United Leagues of Braeland - Page 17

reds1 · 01-12-2017, 08:09 AM

reds1 · 01-13-2017, 10:28 PM

Dark Horse · 01-14-2017, 12:42 AM

i've always enjoyed your visual presentation. And your playoff reporting is great.

reds1 · 02-09-2017, 10:27 PM

[My posts may continue to be a bit sporadic as we deal with some family health issues that have come up in the past few weeks]

1945-46 United Leagues of Braeland Awards

Eastern League

Babe Ruth Award

Returning to the United Leagues after a year serving in the Braeland Armed Forces, six-time All-Star 1B Jim Friend did not missed a beat. He won his third Babe Ruth Award and his first in four seasons.

The runners-up for the award were:

2nd: Brunswick's 1B Stuart Bentham (.320/.426/.548, 29 HR, 88 RBI, 5.6 WAR)
3rd: Stratford's SS Jake Walker (.349/.430/.530, 13 HR, 112 RBI, 6.3 WAR)

Jim Friend led the circuit in doubles (43), RBI (126), SLG (.569), OPS (1.005) and WAR (6.6).

Stuart Bentham led the Eastern League in HR (29).

Previous Winners:

1937-38: Katsunan Chikafuji, Queensland Eagles
1938-39: Paul Hooks, Embro Suns
1939-40: Terence Durney, Embro Suns
1940-41: Jim Friend, Embro Suns
1941-42: Jim Friend, Embro Suns
1942-43: Mark Elston, Brunswick Legends
1943-44: Dean Bishop, Braeland City Monarchs
1944-45: Stuart Bentham, Brunswick Legends

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Satchel Paige Award

LHP Joel Fearn was a two-time runner-up for the Satchel Paige Award, coming in second both times in 1941-42 and 1943-44. But it all came together this season, as the United Leagues' leader in wins snagged his first Award.

The other pitchers under consideration:

2nd: Brunswick's LHP Anastasio Rodríguez (18-10, 2.93 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 142 ERA+)
3rd: Embro's RHP Oscar Burress (16-8, 2.80 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 148 ERA+)

Fearn led the League in wins (23), ERA (2.60), GS (36), IP (318.0) and BB/9 (1.8).

Rodríguez led the East in HR/9 (0.3) and WAR (9.2).

Previous Winners:

1937-38: Colm Soper, Embro Suns
1938-39: Justin Hayhurst, Stratford Barons
1939-40: Lenny Freke, Braeland City Monarchs
1940-41: David Cooling, Braeland City Monarchs
1941-42: Anastasio Rodríguez, Brunswick Legends
1942-43: Anastasio Rodríguez, Brunswick Legends
1943-44: Ryan Borden, Stratford Barons
1944-45: Matthew Monroe, Brunswick Legends

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Rookie of the Year Award

Although he ultimately lost his spot in the lineup to fellow catcher Jason Lymer and has been reduced to pinch hitting duties, C Jilenko Batiles won the Award for Top Rookie in the Eastern League.

Here were the runners-up:

2nd: Cobourg's C Jason Lymer (.277/.318/.396, 5 HR, 65 RBI, 2.0 WAR)
3rd: Wellington’s RF Edgardo Barrón (.279/.311/.434, 3 HR, 51 RBI, 1.4 WAR)

Previous Winners:

1938-39: Adam Ashley, Braeland City Monarchs
1939-40: Soren Heinke, Wellington Athletics
1940-41: Dean Bishop, Queensland Eagles
1941-42: Harry Chatwin, Brunswick Legends
1942-43: Geoff Lemoine, Stratford Barons
1943-44: Elijah Sheppard, Queensland Eagles
1944-45: Kyle Prior, Braeland City Monarchs

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Western League

Babe Ruth Award

The three finalists of last season's Babe Ruth Award in the West were all under consideration once again. This time, C Danny Trowbridge won his first Award after enjoying a sensational season. He finished as runner-up last year to Broadbent.

Runners-up to Trowbridge were:

2nd: Kingston's SS Katsunan Chikafuji (.359/.414/.575, 30 HR, 139 RBI, 9.3 WAR)
3rd: Balmoral's RF Carlton Broadbent (.363/.442/.622, 32 HR, 108 RBI, 6.1 WAR)

Trowbridge led the West in Runs (129), HR ( 34), AVG (.371), OPB (.442), SLG (.629), OPS (1.071) and WAR (9.6). In fact, Trowbridge set new ULB records this past season in SLG, OPS and WAR.

Chikafuji led in Hits (224) and RBI (139).

Previous Winners:

1937-38: Fergus Chitty, Kingston Pelicans
1938-39: Fergus Chitty, Kingston Pelicans
1939-40: Jayden Tennant, Kingston Pelicans
1940-41: Steven Winstanley, Hespeler Stars
1941-42: Jayden Tennant, Kingston Pelicans
1942-43: Ron Westmacott, Cambria Cannons
1943-44: Carlton Broadbent, Balmoral Giants
1944-45: Carlton Broadbent, Balmoral Giants

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Satchel Paige Award

All three finalists for the Satchel Paige Award in the West were fresh faces, with two 26-year olds and a 22-year old earning consideration. This season it went to a Kingston Pelican for the 7th time in 9 seasons.

LHP Patrick Denman had a tremendous season, setting an all-time mark in wins in a season, after going 15-15 last year.

Runners-up for the award were:

2nd: Sherburn's RHP Jesús Chapa (19-13, 2.50 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 168 ERA+)
3rd: Kingston's RHP Ben Currall (20-7, 2.97 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 141 ERA+)

Denman led the West in Wins (27), ERA (2.29), IP (298.1), WHIP (1.17), BABIP (.237) and ERA+ (182). He tied with Chapa in GS (34).

Chapa led the West in K (141) and WAR (7.1).

Previous Winners:

1937-38: Neil Guerin, Cambria Cannons
1938-39: Brady Murdy, Kingston Pelicans
1939-40: Brady Murdy, Kingston Pelicans
1940-41: Brady Murdy, Kingston Pelicans
1941-42: Francis Slocock, Kingston Pelicans
1942-43: Joey Cumberledge, Kingston Pelicans
1943-44: Francis Slocock, Kingston Pelicans
1944-45: Roberto Taváres, Sherburn Tigers

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Rookie of the Year Award

It was a clean sweep for the Pelicans in the Awards section, as RHP Ben Currall snapped up the Rookie Award after finishing third in voting for the Satchel Paige Award.

The runners-up for the Rookie Award were:

2nd: Fort Richmond's SS Clive Lanham (.305/.368/.464, 7 HR, 46 RBI, 2.7 WAR)
3rd: Pulberry's RHP Lenny Tennison (10-16, 3.25 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 125 ERA+)

Previous Winners:

1938-39: Aaron Flanagan, Wolseley Unions
1939-40: Francisco Rodríguez, Balmoral Giants
1940-41: Leon Hankey, Cambria Cannons
1941-42: Brian Pittman, Balmoral Giants
1942-43: Freddie Duran, Kingston Pelicans
1943-44: Rizalino Ringor, Wolseley Unions
1944-45: Hao Wang, Cambria Cannons

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Manager of the Year Award

55-year old Bill Quinn of the Stratford Barons won his third Eastern League Manager of the Award, after guiding his team to the playoffs in a tight three-way race. He is the second manager to win the Award three times, after Kingston's Ben Houchens. Quinn previously won the Award in 1940 and 1943. He has been the Barons' field manager since Day 1.

60-year old Bradley Balmforth won the Western League Manager of the Year this past season, as he led the Sherburn Tigers to 91 victories, their best mark, and to their second playoff appearance. It was the first time the Tigers made the playoffs since their inaugural season in 1937-38. It was Balmforth's second Manager of the Year Award. He first won it back in 1937-38 as manager of the Wellington Athletics. He thus becomes the first manager to win the Award in both the Eastern and Western Leagues. This past season was his first at the helm of the Tigers, after spending the previous 8 seasons in Wellington.

Bill Quinn continues to lead all managers in the ULB in Games managed (1387) and wins (773). His over record is 773-614, .557. He has led the Barons to three playoff appearances and two United Cup championships.

Bradley Balmforth is fourth in overall wins (693-605, .534 in 1298 games). He has led the Wellington Athletics into the playoffs twice and the Sherburn Tigers once.

Previous Winners:

1937-38: Bradley Balmforth, Wellington Athletics; Rouke Barclay, Sherburn Tigers,
1938-39: Vic Windle, Embro Suns; John Permenter, Kingston Pelicans,
1939-40: Warren Paulino, Braeland City Monarchs; Eddie Frierson, Cambria Cannons,
1940-41: Bill Quinn, Stratford Barons; John Permenter, Kingston Pelicans,
1941-42: Babe Ruth, Brunswick Legends; Eddie Frierson, Cambria Cannons.
1942-43: Wesley Leseberg, Brunswick Legends; Ben Houchens, Kingston Pelicans.
1943-44: Bill Quinn, Stratford Barons; Ben Houchens, Kingston Pelicans.
1944-45: Wesley Leseberg, Brunswick Legends; Ben Houchens, Kingston Pelicans.

reds1 · 02-09-2017, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dark Horse

i've always enjoyed your visual presentation. And your playoff reporting is great.

Thank you very much for the kind words, Dark Horse!

reds1 · 02-15-2017, 07:55 AM

Notes on 1945-46 All-Braeland Team

Starting Pitcher

26-year old LHP Patrick Denman was the clear-cut choice, despite impressive performances by Stratford's LHP Joel Fearn (23-10, 2.60 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 159 ERA+) and Sherburn's RHP Jesús Chapa (19-13, 2.50 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 168 ERA+).

Leading the West in a slew of pitching categories and setting a new season mark in wins in the ULB, Denman richly deserved winning his first Satchel Paige Award and richly deserves being named to his first All-Braeland Team as well.

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Catcher

As good as he was in 1944-45, C Danny Trowbridge (.371/.442/.629, 34 HR, 106 RBI, 9.6 WAR, .982 fielding %) was even better this past season, winning his first Babe Ruth Award. Trowbridge led the West in a number of offensive categories and set new records in the ULB, namely SLG (.629), OPS (1.071) and WAR (9.6).

Two other catchers were worth mentioning, although they did not in any way seriously challenge Trowbridge for the selection:

• Stratford's Aaron Skidmore (.291/.446/.422, 11 HR, 70 RBI, 124 BB, 6.0 WAR, .985 fielding %)
• Queensland's C Elijah Sheppard (.296/.386/.485, 19 HR, 91 RBI, 70 BB, 5.9 WAR, .971 fielding %)

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First Base

Brunswick's Stuart Bentham (.320/.426/.548, 29 HR, 88 RBI, 105 BB, 5.6 WAR, .993 fielding %) and Kingston’s Dean Bishop (.313/.428/.522, 21 HR, 97 RBI, 99 BB, 5.4 WAR, .986 fielding %) once again earned consideration, as they did last season. But this belonged to Embro's Jim Friend (.344/.436/.569, 26 HR, 126 RBI, 98 BB, 6.6 WAR, .979 fielding %), who made an impressive return from a year serving in the Armed Forces.

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Second Base

Not a memorable year for second basemen in the ULB, as a few stalwarts moved to new positions and there is a young crop of second basemen just getting established. So I went with Sherburn's 28-year old Jim List (.343/.400/.455, 7 HR, 71 RBI, 48 BB, 3.7 WAR, .963 fielding %), who enjoyed the best season thus far of his 6-year career.

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Third Base

Adam Ashley (.355/.422/.462, 3 HR, 71 RBI, 69 BB, 23 SB, 6.2 WAR, .953 fielding %) is enjoying a career renaissance in his 30s. The 32-year old (he’ll turn 33 at the end of May) earned his first selection to the All-Braeland Team last year. But this past season, he was even better. His 23 stolen bases are the most he has swiped since he stole 28 back in 1939-40.

The only player to approach Ashely this year was Balmoral’s Allen Cattanach (.283/.367/.391, 5 HR, 91 RBI, 78 BB, 5.0 WAR, .982 fielding %), who earned his third Top Fielder Award (his first at 3B; the other two when his played 2B).

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Shortstop

Strong performances by shortstops in the ULB has been the norm and this past season was no different. That said, the choice was rather obvious, as Kingston's 30-year old Katsunan Chikafuji (.359/.414/.575, 30 HR, 139 RBI, 61 BB, 7 SB, 9.3 WAR, .946 fielding %) enjoyed one of the best seasons by any ULB player (not named Danny Trowbridge).

But for the record, here are few other shortstops who were worthy of note:

• Stratford's Jake Walker (.349/.430/.530, 13 HR, 112 RBI, 70 BB, 6.3 WAR, .928 fielding %)
• Wolseley's Jorge Arredondo (.319/.382/.465, 13 HR, 91 RBI, 66 BB, 6.3 WAR, .971 fielding %)
• Balmoral's Francisco Rodríguez (.316/.361/.486, 7 HR, 85 RBI, 46 BB, 6.0 WAR, .954 fielding %)

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Leftfield

A new face makes his way onto the Team in his first year of consideration – Wolseley’s 24-year old Carlton Hawking (.326/.441/.521, 17 HR, 89 RBI, 109 BB, 5.1 WAR, .985 fielding %). Hawking made a huge leap offensively this year and earned his first selection to the All-Star game.

Also under consideration was Pulberry's Bruno Lapthorne (.318/.375/.458, 4 HR, 52 RBI, 44 BB, 7 SB, 3.4 WAR, .984 fielding %)

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Centerfield

Once again, the selection for top centerfielder was a difficult one. What was different though, was that there appears to have been a ‘changing of the guard’, as the top three players are all fresh faces to this exercise:

• Fort Richmond's 24-year old Dylan Moyne (.292/.351/.434, 10 HR, 82 RBI, 54 BB, 29 SB, 6.0 WAR, .973 fielding %)
• Wolseley's 28-year old Zak Kidd (.281/.361/.472, 28 HR, 91 RBI, 76 BB, 33 SB, 5.4 WAR, .990 fielding %)
• Stratford's 22-year old Roberto Ríos (.280/.391/.461, 14 HR, 60 RBI, 99 BB, 5.1 WAR, .975 fielding %)

Moyne won his first Top Fielder Award for his outstanding work in the field, and enjoyed a break-out season in just his second year in the ULB (1.7 WAR last year). But I went with Kidd. His defense wasn’t far off from Moyne’s and he enjoyed perhaps his best season at the plate in his 8-year career.

Incidentally, Carlton Hawking and Zak Kidd represent the first two Wolseley Unions players to make the All-Braeland Team. That leaves just the Downie Chiefs who have yet to have a player make the Team. Not surprisingly, Kingston Pelicans players have made the Team 20 times over the past 9 seasons, followed by the Embro Suns (12).

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Rightfield

Balmoral's Carlton Broadbent (.363/.442/.622, 32 HR, 108 RBI, 82 BB, 6.1 WAR, .966 fielding %) is one of the most feared batters in the ULB; this past season proved why, as he had his best year at the plate. Only his shaky defense drew down his value, after being a strength last year. Still, he easily earned his third consecutive selection to the Team, as no other regular right fielder came close.

Cambria's Nicky Willis (.308/.438/.438, 9 HR, 57 RBI, 115 BB, 3.6 WAR, .982 fielding %) was a (very) distant second.

reds1 · 02-18-2017, 01:13 AM

August 30, 1946

A Conversation with the Commissioner

Commissioner David Westfall appeared recently on the weekly national news program, Braeland Reports, to discuss recent developments relating to the United Leagues. A transcript of that conversation with host Vernon Stoddard, is provided below:

Quote:

Stoddard: It’s ten past the hour as our local affiliates rejoin us for the second half of Braeland Reports, here on BRN. In this hour, we will be heading to Hespeler, where a group of businessmen, led by an American entrepreneur Haywood Marks, are petitioning City Hall to allow them to open what would ultimately be Braeland’s first casino and where one city councilor thinks it’s not a bad idea, despite the controversy it’s generating.

Then we will travel to Cobourg, where our correspondent Ronald Andrews met with fishermen who are outraged over the recent Australia - Braeland trade agreement and are preparing to take their opposition to the steps of Parliament here in Braeland City, as they fear the Accord will be detrimental to the nation’s fishing industry.

But first, we have a distinguished guest joining us in the studio to discuss all things baseball. Spring Training is set to start next week and as the United Leagues prepare to embark on a new season, their tenth in fact, it seemed an appropriate time to invite the Commissioner of the United Leagues, Dr. David Westfall, to our studios, and he kindly agreed to sit down with us. Good afternoon Commissioner; welcome to the program.

Westfall: Thank you for having me.

Stoddard: I introduced you as Dr. David Westfall, but I suppose I should have said: Sir David Westfall, as you were knighted by the King just yesterday. Congratulations on the honor. I hope you will forgive the faux pas?

Westfall: Oh, that’s quite all right [laughs]. Actually, ‘David’ is fine.

Stoddard: All right, David. Perhaps we can start with the overall health of the United Leagues. How are the Leagues doing?

Westfall: The United Leagues are doing remarkably well considering the events the nation has gone through and the various restrictions we faced as a country due to the war. The Leagues were not immune to those realities and had to adjust to losing some very good players. That included of course both foreign-born players who either opted to leave the country or were compelled to leave due to political reasons as well as native-born players who left to serve in the Armed Forces. But we weathered that storm quite well and are now poised to re-establish the diversity we previously had in the Leagues prior to the conflict.

Stoddard: How about financially? What can you tell us about the financial health of the teams?

Westfall: Yes, well, I would characterize their situation as ‘stable’. Considering the challenges the teams faced due to the War and the lingering effects of the Depression, they have come through remarkably well and are poised to benefit from the expanding economy.

Stoddard: No doubt you are aware of the report recently in the Downie Free Press that claimed that a couple of teams in the Leagues were under financial distress and required an infusion of capital from the other clubs just to stay afloat, including the Downie Chiefs. Was that report correct? Was the other team the Cobourg Red Stockings?

Westfall: I will not get into specific details over matters that are in the purview of the teams themselves, but I can categorically say Vernon that that report was false and that neither the Commissioner’s office nor the teams themselves were solicited for their input into this ‘story’.

Stoddard: There were no bailouts?

Westfall: No bailouts. It’s true that team owners had to ‘tighten their belts’ as it were during the past couple of years and that the Downie Chiefs took on additional investors last season, which I believe, was the basis for the speculation in the original Free Press article. But all sixteen clubs are on solid footing financially. In fact, the average player’s salary has continued to grow despite the challenges. The average salary has doubled since our first season and we expect that to continue if not accelerate in keeping with a robust post-war economy.

Stoddard: I would like to touch on a point you mentioned earlier. One of the consequences of the global conflict was the termination of formal relations between Braeland and the Empire of Japan. Now that the conflict is over, will the United Leagues be open to Japanese-born players once again?

Westfall: It’s far too early to tell. Braeland and Japan have yet to normalize relations and the country is still being occupied by the Allies, so the prospect of welcoming Japanese ballplayers to the United Leagues is still years away in my opinion. Keep in mind that the Japanese Baseball League has always been the primary venue for Japanese ballplayers and with talk of a new league in Japan set to start next summer to rival the JBL, there may never be a significant influx of Japanese-born players into Braeland, once formal relations are restored.

Stoddard: Turning oversees, what are your thoughts on the recent development of the Brooklyn Dodgers signing Jackie Robinson, the first black ballplayer to play in the minor leagues in this century?

Westfall: Long overdue, Vernon, long overdue. As you and I both know segregation and the ‘separate but equal’ doctrine on which it was based on are completely without merit and are morally unjustifiable. I applaud Mr. Branch Rickey and my American counterpart, Commissioner Happy Chandler, for successfully challenging baseball’s color line. There is no question that Mr. Robinson will succeed with the Montréal Royals as well as at the major league level. Robinson along with pitchers John Wright and Roy Partlow are finally opening the doors for other black athletes to play in the American and National Leagues.

Stoddard: What impact if any can we expect here in Braeland with the prospect of more Negro League players gaining admittance into the ‘major’ leagues and the possible demise of the Negro Leagues?

Westfall: I think as the United Leagues continue to grow and prosper, we will be looked upon as a viable alternative to the American major leagues. It is expected that as the Negro Leagues begin to fade with their top players leaving, it will create a vacuum that will need to be filled. Certainly the American minor leagues will absorb some of the available players, but the ULB can become a serious alternative, despite the obvious challenges such as distance and culture, if we continue to strengthen the Leagues. From a financial aspect, I really feel we can and will attract our share of quality ballplayers from various parts the world – not just the United States – and provide an exciting product on the field.

Stoddard: Sixteen past the hour now as we are talking with Commissioner Sir David Westfall – sorry David, I had to put that in there – on the state of the United Leagues and the potential impact of recent international developments on them. But the development that I’m particularly interested in has to do with plans for a new Baseball Hall of Fame that was unveiled in Balmoral last week. Could you tell us more about that initiative and what the impetus for the Hall of Fame was?

Westfall: Absolutely –

Stoddard: The United Leagues have been in business for only a few years, so are we electing ballplayers to the Hall this early?

Westfall: Well, I can’t give away all the surprises! [laughs]. But with our tenth anniversary coming up next season, the United Leagues felt it was appropriate at this time to begin documenting and celebrating our history. Not just the past few years of the Leagues’ activity, but the people and events that led up to making the United Leagues a reality back in 1937.

Stoddard: Why Balmoral? What determined that Balmoral should be home of the new Hall of Fame?

Westfall: We have a tremendous working relationship with the King Hugh University Department of History and they have been instrumental over the past few years researching and documenting our own history. As you know, Balmoral is home to the annual Student Games between the University and Oxford College, and baseball – not just the United Leagues – has become an integral part of the fabric of that community. Additionally, while plans are underway to house the Hall of Fame under its own roof one day; for the time being, it will make its home on the University campus.

Stoddard: But being called a ‘hall of fame’, it will be more than just a museum, will it not? Can we expect ballplayers to be enshrined there sooner rather than later?

Westfall: That’s correct. Obviously the benchmarks that would normally be used to measure the career of an eligible player will be different for those that ultimately gain admittance in the early years of the Leagues –

Stoddard: What would be those benchmarks?

Westfall: In the short term?

Stoddard: Yes.

Westfall: Those are currently being evaluated. Suffice to say, the impact a particular player had on the Leagues, despite their relatively brief career, will be weighed more heavily than just their counting statistics. Still, their contribution must have been more than just ‘fleeting’, as it were. But we feel strongly that our outstanding early players should not be penalized simply because they joined the United Leagues later in their baseball career.

Stoddard: When can we expect the opening of the new Hall of Fame?

Westfall: The dedication for the Hall of Fame is set for Opening Day 1947 on the 10th anniversary of the United Leagues. Further exciting announcements will be made during the course of the season relating to the Hall of Fame, including the first official inductees.

Stoddard: Now you said ‘inductees’ with an ‘s’. Does that mean the total number of inductees is set?

Westfall: Ah, you’re reading too much into my words, Vernon. The number is not set, so we will just have to wait and see in a year’s time.

Stoddard: Oh, I think your teasing me, David. Commissioner, Sir, I appreciate you making the time to chat with us this afternoon and we look forward to the upcoming season and the events ahead.

Westfall: It has been my pleasure.

reds1 · 02-24-2017, 01:48 AM

September 2, 1946

1946 Off-Season: Reading the Riot Act

It was a relatively quiet off-season – at least on the surface. Only a few trades worthy of note took place leading up to the first day of ‘Spring Training’. But the Owners are feeling the heat. The Leagues are attempting to turn their attention to the future and leave the recent austere past behind. While it was understandable that team owners scrutinized their bottom lines carefully during the war years, a few were found to be a little too zealous, allowing the product on the field to suffer while their own pocketbooks bulged. Making matters worse, such impropriety was now being noticed by fans and news media alike. The Commissioner’s chagrin was palpable and he did not mince words in a recent confidential communique.

“Get your financial houses in order”, wrote the Commissioner in a stern letter to all Owners on the eve of the Coconut Leagues. “We cannot have reporters poking their noses into our affairs and embarrassing us. The Commissioner’s Office can only stonewall for so long. The future of the United Leagues is bright, but only if all Owners are fully committed to investing into that future. This Office has a mandate to ensure the Leagues continue to grow and thrive; we cannot tolerate Owners using franchises solely for their own personal enrichment and alienating fans. If any Owner is unable or unwilling to commit to this mandate, the Commissioner’s Office will not hesitate to take immediate corrective measures.”

What exactly those “immediate corrective measures” were was not spelled out, but it wasn’t necessary. The Owners were being put on notice and the mandate to ‘grow’ the Leagues was understood by all: while the physical footprint could not change, the financial health and quality of play in the United Leagues could – and would. The shenanigans of a few would not be tolerated. The honeymoon was over.

On that happy note, here are the noteworthy transactions made this off-season:

May 2:

The Embro Suns sign 23-year old SS Rafael De La Cruz (23/66), a free agent out of the Dominican Republic.

Knee-jerk reaction: The Suns’ current shortstop is 39-year old Gary Watkinson (64/64). While the 7-time all-star is still an elite hitter, he is a train wreck defensively as well as an injury concern. Enter De La Cruz. While he is merely average in the field (his strongest position is at 3B), he projects to be a hitter comparable to Watkinson with jaw-dropping speed and stealing ability. Thus the Suns view him as their shortstop of the (not-too-distant) future.

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May 12:

The Pulberry Trolleys sign former all-star SP Neil Guerin to a 3-year contract as their new field manager.

Knee-jerk reaction: The Trolleys fired 49-year old Zachary Smith back in April, after two middling seasons at the helm. Smith had a ‘fair’ reputation. He is replaced by an ‘unproven’ one. But 43-year old Neil Guerin is no stranger to the United Leagues, having spent five seasons as a starting pitcher. Guerin is a 5-time all-star, winner of the 1937-38 Satchel Paige Award and won the United Cup in 1939-40 with the Cambria Cannons. After four and half seasons with the Cannons, he was claimed off of waivers by the Pulberry Trolleys midway through the 1940-41 season and retired as a player at its conclusion. He finished with a 69-50, 3.25 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 131 ERA+ record. This is his first managerial job at any level. He is said to have a balanced, conventional management style with a player-friendly personality. As a player, he knew how to win. The Trolleys are hoping he can win from the dugout as well. They’re giving him three years to prove it.

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May 22:

The Sherburn Tigers acquired 27-year old OF Baden Morrall (66/68) from the Wellington Athletics.

In return, the Athletics received 26-year old SP Arthur Bence (58/61) and $15,700.

Knee-jerk reaction: In desperate need of competent pitching, Wellington went out and got LHP Arthur Bence, a former 3rd round pick from 1940-41. In Sherburn, Bence was little more than a 5th starter; in Wellington, he’ll be their ace. His stuff is nothing to get excited about, but his movement and control are decent and he has a nice repertoire of pitches at his disposal.

Morrall, a former 2nd round pick, has struggled with consistency over his career and has divided his time between the minors and majors as a result. But he has shown good mechanics and patience at the plate at times and his defense in LF is outstanding. The Tigers are hoping he will find the spark in Sherburn and be an upgrade at that position for them.

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May 24:

The Wellington Athletics traded for 28-year old SS Thomas Murphy (67/74) from the Cambria Cannons. The Cannons received 36-year old SP Max Littler (40/40).

Knee-jerk reaction: Having acquired SP Bence two days earlier, Wellington parted with Littler in order to upgrade their infield. I like this trade for Wellington, as it gives them a very serviceable player while giving up relatively little in return (or is it Littler in return?) Thomas was originally drafted by the Athletics in the first round back in 1940-41. After being traded to Cambria in 1943 just before he left to serve two years in the Armed Forces, Murphy now finds himself back in Wellington. The one-time all-star is still trying to find his footing since returning. He will move to 3B with the Athletics.

As for Cambria, well who knows what they’re trying to do? Littler’s coming off a season to forget (he led the West in losses and HR surrendered – 19 & 35 respectively) and figures to be little more than a fifth starter. Not exactly a trade to inspire confidence in Cambria in my humble opinion.

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June 17:

The Braeland City Monarchs acquired 28-year old IF Dennis Borton (46/51) from the Cobourg Red Stockings.

In return, the Red Stockings received two minor leaguers:

22-year old SP Chris Johnson (20/25),
21-year old SS Joshua Huxtable (21/23)

Knee-jerk reaction: On the surface, it appears that the Red Stockings are up to their old tricks again, trading away a talented player for ho-hum prospects. Borton was an all-star and won the Eastern League batting title last season, mostly playing 1B. Moving to shortstop, where he is slotted in with Braeland City, has depressed his ratings, but there’s nothing to suggest his offensive talent will regress as well. Borton will take over from 26-year old Otton Overbeek, who was shipped to Sherburn in a minor deal in April.

As for the minor leaguers, only SP Johnson offers a remote chance of making the majors. While his stuff could use a bump, his movement and control are decent, if unremarkable. It’s true the Red Stockings need to improve their pitching depth if they want to compete, but this transaction looks really underwhelming.

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August 6:

The Braeland City Monarchs received 28-year old CF Jason Pollock (66/67) from the Balmoral Giants.

In return, the Giants received 26-year old OF Phillip Ferguson (53/54), 20-year old minor league C Ryan Cory (21/37) and $4,400 in cash.

Knee-jerk reaction: Their outfield performed poorly last season at the plate, so Braeland City has set about overhauling it. They figure to have three new faces in the outfield on Opening Day. The last piece and most significant, is Pollock, who will man CF and lead-off against RH pitching. Pollock’s strongest position is LF (80), but can hold his own in CF (60). He appeared to be a rising player in 1943-44 and 1944-45, when he led the Western League in triples both times, but regressed, if just a little, last season. But overall, he should be fine.

In Balmoral, it appears that they are going with 23-year old Clyde Whitaker (74/75) in LF. Whitaker was a 9th overall pick by the Giants in 1942-43 and he won his first Top Fielder Award last season while playing 1B. His defense is equally as good in the OF, so that is not a concern. His poor work ethic could be however.

Ferguson will be buried in the Giants’ outfield depth chart. He earned a berth to the all-star once and picked up his first Top Fielder Award last season playing LF. But his anemic bat will hold him back from being anything more than just a utility guy.

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The War Gained chart below shows how quiet an off-season it was overall. Only Braeland City and Cobourg saw significant shifts, and that was due largely to one player, Dennis Borton.

reds1 · 02-26-2017, 03:35 PM

Season Number Nine gets underway today in the United Leagues, as all 16 teams have wrapped up Spring Training, made their tough player personnel decisions and set their 25-man roster.

So let’s check in to see the results of the 'Coconut Leagues', as well as the projections for the up-coming season. First up, the Eastern League:

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With the exception of the Queensland Eagles, the Eastern League teams were pretty competitive in the Coconut Leagues. But the projections suggest that the defending United Cup Champions will take first place in a runaway, with the Embro Suns and Braeland City Monarchs battling it out for the wild card. In other words, no 3-way tie for first place is predicted. What is interesting is that the Downie Chiefs are projected to escape the second division for the first time. That seems like an outlier, but predicting the Barons to dominate is not. They look to have seven players enjoy Top 10 performances this season.

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The Kingston Pelicans are projected to finish in first place with 90 wins, the exact same prediction as last season, when they actually won 104. The Sherburn Tigers are projected to finish at .500, but that isn’t too alarming. Last year, they were predicted to finish with 76 wins – they ended up winning 91 and captured the wild card. But what is interesting is that the Balmoral Giants, who really stumbled last season and who I felt should focus on rebuilding, finished on top in the Coconut Leagues and are projected to have a strong season. We’ll have to see how that transpires. Also worth watching is the Kingston Pelicans, who stumbled badly at the start of Spring Training (starting 1-7) before finishing strong. Maybe it means nothing; maybe it does. We shall have to see.

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One trade was consummated during Spring Training:

September 26:

The Embro Suns traded for 27-year old OF Tzu-yu Song (61/61) from the Sherburn Tigers. In return, the Tigers got 34-year old RHP Chris Sappington (41/41).

Knee-jerk reaction: A potential mutually beneficial trade for both teams. The Suns acquire Song in the hope that he will be an upgrade in the outfield for them. Last season, 33-year old IF/OF Yoshifumi Tamura regressed significantly (0.3 WAR from 3.7 the year before). But Tamura will be looked upon as much used utility player and could reclaim his job if he bounces back. He is a 3-time all-star. Song will be embarking on just his second season, after being signed as a minor league free agent by Sherburn in April 1945. But the Tigers felt that there was just no room in the outfield for him (especially since they acquired OF Baden Morrall in a trade back in May.

Sappington had been with the Embro Suns since 1937 and has always been a starter. But in Sherburn he will be their middle reliever. He is simply not the pitcher he once was. Sherburn acquired him as they decided to keep young pitching prospect 23-year old RHP Bartolo Sánchez (40/72) in AAA a little longer, rather than have him pitch sporadically from the bullpen.

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Three teams made subtle changes to their uniforms for this season: The Embro Suns, Pulberry Trolley and Queenlsand Eagles.

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To round out the snapshot of the United Leagues, here are the top players and pitchers and top 20 prospects as updated on Opening Day.

reds1 · 03-03-2017, 06:03 PM

December 1, 1946

Eastern League: Brunswick, Cobourg in Early Battle for First Place

An old familiar face has returned to the top of the standings, with the Brunswick Legends starting the season off strong. But a new face is making an appearance at the top of the standings – the Cobourg Red Stockings. The Red Stockings have flirted with first place a couple of times already in the early going, such as in early October when they started the season 6-1.

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The Brunswick Legends are back in business after an uncharacteristically poor showing last season. That became evident when they went on a 10-game winning streak in late October to grab top spot in the East. Once again, their pitching, particularly the starters, are dominant. Four of the five starters are lefties, and all four are enjoying great success in the early going:

30-year old Anastasio Rodríguez (8-3, 2.22 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 155 ERA+)
31-year old Hirotada Fukushima (6-0, 2.86 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 120 ERA+)
36-year old Matthew Monroe (5-2, 2.96 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 116 ERA+)
32-year old Wilson Villas (3-3, 2.49 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 138 ERA+)

Rodríguez won Pitcher of the Month honours for his performance in November. But it hasn’t all been about the pitching: 32-year old LF Terry Aspden (.348/.418/.559, 6 HR, 33 RBI, 21 BB) is off to his best start since the 1940-41 season when he was a 26-year old with the Queensland Eagles. But the Legends will need a few other stalwarts on offense to pick up the pace if they want to hang onto first place in the East.

Offense: .251/.336/.350 (6th/3rd/7th)
Pitching: 2.95/2.82/3.47 (1st/1st/6th)
Defense: .705 (Tied for 5th)

Player of the Week Awards:

November 4 – LF Terry Aspden (.500, 11 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI)
November 25 – LF Terry Aspden (.524, 11 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI)

Noteworthy:

Back on October24, C Maurice Evans (.253/.305/.379, 4 HR, 29 RBI, 13 BB) drove in 6 runs in a game against the Embro Suns. Evans went 3-5 with 1 HR, 1R. The Legends crushed Embro 11-1. 1B Stuart Bentham (.289/.403/.442, 4 HR, 19 RBI, 35 BB) went 4-5 with 2 RBI, 2 R in the same game.

In the course of winning two Player of the Week awards, Terry Aspden went 5-7 against the Hespeler Stars on November 21, with 1-2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 3 R. The Legends won 8-5.

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The pitchers of the Cobourg Red Stockings are not quite as dominant as the Brunswick Legends squad, but they are not far behind. And that is saying something for a staff that has been a weak link on a weak team for years. Only once has Cobourg’s team ERA finished below 4.00 (3.68 in 1943-44). This year, it stands at 3.06 through the first two months. Two starters are a large reason why: 24-year old RHP Trent Beaton (8-2, 2.11 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 163 ERA+) and 37-year old RHP Carlo Foronda (5-4, 1 SV, 2.72 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 126 ERA+). Foronda’s start is particularly noteworthy: now in his 10th season with the Red Stockings, he has never enjoyed a winning record in a season and only once has his ERA finished below 4.00 (3.83 in 1943-44). That no doubt speaks in large part to the terrible teams he has had to pitch for, so it’s nice to see him enjoy the start he is having.

For its part, the bullpen has been outstanding. 35-year old RHP Quentin Teague (2-0, 1.90, 1.39 WHIP), 22- year old RHP José Fernández (1-1, 1 SV, 1.80 ERA, 1.07 WHIP) and closer 26-year old RHP Brent Nix (4-2, 7 SV, 1.80 ERA, 1.16 WHIP) have been downright nasty (boys) so far.

The offense is giving encouraging signs that it is becoming competitive and ready to support the pitching. While no individual player has jumped out as an offensive powerhouse yet, the lineup is noteworthy in that it includes three former first overall picks: leadoff hitter 25-year old SS John Medley (.243/.296/.344, 11-2B, 18 RBI, 14 BB, 10 SB), No. 3 hitter 24-year old 3B Alexander Tolmie (.287/.355/.400, 2 HR, 34 RBI, 21 BB) and No 8 hitter 20-year old CF Raymond Williams (.133/.148/.183, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB). Williams was drafted last year and is just getting his feet wet. He has spent all of 18 games in the majors thus far.

Offense: .266/.321/.361 (3rd/6th/4th)
Pitching: 3.06/3.17/2.54 (2nd/2nd/3rd)
Defense: .724 (2nd)

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The Braeland City Monarchs were riding high in October, but suffered a severe setback in November with the loss of 35-year old LHP Max MacColl (5-2, 1.71 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 202 ERA+) to an extended injury. MacColl pitched shutouts in consecutive starts (a 3-hitter and a 5-hitter, both against the Stratford Barons) en route to winning Pitcher of the Month honours in October.

Couple that with the loss of promising 26-year old LHP Nicholas Grimes (0-0, 1.46 ERA, 1.54 WHIP) also to an extended injury just two games into the season, and it’s not hard to understand why the Monarchs faltered a bit in November. Still, they are a talented team and should hang around the first division. If they can do that until their pitchers come back from injury, then they should be in great shape for the second half – provided they suffer no more serious injuries.

Offense: .261/.311/.378 (4th/8th/3rd)
Pitching: 3.32/3.38/3.01 (4th/4th/5th)
Defense: .719 (4th)

Key Injuries:

LHP Max MacColl – November 13 – torn back muscle. Out 6 more weeks.

LHP Nicholas Grimes – October 15 – fractured hand. Out 5 more weeks.

2B Trevor Bolen (.255/.282/.431, 5 HR, 29 RBI, 4 BB) – November 16 sprained ankle. Out 3-4 more weeks.

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The Queensland Eagles could be vying for first place in the East if only the pitching was pulling its weight. RHP Aaron Saunderson (5-5, 3.87 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 87 ERA+) is showing some consistency, but even he is experiencing a down year so far. Two other pitchers have had moments as well: RHP Francisco López (3-2, 4.70 ERA, 1.39 WHIP), who was performing well before being injured, and RHP Okura Suzuki (4-1, 1 SV, 1.67 ERA, 1.30 WHIP) who pitched a 7-hit shut-out against the Fort Richmond Generals on November 30 (Queensland won 2-0). It was his first start of the season.

The offense is the story, however, and 28-year old C Elijah Sheppard (.303/.383/.554, 10 HR, 35 RBI, 22 BB) is front and center. Sheppard won Batter of the Month honours in October and is quickly rising in the Top Player rankings. He is currently rated 7th; he did not appear in the Top 20 at all on Opening Day.

24-year old rookie RF Ron Gavin (.485/.514/.750, 2 HR, 20 RBI, 4 BB in 68 AB) is producing when he able to get into the lineup. The switch-hitter can play LF and 1B as well, but RF Jilenko Vergara (.451/.533/.725, 4 HR, 9 RBI, 9 BB), LF Héctor García (.289/.365/.416, 4 HR, 16 RBI, 18 BB) and 1B Héctor Gutiérrez (.271/.390/.373, 3 HR, 22 RBI, 35 BB) have all been productive as well.

Offense: .271/.343/.396 (2nd/1st/1st)
Pitching: 4.19/4.59/2.55 (7th/8th/4th)
Defense: .676 (8th)

Player of the Week Awards:

November 11 – RHP Francisco López (2-0, 15 IP, 8 K, 0.00 ERA)

Key Injuries:

RHP Francisco López – November 19 – broken elbow bone. Out 7 weeks.

RHP Joong Ling (2-1, 4.55 ERA, 1.52 WHIP) – November 28 – broken hand. Out 3-4 months.

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The defending United Cup champions, the Stratford Barons, started off slow but appear to have things back on track in November. The offense can be blamed for that, as several stalwarts are struggling in the early going. But one that isn’t struggling is 33-year old SS Jake Walker (.364/.456/.484, 4 HR, 26 RBI, 31 BB), who is off to the best start of his career, both offensively and in the field. Last season, he was worth 6.4 WAR; through the first two months of this season, he has been worth 3.3. He is second only to Kingston’s Danny Trowbridge in the Top Position Players rankings and has already earned Player of the Week and Batter of the Month awards after just the first two months.

Also worth keeping tabs on is 26-year old 1B Won-Ho Kim (2.88/.353/.397, 9-2B, 15 RBI, 16 BB, 4 SB), who won Rookie of the Month honours in November. The 26-year old signed out of Korea as a minor league free agent back in 1944, took over 1B duties just last month for the Barons. He can play anywhere in the outfield as well.

Offense: .243/.339/.343 (8th/2nd/8th)
Pitching: 3.47/3.34/4.21 (5th/3rd/7th)
Defense: .705 (Tied for 5th)

Player of the Week Awards:

October 21 – SS Jake Walker (.545, 12 H, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 4 R)

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The Wellington Athletics are the victims of a tough stretch, where they have actually played respectably but find themselves 5 games below .500. Their Pyt. Rec. is 26-25. That could be explained by their 6-12 record in one-run games. They are also having trouble winning at home where they are 7-15 so far (they are 16-13 on the road). If they can even out those things, then they could find themselves rising into the first division.

The two trades Wellington made during the off-season are working out pretty well so far. 27-year old LHP Arthur Bence (6-4, 2.17 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 156 ERA+) is pitching like the ace Wellington was hoping he would be (he was a No. 5 starter with the Sherburn Tigers last season). And 28-year old 3B Thomas Murphy (.286/.344/.402, 2 HR, 15 RBI, 18 BB) is off to the best start of his career. Last season with the Cambria Cannons, he was worth 1.6 WAR. After the first two months of this season, he has already racked up 1.5 WAR.

Offense: .279/.334/.391 (1st/4th/2nd)
Pitching: 3.25/3.46/2.24 (3rd/5th/1st)
Defense: .720 (3rd)

Player of the Week Awards:

November 18 – 2B Ryley McLarnon (.708, 17 H, 8 RBI, 8 R)
October 14 – 1B Rubén Sánchez (.517, 15 H, 6 RBI)

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The Downie Chiefs are a team firmly in rebuild mode, so their occupation near the bottom of the standings is not surprising. However, the loss of three starting pitchers to various injuries is certainly not helping matters, as the Chiefs’ pitching has not been terrible by any means. The lineup is filled with good but young players as well, so if they can get develop as hoped, Downie could conceivably have a decent team one day. One such player is 20-year old CF Alfonso León (.294/.360/.412, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 6 BB), a second overall pick in 1944-45. He has just been promoted from AAA, but is currently blocked from playing regularly in the outfield. If he blossoms, then the Chiefs will have to look at moving one of the outfielders to the infield.

Offense: .252/.315/.355 (5th/7th/5th)
Pitching: 3.81/4.25/2.24 (6th/6th/2nd)
Defense: .728 (1st)

Noteworthy:

October 26 – 27-year old 1B Ramiro Urbina (.315/.342/.375, 1 HR, 14 RBI, 8 BB) went 5-for-5 against the Stratford Barons. Urbina hit four singles and a double in 7-6 10-inning victory.

Key Injuries:

RHP Jim Ferguson (1-2, 3.34 ERA, 1.31 WHIP) – October 24 – torn back muscle. Out 3 more months.

RHP Harley Bracher (3-3, 3.36 ERA, 1.51 WHIP) – November 29 – strained forearm. Out 5 days.

RHP Kelii Pelanekilina (2-3, 3.68 ERA, 1.12 WHIP) – November 1 – sprained ankle. Out 1 more week.

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Has the sky fallen on the Embro Suns? That is the question being pondered as a number of things have conspired against the team this season. They have endured a slew of injuries, including to last year’s Babe Ruth Award winner 1B Jim Friend (.292/.375/.604, 4 HR, 15 RBI, 7 BB) who suffered a knee-bone bruise in mid-October and missed 5 weeks. But he wasn’t the only one.

And like the Wellington Athletics, the Suns have come out on the short end of the stick in one-run games (5-13). But so many players are underperforming right now, it’s hard to gauge whether that’s a trend or an anomaly. The Suns have already put a couple of starters on the trading block, namely 33-year old 3B Toshifumi Tamura (.179/.291/.388, 4 HR, 11 RBI, 11 BB) and 35-year old 2B Wayne Balmer (.306/.306/.389, 1-3B, 2 RBI), so it looks as though Embro is attempting to reconfigure things on the fly. They have strong farm system, but it’s pitcher-heavy. 23-year old 3B/SS Rafael De La Cruz, signed as a free agent out of the Dominican in the off-season is their only notable young position player, other than 24-year old 2B José Sánchez (.244/.340/.375, 4 HR, 19 RBI, 24 BB, 9 SB). It wouldn’t hurt the Suns to at least consider cultivating a few non-pitching prospects.

Offense: .249/.331/.353 (7th/5th/6th)
Pitching: 4.33/4.36/4.22 (8th/7th/8th)
Defense: .677 (7th)

Player of the Week Awards:

October 28 – CF Terence Durney (.483, 14 H, 7 RBI)

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reds1 · 03-08-2017, 12:39 AM

December 1, 1946

Western League: Wolseley Leads in Tight Race for First

It has been a wild ride in the early going in the West, as four teams have occupied first place at one point or another. The Sherburn Tigers were the fastest out of the gate but severely faded in November, leaving the Wolseley Unions, Kingston Pelicans and Cambria Cannons jockeying for top spot. Offense is down overall in ULB in the early going, but it is particularly noticeable in the Western League. LgAvg is a paltry .248, whereas LgERA is 3.32. Last season, they were .273 and 4.31 respectively. In the Eastern League, the LgAvg and LgERA are only slightly less extreme (.259 and 3.55).

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The Wolseley Unions were pegged as being a potential break-out team in 1946-47 and their record thus far certainly backs that up. They finished above .500 for the first time last season and are on pace for 92 wins. However, other than a few standout performances in the first two months, they have not played well enough overall to sustain their early success. Fortunately, there’s still time for them to find their groove. If they can, then they just might give Kingston a run for their money.

Three players are worth mentioning: 27-year old RHP Kai Tosh (9-2, 2.93 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 118 ERA+) who is off to the best start of his 6-year career and 22-year old rookie C Éric Denis (.322/.366/.430, 2 HR, 13 RBI, 9 BB), a former 12th-overall pick from 1943-44. Denis is the top-ranked prospect among catchers in the United Leagues. Both Denis and Tosh won Monthly honours in November.
Lastly, 24-year old RF Rizalino Ringor (.273/.403/.372, 3 HR, 22 RBI, 37 BB, 8 SB) is off to a nice start after having a bit of an off-year last season. The former 7th overall pick from 1941-42 missed two seasons serving in the Armed Forces. Last year, his first season back, he racked up 1.8 WAR. Through the first two months, he has earned 1.4.

Offense: .242/.331/.345 (5th/3th/6th)
Pitching: 3.59/3.50/4.04 (6th/6th/7th)
Defense: .700 (6th)

Player of the Week Awards:

October 28 – CF Zak Kidd (.321, 9 H, 7 RBI, 4 R)
November 25 – RHP Kai Tosh (2-0, 18.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 11 K)

Key Trade: October 26 with the Sherburn Tigers

To Wolseley – 26-year old RHP Ian Peter (48/59)
To Sherburn – 25-year old LF Gary Therien (71/75)

Knee-jerk reaction: The Unions made a shrewd deal in my estimation, getting a serviceable pitcher for a young player whose defense prevents him from being an everyday player. Peter (6-2, 2.31 ERA, 1.25 WHIP) does not have impressive stuff and only league average control, but he has nice motion and earned a trip to his first all-star game last season. While he was merely a spot starter with Sherburn, he is now Wolseley’s No. 3 pitcher in their rotation. He is a definite upgrade for the Unions and could very well earn his second nod to the all-star team.
Therien, however, presents a conundrum to any team that employs him. While the 3rd overall pick from 1939-40 has the tools to be a fearsome hitter, he is a nightmare in the field (LF-30, range-30, error-50, arm-35). Thus, he is relegated to simply being a pinch hitter. The Tigers desperately need an offensive boost, but it’s hard to see Therien making much of an impact when he is simply a very part-time player. Sorry Gary – no DH in these leagues.

Injuries:

October 21 – 26-year old C Thomas Geary – separated hip joint – further 7-8 weeks
October 28 – 28-year old CF Zak Kidd – broken elbow bone – 3 weeks

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The Kingston Pelicans continue to roll along, just a half-game off the pace after the first two months. While the Pelicans have not avoided the offensive downturn in the ULB in the early going, both 28-year old C Danny Trowbridge (.351/.471/.464, 3 HR, 30 RBI, 38 BB) and 29-year old CF Jamie Couch (.300/.371/.411, 4 HR, 15 RBI, 21 BB) are off to great starts.

The Pelicans have also done a commendable job of keeping their pitching staff the class of the ULB for years now. Four of the five starters are 28-years old or younger. Last year’s Rookie of the Year, 26-year old RHP Ben Currall (6-1, 2.07 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 167 ERA+) is now the ace of the staff. However, 26-year old LHP Patrick Denman (5-4, 4.55 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 75 ERA+), who set a record last season with 27 wins, is off to a slow start. Perhaps he has still not fully recovered from the Game 7 fiasco from last season’s United Cup. Another promising pitcher, 22-year old LHP Dana Listman (23/64) was called up in mid-November due to an injury to RHP Joey Cumberledge (5-2, 3.18 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 109 ERA+). Inexplicably, Listman was given his outright release by the Sherburn Tigers back in June 1945, after drafting him 3rd overall in 1943-44. He signed a minor league deal with the Pelicans two weeks later. He is currently rated 20th overall among pitching prospects.

Offense: .252/.347/.360 (3rd/2nd/3rd)
Pitching: 3.13/3.30/2.38 (3rd/4th/3rd)
Defense: .706 (4th)

Player of the Week Awards:

November 4 – CF Jamie Couch (.458, 11 H, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 5 R)

Injuries:

November 15 – 36-year old RHP Joey Cumberledge – elbow soreness – 1-2 weeks

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After a down year that saw rancor grip the clubhouse, the Cambria Cannons find themselves rebounding quite nicely in October/November, just 1 game back of first place. The offense has struggled, like a lot of teams have this season. The one standout has been 29-year old C Heung-su Park (.316/.356/.546, 7 HR, 30 RBI, 13 BB), who earned Batter of the Month honours for November. He is currently rated the 2nd best catcher in the ULB – behind No. 1 overall player Danny Trowbridge of Kingston and just ahead of Queenland’s Elijah Sheppard.

Cambria’s strength so far has been their pitching, which is sort of remarkable, considering the patchwork appearance of the rotation. All five starters were acquired via trade rather than being drafted and developed in-house. Two pitchers in fact are having career years: No. 1 starter 35-year old RHP Pete Allison (4-4, 2.43 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 139 ERA+) and No. 2 starter 31-year old RHP Leon Hankey (4-4, 3.05 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 111 ERA+).
Even recently acquired 36-year old LHP Max Littler (5-2, 4.13 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 82 ERA+) has had his moments – he has pitched two shutouts for the team thus far.

Offense: .241/.314/.348 (6th/7th/5th)
Pitching: 2.99/3.13/2.31 (2nd/3rd/2nd)
Defense: .723 (3rd)

Injuries:

October 13 – 33-year old RHP Jin-man Kim – separated hip joint – 2 more months
November 3 – 29-year old CF Ron Westmacott – strained groin – another 2 weeks

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The Pulberry Trolleys started off with a bang, going 6-1 but soon cooled off. But their front three on the rotation are enjoying incredible starts to the season:

25-year old RHP Alexander Ellacott (5-2, 2.15 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 157 ERA+)
30-year old RHP Patrick Tennant (4-2, 1.98 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 170 ERA+)
27-year old RHP Lee Dowdeswell (4-4, 1.61 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 210 ERA+)

All three pitchers had ERA north of 4.00 last season (5.11 in Dowdeswell’s case) so whether this is just a blip or a trend remains to be seen. Certainly, Dowdeswell’s United Leagues leading ERA is unsustainable.

The offense remains middle of the pack in the West, with perhaps 25-year old SS Roland Binns (.291/.340/.381, 1 HR, 31 RBI, 16 BB, 3 SB) enjoying the best start so far. But the Trolleys will certainly miss 24-year old CF Tadamichi Matsumoto (.276/.381/.400, 1 HR, 9 RBI, 18 BB, 2 SB) who was off to the best start of his 3-year career when he suffered a season ending injury in early November.

Offense: .251/.318/.351 (4th/4th/4th)
Pitching: 2.81/2.68/3.58 (1st/1st/5th)
Defense: .728 (1st)

Player of the Week Awards:

November 11 – 2B Colin Strudwick (.667, 14 H, 2 RBI)

Noteworthy:

October 24 – 25-year old LF Bruno Lapthorne (.304/.375/.383, 5-2B, 6 RBI, 5 SB, 0.8 WAR) went 5-5 against the Hespeler Stars – 4 singles, 1HR, 3 RBI, 3 R. Pulberry won 11-7.

Injuries:

October 29 – 23-year old 2B Jon Pring – elbow strain – 4 more days
November 25 – 24-year old CF Tadamichi Matsumoto – fractured jaw – out for 3-4 months

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The Hespeler Stars got off to a rocky start, going 0-7, but improved their play enough to keep within 6 games of first place. The offense has been the strength of the club, as players 1 through 8 in the lineup have all been steady. Two standouts are leadoff hitter 25-year old 2B Kobbe Adamse (.314/.344/.419, 6-3B, 13 RBI, 8 BB, 11 SB) who leads the League in stolen bases and 27-year old 1B Wayne Savory (.281/.330/.439, 5 HR, 32 RBI, 13 BB), who leads in RBI.

The pitching overall is near the bottom in most rankings, but there are a couple of standouts. No. 1 starter 28-year old LHP Jake Osmotherley (5-5, 2.53 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 137 ERA+) is off to the best start of his 7-year career, and No. 3 starter 22-year old RHP Stephan Tindall (5-5, 3.09 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 112 ERA+), who moved into the rotation this year. He went 6-4, 13 SV, 4.26 ERA 1.77 WHIP last season. Tindall was a 7th overall pick by the Stratford Barons back in 1943-44.

Offense: .259/.317/.365 (2nd/5th/2nd)
Pitching: 3.72/3.69/3.86 (7th/7th/6th)
Defense: .700 (8th)

Player of the Week Awards:

November 18 – 1B Wayne Savory (.400, 8 H, 1 HR, 11 RBI)

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The Fort Richmond Generals are suffering a power outage like a lot of other teams, and while their pitching has been respectable, it has not been enough to help them keep up in the West. 24-year old CF Dylan Moyne (.276/.348/.449, 7 HR, 26 RBI, 19 BB, 5 SB), a former first overall pick from 1944-45, has picked up where he left off last season, but his teammates are all off to slow starts.

The trade Fort Richmond made back in 1943, sending C Danny Trowbridge to Kingston in exchange for RHP Nicky Sherlock (2-6, 3.35 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 100 ERA+) and LHP Mo Goldstraw (3-6, 3.21 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 104 ERA+), appears as though it will bear some fruit. Both pitchers are now fixtures in the Generals’ rotation. Another young pitcher acquired from the Embro Suns back in 1943 is blossoming as well. 22-year old Shinzo Okamoto (2-4, 3.20 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 104 ERA+) is now Fort Richmond’s ace in just his second year in the ULB.

Offense: .237/.306/.327 (7th/8th/7th)
Pitching: 3.38/3.47/2.84 (5th/5th/4th)
Defense: .727 (2nd)

Noteworthy:

November 12 – 22-year old rookie RF Brandon Robinson (.251/.274/.324, 1 HR, 10 RBI, 6 BB) went 5-5 at the plate, helping the Generals defeat the Cobourg Red Stockings 5-4. His hits were all were singles, to go along with 1 R.

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The Balmoral Giants have bucked the general trend in having a productive offense, but a struggling pitching staff. 28-year old SS Francisco Rodríguez (.361/.402/.488, 1 HR, 31 RBI, 12 BB) is off to another terrific start, but will miss significant playing time due to an injury suffered in late November. That’s a huge blow to the Giants, as they need every productive player they have in the line-up to be healthy if they are to have any chance at competing.

The rotation has struggled and there is no indication that will improve. The Giants do not have a strong farm system and only one pitching prospect of note, namely 26-year old LHP Wally Lee (43/74). And scouts are not sure if he will be anything more than an emergency starter. That said, 27-year old RHP Connor Ainsley (6-4, 3.12 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 110 ERA+) had a nice October, winning Pitcher of the Month honours in the process.

Offense: .269/.347/.369 (1st/1st/1st)
Pitching: 3.74/3.99/2.22 (8th/8th/1st)
Defense: .700 (7th)

Player of the Week Awards:

October 21 – RHP Connor Ainsley (2-0, 1.00 ERA)

Noteworthy:

November 19 –SS Francisco Rodríguez was perfect at the plate, going 5-5. All his hits were singles, including a 2-run single in the ninth. However, it wasn’t enough, as the Giants lost 7-6 to the Downie Chiefs.

Injuries:

November 22 – 28-year old SS Francisco Rodríguez – torn thumb ligament – 5 weeks
November 30 – 28-year old LF Ellis Rothwell – fractured ankle – 3 months

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The Sherburn Tigers started the season 7-0 and appeared to pick up where they left off last season when they won 91 games and earned a trip to the post-season. My how things have changed. After cooling off in the second half of October and collapsing completely in November, they are on pace to lose 91 games.

Offense is the culprit. 28-year old C Neil Voigt (.213/.287/.296, 2 HR, 20 RBI, 17 BB) who was dynamite last season, is practically missing in action this year. And the trade that brought over 27-year old LF Baden Morrall (.180/.279/.205, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 22 BB) from the Wellington Athletics in the off-season has not gone exactly as hoped. Only 26-year old SS Otton Overbeek (.274/.343/.417, 2 HR, 17 RBI, 20 BB) appears to have any spark in his play.

The strength of the Tigers continues to be their starting rotation. Again, it is led by 22-year old Jesús Chapa (4-7, 2.03 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 170 ERA+) and 27-year old Roberto Taváres (6-4, 3.05 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 114 ERA+). Chapa and Taváres are rated Nos. 2 and 4 respectively in the ULB among starting pitchers.

Offense: .237/.315/.318 (8th/6th/8th)
Pitching: 3.25/3.00/4.90 (4th/2nd/8th)
Defense: .704 (5th)

Player of the Week Awards:

October 14 – 1B Francis Pynchon (.875, 7 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI)

Noteworthy:

November 17 – SS Otton Overbeek helped the Tigers in a big way, going 5 for 6 at the plate. Overbeek singled 4 times and then capped it off with an RBI triple in the 11th. Sherburn held on to win 5-4 over the Pulberry Trolleys.

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reds1 · 03-12-2017, 02:57 PM

December 6, 1946

Fort Richmond, Norfolk (BP) – The sixteen club members of the United Leagues converged in Fort Richmond for the 10th Annual Amateur Draft. The opulent banquet hall at the stately Sovereign Hotel served as the meeting place, where 8 rounds were scheduled for the day-long event. The draft was filled with several intriguing prospects, but one player was particularly prized as the consensus view on him was that he was major league ready.

The first selection was made by the Downie Chiefs, followed by the Pulberry Trolleys and Balmoral Giants. Here is a brief rundown of the 16 players taken in the first round:

1st Pick – Downie Chiefs:

IF Manuel Castaneda (62/80) – 22-years old; 6’-0”, 180 lbs.; Bats RH/Throws RH.

The Downie Chiefs surprised no one by selecting Manuel Castaneda from Mexico. The 22-year old is considered by scouts to be ready for the major leagues right now. Castaneda projects to be a terrific contact hitter (.380) with great plate discipline. His defense at shortstop is elite and he has well-above average speed on the base paths.

Update: Shortly after making the selection, the Chiefs did indeed promote Castaneda to their roster. He becomes their shortstop for the present and future and will bat second in the lineup.

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2nd Pick – Pulberry Trolleys:

OF John Oldknow (22/80) – 18-years old; 5’-10”, 160 lbs.; Bats RH/Throws RH.

While Pulberry does not get a player who can step into their lineup right away as the Chiefs did, they aren’t complaining. Oldknow has few, if any weaknesses. He projects to be a great hitter with some raw power with above-average foot speed and decent defense. He will report to the Hopetown Islanders, Pulberry’s AA farm team.

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3rd Pick – Balmoral Giants:

OF Peter Diamond (23/80) – 21-years old; 5’-10”, 170 lbs.; Bats RH/Throws LH.

The Balmoral Giants select the appropriately named Peter Diamond as their first pick. Diamond is not projected to be a high average or home run hitter, as his pitch recognition could use some work. But he has great patience at the plate and solid defense in the outfield as well as jaw-dropping speed. He should prove to be a nightmare for catchers and scouts noted his ability to read pitchers pick-off moves. Only his poor work ethic is a concern. He has been assigned to the AA Georgetown Goldbugs.

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4th Pick – Hespeler Stars:

RHP Kent Dundon (20/80) – 18-years old; 6’-0”, 170 lbs.; Bats RH.

Hespeler goes with the young man from New Zealand, the first pitcher selected in this year’s draft. Dundon is blessed with good stuff and outstanding movement. His control however, is considered merely average. Still, he should have a good selection of pitches at his disposal when he reaches the majors. For now, though, he will get his feet wet with the AA Muir Electrics.

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5th Pick – Wellington Athletics:

OF Harvey Thornber (21/80) – 19-years old; 5’-8”, 155 lbs.; Bats RH/Throws RH.

Like first overall pick Castaneda, scouts think highly of Harvey Thornber’s ability at the plate, with very high contact (.380 again) with some pop (maybe 20 a year). While his eye is average and his defense in the outfield is underwhelming, he has very good speed on basepaths. He is off to the AA Evansville Clowns.

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6th Pick – Cobourg Red Stockings:

1B Harry Doxey (23/80) – 21-years old; 6’-0”, 210 lbs.; Bats RH/Throws RH.

The Red Stockings take a proto-typical 1B for their first pick, the one position where they do not have good depth in their system. Doxey should be an outstanding hitter with amazing contact and solid power. His defense is average and will not be looked upon to steal bases, but if his bat delivers as promised, those other skills will not be necessary. He will be assigned to the AA Cardiff Crushers to start things off.

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7th Pick – Cambria Cannons:

1B Carlos Correa (22/80) – 20-years old; 6’-2”, 215 lbs.; Bats RH/Throws RH.

The second 1B and player from Mexico is selected by Cambria. Like Doxey selected ahead of him, Correa’s calling card is his bat; he has plus contact potential with some power. Defense may be an issue and he is not a fluid baserunner. He will start with the AA Vandecar Spurs.

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8th Pick – Fort Richmond Generals:

IF/OF Nobuyoshi Yoshida (26/77) – 22-years old; 6’-0”, 180 lbs.; Bats RH/Throws RH.

The Fort Richmond Generals pick up a defensively versatile player in Yoshida, who hails from Embro, Dunwich. Yoshida also has very good contact potential, but is not a home run threat and won’t draw too many walks. But he is sure-handed and reliable in the field and will steal a few bases. The AA Marburg Mustangs will be his first destination.

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Here is the rest of the first round, selections 9-16:

9th Pick – Queensland Eagles:

RHP Stiofan Micklethwait (20/80) – stuff (35/50), movement (60/75) and control (20/55). 19-years old; 6’-0”, 180 lbs.; groundball tendency; 86-88 Mph velocity; Bats LH.

The Eagles select the second pitcher taken in the draft, a native of St. Thomas, Oxford. Micklethwait projects to be a well-balanced pitcher with respectable stuff, top-notch movement and decent control. He has three main pitches: fastball (40/45), curveball (40/60) and slider (40/55). His changeup will need some work (20/30) however. He is off to the AA Innerkip Oysters.

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10th Pick – Wolseley Unions:

LHP Axel MacKay (20/79) – stuff (35/50), movement (60/70) and control (30/50). 21-years old; 6’-5”, 210 lbs.; groundball pitcher; 88-90 Mph velocity; Bats RH.

The Unions also go with a starting pitcher, selecting MacKay from Brisbane, Australia. Th southpaw has nice stuff with top-notch movement and average control. His main pitches are the sinker (45/50), changeup (30/55) and forkball (45/55). His curveball is only so-so (30/30). Wolseley has assigned him to the AA Waterloo Whips.

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11th Pick – Brunswick Legends:

RHP Dominic Whitmore (20/78) – stuff (35/45), movement (55/70) and control (30/50). 20-years old; 5’-11”, 180 lbs.; groundball tendency; 89-91 Mph velocity; Bats RH.

For the third pick in a row, a pitcher is selected. In this case, Brunswick goes with the 20-year old from Kingston, Oxford. Whitmore has respectable stuff, especially if he gets smarter and stronger. His movement is outstanding to go along with decent control. He has several pitches in his repertoire, but apart from his forkball (45/55), none of them standout: fastball (35/35), curveball (25/40), slider (35/45) and changeup (25/25). He will work on his craft with the AA Jarvis Smokers.

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12th Pick – Braeland City Monarchs:

C Alexander Pyatt (23/77) – contact (45/70), gap power (50/65) and eye (40/55). 20-years old; 5’-9”, 180 lbs.; normal, flyball hitter; Bats RH/Throws RH.

The Monarchs go with an offense-first catcher in Pyatt. The Hespeler native has terrific contact potential and a good eye. While he has some power, it won’t be anything to write home about. He is merely average in the field and is not a good runner. The AA Kingsville Royals will be his first assignment.

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13th Pick – Embro Suns:

IF Napana Mamo (21/80) – contact (30/55), gap power (45/65) and eye (30/55). 19-years old; 5’-10”, 170 lbs.; normal, flyball hitter; Bats RH/Throws RH.

The first Fijian selected, Mamo’s greatest strength is his bat. He is projected to be a .300 hitter with some power and an average eye. He also has well above-average foot speed. However, his biggest challenge will be his defense: rated 35 at 1B and 30 at 2B. That is something he can work on with the AA Lythmore Atoms.

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14th Pick – Stratford Barons:

RHP Alonso Martínez (20/74) – stuff (40/50), movement (55/65) and control (30/50). 20-years old; 5’-8”, 160 lbs.; neutral; 89-91 Mph velocity; Bats LH.

The fifth pitcher taken in the first round, Martínez from Juarez, Chihuahua, should have nice stuff, above average movement and average command. He has three main pitches: fastball (45/50), slider (45/55) and forkball (45/55). He also has a changeup (20/25) that could use some work. The Barons have assigned him to the AA Brockville Bears.

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15th Pick – Sherburn Tigers:

OF Noah Teale (22/79) – contact (40/60), gap power (40/55) and eye (30/50). 20-years old; 5’-11”, 175 lbs.; normal, flyball hitter; Bats LH/Throws RH.

The Tigers selected a well-rounded player in Teale. He projects to have above-average contact, some pop and a solid eye. While he may not win any defensive awards, he is competent in the field (especially at CF-50). Perhaps his greatest strength will be on basepaths (speed-75, stealing-80, baserunning-80). He is off to the AA Hannon Greyhounds.

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16th Pick – Kingston Pelicans:

2B Charlie Cockin (21/80) – contact (35/65), gap power (30/50) and eye (20/45). 18-years old; 5’-10”, 165 lbs.; normal, line drive hitter; Bats RH/Throws RH.

The final selection of the first round, the Pelicans take the serviceable infielder from Brooklin, Dunwich. Cockin’s biggest strength is his terrific ability to make contact. However, plate discipline will be a concern and he won’t be a power guy. But his defense at 2B is respectable and while he won’t be mistaken for a base-stealer, he won’t be a liability on the basepaths either.

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Here are the standings as of December 31:

reds1 · 03-14-2017, 05:06 PM

January 14, 1947

Wild Ninth Inning Marks Tenth Annual Midsummer Classic

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Wellington, Perth (BP) – The Eastern League held on to win its sixth All-Star Game and second in a row, but an exhibition game with little, if anything, on the line was decidedly elevated by a controversial ninth inning that will be talked about for days to come in Braeland.

Santop Stadium, the home of the Eastern League Wellington Athletics, served as host of the tenth Midsummer Classic. A packed house of 28,550 was on hand to witness the offensive fireworks that marked the early innings of the contest, as well as the furious rally and intrigue that ended it.

Brunswick’s LHP Anastasio Rodríguez got the start for the East, while Sherburn’s RHP Roberto Taváres started for the Western League.

The East wasted no time getting to Taváres, as he surrendered four consecutive doubles in the first inning. With one out, Roberto Ríoz smacked a first-pitch double. He was then followed in turn by Stuart Bentham, Jilenko Vergara and Aaron Skidmore. All three hit full-count doubles, making the score 3-0.

The West got on the board in the top of the third when PH Wenceslas Jasmin slammed a solo home run 450 ft. to dead centerfield off of LHP Matthew Monroe. But the Easterners got that run right back in the bottom of the inning, when Game MVP Aaron Skidmore got his second hit, taking RHP Ian Peter deep with a two-out solo home run.

Both sides would threaten in the ensuing innings, but neither was able to score until the ninth.

Brunswick’s LHP Hirotada Fukushima took the mound to start the inning. After inducing Vic Weetman to pop up to C Mick Gunnis, Zak Kidd, Loïc Billon and Damon Purcell all followed with singles, loading the bases. With a 1-1 count to Sean Brearton, play was stopped and a balk was called on a mystified Fukushima, forcing in Kidd for the West’s second run of the game and advancing Billon and Purcell.

After Eastern League skipper Bill Quinn retuned to the dugout following his spirited ‘discussion’ with the home plate umpire over the call, Brearton smacked a fly ball to left-center field. Billon tagged up at 3B but C Mick Gunnis was waiting for him with ball in hand, thanks to a terrific throw from LF Tzu-yu Song. Billon crashed into Gunnis, jarring the ball loose and was ruled safe on the play. That set off the crowd, who booed and hissed Billon as he walked back to the dugout, while Gunnis, who plays for the hometown Athletics, was slow to get up.

With one on and two out and the lead cut to one, Fukushima faced Heung-su Park. But Fukushima got Park to fly out to Song in LF to end the game and seal the victory.

Eastern League manager Bill Quinn remained upset by the called balk after the game. “I didn’t see it. I don’t think anyone in the ballpark did either – ‘cept the umpire. It’s a shame when an umpire has to inject himself into the game like that. It wasn’t as though Fukushima was blown off the mound or anything.”

But Quinn was more diplomatic when asked about the home plate collision between Billon and Gunnis. “Well, those things are part of the game. You don’t want to see anyone get hurt, but players are taught to give 100% every time. I don’t think I would have done anything different if I was in Billon’s shoes, quite frankly. The kid was just doing his job.”

Stratford Barons’ C Aaron Skidmore, who was replaced in the sixth inning by C Mick Gunnis, appeared happier that his fellow catcher was all right following the collision than he was over winning MVP honours. “Oh sure, it’s nice to make a difference for your team and get recognized like that. But that was a tough spot no catcher wants to find himself in. I’m not surprised he got back up and dusted himself off though. We’re a tough breed.”

As for the man himself, Mick Gunnis had no quarrel with Billon over the collision. In fact, he appeared to be more upset with himself. “It comes with the territory, y’know, each man doing what it takes to win” he replied, shrugging his shoulders as he sat in his locker stall. Then, looking down at the floor, he continued in a quieter voice: “Should’ve held onto it though.”

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Here are the complete All-Star rosters:

Izz · 03-14-2017, 06:44 PM

Nice write-up!

reds1 · 03-20-2017, 07:31 PM

February 1, 1947

Eastern League: The Eagles Take Flight

The Eastern League sees a new team at the top of the standings, as the Queensland Eagles soar into first place. They were six games back and in fourth place at the end of November, but a 34-20 record since then, the second best in the ULB over that period has catapulted them over the Brunswick Legends and Cobourg Red Stockings. Apart from those three teams, the rest of the League has been either mediocre or downright awful. But a couple of teams, namely the Stratford Barons and Wellington Athletics, do have enough things right with them that a late push for the wildcard isn’t out of the question. But a lot of things will have to go their way in the final two months of the season for that to happen.

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The Queensland Eagles were keeping their head just above water after the first two months of the season, but came alive in December and then really turned on the afterburners in January to take over top spot. The offense has been excellent, but they do tend to strike out quite frequently (448 - 8th) and stealing bases is definitely not part of their game (just 6 - 8th – the next lowest total in the ULB is 26 by the Brunswick Legends).

What has bolstered the Eagles fortunes of late is the improved pitching, but really, only three pitchers are carrying the team: 27-year old ace RHP Aaron Saunderson (13-9, 3.23 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 105 ERA+), spot starter 25-year old RHP Okura Suzuki (9-1, 1 SV, 2.08 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 162 ERA+) who was promoted to the rotation in late November, and 26-year old stopper LHP Roman Davis (2-4, 15 SV, 2.28 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 148 ERA+). Outside of them, the pitching has been lacklustre, so Queensland is extremely vulnerable if the rest of the staff doesn’t pick things up down the stretch.

The Eagles lineup features four second-round draft picks and two first-round draft picks. One of those second-rounders is one of the best in the ULB: 28-year old C Elijah Sheppard (.287/.365/.501, 15 HR, 56 RBI, 42 BB, 5.2 WAR). But 27-year old RF Jilenko Vergara (.354/.417/.604, 13 HR, 49 RBI, 31 BB, 4.8 WAR), who was a minor league free agent signing, is right behind him. In fact, Vergara is rated No. 4 overall among position players and is viewed as the top right fielder in the ULB, ahead of Balmoral’s Carleton Broadbent.

Five Eagles made the All-Star roster: SP Aaron Saunderson (4th appearance), C Elijah Sheppard (4th), 2B Noah Wellings (1st), SS Dermott Akers (2nd) and RF Jilenko Vergara (2nd).

Offense: .271/.339/.397 (2nd/2nd/1st)
Pitching: 3.68/3.76/3.26 (4th/5th/5th)
Defense: .686 (8th)

Player of the Week Awards:

January 27 – RF Jilenko Vergara (.462, 12 H, 3 HR, 7 RBI)

Key Injuries:

LF Kunimichi Baba (.320/.376/.430, 1 HR, 13 RBI, 8 BB) – January 8 – High ankle sprain. Out 3 more days.

RHP Joong Ling (2-1, 4.55 ERA, 1.52 WHIP) – November 28 – broken hand. Out 6 weeks.

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After declaring at the end of last season that the Cobourg Red Stockings would be unable to make any significant strides unless they upgraded their pitching, I must confess that the Cobourg pitchers have shown me a thing or two. The staff has indeed made great strides with essentially the same personnel. 24-year old RHP Trent Beaton (14-6, 2.14 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 161 ERA+) and 28-year old RHP Carlo Foronda (11-9, 1 SV, 3.53 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 98 ERA+) continue to lead the way. But they are not the only ones. 26-year old RHP Luis Cruz (7-7, 2.84 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 122 ERA+) is having a great year, the second of his career. In the bullpen, stopper 27-year old stopper RHP Brent Nix (6-5, 14 SV, 1.78 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 194 ERA+) leads a very strong unit.

The offense needs to catch up to the pitching this season, which is quite the switch, but they are still so young and growing. 25-year old SS John Medley (.285/.341/.416, 2 HR, 38 RBI, 34 BB, 23 SB, 2.9 WAR) is confirmation that the patient course Cobourg is taking is the correct one. He is enjoying his best season yet; just his third full one in the ULB. When the other talented youngster hit their full stride, watch out.

Three players represented the Red Stockings at the recent All-Star game: SP Trent Beaton (1st), RP Brent Nix (3rd) and SS John Medley (2nd).

Offense: .261/.320/.357 (4th/7th/5th)
Pitching: 3.22/3.38/2.53 (3rd/3rd/2nd)
Defense: .710 (3rd)

Noteworthy:

December 30 – SS John Medley had a big day, going 5-for-5 against the Braeland City Monarchs. Medley singled in the 1st, singled in the 3rd, doubled in the 5th, doubled in the 7th and tripled in the 9th, scoring 3 runs. Alas, it was not enough, as the Monarchs prevailed 9-7.

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The Brunswick Legends cooled off the past two months after a hot start and find themselves 4 games back of Queensland. The primary source of their struggles lately has been an erratic offense. They have a propensity of scoring a bunch of runs one night only to be shut-down the next. In January for example, they scored 96 runs while surrendering 97; they went 10-16 during that stretch.

Two all-stars are essentially carrying the offense this season: 32-year old LF Terry Aspden (.341/.426/.520, 7 HR, 50 RBI, 43 BB, 3.1 WAR) and 30-year old 1B Stuart Bentham (.290/.393/.485, 17 HR, 48 RBI, 67 BB, 3.1 WAR). Other players, like 30-year old C Maurice Evans (.247/.295/.398, 11 HR, 56 RBI, 26 BB, 2.5 WAR) have been up and down from month-to-month; while other former stalwarts, such as 28-year old CF Harry Chatwin (.248/.332/.330, 3 HR, 17 RBI, 34 BB, 1.8 WAR) have lost their starting jobs completely.

The Legends sent six players to the All-Star game in Wellington: SP Hirotada Fukushima (4th), SP Matthew Monroe (8th), SP Anastasio Rodríguez (7th), SP Wilson Villas (2nd), 1B Stuart Bentham (6th) and LF Terry Aspden (6th).

Offense: .246/.327/.346 (7th/5th/7th)
Pitching: 2.93/2.82/3.40 (1st/1st/6th)
Defense: .703 (5th)

Player of the Week Awards:

December 16 – LF Terry Aspden (.409, 9 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI)

Key Trade: December 29 with the Wolseley Unions

To Brunswick – 25-year old SS Jorge Arredondo (49/69)
To Wolseley – 29-year old RHP Hun Park (77/78)

Knee-jerk reaction: A very intriguing trade between two teams in the playoff hunt. Arredondo (.251/.320/.352, 3 HR, 39 RBI, 38 BB, 12 SB) will certainly help bolster Brunswick’s lineup. 32-year old 2B Matthew Shelley (.283/.359/.360, 2 HR, 45 RBI, 38 BB) moves over to 2B, his strongest position, replacing 26-year old IF Derek Myers (.130/.167/.217) and 36-year old IF Vince Bailey (.255/.365/.276) who were not producing much this year. Arredondo becomes Brunswick’s No. 4 hitter, as he was with Wolseley. However, the loss of Park will be felt, as 30-year old RHP Ron Cowen (1-7, 4 SV, 3.89 ERA, 1.51 WHIP) has been inconsistent from game-to-game since moving to the rotation (1-4, 3.64 ERA in 6 starts).

As for Wolseley, their rotation continues to get stronger. After acquiring All-Star RHP Ian Peter (11-2, 2.44 ERA, 1.27 WHIP) back in October, the Unions now add Park (6-8, 3.52 ERA, 1.50 WHIP) who will be their No. 2 starter. Park appeared to be regressing this season with Brunswick, so a ‘change of scenery’ as they say, may help. As for the loss of Arredondo, a former 3rd overall pick from 1940-41, Wolseley obviously feels that 25-year old SS George Kimpton (.287/.358/.431, 1 HR, 24 RBI, 17 BB), a former 5th overall pick from 1943-44 is ready to take over. He too, becomes Wolseley’s No. 4 man in the lineup.

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The Stratford Barons get back to .500, but it’s been a tough stretch for the defending United Cup Champions, as they deal with a slew of injuries to key players, like SP Ryan Borden, SS Jake Walker and CF Roberto Ríos. It’s remarkable that the Barons have kept within shooting distance of a playoff spot considering all the injuries, but Stratford has to seriously step it up in the final two months if they want to return to the post-season.
Not surprisingly, they made some moves before the trade deadline to try and do just that.

But injuries are not the only reason for the Barons’ struggles. The offense is being carried essentially by three players: 34-year old Jake Walker (.352/.454/.468, 4 HR, 47 RBI, 59 BB, 5.0 WAR), 27-year old C Aaron Skidmore (.276/.410/.433, 13 HR, 65 RBI, 78 BB, 4.6 WAR) and 23-year old Roberto Ríos (.235/.390/.403, 11 HR, 40 RBI, 88 BB, 4.2 WAR). Other key players appear to be in decline, like 27-year old CF Ricardo Castellanos (.258/.317/.382, 2 HR, 35 RBI, 21 BB, 7 SB, 1.8 WAR), as well as 30-year old RF Steven Winstanley (.242/.333/.339, 3 HR, 26 RBI, 32 BB, 1.2 WAR). Casltellanos has seen his production decrease for the second straight season, while Winstanley appears not to have recovered from the two-years he served in the Armed Forces.

Three Barons made the All-Star team this year: C Aaron Skidmore (6th), SS Jake Walker (8th) and CF Roberto Ríos (1st).

Offense: .254/.350/.352 (5th/1st/6th)
Pitching: 3.82/3.67/4.60 (6th/4th/8th)
Defense: .699 (6th)

Player of the Week Awards:

December 9 – C Aaron Skidmore (.588, 10 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI)
January 6 – 2B Brendan McElroy (.750, 6 H, 3 RBI)
January 20 – C Aaron Skidmore (.632, 12 H, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 6 R)

Key Trade No. 1: January 6 with the Hespeler Stars

To Stratford – 26-year old LF Curt Tiffany (63/63) and $3,800
To Hespeler – Five minor leaguers:
19-year old 1B Celso Raed (22/61),
25-year old RHP Marvin Fewings (22/40),
23-year old LF Mitchell Michael (23/23),
23-year old CF Peter Metcalfe (22/22),
22-year old 3B Owen Surtees (22/40)

Knee-jerk reaction: With Stratford’s outfield battered by injuries, it’s no surprise that they went out and got reinforcement. Tiffany (.271/.386/.378, 5 HR, 24 RBI, 55 BB. 9 SB), a former 3rd round pick from 1938-39, has some offensive ability, but his real strengths are drawing walks and speed on the basepaths. Thus, he is pegged to lead off for the Barons. The fact that he is rock-solid defensively in leftfield doesn’t hurt either.

Hespeler obviously felt that Tiffany was expendable, having 24-year old LF Bart Warwick (74/75) on their roster. Warwick was a 2nd round pick from 1942-43 and should prove to be a better hitter overall than Tiffany. As far as their players, Raed is a former 3rd round pick from 1945-46. He has some hitting ability but isn’t anything to get exciting about. Meanwhile, Fewings who was promoted to the big-league roster has taken over as the Stars’ stopper. He has not disappointed in the early going (1-0, 3 SV, 1.80 ERA, 1.00 WHIP).

Key Trade No. 2: January 7 with the Kingston Pelicans

To Stratford – 29-year old 3B Britt Wing (50/57)
To Kingston – 25-year old RF Luca Bewick (54/63)

Knee-jerk reaction: A day after acquiring Tiffany, the Barons let a young Bewick go, as they felt they desperately needed an upgrade at 3B. Britt Wing has not done much since the 1942-43 season when he was a starter with Fort Richmond. With Stratford, he will be given the chance to be an everyday starter once again.

For Kingston, Bewick also represents a potential upgrade that will get a chance to start every day for the first time in his young career. He will take over RF for the Pelicans, in place of 29-year old Lance Haworth (26/29), and will be Kingston’s lead-off hitter.

Key Injuries:

LHP Ryan Borden (3-7, 3.33 ERA, 1.31 WHIP) – December 13. Torn shoulder muscle. Out 7 more weeks.

CF Roberto Ríos – January 8. Separated hip joint. Out 4-5 more weeks.

SS Jake Walker – January 12. Fractured foot. Out 4 more days.

RHP Donn Griffin (4-2, 4.14 ERA, 1.30 WHIP) – December 4. Torn shoulder muscle. Out 2 more months.

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The Braeland City Monarchs are another team that is hovering around .500 waiting for players to return from the DL. Specifically, they are a pair of starters: 26-year old LHP Nicholas Grimes (1-1, 2.29 ERA, 1.36 WHIP) and 35-year old LHP Max MacColl (6-4, 2.22 ERA, 1.29 WHIP). If they can find their groove, then the Monarchs too could get back in to the wildcard chase.

The offense has been more consistent, but there’s no question who the leader is: 33-year old 3B Adam Ashley (.354/.425/.469, 2 HR, 37 RBI, 51 BB, 6.0 WAR). Ashley is now rated No. 2 on the Top Position Player list (behind Kingston’s C Danny Trowbridge). He is enjoying his best season yet, per WAR. Last season, he was worth 6.4. His best mark was in 1939-40 when he was worth 6.8. This season he is on pace for 9.0.
Right now, 24-year old 1B Kyle Pryor (.307/.376/.479, 13 HR, 45 RBI, 38 BB, 3.6 WAR) is a distant second on the team.

Four players from the Monarchs made the All-Star team: SP David Cooling (7th), RP Samuel Hollier (4th), 1B Kyle Pryor (2nd) and 3B Adam Ashley (8th).

Offense: .272/.327/.379 (1st/6th/2nd)
Pitching: 3.70/3.80/3.21 (5th/6th/4th)
Defense: .709 (4th)

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The Wellington Athletics are a well-balanced team that have made strides this season and find themselves just 6.0 games back of the wildcard. Certainly, having more months like January will help their cause – it was just their first month above .500 all season. But if it’s a harbinger of things to come, then they just might make the final two months of the regular season very interesting in the East.

Without question, 27-year old LHP Arthur Bence (16-6, 1.83 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 185 ERA+) has been the story and is shaping up to be the greatest steal made by a team in a trade. 28-year old Baden Morrall (.201/.295/.225, 2 HR, 28 RBI, 44 BB, 4 SB, -0.1 WAR) has not exactly been the player the Sherburn Tigers were hoping for when they acquired him for Bence. Although overshadowed by Bence, 24-year old RHP Wilfried Schop (10-10, 2.28 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 148 ERA+) is quietly enjoying the best season on his three year career.

On offense, a number of Athletics are enjoying career years: 26-year old C Mick Gunnis (.327/.373/.472, 12 HR, 59 RBI, 28 BB, 4.4 WAR) is developing into one of the best catchers in the ULB; 22-year old CF Edgardo Barrón (.339/.380/.446, 1 HR, 22 RBI, 18 BB, 3.3 WAR) is enjoying a break-out season in his sophomore year and 29-year old 3B Thomas Murphy (.268/.332/.373, 3HR, 26 RBI, 40 BB, 5 SB, 2.8 WAR), who could be even better if he can be more consistent at the plate.

The All-Star game was hosted by Wellington and six Athletics made the team: SP Arthur Bence (2nd), C Mick Gunnis (2nd), 3B Ryley McLarnon (4th), SS Mac Medley (2nd), CF Edgardo Barrón (1st) and RF Zhong-shu Wang (1st).

Offense: .269/.327/.368 (3rd/4th/3rd)
Pitching: 3.11/3.13/3.02 (2nd/2nd/3rd)
Defense: .717 (2nd)

Player of the Week Awards:

November 18 – 2B Ryley McLarnon (.708, 17 H, 8 RBI, 8 R)
October 14 – 1B Rubén Sánchez (.517, 15 H, 6 RBI)

Noteworthy:

January 26 – 3B Thomas Murphy took all the Stratford Barons threw at him, going 5 for 5 on the day. Murphy hit 4 consecutive singles and then capped it off with a double in the 8th. He came into score 4 times in the process. The Athletics prevailed 7-5.

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The Embro Suns got off to an excruciatingly slow start as both the pitching and offense faltered out of the gate. But while the offense has shown signs of rebounding, the pitching has not. 28-year old RHP Jim Hogue (4-10, 4.60 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, 75 ERA+) is off to the worst of his career, and 32-year old LHP Edward Hill (1-7, 7.34 ERA, 2.23 WHIP, 47 ERA+) was demoted to AAA Birmingham in early December. RHP Noah Marfell (7-6, 3.32 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 104 ERA+) was claimed off waivers from the Fort Richmond Generals to take his place. Although he earned his 9th all-star selection, 32-year old RHP Oscar Burress (10-8, 3.35 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 103 ERA+) slumped terribly in January (2-3, 5.71 ERA, 1.55 WHIP).

On offense, 32-year old 1B Jim Friend (.307/.396/.534, 11 HR, 53 RBI, 39 BB, 2.9 WAR) is back to his old self, after suffering a knee injury back in October. 39-year old SS Gary Watkinson (.304/.407/.378, 2 HR, 45 RBI, 61 BB, 2.4 WAR) earned back his starting job after finding his bat in December and January. His defense though has been downright awful, meaning 23-year old SS Rafael De La Cruz (.292/.310/.438, 3 HR, 19 RBI, 3 BB, 0.6 WAR) will still have plenty of opportunities to reclaim his spot in the lineup.

The Suns sent six players to the All-Star Game: SP Oscar Burress (9th), RP Colm Soper (9th), 1B Jim Friend (7th), 2B José Sánchez (1st), CF Terence Durney (10th) and RF Tzu-yu Song (1st).

Offense: .254/.337/.362 (6th/3rd/4th)
Pitching: 3.98/4.01/3.86 (8th/7th/7th)
Defense: .687 (7th)

Player of the Week Awards:

December 12 – 1B Jim Friend (.423, 11 H, 1 HR, 8 RBI)
December 23 – RHP Myung-gu Son (2-0, 18.0 IP, 7 K, 2 BB, 1.00 ERA)

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Despite the fine play of 24-year old CF Robin Duerden (.313/.388/.492, 8 HR, 48 RBI, 37 BB, 5 SB, 3.8 WAR) and first overall pick SS Manuel Castaneda (.294/.351/.373, 2 HR, 18 RBI, 16 BB, 4 SB, 1.6 WAR), who both won recent monthly honours, the Downie Chiefs have been miserable. 32-year old RHP Arnold Perkins (3-5, 3.64 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 92 ERA+), who was released by the Cobourg Red Stockings back in October and signed by Downie a month later, is about as good as it gets with the rotation. At least the farm system is getting deeper. It is second only to the Hespeler Stars.

Two players represented the Chiefs at this year’s All-Star Game: CF Robin Duerden (2nd) and RF Nathan Ashman (2nd).

Offense: .246/.303/.342 (8th/8th/8th)
Pitching: 3.86/4.29/2.01 (7th/8th/1st)
Defense: .725 (1st)

Player of the Week Awards:

December 30 – CF Robin Duerden (.524, 11 H, 3 HR, 7 RBI)

Key Injury:

RHP Jim Ferguson (1-2, 3.34 ERA, 1.31 WHIP) – October 24 – torn back muscle. Out 5 weeks.

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reds1 · 04-04-2017, 06:26 PM

February 1, 1947

Western League: Kingston, Wolseley Pulling Away

With two months left in the regular season, the Western League playoff picture is very close to being set. Barring a colossal collapse by either the Kingston Pelicans or Wolseley Unions, it is looking increasingly doubtful that the other six clubs will catch them. The only question now is who will grab top spot. The Pelicans made a huge statement in January, but the Unions do not appear willing to give up. It will be interesting to see, however, if Wolseley can push Kingston for top spot in the final stretch.

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Just as the Queensland Eagles roost atop the Eastern League standings, so another bird species holds court in the West. But the occupying of first place by the Kingston Pelicans is less of a surprise, as the Pelicans have perched themselves in first place 6 times out of the past 9 seasons. Despite a spate of injuries, the Pelicans have not missed a beat and really turned up the heat in January, winning 20 games. That stretch included an 11-game winning streak. That propelled them into first place, after trailing Wolseley by a game at the end of December.

The offense continues to be led by 28-year old C Danny Trowbridge (.363/.460/.506, 8 HR, 56 RBI, 62 BB, 7 SB, 6.6 WAR), while 32-year old 1B Dean Bishop (.266/.387/.472, 15 HR, 56 RBI, 68 BB, 4.5 WAR) is enjoying another strong year at the plate and in the field.

After a slow start in October, 26-year old LHP Patrick Denman (12-8, 3.33 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 104 ERA+) has gotten better with each passing month, and heads another strong rotation. That includes No. 2 pitcher 27-year old RHP Ben Currall (13-5, 2.43 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 142 ERA+) and No. 4 guy 28-year old RHP Chalrie Gilbert (13-5, 2.64 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 131 ERA+). Denman and Knowles recently won Monthly honours.

The Pelicans sent 8 players to this year’s All-Star game: SP Ben Currall (2nd selection), SP Patrick Denman (2nd), SP Charlie Gilbert (2nd), RP Luis Veláquez (4th), C Danny Trowbridge (6th), 1B Dean Bishop (3rd), 2B Wen-huan Liu (2nd) and CF Jamie Couch (3rd).

Offense: .260/.347/.382 (2nd/1st/1st)
Pitching: 2.88/3.11/1.74 (1st/2nd/1st)
Defense: .711 (4th)

Player of the Week Awards:

December 23 – C Danny Trowbridge (.714, 10 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 5 R)
January 27 – RF Luca Bewick (.455, 10 H, 2 HR, 4 RBI)

Injuries:

January 16 – 36-year old RHP Joey Cumberledge (9-3, 4.60 ERA, 1.45 WHIP) – strained stomach muscle – 2 more weeks

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Despite losing grip of first place to a red-hot Kingston club, it’s not as though the Wolseley Unions are struggling. They have gone 49-29 over the past three months and show no signs of letting up. Head-to-head, the Pelicans and Unions have each won 6 games against each other this season, with four matchups remaining. While both clubs have practically locked up a playoff spot at this point, the Unions don’t appear to be conceding first place just yet.

The story in Wolseley this season has been the play of rookie C Éric Denis (.358/.395/.457, 3 HR, 50 RBI, 21 BB, 4.8 WAR). After 27-year old C Thomas Geary (.289/.360/.444, 1 HR, 8 HR, 5 BB, 0.6 WAR) separated his hip joint in late-October, the 22-year old Denis from Canada took over catching duties and has not looked back. Since then, he has won three Rookie of the Month honours and an All-Star selection. Coupled with his outstanding defensive play, the former 12th overall pick from 1943-44 has firmly entrenched himself as Wolseley’s starting catcher – and one of their best players.

Six Unions made this year’s all-star squad: SP Jeremy Albury (1st), SP Ian Peter (2nd), SP Kai Tosh (1st), C Éric Denis (1st), LF Carlton Hawking (2nd) and CF Zak Kidd (7th).

Offense: .261/.346/.359 (1st/2nd/3rd)
Pitching: 3.30/3.19/3.88 (5th/5th/7th)
Defense: .712 (3rd)

Player of the Week Awards:

January 20 – LF Carlton Hawking (.571, 12 H, 2 RBI, 4 R)

Noteworthy:

December 27 – Although the Balmoral Giants won 7-5, 25-year old LF Carlton Hawking (.324/.421/.470, 9 HR, 49 RBI, 70 BB, 3.8 WAR) enjoyed a great day at the plate. He went 5 for 5, with singles in the 2nd, 3rd and 6th innings, a solo home run in the 8th and an RBI double in the 9th.

Key Trade: January 13 with the Fort Richmond Generals

To Wolseley – 25-year old 2B Neil Boyle (59/64)
To Fort Richmond – 31-year old 2B Oscar Agnolutto (29/29)

Knee-jerk reaction: The Generals were busy leading up to the trade deadline, as they completed three deals, with three different teams. In this deal, two glove men are exchanged, as both Boyle and Agnolutto are simply outstanding defensively. But Boyle has two Top Fielder Awards and an All-Star selection to his credit. Interestingly, both players had their best season in 1944-45, when Boyle earned 4.5 WAR and Agnolutto was worth 3.8. But neither are particularly noted for their bats. As it is, Boyle will serve as a utility infielder while 22-year old 2B Westin Woollams (.208/.280/.231) struggles with major league hitting. Meanwhile, Agnolutto will get a chance to start for the Generals, which I don’t think qualifies as an improvement.

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After an encouraging start, the Cambria Cannons have cooled off and essentially become an afterthought along with the rest of the clubs trailing Kingston and Wolseley in the West. The pitching staff has done its job, but the offense have not provided the kind of support that a contender needs. Case in point is 35-year old RHP Pete Allison (6-12, 2.58 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 131 ERA+), who went 2-8, 2.73 ERA in December and January combined.

Three Cannons represented the West in this year’s All-Star game: RP Carl Luscombe (5th), C Heung-su Park (2nd) and SS Wenceslas Jasmin (4th).

Offense: .238/.313/.339 (7th/5th/5th)
Pitching: 3.12/3.16/2.91 (3rd/3rd/3rd)
Defense: .709 (5th)

Player of the Week Awards:

December 2 – C Heung-su Park (.385, 10 H, 4 HR, 7 RBI)

Noteworthy:

January 28 – 29-year old C Heung-su Park (.298/.336/.504, 14 HR, 55 RBI, 21 BB, 4.4 WAR) enjoyed a great day against the Braeland City Monarchs, finishing with 4 hits in 5 at-bats. In the process, he hit for the CYCLE, the 14th in United Leagues history. Park singled in the 1st, hit a two-run triple in the 3rd, hit a solo-home run in the 5th and hit an RBI double in the 7th. He flied out in the 8th. He finished with 2 R and 5 RBI, leading the Cannons to a 6-1 road victory over the Monarchs.

Injuries:

January 1 – 25-year old LF Santo Fuentes (.318/.408/.394, 5-2B, 11 RBI, 10 BB) – brain fever – another 2 months
October 13 – 33-year old RHP Jin-man Kim – separated hip joint – suffered setback on January 1; out further 4 weeks.

Key Trade: January 21 with the Fort Richmond Generals

To Cambria – 26-year old 2B Matthew Welson (23/27)
To Fort Richmond – 29-year old OF Ron Westmacott (73/74)

Knee-jerk reaction: It appears the drama is over in Cambria, as the Cannons said goodbye to the face of the franchise in Westmacott. The former 5-time all-star and 1942-43 Babe Ruth Award winner was seldom used over the past season and a half, as injuries and a crowded outfield limited his playing time and reduced his overall value in the eyes of Cambria. With Fort Richmond, he will once again be given a chance to start on a regular basis, despite his injury history. But what the Cannons get in return is a former 1st round draft pick from 1941-42 who has been a major disappointment. Welson did make the all-star team once, but his stock has sharply declined since 1944 and will be little more than a utility infielder. At any rate, it will certainly be strange seeing Westmacott in a uniform other than the Cannons.

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The Fort Richmond Generals were the most active team leading up to the trade deadline, but it seems little more than window dressing at this point. The Generals were respectable in December and January and have one of the top pitching staffs in the West, but their offense has not been able to keep up with likes of the Pelicans and Unions.

CF Dylan Moyne (.271/.334/.416, 10 HR, 49 RBI, 35 BB, 4.3 WAR) is having another great season, and 22-year old rookie RF Brandon Robinson (.261/.279/.326, 2 HR, 25 RBI, 10 BB, 5 SB, 0.4 WAR) has shown flashes of promise, but the rest of the offense has been anemic. If the lineup could step it up next season, then the Generals might finally make some noise.

Moyne qualified for his first All-Star game – the only General selected.

Offense: .246/.312/.336 (5th/6th/6th)
Pitching: 3.07/3.07/3.06 (2nd/1st/5th)
Defense: .728 (1st)

Injuries:

December 26 – 24-year old RHP Nicky Sherlock (4-8, 3.32 ERA, 1.25 WHIP) – sore shoulder – 3 more weeks

Key Trade: January 7 with the Pulberry Trolleys

To Fort Richmond – 28-year old IF Francis Burrow (69/69)
To Pulberry – 26-year old C Bennie Guis (23/29)

Knee-jerk reaction: Another trade that can be categorized as a minor tweak for both clubs. Fort Richmond, dissatisfied with the performance of IF Steven Wormleighton (.279/.318/.367, 2 HR, 27 RBI, 15 BB, 1.4 WAR), have opted instead to acquire Burrow to be their new 3B. Wormleighton, who missed two seasons while serving in the military, has not returned to his pre-war performance. But it’s hard to figure Burrow being much better. He is not an embarrassment at the plate, but defense is his calling card.
The same goes for Guis, who is very good defensively, but whose weak bat has kept him down in AAA. But the Trolleys apparently were desperate for a change at catcher, so Guis will get to start on a regular basis.

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Like the rest of the also rans in the West, the Hespeler Stars have faded from view, largely due to their struggling pitching staff, which currently ranks last in nearly all pitching categories. They also don’t have a truly marquee player on the 25-man roster. The closest is 26-year old RF Marcus Peyto (.303/.399/.481, 9 HR, 46 RBI, 52 BB, 3.4 WAR). Although he did not make the all-star team, he has been Hespeler’s most consistent player this season, and is enjoying the best year of his 6-year career. But the second overall pick from 1941-42 may see some reinforcements arrive within the next couple of years – the Stars have the deepest farm system in the ULB. That includes four prospects rated in the overall top 20. In fact, their AAA farm club, the Delamere Dark Blues, are currently the top team in the Amethyst Leagues with a 64-33 record. So brighter days may be on the horizon.

Hespeler sent three players to this year’s All-Star game: 1B Wayne Savory (2nd), 3B Loïc Billon (1st) and CF Vic Weetman (3rd).

Offense: .254/.315/.363 (4th/4th/2nd)
Pitching: 4.08/4.15/3.80 (8th/8th/6th)
Defense: .705 (7th)

Player of the Week Awards:

January 6 – 1B Wayne Savory (.471, 8 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI)

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The Pulberry Trolleys have managed to win 12 games in each of the first four months of the season, but they have also tended to lose more than that each month, so that hasn’t exactly helped things. Indeed, the Trolleys’ roster has a distinct patchwork appearance, with players picked up from waivers (such as veteran relievers Bradley Paris and Brendan Margerson), stop-gaps such as recently acquired C Bennie Guis to players nearing the end of their productivity (34-year old 3B Terry Maxwell -.182/.242/.266). Add the fact that Pulberry has one of the weakest farm systems in the ULB (ranked 15 out of 16) and it’s not hard to see that this team will continue to look ‘ragged’ for the foreseeable future.

Two players have stood out thus far: 25-year old RHP Alexander Ellacott (12-7, 2.49 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 136 ERA+) and 28-year old RF Jarod Dwyer (.283/.342/.450, 11 HR, 46 RBI, 31 BB, 9 SB, 3.9 WAR).

Pulberry also sent three players to this year’s All-Star game: SP Alexander Ellacott (2nd), SS Roland Binns (3rd) and RF Jarod Dwyer (1st).

Offense: .242/.306/.335 (6th/8th/7th)
Pitching: 3.15/3.18/2.95 (4th/4th/4th)
Defense: .728 (1st)

Player of the Week Awards:

December 30 – RHP Lee Dowdeswell (2-0, 0.50 ERA, 18.0 IP, 10 H, 9 K, 4 BB)

Injuries:

November 25 – 24-year old CF Tadamichi Matsumoto – fractured jaw – another 5 weeks
January 16 – 31-year old LHP Brenden Margerson (1-0, 2 SV, 2.29 ERA, 0.97 WHIP – shoulder swelling – 2 months

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Despite the loss of SS Francisco Rodríguez to injury during all of December, the Balmoral Giants went on an impressive run that month, winning 17 games and moving into a two-way tie for third place with Cambria. But just as he returned, the Giants imploded, falling back into 7th place and confirmed irrelevance. They were outscored by nearly 2 full runs per game during January, just slightly better than Sherburn. There is plenty of blame to go around: RHP Connor Ainsley (8-8, 3.78 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 91 ERA+), who won Pitcher of the Month honours in October, struggled in January, going 0-3, 7.50 ERA. Balmoral’s lead-off hitter, 23-year old CF Clyde Whitaker (.214/.316/.301, 3 HR, 19 RBI, 46 BB, 0.2 WAR) appeared to be making slow but steady progress as a full-time player. But he slumped terribly last month (.181/.299/.217). Perhaps it’s no surprise the Giants switched their focus to ‘rebuild’ from ‘neutral’ in light of their freefall.

Seven Giants were selected to the All-Star game: RP Dan Moon (1st), 2B Sean Brearton (1st), 3B Allen Cattanach (3rd), SS Francisco Rodríguez (7th), CF Damon Purcell (3rd) and RF Carlton Broadbent (6th).

Offense: .257/.328/.358 (3rd/3rd/4th)
Pitching: 3.78/4.00/2.56 (7th/7th/2nd)
Defense: .705 (6th)

Player of the Week Awards:

December 16 – RF Carlton Broadbent (.429, 9 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI)

Injuries:

November 30 – 28-year old LF Ellis Rothwell – fractured ankle – another 2-3 weeks
January 20 – 27-year old CF Damon Purcell (.278/.324/.435, 10 HR, 53 RBI, 21 BB, 1.9 WAR) – strained thigh – 3 weeks
January 31 – 26-year old RHP Cris Herrera (5-14, 3.73 ERA, 1.39 WHP) – strained neck muscles – 1-2 weeks

Key Trade: January 13 with the Sherburn Tigers

To Balmoral – 26-year old SP Cris Herrera (49/54)
To Sherburn – 26-year old CF Javier Serrano (58/58)

Knee-jerk reaction: Two players, in desperate need for scenery changes, get their wish. Herrera, an average pitcher who was Sherburn’s No. 4 starter for close to four seasons, has had a rough year with the offensively challenged Tigers. He gets a fresh start with the slightly more successful Giants who could use any boost they can get to their pitching. They will have to wait, however, as Herrera injured his neck in late January, after going 1-3, 3.95 ERA in four starts with Balmoral.
With Serrano, the Tigers get another player who has been a disappointment. Serrano was drafted 13th overall in 1943-44 by the Giants and was rated as the No. 12 prospect in the ULB as recently as October 1945. But he has not blossomed into a starter, and will be a fourth outfielder with Sherburn. But if their offense continues to flounder, Serrano may soon be given the chance to start. On January 30 for example, Serrano went 4-5 with 1 RBI, 2 R in a 6-3 win over the Pulberry Trolleys.

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The Sherburn Tigers continue their frustrating ways. After winning 14 games in December (just as they did in October), they crashed in January, winning just 7 (just as they did in November). The ‘Who’s Not’ section sums things up for the Tigers on their lost season. Only three players can be said to be having very good seasons: SP Jesús Chapa (11-10, 2.26 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 154 ERA+), SP Roberto Taváres (8-11, 3.36 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 103 ERA+) and SS Otton Overbeek (.264/.316/.404, 7 HR, 37 RBI, 31 BB, 3.1 WAR).

Hey, look who qualified for the All-Star game this year: SP Jesús Chapa (3rd), SP Roberto Taváres (4th) and SS Otton Overbeek (4th).

Offense: .237/.310/.314 (8th/7th/8th)
Pitching: 3.41/3.20/4.72 (6th/6th/8th)
Defense: .703 (8th)

Player of the Week Awards:

December 9 – SS Otton Overbeek (.500, 13 H, 1 HR, 3 RBI)

Noteworthy:

December 3 – For the second time this season, SS Otton Overbeek had a big day at the plate. Overbeek went 5-6 against his old team, the Braeland City Monarchs, helping the Tigers prevail 7-6. He grounded out in the 1st, singled in the 4th and 6th, doubled in the 8th, singled in the 9th and hit an RBI single in the 10th.

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reds1 · 07-01-2017, 07:15 PM

March 30, 1947

Eastern League: Eagles, Legends to Battle for Pennant

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The Queensland Eagles finish in top spot for the first time in their ten-year existence, and qualify for the playoffs for just the second time. Back in 1937-38, the United Leagues’ inaugural season, the Eagles won 88 games, their best mark thus far. That was good enough for the wild card, as they finished 1 game back of the Wellington Athletics. But this season, their 86 victories secured them first place and home field advantage in the playoffs. That may make a difference, as the Eagles sported the best home record in the East (47-30), while they finished just one game above .500 (39-38) on the road.

Offense: .266/.339/.391 (2nd/3rd/1st)
Pitching: 3.57/3.64/3.21 (4th/5th/5th)
Defense: .687 (7th)

Difference Makers: Queensland enjoyed one of the top offenses in the Eastern League, so there is no shortage of candidates. But I’ll go with RF Jilenko Vergara (.309/.388/.498, 17 HR, 70 RBI, 62 BB, 6.1 WAR). The 27-year old enjoyed his best season by far in his 3-year career and was solid in the outfield as well (.975 PCT, 2.60 RNG, +9.6 ZR, 1.050 EFF).

Queensland’s pitching staff is not the most dominant unit around, but it can still hold its own. It was led by two Australians: 27-year old Aaron Saunderson (17-15, 3.54 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 2.86 FIP) and 39-year old Stewart Colcott (15-11, 3.35 ERA, 1.42 WHP, 3.05 FIP). Colcott in particular, finished the season strong, going 8-1, 2.03 ERA in February and March, winning Pitcher of the Month honours in March. That stretch included two complete game shutouts; one against the Fort Richmond Generals in February and one against the Brunswick Legends in March. No doubt the Eagles hope his strong play carries over into the playoffs when they face the Legends for the Pennant.

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The Brunswick Legends return to the playoffs after a one-year absence, but their resurgence, if you can call it that has more to do with the League’s overall parity than to any particular dominance on their part. Brunswick won 82 games, just 2 more than last season, when they finished in 4th place. Their expected record was only 79-75, so we are not dealing with the same team that won 101 games back in 1944-45. In fact, they beat out the Cobourg Red Stockings by just one game to make the playoffs.
Still, they know how to win, and their pitching squad, at least the rotation, remains top-notch.

Offense: .246/.328/.345 (7th/4th/7th)
Pitching: 3.15/2.92/4.09 (1st/1st/7th)
Defense: .699 (6th)

Difference Makers: Offense is showing signs of going to seed, but 30-year old 1B Stuart Bentham (.314/.403/.500, 24HR, 72 RBI, 90 BB, 5.2 WAR) remained his stalwart self and actually got better as the season wound down.

The four lefties in the Legends’ rotation are all seasoned veterans, but No. 1 starter Anastasio Rodríguez (20-12, 2.42 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 2.63 FIP) was easily Brunswick’s best pitcher this season.

Player of the Week Awards:

February 24 – 1B Stuart Bentham (.526, 10 H, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 4 R)

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They came oh so close, but in the end the Cobourg Red Stockings came up short in reaching the playoffs for the first time in their existence. It was a tough finish, as they were beaten by Brunswick by just a single game for the wild card. Still, their 81 wins marks the first time they finished with a winning record and their 3rd place finish, just 5 games back of first place, is easily their best mark to date. In their previous 9 seasons, they finished in last place 6 times and in 6th place three times.

Offense: .266/.324/.366 (3rd/5th/4th)
Pitching: 3.36/3.53/2.61 (3rd/4th/1st)
Defense: .705 (4th)

Difference Makers: With nine 1st round draft picks on their 40-man roster and three No. 1 overall picks in their lineup, you know good things should start happening soon. Still, with a roster so young, the Red Stockings endured some growing pains. But 25-year old SS John Medley (.293/.355/.422, 2 HR, 61 RBI, 56 BB, 4.7 WAR) may be outgrowing them, as he enjoyed his best season thus far in his young career. He was solid on defense as well (.952 PCT, 4.82 RNG, +3.4 ZR, 1.009 EFF).

25-year old RHP Trent Beaton (20-10, 2.50 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 3.39 FIP) enjoyed his best season of his young career as well. The 17th overall pick from 1943-1944 completed his 3rd season in the ULB.

Noteworthy:

March 28 – CF Raymond Williams (.243/.264/.349, 7 HR, 20 RBI, 7 BB, 0.9 WAR), Coborug’s lead-off hitter and first overall pick from 1945-46 had a big day against the Embro Suns, going 5-for-5 in Cobourg’s 4-2 win. The 20-year old rookie singled in the 1st, 3rd, 4th, 6th and 8th innings, with 1 R.
But just the day before, Williams went 2-3 at the plate, scoring 5 RBI and 4 R off of two home runs, the last one being a grand slam. He also drew two BB for good measure, helping the Red Stockings to an 11-5 victory. It’s no surprise he won Rookie of the Month honours for March.

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The Wellington Athletics tied the Queensland Eagles for most wins in the East in the second half of the season (44), but it wasn’t enough for them to seriously push Brunswick for the wild card, as they cooled off in the final days of the season (3-7). Still, their 78 victories moved them into the first division and gave them their first winning season since 1942-43, when they also won 78 games.

Offense: .265/.322/.360 (4th/7th/5th)
Pitching: 3.18/3.18/3.18 (2nd/2nd/4th)
Defense: .715 (2nd)

Difference Makers: 27-year old C Mick Gunnis (.315/.364/.440, 15 HR, 91 RBI, 42 BB, 6.0 WAR) has come into his won in just his third full season in the ULB, leading his team in a slew of offensive categories. Only his defense needs some refining (.971 PCT, 3.95 RNG, -2.9 ZR, .997 EFF).

The player awards won’t be handed out until the off-season, but the Eastern League Satchel Paige Award winner should be a mere formality, as 27-year old LHP Arthur Bence (22-10, 1.93 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 2.89 FIP, 289.1 IP, 75 BB, 142 K) pulled off one of the greatest seasons in the ULB by a pitcher, winning the Triple Crown. It is the just the second triple crown won by a pitcher (Kingston’s Brady Murdy first won it in 1938-39) and fourth overall. Only Wolseley’s RHP Jeremy Albury prevented him from achieving a ULB-wide triple crown by striking out more batters (150).

Player of the Week Awards:

February 17 – 1B Rubén Sánchez (.524, 11 H, 1 HR, 3 RBI)

Noteworthy:

March 12 – SS Zhao-hui Qian (.251/.297/.389, 2 HR, 21 RBI, 16 BB, 4 SB, 1.6 WAR) went 5 for 5 against the Cobourg Red Stockings, helping the Athletics prevail 6-5. Qian singled in the 1st, singled in the 2nd, doubled in the 5th, hit an RBI single in the 6th and singled in the 8th.

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Indifferent pitching and hitting throughout the season did the Stratford Barons in, preventing them from successfully defending their United Cup title. The Barons have been alternating first place finishes with losing records the past few seasons. Last year, they won 87 games and the Cup. The year before, they won only 72 games and finished 29 games back of Brunswick. In 1943-44, they won 93 games but lost to the Legends in the Pennant Series. In 1942-44, they lost 78 games and finished in 6th place. Finally, in 1941-42, they won 92 games but finished 1 game back of Brunswick for the wild card. Perhaps next season, they will bounce back.

Getting full, productive seasons from players like 31-year old RF Steven Winstanley (.262/.344/.366, 6 HR, 45 RBI, 49 BB, 2.8 WAR) and 27-year old CF Ricardo Castellanos (.276/.336/.410, 4 HR, 47 RBI, 31 BB, 8vSB, 3.4 WAR) will go a long way in achieving that. After excruciatingly slow starts, both picked things up in the second half of the season.
Losing their top starter, 38-year old Ryan Borden (3-7, 3.33 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 2.05 FIP) in December to a season-ending injury didn’t help matters either.

Offense: .256/.347/.352 (6th/1st/6th)
Pitching: 3.64/3.52/4.35 (6th/3rd/8th)
Defense: .700 (5th)

Difference Makers: 27-year old C Aaron Skidmore (.285/.417/.437, 16 HR, 87 RBI, 116 BB, 7.5 WAR) just keeps getting better and better with each passing season, while 34-year old SS Jake Walker (.336/.441/.453, 5 HR, 63 RBI, 80 BB, 6.2 WAR) remains one of the top-rated players in the ULB (just behind No. 1 C Danny Trowbridge and just ahead of teammate Skidmore).

36-year old SP Joel Fearn (20-12, 3.35 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 2.98 FIP) enjoyed his third 20-win season and continues to lead the ULB in career wins (178), complete games (229), IP (2733.2) and Pitching WAR (64.3).

Player of the Week Awards:

February 3 – CF Ricardo Castellanos (.444, 12 H, 1 HR, 9 RBI)

Noteworthy:

March 12 – The Brunswick Legends just could not figure out SS Jake Walker, and they paid dearly for it, falling 10-3 to Stratford. Walker went 5 for 5 on the day, with singles in the 1st, 2nd, 4th and 7th innings. He capped it off with a 2-run triple in the 8th.

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After bottoming out in January, the Downie Chiefs rebounded with back-to-back winning months. Their 72 victories mark the first time in 6 seasons that they finished with more than 70 wins. Perhaps that’s stretching things in order to find some optimism with this team, but they have a strong farm system and their top seven prospects have now reached the major leagues. So hopefully this means the Chiefs will finally turn the corner soon.

Offense: .244/.303/.343 (8th/8th/8th)
Pitching: 3.65/3.84/2.66 (7th/7th/2nd)
Defense: .722 (1st)

Difference Makers: The offense is a work in progress (i.e. a nightmare), so no difference maker this year. But 24-year old SP Kelii Pelanekelina (14-13, 2.99 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 3.50 FIP) is developing into a solid pitcher for the Chiefs. The former third round pick from 1941-42 won his first Pitcher of the Month Award in February.

Player of the Week Awards:

March 3 – CF Alfonzo León (.417, 10 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI)

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The Embro Suns could not overcome the worst ranked pitching staff in the United Leagues (their 4.8 R/G was comfortably ahead of Hespeler’s 4.4), and slumped to 7th place in the East, their worst showing thus far in the ULB. It’s just the second time that they finished below .500; back in 1943-44, they also finished with a 72-82 record.

But help may soon be on the way. The Suns have three Top 20 SP prospects making their way through the minors: 21-year old LHP Carl McBroom (7th overall – 6th overall pick in 1944-45), 21-year old RHP Juan Rivas (9th overall – 14th overall pick in 1945-46) and 20-year old RHP Reece McLaughlin (17th overall – 3rd round pick in 1945-46). McBroom and Rivas are in AAA and with a little more experience; they may be ready for prime time in a season or two. In the meantime, Embro no doubt hopes their current staff can rebound and tide them over until the young guns are ready.

Offense: .264/.346/.375 (5th/2nd/3rd)
Pitching: 4.03/4.14/3.61 (8th/8th/6th)
Defense: .684 (8th)

Difference Makers: After missing most of October and November due to a knee injury, 32-year old 1B Jim Friend (.322/.405/.550, 23 HR, 97 RBI, 64 BB, 5.8 WAR) returned to being one of the most feared hitters in the United Leagues, winning back-to-back Batter of the Month Awards in February and March.
33-year old CF Terence Durney (.340/.416/.484, 9 HR, 70 RBI, 60 BB, 4.5 WAR) also had a terrific season at the plate, winning the Eastern League Batting Title.

Although the rest of the pitching staff struggled all season, 37-year old RHP Colm Soper (5-5, 24 SV, 1.85 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 2.76 FIP) was simply outstanding, leading the United Leagues in saves. The 8-time all-star and former Satchel Paige Award winner won 22 games in a season twice, but for the past four seasons, he has turned himself into one of the top relievers in the ULB, behind only Cambria’s RHP Carl Luscombe.

Noteworthy:

March 26 – The Embro Suns had their struggles this season, but 24-year old back-up C César Morales contributed one highlight, as he went 5 for 5 in a 18-7 shellacking of the Queensland Eagles. Morales singled in the 2nd and 3rd, hit an RBI double in the 4th, struck out in the 4th, singled in the 6th and hit an RBI double in the 8th.

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It was a long season in the nation’s capital, as the Braeland City Monarchs quickly faded from relevance after sprinting out to a 16-9 record way back in October. They went just 52-77 the rest of the way, despite enjoying some fine performances from their key players. But injuries and ‘bad luck’ conspired against them. The Monarchs went just 18-32 (.360) in one-run games and ended -9 compared to their Pyt. Rec., easily the worst mark in the ULB. The end result was a last place finish, their first since their inaugural season, when they won just 66 games. But with some improved health and karma, next season could see a return of optimism.

Offense: .269/.324/.375 (1st/6th/2nd)
Pitching: 3.60/3.69/3.12 (5th/6th/3rd)
Defense: .706 (3rd)

Difference Makers: The career arc of 33-year old 3B Adam Ashley (.328/.397/.439, 2 HR, 51 RBI, 70 BB, 10 SB, 7.9 WAR) is just one the joys I glean from following the ULB. After being one of the most dominating players in the ULB in its first couple of seasons, his star began to fade if just a little. It then bottomed out from 1942-43 as he spent more time on the DL than on the field. But in 1944, he began his return to relevance to the point that he is now one of the top players in the ULB once again. This past season was his best yet and one of the best all-round seasons enjoyed by a player in the ULB. His WAR was second only to Kingston’s Danny Trowbridge (9.1). Ashley previously won 5 Top Fielder Awards when he was Braeland’s primary shortstop. He may very well add his sixth fielding award as his defense was sensational at the hot corner this season (.955 PCT, 2.98 RNG, +12.1 ZR, 1.041 EFF).

Player of the Week Awards:

February 10 – 1B Kyle Pryor (.381, 8 H, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 5 R)
March 10 – 3B Adam Ashley (.458, 11 H, 2 RBI, 5 R)
March 17 – LF Patrick Vick (.500, 12 H, 1 HR, 7 RBI)
March 24 - – 1B Kyle Pryor (.619, 13 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI)

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Bottom Of The Sixth · 07-01-2017, 07:20 PM

Welcome back, my friend.
Glad to see The League of All Leagues, back in business!

reds1 · 07-02-2017, 11:28 PM

Thank you so much for the kind words, Chad!

Although I see I will have to repost all my graphics in this thread onto imgur, thanks to Photobucket's blackmail tactics. Oh well, I was really tired of Photo-kick-the-bucket anyway, since their pop-ups were really becoming obtrusive, so I guess its a blessing in disguise (until imgur tries to pull the same stunt).

In the meantime, I wanted to post an updated link to my Braeland caps, jersey, logos, etc. as I made a number of tweaks:

Here are the updates:

Balmoral Giants: 1992-2000 - new logo

Braeland City Monarchs: 1983-2000 - new logo, updated patches on home & away

Cambria Cannons: 1975-1990 - new logo

Downie Chiefs: 1937-1949 - new logo; 1958-1964 - slightly tweaked logo

Embro Suns: 1958-1964 - new logo

Fort Richmond Generals: 1983-2000 - updated home & away

Hespeler Stars: 1975-1982 - updated home & away jerseys

Pulberry Trolleys: 1990-2000 - new logo, revised patch on home & away, new alternate jersey

Queensland Eagles: 1984-2000 - revised alternate jersey

Stratford Barons: 1985-2000 - revised logo

Wellington Athletics: 1975-1986 - revised logo

Wolseley Unions: 1975-2000 - revised logos

reds1 · 07-05-2017, 08:00 PM

March 30, 1947

Western League: Kingston & Wolseley Make the Grade

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Despite trailing the Wolseley Unions for the first half of the season, the Kingston Pelicans finish on top in the West by 7 games. After winning 104 games last season, the Pelicans were the only team in the United Leagues this season to surpass 90. Once again, they are a remarkably balanced team who should be the prohibited favourites heading into the playoffs. They qualified for the playoffs for the 10th consecutive season, and finish on top of the Western League standings for the 7th time. This is also the 5th time they sport the best record in the entire ULB.

Offense: .253/.336/.374 (2nd/2nd/1st)
Pitching: 2.85/3.04/1.89 (1st/2nd/1st)
Defense: .713 (tied for 3rd)

Difference Makers: No surprise here. 28-year old C Danny Trowbridge (.343/.434/.504, 16 HR, 80 RBI, 85 BB, 8 SB, 9.1 WAR) is the class of the United Leagues, and won the Western League Batting Title for the second consecutive season. This season also saw the best defensive performance of his career (.988 PCT, 4.88 RNG, +5.5 ZR, 1.267 EFF).

Kingston’s pitching staff is elite, so it’s difficult to narrow it down to one. That said, 27-year old RHP Ben Currall (20-7, 2.19 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 301 FIP) led his team in a slew of pitching categories. Interestingly, Currall also went 20-7 last season (with a 2.97 ERA).

Player of the Week Awards:

February 17 – C Danny Trowbridge (.500, 14 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI)
March 10 – SP Patrick Denman (2-0, 18.0 IP, 0.50 ERA, 9 K)
March 17 – SP Ben Currall (2-0, 18.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 8 K)

Noteworthy:

February 2 – With his team down 2-1 against the Wolseley Unions, 31-year old SS Katsunan Chickafuji (.297/.357/.426, 11 HR, 64 RBI, 38 BB, 4.1 WAR) hit a two-run home run off of Wolseley’s RHP Jeremy Albury in the bottom of the 8th inning in a game played at Kingston Park. That proved to be the difference as the Pelicans held on to win 3-2. But this home run did more than just win a game. It was Chickafuji’s 183rd career home run, breaking a tie with teammate 39-year old LF Jayden Tennant. Chickafuji now stands alone at the top of the career home run leaderboard, with 186 at season’s end.
The quiet, unassuming Chikafuji, who was born in Kingston, also leads the United Leagues in career total bases (2744), RBIs (953) and WAR (65.1)

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The Wolseley Unions enjoyed their second consecutive winning season and were rewarded with their first playoff appearance in franchise history. They held onto first place until January when Kingston began to overtake them. But February and March saw them struggle a bit to finish 7 games back. While their bullpen is not the strongest unit around, their offense is right on par with Kingston, which should make the upcoming Pennant Series compelling.

Offense: .262/.341/.359 (1st/1st/2nd)
Pitching: 3.31/3.17/4.05 (6th/4th/7th)
Defense: .710 (7th)

Difference Makers: With four 1st-round draft picks residing in the heart of their line-up, and no one older than 28-year old CF Zak Kidd (.275/.348/.484, 12 HR, 48 RBI, 29 BB, 9 SB, 2.5 WAR), the Unions’ already impressive offense should only be getting stronger. 22-year old C Éric Denis (.320/.359/.419, 6 HR, 64 RBI, 31 BB, 5.7 WAR), in just his rookie season, well represents this impressive youth movement. His defense was solid as well (.974 PCT, 4.63 RNG, +3.6 ZR, 1.048 EFF). Wolseley’s No. 3 hitter, 25-year old LF Carlton Hawking (.335/.422/.482, 13 HR, 73 RBI, 83 BB, 5.4 WAR) is considered Wolseley’s top player, rated No. 6 overall in the ULB.
No. 2 starter, 27-year old RHP Kai Tosh (18-8, 2.79 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 2.78 FIP) enjoyed the best season of his six-year career.

Noteworthy:

February 1 – Wolseley enjoyed a big day against the Kingston Pelicans in Kingston, as the Unions clobbered them, 12-2. 25-year old SS Burt Willey (.305/.368/.385, 4 HR, 43 RBI, 39 BB, 3.9 WAR) played a big part in the triumph. He went 5 for 5, including a GRAND SLAM in the 1st inning to start things off. He also singled in the 3rd, doubled in the 4th, hit an RBI double in the 6th and hit an RBI single in the 8th. Willey went on to win Rookie of the Month honours for February.

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The Cambria Cannons missed the playoffs and finished with a losing record for the second consecutive season after going 89-65 in 1944-45 and capturing first place. The Cannons are finding themselves in an increasingly precarious situation. The majority of their players are 30-years of age and over with only a few promising youngsters ready to bolster the roster. Their farm system is ranked dead last (0 points) and their efforts to keep their playoff window open have not paid off. They still have talent on the major league roster to be sure, but it may not be enough to prevent a fall into the second division next season.

Offense: .246/.317/.344 (6th/4th/5th)
Pitching: 3.19/3.29/2.65 (4th/6th/3rd)
Defense: .707 (8th)

Player of the Week Awards:

March 3 – SS Wesceslas Jasmin (.613, 19 H, 2 RBI)

Difference Makers: Cambria enjoyed a career year from 29-year old C Heung-su Park (.304/.346/.463, 15 HR, 74 RBI, 34 BB, 6.3 WAR), his 6th full season in the United Leagues. He is rated 14th overall in the ULB and represents Cambria’s only Top 20 player.
35-year old RHP Pete Allison (9-18, 2.70 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 3.30 FIP) led the team in 15 pitching categories, but not all of them were admirable. But his was largely a case of poor run support. In fact, his performance was on par with his 1941-42 season with the Embro Suns. That year, he went 22-9, 2.90 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 3.55 FIP. He is now 129-129, 3.92 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 3.98 FIP for his 10-year career.

Noteworthy:

February 22 – 32-year old LF Clint Jones (.283/.359/.415, 11 HR, 66 RBI, 54 BB, 3.1 WAR) went 5-for-5 against the Hespeler Stars in a 4-3 Cannons’ victory. Jones singled in the 1st, 4th and 6th innings, hit a 2-run home run in the 8th and singled in the 11th. Although replaced by a pinch runner, the Cannons pulled out the victory in the 11th when PH William Douglas doubled in PR Mark Cassidy.

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The Fort Richmond Generals remain one of five teams that have yet to make the playoffs. They have never enjoyed a winning season. In fact, they finished with just 70-something victories for the 8th time in 10 seasons. And yet, there is much room for optimism in the ULB’s smallest market. The Generals have assembled perhaps their strongest pitching staff. And while the offense struggled, help has either just arrived or on its way. The farm system is ranked 3rd overall and they boast the top-rated prospect in RF Brandon Robinson. They have four more prospects ranked in the Top 100 for batters and another five ranked in the Top 100 for pitchers. So while the team will likely experience further growing pains, there is a real possibility that the Generals may finally breakthrough in the not-too-distant future.

Offense: .247/.311/.338 (5th/7th/7th)
Pitching: 3.07/3.14/2.74 (2nd/3rd/4th)
Defense: .727 (1st)

Difference Makers: 25-year old C Louis Wearne (.261/.361/.399, 16 HR, 55 RBI, 82 BB, 5.4 WAR) enjoyed a breakthrough season at the plate in his second year as a starter. Fort Richmond is hoping that more is to come from their 6th overall pick from 1943-44.
Former first overall pick 24-year old CF Dylan Moyne (.264/.324/.414, 14 HR, 61 RBI, 45 BB, 12 SB, 5.4 WAR) continued his stellar play, particularly in the field (.985 PCT, 3.48 RNG, +12.6 ZR, 1.111 EFF).

Noteworthy:

March 29 – Six hits in a game is an accomplishment for any player, but on this day it was achieved by a highly-touted rookie. Against the ULB’s best team no less. 22-year old RF Brandon Robinson (.278/.295/.357, 4 HR, 39 RBI, 13 BB, 9 SB, 1.6 WAR) went 6-for-7 in a 14-inning marathon against the Kingston Pelicans. His efforts helped the Generals steal a 4-3 road victory. Robinson singled in the 1st and 3rd innings, flied out in the 5th, tripled in the 7th, hit an RBI single in the 9th, doubled in the 11th and singled in the 13th. Kingston manager Ben Houchens was nominated for Understatement of the Day, when he declared after the game: “Robinson was a tough out today.”

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It was more of the same for the Hespeler Stars, as they finished in the middle of the pack in the Western League, well back of a playoff spot. But like the Fort Richmond Generals, the Stars could be on the rise in the near future. They enjoy the deepest farm system in the ULB, with four batting prospects ranked in the Top 25 and three pitching prospects ranked in the Top 30. If those young pitchers can develop into solid starters, then the Stars may finally solve their pitching woes. The only promising youngster on the major league staff is 23-year old RHP Stephen Tindall, who was acquired from the Stratford Barons back in 1945 for C Aaron Skidmore.

Offense: .248/.311/.351 (4th/6th/4th)
Pitching: 3.85/3.87/3.74 (8th/8th/6th)
Defense: .712 (tied for 5th)

Difference Makers: It was a return to form for the 26-year old RF Marcus Peyto (.288/.381/.472, 16 HR, 73 RBI, 80 BB, 4.7 WAR), as the 2nd overall pick from 1941-42 enjoyed his best season since 1942-43. Although he inexplicably did not make the All-Star team, he was easily Hespeler’s best player this past season. He is the only Hespeler player ranked in the Top 20 (#16).
No. 2 starter Stephen Tindall (13-13, 3.09 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 3.01 FIP) moved to the rotation this past season and is starting to show why the Stars gave up All-Star C Aaron Skidmore to get him. If the 7th overall pick from 1943-44 continues to develop, Hespeler could have a solid ace to anchor their rotation that’s still very much a work in progress.

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The Pulberry Trolleys are a team that have not seen any measurable boost from the draft. They have plenty of first-round talent on their roster, especially in the lineup, but they have not developed as one would expect, especially in comparison with other teams. And now that their farm system is nearly depleted, the Trolleys are facing the prospect of rebuilding without ever having experienced any success from their first build. Unless their young players suddenly find their groove, there may be more lean years ahead in Pulberry. Like a lot more.

Offense: .243/.310/.340 (7th/8th/6th)
Pitching: 3.22/3.27/2.90 (5th/5th/5th)
Defense: .722 (2nd)

Difference Makers: 28-year old RF Jarod Dwyer (.299/.343/.468, 14 HR, 70 RBI, 42 BB, 10 SB, 5.5 WAR) is the only Trolley that is not treading water or regressing. In fact, this past season was his best all-round season thus far. On defense, he finally found his game (.979 PCT, 2.94 RNG, +8.9 ZR, 1.035 EFF).
25-year old RHP Alexander Ellacott (18-11, 2.64 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 3.40 FIP) toiled for four seasons in the minors after being drafted in the third round back in 1940-41. Now he finds himself installed as No. 1 starter. He didn’t disappoint; in fact, he won his first Pitcher of the Month award for his performance in February.

Player of the Week Awards:

February 10 – Bruno Lapthorne (.524, .524 OBP, 11 H, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 5 R)
February 24 – Bruno Lapthorne (.478, 11 H, 6 RBI)

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Like the Pulberry Trolleys, the Balmoral Giants have a bevy of 1st-round talent on their roster (five in the everyday lineup alone), but they have not developed as hoped. And like the Trolleys, the Giants have one of the weakest farm systems in the ULB (14th overall). Not a good combination. If that wasn’t enough, multiple Babe Ruth Award winner LF Carlton Broadbent (.312/.392/.514, 24 HR, 81 RBI, 80 BB, 3.2 WAR) continues to regress, especially on defense (.973 PCT, 2.56 RNG, -25.2 ZR, .881 EFF). As mentioned previously, Balmoral has switched its focus to ‘rebuild’ this season. Thus it would not be surprising if the Giants make some major moves in the offseason to revitalize the organization. At least, that’s what I would do.

Offense: .253/.326/.353 (3rd/3rd/3rd)
Pitching: 3.53/3.71/2.50 (7th/7th/2nd)
Defense: .713 (tied for 3rd)

Difference Makers: Although he missed nearly 8 weeks of the season due to injury, 28-year old SS Francisco Rodríguez (.324/.371/.456, 3 HR, 59 RBI, 34 BB, 6.1 WAR) was far and away Balmoral’s best player, and put in another solid defensive effort (.971 PCT, 5.34 RNG, +11.6 ZR, 1.052 EFF).

Player of the Week Awards:

March 24 – SP Bailey Keedwell (2-0, 18.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 6 K)

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1946-47 season provided a rude wake-up call as the Sherburn Tigers fell all the way to last place in the West, after capturing the wild card last season. The Tigers appeared to be an up-and-coming team, as they went from 75 wins in 1943-44, to 81 victories in 1944-45 and finally 91 wins just a season ago. But there’s no mystery to the downfall. The offense is the worst in the United Leagues, producing only 3.4 runs/game. The trade for acquiring 28-year old LF Baden Morrall (.204/.300/.234, 4 HR, 43 RBI, 68 BB, 0.2 WAR) was an unmitigated disaster, made worse by the fact that they shipped out SP Arthur Bence, who just happened to win the Eastern League Triple Crown this season with the Wellington Athletics, to get him.
However, with an outstanding one-two tandem at the top of the rotation in RHP Jesús Chapa and RHP Roberto Taváres (13-15, 2.86 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 2.61 FIP), the Tigers will always have a chance to win their share of games. And even though the bullpen struggled this season, it is young and should get better. But man, Sherburn will have to address it anemic offense pronto if it wants to take advantage of its All-Star pitchers.

Offense: .240/.312/.330 (8th/5th/8th)
Pitching: 3.09/2.94/4.09 (3rd/1st/8th)
Defense: .712 (tied for 5th)

Player of the Week Awards:

February 3 – C Neil Voigt (.462, 12 H, 4 RBI)

Difference Makers: 23-year old RHP Jesús Chapa (16-14, 2.13 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 2.46 FIP) is shaping up to be best player taken in the 1942-43 draft. He was selected 4th overall and is already rated No. 2 overall among pitchers in the ULB. Only Brunswick’s Anastasio Rodríguez is rated higher. Teammate Roberto Taváres is rated 3rd overall.

Noteworthy:

February 9 – Jesús Chapa showed why he is one of the best hurlers in the ULB when he 1-hit the Downie Chiefs for a 4-0 complete game victory in Downie. The Chiefs’ lone hit came in the 6th inning when LF Howard Dumbrill led off with a line-drive single. Chapa struck out 7 and surrendered only one walk - intentional – while facing 29 batters on 102 pitches.

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01-12-2017, 08:09 AM	#321
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,919	__________________ United Leagues of Braeland Last edited by reds1; 07-17-2017 at 04:17 PM.

01-13-2017, 10:28 PM	#322
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,919	__________________ United Leagues of Braeland Last edited by reds1; 07-17-2017 at 04:19 PM.

01-14-2017, 12:42 AM	#323
Dark Horse Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Texas! Posts: 2,633	i've always enjoyed your visual presentation. And your playoff reporting is great. __________________ A Justafan Fan LBA Geo Bahn Rock Hounds fan of the ISLANDIAN PRO ALLIANCE

02-09-2017, 10:27 PM	#324
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,919	[My posts may continue to be a bit sporadic as we deal with some family health issues that have come up in the past few weeks] 1945-46 United Leagues of Braeland Awards Eastern League Babe Ruth Award Returning to the United Leagues after a year serving in the Braeland Armed Forces, six-time All-Star 1B Jim Friend did not missed a beat. He won his third Babe Ruth Award and his first in four seasons. The runners-up for the award were: 2nd: Brunswick's 1B Stuart Bentham (.320/.426/.548, 29 HR, 88 RBI, 5.6 WAR) 3rd: Stratford's SS Jake Walker (.349/.430/.530, 13 HR, 112 RBI, 6.3 WAR) Jim Friend led the circuit in doubles (43), RBI (126), SLG (.569), OPS (1.005) and WAR (6.6). Stuart Bentham led the Eastern League in HR (29). Previous Winners: 1937-38: Katsunan Chikafuji, Queensland Eagles 1938-39: Paul Hooks, Embro Suns 1939-40: Terence Durney, Embro Suns 1940-41: Jim Friend, Embro Suns 1941-42: Jim Friend, Embro Suns 1942-43: Mark Elston, Brunswick Legends 1943-44: Dean Bishop, Braeland City Monarchs 1944-45: Stuart Bentham, Brunswick Legends -------- Satchel Paige Award LHP Joel Fearn was a two-time runner-up for the Satchel Paige Award, coming in second both times in 1941-42 and 1943-44. But it all came together this season, as the United Leagues' leader in wins snagged his first Award. The other pitchers under consideration: 2nd: Brunswick's LHP Anastasio Rodríguez (18-10, 2.93 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 142 ERA+) 3rd: Embro's RHP Oscar Burress (16-8, 2.80 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 148 ERA+) Fearn led the League in wins (23), ERA (2.60), GS (36), IP (318.0) and BB/9 (1.8). Rodríguez led the East in HR/9 (0.3) and WAR (9.2). Previous Winners: 1937-38: Colm Soper, Embro Suns 1938-39: Justin Hayhurst, Stratford Barons 1939-40: Lenny Freke, Braeland City Monarchs 1940-41: David Cooling, Braeland City Monarchs 1941-42: Anastasio Rodríguez, Brunswick Legends 1942-43: Anastasio Rodríguez, Brunswick Legends 1943-44: Ryan Borden, Stratford Barons 1944-45: Matthew Monroe, Brunswick Legends -------- Rookie of the Year Award Although he ultimately lost his spot in the lineup to fellow catcher Jason Lymer and has been reduced to pinch hitting duties, C Jilenko Batiles won the Award for Top Rookie in the Eastern League. Here were the runners-up: 2nd: Cobourg's C Jason Lymer (.277/.318/.396, 5 HR, 65 RBI, 2.0 WAR) 3rd: Wellington’s RF Edgardo Barrón (.279/.311/.434, 3 HR, 51 RBI, 1.4 WAR) Previous Winners: 1938-39: Adam Ashley, Braeland City Monarchs 1939-40: Soren Heinke, Wellington Athletics 1940-41: Dean Bishop, Queensland Eagles 1941-42: Harry Chatwin, Brunswick Legends 1942-43: Geoff Lemoine, Stratford Barons 1943-44: Elijah Sheppard, Queensland Eagles 1944-45: Kyle Prior, Braeland City Monarchs -------- Western League Babe Ruth Award The three finalists of last season's Babe Ruth Award in the West were all under consideration once again. This time, C Danny Trowbridge won his first Award after enjoying a sensational season. He finished as runner-up last year to Broadbent. Runners-up to Trowbridge were: 2nd: Kingston's SS Katsunan Chikafuji (.359/.414/.575, 30 HR, 139 RBI, 9.3 WAR) 3rd: Balmoral's RF Carlton Broadbent (.363/.442/.622, 32 HR, 108 RBI, 6.1 WAR) Trowbridge led the West in Runs (129), HR ( 34), AVG (.371), OPB (.442), SLG (.629), OPS (1.071) and WAR (9.6). In fact, Trowbridge set new ULB records this past season in SLG, OPS and WAR. Chikafuji led in Hits (224) and RBI (139). Previous Winners: 1937-38: Fergus Chitty, Kingston Pelicans 1938-39: Fergus Chitty, Kingston Pelicans 1939-40: Jayden Tennant, Kingston Pelicans 1940-41: Steven Winstanley, Hespeler Stars 1941-42: Jayden Tennant, Kingston Pelicans 1942-43: Ron Westmacott, Cambria Cannons 1943-44: Carlton Broadbent, Balmoral Giants 1944-45: Carlton Broadbent, Balmoral Giants -------- Satchel Paige Award All three finalists for the Satchel Paige Award in the West were fresh faces, with two 26-year olds and a 22-year old earning consideration. This season it went to a Kingston Pelican for the 7th time in 9 seasons. LHP Patrick Denman had a tremendous season, setting an all-time mark in wins in a season, after going 15-15 last year. Runners-up for the award were: 2nd: Sherburn's RHP Jesús Chapa (19-13, 2.50 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 168 ERA+) 3rd: Kingston's RHP Ben Currall (20-7, 2.97 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 141 ERA+) Denman led the West in Wins (27), ERA (2.29), IP (298.1), WHIP (1.17), BABIP (.237) and ERA+ (182). He tied with Chapa in GS (34). Chapa led the West in K (141) and WAR (7.1). Previous Winners: 1937-38: Neil Guerin, Cambria Cannons 1938-39: Brady Murdy, Kingston Pelicans 1939-40: Brady Murdy, Kingston Pelicans 1940-41: Brady Murdy, Kingston Pelicans 1941-42: Francis Slocock, Kingston Pelicans 1942-43: Joey Cumberledge, Kingston Pelicans 1943-44: Francis Slocock, Kingston Pelicans 1944-45: Roberto Taváres, Sherburn Tigers -------- Rookie of the Year Award It was a clean sweep for the Pelicans in the Awards section, as RHP Ben Currall snapped up the Rookie Award after finishing third in voting for the Satchel Paige Award. The runners-up for the Rookie Award were: 2nd: Fort Richmond's SS Clive Lanham (.305/.368/.464, 7 HR, 46 RBI, 2.7 WAR) 3rd: Pulberry's RHP Lenny Tennison (10-16, 3.25 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 125 ERA+) Previous Winners: 1938-39: Aaron Flanagan, Wolseley Unions 1939-40: Francisco Rodríguez, Balmoral Giants 1940-41: Leon Hankey, Cambria Cannons 1941-42: Brian Pittman, Balmoral Giants 1942-43: Freddie Duran, Kingston Pelicans 1943-44: Rizalino Ringor, Wolseley Unions 1944-45: Hao Wang, Cambria Cannons -------- Manager of the Year Award 55-year old Bill Quinn of the Stratford Barons won his third Eastern League Manager of the Award, after guiding his team to the playoffs in a tight three-way race. He is the second manager to win the Award three times, after Kingston's Ben Houchens. Quinn previously won the Award in 1940 and 1943. He has been the Barons' field manager since Day 1. 60-year old Bradley Balmforth won the Western League Manager of the Year this past season, as he led the Sherburn Tigers to 91 victories, their best mark, and to their second playoff appearance. It was the first time the Tigers made the playoffs since their inaugural season in 1937-38. It was Balmforth's second Manager of the Year Award. He first won it back in 1937-38 as manager of the Wellington Athletics. He thus becomes the first manager to win the Award in both the Eastern and Western Leagues. This past season was his first at the helm of the Tigers, after spending the previous 8 seasons in Wellington. Bill Quinn continues to lead all managers in the ULB in Games managed (1387) and wins (773). His over record is 773-614, .557. He has led the Barons to three playoff appearances and two United Cup championships. Bradley Balmforth is fourth in overall wins (693-605, .534 in 1298 games). He has led the Wellington Athletics into the playoffs twice and the Sherburn Tigers once. Previous Winners: 1937-38: Bradley Balmforth, Wellington Athletics; Rouke Barclay, Sherburn Tigers, 1938-39: Vic Windle, Embro Suns; John Permenter, Kingston Pelicans, 1939-40: Warren Paulino, Braeland City Monarchs; Eddie Frierson, Cambria Cannons, 1940-41: Bill Quinn, Stratford Barons; John Permenter, Kingston Pelicans, 1941-42: Babe Ruth, Brunswick Legends; Eddie Frierson, Cambria Cannons. 1942-43: Wesley Leseberg, Brunswick Legends; Ben Houchens, Kingston Pelicans. 1943-44: Bill Quinn, Stratford Barons; Ben Houchens, Kingston Pelicans. 1944-45: Wesley Leseberg, Brunswick Legends; Ben Houchens, Kingston Pelicans. __________________ United Leagues of Braeland Last edited by reds1; 07-17-2017 at 04:20 PM.

02-15-2017, 07:55 AM	#326
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,919	Notes on 1945-46 All-Braeland Team Starting Pitcher 26-year old LHP Patrick Denman was the clear-cut choice, despite impressive performances by Stratford's LHP Joel Fearn (23-10, 2.60 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 159 ERA+) and Sherburn's RHP Jesús Chapa (19-13, 2.50 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 168 ERA+). Leading the West in a slew of pitching categories and setting a new season mark in wins in the ULB, Denman richly deserved winning his first Satchel Paige Award and richly deserves being named to his first All-Braeland Team as well. -------- Catcher As good as he was in 1944-45, C Danny Trowbridge (.371/.442/.629, 34 HR, 106 RBI, 9.6 WAR, .982 fielding %) was even better this past season, winning his first Babe Ruth Award. Trowbridge led the West in a number of offensive categories and set new records in the ULB, namely SLG (.629), OPS (1.071) and WAR (9.6). Two other catchers were worth mentioning, although they did not in any way seriously challenge Trowbridge for the selection: • Stratford's Aaron Skidmore (.291/.446/.422, 11 HR, 70 RBI, 124 BB, 6.0 WAR, .985 fielding %) • Queensland's C Elijah Sheppard (.296/.386/.485, 19 HR, 91 RBI, 70 BB, 5.9 WAR, .971 fielding %) -------- First Base Brunswick's Stuart Bentham (.320/.426/.548, 29 HR, 88 RBI, 105 BB, 5.6 WAR, .993 fielding %) and Kingston’s Dean Bishop (.313/.428/.522, 21 HR, 97 RBI, 99 BB, 5.4 WAR, .986 fielding %) once again earned consideration, as they did last season. But this belonged to Embro's Jim Friend (.344/.436/.569, 26 HR, 126 RBI, 98 BB, 6.6 WAR, .979 fielding %), who made an impressive return from a year serving in the Armed Forces. -------- Second Base Not a memorable year for second basemen in the ULB, as a few stalwarts moved to new positions and there is a young crop of second basemen just getting established. So I went with Sherburn's 28-year old Jim List (.343/.400/.455, 7 HR, 71 RBI, 48 BB, 3.7 WAR, .963 fielding %), who enjoyed the best season thus far of his 6-year career. -------- Third Base Adam Ashley (.355/.422/.462, 3 HR, 71 RBI, 69 BB, 23 SB, 6.2 WAR, .953 fielding %) is enjoying a career renaissance in his 30s. The 32-year old (he’ll turn 33 at the end of May) earned his first selection to the All-Braeland Team last year. But this past season, he was even better. His 23 stolen bases are the most he has swiped since he stole 28 back in 1939-40. The only player to approach Ashely this year was Balmoral’s Allen Cattanach (.283/.367/.391, 5 HR, 91 RBI, 78 BB, 5.0 WAR, .982 fielding %), who earned his third Top Fielder Award (his first at 3B; the other two when his played 2B). -------- Shortstop Strong performances by shortstops in the ULB has been the norm and this past season was no different. That said, the choice was rather obvious, as Kingston's 30-year old Katsunan Chikafuji (.359/.414/.575, 30 HR, 139 RBI, 61 BB, 7 SB, 9.3 WAR, .946 fielding %) enjoyed one of the best seasons by any ULB player (not named Danny Trowbridge). But for the record, here are few other shortstops who were worthy of note: • Stratford's Jake Walker (.349/.430/.530, 13 HR, 112 RBI, 70 BB, 6.3 WAR, .928 fielding %) • Wolseley's Jorge Arredondo (.319/.382/.465, 13 HR, 91 RBI, 66 BB, 6.3 WAR, .971 fielding %) • Balmoral's Francisco Rodríguez (.316/.361/.486, 7 HR, 85 RBI, 46 BB, 6.0 WAR, .954 fielding %) -------- Leftfield A new face makes his way onto the Team in his first year of consideration – Wolseley’s 24-year old Carlton Hawking (.326/.441/.521, 17 HR, 89 RBI, 109 BB, 5.1 WAR, .985 fielding %). Hawking made a huge leap offensively this year and earned his first selection to the All-Star game. Also under consideration was Pulberry's Bruno Lapthorne (.318/.375/.458, 4 HR, 52 RBI, 44 BB, 7 SB, 3.4 WAR, .984 fielding %) -------- Centerfield Once again, the selection for top centerfielder was a difficult one. What was different though, was that there appears to have been a ‘changing of the guard’, as the top three players are all fresh faces to this exercise: • Fort Richmond's 24-year old Dylan Moyne (.292/.351/.434, 10 HR, 82 RBI, 54 BB, 29 SB, 6.0 WAR, .973 fielding %) • Wolseley's 28-year old Zak Kidd (.281/.361/.472, 28 HR, 91 RBI, 76 BB, 33 SB, 5.4 WAR, .990 fielding %) • Stratford's 22-year old Roberto Ríos (.280/.391/.461, 14 HR, 60 RBI, 99 BB, 5.1 WAR, .975 fielding %) Moyne won his first Top Fielder Award for his outstanding work in the field, and enjoyed a break-out season in just his second year in the ULB (1.7 WAR last year). But I went with Kidd. His defense wasn’t far off from Moyne’s and he enjoyed perhaps his best season at the plate in his 8-year career. Incidentally, Carlton Hawking and Zak Kidd represent the first two Wolseley Unions players to make the All-Braeland Team. That leaves just the Downie Chiefs who have yet to have a player make the Team. Not surprisingly, Kingston Pelicans players have made the Team 20 times over the past 9 seasons, followed by the Embro Suns (12). -------- Rightfield Balmoral's Carlton Broadbent (.363/.442/.622, 32 HR, 108 RBI, 82 BB, 6.1 WAR, .966 fielding %) is one of the most feared batters in the ULB; this past season proved why, as he had his best year at the plate. Only his shaky defense drew down his value, after being a strength last year. Still, he easily earned his third consecutive selection to the Team, as no other regular right fielder came close. Cambria's Nicky Willis (.308/.438/.438, 9 HR, 57 RBI, 115 BB, 3.6 WAR, .982 fielding %) was a (very) distant second. __________________ United Leagues of Braeland Last edited by reds1; 07-17-2017 at 04:21 PM.

02-24-2017, 01:48 AM	#328
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,919	September 2, 1946 1946 Off-Season: Reading the Riot Act It was a relatively quiet off-season – at least on the surface. Only a few trades worthy of note took place leading up to the first day of ‘Spring Training’. But the Owners are feeling the heat. The Leagues are attempting to turn their attention to the future and leave the recent austere past behind. While it was understandable that team owners scrutinized their bottom lines carefully during the war years, a few were found to be a little too zealous, allowing the product on the field to suffer while their own pocketbooks bulged. Making matters worse, such impropriety was now being noticed by fans and news media alike. The Commissioner’s chagrin was palpable and he did not mince words in a recent confidential communique. “Get your financial houses in order”, wrote the Commissioner in a stern letter to all Owners on the eve of the Coconut Leagues. “We cannot have reporters poking their noses into our affairs and embarrassing us. The Commissioner’s Office can only stonewall for so long. The future of the United Leagues is bright, but only if all Owners are fully committed to investing into that future. This Office has a mandate to ensure the Leagues continue to grow and thrive; we cannot tolerate Owners using franchises solely for their own personal enrichment and alienating fans. If any Owner is unable or unwilling to commit to this mandate, the Commissioner’s Office will not hesitate to take immediate corrective measures.” What exactly those “immediate corrective measures” were was not spelled out, but it wasn’t necessary. The Owners were being put on notice and the mandate to ‘grow’ the Leagues was understood by all: while the physical footprint could not change, the financial health and quality of play in the United Leagues could – and would. The shenanigans of a few would not be tolerated. The honeymoon was over. On that happy note, here are the noteworthy transactions made this off-season: May 2: The Embro Suns sign 23-year old SS Rafael De La Cruz (23/66), a free agent out of the Dominican Republic. *Knee-jerk reaction:* The Suns’ current shortstop is 39-year old Gary Watkinson (64/64). While the 7-time all-star is still an elite hitter, he is a train wreck defensively as well as an injury concern. Enter De La Cruz. While he is merely average in the field (his strongest position is at 3B), he projects to be a hitter comparable to Watkinson with jaw-dropping speed and stealing ability. Thus the Suns view him as their shortstop of the (not-too-distant) future. ----------- May 12: The Pulberry Trolleys sign former all-star SP Neil Guerin to a 3-year contract as their new field manager. *Knee-jerk reaction:* The Trolleys fired 49-year old Zachary Smith back in April, after two middling seasons at the helm. Smith had a ‘fair’ reputation. He is replaced by an ‘unproven’ one. But 43-year old Neil Guerin is no stranger to the United Leagues, having spent five seasons as a starting pitcher. Guerin is a 5-time all-star, winner of the 1937-38 Satchel Paige Award and won the United Cup in 1939-40 with the Cambria Cannons. After four and half seasons with the Cannons, he was claimed off of waivers by the Pulberry Trolleys midway through the 1940-41 season and retired as a player at its conclusion. He finished with a 69-50, 3.25 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 131 ERA+ record. This is his first managerial job at any level. He is said to have a balanced, conventional management style with a player-friendly personality. As a player, he knew how to win. The Trolleys are hoping he can win from the dugout as well. They’re giving him three years to prove it. ----------- May 22: The Sherburn Tigers acquired 27-year old OF Baden Morrall (66/68) from the Wellington Athletics. In return, the Athletics received 26-year old SP Arthur Bence (58/61) and $15,700. *Knee-jerk reaction:* In desperate need of competent pitching, Wellington went out and got LHP Arthur Bence, a former 3rd round pick from 1940-41. In Sherburn, Bence was little more than a 5th starter; in Wellington, he’ll be their ace. His stuff is nothing to get excited about, but his movement and control are decent and he has a nice repertoire of pitches at his disposal. Morrall, a former 2nd round pick, has struggled with consistency over his career and has divided his time between the minors and majors as a result. But he has shown good mechanics and patience at the plate at times and his defense in LF is outstanding. The Tigers are hoping he will find the spark in Sherburn and be an upgrade at that position for them. ----------- May 24: The Wellington Athletics traded for 28-year old SS Thomas Murphy (67/74) from the Cambria Cannons. The Cannons received 36-year old SP Max Littler (40/40). *Knee-jerk reaction:* Having acquired SP Bence two days earlier, Wellington parted with Littler in order to upgrade their infield. I like this trade for Wellington, as it gives them a very serviceable player while giving up relatively little in return (or is it Littler in return?) Thomas was originally drafted by the Athletics in the first round back in 1940-41. After being traded to Cambria in 1943 just before he left to serve two years in the Armed Forces, Murphy now finds himself back in Wellington. The one-time all-star is still trying to find his footing since returning. He will move to 3B with the Athletics. As for Cambria, well who knows what they’re trying to do? Littler’s coming off a season to forget (he led the West in losses and HR surrendered – 19 & 35 respectively) and figures to be little more than a fifth starter. Not exactly a trade to inspire confidence in Cambria in my humble opinion. ----------- June 17: The Braeland City Monarchs acquired 28-year old IF Dennis Borton (46/51) from the Cobourg Red Stockings. In return, the Red Stockings received two minor leaguers: 22-year old SP Chris Johnson (20/25), 21-year old SS Joshua Huxtable (21/23) *Knee-jerk reaction:* On the surface, it appears that the Red Stockings are up to their old tricks again, trading away a talented player for ho-hum prospects. Borton was an all-star and won the Eastern League batting title last season, mostly playing 1B. Moving to shortstop, where he is slotted in with Braeland City, has depressed his ratings, but there’s nothing to suggest his offensive talent will regress as well. Borton will take over from 26-year old Otton Overbeek, who was shipped to Sherburn in a minor deal in April. As for the minor leaguers, only SP Johnson offers a remote chance of making the majors. While his stuff could use a bump, his movement and control are decent, if unremarkable. It’s true the Red Stockings need to improve their pitching depth if they want to compete, but this transaction looks really underwhelming. ----------- August 6: The Braeland City Monarchs received 28-year old CF Jason Pollock (66/67) from the Balmoral Giants. In return, the Giants received 26-year old OF Phillip Ferguson (53/54), 20-year old minor league C Ryan Cory (21/37) and $4,400 in cash. *Knee-jerk reaction:* Their outfield performed poorly last season at the plate, so Braeland City has set about overhauling it. They figure to have three new faces in the outfield on Opening Day. The last piece and most significant, is Pollock, who will man CF and lead-off against RH pitching. Pollock’s strongest position is LF (80), but can hold his own in CF (60). He appeared to be a rising player in 1943-44 and 1944-45, when he led the Western League in triples both times, but regressed, if just a little, last season. But overall, he should be fine. In Balmoral, it appears that they are going with 23-year old Clyde Whitaker (74/75) in LF. Whitaker was a 9th overall pick by the Giants in 1942-43 and he won his first Top Fielder Award last season while playing 1B. His defense is equally as good in the OF, so that is not a concern. His poor work ethic could be however. Ferguson will be buried in the Giants’ outfield depth chart. He earned a berth to the all-star once and picked up his first Top Fielder Award last season playing LF. But his anemic bat will hold him back from being anything more than just a utility guy. ----------- The War Gained chart below shows how quiet an off-season it was overall. Only Braeland City and Cobourg saw significant shifts, and that was due largely to one player, Dennis Borton. __________________ United Leagues of Braeland Last edited by reds1; 07-17-2017 at 08:11 PM.

02-26-2017, 03:35 PM	#329
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,919	Season Number Nine gets underway today in the United Leagues, as all 16 teams have wrapped up Spring Training, made their tough player personnel decisions and set their 25-man roster. So let’s check in to see the results of the 'Coconut Leagues', as well as the projections for the up-coming season. First up, the Eastern League: --------- With the exception of the Queensland Eagles, the Eastern League teams were pretty competitive in the Coconut Leagues. But the projections suggest that the defending United Cup Champions will take first place in a runaway, with the Embro Suns and Braeland City Monarchs battling it out for the wild card. In other words, no 3-way tie for first place is predicted. What is interesting is that the Downie Chiefs are projected to escape the second division for the first time. That seems like an outlier, but predicting the Barons to dominate is not. They look to have seven players enjoy Top 10 performances this season. --------- --------- The Kingston Pelicans are projected to finish in first place with 90 wins, the exact same prediction as last season, when they actually won 104. The Sherburn Tigers are projected to finish at .500, but that isn’t too alarming. Last year, they were predicted to finish with 76 wins – they ended up winning 91 and captured the wild card. But what is interesting is that the Balmoral Giants, who really stumbled last season and who I felt should focus on rebuilding, finished on top in the Coconut Leagues and are projected to have a strong season. We’ll have to see how that transpires. Also worth watching is the Kingston Pelicans, who stumbled badly at the start of Spring Training (starting 1-7) before finishing strong. Maybe it means nothing; maybe it does. We shall have to see. --------- One trade was consummated during Spring Training: September 26: The Embro Suns traded for 27-year old OF Tzu-yu Song (61/61) from the Sherburn Tigers. In return, the Tigers got 34-year old RHP Chris Sappington (41/41). *Knee-jerk reaction:* A potential mutually beneficial trade for both teams. The Suns acquire Song in the hope that he will be an upgrade in the outfield for them. Last season, 33-year old IF/OF Yoshifumi Tamura regressed significantly (0.3 WAR from 3.7 the year before). But Tamura will be looked upon as much used utility player and could reclaim his job if he bounces back. He is a 3-time all-star. Song will be embarking on just his second season, after being signed as a minor league free agent by Sherburn in April 1945. But the Tigers felt that there was just no room in the outfield for him (especially since they acquired OF Baden Morrall in a trade back in May. Sappington had been with the Embro Suns since 1937 and has always been a starter. But in Sherburn he will be their middle reliever. He is simply not the pitcher he once was. Sherburn acquired him as they decided to keep young pitching prospect 23-year old RHP Bartolo Sánchez (40/72) in AAA a little longer, rather than have him pitch sporadically from the bullpen. --------- Three teams made subtle changes to their uniforms for this season: The Embro Suns, Pulberry Trolley and Queenlsand Eagles. --------- To round out the snapshot of the United Leagues, here are the top players and pitchers and top 20 prospects as updated on Opening Day. __________________ United Leagues of Braeland Last edited by reds1; 07-17-2017 at 08:20 PM.

03-03-2017, 06:03 PM	#330
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,919	December 1, 1946 Eastern League: Brunswick, Cobourg in Early Battle for First Place An old familiar face has returned to the top of the standings, with the Brunswick Legends starting the season off strong. But a new face is making an appearance at the top of the standings – the Cobourg Red Stockings. The Red Stockings have flirted with first place a couple of times already in the early going, such as in early October when they started the season 6-1. -------- The Brunswick Legends are back in business after an uncharacteristically poor showing last season. That became evident when they went on a 10-game winning streak in late October to grab top spot in the East. Once again, their pitching, particularly the starters, are dominant. Four of the five starters are lefties, and all four are enjoying great success in the early going: 30-year old Anastasio Rodríguez (8-3, 2.22 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 155 ERA+) 31-year old Hirotada Fukushima (6-0, 2.86 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 120 ERA+) 36-year old Matthew Monroe (5-2, 2.96 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 116 ERA+) 32-year old Wilson Villas (3-3, 2.49 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 138 ERA+) Rodríguez won Pitcher of the Month honours for his performance in November. But it hasn’t all been about the pitching: 32-year old LF Terry Aspden (.348/.418/.559, 6 HR, 33 RBI, 21 BB) is off to his best start since the 1940-41 season when he was a 26-year old with the Queensland Eagles. But the Legends will need a few other stalwarts on offense to pick up the pace if they want to hang onto first place in the East. Offense: .251/.336/.350 (6th/3rd/7th) Pitching: 2.95/2.82/3.47 (1st/1st/6th) Defense: .705 (Tied for 5th) *Player of the Week Awards:* November 4 – LF Terry Aspden (.500, 11 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI) November 25 – LF Terry Aspden (.524, 11 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI) *Noteworthy:* Back on October24, C Maurice Evans (.253/.305/.379, 4 HR, 29 RBI, 13 BB) drove in 6 runs in a game against the Embro Suns. Evans went 3-5 with 1 HR, 1R. The Legends crushed Embro 11-1. 1B Stuart Bentham (.289/.403/.442, 4 HR, 19 RBI, 35 BB) went 4-5 with 2 RBI, 2 R in the same game. In the course of winning two Player of the Week awards, Terry Aspden went 5-7 against the Hespeler Stars on November 21, with 1-2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 3 R. The Legends won 8-5. -------- The pitchers of the Cobourg Red Stockings are not quite as dominant as the Brunswick Legends squad, but they are not far behind. And that is saying something for a staff that has been a weak link on a weak team for years. Only once has Cobourg’s team ERA finished below 4.00 (3.68 in 1943-44). This year, it stands at 3.06 through the first two months. Two starters are a large reason why: 24-year old RHP Trent Beaton (8-2, 2.11 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 163 ERA+) and 37-year old RHP Carlo Foronda (5-4, 1 SV, 2.72 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 126 ERA+). Foronda’s start is particularly noteworthy: now in his 10th season with the Red Stockings, he has never enjoyed a winning record in a season and only once has his ERA finished below 4.00 (3.83 in 1943-44). That no doubt speaks in large part to the terrible teams he has had to pitch for, so it’s nice to see him enjoy the start he is having. For its part, the bullpen has been outstanding. 35-year old RHP Quentin Teague (2-0, 1.90, 1.39 WHIP), 22- year old RHP José Fernández (1-1, 1 SV, 1.80 ERA, 1.07 WHIP) and closer 26-year old RHP Brent Nix (4-2, 7 SV, 1.80 ERA, 1.16 WHIP) have been downright nasty (boys) so far. The offense is giving encouraging signs that it is becoming competitive and ready to support the pitching. While no individual player has jumped out as an offensive powerhouse yet, the lineup is noteworthy in that it includes three former first overall picks: leadoff hitter 25-year old SS John Medley (.243/.296/.344, 11-2B, 18 RBI, 14 BB, 10 SB), No. 3 hitter 24-year old 3B Alexander Tolmie (.287/.355/.400, 2 HR, 34 RBI, 21 BB) and No 8 hitter 20-year old CF Raymond Williams (.133/.148/.183, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB). Williams was drafted last year and is just getting his feet wet. He has spent all of 18 games in the majors thus far. Offense: .266/.321/.361 (3rd/6th/4th) Pitching: 3.06/3.17/2.54 (2nd/2nd/3rd) Defense: .724 (2nd) -------- The Braeland City Monarchs were riding high in October, but suffered a severe setback in November with the loss of 35-year old LHP Max MacColl (5-2, 1.71 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 202 ERA+) to an extended injury. MacColl pitched shutouts in consecutive starts (a 3-hitter and a 5-hitter, both against the Stratford Barons) en route to winning Pitcher of the Month honours in October. Couple that with the loss of promising 26-year old LHP Nicholas Grimes (0-0, 1.46 ERA, 1.54 WHIP) also to an extended injury just two games into the season, and it’s not hard to understand why the Monarchs faltered a bit in November. Still, they are a talented team and should hang around the first division. If they can do that until their pitchers come back from injury, then they should be in great shape for the second half – provided they suffer no more serious injuries. Offense: .261/.311/.378 (4th/8th/3rd) Pitching: 3.32/3.38/3.01 (4th/4th/5th) Defense: .719 (4th) *Key Injuries:* LHP Max MacColl – November 13 – torn back muscle. Out 6 more weeks. LHP Nicholas Grimes – October 15 – fractured hand. Out 5 more weeks. 2B Trevor Bolen (.255/.282/.431, 5 HR, 29 RBI, 4 BB) – November 16 sprained ankle. Out 3-4 more weeks. -------- The Queensland Eagles could be vying for first place in the East if only the pitching was pulling its weight. RHP Aaron Saunderson (5-5, 3.87 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 87 ERA+) is showing some consistency, but even he is experiencing a down year so far. Two other pitchers have had moments as well: RHP Francisco López (3-2, 4.70 ERA, 1.39 WHIP), who was performing well before being injured, and RHP Okura Suzuki (4-1, 1 SV, 1.67 ERA, 1.30 WHIP) who pitched a 7-hit shut-out against the Fort Richmond Generals on November 30 (Queensland won 2-0). It was his first start of the season. The offense is the story, however, and 28-year old C Elijah Sheppard (.303/.383/.554, 10 HR, 35 RBI, 22 BB) is front and center. Sheppard won Batter of the Month honours in October and is quickly rising in the Top Player rankings. He is currently rated 7th; he did not appear in the Top 20 at all on Opening Day. 24-year old rookie RF Ron Gavin (.485/.514/.750, 2 HR, 20 RBI, 4 BB in 68 AB) is producing when he able to get into the lineup. The switch-hitter can play LF and 1B as well, but RF Jilenko Vergara (.451/.533/.725, 4 HR, 9 RBI, 9 BB), LF Héctor García (.289/.365/.416, 4 HR, 16 RBI, 18 BB) and 1B Héctor Gutiérrez (.271/.390/.373, 3 HR, 22 RBI, 35 BB) have all been productive as well. Offense: .271/.343/.396 (2nd/1st/1st) Pitching: 4.19/4.59/2.55 (7th/8th/4th) Defense: .676 (8th) *Player of the Week Awards:* November 11 – RHP Francisco López (2-0, 15 IP, 8 K, 0.00 ERA) *Key Injuries:* RHP Francisco López – November 19 – broken elbow bone. Out 7 weeks. RHP Joong Ling (2-1, 4.55 ERA, 1.52 WHIP) – November 28 – broken hand. Out 3-4 months. -------- The defending United Cup champions, the Stratford Barons, started off slow but appear to have things back on track in November. The offense can be blamed for that, as several stalwarts are struggling in the early going. But one that isn’t struggling is 33-year old SS Jake Walker (.364/.456/.484, 4 HR, 26 RBI, 31 BB), who is off to the best start of his career, both offensively and in the field. Last season, he was worth 6.4 WAR; through the first two months of this season, he has been worth 3.3. He is second only to Kingston’s Danny Trowbridge in the Top Position Players rankings and has already earned Player of the Week and Batter of the Month awards after just the first two months. Also worth keeping tabs on is 26-year old 1B Won-Ho Kim (2.88/.353/.397, 9-2B, 15 RBI, 16 BB, 4 SB), who won Rookie of the Month honours in November. The 26-year old signed out of Korea as a minor league free agent back in 1944, took over 1B duties just last month for the Barons. He can play anywhere in the outfield as well. Offense: .243/.339/.343 (8th/2nd/8th) Pitching: 3.47/3.34/4.21 (5th/3rd/7th) Defense: .705 (Tied for 5th) *Player of the Week Awards:* October 21 – SS Jake Walker (.545, 12 H, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 4 R) -------- The Wellington Athletics are the victims of a tough stretch, where they have actually played respectably but find themselves 5 games below .500. Their Pyt. Rec. is 26-25. That could be explained by their 6-12 record in one-run games. They are also having trouble winning at home where they are 7-15 so far (they are 16-13 on the road). If they can even out those things, then they could find themselves rising into the first division. The two trades Wellington made during the off-season are working out pretty well so far. 27-year old LHP Arthur Bence (6-4, 2.17 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 156 ERA+) is pitching like the ace Wellington was hoping he would be (he was a No. 5 starter with the Sherburn Tigers last season). And 28-year old 3B Thomas Murphy (.286/.344/.402, 2 HR, 15 RBI, 18 BB) is off to the best start of his career. Last season with the Cambria Cannons, he was worth 1.6 WAR. After the first two months of this season, he has already racked up 1.5 WAR. Offense: .279/.334/.391 (1st/4th/2nd) Pitching: 3.25/3.46/2.24 (3rd/5th/1st) Defense: .720 (3rd) *Player of the Week Awards:* November 18 – 2B Ryley McLarnon (.708, 17 H, 8 RBI, 8 R) October 14 – 1B Rubén Sánchez (.517, 15 H, 6 RBI) -------- The Downie Chiefs are a team firmly in rebuild mode, so their occupation near the bottom of the standings is not surprising. However, the loss of three starting pitchers to various injuries is certainly not helping matters, as the Chiefs’ pitching has not been terrible by any means. The lineup is filled with good but young players as well, so if they can get develop as hoped, Downie could conceivably have a decent team one day. One such player is 20-year old CF Alfonso León (.294/.360/.412, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 6 BB), a second overall pick in 1944-45. He has just been promoted from AAA, but is currently blocked from playing regularly in the outfield. If he blossoms, then the Chiefs will have to look at moving one of the outfielders to the infield. Offense: .252/.315/.355 (5th/7th/5th) Pitching: 3.81/4.25/2.24 (6th/6th/2nd) Defense: .728 (1st) *Noteworthy:* October 26 – 27-year old 1B Ramiro Urbina (.315/.342/.375, 1 HR, 14 RBI, 8 BB) went 5-for-5 against the Stratford Barons. Urbina hit four singles and a double in 7-6 10-inning victory. *Key Injuries:* RHP Jim Ferguson (1-2, 3.34 ERA, 1.31 WHIP) – October 24 – torn back muscle. Out 3 more months. RHP Harley Bracher (3-3, 3.36 ERA, 1.51 WHIP) – November 29 – strained forearm. Out 5 days. RHP Kelii Pelanekilina (2-3, 3.68 ERA, 1.12 WHIP) – November 1 – sprained ankle. Out 1 more week. -------- Has the sky fallen on the Embro Suns? That is the question being pondered as a number of things have conspired against the team this season. They have endured a slew of injuries, including to last year’s Babe Ruth Award winner 1B Jim Friend (.292/.375/.604, 4 HR, 15 RBI, 7 BB) who suffered a knee-bone bruise in mid-October and missed 5 weeks. But he wasn’t the only one. And like the Wellington Athletics, the Suns have come out on the short end of the stick in one-run games (5-13). But so many players are underperforming right now, it’s hard to gauge whether that’s a trend or an anomaly. The Suns have already put a couple of starters on the trading block, namely 33-year old 3B Toshifumi Tamura (.179/.291/.388, 4 HR, 11 RBI, 11 BB) and 35-year old 2B Wayne Balmer (.306/.306/.389, 1-3B, 2 RBI), so it looks as though Embro is attempting to reconfigure things on the fly. They have strong farm system, but it’s pitcher-heavy. 23-year old 3B/SS Rafael De La Cruz, signed as a free agent out of the Dominican in the off-season is their only notable young position player, other than 24-year old 2B José Sánchez (.244/.340/.375, 4 HR, 19 RBI, 24 BB, 9 SB). It wouldn’t hurt the Suns to at least consider cultivating a few non-pitching prospects. Offense: .249/.331/.353 (7th/5th/6th) Pitching: 4.33/4.36/4.22 (8th/7th/8th) Defense: .677 (7th) *Player of the Week Awards:* October 28 – CF Terence Durney (.483, 14 H, 7 RBI) -------- Last edited by reds1; 07-17-2017 at 08:27 PM.

03-08-2017, 12:39 AM	#331
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,919	December 1, 1946 Western League: Wolseley Leads in Tight Race for First It has been a wild ride in the early going in the West, as four teams have occupied first place at one point or another. The Sherburn Tigers were the fastest out of the gate but severely faded in November, leaving the Wolseley Unions, Kingston Pelicans and Cambria Cannons jockeying for top spot. Offense is down overall in ULB in the early going, but it is particularly noticeable in the Western League. LgAvg is a paltry .248, whereas LgERA is 3.32. Last season, they were .273 and 4.31 respectively. In the Eastern League, the LgAvg and LgERA are only slightly less extreme (.259 and 3.55). -------- The Wolseley Unions were pegged as being a potential break-out team in 1946-47 and their record thus far certainly backs that up. They finished above .500 for the first time last season and are on pace for 92 wins. However, other than a few standout performances in the first two months, they have not played well enough overall to sustain their early success. Fortunately, there’s still time for them to find their groove. If they can, then they just might give Kingston a run for their money. Three players are worth mentioning: 27-year old RHP Kai Tosh (9-2, 2.93 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 118 ERA+) who is off to the best start of his 6-year career and 22-year old rookie C Éric Denis (.322/.366/.430, 2 HR, 13 RBI, 9 BB), a former 12th-overall pick from 1943-44. Denis is the top-ranked prospect among catchers in the United Leagues. Both Denis and Tosh won Monthly honours in November. Lastly, 24-year old RF Rizalino Ringor (.273/.403/.372, 3 HR, 22 RBI, 37 BB, 8 SB) is off to a nice start after having a bit of an off-year last season. The former 7th overall pick from 1941-42 missed two seasons serving in the Armed Forces. Last year, his first season back, he racked up 1.8 WAR. Through the first two months, he has earned 1.4. Offense: .242/.331/.345 (5th/3th/6th) Pitching: 3.59/3.50/4.04 (6th/6th/7th) Defense: .700 (6th) *Player of the Week Awards:* October 28 – CF Zak Kidd (.321, 9 H, 7 RBI, 4 R) November 25 – RHP Kai Tosh (2-0, 18.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 11 K) *Key Trade:* October 26 with the Sherburn Tigers To Wolseley – 26-year old RHP Ian Peter (48/59) To Sherburn – 25-year old LF Gary Therien (71/75) *Knee-jerk reaction:* The Unions made a shrewd deal in my estimation, getting a serviceable pitcher for a young player whose defense prevents him from being an everyday player. Peter (6-2, 2.31 ERA, 1.25 WHIP) does not have impressive stuff and only league average control, but he has nice motion and earned a trip to his first all-star game last season. While he was merely a spot starter with Sherburn, he is now Wolseley’s No. 3 pitcher in their rotation. He is a definite upgrade for the Unions and could very well earn his second nod to the all-star team. Therien, however, presents a conundrum to any team that employs him. While the 3rd overall pick from 1939-40 has the tools to be a fearsome hitter, he is a nightmare in the field (LF-30, range-30, error-50, arm-35). Thus, he is relegated to simply being a pinch hitter. The Tigers desperately need an offensive boost, but it’s hard to see Therien making much of an impact when he is simply a very part-time player. Sorry Gary – no DH in these leagues. *Injuries:* October 21 – 26-year old C Thomas Geary – separated hip joint – further 7-8 weeks October 28 – 28-year old CF Zak Kidd – broken elbow bone – 3 weeks -------- The Kingston Pelicans continue to roll along, just a half-game off the pace after the first two months. While the Pelicans have not avoided the offensive downturn in the ULB in the early going, both 28-year old C Danny Trowbridge (.351/.471/.464, 3 HR, 30 RBI, 38 BB) and 29-year old CF Jamie Couch (.300/.371/.411, 4 HR, 15 RBI, 21 BB) are off to great starts. The Pelicans have also done a commendable job of keeping their pitching staff the class of the ULB for years now. Four of the five starters are 28-years old or younger. Last year’s Rookie of the Year, 26-year old RHP Ben Currall (6-1, 2.07 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 167 ERA+) is now the ace of the staff. However, 26-year old LHP Patrick Denman (5-4, 4.55 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 75 ERA+), who set a record last season with 27 wins, is off to a slow start. Perhaps he has still not fully recovered from the Game 7 fiasco from last season’s United Cup. Another promising pitcher, 22-year old LHP Dana Listman (23/64) was called up in mid-November due to an injury to RHP Joey Cumberledge (5-2, 3.18 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 109 ERA+). Inexplicably, Listman was given his outright release by the Sherburn Tigers back in June 1945, after drafting him 3rd overall in 1943-44. He signed a minor league deal with the Pelicans two weeks later. He is currently rated 20th overall among pitching prospects. Offense: .252/.347/.360 (3rd/2nd/3rd) Pitching: 3.13/3.30/2.38 (3rd/4th/3rd) Defense: .706 (4th) *Player of the Week Awards:* November 4 – CF Jamie Couch (.458, 11 H, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 5 R) *Injuries:* November 15 – 36-year old RHP Joey Cumberledge – elbow soreness – 1-2 weeks -------- After a down year that saw rancor grip the clubhouse, the Cambria Cannons find themselves rebounding quite nicely in October/November, just 1 game back of first place. The offense has struggled, like a lot of teams have this season. The one standout has been 29-year old C Heung-su Park (.316/.356/.546, 7 HR, 30 RBI, 13 BB), who earned Batter of the Month honours for November. He is currently rated the 2nd best catcher in the ULB – behind No. 1 overall player Danny Trowbridge of Kingston and just ahead of Queenland’s Elijah Sheppard. Cambria’s strength so far has been their pitching, which is sort of remarkable, considering the patchwork appearance of the rotation. All five starters were acquired via trade rather than being drafted and developed in-house. Two pitchers in fact are having career years: No. 1 starter 35-year old RHP Pete Allison (4-4, 2.43 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 139 ERA+) and No. 2 starter 31-year old RHP Leon Hankey (4-4, 3.05 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 111 ERA+). Even recently acquired 36-year old LHP Max Littler (5-2, 4.13 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 82 ERA+) has had his moments – he has pitched two shutouts for the team thus far. Offense: .241/.314/.348 (6th/7th/5th) Pitching: 2.99/3.13/2.31 (2nd/3rd/2nd) Defense: .723 (3rd) *Injuries:* October 13 – 33-year old RHP Jin-man Kim – separated hip joint – 2 more months November 3 – 29-year old CF Ron Westmacott – strained groin – another 2 weeks -------- The Pulberry Trolleys started off with a bang, going 6-1 but soon cooled off. But their front three on the rotation are enjoying incredible starts to the season: 25-year old RHP Alexander Ellacott (5-2, 2.15 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 157 ERA+) 30-year old RHP Patrick Tennant (4-2, 1.98 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 170 ERA+) 27-year old RHP Lee Dowdeswell (4-4, 1.61 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 210 ERA+) All three pitchers had ERA north of 4.00 last season (5.11 in Dowdeswell’s case) so whether this is just a blip or a trend remains to be seen. Certainly, Dowdeswell’s United Leagues leading ERA is unsustainable. The offense remains middle of the pack in the West, with perhaps 25-year old SS Roland Binns (.291/.340/.381, 1 HR, 31 RBI, 16 BB, 3 SB) enjoying the best start so far. But the Trolleys will certainly miss 24-year old CF Tadamichi Matsumoto (.276/.381/.400, 1 HR, 9 RBI, 18 BB, 2 SB) who was off to the best start of his 3-year career when he suffered a season ending injury in early November. Offense: .251/.318/.351 (4th/4th/4th) Pitching: 2.81/2.68/3.58 (1st/1st/5th) Defense: .728 (1st) *Player of the Week Awards:* November 11 – 2B Colin Strudwick (.667, 14 H, 2 RBI) *Noteworthy:* October 24 – 25-year old LF *Bruno Lapthorne* (.304/.375/.383, 5-2B, 6 RBI, 5 SB, 0.8 WAR) went 5-5 against the Hespeler Stars – 4 singles, 1HR, 3 RBI, 3 R. Pulberry won 11-7. *Injuries:* October 29 – 23-year old 2B Jon Pring – elbow strain – 4 more days November 25 – 24-year old CF Tadamichi Matsumoto – fractured jaw – out for 3-4 months -------- The Hespeler Stars got off to a rocky start, going 0-7, but improved their play enough to keep within 6 games of first place. The offense has been the strength of the club, as players 1 through 8 in the lineup have all been steady. Two standouts are leadoff hitter 25-year old 2B Kobbe Adamse (.314/.344/.419, 6-3B, 13 RBI, 8 BB, 11 SB) who leads the League in stolen bases and 27-year old 1B Wayne Savory (.281/.330/.439, 5 HR, 32 RBI, 13 BB), who leads in RBI. The pitching overall is near the bottom in most rankings, but there are a couple of standouts. No. 1 starter 28-year old LHP Jake Osmotherley (5-5, 2.53 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 137 ERA+) is off to the best start of his 7-year career, and No. 3 starter 22-year old RHP Stephan Tindall (5-5, 3.09 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 112 ERA+), who moved into the rotation this year. He went 6-4, 13 SV, 4.26 ERA 1.77 WHIP last season. Tindall was a 7th overall pick by the Stratford Barons back in 1943-44. Offense: .259/.317/.365 (2nd/5th/2nd) Pitching: 3.72/3.69/3.86 (7th/7th/6th) Defense: .700 (8th) *Player of the Week Awards:* November 18 – 1B Wayne Savory (.400, 8 H, 1 HR, 11 RBI) -------- The Fort Richmond Generals are suffering a power outage like a lot of other teams, and while their pitching has been respectable, it has not been enough to help them keep up in the West. 24-year old CF Dylan Moyne (.276/.348/.449, 7 HR, 26 RBI, 19 BB, 5 SB), a former first overall pick from 1944-45, has picked up where he left off last season, but his teammates are all off to slow starts. The trade Fort Richmond made back in 1943, sending C Danny Trowbridge to Kingston in exchange for RHP Nicky Sherlock (2-6, 3.35 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 100 ERA+) and LHP Mo Goldstraw (3-6, 3.21 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 104 ERA+), appears as though it will bear some fruit. Both pitchers are now fixtures in the Generals’ rotation. Another young pitcher acquired from the Embro Suns back in 1943 is blossoming as well. 22-year old Shinzo Okamoto (2-4, 3.20 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 104 ERA+) is now Fort Richmond’s ace in just his second year in the ULB. Offense: .237/.306/.327 (7th/8th/7th) Pitching: 3.38/3.47/2.84 (5th/5th/4th) Defense: .727 (2nd) Noteworthy: November 12 – 22-year old rookie RF Brandon Robinson (.251/.274/.324, 1 HR, 10 RBI, 6 BB) went 5-5 at the plate, helping the Generals defeat the Cobourg Red Stockings 5-4. His hits were all were singles, to go along with 1 R. -------- The Balmoral Giants have bucked the general trend in having a productive offense, but a struggling pitching staff. 28-year old SS Francisco Rodríguez (.361/.402/.488, 1 HR, 31 RBI, 12 BB) is off to another terrific start, but will miss significant playing time due to an injury suffered in late November. That’s a huge blow to the Giants, as they need every productive player they have in the line-up to be healthy if they are to have any chance at competing. The rotation has struggled and there is no indication that will improve. The Giants do not have a strong farm system and only one pitching prospect of note, namely 26-year old LHP Wally Lee (43/74). And scouts are not sure if he will be anything more than an emergency starter. That said, 27-year old RHP Connor Ainsley (6-4, 3.12 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 110 ERA+) had a nice October, winning Pitcher of the Month honours in the process. Offense: .269/.347/.369 (1st/1st/1st) Pitching: 3.74/3.99/2.22 (8th/8th/1st) Defense: .700 (7th) *Player of the Week Awards:* October 21 – RHP Connor Ainsley (2-0, 1.00 ERA) *Noteworthy:* November 19 –SS *Francisco Rodríguez* was perfect at the plate, going 5-5. All his hits were singles, including a 2-run single in the ninth. However, it wasn’t enough, as the Giants lost 7-6 to the Downie Chiefs. *Injuries:* November 22 – 28-year old SS Francisco Rodríguez – torn thumb ligament – 5 weeks November 30 – 28-year old LF Ellis Rothwell – fractured ankle – 3 months -------- The Sherburn Tigers started the season 7-0 and appeared to pick up where they left off last season when they won 91 games and earned a trip to the post-season. My how things have changed. After cooling off in the second half of October and collapsing completely in November, they are on pace to lose 91 games. Offense is the culprit. 28-year old C Neil Voigt (.213/.287/.296, 2 HR, 20 RBI, 17 BB) who was dynamite last season, is practically missing in action this year. And the trade that brought over 27-year old LF Baden Morrall (.180/.279/.205, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 22 BB) from the Wellington Athletics in the off-season has not gone exactly as hoped. Only 26-year old SS Otton Overbeek (.274/.343/.417, 2 HR, 17 RBI, 20 BB) appears to have any spark in his play. The strength of the Tigers continues to be their starting rotation. Again, it is led by 22-year old Jesús Chapa (4-7, 2.03 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 170 ERA+) and 27-year old Roberto Taváres (6-4, 3.05 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 114 ERA+). Chapa and Taváres are rated Nos. 2 and 4 respectively in the ULB among starting pitchers. Offense: .237/.315/.318 (8th/6th/8th) Pitching: 3.25/3.00/4.90 (4th/2nd/8th) Defense: .704 (5th) *Player of the Week Awards:* October 14 – 1B Francis Pynchon (.875, 7 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI) *Noteworthy:* November 17 – SS Otton Overbeek helped the Tigers in a big way, going 5 for 6 at the plate. Overbeek singled 4 times and then capped it off with an RBI triple in the 11th. Sherburn held on to win 5-4 over the Pulberry Trolleys. -------- Last edited by reds1; 07-17-2017 at 08:33 PM.

03-12-2017, 02:57 PM	#332
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,919	December 6, 1946 Fort Richmond, Norfolk (BP) – The sixteen club members of the United Leagues converged in Fort Richmond for the 10th Annual Amateur Draft. The opulent banquet hall at the stately Sovereign Hotel served as the meeting place, where 8 rounds were scheduled for the day-long event. The draft was filled with several intriguing prospects, but one player was particularly prized as the consensus view on him was that he was major league ready. The first selection was made by the Downie Chiefs, followed by the Pulberry Trolleys and Balmoral Giants. Here is a brief rundown of the 16 players taken in the first round: 1st Pick – Downie Chiefs: IF Manuel Castaneda (62/80) – 22-years old; 6’-0”, 180 lbs.; Bats RH/Throws RH. The Downie Chiefs surprised no one by selecting Manuel Castaneda from Mexico. The 22-year old is considered by scouts to be ready for the major leagues right now. Castaneda projects to be a terrific contact hitter (.380) with great plate discipline. His defense at shortstop is elite and he has well-above average speed on the base paths. *Update:* Shortly after making the selection, the Chiefs did indeed promote Castaneda to their roster. He becomes their shortstop for the present and future and will bat second in the lineup. -------- 2nd Pick – Pulberry Trolleys: OF John Oldknow (22/80) – 18-years old; 5’-10”, 160 lbs.; Bats RH/Throws RH. While Pulberry does not get a player who can step into their lineup right away as the Chiefs did, they aren’t complaining. Oldknow has few, if any weaknesses. He projects to be a great hitter with some raw power with above-average foot speed and decent defense. He will report to the Hopetown Islanders, Pulberry’s AA farm team. -------- 3rd Pick – Balmoral Giants: OF Peter Diamond (23/80) – 21-years old; 5’-10”, 170 lbs.; Bats RH/Throws LH. The Balmoral Giants select the appropriately named Peter Diamond as their first pick. Diamond is not projected to be a high average or home run hitter, as his pitch recognition could use some work. But he has great patience at the plate and solid defense in the outfield as well as jaw-dropping speed. He should prove to be a nightmare for catchers and scouts noted his ability to read pitchers pick-off moves. Only his poor work ethic is a concern. He has been assigned to the AA Georgetown Goldbugs. -------- 4th Pick – Hespeler Stars: RHP Kent Dundon (20/80) – 18-years old; 6’-0”, 170 lbs.; Bats RH. Hespeler goes with the young man from New Zealand, the first pitcher selected in this year’s draft. Dundon is blessed with good stuff and outstanding movement. His control however, is considered merely average. Still, he should have a good selection of pitches at his disposal when he reaches the majors. For now, though, he will get his feet wet with the AA Muir Electrics. -------- 5th Pick – Wellington Athletics: OF Harvey Thornber (21/80) – 19-years old; 5’-8”, 155 lbs.; Bats RH/Throws RH. Like first overall pick Castaneda, scouts think highly of Harvey Thornber’s ability at the plate, with very high contact (.380 again) with some pop (maybe 20 a year). While his eye is average and his defense in the outfield is underwhelming, he has very good speed on basepaths. He is off to the AA Evansville Clowns. -------- 6th Pick – Cobourg Red Stockings: 1B Harry Doxey (23/80) – 21-years old; 6’-0”, 210 lbs.; Bats RH/Throws RH. The Red Stockings take a proto-typical 1B for their first pick, the one position where they do not have good depth in their system. Doxey should be an outstanding hitter with amazing contact and solid power. His defense is average and will not be looked upon to steal bases, but if his bat delivers as promised, those other skills will not be necessary. He will be assigned to the AA Cardiff Crushers to start things off. -------- 7th Pick – Cambria Cannons: 1B Carlos Correa (22/80) – 20-years old; 6’-2”, 215 lbs.; Bats RH/Throws RH. The second 1B and player from Mexico is selected by Cambria. Like Doxey selected ahead of him, Correa’s calling card is his bat; he has plus contact potential with some power. Defense may be an issue and he is not a fluid baserunner. He will start with the AA Vandecar Spurs. -------- 8th Pick – Fort Richmond Generals: IF/OF Nobuyoshi Yoshida (26/77) – 22-years old; 6’-0”, 180 lbs.; Bats RH/Throws RH. The Fort Richmond Generals pick up a defensively versatile player in Yoshida, who hails from Embro, Dunwich. Yoshida also has very good contact potential, but is not a home run threat and won’t draw too many walks. But he is sure-handed and reliable in the field and will steal a few bases. The AA Marburg Mustangs will be his first destination. -------- Here is the rest of the first round, selections 9-16: 9th Pick – Queensland Eagles: RHP Stiofan Micklethwait (20/80) – stuff (35/50), movement (60/75) and control (20/55). 19-years old; 6’-0”, 180 lbs.; groundball tendency; 86-88 Mph velocity; Bats LH. The Eagles select the second pitcher taken in the draft, a native of St. Thomas, Oxford. Micklethwait projects to be a well-balanced pitcher with respectable stuff, top-notch movement and decent control. He has three main pitches: fastball (40/45), curveball (40/60) and slider (40/55). His changeup will need some work (20/30) however. He is off to the AA Innerkip Oysters. -------- 10th Pick – Wolseley Unions: LHP Axel MacKay (20/79) – stuff (35/50), movement (60/70) and control (30/50). 21-years old; 6’-5”, 210 lbs.; groundball pitcher; 88-90 Mph velocity; Bats RH. The Unions also go with a starting pitcher, selecting MacKay from Brisbane, Australia. Th southpaw has nice stuff with top-notch movement and average control. His main pitches are the sinker (45/50), changeup (30/55) and forkball (45/55). His curveball is only so-so (30/30). Wolseley has assigned him to the AA Waterloo Whips. -------- 11th Pick – Brunswick Legends: RHP Dominic Whitmore (20/78) – stuff (35/45), movement (55/70) and control (30/50). 20-years old; 5’-11”, 180 lbs.; groundball tendency; 89-91 Mph velocity; Bats RH. For the third pick in a row, a pitcher is selected. In this case, Brunswick goes with the 20-year old from Kingston, Oxford. Whitmore has respectable stuff, especially if he gets smarter and stronger. His movement is outstanding to go along with decent control. He has several pitches in his repertoire, but apart from his forkball (45/55), none of them standout: fastball (35/35), curveball (25/40), slider (35/45) and changeup (25/25). He will work on his craft with the AA Jarvis Smokers. -------- 12th Pick – Braeland City Monarchs: C Alexander Pyatt (23/77) – contact (45/70), gap power (50/65) and eye (40/55). 20-years old; 5’-9”, 180 lbs.; normal, flyball hitter; Bats RH/Throws RH. The Monarchs go with an offense-first catcher in Pyatt. The Hespeler native has terrific contact potential and a good eye. While he has some power, it won’t be anything to write home about. He is merely average in the field and is not a good runner. The AA Kingsville Royals will be his first assignment. -------- 13th Pick – Embro Suns: IF Napana Mamo (21/80) – contact (30/55), gap power (45/65) and eye (30/55). 19-years old; 5’-10”, 170 lbs.; normal, flyball hitter; Bats RH/Throws RH. The first Fijian selected, Mamo’s greatest strength is his bat. He is projected to be a .300 hitter with some power and an average eye. He also has well above-average foot speed. However, his biggest challenge will be his defense: rated 35 at 1B and 30 at 2B. That is something he can work on with the AA Lythmore Atoms. -------- 14th Pick – Stratford Barons: RHP Alonso Martínez (20/74) – stuff (40/50), movement (55/65) and control (30/50). 20-years old; 5’-8”, 160 lbs.; neutral; 89-91 Mph velocity; Bats LH. The fifth pitcher taken in the first round, Martínez from Juarez, Chihuahua, should have nice stuff, above average movement and average command. He has three main pitches: fastball (45/50), slider (45/55) and forkball (45/55). He also has a changeup (20/25) that could use some work. The Barons have assigned him to the AA Brockville Bears. -------- 15th Pick – Sherburn Tigers: OF Noah Teale (22/79) – contact (40/60), gap power (40/55) and eye (30/50). 20-years old; 5’-11”, 175 lbs.; normal, flyball hitter; Bats LH/Throws RH. The Tigers selected a well-rounded player in Teale. He projects to have above-average contact, some pop and a solid eye. While he may not win any defensive awards, he is competent in the field (especially at CF-50). Perhaps his greatest strength will be on basepaths (speed-75, stealing-80, baserunning-80). He is off to the AA Hannon Greyhounds. -------- 16th Pick – Kingston Pelicans: 2B Charlie Cockin (21/80) – contact (35/65), gap power (30/50) and eye (20/45). 18-years old; 5’-10”, 165 lbs.; normal, line drive hitter; Bats RH/Throws RH. The final selection of the first round, the Pelicans take the serviceable infielder from Brooklin, Dunwich. Cockin’s biggest strength is his terrific ability to make contact. However, plate discipline will be a concern and he won’t be a power guy. But his defense at 2B is respectable and while he won’t be mistaken for a base-stealer, he won’t be a liability on the basepaths either. -------- Here are the standings as of December 31: Last edited by reds1; 07-26-2017 at 05:45 PM.

03-14-2017, 05:06 PM	#333
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,919	January 14, 1947 Wild Ninth Inning Marks Tenth Annual Midsummer Classic -------- Wellington, Perth (BP) – The Eastern League held on to win its sixth All-Star Game and second in a row, but an exhibition game with little, if anything, on the line was decidedly elevated by a controversial ninth inning that will be talked about for days to come in Braeland. Santop Stadium, the home of the Eastern League Wellington Athletics, served as host of the tenth Midsummer Classic. A packed house of 28,550 was on hand to witness the offensive fireworks that marked the early innings of the contest, as well as the furious rally and intrigue that ended it. Brunswick’s LHP Anastasio Rodríguez got the start for the East, while Sherburn’s RHP Roberto Taváres started for the Western League. The East wasted no time getting to Taváres, as he surrendered four consecutive doubles in the first inning. With one out, Roberto Ríoz smacked a first-pitch double. He was then followed in turn by Stuart Bentham, Jilenko Vergara and Aaron Skidmore. All three hit full-count doubles, making the score 3-0. The West got on the board in the top of the third when PH Wenceslas Jasmin slammed a solo home run 450 ft. to dead centerfield off of LHP Matthew Monroe. But the Easterners got that run right back in the bottom of the inning, when Game MVP Aaron Skidmore got his second hit, taking RHP Ian Peter deep with a two-out solo home run. Both sides would threaten in the ensuing innings, but neither was able to score until the ninth. Brunswick’s LHP Hirotada Fukushima took the mound to start the inning. After inducing Vic Weetman to pop up to C Mick Gunnis, Zak Kidd, Loïc Billon and Damon Purcell all followed with singles, loading the bases. With a 1-1 count to Sean Brearton, play was stopped and a balk was called on a mystified Fukushima, forcing in Kidd for the West’s second run of the game and advancing Billon and Purcell. After Eastern League skipper Bill Quinn retuned to the dugout following his spirited ‘discussion’ with the home plate umpire over the call, Brearton smacked a fly ball to left-center field. Billon tagged up at 3B but C Mick Gunnis was waiting for him with ball in hand, thanks to a terrific throw from LF Tzu-yu Song. Billon crashed into Gunnis, jarring the ball loose and was ruled safe on the play. That set off the crowd, who booed and hissed Billon as he walked back to the dugout, while Gunnis, who plays for the hometown Athletics, was slow to get up. With one on and two out and the lead cut to one, Fukushima faced Heung-su Park. But Fukushima got Park to fly out to Song in LF to end the game and seal the victory. Eastern League manager Bill Quinn remained upset by the called balk after the game. “I didn’t see it. I don’t think anyone in the ballpark did either – ‘cept the umpire. It’s a shame when an umpire has to inject himself into the game like that. It wasn’t as though Fukushima was blown off the mound or anything.” But Quinn was more diplomatic when asked about the home plate collision between Billon and Gunnis. “Well, those things are part of the game. You don’t want to see anyone get hurt, but players are taught to give 100% every time. I don’t think I would have done anything different if I was in Billon’s shoes, quite frankly. The kid was just doing his job.” Stratford Barons’ C Aaron Skidmore, who was replaced in the sixth inning by C Mick Gunnis, appeared happier that his fellow catcher was all right following the collision than he was over winning MVP honours. “Oh sure, it’s nice to make a difference for your team and get recognized like that. But that was a tough spot no catcher wants to find himself in. I’m not surprised he got back up and dusted himself off though. We’re a tough breed.” As for the man himself, Mick Gunnis had no quarrel with Billon over the collision. In fact, he appeared to be more upset with himself. “It comes with the territory, y’know, each man doing what it takes to win” he replied, shrugging his shoulders as he sat in his locker stall. Then, looking down at the floor, he continued in a quieter voice: “Should’ve held onto it though.” -------- Here are the complete All-Star rosters: Last edited by reds1; 07-26-2017 at 05:46 PM.

03-14-2017, 06:44 PM	#334
Izz Hall Of Famer Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 2,469	Nice write-up! __________________ Not only do I play OOTP but I also write science-fiction: My Website A brief history of the Australia-New Zealand Baseball League (AUNZBL 2019-2119)--A Dynasty Report The National Penterham Four-Bases Association--A Dynasty Report

03-20-2017, 07:31 PM	#335
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,919	February 1, 1947 Eastern League: The Eagles Take Flight The Eastern League sees a new team at the top of the standings, as the Queensland Eagles soar into first place. They were six games back and in fourth place at the end of November, but a 34-20 record since then, the second best in the ULB over that period has catapulted them over the Brunswick Legends and Cobourg Red Stockings. Apart from those three teams, the rest of the League has been either mediocre or downright awful. But a couple of teams, namely the Stratford Barons and Wellington Athletics, do have enough things right with them that a late push for the wildcard isn’t out of the question. But a lot of things will have to go their way in the final two months of the season for that to happen. -------- The Queensland Eagles were keeping their head just above water after the first two months of the season, but came alive in December and then really turned on the afterburners in January to take over top spot. The offense has been excellent, but they do tend to strike out quite frequently (448 - 8th) and stealing bases is definitely not part of their game (just 6 - 8th – the next lowest total in the ULB is 26 by the Brunswick Legends). What has bolstered the Eagles fortunes of late is the improved pitching, but really, only three pitchers are carrying the team: 27-year old ace RHP Aaron Saunderson (13-9, 3.23 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 105 ERA+), spot starter 25-year old RHP Okura Suzuki (9-1, 1 SV, 2.08 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 162 ERA+) who was promoted to the rotation in late November, and 26-year old stopper LHP Roman Davis (2-4, 15 SV, 2.28 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 148 ERA+). Outside of them, the pitching has been lacklustre, so Queensland is extremely vulnerable if the rest of the staff doesn’t pick things up down the stretch. The Eagles lineup features four second-round draft picks and two first-round draft picks. One of those second-rounders is one of the best in the ULB: 28-year old C Elijah Sheppard (.287/.365/.501, 15 HR, 56 RBI, 42 BB, 5.2 WAR). But 27-year old RF Jilenko Vergara (.354/.417/.604, 13 HR, 49 RBI, 31 BB, 4.8 WAR), who was a minor league free agent signing, is right behind him. In fact, Vergara is rated No. 4 overall among position players and is viewed as the top right fielder in the ULB, ahead of Balmoral’s Carleton Broadbent. Five Eagles made the All-Star roster: SP Aaron Saunderson (4th appearance), C Elijah Sheppard (4th), 2B Noah Wellings (1st), SS Dermott Akers (2nd) and RF Jilenko Vergara (2nd). Offense: .271/.339/.397 (2nd/2nd/1st) Pitching: 3.68/3.76/3.26 (4th/5th/5th) Defense: .686 (8th) *Player of the Week Awards:* January 27 – RF Jilenko Vergara (.462, 12 H, 3 HR, 7 RBI) *Key Injuries:* LF Kunimichi Baba (.320/.376/.430, 1 HR, 13 RBI, 8 BB) – January 8 – High ankle sprain. Out 3 more days. RHP Joong Ling (2-1, 4.55 ERA, 1.52 WHIP) – November 28 – broken hand. Out 6 weeks. -------- After declaring at the end of last season that the Cobourg Red Stockings would be unable to make any significant strides unless they upgraded their pitching, I must confess that the Cobourg pitchers have shown me a thing or two. The staff has indeed made great strides with essentially the same personnel. 24-year old RHP Trent Beaton (14-6, 2.14 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 161 ERA+) and 28-year old RHP Carlo Foronda (11-9, 1 SV, 3.53 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 98 ERA+) continue to lead the way. But they are not the only ones. 26-year old RHP Luis Cruz (7-7, 2.84 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 122 ERA+) is having a great year, the second of his career. In the bullpen, stopper 27-year old stopper RHP Brent Nix (6-5, 14 SV, 1.78 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 194 ERA+) leads a very strong unit. The offense needs to catch up to the pitching this season, which is quite the switch, but they are still so young and growing. 25-year old SS John Medley (.285/.341/.416, 2 HR, 38 RBI, 34 BB, 23 SB, 2.9 WAR) is confirmation that the patient course Cobourg is taking is the correct one. He is enjoying his best season yet; just his third full one in the ULB. When the other talented youngster hit their full stride, watch out. Three players represented the Red Stockings at the recent All-Star game: SP Trent Beaton (1st), RP Brent Nix (3rd) and SS John Medley (2nd). Offense: .261/.320/.357 (4th/7th/5th) Pitching: 3.22/3.38/2.53 (3rd/3rd/2nd) Defense: .710 (3rd) *Noteworthy:* December 30 – SS John Medley had a big day, going 5-for-5 against the Braeland City Monarchs. Medley singled in the 1st, singled in the 3rd, doubled in the 5th, doubled in the 7th and tripled in the 9th, scoring 3 runs. Alas, it was not enough, as the Monarchs prevailed 9-7. -------- The Brunswick Legends cooled off the past two months after a hot start and find themselves 4 games back of Queensland. The primary source of their struggles lately has been an erratic offense. They have a propensity of scoring a bunch of runs one night only to be shut-down the next. In January for example, they scored 96 runs while surrendering 97; they went 10-16 during that stretch. Two all-stars are essentially carrying the offense this season: 32-year old LF Terry Aspden (.341/.426/.520, 7 HR, 50 RBI, 43 BB, 3.1 WAR) and 30-year old 1B Stuart Bentham (.290/.393/.485, 17 HR, 48 RBI, 67 BB, 3.1 WAR). Other players, like 30-year old C Maurice Evans (.247/.295/.398, 11 HR, 56 RBI, 26 BB, 2.5 WAR) have been up and down from month-to-month; while other former stalwarts, such as 28-year old CF Harry Chatwin (.248/.332/.330, 3 HR, 17 RBI, 34 BB, 1.8 WAR) have lost their starting jobs completely. The Legends sent six players to the All-Star game in Wellington: SP Hirotada Fukushima (4th), SP Matthew Monroe (8th), SP Anastasio Rodríguez (7th), SP Wilson Villas (2nd), 1B Stuart Bentham (6th) and LF Terry Aspden (6th). Offense: .246/.327/.346 (7th/5th/7th) Pitching: 2.93/2.82/3.40 (1st/1st/6th) Defense: .703 (5th) *Player of the Week Awards:* December 16 – LF Terry Aspden (.409, 9 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI) *Key Trade:* December 29 with the Wolseley Unions To Brunswick – 25-year old SS Jorge Arredondo (49/69) To Wolseley – 29-year old RHP Hun Park (77/78) *Knee-jerk reaction:* A very intriguing trade between two teams in the playoff hunt. Arredondo (.251/.320/.352, 3 HR, 39 RBI, 38 BB, 12 SB) will certainly help bolster Brunswick’s lineup. 32-year old 2B Matthew Shelley (.283/.359/.360, 2 HR, 45 RBI, 38 BB) moves over to 2B, his strongest position, replacing 26-year old IF Derek Myers (.130/.167/.217) and 36-year old IF Vince Bailey (.255/.365/.276) who were not producing much this year. Arredondo becomes Brunswick’s No. 4 hitter, as he was with Wolseley. However, the loss of Park will be felt, as 30-year old RHP Ron Cowen (1-7, 4 SV, 3.89 ERA, 1.51 WHIP) has been inconsistent from game-to-game since moving to the rotation (1-4, 3.64 ERA in 6 starts). As for Wolseley, their rotation continues to get stronger. After acquiring All-Star RHP Ian Peter (11-2, 2.44 ERA, 1.27 WHIP) back in October, the Unions now add Park (6-8, 3.52 ERA, 1.50 WHIP) who will be their No. 2 starter. Park appeared to be regressing this season with Brunswick, so a ‘change of scenery’ as they say, may help. As for the loss of Arredondo, a former 3rd overall pick from 1940-41, Wolseley obviously feels that 25-year old SS George Kimpton (.287/.358/.431, 1 HR, 24 RBI, 17 BB), a former 5th overall pick from 1943-44 is ready to take over. He too, becomes Wolseley’s No. 4 man in the lineup. -------- The Stratford Barons get back to .500, but it’s been a tough stretch for the defending United Cup Champions, as they deal with a slew of injuries to key players, like SP Ryan Borden, SS Jake Walker and CF Roberto Ríos. It’s remarkable that the Barons have kept within shooting distance of a playoff spot considering all the injuries, but Stratford has to seriously step it up in the final two months if they want to return to the post-season. Not surprisingly, they made some moves before the trade deadline to try and do just that. But injuries are not the only reason for the Barons’ struggles. The offense is being carried essentially by three players: 34-year old Jake Walker (.352/.454/.468, 4 HR, 47 RBI, 59 BB, 5.0 WAR), 27-year old C Aaron Skidmore (.276/.410/.433, 13 HR, 65 RBI, 78 BB, 4.6 WAR) and 23-year old Roberto Ríos (.235/.390/.403, 11 HR, 40 RBI, 88 BB, 4.2 WAR). Other key players appear to be in decline, like 27-year old CF Ricardo Castellanos (.258/.317/.382, 2 HR, 35 RBI, 21 BB, 7 SB, 1.8 WAR), as well as 30-year old RF Steven Winstanley (.242/.333/.339, 3 HR, 26 RBI, 32 BB, 1.2 WAR). Casltellanos has seen his production decrease for the second straight season, while Winstanley appears not to have recovered from the two-years he served in the Armed Forces. Three Barons made the All-Star team this year: C Aaron Skidmore (6th), SS Jake Walker (8th) and CF Roberto Ríos (1st). Offense: .254/.350/.352 (5th/1st/6th) Pitching: 3.82/3.67/4.60 (6th/4th/8th) Defense: .699 (6th) *Player of the Week Awards:* December 9 – C Aaron Skidmore (.588, 10 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI) January 6 – 2B Brendan McElroy (.750, 6 H, 3 RBI) January 20 – C Aaron Skidmore (.632, 12 H, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 6 R) *Key Trade No. 1:* January 6 with the Hespeler Stars To Stratford – 26-year old LF Curt Tiffany (63/63) and $3,800 To Hespeler – Five minor leaguers: 19-year old 1B Celso Raed (22/61), 25-year old RHP Marvin Fewings (22/40), 23-year old LF Mitchell Michael (23/23), 23-year old CF Peter Metcalfe (22/22), 22-year old 3B Owen Surtees (22/40) *Knee-jerk reaction:* With Stratford’s outfield battered by injuries, it’s no surprise that they went out and got reinforcement. Tiffany (.271/.386/.378, 5 HR, 24 RBI, 55 BB. 9 SB), a former 3rd round pick from 1938-39, has some offensive ability, but his real strengths are drawing walks and speed on the basepaths. Thus, he is pegged to lead off for the Barons. The fact that he is rock-solid defensively in leftfield doesn’t hurt either. Hespeler obviously felt that Tiffany was expendable, having 24-year old LF Bart Warwick (74/75) on their roster. Warwick was a 2nd round pick from 1942-43 and should prove to be a better hitter overall than Tiffany. As far as their players, Raed is a former 3rd round pick from 1945-46. He has some hitting ability but isn’t anything to get exciting about. Meanwhile, Fewings who was promoted to the big-league roster has taken over as the Stars’ stopper. He has not disappointed in the early going (1-0, 3 SV, 1.80 ERA, 1.00 WHIP). *Key Trade No. 2:* January 7 with the Kingston Pelicans To Stratford – 29-year old 3B Britt Wing (50/57) To Kingston – 25-year old RF Luca Bewick (54/63) *Knee-jerk reaction:* A day after acquiring Tiffany, the Barons let a young Bewick go, as they felt they desperately needed an upgrade at 3B. Britt Wing has not done much since the 1942-43 season when he was a starter with Fort Richmond. With Stratford, he will be given the chance to be an everyday starter once again. For Kingston, Bewick also represents a potential upgrade that will get a chance to start every day for the first time in his young career. He will take over RF for the Pelicans, in place of 29-year old Lance Haworth (26/29), and will be Kingston’s lead-off hitter. *Key Injuries:* LHP Ryan Borden (3-7, 3.33 ERA, 1.31 WHIP) – December 13. Torn shoulder muscle. Out 7 more weeks. CF Roberto Ríos – January 8. Separated hip joint. Out 4-5 more weeks. SS Jake Walker – January 12. Fractured foot. Out 4 more days. RHP Donn Griffin (4-2, 4.14 ERA, 1.30 WHIP) – December 4. Torn shoulder muscle. Out 2 more months. -------- The Braeland City Monarchs are another team that is hovering around .500 waiting for players to return from the DL. Specifically, they are a pair of starters: 26-year old LHP Nicholas Grimes (1-1, 2.29 ERA, 1.36 WHIP) and 35-year old LHP Max MacColl (6-4, 2.22 ERA, 1.29 WHIP). If they can find their groove, then the Monarchs too could get back in to the wildcard chase. The offense has been more consistent, but there’s no question who the leader is: 33-year old 3B Adam Ashley (.354/.425/.469, 2 HR, 37 RBI, 51 BB, 6.0 WAR). Ashley is now rated No. 2 on the Top Position Player list (behind Kingston’s C Danny Trowbridge). He is enjoying his best season yet, per WAR. Last season, he was worth 6.4. His best mark was in 1939-40 when he was worth 6.8. This season he is on pace for 9.0. Right now, 24-year old 1B Kyle Pryor (.307/.376/.479, 13 HR, 45 RBI, 38 BB, 3.6 WAR) is a distant second on the team. Four players from the Monarchs made the All-Star team: SP David Cooling (7th), RP Samuel Hollier (4th), 1B Kyle Pryor (2nd) and 3B Adam Ashley (8th). Offense: .272/.327/.379 (1st/6th/2nd) Pitching: 3.70/3.80/3.21 (5th/6th/4th) Defense: .709 (4th) -------- The Wellington Athletics are a well-balanced team that have made strides this season and find themselves just 6.0 games back of the wildcard. Certainly, having more months like January will help their cause – it was just their first month above .500 all season. But if it’s a harbinger of things to come, then they just might make the final two months of the regular season very interesting in the East. Without question, 27-year old LHP Arthur Bence (16-6, 1.83 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 185 ERA+) has been the story and is shaping up to be the greatest steal made by a team in a trade. 28-year old Baden Morrall (.201/.295/.225, 2 HR, 28 RBI, 44 BB, 4 SB, -0.1 WAR) has not exactly been the player the Sherburn Tigers were hoping for when they acquired him for Bence. Although overshadowed by Bence, 24-year old RHP Wilfried Schop (10-10, 2.28 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 148 ERA+) is quietly enjoying the best season on his three year career. On offense, a number of Athletics are enjoying career years: 26-year old C Mick Gunnis (.327/.373/.472, 12 HR, 59 RBI, 28 BB, 4.4 WAR) is developing into one of the best catchers in the ULB; 22-year old CF Edgardo Barrón (.339/.380/.446, 1 HR, 22 RBI, 18 BB, 3.3 WAR) is enjoying a break-out season in his sophomore year and 29-year old 3B Thomas Murphy (.268/.332/.373, 3HR, 26 RBI, 40 BB, 5 SB, 2.8 WAR), who could be even better if he can be more consistent at the plate. The All-Star game was hosted by Wellington and six Athletics made the team: SP Arthur Bence (2nd), C Mick Gunnis (2nd), 3B Ryley McLarnon (4th), SS Mac Medley (2nd), CF Edgardo Barrón (1st) and RF Zhong-shu Wang (1st). Offense: .269/.327/.368 (3rd/4th/3rd) Pitching: 3.11/3.13/3.02 (2nd/2nd/3rd) Defense: .717 (2nd) *Player of the Week Awards:* November 18 – 2B Ryley McLarnon (.708, 17 H, 8 RBI, 8 R) October 14 – 1B Rubén Sánchez (.517, 15 H, 6 RBI) *Noteworthy:* January 26 – 3B Thomas Murphy took all the Stratford Barons threw at him, going 5 for 5 on the day. Murphy hit 4 consecutive singles and then capped it off with a double in the 8th. He came into score 4 times in the process. The Athletics prevailed 7-5. -------- The Embro Suns got off to an excruciatingly slow start as both the pitching and offense faltered out of the gate. But while the offense has shown signs of rebounding, the pitching has not. 28-year old RHP Jim Hogue (4-10, 4.60 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, 75 ERA+) is off to the worst of his career, and 32-year old LHP Edward Hill (1-7, 7.34 ERA, 2.23 WHIP, 47 ERA+) was demoted to AAA Birmingham in early December. RHP Noah Marfell (7-6, 3.32 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 104 ERA+) was claimed off waivers from the Fort Richmond Generals to take his place. Although he earned his 9th all-star selection, 32-year old RHP Oscar Burress (10-8, 3.35 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 103 ERA+) slumped terribly in January (2-3, 5.71 ERA, 1.55 WHIP). On offense, 32-year old 1B Jim Friend (.307/.396/.534, 11 HR, 53 RBI, 39 BB, 2.9 WAR) is back to his old self, after suffering a knee injury back in October. 39-year old SS Gary Watkinson (.304/.407/.378, 2 HR, 45 RBI, 61 BB, 2.4 WAR) earned back his starting job after finding his bat in December and January. His defense though has been downright awful, meaning 23-year old SS Rafael De La Cruz (.292/.310/.438, 3 HR, 19 RBI, 3 BB, 0.6 WAR) will still have plenty of opportunities to reclaim his spot in the lineup. The Suns sent six players to the All-Star Game: SP Oscar Burress (9th), RP Colm Soper (9th), 1B Jim Friend (7th), 2B José Sánchez (1st), CF Terence Durney (10th) and RF Tzu-yu Song (1st). Offense: .254/.337/.362 (6th/3rd/4th) Pitching: 3.98/4.01/3.86 (8th/7th/7th) Defense: .687 (7th) *Player of the Week Awards:* December 12 – 1B Jim Friend (.423, 11 H, 1 HR, 8 RBI) December 23 – RHP Myung-gu Son (2-0, 18.0 IP, 7 K, 2 BB, 1.00 ERA) -------- Despite the fine play of 24-year old CF Robin Duerden (.313/.388/.492, 8 HR, 48 RBI, 37 BB, 5 SB, 3.8 WAR) and first overall pick SS Manuel Castaneda (.294/.351/.373, 2 HR, 18 RBI, 16 BB, 4 SB, 1.6 WAR), who both won recent monthly honours, the Downie Chiefs have been miserable. 32-year old RHP Arnold Perkins (3-5, 3.64 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 92 ERA+), who was released by the Cobourg Red Stockings back in October and signed by Downie a month later, is about as good as it gets with the rotation. At least the farm system is getting deeper. It is second only to the Hespeler Stars. Two players represented the Chiefs at this year’s All-Star Game: CF Robin Duerden (2nd) and RF Nathan Ashman (2nd). Offense: .246/.303/.342 (8th/8th/8th) Pitching: 3.86/4.29/2.01 (7th/8th/1st) Defense: .725 (1st) *Player of the Week Awards:* December 30 – CF Robin Duerden (.524, 11 H, 3 HR, 7 RBI) *Key Injury:* RHP Jim Ferguson (1-2, 3.34 ERA, 1.31 WHIP) – October 24 – torn back muscle. Out 5 weeks. -------- Last edited by reds1; 07-26-2017 at 05:57 PM.

04-04-2017, 06:26 PM	#336
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,919	February 1, 1947 Western League: Kingston, Wolseley Pulling Away With two months left in the regular season, the Western League playoff picture is very close to being set. Barring a colossal collapse by either the Kingston Pelicans or Wolseley Unions, it is looking increasingly doubtful that the other six clubs will catch them. The only question now is who will grab top spot. The Pelicans made a huge statement in January, but the Unions do not appear willing to give up. It will be interesting to see, however, if Wolseley can push Kingston for top spot in the final stretch. -------- Just as the Queensland Eagles roost atop the Eastern League standings, so another bird species holds court in the West. But the occupying of first place by the Kingston Pelicans is less of a surprise, as the Pelicans have perched themselves in first place 6 times out of the past 9 seasons. Despite a spate of injuries, the Pelicans have not missed a beat and really turned up the heat in January, winning 20 games. That stretch included an 11-game winning streak. That propelled them into first place, after trailing Wolseley by a game at the end of December. The offense continues to be led by 28-year old C Danny Trowbridge (.363/.460/.506, 8 HR, 56 RBI, 62 BB, 7 SB, 6.6 WAR), while 32-year old 1B Dean Bishop (.266/.387/.472, 15 HR, 56 RBI, 68 BB, 4.5 WAR) is enjoying another strong year at the plate and in the field. After a slow start in October, 26-year old LHP Patrick Denman (12-8, 3.33 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 104 ERA+) has gotten better with each passing month, and heads another strong rotation. That includes No. 2 pitcher 27-year old RHP Ben Currall (13-5, 2.43 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 142 ERA+) and No. 4 guy 28-year old RHP Chalrie Gilbert (13-5, 2.64 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 131 ERA+). Denman and Knowles recently won Monthly honours. The Pelicans sent 8 players to this year’s All-Star game: SP Ben Currall (2nd selection), SP Patrick Denman (2nd), SP Charlie Gilbert (2nd), RP Luis Veláquez (4th), C Danny Trowbridge (6th), 1B Dean Bishop (3rd), 2B Wen-huan Liu (2nd) and CF Jamie Couch (3rd). Offense: .260/.347/.382 (2nd/1st/1st) Pitching: 2.88/3.11/1.74 (1st/2nd/1st) Defense: .711 (4th) *Player of the Week Awards:* December 23 – C Danny Trowbridge (.714, 10 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 5 R) January 27 – RF Luca Bewick (.455, 10 H, 2 HR, 4 RBI) *Injuries:* January 16 – 36-year old RHP Joey Cumberledge (9-3, 4.60 ERA, 1.45 WHIP) – strained stomach muscle – 2 more weeks -------- Despite losing grip of first place to a red-hot Kingston club, it’s not as though the Wolseley Unions are struggling. They have gone 49-29 over the past three months and show no signs of letting up. Head-to-head, the Pelicans and Unions have each won 6 games against each other this season, with four matchups remaining. While both clubs have practically locked up a playoff spot at this point, the Unions don’t appear to be conceding first place just yet. The story in Wolseley this season has been the play of rookie C Éric Denis (.358/.395/.457, 3 HR, 50 RBI, 21 BB, 4.8 WAR). After 27-year old C Thomas Geary (.289/.360/.444, 1 HR, 8 HR, 5 BB, 0.6 WAR) separated his hip joint in late-October, the 22-year old Denis from Canada took over catching duties and has not looked back. Since then, he has won three Rookie of the Month honours and an All-Star selection. Coupled with his outstanding defensive play, the former 12th overall pick from 1943-44 has firmly entrenched himself as Wolseley’s starting catcher – and one of their best players. Six Unions made this year’s all-star squad: SP Jeremy Albury (1st), SP Ian Peter (2nd), SP Kai Tosh (1st), C Éric Denis (1st), LF Carlton Hawking (2nd) and CF Zak Kidd (7th). Offense: .261/.346/.359 (1st/2nd/3rd) Pitching: 3.30/3.19/3.88 (5th/5th/7th) Defense: .712 (3rd) *Player of the Week Awards:* January 20 – LF Carlton Hawking (.571, 12 H, 2 RBI, 4 R) *Noteworthy:* December 27 – Although the Balmoral Giants won 7-5, 25-year old LF Carlton Hawking (.324/.421/.470, 9 HR, 49 RBI, 70 BB, 3.8 WAR) enjoyed a great day at the plate. He went 5 for 5, with singles in the 2nd, 3rd and 6th innings, a solo home run in the 8th and an RBI double in the 9th. *Key Trade:* January 13 with the Fort Richmond Generals To Wolseley – 25-year old 2B Neil Boyle (59/64) To Fort Richmond – 31-year old 2B Oscar Agnolutto (29/29) *Knee-jerk reaction:* The Generals were busy leading up to the trade deadline, as they completed three deals, with three different teams. In this deal, two glove men are exchanged, as both Boyle and Agnolutto are simply outstanding defensively. But Boyle has two Top Fielder Awards and an All-Star selection to his credit. Interestingly, both players had their best season in 1944-45, when Boyle earned 4.5 WAR and Agnolutto was worth 3.8. But neither are particularly noted for their bats. As it is, Boyle will serve as a utility infielder while 22-year old 2B Westin Woollams (.208/.280/.231) struggles with major league hitting. Meanwhile, Agnolutto will get a chance to start for the Generals, which I don’t think qualifies as an improvement. -------- After an encouraging start, the Cambria Cannons have cooled off and essentially become an afterthought along with the rest of the clubs trailing Kingston and Wolseley in the West. The pitching staff has done its job, but the offense have not provided the kind of support that a contender needs. Case in point is 35-year old RHP Pete Allison (6-12, 2.58 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 131 ERA+), who went 2-8, 2.73 ERA in December and January combined. Three Cannons represented the West in this year’s All-Star game: RP Carl Luscombe (5th), C Heung-su Park (2nd) and SS Wenceslas Jasmin (4th). Offense: .238/.313/.339 (7th/5th/5th) Pitching: 3.12/3.16/2.91 (3rd/3rd/3rd) Defense: .709 (5th) *Player of the Week Awards:* December 2 – C Heung-su Park (.385, 10 H, 4 HR, 7 RBI) *Noteworthy:* January 28 – 29-year old C Heung-su Park (.298/.336/.504, 14 HR, 55 RBI, 21 BB, 4.4 WAR) enjoyed a great day against the Braeland City Monarchs, finishing with 4 hits in 5 at-bats. In the process, he hit for the CYCLE, the 14th in United Leagues history. Park singled in the 1st, hit a two-run triple in the 3rd, hit a solo-home run in the 5th and hit an RBI double in the 7th. He flied out in the 8th. He finished with 2 R and 5 RBI, leading the Cannons to a 6-1 road victory over the Monarchs. *Injuries:* January 1 – 25-year old LF Santo Fuentes (.318/.408/.394, 5-2B, 11 RBI, 10 BB) – brain fever – another 2 months October 13 – 33-year old RHP Jin-man Kim – separated hip joint – suffered setback on January 1; out further 4 weeks. *Key Trade:* January 21 with the Fort Richmond Generals To Cambria – 26-year old 2B Matthew Welson (23/27) To Fort Richmond – 29-year old OF Ron Westmacott (73/74) Knee-jerk reaction: It appears the drama is over in Cambria, as the Cannons said goodbye to the face of the franchise in Westmacott. The former 5-time all-star and 1942-43 Babe Ruth Award winner was seldom used over the past season and a half, as injuries and a crowded outfield limited his playing time and reduced his overall value in the eyes of Cambria. With Fort Richmond, he will once again be given a chance to start on a regular basis, despite his injury history. But what the Cannons get in return is a former 1st round draft pick from 1941-42 who has been a major disappointment. Welson did make the all-star team once, but his stock has sharply declined since 1944 and will be little more than a utility infielder. At any rate, it will certainly be strange seeing Westmacott in a uniform other than the Cannons. -------- The Fort Richmond Generals were the most active team leading up to the trade deadline, but it seems little more than window dressing at this point. The Generals were respectable in December and January and have one of the top pitching staffs in the West, but their offense has not been able to keep up with likes of the Pelicans and Unions. CF Dylan Moyne (.271/.334/.416, 10 HR, 49 RBI, 35 BB, 4.3 WAR) is having another great season, and 22-year old rookie RF Brandon Robinson (.261/.279/.326, 2 HR, 25 RBI, 10 BB, 5 SB, 0.4 WAR) has shown flashes of promise, but the rest of the offense has been anemic. If the lineup could step it up next season, then the Generals might finally make some noise. Moyne qualified for his first All-Star game – the only General selected. Offense: .246/.312/.336 (5th/6th/6th) Pitching: 3.07/3.07/3.06 (2nd/1st/5th) Defense: .728 (1st) *Injuries:* December 26 – 24-year old RHP Nicky Sherlock (4-8, 3.32 ERA, 1.25 WHIP) – sore shoulder – 3 more weeks *Key Trade:* January 7 with the Pulberry Trolleys To Fort Richmond – 28-year old IF Francis Burrow (69/69) To Pulberry – 26-year old C Bennie Guis (23/29) *Knee-jerk reaction:* Another trade that can be categorized as a minor tweak for both clubs. Fort Richmond, dissatisfied with the performance of IF Steven Wormleighton (.279/.318/.367, 2 HR, 27 RBI, 15 BB, 1.4 WAR), have opted instead to acquire Burrow to be their new 3B. Wormleighton, who missed two seasons while serving in the military, has not returned to his pre-war performance. But it’s hard to figure Burrow being much better. He is not an embarrassment at the plate, but defense is his calling card. The same goes for Guis, who is very good defensively, but whose weak bat has kept him down in AAA. But the Trolleys apparently were desperate for a change at catcher, so Guis will get to start on a regular basis. -------- Like the rest of the also rans in the West, the Hespeler Stars have faded from view, largely due to their struggling pitching staff, which currently ranks last in nearly all pitching categories. They also don’t have a truly marquee player on the 25-man roster. The closest is 26-year old RF Marcus Peyto (.303/.399/.481, 9 HR, 46 RBI, 52 BB, 3.4 WAR). Although he did not make the all-star team, he has been Hespeler’s most consistent player this season, and is enjoying the best year of his 6-year career. But the second overall pick from 1941-42 may see some reinforcements arrive within the next couple of years – the Stars have the deepest farm system in the ULB. That includes four prospects rated in the overall top 20. In fact, their AAA farm club, the Delamere Dark Blues, are currently the top team in the Amethyst Leagues with a 64-33 record. So brighter days may be on the horizon. Hespeler sent three players to this year’s All-Star game: 1B Wayne Savory (2nd), 3B Loïc Billon (1st) and CF Vic Weetman (3rd). Offense: .254/.315/.363 (4th/4th/2nd) Pitching: 4.08/4.15/3.80 (8th/8th/6th) Defense: .705 (7th) *Player of the Week Awards:* January 6 – 1B Wayne Savory (.471, 8 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI) -------- The Pulberry Trolleys have managed to win 12 games in each of the first four months of the season, but they have also tended to lose more than that each month, so that hasn’t exactly helped things. Indeed, the Trolleys’ roster has a distinct patchwork appearance, with players picked up from waivers (such as veteran relievers Bradley Paris and Brendan Margerson), stop-gaps such as recently acquired C Bennie Guis to players nearing the end of their productivity (34-year old 3B Terry Maxwell -.182/.242/.266). Add the fact that Pulberry has one of the weakest farm systems in the ULB (ranked 15 out of 16) and it’s not hard to see that this team will continue to look ‘ragged’ for the foreseeable future. Two players have stood out thus far: 25-year old RHP Alexander Ellacott (12-7, 2.49 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 136 ERA+) and 28-year old RF Jarod Dwyer (.283/.342/.450, 11 HR, 46 RBI, 31 BB, 9 SB, 3.9 WAR). Pulberry also sent three players to this year’s All-Star game: SP Alexander Ellacott (2nd), SS Roland Binns (3rd) and RF Jarod Dwyer (1st). Offense: .242/.306/.335 (6th/8th/7th) Pitching: 3.15/3.18/2.95 (4th/4th/4th) Defense: .728 (1st) *Player of the Week Awards:* December 30 – RHP Lee Dowdeswell (2-0, 0.50 ERA, 18.0 IP, 10 H, 9 K, 4 BB) *Injuries:* November 25 – 24-year old CF Tadamichi Matsumoto – fractured jaw – another 5 weeks January 16 – 31-year old LHP Brenden Margerson (1-0, 2 SV, 2.29 ERA, 0.97 WHIP – shoulder swelling – 2 months -------- Despite the loss of SS Francisco Rodríguez to injury during all of December, the Balmoral Giants went on an impressive run that month, winning 17 games and moving into a two-way tie for third place with Cambria. But just as he returned, the Giants imploded, falling back into 7th place and confirmed irrelevance. They were outscored by nearly 2 full runs per game during January, just slightly better than Sherburn. There is plenty of blame to go around: RHP Connor Ainsley (8-8, 3.78 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 91 ERA+), who won Pitcher of the Month honours in October, struggled in January, going 0-3, 7.50 ERA. Balmoral’s lead-off hitter, 23-year old CF Clyde Whitaker (.214/.316/.301, 3 HR, 19 RBI, 46 BB, 0.2 WAR) appeared to be making slow but steady progress as a full-time player. But he slumped terribly last month (.181/.299/.217). Perhaps it’s no surprise the Giants switched their focus to ‘rebuild’ from ‘neutral’ in light of their freefall. Seven Giants were selected to the All-Star game: RP Dan Moon (1st), 2B Sean Brearton (1st), 3B Allen Cattanach (3rd), SS Francisco Rodríguez (7th), CF Damon Purcell (3rd) and RF Carlton Broadbent (6th). Offense: .257/.328/.358 (3rd/3rd/4th) Pitching: 3.78/4.00/2.56 (7th/7th/2nd) Defense: .705 (6th) *Player of the Week Awards:* December 16 – RF Carlton Broadbent (.429, 9 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI) *Injuries:* November 30 – 28-year old LF Ellis Rothwell – fractured ankle – another 2-3 weeks January 20 – 27-year old CF Damon Purcell (.278/.324/.435, 10 HR, 53 RBI, 21 BB, 1.9 WAR) – strained thigh – 3 weeks January 31 – 26-year old RHP Cris Herrera (5-14, 3.73 ERA, 1.39 WHP) – strained neck muscles – 1-2 weeks *Key Trade:* January 13 with the Sherburn Tigers To Balmoral – 26-year old SP Cris Herrera (49/54) To Sherburn – 26-year old CF Javier Serrano (58/58) Knee-jerk reaction: Two players, in desperate need for scenery changes, get their wish. Herrera, an average pitcher who was Sherburn’s No. 4 starter for close to four seasons, has had a rough year with the offensively challenged Tigers. He gets a fresh start with the slightly more successful Giants who could use any boost they can get to their pitching. They will have to wait, however, as Herrera injured his neck in late January, after going 1-3, 3.95 ERA in four starts with Balmoral. With Serrano, the Tigers get another player who has been a disappointment. Serrano was drafted 13th overall in 1943-44 by the Giants and was rated as the No. 12 prospect in the ULB as recently as October 1945. But he has not blossomed into a starter, and will be a fourth outfielder with Sherburn. But if their offense continues to flounder, Serrano may soon be given the chance to start. On January 30 for example, Serrano went 4-5 with 1 RBI, 2 R in a 6-3 win over the Pulberry Trolleys. -------- The Sherburn Tigers continue their frustrating ways. After winning 14 games in December (just as they did in October), they crashed in January, winning just 7 (just as they did in November). The ‘Who’s Not’ section sums things up for the Tigers on their lost season. Only three players can be said to be having very good seasons: SP Jesús Chapa (11-10, 2.26 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 154 ERA+), SP Roberto Taváres (8-11, 3.36 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 103 ERA+) and SS Otton Overbeek (.264/.316/.404, 7 HR, 37 RBI, 31 BB, 3.1 WAR). Hey, look who qualified for the All-Star game this year: SP Jesús Chapa (3rd), SP Roberto Taváres (4th) and SS Otton Overbeek (4th). Offense: .237/.310/.314 (8th/7th/8th) Pitching: 3.41/3.20/4.72 (6th/6th/8th) Defense: .703 (8th) *Player of the Week Awards:* December 9 – SS Otton Overbeek (.500, 13 H, 1 HR, 3 RBI) *Noteworthy:* December 3 – For the second time this season, SS Otton Overbeek had a big day at the plate. Overbeek went 5-6 against his old team, the Braeland City Monarchs, helping the Tigers prevail 7-6. He grounded out in the 1st, singled in the 4th and 6th, doubled in the 8th, singled in the 9th and hit an RBI single in the 10th. -------- Last edited by reds1; 07-26-2017 at 06:06 PM.

07-01-2017, 07:15 PM	#337
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,919	March 30, 1947 Eastern League: Eagles, Legends to Battle for Pennant -------- The Queensland Eagles finish in top spot for the first time in their ten-year existence, and qualify for the playoffs for just the second time. Back in 1937-38, the United Leagues’ inaugural season, the Eagles won 88 games, their best mark thus far. That was good enough for the wild card, as they finished 1 game back of the Wellington Athletics. But this season, their 86 victories secured them first place and home field advantage in the playoffs. That may make a difference, as the Eagles sported the best home record in the East (47-30), while they finished just one game above .500 (39-38) on the road. Offense: .266/.339/.391 (2nd/3rd/1st) Pitching: 3.57/3.64/3.21 (4th/5th/5th) Defense: .687 (7th) *Difference Makers:* Queensland enjoyed one of the top offenses in the Eastern League, so there is no shortage of candidates. But I’ll go with RF Jilenko Vergara (.309/.388/.498, 17 HR, 70 RBI, 62 BB, 6.1 WAR). The 27-year old enjoyed his best season by far in his 3-year career and was solid in the outfield as well (.975 PCT, 2.60 RNG, +9.6 ZR, 1.050 EFF). Queensland’s pitching staff is not the most dominant unit around, but it can still hold its own. It was led by two Australians: 27-year old Aaron Saunderson (17-15, 3.54 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 2.86 FIP) and 39-year old Stewart Colcott (15-11, 3.35 ERA, 1.42 WHP, 3.05 FIP). Colcott in particular, finished the season strong, going 8-1, 2.03 ERA in February and March, winning Pitcher of the Month honours in March. That stretch included two complete game shutouts; one against the Fort Richmond Generals in February and one against the Brunswick Legends in March. No doubt the Eagles hope his strong play carries over into the playoffs when they face the Legends for the Pennant. -------- The Brunswick Legends return to the playoffs after a one-year absence, but their resurgence, if you can call it that has more to do with the League’s overall parity than to any particular dominance on their part. Brunswick won 82 games, just 2 more than last season, when they finished in 4th place. Their expected record was only 79-75, so we are not dealing with the same team that won 101 games back in 1944-45. In fact, they beat out the Cobourg Red Stockings by just one game to make the playoffs. Still, they know how to win, and their pitching squad, at least the rotation, remains top-notch. Offense: .246/.328/.345 (7th/4th/7th) Pitching: 3.15/2.92/4.09 (1st/1st/7th) Defense: .699 (6th) *Difference Makers:* Offense is showing signs of going to seed, but 30-year old 1B Stuart Bentham (.314/.403/.500, 24HR, 72 RBI, 90 BB, 5.2 WAR) remained his stalwart self and actually got better as the season wound down. The four lefties in the Legends’ rotation are all seasoned veterans, but No. 1 starter Anastasio Rodríguez (20-12, 2.42 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 2.63 FIP) was easily Brunswick’s best pitcher this season. *Player of the Week Awards:* February 24 – 1B Stuart Bentham (.526, 10 H, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 4 R) -------- They came oh so close, but in the end the Cobourg Red Stockings came up short in reaching the playoffs for the first time in their existence. It was a tough finish, as they were beaten by Brunswick by just a single game for the wild card. Still, their 81 wins marks the first time they finished with a winning record and their 3rd place finish, just 5 games back of first place, is easily their best mark to date. In their previous 9 seasons, they finished in last place 6 times and in 6th place three times. Offense: .266/.324/.366 (3rd/5th/4th) Pitching: 3.36/3.53/2.61 (3rd/4th/1st) Defense: .705 (4th) *Difference Makers:* With nine 1st round draft picks on their 40-man roster and three No. 1 overall picks in their lineup, you know good things should start happening soon. Still, with a roster so young, the Red Stockings endured some growing pains. But 25-year old SS John Medley (.293/.355/.422, 2 HR, 61 RBI, 56 BB, 4.7 WAR) may be outgrowing them, as he enjoyed his best season thus far in his young career. He was solid on defense as well (.952 PCT, 4.82 RNG, +3.4 ZR, 1.009 EFF). 25-year old RHP Trent Beaton (20-10, 2.50 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 3.39 FIP) enjoyed his best season of his young career as well. The 17th overall pick from 1943-1944 completed his 3rd season in the ULB. *Noteworthy:* March 28 – CF Raymond Williams (.243/.264/.349, 7 HR, 20 RBI, 7 BB, 0.9 WAR), Coborug’s lead-off hitter and first overall pick from 1945-46 had a big day against the Embro Suns, going 5-for-5 in Cobourg’s 4-2 win. The 20-year old rookie singled in the 1st, 3rd, 4th, 6th and 8th innings, with 1 R. But just the day before, Williams went 2-3 at the plate, scoring 5 RBI and 4 R off of two home runs, the last one being a grand slam. He also drew two BB for good measure, helping the Red Stockings to an 11-5 victory. It’s no surprise he won Rookie of the Month honours for March. -------- The Wellington Athletics tied the Queensland Eagles for most wins in the East in the second half of the season (44), but it wasn’t enough for them to seriously push Brunswick for the wild card, as they cooled off in the final days of the season (3-7). Still, their 78 victories moved them into the first division and gave them their first winning season since 1942-43, when they also won 78 games. Offense: .265/.322/.360 (4th/7th/5th) Pitching: 3.18/3.18/3.18 (2nd/2nd/4th) Defense: .715 (2nd) *Difference Makers:* 27-year old C Mick Gunnis (.315/.364/.440, 15 HR, 91 RBI, 42 BB, 6.0 WAR) has come into his won in just his third full season in the ULB, leading his team in a slew of offensive categories. Only his defense needs some refining (.971 PCT, 3.95 RNG, -2.9 ZR, .997 EFF). The player awards won’t be handed out until the off-season, but the Eastern League Satchel Paige Award winner should be a mere formality, as 27-year old LHP Arthur Bence (22-10, 1.93 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 2.89 FIP, 289.1 IP, 75 BB, 142 K) pulled off one of the greatest seasons in the ULB by a pitcher, winning the Triple Crown. It is the just the second triple crown won by a pitcher (Kingston’s Brady Murdy first won it in 1938-39) and fourth overall. Only Wolseley’s RHP Jeremy Albury prevented him from achieving a ULB-wide triple crown by striking out more batters (150). *Player of the Week Awards:* February 17 – 1B Rubén Sánchez (.524, 11 H, 1 HR, 3 RBI) *Noteworthy:* March 12 – SS Zhao-hui Qian (.251/.297/.389, 2 HR, 21 RBI, 16 BB, 4 SB, 1.6 WAR) went 5 for 5 against the Cobourg Red Stockings, helping the Athletics prevail 6-5. Qian singled in the 1st, singled in the 2nd, doubled in the 5th, hit an RBI single in the 6th and singled in the 8th. -------- Indifferent pitching and hitting throughout the season did the Stratford Barons in, preventing them from successfully defending their United Cup title. The Barons have been alternating first place finishes with losing records the past few seasons. Last year, they won 87 games and the Cup. The year before, they won only 72 games and finished 29 games back of Brunswick. In 1943-44, they won 93 games but lost to the Legends in the Pennant Series. In 1942-44, they lost 78 games and finished in 6th place. Finally, in 1941-42, they won 92 games but finished 1 game back of Brunswick for the wild card. Perhaps next season, they will bounce back. Getting full, productive seasons from players like 31-year old RF Steven Winstanley (.262/.344/.366, 6 HR, 45 RBI, 49 BB, 2.8 WAR) and 27-year old CF Ricardo Castellanos (.276/.336/.410, 4 HR, 47 RBI, 31 BB, 8vSB, 3.4 WAR) will go a long way in achieving that. After excruciatingly slow starts, both picked things up in the second half of the season. Losing their top starter, 38-year old Ryan Borden (3-7, 3.33 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 2.05 FIP) in December to a season-ending injury didn’t help matters either. Offense: .256/.347/.352 (6th/1st/6th) Pitching: 3.64/3.52/4.35 (6th/3rd/8th) Defense: .700 (5th) *Difference Makers:* 27-year old C Aaron Skidmore (.285/.417/.437, 16 HR, 87 RBI, 116 BB, 7.5 WAR) just keeps getting better and better with each passing season, while 34-year old SS Jake Walker (.336/.441/.453, 5 HR, 63 RBI, 80 BB, 6.2 WAR) remains one of the top-rated players in the ULB (just behind No. 1 C Danny Trowbridge and just ahead of teammate Skidmore). 36-year old SP Joel Fearn (20-12, 3.35 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 2.98 FIP) enjoyed his third 20-win season and continues to lead the ULB in career wins (178), complete games (229), IP (2733.2) and Pitching WAR (64.3). *Player of the Week Awards:* February 3 – CF Ricardo Castellanos (.444, 12 H, 1 HR, 9 RBI) *Noteworthy:* March 12 – The Brunswick Legends just could not figure out SS Jake Walker, and they paid dearly for it, falling 10-3 to Stratford. Walker went 5 for 5 on the day, with singles in the 1st, 2nd, 4th and 7th innings. He capped it off with a 2-run triple in the 8th. -------- After bottoming out in January, the Downie Chiefs rebounded with back-to-back winning months. Their 72 victories mark the first time in 6 seasons that they finished with more than 70 wins. Perhaps that’s stretching things in order to find some optimism with this team, but they have a strong farm system and their top seven prospects have now reached the major leagues. So hopefully this means the Chiefs will finally turn the corner soon. Offense: .244/.303/.343 (8th/8th/8th) Pitching: 3.65/3.84/2.66 (7th/7th/2nd) Defense: .722 (1st) *Difference Makers:* The offense is a work in progress (i.e. a nightmare), so no difference maker this year. But 24-year old SP Kelii Pelanekelina (14-13, 2.99 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 3.50 FIP) is developing into a solid pitcher for the Chiefs. The former third round pick from 1941-42 won his first Pitcher of the Month Award in February. *Player of the Week Awards:* March 3 – CF Alfonzo León (.417, 10 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI) -------- The Embro Suns could not overcome the worst ranked pitching staff in the United Leagues (their 4.8 R/G was comfortably ahead of Hespeler’s 4.4), and slumped to 7th place in the East, their worst showing thus far in the ULB. It’s just the second time that they finished below .500; back in 1943-44, they also finished with a 72-82 record. But help may soon be on the way. The Suns have three Top 20 SP prospects making their way through the minors: 21-year old LHP Carl McBroom (7th overall – 6th overall pick in 1944-45), 21-year old RHP Juan Rivas (9th overall – 14th overall pick in 1945-46) and 20-year old RHP Reece McLaughlin (17th overall – 3rd round pick in 1945-46). McBroom and Rivas are in AAA and with a little more experience; they may be ready for prime time in a season or two. In the meantime, Embro no doubt hopes their current staff can rebound and tide them over until the young guns are ready. Offense: .264/.346/.375 (5th/2nd/3rd) Pitching: 4.03/4.14/3.61 (8th/8th/6th) Defense: .684 (8th) *Difference Makers:* After missing most of October and November due to a knee injury, 32-year old 1B Jim Friend (.322/.405/.550, 23 HR, 97 RBI, 64 BB, 5.8 WAR) returned to being one of the most feared hitters in the United Leagues, winning back-to-back Batter of the Month Awards in February and March. 33-year old CF Terence Durney (.340/.416/.484, 9 HR, 70 RBI, 60 BB, 4.5 WAR) also had a terrific season at the plate, winning the Eastern League Batting Title. Although the rest of the pitching staff struggled all season, 37-year old RHP Colm Soper (5-5, 24 SV, 1.85 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 2.76 FIP) was simply outstanding, leading the United Leagues in saves. The 8-time all-star and former Satchel Paige Award winner won 22 games in a season twice, but for the past four seasons, he has turned himself into one of the top relievers in the ULB, behind only Cambria’s RHP Carl Luscombe. *Noteworthy:* March 26 – The Embro Suns had their struggles this season, but 24-year old back-up C César Morales contributed one highlight, as he went 5 for 5 in a 18-7 shellacking of the Queensland Eagles. Morales singled in the 2nd and 3rd, hit an RBI double in the 4th, struck out in the 4th, singled in the 6th and hit an RBI double in the 8th. -------- It was a long season in the nation’s capital, as the Braeland City Monarchs quickly faded from relevance after sprinting out to a 16-9 record way back in October. They went just 52-77 the rest of the way, despite enjoying some fine performances from their key players. But injuries and ‘bad luck’ conspired against them. The Monarchs went just 18-32 (.360) in one-run games and ended -9 compared to their Pyt. Rec., easily the worst mark in the ULB. The end result was a last place finish, their first since their inaugural season, when they won just 66 games. But with some improved health and karma, next season could see a return of optimism. Offense: .269/.324/.375 (1st/6th/2nd) Pitching: 3.60/3.69/3.12 (5th/6th/3rd) Defense: .706 (3rd) *Difference Makers: The career arc of 33-year old 3B Adam Ashley* (.328/.397/.439, 2 HR, 51 RBI, 70 BB, 10 SB, 7.9 WAR) is just one the joys I glean from following the ULB. After being one of the most dominating players in the ULB in its first couple of seasons, his star began to fade if just a little. It then bottomed out from 1942-43 as he spent more time on the DL than on the field. But in 1944, he began his return to relevance to the point that he is now one of the top players in the ULB once again. This past season was his best yet and one of the best all-round seasons enjoyed by a player in the ULB. His WAR was second only to Kingston’s Danny Trowbridge (9.1). Ashley previously won 5 Top Fielder Awards when he was Braeland’s primary shortstop. He may very well add his sixth fielding award as his defense was sensational at the hot corner this season (.955 PCT, 2.98 RNG, +12.1 ZR, 1.041 EFF). *Player of the Week Awards:* February 10 – 1B Kyle Pryor (.381, 8 H, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 5 R) March 10 – 3B Adam Ashley (.458, 11 H, 2 RBI, 5 R) March 17 – LF Patrick Vick (.500, 12 H, 1 HR, 7 RBI) March 24 - – 1B Kyle Pryor (.619, 13 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI) --------

07-01-2017, 07:20 PM	#338
Bottom Of The Sixth All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Land of Lincoln Posts: 1,255	Welcome back, my friend. Glad to see The League of All Leagues, back in business!

07-02-2017, 11:28 PM	#339
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,919	Thank you so much for the kind words, Chad! Although I see I will have to repost all my graphics in this thread onto imgur, thanks to Photobucket's blackmail tactics. Oh well, I was really tired of Photo-kick-the-bucket anyway, since their pop-ups were really becoming obtrusive, so I guess its a blessing in disguise (until imgur tries to pull the same stunt). In the meantime, I wanted to post an updated link to my Braeland caps, jersey, logos, etc. as I made a number of tweaks: Here are the updates: Balmoral Giants: 1992-2000 - new logo Braeland City Monarchs: 1983-2000 - new logo, updated patches on home & away Cambria Cannons: 1975-1990 - new logo Downie Chiefs: 1937-1949 - new logo; 1958-1964 - slightly tweaked logo Embro Suns: 1958-1964 - new logo Fort Richmond Generals: 1983-2000 - updated home & away Hespeler Stars: 1975-1982 - updated home & away jerseys Pulberry Trolleys: 1990-2000 - new logo, revised patch on home & away, new alternate jersey Queensland Eagles: 1984-2000 - revised alternate jersey Stratford Barons: 1985-2000 - revised logo Wellington Athletics: 1975-1986 - revised logo Wolseley Unions: 1975-2000 - revised logos

07-05-2017, 08:00 PM	#340
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,919	March 30, 1947 Western League: Kingston & Wolseley Make the Grade -------- Despite trailing the Wolseley Unions for the first half of the season, the Kingston Pelicans finish on top in the West by 7 games. After winning 104 games last season, the Pelicans were the only team in the United Leagues this season to surpass 90. Once again, they are a remarkably balanced team who should be the prohibited favourites heading into the playoffs. They qualified for the playoffs for the 10th consecutive season, and finish on top of the Western League standings for the 7th time. This is also the 5th time they sport the best record in the entire ULB. Offense: .253/.336/.374 (2nd/2nd/1st) Pitching: 2.85/3.04/1.89 (1st/2nd/1st) Defense: .713 (tied for 3rd) *Difference Makers:* No surprise here. 28-year old C Danny Trowbridge (.343/.434/.504, 16 HR, 80 RBI, 85 BB, 8 SB, 9.1 WAR) is the class of the United Leagues, and won the Western League Batting Title for the second consecutive season. This season also saw the best defensive performance of his career (.988 PCT, 4.88 RNG, +5.5 ZR, 1.267 EFF). Kingston’s pitching staff is elite, so it’s difficult to narrow it down to one. That said, 27-year old RHP Ben Currall (20-7, 2.19 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 301 FIP) led his team in a slew of pitching categories. Interestingly, Currall also went 20-7 last season (with a 2.97 ERA). *Player of the Week Awards:* February 17 – C Danny Trowbridge (.500, 14 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI) March 10 – SP Patrick Denman (2-0, 18.0 IP, 0.50 ERA, 9 K) March 17 – SP Ben Currall (2-0, 18.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 8 K) *Noteworthy:* February 2 – With his team down 2-1 against the Wolseley Unions, 31-year old SS Katsunan Chickafuji (.297/.357/.426, 11 HR, 64 RBI, 38 BB, 4.1 WAR) hit a two-run home run off of Wolseley’s RHP Jeremy Albury in the bottom of the 8th inning in a game played at Kingston Park. That proved to be the difference as the Pelicans held on to win 3-2. But this home run did more than just win a game. It was Chickafuji’s 183rd career home run, breaking a tie with teammate 39-year old LF Jayden Tennant. Chickafuji now stands alone at the top of the career home run leaderboard, with 186 at season’s end. The quiet, unassuming Chikafuji, who was born in Kingston, also leads the United Leagues in career total bases (2744), RBIs (953) and WAR (65.1) -------- The Wolseley Unions enjoyed their second consecutive winning season and were rewarded with their first playoff appearance in franchise history. They held onto first place until January when Kingston began to overtake them. But February and March saw them struggle a bit to finish 7 games back. While their bullpen is not the strongest unit around, their offense is right on par with Kingston, which should make the upcoming Pennant Series compelling. Offense: .262/.341/.359 (1st/1st/2nd) Pitching: 3.31/3.17/4.05 (6th/4th/7th) Defense: .710 (7th) *Difference Makers:* With four 1st-round draft picks residing in the heart of their line-up, and no one older than 28-year old CF Zak Kidd (.275/.348/.484, 12 HR, 48 RBI, 29 BB, 9 SB, 2.5 WAR), the Unions’ already impressive offense should only be getting stronger. 22-year old C Éric Denis (.320/.359/.419, 6 HR, 64 RBI, 31 BB, 5.7 WAR), in just his rookie season, well represents this impressive youth movement. His defense was solid as well (.974 PCT, 4.63 RNG, +3.6 ZR, 1.048 EFF). Wolseley’s No. 3 hitter, 25-year old LF Carlton Hawking (.335/.422/.482, 13 HR, 73 RBI, 83 BB, 5.4 WAR) is considered Wolseley’s top player, rated No. 6 overall in the ULB. No. 2 starter, 27-year old RHP Kai Tosh (18-8, 2.79 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 2.78 FIP) enjoyed the best season of his six-year career. *Noteworthy:* February 1 – Wolseley enjoyed a big day against the Kingston Pelicans in Kingston, as the Unions clobbered them, 12-2. 25-year old SS Burt Willey (.305/.368/.385, 4 HR, 43 RBI, 39 BB, 3.9 WAR) played a big part in the triumph. He went 5 for 5, including a GRAND SLAM in the 1st inning to start things off. He also singled in the 3rd, doubled in the 4th, hit an RBI double in the 6th and hit an RBI single in the 8th. Willey went on to win Rookie of the Month honours for February. -------- The Cambria Cannons missed the playoffs and finished with a losing record for the second consecutive season after going 89-65 in 1944-45 and capturing first place. The Cannons are finding themselves in an increasingly precarious situation. The majority of their players are 30-years of age and over with only a few promising youngsters ready to bolster the roster. Their farm system is ranked dead last (0 points) and their efforts to keep their playoff window open have not paid off. They still have talent on the major league roster to be sure, but it may not be enough to prevent a fall into the second division next season. Offense: .246/.317/.344 (6th/4th/5th) Pitching: 3.19/3.29/2.65 (4th/6th/3rd) Defense: .707 (8th) *Player of the Week Awards:* March 3 – SS Wesceslas Jasmin (.613, 19 H, 2 RBI) *Difference Makers:* Cambria enjoyed a career year from 29-year old C Heung-su Park (.304/.346/.463, 15 HR, 74 RBI, 34 BB, 6.3 WAR), his 6th full season in the United Leagues. He is rated 14th overall in the ULB and represents Cambria’s only Top 20 player. 35-year old RHP Pete Allison (9-18, 2.70 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 3.30 FIP) led the team in 15 pitching categories, but not all of them were admirable. But his was largely a case of poor run support. In fact, his performance was on par with his 1941-42 season with the Embro Suns. That year, he went 22-9, 2.90 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 3.55 FIP. He is now 129-129, 3.92 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 3.98 FIP for his 10-year career. *Noteworthy:* February 22 – 32-year old LF Clint Jones (.283/.359/.415, 11 HR, 66 RBI, 54 BB, 3.1 WAR) went 5-for-5 against the Hespeler Stars in a 4-3 Cannons’ victory. Jones singled in the 1st, 4th and 6th innings, hit a 2-run home run in the 8th and singled in the 11th. Although replaced by a pinch runner, the Cannons pulled out the victory in the 11th when PH William Douglas doubled in PR Mark Cassidy. -------- The Fort Richmond Generals remain one of five teams that have yet to make the playoffs. They have never enjoyed a winning season. In fact, they finished with just 70-something victories for the 8th time in 10 seasons. And yet, there is much room for optimism in the ULB’s smallest market. The Generals have assembled perhaps their strongest pitching staff. And while the offense struggled, help has either just arrived or on its way. The farm system is ranked 3rd overall and they boast the top-rated prospect in RF Brandon Robinson. They have four more prospects ranked in the Top 100 for batters and another five ranked in the Top 100 for pitchers. So while the team will likely experience further growing pains, there is a real possibility that the Generals may finally breakthrough in the not-too-distant future. Offense: .247/.311/.338 (5th/7th/7th) Pitching: 3.07/3.14/2.74 (2nd/3rd/4th) Defense: .727 (1st) *Difference Makers:* 25-year old C Louis Wearne (.261/.361/.399, 16 HR, 55 RBI, 82 BB, 5.4 WAR) enjoyed a breakthrough season at the plate in his second year as a starter. Fort Richmond is hoping that more is to come from their 6th overall pick from 1943-44. Former first overall pick 24-year old CF Dylan Moyne (.264/.324/.414, 14 HR, 61 RBI, 45 BB, 12 SB, 5.4 WAR) continued his stellar play, particularly in the field (.985 PCT, 3.48 RNG, +12.6 ZR, 1.111 EFF). *Noteworthy:* March 29 – Six hits in a game is an accomplishment for any player, but on this day it was achieved by a highly-touted rookie. Against the ULB’s best team no less. 22-year old RF Brandon Robinson (.278/.295/.357, 4 HR, 39 RBI, 13 BB, 9 SB, 1.6 WAR) went 6-for-7 in a 14-inning marathon against the Kingston Pelicans. His efforts helped the Generals steal a 4-3 road victory. Robinson singled in the 1st and 3rd innings, flied out in the 5th, tripled in the 7th, hit an RBI single in the 9th, doubled in the 11th and singled in the 13th. Kingston manager Ben Houchens was nominated for Understatement of the Day, when he declared after the game: “Robinson was a tough out today.” -------- It was more of the same for the Hespeler Stars, as they finished in the middle of the pack in the Western League, well back of a playoff spot. But like the Fort Richmond Generals, the Stars could be on the rise in the near future. They enjoy the deepest farm system in the ULB, with four batting prospects ranked in the Top 25 and three pitching prospects ranked in the Top 30. If those young pitchers can develop into solid starters, then the Stars may finally solve their pitching woes. The only promising youngster on the major league staff is 23-year old RHP Stephen Tindall, who was acquired from the Stratford Barons back in 1945 for C Aaron Skidmore. Offense: .248/.311/.351 (4th/6th/4th) Pitching: 3.85/3.87/3.74 (8th/8th/6th) Defense: .712 (tied for 5th) *Difference Makers:* It was a return to form for the 26-year old RF Marcus Peyto (.288/.381/.472, 16 HR, 73 RBI, 80 BB, 4.7 WAR), as the 2nd overall pick from 1941-42 enjoyed his best season since 1942-43. Although he inexplicably did not make the All-Star team, he was easily Hespeler’s best player this past season. He is the only Hespeler player ranked in the Top 20 (#16). No. 2 starter Stephen Tindall (13-13, 3.09 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 3.01 FIP) moved to the rotation this past season and is starting to show why the Stars gave up All-Star C Aaron Skidmore to get him. If the 7th overall pick from 1943-44 continues to develop, Hespeler could have a solid ace to anchor their rotation that’s still very much a work in progress. -------- The Pulberry Trolleys are a team that have not seen any measurable boost from the draft. They have plenty of first-round talent on their roster, especially in the lineup, but they have not developed as one would expect, especially in comparison with other teams. And now that their farm system is nearly depleted, the Trolleys are facing the prospect of rebuilding without ever having experienced any success from their first build. Unless their young players suddenly find their groove, there may be more lean years ahead in Pulberry. Like a lot more. Offense: .243/.310/.340 (7th/8th/6th) Pitching: 3.22/3.27/2.90 (5th/5th/5th) Defense: .722 (2nd) *Difference Makers:* 28-year old RF Jarod Dwyer (.299/.343/.468, 14 HR, 70 RBI, 42 BB, 10 SB, 5.5 WAR) is the only Trolley that is not treading water or regressing. In fact, this past season was his best all-round season thus far. On defense, he finally found his game (.979 PCT, 2.94 RNG, +8.9 ZR, 1.035 EFF). 25-year old RHP Alexander Ellacott (18-11, 2.64 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 3.40 FIP) toiled for four seasons in the minors after being drafted in the third round back in 1940-41. Now he finds himself installed as No. 1 starter. He didn’t disappoint; in fact, he won his first Pitcher of the Month award for his performance in February. *Player of the Week Awards:* February 10 – Bruno Lapthorne (.524, .524 OBP, 11 H, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 5 R) February 24 – Bruno Lapthorne (.478, 11 H, 6 RBI) -------- Like the Pulberry Trolleys, the Balmoral Giants have a bevy of 1st-round talent on their roster (five in the everyday lineup alone), but they have not developed as hoped. And like the Trolleys, the Giants have one of the weakest farm systems in the ULB (14th overall). Not a good combination. If that wasn’t enough, multiple Babe Ruth Award winner LF Carlton Broadbent (.312/.392/.514, 24 HR, 81 RBI, 80 BB, 3.2 WAR) continues to regress, especially on defense (.973 PCT, 2.56 RNG, -25.2 ZR, .881 EFF). As mentioned previously, Balmoral has switched its focus to ‘rebuild’ this season. Thus it would not be surprising if the Giants make some major moves in the offseason to revitalize the organization. At least, that’s what I would do. Offense: .253/.326/.353 (3rd/3rd/3rd) Pitching: 3.53/3.71/2.50 (7th/7th/2nd) Defense: .713 (tied for 3rd) *Difference Makers:* Although he missed nearly 8 weeks of the season due to injury, 28-year old SS Francisco Rodríguez (.324/.371/.456, 3 HR, 59 RBI, 34 BB, 6.1 WAR) was far and away Balmoral’s best player, and put in another solid defensive effort (.971 PCT, 5.34 RNG, +11.6 ZR, 1.052 EFF). *Player of the Week Awards:* March 24 – SP Bailey Keedwell (2-0, 18.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 6 K) -------- 1946-47 season provided a rude wake-up call as the Sherburn Tigers fell all the way to last place in the West, after capturing the wild card last season. The Tigers appeared to be an up-and-coming team, as they went from 75 wins in 1943-44, to 81 victories in 1944-45 and finally 91 wins just a season ago. But there’s no mystery to the downfall. The offense is the worst in the United Leagues, producing only 3.4 runs/game. The trade for acquiring 28-year old LF Baden Morrall (.204/.300/.234, 4 HR, 43 RBI, 68 BB, 0.2 WAR) was an unmitigated disaster, made worse by the fact that they shipped out SP Arthur Bence, who just happened to win the Eastern League Triple Crown this season with the Wellington Athletics, to get him. However, with an outstanding one-two tandem at the top of the rotation in RHP Jesús Chapa and RHP Roberto Taváres (13-15, 2.86 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 2.61 FIP), the Tigers will always have a chance to win their share of games. And even though the bullpen struggled this season, it is young and should get better. But man, Sherburn will have to address it anemic offense pronto if it wants to take advantage of its All-Star pitchers. Offense: .240/.312/.330 (8th/5th/8th) Pitching: 3.09/2.94/4.09 (3rd/1st/8th) Defense: .712 (tied for 5th) *Player of the Week Awards:* February 3 – C Neil Voigt (.462, 12 H, 4 RBI) *Difference Makers:* 23-year old RHP Jesús Chapa (16-14, 2.13 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 2.46 FIP) is shaping up to be best player taken in the 1942-43 draft. He was selected 4th overall and is already rated No. 2 overall among pitchers in the ULB. Only Brunswick’s Anastasio Rodríguez is rated higher. Teammate Roberto Taváres is rated 3rd overall. *Noteworthy:* February 9 – Jesús Chapa showed why he is one of the best hurlers in the ULB when he 1-hit the Downie Chiefs for a 4-0 complete game victory in Downie. The Chiefs’ lone hit came in the 6th inning when LF Howard Dumbrill led off with a line-drive single. Chapa struck out 7 and surrendered only one walk - intentional – while facing 29 batters on 102 pitches. --------