Chicago Cougars (FABL) - Page 57

ayaghmour2 · 06-13-2023, 01:39 PM

Weekly Record: 3-3
Seasonal Record: 19-20 (4th, 7 GB)
Stars of the Week
Duke Bybee : 1 Win, 9.0 IP, 2 BB, 3 K, 0.00 ERA
Billy Hunter : 11 AB, 5 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .455 AVG, 1.199 OPS
Pete Papenfus : 1 Win, 19.0 IP, 6 BB, 11 K, 0.95 ERA

Schedule
5-19: Loss at Cannons (1-4)
5-20: Win at Wolves (5-4): 14 innings
5-21: Loss at Wolves (1-3)
5-23: Loss vs Stars (14-2)
5-24: Win vs Stars (0-2)
5-25: Win vs Stars (0-6)

Recap
This was a very strange week. I did expect to lose the finale to the Cannons, but after that? It was pretty crazy. Sure, splitting with the Wolves makes some sense, even if we should have won both games rather handily, but a one-run extra inning win? Really!?!? We haven't won an extra inning game all season! Then came the scary part; an absolute thrashing at the hands of the Stars in Chicago, as they piled on 14 runs off Joe Brown and Charlie Kelsey. I thought that was going to end our season, especially with Duke Bybee on the mound for the middle match. But guess what? It may have had the opposite effect! Entering the game, the Stars scored a whopping 222 runs, more then 20 more then every other team, but that didn't rattle our poised southpaw. He did something that no pitcher came even close to this season. He shut out the Stars! Just 3 hits, 2 walks, and 3 strikeouts as the 24-year-old threw his first of hopefully many CGSHO. And then we did it again (think Goofy meme). Or at least Pete Papenfus did! The fireballer got revenge for the embarrassment he was dealt in New York, as Pap tossed a 5-hit shutout to take the rubber match! This is the pitching staff that I expected!

It wasn't Pap's only start of the week, as he was the unlucky starter in the extra inning game. Yet again, errors tried to ruin things for us, as a Billy Hunter error cost us two runs in the 8th, allowing the game to be tied at four after nine. Papenfus went 10, allowing just 8 hits and a walk with 7 strikeouts. With these two starts, his ERA is finally above average, down to 3.47 (115 ERA+) in 72.2 innings, while his BB/9 has dropped below 5 to 4.5. The bullpen did manage to keep that one as a Cougar win, with Ken Matson and Harry MacRae each tossing two scoreless innings. Matson went first, with a hit and walk on his ledger, while MacRae took the win with two walks and a strikeout. Joe Brown (6.1 IP, 9 H, 9 R, 8 ER, 4 BB, K) and Johnnie Jones (8 IP, 9, 4 ER, 6 BB, 3 K) were roughed up, but Donnie Jones was an unlucky loser in our loss in Toronto. It was his third consecutive loss, but he was charged with just 5 hits, 3 runs, and 4 walks with 5 strikeouts. Jones is now an even 4-4, but with a strong 3.36 ERA (119 ERA+) and 1.31 WHIP through 61.2 innings pitched. It's a bit surprising our staff ranks 3rd in runs against, not first, but we're allowing too many home runs, as we rank first (or tied) four of the major pitching categories.

Our offense remains ice cold, as it seems like no one other then Billy Hunter can produce. And this week, it is actually meant literally. He was the only player with a weekly OPS+ above 80. 80! Granted, his was 223 (and to be fair Charlie Kelsey is at 441 as he singled in his only at bat), as the somehow still healthy utility man was 5-for-11 with a run, 2 doubles, 3 RBIs, and 4 walks. Jim Jenkins was at 80, but that's all 1-for-3 with a single will do for you. Hal Sharp slumped, just 6-for-24, but at least he homered! Last week he was leading FABL in batting average, but he's now dropped to .356, percentage points below Freddie Jones, who is second behind the Saints Charlie Woodbury (.368). Leo Mitchell is ice cold, just 7-for-24 this week, all singles and no walks, as he's hitting just .303/.333/.375 (91 OPS+) on the season. You think at some point we'd start scoring runs, but we're 6th in the CA (169) and rank top three in just average (.274, 3rd), steals (1st, 22), and base running (1st, +8.2). This cannot continue, as these dreadful results may once again keep us out of the postseason.

There is a little transactional news, as the Foresters returned veteran outfielder Reginald Westfall, who they selected from us in the Rule-5 draft. Westfall hit about as well as our bats have, hitting just .220/.339/.320 (72 OPS+) with 2 doubles, a homer, and 4 RBIs in 59 trips to the plate. Obviously that's not what Cleveland wanted, and they have been employing former Kings Orie Martinez (.223, 3, 20) and Bill Sikorski (.303, 3, 10) in the corners instead. Westfall will now report to Milwaukee, where he'll likely keep the bench warm for the rest of the season.

Looking Ahead
Off to start the week, and then our short homestand is quickly ended. We'll use the day off to head to Montreal for three with the Saints. After a hot start, Montreal has cooled significantly, 8-16 in May and 17-22 on the season. They're nine out of first and a game and a half above the Foresters (17-25), so we really need a sweep in the worst way. If anything can help our offense, its a bottom two staff, and we may get struggling southpaw Wally Doyle. A guy with all the talent, but no results, Doyle has imploded week in and week out, 0-6 with a 7.13 ERA (58 ERA+) and 1.94 WHIP in 53 innings. "The Waco Kid" has always shown tremendous stuff, but the command is never there, as he's led the league in walks in each of his last three seasons, and his 5.4 BB/9 is the highest of his career. What's worse is the homerun ball, as he's already allowed 7 in 53 innings, for a whopping 1.2 HR/9 that's higher then even Duke Bybee's! Even worse, Bert Cupid (3-5, 4.26, 26) has taken a step back and Wally Reif (5-2, 6.44, 29) has taken a lunge back. Only Andy Lyon (2-0, 2.31, 13), who's made three starts after Gordie Irwin's (0-1, 7.08, 6) banishment has been any good, and since Lyon pitched yesterday, we'll miss him.

Their offense is much better, as they've hit a CA best .287 and scored the third most runs (189) in the association. I mentioned Charlie Woodbury (.368, 1, 26) is leading the batting race after Hal Sharp's drop off, but Bill Greene (.298, 3, 22, 5) has really heated up and Red Bond (.285, 8, 30) is slugging at a 30 homer pace. 22-year-old catcher Jack Spahr (.323, 9) has been a pleasant surprise in the eight hole, and Bert Lass (.317, 2, 20) is back to hitting above average like he's done in all but one season of his career. There are some holes, but I expect 25-year-old third basemen Luke Weaver (.248, 3, 18) to pick it up, as he puts the ball in play a ton and has solid power. Even if he doesn't, he's a stellar defender, and should be a building block for future Saints teams. The Saints have and seem to always play us well, but these are the series we need to win if we want to claw our way back into a pennant race.

The road trip is a quick one, as it ends with three games in two days with the Kings. I'm sticking with our five man rotation, as George Oddo (1-3, 6.28, 28) is getting pummeled in AAA due to an absurd and clearly unsustainable 2.3 HR/9, as he's allowed a homer in all but one of his six starts, including two or more in four of them. Plus with the off day to start the week, we'll be a bit more rested then usual. The Kings have been the surprise of the CA, sitting at 21-20 and a game ahead of us for third. 22-year-old future star Ralph Johnson has defied all of Kings County Park logic, launching 11 homers in 39 games despite playing half his games in a park that surprises power. The now graduated third ranked prospect has slashed an elite .286/.415/.543 (149 OPS+) with 30 walks and 36 RBIs as he looks to be the second King in as many years to take home the Kellogg Award. He pretty much carries the lineup, but Brooklyn has gotten a lot of production from his fellow outfielders John Moss (.320, 3, 20) and Juan Pomales (.333, 1, 12, 7; 0-3, 7.11, 6). The rest of the lineup has struggled, but the recently promoted Chuck Collins (.281, 2, 12) has done well and if Billy Bryant (.289, 3, 22) could just draw a walk (3 in 140 PAs), he'd be a well above average hitter. The pitching has been hit hard, as Leo Hayden (1-3, 7.34, 18) hasn't quite shaken off his hamstring strain and more was expected from Buddy Long (4-5, 4.08, 17), while Pomales was quickly removed from the rotation. Leading the way instead has been 31-year-old Johnny Slaney, who is 7-2 with a 2.64 ERA (156 ERA+) and 1.28 WHIP through 9 starts. The Kings have used a variety of guys in the final two spots of the rotation, and normally I'd be confident that our lineup could handle whoever we face. Unfortunately, things have not gone according to plan, and winning in Brooklyn may be tougher then it should.

We finish the week back at home, again facing the Wolves for two, but this time in the Windy City. Jerry York (4-1, 2.60, 25) dominated us in their win, just 3 hits, a run, and 2 walks with 7 strikeouts as he continues to impress in year one. Its made up for George Garrison's (2-4, 3.93, 22) slow start, but when the former Allen Winner finally gets things going, the 1-2-3 of him, Joe Hancock (4-1, 1.99, 17) and York will really scare Continental Association lineups. They still aren't hitting much, so if we can just score some runs or get lucky by facing Jimmy Gibbs (1-4, 4.74, 18), we should be able to sweep them out of town. But what should happen this season, hasn't, and we continue to question if the Cougars were ever any good in the first place.

Minor League Report
2B Johnny Carlisle (AA Mobile Commodores): The Cougars farm clubs haven't had the greatest success, and Mobile is no different, but we got a huge week from the versatile Johnny Carlisle. The former 8th Round Pick hit an even 15-for-30 with 3 doubles, 2 walks, and 5 RBIs. It's been an excellent overall season for Carlisle, who's hit .376/.441/.472 (134 OPS+) with 5 doubles, 2 triples, a homer, 3 steals, and 16 RBIs in 145 trips to the plate. Never one of our top prospects, Carlisle always competes and produces, and he provides our system with plenty of value. He's played almost all of his time at second this season, but he's comfortable at all three outfield spots and has time at each infield spot excluding first. At the plate, he can hit to all fields, and his speed allows him to be impactful on the bases. He's exactly what you want in a utility infielder, and he may end up having a long, Tip Harrison like career as a Cougar.

LHP Bert Rogers (B San Jose Cougars): Despite a season and a half of struggling in La Crosse, where he went 4-9 with a 5.69 ERA (68 ERA+) and 1.71 WHIP, I made the decision to move former 1st Rounder Bert Rogers up to San Jose to start the season. So far, it has more then paid off. Sure, a four start sample is small, but going 3-1 with a 3.33 ERA (114 ERA+), 1.44 WHIP, 13 walks, and 12 strikeouts. This is a very impressive showing form the 20-year-old Chicagoan, who currently ranks 8th in our system and 56th overall, has always shown plenty of promise, but it's nice to see things starting to come together. The young lefty is a finesse guy, not a power guy, but his fastball is up a mile to 86-88 this season. This should continue to make his slider even better, which is an absolute wipeout pitch against lefty hitters. The change will determine whether he can start in the big leagues, but with the spin and movement he generates on his pitches, I'd bet on it turning into a decent third pitch. The command needs some work, and he's actually walking more guys then last year, but if he can get that solidified, he's going to be a mid-to-top of the rotation starter. With our rotation depth, he was a common name in trade discussions in the offseason, and that could be the case again this summer. If he keeps pitching like this, it will up his value a lot, Rogers could be key to upgrading what has been an anemic batting order thusfar.

Cougars in the GWL
RHP Bill Anderson (San Diego Conquistadores): He's not having a notable season by any means, but longtime Wolf and Eagle Bill Anderson announced his year that he would be calling it quits at the end of the season. Now 38, Anderson has struggled a bit, allowing 11 hits, 6 runs, and 6 walks with 7 strikeouts in his 11.2 innings, but he was pretty effective for the Conquistadores last season. He made 24 appearances out of the pen and ate 60 innings, working to a 3.30 ERA (102 ERA+) and 1.35 WHIP with 14 walks and 20 strikeouts. This will mark the end of a nine year FABL and two year GWL career for Anderson, who went 92-108 with 20 saves in 340 games (195 starts). His 4.48 ERA (95 ERA+) was slightly below average, but in 1936, Anderson actually led the Fed with a 7.1 WAR in his first season as an Eagle. That was his best as a starter, as Anderson went 22-14 with a 4.48 ERA (107 ERA+), 1.59 WHIP, 77 walks, and 123 strikeouts. He was a reliable starter from 1933 to 1939, but then didn't appear in a major league game until his cup of coffee with us back in 1944. Anderson was superb, tossing ten shutout innings with 6 hits, a walk, and 3 strikeouts. We then moved him and pen mate Cal Knight to the Miners for a 9th Round Pick, and Anderson put up a solid season as their stopper in what would be his final FABL season. Anderson went 7-7 with 16 saves, a 3.01 ERA (117 ERA+), and 1.39 WHIP. While decent enough, it was the last war season, and since he was old and struck out (21) fewer batters then he walked (25), the Miners cut bait in favor of some of their younger arms. All in all, he was worth 27.6 WAR, nothing to sneeze at, and did a good job eating innings wherever he was employed.

RHP Cy Sullivan (Oakland Grays): After taking home Pitcher of the Month in April, Cy Sullivan began to slip a bit. He allowed 5 runs in each of his first two starts, and 5 more in his fourth. Part of this was the fault of his defense, as three of those fifteen runs were unearned, but the towering righty looked to get things back on track against the Thunderbirds. Sullivan was firing on all cylinders, allowing just 5 hits while striking out 4 and walking none in a complete game shutout as the Grays came on top 8-0. This improved Cy to 6-3 on the season with a 2.84 ERA (122 ERA+) and 1.12 WHIP. He's struck out (22) twice as many batters as he's walked (11) and he's gone all nine in each of his last four starts, and seven of nine. One of those two was only eight because he lost on the road, and the other he left with one out in the ninth. The former 4th Rounder is on pace for a 240+ inning season after leading the GWL with 277.2 innings last season, and he leads the best rotation in the GWL. Behind him are Hal Siddoway (3-4, 2.71, 32), Jim Hawkins (2-3, 1.94, 15), and Doc Newell (4-1, 2.61, 15), with the first two very unlucky to be under .500. Oakland is five out of first, but their +19 run differential would suggest that they should be winning more games.

ayaghmour2 · 06-14-2023, 11:47 PM

Weekly Record: 6-1
Seasonal Record: 25-21 (3rd, 2.5 GB)
Stars of the Week
Hal Sharp : 27 AB, 13 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .481 AVG, 1.252 OPS
Skipper Schneider : 23 AB, 11 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI, .478 AVG, 1.326 OPS
Leo Mitchell : 26 AB, 7 H, 3 HR, 8 RBI, .269 AVG, 1.163 OPS

Schedule
5-27: Win at Saints (3-1)
5-28: Win at Saints (10-1)
5-29: Win at Saints (5-3)
5-30: Win at Kings (6-5)
5-30: Loss at Kings (3-5)
5-31: Win at Kings (5-2)
6-1: Win vs Wolves (4-6)

Recap
Well now, would you look at that! The Cougars are back!

After getting embarrassed on our home turf, we've now won 8 of our last 9, and finished May an impressive 19-11 to cut the deficit to 2.5 games. We are now in third, behind the Cannons (28-19) and Stars (29-20), with the Cannons ever so slightly ahead in terms of winning percentage. The surprise is how we went 5-1 on the road, as we're still just 12-11 in games that aren't in Chicago. We're also now playing at exactly our Pythagorean record, something we almost never do. The bats are starting to wake up, the pitching was great this week, and things are finally starting to look better in the Windy City!

Hal Sharp has been good all season long, but this week the sweltering slugger was hitting everything in sight. He went 13-for-27 with 3 doubles, a homer, 5 RBIs, 8 runs, and 4 walks. The homer came in June, but Sharp hit .345/.397/.445 (128 OPS+) in May, which actually dropped his season line to 377/.424/.537 (159 OPS+). He's back on top in the batting title race, and is hitting nearly 20 points better then next best hitter. Skipper has also gotten hot, going 11-for-23 with 2 doubles, 3 walks, 6 RBIs, 9 runs, and rather shockingly, a pair of homers. He didn't have one coming into the week, but the defensive wizard produced a 126 WRC+ in May and is hitting a more then respectable .299/.351/.395 (102 OPS+) while appearing in all 46 of our games. And while Leo Mitchell was just 7-for-26, all seven hits were for extra bases, adding a triple and three doubles and homers. He walked three times, scored five times, and drove in eight to push his OPS+ (102) and WRC+ (107) back over 100. If Mitchell can keep this up, staffs around the league better watch out, as he's one of the most dangerous hitters in the game. Those three didn't get much support this week, but they were so good it made up for the non Ray Fords (5-14, 3B, 2 R, 3 RBI) taking a week off.

In a week with so many wins, it makes sense that the pitching did their job, and the Jones Brothers were beyond dominant. Both won both their starts, with Donnie spinning two complete games and Johnnie picking up one and an eight inning win. Both of Donnie's starts were eerily similar, as he allowed 6 hits, a run, and 2 walks with 5 strikeouts in Montreal before allowing 5 hits, 2 runs, and 2 walks with 5 strikeouts in Brooklyn. This snapped his three game losing streak, as he's back up to 6-4 with a 2.94 ERA (135 ERA+) through ten starts. Johnnie's complete game came in our 10-1 throttling of the Saints, where he threw just 93 pitches and allowed 7 hits and a run while striking out 5. The biggest thing was that he didn't walk a single hitter, something he tends to struggle with, and did struggle with, in his second start. He walked six Wolves which took him out after 141 pitches, leaving with 9 hits, 3 runs, and 3 strikeouts. Joe Brown bounced back from his rough start, picking up his 5th win by going 8.1 innings with 7 hits, 3 runs, 5 walks, and 2 strikeouts.

Pap ran into some trouble, but our ace still came away with the win. He went just 8 with 7 hits, 5 runs, 5 walks, and 4 strikeouts. The issue for him was the longball, as former teammate Hank Barnett got one off him in the first while Joe Rutherford added another in the second. Both were two run homers, and he fired of five scoreless before allowing the final run in the 9th. Duke Bybee was tagged with the loss, but it wasn't quite his fault, as two of the five runs he allowed were unearned. He followed up the shutout with a more rookie like start, going 7 with 7 hits, 5 walks, and 4 strikeouts. He was also named Rookie of the Month for May, going 4-2 with an impressive 2.76 ERA (144 ERA+) and 0.94 WHIP. Bybee made six starts and threw 49 innings, walking just 12 while striking out 25. Ken Matson heard we were looking for a stopper, and decided that wasn't going to fly with him, as he saved three of our six wins this week. He did okay, throwing 2.2 innings with 3 hits, a run, and 2 strikeouts. That doubled his save total for the year, and he now owns a 2.60 ERA (153 ERA+) and 1.44 WHIP with 14 strikeouts in 17.1 innings pitched. The staff has looked good so far, and we need to keep up this momentum as we look to remain above .500 for the eleventh straight season.

The last bit of news comes from Carlos Montes, who decided to be this year's Billy Hunter. Our center fielder will now miss five weeks with an oblique strain, and it comes right of the back of a stretch of three games where he was 5-for-15 with a homer and 5 RBIs. Montes hasn't hit much, just .247/.287/.376 (78 OPS+) in 23 games, but he's always good out in center. This again opens up center field for Don Lee and his 54 WRC+, while the once again DFA'd Max Rucker cleared waivers, and will return to Chicago. I debated bringing up Johnny Peters, but I would much rather prefer adding a glove first outfielder from outside the organization so I can avoid burning one of Peters' options. Whether we can find one or not is another story, but I will be adding some minor league depth that could replace Rucker later on.

Looking Ahead
Can the winning continue? Let's hope! After roughing Jerry York (4-2, 3.20, 32) up for 8 hits, 6 runs, and 4 walks in just 6.1 innings, we'll look to sweep the Wolves and ace George Garrison (3-4, 3.57, 26) at Cougars Park. With the double header, that means we'll throw Joe Brown (5-2, 3.45, 26) on short rest, something he should have no trouble with (100% rested), and after Pap's start the following day everyone will be back to the normal five day schedule. The Wolves are coming off a solid 17-14 month, but Charlie Artuso (.266, 1, 25, 4) has stopped hitting and they are getting zero production from their 5 through 8 hitters. Hal Wood (.300, 4, 31) and Chink Stickels (.290, 16, 5) have both seen their OPS+ drop below 110, so as long as we can keep Fred McCormick (.324, 8, 23) in check, I really like our chances. Of course, "The Reticent Reaper" is an all time great so this will be no easy task, but Brown has done an excellent job of this in the past, as the former Whitney Winner is just 3-for-21 against the Illinois native.

Our lengthy homestand continues with three hosting the Sailors, who have won both their June games rather handily (14-3; 4-0) and have brought their record back above .500 (24-23). Extra base machine Cotton Dillon was dubbed May batter of the month, as he slashed .364/.457/.670 (191 OPS+) and followed that up with a 3-for-6 with 3 walks, 3 runs, and an RBI in their double header sweep over the Kings. The 28-year-old got off to a slow start, but is hitting an outstanding .329/.415/.548 (150 OPS+) on the season with 11 doubles, 6 triples, 3 homers, 28 runs, and 31 RBIs while sporting an elite 23-to-6 walk-to-strikeout ratio. He's doing most of the run producing, as the Sailors rank 7th in runs scored, trailing only the Foresters. Luckily, Ed Reyes (.310, 1, 17) is back over .300 and his WRC+ is sitting at 110. He's one of the few positives there, as Rip Lee (.287, 18, 2) and Les Cunha (.233, 2, 24) have yet to get it going. The pitching, however, has been impressive, as they've allowed the fewest runs in the association. David Molina (4-1, 9, 2.15, 28) has been huge out of the pen and the top three of Win Lewis (5-4, 3.08, 29), Slick Wesolowski (5-4, 3.44, 32), and Al Duster (3-3, 3.83, 21) have been great. They could go with a six man after the double header, but we'll for sure miss Duster (he's on for the finale) and will miss at least one of Lewis and Wesolowski. This is a huge break for us, as I'm not too scared of John Thomas Johnson (1-0, 1, 2.55, 13) and Art Hull (0-1, 47.25, 1). We need to take advantage of the back-end of their rotation, and our staff should do a good job keeping them off the board.

Our weekend will be both exciting and challenging, as we get to host the first place Cannons Friday-Saturday-Sunday in a crucial early year series. This could determine first place at the end of the week, and if we want to be taken seriously, wins here are a must. Cincinnati is dealing with some lingering injuries, as star third basemen Denny Andrews (.351, 5, 27) is fighting back spasms and Fred Galloway (.247, 1, 8) is out with an oblique strain. Galloway going down opened up a spot for Al Wheeler (.404, 3, 16), who quickly responded with a Player of the Week award. He hadn't started a game yet, but in eight starts the 39-year-old slashed .471/.571/.704 (234 OPS+) with a double, 2 of his homers, 10 of his RBIs, and 8 walks to just 2 strikeouts. He's given a jolt to a lineup that has seen struggles from Chuck Adams (.258, 4, 22), Gail Gifford (.248, 3, 17, 2), Charley McCullough (.244, 6), and Jim Hensley (.281, 1, 14) while the expected regression has started to hit Red Hampton (5-4, 3.80, 9) and Les Bradshaw (5-3, 4.00, 26). Hampton has allowed 6 or more runs in each of his last three starts while Bradshaw has done the same in three of four. I'd love to continue the Cannons skid, but they're still a good team filled with crafty vets, who can still preform admirably on the biggest stage.

Minor League Report
RHP Babe Stinson (AAA Milwaukee Blues): I was a little worried when I started 22-year-old Babe Stinson at AAA, and while he's been overall good, it's been a very strange season for the righty. In five of his seven starts he's allowed one or fewer earned runs. Those other two? 8 and 5 (9 total). It's been a rollercoaster ride for the former 4th Rounder, who had just 6 starts in AA prior to this season, and they didn't look so good. He went 2-4 with a 4.93 ERA (70 ERA+) and 1.86 WHIP with more walks (28) then strikeouts (16). Stinson still walks too many hitters, allowing 34 free passes compared to just 21 strikeouts, but his 3.24 ERA (151 ERA+) and 1.56 WHIP are very impressive. It may be a small sample still, but his stuff has looked good when he's able to locate it. A five pitch pitcher, he's still refining his pitches, and as a junk guy who's cutter can only graze 86, he's going to need some reliable out pitches. His change is a wipeout pitch, when he can command it, but the other four are just average at best. He's got some work to do, but with more polish, he could be a useful back of the rotation arm.

RF Jimmy Hairston (AA Mobile Commodores): No Monthly Awards in the farm, but former 4th Rounder Jimmy Hairston took home Player of the Week in the Dixie League. The 22-year-old outfielder hit an even 16-for-32 with 3 doubles, a homer, and 12 RBIs. He's now hitting a robust .370/.409/.556 (144 OPS+) in 19 games for the Commodores. He didn't start in Mobile, as Hairston's first 17 games came in Lincoln. If you can believe it, he was even better there, slashing an elite .357/.378/.629 (174 OPS+). Between the two levels, Hairston has already accumulated two wins above replacement, along with 7 doubles, 3 triples, 7 homers, and 37 RBIs in 162 trips to the plate. Eligible for the Rule-5 draft in the offseason, a big season from Hairston is huge, as the young outfielder has taken his time climbing the ladder, and entered the season with just 57 games in A ball. He's shown plenty of promise, showcasing an excellent hit tool while displaying competent plate discipline as well. He hasn't walked all that much so far, just 9 compared to 23 strikeouts, but last year he drew 56 with 68 punch outs. Our outfield situation is rather crowded, especially since he's limited to a corner, but he's just barely outside our top teen prospects now that Bybee graduated. He's sitting at 11 and 109 respectively, in both cases just one spot behind Mike Bordes. I really like this kids bat, and while he still has was to go, the tools are in place for a reliable #2 hitter.

ayaghmour2 · 06-15-2023, 07:37 PM

Weekly Record: 2-5
Seasonal Record: 27-26 (3rd, 5 GB)
Stars of the Week
Hal Sharp : 28 AB, 9 H, 2 HR, 4 RBI, .321 AVG, .857 OPS
Billy Hunter : 17 AB, 6 H, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .353 AVG, .950 OPS
Ken Matson : 1 Win, 0.1 IP, 1 BB, 0 K, 0.00 ERA

Schedule
6-2: Loss vs Wolves (8-2)
6-3: Loss vs Sailors (4-3)
6-4: Loss vs Sailors (4-2)
6-5: Win vs Sailors (3-5)
6-6: Win vs Cannons (0-1): 11 innings
6-7: Loss vs Cannons (2-0)
6-8: Loss vs Cannons (2-1)

Recap
And just like that, we're back to being bad! Yay!

The Cougars seem to be sleepwalking through the season, as quite literally nothing has been all that exciting about this team. I mean, you know its bad when one of your "Top Performers" of the week got one out and a win. Sure, Hal Sharp and Billy Hunter are looking great, but that's pretty much the entirety of the offense, as we continue to struggle scoring runs. We let the Wolves crush us and then barely scored against the Sailors and Cannons. When you hold the first place team to four runs in three games, you expect to win, but we got just two runs total, one on Rufus (4-4, 3.22, 50), one on Red Hampton (6-5, 4.09, 12), and none on Bob Arman (5-3, 3.87, 37), the certified Cougar killer who managed to win a start with 8 walks and 1 strikeout. The inconsistency has been infuriating, and it's making me consider a small retool. The only issue is all the bats are struggling, and our pitchers aren't available.

So who could we move? Clark Car (.222, 1, 2, 4)? He's having his worst season, well, ever... Dick Walker (.215, 5, 3)? Who wants a struggling 40-year-old? Harry Mead (.224, 4, 20)? Soon-to-be 33-year-olds having their worst full season don't bring many much excitement... So are we stuck? Do we add? Do we stay put? These aren't the type of questions I expected to ask myself this season...

At least we have Hal Sharp, who I guess could contend for a Whitney. It was a "down" week for him, but 9-for-28 with 2 homers and 4 RBIs is still an excellent week. This dropped his season line slightly to .368/.410/.537 (156 OPS+) with 11 doubles, 7 homers, and 29 RBIs while being worth exactly 2 WAR despite his poor defense. He's two RBIs away from the team triple crown, and he paces all FABL hitters in average. The second base duo looked good, with Hunter and Car the only guys who got regular time to hit well. Hunter went 6-for-17 with a solo homer while Car was 4-for-14 with a triple and solo homer. Hunter got a game in center with Montes hurt, and he actually looked pretty good out there. In his two starts he fielded all four of his routine balls, the only chances he had. Since Don Lee went 4-for-24 (at least he swiped three bags), more time in center will open for Hunter, giving Car some more time at the keystone. We need Leo Mitchell (5-24, HR, 2 RBI) to finally wake up as the offense just can't get anything going. We're now 6th in runs scored (221) and dead last in extra base hits (118). I'm not sure what's wrong with the lineup, but something has to change.

Joe Brown was roughed up by the Wolves on short rest (guess he couldn't handle it...), but bounced back quickly in a tough loss to the Cannons. The Wolves got 9 hits, 7 runs, and 2 walks with just 2 strikeouts in 6.1 innings while Brown went all nine against the Cannons. He allowed just 7 hits, 2 runs, and a walk with 2 strikeouts, with a Chuck Adams (.266, 5, 24) two run shot the only offensive output in the game. Pete Papenfus made a pair of starts as well, but he's still struggling to strike guys out. He went all nine in both starts, but again walked (9) more guys then he struck out (7). He also lost both starts, with 10 hits and 4 runs against the Sailors and 11 hits and 2 runs against the Cannons. His K/9 is back below 5 (4.8) and he's on pace for a career high of 17 home runs allowed. It feels so weird to see him struggle like this, but part of that is due to his sky high talent. Most guys would kill for a 3.56 ERA (110 ERA+), but for Pap it feels so underwhelming. If he can find the zone more, he'll be fine, but it's just another thing that isn't going right for us in this frustrating season.

The Jones Brothers are red hot, and poor Johnnie was robbed of a win. He had a shutout, but we couldn't score, he then completed the tenth. Still nothing. And finally he left with two outs in the 11th. He allowed just 6 hits and walks with 4 strikeouts to lower his season ERA to 3.29 ERA (119 ERA+). Ken Matson got that final out (after a walk), picking up his first win of the season. Donnie picked up a complete game win over the Sailors, allowing 6 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), and 3 walks with 6 strikeouts. He's been our best pitcher by a wide margin, now 7-4 with a 2.84 ERA (137 ERA+), 1.18 WHIP, 33 walks, and 49 strikeouts. If we got this production from his last season, I think we're celebrating a championship and unphased by the slow start, but instead, we're searching for answers. It's crazy that a team where their "worst" rotation member(s) (Johnnie and Duke) still sport a 3.77 ERA (103 ERA+), but they still manage to lose just as often as they win.

Fun stuff!

Looking Ahead
We finish off our homestand with three with the Foresters, who are hot coming off a win against the Stars (25-30) and a sweep of the Kings (25-30). They are doing their best to stay out of the cellar, 24-31 and a game above the Saints who have lost the same amount of games but capture two fewer victories. They are one of the two offenses to score fewer runs, ranked dead last with 208, and they are 7th in runs allowed. We're stuck with their top three, the ultimate sophomore slumper Richie Hughes (2-8, 5.94, 37), the "vet" of the staff Ducky Davis (4-6, 3.09, 23), and a second sophomore in Augie Hayes Jr. (4-6, 4.18, 29). On paper, we'll have the pitching advantage, but I'm sure Richie Hughes will figure things out for our series and we won't be able to muster much offense off the other two. Luckily, the lineup can be managed well, as Paul Porter (.307, 16, 4) is the only bat with more then 150 PAs that has an above average OPS+ (102) and WRC+ (111). They have gotten some production from Lorenzo Samuels, who has hit .389/.478/.593 (180) in a part time role, and the red hot first basemen hits against righties, displacing top 100 prospect Ivey Henley (.250, 1, 12), but "The Cuyahoga Crusher" is being aided by a crazy .367 BABIP and his season is just 67 PAs. Utilityman Constantine Peters was 0-for-11 against the Kings, but has since hit .395/.447/.512 (151 OPS+) in 47 PAs as a Forester. We'll see an interesting, rag-tag group of guys in this series, but I expect to throw at least one, if not more, of the games. We're now just 15-15 at home, and I can't tell you the last time the Cougars finished this poorly in Chicago, so my expectations are very tempered.

We're then off to lick our wounds before heading off on a road trip that starts in Toronto. The Wolves are just a game and a half behind us, sitting at 26-28 so far. Fred McCormick almost has more homers then the rest of the lineup combined, as his 10 are one short of the remaining seven hitters in the lineup. He also accounts for most of the production, slashing an elite .333/.430/.595 (167 OPS+) with 12 doubles, 10 homers, 32 RBIs, and 30 walks in his first 49 games. The worst part is we struggled to hit Cookie Myers (3-1, 2.68, 17), who is doing what he tends to; start off strong before tailing off after the All-Star break. We'll likely miss him, but are again stuck with a teams 1-2-3, and George Garrison (3-5, 3.62, 33), Joe Hancock (5-2, 2.96, 22), and Jimmy Gibbs (2-4, 3.88, 22) won't be easy for our anemic offense. I'm worried that in the spacious dominion stadium, we'll be just as bad getting hits, but our outfield defense will be greatly tested. No Carlos Montes hurts, as Lee and Hunter aren't nearly as good as him. I may have to throw Ray Struble in for a game, but he's hitting just .235/.316/.294 (67 OPS+) in his 19 PAs. I'm fully prepared for an 0-6 week, so at least anything better will be welcomed!

During the first game of the Wolves' series, the draft pool will be officially published, so we'll get to see just how good our draftees did in their final seasons. And more importantly, how much they're going to want to sign with us. I'll do Amateur Reports in the coming sims before the draft to cover how our guys are looking. Dixie Marsh has been rather consistent with his draft list rankings, as he's kept our first two picks Jerry Smith and Garland Phelps at 4th and 10th respectively. I'm a little scared one of these two, or Dudley Sapp, will be extremely tough to sign, but we have a large draft budget (65,910) and about $85,000 to spare with our budget. I'd like to keep as much as that as possible if we need to make an upgrade, but some of these guys are more then worth ponying up extra cash for.

Minor League Report
SS Bob Stout (A Lincoln Legislators): He's had a green arrow for a while now, and I decided to rearrange my infield in Lincoln and Mobile to get Stout playing against tougher competition. A 6th Rounder last season, the 22-year-old hit .250/.392/.391 (115 OPS+) in 159 trips to the plate. His defense has been impressive at short as well, producing a 3.1 zone rating and 1.097 efficiency in 320 innings. Stout isn't a contact oriented hitter, but he has drawn 29 walks in 159 trips to the plate. Sure, 30 strikeouts are a lot, but he's added 6 doubles, 3 triples, 2 homers, 5 steals, 25 runs, and 13 RBIs. The glove is probably his best asset, but it's been interesting watching his approach at the plate develop. He has great command of the strike zone and the speed to make a difference on the bases. If he could add any bit of power, or just cut down the strikeouts, he could be a very tough out and a guy to help keep a rally going. We don't have many shortstop prospects, so despite being 19th in our system he's the highest rated of the bunch. Granted, 19th in our system is still top 200 in the league (187th), and since we weren't able to get Irv Clifford, Stout seems likely to remain our top ranked shortstop. It will be interesting to see how he takes to the tougher competition, but he's very advanced for someone with as little experience as him.

LHP Bert Rogers (B San Jose Cougars): Turns out Bert Rogers was ready for Class B! I should have known the guy with a 3.51 FIP (82 FIP-) was far better then the guy who displayed a 6.10 ERA (70 ERA+), and that's exactly what Rogers has shown so far. After a beautiful 8-hit, 6-strikeout shutout of the Fresno Falcons, Rogers improved to 5-1 on the season with an impressive 2.42 ERA (156 ERA+) and 1.28 WHIP. In 44.2 innings he has struck out 23 and walked 18, and his 3.03 FIP (80 FIP-) is even better then it was last season. Even better, he's shown the ability to pitch deep into games, topping 115 pitches in three starts prior to this one, as just 111 were needed in the shutout. It's hard to find a flaw in the 52nd ranked prospects season so far, but he could improve on his 1.3 K/BB. Considering he's not allowing many hits and has a groundball percentage of 50, it's something you can live with, and he's yet to allow a single homer. I'd like to see him add a little velocity to his fastball, but as a finesse guy it is not a must. His slider is looking really good and he has tremendous confidence in all his pitches. When he's on the mound, he knows he can get guys out, and its nice that the results are finally coming. Dixie isn't his biggest fan, but I think Rogers has the tools to comfortably fit in the middle of a big league rotation. And I bet the Chicago kid would love to pitch for his hometown team.

LF Clyde Parker (B San Jose Cougars): June 4th was a day to remember for Clyde Parker, who went 3-for-4 with a walk, triple, 2 homers, and 6 RBIs. It's about as good of a game as you can have, and it helped him hit an impressive .300/.462/.750 (238 OPS+) for the week. Surprisingly, not good enough for Player of the Week, but it upped his season line to .266/.336/.469 (125 OPS+) in 143 trips to the plate. A bat first guy with a great hit tool, his batting average is surprising, but he's been making the most of his at bats. Those two homers were Parker's first of the year, but he's totaled 8 doubles and 6 triples, putting him on a 28 and 21 pace for 120 games. Just 20, the former 7th Rounder has put up strong minor league numbers and if he can hit some more homers, he could be a Hal Sharp/Leo Mitchell type hitter. Currently ranked 20th in our system, Parker ranks just inside the top 200 (194th) and profiles as more of a bench bat. His work ethic could push him past that, and I think the game doesn't give his batting profile enough credit. He's a line drive hitter who should eventually control his whiffs, although he's a very raw project. He's an interesting guy to keep an eye on, but bat-first corner outfielders need to truly excel to be given a chance.

ayaghmour2 · 06-16-2023, 02:00 PM

Weekly Record: 4-2
Seasonal Record: 31-28 (3rd, 3.5 GB)
Stars of the Week
Donnie Jones : 2 Wins, 18.0 IP, 4 BB, 13 K, 0.00 ERA
Hal Sharp : 19 AB, 7 H, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .368 AVG, 1.053 OPS
Johnnie Jones : 1 Win, 9.0 IP, 3 BB, 6 K, 0.00 ERA

Schedule
6-9: Loss vs Foresters (8-7)
6-10: Win vs Foresters (0-8)
6-11: Win vs Foresters (0-1)
6-13: Loss at Wolves (0-3)
6-14: Win at Wolves (8-2)
6-15: Win at Wolves (2-0)

Recap
There was plenty of good this week, as we took two of three from both the Foresters and Wolves, but I have to shoutout the Jones Brothers. Donnie and Johnnie have been remarkable, and the duo dominated this week and last. Donnie threw not one, but two shutouts, giving him the clear Player of the Week nod. Both were impressive, as he tossed a 4-hitter against the Foresters and a 7-hitter against the Wolves. He struck out more in Chicago, setting down 7 Foresters, but he also walked 4, while he struck out 6 in Toronto without walking a batter. Donnie now ranks 2nd in the CA in ERA (2.36), tied for first in wins (9), and first in strikeouts (62). Yes, Donnie has struck out more bats then Pap! His 5.2 K/9 and 1.12 WHIP are best, although more surprisingly Duke Bybee (1.19) is third and Joe Brown (1.23) is fifth! He has thrown 22.2 consecutive scoreless innings, but that's actually shorter then his older brother's streak. Johnnie didn't throw two shutouts, but he was a hit away from a no-no, and has yet to allow a run in 24.1 consecutive innings. After having no luck winning games last year (10-14 despite a 2.64 ERA), the lefty is now 5-2 with a 2.95 ERA (133 ERA+) and 40 strikeouts in 88.1 innings. These two have been dominant nearly all season, which has more then made up for Pap's slow start.

Pap was tagged with another loss, dropping to 5-7 as we were shutout by George Garrison. The fireballer went 8 and allowed 10 hits, 3 runs, and 4 walks with 5 strikeouts, and he's now lost three straight despite allowing 4 or fewer runs in each start. Things just haven't clicked for the fireballer, who seems very unlikely to win his third (at least in terms of full Peter the Heater seasons) consecutive Allen Award. His 3.54 ERA (111 ERA+) is still good for a regular pitcher, but we all know he's anything but. It will be interesting to see if he misses the All-Star game this year, as there have been plenty of stronger performances even on his own club. Joe Brown isn't one of them, but his start clearly was, as he earned a complete game win with 8 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 7 strikeouts to improve to 6-4 on the season. Duke Bybee had a tough 6th inning that ruined his night, as the Foresters plated six on the young lefty, and even more painfully, they all came with two outs. His ERA is back over 4 (4.11), but there's plenty of bad luck involved, as he doesn't really allow guys to reach base. Despite allowing a home run, he did prevent longballs in four straight starts, and the start was his fifth with one or fewer walks. FIP (3.56, 90) likes what he's done, and I'm very confident the final marks will favor our talented youngster.

Despite the four wins, the lineup didn't really do much. Of course, that never includes Hal Sharp, may be the best hitter in the league. Sharp went 7-for-19 with a double, triple, and homer, now hitting a robust .368/.406/.550 (159 OPS+) in 225 trips to the plate. He leads us in nearly all stats, including the entire triple slash, homers (8), hits (77), runs (34), doubles (12), WPA (1.54), and wOBA (.433). Ray Ford stopped his cold streak, going 4-for-9 with 2 doubles, a homer, 4 runs, and 4 RBIs. Clark Car continued to heat up, 3-for-9 with a double and two walks. Unfortunately Leo Mitchell, Harry Mead, and Dick Walker haven't had much success, and the trio went just 9-for-53, striking out 11 times. Mitchell at least had a double and triple, but he sports an uncharacteristically low .282/.322/.419 (101 OPS+) batting line in 245 trips to the plate. The only time he had a sample of that size and such a low line was way back in 1935 where he hit .316/.376/.399 (108 OPS+) in 250 PAs. In his nine seasons with 450 or more PAs, he never produced an OPS+ below 130. He's in uncharted waters right now, but I have complete faith in our talented slugger.

With Mead's struggles, we're bringing up Eddie Howard to make his major league debut. They'll split time for now, as the #28 prospect will probably play every third game. Our former 2nd Rounder was hitting .347/.423/.443 (117 OPS+) with 11 doubles, a triple, a homer, and 20 RBIs. He's sported a 20-to-7 walk-to-strikeout rate at the plate, and actually struck out (26) more hitters then he walked (25). The pitching was solid, as he was 4-3 with a 4.02 ERA (118 ERA+) and 1.49 WHIP in his eight starts. He won't start on the mound for us, but when he's not catching he could mop up an inning or two. He'll likely debut on Tuesday against the Cannons, and I expect him to start every third game or so. Heading down to Milwaukee is Homer Guthrie, who hit just .192/.382/.231 (70 OPS+) in 34 trips to the plate. If all goes well, Howard will be done with the minors, and if he starts hot, he could take the starting job outright.

I'll dive more deeply into it later, but the mock draft was published and they really loved the Cougars draft class. 1st Rounder Jerry Smith checks in at #1 while 2nd Rounder Garland Phelps is listed at #4. No more representatives in the first, but 3rd Rounder Dudley Sapp leads off the second round and somewhat surprisingly 5th Rounder Buddy Jenkins joins him at 12th in the second. 4th Rounder Roy Gass checks in at 3.5, rounding out what could be another very deep class. I didn't expect any of our arms to show up, the mock tends to avoid them and neither were truly top-of-the line arms, but bats were the focus and the early signs point to plenty of hits.

Looking Ahead
It's make or break time! We'll look to keep up our momentum with a very tough four game series against the Cannons in Cincinnati. At 35-25, they are still ever-so-slightly leading the Continental Association by run differential, with the Stars having one more win and loss. Fred Galloway (.247, 1, 8) could be on his way back, but it would be very tough to imagine Al Wheeler (.344, 3, 18, 2) returning to the bench, likely leaving Gail Gifford (.274, 3, 24, 3) without an everyday spot in the lineup. That's not the only change, as shortstop Charlie Rivera (.303, 4, 26, 2) has taken the job at the keystone, with Chuck Adams (.249, 6, 28) now leading the order instead of Charley McCullough (.229, 6), who hasn't done much other then draw a ton of walks. The lineup is looking better, which can make up for the pitching staff starting to falter. Once again we'll get a teams top three, as well as #4 starter Charlie Griffith (7-3, 4.53, 34). As always, I'm worried about Rufus Barrell (5-4, 3.10, 52), but even our lineup should be able to do some damage against Bob Arman (6-3, 3.63, 42) and Red Hampton (6-6, 4.33, 12). They're lucky they get to miss Donnie Jones (9-4, 2.36, 62), but other then Bybee (4-5, 4.11, 42) vs. Barrell the matchups tilt heavily in our favor. But considering we're on the road, it may not be enough, as the Cannons are 15-8 at the new Tice Memorial Stadium and they've won 5 of our 8 contests so far. Technically if we sweep, we could end up in first place, but I'd consider a split a huge victory, as we can't let them gain ground over us.

We're off after that, and will head to nearby Forester Stadium for a weekend series with Cleveland. They're now tied with the Kings for six, eight games behind the Stars and Cannons. It's a double header on Sunday after the opener on Saturday, but since we're off again to start next week we won't have to worry about ruining our rotation. I mentioned Davey Morris, who is having a tremendous rookie season despite just 22 AA starts prior to the season. He's started 8 games and relieved 5, going 3-2 with 2 saves, a 2.29 ERA (177 ERA+), 1.54 WHIP, 41 walks, and 31 strikeouts in 66.2 innings. 23 later this month, he could be a legit piece to build around, but I don't envision him finishing the season with the ERA crown. Richie Hughes (3-9, 5.83, 42) did end up beating us, but he was not very good, allowing 8 hits, 7 runs, and 5 walks with 4 strikeouts in an 8 inning victory. Lorenzo Samuels (.377, 4, 14) has stayed hot, but since he dealt with lefties he only started against Donnie, where he was 0-for-2 with a pair of walks. Especially if we slip up against the Cannons, these are must win games, and I think by time this week ends, we'll be in striking distance of the top spot in the association.

Amateur Report
1st Round, 5th Overall: CF Jerry Smith
School: Jackson Generals
Commit School: Utah A&M Aggies
1947: .523/.589/.1.205, 107 PA, 16 2B, 4 3B, 12 HR, 35 RBI, 34 SB
Career: .523/.586/.1.143, 314 PA, 41 2B, 13 3B, 31 HR, 102 RBI, 72 SB

He's number one! He's number one!!! HE'S NUMBER ONEEEEE!!!!!!!

For some reason, there is no consistency in the Mock Draft, but in my copy of the game, OSA predicts that Jerry Smith would have been the #1 pick! Instead, we got him at five, and the hopeful superstar had an outstanding senior season. He won't become an Aggie after leading all high school draft eligible players with a 1.205 slugging and 1.793 OPS and his 12 homers were tied for first with #4 pick Jim Morrison. The hardworking outfielder slashed an elite .523/.589/.1.205 as a senior, setting personal bests for homers and doubles (16), as well as steals, OBP, slugging, OPS, and WAR (3.5). Simply put, this kid looks elite, and I'm not sure I can find a weakness here. His 15-to-4 walk-to-strikeout ratio this season was impressive, and its now 43-to-14 for his prep career. He has power, speed, and can hit for a high average, but the only real question mark is defense. With his speed you'd expect him to be effective out there, but even if its not, he'll more then make up for it with the bat. I'm curious to see how high he ranks in the prospect lists, but I'm pretty sure he'll eclipse 26th ranked prospect Johnny Peters. Smith is still young, but he looks to be pretty well developed, and he could be the first real offensive star we've developed in a while.

2nd Round, 21st Overall: C Garland Phelps
School: Sheffield Fightin' Irish
Commit School: Pittsburgh State Finches
1947: .544/.615/.845, 125 PA, 12 2B, 2 3B, 5 HR, 39 RBI, 8 SB
Career: .547/.621/.860, 326 PA, 29 2B, 3 3B, 16 HR, 99 RBI, 15 SB

He's not impossible to sign, but $31,000 is going to put a huge dent in our pocketbook. He doesn't have the power of Smith, but both finished their high school careers with their third .500+ season. "Einstein" did have a personal low triple slash of .544/.615/.845, but that's still an excellent line, and even more so for a catcher. He did set bests for doubles and triples, as well as hits (56), walks (17), and WAR (3.1). He's got the potential to be a perennial All-Star, and even though we have Eddie Howard, Phelps seems to have even higher of a ceiling. He'll contend for batting titles, hit a few homers, and draw a ton of walks. He's got plenty of raw power, which he could eventually turn into home run power, and he's going to be a very tough out each time. The only question will be the defense, as I'm not sure he's ever going to be great at it. Like Smith, just passable is good enough, as the bat is going to carry him his whole career. He's super young, 18 in August, so it's going to take a long time for him to be big league ready. I'm super excited to see how he can do, and I can't wait until we can get him signed.

With the weekend coming up I might release a few Amateur Reports as we have ten rounds instead of the usual eight, and as usual, we have plenty of extra picks. A lot of exciting bats will be joining the roster, which could maintain our spot (3rd) in the prospect ranks.

ayaghmour2 · 06-16-2023, 06:43 PM

Had some extra time today, so here's a double dose of Cougars baseball! Well, in this case Cougar prospects, as I think I may get a few more of these out before we resume play on Monday.

3rd Round, 45th Overall: 1B Dudley Sapp
School: Union City Bulldogs
Commit School: Carolina Poly Cardinals
1947: .474/.557/.874, 115 PA, 7 2B, 2 3B, 9 HR, 36 RBI, SB
Career: .485/.564/.848, 458 PA, 31 2B, 6 3B, 31 HR, 136 RBI, 19 SB

A rare early round first basemen, Dudley Sapp didn't have the best end to his four year career at Union City, setting lows in average and on-base percentage. Granted, a .474/.557/.874 batting line is pretty impressive, and when it comes with 9 homers and four times as many walks (12) as strikeouts (3), it's more then acceptable. It was enough to earn him a spot on the mock as well, listed as the first player to go in the second round. The towering Jersey native has tremendous power due to his size and strength, and can absolutely knock the stuffing out of pitches that are left in the heart of the plate. On top of that he'll make consistent contact, and while maybe not at the level of a .300 hitter, he's not going to be one of those guys that hovers around .250. There are some concerns about his work ethic, but all the physical tools are in place to develop a truly gifted hitter. 19 in September, he seems a bit ahead of most prep prospects, and considering we have just one (23, 234: Cal Rice) first basemen prospect in our top 50, there's really going to be no one in his way. Ray Ford and Dick Walker are old enough where they won't block him, with the only potential obstacle an aging Leo Mitchell or a converted Otto Christian. Mitchell may have been the last legitimate first base prospect we had (Ford came up as a second basemen, if you can believe it), so it will be interesting to see the trajectory Sapp's career takes, and if it will even be as a Cougar.

4th Round, 61st Overall: LHP Mike Emerson
School: Jamesville Bullets
Commit School: College of Cairo Pharaohs
1947: 11-0, 116 IP, 1.09 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 31 BB, 184 K
Career: 40-1, 431.2 IP, 1.13 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 98 BB, 615 K

This may not have been the best pick (he ranks 27th on Dixie Marsh's pitcher list), but as I mentioned on draft day, there weren't many exciting pitchers, and other then like Les Ledbetter, there weren't many guys as successful as Mike Emerson. He followed up his 11-0 season as a junior with a matching record as a senior, finishing his four year career 40-1. His lone loss came as a sophomore, which was the only season he had an ERA above 1.10. And while his senior year was very similar to his junior year, there was one big difference; he was striking out way more batters. After 150 strikeouts in 116.2 innings, he struck out 184 this season while getting two less overall outs, increasing his K/9 from 11.6 to an outstanding 14.3. This topped his previous high of 13.9 as a freshman, and I'm curious if he was throwing a bit harder this season. Dixie still has him in the 85-87 range, but that could also mean an improvement in his pitches. He throws four, with the change projected to be the best, and his cutter the main offering. It's not the greatest pitch, but Emerson isn't really a stuff guy. He gets weak contact and has hitters roll over his pitches, so command will be key. If he can keep the walks down, he could be a solid back-end guy. But if he leaves too many pitches in the heart of the plate, he'll be lucky to be trusted for anything more then a mop up role. Like all prep pitchers, the risk is extreme, but he's definitely worth developing and he could surprise with some solid coaching.

4th Round, 64th Overall: SS Roy Gass
School: Council Grove Braves
Commit School: Oklahoma City State Wranglers
1947: .437/.557/.641, 134 PA, 6 2B, 6 3B, HR, 28 RBI, 14 SB
Career: .445/.549/.701, 455 PA, 27 2B, 20 3B, 8 HR, 106 RBI, 80 SB

I was hoping for a big season from the Topeka native, but unfortunately for him, Roy Gass did not perform well in his fourth and final season for the Braves. 18 in August, Gass saw all three triple slash categories decline from the following season, with less doubles, homers, and steals and more strikeouts. Granted, going from 5 strikeouts to 6 isn't too bad, but combined with everything else, it was somewhat concerning. He did walk (20 to 25) at a higher rate and his 2.2 WAR was good for second of four, but part of that could have been from playing 26 games with a previous high of 22, where he was worth .2 wins higher. For someone who works as hard as he does, it's a bit shocking he didn't perform that well, and he may get passed over by 5th Rounder Buddy Jenkins. Both are listed in the mock, but Jenkins (2nd) a round earlier, while also seven spots higher on Dixie Marsh's list. I'm hoping (and thinking) that's more due to Jenkins improving then Gass regressing, as Dixie still labels him a future "above average, everyday big league player." He's a contact oriented hitter who could hit around .300, and he has a good eye for the ball. His defense is solid as well, and he should have no trouble sticking at short. With his height (6'2'') he could add muscle to his 165 pound frame, which could lead to an average amount of home runs. One thing I don't like is he hits the ball on the ground a lot, but that is something that could change with added strength. Gass is committed to bettering himself, and I think we'll be able to get the most out of him.

ayaghmour2 · 06-17-2023, 12:15 PM

5th Round, 70th Overall: LHP Ray Paulson
School: Forest Park Foresters
Commit School: CC Los Angeles Coyotes
1947: 6-3, 89.1 IP, 1.61 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 16 BB, 95 K
Career: 22-4, 261.2 IP, 1.34 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 53 BB, 329 K

After taking a huge step forward as a junior, "Half-Pint" saw pretty much everything move in the wrong direction. He had his worst record, ERA, WHIP, K/9 (9.6), and WAR (4.2), while also allowing more hits (73) and runs (16) in 89.1 innings pitched. It's somewhat a cause for concern, but what drew me to Paulson is less the raw tools and more the makeup. The skinny southpaw has a great personal makeup, combining hard work, confidence, and composure that should allow him to always pitch better then his stuff. Like Duke Bybee, who never really put up good numbers in high school, he has that intangible will to win, and the command has been very impressive. Despite all the struggles, he matched his BB/9 (1.6) form last season, and even with the drop in strikeouts, his K/BB was an even six. The hurdle for him will be the stuff, as while the slider has wicked bite, his fastball is a little flat and his splitter may not end up all that great. He doesn't throw hard, just 84-86 right now, but most 17-year-olds aren't fully filled out. If he keeps hitting the gym, the velocity will come, and if he can hit 90 this kid could be really effective. If not, he'll have to really lean on his command, and I'm not sure it will be enough to get him into a big league rotation. We have a lot of young pitchers, so he may not be starting all his games, but he has the makeup of a late innings reliever or at least a really good lefty specialist. We'll have to take our time with him, but as someone like Charlie Kelsey showed, it can take a few years for some high schoolers to find out the type of pitcher they are. With all the extra picks we had, the risk is more then worth it, as you really can't lose with a good personality like his. If he pitches great, great! If not, maybe he can rub off on some of the more troublesome guys in the system.

5th Round, 77th Overall: SS Buddy Jenkins
School: Whitman Panthers
Commit School: Garden State Redbirds
1947: .431/.517/.725, 120 PA, 13 2B, 4 3B, 3 HR, 31 RBI, 17 SB
Career: .435/.517/.712, 324 PA, 35 2B, 11 3B, 6 HR, 74 RBI, 65 SB

If our class had an award for biggest riser, it would have to go with Buddy Jenkins. While he hit for a personal low in average, the 6'2'' shortstop had a huge power surge, setting personal bests in triples, homers, and extra base hits (18) after setting lows for doubles (8), homers (1), and extra base hits (13). Ironically, I initially thought I reached taking Jenkins here, and of course, the tiebreaker for him over eventual Miners 6th Rounder King Allen and our eventual 7th Rounder Marty Czyzewski was the name, but the initial mock draft thinks we got a steal. They have Jenkins ranked 28th best player in the pool, above all but the first three players we selected. The versatile Jenkins has tremendous athleticism, and he started games for Whitman at second, third, center, right, and his natural position of shortstop. Shortstop seems to be a good fit for him, as he has a strong glove and good range, but I imagine he'll be bouncing around a lot. We already have three shortstops on the La Crosse roster, and while I may force one or more of them up, we have Ray Gass, 8th Rounder Johnny Dickinson, and 10th Rounder Willie Watson all joining later this month. Plus, there may be another John Price or Ike Cartwright, two AI picks that I really liked. Jenkins' versatility will make him an organizational favorite, but don't think that is all he's good for. Dixie thinks he has all the tools you want from a shortstop while OSA projects him to "fill a key role for a contending team." This is a lot of praise for the glove first youngster, but the bat is far from polished. He should eventually hit for a high average, but he has yet to display that. I think he's going to be a very slow riser, but he feels like a lock to secure a spot on a big league roster.

6th Round, 93rd Overall: CF Ed Sutton
School: College of Cairo Pharaohs
1947: .289/.380/.439, 298 PA, 11 2B, 6 3B, 5 HR, 52 RBI, 33 SB
Career: .278/.372/.435, 883 PA, 33 2B, 17 3B, 17 HR, 139 RBI, 99 SB

I missed this yesterday, but 6th Rounder Ed Sutton actually made the initial mock, checking it at 11th in the 5th Round, and one of our 8th rounders Johnny Dickinson was right behind him. The first college player after seven high schoolers, Sutton produced his best triple slash as a junior, and once again cracked 30 steals. The speedy outfielder did fall one steal short of 100 for his career, but he was crazy consistent in terms of extra base hit production and he walked (114) far more frequently then he struck out (79). That trend may not continue, but he's very patient at the plate, and will draw more then his share of walks. The contact tool is decent, but I do think big league pitchers will be able to get him to whiff more. I can see similar walks and strikeouts, with maybe a few more Ks, but he's going to be one of the best at working counts. When on base, his speed will be huge, and it's played really well out in center. He's one of those low floor guys who can be on worse then a fourth outfielder, but OSA is rather surprisingly high on him. Not only do they think he will turn into an "above average contact hitter," but they go as far to declare he'll "fill a key role for a contending team." I'm not nearly as optimistic, siding closer with Dixie's rough assessment of an average FABL level position player, as he doesn't elevate the ball enough. At least with his speed, grounders to the left side can turn into hits, but I'm just not sold on him being an extra base threat. One advantage for Sutton compared to our high school guys is our outfield depth from B to AA is on the thinner side, and there's a legit chance he can finish the season in Mobile. I bet he'll start in Lincoln, likely supplanting son of Hall of Famer T.R. Goins Art Goins, but even if he starts in San Jose he could get some time in the corners with Frank Reece in center. I think Sutton is the better fielder, but when you have a top 50 outfield prospect who can hit, you want to let him play center until he tells you he can't. And while Sutton is talented, the more time he can get in all three spots, the better, as it would be pretty hard for him to not end up filling a backup outfield role for one of the 16 big league organizations.

ayaghmour2 · 06-17-2023, 06:13 PM

7th Round, 109th Overall: RHP Marty Czyzewski
School: Waterville Shockers
Commit School: Centerville Indians
1947: 9-2, 115.2 IP, 2.18 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 21 BB, 108 K
Career: 37-6, 456 IP, 1.89 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 99 BB, 487 K

A Polish born pitcher, Marty Czyzewski spent most of his life in Washington, and spent three years pitching for the Waterville Shockers in Waterville, WA. Unfortunately he saved the worst for last, setting personal worsts in ERA, WHIP, hits (105), earned runs (28), strikeouts, K/9 (8.4), and WAR (4.5). That was not what we were hoping, and considering his poor work ethic, the young righty may not get much better. A four pitch pitcher, he lives in the mid 80s with his fastball, while also featuring a sinker, curve, and change. The sinker isn't great, but the other three pitches should be at least average, and he does feature great command. His BB/9 (1.6) was one of the few metrics that did not worsen, as he matched his personal best from his sophomore season where he walked 18 batters in 98.1 innings. The raw talent is there, but if he doesn't work at polishing his skills, he may not last too long in our system.

8th Round, 115th Overall: RHP Fred Terry
School: Yellowhammer State Panthers
1947: 4-6, 91.2 IP, 4.71 ERA, 1.60 WHIP, 45 BB, 63 K
Career: 16-24, 388.1 IP, 4.57 ERA, 1.58 WHIP, 174 BB, 256 K

I don't usually take college seniors, but Fred Terry is one of the few exceptions. I was hoping he'd keep up his trend of improving each season, but his final year was only better then his rough freshman season where he went 3-5 with a 5.15 ERA and equal walks (39) and strikeouts. After striking out nearly twice as many batters as he walked this season, his K/BB was just shy of 1.5, and he threw just 91.2 innings after a career best of 130.2 as a junior. While not a high upside pick, I liked Terry because I knew he'd be easy to sign (just $150 demand) and he could help cover innings in the upper minors. His work ethic is impressive, as he's they type to show up early and go home late. Some of that has already taken place, as he's throwing a mile faster then last year, and his sinker has turned into a really good pitch. He doesn't get the groundballs you would expect, but he keeps the ball in the park and produces plenty of weak contact. He's a control first, stuff second type of guy, and while his ceiling isn't all that high, he looks like a reliable back-end starter. He should be a good clubhouse guy who can give you innings, and that's about as much as you can ask out of an 8th Rounder.

8th Round, 125th Overall: SS Johnny Dickinson
School: Pasadena Vikings
Commit School: College of Waco Cowboys
1947: .450/.525/.640, 122 PA, 10 2B, 3 3B, HR, 26 RBI, 21 SB
Career: .452/.528/.652, 253 PA, 23 2B, 5 3B, 56 RBI, 33 SB

A rather surprise entrant in the mock draft, Johnny Dickinson's senior season was very similar to his junior year. An athletic youngster form beautiful Los Angeles, Dickinson prioritizes speed over power, and his swing could use a little work. That's not to say he won't be a good hitter, he can make plenty of contact and has a tremendous eye, striking out just 4 times in 122 trips to the plate this season. He does remind me a bit of Skipper at the plate, just from the right side, but he's not nearly as polished as Skipper was out of high school. I'm not sold on the glove yet, but he's got plenty of experience at second, third, and right as well. Left shouldn't be too difficult, and at six foot tall he could handle first if needed. He's a project pick who may need a few seasons down in La Crosse before he starts getting it, and I'm not sure how much playing time there will be for him in year one. We have a lot of talented young utility types in our farm, and if he could add a little muscle, he could separate himself from the pack.

ayaghmour2 · 06-18-2023, 02:05 PM

9th Round, 131st Overall: CF Harley Dollar
School: Nutley Maroon Raiders
Commit School: Carolina Poly Cardinals
1947: .483/.545/.729, 136 PA, 16 2B, 5 3B, HR, 35 RBI, 13 SB
Career: .478/.534/.724, 264, 29 2B, 9 3B, 3 HR, 65 RBI, 35 SB

A two-year starter at Nutley, Harley Dollar improved his triple slash from a junior, but it came with less speed and home run power. He made up for that with an extra walk and more doubles and triples, but the loss of speed is somewhat of a concern. I really hope it isn't a hit on his defense, as I'm not sure he has the bat to end up in a corner. OSA is a big fan of "Easy Money," saying he "has a lot of talent" and has "the talent to flourish as a center fielder." I'd love for that to be true, but Dixie has soured a bit on him, and while he does rank inside his top 100, he thinks he "needs to translate his raw potential into reality to be come a major league starter." There is visible talent, displayed in his high average and his high number of doubles, but I'm starting to worry a bit about the glove. If the bat develops, it won't matter, but his batting profile fits better up the middle. And since he's on the older side for prep prospects (19 in July), he may have a bit shorter of a leash. Regular playing time may be tough to come by, but he's definitely good enough to warrant an extended look.

9th Round, 141st Overall: RHP George Carter
School: Bluegrass State Mustangs
1947: 9-5, 135.2 IP, 2.99 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 43 BB, 130 K
Career: 24-14, 360 IP, 3.40 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 119 BB, 315 K

Bluegrass State was the best team in the nation, and our 9th Rounder George Carter was their ace. A native of Illinois, Carter had an excellent season, gong 9-5 with a 2.99 ERA in 20 starts. The wins, ERA, and starts were all personal bests, along with the WHIP, BB/9 (2.8), K/9 (8.6), K/BB (3.1), WAR (3.4), and innings pitched. Unfortunately for Carter, he came up just short in the opening round of the AIAA tournament, as the Mustangs were once again upset by Georgia Baptist. The four pitch pitcher did have some issues with the longball, allowing one every other start, as despite being a sinkerballer he's prone to the home run. Part of that is due to his stuff not being overpowering, as he tops out around 87 and uses his command to get outs. His stuff need plenty of work, but his slider could be an out pitch and he mixes in a fastball and slider too. Whether that will be good enough to start in the big leagues is up in the air, but he could end up anywhere between a spot starter and back-end rotation member. Due to his raw stuff, I'm not sure that he'll be able to skip La Crosse, but with all the young arms on hand for the Lions, I may have to push him up higher then he's ready for.

10th Round, 157th Overall: SS Willie Watson
School: Evansville Eagles
Commit School: Eastern State Monitors
1947: .477/.536/.624, 125 PA, 9 2B, 2 3B, HR, 33 RBI, 2 SB
Career: .473/.531/.643, 481 PA, 46 2B, 3 3B, 6 HR, 115 RBI, 22 SB

We rounded out the human portion of the draft with yet another shortstop, selecting Willie Watson out of nearby Evansville high school. A four year starter and Illinois native, Watson recorded plenty of hits, but too many of them were singles. He had just 13 extra base hits, equal to his total doubles last season and less then 14 he hit as a sophomore. He did set a personal best for RBIs and improved his walk (12) to strikeout (5) ratio that is better then each season despite his strong sophomore season. Regardless, Watson's true strength is his defense, where he could end up being one of the best shortstops in the game. Despite not being a good base stealer, his range is outstanding, and his hands are as smooth as it gets. The question will be if he can hit enough to make it worth it, as FABL fans know was a problem for someone like Jack Bush. He also has a great arm, and it's really tough to get on base when he's on the dirt. Add in the brains and composure, and Watson is exactly who you want at short with the game on the line. Unfortunately, the bat has a lot of developing left, and unless you're okay with a singles hitter, he may be best suited as a late game replacement. I'm going to try to get him some at bats in year one, but for now he may be used strictly as a defensive replacement.

And that's all for now! The draft should take place Wednesday, so I'll cover all the AI picks then. Money shouldn't be a problem, but the guys that don't really have a future with us will be allowed to return to school. I won't sign everyone all at once to make setting up the roster easier, but I want our top guys playing as quickly as possible. The later round guys will come in slower, so I don't have to cut too many players at once, as guys like getting injured right after a roster churn.

ayaghmour2 · 06-19-2023, 02:28 PM

Weekly Record: 4-3
Seasonal Record: 35-31 (4th, 2.5 GB)
Stars of the Week
Pete Papenfus : 2 Wins, 18.0 IP, 4 BB, 7 K, 0.00 ERA
Hal Sharp : 27 AB, 11 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .407 AVG, 1.039 OPS
Leo Mitchell : 27 AB, 6 H, 3 HR, 5 RBI, .222 AVG, .806 OPS

Schedule
6-16: Loss at Cannons (0-2)
6-17: Loss at Cannons (1-7)
6-18: Win at Cannons (1-0)
6-19: Loss at Cannons (8-9)
6-21: Win at Foresters (1-0)
6-22: Win at Foresters (9-2)
6-22: Win at Foresters (7-0)

Recap
Now this was a strange week, and I'm not sure if I should be happy, angered, or relieved. We looked completely lost against the Cannons, scoring just two runs in the first three games. Luckily, we won one of those (more on that later), but it was crazy ineptness on offense. Finally, we scored runs in the finale, but they got even more, as we dropped the finale by a single run. Thankfully, we rebounded in Cleveland, as we swept the game with a pair of shutout victories. Somehow, we managed to gain a game on first, as the Cannons were swept by the Kings and the Sailors and Wolves took care of the Stars. We also dropped down to fourth, as the Sailors have been red hot, something we hope stops as they are our next foe.

For the second week in a row, we had a pitcher throw two shutouts in the same week, as the other co-ace Pete Papenfus sort of looked like the good 'ol Peter the Heater we've come to love and adore. The strikeouts still aren't quite there, but when you're not allowing runs, who cares! The first start was most impressive, as he handled the first place Cannons in the lone victory. With no run support, he needed to be completely on it, as he twirled a 5-hitter with 3 walks and 5 strikeouts. Then with a double header on Sunday, and potentially me messing up 7-day lineups (sorry Donnie!), Pap was brilliant on short rest, just 6 hits, a walk, and 2 strikeouts in our 7-0 victory. This snapped Pap's three game losing streak, and he's now an even 7-7 in his 15 starts. His ERA dropped from 3.54 to 3.03 (129 ERA+), and his 65 strikeouts are now best in the association.

Duke Bybee also made two starts, and he was rather unlucky to split them. We gave him just one total run of support, as he was the unlucky hurler in our 2-0 loss in Cincinnati. Bybee went 8, allowing just 6 hits, 2 runs, and a walk with 3 strikeouts to lose his fourth consecutive decision. He realized he needed to be better, and not count on his offense, and he dominated the Foresters in Cleveland. Bybee tossed a 6-hitter with 2 walks and 5 strikeouts in our second 1-0 victory of the week. His ERA is back below 4, down to a solid 3.58 (109 ERA+) despite his 5-6 record. It's now fourth in the rotation, as Joe Brown was clobbered by the Cannons, allowing 15 hits and 8 runs in 5 innings. Sure, he didn't walk any and struck out five, but his ERA inflated from 3.61 to 4.13 (95 ERA+). We also got two starts from Johnnie Jones, as he struggled in Cincy and excelled in Cleveland. The Cannons chased him out with two gone in the seventh, piling 7 hits, 6 runs, and 6 walks to just 2 strikeouts. He still had walk issues in Cleveland, with seven free passes allowed in his complete game victory, but he struck out 5 and allowed 7 hits. It's nice to see Johnnie 6-3 on the season after going 10-14 despite his stellar 2.64 ERA (122 ERA+), but his 4.8 BB/9 would be a career high. He does manage to work around it, especially with all those groundouts, and I don't think he'll ever avoid the free passes.

The Hal Sharp show has been fun to watch, as the veteran slugger just mashes everything in his sight. Another great week for the batting title leader, as he went 11-for-27 with a double, homer, 4 walks, 5 runs, and 5 RBIs. His .373/.416/.551 (161 OPS+) batting line is leaps and bounds better then the rest of the roster, and it comes with 13 doubles, 9 homers, and 36 RBIs. Leo Mitchell refuses to hit for a high average, just 6-for-27 this week, but he hit 3 homers and drove in 5 runs. His .276/.315/.433 (102 OPS+) line is barely above average, but he matches Sharp's home run total with three more RBIs. It's crazy that the most consistent player, well, ever, can't seem to find his way, and it has to be worth the 2.5 games we're trailing. The promotion of Eddie Howard seems to have woken up Harry Mead, who was 5-for-15 with 2 doubles, 2 RBIs, and 3 runs scored. Howard's debut week went okay, as the rookie backstop went 3-for-10 with a run scored and driven in. Walt Pack had a decent week, 4-for-12 with a double, triple, and 2 RBIs. He hasn't been great, but a 105 WRC+ isn't terrible, and he sports a 1.3 zone rating and 1.024 efficiency at the hot corner. Still, the offense just isn't any good, ranked 7th in runs scored (274) and we're top three in just strikeouts (248), steals (30), and baserunning (+10.7) as nearly every non-Hal Sharp Cougar decided this is the year they'd be their worse. Luckily, there could be positive regression, and since we're still ever so close to the top, it hasn't quite done us in yet.

The lineup got some bad news with a setback for Carlos Montes, who needs 4-5 more weeks after he was approaching a return. Montes has appeared in just 23 games for us this season, and his .247/.287/.376 (79 OPS+) batting line left plenty to be desired. In his absence, Don Lee has gotten a lot of time, but his .201/.319/.257 (58 OPS+) line is way worse. The 11 steals are nice, but we're going to start seeing more of Billy Hunter in center. Hunter has improved vastly from his awful 1946, hitting .312/.382/.433 (122 OPS+) in 178 trips to the plate. And in a small 37 inning sample, he actually has a 0.1 zone rating (1.004 efficiency), much better then Lee's -4.4 (.945 efficiency). I'm not sure how long this experiment will last, but I'd love to find a Cy Bryant type defender who can at least help the pitching out in the field.

Looking Ahead
Good thing I did all the Amateur Reports over the weekend, as the draft starts the week, so we'll get to start signing players tomorrow. The mock has shuffled a bit, with Jerry Smith dropping to 5th and Garland Phelps to 11th. There's no change in Dixie Marsh's list which has held them at 5th and 11th, while the mock lists Dudley Sapp (2.5), Buddy Jenkins (3.5), Johnny Dickinson (3.14), Roy Gass (4.5), Harley Dollar (4.13), and last but not least, Ed Sutton (5.16). No extra picks in the AI portion, as we're stuck at 13th in each of the remaining rounds.

Our first test of the week is a pair of road games against the surging Sailors, who are now 38-32 and a game and a half behind the Cannons. While we've treaded water in June (11-10), they've been excellent, 16-9 and winners of five of their last six. They are also off to start the week, and could shuffle the rotation, but it looks like we'll get swingman John Thomas Johnson (4-0, 1, 2.04, 24) and ace Win Lewis (8-5, 2.54, 42), which should be more then enough to keep our lame offense under control. Donnie Jones (9-4, 2.36, 62) should be able to outduel Johnson, but with Joe Brown (6-5, 4.13, 42) likely facing Lewis, a split may be all we can hope for. Their offense has really started mashing, up to third (306) in runs scored as Ed Reyes (.335, 2, 26), Cotton Dillon (.289, 5, 47), and Woody Stone (.278, 6, 33) have been very productive. The rest of the lineup has had their struggles, but it looks like we caught Philly at the wrong time, and we could pay dearly.

Our next series is beyond strange, as our roadtrip quickly ends for one game hosting the Kings, before flying out to Brooklyn for two more. The Kings are just two under .500 (33-35) and helped us by sweeping the Cannons in Cincinnati. Brooklyn has somehow scored the second (323) most runs in the CA, and you can thank Ralph Johnson for that. The talented 23-year-old has slashed .309/.432/.556 (159 OPS+) with 11 doubles, 14 homers, and 50 RBIs while sporting an elite 45-to-22 walk-to-strikeout ratio. He's not the only young player doing well, as Chuck Collins (.292, 5, 22) may now be the best Chuck first basemen and Billy Bryant (.309, 4, 36) has had a strong rookie season. Former Cougar Solly Skidmore (.285, 24) is looking like a useful big league catcher while John Moss (.285, 3, 29) might be the best defensive center fielder in the association. The pitching has some holes, as Leo Hayden (3-6, 5.72, 45) has fought injuries and a sophomore slump, though his 3.37 FIP (83 FIP-) suggests that luck has not been on his side. Former Pioneer Buddy Long (7-8, 4.16, 38) hasn't quite been the guy they expected, but Johnny Slaney's (9-5, 2.71, 44) breakout has more then made up for it. This will be a tough couple of games, and I'm very worried about this week.

We end things in Montreal for a quick double header before this annoying roadtrip continues into the following week. Nothing has gone right for the Saints, who sit at 26-39 and find themselves last and 11 out of first. The pitching has let them down, as their front four all has ERAs above 5. That includes talented youngster Bert Cupid (4-9, 5.09, 41), who has had a huge sophomore slump of his own. The only effective arm has been Pat Weakly, who may deserve more starts the rest of the way. He's an unlucky 6-6 as his 2.74 ERA (148 ERA+) is just outside the CA's top four. I'd love to miss him, as he's done a good job against us, and owns a 1.27 WHIP and 49 strikeouts in his 13 starts. The offense is middle of the pack, fourth (291) in runs scored, as Red Bond (.281, 12, 46) could reach 30 homers and former top 10 prospect Otis Parker has slashed .308/.463/.538 (163 OPS+) in 19 games since his promotion from AAA. You would think we could get runs here, but we've not looked good in a while, and I'm very nervous about the rest of the season. I'm trying to make upgrades, but it's been tough so far, as we may be stuck running it back with the guys we have already.

Minor League Report
SS Al Clement (A Lincoln Legislators): Other then Hal Sharp, I don't think anyone in the organization is hotter then Al Clement. The former 2nd Rounder is riding a 22 game hit streak, slashing an elite .472/.518/.625 (210 OPS+) in 19 June games. This comes after a slow May where he hit just .276/.300/.362 (80 OPS+). I don't want to ruin the streak, but chances are when it ends he'll get promoted to AA, as his .343/.385/.455 (128 OPS+) composite slash is very strong. A light hitting middle infielder, Clement has just one homer in 231 PAs, but he's accumulated 15 doubles, 3 triples, 7 steals, and 27 RBIs so far. He's not one of our more highly ranked prospects anymore, just 31st in the system and 275th overall, and I'm sure that'll drop more once the draftees all file in. Still, there are a lot of things to like, as he's got great speed and has played good defense at third and short this season. He does put the ball in play a ton, but he won't walk, which could make it tough to find a lineup spot for him. As you might expect, he also took home Player of the Week, going 14-for-27 with 2 doubles, a triple, and 4 runs scored. He's more of a utility guy then an everyday player, but there's plenty of value in someone like him.

Cougars in the GWL
RHP Cy Sullivan (Oakland Grays): I don't think any former Cougar is as happy as Cy Sullivan that the GWL was formed to rival FABL. The 33-year-old vet is in the midst of another excellent season, and he threw his second shutout of the season and fifth in the past two. He allowed 9 hits and a walk while striking out 3 as the Grays beat the last place Hawks 2-0. Sullivan is now 9-4 on the season with an impressive 2.66 ERA (128 ERA+) and 1.16 WHIP through 14 starts. He's struck out 33 and walked 19 in 125.1 innings, and now owns a 2.86 ERA (121 ERA+) in 46 starts for the Grays. OSA also ranks him as the league's second best pitcher, trailing just Knight's ace Bob Cummings (6-5, 2.64, 48). The Grays are in the thick of things, 36-29 and 3.5 games behind the Centurions. Sullivan will be crucial for the staff, but Oakland has plenty of bats with Frankie Cohen (.420, 2, 38), Don Miller (.326, 1, 26), Hank Grant (.316, 27), and Larry Colaianni (.310, 1, 23).

ayaghmour2 · 06-20-2023, 12:54 PM

What's the best thing to do when your offense is full of struggling veterans? Add another struggling veteran!

In a move that is sure to spark some discussion, the Chicago Cougars sent a three piece package: Carl Clark, Jim Mako, and their 1st Round Pick for a player they've wanted to add for a very long time. A former 1st Overall Pick. A 6-Time All-Star. A former Whitney Winner. A tried and true veteran who knows baseball like his own group of brothers. A slugger with a 79 WRC+ in 70 games.

Wait, did you say 79? And you gave up a pick, a top 100 prospect, and a top 200 prospect?

You betcha! He can even play center field!

Yes folks, the Chicago Cougars have acquired Gothams center fielder Sal Pestilli!

Selected 1st Overall by the Dynamos way back in 1936, many thought it would be the Cougars who added Sal Pestilli when the Dynamos announced they traded their former face of the franchise, but the price was deemed too large. This time, it wasn't, and it could be what the Cougars need to finally win their elusive title.

Pestilli, now 31, is one of the rare players to completely skip the minors, and it proved to be the correct choice, as he was instantly one of the top players in the Federal Association. Pestilli slashed .306/.365/.572 (145 OPS+) with a league high 33 homers in 595 trips to the plate. If there was a Rookie of the Year award back then, he would've won it, as he was worth a full 7 WAR with 17 doubles, 14 triples, 12 steals, and 94 RBIs with an elite 50-to-14 walk-to-strikeout ratio. The encore was even better, as Pestilli managed to improve on that stellar showing, worth a league high 8.5 WAR while also leading in runs (134), doubles (22), homers (46), RBIs (132), and slugging (.627). Pestilli produced a 156 WRC+ and hit .307/.350/.627 (161 OPS+) as he took home his first of what some thought would be many Whitney Awards.

Unfortunately for Pestilli and the Dynamos, the then 23-year-old took a huge step back, and hit just .258/.306/.497 (114 OPS+), although it did come with 21 doubles, 29 homers, 116 RBIs, 90 runs, 10 steals, and a 5.1 WAR, while his 15 triples again led the league. The "slump" continued the next season, as his .249/.296/.470 (114 OPS+) line once again felt pedestrian, as he showed so much talent and promise in his first two season. But despite the middling numbers, the counting stats were there, as he produced 18 doubles, 33 homers, 12 steals, and a league high 127 RBIs. And the defense out in center always impressed, with season after season of positive zone ratings.

Some were wondering if this was the end for the talented outfielder, but he quickly silenced the doubters, as the then 25-year-old hit .288/.347/.511 (136 OPS+), worth an impressive 7.7 WAR in 153 games. He hit 25 doubles, 11 triples, and 30 homers with 113 RBIs, again leading the league. But as was the case all too often, Pestilli took another downturn, and produced his first sub 5 WAR season in 1942. He hit just .273/.306/.423 (110 OPS+) and failed to drive in 100 runs (94) for the first time since his rookie season. The defense is what always made him valuable, and he put together his fourth consecutive and fifth season in six years with a zone rating above 10. With the war in full swing, the patriotic Pestilli decided he would leave baseball, joining the Air Force and effectively ending his Dynamo career. There were rumors that he would be moved, and that eventually happened in 1945, when the Gothams acquired him for Jim Lonardo, Wally Hunter, and their 1st and 2nd Round picks.

Pestilli ended his Dynamo tenure as one of their best hitters, owning a .280/.328/.417 (130 OPS+) triple slash with 119 doubles, 82 triples, 189 homers, 73 steals, and 676 RBIs, while walking 262 times with just 91 strikeouts. He was worth almost 40 (38.4) wins above replacement in 885 games, not too shabby for a guy who was just 26 when he left. His .517 slugging ranked behind just Al Wheeler for Dynamos, and he sits 4th for homers and 6th for RBIs.

Sal returned to the ball field after the war ended, and spent the 1946 season with the Gothams, who had their eyes set on the title. They came up short, something the Gothams don't like doing, Pestilli, however, was advertised, and the slugger hit .281/.340/.461 (136 OPS+) with 19 doubles, 9 triples, 21 homers, and 75 RBIs. He swiped 14 bases, scored 80 runs, and was worth 6.8 WAR in 148 games. With Pestilli, Red Johnson, Walt Messer, and Mahlon Strong, the Gothams were expected by many to challenge for the Fed crown, but just like the Cougars, they have fallen a bit flat. A day before June ends they're just 36-38 and 11 out, and Pestilli's struggles have been part of the reason they haven't gotten things going. The 31-year-old is hitting just .243/.293/.371 (77 OPS+) in 284 trips to the plate, which would be the first time he failed to produce an OPS+ of at least 110. Not only that, the power is gone, as while Strong, Johnson, Messer, and Pete Casstevens all have double digit homers, Pestilli has just 5. Even his defense isn't the same, as his 3.3 zone rating and 1.014 efficiency would be career lows if the season ended today.

So, why did I want him?

Simply put -- he should be a star

Even with all the struggles, Pestilli still ranks as the 6th best center fielder, and considering Don Lee is hitting .211/.323/.271 (63 OPS+) with a -3.9 zone rating (.958 efficiency) and Clark Car's .203/.260/.312 (55 OPS+) is even worse. Carlos Montes likely won't be back until late July, and then he'll need a rehab stint, and we need to start winning as soon as possible. Billy Hunter has been decent in center, but I don't love it as a long-term solution, and he's far better suited for second. With Pestilli we finally have a good glove in the outfield, and you have to imagine the guy with a 126 career WRC+ still has something left in him.

Dixie Marsh seems to believe so, giving a glowing report of the veteran outfielder, saying he "has the tools to be a standout defensive center fielder" and he believes he is "certain to unleash his obvious talent both on the field and at the plate." I'm re-scouting him again since the accuracy is just average, but that's from earlier this month (June 6th). Sometimes players just need a change of scenery, and I don't think there would be any other legit center field options available. It's a huge risk, huge reward deal, as we could get more of '47 Pestilli and we parted with a rather large package. Still, I'm comfortable with our system depth, and a first round pick won't mean much if we can finally win a title. It's moves like this that can make or break a season, and I think it will all be worth it.

Or at least I hope...

ayaghmour2 · 06-20-2023, 06:38 PM

Weekly Record: 4-3
Seasonal Record: 39-34 (4th, 2 GB)
Stars of the Week
Walt Pack : 16 AB, 6 H, 5 HR, 9 RBI, .375 AVG, 1.757 OPS
Harry Sharp : 27 AB, 10 H, 0 HR, 5 RBI, .370 AVG, .821 OPS
Leo Mitchell : 32 AB, 9 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .281 AVG, .750 OPS

Schedule
6-24: Loss at Sailors (3-7)
6-25: Win at Sailors (2-0)
6-26: Win vs Kings (2-4)
6-27: Loss at Kings (4-5): 12 innings
6-28: Win at Kings (7-2)
6-29: Win at Saints (8-0)
6-29: Loss at Saints (4-5)

Recap
4-3??? Again??? Man some things just never change....

Well, we all know this week something changed!

We made up a little ground, now just two games out of first as we approach the All Star break. There is a new leader atop the CA, as the Stars (42-33), our next opponent, hold a half game lead over the Cannons (41-33), with the Sailors (41-35) not too far behind. Even without the trade, this was a huge week, as Walt Pack may have finally woke up. The veteran slugger nearly doubled his homerun count, with five of his six hits on the week landing over the outfield walls. Pack raised his triple slash from .245/.335/.432 (108 OPS+) to .257/.345/.515 (131 OPS+) and now has 7 doubles, 2 triples, 11 homers, and 37 RBIs in just under 200 PAs as a Cougar. After a rough start to the season, he's been really good in June, slashing .284/.333/.672 (168 OPS+), although a lot of that came from this week. As you might expect, he was named Player of the Week, as his .375/.444/1.312 (363 OPS+) weekly line would be good enough on its own, even if it didn't come with the 5 homers and 9 RBIs.

The offense did support Pack rather well, as we finally got a good week from George Sutterfield, who has been spending more time at third while Pack is sitting against lefties. The former 4th Rounder went 6-for-17 with 2 doubles, a triple, 3 runs, and 2 RBIs. It's about as good as he's done all season, as his .278/.308/.361 (82 OPS+) season line isn't great. Poor Don Lee finally hit the ball a bit, 6-for-20 with a triple, 2 walks, and 3 runs scored. I'm debating optioning him to Milwaukee for Sal, but we could still move Max Rucker down instead. Lee is hitting just .211/.323/.271 (63 OPS+), but produced WRC+ of 137 and 110 the past two seasons, and he's walked (31) more then he struck out (17) and swiped 11 bases in 62 games. Hal Sharp remained atop the batting title race, going 10-for-27 with a double, 5 runs, and 5 RBIs. Leo Mitchell added another homer, and compared to some other weeks, 9-for-32 (with a double and triple as well) feels pretty good. Adding Pestilli may spark Mitchell, as we have a ton of lefties in the lineup, and a big righty bat is something we don't really have. Sure, Ray Ford is hitting .331/.388/.440 (125 OPS+) with a 136 WRC+, but he has just one homer in 183 PAs, and him, Hunter, and Mead combine for just 10 longballs. We haven't been scoring much, and I think we're finally going on the upswing.

The pitching continues to be great, and Joe Brown bounced back with a huge win over the Sailors. The captain of the staff was brilliant, allowing just 3 hits and a walk with 5 strikeouts in a 2-0 shutout victory. His second start wasn't as great, but on short rest I wasn't really expecting anything. I wish Clyde Meyer took him out after 8 strong innings, as Brown was walked off in the ninth with a pair of runs. He got 26 outs, allowing 12 hits and 5 runs with a walk and strikeout. We also got walked off in Papenfus' start, although that came after he left. He didn't allow a run in the first 8 innings, but the Kings tied the game at four with 3 walks and 3 hits. Pap left with two outs in the ninth, charged with all four runs, 10 hits, and 4 walks while striking out 6. Ken Matson got the final out, as well as three in the tenth, leaving with a walk, hit, and strikeout. Harry MacRae ended up with the loss, going an inning and a third with 3 hits, a strikeout, and the run that ended the game.

Duke Bybee has been red hot, and the rookie southpaw picked up another complete game victory. He allowed 7 hits, 2 runs, and a walk with 2 strikeouts to improve to 6-6 on the season. I'm not sure if he's going to win Rookie of the Month again, but he was excellent in June, working to a 3.00 ERA (130 ERA+) in 5 starts. Going 2-3 will likely work against him, but he had a 1.07 WHIP, 6 walks, and 19 strikeouts in 42 innings pitched. His 2.47 FIP (63 FIP-) was truly impressive, and he has an excellent 3.22 FIP (82 FIP-) in 107 innings on the season. Harry Parker is finally healthy, and will embark on a long rehab stint, but it's clear that his spot in the rotation is safe.

The Jones Brothers continue to impress, and while Donnie had a quick hiccup, the likely CA All-Star starter bounced back quickly. The Sailors got to him, 11 hits, 7 runs, and 4 walks with 7 strikeouts in 7 innings, but he followed that up with his third shutout in his past four starts. He kept the Saints under control in the first game of the double header, allowing just 3 hits and 5 walks with 4 strikeouts. The 27-year-old has a share of the triple crown, leading the CA in ERA (2.57) and strikeouts (73) while tied with the Cannons' Charlie Griffith (10-3, 4.26, 47) and the Stars' Eli Panneton (10-6, 2.87, 66) for the lead in wins. If the season ended today, he'd be the clear cut Allen Winner, and I imagine the addition of Pestilli in center will only help his case. We've pretty much played all season with three awful defenders in the outfield, so having a legit asset in the middle should help the dominant arm pitch even better. Johnnie didn't get a shutout, but the lefty kept his walks down, just three in a complete game win over the Kings. Now 7-3, the recently turned 29-year-old allowed 8 hits and 2 runs with 3 strikeouts. He's gone eight straight starts without allowing a homer, so as long as he avoids the Stars, that trend will continue. These two guys have been great all season, and I'm hoping both can continue to win games for us as we look to make a real charge in the standings.

Looking Ahead
I wish we had Sal Pestilli right away, as our last series before the break is two in New York with the first place Stars. They haven't been great in June, just 14-13, but it's been enough to reclaim first for pretty much the first time since last season. The defending champs score more runs (361) then anyone else, but beyond Eli Panneton (10-6, 2.87, 66), who we'll miss, the pitching has underperformed. Well, not Chuck Cole, as we're likely seeing the 37-year-old veteran in the finale. Cole has been excellent, 8-5 with a 2.99 ERA (132 ERA+), 1.36 WHIP, and 43 strikeouts in 15 starts. His 3.41 FIP (86 FIP-) is pretty good too, so it's not like the 3-Time All Star is just getting lucky. The other three members of the rotation have an ERA north of 4.50, and we'll face the unlucky Vern Hubbard (6-7, 5.18, 39), who's 3.31 FIP (83 FIP-) is actually better then Cole's. This will be tough, as the offense makes every game winnable, with plenty of power from Bill Barrett (.291, 7, 36), Jack Welch (.265, 9, 33), Bill Barnett (.237, 13, 48), and CA home run leader Mack Sutton (.254, 18, 62). Sure, we shut them out twice last time, but it'll be tough to keep them off the board, especially with supplemental pieces like Freddie Jones (.291, 3, 30), Joe Angevine (.280, 22, 14), and Newt Cooper (.271, 3, 10, 3). Luckily, with just two games, the most we can do is fall to four back, which would still be manageable as our hopeful star reinforcement will spend the last three months in Chicago.

This ends what's basically a 16 game road trip, as we'll be home for the next 17 games. The first series is a broken one with the last place Saints, who sit at 30-42 and a game behind the Foresters for seventh. We play on the 2nd, are off on the 3rd, and then finish with a double header on the 4th. There's no word out of Montreal that they would be selling, but in a buyers market, there could be plenty of interest in guys like Bill Greene (.260, 3, 32, 8), Bert Lass (.298, 2, 26), Charlie Woodbury (.304, 1, 37), Red Bond (.277, 12, 49), Jake Hughes (.252, 2, 36, 6), Otis Parker (.304, 2, 17), and Pat Weakly (7-6, 2.79, 57). There may be no urgency to sell, as the Saints system is loaded, ranked #1 in all of baseball with exactly 200 points and two of the top five prospects. Three of their top seven prospects have a 1947 ETA, with a fourth at 1948, so the Saints could hold off and try to turn things around next season. These are must win games, and could help us reach first by the break.

Our final series will be two with the inconsistent Kings, who's extra inning win against us was their only in the last week. This dropped them to 34-41, now 8 games out of first and just 2.5 games above the Saints. If they stay cold, this could help us finish the first half scalding hot. Leo Hayden may be the most confusing pitcher in the league, as his 74 ERA+ (5.40) is almost identical to his 78 FIP- (3.17), as the inaugural CA Kellogg Winner cannot catch a break in his second season. He's allowed 110 hits in 86.2 innings, after finishing last season with far more innings completed (278) then hits allowed (240). And it's not like the Kings defense is bad, their +16.5 zone rating is well above average, but balls are landing that normally don't, as his .355 opposing BABIP is over 100 points higher then the .245 he posted last season. He got unlucky again against us this week, as two of his four runs were unearned and Duke Bybee, who came into the game with an average below .100, managed to reach on an error and single, later scoring on a second error. If it wasn't for such bad luck, he'd probably be joining Johnny Slaney (9-6, 2.82, 45) and Ralph Johnson (.292, 14, 52) at the All-Star game, and if I had to bet on a guy who's going to have a huge second half, it will be the former Cougar second rounder. This kid is legit!

The draft has now been completed, and I should be able to get a quick summary of each of the AI picks, but more good news! In the yearly "top ten" BNN publishes on the draft day, guess who's number one? Our very own Jerry Smith! They don't list Led Ledbetter, so the list is not necessarily a good one, but Garland Phelps checks in at #7. I'll be sending bonuses to those two, Dudley Sapp, Roy Gass, and Buddy Jenkins, with those five alone costing us $61,400 of our $65,910 draft budget. Luckily, we have about $90k in available money for the season, so I should be able to get the rest of the guys I want. Thankfully Ed Sutton, Fred Terry, and George Carter all want slot or less, so while that will make them sign later in the period, I don't have to worry about their bonuses. After this first group signs, we'll look to lock up some of our pitchers (Emerson, Paulson, Czyzewski), Johnny Dickinson, and Harley Dollar, and then there's a lot of AI picks to sift through. I doubt we'll get another Harry Beardsley, but there are some interesting guys at first glance. The toughest question is 10th Rounder Willie Watson, who wants $2,800 and I'm not sure that he'll be worth that much. If we have the money, sure, but we have plenty of young shortstops who would take playing time from him if he signed.

Cougars in the GWL
With the trade, regular recap, and the eventual draftee writeups, I don't really have much time for this column, but I have to point out all the former Cougars to throw shutouts this week. It's beyond crazy:

RHP Cy Sullivan (yes, again) (Oakland Grays): 8 H, BB, 2 K
RHP Karl Wallace (Los Angeles Knights): 4 H, BB
RHP Luis Sandoval (San Diego Conquistadores): 5 H, 2 BB, 2 K
RHP Ira Hawker (Dallas Centurions): 5 H, BB, 3 K
RHP King Price (Los Angeles Knights): 8 H, BB, 8 K

What a week to be a former or current Cougar pitcher!

ayaghmour2 · 06-20-2023, 07:03 PM

Just a few for now as I'm heading out and these are some legit (for the round, at least) draftees as opposed to the regular fodder that comes towards the end. The rest should come tonight or tomorrow morning.

11th Round, 177th Overall: 3B Bill Nash
School: Piedmont University Pipers
1947: .294/.355/.464, 279 PA, 12 2B, 5 3B, 7 HR, 55 RBI, 36 SB
Career: .294/.354/.461, 580 PA, 25 2B, 10 3B, 14 HR, 102 RBI, 68 SB

A two-year starter at Piedmont University, Bill Nash is actually a legit prospect that I most definitely should have had on my draft list, so I'm actually super psyched about this pick. Nash had a legitimately good college career in a "Good" conference, putting up seasons where he hit completely above .290/.350/.440 with at least 12 doubles, 5 triples, 7 homers, 45 RBIs, 30 steals, and 20 walks. He played 60 games a sophomore and 55 as a junior, and was an extremely reliable option at the hot corner for the Pipers. Both OSA and Dixie Marsh think he could develop into a major leaguer, but not the type of player you wouldn't upgrade over. He has a good eye and an above average contact tool, but nothing that really jumps out at you. The defense is solid, probably better then a Walt Pack or Hank Barnett, but without all of the pop. At 6'2'', he has the frame for it, but he'll need to put some muscle on if he wants to hit homers. As a college guy, he can leap frog the young shortstops we drafted, and Israel Holmes' spot in the Legislators Lineup is looking very vulnerable. Nash may be part of the second phase of signings, as I actually prefer him to 10th Rounder Willie Watson. I think both will end up signings, but since Watson is very raw, I'd rather get Nash quicker as our farm teams are not doing well this season and he could be an impact player. The Legislators (39-25) are the only other Cougar affiliate in a pennant race, and there really isn't an upgrade in the San Jose (21-33) lineup. I'm curious to see where Nash ranks in the prospect lists, as he's one of the few AI picks I'd expect to crack the list.

12th Round, 193rd Overall: RHP Jackie Reynolds
School: Clarinda Cardinals
Commit School: Springfield State Tigers
1947: 7-2, 87.1 IP, 1.75 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 35 BB, 111 K
Career: 29-11, 401.1 IP, 2.11 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 140 BB, 427 K

Yay! Another prep pitcher! Demanding $1,600 to break his commitment to Springfield State, I may actually let Jackie Reynolds fulfil his commitment. A four year starter at a tiny school in Iowa, Reynolds set personal bests for record, ERA, FIP (2.19), K/9 (11.4), and FIP- (54), which sort of shows you how the rest of his prep career went. Obviously ERAs above 2 are still impressive, but he had two of them and this was his first season with a double digit K/9. Plus, we have way too many guys that need innings in La Crosse as is. Granted, we only have 14 pitchers currently in La Crosse and there are plenty of cuttable relievers. Injuries can hit, and we may need a pen filler, as he's better then all the young free agents by a mile. He's a skinny 6'1'' righty who weights just 150 pounds. There's plenty of time for him to either grow or add weight, and since two of his three pitches are fastballs (he also has a cutter) and he tops at just 87, his stuff could improve greatly. He was throwing a mile faster this season and he commands his curve well, so it may be in his best interest if we let him develop in college. That being said, I think I'll be able to find room for him, but we took on a lot of money in Pestilli that I may want to hold onto if we need to make another upgrade.

13th Round, 209th Overall: C Bob Mundy
School: Mississippi A&M Generals
1947: .270/.346/.362, 317 PA, 9 2B, 6 HR, 46 RBI, 7 SB
Career: .267/.345/.360, 1,129 PA, 30 2B, 21 HR, 174 RBI, 29 SB

Our 13th Round selection, Bob Mundy is one of many players produced by what has been known as "Outfielder A&M". Sure Henry DeVeaux didn't really turn out (ironically taken in the last season we didn't have a first rounder), but Mississippi A&M has produced stars like the Lightbody brothers and perhaps a next one in Dynamo third basemen Tommy Griffin. Griffin and Mundy were actually teammates as recently as last season, and as a senior Mundy played in all three seasons Griffin was a part of. Even without Griffin, A&M made the AIAA tournament, taking out 4th ranked Opelika State before falling to 5th ranked Carolina Poly, who is taking on Grange College in the finals. Mundy was part of a productive lineup, and tallied 266 hits, 282 runs, and 174 RBIs in 224 games for the Generals. He hit a strong .267/.345/.360 with 21 homers, and was a key member of the clubhouse. He worked well with the pitching staff and led by example, always putting in extra hours without being asked. Even with the addition of Garland Phelps and Mike Bordes, Eddie Howard is now in Chicago and there aren't many standout guys taking at bats. Guys like Bill Martin, Alex O'Dailey, and Ernie Frost are interesting, but they all profile as nothing more then backups. That's likely the case for Mundy, but he's far closer to the big leagues and could take a share of at bats from someone. His below slot demand makes if very appealing as well, and while his signing won't come right away, he's going to quickly agree once I know exactly how much money I have to allocate to the next level of prospects.

This is what I get for making a big trade the day of the in-game draft...

As mentioned, I'll continue with the rest of the guys later tonight. I haven't really looked at anyone after Mundy, so the next few could come in another small batch if they are still worth more then a few sentences. They're easier to digest when it's about three or four at a time, but I'm not going to spend time on guys that you likely won't see their name again.

ayaghmour2 · 06-20-2023, 11:59 PM

14th Round, 225th Overall: LHP Ben Clough
School: Oklahoma Bible College Dusters
1947: 5-5, 98.2 IP, 4.38 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 39 BB, 75 K
Career: 16-14, 295.2 IP, 4.17 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 112 BB, 201 K

A three year starter at Oklahoma Bible College, Ben "Preacher Man" Clough's best season came as a sophomore, where he went 6-4 with a 3.92 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, and 61 strikeouts in 15 starts. Funny enough, he started 15 games and threw almost exactly the same amount of innings (98.1, 98.2, 98.2) in each of his seasons. As a junior who didn't really impress too much, he'll sign for slot, and should be a useful enough mop up arm for the pen. The southpaw is a hard worker who throws four pitches, but three of them (fastball, sinker, cutter) are fastballs, which greatly limits his future potential. 22 in July, he may not have a long leash, but his circle change is good enough to warrant an extended look. If he can throw high 90s he could be a useful reliever, but as a flyball pitcher he's really going to need to miss bats.

15th Round, 241st Overall: C Leo Dewitte
School: Whitman Panthers
Commit School: Carolina Poly Cardinals
1947: .414/.500/.713, 107 PA, 9 2B, 3B, 5 HR, 25 RBI, 9 SB
Career: .419/.506/.630, 353 PA, 27 2B, 2 3B, 10 HR, 82 RBI, 23 SB

Both Dudley Sapp and Leo Dewitte are committed to Carolina Poly, and I'd be surprised if either of them end up attending. A three year starter at Whitman, Leo Dewitte had a bit of a power surge as a senior, doubling his home run total with 5 in a career low 107 trips to the plate. With the power came with a lower average, as his .414 was the first time he failed to hit at least .420. Still, Dixie Marsh is a fan of the curious backstop, praising his eye and glove behind the plate. If he adds power to that, he could be a very useful player, and if he gets a chance as a backup he could take advantage of an injury. It may be tough for him to get at bats early on, but I love his defense and his work ethic could rub off on others. He also has some experience at first base, as Dudley Sapp will need the occasional day off, and if he hits well enough he could finish the season in San Jose. That could open a little bit of time for Dewitte, and if he can hit, especially for power, we'll find him a spot in the lineup.

16th Round, 257th Overall: SS Hank Smithers
School: Redondo Beach Sea Hawks
Commit School: Central Kentucky Tigers
1947: .478/.500/.699, 122 PA, 13 2B, 6 3B, 32 RBI, 14 SB
Career: .475/.501/.716, 506 PA, 49 2B, 26 3B, 3 HR, 129 RBI, 51 SB

SMITHERS!!!! *Monty Burns voice*

Yes, the name alone is enough to earn a roster spot for Hank Smithers, who is really the first of our selections I had my eye on before the draft. As you might guess, he's a versatile infielder, and the four year starter made appearances at second, third, left, right, and his natural short. And he's not only a useful glove, the bat is pretty strong too, as he never hit worse then .470/.495/.690. He's not much of a power threat, with all three of his homers coming last season, but he had 13 doubles in three of his four seasons and he plays good defense. He could end up hitting for a decent average, and while he's not a base stealer, he's quick and could be very useful in advancing runners. If he can add some strength, he could become a very good hitter, but their is plenty of risk involved. He's very raw and may be stuck on the bench to start things out, but if he does well in a reserve role, he could become a regular in the minor leagues and a very useful utility man.

17th Round, 273rd Overall: RHP Doc Buckingham
School: Bluegrass State Mustangs
1947: 6-6, 112.2 IP, 4.47 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, 50 BB, 71 K
Career: 14-18, 305.2. IP, 4.59 ERA, 1.60 WHIP, 154 BB, 176 K

Not only did we get the Mustangs ace in George Carter, we also picked up their #2 Dock Buckingham. It's not the first time Doc was selected, as the Saints took him a few picks earlier (264th) as a junior last season. And as a senior he'll also sign under slot, making him an affordable filler arm for at least the first season. A four pitch pitcher, Buckingham has the stuff to start, but the results haven't been all that great so far. Granted, he plays against "Great" competition and kept his ERA below five each season, and his 1.4 K/BB this season was the best one yet. His 1.54 WHIP and 4.31 FIP were also bests, so perhaps he could continue to make improvements. He does have issues with flyballs, but he threw a mile faster this year, up to 85-87. I'm not sure he'll ever start many games for us, but he could develop into a useful pen arm.

That's it for tonight, as I'll cover the rest sometime tomorrow. Once the Pestilli trade goes through, I'll know exactly how much money I have to spend, and most of the guys I've covered so far start being signed. I'm guessing a lot of the later round picks (just one more college player) will end up going to college, as I don't want to sign guys just to release them, or release anyone interesting already in the organization.

ayaghmour2 · 06-21-2023, 12:11 PM

18th Round, 289th Overall: CF Goldie Smith
School: Marietta Panthers
Commit School: Western Florida Wolves
1947: .489/.560/.685, 112 PA, 13 2B, 3B, HR, 30 RBI, 14 SB
Career: .467/.540/.665, 218 PA, 26 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 56 RBI, 28 SB

A two year starter at his high school in Marietta, Georgia, Goldie Smith raised his average over 40 points as a senior with an extra walk and one less strikeout. As enticing as that sounds, he doesn't have much power and hits too many ground balls, and while he's quick, he's not very fast. He's also moody and isn't fun to be around when his team loses. He could be a decent fourth outfielder, but I think he's best suited if we let him attend Western Florida. There's not really much space for him, but if we get desperate for an outfielder, his $1,500 bonus isn't too bad.

19th Round, 305th Overall: LHP Herb Bloom
School: Crisfield Crabbers
Commit School: Coastal State Eagles
1947: 6-5, 111 IP, 3.49 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 51 BB, 84 K
Career: 29-14, 447.1 IP, 2.84 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 181 BB, 414 K

A four year starter for the Crisfield Crabbers, Herb Bloom was simply put not effective as a senior. If he was a Cougar, his 3.49 ERA would rank fourth in our rotation, and he played high schoolers not FABL stars. His best year came as a freshman, where he was 9-2 with a 2.38 ERA and 138 strikeouts in 121 innings. He doesn't look like a future starter, but three years at Coastal State could help elevate his draft status.

20th Round, 321st Overall: CF Fred McHenry
School: Marshall Barristers
Commit School: Tallmadge State Terriers
1947: .430/.485/.553, 131 PA, 14 2B, 28 RBI, SB
Career: .439/.495/.540, 499 PA, 40 2B, 2 3B, 109 RBI, 18 SB

Born and raised in beautiful Los Angeles, California, I wish I could send Fred McHenry to one of the GWL ballclubs. The four year starter didn't hit a single home run in 98 games for the Barristers, and was caught (1) just as often as he successfully stole (1) as a high school senior. A player like that doesn't really have an FABL future, especially when you hit over .450 just once (.455, SO). He'll head to Tallmadge State, where he can hopefully add some muscle and hit a few longballs.

21st Round, 337th Overall: RHP Jacob Larry
School: Whittier Condors
Commit School: Redwood University Mammoths
1947: 8-2, 91.1 IP, 2.77 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 55 BB, 100 K
Career: 29-10, 383.1 IP, 2.56 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 179 BB, 411 K

A four year starter at Whittier, Jacob Larry wants over $3,000 to forego his commitment to Redwood University, and it just isn't worth it for us. And as another Cali kid, I'm sure a GWL team would be more then willing to give him that. Larry's best season came as a freshman, where he went 6-3 with a 1.94 ERA and 102 strikeouts, while sporting a 3.5 K/BB and 1.12 WHIP. By time he was a senior, his K/BB was below 2, and after that freshman season he never had an ERA below 2.50. He's a flyball pitcher best suited for the pen, and will need to improve vastly if he wants to join an FABL club.

Or you know, just demand a signing bonus relative to his skill...

22nd Round, 353rd Overall: 2B Bill Carrier
School: Greenville Raiders
Commit School: Eastern State Monitors
1947: .441/.483/.735, 116 PA, 12 2B, 6 3B, 2 HR, 27 RBI, 14 SB
Career: .445/.494/.693, 248 PA, 22 2B, 13 3B, 2 HR, 58 RBI, 32 SB

Born in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, Bill Carrier spent most of his childhood there, but moved to Pennsylvania as a junior to attend Greenville High School and play for their baseball team. He bounced around some, playing first, second, short, and left for the Raiders, and hit .445 with 2 homers, 58 RBIs, and 32 steals in 49 games. He's on the smaller side, just 5'9'' and 150 pounds, but he has an above average contact tool, good speed, and will draw a lot of walks. I'm undecided on what to do with him, as he may be worth signing as a back of the bench player.

23rd Round, 369th Overall: LF Curt Boyle
School: Altus Pioneers
Commit School: Darnell State Legislators
1947: .406/.440/.566, 116 PA, 7 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 28 RBI, 6 SB
Career: .404/.439/.587, 237 PA, 16 2B, 3 3B, 6 HR, 56 RBI, 11 SB

A left fielder only who barely hit above .400 and slugged under .600 for his career with limited speed? Yeah, easy pass... He does have a good work ethic, but when the highlight of your prep career is 4 homers as a junior, your chances of debuting are slim. He'll be a Legislator, just not one who resides in Lincoln.

24th Round, 385th Overall: 2B Tex Kelly
School: Gateway Christian University Cougars
1947: .275/.358/.341, 288 PA, 6 2B, 3B, 3 HR, 40 RBI, 11 SB
Career: .266/.354/.371, 1,128 PA, 32 2B, 4 3B, 21 HR, 175 RBI, 82 SB

Woah! A college player! They do exist this late!

Tex Kelly was a Cougar for four years, and you know what, he can join the Cougar organization. His time with us may be short, but we have plenty of veteran depth pieces in the farm that probably should be cut, and at 22 Kelly could probably be pushed up to San Jose or Lincoln. His lack of versatility may hurt him, he just plays second base, but he did hit .266/.354/.371 against "Good" competition, has a good eye and makeup, and can do some work on the basepaths. He's going to be one of the last guys to sign as he's below slot, but he could get a few pro at bats before calling it quits. Hard work pays off!

25th Round, 401st Overall: C Billy Haugen
School: San Antonio Techsters
Commit School: Red River State Rowdies
1947: .423/.440/.532, 119 PA, 4 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 30 RBI, 2 SB
Career: .418/.432/.502, 241 PA, 11 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 30 RBI, 6 SB

Exactly 400 players were selected before Billy Haugen, and it's not all that hard to figure out why. Sure, being a 6'3'' catcher is interesting enough, but he walked just 4 times in 47 games and hit just 14 extra bae hits. No power, no eye, no speed. Is there even a glove? At least with his body frame, there's hope he improves in the future, and at least Red River State has someone to place behind the plate. Besides, someone his height who plays on the baseball team? College should be a blast!

The regular report will come out some time tonight, likely late, but let me tell you... I love seeing Sal Pestilli on the roster! Even if it comes with a 79 WRC+!

It can only go up, right? Right??? RIGHT!!!

Please tell me it can go up...

This second half sure will be interesting....

StLee · 06-21-2023, 07:03 PM

I have a feeling that you will run away with the division if you win four games a week! What a nice tight race around midseason.

ayaghmour2 · 06-21-2023, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StLee

I have a feeling that you will run away with the division if you win four games a week! What a nice tight race around midseason.

A very tight race indeed. Four teams within a few games of first. I'm hoping our latest move lifts us over the rest, but there is plenty of time for one of our rivals to make a splash. Should make for a fun pennant race

ayaghmour2 · 06-22-2023, 12:35 AM

Weekly Record: 3-4
Seasonal Record: 42-38 (4th, 4 GB)
Stars of the Week
Billy Hunter : 18 AB, 6 H, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .333 AVG, 1.011 OPS
Hal Sharp : 28 AB, 7 H, 2 HR, 3 RBI, .250 AVG, .776 OPS
Walt Pack : 20 AB, 6 H, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .300 AVG, .941 OPS

Schedule
6-30: Win at Stars (3-0)
7-1: Loss at Stars (1-5)
7-2: Win vs Saints (1-2)
7-4: Win vs Saints (3-5)
7-4: Loss vs Saints (3-2)
7-5: Loss vs Kings (13-6)
7-6: Loss vs Kings (5-1)

Recap
Four games. That's it. Just four. That's what we have to make up in the second half of the season.

Sure, getting embarrassed by the Kings at home is not even close to what I wanted to end the first half, but if you told me that Peter the Heater wasn't striking guys out, Leo Mitchell wasn't hitting the ball, and we had five hitters with 170 or more PAs and a WRC+ below 100 (three below 75!), I'd think we were ten games under .500. But instead, we're four over, four back, still right in the thick of things as we head to the All Star break.

Only four Cougars will be represented at the game, which feels thin compared to past seasons. Still, with eight teams and 26 spots, we have a bit more then expected with approximately 3.25 All Stars per team. Three of them were expected, as I correctly assumed that Donnie Jones (2nd; 11-5, 2.60, 77), Hal Sharp (2nd; .361, 11, 44), and Skipper Schneider (6th; .281, 3, 32) would start at their respective positions, but I did not expect a June/July surge from Walt Pack (3rd; .262, 12, 39) that would get him selected by Stars manager Ken Tannen. Pack followed up a .271/.329/.643 (160 OPS+) June with a .353/.421/.647 (188 OPS+) July, and is now hitting .262/.350/.518 (135 OPS+) with 12 homers and 39 RBIs in 66 games. 8 of those homers came after June 1st, and as recent as June 18th he was hitting just .233/.329/.411. Has Pack been reborn? Is it just a hot streak that sluggers love to go on? Which Walt Pack will we get the rest of the way? Who knows!

He would be the "Wild Card" for the second half, but we all know who that will be now. There is a certain buzz in the air in the Windy City, as everything feels different. With no interleague play, plenty of Cougar fans who follow only the Continental Association may not know many of the players in their counterpart over in the Fed, but even if it wasn't for the constant wartime rumors centered around him, everyone knows who Sal Pestilli is. The former 1st Overall Pick is one of 23 "Extremely Popular" players both nationally and locally, and is joined by fellow Cougars Skipper Schneider, Dick Walker, and Leo Mitchell. Sal was almost a baseball legend since he hit .409 as a freshman in college, and plenty of Cougar fans have visited Whitney Park to get a glimpse up the seemingly larger then life superstar. And even with a rough showing at the plate, those in the media are already calling Sal the savior the Windy City Kitties need to break their longest ever (16 years!) championship drought.

Pestilli himself is a little upset with the trade, but if I was him I'd be more angry about what he's done at the plate. Hitting .243/.293/.371 (77 OPS+) is not what you'd expect from a 6-Time All Star, unless he did his work on the mound, and with just 5 home runs he's almost guaranteed to set a new low in longballs. The only time he failed to hit 20 was the 18 in 1942, which was also the only season he was worth less then 5 (4.9) wins above replacement. And 0.9 through 70 games, that seems likely once again, but Cougars Park is a sluggers paradise, and much smaller then Gotham Stadium in the Big Apple. Not that the Gothams lineup is lacking for star power, but Pestilli will now get to hit in front of CA batting title leader Hal Sharp, with either Leo Mitchell (vs RHP) or Ray Ford (vs LHP) in the cleanup spot. That protection should help him out, as he was bumped down to the 6th spot in New York. All those signs point to a resurgence for the former Whitney Winner, but with the struggles of many important lineup members, we'll need more then just him.

I'm still stunned that half way through the season Leo Mitchell is hitting just .272/.311/.420 (98 OPS+) after being robbed of yet another Whitney Award. He's coming off back-to-back seasons of leading the CA in WRC at 150 and 156, but his 102 is even lower then the 105 he posted in 31 games as a 23-year-old way back in 1936. In seasons with more then 125 games played, he's never fallen below 130, and in seasons of 150 or more games his lowest is the 136 he posted in 1939. At least the power is fine, as he's hit 10 homers and is on pace for 19, which is more then all seasons excluding his most recent one. But he's at a legitimate risk to fail to hit over .300, something he even did in his first two partial seasons. I don't think Mitchell has ever put together back-to-back months with a WRC+ below 100, but he did that in May (89) and June (98). That's not to say he won't carry the lineup in the final three months, but it's weird worrying about left field, a position that we haven't had to think twice about (excluding his one war season, of course) since he became an everyday player a decade ago.

Enough about the bad, let's talk about some of the good. We have Hal Sharp who's hitting at least 20 points better then every other CA hitter, slashing an elite .361/.403/.533 (154 OPS+) with a 167 WRC+ and 3.0 WAR despite poor marks in right. Along with average, he leads in hits (105), and total bases (155) while top five in numerous categories like WRC+ and OPS+, ever so slightly 3rd in both behind Fred McCormick and Ralph Johnson. Donnie Jones leads the association in ERA (2.60), while tied with Pap in strikeouts (77) and Charlie Griffith and Eli Panneton in wins (11). Johnnie Jones is 8-3 with a 2.90 ERA (133 ERA+) and Joe Brown's 3.80 ERA (101 ERA+) is highest of the rotation, so all five are above average in both ERA+ and FIP- (Johnnie's 98 is actually highest). I already touched on Pack's bounce back, but the same can be said for Billy Hunter, who is hitting .321/.380/.448 (126 OPS+) with a 134 WRC+ after posting his first below average season last year in terms of OPS+ (74) and WRC+ (75). He's doubled his home run total (2 to 4) and matched his 8 doubles, 22 RBIs, and 21 walks from last season in about 50 less PAs, while striking out (27 to 19) at a far smaller rate. He's been great at the keystone and surprisingly effective in center, and most importantly, he's been healthy!

Yes, the first half has been far from ideal, but guess what? No one said this would be easy! And we're still in it! And there's so much talent on this roster! The second half should be very exciting!

Looking Ahead
No rest for the wicked, as right after the break, we have a tough three game set with the Cannons. At 45-35, they're a game out of first, but are coming off a 14-15 June and have been playing .500 ball since May 15th. They are represented at the All-Star game by three players, but none of them were ace Rufus Barrell (7-6, 3.13, 69), who probably deserved it more then all four of the catchers at the game, including teammate Adam Mullins (.285, 4, 29). Don't get me wrong, he's more then worthy and was my vote, but an All Star game without Rufus? That just doesn't feel right! I also voted for the other two Cannons, Denny Andrews (.317, 8, 38) and Charlie Rivera (.297, 4, 30, 3), but just three All-Stars from the team that spent most of the season in first place seems a bit low. Butch Smith (4-2, 11, 2.92, 20) was a worthy pen arm and Sam Brown (.340, 5, 39) is second in the batting race and has a 134 WRC+, but neither made the final 26-man roster. Of course, you can only let so many guys in, and there are plenty of worthy candidates, so the well rested Cannons will send their three best pitchers out for the series, with Rufus, Bob Arman (8-5, 3.44, 59), and Red Hampton (6-9, 3.72, 21) the probable pitchers. It's funny Sal's first test will be another former #1 pick, but after the veteran Barrell, things look good for a big week from him. We'll need plenty from the offense, which is in need of a big second half, and I wish we had an easier start to the second half.

It does get easier, and quickly, as we finish the week with the first of two with the Foresters. They are 36-46 and have just one representative, rookie Davey Morris who is 3-5 with 2 saves and a 3.24 ERA (123 ERA). His 1.65 WHIP, 4.05 FIP (101 FIP-), and 0.7 K/BB ratio paint a much darker pitcher, but he was on the ballot as a reliever, so his selection makes plenty of sense. There weren't many choices, as Lorenzo Samuels (.321, 5, 20) and Constantine Peters (.321, 1, 18, 1) haven't played nearly enough, and regulars Paul Porter (.283, 20, 5) and Glenn White (.304, 2, 20) don't really have numbers that pop out. A healthy Jim Adams Jr. (.295, 1, 10, 2) surely gets the call, but with just 22 games pre-injury, he was easy to pass up. The Foresters recently parted with former Cougar draftee Hank Stratton (.250, 1, 19), likely opening time back up for Bob Miller (.259, 8), and we could see the return, 23-year-old outfielder Johnny Anderson (.229, 1, 5), who has played in parts of the past there seasons for the Chiefs. No matter who we see, we should come out on top, as we already swept them in Cleveland last week.

Some draftees have started to sign, with Garland Phelps quickly snatching up his $31,000 signing bonus. The final spot will change a bit as guys continue to sign, but Phelps currently ranks as our 2nd best prospect and the 26th ranked prospect overall. No catcher ranks higher then him, with Eddie Howard (32nd) the next highest. Jerry Smith is still mulling his offer, as is Buddy Jenkins, and since Roy Gass agreed to his bonus on the last day of the sim, he won't be ranked until the day advances. Phelps his heading to San Jose, as he has an up arrow from La Crosse, while Gass and 3rd Rounder Dudley Sapp (61st) will enter the Lions lineup instead. Many more offers were submitted, and we have nearly $30,000 pending after just over $40,000 have been spent. I'm hoping if sales go up with the addition of Pestilli in the lineup, we can generate some future revenue to make the current year cost feel a bit easier. A lot of good players are going to get raises, so some playoff revenue would be very helpful.

Minor League Report
LHP Bert Rogers (B San Jose Cougars): Wow, this kid keeps on getting better! It's another shutout for Chicagoan Bert Rogers, who allowed just 7 hits and 2 walks with 3 strikeouts in a 4-0 Cougars win over the Captains. After dropping his two previous starts, Rogers improved to 9-3 on the season with a 2.66 ERA (145 ERA+), 1.39 WHIP, and 37 strikeouts through 74.1 innings. The former 1st Rounder has, and will likely continue to drop down the prospect rankings as more of the new draftees sign, but he still ranks 7th in our system and 62nd overall. He has a really nice slider and all three of his pitches have plenty of movement. He did finally allow a home run, but it came in another complete game victory where he finished with just 8 hits, 2 walks, and 2 runs. 21 in August, Rogers is still extremely young, and far from a finished product. I think he'll eventually throw in the 90s, and he's got that belief in himself that'll always help him pitch better then his stuff. We have one free space in La Crosse, but at least five new arms to find spots for, there is a lot of potential movement. Rogers may be one pushed up, as Rogers could help fellow first rounder Tommy Seymour (4-5, 4.78, 34) and fellow top 100 prospect Harry Beardsley (8-2, 3.17, 54) on the first place Legislators. They are already getting one boost in the return of 21-year-old Ron Berry (0-1, 3.77, 9), who started just 3 games before a strained shoulder placed him under the knife. If Bert makes it a quartet, four of our top five pitching prospects will suit up for the Legislators. I don't think any of the draftees will displace them, as most of our top picks were position players.

RHP Billy Stoddard (C La Crosse Lions): Can you imagine a better first professional start then this? After making 44 relief appearances across the last two seasons, former 16th Rounder Billy Stoddard made the most of his first start, tossing a 2-hit, 12-strikeout shutout of the Rock Island Steamboats. With a start like that, it'd be impossible to move him to the pen, so if their aren't many starts to be had down here, he should have no problem going up to San Jose. A three pitch pitcher, Stoddard has pretty good stuff, but his command may get him into troubles. As a flyball pitcher, that's something that has to improve, but his splitter looks pretty good. I wouldn't bet on him being a major pitching prospect anytime soon, but he could take the Charlie Kelsey route and end up as a useful swingman.

Cougars in the GWL
RHP Ira Hawker (Dallas Centurions): One of the many former Cougars to toss a shutout last week, Ira Hawker was the only one selected as Pitcher of the Month. Hawker had a rough start to the season, but went 4-1 in 6 June starts. He had an impressive 1.78 ERA (186 ERA+) in 50.2 June innings, striking out 24 while walking just 10. The slow start means his ERA is still inflated at 3.80 (87 ERA+), but his 2.88 FIP (87 FIP-) suggests he's been rather unlucky. Dallas may have the worst defense (8th in DEF and 6th in ZR), but as you can tell from his record, they score a lot of runs. 316 in fact, which has propelled them to a 44-33 record; good enough for a 1.5 game lead over the Knights and Grays. The Centurions have made shrewd signings, as offseason acquisitions Heinie Billings (.314, 9, 42, 10), Ken Mayhugh (.290, 6, 33), Al Gross (.248, 5, 30), and player-manager Brooks Meeks (.298, 5, 32, 6) have all excelled. If Hawker returns to form, the Centurions have a good shot to make the playoffs, but with four teams within two anything could happen.

ayaghmour2 · 06-22-2023, 10:39 PM

Weekly Record: 2-2
Seasonal Record: 44-40 (4th, 4.5 GB)
Stars of the Week
None this Week

Schedule
7-10: Loss vs Cannons (3-2): 13 innings
7-11: Win vs Cannons (1-2)
7-12: Win vs Cannons (2-3)
7-13: Loss vs Foresters (0-4)

Recap
While the Cougars offense continues to be very bad at baseball, the Cougars All-Stars were crucial for the Continental Association, as they edged the Fed 5-4 in extra innings. Donnie Jones wasn't at his best, allowing 3 hits and 3 runs (two homers!) with a strikeout in 2.2 innings, but Cougars almost accounted for every single run. Walt Pack was named MVP, as "The Wolf" started the scoring in the 4th with a two-run pinch hit double, scoring Skipper and former Cougar Freddie Jones (.279, 4, 36) to cut the Fed's lead to one. Pack then tied it in the 7th with a solo shot off Chiefs Ace Al Miller (10-8, 3.16, 62). The Fed tied it up in the ninth, but with one out Skipper tripled, to again bring Pack up. Pack didn't get his third hit in as many trips, but a sac-fly did the trick, as he once again tied the game. After allowing the run in the top half, Davey Morris (3-5, 2, 3.24, 41) managed to keep the Fed off the board, which allowed the fourth Cougar All-Star, Hal Sharp, the opportunity to walk it off with a homer. You would think with all that scoring, we'd have done well after the break, but no... That would be too easy! Instead, we scored just 7 runs in 34 innings, playing three one run games against the Cannons (we were actually 2-1!) before getting shut out by the Foresters.

Ugh, this could be a long second half...

Sal Pestilli may have sent the game to extras in his Cougar debut, but that's about all he did, as the RBI single was about all the value he provided. Sure, he stole a base earlier in the game, but the 6-Time All-Star was 1-for-7, and finished the week 2-for-10 with a double. A sprained knee and the break meant he had 11 day of rest, so a little rust could have been a factor. We need him to heat up as soon as possible, as Leo Mitchell left his bat in 1946, and started the second half 0-for-11 with 4 strikeouts. Not a single Cougar had an above average week (if you discount their All-Star performances, which should be the case), and check out some of these OPS+. Mitchell, -55. Sutterfield, -39. Pestilli, 11. Mead, 16. Hunter, 16. Lee, 18. Ford, 36. Howard, 47. Dick Walker's 81 looks like a superstar! For some reason I can't use "Regular Season" as a split, but with no turf fields, "Grass" works just as well, to reveal the 37 from Pack, 72 from Skipper, and 59 from Sharp.

HOW CAN WE BE THIS BAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But hey, at least Clark Car was 1-for-1!

Oh wait, what's this here? There's some 29-year-old guy named Jones who hit his first career home run? We have a Jones who doesn't pitch?

No, that's good ole' Johnnie, who's offensive production is the only reason he won his start this week!

Good thing we can pitch!

Donnie Jones was far better in Chicago then he was in Philadelphia, and while he was only able to go 99 pitches, he finished 8 innings with just 5 hits and a run. He didn't walk anyone and struck out 5 in a no decision. The win went to Ken Matson, who struck out a pair in a perfect ninth. He pitched a day earlier in the double header as well, striking out two in two perfect frames. After a shaky start, he's actually been a great stopper for us, saving 6 games and working to a 2.49 ERA (155 ERA+) with 21 strikeouts in 25.1 innings pitched. The start went to Pete Papenfus, who deserved a win, going nine with 5 hits, 2 runs, 5 walks, and 6 strikeouts. Harry MacRae was charged with the loss, allowing 3 hits, a run, and a walk with 2 strikeouts in his 2 innings. MacRae is likely the odd man out once Harry Parker, who's made two rehab starts, is ready to come back. Our closer last year, MacRae has been far less effective in year two, now 1-5 with a 4.82 ERA (80 ERA+) and 1.71 WHIP in his 14 appearances. I should also mention Johnnie Jones' start, as he picked up a complete game victory. It was a weird start, as while the single walk was amazing, the single strikeout dampened the excitement. Still, 7 hits and just 2 runs is excellent, and he's won four straight starts and has gone two months without allowing a homer.

More draftees have signed, as all of our picks in the first five rounds have agreed to bonuses. That includes first rounder Jerry Smith, who ranks just outside the top 10 at #11. With all first rounders, and most second rounders, signed, I think he'll stay in that area, and he's joined in the top 100 by Garland Phelps (3rd, 33rd) and Dudley Sapp (8th, 69th). We have 11 prospects in the top 100, and our system actually returned to #1, with the Miners just three points behind. 5th Rounder Buddy Jenkins came close, checking it at 118th as our highest non-top 100 prospect. I was surprised when 4th Rounder Mike Emerson (213th) was ranked higher then fellow 4th Rounder Roy Gass (378th), as I figured Gass would be top 250 and was somewhat worried Emerson wouldn't be ranked at all. Other signed guys in the top 500 include 11th Rounder Bill Nash (321st) and 5th Rounder Ray Paulson (346th), with 8th Rounder Johnny Dickinson just missing the cutoff. Still plenty of guys to sign, as I currently have offers out on all of our players selected in the first 10 rounds. Once they are all in, we can work on the rest of the class, but I'd expect 7 or more guys to remain unsigned.

Looking Ahead
We'll look to avoid the sweep at the hands of the 37-49 Foresters, who tapped into their pitching depth to add some serious talent in the field. Even though they parted with former #1 pick Hiram Steinberg (10-4, 3.55, 40), who tossed a shutout in his Pioneers debut, they received the Pioneers first and the 8th Ranked prospect in the league, Sherry Doyal, who was the 15th selection in last year's draft. He's spent all season in AA, and held his own despite being 19. While it's tough to imagine the Pioneers parting with an elite prospect some have compared to Sal Pestilli, they just drafted 18-year-old George Atkins, a center fielder who ranks as the 18th best prospect. If the Pioneers win the pennant, it's a huge pickup for them, but that pick could be very valuable for Cleveland if they do not. They are almost guaranteed three balls in the lottery as they should easily lap their 64 wins from last season, giving the Foresters multiple shots at the #1 pick. Considering #5 Ollie White (5-3, 6, 2.20, 47) can shut us out and they've scored fewer runs then we have this season, adding a bat like Doyal is a huge win for them. Looking at the finale, we'll have to face their All-Star Davey Morris (3-5, 2, 3.24, 41), who became the second consecutive Forester pitcher (Richie Hughes last season) to win the All-Star game. He'll face highly touted rookie Duke Bybee (7-7, 3.60, 58) in a must win game. You could argue the Foresters' three best hitters are lefties, which is a good matchup for our young southpaw, although he's been so good it may not matter. One of his three shutouts came against the Foresters (the other two the Stars!), so I think this we have a very good chance if we can get a few runs.

As if wins weren't already important, they are moreso useful when you consider the Philadelphia Sailors are up next. 50-38 and just a half game out, the Sailors +78 run differential is best in either association, and they're 9-3 in July. David Molina (6-3, 16, 1.75, 59) proves that stoppers can be useful, as his 227 ERA+, 1.9 WAR, 2.48 FIP (62 FIP-), and 2.0 K/BB are all outstanding. The Illinois native has been so dominant, that OSA has gone ahead and named him the #1 pitcher in all of baseball, even if we all know that Peter the Heater is still the greatest. He's part of the reason the Sailors have allowed the fewest runs, as even without the injured Charlie Gordon (2-6, 3.13, 24), they have an impressive front three of Win Lewis (11-6, 2.60, 53), Al Duster (7-6, 3.03, 68), and Slick Wesolowski (10-6, 3.06, 53). Lucky for us, Win might have to pitch the finale of the Saints series, but if they opt for a spot starter instead, we'll get the pleasure of seeing their three best. Just what a struggling offense needs! Not only will the scoring for us be tough, but preventing runs will be a challenge even with our top three, as Bobby Boone (.326, 1, 22, 3), Ed Reyes (.321, 3, 34), and Cotton Dillon (.290, 5, 52) are all formidable forces. The home fans may give us a slight edge, but will it be enough to overcome such a good team? My gut says no...

We then finish the week with three against the Wolves, who are 40-45 and nine games out of first. There are rumblings that the Wolves want to buy, as they don't want to waste a Whitney caliber season from 8-Time All Star Fred McCormick. The talented veteran is 37, but slashing a powerful .321/.407/.560 (153 OPS+) with 15 doubles, 15 homers, and 53 RBIs. He can't do it all by himself, but Charlie Artuso (.262, 1, 40, 7) is scuffling through his worst offensive season as a big leaguer and Hal Wood (.276, 5, 48) has had a rough second half. Really just Chink Stickels (.278, 3, 33, 10) is hitting much, as everything has gone wrong for Hank Giordano (.241, 2, 29, 3) and neither Frank Frady (.241, 17) nor John Fast (.245, 1, 8) has had much success in year one. Even worse, Joe Hancock (5-6, 3.94, 30) and Jerry York (4-6, 3.93, 44) have blown up, which completely offsets George Garrison (5-6, 2.65, 57) pitching like Joe and Jerry were to start the season. The Wolves will be an interesting team to watch as the deadline approaches, as a good showing against us could convince them to make a run for it.

Minor League Report
RHP Dick Garcia (AA Mobile Commodores): On May 31st, Dick Garcia had a 7.58 ERA after 7 starts. On July 10th, he lowered that to 4.70 (95 ERA+) after completing a 2-ht shutout over the New Orleans Showboats. That was his fifth start in six attempts where he allowed two or fewer earned runs, and he's now 4-8 after dropping his first six decisions. He's thrown just shut of 100 innings (97.2), but he's walked 33 hitters and struck out just 19, leading to a 1.57 WHIP. And as good as he's been in his last six starts, he's walked 17 and struck out just 5. At 22, he still has time to improve, but we have a lot of good young pitchers in the system. His starts may be numbered, but this hot start could help him keep pitching in the organization, giving him the change to debut in the big leagues.

C Garland Phelps (B San Jose): It's hard to have a better debut week then Garland Phelps, who despite being short of his 18th birthday, was named Player of the Week in the California-Oregon-Washington League. Very few players have been very effective for the 27-39 Cougars, but Phelps reached base at least twice in each of his six appearances, including an impressive 4-for-6 in start two where he both scored and drove in two. as the Cougars still fell short in a 14-13 loss in Spokane. Currently ranked as the 33th best prospect in the league, and is even ahead of Eddie Howard (36th) who made his big league debut this season. Harry Mead (.212, 4, 28) has had an awful start to the season, and while I still believe he's good enough to be a big league starter, his seat is getting warmer. Now 33, Mead still owns a 105 career WRC+ in over 1,000 big league games, including two seasons with a WRC+ above 140. Dixie Marsh thinks Phelps will be even better.

The new catcher of the future, BNN believes Phelps will be ready by 1949, but don't expect Phelps to make an at bat before the end of the decade. Nicknamed "Einstein" for his brilliance both on and off the field, if you were speaking to Phelps you'd have no idea that the young man was actually a teen, as you can tell how gifted he is. Even though his baseball talent more then speaks for itself, he won't let you hear the end of it, and we're hoping we can keep him a little under control. That may be the only thing to stand in his way, as he has already shown tremendous power at the plate and it's only going to improve as he fills out. He swings hard and fast, which while it produces a ton of hard hits, he may whiff a bit like Leo Mitchell. Luckily he has a really good eye, so he's not going to chase, and he's the type of guy to remember every little detail of every pitcher he faced. If someone got him a lot, he'd figure out why, and if he was a modern player I'm sure he'd be in the film room or on the iPad whenever he had the time. That also helps his pitchers, as he uses his knowledge of the zone to the benefit of his pitchers as well. If they can tolerate all his quirks, they'll love throwing to him, as he will do all the thinking and really help them thrive. If this first week is indictive of anything, it's that if Garland lives up to his potential, we may not have to worry about catcher for a very long time.

Sorry Eddie Howard -- take advantage of your six year head start!

1B Dudley Sapp (C La Crosse Lions): Literally any other week ever, Dudley Sapp would have had the best professional debut week. But instead, he decided to debut the same week as Garland Phelps. Selected one round later, Sapp had an excellent debut week in La Crosse, hitting a picturesque.435/.519/.652 (221 OPS+). And while he didn't get on base twice in all his games, he drew 4 walks, tripled, and hit a homer. 19 in September, Sapp is a bit on the older side for a high school prospect, but that doesn't mean that I want to rush him. Cal Rice is a decent first basemen, and at 19 himself, I don't think he's ready for Lincoln yet. For now I want both playing everyday, so it's better to keep them both playing everyday. Sapp is clearly the better prospect, with an excellent hit tool and well above average power, and he plays his position very well. He has the size to be a legit big league slugger, and it's a breath of fresh air having a potential elite home run hitting first basemen. Otto is great, but he's still not there yet, and his hit tool doesn't compare to Sapp's. If both reach their potential, they could be a dynamic duo, but with the age difference they may not spend too much time bopping together.

And he didn't even win Player of the Week!

RF Zeke Johnson (C La Crosse Lions): This is the reason why Dudley Sapp didn't win Player of the Week. His own teammate! A 9th Round Pick last season, Zeke Johnson managed to outhit Sapp, going 12-for-26 with a triple, 2 homers, 2 walks, and 12 RBIs. The 20-year-old has been red hot to start his season, slashing .400/.434/.560 (172 OPS+) -- a noticeable improvement over his .248/.327/.333 (84 OPS+) line in 45 games for the Lions last season. Even with all the new additions, the 19-year-old will not need to worry about losing at bats. Ranked as the 273rd prospect in the league and 21st in our system, and has always projected to be a good hitter. He has above average contact potential and his bat could be as good as anyone. He may not have the power you want in a corner bat, but he has a strong handle over the strike zone and should be able to hold a high on base percentage instead of slugging. As a bat first guy, his defense has always come second, and a final position for him is unknown. He hasn't looked good in right, and will need to be at least passable in a corner if he can't hit like a Hal Sharp. He's a longshot to reach his potential, but it's hard not to get excited about how well he's started.

legendsport · 06-23-2023, 10:48 AM

Phelps is an interesting guy. Very smart (as you'd expect with the nickname "Einstein") and a hard worker to boot. He's going to be good and will probably fast track it through the system would be my guess.

ayaghmour2 · 06-23-2023, 07:47 PM

Weekly Record: 2-5
Seasonal Record: 46-45 (4th, 8 GB)
Stars of the Week
Walt Pack : 18 AB, 6 H, 2 HR, 7 RBI, .333 AVG, 1.091 OPS
Leo Mitchell : 22 AB, 6 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .273 AVG, .701 OPS
Skipper Schneider : 22 AB, 6 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, .273 AVG, .652 OPS

Schedule
7-14: Loss vs Foresters (3-2)
7-15: Loss vs Sailors (4-1)
7-16: Loss vs Sailors (1-0)
7-17: Loss vs Sailors (5-1)
7-18: Win vs Wolves (5-6)
7-19: Win vs Wolves (1-7)
7-20: Loss vs Wolves (5-2)

Recap
Oh man... This team... We really, really, REALLY, REALLY. SUCK.

Like, can we even score runs? Even a single one?

Sometimes, it doesn't seem like it...

Despite being at home, we literally can't produce, getting swept by the Foresters before being utterly embarrassed by the first place Sailors. We scored just two runs in three games, and even though we salvaged the series with the Wolves, we're now just a game over .500 and 8 out. I just, don't understand how we're going to get any better. I thought a 17 game homestand would be awesome, but with just one game left in it, we've won just six of them, and are guaranteed to end it well under .500.

At lest we had some regulars who had an above average week, but it really didn't feel like it. Billy Hunter went just 4-for-20, but since it came with 2 doubles, a homer, 4 walks, and 4 runs, so that was good enough for a 114 OPS+. Walt Pack, who has been really great since the weathers warmed up, homered in two of our games against the Wolves. He was 6-for-18 with a double and 7 RBIs. He's now hitting .267/.348/.525 (138 OPS+), and despite being 0-for-13 against lefties this season, that's pretty much what the rest of our hitters do. He's going to start playing most games against lefties, as George Sutterfield (50 WRC+) and Jim Jenkins (36 WRC+) have been awful. Leo Mitchell actually got hits this week, but went just 6-for-22 with 6 walks and 3 RBIs. His 99 WRC+ is still nothing that we're used to, and a .264 average seems unheard of. It has to improve though, right?

I don't want to cover all the bat offensive performances, but I just have to talk Sal Pestilli. Last night, I couldn't wait to wake up, because I was sure Sal would have a huge week. It was huge, just not in the good way... Pestilli was somehow even worse, going just 3-for-27 with 2 walks and runs. He's been so terrible as a Cougar, that he's hitting just .136/.174/.159 (-8 OPS+) with a -14 WRC+ in 11 games. Yes -- a negative WRC+. It is possible! He's been more then 100 percent worst then the average hitter, and has somehow managed to already be worth more then a half (-0.6) win worst then a replacement player. This guy is supposed to be a star! A STAR! Not a sub replacement player...

Funny enough, our pitchers have hit better then our hitters, with Mel Haynes going 1-for-1, Duke Bybee 3-for-6 with 2 RBIs, and Johnnie Jones 1-for-2 with a run. That's some good offense!

Bybee was also stellar on the mound, but with basically no run support, he split his decisions. An error caused the loss against the Foresters, allowing 7 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), and 3 walks with 3 strikeouts. Luckily he got 7 runs of support against the Wolves, picking up a complete game win with 6 hits, a run, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts. His ERA is now down to 3.33 (114 ERA+) and his 1.08 WHIP his best in the CA, trailing just Ray Dalpman (1.02) of the Minutemen overall. Second in the CA is Donnie Jones, who got tagged with a loss despite allowing just one run against the Sailors. He went all nine, allowing 8 hits, the run, and 3 walks with 8 strikeouts. His 2.42 ERA is best in the CA, but since he can't buy a win, he's now in a four way tie for fourth. His 90 strikeouts are second to Pap's 97 (who also can't buy a win), but his 5.4 K/9 and .212 opponent average are best in the league. Since he's hitting .229 in 58 PAs, he's actually been getting a hit more often then allowing one. What a stud!

Same is the case for Johnnie (.233 BA vs .233 BAA), who had a really tough go of things against the Sailors. He managed to go all nine, but allowed 8 walks, 6 hits, and 5 runs with just a single strikeout. Back-to-back starts with a single strikeout is very concerning, and his K/9 has plunged to 3.6. Pap had no trouble (finally!) with strikeouts, setting down 7 in both of his starts, but he continues to lose games. He lost to both the Sailors and Wolves, now 7-11 despite a 3.39 ERA (112 ERA+). He's lost his last four decisions, and hasn't one a start since back-to-back shutouts against the Cannons and Foresters. Joe Brown, however, did win his start, pitching okay against the Wolves. He went just 7 and allowed 5 runs (3 earned) off 10 hits, 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts. Ken Matson got the final six outs, throwing two hitless innings with a walk and strikeout to pick up his 7th save of the season.

The pitching staff will have it's first adjustment since Opening Day, which two players joining the roster for the upcoming road trip. We have a long stretch of games that ends with a double header in Philadelphia on Sunday, so Harry Parker will be returning from his rehab assignment. We have a day off on Monday, so he may not pitch in the double header (I have all weekend to figure things out), but the veteran righty will make his first big league start in nearly ten months. I would have loved for him to get a fourth rehab start, but he has just 9 days remaining and has been built up to 100 pitches. He's gone 1-1 in 3 starts, throwing 19 innings with 21 hits, 4 walks, and 12 strikeouts. This is good for a 3.79 ERA (124 ERA+), 1.32 WHIP, and 3.08 FIP (65 FIP-). so hopefully the towering Parker didn't lose too much stuff after tearing his labrum. With how good Bybee is, Parker won't stay in the rotation, but having him on hand to keep the starters sharp is useful. Plus, he has some experience pitching late in games, giving us a more reliable pen arm.

The other addition is a completely new face, as after many failed attempts at claiming pitchers on waivers, we finally got one to slip to us. That is soon-to-be 33-year-old Paul Richardson, who was struggling in a swingman role for the Miners. The former 15th Rounder made 9 starts and 7 relief appearances, going 3-4 with an inflated 6.00 ERA (66 ERA+) and 1.73 WHIP. He was much better in the pen last season, working to a 2.12 ERA in 34 innings with 17 strikeouts and just 5 walks. He's just a few seasons removed from being a very good starting pitcher, as he went 10-11 with a 2.90 ERA (121 ERA+) and 1.00 WHIP in 30 starts split between the Sailors and Minutemen. I don't expect him to pitch anything like that for us, but we just need a veteran who can give length out of the pen. This is a guy with a career 3.66 FIP (101 FIP-) in 488.2 innings, and he's been far better as a reliever (3.38 ERA, 116 ERA+, 1.05 WHIP) then as a starter (6.70, 59, 1.91). Richardson and Parker will replace Charlie Kelsey and Harry MacRae, who have both struggled in limited time. Kelsey had a 5.09 ERA (75 ERA+) and 1.61 WHIP in 23 innings, and will head down to Milwaukee to go back to starting games. MacRae will likely close games for the Blues, as he was much worse this season then last year. His ERA went from 3.21 (109 ERA+) to 4.58 (83 ERA+) and his WHIP is up 20 points to 1.63. Both are 25, so they're not finished products, and I imagine one if not both will rejoin the club in September.

Finally, we got some more additions to the top 500 prospect list as the signings start to trickle in. 6th Rounder Ed Sutton debuts at 226th, 10th Rounder Willie Watson at 246th, and 9th Rounder George Carter at 379th. He signed last week, but Johnny Dickinson snuck in at 499th, giving us at current count 52 of the top 500 prospects. Still a few guys left that I want to sign, but I'm not sure there's many others who will sneak in. I want to try to move some of our youngsters, but there are plenty of cuttable guys still hanging around.

Looking Ahead
I can't believe I'm going to have to wait a whole weekend until we play games again...

We have just one more home game, hosting the Cleveland Foresters, before we'll flee to the Clev for a three game set. Despite being 42-51, they had no trouble keeping our offense off the board, despite having the 7th ranked pitching staff, and they're the only team to score fewer runs then us this year. As we approach the deadline, they may sell off some pieces like Ken Vance (.331, 13), Orie Martinez (.253, 10, 44), and Ducky Davis (5-12, 5.18, 35). We're not going to face him, instead we'll start with All-Star Davey Morris (3-5, 2, 2.96, 44), Ollie "three straight shutouts" White (6-3, 1.94, 56), a surging Richie Hughes (8-10, 4.18, 68), and Augie Hayes Jr. (7-11, 3.84, 47). Morris is the only one on full rest, which could either give us an advantage or cause a spot start from someone like Joe Crosby (1-3, 6.26, 15). On paper, this is exactly what we need to get back on track, but if this goes sideways, not only are we nearly guaranteed to miss the playoffs, but we might fail to finish over .500 for the first time since 1936.

Because it does get worse...

Yes, the next stop is four games in three days against the Sailors. The 56-39 first place Sailors who allowed just two runs in three games in Chicago. We didn't even lose to Win Lewis (12-7, 2.54, 58), dropping starts from Al Duster (8-6, 2.83, 74), Slick Wesolowski (11-6, 2.92, 56), and John Thomas Johnson (5-2, 1, 2.15, 36). We let Les Cunha (.287, 5, 52) and Rip Lee (.285, 1, 31, 4) heat up against us, and I don't want to go into all the players they have that hit better then ours. There's just too many! When we get swept once again here, we could be more then 15 games out of first! That would be a blast!

Minor League Report
RHP Bob Allen (C La Crosse Lions): I can't believe it, but I'm promoting Bob Allen to San Jose. Currently ranked as the 6th best prospect in the league, Allen made four starts for the Lions, and it's clear he's the best pitcher in the league. He's been so good, that after his 4-hit, 12-strikeout shutout, he was named Player of the Week. In his other start that week he did allow a run, with 5 hits, 4 walks, and 11 strikeouts in the win. He won all four of his starts and struck out 11 or more hitters in each outing, tallying 46 in just 33.2 innings pitched. He allowed just 20 hits, 2 runs, and 14 walks, ending with a miniscule 0.53 ERA (664 ERA+) and 1.01 WHIP, while being worth a full 1.3 wins above replacement. As fun as it would be to see just how many batters he could strike out in a full season, he clearly needs to be challenged, as this kid has the potential to be one of the best pitchers the game has ever seen. He's striking out more guys then Pap did in the minors, and I don't think any of our talented young arms have had a four start stretch like Allen just put together. His stuff is amazing, his command is amazing, and he's not going to give up any home runs. He has the mindset of an ace, the talent of an ace, the name of an ace, and pretty much everything but the body of one. If he reaches his potential, he could be the best pitcher in baseball, and even with Pap being 29, I think these two will be able to pitch some dominant seasons together. The age difference is large, as he's even six years younger then Duke Bybee, but with no war getting in the way of his development, Allen may be up in Chicago before you know it.

06-13-2023, 01:39 PM	#1121
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 6: May 19th-May 25th Weekly Record: 3-3 Seasonal Record: 19-20 (4th, 7 GB) Stars of the Week Duke Bybee : 1 Win, 9.0 IP, 2 BB, 3 K, 0.00 ERA Billy Hunter : 11 AB, 5 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .455 AVG, 1.199 OPS Pete Papenfus : 1 Win, 19.0 IP, 6 BB, 11 K, 0.95 ERA Schedule 5-19: Loss at Cannons (1-4) 5-20: Win at Wolves (5-4): 14 innings 5-21: Loss at Wolves (1-3) 5-23: Loss vs Stars (14-2) 5-24: Win vs Stars (0-2) 5-25: Win vs Stars (0-6) Recap This was a very strange week. I did expect to lose the finale to the Cannons, but after that? It was pretty crazy. Sure, splitting with the Wolves makes some sense, even if we should have won both games rather handily, but a one-run extra inning win? Really!?!? We haven't won an extra inning game all season! Then came the scary part; an absolute thrashing at the hands of the Stars in Chicago, as they piled on 14 runs off Joe Brown and Charlie Kelsey. I thought that was going to end our season, especially with Duke Bybee on the mound for the middle match. But guess what? It may have had the opposite effect! Entering the game, the Stars scored a whopping 222 runs, more then 20 more then every other team, but that didn't rattle our poised southpaw. He did something that no pitcher came even close to this season. He shut out the Stars! Just 3 hits, 2 walks, and 3 strikeouts as the 24-year-old threw his first of hopefully many CGSHO. And then we did it again (think Goofy meme). Or at least Pete Papenfus did! The fireballer got revenge for the embarrassment he was dealt in New York, as Pap tossed a 5-hit shutout to take the rubber match! This is the pitching staff that I expected! It wasn't Pap's only start of the week, as he was the unlucky starter in the extra inning game. Yet again, errors tried to ruin things for us, as a Billy Hunter error cost us two runs in the 8th, allowing the game to be tied at four after nine. Papenfus went 10, allowing just 8 hits and a walk with 7 strikeouts. With these two starts, his ERA is finally above average, down to 3.47 (115 ERA+) in 72.2 innings, while his BB/9 has dropped below 5 to 4.5. The bullpen did manage to keep that one as a Cougar win, with Ken Matson and Harry MacRae each tossing two scoreless innings. Matson went first, with a hit and walk on his ledger, while MacRae took the win with two walks and a strikeout. Joe Brown (6.1 IP, 9 H, 9 R, 8 ER, 4 BB, K) and Johnnie Jones (8 IP, 9, 4 ER, 6 BB, 3 K) were roughed up, but Donnie Jones was an unlucky loser in our loss in Toronto. It was his third consecutive loss, but he was charged with just 5 hits, 3 runs, and 4 walks with 5 strikeouts. Jones is now an even 4-4, but with a strong 3.36 ERA (119 ERA+) and 1.31 WHIP through 61.2 innings pitched. It's a bit surprising our staff ranks 3rd in runs against, not first, but we're allowing too many home runs, as we rank first (or tied) four of the major pitching categories. Our offense remains ice cold, as it seems like no one other then Billy Hunter can produce. And this week, it is actually meant literally. He was the only player with a weekly OPS+ above 80. 80! Granted, his was 223 (and to be fair Charlie Kelsey is at 441 as he singled in his only at bat), as the somehow still healthy utility man was 5-for-11 with a run, 2 doubles, 3 RBIs, and 4 walks. Jim Jenkins was at 80, but that's all 1-for-3 with a single will do for you. Hal Sharp slumped, just 6-for-24, but at least he homered! Last week he was leading FABL in batting average, but he's now dropped to .356, percentage points below Freddie Jones, who is second behind the Saints Charlie Woodbury (.368). Leo Mitchell is ice cold, just 7-for-24 this week, all singles and no walks, as he's hitting just .303/.333/.375 (91 OPS+) on the season. You think at some point we'd start scoring runs, but we're 6th in the CA (169) and rank top three in just average (.274, 3rd), steals (1st, 22), and base running (1st, +8.2). This cannot continue, as these dreadful results may once again keep us out of the postseason. There is a little transactional news, as the Foresters returned veteran outfielder Reginald Westfall, who they selected from us in the Rule-5 draft. Westfall hit about as well as our bats have, hitting just .220/.339/.320 (72 OPS+) with 2 doubles, a homer, and 4 RBIs in 59 trips to the plate. Obviously that's not what Cleveland wanted, and they have been employing former Kings Orie Martinez (.223, 3, 20) and Bill Sikorski (.303, 3, 10) in the corners instead. Westfall will now report to Milwaukee, where he'll likely keep the bench warm for the rest of the season. Looking Ahead Off to start the week, and then our short homestand is quickly ended. We'll use the day off to head to Montreal for three with the Saints. After a hot start, Montreal has cooled significantly, 8-16 in May and 17-22 on the season. They're nine out of first and a game and a half above the Foresters (17-25), so we really need a sweep in the worst way. If anything can help our offense, its a bottom two staff, and we may get struggling southpaw Wally Doyle. A guy with all the talent, but no results, Doyle has imploded week in and week out, 0-6 with a 7.13 ERA (58 ERA+) and 1.94 WHIP in 53 innings. "The Waco Kid" has always shown tremendous stuff, but the command is never there, as he's led the league in walks in each of his last three seasons, and his 5.4 BB/9 is the highest of his career. What's worse is the homerun ball, as he's already allowed 7 in 53 innings, for a whopping 1.2 HR/9 that's higher then even Duke Bybee's! Even worse, Bert Cupid (3-5, 4.26, 26) has taken a step back and Wally Reif (5-2, 6.44, 29) has taken a lunge back. Only Andy Lyon (2-0, 2.31, 13), who's made three starts after Gordie Irwin's (0-1, 7.08, 6) banishment has been any good, and since Lyon pitched yesterday, we'll miss him. Their offense is much better, as they've hit a CA best .287 and scored the third most runs (189) in the association. I mentioned Charlie Woodbury (.368, 1, 26) is leading the batting race after Hal Sharp's drop off, but Bill Greene (.298, 3, 22, 5) has really heated up and Red Bond (.285, 8, 30) is slugging at a 30 homer pace. 22-year-old catcher Jack Spahr (.323, 9) has been a pleasant surprise in the eight hole, and Bert Lass (.317, 2, 20) is back to hitting above average like he's done in all but one season of his career. There are some holes, but I expect 25-year-old third basemen Luke Weaver (.248, 3, 18) to pick it up, as he puts the ball in play a ton and has solid power. Even if he doesn't, he's a stellar defender, and should be a building block for future Saints teams. The Saints have and seem to always play us well, but these are the series we need to win if we want to claw our way back into a pennant race. The road trip is a quick one, as it ends with three games in two days with the Kings. I'm sticking with our five man rotation, as George Oddo (1-3, 6.28, 28) is getting pummeled in AAA due to an absurd and clearly unsustainable 2.3 HR/9, as he's allowed a homer in all but one of his six starts, including two or more in four of them. Plus with the off day to start the week, we'll be a bit more rested then usual. The Kings have been the surprise of the CA, sitting at 21-20 and a game ahead of us for third. 22-year-old future star Ralph Johnson has defied all of Kings County Park logic, launching 11 homers in 39 games despite playing half his games in a park that surprises power. The now graduated third ranked prospect has slashed an elite .286/.415/.543 (149 OPS+) with 30 walks and 36 RBIs as he looks to be the second King in as many years to take home the Kellogg Award. He pretty much carries the lineup, but Brooklyn has gotten a lot of production from his fellow outfielders John Moss (.320, 3, 20) and Juan Pomales (.333, 1, 12, 7; 0-3, 7.11, 6). The rest of the lineup has struggled, but the recently promoted Chuck Collins (.281, 2, 12) has done well and if Billy Bryant (.289, 3, 22) could just draw a walk (3 in 140 PAs), he'd be a well above average hitter. The pitching has been hit hard, as Leo Hayden (1-3, 7.34, 18) hasn't quite shaken off his hamstring strain and more was expected from Buddy Long (4-5, 4.08, 17), while Pomales was quickly removed from the rotation. Leading the way instead has been 31-year-old Johnny Slaney, who is 7-2 with a 2.64 ERA (156 ERA+) and 1.28 WHIP through 9 starts. The Kings have used a variety of guys in the final two spots of the rotation, and normally I'd be confident that our lineup could handle whoever we face. Unfortunately, things have not gone according to plan, and winning in Brooklyn may be tougher then it should. We finish the week back at home, again facing the Wolves for two, but this time in the Windy City. Jerry York (4-1, 2.60, 25) dominated us in their win, just 3 hits, a run, and 2 walks with 7 strikeouts as he continues to impress in year one. Its made up for George Garrison's (2-4, 3.93, 22) slow start, but when the former Allen Winner finally gets things going, the 1-2-3 of him, Joe Hancock (4-1, 1.99, 17) and York will really scare Continental Association lineups. They still aren't hitting much, so if we can just score some runs or get lucky by facing Jimmy Gibbs (1-4, 4.74, 18), we should be able to sweep them out of town. But what should happen this season, hasn't, and we continue to question if the Cougars were ever any good in the first place. Minor League Report 2B Johnny Carlisle (AA Mobile Commodores): The Cougars farm clubs haven't had the greatest success, and Mobile is no different, but we got a huge week from the versatile Johnny Carlisle. The former 8th Round Pick hit an even 15-for-30 with 3 doubles, 2 walks, and 5 RBIs. It's been an excellent overall season for Carlisle, who's hit .376/.441/.472 (134 OPS+) with 5 doubles, 2 triples, a homer, 3 steals, and 16 RBIs in 145 trips to the plate. Never one of our top prospects, Carlisle always competes and produces, and he provides our system with plenty of value. He's played almost all of his time at second this season, but he's comfortable at all three outfield spots and has time at each infield spot excluding first. At the plate, he can hit to all fields, and his speed allows him to be impactful on the bases. He's exactly what you want in a utility infielder, and he may end up having a long, Tip Harrison like career as a Cougar. LHP Bert Rogers (B San Jose Cougars): Despite a season and a half of struggling in La Crosse, where he went 4-9 with a 5.69 ERA (68 ERA+) and 1.71 WHIP, I made the decision to move former 1st Rounder Bert Rogers up to San Jose to start the season. So far, it has more then paid off. Sure, a four start sample is small, but going 3-1 with a 3.33 ERA (114 ERA+), 1.44 WHIP, 13 walks, and 12 strikeouts. This is a very impressive showing form the 20-year-old Chicagoan, who currently ranks 8th in our system and 56th overall, has always shown plenty of promise, but it's nice to see things starting to come together. The young lefty is a finesse guy, not a power guy, but his fastball is up a mile to 86-88 this season. This should continue to make his slider even better, which is an absolute wipeout pitch against lefty hitters. The change will determine whether he can start in the big leagues, but with the spin and movement he generates on his pitches, I'd bet on it turning into a decent third pitch. The command needs some work, and he's actually walking more guys then last year, but if he can get that solidified, he's going to be a mid-to-top of the rotation starter. With our rotation depth, he was a common name in trade discussions in the offseason, and that could be the case again this summer. If he keeps pitching like this, it will up his value a lot, Rogers could be key to upgrading what has been an anemic batting order thusfar. Cougars in the GWL RHP Bill Anderson (San Diego Conquistadores): He's not having a notable season by any means, but longtime Wolf and Eagle Bill Anderson announced his year that he would be calling it quits at the end of the season. Now 38, Anderson has struggled a bit, allowing 11 hits, 6 runs, and 6 walks with 7 strikeouts in his 11.2 innings, but he was pretty effective for the Conquistadores last season. He made 24 appearances out of the pen and ate 60 innings, working to a 3.30 ERA (102 ERA+) and 1.35 WHIP with 14 walks and 20 strikeouts. This will mark the end of a nine year FABL and two year GWL career for Anderson, who went 92-108 with 20 saves in 340 games (195 starts). His 4.48 ERA (95 ERA+) was slightly below average, but in 1936, Anderson actually led the Fed with a 7.1 WAR in his first season as an Eagle. That was his best as a starter, as Anderson went 22-14 with a 4.48 ERA (107 ERA+), 1.59 WHIP, 77 walks, and 123 strikeouts. He was a reliable starter from 1933 to 1939, but then didn't appear in a major league game until his cup of coffee with us back in 1944. Anderson was superb, tossing ten shutout innings with 6 hits, a walk, and 3 strikeouts. We then moved him and pen mate Cal Knight to the Miners for a 9th Round Pick, and Anderson put up a solid season as their stopper in what would be his final FABL season. Anderson went 7-7 with 16 saves, a 3.01 ERA (117 ERA+), and 1.39 WHIP. While decent enough, it was the last war season, and since he was old and struck out (21) fewer batters then he walked (25), the Miners cut bait in favor of some of their younger arms. All in all, he was worth 27.6 WAR, nothing to sneeze at, and did a good job eating innings wherever he was employed. RHP Cy Sullivan (Oakland Grays): After taking home Pitcher of the Month in April, Cy Sullivan began to slip a bit. He allowed 5 runs in each of his first two starts, and 5 more in his fourth. Part of this was the fault of his defense, as three of those fifteen runs were unearned, but the towering righty looked to get things back on track against the Thunderbirds. Sullivan was firing on all cylinders, allowing just 5 hits while striking out 4 and walking none in a complete game shutout as the Grays came on top 8-0. This improved Cy to 6-3 on the season with a 2.84 ERA (122 ERA+) and 1.12 WHIP. He's struck out (22) twice as many batters as he's walked (11) and he's gone all nine in each of his last four starts, and seven of nine. One of those two was only eight because he lost on the road, and the other he left with one out in the ninth. The former 4th Rounder is on pace for a 240+ inning season after leading the GWL with 277.2 innings last season, and he leads the best rotation in the GWL. Behind him are Hal Siddoway (3-4, 2.71, 32), Jim Hawkins (2-3, 1.94, 15), and Doc Newell (4-1, 2.61, 15), with the first two very unlucky to be under .500. Oakland is five out of first, but their +19 run differential would suggest that they should be winning more games.

06-14-2023, 11:47 PM	#1122
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 7: May 26th-June 1st Weekly Record: 6-1 Seasonal Record: 25-21 (3rd, 2.5 GB) Stars of the Week Hal Sharp : 27 AB, 13 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .481 AVG, 1.252 OPS Skipper Schneider : 23 AB, 11 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI, .478 AVG, 1.326 OPS Leo Mitchell : 26 AB, 7 H, 3 HR, 8 RBI, .269 AVG, 1.163 OPS Schedule 5-27: Win at Saints (3-1) 5-28: Win at Saints (10-1) 5-29: Win at Saints (5-3) 5-30: Win at Kings (6-5) 5-30: Loss at Kings (3-5) 5-31: Win at Kings (5-2) 6-1: Win vs Wolves (4-6) Recap Well now, would you look at that! The Cougars are back! After getting embarrassed on our home turf, we've now won 8 of our last 9, and finished May an impressive 19-11 to cut the deficit to 2.5 games. We are now in third, behind the Cannons (28-19) and Stars (29-20), with the Cannons ever so slightly ahead in terms of winning percentage. The surprise is how we went 5-1 on the road, as we're still just 12-11 in games that aren't in Chicago. We're also now playing at exactly our Pythagorean record, something we almost never do. The bats are starting to wake up, the pitching was great this week, and things are finally starting to look better in the Windy City! Hal Sharp has been good all season long, but this week the sweltering slugger was hitting everything in sight. He went 13-for-27 with 3 doubles, a homer, 5 RBIs, 8 runs, and 4 walks. The homer came in June, but Sharp hit .345/.397/.445 (128 OPS+) in May, which actually dropped his season line to 377/.424/.537 (159 OPS+). He's back on top in the batting title race, and is hitting nearly 20 points better then next best hitter. Skipper has also gotten hot, going 11-for-23 with 2 doubles, 3 walks, 6 RBIs, 9 runs, and rather shockingly, a pair of homers. He didn't have one coming into the week, but the defensive wizard produced a 126 WRC+ in May and is hitting a more then respectable .299/.351/.395 (102 OPS+) while appearing in all 46 of our games. And while Leo Mitchell was just 7-for-26, all seven hits were for extra bases, adding a triple and three doubles and homers. He walked three times, scored five times, and drove in eight to push his OPS+ (102) and WRC+ (107) back over 100. If Mitchell can keep this up, staffs around the league better watch out, as he's one of the most dangerous hitters in the game. Those three didn't get much support this week, but they were so good it made up for the non Ray Fords (5-14, 3B, 2 R, 3 RBI) taking a week off. In a week with so many wins, it makes sense that the pitching did their job, and the Jones Brothers were beyond dominant. Both won both their starts, with Donnie spinning two complete games and Johnnie picking up one and an eight inning win. Both of Donnie's starts were eerily similar, as he allowed 6 hits, a run, and 2 walks with 5 strikeouts in Montreal before allowing 5 hits, 2 runs, and 2 walks with 5 strikeouts in Brooklyn. This snapped his three game losing streak, as he's back up to 6-4 with a 2.94 ERA (135 ERA+) through ten starts. Johnnie's complete game came in our 10-1 throttling of the Saints, where he threw just 93 pitches and allowed 7 hits and a run while striking out 5. The biggest thing was that he didn't walk a single hitter, something he tends to struggle with, and did struggle with, in his second start. He walked six Wolves which took him out after 141 pitches, leaving with 9 hits, 3 runs, and 3 strikeouts. Joe Brown bounced back from his rough start, picking up his 5th win by going 8.1 innings with 7 hits, 3 runs, 5 walks, and 2 strikeouts. Pap ran into some trouble, but our ace still came away with the win. He went just 8 with 7 hits, 5 runs, 5 walks, and 4 strikeouts. The issue for him was the longball, as former teammate Hank Barnett got one off him in the first while Joe Rutherford added another in the second. Both were two run homers, and he fired of five scoreless before allowing the final run in the 9th. Duke Bybee was tagged with the loss, but it wasn't quite his fault, as two of the five runs he allowed were unearned. He followed up the shutout with a more rookie like start, going 7 with 7 hits, 5 walks, and 4 strikeouts. He was also named Rookie of the Month for May, going 4-2 with an impressive 2.76 ERA (144 ERA+) and 0.94 WHIP. Bybee made six starts and threw 49 innings, walking just 12 while striking out 25. Ken Matson heard we were looking for a stopper, and decided that wasn't going to fly with him, as he saved three of our six wins this week. He did okay, throwing 2.2 innings with 3 hits, a run, and 2 strikeouts. That doubled his save total for the year, and he now owns a 2.60 ERA (153 ERA+) and 1.44 WHIP with 14 strikeouts in 17.1 innings pitched. The staff has looked good so far, and we need to keep up this momentum as we look to remain above .500 for the eleventh straight season. The last bit of news comes from Carlos Montes, who decided to be this year's Billy Hunter. Our center fielder will now miss five weeks with an oblique strain, and it comes right of the back of a stretch of three games where he was 5-for-15 with a homer and 5 RBIs. Montes hasn't hit much, just .247/.287/.376 (78 OPS+) in 23 games, but he's always good out in center. This again opens up center field for Don Lee and his 54 WRC+, while the once again DFA'd Max Rucker cleared waivers, and will return to Chicago. I debated bringing up Johnny Peters, but I would much rather prefer adding a glove first outfielder from outside the organization so I can avoid burning one of Peters' options. Whether we can find one or not is another story, but I will be adding some minor league depth that could replace Rucker later on. Looking Ahead Can the winning continue? Let's hope! After roughing Jerry York (4-2, 3.20, 32) up for 8 hits, 6 runs, and 4 walks in just 6.1 innings, we'll look to sweep the Wolves and ace George Garrison (3-4, 3.57, 26) at Cougars Park. With the double header, that means we'll throw Joe Brown (5-2, 3.45, 26) on short rest, something he should have no trouble with (100% rested), and after Pap's start the following day everyone will be back to the normal five day schedule. The Wolves are coming off a solid 17-14 month, but Charlie Artuso (.266, 1, 25, 4) has stopped hitting and they are getting zero production from their 5 through 8 hitters. Hal Wood (.300, 4, 31) and Chink Stickels (.290, 16, 5) have both seen their OPS+ drop below 110, so as long as we can keep Fred McCormick (.324, 8, 23) in check, I really like our chances. Of course, "The Reticent Reaper" is an all time great so this will be no easy task, but Brown has done an excellent job of this in the past, as the former Whitney Winner is just 3-for-21 against the Illinois native. Our lengthy homestand continues with three hosting the Sailors, who have won both their June games rather handily (14-3; 4-0) and have brought their record back above .500 (24-23). Extra base machine Cotton Dillon was dubbed May batter of the month, as he slashed .364/.457/.670 (191 OPS+) and followed that up with a 3-for-6 with 3 walks, 3 runs, and an RBI in their double header sweep over the Kings. The 28-year-old got off to a slow start, but is hitting an outstanding .329/.415/.548 (150 OPS+) on the season with 11 doubles, 6 triples, 3 homers, 28 runs, and 31 RBIs while sporting an elite 23-to-6 walk-to-strikeout ratio. He's doing most of the run producing, as the Sailors rank 7th in runs scored, trailing only the Foresters. Luckily, Ed Reyes (.310, 1, 17) is back over .300 and his WRC+ is sitting at 110. He's one of the few positives there, as Rip Lee (.287, 18, 2) and Les Cunha (.233, 2, 24) have yet to get it going. The pitching, however, has been impressive, as they've allowed the fewest runs in the association. David Molina (4-1, 9, 2.15, 28) has been huge out of the pen and the top three of Win Lewis (5-4, 3.08, 29), Slick Wesolowski (5-4, 3.44, 32), and Al Duster (3-3, 3.83, 21) have been great. They could go with a six man after the double header, but we'll for sure miss Duster (he's on for the finale) and will miss at least one of Lewis and Wesolowski. This is a huge break for us, as I'm not too scared of John Thomas Johnson (1-0, 1, 2.55, 13) and Art Hull (0-1, 47.25, 1). We need to take advantage of the back-end of their rotation, and our staff should do a good job keeping them off the board. Our weekend will be both exciting and challenging, as we get to host the first place Cannons Friday-Saturday-Sunday in a crucial early year series. This could determine first place at the end of the week, and if we want to be taken seriously, wins here are a must. Cincinnati is dealing with some lingering injuries, as star third basemen Denny Andrews (.351, 5, 27) is fighting back spasms and Fred Galloway (.247, 1, 8) is out with an oblique strain. Galloway going down opened up a spot for Al Wheeler (.404, 3, 16), who quickly responded with a Player of the Week award. He hadn't started a game yet, but in eight starts the 39-year-old slashed .471/.571/.704 (234 OPS+) with a double, 2 of his homers, 10 of his RBIs, and 8 walks to just 2 strikeouts. He's given a jolt to a lineup that has seen struggles from Chuck Adams (.258, 4, 22), Gail Gifford (.248, 3, 17, 2), Charley McCullough (.244, 6), and Jim Hensley (.281, 1, 14) while the expected regression has started to hit Red Hampton (5-4, 3.80, 9) and Les Bradshaw (5-3, 4.00, 26). Hampton has allowed 6 or more runs in each of his last three starts while Bradshaw has done the same in three of four. I'd love to continue the Cannons skid, but they're still a good team filled with crafty vets, who can still preform admirably on the biggest stage. Minor League Report RHP Babe Stinson (AAA Milwaukee Blues): I was a little worried when I started 22-year-old Babe Stinson at AAA, and while he's been overall good, it's been a very strange season for the righty. In five of his seven starts he's allowed one or fewer earned runs. Those other two? 8 and 5 (9 total). It's been a rollercoaster ride for the former 4th Rounder, who had just 6 starts in AA prior to this season, and they didn't look so good. He went 2-4 with a 4.93 ERA (70 ERA+) and 1.86 WHIP with more walks (28) then strikeouts (16). Stinson still walks too many hitters, allowing 34 free passes compared to just 21 strikeouts, but his 3.24 ERA (151 ERA+) and 1.56 WHIP are very impressive. It may be a small sample still, but his stuff has looked good when he's able to locate it. A five pitch pitcher, he's still refining his pitches, and as a junk guy who's cutter can only graze 86, he's going to need some reliable out pitches. His change is a wipeout pitch, when he can command it, but the other four are just average at best. He's got some work to do, but with more polish, he could be a useful back of the rotation arm. RF Jimmy Hairston (AA Mobile Commodores): No Monthly Awards in the farm, but former 4th Rounder Jimmy Hairston took home Player of the Week in the Dixie League. The 22-year-old outfielder hit an even 16-for-32 with 3 doubles, a homer, and 12 RBIs. He's now hitting a robust .370/.409/.556 (144 OPS+) in 19 games for the Commodores. He didn't start in Mobile, as Hairston's first 17 games came in Lincoln. If you can believe it, he was even better there, slashing an elite .357/.378/.629 (174 OPS+). Between the two levels, Hairston has already accumulated two wins above replacement, along with 7 doubles, 3 triples, 7 homers, and 37 RBIs in 162 trips to the plate. Eligible for the Rule-5 draft in the offseason, a big season from Hairston is huge, as the young outfielder has taken his time climbing the ladder, and entered the season with just 57 games in A ball. He's shown plenty of promise, showcasing an excellent hit tool while displaying competent plate discipline as well. He hasn't walked all that much so far, just 9 compared to 23 strikeouts, but last year he drew 56 with 68 punch outs. Our outfield situation is rather crowded, especially since he's limited to a corner, but he's just barely outside our top teen prospects now that Bybee graduated. He's sitting at 11 and 109 respectively, in both cases just one spot behind Mike Bordes. I really like this kids bat, and while he still has was to go, the tools are in place for a reliable #2 hitter. Attached Images Last edited by ayaghmour2; 06-14-2023 at 11:53 PM. Reason: I'm going to be super busy tomorrow, may be the rare day without a Cougar post when we have a sim

06-15-2023, 07:37 PM	#1123
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 8: June 2nd-June 8th Weekly Record: 2-5 Seasonal Record: 27-26 (3rd, 5 GB) Stars of the Week Hal Sharp : 28 AB, 9 H, 2 HR, 4 RBI, .321 AVG, .857 OPS Billy Hunter : 17 AB, 6 H, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .353 AVG, .950 OPS Ken Matson : 1 Win, 0.1 IP, 1 BB, 0 K, 0.00 ERA Schedule 6-2: Loss vs Wolves (8-2) 6-3: Loss vs Sailors (4-3) 6-4: Loss vs Sailors (4-2) 6-5: Win vs Sailors (3-5) 6-6: Win vs Cannons (0-1): 11 innings 6-7: Loss vs Cannons (2-0) 6-8: Loss vs Cannons (2-1) Recap And just like that, we're back to being bad! Yay! The Cougars seem to be sleepwalking through the season, as quite literally nothing has been all that exciting about this team. I mean, you know its bad when one of your "Top Performers" of the week got one out and a win. Sure, Hal Sharp and Billy Hunter are looking great, but that's pretty much the entirety of the offense, as we continue to struggle scoring runs. We let the Wolves crush us and then barely scored against the Sailors and Cannons. When you hold the first place team to four runs in three games, you expect to win, but we got just two runs total, one on Rufus (4-4, 3.22, 50), one on Red Hampton (6-5, 4.09, 12), and none on Bob Arman (5-3, 3.87, 37), the certified Cougar killer who managed to win a start with 8 walks and 1 strikeout. The inconsistency has been infuriating, and it's making me consider a small retool. The only issue is all the bats are struggling, and our pitchers aren't available. So who could we move? Clark Car (.222, 1, 2, 4)? He's having his worst season, well, ever... Dick Walker (.215, 5, 3)? Who wants a struggling 40-year-old? Harry Mead (.224, 4, 20)? Soon-to-be 33-year-olds having their worst full season don't bring many much excitement... So are we stuck? Do we add? Do we stay put? These aren't the type of questions I expected to ask myself this season... At least we have Hal Sharp, who I guess could contend for a Whitney. It was a "down" week for him, but 9-for-28 with 2 homers and 4 RBIs is still an excellent week. This dropped his season line slightly to .368/.410/.537 (156 OPS+) with 11 doubles, 7 homers, and 29 RBIs while being worth exactly 2 WAR despite his poor defense. He's two RBIs away from the team triple crown, and he paces all FABL hitters in average. The second base duo looked good, with Hunter and Car the only guys who got regular time to hit well. Hunter went 6-for-17 with a solo homer while Car was 4-for-14 with a triple and solo homer. Hunter got a game in center with Montes hurt, and he actually looked pretty good out there. In his two starts he fielded all four of his routine balls, the only chances he had. Since Don Lee went 4-for-24 (at least he swiped three bags), more time in center will open for Hunter, giving Car some more time at the keystone. We need Leo Mitchell (5-24, HR, 2 RBI) to finally wake up as the offense just can't get anything going. We're now 6th in runs scored (221) and dead last in extra base hits (118). I'm not sure what's wrong with the lineup, but something has to change. Joe Brown was roughed up by the Wolves on short rest (guess he couldn't handle it...), but bounced back quickly in a tough loss to the Cannons. The Wolves got 9 hits, 7 runs, and 2 walks with just 2 strikeouts in 6.1 innings while Brown went all nine against the Cannons. He allowed just 7 hits, 2 runs, and a walk with 2 strikeouts, with a Chuck Adams (.266, 5, 24) two run shot the only offensive output in the game. Pete Papenfus made a pair of starts as well, but he's still struggling to strike guys out. He went all nine in both starts, but again walked (9) more guys then he struck out (7). He also lost both starts, with 10 hits and 4 runs against the Sailors and 11 hits and 2 runs against the Cannons. His K/9 is back below 5 (4.8) and he's on pace for a career high of 17 home runs allowed. It feels so weird to see him struggle like this, but part of that is due to his sky high talent. Most guys would kill for a 3.56 ERA (110 ERA+), but for Pap it feels so underwhelming. If he can find the zone more, he'll be fine, but it's just another thing that isn't going right for us in this frustrating season. The Jones Brothers are red hot, and poor Johnnie was robbed of a win. He had a shutout, but we couldn't score, he then completed the tenth. Still nothing. And finally he left with two outs in the 11th. He allowed just 6 hits and walks with 4 strikeouts to lower his season ERA to 3.29 ERA (119 ERA+). Ken Matson got that final out (after a walk), picking up his first win of the season. Donnie picked up a complete game win over the Sailors, allowing 6 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), and 3 walks with 6 strikeouts. He's been our best pitcher by a wide margin, now 7-4 with a 2.84 ERA (137 ERA+), 1.18 WHIP, 33 walks, and 49 strikeouts. If we got this production from his last season, I think we're celebrating a championship and unphased by the slow start, but instead, we're searching for answers. It's crazy that a team where their "worst" rotation member(s) (Johnnie and Duke) still sport a 3.77 ERA (103 ERA+), but they still manage to lose just as often as they win. Fun stuff! Looking Ahead We finish off our homestand with three with the Foresters, who are hot coming off a win against the Stars (25-30) and a sweep of the Kings (25-30). They are doing their best to stay out of the cellar, 24-31 and a game above the Saints who have lost the same amount of games but capture two fewer victories. They are one of the two offenses to score fewer runs, ranked dead last with 208, and they are 7th in runs allowed. We're stuck with their top three, the ultimate sophomore slumper Richie Hughes (2-8, 5.94, 37), the "vet" of the staff Ducky Davis (4-6, 3.09, 23), and a second sophomore in Augie Hayes Jr. (4-6, 4.18, 29). On paper, we'll have the pitching advantage, but I'm sure Richie Hughes will figure things out for our series and we won't be able to muster much offense off the other two. Luckily, the lineup can be managed well, as Paul Porter (.307, 16, 4) is the only bat with more then 150 PAs that has an above average OPS+ (102) and WRC+ (111). They have gotten some production from Lorenzo Samuels, who has hit .389/.478/.593 (180) in a part time role, and the red hot first basemen hits against righties, displacing top 100 prospect Ivey Henley (.250, 1, 12), but "The Cuyahoga Crusher" is being aided by a crazy .367 BABIP and his season is just 67 PAs. Utilityman Constantine Peters was 0-for-11 against the Kings, but has since hit .395/.447/.512 (151 OPS+) in 47 PAs as a Forester. We'll see an interesting, rag-tag group of guys in this series, but I expect to throw at least one, if not more, of the games. We're now just 15-15 at home, and I can't tell you the last time the Cougars finished this poorly in Chicago, so my expectations are very tempered. We're then off to lick our wounds before heading off on a road trip that starts in Toronto. The Wolves are just a game and a half behind us, sitting at 26-28 so far. Fred McCormick almost has more homers then the rest of the lineup combined, as his 10 are one short of the remaining seven hitters in the lineup. He also accounts for most of the production, slashing an elite .333/.430/.595 (167 OPS+) with 12 doubles, 10 homers, 32 RBIs, and 30 walks in his first 49 games. The worst part is we struggled to hit Cookie Myers (3-1, 2.68, 17), who is doing what he tends to; start off strong before tailing off after the All-Star break. We'll likely miss him, but are again stuck with a teams 1-2-3, and George Garrison (3-5, 3.62, 33), Joe Hancock (5-2, 2.96, 22), and Jimmy Gibbs (2-4, 3.88, 22) won't be easy for our anemic offense. I'm worried that in the spacious dominion stadium, we'll be just as bad getting hits, but our outfield defense will be greatly tested. No Carlos Montes hurts, as Lee and Hunter aren't nearly as good as him. I may have to throw Ray Struble in for a game, but he's hitting just .235/.316/.294 (67 OPS+) in his 19 PAs. I'm fully prepared for an 0-6 week, so at least anything better will be welcomed! During the first game of the Wolves' series, the draft pool will be officially published, so we'll get to see just how good our draftees did in their final seasons. And more importantly, how much they're going to want to sign with us. I'll do Amateur Reports in the coming sims before the draft to cover how our guys are looking. Dixie Marsh has been rather consistent with his draft list rankings, as he's kept our first two picks Jerry Smith and Garland Phelps at 4th and 10th respectively. I'm a little scared one of these two, or Dudley Sapp, will be extremely tough to sign, but we have a large draft budget (65,910) and about $85,000 to spare with our budget. I'd like to keep as much as that as possible if we need to make an upgrade, but some of these guys are more then worth ponying up extra cash for. Minor League Report SS Bob Stout (A Lincoln Legislators): He's had a green arrow for a while now, and I decided to rearrange my infield in Lincoln and Mobile to get Stout playing against tougher competition. A 6th Rounder last season, the 22-year-old hit .250/.392/.391 (115 OPS+) in 159 trips to the plate. His defense has been impressive at short as well, producing a 3.1 zone rating and 1.097 efficiency in 320 innings. Stout isn't a contact oriented hitter, but he has drawn 29 walks in 159 trips to the plate. Sure, 30 strikeouts are a lot, but he's added 6 doubles, 3 triples, 2 homers, 5 steals, 25 runs, and 13 RBIs. The glove is probably his best asset, but it's been interesting watching his approach at the plate develop. He has great command of the strike zone and the speed to make a difference on the bases. If he could add any bit of power, or just cut down the strikeouts, he could be a very tough out and a guy to help keep a rally going. We don't have many shortstop prospects, so despite being 19th in our system he's the highest rated of the bunch. Granted, 19th in our system is still top 200 in the league (187th), and since we weren't able to get Irv Clifford, Stout seems likely to remain our top ranked shortstop. It will be interesting to see how he takes to the tougher competition, but he's very advanced for someone with as little experience as him. LHP Bert Rogers (B San Jose Cougars): Turns out Bert Rogers was ready for Class B! I should have known the guy with a 3.51 FIP (82 FIP-) was far better then the guy who displayed a 6.10 ERA (70 ERA+), and that's exactly what Rogers has shown so far. After a beautiful 8-hit, 6-strikeout shutout of the Fresno Falcons, Rogers improved to 5-1 on the season with an impressive 2.42 ERA (156 ERA+) and 1.28 WHIP. In 44.2 innings he has struck out 23 and walked 18, and his 3.03 FIP (80 FIP-) is even better then it was last season. Even better, he's shown the ability to pitch deep into games, topping 115 pitches in three starts prior to this one, as just 111 were needed in the shutout. It's hard to find a flaw in the 52nd ranked prospects season so far, but he could improve on his 1.3 K/BB. Considering he's not allowing many hits and has a groundball percentage of 50, it's something you can live with, and he's yet to allow a single homer. I'd like to see him add a little velocity to his fastball, but as a finesse guy it is not a must. His slider is looking really good and he has tremendous confidence in all his pitches. When he's on the mound, he knows he can get guys out, and its nice that the results are finally coming. Dixie isn't his biggest fan, but I think Rogers has the tools to comfortably fit in the middle of a big league rotation. And I bet the Chicago kid would love to pitch for his hometown team. LF Clyde Parker (B San Jose Cougars): June 4th was a day to remember for Clyde Parker, who went 3-for-4 with a walk, triple, 2 homers, and 6 RBIs. It's about as good of a game as you can have, and it helped him hit an impressive .300/.462/.750 (238 OPS+) for the week. Surprisingly, not good enough for Player of the Week, but it upped his season line to .266/.336/.469 (125 OPS+) in 143 trips to the plate. A bat first guy with a great hit tool, his batting average is surprising, but he's been making the most of his at bats. Those two homers were Parker's first of the year, but he's totaled 8 doubles and 6 triples, putting him on a 28 and 21 pace for 120 games. Just 20, the former 7th Rounder has put up strong minor league numbers and if he can hit some more homers, he could be a Hal Sharp/Leo Mitchell type hitter. Currently ranked 20th in our system, Parker ranks just inside the top 200 (194th) and profiles as more of a bench bat. His work ethic could push him past that, and I think the game doesn't give his batting profile enough credit. He's a line drive hitter who should eventually control his whiffs, although he's a very raw project. He's an interesting guy to keep an eye on, but bat-first corner outfielders need to truly excel to be given a chance.

06-16-2023, 02:00 PM	#1124
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 9: June 9th-June 15th Weekly Record: 4-2 Seasonal Record: 31-28 (3rd, 3.5 GB) Stars of the Week Donnie Jones : 2 Wins, 18.0 IP, 4 BB, 13 K, 0.00 ERA Hal Sharp : 19 AB, 7 H, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .368 AVG, 1.053 OPS Johnnie Jones : 1 Win, 9.0 IP, 3 BB, 6 K, 0.00 ERA Schedule 6-9: Loss vs Foresters (8-7) 6-10: Win vs Foresters (0-8) 6-11: Win vs Foresters (0-1) 6-13: Loss at Wolves (0-3) 6-14: Win at Wolves (8-2) 6-15: Win at Wolves (2-0) Recap There was plenty of good this week, as we took two of three from both the Foresters and Wolves, but I have to shoutout the Jones Brothers. Donnie and Johnnie have been remarkable, and the duo dominated this week and last. Donnie threw not one, but two shutouts, giving him the clear Player of the Week nod. Both were impressive, as he tossed a 4-hitter against the Foresters and a 7-hitter against the Wolves. He struck out more in Chicago, setting down 7 Foresters, but he also walked 4, while he struck out 6 in Toronto without walking a batter. Donnie now ranks 2nd in the CA in ERA (2.36), tied for first in wins (9), and first in strikeouts (62). Yes, Donnie has struck out more bats then Pap! His 5.2 K/9 and 1.12 WHIP are best, although more surprisingly Duke Bybee (1.19) is third and Joe Brown (1.23) is fifth! He has thrown 22.2 consecutive scoreless innings, but that's actually shorter then his older brother's streak. Johnnie didn't throw two shutouts, but he was a hit away from a no-no, and has yet to allow a run in 24.1 consecutive innings. After having no luck winning games last year (10-14 despite a 2.64 ERA), the lefty is now 5-2 with a 2.95 ERA (133 ERA+) and 40 strikeouts in 88.1 innings. These two have been dominant nearly all season, which has more then made up for Pap's slow start. Pap was tagged with another loss, dropping to 5-7 as we were shutout by George Garrison. The fireballer went 8 and allowed 10 hits, 3 runs, and 4 walks with 5 strikeouts, and he's now lost three straight despite allowing 4 or fewer runs in each start. Things just haven't clicked for the fireballer, who seems very unlikely to win his third (at least in terms of full Peter the Heater seasons) consecutive Allen Award. His 3.54 ERA (111 ERA+) is still good for a regular pitcher, but we all know he's anything but. It will be interesting to see if he misses the All-Star game this year, as there have been plenty of stronger performances even on his own club. Joe Brown isn't one of them, but his start clearly was, as he earned a complete game win with 8 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 7 strikeouts to improve to 6-4 on the season. Duke Bybee had a tough 6th inning that ruined his night, as the Foresters plated six on the young lefty, and even more painfully, they all came with two outs. His ERA is back over 4 (4.11), but there's plenty of bad luck involved, as he doesn't really allow guys to reach base. Despite allowing a home run, he did prevent longballs in four straight starts, and the start was his fifth with one or fewer walks. FIP (3.56, 90) likes what he's done, and I'm very confident the final marks will favor our talented youngster. Despite the four wins, the lineup didn't really do much. Of course, that never includes Hal Sharp, may be the best hitter in the league. Sharp went 7-for-19 with a double, triple, and homer, now hitting a robust .368/.406/.550 (159 OPS+) in 225 trips to the plate. He leads us in nearly all stats, including the entire triple slash, homers (8), hits (77), runs (34), doubles (12), WPA (1.54), and wOBA (.433). Ray Ford stopped his cold streak, going 4-for-9 with 2 doubles, a homer, 4 runs, and 4 RBIs. Clark Car continued to heat up, 3-for-9 with a double and two walks. Unfortunately Leo Mitchell, Harry Mead, and Dick Walker haven't had much success, and the trio went just 9-for-53, striking out 11 times. Mitchell at least had a double and triple, but he sports an uncharacteristically low .282/.322/.419 (101 OPS+) batting line in 245 trips to the plate. The only time he had a sample of that size and such a low line was way back in 1935 where he hit .316/.376/.399 (108 OPS+) in 250 PAs. In his nine seasons with 450 or more PAs, he never produced an OPS+ below 130. He's in uncharted waters right now, but I have complete faith in our talented slugger. With Mead's struggles, we're bringing up Eddie Howard to make his major league debut. They'll split time for now, as the #28 prospect will probably play every third game. Our former 2nd Rounder was hitting .347/.423/.443 (117 OPS+) with 11 doubles, a triple, a homer, and 20 RBIs. He's sported a 20-to-7 walk-to-strikeout rate at the plate, and actually struck out (26) more hitters then he walked (25). The pitching was solid, as he was 4-3 with a 4.02 ERA (118 ERA+) and 1.49 WHIP in his eight starts. He won't start on the mound for us, but when he's not catching he could mop up an inning or two. He'll likely debut on Tuesday against the Cannons, and I expect him to start every third game or so. Heading down to Milwaukee is Homer Guthrie, who hit just .192/.382/.231 (70 OPS+) in 34 trips to the plate. If all goes well, Howard will be done with the minors, and if he starts hot, he could take the starting job outright. I'll dive more deeply into it later, but the mock draft was published and they really loved the Cougars draft class. 1st Rounder Jerry Smith checks in at #1 while 2nd Rounder Garland Phelps is listed at #4. No more representatives in the first, but 3rd Rounder Dudley Sapp leads off the second round and somewhat surprisingly 5th Rounder Buddy Jenkins joins him at 12th in the second. 4th Rounder Roy Gass checks in at 3.5, rounding out what could be another very deep class. I didn't expect any of our arms to show up, the mock tends to avoid them and neither were truly top-of-the line arms, but bats were the focus and the early signs point to plenty of hits. Looking Ahead It's make or break time! We'll look to keep up our momentum with a very tough four game series against the Cannons in Cincinnati. At 35-25, they are still ever-so-slightly leading the Continental Association by run differential, with the Stars having one more win and loss. Fred Galloway (.247, 1, 8) could be on his way back, but it would be very tough to imagine Al Wheeler (.344, 3, 18, 2) returning to the bench, likely leaving Gail Gifford (.274, 3, 24, 3) without an everyday spot in the lineup. That's not the only change, as shortstop Charlie Rivera (.303, 4, 26, 2) has taken the job at the keystone, with Chuck Adams (.249, 6, 28) now leading the order instead of Charley McCullough (.229, 6), who hasn't done much other then draw a ton of walks. The lineup is looking better, which can make up for the pitching staff starting to falter. Once again we'll get a teams top three, as well as #4 starter Charlie Griffith (7-3, 4.53, 34). As always, I'm worried about Rufus Barrell (5-4, 3.10, 52), but even our lineup should be able to do some damage against Bob Arman (6-3, 3.63, 42) and Red Hampton (6-6, 4.33, 12). They're lucky they get to miss Donnie Jones (9-4, 2.36, 62), but other then Bybee (4-5, 4.11, 42) vs. Barrell the matchups tilt heavily in our favor. But considering we're on the road, it may not be enough, as the Cannons are 15-8 at the new Tice Memorial Stadium and they've won 5 of our 8 contests so far. Technically if we sweep, we could end up in first place, but I'd consider a split a huge victory, as we can't let them gain ground over us. We're off after that, and will head to nearby Forester Stadium for a weekend series with Cleveland. They're now tied with the Kings for six, eight games behind the Stars and Cannons. It's a double header on Sunday after the opener on Saturday, but since we're off again to start next week we won't have to worry about ruining our rotation. I mentioned Davey Morris, who is having a tremendous rookie season despite just 22 AA starts prior to the season. He's started 8 games and relieved 5, going 3-2 with 2 saves, a 2.29 ERA (177 ERA+), 1.54 WHIP, 41 walks, and 31 strikeouts in 66.2 innings. 23 later this month, he could be a legit piece to build around, but I don't envision him finishing the season with the ERA crown. Richie Hughes (3-9, 5.83, 42) did end up beating us, but he was not very good, allowing 8 hits, 7 runs, and 5 walks with 4 strikeouts in an 8 inning victory. Lorenzo Samuels (.377, 4, 14) has stayed hot, but since he dealt with lefties he only started against Donnie, where he was 0-for-2 with a pair of walks. Especially if we slip up against the Cannons, these are must win games, and I think by time this week ends, we'll be in striking distance of the top spot in the association. Amateur Report 1st Round, 5th Overall: CF Jerry Smith School: Jackson Generals Commit School: Utah A&M Aggies 1947: .523/.589/.1.205, 107 PA, 16 2B, 4 3B, 12 HR, 35 RBI, 34 SB Career: .523/.586/.1.143, 314 PA, 41 2B, 13 3B, 31 HR, 102 RBI, 72 SB He's number one! He's number one!!! HE'S NUMBER ONEEEEE!!!!!!! For some reason, there is no consistency in the Mock Draft, but in my copy of the game, OSA predicts that Jerry Smith would have been the #1 pick! Instead, we got him at five, and the hopeful superstar had an outstanding senior season. He won't become an Aggie after leading all high school draft eligible players with a 1.205 slugging and 1.793 OPS and his 12 homers were tied for first with #4 pick Jim Morrison. The hardworking outfielder slashed an elite .523/.589/.1.205 as a senior, setting personal bests for homers and doubles (16), as well as steals, OBP, slugging, OPS, and WAR (3.5). Simply put, this kid looks elite, and I'm not sure I can find a weakness here. His 15-to-4 walk-to-strikeout ratio this season was impressive, and its now 43-to-14 for his prep career. He has power, speed, and can hit for a high average, but the only real question mark is defense. With his speed you'd expect him to be effective out there, but even if its not, he'll more then make up for it with the bat. I'm curious to see how high he ranks in the prospect lists, but I'm pretty sure he'll eclipse 26th ranked prospect Johnny Peters. Smith is still young, but he looks to be pretty well developed, and he could be the first real offensive star we've developed in a while. 2nd Round, 21st Overall: C Garland Phelps School: Sheffield Fightin' Irish Commit School: Pittsburgh State Finches 1947: .544/.615/.845, 125 PA, 12 2B, 2 3B, 5 HR, 39 RBI, 8 SB Career: .547/.621/.860, 326 PA, 29 2B, 3 3B, 16 HR, 99 RBI, 15 SB He's not impossible to sign, but $31,000 is going to put a huge dent in our pocketbook. He doesn't have the power of Smith, but both finished their high school careers with their third .500+ season. "Einstein" did have a personal low triple slash of .544/.615/.845, but that's still an excellent line, and even more so for a catcher. He did set bests for doubles and triples, as well as hits (56), walks (17), and WAR (3.1). He's got the potential to be a perennial All-Star, and even though we have Eddie Howard, Phelps seems to have even higher of a ceiling. He'll contend for batting titles, hit a few homers, and draw a ton of walks. He's got plenty of raw power, which he could eventually turn into home run power, and he's going to be a very tough out each time. The only question will be the defense, as I'm not sure he's ever going to be great at it. Like Smith, just passable is good enough, as the bat is going to carry him his whole career. He's super young, 18 in August, so it's going to take a long time for him to be big league ready. I'm super excited to see how he can do, and I can't wait until we can get him signed. With the weekend coming up I might release a few Amateur Reports as we have ten rounds instead of the usual eight, and as usual, we have plenty of extra picks. A lot of exciting bats will be joining the roster, which could maintain our spot (3rd) in the prospect ranks. Last edited by ayaghmour2; 06-16-2023 at 02:05 PM.

06-16-2023, 06:43 PM	#1125
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Amateur Report Had some extra time today, so here's a double dose of Cougars baseball! Well, in this case Cougar prospects, as I think I may get a few more of these out before we resume play on Monday. 3rd Round, 45th Overall: 1B Dudley Sapp School: Union City Bulldogs Commit School: Carolina Poly Cardinals 1947: .474/.557/.874, 115 PA, 7 2B, 2 3B, 9 HR, 36 RBI, SB Career: .485/.564/.848, 458 PA, 31 2B, 6 3B, 31 HR, 136 RBI, 19 SB A rare early round first basemen, Dudley Sapp didn't have the best end to his four year career at Union City, setting lows in average and on-base percentage. Granted, a .474/.557/.874 batting line is pretty impressive, and when it comes with 9 homers and four times as many walks (12) as strikeouts (3), it's more then acceptable. It was enough to earn him a spot on the mock as well, listed as the first player to go in the second round. The towering Jersey native has tremendous power due to his size and strength, and can absolutely knock the stuffing out of pitches that are left in the heart of the plate. On top of that he'll make consistent contact, and while maybe not at the level of a .300 hitter, he's not going to be one of those guys that hovers around .250. There are some concerns about his work ethic, but all the physical tools are in place to develop a truly gifted hitter. 19 in September, he seems a bit ahead of most prep prospects, and considering we have just one (23, 234: Cal Rice) first basemen prospect in our top 50, there's really going to be no one in his way. Ray Ford and Dick Walker are old enough where they won't block him, with the only potential obstacle an aging Leo Mitchell or a converted Otto Christian. Mitchell may have been the last legitimate first base prospect we had (Ford came up as a second basemen, if you can believe it), so it will be interesting to see the trajectory Sapp's career takes, and if it will even be as a Cougar. 4th Round, 61st Overall: LHP Mike Emerson School: Jamesville Bullets Commit School: College of Cairo Pharaohs 1947: 11-0, 116 IP, 1.09 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 31 BB, 184 K Career: 40-1, 431.2 IP, 1.13 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 98 BB, 615 K This may not have been the best pick (he ranks 27th on Dixie Marsh's pitcher list), but as I mentioned on draft day, there weren't many exciting pitchers, and other then like Les Ledbetter, there weren't many guys as successful as Mike Emerson. He followed up his 11-0 season as a junior with a matching record as a senior, finishing his four year career 40-1. His lone loss came as a sophomore, which was the only season he had an ERA above 1.10. And while his senior year was very similar to his junior year, there was one big difference; he was striking out way more batters. After 150 strikeouts in 116.2 innings, he struck out 184 this season while getting two less overall outs, increasing his K/9 from 11.6 to an outstanding 14.3. This topped his previous high of 13.9 as a freshman, and I'm curious if he was throwing a bit harder this season. Dixie still has him in the 85-87 range, but that could also mean an improvement in his pitches. He throws four, with the change projected to be the best, and his cutter the main offering. It's not the greatest pitch, but Emerson isn't really a stuff guy. He gets weak contact and has hitters roll over his pitches, so command will be key. If he can keep the walks down, he could be a solid back-end guy. But if he leaves too many pitches in the heart of the plate, he'll be lucky to be trusted for anything more then a mop up role. Like all prep pitchers, the risk is extreme, but he's definitely worth developing and he could surprise with some solid coaching. 4th Round, 64th Overall: SS Roy Gass School: Council Grove Braves Commit School: Oklahoma City State Wranglers 1947: .437/.557/.641, 134 PA, 6 2B, 6 3B, HR, 28 RBI, 14 SB Career: .445/.549/.701, 455 PA, 27 2B, 20 3B, 8 HR, 106 RBI, 80 SB I was hoping for a big season from the Topeka native, but unfortunately for him, Roy Gass did not perform well in his fourth and final season for the Braves. 18 in August, Gass saw all three triple slash categories decline from the following season, with less doubles, homers, and steals and more strikeouts. Granted, going from 5 strikeouts to 6 isn't too bad, but combined with everything else, it was somewhat concerning. He did walk (20 to 25) at a higher rate and his 2.2 WAR was good for second of four, but part of that could have been from playing 26 games with a previous high of 22, where he was worth .2 wins higher. For someone who works as hard as he does, it's a bit shocking he didn't perform that well, and he may get passed over by 5th Rounder Buddy Jenkins. Both are listed in the mock, but Jenkins (2nd) a round earlier, while also seven spots higher on Dixie Marsh's list. I'm hoping (and thinking) that's more due to Jenkins improving then Gass regressing, as Dixie still labels him a future "above average, everyday big league player." He's a contact oriented hitter who could hit around .300, and he has a good eye for the ball. His defense is solid as well, and he should have no trouble sticking at short. With his height (6'2'') he could add muscle to his 165 pound frame, which could lead to an average amount of home runs. One thing I don't like is he hits the ball on the ground a lot, but that is something that could change with added strength. Gass is committed to bettering himself, and I think we'll be able to get the most out of him.

06-17-2023, 12:15 PM	#1126
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Amateur Report 5th Round, 70th Overall: LHP Ray Paulson School: Forest Park Foresters Commit School: CC Los Angeles Coyotes 1947: 6-3, 89.1 IP, 1.61 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 16 BB, 95 K Career: 22-4, 261.2 IP, 1.34 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 53 BB, 329 K After taking a huge step forward as a junior, "Half-Pint" saw pretty much everything move in the wrong direction. He had his worst record, ERA, WHIP, K/9 (9.6), and WAR (4.2), while also allowing more hits (73) and runs (16) in 89.1 innings pitched. It's somewhat a cause for concern, but what drew me to Paulson is less the raw tools and more the makeup. The skinny southpaw has a great personal makeup, combining hard work, confidence, and composure that should allow him to always pitch better then his stuff. Like Duke Bybee, who never really put up good numbers in high school, he has that intangible will to win, and the command has been very impressive. Despite all the struggles, he matched his BB/9 (1.6) form last season, and even with the drop in strikeouts, his K/BB was an even six. The hurdle for him will be the stuff, as while the slider has wicked bite, his fastball is a little flat and his splitter may not end up all that great. He doesn't throw hard, just 84-86 right now, but most 17-year-olds aren't fully filled out. If he keeps hitting the gym, the velocity will come, and if he can hit 90 this kid could be really effective. If not, he'll have to really lean on his command, and I'm not sure it will be enough to get him into a big league rotation. We have a lot of young pitchers, so he may not be starting all his games, but he has the makeup of a late innings reliever or at least a really good lefty specialist. We'll have to take our time with him, but as someone like Charlie Kelsey showed, it can take a few years for some high schoolers to find out the type of pitcher they are. With all the extra picks we had, the risk is more then worth it, as you really can't lose with a good personality like his. If he pitches great, great! If not, maybe he can rub off on some of the more troublesome guys in the system. 5th Round, 77th Overall: SS Buddy Jenkins School: Whitman Panthers Commit School: Garden State Redbirds 1947: .431/.517/.725, 120 PA, 13 2B, 4 3B, 3 HR, 31 RBI, 17 SB Career: .435/.517/.712, 324 PA, 35 2B, 11 3B, 6 HR, 74 RBI, 65 SB If our class had an award for biggest riser, it would have to go with Buddy Jenkins. While he hit for a personal low in average, the 6'2'' shortstop had a huge power surge, setting personal bests in triples, homers, and extra base hits (18) after setting lows for doubles (8), homers (1), and extra base hits (13). Ironically, I initially thought I reached taking Jenkins here, and of course, the tiebreaker for him over eventual Miners 6th Rounder King Allen and our eventual 7th Rounder Marty Czyzewski was the name, but the initial mock draft thinks we got a steal. They have Jenkins ranked 28th best player in the pool, above all but the first three players we selected. The versatile Jenkins has tremendous athleticism, and he started games for Whitman at second, third, center, right, and his natural position of shortstop. Shortstop seems to be a good fit for him, as he has a strong glove and good range, but I imagine he'll be bouncing around a lot. We already have three shortstops on the La Crosse roster, and while I may force one or more of them up, we have Ray Gass, 8th Rounder Johnny Dickinson, and 10th Rounder Willie Watson all joining later this month. Plus, there may be another John Price or Ike Cartwright, two AI picks that I really liked. Jenkins' versatility will make him an organizational favorite, but don't think that is all he's good for. Dixie thinks he has all the tools you want from a shortstop while OSA projects him to "fill a key role for a contending team." This is a lot of praise for the glove first youngster, but the bat is far from polished. He should eventually hit for a high average, but he has yet to display that. I think he's going to be a very slow riser, but he feels like a lock to secure a spot on a big league roster. 6th Round, 93rd Overall: CF Ed Sutton School: College of Cairo Pharaohs 1947: .289/.380/.439, 298 PA, 11 2B, 6 3B, 5 HR, 52 RBI, 33 SB Career: .278/.372/.435, 883 PA, 33 2B, 17 3B, 17 HR, 139 RBI, 99 SB I missed this yesterday, but 6th Rounder Ed Sutton actually made the initial mock, checking it at 11th in the 5th Round, and one of our 8th rounders Johnny Dickinson was right behind him. The first college player after seven high schoolers, Sutton produced his best triple slash as a junior, and once again cracked 30 steals. The speedy outfielder did fall one steal short of 100 for his career, but he was crazy consistent in terms of extra base hit production and he walked (114) far more frequently then he struck out (79). That trend may not continue, but he's very patient at the plate, and will draw more then his share of walks. The contact tool is decent, but I do think big league pitchers will be able to get him to whiff more. I can see similar walks and strikeouts, with maybe a few more Ks, but he's going to be one of the best at working counts. When on base, his speed will be huge, and it's played really well out in center. He's one of those low floor guys who can be on worse then a fourth outfielder, but OSA is rather surprisingly high on him. Not only do they think he will turn into an "above average contact hitter," but they go as far to declare he'll "fill a key role for a contending team." I'm not nearly as optimistic, siding closer with Dixie's rough assessment of an average FABL level position player, as he doesn't elevate the ball enough. At least with his speed, grounders to the left side can turn into hits, but I'm just not sold on him being an extra base threat. One advantage for Sutton compared to our high school guys is our outfield depth from B to AA is on the thinner side, and there's a legit chance he can finish the season in Mobile. I bet he'll start in Lincoln, likely supplanting son of Hall of Famer T.R. Goins Art Goins, but even if he starts in San Jose he could get some time in the corners with Frank Reece in center. I think Sutton is the better fielder, but when you have a top 50 outfield prospect who can hit, you want to let him play center until he tells you he can't. And while Sutton is talented, the more time he can get in all three spots, the better, as it would be pretty hard for him to not end up filling a backup outfield role for one of the 16 big league organizations. Last edited by ayaghmour2; 06-20-2023 at 06:45 PM.

06-17-2023, 06:13 PM	#1127
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Amateur Report 7th Round, 109th Overall: RHP Marty Czyzewski School: Waterville Shockers Commit School: Centerville Indians 1947: 9-2, 115.2 IP, 2.18 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 21 BB, 108 K Career: 37-6, 456 IP, 1.89 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 99 BB, 487 K A Polish born pitcher, Marty Czyzewski spent most of his life in Washington, and spent three years pitching for the Waterville Shockers in Waterville, WA. Unfortunately he saved the worst for last, setting personal worsts in ERA, WHIP, hits (105), earned runs (28), strikeouts, K/9 (8.4), and WAR (4.5). That was not what we were hoping, and considering his poor work ethic, the young righty may not get much better. A four pitch pitcher, he lives in the mid 80s with his fastball, while also featuring a sinker, curve, and change. The sinker isn't great, but the other three pitches should be at least average, and he does feature great command. His BB/9 (1.6) was one of the few metrics that did not worsen, as he matched his personal best from his sophomore season where he walked 18 batters in 98.1 innings. The raw talent is there, but if he doesn't work at polishing his skills, he may not last too long in our system. 8th Round, 115th Overall: RHP Fred Terry School: Yellowhammer State Panthers 1947: 4-6, 91.2 IP, 4.71 ERA, 1.60 WHIP, 45 BB, 63 K Career: 16-24, 388.1 IP, 4.57 ERA, 1.58 WHIP, 174 BB, 256 K I don't usually take college seniors, but Fred Terry is one of the few exceptions. I was hoping he'd keep up his trend of improving each season, but his final year was only better then his rough freshman season where he went 3-5 with a 5.15 ERA and equal walks (39) and strikeouts. After striking out nearly twice as many batters as he walked this season, his K/BB was just shy of 1.5, and he threw just 91.2 innings after a career best of 130.2 as a junior. While not a high upside pick, I liked Terry because I knew he'd be easy to sign (just $150 demand) and he could help cover innings in the upper minors. His work ethic is impressive, as he's they type to show up early and go home late. Some of that has already taken place, as he's throwing a mile faster then last year, and his sinker has turned into a really good pitch. He doesn't get the groundballs you would expect, but he keeps the ball in the park and produces plenty of weak contact. He's a control first, stuff second type of guy, and while his ceiling isn't all that high, he looks like a reliable back-end starter. He should be a good clubhouse guy who can give you innings, and that's about as much as you can ask out of an 8th Rounder. 8th Round, 125th Overall: SS Johnny Dickinson School: Pasadena Vikings Commit School: College of Waco Cowboys 1947: .450/.525/.640, 122 PA, 10 2B, 3 3B, HR, 26 RBI, 21 SB Career: .452/.528/.652, 253 PA, 23 2B, 5 3B, 56 RBI, 33 SB A rather surprise entrant in the mock draft, Johnny Dickinson's senior season was very similar to his junior year. An athletic youngster form beautiful Los Angeles, Dickinson prioritizes speed over power, and his swing could use a little work. That's not to say he won't be a good hitter, he can make plenty of contact and has a tremendous eye, striking out just 4 times in 122 trips to the plate this season. He does remind me a bit of Skipper at the plate, just from the right side, but he's not nearly as polished as Skipper was out of high school. I'm not sold on the glove yet, but he's got plenty of experience at second, third, and right as well. Left shouldn't be too difficult, and at six foot tall he could handle first if needed. He's a project pick who may need a few seasons down in La Crosse before he starts getting it, and I'm not sure how much playing time there will be for him in year one. We have a lot of talented young utility types in our farm, and if he could add a little muscle, he could separate himself from the pack.

06-18-2023, 02:05 PM	#1128
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Amateur Report 9th Round, 131st Overall: CF Harley Dollar School: Nutley Maroon Raiders Commit School: Carolina Poly Cardinals 1947: .483/.545/.729, 136 PA, 16 2B, 5 3B, HR, 35 RBI, 13 SB Career: .478/.534/.724, 264, 29 2B, 9 3B, 3 HR, 65 RBI, 35 SB A two-year starter at Nutley, Harley Dollar improved his triple slash from a junior, but it came with less speed and home run power. He made up for that with an extra walk and more doubles and triples, but the loss of speed is somewhat of a concern. I really hope it isn't a hit on his defense, as I'm not sure he has the bat to end up in a corner. OSA is a big fan of "Easy Money," saying he "has a lot of talent" and has "the talent to flourish as a center fielder." I'd love for that to be true, but Dixie has soured a bit on him, and while he does rank inside his top 100, he thinks he "needs to translate his raw potential into reality to be come a major league starter." There is visible talent, displayed in his high average and his high number of doubles, but I'm starting to worry a bit about the glove. If the bat develops, it won't matter, but his batting profile fits better up the middle. And since he's on the older side for prep prospects (19 in July), he may have a bit shorter of a leash. Regular playing time may be tough to come by, but he's definitely good enough to warrant an extended look. 9th Round, 141st Overall: RHP George Carter School: Bluegrass State Mustangs 1947: 9-5, 135.2 IP, 2.99 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 43 BB, 130 K Career: 24-14, 360 IP, 3.40 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 119 BB, 315 K Bluegrass State was the best team in the nation, and our 9th Rounder George Carter was their ace. A native of Illinois, Carter had an excellent season, gong 9-5 with a 2.99 ERA in 20 starts. The wins, ERA, and starts were all personal bests, along with the WHIP, BB/9 (2.8), K/9 (8.6), K/BB (3.1), WAR (3.4), and innings pitched. Unfortunately for Carter, he came up just short in the opening round of the AIAA tournament, as the Mustangs were once again upset by Georgia Baptist. The four pitch pitcher did have some issues with the longball, allowing one every other start, as despite being a sinkerballer he's prone to the home run. Part of that is due to his stuff not being overpowering, as he tops out around 87 and uses his command to get outs. His stuff need plenty of work, but his slider could be an out pitch and he mixes in a fastball and slider too. Whether that will be good enough to start in the big leagues is up in the air, but he could end up anywhere between a spot starter and back-end rotation member. Due to his raw stuff, I'm not sure that he'll be able to skip La Crosse, but with all the young arms on hand for the Lions, I may have to push him up higher then he's ready for. 10th Round, 157th Overall: SS Willie Watson School: Evansville Eagles Commit School: Eastern State Monitors 1947: .477/.536/.624, 125 PA, 9 2B, 2 3B, HR, 33 RBI, 2 SB Career: .473/.531/.643, 481 PA, 46 2B, 3 3B, 6 HR, 115 RBI, 22 SB We rounded out the human portion of the draft with yet another shortstop, selecting Willie Watson out of nearby Evansville high school. A four year starter and Illinois native, Watson recorded plenty of hits, but too many of them were singles. He had just 13 extra base hits, equal to his total doubles last season and less then 14 he hit as a sophomore. He did set a personal best for RBIs and improved his walk (12) to strikeout (5) ratio that is better then each season despite his strong sophomore season. Regardless, Watson's true strength is his defense, where he could end up being one of the best shortstops in the game. Despite not being a good base stealer, his range is outstanding, and his hands are as smooth as it gets. The question will be if he can hit enough to make it worth it, as FABL fans know was a problem for someone like Jack Bush. He also has a great arm, and it's really tough to get on base when he's on the dirt. Add in the brains and composure, and Watson is exactly who you want at short with the game on the line. Unfortunately, the bat has a lot of developing left, and unless you're okay with a singles hitter, he may be best suited as a late game replacement. I'm going to try to get him some at bats in year one, but for now he may be used strictly as a defensive replacement. And that's all for now! The draft should take place Wednesday, so I'll cover all the AI picks then. Money shouldn't be a problem, but the guys that don't really have a future with us will be allowed to return to school. I won't sign everyone all at once to make setting up the roster easier, but I want our top guys playing as quickly as possible. The later round guys will come in slower, so I don't have to cut too many players at once, as guys like getting injured right after a roster churn.

06-19-2023, 02:28 PM	#1129
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 10: June 16th-June 22nd Weekly Record: 4-3 Seasonal Record: 35-31 (4th, 2.5 GB) Stars of the Week Pete Papenfus : 2 Wins, 18.0 IP, 4 BB, 7 K, 0.00 ERA Hal Sharp : 27 AB, 11 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .407 AVG, 1.039 OPS Leo Mitchell : 27 AB, 6 H, 3 HR, 5 RBI, .222 AVG, .806 OPS Schedule 6-16: Loss at Cannons (0-2) 6-17: Loss at Cannons (1-7) 6-18: Win at Cannons (1-0) 6-19: Loss at Cannons (8-9) 6-21: Win at Foresters (1-0) 6-22: Win at Foresters (9-2) 6-22: Win at Foresters (7-0) Recap Now this was a strange week, and I'm not sure if I should be happy, angered, or relieved. We looked completely lost against the Cannons, scoring just two runs in the first three games. Luckily, we won one of those (more on that later), but it was crazy ineptness on offense. Finally, we scored runs in the finale, but they got even more, as we dropped the finale by a single run. Thankfully, we rebounded in Cleveland, as we swept the game with a pair of shutout victories. Somehow, we managed to gain a game on first, as the Cannons were swept by the Kings and the Sailors and Wolves took care of the Stars. We also dropped down to fourth, as the Sailors have been red hot, something we hope stops as they are our next foe. For the second week in a row, we had a pitcher throw two shutouts in the same week, as the other co-ace Pete Papenfus sort of looked like the good 'ol Peter the Heater we've come to love and adore. The strikeouts still aren't quite there, but when you're not allowing runs, who cares! The first start was most impressive, as he handled the first place Cannons in the lone victory. With no run support, he needed to be completely on it, as he twirled a 5-hitter with 3 walks and 5 strikeouts. Then with a double header on Sunday, and potentially me messing up 7-day lineups (sorry Donnie!), Pap was brilliant on short rest, just 6 hits, a walk, and 2 strikeouts in our 7-0 victory. This snapped Pap's three game losing streak, and he's now an even 7-7 in his 15 starts. His ERA dropped from 3.54 to 3.03 (129 ERA+), and his 65 strikeouts are now best in the association. Duke Bybee also made two starts, and he was rather unlucky to split them. We gave him just one total run of support, as he was the unlucky hurler in our 2-0 loss in Cincinnati. Bybee went 8, allowing just 6 hits, 2 runs, and a walk with 3 strikeouts to lose his fourth consecutive decision. He realized he needed to be better, and not count on his offense, and he dominated the Foresters in Cleveland. Bybee tossed a 6-hitter with 2 walks and 5 strikeouts in our second 1-0 victory of the week. His ERA is back below 4, down to a solid 3.58 (109 ERA+) despite his 5-6 record. It's now fourth in the rotation, as Joe Brown was clobbered by the Cannons, allowing 15 hits and 8 runs in 5 innings. Sure, he didn't walk any and struck out five, but his ERA inflated from 3.61 to 4.13 (95 ERA+). We also got two starts from Johnnie Jones, as he struggled in Cincy and excelled in Cleveland. The Cannons chased him out with two gone in the seventh, piling 7 hits, 6 runs, and 6 walks to just 2 strikeouts. He still had walk issues in Cleveland, with seven free passes allowed in his complete game victory, but he struck out 5 and allowed 7 hits. It's nice to see Johnnie 6-3 on the season after going 10-14 despite his stellar 2.64 ERA (122 ERA+), but his 4.8 BB/9 would be a career high. He does manage to work around it, especially with all those groundouts, and I don't think he'll ever avoid the free passes. The Hal Sharp show has been fun to watch, as the veteran slugger just mashes everything in his sight. Another great week for the batting title leader, as he went 11-for-27 with a double, homer, 4 walks, 5 runs, and 5 RBIs. His .373/.416/.551 (161 OPS+) batting line is leaps and bounds better then the rest of the roster, and it comes with 13 doubles, 9 homers, and 36 RBIs. Leo Mitchell refuses to hit for a high average, just 6-for-27 this week, but he hit 3 homers and drove in 5 runs. His .276/.315/.433 (102 OPS+) line is barely above average, but he matches Sharp's home run total with three more RBIs. It's crazy that the most consistent player, well, ever, can't seem to find his way, and it has to be worth the 2.5 games we're trailing. The promotion of Eddie Howard seems to have woken up Harry Mead, who was 5-for-15 with 2 doubles, 2 RBIs, and 3 runs scored. Howard's debut week went okay, as the rookie backstop went 3-for-10 with a run scored and driven in. Walt Pack had a decent week, 4-for-12 with a double, triple, and 2 RBIs. He hasn't been great, but a 105 WRC+ isn't terrible, and he sports a 1.3 zone rating and 1.024 efficiency at the hot corner. Still, the offense just isn't any good, ranked 7th in runs scored (274) and we're top three in just strikeouts (248), steals (30), and baserunning (+10.7) as nearly every non-Hal Sharp Cougar decided this is the year they'd be their worse. Luckily, there could be positive regression, and since we're still ever so close to the top, it hasn't quite done us in yet. The lineup got some bad news with a setback for Carlos Montes, who needs 4-5 more weeks after he was approaching a return. Montes has appeared in just 23 games for us this season, and his .247/.287/.376 (79 OPS+) batting line left plenty to be desired. In his absence, Don Lee has gotten a lot of time, but his .201/.319/.257 (58 OPS+) line is way worse. The 11 steals are nice, but we're going to start seeing more of Billy Hunter in center. Hunter has improved vastly from his awful 1946, hitting .312/.382/.433 (122 OPS+) in 178 trips to the plate. And in a small 37 inning sample, he actually has a 0.1 zone rating (1.004 efficiency), much better then Lee's -4.4 (.945 efficiency). I'm not sure how long this experiment will last, but I'd love to find a Cy Bryant type defender who can at least help the pitching out in the field. Looking Ahead Good thing I did all the Amateur Reports over the weekend, as the draft starts the week, so we'll get to start signing players tomorrow. The mock has shuffled a bit, with Jerry Smith dropping to 5th and Garland Phelps to 11th. There's no change in Dixie Marsh's list which has held them at 5th and 11th, while the mock lists Dudley Sapp (2.5), Buddy Jenkins (3.5), Johnny Dickinson (3.14), Roy Gass (4.5), Harley Dollar (4.13), and last but not least, Ed Sutton (5.16). No extra picks in the AI portion, as we're stuck at 13th in each of the remaining rounds. Our first test of the week is a pair of road games against the surging Sailors, who are now 38-32 and a game and a half behind the Cannons. While we've treaded water in June (11-10), they've been excellent, 16-9 and winners of five of their last six. They are also off to start the week, and could shuffle the rotation, but it looks like we'll get swingman John Thomas Johnson (4-0, 1, 2.04, 24) and ace Win Lewis (8-5, 2.54, 42), which should be more then enough to keep our lame offense under control. Donnie Jones (9-4, 2.36, 62) should be able to outduel Johnson, but with Joe Brown (6-5, 4.13, 42) likely facing Lewis, a split may be all we can hope for. Their offense has really started mashing, up to third (306) in runs scored as Ed Reyes (.335, 2, 26), Cotton Dillon (.289, 5, 47), and Woody Stone (.278, 6, 33) have been very productive. The rest of the lineup has had their struggles, but it looks like we caught Philly at the wrong time, and we could pay dearly. Our next series is beyond strange, as our roadtrip quickly ends for one game hosting the Kings, before flying out to Brooklyn for two more. The Kings are just two under .500 (33-35) and helped us by sweeping the Cannons in Cincinnati. Brooklyn has somehow scored the second (323) most runs in the CA, and you can thank Ralph Johnson for that. The talented 23-year-old has slashed .309/.432/.556 (159 OPS+) with 11 doubles, 14 homers, and 50 RBIs while sporting an elite 45-to-22 walk-to-strikeout ratio. He's not the only young player doing well, as Chuck Collins (.292, 5, 22) may now be the best Chuck first basemen and Billy Bryant (.309, 4, 36) has had a strong rookie season. Former Cougar Solly Skidmore (.285, 24) is looking like a useful big league catcher while John Moss (.285, 3, 29) might be the best defensive center fielder in the association. The pitching has some holes, as Leo Hayden (3-6, 5.72, 45) has fought injuries and a sophomore slump, though his 3.37 FIP (83 FIP-) suggests that luck has not been on his side. Former Pioneer Buddy Long (7-8, 4.16, 38) hasn't quite been the guy they expected, but Johnny Slaney's (9-5, 2.71, 44) breakout has more then made up for it. This will be a tough couple of games, and I'm very worried about this week. We end things in Montreal for a quick double header before this annoying roadtrip continues into the following week. Nothing has gone right for the Saints, who sit at 26-39 and find themselves last and 11 out of first. The pitching has let them down, as their front four all has ERAs above 5. That includes talented youngster Bert Cupid (4-9, 5.09, 41), who has had a huge sophomore slump of his own. The only effective arm has been Pat Weakly, who may deserve more starts the rest of the way. He's an unlucky 6-6 as his 2.74 ERA (148 ERA+) is just outside the CA's top four. I'd love to miss him, as he's done a good job against us, and owns a 1.27 WHIP and 49 strikeouts in his 13 starts. The offense is middle of the pack, fourth (291) in runs scored, as Red Bond (.281, 12, 46) could reach 30 homers and former top 10 prospect Otis Parker has slashed .308/.463/.538 (163 OPS+) in 19 games since his promotion from AAA. You would think we could get runs here, but we've not looked good in a while, and I'm very nervous about the rest of the season. I'm trying to make upgrades, but it's been tough so far, as we may be stuck running it back with the guys we have already. Minor League Report SS Al Clement (A Lincoln Legislators): Other then Hal Sharp, I don't think anyone in the organization is hotter then Al Clement. The former 2nd Rounder is riding a 22 game hit streak, slashing an elite .472/.518/.625 (210 OPS+) in 19 June games. This comes after a slow May where he hit just .276/.300/.362 (80 OPS+). I don't want to ruin the streak, but chances are when it ends he'll get promoted to AA, as his .343/.385/.455 (128 OPS+) composite slash is very strong. A light hitting middle infielder, Clement has just one homer in 231 PAs, but he's accumulated 15 doubles, 3 triples, 7 steals, and 27 RBIs so far. He's not one of our more highly ranked prospects anymore, just 31st in the system and 275th overall, and I'm sure that'll drop more once the draftees all file in. Still, there are a lot of things to like, as he's got great speed and has played good defense at third and short this season. He does put the ball in play a ton, but he won't walk, which could make it tough to find a lineup spot for him. As you might expect, he also took home Player of the Week, going 14-for-27 with 2 doubles, a triple, and 4 runs scored. He's more of a utility guy then an everyday player, but there's plenty of value in someone like him. Cougars in the GWL RHP Cy Sullivan (Oakland Grays): I don't think any former Cougar is as happy as Cy Sullivan that the GWL was formed to rival FABL. The 33-year-old vet is in the midst of another excellent season, and he threw his second shutout of the season and fifth in the past two. He allowed 9 hits and a walk while striking out 3 as the Grays beat the last place Hawks 2-0. Sullivan is now 9-4 on the season with an impressive 2.66 ERA (128 ERA+) and 1.16 WHIP through 14 starts. He's struck out 33 and walked 19 in 125.1 innings, and now owns a 2.86 ERA (121 ERA+) in 46 starts for the Grays. OSA also ranks him as the league's second best pitcher, trailing just Knight's ace Bob Cummings (6-5, 2.64, 48). The Grays are in the thick of things, 36-29 and 3.5 games behind the Centurions. Sullivan will be crucial for the staff, but Oakland has plenty of bats with Frankie Cohen (.420, 2, 38), Don Miller (.326, 1, 26), Hank Grant (.316, 27), and Larry Colaianni (.310, 1, 23).

06-20-2023, 12:54 PM	#1130
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Trade News! What's the best thing to do when your offense is full of struggling veterans? Add another struggling veteran! In a move that is sure to spark some discussion, the Chicago Cougars sent a three piece package: Carl Clark, Jim Mako, and their 1st Round Pick for a player they've wanted to add for a very long time. A former 1st Overall Pick. A 6-Time All-Star. A former Whitney Winner. A tried and true veteran who knows baseball like his own group of brothers. A slugger with a 79 WRC+ in 70 games. Wait, did you say 79? And you gave up a pick, a top 100 prospect, and a top 200 prospect? You betcha! He can even play center field! Yes folks, the Chicago Cougars have acquired Gothams center fielder Sal Pestilli! Selected 1st Overall by the Dynamos way back in 1936, many thought it would be the Cougars who added Sal Pestilli when the Dynamos announced they traded their former face of the franchise, but the price was deemed too large. This time, it wasn't, and it could be what the Cougars need to finally win their elusive title. Pestilli, now 31, is one of the rare players to completely skip the minors, and it proved to be the correct choice, as he was instantly one of the top players in the Federal Association. Pestilli slashed .306/.365/.572 (145 OPS+) with a league high 33 homers in 595 trips to the plate. If there was a Rookie of the Year award back then, he would've won it, as he was worth a full 7 WAR with 17 doubles, 14 triples, 12 steals, and 94 RBIs with an elite 50-to-14 walk-to-strikeout ratio. The encore was even better, as Pestilli managed to improve on that stellar showing, worth a league high 8.5 WAR while also leading in runs (134), doubles (22), homers (46), RBIs (132), and slugging (.627). Pestilli produced a 156 WRC+ and hit .307/.350/.627 (161 OPS+) as he took home his first of what some thought would be many Whitney Awards. Unfortunately for Pestilli and the Dynamos, the then 23-year-old took a huge step back, and hit just .258/.306/.497 (114 OPS+), although it did come with 21 doubles, 29 homers, 116 RBIs, 90 runs, 10 steals, and a 5.1 WAR, while his 15 triples again led the league. The "slump" continued the next season, as his .249/.296/.470 (114 OPS+) line once again felt pedestrian, as he showed so much talent and promise in his first two season. But despite the middling numbers, the counting stats were there, as he produced 18 doubles, 33 homers, 12 steals, and a league high 127 RBIs. And the defense out in center always impressed, with season after season of positive zone ratings. Some were wondering if this was the end for the talented outfielder, but he quickly silenced the doubters, as the then 25-year-old hit .288/.347/.511 (136 OPS+), worth an impressive 7.7 WAR in 153 games. He hit 25 doubles, 11 triples, and 30 homers with 113 RBIs, again leading the league. But as was the case all too often, Pestilli took another downturn, and produced his first sub 5 WAR season in 1942. He hit just .273/.306/.423 (110 OPS+) and failed to drive in 100 runs (94) for the first time since his rookie season. The defense is what always made him valuable, and he put together his fourth consecutive and fifth season in six years with a zone rating above 10. With the war in full swing, the patriotic Pestilli decided he would leave baseball, joining the Air Force and effectively ending his Dynamo career. There were rumors that he would be moved, and that eventually happened in 1945, when the Gothams acquired him for Jim Lonardo, Wally Hunter, and their 1st and 2nd Round picks. Pestilli ended his Dynamo tenure as one of their best hitters, owning a .280/.328/.417 (130 OPS+) triple slash with 119 doubles, 82 triples, 189 homers, 73 steals, and 676 RBIs, while walking 262 times with just 91 strikeouts. He was worth almost 40 (38.4) wins above replacement in 885 games, not too shabby for a guy who was just 26 when he left. His .517 slugging ranked behind just Al Wheeler for Dynamos, and he sits 4th for homers and 6th for RBIs. Sal returned to the ball field after the war ended, and spent the 1946 season with the Gothams, who had their eyes set on the title. They came up short, something the Gothams don't like doing, Pestilli, however, was advertised, and the slugger hit .281/.340/.461 (136 OPS+) with 19 doubles, 9 triples, 21 homers, and 75 RBIs. He swiped 14 bases, scored 80 runs, and was worth 6.8 WAR in 148 games. With Pestilli, Red Johnson, Walt Messer, and Mahlon Strong, the Gothams were expected by many to challenge for the Fed crown, but just like the Cougars, they have fallen a bit flat. A day before June ends they're just 36-38 and 11 out, and Pestilli's struggles have been part of the reason they haven't gotten things going. The 31-year-old is hitting just .243/.293/.371 (77 OPS+) in 284 trips to the plate, which would be the first time he failed to produce an OPS+ of at least 110. Not only that, the power is gone, as while Strong, Johnson, Messer, and Pete Casstevens all have double digit homers, Pestilli has just 5. Even his defense isn't the same, as his 3.3 zone rating and 1.014 efficiency would be career lows if the season ended today. So, why did I want him? Simply put -- he should be a star Even with all the struggles, Pestilli still ranks as the 6th best center fielder, and considering Don Lee is hitting .211/.323/.271 (63 OPS+) with a -3.9 zone rating (.958 efficiency) and Clark Car's .203/.260/.312 (55 OPS+) is even worse. Carlos Montes likely won't be back until late July, and then he'll need a rehab stint, and we need to start winning as soon as possible. Billy Hunter has been decent in center, but I don't love it as a long-term solution, and he's far better suited for second. With Pestilli we finally have a good glove in the outfield, and you have to imagine the guy with a 126 career WRC+ still has something left in him. Dixie Marsh seems to believe so, giving a glowing report of the veteran outfielder, saying he "has the tools to be a standout defensive center fielder" and he believes he is "certain to unleash his obvious talent both on the field and at the plate." I'm re-scouting him again since the accuracy is just average, but that's from earlier this month (June 6th). Sometimes players just need a change of scenery, and I don't think there would be any other legit center field options available. It's a huge risk, huge reward deal, as we could get more of '47 Pestilli and we parted with a rather large package. Still, I'm comfortable with our system depth, and a first round pick won't mean much if we can finally win a title. It's moves like this that can make or break a season, and I think it will all be worth it. Or at least I hope...

06-20-2023, 06:38 PM	#1131
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 11: June 23rd-June 29th Weekly Record: 4-3 Seasonal Record: 39-34 (4th, 2 GB) Stars of the Week Walt Pack : 16 AB, 6 H, 5 HR, 9 RBI, .375 AVG, 1.757 OPS Harry Sharp : 27 AB, 10 H, 0 HR, 5 RBI, .370 AVG, .821 OPS Leo Mitchell : 32 AB, 9 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .281 AVG, .750 OPS Schedule 6-24: Loss at Sailors (3-7) 6-25: Win at Sailors (2-0) 6-26: Win vs Kings (2-4) 6-27: Loss at Kings (4-5): 12 innings 6-28: Win at Kings (7-2) 6-29: Win at Saints (8-0) 6-29: Loss at Saints (4-5) Recap 4-3??? Again??? Man some things just never change.... Well, we all know this week something changed! We made up a little ground, now just two games out of first as we approach the All Star break. There is a new leader atop the CA, as the Stars (42-33), our next opponent, hold a half game lead over the Cannons (41-33), with the Sailors (41-35) not too far behind. Even without the trade, this was a huge week, as Walt Pack may have finally woke up. The veteran slugger nearly doubled his homerun count, with five of his six hits on the week landing over the outfield walls. Pack raised his triple slash from .245/.335/.432 (108 OPS+) to .257/.345/.515 (131 OPS+) and now has 7 doubles, 2 triples, 11 homers, and 37 RBIs in just under 200 PAs as a Cougar. After a rough start to the season, he's been really good in June, slashing .284/.333/.672 (168 OPS+), although a lot of that came from this week. As you might expect, he was named Player of the Week, as his .375/.444/1.312 (363 OPS+) weekly line would be good enough on its own, even if it didn't come with the 5 homers and 9 RBIs. The offense did support Pack rather well, as we finally got a good week from George Sutterfield, who has been spending more time at third while Pack is sitting against lefties. The former 4th Rounder went 6-for-17 with 2 doubles, a triple, 3 runs, and 2 RBIs. It's about as good as he's done all season, as his .278/.308/.361 (82 OPS+) season line isn't great. Poor Don Lee finally hit the ball a bit, 6-for-20 with a triple, 2 walks, and 3 runs scored. I'm debating optioning him to Milwaukee for Sal, but we could still move Max Rucker down instead. Lee is hitting just .211/.323/.271 (63 OPS+), but produced WRC+ of 137 and 110 the past two seasons, and he's walked (31) more then he struck out (17) and swiped 11 bases in 62 games. Hal Sharp remained atop the batting title race, going 10-for-27 with a double, 5 runs, and 5 RBIs. Leo Mitchell added another homer, and compared to some other weeks, 9-for-32 (with a double and triple as well) feels pretty good. Adding Pestilli may spark Mitchell, as we have a ton of lefties in the lineup, and a big righty bat is something we don't really have. Sure, Ray Ford is hitting .331/.388/.440 (125 OPS+) with a 136 WRC+, but he has just one homer in 183 PAs, and him, Hunter, and Mead combine for just 10 longballs. We haven't been scoring much, and I think we're finally going on the upswing. The pitching continues to be great, and Joe Brown bounced back with a huge win over the Sailors. The captain of the staff was brilliant, allowing just 3 hits and a walk with 5 strikeouts in a 2-0 shutout victory. His second start wasn't as great, but on short rest I wasn't really expecting anything. I wish Clyde Meyer took him out after 8 strong innings, as Brown was walked off in the ninth with a pair of runs. He got 26 outs, allowing 12 hits and 5 runs with a walk and strikeout. We also got walked off in Papenfus' start, although that came after he left. He didn't allow a run in the first 8 innings, but the Kings tied the game at four with 3 walks and 3 hits. Pap left with two outs in the ninth, charged with all four runs, 10 hits, and 4 walks while striking out 6. Ken Matson got the final out, as well as three in the tenth, leaving with a walk, hit, and strikeout. Harry MacRae ended up with the loss, going an inning and a third with 3 hits, a strikeout, and the run that ended the game. Duke Bybee has been red hot, and the rookie southpaw picked up another complete game victory. He allowed 7 hits, 2 runs, and a walk with 2 strikeouts to improve to 6-6 on the season. I'm not sure if he's going to win Rookie of the Month again, but he was excellent in June, working to a 3.00 ERA (130 ERA+) in 5 starts. Going 2-3 will likely work against him, but he had a 1.07 WHIP, 6 walks, and 19 strikeouts in 42 innings pitched. His 2.47 FIP (63 FIP-) was truly impressive, and he has an excellent 3.22 FIP (82 FIP-) in 107 innings on the season. Harry Parker is finally healthy, and will embark on a long rehab stint, but it's clear that his spot in the rotation is safe. The Jones Brothers continue to impress, and while Donnie had a quick hiccup, the likely CA All-Star starter bounced back quickly. The Sailors got to him, 11 hits, 7 runs, and 4 walks with 7 strikeouts in 7 innings, but he followed that up with his third shutout in his past four starts. He kept the Saints under control in the first game of the double header, allowing just 3 hits and 5 walks with 4 strikeouts. The 27-year-old has a share of the triple crown, leading the CA in ERA (2.57) and strikeouts (73) while tied with the Cannons' Charlie Griffith (10-3, 4.26, 47) and the Stars' Eli Panneton (10-6, 2.87, 66) for the lead in wins. If the season ended today, he'd be the clear cut Allen Winner, and I imagine the addition of Pestilli in center will only help his case. We've pretty much played all season with three awful defenders in the outfield, so having a legit asset in the middle should help the dominant arm pitch even better. Johnnie didn't get a shutout, but the lefty kept his walks down, just three in a complete game win over the Kings. Now 7-3, the recently turned 29-year-old allowed 8 hits and 2 runs with 3 strikeouts. He's gone eight straight starts without allowing a homer, so as long as he avoids the Stars, that trend will continue. These two guys have been great all season, and I'm hoping both can continue to win games for us as we look to make a real charge in the standings. Looking Ahead I wish we had Sal Pestilli right away, as our last series before the break is two in New York with the first place Stars. They haven't been great in June, just 14-13, but it's been enough to reclaim first for pretty much the first time since last season. The defending champs score more runs (361) then anyone else, but beyond Eli Panneton (10-6, 2.87, 66), who we'll miss, the pitching has underperformed. Well, not Chuck Cole, as we're likely seeing the 37-year-old veteran in the finale. Cole has been excellent, 8-5 with a 2.99 ERA (132 ERA+), 1.36 WHIP, and 43 strikeouts in 15 starts. His 3.41 FIP (86 FIP-) is pretty good too, so it's not like the 3-Time All Star is just getting lucky. The other three members of the rotation have an ERA north of 4.50, and we'll face the unlucky Vern Hubbard (6-7, 5.18, 39), who's 3.31 FIP (83 FIP-) is actually better then Cole's. This will be tough, as the offense makes every game winnable, with plenty of power from Bill Barrett (.291, 7, 36), Jack Welch (.265, 9, 33), Bill Barnett (.237, 13, 48), and CA home run leader Mack Sutton (.254, 18, 62). Sure, we shut them out twice last time, but it'll be tough to keep them off the board, especially with supplemental pieces like Freddie Jones (.291, 3, 30), Joe Angevine (.280, 22, 14), and Newt Cooper (.271, 3, 10, 3). Luckily, with just two games, the most we can do is fall to four back, which would still be manageable as our hopeful star reinforcement will spend the last three months in Chicago. This ends what's basically a 16 game road trip, as we'll be home for the next 17 games. The first series is a broken one with the last place Saints, who sit at 30-42 and a game behind the Foresters for seventh. We play on the 2nd, are off on the 3rd, and then finish with a double header on the 4th. There's no word out of Montreal that they would be selling, but in a buyers market, there could be plenty of interest in guys like Bill Greene (.260, 3, 32, 8), Bert Lass (.298, 2, 26), Charlie Woodbury (.304, 1, 37), Red Bond (.277, 12, 49), Jake Hughes (.252, 2, 36, 6), Otis Parker (.304, 2, 17), and Pat Weakly (7-6, 2.79, 57). There may be no urgency to sell, as the Saints system is loaded, ranked #1 in all of baseball with exactly 200 points and two of the top five prospects. Three of their top seven prospects have a 1947 ETA, with a fourth at 1948, so the Saints could hold off and try to turn things around next season. These are must win games, and could help us reach first by the break. Our final series will be two with the inconsistent Kings, who's extra inning win against us was their only in the last week. This dropped them to 34-41, now 8 games out of first and just 2.5 games above the Saints. If they stay cold, this could help us finish the first half scalding hot. Leo Hayden may be the most confusing pitcher in the league, as his 74 ERA+ (5.40) is almost identical to his 78 FIP- (3.17), as the inaugural CA Kellogg Winner cannot catch a break in his second season. He's allowed 110 hits in 86.2 innings, after finishing last season with far more innings completed (278) then hits allowed (240). And it's not like the Kings defense is bad, their +16.5 zone rating is well above average, but balls are landing that normally don't, as his .355 opposing BABIP is over 100 points higher then the .245 he posted last season. He got unlucky again against us this week, as two of his four runs were unearned and Duke Bybee, who came into the game with an average below .100, managed to reach on an error and single, later scoring on a second error. If it wasn't for such bad luck, he'd probably be joining Johnny Slaney (9-6, 2.82, 45) and Ralph Johnson (.292, 14, 52) at the All-Star game, and if I had to bet on a guy who's going to have a huge second half, it will be the former Cougar second rounder. This kid is legit! The draft has now been completed, and I should be able to get a quick summary of each of the AI picks, but more good news! In the yearly "top ten" BNN publishes on the draft day, guess who's number one? Our very own Jerry Smith! They don't list Led Ledbetter, so the list is not necessarily a good one, but Garland Phelps checks in at #7. I'll be sending bonuses to those two, Dudley Sapp, Roy Gass, and Buddy Jenkins, with those five alone costing us $61,400 of our $65,910 draft budget. Luckily, we have about $90k in available money for the season, so I should be able to get the rest of the guys I want. Thankfully Ed Sutton, Fred Terry, and George Carter all want slot or less, so while that will make them sign later in the period, I don't have to worry about their bonuses. After this first group signs, we'll look to lock up some of our pitchers (Emerson, Paulson, Czyzewski), Johnny Dickinson, and Harley Dollar, and then there's a lot of AI picks to sift through. I doubt we'll get another Harry Beardsley, but there are some interesting guys at first glance. The toughest question is 10th Rounder Willie Watson, who wants $2,800 and I'm not sure that he'll be worth that much. If we have the money, sure, but we have plenty of young shortstops who would take playing time from him if he signed. Cougars in the GWL With the trade, regular recap, and the eventual draftee writeups, I don't really have much time for this column, but I have to point out all the former Cougars to throw shutouts this week. It's beyond crazy: RHP Cy Sullivan (yes, again) (Oakland Grays): 8 H, BB, 2 K RHP Karl Wallace (Los Angeles Knights): 4 H, BB RHP Luis Sandoval (San Diego Conquistadores): 5 H, 2 BB, 2 K RHP Ira Hawker (Dallas Centurions): 5 H, BB, 3 K RHP King Price (Los Angeles Knights): 8 H, BB, 8 K What a week to be a former or current Cougar pitcher!

06-20-2023, 07:03 PM	#1132
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	1947 Draft: Rounds 11-13 Just a few for now as I'm heading out and these are some legit (for the round, at least) draftees as opposed to the regular fodder that comes towards the end. The rest should come tonight or tomorrow morning. 11th Round, 177th Overall: 3B Bill Nash School: Piedmont University Pipers 1947: .294/.355/.464, 279 PA, 12 2B, 5 3B, 7 HR, 55 RBI, 36 SB Career: .294/.354/.461, 580 PA, 25 2B, 10 3B, 14 HR, 102 RBI, 68 SB A two-year starter at Piedmont University, Bill Nash is actually a legit prospect that I most definitely should have had on my draft list, so I'm actually super psyched about this pick. Nash had a legitimately good college career in a "Good" conference, putting up seasons where he hit completely above .290/.350/.440 with at least 12 doubles, 5 triples, 7 homers, 45 RBIs, 30 steals, and 20 walks. He played 60 games a sophomore and 55 as a junior, and was an extremely reliable option at the hot corner for the Pipers. Both OSA and Dixie Marsh think he could develop into a major leaguer, but not the type of player you wouldn't upgrade over. He has a good eye and an above average contact tool, but nothing that really jumps out at you. The defense is solid, probably better then a Walt Pack or Hank Barnett, but without all of the pop. At 6'2'', he has the frame for it, but he'll need to put some muscle on if he wants to hit homers. As a college guy, he can leap frog the young shortstops we drafted, and Israel Holmes' spot in the Legislators Lineup is looking very vulnerable. Nash may be part of the second phase of signings, as I actually prefer him to 10th Rounder Willie Watson. I think both will end up signings, but since Watson is very raw, I'd rather get Nash quicker as our farm teams are not doing well this season and he could be an impact player. The Legislators (39-25) are the only other Cougar affiliate in a pennant race, and there really isn't an upgrade in the San Jose (21-33) lineup. I'm curious to see where Nash ranks in the prospect lists, as he's one of the few AI picks I'd expect to crack the list. 12th Round, 193rd Overall: RHP Jackie Reynolds School: Clarinda Cardinals Commit School: Springfield State Tigers 1947: 7-2, 87.1 IP, 1.75 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 35 BB, 111 K Career: 29-11, 401.1 IP, 2.11 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 140 BB, 427 K Yay! Another prep pitcher! Demanding $1,600 to break his commitment to Springfield State, I may actually let Jackie Reynolds fulfil his commitment. A four year starter at a tiny school in Iowa, Reynolds set personal bests for record, ERA, FIP (2.19), K/9 (11.4), and FIP- (54), which sort of shows you how the rest of his prep career went. Obviously ERAs above 2 are still impressive, but he had two of them and this was his first season with a double digit K/9. Plus, we have way too many guys that need innings in La Crosse as is. Granted, we only have 14 pitchers currently in La Crosse and there are plenty of cuttable relievers. Injuries can hit, and we may need a pen filler, as he's better then all the young free agents by a mile. He's a skinny 6'1'' righty who weights just 150 pounds. There's plenty of time for him to either grow or add weight, and since two of his three pitches are fastballs (he also has a cutter) and he tops at just 87, his stuff could improve greatly. He was throwing a mile faster this season and he commands his curve well, so it may be in his best interest if we let him develop in college. That being said, I think I'll be able to find room for him, but we took on a lot of money in Pestilli that I may want to hold onto if we need to make another upgrade. 13th Round, 209th Overall: C Bob Mundy School: Mississippi A&M Generals 1947: .270/.346/.362, 317 PA, 9 2B, 6 HR, 46 RBI, 7 SB Career: .267/.345/.360, 1,129 PA, 30 2B, 21 HR, 174 RBI, 29 SB Our 13th Round selection, Bob Mundy is one of many players produced by what has been known as "Outfielder A&M". Sure Henry DeVeaux didn't really turn out (ironically taken in the last season we didn't have a first rounder), but Mississippi A&M has produced stars like the Lightbody brothers and perhaps a next one in Dynamo third basemen Tommy Griffin. Griffin and Mundy were actually teammates as recently as last season, and as a senior Mundy played in all three seasons Griffin was a part of. Even without Griffin, A&M made the AIAA tournament, taking out 4th ranked Opelika State before falling to 5th ranked Carolina Poly, who is taking on Grange College in the finals. Mundy was part of a productive lineup, and tallied 266 hits, 282 runs, and 174 RBIs in 224 games for the Generals. He hit a strong .267/.345/.360 with 21 homers, and was a key member of the clubhouse. He worked well with the pitching staff and led by example, always putting in extra hours without being asked. Even with the addition of Garland Phelps and Mike Bordes, Eddie Howard is now in Chicago and there aren't many standout guys taking at bats. Guys like Bill Martin, Alex O'Dailey, and Ernie Frost are interesting, but they all profile as nothing more then backups. That's likely the case for Mundy, but he's far closer to the big leagues and could take a share of at bats from someone. His below slot demand makes if very appealing as well, and while his signing won't come right away, he's going to quickly agree once I know exactly how much money I have to allocate to the next level of prospects. This is what I get for making a big trade the day of the in-game draft... As mentioned, I'll continue with the rest of the guys later tonight. I haven't really looked at anyone after Mundy, so the next few could come in another small batch if they are still worth more then a few sentences. They're easier to digest when it's about three or four at a time, but I'm not going to spend time on guys that you likely won't see their name again.

06-20-2023, 11:59 PM	#1133
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	1947 Draft: Rounds 14-17 14th Round, 225th Overall: LHP Ben Clough School: Oklahoma Bible College Dusters 1947: 5-5, 98.2 IP, 4.38 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 39 BB, 75 K Career: 16-14, 295.2 IP, 4.17 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 112 BB, 201 K A three year starter at Oklahoma Bible College, Ben "Preacher Man" Clough's best season came as a sophomore, where he went 6-4 with a 3.92 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, and 61 strikeouts in 15 starts. Funny enough, he started 15 games and threw almost exactly the same amount of innings (98.1, 98.2, 98.2) in each of his seasons. As a junior who didn't really impress too much, he'll sign for slot, and should be a useful enough mop up arm for the pen. The southpaw is a hard worker who throws four pitches, but three of them (fastball, sinker, cutter) are fastballs, which greatly limits his future potential. 22 in July, he may not have a long leash, but his circle change is good enough to warrant an extended look. If he can throw high 90s he could be a useful reliever, but as a flyball pitcher he's really going to need to miss bats. 15th Round, 241st Overall: C Leo Dewitte School: Whitman Panthers Commit School: Carolina Poly Cardinals 1947: .414/.500/.713, 107 PA, 9 2B, 3B, 5 HR, 25 RBI, 9 SB Career: .419/.506/.630, 353 PA, 27 2B, 2 3B, 10 HR, 82 RBI, 23 SB Both Dudley Sapp and Leo Dewitte are committed to Carolina Poly, and I'd be surprised if either of them end up attending. A three year starter at Whitman, Leo Dewitte had a bit of a power surge as a senior, doubling his home run total with 5 in a career low 107 trips to the plate. With the power came with a lower average, as his .414 was the first time he failed to hit at least .420. Still, Dixie Marsh is a fan of the curious backstop, praising his eye and glove behind the plate. If he adds power to that, he could be a very useful player, and if he gets a chance as a backup he could take advantage of an injury. It may be tough for him to get at bats early on, but I love his defense and his work ethic could rub off on others. He also has some experience at first base, as Dudley Sapp will need the occasional day off, and if he hits well enough he could finish the season in San Jose. That could open a little bit of time for Dewitte, and if he can hit, especially for power, we'll find him a spot in the lineup. 16th Round, 257th Overall: SS Hank Smithers School: Redondo Beach Sea Hawks Commit School: Central Kentucky Tigers 1947: .478/.500/.699, 122 PA, 13 2B, 6 3B, 32 RBI, 14 SB Career: .475/.501/.716, 506 PA, 49 2B, 26 3B, 3 HR, 129 RBI, 51 SB SMITHERS!!!! Monty Burns voice Yes, the name alone is enough to earn a roster spot for Hank Smithers, who is really the first of our selections I had my eye on before the draft. As you might guess, he's a versatile infielder, and the four year starter made appearances at second, third, left, right, and his natural short. And he's not only a useful glove, the bat is pretty strong too, as he never hit worse then .470/.495/.690. He's not much of a power threat, with all three of his homers coming last season, but he had 13 doubles in three of his four seasons and he plays good defense. He could end up hitting for a decent average, and while he's not a base stealer, he's quick and could be very useful in advancing runners. If he can add some strength, he could become a very good hitter, but their is plenty of risk involved. He's very raw and may be stuck on the bench to start things out, but if he does well in a reserve role, he could become a regular in the minor leagues and a very useful utility man. 17th Round, 273rd Overall: RHP Doc Buckingham School: Bluegrass State Mustangs 1947: 6-6, 112.2 IP, 4.47 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, 50 BB, 71 K Career: 14-18, 305.2. IP, 4.59 ERA, 1.60 WHIP, 154 BB, 176 K Not only did we get the Mustangs ace in George Carter, we also picked up their #2 Dock Buckingham. It's not the first time Doc was selected, as the Saints took him a few picks earlier (264th) as a junior last season. And as a senior he'll also sign under slot, making him an affordable filler arm for at least the first season. A four pitch pitcher, Buckingham has the stuff to start, but the results haven't been all that great so far. Granted, he plays against "Great" competition and kept his ERA below five each season, and his 1.4 K/BB this season was the best one yet. His 1.54 WHIP and 4.31 FIP were also bests, so perhaps he could continue to make improvements. He does have issues with flyballs, but he threw a mile faster this year, up to 85-87. I'm not sure he'll ever start many games for us, but he could develop into a useful pen arm. That's it for tonight, as I'll cover the rest sometime tomorrow. Once the Pestilli trade goes through, I'll know exactly how much money I have to spend, and most of the guys I've covered so far start being signed. I'm guessing a lot of the later round picks (just one more college player) will end up going to college, as I don't want to sign guys just to release them, or release anyone interesting already in the organization.

06-21-2023, 12:11 PM	#1134
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	1947 Draft: Rounds 18-25 18th Round, 289th Overall: CF Goldie Smith School: Marietta Panthers Commit School: Western Florida Wolves 1947: .489/.560/.685, 112 PA, 13 2B, 3B, HR, 30 RBI, 14 SB Career: .467/.540/.665, 218 PA, 26 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 56 RBI, 28 SB A two year starter at his high school in Marietta, Georgia, Goldie Smith raised his average over 40 points as a senior with an extra walk and one less strikeout. As enticing as that sounds, he doesn't have much power and hits too many ground balls, and while he's quick, he's not very fast. He's also moody and isn't fun to be around when his team loses. He could be a decent fourth outfielder, but I think he's best suited if we let him attend Western Florida. There's not really much space for him, but if we get desperate for an outfielder, his $1,500 bonus isn't too bad. 19th Round, 305th Overall: LHP Herb Bloom School: Crisfield Crabbers Commit School: Coastal State Eagles 1947: 6-5, 111 IP, 3.49 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 51 BB, 84 K Career: 29-14, 447.1 IP, 2.84 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 181 BB, 414 K A four year starter for the Crisfield Crabbers, Herb Bloom was simply put not effective as a senior. If he was a Cougar, his 3.49 ERA would rank fourth in our rotation, and he played high schoolers not FABL stars. His best year came as a freshman, where he was 9-2 with a 2.38 ERA and 138 strikeouts in 121 innings. He doesn't look like a future starter, but three years at Coastal State could help elevate his draft status. 20th Round, 321st Overall: CF Fred McHenry School: Marshall Barristers Commit School: Tallmadge State Terriers 1947: .430/.485/.553, 131 PA, 14 2B, 28 RBI, SB Career: .439/.495/.540, 499 PA, 40 2B, 2 3B, 109 RBI, 18 SB Born and raised in beautiful Los Angeles, California, I wish I could send Fred McHenry to one of the GWL ballclubs. The four year starter didn't hit a single home run in 98 games for the Barristers, and was caught (1) just as often as he successfully stole (1) as a high school senior. A player like that doesn't really have an FABL future, especially when you hit over .450 just once (.455, SO). He'll head to Tallmadge State, where he can hopefully add some muscle and hit a few longballs. 21st Round, 337th Overall: RHP Jacob Larry School: Whittier Condors Commit School: Redwood University Mammoths 1947: 8-2, 91.1 IP, 2.77 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 55 BB, 100 K Career: 29-10, 383.1 IP, 2.56 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 179 BB, 411 K A four year starter at Whittier, Jacob Larry wants over $3,000 to forego his commitment to Redwood University, and it just isn't worth it for us. And as another Cali kid, I'm sure a GWL team would be more then willing to give him that. Larry's best season came as a freshman, where he went 6-3 with a 1.94 ERA and 102 strikeouts, while sporting a 3.5 K/BB and 1.12 WHIP. By time he was a senior, his K/BB was below 2, and after that freshman season he never had an ERA below 2.50. He's a flyball pitcher best suited for the pen, and will need to improve vastly if he wants to join an FABL club. Or you know, just demand a signing bonus relative to his skill... 22nd Round, 353rd Overall: 2B Bill Carrier School: Greenville Raiders Commit School: Eastern State Monitors 1947: .441/.483/.735, 116 PA, 12 2B, 6 3B, 2 HR, 27 RBI, 14 SB Career: .445/.494/.693, 248 PA, 22 2B, 13 3B, 2 HR, 58 RBI, 32 SB Born in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, Bill Carrier spent most of his childhood there, but moved to Pennsylvania as a junior to attend Greenville High School and play for their baseball team. He bounced around some, playing first, second, short, and left for the Raiders, and hit .445 with 2 homers, 58 RBIs, and 32 steals in 49 games. He's on the smaller side, just 5'9'' and 150 pounds, but he has an above average contact tool, good speed, and will draw a lot of walks. I'm undecided on what to do with him, as he may be worth signing as a back of the bench player. 23rd Round, 369th Overall: LF Curt Boyle School: Altus Pioneers Commit School: Darnell State Legislators 1947: .406/.440/.566, 116 PA, 7 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 28 RBI, 6 SB Career: .404/.439/.587, 237 PA, 16 2B, 3 3B, 6 HR, 56 RBI, 11 SB A left fielder only who barely hit above .400 and slugged under .600 for his career with limited speed? Yeah, easy pass... He does have a good work ethic, but when the highlight of your prep career is 4 homers as a junior, your chances of debuting are slim. He'll be a Legislator, just not one who resides in Lincoln. 24th Round, 385th Overall: 2B Tex Kelly School: Gateway Christian University Cougars 1947: .275/.358/.341, 288 PA, 6 2B, 3B, 3 HR, 40 RBI, 11 SB Career: .266/.354/.371, 1,128 PA, 32 2B, 4 3B, 21 HR, 175 RBI, 82 SB Woah! A college player! They do exist this late! Tex Kelly was a Cougar for four years, and you know what, he can join the Cougar organization. His time with us may be short, but we have plenty of veteran depth pieces in the farm that probably should be cut, and at 22 Kelly could probably be pushed up to San Jose or Lincoln. His lack of versatility may hurt him, he just plays second base, but he did hit .266/.354/.371 against "Good" competition, has a good eye and makeup, and can do some work on the basepaths. He's going to be one of the last guys to sign as he's below slot, but he could get a few pro at bats before calling it quits. Hard work pays off! 25th Round, 401st Overall: C Billy Haugen School: San Antonio Techsters Commit School: Red River State Rowdies 1947: .423/.440/.532, 119 PA, 4 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 30 RBI, 2 SB Career: .418/.432/.502, 241 PA, 11 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 30 RBI, 6 SB Exactly 400 players were selected before Billy Haugen, and it's not all that hard to figure out why. Sure, being a 6'3'' catcher is interesting enough, but he walked just 4 times in 47 games and hit just 14 extra bae hits. No power, no eye, no speed. Is there even a glove? At least with his body frame, there's hope he improves in the future, and at least Red River State has someone to place behind the plate. Besides, someone his height who plays on the baseball team? College should be a blast! The regular report will come out some time tonight, likely late, but let me tell you... I love seeing Sal Pestilli on the roster! Even if it comes with a 79 WRC+! It can only go up, right? Right??? RIGHT!!! Please tell me it can go up... This second half sure will be interesting....

06-21-2023, 07:03 PM	#1135
StLee Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: NC Posts: 4,971	I have a feeling that you will run away with the division if you win four games a week! What a nice tight race around midseason. __________________ Fan of LSU sports (especially baseball and football), New Orleans Saints, New Orleans Pelicans, and Atlanta Braves (Dale Murphy for the HOF!). Current dynasties: Fallout 4's Commonwealth Baseball Organization Completed dynasty: Fallout: New Vegas' Mojave Baseball League Uniforms: My custom uniforms

06-22-2023, 12:35 AM	#1137
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 12: June 30th-July 6th Weekly Record: 3-4 Seasonal Record: 42-38 (4th, 4 GB) Stars of the Week Billy Hunter : 18 AB, 6 H, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .333 AVG, 1.011 OPS Hal Sharp : 28 AB, 7 H, 2 HR, 3 RBI, .250 AVG, .776 OPS Walt Pack : 20 AB, 6 H, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .300 AVG, .941 OPS Schedule 6-30: Win at Stars (3-0) 7-1: Loss at Stars (1-5) 7-2: Win vs Saints (1-2) 7-4: Win vs Saints (3-5) 7-4: Loss vs Saints (3-2) 7-5: Loss vs Kings (13-6) 7-6: Loss vs Kings (5-1) Recap Four games. That's it. Just four. That's what we have to make up in the second half of the season. Sure, getting embarrassed by the Kings at home is not even close to what I wanted to end the first half, but if you told me that Peter the Heater wasn't striking guys out, Leo Mitchell wasn't hitting the ball, and we had five hitters with 170 or more PAs and a WRC+ below 100 (three below 75!), I'd think we were ten games under .500. But instead, we're four over, four back, still right in the thick of things as we head to the All Star break. Only four Cougars will be represented at the game, which feels thin compared to past seasons. Still, with eight teams and 26 spots, we have a bit more then expected with approximately 3.25 All Stars per team. Three of them were expected, as I correctly assumed that Donnie Jones (2nd; 11-5, 2.60, 77), Hal Sharp (2nd; .361, 11, 44), and Skipper Schneider (6th; .281, 3, 32) would start at their respective positions, but I did not expect a June/July surge from Walt Pack (3rd; .262, 12, 39) that would get him selected by Stars manager Ken Tannen. Pack followed up a .271/.329/.643 (160 OPS+) June with a .353/.421/.647 (188 OPS+) July, and is now hitting .262/.350/.518 (135 OPS+) with 12 homers and 39 RBIs in 66 games. 8 of those homers came after June 1st, and as recent as June 18th he was hitting just .233/.329/.411. Has Pack been reborn? Is it just a hot streak that sluggers love to go on? Which Walt Pack will we get the rest of the way? Who knows! He would be the "Wild Card" for the second half, but we all know who that will be now. There is a certain buzz in the air in the Windy City, as everything feels different. With no interleague play, plenty of Cougar fans who follow only the Continental Association may not know many of the players in their counterpart over in the Fed, but even if it wasn't for the constant wartime rumors centered around him, everyone knows who Sal Pestilli is. The former 1st Overall Pick is one of 23 "Extremely Popular" players both nationally and locally, and is joined by fellow Cougars Skipper Schneider, Dick Walker, and Leo Mitchell. Sal was almost a baseball legend since he hit .409 as a freshman in college, and plenty of Cougar fans have visited Whitney Park to get a glimpse up the seemingly larger then life superstar. And even with a rough showing at the plate, those in the media are already calling Sal the savior the Windy City Kitties need to break their longest ever (16 years!) championship drought. Pestilli himself is a little upset with the trade, but if I was him I'd be more angry about what he's done at the plate. Hitting .243/.293/.371 (77 OPS+) is not what you'd expect from a 6-Time All Star, unless he did his work on the mound, and with just 5 home runs he's almost guaranteed to set a new low in longballs. The only time he failed to hit 20 was the 18 in 1942, which was also the only season he was worth less then 5 (4.9) wins above replacement. And 0.9 through 70 games, that seems likely once again, but Cougars Park is a sluggers paradise, and much smaller then Gotham Stadium in the Big Apple. Not that the Gothams lineup is lacking for star power, but Pestilli will now get to hit in front of CA batting title leader Hal Sharp, with either Leo Mitchell (vs RHP) or Ray Ford (vs LHP) in the cleanup spot. That protection should help him out, as he was bumped down to the 6th spot in New York. All those signs point to a resurgence for the former Whitney Winner, but with the struggles of many important lineup members, we'll need more then just him. I'm still stunned that half way through the season Leo Mitchell is hitting just .272/.311/.420 (98 OPS+) after being robbed of yet another Whitney Award. He's coming off back-to-back seasons of leading the CA in WRC at 150 and 156, but his 102 is even lower then the 105 he posted in 31 games as a 23-year-old way back in 1936. In seasons with more then 125 games played, he's never fallen below 130, and in seasons of 150 or more games his lowest is the 136 he posted in 1939. At least the power is fine, as he's hit 10 homers and is on pace for 19, which is more then all seasons excluding his most recent one. But he's at a legitimate risk to fail to hit over .300, something he even did in his first two partial seasons. I don't think Mitchell has ever put together back-to-back months with a WRC+ below 100, but he did that in May (89) and June (98). That's not to say he won't carry the lineup in the final three months, but it's weird worrying about left field, a position that we haven't had to think twice about (excluding his one war season, of course) since he became an everyday player a decade ago. Enough about the bad, let's talk about some of the good. We have Hal Sharp who's hitting at least 20 points better then every other CA hitter, slashing an elite .361/.403/.533 (154 OPS+) with a 167 WRC+ and 3.0 WAR despite poor marks in right. Along with average, he leads in hits (105), and total bases (155) while top five in numerous categories like WRC+ and OPS+, ever so slightly 3rd in both behind Fred McCormick and Ralph Johnson. Donnie Jones leads the association in ERA (2.60), while tied with Pap in strikeouts (77) and Charlie Griffith and Eli Panneton in wins (11). Johnnie Jones is 8-3 with a 2.90 ERA (133 ERA+) and Joe Brown's 3.80 ERA (101 ERA+) is highest of the rotation, so all five are above average in both ERA+ and FIP- (Johnnie's 98 is actually highest). I already touched on Pack's bounce back, but the same can be said for Billy Hunter, who is hitting .321/.380/.448 (126 OPS+) with a 134 WRC+ after posting his first below average season last year in terms of OPS+ (74) and WRC+ (75). He's doubled his home run total (2 to 4) and matched his 8 doubles, 22 RBIs, and 21 walks from last season in about 50 less PAs, while striking out (27 to 19) at a far smaller rate. He's been great at the keystone and surprisingly effective in center, and most importantly, he's been healthy! Yes, the first half has been far from ideal, but guess what? No one said this would be easy! And we're still in it! And there's so much talent on this roster! The second half should be very exciting! Looking Ahead No rest for the wicked, as right after the break, we have a tough three game set with the Cannons. At 45-35, they're a game out of first, but are coming off a 14-15 June and have been playing .500 ball since May 15th. They are represented at the All-Star game by three players, but none of them were ace Rufus Barrell (7-6, 3.13, 69), who probably deserved it more then all four of the catchers at the game, including teammate Adam Mullins (.285, 4, 29). Don't get me wrong, he's more then worthy and was my vote, but an All Star game without Rufus? That just doesn't feel right! I also voted for the other two Cannons, Denny Andrews (.317, 8, 38) and Charlie Rivera (.297, 4, 30, 3), but just three All-Stars from the team that spent most of the season in first place seems a bit low. Butch Smith (4-2, 11, 2.92, 20) was a worthy pen arm and Sam Brown (.340, 5, 39) is second in the batting race and has a 134 WRC+, but neither made the final 26-man roster. Of course, you can only let so many guys in, and there are plenty of worthy candidates, so the well rested Cannons will send their three best pitchers out for the series, with Rufus, Bob Arman (8-5, 3.44, 59), and Red Hampton (6-9, 3.72, 21) the probable pitchers. It's funny Sal's first test will be another former #1 pick, but after the veteran Barrell, things look good for a big week from him. We'll need plenty from the offense, which is in need of a big second half, and I wish we had an easier start to the second half. It does get easier, and quickly, as we finish the week with the first of two with the Foresters. They are 36-46 and have just one representative, rookie Davey Morris who is 3-5 with 2 saves and a 3.24 ERA (123 ERA). His 1.65 WHIP, 4.05 FIP (101 FIP-), and 0.7 K/BB ratio paint a much darker pitcher, but he was on the ballot as a reliever, so his selection makes plenty of sense. There weren't many choices, as Lorenzo Samuels (.321, 5, 20) and Constantine Peters (.321, 1, 18, 1) haven't played nearly enough, and regulars Paul Porter (.283, 20, 5) and Glenn White (.304, 2, 20) don't really have numbers that pop out. A healthy Jim Adams Jr. (.295, 1, 10, 2) surely gets the call, but with just 22 games pre-injury, he was easy to pass up. The Foresters recently parted with former Cougar draftee Hank Stratton (.250, 1, 19), likely opening time back up for Bob Miller (.259, 8), and we could see the return, 23-year-old outfielder Johnny Anderson (.229, 1, 5), who has played in parts of the past there seasons for the Chiefs. No matter who we see, we should come out on top, as we already swept them in Cleveland last week. Some draftees have started to sign, with Garland Phelps quickly snatching up his $31,000 signing bonus. The final spot will change a bit as guys continue to sign, but Phelps currently ranks as our 2nd best prospect and the 26th ranked prospect overall. No catcher ranks higher then him, with Eddie Howard (32nd) the next highest. Jerry Smith is still mulling his offer, as is Buddy Jenkins, and since Roy Gass agreed to his bonus on the last day of the sim, he won't be ranked until the day advances. Phelps his heading to San Jose, as he has an up arrow from La Crosse, while Gass and 3rd Rounder Dudley Sapp (61st) will enter the Lions lineup instead. Many more offers were submitted, and we have nearly $30,000 pending after just over $40,000 have been spent. I'm hoping if sales go up with the addition of Pestilli in the lineup, we can generate some future revenue to make the current year cost feel a bit easier. A lot of good players are going to get raises, so some playoff revenue would be very helpful. Minor League Report LHP Bert Rogers (B San Jose Cougars): Wow, this kid keeps on getting better! It's another shutout for Chicagoan Bert Rogers, who allowed just 7 hits and 2 walks with 3 strikeouts in a 4-0 Cougars win over the Captains. After dropping his two previous starts, Rogers improved to 9-3 on the season with a 2.66 ERA (145 ERA+), 1.39 WHIP, and 37 strikeouts through 74.1 innings. The former 1st Rounder has, and will likely continue to drop down the prospect rankings as more of the new draftees sign, but he still ranks 7th in our system and 62nd overall. He has a really nice slider and all three of his pitches have plenty of movement. He did finally allow a home run, but it came in another complete game victory where he finished with just 8 hits, 2 walks, and 2 runs. 21 in August, Rogers is still extremely young, and far from a finished product. I think he'll eventually throw in the 90s, and he's got that belief in himself that'll always help him pitch better then his stuff. We have one free space in La Crosse, but at least five new arms to find spots for, there is a lot of potential movement. Rogers may be one pushed up, as Rogers could help fellow first rounder Tommy Seymour (4-5, 4.78, 34) and fellow top 100 prospect Harry Beardsley (8-2, 3.17, 54) on the first place Legislators. They are already getting one boost in the return of 21-year-old Ron Berry (0-1, 3.77, 9), who started just 3 games before a strained shoulder placed him under the knife. If Bert makes it a quartet, four of our top five pitching prospects will suit up for the Legislators. I don't think any of the draftees will displace them, as most of our top picks were position players. RHP Billy Stoddard (C La Crosse Lions): Can you imagine a better first professional start then this? After making 44 relief appearances across the last two seasons, former 16th Rounder Billy Stoddard made the most of his first start, tossing a 2-hit, 12-strikeout shutout of the Rock Island Steamboats. With a start like that, it'd be impossible to move him to the pen, so if their aren't many starts to be had down here, he should have no problem going up to San Jose. A three pitch pitcher, Stoddard has pretty good stuff, but his command may get him into troubles. As a flyball pitcher, that's something that has to improve, but his splitter looks pretty good. I wouldn't bet on him being a major pitching prospect anytime soon, but he could take the Charlie Kelsey route and end up as a useful swingman. Cougars in the GWL RHP Ira Hawker (Dallas Centurions): One of the many former Cougars to toss a shutout last week, Ira Hawker was the only one selected as Pitcher of the Month. Hawker had a rough start to the season, but went 4-1 in 6 June starts. He had an impressive 1.78 ERA (186 ERA+) in 50.2 June innings, striking out 24 while walking just 10. The slow start means his ERA is still inflated at 3.80 (87 ERA+), but his 2.88 FIP (87 FIP-) suggests he's been rather unlucky. Dallas may have the worst defense (8th in DEF and 6th in ZR), but as you can tell from his record, they score a lot of runs. 316 in fact, which has propelled them to a 44-33 record; good enough for a 1.5 game lead over the Knights and Grays. The Centurions have made shrewd signings, as offseason acquisitions Heinie Billings (.314, 9, 42, 10), Ken Mayhugh (.290, 6, 33), Al Gross (.248, 5, 30), and player-manager Brooks Meeks (.298, 5, 32, 6) have all excelled. If Hawker returns to form, the Centurions have a good shot to make the playoffs, but with four teams within two anything could happen. Attached Images

06-22-2023, 10:39 PM	#1138
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 13: July 7th-July 13th Weekly Record: 2-2 Seasonal Record: 44-40 (4th, 4.5 GB) Stars of the Week None this Week Schedule 7-10: Loss vs Cannons (3-2): 13 innings 7-11: Win vs Cannons (1-2) 7-12: Win vs Cannons (2-3) 7-13: Loss vs Foresters (0-4) Recap While the Cougars offense continues to be very bad at baseball, the Cougars All-Stars were crucial for the Continental Association, as they edged the Fed 5-4 in extra innings. Donnie Jones wasn't at his best, allowing 3 hits and 3 runs (two homers!) with a strikeout in 2.2 innings, but Cougars almost accounted for every single run. Walt Pack was named MVP, as "The Wolf" started the scoring in the 4th with a two-run pinch hit double, scoring Skipper and former Cougar Freddie Jones (.279, 4, 36) to cut the Fed's lead to one. Pack then tied it in the 7th with a solo shot off Chiefs Ace Al Miller (10-8, 3.16, 62). The Fed tied it up in the ninth, but with one out Skipper tripled, to again bring Pack up. Pack didn't get his third hit in as many trips, but a sac-fly did the trick, as he once again tied the game. After allowing the run in the top half, Davey Morris (3-5, 2, 3.24, 41) managed to keep the Fed off the board, which allowed the fourth Cougar All-Star, Hal Sharp, the opportunity to walk it off with a homer. You would think with all that scoring, we'd have done well after the break, but no... That would be too easy! Instead, we scored just 7 runs in 34 innings, playing three one run games against the Cannons (we were actually 2-1!) before getting shut out by the Foresters. Ugh, this could be a long second half... Sal Pestilli may have sent the game to extras in his Cougar debut, but that's about all he did, as the RBI single was about all the value he provided. Sure, he stole a base earlier in the game, but the 6-Time All-Star was 1-for-7, and finished the week 2-for-10 with a double. A sprained knee and the break meant he had 11 day of rest, so a little rust could have been a factor. We need him to heat up as soon as possible, as Leo Mitchell left his bat in 1946, and started the second half 0-for-11 with 4 strikeouts. Not a single Cougar had an above average week (if you discount their All-Star performances, which should be the case), and check out some of these OPS+. Mitchell, -55. Sutterfield, -39. Pestilli, 11. Mead, 16. Hunter, 16. Lee, 18. Ford, 36. Howard, 47. Dick Walker's 81 looks like a superstar! For some reason I can't use "Regular Season" as a split, but with no turf fields, "Grass" works just as well, to reveal the 37 from Pack, 72 from Skipper, and 59 from Sharp. HOW CAN WE BE THIS BAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But hey, at least Clark Car was 1-for-1! Oh wait, what's this here? There's some 29-year-old guy named Jones who hit his first career home run? We have a Jones who doesn't pitch? No, that's good ole' Johnnie, who's offensive production is the only reason he won his start this week! Good thing we can pitch! Donnie Jones was far better in Chicago then he was in Philadelphia, and while he was only able to go 99 pitches, he finished 8 innings with just 5 hits and a run. He didn't walk anyone and struck out 5 in a no decision. The win went to Ken Matson, who struck out a pair in a perfect ninth. He pitched a day earlier in the double header as well, striking out two in two perfect frames. After a shaky start, he's actually been a great stopper for us, saving 6 games and working to a 2.49 ERA (155 ERA+) with 21 strikeouts in 25.1 innings pitched. The start went to Pete Papenfus, who deserved a win, going nine with 5 hits, 2 runs, 5 walks, and 6 strikeouts. Harry MacRae was charged with the loss, allowing 3 hits, a run, and a walk with 2 strikeouts in his 2 innings. MacRae is likely the odd man out once Harry Parker, who's made two rehab starts, is ready to come back. Our closer last year, MacRae has been far less effective in year two, now 1-5 with a 4.82 ERA (80 ERA+) and 1.71 WHIP in his 14 appearances. I should also mention Johnnie Jones' start, as he picked up a complete game victory. It was a weird start, as while the single walk was amazing, the single strikeout dampened the excitement. Still, 7 hits and just 2 runs is excellent, and he's won four straight starts and has gone two months without allowing a homer. More draftees have signed, as all of our picks in the first five rounds have agreed to bonuses. That includes first rounder Jerry Smith, who ranks just outside the top 10 at #11. With all first rounders, and most second rounders, signed, I think he'll stay in that area, and he's joined in the top 100 by Garland Phelps (3rd, 33rd) and Dudley Sapp (8th, 69th). We have 11 prospects in the top 100, and our system actually returned to #1, with the Miners just three points behind. 5th Rounder Buddy Jenkins came close, checking it at 118th as our highest non-top 100 prospect. I was surprised when 4th Rounder Mike Emerson (213th) was ranked higher then fellow 4th Rounder Roy Gass (378th), as I figured Gass would be top 250 and was somewhat worried Emerson wouldn't be ranked at all. Other signed guys in the top 500 include 11th Rounder Bill Nash (321st) and 5th Rounder Ray Paulson (346th), with 8th Rounder Johnny Dickinson just missing the cutoff. Still plenty of guys to sign, as I currently have offers out on all of our players selected in the first 10 rounds. Once they are all in, we can work on the rest of the class, but I'd expect 7 or more guys to remain unsigned. Looking Ahead We'll look to avoid the sweep at the hands of the 37-49 Foresters, who tapped into their pitching depth to add some serious talent in the field. Even though they parted with former #1 pick Hiram Steinberg (10-4, 3.55, 40), who tossed a shutout in his Pioneers debut, they received the Pioneers first and the 8th Ranked prospect in the league, Sherry Doyal, who was the 15th selection in last year's draft. He's spent all season in AA, and held his own despite being 19. While it's tough to imagine the Pioneers parting with an elite prospect some have compared to Sal Pestilli, they just drafted 18-year-old George Atkins, a center fielder who ranks as the 18th best prospect. If the Pioneers win the pennant, it's a huge pickup for them, but that pick could be very valuable for Cleveland if they do not. They are almost guaranteed three balls in the lottery as they should easily lap their 64 wins from last season, giving the Foresters multiple shots at the #1 pick. Considering #5 Ollie White (5-3, 6, 2.20, 47) can shut us out and they've scored fewer runs then we have this season, adding a bat like Doyal is a huge win for them. Looking at the finale, we'll have to face their All-Star Davey Morris (3-5, 2, 3.24, 41), who became the second consecutive Forester pitcher (Richie Hughes last season) to win the All-Star game. He'll face highly touted rookie Duke Bybee (7-7, 3.60, 58) in a must win game. You could argue the Foresters' three best hitters are lefties, which is a good matchup for our young southpaw, although he's been so good it may not matter. One of his three shutouts came against the Foresters (the other two the Stars!), so I think this we have a very good chance if we can get a few runs. As if wins weren't already important, they are moreso useful when you consider the Philadelphia Sailors are up next. 50-38 and just a half game out, the Sailors +78 run differential is best in either association, and they're 9-3 in July. David Molina (6-3, 16, 1.75, 59) proves that stoppers can be useful, as his 227 ERA+, 1.9 WAR, 2.48 FIP (62 FIP-), and 2.0 K/BB are all outstanding. The Illinois native has been so dominant, that OSA has gone ahead and named him the #1 pitcher in all of baseball, even if we all know that Peter the Heater is still the greatest. He's part of the reason the Sailors have allowed the fewest runs, as even without the injured Charlie Gordon (2-6, 3.13, 24), they have an impressive front three of Win Lewis (11-6, 2.60, 53), Al Duster (7-6, 3.03, 68), and Slick Wesolowski (10-6, 3.06, 53). Lucky for us, Win might have to pitch the finale of the Saints series, but if they opt for a spot starter instead, we'll get the pleasure of seeing their three best. Just what a struggling offense needs! Not only will the scoring for us be tough, but preventing runs will be a challenge even with our top three, as Bobby Boone (.326, 1, 22, 3), Ed Reyes (.321, 3, 34), and Cotton Dillon (.290, 5, 52) are all formidable forces. The home fans may give us a slight edge, but will it be enough to overcome such a good team? My gut says no... We then finish the week with three against the Wolves, who are 40-45 and nine games out of first. There are rumblings that the Wolves want to buy, as they don't want to waste a Whitney caliber season from 8-Time All Star Fred McCormick. The talented veteran is 37, but slashing a powerful .321/.407/.560 (153 OPS+) with 15 doubles, 15 homers, and 53 RBIs. He can't do it all by himself, but Charlie Artuso (.262, 1, 40, 7) is scuffling through his worst offensive season as a big leaguer and Hal Wood (.276, 5, 48) has had a rough second half. Really just Chink Stickels (.278, 3, 33, 10) is hitting much, as everything has gone wrong for Hank Giordano (.241, 2, 29, 3) and neither Frank Frady (.241, 17) nor John Fast (.245, 1, 8) has had much success in year one. Even worse, Joe Hancock (5-6, 3.94, 30) and Jerry York (4-6, 3.93, 44) have blown up, which completely offsets George Garrison (5-6, 2.65, 57) pitching like Joe and Jerry were to start the season. The Wolves will be an interesting team to watch as the deadline approaches, as a good showing against us could convince them to make a run for it. Minor League Report RHP Dick Garcia (AA Mobile Commodores): On May 31st, Dick Garcia had a 7.58 ERA after 7 starts. On July 10th, he lowered that to 4.70 (95 ERA+) after completing a 2-ht shutout over the New Orleans Showboats. That was his fifth start in six attempts where he allowed two or fewer earned runs, and he's now 4-8 after dropping his first six decisions. He's thrown just shut of 100 innings (97.2), but he's walked 33 hitters and struck out just 19, leading to a 1.57 WHIP. And as good as he's been in his last six starts, he's walked 17 and struck out just 5. At 22, he still has time to improve, but we have a lot of good young pitchers in the system. His starts may be numbered, but this hot start could help him keep pitching in the organization, giving him the change to debut in the big leagues. C Garland Phelps (B San Jose): It's hard to have a better debut week then Garland Phelps, who despite being short of his 18th birthday, was named Player of the Week in the California-Oregon-Washington League. Very few players have been very effective for the 27-39 Cougars, but Phelps reached base at least twice in each of his six appearances, including an impressive 4-for-6 in start two where he both scored and drove in two. as the Cougars still fell short in a 14-13 loss in Spokane. Currently ranked as the 33th best prospect in the league, and is even ahead of Eddie Howard (36th) who made his big league debut this season. Harry Mead (.212, 4, 28) has had an awful start to the season, and while I still believe he's good enough to be a big league starter, his seat is getting warmer. Now 33, Mead still owns a 105 career WRC+ in over 1,000 big league games, including two seasons with a WRC+ above 140. Dixie Marsh thinks Phelps will be even better. The new catcher of the future, BNN believes Phelps will be ready by 1949, but don't expect Phelps to make an at bat before the end of the decade. Nicknamed "Einstein" for his brilliance both on and off the field, if you were speaking to Phelps you'd have no idea that the young man was actually a teen, as you can tell how gifted he is. Even though his baseball talent more then speaks for itself, he won't let you hear the end of it, and we're hoping we can keep him a little under control. That may be the only thing to stand in his way, as he has already shown tremendous power at the plate and it's only going to improve as he fills out. He swings hard and fast, which while it produces a ton of hard hits, he may whiff a bit like Leo Mitchell. Luckily he has a really good eye, so he's not going to chase, and he's the type of guy to remember every little detail of every pitcher he faced. If someone got him a lot, he'd figure out why, and if he was a modern player I'm sure he'd be in the film room or on the iPad whenever he had the time. That also helps his pitchers, as he uses his knowledge of the zone to the benefit of his pitchers as well. If they can tolerate all his quirks, they'll love throwing to him, as he will do all the thinking and really help them thrive. If this first week is indictive of anything, it's that if Garland lives up to his potential, we may not have to worry about catcher for a very long time. Sorry Eddie Howard -- take advantage of your six year head start! 1B Dudley Sapp (C La Crosse Lions): Literally any other week ever, Dudley Sapp would have had the best professional debut week. But instead, he decided to debut the same week as Garland Phelps. Selected one round later, Sapp had an excellent debut week in La Crosse, hitting a picturesque.435/.519/.652 (221 OPS+). And while he didn't get on base twice in all his games, he drew 4 walks, tripled, and hit a homer. 19 in September, Sapp is a bit on the older side for a high school prospect, but that doesn't mean that I want to rush him. Cal Rice is a decent first basemen, and at 19 himself, I don't think he's ready for Lincoln yet. For now I want both playing everyday, so it's better to keep them both playing everyday. Sapp is clearly the better prospect, with an excellent hit tool and well above average power, and he plays his position very well. He has the size to be a legit big league slugger, and it's a breath of fresh air having a potential elite home run hitting first basemen. Otto is great, but he's still not there yet, and his hit tool doesn't compare to Sapp's. If both reach their potential, they could be a dynamic duo, but with the age difference they may not spend too much time bopping together. And he didn't even win Player of the Week! RF Zeke Johnson (C La Crosse Lions): This is the reason why Dudley Sapp didn't win Player of the Week. His own teammate! A 9th Round Pick last season, Zeke Johnson managed to outhit Sapp, going 12-for-26 with a triple, 2 homers, 2 walks, and 12 RBIs. The 20-year-old has been red hot to start his season, slashing .400/.434/.560 (172 OPS+) -- a noticeable improvement over his .248/.327/.333 (84 OPS+) line in 45 games for the Lions last season. Even with all the new additions, the 19-year-old will not need to worry about losing at bats. Ranked as the 273rd prospect in the league and 21st in our system, and has always projected to be a good hitter. He has above average contact potential and his bat could be as good as anyone. He may not have the power you want in a corner bat, but he has a strong handle over the strike zone and should be able to hold a high on base percentage instead of slugging. As a bat first guy, his defense has always come second, and a final position for him is unknown. He hasn't looked good in right, and will need to be at least passable in a corner if he can't hit like a Hal Sharp. He's a longshot to reach his potential, but it's hard not to get excited about how well he's started.

06-23-2023, 10:48 AM	#1139
legendsport Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Behind The Lens Posts: 2,906	Phelps is an interesting guy. Very smart (as you'd expect with the nickname "Einstein") and a hard worker to boot. He's going to be good and will probably fast track it through the system would be my guess. __________________ Hexed & Countered on YouTube Figment League - A fictional history of baseball - Want to join in the fun? Shoot me a PM! Read the story of the Barrell Family - A Figment Baseball tale The Figment Sports Universe - More Fake Sports Than You Can Shake a Stick At!

06-23-2023, 07:47 PM	#1140
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 14: July 14th-July 20th Weekly Record: 2-5 Seasonal Record: 46-45 (4th, 8 GB) Stars of the Week Walt Pack : 18 AB, 6 H, 2 HR, 7 RBI, .333 AVG, 1.091 OPS Leo Mitchell : 22 AB, 6 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .273 AVG, .701 OPS Skipper Schneider : 22 AB, 6 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, .273 AVG, .652 OPS Schedule 7-14: Loss vs Foresters (3-2) 7-15: Loss vs Sailors (4-1) 7-16: Loss vs Sailors (1-0) 7-17: Loss vs Sailors (5-1) 7-18: Win vs Wolves (5-6) 7-19: Win vs Wolves (1-7) 7-20: Loss vs Wolves (5-2) Recap Oh man... This team... We really, really, REALLY, REALLY. SUCK. Like, can we even score runs? Even a single one? Sometimes, it doesn't seem like it... Despite being at home, we literally can't produce, getting swept by the Foresters before being utterly embarrassed by the first place Sailors. We scored just two runs in three games, and even though we salvaged the series with the Wolves, we're now just a game over .500 and 8 out. I just, don't understand how we're going to get any better. I thought a 17 game homestand would be awesome, but with just one game left in it, we've won just six of them, and are guaranteed to end it well under .500. At lest we had some regulars who had an above average week, but it really didn't feel like it. Billy Hunter went just 4-for-20, but since it came with 2 doubles, a homer, 4 walks, and 4 runs, so that was good enough for a 114 OPS+. Walt Pack, who has been really great since the weathers warmed up, homered in two of our games against the Wolves. He was 6-for-18 with a double and 7 RBIs. He's now hitting .267/.348/.525 (138 OPS+), and despite being 0-for-13 against lefties this season, that's pretty much what the rest of our hitters do. He's going to start playing most games against lefties, as George Sutterfield (50 WRC+) and Jim Jenkins (36 WRC+) have been awful. Leo Mitchell actually got hits this week, but went just 6-for-22 with 6 walks and 3 RBIs. His 99 WRC+ is still nothing that we're used to, and a .264 average seems unheard of. It has to improve though, right? I don't want to cover all the bat offensive performances, but I just have to talk Sal Pestilli. Last night, I couldn't wait to wake up, because I was sure Sal would have a huge week. It was huge, just not in the good way... Pestilli was somehow even worse, going just 3-for-27 with 2 walks and runs. He's been so terrible as a Cougar, that he's hitting just .136/.174/.159 (-8 OPS+) with a -14 WRC+ in 11 games. Yes -- a negative WRC+. It is possible! He's been more then 100 percent worst then the average hitter, and has somehow managed to already be worth more then a half (-0.6) win worst then a replacement player. This guy is supposed to be a star! A STAR! Not a sub replacement player... Funny enough, our pitchers have hit better then our hitters, with Mel Haynes going 1-for-1, Duke Bybee 3-for-6 with 2 RBIs, and Johnnie Jones 1-for-2 with a run. That's some good offense! Bybee was also stellar on the mound, but with basically no run support, he split his decisions. An error caused the loss against the Foresters, allowing 7 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), and 3 walks with 3 strikeouts. Luckily he got 7 runs of support against the Wolves, picking up a complete game win with 6 hits, a run, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts. His ERA is now down to 3.33 (114 ERA+) and his 1.08 WHIP his best in the CA, trailing just Ray Dalpman (1.02) of the Minutemen overall. Second in the CA is Donnie Jones, who got tagged with a loss despite allowing just one run against the Sailors. He went all nine, allowing 8 hits, the run, and 3 walks with 8 strikeouts. His 2.42 ERA is best in the CA, but since he can't buy a win, he's now in a four way tie for fourth. His 90 strikeouts are second to Pap's 97 (who also can't buy a win), but his 5.4 K/9 and .212 opponent average are best in the league. Since he's hitting .229 in 58 PAs, he's actually been getting a hit more often then allowing one. What a stud! Same is the case for Johnnie (.233 BA vs .233 BAA), who had a really tough go of things against the Sailors. He managed to go all nine, but allowed 8 walks, 6 hits, and 5 runs with just a single strikeout. Back-to-back starts with a single strikeout is very concerning, and his K/9 has plunged to 3.6. Pap had no trouble (finally!) with strikeouts, setting down 7 in both of his starts, but he continues to lose games. He lost to both the Sailors and Wolves, now 7-11 despite a 3.39 ERA (112 ERA+). He's lost his last four decisions, and hasn't one a start since back-to-back shutouts against the Cannons and Foresters. Joe Brown, however, did win his start, pitching okay against the Wolves. He went just 7 and allowed 5 runs (3 earned) off 10 hits, 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts. Ken Matson got the final six outs, throwing two hitless innings with a walk and strikeout to pick up his 7th save of the season. The pitching staff will have it's first adjustment since Opening Day, which two players joining the roster for the upcoming road trip. We have a long stretch of games that ends with a double header in Philadelphia on Sunday, so Harry Parker will be returning from his rehab assignment. We have a day off on Monday, so he may not pitch in the double header (I have all weekend to figure things out), but the veteran righty will make his first big league start in nearly ten months. I would have loved for him to get a fourth rehab start, but he has just 9 days remaining and has been built up to 100 pitches. He's gone 1-1 in 3 starts, throwing 19 innings with 21 hits, 4 walks, and 12 strikeouts. This is good for a 3.79 ERA (124 ERA+), 1.32 WHIP, and 3.08 FIP (65 FIP-). so hopefully the towering Parker didn't lose too much stuff after tearing his labrum. With how good Bybee is, Parker won't stay in the rotation, but having him on hand to keep the starters sharp is useful. Plus, he has some experience pitching late in games, giving us a more reliable pen arm. The other addition is a completely new face, as after many failed attempts at claiming pitchers on waivers, we finally got one to slip to us. That is soon-to-be 33-year-old Paul Richardson, who was struggling in a swingman role for the Miners. The former 15th Rounder made 9 starts and 7 relief appearances, going 3-4 with an inflated 6.00 ERA (66 ERA+) and 1.73 WHIP. He was much better in the pen last season, working to a 2.12 ERA in 34 innings with 17 strikeouts and just 5 walks. He's just a few seasons removed from being a very good starting pitcher, as he went 10-11 with a 2.90 ERA (121 ERA+) and 1.00 WHIP in 30 starts split between the Sailors and Minutemen. I don't expect him to pitch anything like that for us, but we just need a veteran who can give length out of the pen. This is a guy with a career 3.66 FIP (101 FIP-) in 488.2 innings, and he's been far better as a reliever (3.38 ERA, 116 ERA+, 1.05 WHIP) then as a starter (6.70, 59, 1.91). Richardson and Parker will replace Charlie Kelsey and Harry MacRae, who have both struggled in limited time. Kelsey had a 5.09 ERA (75 ERA+) and 1.61 WHIP in 23 innings, and will head down to Milwaukee to go back to starting games. MacRae will likely close games for the Blues, as he was much worse this season then last year. His ERA went from 3.21 (109 ERA+) to 4.58 (83 ERA+) and his WHIP is up 20 points to 1.63. Both are 25, so they're not finished products, and I imagine one if not both will rejoin the club in September. Finally, we got some more additions to the top 500 prospect list as the signings start to trickle in. 6th Rounder Ed Sutton debuts at 226th, 10th Rounder Willie Watson at 246th, and 9th Rounder George Carter at 379th. He signed last week, but Johnny Dickinson snuck in at 499th, giving us at current count 52 of the top 500 prospects. Still a few guys left that I want to sign, but I'm not sure there's many others who will sneak in. I want to try to move some of our youngsters, but there are plenty of cuttable guys still hanging around. Looking Ahead I can't believe I'm going to have to wait a whole weekend until we play games again... We have just one more home game, hosting the Cleveland Foresters, before we'll flee to the Clev for a three game set. Despite being 42-51, they had no trouble keeping our offense off the board, despite having the 7th ranked pitching staff, and they're the only team to score fewer runs then us this year. As we approach the deadline, they may sell off some pieces like Ken Vance (.331, 13), Orie Martinez (.253, 10, 44), and Ducky Davis (5-12, 5.18, 35). We're not going to face him, instead we'll start with All-Star Davey Morris (3-5, 2, 2.96, 44), Ollie "three straight shutouts" White (6-3, 1.94, 56), a surging Richie Hughes (8-10, 4.18, 68), and Augie Hayes Jr. (7-11, 3.84, 47). Morris is the only one on full rest, which could either give us an advantage or cause a spot start from someone like Joe Crosby (1-3, 6.26, 15). On paper, this is exactly what we need to get back on track, but if this goes sideways, not only are we nearly guaranteed to miss the playoffs, but we might fail to finish over .500 for the first time since 1936. Because it does get worse... Yes, the next stop is four games in three days against the Sailors. The 56-39 first place Sailors who allowed just two runs in three games in Chicago. We didn't even lose to Win Lewis (12-7, 2.54, 58), dropping starts from Al Duster (8-6, 2.83, 74), Slick Wesolowski (11-6, 2.92, 56), and John Thomas Johnson (5-2, 1, 2.15, 36). We let Les Cunha (.287, 5, 52) and Rip Lee (.285, 1, 31, 4) heat up against us, and I don't want to go into all the players they have that hit better then ours. There's just too many! When we get swept once again here, we could be more then 15 games out of first! That would be a blast! Minor League Report RHP Bob Allen (C La Crosse Lions): I can't believe it, but I'm promoting Bob Allen to San Jose. Currently ranked as the 6th best prospect in the league, Allen made four starts for the Lions, and it's clear he's the best pitcher in the league. He's been so good, that after his 4-hit, 12-strikeout shutout, he was named Player of the Week. In his other start that week he did allow a run, with 5 hits, 4 walks, and 11 strikeouts in the win. He won all four of his starts and struck out 11 or more hitters in each outing, tallying 46 in just 33.2 innings pitched. He allowed just 20 hits, 2 runs, and 14 walks, ending with a miniscule 0.53 ERA (664 ERA+) and 1.01 WHIP, while being worth a full 1.3 wins above replacement. As fun as it would be to see just how many batters he could strike out in a full season, he clearly needs to be challenged, as this kid has the potential to be one of the best pitchers the game has ever seen. He's striking out more guys then Pap did in the minors, and I don't think any of our talented young arms have had a four start stretch like Allen just put together. His stuff is amazing, his command is amazing, and he's not going to give up any home runs. He has the mindset of an ace, the talent of an ace, the name of an ace, and pretty much everything but the body of one. If he reaches his potential, he could be the best pitcher in baseball, and even with Pap being 29, I think these two will be able to pitch some dominant seasons together. The age difference is large, as he's even six years younger then Duke Bybee, but with no war getting in the way of his development, Allen may be up in Chicago before you know it.