will almost never allow a homer and it's next to impossible to get on base when he's on the mound. My scout isn't that big a fan of him, but I don't always trust Marv. There's no player in the pool I'd rather have, so if Jones ends up pulling a Papenfus and doesn't check in on the top two rounds of the mock, I think I might have to give the Gothams a call about a certain pick. Good thing I have a bunch of twos!

RHP Ray Kirchner
School: Franklin
1937: 9-0, 93.1 IP, 0.96 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, 26 BB, 136 K
Career: 28-3, 321.2 IP, 1.23 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 74 BB, 446 K

I almost feel bad for Kirchner because he has to follow up Donnie, but this kid is loaded with talent and upside and should not be overlooked. Kirchner is much more raw then Jones and is not nearly as comfortable with his pitches. That could be because the lanky righty throws five pitches, with his changeup the strongest. I think a lot of that is because he doesn't throw too hard right now, just 85-87, and he doesn't have a fastball. He relies heavily on his new found sinker down in the zone, which helped contribute to his breakout junior season. He then focuses on his cutter up, while also mixing in a curve and forkball on occasion. He actually does a much better job rolling up grounders then Jones, but I think Kirchner will benefit just as much from a velocity boost. Kirchner's greatest advantage is his passion for improvement, he's one of those guys that watches elite players and imitates their style. This makes me think he picked up his sinker watching an FABL player, and he could potentially benefit from being part of a system with a very deep foundation of pitchers. Ray is a west coast guy, born in San Francisco and attending school out in Portland, so he's set for a big move this Summer.

LHP Paul Brown
School: East Orange
1937: 6-1, 74.1 IP, 1.57 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 20 BB, 106 K
Career: 15-5, 221.2 IP, 2.15 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 66 BB, 252 K

Since debuting as a freshman, Paul Brown has consistently lowered his ERA, walks, and WHIP while simultaneously rising his strikeouts and WAR. He'll try to make it four-for-four as he returns to East Orange to compete for a New Jersey championship. 1937 was the first season he broke the 2.00 ERA and 1.00 WHIP barrier and he cracked 100 strikeouts for the first time as well. This is a positive trend for the southpaw, who doesn't get much love from my scout and OSA. Brown can touch 90 with his fastball, and he can also throw a cutter, change, forkball, and knuckle-curve. He's projected to strikeout a lot of batters, but Marv thinks he may develop walk issues once he faces more advanced hitters. I think this is something he can work out, and with a strong senior season, Brown could turn into a highly touted prospect.

LHP Slick Wesolowski
School: Affton
1937: 9-2, 109.1 IP, 1.32 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 27 BB, 165 K
Career: 18-4, 226 IP, 1.75 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 62 BB, 315 K

Ending it with a guy with a cool name, the southpaw Slick Wesolowski matched his 9-2 record from last season, but he dropped his ERA 84 points, his WHIP 20, and his walks and raised his strikeouts by 15 as well. A three pitch pitcher, this was a big breakout for Slick who has put himself into a nice position entering his senior year. He features a mid 80s fastball with a change and knuckle curve that all project to be effective offerings. He needs to work on keeping the ball in the park and ironing out his control issues before becoming a legit prospect, but with how important pitching can be, Wesolowski is an intriguing arm for the human portion of the draft.

[legendsport]

Just a note on James Slocum - he's the adopted son of Powell Slocum. He's actually the son of Powell's wife Claudia, whose first husband (and James' father) was the late Jimmy Barrell. So he's the nephew of the Barrell brothers currently in Brooklyn and Philly and the cousin of Rufus 'Deuce' Barrell, the Baltimore Cannons pitching prospect.

[ayaghmour2]

Originally Posted by legendsport

Just a note on James Slocum - he's the adopted son of Powell Slocum. He's actually the son of Powell's wife Claudia, whose first husband (and James' father) was the late Jimmy Barrell. So he's the nephew of the Barrell brothers currently in Brooklyn and Philly and the cousin of Rufus 'Deuce' Barrell, the Baltimore Cannons pitching prospect.

Thanks for that! Knew he was Claudia's son, but forgot he was from Jimmy, although the name should have helped lol

[ayaghmour2]

Just a quick update here. No players lost in the Rule-5 draft, but I brought home a former Cougar draftee from the South Side. Our 5th Rounder in the 1932 draft, Ernie Carson spent a season and a half with us before being included in the blockbuster Joe Masters and Dave Rankin trade. He wasn't getting all that time in the Chiefs farm this year, but he's a lefty bat who can fit in center and right and my scout thinks he should be an average big league right fielder. I have no idea if he's going to make the roster, but I couldn't resist bringing in a former Cougar draftee. He's got his work cut out for him, but there are one or two bench outfield spots available. In other news, as Harry Parker and Chubby Hall continue to flip-flop between 36 and 37, our system took advantage of the Dynamos' trade heavy offseason and we returned to the top 5 in terms of systems. With the Independent and Minor League draft up next and a full 40, we may not have any more adds. If I really want to, I'm comfortable waiving Ken Wyatt if I really like one of the independent league players.

[ayaghmour2]

Let's start with the minor piece: the independent draft. I was almost 99% certain that when I targeted veteran second basemen Bots Shearer of the Portland Green Sox that Gene Evans would end up being the return. And I was right. We'll ship out the 23-year-old who does sit in the top 500 known for an okay bat and awful glove. His playing time was running out, so I'm glad he'll get a legit shot with the Green Sox. Coming back to us is the 32-year-old Shearer who was taken in the 16th Round way back in 1926 by the Cannons. He got into 19 games between 33 and 34, but hit just .189/.189/.297 (40 OPS+) with a homer and 3 RBI's. From 1935-1937 he was with Portland, and hit .244/.358/.429 (113 OPS+) this year with 24 homers and 70 RBI's. The power is what attracted me to Bots, 181 professional homers in total, and our second base job is sort of up in the air right now. He's got a good glove too and could earn himself a roster spot. It was also announced (as expected) that John Dibblee would be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

We have also now reached 1938, so the calendar has turned around and all player ratings and rankings are all thrown out of wack. The positional ratings have all shuffled seeing most of our guys drop a spot or two. John Lawson (12th) is our only top player while we maintained the #5 system in the FABL despite a huge blow; no more Bill Scott. No, I did not trade Scott. And I really wish I did... But the 6'0'' top 50 prospect and future top of the rotation arm who loves to flirt with triple digits decided that maybe it was a good idea to throw the last four years in the trash and pursue basketball instead... This definitely throws a wrench in our plans, but luckily we still have four (five if you count Pomales) pitchers in the top 100 with guys like Del Burns, Art Saunders, Joe Crosby, and Danny Hern all taking steps forward. It's definitely a huge blow to our potential star studded rotation, but this will make things easier for guys like Joe Brown and Cy Sullivan who won't have to worry as much about being passed up. After the loss of Scott, we're down to 11 top 100 prospects, 19 top 200, and 37 top 500. Hopefully there will be no more casualties to the organization as we approach Opening Day in what will be our last season in the North Side Grounds.

EDIT: We ended up making a trade, sending Bert Wilson and minor league outfielder Sherman Ring to the Dynamos for a potentially new AAA double play duo in Homer Ray and Tip Harrison. Ray's name may be familiar to some as he was our 3rd Round selection in 1931. We sent him to Detroit in 1935 for Wayne Robinson and he debuted for the Dynamos last season. Wasn't the best, he hit just .235/.283/.286 (49 OPS+), but the 24-year-old is a reliable defender and a solid contact hitter. OSA thinks elite contact, that's definitely a stretch, but Ray should be able to maintain a .300 FABL average with a little more seasoning. Harrison is actually a bit older at 26, but unlike Ray, he doesn't require a 40 man spot and was a 2nd Rounder in 1934. The former King draftee was a target of mine and even though his ceiling has dropped a lot, he's still been a continuous target of mine. He spent most of his season in AA this year, batting a respectable .273/.328/.454 (94 OPS+) with 12 doubles, 3 triples, 13 homers, 43 RBI's, and 27 steals. He's a strong defensive shortstop with the ability to fill in at second, third, and center and he's an excellent base runner and stealer. He won't hit for a very high average, but the power surge is very intriguing. Neither are impact players, but the added depth will help, especially with a few injury prone infielders like Hunter and Page, and we are pretty full of outfielders. Wilson was a really reliable fourth outfielder, but with guys like Roy Moore, Orlin Yates, and Aart MacDonald all better defenders plus the addition of Ernie Carson, Wilson was expendable.

[ayaghmour2]

Happy 500! This marks the 500th post written by myself and it's seen almost two real life years, nine seasons, two pennants, and one championship. The hope is the next 500 posts will have more championships (or at least higher percentage then 11.1%), but I know win or lose that this will continue to be one of my favorite things to do. I want to thank all those who have read along, whether it's just a single post or all 500 of them, as I know how much I've enjoyed writing these. If readers get at least an eight of the enjoyment that I do, I'll consider it a win, as writing on the trials and tribulations of the Cougars has been a blast for me.

Enough about that, let's talk about the latest of the Cougars acquisition failures. As with nearly every other big player moved, we missed out, with both Fred McCormick and the Philly starter (ended up being Frank Crawford) ending up on other teams. My guess is no more big name players will get moved, so the Cougars will enter Spring Training with a very similar roster. That's not a bad thing per se, as we did finish in third place last season and for about half of our lineup, an extra year of age should be a benefit. Plus, we'll get a full season of Billy Hunter and Carlos Montes, two guys I expect to end up top 5 in their respective positions by the end of the season. Doc Love and John Lawson are still elite players, both ranked 3rd at their position, but Ford (7th) and Hunter (8th) are the only others ranked in the top half of the league. These are very volatile rankings, and Hunter was ranked in the top 5 during the season, and I'd argue he should be ranked at least fourth right now. The only real weaknesses in the lineup are catcher and second, but I imagine Harry Mead will eventually take the starting job from Mike Taylor and he currently ranks as the fourth best catching prospect in the league. At second, it'll be a mix of Ollie Page and Johnny McDowell, but a lot of question marks with Page's awful offensive season and McDowell's experience strictly at third.

Looking at the rotation, the big question marks are age. My scout thinks 37-year-old Dick Lyons is a solid investment. He also thinks 34-year-old Oscar Morse can have success in the back of the rotation. It's really hard to rely on old pitchers, especially considering the quality of the Kings and Sailors rotation. Both have jobs secured out of camp, but I could see either or both getting supplanted by Pete, Cy, Parker, or Brown. Cy is probably the closest to big league ready, as his movement and command are extremely polished, but he's the only one of the four not listed as a current starter. The pen looks pretty set, Crane, Purvis, and Kline seem likely to fill the innings are starters can't cover, but they'll lose their job before Lyons or Morse. Even with the exceptional performance from our pitching staff, it is quite clearly the weakness of the organization, at least until the next generation is ready.

The biggest change has been in the prospect rankings, as even though we still maintain the 5th ranked system. There has been a ton of movement, but our system looks to be one of the deepest in terms of pitching. Our top four prospects are now arms, led by the still #2 prospect in baseball, Pete Papenfus. Peter the Heater added another mile to his fastball, now sitting 99-101 consistently. The former 6th Overall Pick (who would've had to wait until the third round under the new draft rules) will turn 20 in April, and only 27-year-old minor leaguer Gene Thompson can throw harder then him. Lucky for Pete, Thompson has a 6.8 career BB/9 and 6.83 ERA, so it's pretty apparent that one can use their velocity better then other. Behind him is likely the top three of our Milwaukee rotation this year, Harry Parker (35th), Joe Brown (42nd), and Cy Sullivan (43rd) who all sit in the top 50. In total, five of our top 10 prospects and 12 of our top 20 prospects are pitchers, something very different then we are used to. We've got a ton of young pitching talent, and finally, last year's 1st Rounder Preacher Pietsch is getting some prospect love. He was chilling in the 400-500 range during the offseason and completely out of my top 50 during the year, but the 22-year-old now checks in at 16th in our system and 153rd in the league. I expect a lot of shuffling before Opening Day, but the current ranks give us 11 top 100 prospects, 22 top 250 prospects, and 38 top 100 prospects. I do wish I was able to unload some of these exciting youngsters, but there is a chance that seven of our top 100 prospects graduate this year.

The future is definitely bright for the Cougars, but unfortunately, with no big acquisition in the offseason and a potential lack of sellers in the regular season, I think we'll be competing for third, not first. This offseason has felt like forever, and I can't wait to see these ones and zeros back in action again! There are very few battles in camp to worry about, so at this point it's just waiting for April 26th...

[Tiger Fan]

Congrats on post 500! And hoping for at least 500 more.

[DD Martin]

Yes congrats on #500 and giving an excellent detailed view of the club. You definitely have the farm system depth that many envy and that will pay big dividends soon I’m sure.

[ayaghmour2]

Originally Posted by Tiger Fan

Congrats on post 500! And hoping for at least 500 more.

Originally Posted by DD Martin

Yes congrats on #500 and giving an excellent detailed view of the club. You definitely have the farm system depth that many envy and that will pay big dividends soon I’m sure.

Thanks guys!

[ayaghmour2]

The Cougars have checked in to camp down in Florida, ready for another exciting season of baseball. As I mentioned recently, there aren't many battles going on in camp, so the goal will to be stay healthy and get players worked out in different positions. It's definitely a sign of good things to come that ten of our top eleven prospects are in camp, and the one missing is the now 21-year-old Chubby Hall who spent his first two seasons in La Crosse. I tried to claim (and then later sign) former Cougar John Kincaid, but the Kings outbid us. Below is a list of players being brought down for camp, guaranteed spots denoted by an asterisk:

40-Man Members
RHP Joe Brown
RHP Pug Bryan*
LHP Clarence Crane
RHP Milt Fritz*
RHP John Hartz
RHP Bill Kline
LHP Dick Lyons*
RHP Oscar Morse*
RHP Chet Peacock
RHP Allen Purvis
RHP Dave Rankin*
RHP Cy Sullivan
C Harry Mead
C Mike Taylor*
C Johnnie Williamson
1B Ray Ford*
1B Bobby Mills
1B Larry Robison
1B Johnny Waters
2B Bill Ashbaugh
2B Johnny McDowell*
2B Paul McLain
2B Ollie Page*
2B Homer Ray
3B Johan Camargo
3B Russ Griffin
3B John Lawson*
SS Freddie Bennett
SS Billy Hunter*
SS Ducky Jordan
LF Doc Love*
CF Elias Canady
CF Aart MacDonald
CF Carlos Montes*
CF Roy Moore
CF Orlin Yates
RF Ernie Carson
RF Rich Langton*
RF Leo Mitchell*

Non-Roster Invitees
RHP Del Burns
RHP Sam Hodge
LHP Cal Knight
RHP Pete Papenfus
RHP Harry Parker
RHP/CF Juan Pomales
LHP Ricky Watts
C Lave Young
1B Chris Smith
2B Bots Shearer
2B Tommy Wilson
SS Ivan Cameron
SS Tip Harrison
LF Red Looney
RF Henry Cox

Yep, Peter the Heater is in camp, and he will be starting our first Spring game of 1938! Oh yeah, and he's the new #1 prospect in baseball! That's what a 101 mile per hour fastball will do for you!

Camp Battles

Position: Second Base
Sports Available: 1
Favorite: Johnny McDowell
Competitors: Ollie Page, Paul McLain, Bots Shearer, Homer Ray, Ducky Jordan, Tommy Wilson

Easily the most exciting and potentially the only battle worth following will be who mans the keystone in Chicago. Assuming he can handle the position fine, I expect the former Gotham Johnny McDowell to earn the job out of camp, but both him and Page are guaranteed roster spots. The longshot, and arguably the most interesting option is NRI Tommy Wilson, who currently ranks 7th in our system and 66th in the league. Walt actually wants him to be the starting second basemen, but my guess is that the former 2nd Rounder starts the season in Mobile or Milwaukee. McLain, Shearer, Ray, and Jordan are all longshots to win the starting job, but all four, especially the first two, will be competing for an infield spot.

Position: Bullpen
Sports Available: 3
Favorites: Allen Purvis, Bill Kline, Clarence Crane
Competitors: John Hartz, Joe Brown, Cy Sullivan, Chet Peacock, Cal Knight, Sam Hodge, Rusty Watts

Assuming we stay healthy, the rotation is set. Sure, Harry Parker probably wants to steal a roster spot, but it wouldn't make sense to option Pug Bryan and Oscar Morse and Dick Lyons don't deserve to lose their rotation spots, especially considering Marv thinks Parker's currents aren't quite past Lyons yet. Of course, there's no reason for Parker (or Pete for that matter) to waste away in the pen when he isn't even on the 40 yet. I almost listed Purvis as a lock due to his leadership, popularity, experience, and swingman abilities, but he's 35 and we have so many intriguing options. Crane and Kline are both lefties, but since most FABL players don't have heavy splits, it shouldn't matter too much. In fact, Kline is significantly better against righties (131.2 IP, 2.73 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 152 ERA+, 40 BB, 53 K) then against lefties (66 IP, 6.82 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, 63 ERA+, 15 BB, 25 K), so if anything, he's the perfect middle man for a three man pen.

There are a lot of exciting young arms, including a pair of top 40 prospects in Sullivan and Brown, but I think we'll be better served letting those two start in Milwaukee. Brown has yet to throw a AAA inning, but his high 90s sinker could be potentially deadly in a multi inning relief role. Still, he's a starter first, and his value in the rotation is immense. Same goes with Cy, but he doesn't have nearly the velocity of Brown. Cy needs some polishing, and while his pitches may never reach their lofty potential, being a borderline starter is sometimes good enough. His elite command works much better in the rotation and he was able to average nearly 8 innings a start this season in the minors, something very few pitchers are able or even allowed to do. The real sleeper to watch is Sam Hodge, who despite always being listed as a starter, Marv is convinced that he's a reliever. He ranks as our best relief pitcher in the entire season, but Hodge is a polished 5-pitch complete game machine. He doesn't throw all that hard, but he's projected to "flourish in a key bullpen role" and all of 1937 was listed as an RP instead of SP in the scouting reports.

In more longshot options, the now healthy John Hartz has successfully rehabbed his fractured elbow and ranks third in our pen, behind Peter the Heater and Bill Kline and in line with Brown and Sullivan. Our former 2nd Round selection, Hartz would probably be considered a starting option in most organizations, but he has a lot of younger and more talented options behind him. He could eat innings for us out of the pen, and function as the emergency starter if we have a minor injury or double header. Also on the 40 is soon-to-be 26-year-old Chet Peacock, who had an excellent minor league season and looks like a capable long man. The biggest wildcard is fireballing southpaw Rusty Watts, who's 97-99 mph fastball would be devastating late in the game. His control is vastly improved, and as long as too many of his flyballs don't leave the park, he could be a very useful high leverage arm that also can go multiple innings. His secondary stuff isn't great, so while he does start in the minors, I do envision him as a reliever.

Position: Catching Tandem
Sports Available: 2
Favorite: Mike Taylor
Competitors: Harry Mead, Johnnie Williamson

He may just be a shell of his former self, but as the lone lefty, Mike Taylor seems likely to get most of the starts against right handed pitchers, with either top prospect Harry Mead or last year's eventual backup Johnnie Williamson. I really want the 23-year-old Mead to secure the majority of the time against lefties, and Marv thinks he's passed up Williamson in terms of development. Both debuted last year, with Williamson's sample longer and more impressive. Either could eventually surpass Taylor as the full time starter, and if Mead wins the job, he'll get a larger share of the catching time then Williamson would. Mead's upside, however, is nearly unmatched in the league, potentially turning into a .330 hitter with 80 walk potential and excellent defense behind the plate.

Position: 5th Outfielder
Sports Available: 1
Favorite: Roy Moore
Competitors: Elias Canady, Aart MacDonald, Orlin Yates, Ernie Carson

I went back in forth deciding if Moore or MacDonald was the favorite, but Moore has played far more major league games and is the superior defender. Regardless, this job is wide open, but has to be filled with a center fielder as I wouldn't trust Langton, Mitchell, Ford, or Love in center even if former Cougar Erv Firth (career .156/.252/.202 hitter) was at the plate. I expect this to turn into a Moore-MacDonald battle, but Ernie Carson is stuck in the role of "my performance doesn't determine my future" and will likely only make the team if one of the top two doesn't separate themselves. Orlin Yates does have a shot, as he's an impressive defender in his own right, but the lefty didn't hit a lick in Chicago last year. Canady is the longest shot, but the 23-year-old is an extremely hard worker who the guys love in the clubhouse.

Position: Pinch Hitter
Sports Available: 1
Favorite: Johnny Waters
Competitors: Russ Griffin, Bobby Mills, Bill Ashbaugh, Paul McLain

I'd consider Waters a lock, but since he can be optioned and others cannot, that is the only thing going against him. The switch hitter slashed an absurd .339/.381/.542 (157 OPS+) in his first 64 FABL PAs with 9 extra base hits and 10 RBIs. He does have another thing against him, he's completely useless in the field, but really other then the aging McLain and maybe Griffin, that applies to all of these guys. There are still other roster spots, so the leadership of Ashbaugh and McLain could still make the team with Waters securing a roster spot,