Chicago Cougars (FABL) - Page 32

ayaghmour2 · 10-13-2021, 02:19 PM

Another rough two win week, as the Cougars slide below .500 after a nice start to the spring. There are very few games left, and I'll have to have my Opening Day Roster ready by Monday, although I will likely set most if not all of it tomorrow. The rotation didn't have great starts, but Pug tossed four hitless with just a walk and a strikeout. Milt Fritz made two starts, 8 innings with 9 hits, 3 runs, 4 walks, and a strikeout. Cy Sullivan went 4 with 4 hits and a run. Joe Brown was decent out of the pen, saving both the wins and tossing 10 innings with 9 hits, a run, 5 walks, and 5 strikeouts. Del Burns threw four scoreless with a hit, 3 walks, and 3 strikeouts. Harry Parker was roughed up, 8 hits and 4 runs with a walk and 3 strikeouts. Pete Papenfus had another poor outing as well, 4 innings with 4 hits, 3 runs, 4 walks, and 2 strikeouts. Every pitcher got an outing, with all but Allen Purvis tossing two or more innings.

The offense heated up a bit, with the six hitters with the most at bats on the week all hitting .300 or better, with three more with 10 or more at batting .450 or higher. Aart MacDonald was 5-for-15 with 2 homers, 4 RBIs, 5 runs, and 2 walks. Ray Ford was 6-for-15 with a double and a pair of walks, runs, and RBIs. Mike Taylor was 6-for-15 with a double, 2 runs, and 2 walks. Leo Mitchell was 7-for-20 with a double, homer, 3 runs, 4 RBIs, a walk, and a steal. Orlin Yates was an even 6-for-12 with 5 walks, 3 runs, and 2 RBIs while Rich Langton was an even 5-for-10 with a triple, walk, and two runs scored.

With just four games left, Harry Parker and Milt Fritz are ready for Opening Day while Dick Lyons, Pete, Cy, and Pug will get one more start a piece. And since I don't expect any of the NRI to break camp with the team, I sent them all down. I already sent Rusty Watts and Homer Ray down, so we're left with 35 of the 37 players on our 40-man roster still in camp. Guys like Larry Robison, Tip Harrison, Dan Everett, and Jim Miller are all destined for AAA, but there are still a few camp battles to be decided on. I have room for at least one arm left on the staff, potentially a second, and then I don't really know how the bench is going to shape up. I'm very excited for this coming season, and I think it will be a fun one for the Cougar faithful.

ayaghmour2 · 10-14-2021, 03:12 PM

4 games in week 4, and we managed to split them. It wasn't a great Spring, but we managed to stay healthy, and that's really all you can ask for. We ended up 11-13, so not terrible, but also not too inspiring. There is also the news of rosters being expanded in the majors, AAA, and AA to 24 players. This means going forward I will likely run with 9 pitchers and 15 hitters, as I have a lot of bats I had to decide between. For the minors, I like having more pitchers on hand, so 10 and 14 will likely be the combo.

Only three of the remaining pitchers on the roster had an ERA above five, and unfortunately, two of those are members of our rotation. I'm hoping this means the bad games are out of the way, especially because one of those is Peter the Heater. His 7.31 ERA and 1.75 WHIP were very unimpressive, and his 12 walks and 8 strikeouts were pretty poor too. It's not panic mode, but I really need to see him pitching better. Cy Sullivan was the other, as his 6.00 ERA and 1.47 WHIP are also pretty poor, but at least he had double the strikeouts (2) then walks (1). Even Harry Parker wasn't all that great, working to a 4.50 ERA and 1.25 WHIP, but his 9 strikeouts to 3 walks were solid. The vets carried the staff, with Dick Lyons and Milt Fritz looking really good. Lyons had a 3.31 ERA and 1.22 WHIP, hire then last year's marks of course, with 3 walks and 6 strikeouts. Fritz rolled a few sixes, his ERA and WHIP 2.25 and 1.12 with 5 walks and 3 strikeouts. Our six starter was Pug Bryan, and he earned himself a roster spot with a 2.76 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 5 walks, and 5 strikeouts. I'm expecting the usual from Pug, impressive Spring before falling off a cliff in the first two months before a demotion to Milwaukee. I'm hoping we can skip all that this year, and just have a reliable swingman/stopper.

Another guy who earned his roster spot was Joe Brown, as he was near faultless in 15 pen innings. He had an impressive 1.20 ERA, but 7 walks and 8 strikeouts led to a 1.40 WHIP. Allen Purvis had a similar 1.69 ERA and 1.50 WHIP with 4 walks and 4 strikeouts while Cal Knight had a 1.69 ERA and 1.42 WHIP with 6 walks and 6 strikeouts. Jim Miller looked good too, a 2.40 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 4 walks, and 8 strikeouts. Even Chet Peacock pitched okay, a 2.84 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 5 walks, and 7 strikeouts.

A few of our hitters cracked .300, including Rich Langton, who slashed an impressive .410/.452/.615 with 6 RBIs, 11 runs, a steal, 2 triples, and 4 doubles. Lawson and Mitchell both topped .350, with Lawson hitting a prime Lawson-esque .357/.396/.429 with a homer, 8 runs, and 5 RBIs while Mitchell hit .350/409/.550 with 4 doubles, a triple, 2 homers, 9 RBIs, 10 runs, and a steal. Mike Taylor slashed .324/.439/.471 with 2 doubles, a homer, 3 RBIs, and 7 runs scored. RBI machine Billy Hunter hit .333/.417/.524 with 3 doubles, a triple, homer, 6 runs, and 11 RBIs.

Aart MacDonald didn't do this best job for keeping his job, batting .174/.296/.348, but with a steal, 2 doubles, 2 homers, 4 RBIs, and 8 runs scored while walking (8) as frequently as he got a hit. Orlin Yates looked much better in an extra plate appearance, batting .333/.473/.357 with a double, 4 RBIs, 5 runs, and a steal with a team high 12 walks. Ducky Jordan didn't make his case either, our #2 prospect hit just .182/.270/.212 with a double, steal, 3 runs, and 7 RBIs. Same goes for Johnnie Williamson, hitting just .114/.139/.114 with 3 runs and an RBI. Harry Mead was much more effective, .381/.435/.571 with a homer, 2 runs, and 2 RBIs. A few starters struggled as well, including new second basemen Freddie Jones. He hit a poor .194/.324/.323 with a double, homer, 2 runs, and 3 RBIs. He stayed healthy, so that's awesome, but I think that's more because I kept his appearances down. Carlos Montes also had some struggles, batting .213/.302/.340 with 4 doubles, a triple, 4 runs, and 6 RBIs. He also stayed healthy, a plus, but I'm expecting a nice showing from him during the season.

And without further adieu, please welcome the 24 Cougars representing Chicago in their first season at cozy Cougars Park! If you're lucky, you'll see a ground rule double bounce off Rich Langton and over the 7 foot walls in right center! Not going to lie, going from 23 players to 24 players really made my life easier, as I didn't have to cut any of my vets or un-optionable players.

Rotation
LHP Dick Lyons
RHP Milt Fritz
RHP Harry Parker
RHP Pete Papenfus
RHP Cy Sullivan

Bullpen
RHP Pug Bryan
RHP Allen Purvis
RHP Joe Brown
LHP Cal Knight

Lineup vs RHP
RF Rich Langton
2B Freddie Jones
LF Leo Mitchell
3B John Lawson
1B Ray Ford
SS Billy Hunter
C Mike Taylor
CF Carlos Montes
Pitcher Spot

Lineup vs LHP
RF Rich Langton
2B Freddie Jones
1B Ray Ford
3B John Lawson
SS Billy Hunter
LF Leo Mitchell
CF Carlos Montes
C Harry Mead
Pitcher Spot

Bench
C Harry Mead/Mike Taylor
1B Lou Kelly
2B Ollie Page
3B Johnny McDowell
LF Doc Love
CF Orlin Yates
RF Tommy Sandstorm

With the weekend approaching, we won't see the Cougars in action until Monday, but I should have time for a nice roster preview, potentially broken down into positional groups. The updated and not yet reliable preseason predictions have us second, now 83-71 instead of 82-72. We now have no projected top players, but I wasn't holding my breath for 300 ace-like innings from Allen Purvis.

ayaghmour2 · 10-15-2021, 03:35 PM

It's time for baseball! The Cougars are back in Chicago and are ready to begin another exciting season. Rufus Barrell thinks the Cougars are set for 2nd place, but also that the two through five teams are so close, you could pick names out of a hat to determine the order. The OSA predictions expect an 82-72 finish, ahead of Brooklyn, who is somehow in fifth. I'd take that with a grain of salt, but I'm definitely aiming to crack the 80 win mark and hopefully luck our way into a pennant race. They do expect a lot of Cougars to have top performances, with two hitters and three pitchers. Leo Mitchell is expected to hit .353/.395/.508 with 19 homers and 90 RBIs while John Lawson is expected to hit .328/.379/.479 with 16 homers and 106 RBIs. I'd love those type of performances from them, and OSA also believes our top three in the rotation will rank in the leagues top 10. Still, I don't see reigning Allen Winner Dick Lyons throwing 354.2 innings, but the 3.86 ERA, 68 walks, and 93 strikeouts wouldn't be bad. They expect a few more innings and a slightly lower ERA from Milt Fritz, with 162 walks and 83 strikeouts. Lastly, Harry Parker will also crack 300 innings with a 4.02 ERA, 75 walks, and 142 strikeouts. All of those look like solid numbers, especially since I know we're going to allow more runs then usual this year.

The farm has taken a hit in the rankings, as we dropped to the 11th best system in baseball. The system is led but baseball's 24th and 25th ranked prospects, Ducky Jordan and Chubby Hall, while Juan Pomales (48th) joins them in the top 50 with Solly Skidmore (51st) and Hal Wood (55th) right outside. Nothing else until Del Burns at 102, but in total we have 14 top 200 prospects and 42 top 500 prospects. I'm excited to refill the system with the upcoming draft, but with all the young talent playing an important role in Chicago, it's not the biggest of worries.

We start the season with three games in Chicago, hosting the Foresters to break in Cougars Park. Cleveland has a new GM for this season, but there are a lot of similar faces on the roster. Their top three in the rotation is Dean Astle, Dave Rankin, and Ben Turner, all talented former Cougar pitchers. One new face in the lineup is Ken Vance, who made 59 appearances last season and will takeover for the now retired T.R. Goins. "Rough Rider" is one of the top catchers of all time, finishing with a career .336/.401/.511 (139 OPS+) batting line in 8,880 plate appearances with the Eagles and Foresters. He's hit 486 doubles and 270 homers with 1,456 RBIs while being worth 84.9 wins above replacement. Goins was a two-time Whitney Winner and 4-time All Star who won the 1923 championship with Washington and the 193 one with Cleveland. Last season was the first and only he had a below average OPS+, hitting just .234/.306/.293 (64 OPS+) with 13 doubles, 0 homers, and 25 RBIs in just 251 trips to the plate.

We don't stay home for long, as we fly out to Toronto after the three game set. The Wolves were outstanding last year, led by Fred McCormick and Nick Wallace. They'll need more help if they want to top the Kings, with Larry Vestal the most likely candidate to pick up the slack. Ranked the top left fielder in the game, somehow above my boy Leo Mitchell, but he does have a nice .302/.378/.447 (119 OPS+) career line. In 907 FABL games, he doubled 151 times, tripled 104 times, homered 40 times, and drove in 466 runs. He's had three consecutive 4.5+ WAR seasons, but he has yet to crack 5. They will also look to rely on sophomore right fielder Reginald Westfall, a former Cougar prospect who hit .271/.354/.412 (108 OPS+) with 33 doubles, 5 triples, 8 homers, and 90 RBIs with a nice 62-to-17 walk-to-strikeout ratio. Of course, the pitching is impressive as well, with Allen Award runner up Joe Hancock leading the rotation. After a dominant 8-1 season last year, Bob Walls snuck into the top pitchers predictions and could evolve into a reliable #2. The back three has question marks, but 21-year-old George Garrison seems like a smart bet for a breakout. It will be a tough couple of games to start the season for sure, and we'll need to be at our best to win a few games.

ayaghmour2 · 10-15-2021, 06:29 PM

RHP Joe Brown
Acquired: Via Trade with Detroit (1936)
Drafted: 9th Round, 141st Overall (1932)
1938: 4-3, 7 SV, 49 IP, 5.14 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 19 BB, 17 K
Career: 4-3, 7 SV, 54 IP, 5.33 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, 23 BB, 19 K

Now 25, the Berwyn native will make his first Opening Day roster, and while he will start in the pen, Weinstock and OSA both view his future as a rotation arm, with Tom profiling him as a #2 or #3, while cautioning to limit his starts at the moment. A hard thrower, Brown features a 96-98 sinker and he does an excellent job keeping the ball on the ground, and the velocity will play very well in the pen. A clubhouse leader as well, Brown has a really nice five pitch arsenal that should lead to a decent amount of strikeouts. He will allow very few homers and he gets good movement on his off-speed stuff. OSA loves his control, but walks have been an issue in his very brief FABL career, recording a 3.8 BB/9. Of course, it's barely 50 innings, so way too quick to judge, but I'm really hoping he improves that for the coming season. The craziest part last season was 5 homers in 49 innings, considering he's an extreme groundball pitcher who hasn't had a HR/9 as high as the 0.9 mark from his innings in Chicago. He's the next man up in case of an injury or the inevitable Dick Lyons decline that probably should have happened last year. I'd wager next season he'll be the best #5 in baseball, and I'm really excited for Brown to approach his very high ceiling.

RHP Pug Bryan
Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 28th Overall (1934)
1938: 4-9, 2 SV, 93 IP, 5.03 ERA, 1.61 WHIP, 46 BB, 39 K
Career:12-18, 2 SV, 251.2 IP, 4.18 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 110 BB, 107 K

Pug, Pug, Pug... I really do think he's got the talent to pitch in the big leagues, but after last season, things are a bit murky for him. He just turned 26, but with talented youngsters like Pete, Cy, Parker, and Brown, there really isn't much room for Pug. The five pitch groundballer features a high 80s sinker that helps get him out of jams. His changeup is really good, a disappearing one that allows him to strike out a ton and force weak contact on the rest. Unfortunately, he will walk his share of hitters and that definitely gets him in to trouble. Like Brown, his 3.9 BB/9 is not very inspiring, but in 23 strong starts in the 1937 season he did manage to strike out (68) more guys then he walked (64). I debated between using him or Allen Purvis as the stopper, but I'm going to let Pug start there while he works to regain his old form. He does have an option, so if he has an awful April and May like the last two seasons, he may end up in Milwaukee with someone like Jim Miller or Chet Peacock replacing him. I trust Pug's work ethic and raw talent to push him to the next level, and while he may not start many games for us, I think he's going to be an outstanding stopper who can eat innings in an extra inning game.

RHP Milt Fritz
Acquired: Via Trade with New York (1935)
Drafted: 12th Round, 188th Overall (1927)
1938: 12-12, 254 IP, 3.54 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 96 BB, 69 K
Career: 147-123, 3 SV, 2,429.1 IP, 3.68 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 841 BB, 915 K

Easily the most inconsistent player in the league, you never truly know what you are going to get from Milt Fritz. Some days he's elite, other days he's out after three. But in his three seasons with us, he's had double digit wins and ERA+ of 93, 120, and 110 with 254 or more innings pitched. He's won more games as a Cougar (43) then in any other uniform, and he's in striking distance of 250 wins. He'll need 103 more, so with a conservative estimate of 12 wins per season, he'll reach 250 at 38. 12 is the least amount of wins he's had in a season for us, and with five 20 win seasons, while unlucky, he'd reach 250 at the beginning of his aged 35 season. Fritz isn't nearly as talented as he was at 19, part of that has to do with his laziness, but give him a good defense and he should be able to spin together a few impressive seasons. With 11 more wins, he'll tie former Cougar Steve Castellini for the 100th most wins in FABL history, and while 300 seems like a stretch, it's definitely still in striking distance. I'm expecting a big season for him this year, and we have had a lot of success extending players careers after 30.

LHP Cal Knight
Acquired: Via Trade with Pittsburgh (1935)
Drafted: 2nd Round, 23rd Overall (1934)
1938: 0-1, 4.1 IP, 6.23 ERA, 1.85 WHIP, 3 BB, 3 K
Career: 0-1, 4.1 IP, 6.23 ERA, 1.85 WHIP, 3 BB, 3 K

I will be 100% honest, I did not expect Knight to crack the Opening Day roster, but the former 2nd Rounder will function as the lone lefty in our pen. But with an outstanding Spring where he had a 1.50 ERA and 1.42 WHIP, and my scout thinks he's ready for the big leagues. The 26-year-old has been upgraded to a back of the rotation arm, and even OSA has started to appreciate his talent. A basic three pitch pitcher, Knight has a mid to high 80s cutter with a nice slider and decent change. A hard worker who gets along with everyone, Knight is a good influence in the clubhouse and should benefit from our impressive 6-man leadership group. Like a lot of our other pitchers, he does a good job keeping the ball on the ground, and he has matching 107 ERA+ in his last two AAA seasons. I still think his future is in the rotation, so if an attractive pen arm off waivers comes along, he may end up in Milwaukee stretching back out. He doesn't have the upside of some of our other young arms, but he's very well developed and could start for a few teams around the league that don't have the young pitching we do.

LHP Dick Lyons
Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 23rd Overall (1921)
1938: 20-6, 250 IP, 2.59 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 47 BB, 48 K
Career: 169-123, 2,709.1 IP, 3.99 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 593 BB, 785 K

It may have been 13 years prior, but our only other lefty on the pitching staff was selected with the exact same pick as Cal Knight. The man, the myth, the legend himself, 38-year-old veteran Dick Lyons. Best known as the reigning Allen Award Winner and potentially better known as the only player to survive my endless string of trades, there has been nothing quite like Dick Lyons. Before 1938, he never led the league in ERA or WHIP, and never had an ERA+ above the 126 from 1933, and he never had a 20 win season. He put together somehow his third ever 5.3 WAR season, a number he can't quite yet surpass. But the supposed ageless wonder was 20-6 with a 2.59 ERA (151 ERA+) and 1.41 WHIP despite matching 1.7 BB/9 and K/9s. In fact, the only season where he had a worse K/BB ratio was in a decent 1929 where he walked 79 and struck out 77. And he did all that with the CA's worst defense in terms of zone rating! What a legend!

Am I expecting another dominant season from Lyons? Well, that's a really good question... He does rank as our pitcher with the highest current ratings, and he had a quick cameo last season in the top 20 pitchers list, but can you really put much stock in to a 38 year old? Even the ageless 514 game winner Allan Allen, who had a breakout 37-year-old season with 31 wins, a 1.45 ERA (205 ERA+), 1.17 WHIP, 65 walks, and 175 strikeouts in 385 elite innings. But even after that, his ERA+'s were 110, 123, 129, 122, and 108 from 38 to 42. 341 game winner Aaron Wright recorded 104 and 115 at 38 and 39. 311 game winner George Johnson had 122 and 123 at 38 and 39, but that aged 39 season saw just 18 games including a pair of relief outings. All three of those are in the top 10 all time for wins, but none of the other 7 had an above average season this late. But were any of them a 5'8'' southpaw who has never hit 90? Nope! But if he was able to do what he did last season, there has to be something left in the tank, and I think the control artist will continue to defy all rational thinkers and anchor this rotation just like he did last year.

RHP Pete Papenfus
Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 6th Overall (1936)
1938: 8-6, 123.1 IP, 4.52 ERA, 1.78 WHIP, 117 BB, 103 K
Career: 8-6, 123.1 IP, 4.52 ERA, 1.78 WHIP, 117 BB, 103 K

"Papenfus could pitch his way into an emergency starter role" - OSA

"Papenfus could pitch his way into an emergency starter role" - Tom Weinstock

Those are the two pieces of blasphemous paper pinned to the locker of one soon-to-be 21-year-old known colloquially as Peter the Heater. Yes, both my scout and OSA have soured over the 5'10, 165 pound righty who hits 100 just as often as a postseason Brusdar Graterol. Am I worried?

Not. One. Bit.

Scouting reports can be very deceiving, especially when a pitcher goes from a pitcher that strikes fear into the hearts of hitters to someone who barely deserves a roster spot. Especially at the age of 20. Yes, the walks are annoying. He managed to walk 117 batters in 123.1 innings pitched, so definitely concerning, but what youngster doesn't take his share of lumps at the beginning? And you just cannot ignore the pure stuff. Papenfus has a sizzling cutter and dominant fastball that can strike out the absolute best of the best, and wish his wildness, I'd wager most batters are absolutely terrified when they step into the box. Sure, his control is unreliable right now, but Harry Mead and Mike Taylor are both outstanding defensive catchers who should be able to help steal strikes for him with relative consistency. He's so unhittable that he walked more hitters then he allowed hits (103), so really walks are the only thing holding him back. As long as he can cut his BB/9 from 8.5 to 5.5, still an awful mark, he's likely to put together elite seasons. I'm really excited to see what steps forward he takes this season and I think he's going to see a nice improvement on all his rate stats in year two.

RHP Harry Parker
Acquired: Via Draft: 7th Round, 108th Overall (1934)
1938: 7-8, 130.2 IP, 3.99 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 29 BB, 69 K
Career: 7-8, 130.2 IP, 3.99 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 29 BB, 69 K

One of my absolute favorite players in the league file, I've kept him untouchable since the second I selected him. Parker looked really good as a rookie, if you ignore the 15 homers, as he had a really strong 4.8 K/9 and 2.0 BB/9 with a WHIP identical to Dick Lyons, the league leader. A flyball pitcher with a .250 BABIP last season, he has an impressive low 90s fastball and cutter, and his perfect combination of stuff and command make him one of the toughest pitchers to best. Just recently turned 24, the 6'6'' righty boasts six impressive pitches and his teammates absolutely love him. If Walt Bailey had his way, he'd lead the staff instead of Dick Lyons, and that's a huge boost of confidence for the imposing youngster. Parker has ace potential, but with Papenfus on the roster, I imagine Parker won't pitch much as a #1 in his career. I have dreams of a dominant 1-2 combo of those two that win multiple championships, and potentially see both end up in the Hall of Fame. Parker definitely has the talent to do it, he just needs a few breaks, and to keep his injury history spotless. Of all the youngsters, he's easily the most developed, and between him, Pete, and Cy, I think Parker will have easily the best season.

RHP Allen Purvis
Acquired: Via Waivers (1935)
Drafted: 5th Round, 65th Overall (1921)
1938: 6-4, 3 SV, 44.2 IP, 2.22 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 23 BB, 12 K
Career: 37-47, 15 SV, 692.2 IP, 4.42 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, 268 BB, 222 K

Likely the oldest arm in most staffs, the 36-year-old Allen Purvis was actually selected 3 rounds after Dick Lyons in the 1921 AI draft. Kept along for his leadership and rather impressive outings out of the pen, the swingman had an impressive 176 ERA+ last year and a solid 119 the season before. A bit of a soft tosser who can absorb innings, Purvis has five alright pitches, the best a sinker he uses to roll up ground ball after ground ball. His command and control are impressive, and the initial preseason prediction thought he could be a dominant 300 inning starter. In three seasons with us, he barely cracked 200 innings, and I'd imagine he has less then 300 innings left after this season. He's part of the glue that keeps the clubhouse together, and it should help him secure a roster spot until he becomes too unplayable. I have faith in his ability to soak up innings without allowing many base runners, and potentially bridge the gap between a short start and an eventual save opportunity.

RHP Cy Sullivan
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 60th Overall (1932)
1938: 5-7, 3 SV, 128.1 IP, 4.21 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 37 BB, 27 K
Career: 5-7, 3 SV, 128.1 IP, 4.21 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 37 BB, 27 K

He wasn't a full time starter last season, and then absolutely fell apart towards the end of last season, but I have faith that Cy can put together an effective season with 200+ innings, even out of the five spot. He's got a rubber arm, and as the other 6'6'' guy in our rotation, he's also a very imposing figure on the mound. Unlike most of our other arms, his stuff isn't all that great, and he doesn't quite have polished stuff yet. His high 80s fastball is okay, but he has to work out his slider, curve, and change. Borderline starters are still effective, just ask Sergio Gonzales, so even if his stuff stops here, his command can make up for it. Cy won't strike many guys out, but he generates a decent amount of weak contact while not walking too many. He has a nice ceiling, potentially a #2 or #3, but he's got a lot of work to get there. Unfortunately, he's not much of a hard worker, so he may never reach his potential, but his floor is already a decent #5. I've trusted the former shortstop year in and year out, and I think I'll start to reap the rewards sooner then later.

ayaghmour2 · 10-16-2021, 04:27 PM

1B Ray Ford
Acquired: Via Trade with Chicago (1934)
Drafted: 14th Round, 217th Overall (1932)
1938: .313/.375/.483, 504 PA, 25 2B, 2 3B, 16 HR, 72 RBI, SB
Career: .306/.368/.453, 1,805 PA, 95 2B, 12 3B, 39 HR, 242 RBI, SB

He did miss the start of the season last year, but the 27-year-old finished his third consecutive season with 500 or more plate appearances and a 115 OPS+ or better. Last year was easily the best, hitting .306/.368/.453 (143 OPS+) with an impressive 47-to-11 walk-to-strikeout ratio. His 16 homers weren't his career high, he hit 18 last year, but he hit homers with more frequency as last year he had 635 plate appearances. Ford is a very interesting defender, one of those "versatile" players that really isn't good at any of the positions he can play. He can man first, second, third, left, and right, but he barely can cover first and I don't think he'll ever man third again. Ford has electric batspeed and makes a ton of hard contact, with the power for 20+ homers a season. My guess for this year is 25, but I can see him crack 30 before he turns 30. A late round draft pick out of Coastal Carolina, managers credit his hard work, with a lot of our minor league coaches raved about how he never quits and is always the hardest worker on the field. First base is a position with a lot of offensive talent, but I do believe the former #1 overall prospect is one of the top first basemen and a reason I was not devastated that I couldn't land Fred McCormick. Ford is going to be a huge part of our offense, especially against lefties, and he's got the talent to make the difference.

1B Lou Kelly
Acquired: Via Waivers (1938)
Drafted: 4th Round, 59th Overall (1923)
1938: .218/.271/.382, 188 PA, 11 2B, 3B, 5 HR, 21 RBI
Career: .314/.374/.530, 7,089 PA, 381 2B, 91 3B, 269 HR, 1,176 RBI, 73 SB

I'll be honest, I did not think there was a chance that Lou Kelly would make the active roster, but Aart MacDonald had a horrible spring, Ducky Jordan had a horrible spring, and eventually I decided I'd let Waters and Mills get everyday at bats in AAA and let the Pekin kid hold one of our 24 roster spots this season. The 37-year-old outspoken leader is well past his prime, but he needs just four more hits to reach 2,000 in what could be a Hall of Fame career. Kelly was an above average offensive player in each of his first 11 seasons, in fact, his lowest was 120. The last two years haven't gone as plan, as he's been worth exactly zero wins above replacement in 207 games. In the last two months of last year, he hit just .190/.217/.429 with a single, two doubles, a homer, and four RBIs. He made just 23 plate appearances in 18 games as a replacement, and if he follows that pattern, he'll reach 2,000 in June, hopefully at home or in Baltimore, where he spent most of his career. Even in his advanced age, he has the power to make a difference, but his athleticism is almost completely gone. He'll be almost strictly a pinch hitter, but having guy with a career 141 OPS+ on the bench could definitely pay dividends late in a game.

2B Freddie Jones
Acquired: Via Trade with St. Louis (1938)
Drafted: 1st Round, 2nd Overall (1931)
1938: .284/.385/.375, 706 PA, 20 2B, 7 3B, 7 HR, 75 RBI
Career: .348/.449/.440, 4,443 PA, 147 2B, 40 3B, 38 HR, 509 RBI, 22 SB

The newest Cougar, "Frederick the Great" somehow managed to make 706 trips to the plate last year for the Pioneers with very few minor injuries. Of course, injuries have always been an issue for the Nashville native, and he just barely has enough injuries that you can scroll through them with your mouse since they don't fit all on one page. The only good thing is he's never missed more then 3 months, and a majority of his injuries are day-to-day, so I think as long as I give him days off when needed, I can get him at least 145 healthy and effective games. Last year was a huge down year for him, however, the first season he failed to hit .300 and his 102 OPS+ was barely above average. Jones used to be a good base runner as well, but he hasn't stole a base (or attempted a steal) in the past two seasons. He also saw his strikeouts jump to 51, despite striking out 30 or less times in the last five seasons. Still, he managed 98 walks, the fourth time he's walked more then 90 times and Jones has never walked fewer then the 71 in his rookie season. He's a walks and singles type hitter, but he's an excellent table setter and I think him and Rich Langton will love putting on the hit and run in the first innings. I'm not sure Jones will ever have a third .380/.500 season, but Jones is a rare breed with a higher on base percentage (.449) then slugging percentage (.440). He'll be 29 in just three days, and endured an awful spring, but I think he's going to love hitting ahead of Mitchell, Lawson, and Ford, a fair amount better then Zip Sullivan, Al Tucker, and Heinie Zimmer. I'm not sure if we're going to get prime Jones or the new Jones, but one thing that is guaranteed is he'll offer professional at bats at the plate, solid defense in the field, and the leadership only a captain can provide. He's a huge boost for an already tight knit group, and a serious upgrade over the Johnny McDowell/Ollie Page disaster from last year.

2B Ollie Page
Acquired: Via Trade with Washington (1934)
Drafted: 5th Round, 65th Overall (1928)
1938: .233/.330/.309, 293 PA, 4 2B, 3 3B, 3 HR, 25 RBI, 2 SB
Career: .259/.331/.376, 1,914 PA, 45 2B, 35 3B, 28 HR, 191 RBI, 20 SB

I'll be honest, I thought Ollie Page was going to be a star. And it looked good at first. He debuted in 1935 for us, and slashed .296/.376/.441 (121 OPS+) with 14 doubles, 9 triples, 6 homers, and 37 RBIs. He hasn't quite matched that success, and while he was solid the following year, he's been terrible the past two seasons. He's hit just .229/.302/.327, a very awful statline, and he's seen his playing time start to dwindle. Still, there are pluses for Page, he's a very disciplined hitter and effective defensively, and he will still have an important role with the team. I really want Jones and Hunter to last the whole season, so I expect Page to get a start a week at second and short to help them stay fresh. Page is getting older, recently 29, but he's a good teammate and one of the best double play turners in the business. He still has the talent to be an every day player, ranking as the 10th best second basemen if we didn't have Freddie Jones. Plus, if either guy gets hurt, he will turn into an everyday player, and then he could boost his value back up.

3B John Lawson
Acquired: Via Trade with New York (1936)
Drafted: 4th Round, 66th Overall (1923)
1938: .302/.355/.461, 651 PA, 43 2B, 2 3B, 16 HR, 108 RBI
Career: .347/.398/.510, 7,357 PA, 426 2B, 37 3B, 194, 1,203 RBI, 16 SB

Sure, last year was the worst season in John Lawson's career, but a bad John Lawson is still 31 percent better then an average hitter. Since becoming a full time player, Lawson has never hit below .300/.350/.450 and he has hit double digit homers in each of his 11 seasons. Effective at 35, Lawson will start this year at 36, and he hasn't shown signs of slowing down. He's had an OPS+ between 131 and 143 the past five seasons. Destined for the hall, I can see Lawson hitting .320 with 20 homers this season. He is currently ranked the 12th best hitter in baseball, with only Frank Vance (37 in May) older then him in the top 20. Lawson has been one of the most durable players of his time, just three mild injuries; a hand contusion (1921), the flu (1927), and mild shoulder inflammation (1938) on his injury history. The flu cost him three days while the others cost him five, and despite a very weird season with the Stars in 1935, he's recorded 635 or more plate appearances in each other season. Cougar fans do love him, but they may never be able to forgive him for his 1932 season with the Stars when he single handedly kept us out of the playoffs. But if he can bring a pennant home in one of the next couple of seasons, Lawson will never have to buy a beer in Chicago again.

3B Johnny McDowell
Acquired: Via Trade with New York (1937)
Drafted: 2nd Round, 18th Overall (1929)
1938: .270/.315/.354, 478 PA, 24 2B, 5 3B, HR, 40 RBI, 9 SB
Career: .311/.354/.402, 3,449 PA, 138 2B, 70 3B, 4 HR, 327 RBI, 146 SB

I thought it was going to be one of those trades with little to no risk, a few minor prospects for a potentially effective bat, but boy was I wrong. McDowell didn't hit very much for us, barely stole any bases, and really struggled to play second base. To make matters worth, the prospects I literally randomly selected, turned out to be guys I should not have let go. One was Dave Haight, the one I did expect to be decent, and Alaska's finest broke out with an impressive rookie season for the Gothams. The former 13th Rounder hit an impressive .308/.364/.453 (119 OPS+) with 31 doubles, 12 triples, 5 homers, 8 steals, and 77 RBIs with an outstanding 44-to-6 walk-to-strikeout ratio in 528 trips to the plate. Lucky for us, Leo Mitchell and Rich Langton had OPS+ of 139 and 134, so Haight wouldn't have been an improvement on either of them, but he was much more valuable then McDowell. The other was now 25-year-old Del Thomas, our 11th Rounder from 1937 who somehow now ranks as the 83rd best prospect in baseball. All this while McDowell put together a below replacement level season while really struggling at second base. Lucky for him, he's probably never going to see the keystone again, but unlucky for him he's now just a late inning pinch runner and replacement for a tired John Lawson. Fortunately for us, the now 31-year-old nicknamed "Bad News" actually is an extremely hard worker and well loved clubhouse member, so even with the move to the bench, he shouldn't cause any tension. This season will likely be the first in his career he won't play in 100 games, but I do think he can make the difference late in the game, running for a much slower John Lawson or Ray Ford or Mike Taylor.

SS Billy Hunter
Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 14th Overall (1932)
1938: .291/.333/.429, 546 PA, 31 2B, 9 3B, 7 HR, 65 RBI, SB
Career: .298/.350/.461, 765 PA, 44 2B, 15 3B, 13 HR, 94 RBI 2 SB

Billy boy! The future of the franchise! If only he can stay on the field... While on the field, he was good, just not quite as great as his 51 game stint in 1937, and his defense took a slight step back. Still, our former 1st Round pick in the very helpful 1932 draft has blossomed into one of the most talented and exciting shortstops in the game, ranked 15th on the top 20 players list and 3rd for his position. Hunter is an extremely athletic 24-year-old who launches flyballs left and right, with a decent amount finding their way over the fence. The kid has a ton of range in the field too, but he makes a ton of stupid errors and managed an awful .931 fielding percentage last season which killed his zone rating. None the less, I really trust his glove and with all our ground ball pitchers, he's going to have a lot of work to do. Of course, every player has his weaknesses, and Hunter's is that he tends to underachieve. Thankfully for us, with his talent, that means 3rd best shortstop instead of best, and that is definitely something I can live with. This kid has everything it takes to put together a long and productive career, and with a deep lineup like ours, he's going to have a lot of people on base when he is up. I'm ready for a big breakout season from Hunter, and if we make some noise this season, I'd imagine he's one of the reason we do it.

ayaghmour2 · 10-17-2021, 06:11 PM

C Harry Mead
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 58th Overall (1932)
1938: .204/.273/.250, 238 PA, 10 2B, 20 RBI
Career: .206/.273/.262, 256 PA, 13 2B, 20 RBI

The catcher of the future title for Harry Mead got a little murkier after the lottery acquisition of Solly Skidmore, but his descent in the prospect rankings could make the rare lefty catcher feel a little more secure. Penciled into the lineup against lefties to help Mike Taylor, Mead hit more like the guys he caught then a catcher, and still has yet to hit his first career home run. Power will never be a strength of his, he focuses more on making contact and avoiding balls, two things he's very good at. His plate discipline is excellent already, but he really struggled to find gaps last season. Of course, Mead's best talent is what he does behind the plate, stealing strike after strike for his pitchers while throwing out an okay amount of base stealers. I think he's going to be an excellent catcher for Papenfus, and if he has walk issues, I may give Mead a few of his starts to help reign in the fireballer. Anything he offers with the bat is a plus, but I don't think I can endure many more 50 OPS+ seasons. Lucky for us, he was great in the Spring, hitting .381/.435/.571, and at just 24, he has a lot of time to continue growing. The platoon last year helped Mike Taylor regain form, and I'm hoping it can help Mead this year. He was just dreadful against righties last year, batting an actual pitcher line of .127/.225/.169 (14 OPS+) in 80 trips to the plate. Lucky for Mead, it will be hard for him to hit worse then he did last year, and I have full faith in him hitting closer to like he did in the minors.

C Mike Taylor
Acquired: Via Trade with Brooklyn (1932)
Drafted: 8th Round, 127th Overall (1927)
1938: .271/.324/.439, 399 PA, 19 2B, 3 3B, 12 HR, 48 RBI, SB
Career: .291/.354/.444, 6,124 PA, 247 2B, 61 3B, 153 HR, 815 RBI, 27 SB

If you told me that Mike Taylor would have outlasted Tommy Wilcox after the blockbuster trade, I would have called you crazy. Instead, that's what people call me in hindsight, seeing Wilcox hanging out down in Lincoln while Tom Barrell and Mike Murphy sit comfortably in the Kings rotation while win pennant after pennant. But none the less, Mike Taylor has played in 100 or more games in each of the past six seasons, and it spans all the way back to 1929 if you include his play with the Kings. Last year was a return to form for the now 32-year-old, recording a 116 OPS+ after three consecutive sub-100 seasons. Before 1935, he only had above average seasons, and I'm hoping he'll keep that back up until Harry Mead can produce with the bat as well. Taylor is a threat at the plate, with strong power and decent contact skills, but like Mead, he's also an excellent defender behind the plate. Tom says he has "acrobatic fielding capabilities" which I hope means high catcher ability, but I'm pretty sure his arm is the stronger of the two fielding skills. He has a career 44.8% caught stealing percentage and has even cracked the 50% mark in a season. I really do think the terrible 1936 season where Taylor hit just .231/.291/.306 (61 OPS+) with the devil's mark of 6 doubles, triples, and homers was a fluke, and OSA tends to agree with that. They still rank him in the top half of catchers to start the season, and his scouting reports have never really said anything other then Taylor is an above average player or better. Like most catchers, Taylor is also a great leader in the clubhouse, and I think I'll be rewarded for hanging on to him and not trading him last season.

LF Doc Love
Acquired: Via Trade with Detroit (1933)
Drafted: 6th Round, 94th Overall (1927)
1938: .220/.277/.347, 303 PA, 10 2B, 5 3B, 5 HR, 38 RBI
Career: .315/.360/.480, 3,150 PA, 127 2B, 58 3B, 78 HR, 446 RBI, 6 SB

Selected a few rounds earlier in the same draft as Mike Taylor, the also 32-year-old Doc Love has had a mysterious decline last season. In his first four seasons with us, Love had OPS+ of 145, 135, 121, and 138 with 71 homers and 371 RBIs and never hit lower then his .305/.354/.472 in 1936. But last year, Love's average dropped almost 100 points while his on base percentage and slugging plummeted by even more. I did and do still think that Love is more then capable of manning left, he's just stuck in an unlucky situation. Leo Mitchell is arguably the best left fielder in baseball, and Rich Langton has been Doc Love like, just with better speed. It's impossible to trade corner bats, especially ones that seemingly fell of a cliff, so the unhappy Love will be stuck on the bench this season, hoping to regain some of his previous form. Love puts the ball in play almost all the time, just 215 walks and 143 strikeouts in over 3,000 big league plate appearances, while last year was the first season he struck out more then he walked. He has great gap power and home run power, with back-to-back 20 homer seasons in 1934 and 1935. Love's best days may be behind him, but I just don't think he's become an unplayable hitter. He should be an important lefty off the bench from us, and on the off chance Mitchell, Ford, or Langton get hurt, I imagine Love will get a lot of at bats to show he's still the hitter he once was.

LF Leo Mitchell
Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 28th Overall (1931)
1938: .337/.380/.462, 598 PA, 30 2B, 2 3B, 12 HR, 80 RBI, 9 SB
Career: .328/.381/.435, 1,447 PA, 63 2B, 5 3B, 23 HR, 154 RBI, 18 SB

A teammate of Harry Barrell and Ed Reyes in high school, Leo Mitchell has shown he's the best hitter of that trio despite being the last one selected. It took him a little to get his footing, but Mitchell has hit above .300 in each of his seasons with an above average OPS+ or better. Last year was his first year as a full time starter, but in 1937 he still appeared in 128 games, spelling Love, Langton, and Ford in left, right, and first to keep the trio fresh. Mitchell challenged for a batting title, slashing .337/.380/.462 (139 OPS+) last season, and after the early season injury to Ray Ford, he was the choice for left nearly every game. He has just 216 professional games under his belt, but the natural first basemen has shown that he's more then capable of handling a corner. Leo has good speed and is always a tough out at the plate, but Weinstock thinks he "may have untapped potential that could make him one of the best players in the game." Mitchell has the hit tool to continue to challenge for batting titles along with double digit homer power. He will have some issues with strikeouts, however, but that is something we'll be able to live with if he's consistently hitting well above .300. Despite his young age, he's always been a leader in the clubhouse, and his teammates respect his work ethic and enjoy being around him. I've always been really high on Mitchell, and I truly think he is going to have a very special career.

CF Carlos Montes
Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 12th Overall (1934)
1938: .243/.317/.412, 390 PA, 14 2B, 7 3B, 10 HR, 40 RBI, 5 SB
Career: .270/.343/.434, 855 PA, 33 2B, 16 3B, 20 HR, 95 RBI, 14 SB

We haven't quite taken advantage of Carlos Montes' versatility yet, but I imagine once Juan Pomales joins the roster, we'll see a lot more of it. The 23-year-old Cuban has spent most of his time out in center, but he's also got experience out in left, right, second, third, and short. I'd imagine he can manage first base as well, so you can pretty much put Montes anywhere other then catcher and pitcher, although he does have an 84-86 mile per hour fastball, so who knows? Montes did have some injury issues last season, matching his 100 game total in the majors last year, but he saw his batting line slump a bit. After hitting .292/.365/.453 (130 OPS+) with 19 doubles, 9 triples, 9 steals, and 55 RBIs, everything dropped the next year. In fact, even his runs, walks, strikeouts, caught stealing, starts, at bats, plate appearances, and WAR. The only thing that didn't drop were divisible by ten, his homers (10) and games. Now that he got his sophomore slump out of the way, I think the third year Montes, if healthy, should be able to regress back towards the mean, potentially with a .275/.350/.440 batting line, with a jump in homers due to the park change. Unlike our corner outfielders, Montes is an excellent center fielder, with a 17.1 zone rating and 1.034 efficiency combined between 1937 and 1938. Montes has blazing speed, works the count effectively, and can rack up the extra base hits. He reminds me a lot of former Saint and current Miner Pablo Reyes, and has the potential to develop into a top five center fielder. He won't turn 24 until December, and I'm really excited to see the player he turns into.

CF Orlin Yates
Acquired: Via Trade with New York (1935)
Drafted: 9th Round, 131st Overall (1932)
1938: .265/.370/.336, 137 PA, 5 2B, HR, 6 RBI, 3 SB
Career: 238/.338/.290, 228 PA, 7 2B, HR, 13 RBI, 6 SB

Acquired along side Milt Fritz and Mel Leonard in the Tom Taylor trade, Orlin Yates spent all last season as our 4th outfielder, and with a good Spring from him and a bad one from Aart MacDonald, will return to that same role. He started just 23 games, but appeared in 98 throughout the season, while hitting his first career home run and putting up an above average (102 OPS+) offensive season. Now 27, Yates also was outstanding in both center and right, working to a 1.050 and 1.073 efficiency for us last year. The glove may be his best tool, and his elite speed allow him to play elite defense out in center. He has a good eye too, 26 walks to 10 strikeouts, but he doesn't hit the ball all that frequently or all that hard. Still, he's the perfect late inning replacement either on the basepaths or in the outfield, and you can't fill your team with only star quality players. Yates probably will never find a starting job in the FABL, but having a guy on hand like him can actually be the difference between winning and losing a one run game.

RF Rich Langton
Acquired: Via Draft: 3rd Round, 46th Overall (1932)
1938: .311/.374/.452, 617 PA, 28 2B, 10 3B, 10 HR, 63 RBI, 12 SB
Career: .302/.356/.469, 1,972 PA, 82 2B, 39 3B, 47 HR, 252 RBI, 23 SB

If you don't really follow the Cougars, you probably don't really know how good Rich Langton really is. Now 27, Langton put up a 134 OPS+ season last season, boosting his four year total to 127. He's also been worth a full 10 wins above replacement, while launching double digit homers in all four of his seasons, including the 62 game stint with us as a rookie. Langton has excellent speed, even if he's not the best base stealer, and his mix of power and speed should eventually lead to a few 20/15/15/15 seasons. Sure, he's nothing special in the field, but he more then makes up for it at the plate and on the basepaths. He has a nice and improving eye, going from 33 to 30 to 22 strikeouts last season, while improving his walks from 35 to 42 to 54. Langton puts the ball in play a lot, and you'll see him end up on second and third with relative frequency. He makes excellent contact, sending line drives all around the diamond, while most of his grounders go to the left side, allowing him to reach on slow rollers with his speed. Langton is our only starting position player who doesn't rank in the top half, but he's 9 at a position that includes guys like Al Wheeler, Red Bond, and Leon Drake, but I can't quite understand why guys like Cliff Moss, Bobby Many, and Henry Jones are considered better then him. Even Sam Brown and Jorge Nava don't really look any better then Langton has, but at least those I can somewhat understand. I'm hoping it'll give Langton the push he needs to get to the next level, and I'd imagine he'll rank a lot higher then 9th once the season ends.

RF Tommy Sandstorm
Acquired: Via Rule 5-Draft (1938)
Drafted: 8th Round, 121st Overall (1934)
1938: N/A
Career: N/A

The lone Cougar this season who has yet to play a big league game, I've always been a Tommy Sandstorm, mainly because of the name. He just sounds like a baseball player! The lefty swinger has been near elite with the bat in the minors, with four seasons of 100+ games where he had OPS+ of 138, 176, 181, and 157. Now there is no way he'll do that in the majors, but he's topped 20 homers in three of his four seasons, the only one he didn't last year in AA. Still, Sandstorm slashed .332/.423/.506 (157 OPS+) with 33 doubles, 13 triples, 8 homers, and 88 RBIs while maintaining a 76-to-27 walk-to-strikeout ratio. If you can hit like that in AA, you can definitely hit at least league average in the big leagues, and he's going to be Walt Bailey's go to pinch hitter against righties. He's not really a guy you want starting every day, the defense is really bad, but he's got a great feel for the strike zone and if he swings at a pitch, he'll probably make contact. He's perfect for hit and runs or my preferred run and hits, and I'm hoping he can hit a handful of homers too. He wasn't the greatest in the Spring, but he's the model of hard work and effort, and I'd say his chances of him surviving the season are very high. I also hope his work ethic rubs off on Cy Sullivan and Billy Hunter, and he's also listed as a sparkplug like Ray Ford. That's exactly the type of guy you want coming in late for a clutch pinch hit, and he can start the rally from the nine spot to turn what should be a powerful order right back around.

ayaghmour2 · 10-18-2021, 03:33 PM

Weekly Record: 4-2
Seasonal Record: 4-2 (t-1st, 0.5 GB)
Stars of the Week
Leo Mitchell : 24 AB, 10 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .417 AVG, .940 OPS
Freddie Jones : 23 AB, 7 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .304 AVG, .882 OPS
Rich Langton : 25 AB, 7 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .280 AVG, .797 OPS

Schedule
4-25: Loss vs Cleveland (10-5)
4-26: Win vs Cleveland (2-5)
4-27: Loss vs Cleveland (8-4)
4-28: Win at Wolves (6-4): 11 innings
4-29: Win at Wolves (7-1)
4-30: Win at Wolves (4-2)

Recap
Baseball is back! We got to open Cougars Park for the first time on the 25th, but the Foresters had all the fun. Dick Lyons had a very unlucky start, 8 hits and 8 runs in just 2 innings, but just three of those runs were earned. Freddie Jones made two errors and Rich Langton and Harry Mead an error a piece, easily our undoing. The Foresters managed to win the series, but we did get a win in our second game at the new stadium. After that, we turned things around, and swept the Wolves in Toronto to tie the Foresters for first in the league. Yeah, it's early, but it's never too early to be in first place!

Lyons second store was much better, 8 strong innings with 9 hits, 2 runs, and a walk. He hasn't struck out anyone yet this season, so we're going to need fewer four error starts and a lot more clean fielding games. Best start of the week goes to Cy Sullivan, who allowed just 7 hits, a walk, a run and 2 strikeouts in a complete game win. Milt Fritz's start was close, a complete game of his won with 6 hits, 2 runs, 3 walks, and a strikeout. Harry Parker was really roughed up, however, 7.2 innings with 10 hits, 8 runs (7 earned), 2 walks, and 6 strikeouts. He was also unlucky with the runs, as the Foresters seemed to take advantage of every base runner and the runs were scored in either his first or last inning of his start. Peter the Heater looked pretty good himself, 10 innings with 7 hits, 4 runs, 5 walks, and 8 strikeouts. His control didn't hurt him today, but he'll have 30 or so more opportunities for it to fall apart. Out of the pen, Pug Bryan looked good, eating up 7.2 innings with 9 hits, 2 runs, 3 walks, and 5 strikeouts, while also picking up a pair of saves. Cal Knight also got some innings, 2.2 with a hit and strikeout while Joe Brown and Allen Purvis weren't needed.

We didn't hit the best, but the star of the week may have been Harry Mead. He played two games, going 4-for-8 with 3 doubles, 3 runs, and an RBI. Mead may never have another four hit week, so I'm going to really savor this one. Leo Mitchell started his batting title chase on the right foot, 10-for-24 with a double, 3 runs, 3 walks, and 4 RBIs. Freddie Jones had a nice debut week, 7-for-23 with a double, four RBIs, and two triples, walks, and runs. Rich Langton hit our first homer of the season, going 7-for-25 with a double, three runs, three walks, and four RBIs. Doc Love hit the other, a pinch hit blast off Joe Hancock, but was retired in his other two pinch hit opportunities. Billy Hunter had a weird weak, just 3-for-17, but with 2 triples, 2 RBIs, 4 runs, and 6 walks, so his weekly OPS+ (118) was actually above average. John Lawson was 8-fro-25 with a double, 2 RBIs, 3 runs, and 2 walks. Ollie Page made the most of his first two starts, 3-for-9 with a double, RBI, and a pair of runs scored. Unfortunately, Carlos Montes had a really rough week, just 3-for-20 with a double and RBI, while striking out seven times.

Looking Ahead
We continue to alternate home to road, returning to Chicago for three with the Sailors. Philly is off to an awful start, just 2-4, but they got outstanding pitching in both wins. Against Toronto, Merritt Thomas went 6 with 4 hits, a run, 3 walks, and 7 strikeouts, and like us, beat the Wolves 4-2. The better start came from Chuck Murphy, who went the distance in an 11-1 win over the Foresters. He allowed just 5 hits, a run, and 2 walks with 3 strikeouts. We won't have to face him, but we will get a crack at Thomas. There are some new faces in the Sailors lineup, including former Eagles shortstop Jim Beard. He's at third for Philly, but was just 2-for-11 with a run, RBI, and three walks in his first three games. 28-year-old Don Homer won the center field job, and went 6-for-21 with a walk and run in week one. Longtime Sailor Dick Walker is off to a sizzling start, 5-for-14 with 7 runs, 8 walks, a double, triple, homer, steal, and 2 driven in.

We get the Foresters again after, but it's just for two games instead of three. The Foresters starters didn't do all that well, with only ace Dean Astle working to an ERA below 4. He's 2-0 with a 3.18 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 7 walks, and 6 strikeouts, and we're likely set to see him in Cleveland. Ben Turner and Dave Rankin both have ERAs above 5 while Lou Martino's is all the way up to 13.50. The bats have led the way, however, with their 3-4-5 hitters all hitting .400 or better. Lou Balk is the reason for the or better, slashing .400/.400/.533 with 2 doubles, a steal, and RBI. Next is Mel Carroll, in his first full season with Cleveland, hitting a strong .423/.444/.577 with a double, homer, and 5 RBIs. But none are quite as impressive as the initial CA Player of the Week, Dan Fowler who's .455/.571/.864 batting line is the envy of the league, plus the double, triple, 2 homers, 8 RBIs, and 8 runs scored make it even more enticing. Cleveland's offense looks to be very scary, and we need to pitch much better this week if we want to take one on the road.

Back home to finish the week with two against the Wolves before our first off day of the season. Due to our sweep of them, they fell to 2-4 on the season, but they got good pitching from the top three in their rotation. Bob Walls may have got the loss, but he went 8 with 7 hits, 4 runs (1 earned), 5 walks, and a strikeout. Joe Hancock put together two strong starts, a complete game win and loss with 14 hits, 8 runs (4 earned), 3 walks, and 5 strikeouts. Chick Wirtz also went the distance, allowing 9 hits and 3 runs with 4 walks and strikeouts. At the plate, Fred McCormick started off hot, 6-for-17 with a double, 7 walks, and 5 RBIs. Former Cougar prospect Reginald Westfall went 7-for-22 with a double, homer, and 5 driven in. The rest of the lineup, including Nick Wallace, left their bats in training camp, with no hitter batting .270 or better, including sub .160 from the bottom two in the order Charlie Artuso (.133) and Clarence Howerton (.154).

ayaghmour2 · 10-19-2021, 05:01 PM

Weekly Record: 4-3
Seasonal Record: 8-5 (1st, 0.5 GA)
Stars of the Week
John Lawson : 27 AB, 8 H, 2 HR, 8 RBI, .296 AVG, .943 OPS
Leo Mitchell : 26 AB, 8 H, 0 HR, 6 RBI, .308 AVG, .785 OPS
Pete Papenfus : 1 Win, 9.0 IP, 7 BB, 7 K, 0.00 ERA

Schedule
5-1: Win vs Sailors (3-5)
5-2: Loss vs Sailors (7-4)
5-3: Win vs Sailors (0-1)
5-4: Win at Foresters (10-2)
5-5: Loss at Foresters (2-3): 10 innings
5-6: Loss vs Wolves (8-1)
5-7: Win vs Wolves (3-4)

Recap
It wasn't a great week by any means, but no one in the Continental Association has gotten off to a great start, so we reign supreme, a half game ahead of the Foresters and Stars. We've won one more then Cleveland and loss one less then New York, while a surprising Montreal team sits at 7-6 despite no Pablo Reyes or George Thomas, and most expected them to finish in the cellar. Of course, this early in the season anything can happen, and I'd love for us to make some separation from the pack. Brooklyn is off to a slow 6-7 start, so the more early ground we can get between us and them, the harder we make it for a generally weak September team to come back.

The washed out emergency starter known to those who hold him dear as Peter the Heater showed just how washed up he was, tossing a 4-hit shutout with 7 walks and 7 strikeouts while scoring the only run in a 1-0 win over the Sailors. He led the third off with a single, got to second on a Langton single, got to third on a sac-fly, and then scored on a Ray Ford single. Early in the season it's fun to look at the projects stats because of how little games have played, and he's on pace for a 24-0 season with 142 walks and 178 strikeouts. He's second in the league in strikeouts, just because George Phillips has already made four starts. He's also third in ERA, behind teammate Cy Sullivan who's tied with the Sailors' Chuck Murphy. Sullivan went all nine in his start, allowing 8 hits, 2 runs, and a walk with 3 strikeouts, also on a 24-0 pace. Dick Lyons still hasn't struck out a batter himself, but his third start was a lot like the second, 8 innings with 6 hits, a run, and a walk. We had two two-start pitchers this week, Parker and Fritz, and both split their starts. Both had a good and bad start, with Parker going 17 innings while allowing 15 hits, 9 runs (7 earned), and 11 walks with 6 strikeouts while Fritz went 15.1 with 12 hits, 9 runs, 9 walks, and 5 strikeouts. Parker is off to a rough start to the year, but he's allowed less runs (8, 6, 3) in each start so far. Pug Bryan pitched poor in his only outing, tagged with the loss after 4 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, and a strikeout in our extra inning loss in Cleveland. In fact, most of the pen struggled, with Purvis and Brown both allowing a run in each inning they pitched.

The bats actually struggled this week, with just Lawson and Mitchell having good weeks. Lawson's was the best, 8-for-27 with a double, two homers, three walks, five runs, and eight RBIs. Mitchell wasn't really that great, 8-for-26 with 2 doubles, 4 walks, 3 runs, and 6 RBIs, but he was the only Cougar to hit .300 or better in more then three plate appearances. That qualifier is because Doc Love was 1-for-2 with a run scored, and Tommy Sandstorm picked up his first career hit with a two run homer off Bob Sheehy in his lone at bat. In fact, Ford, Taylor, Montes, Hunter, Langton, and Mead all hit less then .200, a combined 20-for-115 (.174), with Ford's double and homer the only extra base hits. It's really surprising we actually won any games with them hitting like that, but I'll take what I can get. Freddie Jones hit his first Cougar homer, but he was just 5-for-22 with a double, three walks, and four runs.

Looking Ahead
Off to start the week, but will head out to New York for the start of a road trip. The first is two games with the new look Stars, who have added Ray Cochran at third, Moxie Pidgeon in left, Mel Hancock Jr. at second, and Chuck Cole in the rotation. Pidgeon has been red hot for the Stars, slashing .365/.385.683 (174 OPS+) with 6 homers and 17 RBIs in the early going. He's well on the way for his six consecutive 20 homer season, and is a huge boost to a formerly thin Stars lineup. The 33-year-old Cochran is also off to a blistering start, hitting .375/.508/.500 with a double, triple, homer, two steals, 6 RBIs, and 13 walks to just 2 strikeouts. Rookie Joe Angevine is also off to a great start, as the switch hitter gets to hit with Cochran on first in half his at bats. He's taken advantage, hitting .390/.446/.475 (141 OPS+) with a double, 2 triples, and 6 RBIs. I mentioned Phillips earlier, his 16 strikeouts most in the CA, and it goes with a 3-0 record, 3.44 ERA (124 ERA+), and 1.18 WHIP. The luck isn't quite there for Billy Riley, who is taking the sophomore slump a little to literal. He's 0-3 with a 10.43 ERA (41 ERA+), 2.39 WHIP, and 7 walks with 6 strikeouts. Cole's start in New York hasn't been exactly what they were looking for, but he is 2-0 with a 4.72 ERA (90 ERA+), 1.65 WHIP, 17 walks, and 7 strikeouts. We're likely to see Vern Hubbard, who's had the best start of the rest, 1-0 with a 3.14 ERA (136 ERA+), 1.37 WHIP, 7 walks, and 8 strikeouts.

After that we get the first shot at the reigning champs in Brooklyn, who might have pulled a switcharoo with the Dynamos, swapping one Pestilli for the other. Alf is hitting an astronomical .341/.400/.854 (215 OPS+) with 6 doubles, 5 homers, and 13 RBIs. Al Wheeler also has 5 homers, but his .216/.333/.569 (129 OPS+) line isn't quite what Wheeler is used to, but his 3 doubles and 14 RBIs help too. Whitney Runner up Frank Vance is continuing the whole "age is just a number routine" like Dick Lyons, hitting .392/.500/.608 (184 OPS+) with 3 doubles, a triple, 2 homers, 3 steals, and 11 RBIs. Brooklyn also has a new face and leadoff hitter in the lineup, former Gotham Howard Brown Jr., who's hitting .347/.385/.469 (119 OPS+) with a double, triple, homer, and six driven in. Another new face is in the rotation, 23-year-old Mexican Sergio Vergara, who they acquired last deadline in the Bill May trade. He's made two starts and a relief appearance, but has yet to get out of the fifth inning. He has a 1.74 ERA (248 ERA+), 0.68 WHIP, 5 walks, and 6 strikeouts, and currently ranks as the 14th ranked prospect in the game. Shaffner and White have looked fine this year, but the former Cougars Barrell and Murphy are off to tough starts. Barrell has taken last year's bad luck into this, 0-2 with a 6.63 ERA (65 ERA+) and 1.58 WHIP despite 5 strikeouts and not a single walk. Murphy is 1-2, but with a 5.23 ERA (83 ERA+), 1.40 WHIP, and 6 walks to just a single strikeout. These three games will be very tough, but we can really make some distance with a two out of three.

The long road trip continues in Montreal, but only one of the three games will take place this week. Despite being 7-6, there two-three-four sport ERAs of 7.29, 7.20, and 7.30. At the plate, however, they have a pair of .400 hitters including 22-year-old shortstop Frank Davis, who is hitting a nice .404/.429/.447 (125 OPS+). The other is All-Star catcher Adam Mullins, who's up to .444/.479/.667 (192 OPS+) with 2 doubles, a triple, 2 homers, and 14 RBIs. With Pablo Reyes now in Pittsburgh, Dilly Ward has seized the center field job, and has a double, homer, 4 triples, and 8 RBIs to go with a .288/.367/.519 (125 OPS+) line. Another new face is former 2nd Rounder Mark Burns, who launched his first big league homer in a 8-7 win over the Kings. He's hitting just .273/.312/.386 (79 OPS+), but he checks in just inside the top 50 and six in their stacked farm. Tom is a big fan of his, projecting him as an easy .300 hitter with exceptional defense at the hot corner. Montreal may not be scary now, but give them a few years, hopefully after a Cougar pennant, and they can be an absolute force to be reckoned with. They match out 43 top 500 prospects, but 14 of them make up the top 100, including the #4 and #5, an excellent southpaw and an exciting young righty.

Minor League Report
LHP Doc Smith (AA Mobile Commodores): Before the season, there were red arrows notifying me that Doc Smith was not a AA worthy pitcher. But, after a 3-hit, 3-walk, 3-strikeout shutout, those arrows suddenly disappeared! His first start was solid too, 9 hits, 2 runs, 5 walks, and a strikeout in another complete game. The southpaw spent all last season in Lincoln, 7-7 in 24 starts with a 3.63 ERA (108 ERA+), 1.22 WHIP, 47 walks, and 70 strikeouts. Now 24, the hardworking Smith has never gotten much prospect love, but I really like the former 2nd Rounder. A soft tosser sitting in the mid 80s, his sinker is adept at rolling up double plays and his changeup is a really quality pitch. His stuff as a whole is below average, partly do to his velocity, but he has a splitter to go with a cutter and fastball as well. Of course, three types of fastballs doesn't help when you don't hit 90, and I think it's a little too late for a velocity boost to the 90s. His command isn't good enough to make up for it yet, but I have a soft spot for the pitchers I draft. I think it's too much to hope for a future in the rotation, but you can never have too much pitching depth, especially lefties with the tool to start games.

CF Max Rucker (C La Crosse Lions): Today was the first full week of the minor league season, and Max Rucker was our first 5-for-5. His came in an 8-4 win over Dubuque, but all five hits were singles and he scored on three of them. Our 7th Rounder last year, Rucker is starting the season in La Crosse, but seems likely to head up to San Jose around the draft. A natural center fielder, all but one of his 72 appearances came there, but this season I'll be giving him more starts in the corners as well. He's a strong defensive outfielder, working to a 10.3 zone rating and 1.065 efficiency last season. Even with the 5-for-5, however, he's hitting just an average .366/.395/.537 (106 OPS+) with a double, steal, two homers, and nine driven in. Rucker has shown above average contact potential and great speed, but his usual strong discipline has been a little out of wack this season. It's still early, but after 27 walks and 22 strikeouts last season, he's walked just twice with eight strikeouts. He does look like the perfect fourth outfielder type with a little more upside, but he ranks outside of our top 30 at the moment. He's sitting at 37 and 442nd in the league, so I don't expect top quality performance from him, but there is definite talent there and his future lies on a big league roster.

ayaghmour2 · 10-20-2021, 05:47 PM

Weekly Record: 2-4
Seasonal Record: 10-9 (5th, 2 GB)
Stars of the Week
B. Hunter : 20 AB, 10 H, 1 HR, 6 RBI, .500 AVG, 1.274 OPS
J. Lawson : 26 AB, 10 H, 2 HR, 9 RBI, .385 AVG, 1.011 OPS
R. Langton : 26 AB, 10 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .385 AVG, 1.005 OPS

Schedule
5-9: Loss at Stars (5-9)
5-10: Win at Stars (9-4)
5-11: Loss at Kings (5-6)
5-12: Win at Kings (12-2)
5-13: Loss at Kings (4-5)
5-14: Loss at Saints (7-13)

Recap
A rough week, as we dropped out of first with a 2-4 showing. Road games are always tough, but losing the opener in Montreal really hurts. We actually looked really good in the Brooklyn series, crushing the Kings in the win while unfortunately dropping both one run games. We also split the Stars, which was unfortunate, but the teams we lost to do rank 2-3-4 in the standings right now. That's no excuse, however, and I was really hoping we would be able to stay in first a little bit longer.

Despite the poor results, Billy Hunter has started to really heat up, hitting an even .500 with a triple, homer, walk, three runs, and 6 RBIs while not striking out in any of his 20 at bats. He had some help from John Lawson, who added two more homers and drove in nine more runs. The vet was 10-for-26 with a double and five runs scored. Rich Langton was 10-for-26 with two doubles, a homer, and five runs scored and driven in. Harry Mead had a six hit week this time, in 14 at bats, with two doubles, two runs, and 3 RBIs. He took advantage of Brooklyn's lefties, and was 3-for-5 in our 12-2 win with a two run double off Mike Murphy. His platoon partner and Murphy trade piece Mike Taylor was just 3-for-11 with a single run scored and driven in. Taylor is hitting just .238/.319/.238 (46 OPS+) in the early goings while Mead is slashing an impressive .393/.393/.571 (146 OPS+) with 5 doubles and 4 RBIs. I expect Taylor to start heating up and Mead cooling down, but it is a much different picture then last year.

Carlos Montes had another rough week, and is hitting just .169/.222/.237 (19 OPS+) with 2 doubles, a triple, a steal, 4 walks, 5 RBIs, and 6 runs scored. It's been a tough season from Montes, whose season ended early in August last year due to a strained hamstring. I'm hoping that he's just rusty because of that, but even though I am confident of a return to form, I will start giving Orlin Yates a few starts against righties. Yates hasn't gotten much time, 1-for-7 with a pair of walks, runs, and RBIs. Both are good defenders out in center, and are very helpful for our pitching staff. Off the bench outfielders Doc Love and Tommy Sandstorm had good weeks, 2-for-3 and 3-for-5. Love doubled, walked, scored three, and drove in one while Sandstorm doubled, tripled, scored, and drove in four. Ollie Page looked good in his two starts, 4-for-9 with two doubles, a triple, and three runs scored.

Rough week for Peter the Heater, as he was really roughed up in his two starts. He didn't strike out a single hitter and walked 9 in 8 off 14 hits and 16 runs. I have no idea what happened there, as he had absolutely nothing working in either game. I only need four starters this week due to an off day, so I'll let Pete work out of the pen in late game situations. Harry Parker wasn't great either, 10 hits, 5 runs (4 earned), a walk and 3 strikeouts in 8 innings. Dick Lyons bested the Kings, 7 strong frames with 4 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts. Milt Fritz was just as good, 8 innings with 7 hits, 2 runs, 4 walks, and a strikeout. Cy Sullivan completed his third start in three attempts, picking up the win with 9 hits, 4 runs (3 earned), a walk, and a strikeout. Cal Knight had two bad relief outings and one good one, allowing 7 hits, 6 runs, and 10 walks while striking out 5 in 7.2 innings pitched.

Looking Ahead
We'll look to turn things around against the Saints, with two more in Montreal. The Saints are 11-9, and will likely send Karl's Weiss and Wallace to the mound. Weiss is a former 18th Round selection who made his big league debut this season. He made three starts and is 1-1 with a 5.82 ERA (80 ERA+), 1.76 WHIP, 8 walks, and 7 strikeouts. The former Cougar Karl Wallace has really struggled, nothing like his 13-13 season last year. The now 25-year-old had a 3.44 ERA (118 ERA+), 1.35 WHIP, 98 walks, and 88 strikeouts in an impressive 248.1 inning rookie season. His four starts this year couldn't have gone any worse, 0-2 with a 7.07 ERA (66 ERA+), 2.00 WHIP, 13 walks, and 5 strikeouts. Red Bond is picking up where he left off last season, slashing .362/.423/.638 (160 OPS+) with 2 doubles, a triple, 5 homers, and 17 RBIs. Vic Crawford is finding success in the seven spot, .351/.383/.468 (110 OPS+) with 3 doubles, 2 homers, and 15 RBIs. The lineup is really long, with all eight hitters having OPS+ above 90 with all but one over 100. I do think we can with these two games, but we will need much better outings then received from Pete.

We continue the road trip with two games in Baltimore. The Cannons are 8-13 and ahead of just the struggling Wolves. Rufus Barrell II is having a much better season, 3-1 with a 3.65 ERA (124 ERA+), 1.16 WHIP, 10 walks, and 17 strikeouts in 37 innings pitched. Him and Gus Goulding have been reliable, as Gus spends his birthday today after dropping to 3-3 on the season with a 3.42 ERA (132 ERA+), 1.40 WHIP, 14 walks, and 16 strikeouts. Rusty Petrick has struggled, as has Glenn Payne, who they picked up from the Stars in the Clark Car trade. Another recent trade acquisition, former Pioneer Calvin Brown is the new leadoff hitter, batting .just .307/.361/.364 (86 OPS+) with 3 doubles, a triple, and 12 RBIs. Fellow corner outfielder Whit Williams has looked much better behind him, .349/.414/.523 (138 OPS+) with 4 doubles, a triple, 3 homers, and 20 RBIs. Bunny Stapleton is off to a nice start as well, slashing .372/.398/.457 (118 OPS+) with 5 doubles, a homer, and 17 driven in.

We're off Friday, and then we end our road trip with three in Philly. The Sailors are an even 10-10, but are always a threat. Doc Newell leads the rotation, 3-2 with a 3.60 ERA (129 ERA+), 1.23 WHIP, 12 walks, and 14 strikeouts. Unfortunately for them, Walt Wells (5.34), Merritt Thomas (6.08), and Herb Flynn (5.66 ERA) have all been roughed up early on. They picked up Dutch Sheldon from St. Louis, and he's looked good in his two starts. The 30-year-old won them both and owns a 3.31 ERA (140 ERA+), 1.59 WHIP, 10 walks, and 12 strikeouts in 16.1 innings pitched. At the plate, Jim Beard has started to heat up, improving his statline to .351/.449/.404 (113 OPS+) with a homer and eight driven in. He's stole four bases, but despite 27 doubles last season, he hasn't hit a single one in 69 plate appearances this year. Joe Watson is fresh off a Player of the Week, and is hitting .329/.395/.553 (133 OPS+) with 5 doubles, 3 triples, 2 homers, and 14 RBIs. He's hitting above Bob Smith, who's off to a .314/.419/.471 (120 OPS+) start with 2 homers, 10 RBIs, 10 walks, and not a single strikeout. Jorge Nava has hit well in the leadoff spot, batting .308./.416/.462 (117 OPS+) with 7 doubles, a homer, two steals, and 10 RBIs. Shortstop Rip Lee, however, is off to a really awful start, hitting just .247/.276/.321 (48 OPS+) with a double, triple, homer, and 14 RBIs. The season is starting to pick up, and we can't have many more of these 2-4 weeks. It will nice to be home next week, and then we will see the first official Mock Draft on Friday. This will also generate statistics for the 1939 season, so I will get to see how my three draftees play as well as where they rank.

Minor League Report
LHP Rusty Watts (AA Mobile Commodores): One of the guys I considered for the lefty option in the pen, 23-year-old Rusty Watts was instead sent to Mobile where he would work as a starting pitcher. The fireballer had a tough first start, but hasn't allowed an earned run in the last two. The most recent was a true gem, a Dick Smith single away from a perfect game. Watts struck out four and has now struck out 10 on the season. He's worked to a 1.96 ERA (232 ERA+) and 0.83 WHIP in 23 innings so far, and he's looking like I made a mistake. A flyballer, Watts has an overpowering high 90s fastball and unlike good ol' Peter, he can located his stuff. His slider and change aren't all that good, which will likely hold him bat from being a big league starter, but his fastball is enough to work wonders out of the pen. He's on the 40, so I expect a debut from him at some point his season, and new scout Tom Weinstock is a fan. He thinks Watts could work as a spot starter and his stuff and movement is good enough with his strong command. OSA thinks he's better suited for the pen, and does not place him in the top 500. Watts is a hard worker even though he's not the brightest, the former 13th Round pick has made great strides since he entered our organization and has done a good job earning a roster spot.

LF Billy Jordan Jr. (C La Crosse Lions): Like Rucker, who I wrote about last post, Billy Jordan Jr. is likely headed up to San Jose once the new draftees fill the system. He had a big week, including a 5-for-6 against the Dubuque Dukes as the Lions came up big in a 19-2 victory. Jordan upped his batting line to .460/.526/.740 (163 OPS+) on the season with 5 doubles, 3 homers, and 21 RBIs. A 13th Rounder in 1935, Billy seems like a longshot to join his dad in a Cougar uniform, but the 22-year-old and fellow 13th Rounder tends to hand out in the 400-500 prospect rank range. Born in Chicago, Jordan played high school ball out in California and profiles at best as a fourth outfielder. He's started to show better gap power as he's aged, but has always displayed plus contact ability. Defense, however, is not his strong suit, and has held him back thusfar. He's never really had consistent playing time, but with a few injuries in the upper levels, Jordan can start to prove if he deserves a full time shot. Last year was his first season with 400 or more plate appearances, and he's on a pace to come close to 500 this year. I never really had much expectation for him, but I love a hometown guy and that could be all he needs to make a quick cameo for his childhood team.

CF Jasper Wright (C La Crosse Lions): Jordan wasn't the only Lion with a five hit game, as Jasper Wright managed a 5-for-6 of his own in a 20-12 win over the Burlington Bears. Acquired from the Miners in the Roy Moore trade this Winter, Wright has looked good in the early goings. He's hitting .321/.419/.566 (105 OPS+) so far with a double, steal, 4 homers, and 13 RBIs. Wright isn't the hardest worker, but the former 20th Rounder has the potential to be a very valuable utility player. He projects as an excellent defender out in center, and he can fill in the infield if needed. He's not the best hitter, but he's very patient and has shown good power this year. His speed may be his best asset, and he's an excellent bunter and takes advantage of poor defense. He checks in at 23rd and 303rd in our organization, right behind Ron Sexton, who was traded along with him. Wright has a long way to go, but I think he'll have a future on a big league team, and could be very useful for an organization if he doesn't have too many hiccups on the road up.

ayaghmour2 · 10-21-2021, 04:50 PM

Weekly Record: 1-5
Seasonal Record: 11-14 (7th, 5.5 GB)
Stars of the Week
John Lawson : 25 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .360 AVG, .833 OPS
Freddie Jones : 20 AB, 8 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .400 AVG, .978 OPS
Ray Ford : 21 AB, 6 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .286 AVG, .908 OPS

Schedule
5-15: Loss at Saints (7-10)
5-16: Loss at Saints (4-6)
5-17: Win at Cannons (6-0)
5-18: Loss at Cannons (1-3)
5-20: Loss at Sailors (6-9)
5-21: Loss at Sailors (1-6)

Recap
Yeah, can I get a redo on this one? The Saints finished off a sweep to start the week and the Sailors started off one to end it, and we dropped all the way down to 7th. We're ahead of just Toronto who have yet to reach double digit wins, despite the fact that we were supposed to be competing with them for second place not second pick. In better news, the draft pool was officially revealed and the initial mock draft was published. Funny enough, Skipper Schneider checks in at 1-8, our pick, while Danny Goff Jr. is supposedly just worthy of the first pick of the fourth round. That's fine, part of his value is his arm, but unfortunately the All-Time college hit leader (289) didn't get a single inning on the mound. There are only four pitchers on the mock, so no shock Bob Petty wasn't listed. I'll cover all three in an amateur report at the end and I plan to update my draft database sometime today. I'm also one and three picks away from my fourth round selections, so there will likely be a write up on them later as well.

This was a tough week for the team, but luckily we had Milt Fritz. He was just one out away from a shutout, and allowed 3 hits with 9 walks in our lone win this week. Milt tends to start quick, and is 4-1 with a 2.85 ERA (148 ERA+), 1.29 WHIP, 25 walks, and 7 strikeouts in 41 innings pitched. Harry Parker also had a good start, but got a loss, going all 8 with 6 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), a walk, and 4 strikeouts. Unfortunately, both of our two start starters allowed 23 hits and lost both games. Dick Lyons looked 38, 12 runs (10 earned), 3 walks, and 4 strikeouts in just 14 innings pitched. Cy Sullivan pitched less innings (10.1) and allowed more runs (17/15) with a walk and two strikeouts. Pete was the only member of the pen who didn't get an inning, so he'll start the week. The other four allowed just one run in 8 innings with 5 hits and 5 walks. Allen Purvis took the biggest portion, 3.2 hitless innings spread across two appearances in Philly.

Despite the results, Freddie Jones had a great week, 8-for-20 with 2 doubles, 3 walks, 3 RBIs, and 4 runs scored. Jones' first season in Chicago has gone alright, as the 29-year-old is hitting .306/.379/.459 (119 OPS+) with 6 doubles, 2 triples, a homer, and 8 RBIs. Ray Ford started turning things around, 6-for-21 with 2 doubles, a homer, and 5 RBIs. He's really struggled early on, batting just .240/.327/.396 (89 OPS+) with 6 doubles, 3 homers, and 15 RBIs. John Lawson was 9-for-25 with 2 doubles, 4 RBIs, and 5 runs scored. Rich Langton was 7-for-26 with 3 doubles, 2 triples, 3 runs, 3 RBIs, and a steal. Carlos Montes looked like a FABL hitter this week too, 4-for-14 with 2 doubles, 2 walks, 2 RBIs, a steal, and 3 runs scored. Leo Mitchell had his first bad week of the season, just 6-for-26 with two runs scored.

Looking Ahead
The finale in Philly is a must win, as we can end our long roadtrip with a much needed win. We only have three wins in what will be a thirteen game road trip, and we're just 7-10 on the season on the road. We're sending Pete Papenfus to the mound against Walt Wells in a battle of struggling starting pitchers. Wells is just 1-2 with 5.55 ERA (79 ERA+), 1.63 WHIP, 18 walks, and 11 strikeouts in 35.2 innings pitched. He'll need help from the offense, potentially in the form of Dick Walker. The reliable vet is hitting .258/.405/.427 (111 OPS+) with 3 doubles, 3 triples, 2 homers, 6 steals, and 12 RBIs while walking (24) almost five times as frequently as he strikes out (5). Jim Beard has continued his great start, 5-for-10 against us this series and .349/.427/.446 (121 OPS+) on the year.

We finally return home, but the first series will be a tough one as we welcome the Kings of the Continental Association. Brooklyn is off to a mediocre start, just 13-14, but they are only 4.5 games out of first and can make that up rather quickly. We're set to see Joe Shaffner, who is 3-2 with a 3.32 ERA (132 ERA+), 1.48 WHIP, 13 walks, and 11 strikeouts in his first 5 starts. I'd expect to see the struggling Tom Barrell as well, who despite also being 3-2 has a 5.23 ERA (84 ERA+), 1.45 WHIP, 9 walks, and 17 strikeouts, but a trip to Chicago should help him lower the ERA a bit. And since they are off to start the week, they'll likely lead with another former Cougar Mike Murphy. Also struggling, he's 1-4 with a 5.20 ERA (84 ERA+), 1.43 WHIP, 8 walks, and 5 strikeouts in just 36.1 innings pitched. Even if we do get runs off their staff, the lineup could be tough to crack. Alf is still hitting like Sal, .344/.376/.677 (163 OPS+) with 10 doubles, 7 homers, and 24 RBIs. Harry Barrell is hitting well too, .333/.393/.495 (125 OPS+) with 8 doubles, 2 triples, 2 homers, and 10 RBIs to go with his 7.8 zone rating and 1.197 efficiency at short. Doug Lightbody has struggled at first, but his .292/.400/.427 (111 OPS+) line with 6 doubles, 2 homers, and 9 RBIs is more then productive. Unfortunately for the Kings, Howard Brown Jr. hasn't had any success, hitting just .276/.333/.357 (76 OPS+) with 3 doubles, 2 steals, a triple, homer, and 11 RBIs with tough marks (-4.1, .917) out in center.

Our next guest is the red hot Saints, who are 15-12 to start the season and recently swept us. We get them for just two, but they will be without youngster Dilly Ward. 25 next month, Ward was hitting .281/.354/.491 (112 OPS+) with a double, homer, steal, 4 triples, and 8 RBIs. The lineup is lengthy enough to make up for it, with each of their other starters hitting over .300. Frank Davis isn't over .400 anymore, but his .392/.426/.480 (129 OPS+) line is still extremely impressive. Red Bond and Adam Mullins make fill out the middle of the order, and it's tough to tell which guys is more important. Bond is slashing .351/.421/.606 (157 OPS+) with 4 doubles, a triple, 6 homers, and 25 RBIs while Mullins is hitting .383/.458/.543 (153 OPS+) with 7 doubles, a triple, 2 homers, and 24 RBIs. On the mound, Karl Wallace has continued to struggle, but the other four have ERAs between 4.33-4.76. Jake DeYoung is 4-1 with an average 4.53 ERA (97 ERA+) and 1.33 WHIP with 8 walks and 22 strikeouts. Rookie Bud Robbins is 1-2, but with a 4.33 ERA (101 ERA+), 1.44 WHIP, 7 walks, and 7 strikeouts. They've been the two most effective starters for Montreal, but even though they give up more then their share of runs, it's tough to keep up with the Montreal offense.

We'll then start a three game series with Baltimore, who is sitting at 13-15. Former Star Glenn Payne has made 4 starts with the Cannons, going 0-1 with a 4.71 ERA (91 ERA+), 1.50 WHIP, 8 walks, and 11 strikeouts. Gus Goulding has been outstanding atop the rotation, 4-3 with a 3.00 ERA (143 ERA+), 1.40 WHIP, 17 walks, and 21 strikeouts, and as they run with a four man rotation, we're almost guaranteed to see them in the three game set. I just hope we can also get the struggling Rusty Petrick, who is 1-3 with a 6.09 ERA (70 ERA+), 1.74 WHIP, 28 walks, and 19 strikeouts. Fred Galloway is off to a decent start to his sophomore year, batting .312/.390/.440 (116 OPS+) with 4 doubles, 5 triples, and 10 RBIs. Baseball's 7th rated prospect, Charley McCullough, has also been getting some time with them and is 4-for-16 with a run, homer, and 11 driven in. He's always been a guy I liked that I regret greatly passing on in the draft, and it's nice to see him back in the big leagues.

Minor League Report
3B Ducky Jordan (AAA Milwaukee Blues): He hasn't had the most success with the bat in the minors, but Ducky Jordan had a nice 4-for-4 with a cycle in an 8-5 win over Fort Wayne. Currently ranked 4th in our system and 27th in the league, Jordan has hit a nice .312/.360/.610 (127 OPS+) with 4 doubles, 2 triples, 5 homers, 4 steals, and 18 RBIs in 86 trips to the plate with the Blues. "The Hot Springs Hotshot" has looked elite at third, a 2.0 zone rating and 1.152 efficiency at the hot corner. With Jones, Lawson, and Hunter all doing well in the big leagues, there isn't an obvious spot at the moment for Ducky, but he's rearing to go after an inevitable injury to one of our infielders. This is his last option year, so he'll at least be a part timer next season, but the hardworking Jordan has really boosted his stock lately. He projects to be a .310 hitter with difference making speed and an excellent glove at whatever infield position he ends up at. It may have been a slow climb for him, but the waiting will be well worth it.

RF Chick Browning (B San Jose Cougars): Our first Player of the Week! Very few hitters hit as well as Chick Browning last season, and he's rode that right into this year. The Chicagoan took home C-O-W Player of the Week by hitting .625 with 4 homers and 8 runs scored and driven in. Browning has now made 103 trips to the plate this season, and is hitting very similar to the .396/.475/.733 (207 OPS+) in 120 PAs last year. This years version comes against tougher competition, with a still astronomical .410/.495/.795 (205 OPS+) and goes with 4 doubles, 2 triples, 8 homers, and 28 RBIs. He just turned 21 earlier this month, but the lefty is slugging well beyond his years right now. The outfield is very full above him, but Doc Love has recently asked for a trade, and that would open a spot for him in Lincoln as we have to push someone up. Even if that doesn't happen, Doug Bennett has been struggling in Lincoln, and I could send him down and move Tony Mullis back to center, opening up right for Browning. I'd prefer not doing that, as Bennett is 24 and a former 2nd Rounder, but I'm not sure I can keep Chick down here very long. Browning isn't one of our more loved prospects in the system, as the highest ranked (45th) not top 500 prospect in our organization. I love his patient approach, always walking more then he strikes out, and the more discipline he shows, the more likely he'll get a pitch he can handle. His power looks really nice now, but OSA actually doesn't think he has the power potential for a corner. This is a guy who hit 26 homers last year and is launching them out at a 49 homer pace this year, so I think they might need an update. There is always the chance he's just an over developed at potential hitter already, but if he keeps hitting like this, his ratings won't really matter.

RHP Joe Crosby (B San Jose Cougars): An injury to Bill Tuttle opened up a spot in San Jose for former 4th Rounder Joe Crosby, and he showed he was more then up to the task. He allowed just 4 hits and 2 walks with a strikeout in a 5-0 shutout win over the Everett Eagles. "Boney Joe" has had a nice ascent up the prospect ladder, checking in at 10th in our system and 137th in the league. A three pitch pitcher, he recently bumped his fastball up to 88-90, and he pairs it with a sharp breaking curveball that can generate a lot of swings and misses. His slider needs some work, but he projects to have outstanding stuff once he's fully developed. He has the potential to dominate hitters when he's finding the strike zone, but you guessed it, he can fall victim to poor control. Crosby did have an injury scare, leaving his second start with a mild abdominal strain, but he's remained relatively healthy in his first few seasons. With all high school arms, they have a lot of upside and a very slim chance of reaching it, but he's definitely on the right track so far.

CF Max Rucker (C La Crosse Lions): Our second Player of the Week of the week was another outfielder, and one I already covered. Last year's 7th Rounder, Max Rucker was 19-for-32 with 3 homers, 11 RBIs, and 14 runs scored. For the season, he's now hitting .438/.476/.677 (134 OPS+) with 5 doubles, 6 homers, 4 steals, and 28 RBIs. Like Browning, he could also benefit from a Love trade, as he looks ready for a tougher challenge. He isn't the best defender out in center, but he has plus efficiencies (1.072, 1.006, 1.121) at all three outfield spots in tiny samples to start the year. I think a corner is the best spot for him defensively, but he may not have the requisite bat for a corner. He is an above average contact hitter with good speed and he's already matched his homer total from last season. I'm hoping his success isn't just due to the lower level of competition, but I imagine once he reaches San Jose, it'll be more of the same.

2B Hod Seagroves (C La Crosse Lions): Now 21, Chicagoan Hod Seagroves had a very poor first season in La Crosse at the plate, and then followed it up with an almost average showing. This season, however, his batting average is way up, and a 5-for-16 in the Lions 15-7 win over Marshalltown helped pushed his average above .400. When the week ended, it was back to .400 with 7 doubles, 3 homers, 22 RBIs, and a 115 OPS+. Acquired from the Dynamos for Phil McKenna and Mutt Clabough, the 6'3'' second basemen is great with the glove, a 23.6 zone rating and 1.074 efficiency in 1,849.1 innings at the keystone. I was worried if he'd be ready for San Jose once the new draftees join the organization, but he's doing his best to prove me wrong. He's finally showing some of the value he's shown at the plate, as Tom enjoys watching his "smooth swing" and "quick hands" and projects him as a .300/.400/.500 type hitter. Power isn't his game, but he'll be on base all the time, and he can surprise you with a few doubles. He is on track for 18 homers in 500 plate appearances, but I don't think Hod will ever hit double digit homers in the majors. Generally in the 300-500 prospect range, he's up to 270th which is good for 19th in our organization, and he could find himself inside the top 200 by the end of the year.

Amateur Report
SS Skipper Schneider
School: Northwestern
1939: .505/.545/.804, 121 PA, 18 2B, 3B, 4 HR, 31 RBI, 16 SB
Career: .490/.535/.704, 488 PA, 56 2B, 3 3B, 10 HR, 129 RBI, 63 SB

Breakout season! I couldn't have hoped for a better season for Skipper, as he set new career bests for his average, on base percentage, slugging, doubles, homers, and WAR. A .500 season is truly special, and Skipper is now one of the few high schoolers to say he's done it. A 1.349 OPS was highly unexpected, as the four homers this season were the same as he hit combined as a sophomore and junior. As a four year starter, Schneider racked up 210 hits and 185 runs scored and seems likely to be a selection for the All-High School Team. I mentioned Skipper checks in 8th on the mock draft, and Weinstock is a huge fan of his. He projects to have a considerably high ceiling as a top 5 starter at shortstop. At 18, he's got a lot of time to grow, and he looks like a natural defender at short. He should be a consistent .300+ hitter with great speed on the bases and in the field. He has the versatility to fill in all across the diamond, with experience at second, third, short, left, and right. I'm a huge fan of this kid, and I think we're going to be very happy with what he ends up becoming.

CF Danny Goff Jr.
School: Hempstead
1939: .324/.383/.449, 319 PA, 14 2B, 8 3B, 2 HR, 48 RBI, 32 SB
Career: .346/.402/.471, 925 PA, 44 2B, 23 3B, 5 HR, 157 RBI, 102 SB

It was the worst season of his three year career, but Goff still tallied 93 hits like last year to set the All-Time collegiate hit record. He did set career highs in games (63), runs (76), and walks (64), but I really wanted to see him on the mound a few times before he joined us. The Brooklyn born Goff is a very aggressive hitter at the plate, and his at bats don't tend to last very often. He has the hit tool to challenge for batting titles and OSA thinks he can be penciled in for a lion's share of starts out in center. He has the speed and range to stick in center, but he's got experience in both corners and at first as well. Tom isn't as big a fan of him, and isn't sold on him as an outfielder or pitcher. Of course, I have the final say, and I like his chances at both. He's most interesting on the mound, despite being a flyball pitcher. He has a really nice change, a solid high 80s fastball, and an effective enough curve to allow him to start in the big leagues. His pitching tools are raw, but his command is strong and it should allow him to fill the back of a big league rotation. Like Juan Pomales, I'll allow him to pursue both ways, so he'll likely have a slow and controlled progression in the farm. He's a rather risky pick, but he was too enticing to pass up, and I don't expect to have any regrets with this pick, even if Harry Sharp ends up fronting a rotation.

RHP Bob Petty
School: Clayton
Commit School: Oklahoma City State
1939: 9-1, 106 IP, 1.70 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 40 BB, 150 K
Career: 24-4, 293.1 IP, 1.87 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 100 BB, 380 K

Our regional pick out of St. Louis, Bob "Hard Way" Petty split the difference between his freshman and sophomore years to put together a nice senior year. He was 9-1, but his ERA, WHIP, and walks all rose compared to last season. He did set a career high 4.7 WAR with 150 strikeouts and a 12.7 K/9, and he's improved his K/9 each season. The 106 innings this season were also a new high, and he started all 42 of his games this season. The tall and lanky 6'3'' righty won't be 17 until September, but he's gotten as far as he has with his exceptional work ethic. He took extra courses to finish high school early and declare for the draft, and with not many options for our regional pick, I'm more then willing to take a risk on a high upside youngster. OSA and Weinstock don't share the same sentiment as I do, but in a rather weak class of pitchers, Petty could end up being one of the most valuable in the bunch.

ayaghmour2 · 10-21-2021, 06:30 PM

4th Round, 55th Overall: RHP Tommy Davis
School: Central Ohio
1939: 7-4, 106 IP, 3.65 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 63 BB, 80 K
Career: 20-13, 311.1 IP, 3.76 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 157 BB, 189 K

Nearly all the pitchers my scout likes are taken, so I took the number five pitcher on my scouts list Tommy Davis. A three year starter at Central Ohio, the 6'3'' righty saw his velocity jump from 84-86 to 88-90 this May, and his junior year was very similar to his breakout sophomore season where he was 8-4 with a 3.53 ERA and 1.39 WHIP with 38 walks and 59 strikeouts in 112.1 innings pitched. He had one fewer start this year, but he posted his best strikeout and K/9 numbers of his career. I usually shy away from taking college arms who aren't current starters, but I'm a big fan of Davis' stuff. He does a great job keeping the ball on the ground, and now with the velocity boost, I expect his sinker to become a much stronger pitch. He does lean heavily on his outstanding curveball, but his sinker his reliable as well and his changeup is good enough to be a third pitch. He does have some control issues, and after a 3.0 BB/9 last year, it bounced back up to 5.3 like his 5.4 as a freshman. His stuff is average or better, but if he continues to struggle at finding the zone, he may end up no better then a spot starter. He'll have to work hard to end up in a big league rotation, but I'm confident he'll be able to fill a big league rotation before his career finishes.

4th Round, 57th Overall: CF Bunny Hufford
School: Chesapeake State
1939: .319/.407/.488, 197 PA, 9 2B, 5 3B, 3 HR, 24 RBI, 34 SB
Career: .313/.403/.472, 701 PA, 29 2B, 14 3B, 12 HR, 100 RBI, 102 SB

Another college kid and another center fielder, I used the 4th Rounder I picked up from Cleveland in the Dave Rankin trade to select a speedy centerfielder from Chesapeake State. In one of the toughest college conferences, the uniquely named Bunny Hufford hit over .300 in each of his three seasons with 30 or more steals. I was a little concerned to see his games played drop in each season (53, 47, 39), but Hufford is one of my scouts favorite hitters and he checked in at 2.15 on the Mock Draft. He's shown improving pitch recognition skills, and he should be able to walk more then he strikes out. The lefty also makes considerable contact, and this allows him to work the count against even the toughest pitchers. Tom and OSA both think he'll be an everyday player in the big leagues, but neither mention his defense, leading me to believe that he may be best suited for a corner. He probably won't be much of a home run hitter, tending to hit the ball on the ground, but with his speed he's able to beat out most of the weak groundballs he hits to the left side of the infield. He's an extremely hard worker, challenging his teammates to mini-competitions even in the most boring drills, and that makes me believe that not only does he have a high work ethic, but also leadership, two things that can help extend anyone's career. Weinstock lists him 15th overall and as the 13th best hitter, and he was the highest undrafted player in the pool. We do have a lot of outfield depth in our system, so despite likely being ready for San Jose or even Lincoln, I may start him in La Crosse this year, but I can see himself hitting his way up quickly.

The fifth round will be busy for us, as we pick 4th, 7th, and 9th, but we do own the 7th pick in each round. I have an extra 6th (4th) and 7th (12th), but knowing myself, I'll find a way to pick up an extra pick or two.

ayaghmour2 · 10-22-2021, 03:02 PM

Weekly Record: 4-3
Seasonal Record: 15-17 (7th, 6 GB)
Stars of the Week
Ray Ford : 28 AB, 11 H, 3 HR, 8 RBI, .393 AVG, 1.114 OPS
Freddie Jones : 21 AB, 9 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .429 AVG, 1.377 OPS
John Lawson : 29 AB, 9 H, 3 HR, 4 RBI, .310 AVG, .954 OPS

Schedule
5-22: Loss at Sailors (5-9)
5-23: Loss vs Kings (8-2)
5-24: Win vs Kings (3-5)
5-26: Win vs Kings (6-9)
5-27: Win vs Saints (0-9)
5-28: Loss vs Saints (3-2)
5-29: Win vs Cannons (7-8)

Recap
The week was much better, but we moved up just a half game with one more win then loss. We let the Sailors sweep us, but we took four out of six at home to inch a bit closer to .500. The offense exploded, and we launched homer after homer, 13 in total, equal to half of our season total. I also made a minor trade last night, sending Doc Love back to Detroit for the 14th Pick in the 8th Round. Love had a rough season last year, but he did a great job coming off the bench to start this season. He was 5-for-14 with a double, homer, three walks, and two RBIs. This allows me to bring up Aart MacDonald, who is hitting well down in AAA. The 27-year-old is hitting .321/.432/.619 (145 OPS+) with 6 doubles, 2 triples, 5 homers, 5 steals, and 15 RBIs. As a lefty, he can give Carlos Montes a few days off against tough righties, and with Montes' struggles, it will be hard for Aart to do any worse.

Freddie Jones may have deserved Player of the Week, 9-for-21 with 2 doubles, 2 triples, a homer, 4 walks, 4 RBIs, and 6 runs scored. Ray Ford also had an incredible week, 11-for-28 with 3 homers, 5 runs, and 8 RBIs. John Lawson matched his homers, and was 9-for-29 with 4 RBIs and 7 runs scored. Billy Hunter was 8-for-21 with a homer, 2 doubles, 2 RBIs, 3 runs, and 3 walks. Leo Mitchell was 9-for-28 with 3 doubles, a homer, 4 runs, and 5 RBIs. Even Rich Langton turned things around, 8-for-28 with a triple, 2 doubles, 2 homers, 4 runs, and 6 RBIs. Mike Taylor was outstanding in his four starts, 5-for-13 with a double, homer, 2 runs, 3 walks, and 4 RBIs. Only one guy struggled, and you could guess who that was, as Montes was just 2-for-18 with an RBI, two runs, and three walks.

We weren't great on the mound, but Dick Lyons was. He tossed a 4-hit, 1 walk, 4 strikeout shutout in our 9-0 win over the Saints. Lyons isn't quite pitching like an Allen Winner, but his 3.56 ERA (120 ERA+) and 1.29 WHIP aren't bad at all. What was bad, was Peter the Heater, who lost both starts. His second one wasn't really that bad, but he combined for 13 innings, 12 hits, 9 runs, 8 walks, and 12 strikeouts. Pete has really struggled this year, 2-4 with a 6.53 ERA (65 ERA+), 1.65 WHIP, 29 walks, and 27 strikeouts in 40 innings pitched. Our other two start pitcher, Milt Fritz, lost one and then got a no decision, 14 innings with 24 hits, 14 runs (12 earned), 5 walks, and 5 strikeouts. Cy won his start, but allowed 11 hits and 6 runs (5 earned) with a walk. Harry Parker looked good, a complete game win with 6 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, and 6 strikeouts. The pen allowed their share of runs, 4 runs in 8 innings with just Allen Purvis not allowing a run.

Looking Ahead
We won the opener with the now last place Cannons, and after two more games, hopefully they drop to 13-23. We'll get to see the two highest ERAs in the staff, starting with Glenn Payne. He dropped to 0-2 with a 5.60 ERA (77 ERA+) and 1.64 WHIP with 10 walks and 17 strikeouts. Rusty Petrick is next, and he's just 1-4 with a 6.98 ERA (62 ERA+), 1.92 WHIP, 34 walks, and 20 strikeouts. At the plate, Ken Mayhugh has looked fine, batting .300/.370/.431 (107 OPS+) with 11 doubles, 2 homers, and 19 RBIs. Above him is Bunny Stapleton, who is slashing a nice .375/.416/.472 (129 OPS+) with 8 doubles, 2 homers, and 24 RBIs. Calvin Brown is challenging to hit .350, batting .344/.390/.416 (109 OPS+) in his first season in Baltimore while longtime Cannon Whit Williams is hitting .297/.357/.471 (113 OPS+) while matching his five homer total from last season. These are two must win games, and I like our chances at home.

Next visitor will be the new look Stars, who we welcome to town for a pair of games. New York is 20-14, powered by the bat of Moxie Pidgeon. The 32-year-old vet is off to a .331/.384/.561 (139 OPS+) start with 5 doubles, 9 homers, an 28 RBIs. Another new face, Ray Cochran, has really looked good in the leadoff spot, slashing .338/.420/.500 (135 OPS+) with 6 doubles, 6 triples, a homer, 6 steals, 11 RBIs, and 19 walks. Rookie Bill Barrett hasn't started every game, but he's hitting a respectable .261/.362/.493 (117 OPS+) with 5 doubles, a triple, 3 homers, and 16 RBIs with five times as many walks (10) as strikeouts (2). Even the ageless Dave Trowbridge is flexing with the bat, a robust .341/.419/.504 (135 OPS+) line to his credit. He added 7 doubles, 5 homers, and 27 RBIs, and is on track for another above average offensive season, something he's done in each season since joining the Stars in 1928. The recently required Clark Car has taken short with Joe Angevine hurt, and is hitting an average .289/.368/.447 (108 OPS+) with 4 doubles, 4 triples, and 13 RBIs. The pitching, however, has been their downfall, just one of their four starters sporting a sub 5 ERA. That would be George Philips, who saw his ERA jump to 4.19 (104 ERA+). He is 5-1 with a 1.43 WHIP, 29 walks, and 30 strikeouts, but the rest of the staff hasn't been so lucky. New acquisition Chuck Cole has been disappointing, 2-2 with a 5.92 ERA (74 ERA+), 1.74 WHIP, 32 walks, and 25 strikeouts.

Our homestand finishes with three against the 17-16 Sailors. Somehow other have four starters with ERAs above 5, including No-Hit Newell. Doc is just 3-3 with a 5.44 ERA (82 ERA+) and 1.46 WHIP with 17 walks and strikeouts. #2 Walt Wells has had similar struggles, 2-2 with a 5.25 ERA (84 ERA+), 1.56 WHIP, 23 walks, and 14 strikeouts. Dutch Sheldon is the only one with much success, 2-2 with a 3.79 ERA (117 ERA+), 1.59 WHIP, 19 walks, and 18 strikeouts. Reigning Player of the Week Bob Smith is on a nice little tear, slashing .375/.464/.613 (168 OPS+) with 6 doubles, 2 triples, 3 homers, 4 steals, and 23 RBIs. Don Homer has started to be productive in the eight spot, .328/.381/.451 (108 OPS+) with 9 doubles, 3 triples, a steal, 14 RBIs, and 11 walks. Joe Watson is continuing strong as well, slashing .331/.406/.540 (136 OPS+) with 7 doubles, 5 triples, 3 homers, and 20 RBIs. All weeks have been tough for us, and we need to start winning sooner rather then later.

Minor League Report
1B Marv Smith (A Lincoln Legislators): One of the initial useless lottery picks, Marv Smith had a big three homer game as the Legislators topped the Hustlers 10-8. In fact, not only was Smith a star in this game, but in the Springfield series he was 10-for-14 with 10 runs, 2 walks, and 4 RBIs. I'm still in awe of why he didn't win Player of the Week, but the natural outfielder is having an excellent season. Not only has he looked good at first, but he's hitting .304/.420/.520 (132 OPS+) with 6 doubles, 7 homers, and 18 RBIs in 150 trips to the plate. On the older side, he is 24, but he's a very experienced and disciplined hitter who knows what pitches to lay off of and he's already matched his homer total from last year and the season before. Even with all my displeasure in him, Smith actually is a solid hitter and he's never had a below average stop in the minors. He doesn't feature in our top prospect lists, but he could still end up as a decent bench bat, just not quite you want from a first round pick.

ayaghmour2 · 10-22-2021, 05:17 PM

5th Round, 68th Overall: 3B Jim McCarthy
School: Bellaire
Commit School: Central Kentucky
1939: .449/.524/.573, 108 PA, 8 2B, HR, 25 RBI, 15 SB
Career: .444/.519/.592, 468 PA, 38 2B, 4 3B, 4 HR, 106 RBI, 51 SB

There was a pitcher I really wanted, and I passed up on him to go with the prep bat of Jim McCarthy. The pitcher I wanted ended up being selected right before my next pick, so I'll always have to wonder if I made the right choice. McCarthy was a four year starter for the Bellaire Big Reds, and I won't be letting him head to Central Kentucky. McCarthy didn't show much power in high school, but he did a good job drawing walks and even managed driving in more then 100 runs in high school. I expect his best offensive talent to be his eye, but he could develop strong contact skills. An extremely athletic kid, McCarthy also provides above average defense at third, and he could probably handle an outfield corner as well. He got a little experience at short too, which bodes well for his defensive skills, meaning he likely has at least average range and double play ability. OSA isn't a big fan of his future, but Tom thinks he'll force his way into a big league lineup and the most recent mock has him at the 2.5 spot.

5th Round, 71st Overall: 1B Bill Dambreville
School: Coastal State
1939: .311/.385/.442, 221 PA, 11 2B, 3B, 14 HR, 41 RBI, 4 SB
Career: 303/.380/.437, 534 PA, 28 2B, 2 3B, 10 HR, 100 RBI, 8 SB

I really wanted a pitcher with this pick, but with just one more pick between this and my next one, and more then two lesser guys I'd consider, I decided to roll the dice on a supposed first round talent. Replacing Skipper as the 1.8 Mock Pick, I grabbed the bat only Bill Dambreville with my actual 5th Rounder. His junior year was just like his sophomore year, but he got into just 44 games instead of 62. Dambreville showed some power, averaging a homer every 10 games, and he's got excellent strike zone recognition. These are tools we can make the most of, and with very few natural first basemen in our system, he'll have little to no pressure on his ascent up. The only natural first basemen I have right now in a starting role is Cuno Myer, and he's a 24-year-old who has been passed up in the Rule-5 draft a few times. Stu Stasny has been getting some time there to start, and he may eventually turn into more of a first basemen, but I can send Bill up to San Jose where I have a mix of Harry Avery and Ray Powell, a shortstop and outfielder, both taking reps at first. Dambreville won't be a world beater by any means, but he's a very low risk pick where I'm not chasing upside, but more filling a need with a guy who could have fallen further then he should of.

5th Round, 73rd Overall: RHP Lou Eaker
School: Miami State
1939: 7-4, 96.2 IP, 3.44 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 45 BB, 86 K
Career: 19-20, 350 IP, 4.19 ERA, 1.51 WHIP, 170 BB, 240 K

A three year starter, Lou Eaker saved his best season for last, as it was his first season with a winning record, sub 4 ERA, and sub 1.40 WHIP. He also had his best season for strikeouts (86) and K/9 (8), although he always struck out at least 80 batters. He did have some walk issues, a 4.2 BB/9 on par to his 4.4 career mark. A tall, 6'5'' righty, Eaker has a polished four pitch mix, but his command isn't the best. His splitter is his best offering, but his mid 80s cutter and fastball are his most common offerings. He also throws a change up, and all four pitches are FABL quality. Still, he doesn't have an out pitch yet, so he may see a bunch of his pitches hit past him. Walks may end up an issue for him, but I'm hoping his stuff can develop enough to overcome it. He'll turn 22 in December, and like most college arms, I think he'll be able to rise up the system fast. With not many sure bets for pitching options available Eaker may be one of the last pitchers I take for a while, and definitely the last college arm.

StLee · 10-22-2021, 10:47 PM

Man, I've been away so long that I missed an entire season!

ayaghmour2 · 10-23-2021, 11:14 PM

6th Round, 84th Overall: RHP Jimmy Ballard
School: Donora
Commit School: Cowpens State
1939: 8-2, 107 IP, 1.26 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 29 BB, 177 K
Career: 25-5, 315.1 IP, 1.43 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 92 BB, 445 K

After back-to-back seasons with ERAs around 1.50, the recently turned 17-year-old took things to the next level this season. The skinny 6'4'' righty dropped his ERA down to 1.26, while setting career bests for strikeouts, K/9 (14.9), BB/9 (2.4), WHIP, and WAR (6.7) as well. A sidewinder from Weston, West Virginia, Ballard projects to have a strong three pitch arsenal with a nice slider and average change and fastball. His fastball sits in the 87-89 range now, but I imagine as he ages and fills out, he'll be throwing much harder. Command could develop into a problem, but he's done a decent job so far limiting free passes. An inquisitive lad, he's always asking questions, and hopefully he'll be looking to his teammates for advice or potential new pitches. OSA thinks he may pitch his way into a back-end rotation role while Tom thinks he shouldn't be used as more then a spot starter, but that's pretty good praise compared to what is left over right now. The wiry Ballard has loads of upside, and I think he's going to develop into a much more interesting arm then he's showing right now.

6th Round, 86th Overall: SS Arnie Scurlock
School: Cumberland University
1939: .288/.357/.384, 258 PA, 9 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 40 RBI, 35 SB
Career: .284/.353/.372, 765 PA, 23 2B, 5 3B, 9 HR, 120 RBI, 106 SB

I'm actually a little surprised I didn't consider the switch hitter from Cumberland for my regional pick, but I eventually settled on the versatile Oak Park native over another versatile collegiate shortstop, who I may or may not use one of my 7th Rounders on. Of course, being an Illinois kid, he has a built in advantage over most other prospects, but there are a lot of things to like about the 22-year-old. Not only is he a surehanded shortstop, but Scurlock can handle second, third, left, center, and right, making it really easy to find at bats for him no matter who else is on the roster with him. I already envision him in a Tip Harrison role, but that's not to say that his only value is versatility. He's got a good eye, great foot speed, and OSA really likes his swing, explaining how he shows a knack for barreling the ball up, using his compact swing to spray the ball around the field. Sure, there may be a lot of grounders, but when they go towards the left side of the infield, he's got a great chance to beat them out. No one will every mistake him for Billy Hunter or even Ollie Page, but he actually checks in at 3.5 on the Mock Draft. Tom thinks he'll force his way into a lineup, but my guess that only happens with injuries, and because he doesn't have to wait for just one position to need filling.

7th Round, 103rd Overall: CF Edmund Mann
School: Chadsey
Commit School: Richmond State
1939: .417/.453/.635, 109 PA, 11 2B, 5 3B, 23 RBI, 35 SB
Career: .436/.494/.697, 445 PA, 45 2B, 21 3B, 5 HR, 96 RBI, 131 SB

As consistent as it got for his first three seasons, 18-year-old Edmund Mann had his average between .440 and .446 with on base percentages between .508 and .514, before his line came crashing down as a senior. His posted his lowest average, on base, and slugging my a significant margin as a senior at Chadsey, and like 1937, failed to hit a single home run. Mann stated walking and striking out less as well, and while his RBIs were close to his norm, he scored fewer runs as well. I'm hoping it was just a fluke for Mann, who launched three homers last year with a 1.251 OPS, there is a reason he fell to the 7th Round of the draft. He's a sound defender with great range in center, and he's more then passable in either corner. He has a good combination of bat speed and barrel control as well, which should lead to a nice batting average. Another switch hitter, he has some exciting, yet definitely underdeveloped, tools at the plate, and even without much improvement, he should turn into a suitable utility player. A lot of the players left are just lottery tickets that likely won't cash out, but he was actually the guy in the mock right in front of our second sixth rounder Arnie Scurlock.

7th Round, 108th Overall: 3B Harry Harris
School: DuPont Manual
Commit School: Western Florida
1939: .482/.558/.800, 104 PA, 13 2B, 3B, 4 HR, 29 RBI, 5 SB
Career: .485/.565/.722, 419 PA, 45 2B, 3 3B, 10 HR, 106 RBI, 29 SB

I promise, I'm not just drafting switch hitters! Add another one to the list in Louisville's Harry Harris, who was a four year starter at DuPont Manual. His best season came as a sophomore where he hit .500/.571/.802 with 14 doubles, 4 homers, and 27 RBIs in 107 trips to the plate. He did match that 4 homer total this year, but hit just a single one as a freshman and junior. He may not develop the power you like to see from a third basemen, but Harris his versatile enough to fill in at second, first, left, and right as well. I'm not sure he has the speed for the outfield, but depending on his eye and range, second base could be his final resting spot. He does have a very good eye and gets above average bat speed on his swings, which should allow him to hit for a high average. OSA thinks he'll be a .310 hitter, and I think that is a fair assessment. Whether or not he becomes a reliable big leaguer, however, depends on if he's the 1 or 4 home run hitter that he's shown so far. He is absent from the Mock Draft, but I do have to say he's better then a lot of the listed third basemen.

ayaghmour2 · 10-24-2021, 09:13 PM

8th Round, 119th Overall: LHP Bob Hobbs
School: Brookhaven
Commit School: Daniel Boone College
1939: 8-2, 101.1 IP, 1.78 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 27 BB, 117 K
Career: 24-5, 301 IP, 1.55 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 83 BB, 375 K

Potentially the last high school arm I select (there are a few college ones I have my eye on for the 9th and/or 10th Round), after a little debate, I grabbed lefty Bob Hobbs. He seemed to break out as a junior, going 9-1 with a 1.14 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 25 walks, and 143 strikeouts, but then returned to his 1937 form. Of course, that still meant a sub 2 ERA with a WHIP in the 1.00s, but his strikeouts dropped from a 12.5 K/9 to 10.4. He did, however, come closer to his 1938 BB/9 (2.2) rate then 1937 (2.9), and the six foot southpaw still started 14 games for the third consecutive season. He doesn't throw too hard now, just 84-86 with his fastball, but that, along with his change, are just average pitches. I expect with more velocity, those two pitches will start to look different, and he should see improvements in his stuff. Luckily, neither of those are his top offering, as Weinstock is a big fan of his curve, and OSA seems to agree it's a nice pitch. And of course, command issues may stand in his way, which could also lead to a few early exits in starts due to effectiveness or fatigue. Hobbs won't turn 18 until October, and with a lot of development left to go, he could push his way into a very back end rotation role. The 8th Round hasn't been the kindest to us, but Elias Canady, Elmer Hutchins, and Johnnie Williamson have all debuted, while our most recent pitcher in the 8th, Johnny Ruby ranks toward the back of the top 500. Expectations aren't high for Hobbs, but he has a few interesting tools that could help lead him to a long term role.

8th Round, 126th Overall: SS Connie Wright
School: Petersburg
1939: .285/.387/.392, 222 PA, 6 2B, 3B, 4 HR, 35 RBI, 33 SB
Career: .289/.393/.390, 671 PA, 21 2B, 3 3B, 10 HR, 97 RBI, 107 SB

One of the guys I debated taking instead of Arnie Scurlock, I eventually went back to grab the other college shortstop I had my eye on, Connie Wright. He isn't as versatile as Scurlock, and didn't face as tough of competition, but my scout is a fan of both, and I love shortstops who can handle the glove. He can also handle third, second, and center, so I imagine left and right will be a cinch as well. Of course, Wright also happens to be a switch hitter, but his teammates care more about his effect in the locker room. His teammates tend to follow his lead, and that's exactly what you want from your shortstop. He didn't hit many extra base hits, but he had his share of homers, 4 in back-to-back seasons despite just over 20 career doubles. He has good speed as well, so I was a little surprised with the lack of doubles and triples, but my guess is he's not much of a gap hitter. He has a really good eye, which has gotten him as far as he has, but he'll really need to work in another average or better tool at the plate. His athleticism allows him a high floor, but his occasional shortcomings at the plate lower his ceiling as well. OSA thinks of him as a reserve, Tom as a supplement not star, while the mock thought we should have used Cleveland's fourth rounder on him. I think he'll be a useful bench bat, perhaps a Clyde Hinzman type utility player, but with much better leadership skills.

9th Round, 135th Overall: RHP King Price
School: Bluegrass State
1939: 7-5, 115 IP, 3.83 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 43 BB, 69 K
Career: 15-21, 344.2 IP, 1.45 WHIP, 117 BB, 188 K

There were about four equally uninspiring college arms I was looking at (one actually was the next pitcher taken), and I decided to take the King. He'll turn 22 in August, but the intelligent and well spoken King of Price improved each season he pitched for the prestigious Bluegrass State. Each season, his ERA and WHIP dropped as his K/9 and WAR rose. His last season was easily the best, the only he finished with a winning record and sub 4.00 ERA. Another sidearmer, Price gets excellent bite on his mid 80s cutter, but his best pitch is above average change. OSA thinks he has a nifty knuckle-curve too, and OSA even thinks his cutter is decent. His control can come and go, but if he is able to locate more of his pitches, he could develop into more then just a AAAA type inning eater. I'm a big fan of his stamina, and his pitches are very well developed, even for a college kid. If my hunch is right, my guess is he'll start up in San Jose, and with a lot of underdeveloped arms in A ball and above, he could move up the ladder rather fast.

10th Round, 151st Overall: SS Johnny Henson
School: Pittsburgh State
1939: .276/.321/.344, 315 PA, 10 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 44 RBI, 38 SB
Career: .270/.339/.390, 833 PA, 30 2B, 9 3B, 14 HR, 131 RBI, 110 SB

Another college shortstop! After an outstanding freshman year where he hit .272/.370/.452 with 7 homers and 46 RBIs in 266 trips to the plate, Henson looked well on his way to an early round selection. Unfortunately for him, however, his power never resurfaced, combining for seven the next two seasons, while his walks dropped and his strikeouts rose. He actually hit for a higher average this season, but his slugging and on base percentage also dropped in each season. Even with all that, I'm hoping there is still a little of the freshman Henson left in him. An excellent athlete, Henson looks like an above average defender at short, and he's gotten a lot of time at all three other infield spots as well. He is a bit of a free swinger at the plate, and it has caused increases in his strikeouts. I think he could develop into an interesting bench bat, while the mock thinks he was worthy of a late third round pick.

No more picks in the human portion, as Henson rounds out a sixteen man human draft class. There is a Chicagoan left I want to draft, but for the most part, not too many interesting options out there. I plan on throwing in a few impossible in the middle to later rounds of the AI draft to hopefully limit the late picks, but this will be Tom's first amateur draft, and I'm looking forward to seeing if he can find a few gems us mere humans missed.

ayaghmour2 · 10-25-2021, 07:37 PM

Weekly Record: 4-3
Seasonal Record: 19-20 (t-5th, 5.5 GB)
Stars of the Week
Freddie Jones : 24 AB, 13 H, 0 HR, 6 RBI, .542 AVG, 1.363 OPS
Ray Ford : 28 AB, 10 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .357 AVG, .973 OPS
Leo Mitchell : 22 AB, 8 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .364 AVG, 1.014 OPS

Schedule
5-29: Loss vs Cannons (7-6): 12 innings
5-30: Win vs Cannons (2-6)
5-31: Win vs Stars (1-8)
6-1: Loss vs Stars (7-4): 10 innings
6-2: Loss vs Sailors (13-6)
6-3: Win vs Sailors (1-10)
6-4: Win vs Sailors (4-8)

Recap
Another annoying 4-3 week for the Cougars, but we did move a bit up in the standings. What makes it worse, is two of the losses were of the extra inning variety, something we tend to struggle with. We're still a game under .500, but things are at least starting to trend in the right direction. We managed to split the end of the Cannons series, giving us the win there, before splitting the two game set with the Stars. We finished the week with a series win over the Sailors, finishing the homestand a respectable 7-5. The biggest issue with the season, however, has been our fireballer Peter the Heater. He left his last start with a shoulder, and while he won't really miss much time, it's yet another setback in the promising youngsters career. I may or may not be working on acquiring a big name starter, and with a weird set of games this week, he's likely going to spend the week in the pen. Just 2-5 with a 6.96 ERA (61 ERA+) and 1.66 WHIP in 42.2 innings, he's walked and struck out 30 hitters a piece. I don't want to option him, nor do I think he will, but he may end up working as a stopper the rest of the way. Our rotation hasn't been great by any means, but the other four have been leaps and bounds better then Papenfus. Still too early to panic, but I don't think he could have had a worse start to his year.

Lucky for us, we have Dick Lyons, who has really started to heat up. He won his most recent start, 8 innings with 5 hits, a run, a walk, and 5 strikeouts to even his record at 3-3 and lower his ERA and WHIP to 3.21 (133 ERA+) and 1.21, with the ERA, ERA+, and WHIP all second in the Continental Association. Our two start starters both threw two complete games, those being the youngsters Harry Parker and Cy Sullivan. Technically only one of Parker's starts was a complete game, as it was nine innings in an extra inning loss, but he allowed 19 hits, 7 runs, and 5 walks with 7 strikeouts. Sullivan, however, won both of his, and picked up his 5th and 6th win of the season, behind just Ben Turner's 7 in our league. Cy also allowed 19 hits, but one less run with 6 walks and 8 strikeouts. Milt Fritz pitched nine in the other extra inning loss, allowing 10 hits and 4 runs with 2 walks and 4 strikeouts. Pug Bryan had a week to forget, six and a third with 11 hits, 8 runs, 7 walks and 2 strikeouts. Joe Brown matched the 7 walks and 2 strikeouts, but in 4 innings with 5 hits and 5 runs (4 earned).

The bats came alive, and it's appalling that Freddie Jones was snubbed of Player of the Week yet again. Mel Carroll was 14-for-31 with a homer, 8 runs, and 9 RBIs, and probably won the award because of his homer. Jones, however, was 13-for-24, leading to an astronomical .542/.571/.792 (254 OPS+) batting line for the week. He added 4 doubles, a triple, 5 runs, and 6 RBIs, improving his season line to .369/.439/.585 (166 OPS+) with 12 doubles, 5 triples, 2 homers, and 18 RBIs. He's tied for second in the CA for batting average, and his 1.024 OPS is third. Our catching platoon may have been just as good, with Mead and Taylor going 13-for-26 with with 3 doubles, a homer, 5 RBIs, and 7 runs. Ray Ford has started to turn things around, 10-for-28 with 3 doubles, a triple, 4 RBIs, and 5 runs scored. Leo Mitchell had another good week, 8-for-22 with 2 doubles, a homer, 4 RBIs, and 5 runs scored. The center field platoon worked as well, with Montes actually having a decent week. Sure, just 3-for-14, but with a double, homer, steal, and two RBIs. Aart MacDonald was 4-for-13 with a double, triple, run, walk, and a pair of RBIs in his first week back in Chicago. Ollie Page and Johnny McDowell looked good in limited time too, both 3-for-7, while Page triples, drove in a run, and scored twice with McDowell doubling, stealing a base, and driving in and scoring a pair of runs. I was hoping Lou Kelly would get #2,000 against the Cannons, but was 0-for-4. He then hit #1,999 out of the park against the Stars, a three run shot to reach 1,180 RBIs.

Lastly, the Eagles decided to return outfielder Red Looney. Our 10th Rounder from 1934, the Chicagoan turned 27 on May 15th and made 32 starts with the Eagles. Let's just say it could have gone better, as Looney hit just .148/.198/.241 (13 OPS+) with 2 doubles, a triple, 2 homers, 2 steals, and 7 RBIs, while striking out (21) more then five times as frequently as he walked (4). I really didn't expect him to last the whole season in Washington, but I definitely expected much better then this. With four open spots on my 40, I'm okay putting Looney there for now, and he can function as the fourth outfielder down in Mobile, as I already have Juan Pomales sharing starts with our three starters in Milwaukee. Of course, Looney will likely be one of the first guys DFA'd if I need to free up a 40-man spot, but I'll always have a soft spot for Chicagoans.

Looking Ahead
Our weird week starts on the road, with three games in two days against the first place Foresters. 10 games over at 25-15, the Foresters have a 3 game lead over the new look Stars, but we can bring ourselves much closer with a strong series. Former Cougar Ben Turner leads the league with his 7 wins, but his 4.06 ERA (10 ERA+) and 1.49 WHIP aren't quite living up to the wins, especially with the 25 walks compared to just 11 strikeouts. Dean Astle, however, is nowhere near his normal self, 4-5 with a 6.72 ERA (66 ERA+), 1.70 WHIP, 23 walks, and 20 strikeouts in 68.1 tough innings. The last former Cougar in the rotation, Dave Rankin, almost splits the difference between them, 2-5 with a 4.87 ERA (91 ERA+), 1.47 WHIP, 23 walks, and 26 strikeouts. The offense has been the driving force for them, led by the previously mentioned Mel Carroll. He's hitting .366/.419/.500 (130 OPS+) with 10 doubles, 4 homers, and 29 RBIs. Right behind him is Dan Fowler, with an alright .266/.361/.468 (107 OPS+) line to go with 8 doubles, a triple, 7 homers, and 34 RBIs. Lefty Bill Moore will miss the week with a viral infection, and that is very lucky for us. Moore is hitting an outstanding .389/.471/.611 (170 OPS+) with 8 doubles, a triple, 2 homers, and 17 RBIs. Interesting enough, nearly every other Foresters has a below 100 OPS+, and despite being ranked 7th in OBP and wOBA with the least amount of walks, no Continental Association team has scored more runs then Cleveland. It will be a tough season, but I really like our chances against them.

After a day off, we get one with the Kings, another off day, and then a second game. It is in our best interest to beat them both times, as the worse the Kings do, the better chance we have of them selling, and there are two Cougar draftees I'd love to bring home. They are tied with us for 5th, and have had a really disappointing season. I still think they are the best team in the league, but their two most popular players aren't quite playing like they are used to. Tom Barrell is 4-3, but with a 5.04 ERA (88 ERA+), 1.41 WHIP, 15 walks, and 25 strikeouts. Same can be said for Al Wheeler, who's batting line has dropped to just .223/.320/.419 (86 OPS+) with 3 doubles, a triple, 8 homers, and 25 RBIs. Lucky for the Kings, however, Art White and Alf Pestilli have picked up the load. White, who I've tried to acquire on many occasions, has followed up a strong 1938 with a nice 1939. He's 2-2 with a 3.35 ERA (131 ERA+), 1.36 WHIP, 14 walks, and 26 strikeouts in his 8 starts. Alf is the first hitter to 10 homers, and he's hitting a strong .295/.331/.597 (130 OPS+) with 12 doubles and 29 RBIs, and he ranks right behind Leo Mitchell as the 3rd best FABL left fielder. Harry Barrell is on a 10 WAR pace, hitting .327/.383/.478 (117 OPS+) with 12 doubles, 3 triples, 2 homers, and 13 RBIs to go with a 11.4 zone rating and 1.195 efficiency at short. One of the more surprising stories, however, has been John Langille's struggles, as the Canadian second basemen is hitting just .234/.367/.351 (56 OPS+) with eight doubles, a triple, a homer, and ten driven in. He's never come close to his .359/.404/.545 (152 OPS+) 1934, but it's still nowhere near his .300/.362/.444 (114 OPS+) career line. Selfishly, I hope the Kings continue their struggles, but my guess is without any subtractions, they'll still find themselves in the pennant race come September.

Sunday we'll stay in New York, with a double header against the Stars. The pitching has been tough for the high scoring Stars, as even George Phillips has dropped to a below average ERA+. He's 5-2 with a 4.64 ERA (94 ERA+), 1.48 WHIP, 37 walks, and 37 strikeouts. The pen has been much better then the rotation, however, with Robert Curry and Boyd Harper pretty unhittable in the late innings, which has really helped the Stars win games. Curry came over with Pidgeon and Hancock from the Eagles, and has a 2.86 ERA (152 ERA+) and 1.77 WHIP, with 6 saves and 17 walks and strikeouts. Harper, the long time Stars "Fireman" has left his usual stopper role, but his 2.59 ERA (168 ERA+), 1.15 WHIP, 9 walks, and 11 strikeouts are impressive. Moxie Pidgeon has been very helpful for the offense, batting .339/.387/.548 (137 OPS+) with 8 doubles, 9 homers, and 30 RBIs. Behind him sits Dave Trowbridge, with a strong .335/.411/.475 (127 OPS+) line with 7 doubles, 5 homers, and 29 RBIs. But no one is quite like the interesting Roy Cochran, a well-traveled 33-year-old who is hitting an exciting .325/.413/.506 (135 OPS+) with 8 doubles, 7 triples, 2 homers, 6 steals, and 12 RBIs with 24 walks and 6 strikeouts in his first 39 games with New York.

Minor League Report
RF Bobby Mills (AAA Milwaukee Blues): We finished our first month of the season, and you know what that means! Player of the Months! The one in the Century League was Bobby Mills, our 25-year-old outfielder who somehow doesn't have a positional rating in right anymore. Of course, everyone knows that Mills' talent lies with the bat, and hitting .385 with 7 homers, 29 RBIs, and 31 runs scored in a month will tend to help make up for defensive shortcomings. The two time Cougar has hit .383/.457/.699 (172 OPS+) so far with 13 doubles, a triple, 9 homers, and 36 RBIs in 152 trips to the plate. If Tommy Sandstorm didn't have a .944 OPS in the big leagues, I think Mills would be on his way up, but if we need a bench bat, Mills should be the first one up. Best suited as a first basemen, Mills projects to be a very disciplined hitter who should have a much better then .300/.400/.500 FABL line. Sure he's slow as molasses and equally unplayable in the field, and even though I hate the DH with all my heart, he would be perfect for it. Mills may be stuck in the minors for a season or two, but if he is able to get a starting role, I don't think he'd lose it because of his bat.

LHP Harl Haines (A Lincoln Legislators): In one of the most impressive starts this season, Harl Haines tossed an 8-hit, 12 strikeout shutout of the Evansville Hawks. He didn't need to pitch that flawless, we managed to win 13-0, but it was already the second double digit outing of the season for him. The 21-year-old has been outstanding in his six starts this season, a perfect 4-0 with a 3.19 ERA (160 ERA+), 1.12 WHIP, 7 walks, and 38 strikeouts. His current 9.3 K/9 is the best of his affiliated ball career, three points higher then his 6.1 in 13 starts in San Jose last season. I've always been a big fan of the former 10th Rounder, and Haines has leaped up the prospect ladder. Now 13th in our system and 166th overall, Haines has finally cracked the top 200, and he has his eyes set on the top 100. The funky submarine southpaw has a biting fastball and cutter, each sitting in the 94-96 range, with a devastating slider and screwball that have outstanding movement in the opposite direction. Even better, he has the one thing nearly every other one of my pitchers lack, control, a sparky 1.7 BB/9 that matches Dick Lyons' 1937 and 1938 marks. Tom thinks he'll just end up as an emergency starter, and OSA tends to agree, but I think he should work his way into a comfortable mid-rotation spot.

RF Max Rucker (C La Crosse Lions): Just like I expected, Max Rucker took home the UMVA Batter of the Month. Rucker hit .464/.507/.736 with 8 doubles, a triple, 8 homers, 6 steals, and 40 RBIs in 136 trips to the plate. His season batting line is still above .400, .404/.448/.649 (131 OPS+) with 9 homers and 43 RBIs, while still maintain above average defensive metrics in all three corners. He has a 1.061 efficiency in left, 1.029 in center, and 1.087 in right with 61.2, 122.2, and 112.1 innings at each spot. Rucker still doesn't get much prospect love, ranked 38th in our system and 453rd in the league, but once the new comers join the system, he'll get a tougher challenge up in San Jose. The strong and athletic Rucker has above average contact potential, and is showing much improved power, already three more homers then last season in less then half the time. OSA and Tom think he's just a bench bat in the future, but if he keeps hitting like this, I think he'll have some nicer scouting reports in his future.

LHP Oliver Allen (C La Crosse Lions): The same day Rucker won Player of the Month, Oliver Allen held the Moline Pioneers to just 2 hits with 7 strikeouts in a complete game shutout as the Lions won 3-0. Runs are way up in the UMVA this season, so the 4-0 Allen's 4.26 ERA (171 ERA+) is actually elite. He also has a nice 1.23 WHIP, 8 walks, and 20 strikeouts in 31.2 innings pitched. During the offseason, the southpaw improved his velocity to 92-94, and his fastball and cutter have looked really good so far. The fastball should be his best pitch, but his change and forkball are pretty nice pitches as well. He has solid stuff, but he can struggle with commanding his pitches when he is hit hard. His 4.9 BB/9 last year is now over two points lower, down to an impressive 2.3 early on. Just 19, our 4th Rounder last year ranks at the outskirts of the top prospect lists, 42nd in our system and 468th overall. Despite that, both OSA and Weinstock think he'll be a spot starter, I really like the way he is developing so far. The skinny 6'2'' southpaw is on the right path so far, and I think I'm going to be very happy with what he turns into.

ayaghmour2 · 10-26-2021, 03:35 PM

Weekly Record: 2-5
Seasonal Record: 21-25 (7th, 6.5 GB)
Stars of the Week
Leo Mitchell : 28 AB, 14 H, 0 HR, 5 RBI, .500 AVG, 1.091 OPS
Ray Ford : 25 AB, 9 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .360 AVG, .960 OPS
Mike Taylor : 16 AB, 8 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .500 AVG, 1.125 OPS

Schedule
6-5: Loss at Foresters (1-3)
6-6: Loss at Foresters (4-5)
6-6: Win at Foresters (6-3)
6-8: Win at Kings (6-3)
6-10: Loss at Kings (6-10)
6-11: Loss at Stars (6-7)
6-11: Loss at Stars (9-11)

Recap
It definitely sounds like an excuse, but the pair of double headers and awkwardly spread off days coupled with the Papenfus DTD injury really made things difficult for us this week. We split the first double header, was swept in the second, and all but one of our losses this week were by two or less runs. This continues to mess with our Pythagorean, as we should be two games over .500 instead of four under. We really looked bad for a majority of the week, but hey, Lou Kelly has 2,000 career hits now! He was 1-for-3 with a solo home run, the 271st homer of his career. Kelly becomes the 65th player to reach the 2,000 hit mark, but chances are he won't climb much higher on the list. That homer brought him to 4th all time, surpassing the recently required T.R. Goins. Ray Ford has a minor injury, so Kelly will get a few starts at least next week.

We also got treated to a little injury scare, as Harry Parker left his start after two batters. Luckily, no lasting damage was done, but even more unlucky, he actually had the best start of the week. He wasn't the only one to leave a start with injury, as Milt Fritz left his first start after four innings. He did make another, but combined to go just 11.2 innings with 16 hits, 11 runs (10 earned), 5 walks, and a strikeout. Dick Lyons had one good and one bad start, 6 innings each. The good saw 9 hits, 3 runs, and 4 strikeouts while the bad saw one less hit, but with 6 runs (4 earned), a walk, and a strikeout. Joe Brown had to make a spot start in the double header, 10 hits with 5 runs and 2 walks in 7 innings. He also made a relief outing, just a hit with five outs. Allen Purvis had to make five appearances during the week, 10 impressive innings with 12 hits, 3 runs, and a walk. Pug had to make three appearances too, but he was far less successful. He went 6 with 4 hits, 4 runs, a walk, and 5 strikeouts. Cal Knight picked up the win in the game Parker left, 4 innings with 5 hits, a run, 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts.

The Taylor and Mead platoon keeps raking, this week 11-for-31 with 3 doubles, a triple, 4 runs, and 9 RBIs. Both are having great seasons at the plate, and the veteran has really started to heat up. Not only did the Wyoming native pick up a steal, but after he hit just .273/.375/.345 in May, he's already 14-for-29 in June. This has boosted his season line to .333/.396/.434 (119 OPS+) in 114 trips to the plate. Not too many extra base hits, just 4 doubles and 2 homers, but he's drove in 19 and walked (11) more frequently then he's struck out (7). Mead is looking much better then last season, hitting an arguably more impressive .313/.395/.478 (129 OPS+) with 9 doubles, a triple, and 10 RBIs in 76 PAs this year. He's also absolutely decimated left handed pitching, batting .385/.442/.590 with the triple, six of the doubles, and seven of the RBIs. There are only three qualified catchers (neither of ours do) this season having above average seasons, and those are starts George Cleaves (163), Tom Bird (131), and Adam Mullins (140). We are getting a lot of offensive production from a weak position, and both my scout and OSA really like Mead and Taylor defensively as well.

Ray Ford may have strained his rib cage muscle and will spend a little time on the DL, but he was 9-for-25 with 2 doubles, a homer, and 5 RBIs. Ford was on pace for his first 20 homer season, slashing .299/.366/.492 (124 OPS+) with 11 doubles, a triple, 7 homers, and 32 RBI's with four times as many walks (20) as strikeouts (5) in just over 200 trips to the plate. The injury means Bobby Mills will make the jump to Chicago, as the 25-year-old was hitting .382/.451/.684 (171 OPS+) for the first place Blues. Mills was running the triple crown for the team, as "Nutball" was leading with 10 homers and 42 RBIs as well. He's not the hitter Ford is by any means, but the kid is a really gifted himself. Him and Lou Kelly will share first, but I can see Leo Mitchell get some time at first as well to allow Yates or MacDonald to get a start without taking Montes out.

Speaking of Mitchell, he was 14-for-28 with 3 doubles, 5 RBIs, and 7 runs scored. It was Player of the Week worthy, but to be fair, Fred McCormick had a good one as well. Mitchell even took over the spot for #1 left fielder, Freddie Jones had a bit of a "down" week, just 9-for-27 with 2 doubles, 3 walks, 4 runs, and just a single RBI while getting caught in both his steal attempts. Not sure what happened there, as Jones hasn't attempted a steal since 1936, but I would have preferred him not to do that. Johnny McDowell and Ollie Page looked good filling in, 6-for-18 with 3 runs, 4 walks, and 4 RBIs while McDowell doubled and stole a base. Billy Hunter wasn't great, but went 6-for-21 with 3 doubles and 3 runs.

Looking Ahead
We'll look to avoid the sweep against the third place Stars, as Peter the Heater will look to turn things around against George Phillips. He lost one of his two starts this week, now 5-3 with a 4.48 ERA (96 ERA+), 1.45 WHIP, 42 walks, and 39 strikeouts in 94.1 innings pitched. Bill Barrett has hit a little bit of a power outage, still 4 homers with a .258/.345/.444 (102 OPS+) line. He does have 7 doubles, 2 triples, and 24 RBIs with more walks (16) then strikeouts (6). Joe Angevine is back at short, and his .352/.392/.429 (111 OPS+) line was missed. Chink Stickels is having a real bad sophomore slump, batting just .254/.312/.381 (78 OPS+) with 11 doubles, 5 triples, a homer, and 23 RBIs. We do have a fourth game against Chuck Cole on three days rest, and his 6.35 ERA (68 ERA+) and 1.82 WHIP could make it possible to salvage a split. We really need to turn things around after an awful week, as we can't fall too far down the standings.

Next stop is Montreal, as we'll face the 25-22 Saints. Three games out and tied with the Stars, Montreal has looked great under new ownership. I'm hoping it won't last, at least for these three games, but it looks like we'll miss the newest addition to their rotation. A former 3rd Round Pick and returned Rule-5 Pick, Bill Stewart debuted this season and has a 1.29 ERA (342 ERA+) and 1.21 WHIP with 4 walks and 14 strikeouts in his first two career starts. Unfortunately, despite the Saints success, former Cougar prospect Karl Wallace has really struggled in his 10 starts. He's just 2-5 with a 7.32 ERA (60 ERA+), 1.95 WHIP, 32 walks, and 15 strikeouts. Another former Cougar Bill Ross hasn't faired all that better, 4-5 with a 5.20 ERA (84 ERA+), 1.46 WHIP, 15 walks, and 22 strikeouts in 72.2 innings pitched. Frank Davis ranks third in the CA in the batting race, hitting .373/.419/.464 (123 OPS+) with 13 doubles and 21 RBIs. Red Bond is on pace for back-to-back 20 homer season, hitting .337/.419/.536 (140 OPS+) with 8 doubles, 2 triples, 7 homers, and 34 RBIs. The Saints offense is hard to stop, first in average, wOBA, runs, and hits while top four in all other hitting categories. We really need good starts from our guys if we want to win, but those have been few and far between this season.

The road trip continues with three in Baltimore before a much needed off day that doesn't come with a double header. Baltimore is the only team in the league worse then us in terms of record, 18-29 and 10 games behind the Foresters. Lou Barker, who came over in the Clark Car trade, has had his struggles, 1-3 with a 6.03 ERA (71 ERA+), 1.60 WHIP, 8 walks, and 12 strikeouts in 4 starts and 3 relief outings. We're likely to see Gus Goulding in the series, now 5-5 with a 3.72 ERA (115 ERA+), 1.43 WHIP, 25 walks, and 31 strikeouts in 92 innings pitched. "The Mouse" Fred Galloway is continuing a good second season, hitting .314/.386/.459 (119 OPS+) with 10 doubles, 7 triples, a homer, and 21 RBIs in 207 plate appearances. Whit Williams is putting together a season like a strong second season of his own, slashing .310/.385/.503 (129 OPS+) with 14 doubles, 2 triples, 6 homers, 8 steals, and 35 RBIs while walking 23 times and striking out just 8 times. He was never a great center fielder, and with Galloway there now, he's looked really good in right. These are must win games for us, and I'm really hoping we end this road trip much better then it started.

Minor League Report
LHP Ray Wilcox (A Lincoln Legislators): After allowing 7 runs in a loss on the 3rd, Ray Wilcox allowed just 7 hits in a complete game shutout against the same team that beat him. He struck out 8 in a 7-0 win over Cedar Rapids as the Legislators improved to an impressive 33-9. The 23-year-old was acquired from the Gothams in the offseason, and is 5-2 with a 4.68 ERA (107 ERA+), 1.46 WHIP, 14 walks, and 37 strikeouts in 42.1 decent innings. An interesting finesse pitcher with a name that brings back memories, the lefty leans heavily on his cutter that tops out at 90. He has a fastball, change, and splitter as well, and the pitches are good enough to start games in the big leagues. Wilcox is able to go deep into games, 90 or more pitches in each start so far. OSA thinks he has electric stuff with average control and movement, but I think that may be a little too kind. He checks in at 28th in our system and 369th in the league, but he'll turn 24 on the 24th, and isn't ready for Mobile. I'm okay to take my time with him, but the longer it takes for him to reach Milwaukee, the harder it will be for him to have a nice career.

C Steve Mountain (A Lincoln Legislators): Despite never hitting over .250 in a minor league level so far, Steve Mountain has exploded this season. 22 in July, the 1935 9th Rounder is hitting .341/.449/.594 (159 OPS+) with 5 doubles, 10 homers, and 39 RBIs. Mountain has always had a strong eye, but he's actually struck out (26) more and walked (29) less this season, but before this year he had only 11 minor league homers in almost 400 games. I can never see him hitting for an average early this high, and he'll likely fall below .300 in a month or so, but Weinstock thinks he should be a future regular with roughly average talent. He is a good catcher with a strong arm, and since he's a lefty, he could fill the Mike Taylor role in a couple of seasons. The kid has a good head on his shoulders and pitchers love throwing to him, and I'm excited to see what he will develop into. Skidmore is obviously the top catcher in the system, but I think Mountain is much better then the prospect rankers believe.

RHP Johnny Godfrey (B San Jose Cougars): This year has been anything but pleasant for 1935 8th Rounder Johnny Godfrey, making four starts and failing to reach the seventh in any of them. Hamstring soreness then cost him a week, but his first start back could not have been further from the rest. Godfrey allowed just 3 hits and struck out 6 in a 5-0 shutout win over the Fresno Falcons. That was his first win, now 1-1, but his ERA is still an unkindly 6.84 (82 ERA+) with a 1.56 WHIP, 7 walks, and 16 strikeouts. The 22-year-old has had issues staying healthy and securing playing time, as the 101.1 innings split between San Jose and Lincoln was the first season he surpassed 50. Just 5'10'' 155, Godfrey manages to throw his cutter and fastball in the 93-95 range, with a slider, change, and forkball mixed in. He does have a tendency to nibble on the corners, but that could lead to unnecessarily high pitch counts. Tom and OSA aren't big fans of his, and I don't think he's motivated enough to reach the big leagues, but anything can happen with young pitchers and a string of good starts can open a lot of doors.

LHP Oliver Allen (C La Crosse Lions): He did it again! Another shutout for Oliver Allen, who improved to 5-0 with a 5-hit, 10 strikeout shutout. He walked just 3 in the 4-0 win over Rock Island, and lowered his ERA to 3.32 (198 ERA+) on the season. His WHIP is also down to 1.16 and he's walked just 11 while striking out 30 in 40.2 innings pitched. I'm debating on giving him a promotion to San Jose, but there isn't really anyone there I want to demote or promote to make room for him in their rotation. The draft finishes during Thursday's sim, so by then things may change a bit, and Allen could see himself moving up to make room in the Lions rotation. I'm sending my scout to take another look at him, and hopefully he sees a better future for him then just a regular old spot starter.

ayaghmour2 · 10-27-2021, 05:57 PM

Weekly Record: 4-3
Seasonal Record: 25-27 (7th, 4.5 GB)
Stars of the Week
Leo Mitchell : 33 AB, 12 H, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .364 AVG, .818 OPS
Rich Langton : 27 AB, 9 H, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .333 AVG, 1.120 OPS
Lou Kelly : 8 AB, 4 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI, .500 AVG, 1.819 OPS

Schedule
6-12: Loss at Stars (2-11)
6-13: Loss at Stars (6-13)
6-14: Win at Saints (9-6)
6-15: Loss at Saints (3-6)
6-16: Win at Saints (6-2)
6-17: Win at Cannons (3-1)
6-18: Win at Cannons (4-0)

Recap
It really wasn't a good week, just 4-3, but we managed to makeup two games in the standings. The Stars dismantled us in the first two, another sweep, but we took two out of three from the Saints, and the first two in Baltimore. Thankfully, just one more road game before a day off and return back home. Ollie Page will miss a few days with a hip flexor strain, but he won't hit the DL. With the off day, I won't give any days off to Hunter and Jones, but assuming no setback with Page, he'll get starts next week again. Page has a nice .288/.377/.424 (111 OPS+) batting line with 4 doubles, 2 triples, and 5 RBIs in 71 plate appearances. Ray Ford won't return, so more starts for Kelly and Mills. His diagnosis timeframe is still unknown, but I hope he's back next week as his bat is important for our success. We also get our draftees in tomorrow's sim, which should make things very exciting. The best our road trip can end would be 6-8. Including the next game, we've played 33 road games compared to just 21 home games. Our home win percentage (.571) would be good enough for first, while the road (.406) would still have us 7th, just a few games further back.

We didn't hit much at all, part of the reason we couldn't beat the Stars, but Carlos Montes looked really good. He was 6-for-21 with 2 doubles, 2 homers, 4 runs, and 5 RBIs. Orlin Yates looked good in his 10 PAs, 4-for-9 with a pair of RBIs. Rich Langton was very effective, a rarity this season, 9-for-27 with 2 doubles, 3 triples, a homer, steal, RBI, and 4 runs scored. Lou Kelly was a beast in his two starts, 4-for-8 with a double, two homers, and 5 RBIs. Same goes for Johnny McDowell, 3-for-8 with a double, triple, two runs, and three RBIs. Leo Mitchell was decent, 12-for-33 with a homer, two RBIs, and four runs scored. Freddie Jones had a rough week, just 4-for-26 with a double, two RBIs, and three runs scored. Bobby Mills had a tough first week, 3-for-14 with a homer and four driven in.

Pete finally got a win, but man, he just forgot how to pitch. He made two starts, 12.1 innings with 11 hits, 9 runs, 13 walks, and 14 strikeouts with a win and a loss. I do have a little more hope for Peter the Heater, as Weinstock finally gave me a more favorable and likely accurate report; "Papenfus has the potential to be one of the top pitchers in the league, but he will likely experience growing pains as he eases into the rotation." Yeah, that makes a lot more sense then spot starter, and I definitely agree more with this one. It was also a tale of two starts for Harry Parker, who did the same as Papenfus and split his starts. The first was terrible, 10 hits and 9 runs (8 earned) with 2 walks and a strikeout in just 3 innings. Even more impressive, he somehow allowed Bill Barrett to hit three homers off Parker. That must have shaken Parker up badly, and he bounced back with a dominant 5-hit shutout against Baltimore. He did walk (4) twice as many as he struck out (2), but I'm hoping he has more of these up his sleeves. His biggest weakness is the quite obviously the longball, 14 homers already. Considering he's allowed just 38 earned runs, it's pretty clear that the only way to score on Parker is to hit it out of the park. This is the biggest roadblock to his future success, although he's also seen his B/9 jump from 2.0 to 3.1. Parker is loaded with talent, with the upside to be an ace and the floor of a back of the rotation arm. Like with Papenfus, I can't panic, and I have to ride out the lumps before their light shines through.

Luckily, we have one superstar in the form of the now 39-year-old Dick Lyons, a complete game win with 7 hits, 2 runs, a walk, and a strikeout. Cy Sullivan got a complete game win, but like Pete and Parker, he also struggled, allowing 14 hits and 6 runs with 2 walks and 2 strikeouts. Milt Fritz was roughed up and charged with a loss, 8 innings with 7 hits, 6 runs (5 earned), and 2 strikeouts. I'm starting to look for outside options for the bullpen, and while there are a few options in AAA, they aren't all that exciting. I know next week there will be a change, with likely Brown and/or Pug going down to Milwaukee, and if I stay with internal options, I can see Jim Miller coming up. He's made 9 starts, 2-3 with a 4.04 ERA (133 ERA+), 1.30 WHIP, 12 walks, and 17 strikeouts in 42.1 innings pitched. Not the greatest numbers by any means, but I can't imagine he would do any worse then what we've gone through.

Looking Ahead
One more with the Cannons who we dropped to 20-34 and it could be a nice sweep for us. We would face Rufus Barrell, but he's out with forearm stiffness. Deuce is 6-4 with a 4.24 ERA (101 ERA+), 1.32 WHIP, 25 walks, and 44 strikeouts in a much improved season compared to his rookie year. Instead, we'll likely see Long Lou Barker, who is now 2-3 with a 5.19 ERA (82 ERA+), 1.45 WHIP, 8 walks, and 6 strikeouts. Ken Mayhugh hasn't had the season he expected, batting just .287/.351/.391 (94 OPS+) with 12 doubles, 3 homers, and 29 RBIs, although he does have six times the walks (18) as strikeouts (3). Also struggling is Charley McCullough, who's season line has dropped to .265/.409/.275 (82 OPS+) with a double, three steals, and six RBIs. He also has a nice walk-to-strikeout ratio, 24-to-6. It's been a rough season for Baltimore, and I hope we can make it a little more difficult.

Finally, we'll head back to Chicago, and host the Saints for three. Montreal is still over .500 at 28-26, but we actually did well against them last week and I do like our chances against anyone at home. Montreal has not had much success from their pitching, but Bud Robbins has looked good in his 49 innings pitched. Acquired from the Miners in the Pablo Reyes trade, he's 3-4 with a save, 3.67 ERA (120 ERA+), 1.55 WHIP, 18 walks, and 23 strikeouts in 6 starts and 5 relief outings. He's been similar both in both situations, a 3.83 ERA as a starter and 3.00 as a reliever. He's taken Karl Wallace's rotation spot, but now even Jake DeYoung has started to struggle. He's now 7-3, but with a 4.91 ERA (89 ERA+), 1.55 WHIP, 20 walks, and 42 strikeouts in 88 frames. But despite not having a single starter with 7 or more starts and an above average ERA+, Montreal wins games by scoring more runs then any other CA team. Frank Davis is third in the batting race, leading the lineup with a .372/.416/.452 (121 OPS+) batting line. Adam Mullins is right behind him, but with a more impressive .368/.445/.505 (141 OPS+) line with 12 doubles, a triple, 4 homers, and 45 RBIs. They do have a new face in the lineup, 24-year-old rookie center fielder Bob Kaye. The former 17th Rounder is off to decent start, hitting .333/.351/.444 (101 OPS+) with two doubles, a triple, two steals, and two RBIs in his first 10 games.

Then it is three in Brooklyn with the now over .500 Kings. At 27-26, they are now just two and a half out of first. With John Langille's struggles, they brought up their third Lightbody, Jim to play second and hit leadoff. He's got a strong .371/.421/.543 (144 OPS+) line with 3 doubles, a homer, steal, and 5 RBIs in 38 trips to the plate. Alf Pestilli is continuing his breakout year, hitting .306/.355/.600 (139 OPS+) with 14 doubles, 13 homers, and 39 RBIs. The only other hitter with 13 or more homers in either league shares his last name, and it would be cool to see them both finish #1 in the league. Al Wheeler has started to pick things up, hitting .259/.338/.443 (98 OPS+) with 5 doubles, a triple, 10 homers, and 37 RBIs in 227 plate appearances. Frank Vance is hitting a similar .281/.304/.408 (97 OPS+) with 11 doubles, a triple, 4 homers, 9 steals, and 31 RBIs. Neither are hitting like they generally do, and it may be very scary if they start to heat back up. The Kings moved the struggling Sergio Vergara back to the pen to add Bob Cummings back to the rotation. In 4 starts and 9 relief outings he is 6-2 with a 2.42 ERA (181 ERA+), 1.24 WHIP, 12 walks, and 22 strikeouts. Joe Shaffner has been effective as well, and despite being 5-6, he has a 3.69 ERA (118 ERA+), 1.37 WHIP, 22 walks, and 25 strikeouts in 85.1 solid innings. Him and Art White have picked up the slack for Barrell and Murphy, who have ERA's of 5.00 and 4.86. This will be a tough series, but could really push us upward in the standings.

As mentioned, the draft comes around next sim, and I am very excited with Tom Weinstock's new first round list. Skipper checks in at 9, Bunny Hufford 15th, Goff 19th, McCarthy 24th, and Dambreville 32nd. Of course, Skipper and Goff were my first two picks, while Hufford a 4th, and McCarthy and Dambreville 5ths. Then on his pitcher list, Davis our other 4th, checks in at 5th. I'm very excited to see where these guys check in once I am able to sign them, and it's looking like our system may get a boost in the prospect ladder if Tom is right.

Minor League Report
2B Hod Seagroves (B San Jose Cougars): It wasn't too long ago that Hod was in La Crosse, and in week two he already won a Player of the Week. The Chicagoan was 12-for-26 with 4 RBIs and 5 runs scored. It's just 55 total Class B plate appearances, but he's now hitting .404/.436/.615 (164 OPS+) with 8 doubles, a homer, and 11 RBIs already. This has really improved the former 3rd Rounders prospect stock, with Tom declaring him a frontrunner to a second base position, and OSA ranks him just outside the top 250. I'm hoping by the end of the season he cracks the top 200, and he's certainly on the right track. Not only has he looked good with the bat, he's fielded second very well, a 1.1 zone rating and 1.050 efficiency combined between San Jose and La Crosse. I've also give him some time at first, as there isn't' an obvious candidate there, but I know the 6'3'' righty won't have many issues. He has above average contact skills and a very smooth swings, which should help push him up the ladder. He has a nice eye with quality defensive skills, but with Freddie Jones, Ducky Jordan, and potentially Hal Wood or Billy Hunter ahead of him, he has a lot of work to do if he wants to be a full time Cougar.

RHP Ron Sexton (C La Crosse Lions): The UMVA has seen a lot of offense this season, but somehow the Lions keep finding ways to shut teams out. No Allen this time, but Ron Sexton allowed 5 hits and a walk with 5 strikeouts in an 8-0 win over Rock Island. That's three consecutive complete games for Sexton with three or fewer runs, and he's now a perfect 5-0 in his 8 starts. Acquired from Pittsburgh in the offseason in the Roy Moore deal, the 18-year-old has worked to a 4.70 ERA (130 ERA+), 1.43 WHIP, 10 walks, and 25 strikeouts in his 53.2 innings pitched. In the offseason, Sexton bumped his fastball up to 89-91, and while his repertoire is very underdeveloped, but he projects to have at least average stuff, with a curve, slider, and change mixed in. The slider might be his best pitch, but OSA has started to really take a liking to Sexton. They think he might be able to pitch his way into a back end opportunity, and Ron's ascended up the prospect ladder a bit more. Now ranked 21st and 278th, I still believe he'll climb up even higher. I think I'm really going to have to take my time with him, but I think he's going to be well worth the wait.

LHP John Johnson (C La Crosse Lions): Another shutout, another Lion! And again, not Allen! Back-to-back against Rock Island, and this time it was 20-year-old southpaw John Johnson, who allowed just 2 walks and 3 hits with 3 strikeouts in a 4-0 win. Johnson has split time between the pen and rotation this season, but he's actually been way better starting games. In total, he is 4-5 with 3 saves, a 4.43 ERA (138 ERA+), 1.31 WHIP, 17 walks, and 27 strikeouts across 61 innings, but his ERA starting games is an impressive 2.90 while it jumps to 11.12 out of the pen. I guess that bodes well for the Chicagoan, as I imagine he prefers to start games as opposed to ending them. A bit of a soft tosser, the former 9th Rounder has a mid 80s fastball, that isn't as good as his curve and change. Scouts don't really like Johnson, and to be fair, I'm not overly high on him either, as his control can really hurt him. This is his third season in La Crosse, but he has improved his BB/9 from 3.0 to 2.5 this year, and his 4.0 K/9 is the first time over 2.5. Still, he's had an above average ERA+ each time, and with the Johnny Godfrey injury this sim that earned Oliver Allen a promotion, Johnson may be the next guy up.

ayaghmour2 · 10-28-2021, 02:52 PM

Spoiler, there will be a weekly recap where we were 5-1, but there are more important things to talk about! I kind of alluded to a deal for pitching, and this morning I made that happen! It cost an absolute favorite prospect of mine in Ducky Jordan, as well as a young arm in Art Courtney, to acquire a top veteran arm from our crosstown rivals. Not only is "The Hot Springs Hotshot" ranked the 22nd best prospect in baseball, but I've been a huge personal fan of the former 6th Rounder since I selected him back in 1932. Unfortunately for him, he has Freddie Jones, John Lawson, and Billy Hunter in his way, plus even if one got injured, Ollie Page and Johnny McDowell have hit really well in limited time. Ducky is more then capable of playing FABL baseball, and the Chiefs should be able to fit him on their big league roster. Courtney isn't as loved by the prospect people, but the former 9th Rounder throws a nice biting cutter and keeps the ball on the ground. Just 19, he has a lot of development ahead of him, but I think he has a future towards the back of a big league rotation.

That pitcher we acquired would be the 35-year-old veteran Jim Lonardo, someone I am still angry that I missed out on when the Gothams traded him. I know I would have been able to offer much more, and when Lonardo was available again, I could not let him slip away. Like out vet Dick Lyons, Lonardo led the Fed with a 2.68 ERA (158 ERA+) last season, while finishing 25-7 with a 1.17 WHIP, 49 walks, and 81 strikeouts in his first and only full season in Chicago. That was his third career 7 WAR season, and with 10 more wins, Lonardo will reach 200 for his career. This season he's just 3-5, but that's more because of the shocking Chiefs struggle and less because of his subpar stuff. His 3.42 ERA (124 ERA+) and 1.39 WHIP are very nice, but his walks are up to 28 (2.6) and he's struck out 31. Lonardo has a career 1.9 BB/9, led the Fed in BB/9 his last four seasons in New York, and hasn't had a BB/9 above 1.8 since he was 24 in 1929. I've scouted Lonardo a ton, but with each report, he continues to comment on his elite command and thinks he's comfortably a mid rotation arm. He also rarely allows home runs, very helpful for us, and he will take some of the pressure of Cy and Pete. Lonardo currently ranks as the 13th best pitcher in baseball, a spot behind Lyons, and in a very tight Continental Association, this trade could be exactly what we need.

10-13-2021, 02:19 PM	#621
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Spring Training: Week 3 Another rough two win week, as the Cougars slide below .500 after a nice start to the spring. There are very few games left, and I'll have to have my Opening Day Roster ready by Monday, although I will likely set most if not all of it tomorrow. The rotation didn't have great starts, but Pug tossed four hitless with just a walk and a strikeout. Milt Fritz made two starts, 8 innings with 9 hits, 3 runs, 4 walks, and a strikeout. Cy Sullivan went 4 with 4 hits and a run. Joe Brown was decent out of the pen, saving both the wins and tossing 10 innings with 9 hits, a run, 5 walks, and 5 strikeouts. Del Burns threw four scoreless with a hit, 3 walks, and 3 strikeouts. Harry Parker was roughed up, 8 hits and 4 runs with a walk and 3 strikeouts. Pete Papenfus had another poor outing as well, 4 innings with 4 hits, 3 runs, 4 walks, and 2 strikeouts. Every pitcher got an outing, with all but Allen Purvis tossing two or more innings. The offense heated up a bit, with the six hitters with the most at bats on the week all hitting .300 or better, with three more with 10 or more at batting .450 or higher. Aart MacDonald was 5-for-15 with 2 homers, 4 RBIs, 5 runs, and 2 walks. Ray Ford was 6-for-15 with a double and a pair of walks, runs, and RBIs. Mike Taylor was 6-for-15 with a double, 2 runs, and 2 walks. Leo Mitchell was 7-for-20 with a double, homer, 3 runs, 4 RBIs, a walk, and a steal. Orlin Yates was an even 6-for-12 with 5 walks, 3 runs, and 2 RBIs while Rich Langton was an even 5-for-10 with a triple, walk, and two runs scored. With just four games left, Harry Parker and Milt Fritz are ready for Opening Day while Dick Lyons, Pete, Cy, and Pug will get one more start a piece. And since I don't expect any of the NRI to break camp with the team, I sent them all down. I already sent Rusty Watts and Homer Ray down, so we're left with 35 of the 37 players on our 40-man roster still in camp. Guys like Larry Robison, Tip Harrison, Dan Everett, and Jim Miller are all destined for AAA, but there are still a few camp battles to be decided on. I have room for at least one arm left on the staff, potentially a second, and then I don't really know how the bench is going to shape up. I'm very excited for this coming season, and I think it will be a fun one for the Cougar faithful.

10-14-2021, 03:12 PM	#622
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Spring Training: Week 4 4 games in week 4, and we managed to split them. It wasn't a great Spring, but we managed to stay healthy, and that's really all you can ask for. We ended up 11-13, so not terrible, but also not too inspiring. There is also the news of rosters being expanded in the majors, AAA, and AA to 24 players. This means going forward I will likely run with 9 pitchers and 15 hitters, as I have a lot of bats I had to decide between. For the minors, I like having more pitchers on hand, so 10 and 14 will likely be the combo. Only three of the remaining pitchers on the roster had an ERA above five, and unfortunately, two of those are members of our rotation. I'm hoping this means the bad games are out of the way, especially because one of those is Peter the Heater. His 7.31 ERA and 1.75 WHIP were very unimpressive, and his 12 walks and 8 strikeouts were pretty poor too. It's not panic mode, but I really need to see him pitching better. Cy Sullivan was the other, as his 6.00 ERA and 1.47 WHIP are also pretty poor, but at least he had double the strikeouts (2) then walks (1). Even Harry Parker wasn't all that great, working to a 4.50 ERA and 1.25 WHIP, but his 9 strikeouts to 3 walks were solid. The vets carried the staff, with Dick Lyons and Milt Fritz looking really good. Lyons had a 3.31 ERA and 1.22 WHIP, hire then last year's marks of course, with 3 walks and 6 strikeouts. Fritz rolled a few sixes, his ERA and WHIP 2.25 and 1.12 with 5 walks and 3 strikeouts. Our six starter was Pug Bryan, and he earned himself a roster spot with a 2.76 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 5 walks, and 5 strikeouts. I'm expecting the usual from Pug, impressive Spring before falling off a cliff in the first two months before a demotion to Milwaukee. I'm hoping we can skip all that this year, and just have a reliable swingman/stopper. Another guy who earned his roster spot was Joe Brown, as he was near faultless in 15 pen innings. He had an impressive 1.20 ERA, but 7 walks and 8 strikeouts led to a 1.40 WHIP. Allen Purvis had a similar 1.69 ERA and 1.50 WHIP with 4 walks and 4 strikeouts while Cal Knight had a 1.69 ERA and 1.42 WHIP with 6 walks and 6 strikeouts. Jim Miller looked good too, a 2.40 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 4 walks, and 8 strikeouts. Even Chet Peacock pitched okay, a 2.84 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 5 walks, and 7 strikeouts. A few of our hitters cracked .300, including Rich Langton, who slashed an impressive .410/.452/.615 with 6 RBIs, 11 runs, a steal, 2 triples, and 4 doubles. Lawson and Mitchell both topped .350, with Lawson hitting a prime Lawson-esque .357/.396/.429 with a homer, 8 runs, and 5 RBIs while Mitchell hit .350/409/.550 with 4 doubles, a triple, 2 homers, 9 RBIs, 10 runs, and a steal. Mike Taylor slashed .324/.439/.471 with 2 doubles, a homer, 3 RBIs, and 7 runs scored. RBI machine Billy Hunter hit .333/.417/.524 with 3 doubles, a triple, homer, 6 runs, and 11 RBIs. Aart MacDonald didn't do this best job for keeping his job, batting .174/.296/.348, but with a steal, 2 doubles, 2 homers, 4 RBIs, and 8 runs scored while walking (8) as frequently as he got a hit. Orlin Yates looked much better in an extra plate appearance, batting .333/.473/.357 with a double, 4 RBIs, 5 runs, and a steal with a team high 12 walks. Ducky Jordan didn't make his case either, our #2 prospect hit just .182/.270/.212 with a double, steal, 3 runs, and 7 RBIs. Same goes for Johnnie Williamson, hitting just .114/.139/.114 with 3 runs and an RBI. Harry Mead was much more effective, .381/.435/.571 with a homer, 2 runs, and 2 RBIs. A few starters struggled as well, including new second basemen Freddie Jones. He hit a poor .194/.324/.323 with a double, homer, 2 runs, and 3 RBIs. He stayed healthy, so that's awesome, but I think that's more because I kept his appearances down. Carlos Montes also had some struggles, batting .213/.302/.340 with 4 doubles, a triple, 4 runs, and 6 RBIs. He also stayed healthy, a plus, but I'm expecting a nice showing from him during the season. And without further adieu, please welcome the 24 Cougars representing Chicago in their first season at cozy Cougars Park! If you're lucky, you'll see a ground rule double bounce off Rich Langton and over the 7 foot walls in right center! Not going to lie, going from 23 players to 24 players really made my life easier, as I didn't have to cut any of my vets or un-optionable players. Rotation LHP Dick Lyons RHP Milt Fritz RHP Harry Parker RHP Pete Papenfus RHP Cy Sullivan Bullpen RHP Pug Bryan RHP Allen Purvis RHP Joe Brown LHP Cal Knight Lineup vs RHP RF Rich Langton 2B Freddie Jones LF Leo Mitchell 3B John Lawson 1B Ray Ford SS Billy Hunter C Mike Taylor CF Carlos Montes Pitcher Spot Lineup vs LHP RF Rich Langton 2B Freddie Jones 1B Ray Ford 3B John Lawson SS Billy Hunter LF Leo Mitchell CF Carlos Montes C Harry Mead Pitcher Spot Bench C Harry Mead/Mike Taylor 1B Lou Kelly 2B Ollie Page 3B Johnny McDowell LF Doc Love CF Orlin Yates RF Tommy Sandstorm With the weekend approaching, we won't see the Cougars in action until Monday, but I should have time for a nice roster preview, potentially broken down into positional groups. The updated and not yet reliable preseason predictions have us second, now 83-71 instead of 82-72. We now have no projected top players, but I wasn't holding my breath for 300 ace-like innings from Allen Purvis. Last edited by ayaghmour2; 10-14-2021 at 03:53 PM.

10-15-2021, 03:35 PM	#623
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Opening Day! It's time for baseball! The Cougars are back in Chicago and are ready to begin another exciting season. Rufus Barrell thinks the Cougars are set for 2nd place, but also that the two through five teams are so close, you could pick names out of a hat to determine the order. The OSA predictions expect an 82-72 finish, ahead of Brooklyn, who is somehow in fifth. I'd take that with a grain of salt, but I'm definitely aiming to crack the 80 win mark and hopefully luck our way into a pennant race. They do expect a lot of Cougars to have top performances, with two hitters and three pitchers. Leo Mitchell is expected to hit .353/.395/.508 with 19 homers and 90 RBIs while John Lawson is expected to hit .328/.379/.479 with 16 homers and 106 RBIs. I'd love those type of performances from them, and OSA also believes our top three in the rotation will rank in the leagues top 10. Still, I don't see reigning Allen Winner Dick Lyons throwing 354.2 innings, but the 3.86 ERA, 68 walks, and 93 strikeouts wouldn't be bad. They expect a few more innings and a slightly lower ERA from Milt Fritz, with 162 walks and 83 strikeouts. Lastly, Harry Parker will also crack 300 innings with a 4.02 ERA, 75 walks, and 142 strikeouts. All of those look like solid numbers, especially since I know we're going to allow more runs then usual this year. The farm has taken a hit in the rankings, as we dropped to the 11th best system in baseball. The system is led but baseball's 24th and 25th ranked prospects, Ducky Jordan and Chubby Hall, while Juan Pomales (48th) joins them in the top 50 with Solly Skidmore (51st) and Hal Wood (55th) right outside. Nothing else until Del Burns at 102, but in total we have 14 top 200 prospects and 42 top 500 prospects. I'm excited to refill the system with the upcoming draft, but with all the young talent playing an important role in Chicago, it's not the biggest of worries. We start the season with three games in Chicago, hosting the Foresters to break in Cougars Park. Cleveland has a new GM for this season, but there are a lot of similar faces on the roster. Their top three in the rotation is Dean Astle, Dave Rankin, and Ben Turner, all talented former Cougar pitchers. One new face in the lineup is Ken Vance, who made 59 appearances last season and will takeover for the now retired T.R. Goins. "Rough Rider" is one of the top catchers of all time, finishing with a career .336/.401/.511 (139 OPS+) batting line in 8,880 plate appearances with the Eagles and Foresters. He's hit 486 doubles and 270 homers with 1,456 RBIs while being worth 84.9 wins above replacement. Goins was a two-time Whitney Winner and 4-time All Star who won the 1923 championship with Washington and the 193 one with Cleveland. Last season was the first and only he had a below average OPS+, hitting just .234/.306/.293 (64 OPS+) with 13 doubles, 0 homers, and 25 RBIs in just 251 trips to the plate. We don't stay home for long, as we fly out to Toronto after the three game set. The Wolves were outstanding last year, led by Fred McCormick and Nick Wallace. They'll need more help if they want to top the Kings, with Larry Vestal the most likely candidate to pick up the slack. Ranked the top left fielder in the game, somehow above my boy Leo Mitchell, but he does have a nice .302/.378/.447 (119 OPS+) career line. In 907 FABL games, he doubled 151 times, tripled 104 times, homered 40 times, and drove in 466 runs. He's had three consecutive 4.5+ WAR seasons, but he has yet to crack 5. They will also look to rely on sophomore right fielder Reginald Westfall, a former Cougar prospect who hit .271/.354/.412 (108 OPS+) with 33 doubles, 5 triples, 8 homers, and 90 RBIs with a nice 62-to-17 walk-to-strikeout ratio. Of course, the pitching is impressive as well, with Allen Award runner up Joe Hancock leading the rotation. After a dominant 8-1 season last year, Bob Walls snuck into the top pitchers predictions and could evolve into a reliable #2. The back three has question marks, but 21-year-old George Garrison seems like a smart bet for a breakout. It will be a tough couple of games to start the season for sure, and we'll need to be at our best to win a few games. Attached Images

10-15-2021, 06:29 PM	#624
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Roster Preview: Pitching Staff RHP Joe Brown Acquired: Via Trade with Detroit (1936) Drafted: 9th Round, 141st Overall (1932) 1938: 4-3, 7 SV, 49 IP, 5.14 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 19 BB, 17 K Career: 4-3, 7 SV, 54 IP, 5.33 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, 23 BB, 19 K Now 25, the Berwyn native will make his first Opening Day roster, and while he will start in the pen, Weinstock and OSA both view his future as a rotation arm, with Tom profiling him as a #2 or #3, while cautioning to limit his starts at the moment. A hard thrower, Brown features a 96-98 sinker and he does an excellent job keeping the ball on the ground, and the velocity will play very well in the pen. A clubhouse leader as well, Brown has a really nice five pitch arsenal that should lead to a decent amount of strikeouts. He will allow very few homers and he gets good movement on his off-speed stuff. OSA loves his control, but walks have been an issue in his very brief FABL career, recording a 3.8 BB/9. Of course, it's barely 50 innings, so way too quick to judge, but I'm really hoping he improves that for the coming season. The craziest part last season was 5 homers in 49 innings, considering he's an extreme groundball pitcher who hasn't had a HR/9 as high as the 0.9 mark from his innings in Chicago. He's the next man up in case of an injury or the inevitable Dick Lyons decline that probably should have happened last year. I'd wager next season he'll be the best #5 in baseball, and I'm really excited for Brown to approach his very high ceiling. RHP Pug Bryan Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 28th Overall (1934) 1938: 4-9, 2 SV, 93 IP, 5.03 ERA, 1.61 WHIP, 46 BB, 39 K Career:12-18, 2 SV, 251.2 IP, 4.18 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 110 BB, 107 K Pug, Pug, Pug... I really do think he's got the talent to pitch in the big leagues, but after last season, things are a bit murky for him. He just turned 26, but with talented youngsters like Pete, Cy, Parker, and Brown, there really isn't much room for Pug. The five pitch groundballer features a high 80s sinker that helps get him out of jams. His changeup is really good, a disappearing one that allows him to strike out a ton and force weak contact on the rest. Unfortunately, he will walk his share of hitters and that definitely gets him in to trouble. Like Brown, his 3.9 BB/9 is not very inspiring, but in 23 strong starts in the 1937 season he did manage to strike out (68) more guys then he walked (64). I debated between using him or Allen Purvis as the stopper, but I'm going to let Pug start there while he works to regain his old form. He does have an option, so if he has an awful April and May like the last two seasons, he may end up in Milwaukee with someone like Jim Miller or Chet Peacock replacing him. I trust Pug's work ethic and raw talent to push him to the next level, and while he may not start many games for us, I think he's going to be an outstanding stopper who can eat innings in an extra inning game. RHP Milt Fritz Acquired: Via Trade with New York (1935) Drafted: 12th Round, 188th Overall (1927) 1938: 12-12, 254 IP, 3.54 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 96 BB, 69 K Career: 147-123, 3 SV, 2,429.1 IP, 3.68 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 841 BB, 915 K Easily the most inconsistent player in the league, you never truly know what you are going to get from Milt Fritz. Some days he's elite, other days he's out after three. But in his three seasons with us, he's had double digit wins and ERA+ of 93, 120, and 110 with 254 or more innings pitched. He's won more games as a Cougar (43) then in any other uniform, and he's in striking distance of 250 wins. He'll need 103 more, so with a conservative estimate of 12 wins per season, he'll reach 250 at 38. 12 is the least amount of wins he's had in a season for us, and with five 20 win seasons, while unlucky, he'd reach 250 at the beginning of his aged 35 season. Fritz isn't nearly as talented as he was at 19, part of that has to do with his laziness, but give him a good defense and he should be able to spin together a few impressive seasons. With 11 more wins, he'll tie former Cougar Steve Castellini for the 100th most wins in FABL history, and while 300 seems like a stretch, it's definitely still in striking distance. I'm expecting a big season for him this year, and we have had a lot of success extending players careers after 30. LHP Cal Knight Acquired: Via Trade with Pittsburgh (1935) Drafted: 2nd Round, 23rd Overall (1934) 1938: 0-1, 4.1 IP, 6.23 ERA, 1.85 WHIP, 3 BB, 3 K Career: 0-1, 4.1 IP, 6.23 ERA, 1.85 WHIP, 3 BB, 3 K I will be 100% honest, I did not expect Knight to crack the Opening Day roster, but the former 2nd Rounder will function as the lone lefty in our pen. But with an outstanding Spring where he had a 1.50 ERA and 1.42 WHIP, and my scout thinks he's ready for the big leagues. The 26-year-old has been upgraded to a back of the rotation arm, and even OSA has started to appreciate his talent. A basic three pitch pitcher, Knight has a mid to high 80s cutter with a nice slider and decent change. A hard worker who gets along with everyone, Knight is a good influence in the clubhouse and should benefit from our impressive 6-man leadership group. Like a lot of our other pitchers, he does a good job keeping the ball on the ground, and he has matching 107 ERA+ in his last two AAA seasons. I still think his future is in the rotation, so if an attractive pen arm off waivers comes along, he may end up in Milwaukee stretching back out. He doesn't have the upside of some of our other young arms, but he's very well developed and could start for a few teams around the league that don't have the young pitching we do. LHP Dick Lyons Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 23rd Overall (1921) 1938: 20-6, 250 IP, 2.59 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 47 BB, 48 K Career: 169-123, 2,709.1 IP, 3.99 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 593 BB, 785 K It may have been 13 years prior, but our only other lefty on the pitching staff was selected with the exact same pick as Cal Knight. The man, the myth, the legend himself, 38-year-old veteran Dick Lyons. Best known as the reigning Allen Award Winner and potentially better known as the only player to survive my endless string of trades, there has been nothing quite like Dick Lyons. Before 1938, he never led the league in ERA or WHIP, and never had an ERA+ above the 126 from 1933, and he never had a 20 win season. He put together somehow his third ever 5.3 WAR season, a number he can't quite yet surpass. But the supposed ageless wonder was 20-6 with a 2.59 ERA (151 ERA+) and 1.41 WHIP despite matching 1.7 BB/9 and K/9s. In fact, the only season where he had a worse K/BB ratio was in a decent 1929 where he walked 79 and struck out 77. And he did all that with the CA's worst defense in terms of zone rating! What a legend! Am I expecting another dominant season from Lyons? Well, that's a really good question... He does rank as our pitcher with the highest current ratings, and he had a quick cameo last season in the top 20 pitchers list, but can you really put much stock in to a 38 year old? Even the ageless 514 game winner Allan Allen, who had a breakout 37-year-old season with 31 wins, a 1.45 ERA (205 ERA+), 1.17 WHIP, 65 walks, and 175 strikeouts in 385 elite innings. But even after that, his ERA+'s were 110, 123, 129, 122, and 108 from 38 to 42. 341 game winner Aaron Wright recorded 104 and 115 at 38 and 39. 311 game winner George Johnson had 122 and 123 at 38 and 39, but that aged 39 season saw just 18 games including a pair of relief outings. All three of those are in the top 10 all time for wins, but none of the other 7 had an above average season this late. But were any of them a 5'8'' southpaw who has never hit 90? Nope! But if he was able to do what he did last season, there has to be something left in the tank, and I think the control artist will continue to defy all rational thinkers and anchor this rotation just like he did last year. RHP Pete Papenfus Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 6th Overall (1936) 1938: 8-6, 123.1 IP, 4.52 ERA, 1.78 WHIP, 117 BB, 103 K Career: 8-6, 123.1 IP, 4.52 ERA, 1.78 WHIP, 117 BB, 103 K "Papenfus could pitch his way into an emergency starter role" - OSA "Papenfus could pitch his way into an emergency starter role" - Tom Weinstock Those are the two pieces of blasphemous paper pinned to the locker of one soon-to-be 21-year-old known colloquially as Peter the Heater. Yes, both my scout and OSA have soured over the 5'10, 165 pound righty who hits 100 just as often as a postseason Brusdar Graterol. Am I worried? Not. One. Bit. Scouting reports can be very deceiving, especially when a pitcher goes from a pitcher that strikes fear into the hearts of hitters to someone who barely deserves a roster spot. Especially at the age of 20. Yes, the walks are annoying. He managed to walk 117 batters in 123.1 innings pitched, so definitely concerning, but what youngster doesn't take his share of lumps at the beginning? And you just cannot ignore the pure stuff. Papenfus has a sizzling cutter and dominant fastball that can strike out the absolute best of the best, and wish his wildness, I'd wager most batters are absolutely terrified when they step into the box. Sure, his control is unreliable right now, but Harry Mead and Mike Taylor are both outstanding defensive catchers who should be able to help steal strikes for him with relative consistency. He's so unhittable that he walked more hitters then he allowed hits (103), so really walks are the only thing holding him back. As long as he can cut his BB/9 from 8.5 to 5.5, still an awful mark, he's likely to put together elite seasons. I'm really excited to see what steps forward he takes this season and I think he's going to see a nice improvement on all his rate stats in year two. RHP Harry Parker Acquired: Via Draft: 7th Round, 108th Overall (1934) 1938: 7-8, 130.2 IP, 3.99 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 29 BB, 69 K Career: 7-8, 130.2 IP, 3.99 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 29 BB, 69 K One of my absolute favorite players in the league file, I've kept him untouchable since the second I selected him. Parker looked really good as a rookie, if you ignore the 15 homers, as he had a really strong 4.8 K/9 and 2.0 BB/9 with a WHIP identical to Dick Lyons, the league leader. A flyball pitcher with a .250 BABIP last season, he has an impressive low 90s fastball and cutter, and his perfect combination of stuff and command make him one of the toughest pitchers to best. Just recently turned 24, the 6'6'' righty boasts six impressive pitches and his teammates absolutely love him. If Walt Bailey had his way, he'd lead the staff instead of Dick Lyons, and that's a huge boost of confidence for the imposing youngster. Parker has ace potential, but with Papenfus on the roster, I imagine Parker won't pitch much as a #1 in his career. I have dreams of a dominant 1-2 combo of those two that win multiple championships, and potentially see both end up in the Hall of Fame. Parker definitely has the talent to do it, he just needs a few breaks, and to keep his injury history spotless. Of all the youngsters, he's easily the most developed, and between him, Pete, and Cy, I think Parker will have easily the best season. RHP Allen Purvis Acquired: Via Waivers (1935) Drafted: 5th Round, 65th Overall (1921) 1938: 6-4, 3 SV, 44.2 IP, 2.22 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 23 BB, 12 K Career: 37-47, 15 SV, 692.2 IP, 4.42 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, 268 BB, 222 K Likely the oldest arm in most staffs, the 36-year-old Allen Purvis was actually selected 3 rounds after Dick Lyons in the 1921 AI draft. Kept along for his leadership and rather impressive outings out of the pen, the swingman had an impressive 176 ERA+ last year and a solid 119 the season before. A bit of a soft tosser who can absorb innings, Purvis has five alright pitches, the best a sinker he uses to roll up ground ball after ground ball. His command and control are impressive, and the initial preseason prediction thought he could be a dominant 300 inning starter. In three seasons with us, he barely cracked 200 innings, and I'd imagine he has less then 300 innings left after this season. He's part of the glue that keeps the clubhouse together, and it should help him secure a roster spot until he becomes too unplayable. I have faith in his ability to soak up innings without allowing many base runners, and potentially bridge the gap between a short start and an eventual save opportunity. RHP Cy Sullivan Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 60th Overall (1932) 1938: 5-7, 3 SV, 128.1 IP, 4.21 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 37 BB, 27 K Career: 5-7, 3 SV, 128.1 IP, 4.21 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 37 BB, 27 K He wasn't a full time starter last season, and then absolutely fell apart towards the end of last season, but I have faith that Cy can put together an effective season with 200+ innings, even out of the five spot. He's got a rubber arm, and as the other 6'6'' guy in our rotation, he's also a very imposing figure on the mound. Unlike most of our other arms, his stuff isn't all that great, and he doesn't quite have polished stuff yet. His high 80s fastball is okay, but he has to work out his slider, curve, and change. Borderline starters are still effective, just ask Sergio Gonzales, so even if his stuff stops here, his command can make up for it. Cy won't strike many guys out, but he generates a decent amount of weak contact while not walking too many. He has a nice ceiling, potentially a #2 or #3, but he's got a lot of work to get there. Unfortunately, he's not much of a hard worker, so he may never reach his potential, but his floor is already a decent #5. I've trusted the former shortstop year in and year out, and I think I'll start to reap the rewards sooner then later.

10-16-2021, 04:27 PM	#625
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Roster Preview: Infielders 1B Ray Ford Acquired: Via Trade with Chicago (1934) Drafted: 14th Round, 217th Overall (1932) 1938: .313/.375/.483, 504 PA, 25 2B, 2 3B, 16 HR, 72 RBI, SB Career: .306/.368/.453, 1,805 PA, 95 2B, 12 3B, 39 HR, 242 RBI, SB He did miss the start of the season last year, but the 27-year-old finished his third consecutive season with 500 or more plate appearances and a 115 OPS+ or better. Last year was easily the best, hitting .306/.368/.453 (143 OPS+) with an impressive 47-to-11 walk-to-strikeout ratio. His 16 homers weren't his career high, he hit 18 last year, but he hit homers with more frequency as last year he had 635 plate appearances. Ford is a very interesting defender, one of those "versatile" players that really isn't good at any of the positions he can play. He can man first, second, third, left, and right, but he barely can cover first and I don't think he'll ever man third again. Ford has electric batspeed and makes a ton of hard contact, with the power for 20+ homers a season. My guess for this year is 25, but I can see him crack 30 before he turns 30. A late round draft pick out of Coastal Carolina, managers credit his hard work, with a lot of our minor league coaches raved about how he never quits and is always the hardest worker on the field. First base is a position with a lot of offensive talent, but I do believe the former #1 overall prospect is one of the top first basemen and a reason I was not devastated that I couldn't land Fred McCormick. Ford is going to be a huge part of our offense, especially against lefties, and he's got the talent to make the difference. 1B Lou Kelly Acquired: Via Waivers (1938) Drafted: 4th Round, 59th Overall (1923) 1938: .218/.271/.382, 188 PA, 11 2B, 3B, 5 HR, 21 RBI Career: .314/.374/.530, 7,089 PA, 381 2B, 91 3B, 269 HR, 1,176 RBI, 73 SB I'll be honest, I did not think there was a chance that Lou Kelly would make the active roster, but Aart MacDonald had a horrible spring, Ducky Jordan had a horrible spring, and eventually I decided I'd let Waters and Mills get everyday at bats in AAA and let the Pekin kid hold one of our 24 roster spots this season. The 37-year-old outspoken leader is well past his prime, but he needs just four more hits to reach 2,000 in what could be a Hall of Fame career. Kelly was an above average offensive player in each of his first 11 seasons, in fact, his lowest was 120. The last two years haven't gone as plan, as he's been worth exactly zero wins above replacement in 207 games. In the last two months of last year, he hit just .190/.217/.429 with a single, two doubles, a homer, and four RBIs. He made just 23 plate appearances in 18 games as a replacement, and if he follows that pattern, he'll reach 2,000 in June, hopefully at home or in Baltimore, where he spent most of his career. Even in his advanced age, he has the power to make a difference, but his athleticism is almost completely gone. He'll be almost strictly a pinch hitter, but having guy with a career 141 OPS+ on the bench could definitely pay dividends late in a game. 2B Freddie Jones Acquired: Via Trade with St. Louis (1938) Drafted: 1st Round, 2nd Overall (1931) 1938: .284/.385/.375, 706 PA, 20 2B, 7 3B, 7 HR, 75 RBI Career: .348/.449/.440, 4,443 PA, 147 2B, 40 3B, 38 HR, 509 RBI, 22 SB The newest Cougar, "Frederick the Great" somehow managed to make 706 trips to the plate last year for the Pioneers with very few minor injuries. Of course, injuries have always been an issue for the Nashville native, and he just barely has enough injuries that you can scroll through them with your mouse since they don't fit all on one page. The only good thing is he's never missed more then 3 months, and a majority of his injuries are day-to-day, so I think as long as I give him days off when needed, I can get him at least 145 healthy and effective games. Last year was a huge down year for him, however, the first season he failed to hit .300 and his 102 OPS+ was barely above average. Jones used to be a good base runner as well, but he hasn't stole a base (or attempted a steal) in the past two seasons. He also saw his strikeouts jump to 51, despite striking out 30 or less times in the last five seasons. Still, he managed 98 walks, the fourth time he's walked more then 90 times and Jones has never walked fewer then the 71 in his rookie season. He's a walks and singles type hitter, but he's an excellent table setter and I think him and Rich Langton will love putting on the hit and run in the first innings. I'm not sure Jones will ever have a third .380/.500 season, but Jones is a rare breed with a higher on base percentage (.449) then slugging percentage (.440). He'll be 29 in just three days, and endured an awful spring, but I think he's going to love hitting ahead of Mitchell, Lawson, and Ford, a fair amount better then Zip Sullivan, Al Tucker, and Heinie Zimmer. I'm not sure if we're going to get prime Jones or the new Jones, but one thing that is guaranteed is he'll offer professional at bats at the plate, solid defense in the field, and the leadership only a captain can provide. He's a huge boost for an already tight knit group, and a serious upgrade over the Johnny McDowell/Ollie Page disaster from last year. 2B Ollie Page Acquired: Via Trade with Washington (1934) Drafted: 5th Round, 65th Overall (1928) 1938: .233/.330/.309, 293 PA, 4 2B, 3 3B, 3 HR, 25 RBI, 2 SB Career: .259/.331/.376, 1,914 PA, 45 2B, 35 3B, 28 HR, 191 RBI, 20 SB I'll be honest, I thought Ollie Page was going to be a star. And it looked good at first. He debuted in 1935 for us, and slashed .296/.376/.441 (121 OPS+) with 14 doubles, 9 triples, 6 homers, and 37 RBIs. He hasn't quite matched that success, and while he was solid the following year, he's been terrible the past two seasons. He's hit just .229/.302/.327, a very awful statline, and he's seen his playing time start to dwindle. Still, there are pluses for Page, he's a very disciplined hitter and effective defensively, and he will still have an important role with the team. I really want Jones and Hunter to last the whole season, so I expect Page to get a start a week at second and short to help them stay fresh. Page is getting older, recently 29, but he's a good teammate and one of the best double play turners in the business. He still has the talent to be an every day player, ranking as the 10th best second basemen if we didn't have Freddie Jones. Plus, if either guy gets hurt, he will turn into an everyday player, and then he could boost his value back up. 3B John Lawson Acquired: Via Trade with New York (1936) Drafted: 4th Round, 66th Overall (1923) 1938: .302/.355/.461, 651 PA, 43 2B, 2 3B, 16 HR, 108 RBI Career: .347/.398/.510, 7,357 PA, 426 2B, 37 3B, 194, 1,203 RBI, 16 SB Sure, last year was the worst season in John Lawson's career, but a bad John Lawson is still 31 percent better then an average hitter. Since becoming a full time player, Lawson has never hit below .300/.350/.450 and he has hit double digit homers in each of his 11 seasons. Effective at 35, Lawson will start this year at 36, and he hasn't shown signs of slowing down. He's had an OPS+ between 131 and 143 the past five seasons. Destined for the hall, I can see Lawson hitting .320 with 20 homers this season. He is currently ranked the 12th best hitter in baseball, with only Frank Vance (37 in May) older then him in the top 20. Lawson has been one of the most durable players of his time, just three mild injuries; a hand contusion (1921), the flu (1927), and mild shoulder inflammation (1938) on his injury history. The flu cost him three days while the others cost him five, and despite a very weird season with the Stars in 1935, he's recorded 635 or more plate appearances in each other season. Cougar fans do love him, but they may never be able to forgive him for his 1932 season with the Stars when he single handedly kept us out of the playoffs. But if he can bring a pennant home in one of the next couple of seasons, Lawson will never have to buy a beer in Chicago again. 3B Johnny McDowell Acquired: Via Trade with New York (1937) Drafted: 2nd Round, 18th Overall (1929) 1938: .270/.315/.354, 478 PA, 24 2B, 5 3B, HR, 40 RBI, 9 SB Career: .311/.354/.402, 3,449 PA, 138 2B, 70 3B, 4 HR, 327 RBI, 146 SB I thought it was going to be one of those trades with little to no risk, a few minor prospects for a potentially effective bat, but boy was I wrong. McDowell didn't hit very much for us, barely stole any bases, and really struggled to play second base. To make matters worth, the prospects I literally randomly selected, turned out to be guys I should not have let go. One was Dave Haight, the one I did expect to be decent, and Alaska's finest broke out with an impressive rookie season for the Gothams. The former 13th Rounder hit an impressive .308/.364/.453 (119 OPS+) with 31 doubles, 12 triples, 5 homers, 8 steals, and 77 RBIs with an outstanding 44-to-6 walk-to-strikeout ratio in 528 trips to the plate. Lucky for us, Leo Mitchell and Rich Langton had OPS+ of 139 and 134, so Haight wouldn't have been an improvement on either of them, but he was much more valuable then McDowell. The other was now 25-year-old Del Thomas, our 11th Rounder from 1937 who somehow now ranks as the 83rd best prospect in baseball. All this while McDowell put together a below replacement level season while really struggling at second base. Lucky for him, he's probably never going to see the keystone again, but unlucky for him he's now just a late inning pinch runner and replacement for a tired John Lawson. Fortunately for us, the now 31-year-old nicknamed "Bad News" actually is an extremely hard worker and well loved clubhouse member, so even with the move to the bench, he shouldn't cause any tension. This season will likely be the first in his career he won't play in 100 games, but I do think he can make the difference late in the game, running for a much slower John Lawson or Ray Ford or Mike Taylor. SS Billy Hunter Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 14th Overall (1932) 1938: .291/.333/.429, 546 PA, 31 2B, 9 3B, 7 HR, 65 RBI, SB Career: .298/.350/.461, 765 PA, 44 2B, 15 3B, 13 HR, 94 RBI 2 SB Billy boy! The future of the franchise! If only he can stay on the field... While on the field, he was good, just not quite as great as his 51 game stint in 1937, and his defense took a slight step back. Still, our former 1st Round pick in the very helpful 1932 draft has blossomed into one of the most talented and exciting shortstops in the game, ranked 15th on the top 20 players list and 3rd for his position. Hunter is an extremely athletic 24-year-old who launches flyballs left and right, with a decent amount finding their way over the fence. The kid has a ton of range in the field too, but he makes a ton of stupid errors and managed an awful .931 fielding percentage last season which killed his zone rating. None the less, I really trust his glove and with all our ground ball pitchers, he's going to have a lot of work to do. Of course, every player has his weaknesses, and Hunter's is that he tends to underachieve. Thankfully for us, with his talent, that means 3rd best shortstop instead of best, and that is definitely something I can live with. This kid has everything it takes to put together a long and productive career, and with a deep lineup like ours, he's going to have a lot of people on base when he is up. I'm ready for a big breakout season from Hunter, and if we make some noise this season, I'd imagine he's one of the reason we do it.

10-17-2021, 06:11 PM	#626
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Roster Preview: Catchers and Outfielders C Harry Mead Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 58th Overall (1932) 1938: .204/.273/.250, 238 PA, 10 2B, 20 RBI Career: .206/.273/.262, 256 PA, 13 2B, 20 RBI The catcher of the future title for Harry Mead got a little murkier after the lottery acquisition of Solly Skidmore, but his descent in the prospect rankings could make the rare lefty catcher feel a little more secure. Penciled into the lineup against lefties to help Mike Taylor, Mead hit more like the guys he caught then a catcher, and still has yet to hit his first career home run. Power will never be a strength of his, he focuses more on making contact and avoiding balls, two things he's very good at. His plate discipline is excellent already, but he really struggled to find gaps last season. Of course, Mead's best talent is what he does behind the plate, stealing strike after strike for his pitchers while throwing out an okay amount of base stealers. I think he's going to be an excellent catcher for Papenfus, and if he has walk issues, I may give Mead a few of his starts to help reign in the fireballer. Anything he offers with the bat is a plus, but I don't think I can endure many more 50 OPS+ seasons. Lucky for us, he was great in the Spring, hitting .381/.435/.571, and at just 24, he has a lot of time to continue growing. The platoon last year helped Mike Taylor regain form, and I'm hoping it can help Mead this year. He was just dreadful against righties last year, batting an actual pitcher line of .127/.225/.169 (14 OPS+) in 80 trips to the plate. Lucky for Mead, it will be hard for him to hit worse then he did last year, and I have full faith in him hitting closer to like he did in the minors. C Mike Taylor Acquired: Via Trade with Brooklyn (1932) Drafted: 8th Round, 127th Overall (1927) 1938: .271/.324/.439, 399 PA, 19 2B, 3 3B, 12 HR, 48 RBI, SB Career: .291/.354/.444, 6,124 PA, 247 2B, 61 3B, 153 HR, 815 RBI, 27 SB If you told me that Mike Taylor would have outlasted Tommy Wilcox after the blockbuster trade, I would have called you crazy. Instead, that's what people call me in hindsight, seeing Wilcox hanging out down in Lincoln while Tom Barrell and Mike Murphy sit comfortably in the Kings rotation while win pennant after pennant. But none the less, Mike Taylor has played in 100 or more games in each of the past six seasons, and it spans all the way back to 1929 if you include his play with the Kings. Last year was a return to form for the now 32-year-old, recording a 116 OPS+ after three consecutive sub-100 seasons. Before 1935, he only had above average seasons, and I'm hoping he'll keep that back up until Harry Mead can produce with the bat as well. Taylor is a threat at the plate, with strong power and decent contact skills, but like Mead, he's also an excellent defender behind the plate. Tom says he has "acrobatic fielding capabilities" which I hope means high catcher ability, but I'm pretty sure his arm is the stronger of the two fielding skills. He has a career 44.8% caught stealing percentage and has even cracked the 50% mark in a season. I really do think the terrible 1936 season where Taylor hit just .231/.291/.306 (61 OPS+) with the devil's mark of 6 doubles, triples, and homers was a fluke, and OSA tends to agree with that. They still rank him in the top half of catchers to start the season, and his scouting reports have never really said anything other then Taylor is an above average player or better. Like most catchers, Taylor is also a great leader in the clubhouse, and I think I'll be rewarded for hanging on to him and not trading him last season. LF Doc Love Acquired: Via Trade with Detroit (1933) Drafted: 6th Round, 94th Overall (1927) 1938: .220/.277/.347, 303 PA, 10 2B, 5 3B, 5 HR, 38 RBI Career: .315/.360/.480, 3,150 PA, 127 2B, 58 3B, 78 HR, 446 RBI, 6 SB Selected a few rounds earlier in the same draft as Mike Taylor, the also 32-year-old Doc Love has had a mysterious decline last season. In his first four seasons with us, Love had OPS+ of 145, 135, 121, and 138 with 71 homers and 371 RBIs and never hit lower then his .305/.354/.472 in 1936. But last year, Love's average dropped almost 100 points while his on base percentage and slugging plummeted by even more. I did and do still think that Love is more then capable of manning left, he's just stuck in an unlucky situation. Leo Mitchell is arguably the best left fielder in baseball, and Rich Langton has been Doc Love like, just with better speed. It's impossible to trade corner bats, especially ones that seemingly fell of a cliff, so the unhappy Love will be stuck on the bench this season, hoping to regain some of his previous form. Love puts the ball in play almost all the time, just 215 walks and 143 strikeouts in over 3,000 big league plate appearances, while last year was the first season he struck out more then he walked. He has great gap power and home run power, with back-to-back 20 homer seasons in 1934 and 1935. Love's best days may be behind him, but I just don't think he's become an unplayable hitter. He should be an important lefty off the bench from us, and on the off chance Mitchell, Ford, or Langton get hurt, I imagine Love will get a lot of at bats to show he's still the hitter he once was. LF Leo Mitchell Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 28th Overall (1931) 1938: .337/.380/.462, 598 PA, 30 2B, 2 3B, 12 HR, 80 RBI, 9 SB Career: .328/.381/.435, 1,447 PA, 63 2B, 5 3B, 23 HR, 154 RBI, 18 SB A teammate of Harry Barrell and Ed Reyes in high school, Leo Mitchell has shown he's the best hitter of that trio despite being the last one selected. It took him a little to get his footing, but Mitchell has hit above .300 in each of his seasons with an above average OPS+ or better. Last year was his first year as a full time starter, but in 1937 he still appeared in 128 games, spelling Love, Langton, and Ford in left, right, and first to keep the trio fresh. Mitchell challenged for a batting title, slashing .337/.380/.462 (139 OPS+) last season, and after the early season injury to Ray Ford, he was the choice for left nearly every game. He has just 216 professional games under his belt, but the natural first basemen has shown that he's more then capable of handling a corner. Leo has good speed and is always a tough out at the plate, but Weinstock thinks he "may have untapped potential that could make him one of the best players in the game." Mitchell has the hit tool to continue to challenge for batting titles along with double digit homer power. He will have some issues with strikeouts, however, but that is something we'll be able to live with if he's consistently hitting well above .300. Despite his young age, he's always been a leader in the clubhouse, and his teammates respect his work ethic and enjoy being around him. I've always been really high on Mitchell, and I truly think he is going to have a very special career. CF Carlos Montes Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 12th Overall (1934) 1938: .243/.317/.412, 390 PA, 14 2B, 7 3B, 10 HR, 40 RBI, 5 SB Career: .270/.343/.434, 855 PA, 33 2B, 16 3B, 20 HR, 95 RBI, 14 SB We haven't quite taken advantage of Carlos Montes' versatility yet, but I imagine once Juan Pomales joins the roster, we'll see a lot more of it. The 23-year-old Cuban has spent most of his time out in center, but he's also got experience out in left, right, second, third, and short. I'd imagine he can manage first base as well, so you can pretty much put Montes anywhere other then catcher and pitcher, although he does have an 84-86 mile per hour fastball, so who knows? Montes did have some injury issues last season, matching his 100 game total in the majors last year, but he saw his batting line slump a bit. After hitting .292/.365/.453 (130 OPS+) with 19 doubles, 9 triples, 9 steals, and 55 RBIs, everything dropped the next year. In fact, even his runs, walks, strikeouts, caught stealing, starts, at bats, plate appearances, and WAR. The only thing that didn't drop were divisible by ten, his homers (10) and games. Now that he got his sophomore slump out of the way, I think the third year Montes, if healthy, should be able to regress back towards the mean, potentially with a .275/.350/.440 batting line, with a jump in homers due to the park change. Unlike our corner outfielders, Montes is an excellent center fielder, with a 17.1 zone rating and 1.034 efficiency combined between 1937 and 1938. Montes has blazing speed, works the count effectively, and can rack up the extra base hits. He reminds me a lot of former Saint and current Miner Pablo Reyes, and has the potential to develop into a top five center fielder. He won't turn 24 until December, and I'm really excited to see the player he turns into. CF Orlin Yates Acquired: Via Trade with New York (1935) Drafted: 9th Round, 131st Overall (1932) 1938: .265/.370/.336, 137 PA, 5 2B, HR, 6 RBI, 3 SB Career: 238/.338/.290, 228 PA, 7 2B, HR, 13 RBI, 6 SB Acquired along side Milt Fritz and Mel Leonard in the Tom Taylor trade, Orlin Yates spent all last season as our 4th outfielder, and with a good Spring from him and a bad one from Aart MacDonald, will return to that same role. He started just 23 games, but appeared in 98 throughout the season, while hitting his first career home run and putting up an above average (102 OPS+) offensive season. Now 27, Yates also was outstanding in both center and right, working to a 1.050 and 1.073 efficiency for us last year. The glove may be his best tool, and his elite speed allow him to play elite defense out in center. He has a good eye too, 26 walks to 10 strikeouts, but he doesn't hit the ball all that frequently or all that hard. Still, he's the perfect late inning replacement either on the basepaths or in the outfield, and you can't fill your team with only star quality players. Yates probably will never find a starting job in the FABL, but having a guy on hand like him can actually be the difference between winning and losing a one run game. RF Rich Langton Acquired: Via Draft: 3rd Round, 46th Overall (1932) 1938: .311/.374/.452, 617 PA, 28 2B, 10 3B, 10 HR, 63 RBI, 12 SB Career: .302/.356/.469, 1,972 PA, 82 2B, 39 3B, 47 HR, 252 RBI, 23 SB If you don't really follow the Cougars, you probably don't really know how good Rich Langton really is. Now 27, Langton put up a 134 OPS+ season last season, boosting his four year total to 127. He's also been worth a full 10 wins above replacement, while launching double digit homers in all four of his seasons, including the 62 game stint with us as a rookie. Langton has excellent speed, even if he's not the best base stealer, and his mix of power and speed should eventually lead to a few 20/15/15/15 seasons. Sure, he's nothing special in the field, but he more then makes up for it at the plate and on the basepaths. He has a nice and improving eye, going from 33 to 30 to 22 strikeouts last season, while improving his walks from 35 to 42 to 54. Langton puts the ball in play a lot, and you'll see him end up on second and third with relative frequency. He makes excellent contact, sending line drives all around the diamond, while most of his grounders go to the left side, allowing him to reach on slow rollers with his speed. Langton is our only starting position player who doesn't rank in the top half, but he's 9 at a position that includes guys like Al Wheeler, Red Bond, and Leon Drake, but I can't quite understand why guys like Cliff Moss, Bobby Many, and Henry Jones are considered better then him. Even Sam Brown and Jorge Nava don't really look any better then Langton has, but at least those I can somewhat understand. I'm hoping it'll give Langton the push he needs to get to the next level, and I'd imagine he'll rank a lot higher then 9th once the season ends. RF Tommy Sandstorm Acquired: Via Rule 5-Draft (1938) Drafted: 8th Round, 121st Overall (1934) 1938: N/A Career: N/A The lone Cougar this season who has yet to play a big league game, I've always been a Tommy Sandstorm, mainly because of the name. He just sounds like a baseball player! The lefty swinger has been near elite with the bat in the minors, with four seasons of 100+ games where he had OPS+ of 138, 176, 181, and 157. Now there is no way he'll do that in the majors, but he's topped 20 homers in three of his four seasons, the only one he didn't last year in AA. Still, Sandstorm slashed .332/.423/.506 (157 OPS+) with 33 doubles, 13 triples, 8 homers, and 88 RBIs while maintaining a 76-to-27 walk-to-strikeout ratio. If you can hit like that in AA, you can definitely hit at least league average in the big leagues, and he's going to be Walt Bailey's go to pinch hitter against righties. He's not really a guy you want starting every day, the defense is really bad, but he's got a great feel for the strike zone and if he swings at a pitch, he'll probably make contact. He's perfect for hit and runs or my preferred run and hits, and I'm hoping he can hit a handful of homers too. He wasn't the greatest in the Spring, but he's the model of hard work and effort, and I'd say his chances of him surviving the season are very high. I also hope his work ethic rubs off on Cy Sullivan and Billy Hunter, and he's also listed as a sparkplug like Ray Ford. That's exactly the type of guy you want coming in late for a clutch pinch hit, and he can start the rally from the nine spot to turn what should be a powerful order right back around. Last edited by ayaghmour2; 10-18-2021 at 02:51 PM.

10-18-2021, 03:33 PM	#627
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 1: April 24th-April 30th Weekly Record: 4-2 Seasonal Record: 4-2 (t-1st, 0.5 GB) Stars of the Week Leo Mitchell : 24 AB, 10 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .417 AVG, .940 OPS Freddie Jones : 23 AB, 7 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .304 AVG, .882 OPS Rich Langton : 25 AB, 7 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .280 AVG, .797 OPS Schedule 4-25: Loss vs Cleveland (10-5) 4-26: Win vs Cleveland (2-5) 4-27: Loss vs Cleveland (8-4) 4-28: Win at Wolves (6-4): 11 innings 4-29: Win at Wolves (7-1) 4-30: Win at Wolves (4-2) Recap Baseball is back! We got to open Cougars Park for the first time on the 25th, but the Foresters had all the fun. Dick Lyons had a very unlucky start, 8 hits and 8 runs in just 2 innings, but just three of those runs were earned. Freddie Jones made two errors and Rich Langton and Harry Mead an error a piece, easily our undoing. The Foresters managed to win the series, but we did get a win in our second game at the new stadium. After that, we turned things around, and swept the Wolves in Toronto to tie the Foresters for first in the league. Yeah, it's early, but it's never too early to be in first place! Lyons second store was much better, 8 strong innings with 9 hits, 2 runs, and a walk. He hasn't struck out anyone yet this season, so we're going to need fewer four error starts and a lot more clean fielding games. Best start of the week goes to Cy Sullivan, who allowed just 7 hits, a walk, a run and 2 strikeouts in a complete game win. Milt Fritz's start was close, a complete game of his won with 6 hits, 2 runs, 3 walks, and a strikeout. Harry Parker was really roughed up, however, 7.2 innings with 10 hits, 8 runs (7 earned), 2 walks, and 6 strikeouts. He was also unlucky with the runs, as the Foresters seemed to take advantage of every base runner and the runs were scored in either his first or last inning of his start. Peter the Heater looked pretty good himself, 10 innings with 7 hits, 4 runs, 5 walks, and 8 strikeouts. His control didn't hurt him today, but he'll have 30 or so more opportunities for it to fall apart. Out of the pen, Pug Bryan looked good, eating up 7.2 innings with 9 hits, 2 runs, 3 walks, and 5 strikeouts, while also picking up a pair of saves. Cal Knight also got some innings, 2.2 with a hit and strikeout while Joe Brown and Allen Purvis weren't needed. We didn't hit the best, but the star of the week may have been Harry Mead. He played two games, going 4-for-8 with 3 doubles, 3 runs, and an RBI. Mead may never have another four hit week, so I'm going to really savor this one. Leo Mitchell started his batting title chase on the right foot, 10-for-24 with a double, 3 runs, 3 walks, and 4 RBIs. Freddie Jones had a nice debut week, 7-for-23 with a double, four RBIs, and two triples, walks, and runs. Rich Langton hit our first homer of the season, going 7-for-25 with a double, three runs, three walks, and four RBIs. Doc Love hit the other, a pinch hit blast off Joe Hancock, but was retired in his other two pinch hit opportunities. Billy Hunter had a weird weak, just 3-for-17, but with 2 triples, 2 RBIs, 4 runs, and 6 walks, so his weekly OPS+ (118) was actually above average. John Lawson was 8-fro-25 with a double, 2 RBIs, 3 runs, and 2 walks. Ollie Page made the most of his first two starts, 3-for-9 with a double, RBI, and a pair of runs scored. Unfortunately, Carlos Montes had a really rough week, just 3-for-20 with a double and RBI, while striking out seven times. Looking Ahead We continue to alternate home to road, returning to Chicago for three with the Sailors. Philly is off to an awful start, just 2-4, but they got outstanding pitching in both wins. Against Toronto, Merritt Thomas went 6 with 4 hits, a run, 3 walks, and 7 strikeouts, and like us, beat the Wolves 4-2. The better start came from Chuck Murphy, who went the distance in an 11-1 win over the Foresters. He allowed just 5 hits, a run, and 2 walks with 3 strikeouts. We won't have to face him, but we will get a crack at Thomas. There are some new faces in the Sailors lineup, including former Eagles shortstop Jim Beard. He's at third for Philly, but was just 2-for-11 with a run, RBI, and three walks in his first three games. 28-year-old Don Homer won the center field job, and went 6-for-21 with a walk and run in week one. Longtime Sailor Dick Walker is off to a sizzling start, 5-for-14 with 7 runs, 8 walks, a double, triple, homer, steal, and 2 driven in. We get the Foresters again after, but it's just for two games instead of three. The Foresters starters didn't do all that well, with only ace Dean Astle working to an ERA below 4. He's 2-0 with a 3.18 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 7 walks, and 6 strikeouts, and we're likely set to see him in Cleveland. Ben Turner and Dave Rankin both have ERAs above 5 while Lou Martino's is all the way up to 13.50. The bats have led the way, however, with their 3-4-5 hitters all hitting .400 or better. Lou Balk is the reason for the or better, slashing .400/.400/.533 with 2 doubles, a steal, and RBI. Next is Mel Carroll, in his first full season with Cleveland, hitting a strong .423/.444/.577 with a double, homer, and 5 RBIs. But none are quite as impressive as the initial CA Player of the Week, Dan Fowler who's .455/.571/.864 batting line is the envy of the league, plus the double, triple, 2 homers, 8 RBIs, and 8 runs scored make it even more enticing. Cleveland's offense looks to be very scary, and we need to pitch much better this week if we want to take one on the road. Back home to finish the week with two against the Wolves before our first off day of the season. Due to our sweep of them, they fell to 2-4 on the season, but they got good pitching from the top three in their rotation. Bob Walls may have got the loss, but he went 8 with 7 hits, 4 runs (1 earned), 5 walks, and a strikeout. Joe Hancock put together two strong starts, a complete game win and loss with 14 hits, 8 runs (4 earned), 3 walks, and 5 strikeouts. Chick Wirtz also went the distance, allowing 9 hits and 3 runs with 4 walks and strikeouts. At the plate, Fred McCormick started off hot, 6-for-17 with a double, 7 walks, and 5 RBIs. Former Cougar prospect Reginald Westfall went 7-for-22 with a double, homer, and 5 driven in. The rest of the lineup, including Nick Wallace, left their bats in training camp, with no hitter batting .270 or better, including sub .160 from the bottom two in the order Charlie Artuso (.133) and Clarence Howerton (.154).

10-19-2021, 05:01 PM	#628
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 2: May 1st-May 7th Weekly Record: 4-3 Seasonal Record: 8-5 (1st, 0.5 GA) Stars of the Week John Lawson : 27 AB, 8 H, 2 HR, 8 RBI, .296 AVG, .943 OPS Leo Mitchell : 26 AB, 8 H, 0 HR, 6 RBI, .308 AVG, .785 OPS Pete Papenfus : 1 Win, 9.0 IP, 7 BB, 7 K, 0.00 ERA Schedule 5-1: Win vs Sailors (3-5) 5-2: Loss vs Sailors (7-4) 5-3: Win vs Sailors (0-1) 5-4: Win at Foresters (10-2) 5-5: Loss at Foresters (2-3): 10 innings 5-6: Loss vs Wolves (8-1) 5-7: Win vs Wolves (3-4) Recap It wasn't a great week by any means, but no one in the Continental Association has gotten off to a great start, so we reign supreme, a half game ahead of the Foresters and Stars. We've won one more then Cleveland and loss one less then New York, while a surprising Montreal team sits at 7-6 despite no Pablo Reyes or George Thomas, and most expected them to finish in the cellar. Of course, this early in the season anything can happen, and I'd love for us to make some separation from the pack. Brooklyn is off to a slow 6-7 start, so the more early ground we can get between us and them, the harder we make it for a generally weak September team to come back. The washed out emergency starter known to those who hold him dear as Peter the Heater showed just how washed up he was, tossing a 4-hit shutout with 7 walks and 7 strikeouts while scoring the only run in a 1-0 win over the Sailors. He led the third off with a single, got to second on a Langton single, got to third on a sac-fly, and then scored on a Ray Ford single. Early in the season it's fun to look at the projects stats because of how little games have played, and he's on pace for a 24-0 season with 142 walks and 178 strikeouts. He's second in the league in strikeouts, just because George Phillips has already made four starts. He's also third in ERA, behind teammate Cy Sullivan who's tied with the Sailors' Chuck Murphy. Sullivan went all nine in his start, allowing 8 hits, 2 runs, and a walk with 3 strikeouts, also on a 24-0 pace. Dick Lyons still hasn't struck out a batter himself, but his third start was a lot like the second, 8 innings with 6 hits, a run, and a walk. We had two two-start pitchers this week, Parker and Fritz, and both split their starts. Both had a good and bad start, with Parker going 17 innings while allowing 15 hits, 9 runs (7 earned), and 11 walks with 6 strikeouts while Fritz went 15.1 with 12 hits, 9 runs, 9 walks, and 5 strikeouts. Parker is off to a rough start to the year, but he's allowed less runs (8, 6, 3) in each start so far. Pug Bryan pitched poor in his only outing, tagged with the loss after 4 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, and a strikeout in our extra inning loss in Cleveland. In fact, most of the pen struggled, with Purvis and Brown both allowing a run in each inning they pitched. The bats actually struggled this week, with just Lawson and Mitchell having good weeks. Lawson's was the best, 8-for-27 with a double, two homers, three walks, five runs, and eight RBIs. Mitchell wasn't really that great, 8-for-26 with 2 doubles, 4 walks, 3 runs, and 6 RBIs, but he was the only Cougar to hit .300 or better in more then three plate appearances. That qualifier is because Doc Love was 1-for-2 with a run scored, and Tommy Sandstorm picked up his first career hit with a two run homer off Bob Sheehy in his lone at bat. In fact, Ford, Taylor, Montes, Hunter, Langton, and Mead all hit less then .200, a combined 20-for-115 (.174), with Ford's double and homer the only extra base hits. It's really surprising we actually won any games with them hitting like that, but I'll take what I can get. Freddie Jones hit his first Cougar homer, but he was just 5-for-22 with a double, three walks, and four runs. Looking Ahead Off to start the week, but will head out to New York for the start of a road trip. The first is two games with the new look Stars, who have added Ray Cochran at third, Moxie Pidgeon in left, Mel Hancock Jr. at second, and Chuck Cole in the rotation. Pidgeon has been red hot for the Stars, slashing .365/.385.683 (174 OPS+) with 6 homers and 17 RBIs in the early going. He's well on the way for his six consecutive 20 homer season, and is a huge boost to a formerly thin Stars lineup. The 33-year-old Cochran is also off to a blistering start, hitting .375/.508/.500 with a double, triple, homer, two steals, 6 RBIs, and 13 walks to just 2 strikeouts. Rookie Joe Angevine is also off to a great start, as the switch hitter gets to hit with Cochran on first in half his at bats. He's taken advantage, hitting .390/.446/.475 (141 OPS+) with a double, 2 triples, and 6 RBIs. I mentioned Phillips earlier, his 16 strikeouts most in the CA, and it goes with a 3-0 record, 3.44 ERA (124 ERA+), and 1.18 WHIP. The luck isn't quite there for Billy Riley, who is taking the sophomore slump a little to literal. He's 0-3 with a 10.43 ERA (41 ERA+), 2.39 WHIP, and 7 walks with 6 strikeouts. Cole's start in New York hasn't been exactly what they were looking for, but he is 2-0 with a 4.72 ERA (90 ERA+), 1.65 WHIP, 17 walks, and 7 strikeouts. We're likely to see Vern Hubbard, who's had the best start of the rest, 1-0 with a 3.14 ERA (136 ERA+), 1.37 WHIP, 7 walks, and 8 strikeouts. After that we get the first shot at the reigning champs in Brooklyn, who might have pulled a switcharoo with the Dynamos, swapping one Pestilli for the other. Alf is hitting an astronomical .341/.400/.854 (215 OPS+) with 6 doubles, 5 homers, and 13 RBIs. Al Wheeler also has 5 homers, but his .216/.333/.569 (129 OPS+) line isn't quite what Wheeler is used to, but his 3 doubles and 14 RBIs help too. Whitney Runner up Frank Vance is continuing the whole "age is just a number routine" like Dick Lyons, hitting .392/.500/.608 (184 OPS+) with 3 doubles, a triple, 2 homers, 3 steals, and 11 RBIs. Brooklyn also has a new face and leadoff hitter in the lineup, former Gotham Howard Brown Jr., who's hitting .347/.385/.469 (119 OPS+) with a double, triple, homer, and six driven in. Another new face is in the rotation, 23-year-old Mexican Sergio Vergara, who they acquired last deadline in the Bill May trade. He's made two starts and a relief appearance, but has yet to get out of the fifth inning. He has a 1.74 ERA (248 ERA+), 0.68 WHIP, 5 walks, and 6 strikeouts, and currently ranks as the 14th ranked prospect in the game. Shaffner and White have looked fine this year, but the former Cougars Barrell and Murphy are off to tough starts. Barrell has taken last year's bad luck into this, 0-2 with a 6.63 ERA (65 ERA+) and 1.58 WHIP despite 5 strikeouts and not a single walk. Murphy is 1-2, but with a 5.23 ERA (83 ERA+), 1.40 WHIP, and 6 walks to just a single strikeout. These three games will be very tough, but we can really make some distance with a two out of three. The long road trip continues in Montreal, but only one of the three games will take place this week. Despite being 7-6, there two-three-four sport ERAs of 7.29, 7.20, and 7.30. At the plate, however, they have a pair of .400 hitters including 22-year-old shortstop Frank Davis, who is hitting a nice .404/.429/.447 (125 OPS+). The other is All-Star catcher Adam Mullins, who's up to .444/.479/.667 (192 OPS+) with 2 doubles, a triple, 2 homers, and 14 RBIs. With Pablo Reyes now in Pittsburgh, Dilly Ward has seized the center field job, and has a double, homer, 4 triples, and 8 RBIs to go with a .288/.367/.519 (125 OPS+) line. Another new face is former 2nd Rounder Mark Burns, who launched his first big league homer in a 8-7 win over the Kings. He's hitting just .273/.312/.386 (79 OPS+), but he checks in just inside the top 50 and six in their stacked farm. Tom is a big fan of his, projecting him as an easy .300 hitter with exceptional defense at the hot corner. Montreal may not be scary now, but give them a few years, hopefully after a Cougar pennant, and they can be an absolute force to be reckoned with. They match out 43 top 500 prospects, but 14 of them make up the top 100, including the #4 and #5, an excellent southpaw and an exciting young righty. Minor League Report LHP Doc Smith (AA Mobile Commodores): Before the season, there were red arrows notifying me that Doc Smith was not a AA worthy pitcher. But, after a 3-hit, 3-walk, 3-strikeout shutout, those arrows suddenly disappeared! His first start was solid too, 9 hits, 2 runs, 5 walks, and a strikeout in another complete game. The southpaw spent all last season in Lincoln, 7-7 in 24 starts with a 3.63 ERA (108 ERA+), 1.22 WHIP, 47 walks, and 70 strikeouts. Now 24, the hardworking Smith has never gotten much prospect love, but I really like the former 2nd Rounder. A soft tosser sitting in the mid 80s, his sinker is adept at rolling up double plays and his changeup is a really quality pitch. His stuff as a whole is below average, partly do to his velocity, but he has a splitter to go with a cutter and fastball as well. Of course, three types of fastballs doesn't help when you don't hit 90, and I think it's a little too late for a velocity boost to the 90s. His command isn't good enough to make up for it yet, but I have a soft spot for the pitchers I draft. I think it's too much to hope for a future in the rotation, but you can never have too much pitching depth, especially lefties with the tool to start games. CF Max Rucker (C La Crosse Lions): Today was the first full week of the minor league season, and Max Rucker was our first 5-for-5. His came in an 8-4 win over Dubuque, but all five hits were singles and he scored on three of them. Our 7th Rounder last year, Rucker is starting the season in La Crosse, but seems likely to head up to San Jose around the draft. A natural center fielder, all but one of his 72 appearances came there, but this season I'll be giving him more starts in the corners as well. He's a strong defensive outfielder, working to a 10.3 zone rating and 1.065 efficiency last season. Even with the 5-for-5, however, he's hitting just an average .366/.395/.537 (106 OPS+) with a double, steal, two homers, and nine driven in. Rucker has shown above average contact potential and great speed, but his usual strong discipline has been a little out of wack this season. It's still early, but after 27 walks and 22 strikeouts last season, he's walked just twice with eight strikeouts. He does look like the perfect fourth outfielder type with a little more upside, but he ranks outside of our top 30 at the moment. He's sitting at 37 and 442nd in the league, so I don't expect top quality performance from him, but there is definite talent there and his future lies on a big league roster.

10-20-2021, 05:47 PM	#629
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 3: May 8th-May 14th Weekly Record: 2-4 Seasonal Record: 10-9 (5th, 2 GB) Stars of the Week B. Hunter : 20 AB, 10 H, 1 HR, 6 RBI, .500 AVG, 1.274 OPS J. Lawson : 26 AB, 10 H, 2 HR, 9 RBI, .385 AVG, 1.011 OPS R. Langton : 26 AB, 10 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .385 AVG, 1.005 OPS Schedule 5-9: Loss at Stars (5-9) 5-10: Win at Stars (9-4) 5-11: Loss at Kings (5-6) 5-12: Win at Kings (12-2) 5-13: Loss at Kings (4-5) 5-14: Loss at Saints (7-13) Recap A rough week, as we dropped out of first with a 2-4 showing. Road games are always tough, but losing the opener in Montreal really hurts. We actually looked really good in the Brooklyn series, crushing the Kings in the win while unfortunately dropping both one run games. We also split the Stars, which was unfortunate, but the teams we lost to do rank 2-3-4 in the standings right now. That's no excuse, however, and I was really hoping we would be able to stay in first a little bit longer. Despite the poor results, Billy Hunter has started to really heat up, hitting an even .500 with a triple, homer, walk, three runs, and 6 RBIs while not striking out in any of his 20 at bats. He had some help from John Lawson, who added two more homers and drove in nine more runs. The vet was 10-for-26 with a double and five runs scored. Rich Langton was 10-for-26 with two doubles, a homer, and five runs scored and driven in. Harry Mead had a six hit week this time, in 14 at bats, with two doubles, two runs, and 3 RBIs. He took advantage of Brooklyn's lefties, and was 3-for-5 in our 12-2 win with a two run double off Mike Murphy. His platoon partner and Murphy trade piece Mike Taylor was just 3-for-11 with a single run scored and driven in. Taylor is hitting just .238/.319/.238 (46 OPS+) in the early goings while Mead is slashing an impressive .393/.393/.571 (146 OPS+) with 5 doubles and 4 RBIs. I expect Taylor to start heating up and Mead cooling down, but it is a much different picture then last year. Carlos Montes had another rough week, and is hitting just .169/.222/.237 (19 OPS+) with 2 doubles, a triple, a steal, 4 walks, 5 RBIs, and 6 runs scored. It's been a tough season from Montes, whose season ended early in August last year due to a strained hamstring. I'm hoping that he's just rusty because of that, but even though I am confident of a return to form, I will start giving Orlin Yates a few starts against righties. Yates hasn't gotten much time, 1-for-7 with a pair of walks, runs, and RBIs. Both are good defenders out in center, and are very helpful for our pitching staff. Off the bench outfielders Doc Love and Tommy Sandstorm had good weeks, 2-for-3 and 3-for-5. Love doubled, walked, scored three, and drove in one while Sandstorm doubled, tripled, scored, and drove in four. Ollie Page looked good in his two starts, 4-for-9 with two doubles, a triple, and three runs scored. Rough week for Peter the Heater, as he was really roughed up in his two starts. He didn't strike out a single hitter and walked 9 in 8 off 14 hits and 16 runs. I have no idea what happened there, as he had absolutely nothing working in either game. I only need four starters this week due to an off day, so I'll let Pete work out of the pen in late game situations. Harry Parker wasn't great either, 10 hits, 5 runs (4 earned), a walk and 3 strikeouts in 8 innings. Dick Lyons bested the Kings, 7 strong frames with 4 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts. Milt Fritz was just as good, 8 innings with 7 hits, 2 runs, 4 walks, and a strikeout. Cy Sullivan completed his third start in three attempts, picking up the win with 9 hits, 4 runs (3 earned), a walk, and a strikeout. Cal Knight had two bad relief outings and one good one, allowing 7 hits, 6 runs, and 10 walks while striking out 5 in 7.2 innings pitched. Looking Ahead We'll look to turn things around against the Saints, with two more in Montreal. The Saints are 11-9, and will likely send Karl's Weiss and Wallace to the mound. Weiss is a former 18th Round selection who made his big league debut this season. He made three starts and is 1-1 with a 5.82 ERA (80 ERA+), 1.76 WHIP, 8 walks, and 7 strikeouts. The former Cougar Karl Wallace has really struggled, nothing like his 13-13 season last year. The now 25-year-old had a 3.44 ERA (118 ERA+), 1.35 WHIP, 98 walks, and 88 strikeouts in an impressive 248.1 inning rookie season. His four starts this year couldn't have gone any worse, 0-2 with a 7.07 ERA (66 ERA+), 2.00 WHIP, 13 walks, and 5 strikeouts. Red Bond is picking up where he left off last season, slashing .362/.423/.638 (160 OPS+) with 2 doubles, a triple, 5 homers, and 17 RBIs. Vic Crawford is finding success in the seven spot, .351/.383/.468 (110 OPS+) with 3 doubles, 2 homers, and 15 RBIs. The lineup is really long, with all eight hitters having OPS+ above 90 with all but one over 100. I do think we can with these two games, but we will need much better outings then received from Pete. We continue the road trip with two games in Baltimore. The Cannons are 8-13 and ahead of just the struggling Wolves. Rufus Barrell II is having a much better season, 3-1 with a 3.65 ERA (124 ERA+), 1.16 WHIP, 10 walks, and 17 strikeouts in 37 innings pitched. Him and Gus Goulding have been reliable, as Gus spends his birthday today after dropping to 3-3 on the season with a 3.42 ERA (132 ERA+), 1.40 WHIP, 14 walks, and 16 strikeouts. Rusty Petrick has struggled, as has Glenn Payne, who they picked up from the Stars in the Clark Car trade. Another recent trade acquisition, former Pioneer Calvin Brown is the new leadoff hitter, batting .just .307/.361/.364 (86 OPS+) with 3 doubles, a triple, and 12 RBIs. Fellow corner outfielder Whit Williams has looked much better behind him, .349/.414/.523 (138 OPS+) with 4 doubles, a triple, 3 homers, and 20 RBIs. Bunny Stapleton is off to a nice start as well, slashing .372/.398/.457 (118 OPS+) with 5 doubles, a homer, and 17 driven in. We're off Friday, and then we end our road trip with three in Philly. The Sailors are an even 10-10, but are always a threat. Doc Newell leads the rotation, 3-2 with a 3.60 ERA (129 ERA+), 1.23 WHIP, 12 walks, and 14 strikeouts. Unfortunately for them, Walt Wells (5.34), Merritt Thomas (6.08), and Herb Flynn (5.66 ERA) have all been roughed up early on. They picked up Dutch Sheldon from St. Louis, and he's looked good in his two starts. The 30-year-old won them both and owns a 3.31 ERA (140 ERA+), 1.59 WHIP, 10 walks, and 12 strikeouts in 16.1 innings pitched. At the plate, Jim Beard has started to heat up, improving his statline to .351/.449/.404 (113 OPS+) with a homer and eight driven in. He's stole four bases, but despite 27 doubles last season, he hasn't hit a single one in 69 plate appearances this year. Joe Watson is fresh off a Player of the Week, and is hitting .329/.395/.553 (133 OPS+) with 5 doubles, 3 triples, 2 homers, and 14 RBIs. He's hitting above Bob Smith, who's off to a .314/.419/.471 (120 OPS+) start with 2 homers, 10 RBIs, 10 walks, and not a single strikeout. Jorge Nava has hit well in the leadoff spot, batting .308./.416/.462 (117 OPS+) with 7 doubles, a homer, two steals, and 10 RBIs. Shortstop Rip Lee, however, is off to a really awful start, hitting just .247/.276/.321 (48 OPS+) with a double, triple, homer, and 14 RBIs. The season is starting to pick up, and we can't have many more of these 2-4 weeks. It will nice to be home next week, and then we will see the first official Mock Draft on Friday. This will also generate statistics for the 1939 season, so I will get to see how my three draftees play as well as where they rank. Minor League Report LHP Rusty Watts (AA Mobile Commodores): One of the guys I considered for the lefty option in the pen, 23-year-old Rusty Watts was instead sent to Mobile where he would work as a starting pitcher. The fireballer had a tough first start, but hasn't allowed an earned run in the last two. The most recent was a true gem, a Dick Smith single away from a perfect game. Watts struck out four and has now struck out 10 on the season. He's worked to a 1.96 ERA (232 ERA+) and 0.83 WHIP in 23 innings so far, and he's looking like I made a mistake. A flyballer, Watts has an overpowering high 90s fastball and unlike good ol' Peter, he can located his stuff. His slider and change aren't all that good, which will likely hold him bat from being a big league starter, but his fastball is enough to work wonders out of the pen. He's on the 40, so I expect a debut from him at some point his season, and new scout Tom Weinstock is a fan. He thinks Watts could work as a spot starter and his stuff and movement is good enough with his strong command. OSA thinks he's better suited for the pen, and does not place him in the top 500. Watts is a hard worker even though he's not the brightest, the former 13th Round pick has made great strides since he entered our organization and has done a good job earning a roster spot. LF Billy Jordan Jr. (C La Crosse Lions): Like Rucker, who I wrote about last post, Billy Jordan Jr. is likely headed up to San Jose once the new draftees fill the system. He had a big week, including a 5-for-6 against the Dubuque Dukes as the Lions came up big in a 19-2 victory. Jordan upped his batting line to .460/.526/.740 (163 OPS+) on the season with 5 doubles, 3 homers, and 21 RBIs. A 13th Rounder in 1935, Billy seems like a longshot to join his dad in a Cougar uniform, but the 22-year-old and fellow 13th Rounder tends to hand out in the 400-500 prospect rank range. Born in Chicago, Jordan played high school ball out in California and profiles at best as a fourth outfielder. He's started to show better gap power as he's aged, but has always displayed plus contact ability. Defense, however, is not his strong suit, and has held him back thusfar. He's never really had consistent playing time, but with a few injuries in the upper levels, Jordan can start to prove if he deserves a full time shot. Last year was his first season with 400 or more plate appearances, and he's on a pace to come close to 500 this year. I never really had much expectation for him, but I love a hometown guy and that could be all he needs to make a quick cameo for his childhood team. CF Jasper Wright (C La Crosse Lions): Jordan wasn't the only Lion with a five hit game, as Jasper Wright managed a 5-for-6 of his own in a 20-12 win over the Burlington Bears. Acquired from the Miners in the Roy Moore trade this Winter, Wright has looked good in the early goings. He's hitting .321/.419/.566 (105 OPS+) so far with a double, steal, 4 homers, and 13 RBIs. Wright isn't the hardest worker, but the former 20th Rounder has the potential to be a very valuable utility player. He projects as an excellent defender out in center, and he can fill in the infield if needed. He's not the best hitter, but he's very patient and has shown good power this year. His speed may be his best asset, and he's an excellent bunter and takes advantage of poor defense. He checks in at 23rd and 303rd in our organization, right behind Ron Sexton, who was traded along with him. Wright has a long way to go, but I think he'll have a future on a big league team, and could be very useful for an organization if he doesn't have too many hiccups on the road up. Last edited by ayaghmour2; 10-21-2021 at 02:26 PM.

10-21-2021, 04:50 PM	#630
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 4: May 15th-May 21st Weekly Record: 1-5 Seasonal Record: 11-14 (7th, 5.5 GB) Stars of the Week John Lawson : 25 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .360 AVG, .833 OPS Freddie Jones : 20 AB, 8 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .400 AVG, .978 OPS Ray Ford : 21 AB, 6 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .286 AVG, .908 OPS Schedule 5-15: Loss at Saints (7-10) 5-16: Loss at Saints (4-6) 5-17: Win at Cannons (6-0) 5-18: Loss at Cannons (1-3) 5-20: Loss at Sailors (6-9) 5-21: Loss at Sailors (1-6) Recap Yeah, can I get a redo on this one? The Saints finished off a sweep to start the week and the Sailors started off one to end it, and we dropped all the way down to 7th. We're ahead of just Toronto who have yet to reach double digit wins, despite the fact that we were supposed to be competing with them for second place not second pick. In better news, the draft pool was officially revealed and the initial mock draft was published. Funny enough, Skipper Schneider checks in at 1-8, our pick, while Danny Goff Jr. is supposedly just worthy of the first pick of the fourth round. That's fine, part of his value is his arm, but unfortunately the All-Time college hit leader (289) didn't get a single inning on the mound. There are only four pitchers on the mock, so no shock Bob Petty wasn't listed. I'll cover all three in an amateur report at the end and I plan to update my draft database sometime today. I'm also one and three picks away from my fourth round selections, so there will likely be a write up on them later as well. This was a tough week for the team, but luckily we had Milt Fritz. He was just one out away from a shutout, and allowed 3 hits with 9 walks in our lone win this week. Milt tends to start quick, and is 4-1 with a 2.85 ERA (148 ERA+), 1.29 WHIP, 25 walks, and 7 strikeouts in 41 innings pitched. Harry Parker also had a good start, but got a loss, going all 8 with 6 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), a walk, and 4 strikeouts. Unfortunately, both of our two start starters allowed 23 hits and lost both games. Dick Lyons looked 38, 12 runs (10 earned), 3 walks, and 4 strikeouts in just 14 innings pitched. Cy Sullivan pitched less innings (10.1) and allowed more runs (17/15) with a walk and two strikeouts. Pete was the only member of the pen who didn't get an inning, so he'll start the week. The other four allowed just one run in 8 innings with 5 hits and 5 walks. Allen Purvis took the biggest portion, 3.2 hitless innings spread across two appearances in Philly. Despite the results, Freddie Jones had a great week, 8-for-20 with 2 doubles, 3 walks, 3 RBIs, and 4 runs scored. Jones' first season in Chicago has gone alright, as the 29-year-old is hitting .306/.379/.459 (119 OPS+) with 6 doubles, 2 triples, a homer, and 8 RBIs. Ray Ford started turning things around, 6-for-21 with 2 doubles, a homer, and 5 RBIs. He's really struggled early on, batting just .240/.327/.396 (89 OPS+) with 6 doubles, 3 homers, and 15 RBIs. John Lawson was 9-for-25 with 2 doubles, 4 RBIs, and 5 runs scored. Rich Langton was 7-for-26 with 3 doubles, 2 triples, 3 runs, 3 RBIs, and a steal. Carlos Montes looked like a FABL hitter this week too, 4-for-14 with 2 doubles, 2 walks, 2 RBIs, a steal, and 3 runs scored. Leo Mitchell had his first bad week of the season, just 6-for-26 with two runs scored. Looking Ahead The finale in Philly is a must win, as we can end our long roadtrip with a much needed win. We only have three wins in what will be a thirteen game road trip, and we're just 7-10 on the season on the road. We're sending Pete Papenfus to the mound against Walt Wells in a battle of struggling starting pitchers. Wells is just 1-2 with 5.55 ERA (79 ERA+), 1.63 WHIP, 18 walks, and 11 strikeouts in 35.2 innings pitched. He'll need help from the offense, potentially in the form of Dick Walker. The reliable vet is hitting .258/.405/.427 (111 OPS+) with 3 doubles, 3 triples, 2 homers, 6 steals, and 12 RBIs while walking (24) almost five times as frequently as he strikes out (5). Jim Beard has continued his great start, 5-for-10 against us this series and .349/.427/.446 (121 OPS+) on the year. We finally return home, but the first series will be a tough one as we welcome the Kings of the Continental Association. Brooklyn is off to a mediocre start, just 13-14, but they are only 4.5 games out of first and can make that up rather quickly. We're set to see Joe Shaffner, who is 3-2 with a 3.32 ERA (132 ERA+), 1.48 WHIP, 13 walks, and 11 strikeouts in his first 5 starts. I'd expect to see the struggling Tom Barrell as well, who despite also being 3-2 has a 5.23 ERA (84 ERA+), 1.45 WHIP, 9 walks, and 17 strikeouts, but a trip to Chicago should help him lower the ERA a bit. And since they are off to start the week, they'll likely lead with another former Cougar Mike Murphy. Also struggling, he's 1-4 with a 5.20 ERA (84 ERA+), 1.43 WHIP, 8 walks, and 5 strikeouts in just 36.1 innings pitched. Even if we do get runs off their staff, the lineup could be tough to crack. Alf is still hitting like Sal, .344/.376/.677 (163 OPS+) with 10 doubles, 7 homers, and 24 RBIs. Harry Barrell is hitting well too, .333/.393/.495 (125 OPS+) with 8 doubles, 2 triples, 2 homers, and 10 RBIs to go with his 7.8 zone rating and 1.197 efficiency at short. Doug Lightbody has struggled at first, but his .292/.400/.427 (111 OPS+) line with 6 doubles, 2 homers, and 9 RBIs is more then productive. Unfortunately for the Kings, Howard Brown Jr. hasn't had any success, hitting just .276/.333/.357 (76 OPS+) with 3 doubles, 2 steals, a triple, homer, and 11 RBIs with tough marks (-4.1, .917) out in center. Our next guest is the red hot Saints, who are 15-12 to start the season and recently swept us. We get them for just two, but they will be without youngster Dilly Ward. 25 next month, Ward was hitting .281/.354/.491 (112 OPS+) with a double, homer, steal, 4 triples, and 8 RBIs. The lineup is lengthy enough to make up for it, with each of their other starters hitting over .300. Frank Davis isn't over .400 anymore, but his .392/.426/.480 (129 OPS+) line is still extremely impressive. Red Bond and Adam Mullins make fill out the middle of the order, and it's tough to tell which guys is more important. Bond is slashing .351/.421/.606 (157 OPS+) with 4 doubles, a triple, 6 homers, and 25 RBIs while Mullins is hitting .383/.458/.543 (153 OPS+) with 7 doubles, a triple, 2 homers, and 24 RBIs. On the mound, Karl Wallace has continued to struggle, but the other four have ERAs between 4.33-4.76. Jake DeYoung is 4-1 with an average 4.53 ERA (97 ERA+) and 1.33 WHIP with 8 walks and 22 strikeouts. Rookie Bud Robbins is 1-2, but with a 4.33 ERA (101 ERA+), 1.44 WHIP, 7 walks, and 7 strikeouts. They've been the two most effective starters for Montreal, but even though they give up more then their share of runs, it's tough to keep up with the Montreal offense. We'll then start a three game series with Baltimore, who is sitting at 13-15. Former Star Glenn Payne has made 4 starts with the Cannons, going 0-1 with a 4.71 ERA (91 ERA+), 1.50 WHIP, 8 walks, and 11 strikeouts. Gus Goulding has been outstanding atop the rotation, 4-3 with a 3.00 ERA (143 ERA+), 1.40 WHIP, 17 walks, and 21 strikeouts, and as they run with a four man rotation, we're almost guaranteed to see them in the three game set. I just hope we can also get the struggling Rusty Petrick, who is 1-3 with a 6.09 ERA (70 ERA+), 1.74 WHIP, 28 walks, and 19 strikeouts. Fred Galloway is off to a decent start to his sophomore year, batting .312/.390/.440 (116 OPS+) with 4 doubles, 5 triples, and 10 RBIs. Baseball's 7th rated prospect, Charley McCullough, has also been getting some time with them and is 4-for-16 with a run, homer, and 11 driven in. He's always been a guy I liked that I regret greatly passing on in the draft, and it's nice to see him back in the big leagues. Minor League Report 3B Ducky Jordan (AAA Milwaukee Blues): He hasn't had the most success with the bat in the minors, but Ducky Jordan had a nice 4-for-4 with a cycle in an 8-5 win over Fort Wayne. Currently ranked 4th in our system and 27th in the league, Jordan has hit a nice .312/.360/.610 (127 OPS+) with 4 doubles, 2 triples, 5 homers, 4 steals, and 18 RBIs in 86 trips to the plate with the Blues. "The Hot Springs Hotshot" has looked elite at third, a 2.0 zone rating and 1.152 efficiency at the hot corner. With Jones, Lawson, and Hunter all doing well in the big leagues, there isn't an obvious spot at the moment for Ducky, but he's rearing to go after an inevitable injury to one of our infielders. This is his last option year, so he'll at least be a part timer next season, but the hardworking Jordan has really boosted his stock lately. He projects to be a .310 hitter with difference making speed and an excellent glove at whatever infield position he ends up at. It may have been a slow climb for him, but the waiting will be well worth it. RF Chick Browning (B San Jose Cougars): Our first Player of the Week! Very few hitters hit as well as Chick Browning last season, and he's rode that right into this year. The Chicagoan took home C-O-W Player of the Week by hitting .625 with 4 homers and 8 runs scored and driven in. Browning has now made 103 trips to the plate this season, and is hitting very similar to the .396/.475/.733 (207 OPS+) in 120 PAs last year. This years version comes against tougher competition, with a still astronomical .410/.495/.795 (205 OPS+) and goes with 4 doubles, 2 triples, 8 homers, and 28 RBIs. He just turned 21 earlier this month, but the lefty is slugging well beyond his years right now. The outfield is very full above him, but Doc Love has recently asked for a trade, and that would open a spot for him in Lincoln as we have to push someone up. Even if that doesn't happen, Doug Bennett has been struggling in Lincoln, and I could send him down and move Tony Mullis back to center, opening up right for Browning. I'd prefer not doing that, as Bennett is 24 and a former 2nd Rounder, but I'm not sure I can keep Chick down here very long. Browning isn't one of our more loved prospects in the system, as the highest ranked (45th) not top 500 prospect in our organization. I love his patient approach, always walking more then he strikes out, and the more discipline he shows, the more likely he'll get a pitch he can handle. His power looks really nice now, but OSA actually doesn't think he has the power potential for a corner. This is a guy who hit 26 homers last year and is launching them out at a 49 homer pace this year, so I think they might need an update. There is always the chance he's just an over developed at potential hitter already, but if he keeps hitting like this, his ratings won't really matter. RHP Joe Crosby (B San Jose Cougars): An injury to Bill Tuttle opened up a spot in San Jose for former 4th Rounder Joe Crosby, and he showed he was more then up to the task. He allowed just 4 hits and 2 walks with a strikeout in a 5-0 shutout win over the Everett Eagles. "Boney Joe" has had a nice ascent up the prospect ladder, checking in at 10th in our system and 137th in the league. A three pitch pitcher, he recently bumped his fastball up to 88-90, and he pairs it with a sharp breaking curveball that can generate a lot of swings and misses. His slider needs some work, but he projects to have outstanding stuff once he's fully developed. He has the potential to dominate hitters when he's finding the strike zone, but you guessed it, he can fall victim to poor control. Crosby did have an injury scare, leaving his second start with a mild abdominal strain, but he's remained relatively healthy in his first few seasons. With all high school arms, they have a lot of upside and a very slim chance of reaching it, but he's definitely on the right track so far. CF Max Rucker (C La Crosse Lions): Our second Player of the Week of the week was another outfielder, and one I already covered. Last year's 7th Rounder, Max Rucker was 19-for-32 with 3 homers, 11 RBIs, and 14 runs scored. For the season, he's now hitting .438/.476/.677 (134 OPS+) with 5 doubles, 6 homers, 4 steals, and 28 RBIs. Like Browning, he could also benefit from a Love trade, as he looks ready for a tougher challenge. He isn't the best defender out in center, but he has plus efficiencies (1.072, 1.006, 1.121) at all three outfield spots in tiny samples to start the year. I think a corner is the best spot for him defensively, but he may not have the requisite bat for a corner. He is an above average contact hitter with good speed and he's already matched his homer total from last season. I'm hoping his success isn't just due to the lower level of competition, but I imagine once he reaches San Jose, it'll be more of the same. 2B Hod Seagroves (C La Crosse Lions): Now 21, Chicagoan Hod Seagroves had a very poor first season in La Crosse at the plate, and then followed it up with an almost average showing. This season, however, his batting average is way up, and a 5-for-16 in the Lions 15-7 win over Marshalltown helped pushed his average above .400. When the week ended, it was back to .400 with 7 doubles, 3 homers, 22 RBIs, and a 115 OPS+. Acquired from the Dynamos for Phil McKenna and Mutt Clabough, the 6'3'' second basemen is great with the glove, a 23.6 zone rating and 1.074 efficiency in 1,849.1 innings at the keystone. I was worried if he'd be ready for San Jose once the new draftees join the organization, but he's doing his best to prove me wrong. He's finally showing some of the value he's shown at the plate, as Tom enjoys watching his "smooth swing" and "quick hands" and projects him as a .300/.400/.500 type hitter. Power isn't his game, but he'll be on base all the time, and he can surprise you with a few doubles. He is on track for 18 homers in 500 plate appearances, but I don't think Hod will ever hit double digit homers in the majors. Generally in the 300-500 prospect range, he's up to 270th which is good for 19th in our organization, and he could find himself inside the top 200 by the end of the year. Amateur Report SS Skipper Schneider School: Northwestern 1939: .505/.545/.804, 121 PA, 18 2B, 3B, 4 HR, 31 RBI, 16 SB Career: .490/.535/.704, 488 PA, 56 2B, 3 3B, 10 HR, 129 RBI, 63 SB Breakout season! I couldn't have hoped for a better season for Skipper, as he set new career bests for his average, on base percentage, slugging, doubles, homers, and WAR. A .500 season is truly special, and Skipper is now one of the few high schoolers to say he's done it. A 1.349 OPS was highly unexpected, as the four homers this season were the same as he hit combined as a sophomore and junior. As a four year starter, Schneider racked up 210 hits and 185 runs scored and seems likely to be a selection for the All-High School Team. I mentioned Skipper checks in 8th on the mock draft, and Weinstock is a huge fan of his. He projects to have a considerably high ceiling as a top 5 starter at shortstop. At 18, he's got a lot of time to grow, and he looks like a natural defender at short. He should be a consistent .300+ hitter with great speed on the bases and in the field. He has the versatility to fill in all across the diamond, with experience at second, third, short, left, and right. I'm a huge fan of this kid, and I think we're going to be very happy with what he ends up becoming. CF Danny Goff Jr. School: Hempstead 1939: .324/.383/.449, 319 PA, 14 2B, 8 3B, 2 HR, 48 RBI, 32 SB Career: .346/.402/.471, 925 PA, 44 2B, 23 3B, 5 HR, 157 RBI, 102 SB It was the worst season of his three year career, but Goff still tallied 93 hits like last year to set the All-Time collegiate hit record. He did set career highs in games (63), runs (76), and walks (64), but I really wanted to see him on the mound a few times before he joined us. The Brooklyn born Goff is a very aggressive hitter at the plate, and his at bats don't tend to last very often. He has the hit tool to challenge for batting titles and OSA thinks he can be penciled in for a lion's share of starts out in center. He has the speed and range to stick in center, but he's got experience in both corners and at first as well. Tom isn't as big a fan of him, and isn't sold on him as an outfielder or pitcher. Of course, I have the final say, and I like his chances at both. He's most interesting on the mound, despite being a flyball pitcher. He has a really nice change, a solid high 80s fastball, and an effective enough curve to allow him to start in the big leagues. His pitching tools are raw, but his command is strong and it should allow him to fill the back of a big league rotation. Like Juan Pomales, I'll allow him to pursue both ways, so he'll likely have a slow and controlled progression in the farm. He's a rather risky pick, but he was too enticing to pass up, and I don't expect to have any regrets with this pick, even if Harry Sharp ends up fronting a rotation. RHP Bob Petty School: Clayton Commit School: Oklahoma City State 1939: 9-1, 106 IP, 1.70 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 40 BB, 150 K Career: 24-4, 293.1 IP, 1.87 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 100 BB, 380 K Our regional pick out of St. Louis, Bob "Hard Way" Petty split the difference between his freshman and sophomore years to put together a nice senior year. He was 9-1, but his ERA, WHIP, and walks all rose compared to last season. He did set a career high 4.7 WAR with 150 strikeouts and a 12.7 K/9, and he's improved his K/9 each season. The 106 innings this season were also a new high, and he started all 42 of his games this season. The tall and lanky 6'3'' righty won't be 17 until September, but he's gotten as far as he has with his exceptional work ethic. He took extra courses to finish high school early and declare for the draft, and with not many options for our regional pick, I'm more then willing to take a risk on a high upside youngster. OSA and Weinstock don't share the same sentiment as I do, but in a rather weak class of pitchers, Petty could end up being one of the most valuable in the bunch. Last edited by ayaghmour2; 10-21-2021 at 06:03 PM.

10-21-2021, 06:30 PM	#631
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	1939 Draft: Round 4 4th Round, 55th Overall: RHP Tommy Davis School: Central Ohio 1939: 7-4, 106 IP, 3.65 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 63 BB, 80 K Career: 20-13, 311.1 IP, 3.76 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 157 BB, 189 K Nearly all the pitchers my scout likes are taken, so I took the number five pitcher on my scouts list Tommy Davis. A three year starter at Central Ohio, the 6'3'' righty saw his velocity jump from 84-86 to 88-90 this May, and his junior year was very similar to his breakout sophomore season where he was 8-4 with a 3.53 ERA and 1.39 WHIP with 38 walks and 59 strikeouts in 112.1 innings pitched. He had one fewer start this year, but he posted his best strikeout and K/9 numbers of his career. I usually shy away from taking college arms who aren't current starters, but I'm a big fan of Davis' stuff. He does a great job keeping the ball on the ground, and now with the velocity boost, I expect his sinker to become a much stronger pitch. He does lean heavily on his outstanding curveball, but his sinker his reliable as well and his changeup is good enough to be a third pitch. He does have some control issues, and after a 3.0 BB/9 last year, it bounced back up to 5.3 like his 5.4 as a freshman. His stuff is average or better, but if he continues to struggle at finding the zone, he may end up no better then a spot starter. He'll have to work hard to end up in a big league rotation, but I'm confident he'll be able to fill a big league rotation before his career finishes. 4th Round, 57th Overall: CF Bunny Hufford School: Chesapeake State 1939: .319/.407/.488, 197 PA, 9 2B, 5 3B, 3 HR, 24 RBI, 34 SB Career: .313/.403/.472, 701 PA, 29 2B, 14 3B, 12 HR, 100 RBI, 102 SB Another college kid and another center fielder, I used the 4th Rounder I picked up from Cleveland in the Dave Rankin trade to select a speedy centerfielder from Chesapeake State. In one of the toughest college conferences, the uniquely named Bunny Hufford hit over .300 in each of his three seasons with 30 or more steals. I was a little concerned to see his games played drop in each season (53, 47, 39), but Hufford is one of my scouts favorite hitters and he checked in at 2.15 on the Mock Draft. He's shown improving pitch recognition skills, and he should be able to walk more then he strikes out. The lefty also makes considerable contact, and this allows him to work the count against even the toughest pitchers. Tom and OSA both think he'll be an everyday player in the big leagues, but neither mention his defense, leading me to believe that he may be best suited for a corner. He probably won't be much of a home run hitter, tending to hit the ball on the ground, but with his speed he's able to beat out most of the weak groundballs he hits to the left side of the infield. He's an extremely hard worker, challenging his teammates to mini-competitions even in the most boring drills, and that makes me believe that not only does he have a high work ethic, but also leadership, two things that can help extend anyone's career. Weinstock lists him 15th overall and as the 13th best hitter, and he was the highest undrafted player in the pool. We do have a lot of outfield depth in our system, so despite likely being ready for San Jose or even Lincoln, I may start him in La Crosse this year, but I can see himself hitting his way up quickly. The fifth round will be busy for us, as we pick 4th, 7th, and 9th, but we do own the 7th pick in each round. I have an extra 6th (4th) and 7th (12th), but knowing myself, I'll find a way to pick up an extra pick or two. Last edited by ayaghmour2; 10-22-2021 at 03:25 PM.

10-22-2021, 03:02 PM	#632
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 5: May 22nd-May 28th Weekly Record: 4-3 Seasonal Record: 15-17 (7th, 6 GB) Stars of the Week Ray Ford : 28 AB, 11 H, 3 HR, 8 RBI, .393 AVG, 1.114 OPS Freddie Jones : 21 AB, 9 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .429 AVG, 1.377 OPS John Lawson : 29 AB, 9 H, 3 HR, 4 RBI, .310 AVG, .954 OPS Schedule 5-22: Loss at Sailors (5-9) 5-23: Loss vs Kings (8-2) 5-24: Win vs Kings (3-5) 5-26: Win vs Kings (6-9) 5-27: Win vs Saints (0-9) 5-28: Loss vs Saints (3-2) 5-29: Win vs Cannons (7-8) Recap The week was much better, but we moved up just a half game with one more win then loss. We let the Sailors sweep us, but we took four out of six at home to inch a bit closer to .500. The offense exploded, and we launched homer after homer, 13 in total, equal to half of our season total. I also made a minor trade last night, sending Doc Love back to Detroit for the 14th Pick in the 8th Round. Love had a rough season last year, but he did a great job coming off the bench to start this season. He was 5-for-14 with a double, homer, three walks, and two RBIs. This allows me to bring up Aart MacDonald, who is hitting well down in AAA. The 27-year-old is hitting .321/.432/.619 (145 OPS+) with 6 doubles, 2 triples, 5 homers, 5 steals, and 15 RBIs. As a lefty, he can give Carlos Montes a few days off against tough righties, and with Montes' struggles, it will be hard for Aart to do any worse. Freddie Jones may have deserved Player of the Week, 9-for-21 with 2 doubles, 2 triples, a homer, 4 walks, 4 RBIs, and 6 runs scored. Ray Ford also had an incredible week, 11-for-28 with 3 homers, 5 runs, and 8 RBIs. John Lawson matched his homers, and was 9-for-29 with 4 RBIs and 7 runs scored. Billy Hunter was 8-for-21 with a homer, 2 doubles, 2 RBIs, 3 runs, and 3 walks. Leo Mitchell was 9-for-28 with 3 doubles, a homer, 4 runs, and 5 RBIs. Even Rich Langton turned things around, 8-for-28 with a triple, 2 doubles, 2 homers, 4 runs, and 6 RBIs. Mike Taylor was outstanding in his four starts, 5-for-13 with a double, homer, 2 runs, 3 walks, and 4 RBIs. Only one guy struggled, and you could guess who that was, as Montes was just 2-for-18 with an RBI, two runs, and three walks. We weren't great on the mound, but Dick Lyons was. He tossed a 4-hit, 1 walk, 4 strikeout shutout in our 9-0 win over the Saints. Lyons isn't quite pitching like an Allen Winner, but his 3.56 ERA (120 ERA+) and 1.29 WHIP aren't bad at all. What was bad, was Peter the Heater, who lost both starts. His second one wasn't really that bad, but he combined for 13 innings, 12 hits, 9 runs, 8 walks, and 12 strikeouts. Pete has really struggled this year, 2-4 with a 6.53 ERA (65 ERA+), 1.65 WHIP, 29 walks, and 27 strikeouts in 40 innings pitched. Our other two start pitcher, Milt Fritz, lost one and then got a no decision, 14 innings with 24 hits, 14 runs (12 earned), 5 walks, and 5 strikeouts. Cy won his start, but allowed 11 hits and 6 runs (5 earned) with a walk. Harry Parker looked good, a complete game win with 6 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, and 6 strikeouts. The pen allowed their share of runs, 4 runs in 8 innings with just Allen Purvis not allowing a run. Looking Ahead We won the opener with the now last place Cannons, and after two more games, hopefully they drop to 13-23. We'll get to see the two highest ERAs in the staff, starting with Glenn Payne. He dropped to 0-2 with a 5.60 ERA (77 ERA+) and 1.64 WHIP with 10 walks and 17 strikeouts. Rusty Petrick is next, and he's just 1-4 with a 6.98 ERA (62 ERA+), 1.92 WHIP, 34 walks, and 20 strikeouts. At the plate, Ken Mayhugh has looked fine, batting .300/.370/.431 (107 OPS+) with 11 doubles, 2 homers, and 19 RBIs. Above him is Bunny Stapleton, who is slashing a nice .375/.416/.472 (129 OPS+) with 8 doubles, 2 homers, and 24 RBIs. Calvin Brown is challenging to hit .350, batting .344/.390/.416 (109 OPS+) in his first season in Baltimore while longtime Cannon Whit Williams is hitting .297/.357/.471 (113 OPS+) while matching his five homer total from last season. These are two must win games, and I like our chances at home. Next visitor will be the new look Stars, who we welcome to town for a pair of games. New York is 20-14, powered by the bat of Moxie Pidgeon. The 32-year-old vet is off to a .331/.384/.561 (139 OPS+) start with 5 doubles, 9 homers, an 28 RBIs. Another new face, Ray Cochran, has really looked good in the leadoff spot, slashing .338/.420/.500 (135 OPS+) with 6 doubles, 6 triples, a homer, 6 steals, 11 RBIs, and 19 walks. Rookie Bill Barrett hasn't started every game, but he's hitting a respectable .261/.362/.493 (117 OPS+) with 5 doubles, a triple, 3 homers, and 16 RBIs with five times as many walks (10) as strikeouts (2). Even the ageless Dave Trowbridge is flexing with the bat, a robust .341/.419/.504 (135 OPS+) line to his credit. He added 7 doubles, 5 homers, and 27 RBIs, and is on track for another above average offensive season, something he's done in each season since joining the Stars in 1928. The recently required Clark Car has taken short with Joe Angevine hurt, and is hitting an average .289/.368/.447 (108 OPS+) with 4 doubles, 4 triples, and 13 RBIs. The pitching, however, has been their downfall, just one of their four starters sporting a sub 5 ERA. That would be George Philips, who saw his ERA jump to 4.19 (104 ERA+). He is 5-1 with a 1.43 WHIP, 29 walks, and 30 strikeouts, but the rest of the staff hasn't been so lucky. New acquisition Chuck Cole has been disappointing, 2-2 with a 5.92 ERA (74 ERA+), 1.74 WHIP, 32 walks, and 25 strikeouts. Our homestand finishes with three against the 17-16 Sailors. Somehow other have four starters with ERAs above 5, including No-Hit Newell. Doc is just 3-3 with a 5.44 ERA (82 ERA+) and 1.46 WHIP with 17 walks and strikeouts. #2 Walt Wells has had similar struggles, 2-2 with a 5.25 ERA (84 ERA+), 1.56 WHIP, 23 walks, and 14 strikeouts. Dutch Sheldon is the only one with much success, 2-2 with a 3.79 ERA (117 ERA+), 1.59 WHIP, 19 walks, and 18 strikeouts. Reigning Player of the Week Bob Smith is on a nice little tear, slashing .375/.464/.613 (168 OPS+) with 6 doubles, 2 triples, 3 homers, 4 steals, and 23 RBIs. Don Homer has started to be productive in the eight spot, .328/.381/.451 (108 OPS+) with 9 doubles, 3 triples, a steal, 14 RBIs, and 11 walks. Joe Watson is continuing strong as well, slashing .331/.406/.540 (136 OPS+) with 7 doubles, 5 triples, 3 homers, and 20 RBIs. All weeks have been tough for us, and we need to start winning sooner rather then later. Minor League Report 1B Marv Smith (A Lincoln Legislators): One of the initial useless lottery picks, Marv Smith had a big three homer game as the Legislators topped the Hustlers 10-8. In fact, not only was Smith a star in this game, but in the Springfield series he was 10-for-14 with 10 runs, 2 walks, and 4 RBIs. I'm still in awe of why he didn't win Player of the Week, but the natural outfielder is having an excellent season. Not only has he looked good at first, but he's hitting .304/.420/.520 (132 OPS+) with 6 doubles, 7 homers, and 18 RBIs in 150 trips to the plate. On the older side, he is 24, but he's a very experienced and disciplined hitter who knows what pitches to lay off of and he's already matched his homer total from last year and the season before. Even with all my displeasure in him, Smith actually is a solid hitter and he's never had a below average stop in the minors. He doesn't feature in our top prospect lists, but he could still end up as a decent bench bat, just not quite you want from a first round pick. Last edited by ayaghmour2; 10-25-2021 at 05:52 PM.

10-22-2021, 05:17 PM	#633
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	1939 Draft: Round 5 5th Round, 68th Overall: 3B Jim McCarthy School: Bellaire Commit School: Central Kentucky 1939: .449/.524/.573, 108 PA, 8 2B, HR, 25 RBI, 15 SB Career: .444/.519/.592, 468 PA, 38 2B, 4 3B, 4 HR, 106 RBI, 51 SB There was a pitcher I really wanted, and I passed up on him to go with the prep bat of Jim McCarthy. The pitcher I wanted ended up being selected right before my next pick, so I'll always have to wonder if I made the right choice. McCarthy was a four year starter for the Bellaire Big Reds, and I won't be letting him head to Central Kentucky. McCarthy didn't show much power in high school, but he did a good job drawing walks and even managed driving in more then 100 runs in high school. I expect his best offensive talent to be his eye, but he could develop strong contact skills. An extremely athletic kid, McCarthy also provides above average defense at third, and he could probably handle an outfield corner as well. He got a little experience at short too, which bodes well for his defensive skills, meaning he likely has at least average range and double play ability. OSA isn't a big fan of his future, but Tom thinks he'll force his way into a big league lineup and the most recent mock has him at the 2.5 spot. 5th Round, 71st Overall: 1B Bill Dambreville School: Coastal State 1939: .311/.385/.442, 221 PA, 11 2B, 3B, 14 HR, 41 RBI, 4 SB Career: 303/.380/.437, 534 PA, 28 2B, 2 3B, 10 HR, 100 RBI, 8 SB I really wanted a pitcher with this pick, but with just one more pick between this and my next one, and more then two lesser guys I'd consider, I decided to roll the dice on a supposed first round talent. Replacing Skipper as the 1.8 Mock Pick, I grabbed the bat only Bill Dambreville with my actual 5th Rounder. His junior year was just like his sophomore year, but he got into just 44 games instead of 62. Dambreville showed some power, averaging a homer every 10 games, and he's got excellent strike zone recognition. These are tools we can make the most of, and with very few natural first basemen in our system, he'll have little to no pressure on his ascent up. The only natural first basemen I have right now in a starting role is Cuno Myer, and he's a 24-year-old who has been passed up in the Rule-5 draft a few times. Stu Stasny has been getting some time there to start, and he may eventually turn into more of a first basemen, but I can send Bill up to San Jose where I have a mix of Harry Avery and Ray Powell, a shortstop and outfielder, both taking reps at first. Dambreville won't be a world beater by any means, but he's a very low risk pick where I'm not chasing upside, but more filling a need with a guy who could have fallen further then he should of. 5th Round, 73rd Overall: RHP Lou Eaker School: Miami State 1939: 7-4, 96.2 IP, 3.44 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 45 BB, 86 K Career: 19-20, 350 IP, 4.19 ERA, 1.51 WHIP, 170 BB, 240 K A three year starter, Lou Eaker saved his best season for last, as it was his first season with a winning record, sub 4 ERA, and sub 1.40 WHIP. He also had his best season for strikeouts (86) and K/9 (8), although he always struck out at least 80 batters. He did have some walk issues, a 4.2 BB/9 on par to his 4.4 career mark. A tall, 6'5'' righty, Eaker has a polished four pitch mix, but his command isn't the best. His splitter is his best offering, but his mid 80s cutter and fastball are his most common offerings. He also throws a change up, and all four pitches are FABL quality. Still, he doesn't have an out pitch yet, so he may see a bunch of his pitches hit past him. Walks may end up an issue for him, but I'm hoping his stuff can develop enough to overcome it. He'll turn 22 in December, and like most college arms, I think he'll be able to rise up the system fast. With not many sure bets for pitching options available Eaker may be one of the last pitchers I take for a while, and definitely the last college arm.

10-22-2021, 10:47 PM	#634
StLee Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: NC Posts: 4,971	Man, I've been away so long that I missed an entire season! __________________ Fan of LSU sports (especially baseball and football), New Orleans Saints, New Orleans Pelicans, and Atlanta Braves (Dale Murphy for the HOF!). Current dynasties: Fallout 4's Commonwealth Baseball Organization Completed dynasty: Fallout: New Vegas' Mojave Baseball League Uniforms: My custom uniforms

10-23-2021, 11:14 PM	#635
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	1939 Draft: Round 6 and 7 6th Round, 84th Overall: RHP Jimmy Ballard School: Donora Commit School: Cowpens State 1939: 8-2, 107 IP, 1.26 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 29 BB, 177 K Career: 25-5, 315.1 IP, 1.43 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 92 BB, 445 K After back-to-back seasons with ERAs around 1.50, the recently turned 17-year-old took things to the next level this season. The skinny 6'4'' righty dropped his ERA down to 1.26, while setting career bests for strikeouts, K/9 (14.9), BB/9 (2.4), WHIP, and WAR (6.7) as well. A sidewinder from Weston, West Virginia, Ballard projects to have a strong three pitch arsenal with a nice slider and average change and fastball. His fastball sits in the 87-89 range now, but I imagine as he ages and fills out, he'll be throwing much harder. Command could develop into a problem, but he's done a decent job so far limiting free passes. An inquisitive lad, he's always asking questions, and hopefully he'll be looking to his teammates for advice or potential new pitches. OSA thinks he may pitch his way into a back-end rotation role while Tom thinks he shouldn't be used as more then a spot starter, but that's pretty good praise compared to what is left over right now. The wiry Ballard has loads of upside, and I think he's going to develop into a much more interesting arm then he's showing right now. 6th Round, 86th Overall: SS Arnie Scurlock School: Cumberland University 1939: .288/.357/.384, 258 PA, 9 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 40 RBI, 35 SB Career: .284/.353/.372, 765 PA, 23 2B, 5 3B, 9 HR, 120 RBI, 106 SB I'm actually a little surprised I didn't consider the switch hitter from Cumberland for my regional pick, but I eventually settled on the versatile Oak Park native over another versatile collegiate shortstop, who I may or may not use one of my 7th Rounders on. Of course, being an Illinois kid, he has a built in advantage over most other prospects, but there are a lot of things to like about the 22-year-old. Not only is he a surehanded shortstop, but Scurlock can handle second, third, left, center, and right, making it really easy to find at bats for him no matter who else is on the roster with him. I already envision him in a Tip Harrison role, but that's not to say that his only value is versatility. He's got a good eye, great foot speed, and OSA really likes his swing, explaining how he shows a knack for barreling the ball up, using his compact swing to spray the ball around the field. Sure, there may be a lot of grounders, but when they go towards the left side of the infield, he's got a great chance to beat them out. No one will every mistake him for Billy Hunter or even Ollie Page, but he actually checks in at 3.5 on the Mock Draft. Tom thinks he'll force his way into a lineup, but my guess that only happens with injuries, and because he doesn't have to wait for just one position to need filling. 7th Round, 103rd Overall: CF Edmund Mann School: Chadsey Commit School: Richmond State 1939: .417/.453/.635, 109 PA, 11 2B, 5 3B, 23 RBI, 35 SB Career: .436/.494/.697, 445 PA, 45 2B, 21 3B, 5 HR, 96 RBI, 131 SB As consistent as it got for his first three seasons, 18-year-old Edmund Mann had his average between .440 and .446 with on base percentages between .508 and .514, before his line came crashing down as a senior. His posted his lowest average, on base, and slugging my a significant margin as a senior at Chadsey, and like 1937, failed to hit a single home run. Mann stated walking and striking out less as well, and while his RBIs were close to his norm, he scored fewer runs as well. I'm hoping it was just a fluke for Mann, who launched three homers last year with a 1.251 OPS, there is a reason he fell to the 7th Round of the draft. He's a sound defender with great range in center, and he's more then passable in either corner. He has a good combination of bat speed and barrel control as well, which should lead to a nice batting average. Another switch hitter, he has some exciting, yet definitely underdeveloped, tools at the plate, and even without much improvement, he should turn into a suitable utility player. A lot of the players left are just lottery tickets that likely won't cash out, but he was actually the guy in the mock right in front of our second sixth rounder Arnie Scurlock. 7th Round, 108th Overall: 3B Harry Harris School: DuPont Manual Commit School: Western Florida 1939: .482/.558/.800, 104 PA, 13 2B, 3B, 4 HR, 29 RBI, 5 SB Career: .485/.565/.722, 419 PA, 45 2B, 3 3B, 10 HR, 106 RBI, 29 SB I promise, I'm not just drafting switch hitters! Add another one to the list in Louisville's Harry Harris, who was a four year starter at DuPont Manual. His best season came as a sophomore where he hit .500/.571/.802 with 14 doubles, 4 homers, and 27 RBIs in 107 trips to the plate. He did match that 4 homer total this year, but hit just a single one as a freshman and junior. He may not develop the power you like to see from a third basemen, but Harris his versatile enough to fill in at second, first, left, and right as well. I'm not sure he has the speed for the outfield, but depending on his eye and range, second base could be his final resting spot. He does have a very good eye and gets above average bat speed on his swings, which should allow him to hit for a high average. OSA thinks he'll be a .310 hitter, and I think that is a fair assessment. Whether or not he becomes a reliable big leaguer, however, depends on if he's the 1 or 4 home run hitter that he's shown so far. He is absent from the Mock Draft, but I do have to say he's better then a lot of the listed third basemen. Last edited by ayaghmour2; 10-24-2021 at 06:51 PM.

10-24-2021, 09:13 PM	#636
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	1939 Draft: Round 8-10 8th Round, 119th Overall: LHP Bob Hobbs School: Brookhaven Commit School: Daniel Boone College 1939: 8-2, 101.1 IP, 1.78 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 27 BB, 117 K Career: 24-5, 301 IP, 1.55 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 83 BB, 375 K Potentially the last high school arm I select (there are a few college ones I have my eye on for the 9th and/or 10th Round), after a little debate, I grabbed lefty Bob Hobbs. He seemed to break out as a junior, going 9-1 with a 1.14 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 25 walks, and 143 strikeouts, but then returned to his 1937 form. Of course, that still meant a sub 2 ERA with a WHIP in the 1.00s, but his strikeouts dropped from a 12.5 K/9 to 10.4. He did, however, come closer to his 1938 BB/9 (2.2) rate then 1937 (2.9), and the six foot southpaw still started 14 games for the third consecutive season. He doesn't throw too hard now, just 84-86 with his fastball, but that, along with his change, are just average pitches. I expect with more velocity, those two pitches will start to look different, and he should see improvements in his stuff. Luckily, neither of those are his top offering, as Weinstock is a big fan of his curve, and OSA seems to agree it's a nice pitch. And of course, command issues may stand in his way, which could also lead to a few early exits in starts due to effectiveness or fatigue. Hobbs won't turn 18 until October, and with a lot of development left to go, he could push his way into a very back end rotation role. The 8th Round hasn't been the kindest to us, but Elias Canady, Elmer Hutchins, and Johnnie Williamson have all debuted, while our most recent pitcher in the 8th, Johnny Ruby ranks toward the back of the top 500. Expectations aren't high for Hobbs, but he has a few interesting tools that could help lead him to a long term role. 8th Round, 126th Overall: SS Connie Wright School: Petersburg 1939: .285/.387/.392, 222 PA, 6 2B, 3B, 4 HR, 35 RBI, 33 SB Career: .289/.393/.390, 671 PA, 21 2B, 3 3B, 10 HR, 97 RBI, 107 SB One of the guys I debated taking instead of Arnie Scurlock, I eventually went back to grab the other college shortstop I had my eye on, Connie Wright. He isn't as versatile as Scurlock, and didn't face as tough of competition, but my scout is a fan of both, and I love shortstops who can handle the glove. He can also handle third, second, and center, so I imagine left and right will be a cinch as well. Of course, Wright also happens to be a switch hitter, but his teammates care more about his effect in the locker room. His teammates tend to follow his lead, and that's exactly what you want from your shortstop. He didn't hit many extra base hits, but he had his share of homers, 4 in back-to-back seasons despite just over 20 career doubles. He has good speed as well, so I was a little surprised with the lack of doubles and triples, but my guess is he's not much of a gap hitter. He has a really good eye, which has gotten him as far as he has, but he'll really need to work in another average or better tool at the plate. His athleticism allows him a high floor, but his occasional shortcomings at the plate lower his ceiling as well. OSA thinks of him as a reserve, Tom as a supplement not star, while the mock thought we should have used Cleveland's fourth rounder on him. I think he'll be a useful bench bat, perhaps a Clyde Hinzman type utility player, but with much better leadership skills. 9th Round, 135th Overall: RHP King Price School: Bluegrass State 1939: 7-5, 115 IP, 3.83 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 43 BB, 69 K Career: 15-21, 344.2 IP, 1.45 WHIP, 117 BB, 188 K There were about four equally uninspiring college arms I was looking at (one actually was the next pitcher taken), and I decided to take the King. He'll turn 22 in August, but the intelligent and well spoken King of Price improved each season he pitched for the prestigious Bluegrass State. Each season, his ERA and WHIP dropped as his K/9 and WAR rose. His last season was easily the best, the only he finished with a winning record and sub 4.00 ERA. Another sidearmer, Price gets excellent bite on his mid 80s cutter, but his best pitch is above average change. OSA thinks he has a nifty knuckle-curve too, and OSA even thinks his cutter is decent. His control can come and go, but if he is able to locate more of his pitches, he could develop into more then just a AAAA type inning eater. I'm a big fan of his stamina, and his pitches are very well developed, even for a college kid. If my hunch is right, my guess is he'll start up in San Jose, and with a lot of underdeveloped arms in A ball and above, he could move up the ladder rather fast. 10th Round, 151st Overall: SS Johnny Henson School: Pittsburgh State 1939: .276/.321/.344, 315 PA, 10 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 44 RBI, 38 SB Career: .270/.339/.390, 833 PA, 30 2B, 9 3B, 14 HR, 131 RBI, 110 SB Another college shortstop! After an outstanding freshman year where he hit .272/.370/.452 with 7 homers and 46 RBIs in 266 trips to the plate, Henson looked well on his way to an early round selection. Unfortunately for him, however, his power never resurfaced, combining for seven the next two seasons, while his walks dropped and his strikeouts rose. He actually hit for a higher average this season, but his slugging and on base percentage also dropped in each season. Even with all that, I'm hoping there is still a little of the freshman Henson left in him. An excellent athlete, Henson looks like an above average defender at short, and he's gotten a lot of time at all three other infield spots as well. He is a bit of a free swinger at the plate, and it has caused increases in his strikeouts. I think he could develop into an interesting bench bat, while the mock thinks he was worthy of a late third round pick. No more picks in the human portion, as Henson rounds out a sixteen man human draft class. There is a Chicagoan left I want to draft, but for the most part, not too many interesting options out there. I plan on throwing in a few impossible in the middle to later rounds of the AI draft to hopefully limit the late picks, but this will be Tom's first amateur draft, and I'm looking forward to seeing if he can find a few gems us mere humans missed.

10-25-2021, 07:37 PM	#637
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 6: May 29th-June 4th Weekly Record: 4-3 Seasonal Record: 19-20 (t-5th, 5.5 GB) Stars of the Week Freddie Jones : 24 AB, 13 H, 0 HR, 6 RBI, .542 AVG, 1.363 OPS Ray Ford : 28 AB, 10 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .357 AVG, .973 OPS Leo Mitchell : 22 AB, 8 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .364 AVG, 1.014 OPS Schedule 5-29: Loss vs Cannons (7-6): 12 innings 5-30: Win vs Cannons (2-6) 5-31: Win vs Stars (1-8) 6-1: Loss vs Stars (7-4): 10 innings 6-2: Loss vs Sailors (13-6) 6-3: Win vs Sailors (1-10) 6-4: Win vs Sailors (4-8) Recap Another annoying 4-3 week for the Cougars, but we did move a bit up in the standings. What makes it worse, is two of the losses were of the extra inning variety, something we tend to struggle with. We're still a game under .500, but things are at least starting to trend in the right direction. We managed to split the end of the Cannons series, giving us the win there, before splitting the two game set with the Stars. We finished the week with a series win over the Sailors, finishing the homestand a respectable 7-5. The biggest issue with the season, however, has been our fireballer Peter the Heater. He left his last start with a shoulder, and while he won't really miss much time, it's yet another setback in the promising youngsters career. I may or may not be working on acquiring a big name starter, and with a weird set of games this week, he's likely going to spend the week in the pen. Just 2-5 with a 6.96 ERA (61 ERA+) and 1.66 WHIP in 42.2 innings, he's walked and struck out 30 hitters a piece. I don't want to option him, nor do I think he will, but he may end up working as a stopper the rest of the way. Our rotation hasn't been great by any means, but the other four have been leaps and bounds better then Papenfus. Still too early to panic, but I don't think he could have had a worse start to his year. Lucky for us, we have Dick Lyons, who has really started to heat up. He won his most recent start, 8 innings with 5 hits, a run, a walk, and 5 strikeouts to even his record at 3-3 and lower his ERA and WHIP to 3.21 (133 ERA+) and 1.21, with the ERA, ERA+, and WHIP all second in the Continental Association. Our two start starters both threw two complete games, those being the youngsters Harry Parker and Cy Sullivan. Technically only one of Parker's starts was a complete game, as it was nine innings in an extra inning loss, but he allowed 19 hits, 7 runs, and 5 walks with 7 strikeouts. Sullivan, however, won both of his, and picked up his 5th and 6th win of the season, behind just Ben Turner's 7 in our league. Cy also allowed 19 hits, but one less run with 6 walks and 8 strikeouts. Milt Fritz pitched nine in the other extra inning loss, allowing 10 hits and 4 runs with 2 walks and 4 strikeouts. Pug Bryan had a week to forget, six and a third with 11 hits, 8 runs, 7 walks and 2 strikeouts. Joe Brown matched the 7 walks and 2 strikeouts, but in 4 innings with 5 hits and 5 runs (4 earned). The bats came alive, and it's appalling that Freddie Jones was snubbed of Player of the Week yet again. Mel Carroll was 14-for-31 with a homer, 8 runs, and 9 RBIs, and probably won the award because of his homer. Jones, however, was 13-for-24, leading to an astronomical .542/.571/.792 (254 OPS+) batting line for the week. He added 4 doubles, a triple, 5 runs, and 6 RBIs, improving his season line to .369/.439/.585 (166 OPS+) with 12 doubles, 5 triples, 2 homers, and 18 RBIs. He's tied for second in the CA for batting average, and his 1.024 OPS is third. Our catching platoon may have been just as good, with Mead and Taylor going 13-for-26 with with 3 doubles, a homer, 5 RBIs, and 7 runs. Ray Ford has started to turn things around, 10-for-28 with 3 doubles, a triple, 4 RBIs, and 5 runs scored. Leo Mitchell had another good week, 8-for-22 with 2 doubles, a homer, 4 RBIs, and 5 runs scored. The center field platoon worked as well, with Montes actually having a decent week. Sure, just 3-for-14, but with a double, homer, steal, and two RBIs. Aart MacDonald was 4-for-13 with a double, triple, run, walk, and a pair of RBIs in his first week back in Chicago. Ollie Page and Johnny McDowell looked good in limited time too, both 3-for-7, while Page triples, drove in a run, and scored twice with McDowell doubling, stealing a base, and driving in and scoring a pair of runs. I was hoping Lou Kelly would get #2,000 against the Cannons, but was 0-for-4. He then hit #1,999 out of the park against the Stars, a three run shot to reach 1,180 RBIs. Lastly, the Eagles decided to return outfielder Red Looney. Our 10th Rounder from 1934, the Chicagoan turned 27 on May 15th and made 32 starts with the Eagles. Let's just say it could have gone better, as Looney hit just .148/.198/.241 (13 OPS+) with 2 doubles, a triple, 2 homers, 2 steals, and 7 RBIs, while striking out (21) more then five times as frequently as he walked (4). I really didn't expect him to last the whole season in Washington, but I definitely expected much better then this. With four open spots on my 40, I'm okay putting Looney there for now, and he can function as the fourth outfielder down in Mobile, as I already have Juan Pomales sharing starts with our three starters in Milwaukee. Of course, Looney will likely be one of the first guys DFA'd if I need to free up a 40-man spot, but I'll always have a soft spot for Chicagoans. Looking Ahead Our weird week starts on the road, with three games in two days against the first place Foresters. 10 games over at 25-15, the Foresters have a 3 game lead over the new look Stars, but we can bring ourselves much closer with a strong series. Former Cougar Ben Turner leads the league with his 7 wins, but his 4.06 ERA (10 ERA+) and 1.49 WHIP aren't quite living up to the wins, especially with the 25 walks compared to just 11 strikeouts. Dean Astle, however, is nowhere near his normal self, 4-5 with a 6.72 ERA (66 ERA+), 1.70 WHIP, 23 walks, and 20 strikeouts in 68.1 tough innings. The last former Cougar in the rotation, Dave Rankin, almost splits the difference between them, 2-5 with a 4.87 ERA (91 ERA+), 1.47 WHIP, 23 walks, and 26 strikeouts. The offense has been the driving force for them, led by the previously mentioned Mel Carroll. He's hitting .366/.419/.500 (130 OPS+) with 10 doubles, 4 homers, and 29 RBIs. Right behind him is Dan Fowler, with an alright .266/.361/.468 (107 OPS+) line to go with 8 doubles, a triple, 7 homers, and 34 RBIs. Lefty Bill Moore will miss the week with a viral infection, and that is very lucky for us. Moore is hitting an outstanding .389/.471/.611 (170 OPS+) with 8 doubles, a triple, 2 homers, and 17 RBIs. Interesting enough, nearly every other Foresters has a below 100 OPS+, and despite being ranked 7th in OBP and wOBA with the least amount of walks, no Continental Association team has scored more runs then Cleveland. It will be a tough season, but I really like our chances against them. After a day off, we get one with the Kings, another off day, and then a second game. It is in our best interest to beat them both times, as the worse the Kings do, the better chance we have of them selling, and there are two Cougar draftees I'd love to bring home. They are tied with us for 5th, and have had a really disappointing season. I still think they are the best team in the league, but their two most popular players aren't quite playing like they are used to. Tom Barrell is 4-3, but with a 5.04 ERA (88 ERA+), 1.41 WHIP, 15 walks, and 25 strikeouts. Same can be said for Al Wheeler, who's batting line has dropped to just .223/.320/.419 (86 OPS+) with 3 doubles, a triple, 8 homers, and 25 RBIs. Lucky for the Kings, however, Art White and Alf Pestilli have picked up the load. White, who I've tried to acquire on many occasions, has followed up a strong 1938 with a nice 1939. He's 2-2 with a 3.35 ERA (131 ERA+), 1.36 WHIP, 14 walks, and 26 strikeouts in his 8 starts. Alf is the first hitter to 10 homers, and he's hitting a strong .295/.331/.597 (130 OPS+) with 12 doubles and 29 RBIs, and he ranks right behind Leo Mitchell as the 3rd best FABL left fielder. Harry Barrell is on a 10 WAR pace, hitting .327/.383/.478 (117 OPS+) with 12 doubles, 3 triples, 2 homers, and 13 RBIs to go with a 11.4 zone rating and 1.195 efficiency at short. One of the more surprising stories, however, has been John Langille's struggles, as the Canadian second basemen is hitting just .234/.367/.351 (56 OPS+) with eight doubles, a triple, a homer, and ten driven in. He's never come close to his .359/.404/.545 (152 OPS+) 1934, but it's still nowhere near his .300/.362/.444 (114 OPS+) career line. Selfishly, I hope the Kings continue their struggles, but my guess is without any subtractions, they'll still find themselves in the pennant race come September. Sunday we'll stay in New York, with a double header against the Stars. The pitching has been tough for the high scoring Stars, as even George Phillips has dropped to a below average ERA+. He's 5-2 with a 4.64 ERA (94 ERA+), 1.48 WHIP, 37 walks, and 37 strikeouts. The pen has been much better then the rotation, however, with Robert Curry and Boyd Harper pretty unhittable in the late innings, which has really helped the Stars win games. Curry came over with Pidgeon and Hancock from the Eagles, and has a 2.86 ERA (152 ERA+) and 1.77 WHIP, with 6 saves and 17 walks and strikeouts. Harper, the long time Stars "Fireman" has left his usual stopper role, but his 2.59 ERA (168 ERA+), 1.15 WHIP, 9 walks, and 11 strikeouts are impressive. Moxie Pidgeon has been very helpful for the offense, batting .339/.387/.548 (137 OPS+) with 8 doubles, 9 homers, and 30 RBIs. Behind him sits Dave Trowbridge, with a strong .335/.411/.475 (127 OPS+) line with 7 doubles, 5 homers, and 29 RBIs. But no one is quite like the interesting Roy Cochran, a well-traveled 33-year-old who is hitting an exciting .325/.413/.506 (135 OPS+) with 8 doubles, 7 triples, 2 homers, 6 steals, and 12 RBIs with 24 walks and 6 strikeouts in his first 39 games with New York. Minor League Report RF Bobby Mills (AAA Milwaukee Blues): We finished our first month of the season, and you know what that means! Player of the Months! The one in the Century League was Bobby Mills, our 25-year-old outfielder who somehow doesn't have a positional rating in right anymore. Of course, everyone knows that Mills' talent lies with the bat, and hitting .385 with 7 homers, 29 RBIs, and 31 runs scored in a month will tend to help make up for defensive shortcomings. The two time Cougar has hit .383/.457/.699 (172 OPS+) so far with 13 doubles, a triple, 9 homers, and 36 RBIs in 152 trips to the plate. If Tommy Sandstorm didn't have a .944 OPS in the big leagues, I think Mills would be on his way up, but if we need a bench bat, Mills should be the first one up. Best suited as a first basemen, Mills projects to be a very disciplined hitter who should have a much better then .300/.400/.500 FABL line. Sure he's slow as molasses and equally unplayable in the field, and even though I hate the DH with all my heart, he would be perfect for it. Mills may be stuck in the minors for a season or two, but if he is able to get a starting role, I don't think he'd lose it because of his bat. LHP Harl Haines (A Lincoln Legislators): In one of the most impressive starts this season, Harl Haines tossed an 8-hit, 12 strikeout shutout of the Evansville Hawks. He didn't need to pitch that flawless, we managed to win 13-0, but it was already the second double digit outing of the season for him. The 21-year-old has been outstanding in his six starts this season, a perfect 4-0 with a 3.19 ERA (160 ERA+), 1.12 WHIP, 7 walks, and 38 strikeouts. His current 9.3 K/9 is the best of his affiliated ball career, three points higher then his 6.1 in 13 starts in San Jose last season. I've always been a big fan of the former 10th Rounder, and Haines has leaped up the prospect ladder. Now 13th in our system and 166th overall, Haines has finally cracked the top 200, and he has his eyes set on the top 100. The funky submarine southpaw has a biting fastball and cutter, each sitting in the 94-96 range, with a devastating slider and screwball that have outstanding movement in the opposite direction. Even better, he has the one thing nearly every other one of my pitchers lack, control, a sparky 1.7 BB/9 that matches Dick Lyons' 1937 and 1938 marks. Tom thinks he'll just end up as an emergency starter, and OSA tends to agree, but I think he should work his way into a comfortable mid-rotation spot. RF Max Rucker (C La Crosse Lions): Just like I expected, Max Rucker took home the UMVA Batter of the Month. Rucker hit .464/.507/.736 with 8 doubles, a triple, 8 homers, 6 steals, and 40 RBIs in 136 trips to the plate. His season batting line is still above .400, .404/.448/.649 (131 OPS+) with 9 homers and 43 RBIs, while still maintain above average defensive metrics in all three corners. He has a 1.061 efficiency in left, 1.029 in center, and 1.087 in right with 61.2, 122.2, and 112.1 innings at each spot. Rucker still doesn't get much prospect love, ranked 38th in our system and 453rd in the league, but once the new comers join the system, he'll get a tougher challenge up in San Jose. The strong and athletic Rucker has above average contact potential, and is showing much improved power, already three more homers then last season in less then half the time. OSA and Tom think he's just a bench bat in the future, but if he keeps hitting like this, I think he'll have some nicer scouting reports in his future. LHP Oliver Allen (C La Crosse Lions): The same day Rucker won Player of the Month, Oliver Allen held the Moline Pioneers to just 2 hits with 7 strikeouts in a complete game shutout as the Lions won 3-0. Runs are way up in the UMVA this season, so the 4-0 Allen's 4.26 ERA (171 ERA+) is actually elite. He also has a nice 1.23 WHIP, 8 walks, and 20 strikeouts in 31.2 innings pitched. During the offseason, the southpaw improved his velocity to 92-94, and his fastball and cutter have looked really good so far. The fastball should be his best pitch, but his change and forkball are pretty nice pitches as well. He has solid stuff, but he can struggle with commanding his pitches when he is hit hard. His 4.9 BB/9 last year is now over two points lower, down to an impressive 2.3 early on. Just 19, our 4th Rounder last year ranks at the outskirts of the top prospect lists, 42nd in our system and 468th overall. Despite that, both OSA and Weinstock think he'll be a spot starter, I really like the way he is developing so far. The skinny 6'2'' southpaw is on the right path so far, and I think I'm going to be very happy with what he turns into. Attached Images

10-26-2021, 03:35 PM	#638
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 7: June 5th-June 11th Weekly Record: 2-5 Seasonal Record: 21-25 (7th, 6.5 GB) Stars of the Week Leo Mitchell : 28 AB, 14 H, 0 HR, 5 RBI, .500 AVG, 1.091 OPS Ray Ford : 25 AB, 9 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .360 AVG, .960 OPS Mike Taylor : 16 AB, 8 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .500 AVG, 1.125 OPS Schedule 6-5: Loss at Foresters (1-3) 6-6: Loss at Foresters (4-5) 6-6: Win at Foresters (6-3) 6-8: Win at Kings (6-3) 6-10: Loss at Kings (6-10) 6-11: Loss at Stars (6-7) 6-11: Loss at Stars (9-11) Recap It definitely sounds like an excuse, but the pair of double headers and awkwardly spread off days coupled with the Papenfus DTD injury really made things difficult for us this week. We split the first double header, was swept in the second, and all but one of our losses this week were by two or less runs. This continues to mess with our Pythagorean, as we should be two games over .500 instead of four under. We really looked bad for a majority of the week, but hey, Lou Kelly has 2,000 career hits now! He was 1-for-3 with a solo home run, the 271st homer of his career. Kelly becomes the 65th player to reach the 2,000 hit mark, but chances are he won't climb much higher on the list. That homer brought him to 4th all time, surpassing the recently required T.R. Goins. Ray Ford has a minor injury, so Kelly will get a few starts at least next week. We also got treated to a little injury scare, as Harry Parker left his start after two batters. Luckily, no lasting damage was done, but even more unlucky, he actually had the best start of the week. He wasn't the only one to leave a start with injury, as Milt Fritz left his first start after four innings. He did make another, but combined to go just 11.2 innings with 16 hits, 11 runs (10 earned), 5 walks, and a strikeout. Dick Lyons had one good and one bad start, 6 innings each. The good saw 9 hits, 3 runs, and 4 strikeouts while the bad saw one less hit, but with 6 runs (4 earned), a walk, and a strikeout. Joe Brown had to make a spot start in the double header, 10 hits with 5 runs and 2 walks in 7 innings. He also made a relief outing, just a hit with five outs. Allen Purvis had to make five appearances during the week, 10 impressive innings with 12 hits, 3 runs, and a walk. Pug had to make three appearances too, but he was far less successful. He went 6 with 4 hits, 4 runs, a walk, and 5 strikeouts. Cal Knight picked up the win in the game Parker left, 4 innings with 5 hits, a run, 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts. The Taylor and Mead platoon keeps raking, this week 11-for-31 with 3 doubles, a triple, 4 runs, and 9 RBIs. Both are having great seasons at the plate, and the veteran has really started to heat up. Not only did the Wyoming native pick up a steal, but after he hit just .273/.375/.345 in May, he's already 14-for-29 in June. This has boosted his season line to .333/.396/.434 (119 OPS+) in 114 trips to the plate. Not too many extra base hits, just 4 doubles and 2 homers, but he's drove in 19 and walked (11) more frequently then he's struck out (7). Mead is looking much better then last season, hitting an arguably more impressive .313/.395/.478 (129 OPS+) with 9 doubles, a triple, and 10 RBIs in 76 PAs this year. He's also absolutely decimated left handed pitching, batting .385/.442/.590 with the triple, six of the doubles, and seven of the RBIs. There are only three qualified catchers (neither of ours do) this season having above average seasons, and those are starts George Cleaves (163), Tom Bird (131), and Adam Mullins (140). We are getting a lot of offensive production from a weak position, and both my scout and OSA really like Mead and Taylor defensively as well. Ray Ford may have strained his rib cage muscle and will spend a little time on the DL, but he was 9-for-25 with 2 doubles, a homer, and 5 RBIs. Ford was on pace for his first 20 homer season, slashing .299/.366/.492 (124 OPS+) with 11 doubles, a triple, 7 homers, and 32 RBI's with four times as many walks (20) as strikeouts (5) in just over 200 trips to the plate. The injury means Bobby Mills will make the jump to Chicago, as the 25-year-old was hitting .382/.451/.684 (171 OPS+) for the first place Blues. Mills was running the triple crown for the team, as "Nutball" was leading with 10 homers and 42 RBIs as well. He's not the hitter Ford is by any means, but the kid is a really gifted himself. Him and Lou Kelly will share first, but I can see Leo Mitchell get some time at first as well to allow Yates or MacDonald to get a start without taking Montes out. Speaking of Mitchell, he was 14-for-28 with 3 doubles, 5 RBIs, and 7 runs scored. It was Player of the Week worthy, but to be fair, Fred McCormick had a good one as well. Mitchell even took over the spot for #1 left fielder, Freddie Jones had a bit of a "down" week, just 9-for-27 with 2 doubles, 3 walks, 4 runs, and just a single RBI while getting caught in both his steal attempts. Not sure what happened there, as Jones hasn't attempted a steal since 1936, but I would have preferred him not to do that. Johnny McDowell and Ollie Page looked good filling in, 6-for-18 with 3 runs, 4 walks, and 4 RBIs while McDowell doubled and stole a base. Billy Hunter wasn't great, but went 6-for-21 with 3 doubles and 3 runs. Looking Ahead We'll look to avoid the sweep against the third place Stars, as Peter the Heater will look to turn things around against George Phillips. He lost one of his two starts this week, now 5-3 with a 4.48 ERA (96 ERA+), 1.45 WHIP, 42 walks, and 39 strikeouts in 94.1 innings pitched. Bill Barrett has hit a little bit of a power outage, still 4 homers with a .258/.345/.444 (102 OPS+) line. He does have 7 doubles, 2 triples, and 24 RBIs with more walks (16) then strikeouts (6). Joe Angevine is back at short, and his .352/.392/.429 (111 OPS+) line was missed. Chink Stickels is having a real bad sophomore slump, batting just .254/.312/.381 (78 OPS+) with 11 doubles, 5 triples, a homer, and 23 RBIs. We do have a fourth game against Chuck Cole on three days rest, and his 6.35 ERA (68 ERA+) and 1.82 WHIP could make it possible to salvage a split. We really need to turn things around after an awful week, as we can't fall too far down the standings. Next stop is Montreal, as we'll face the 25-22 Saints. Three games out and tied with the Stars, Montreal has looked great under new ownership. I'm hoping it won't last, at least for these three games, but it looks like we'll miss the newest addition to their rotation. A former 3rd Round Pick and returned Rule-5 Pick, Bill Stewart debuted this season and has a 1.29 ERA (342 ERA+) and 1.21 WHIP with 4 walks and 14 strikeouts in his first two career starts. Unfortunately, despite the Saints success, former Cougar prospect Karl Wallace has really struggled in his 10 starts. He's just 2-5 with a 7.32 ERA (60 ERA+), 1.95 WHIP, 32 walks, and 15 strikeouts. Another former Cougar Bill Ross hasn't faired all that better, 4-5 with a 5.20 ERA (84 ERA+), 1.46 WHIP, 15 walks, and 22 strikeouts in 72.2 innings pitched. Frank Davis ranks third in the CA in the batting race, hitting .373/.419/.464 (123 OPS+) with 13 doubles and 21 RBIs. Red Bond is on pace for back-to-back 20 homer season, hitting .337/.419/.536 (140 OPS+) with 8 doubles, 2 triples, 7 homers, and 34 RBIs. The Saints offense is hard to stop, first in average, wOBA, runs, and hits while top four in all other hitting categories. We really need good starts from our guys if we want to win, but those have been few and far between this season. The road trip continues with three in Baltimore before a much needed off day that doesn't come with a double header. Baltimore is the only team in the league worse then us in terms of record, 18-29 and 10 games behind the Foresters. Lou Barker, who came over in the Clark Car trade, has had his struggles, 1-3 with a 6.03 ERA (71 ERA+), 1.60 WHIP, 8 walks, and 12 strikeouts in 4 starts and 3 relief outings. We're likely to see Gus Goulding in the series, now 5-5 with a 3.72 ERA (115 ERA+), 1.43 WHIP, 25 walks, and 31 strikeouts in 92 innings pitched. "The Mouse" Fred Galloway is continuing a good second season, hitting .314/.386/.459 (119 OPS+) with 10 doubles, 7 triples, a homer, and 21 RBIs in 207 plate appearances. Whit Williams is putting together a season like a strong second season of his own, slashing .310/.385/.503 (129 OPS+) with 14 doubles, 2 triples, 6 homers, 8 steals, and 35 RBIs while walking 23 times and striking out just 8 times. He was never a great center fielder, and with Galloway there now, he's looked really good in right. These are must win games for us, and I'm really hoping we end this road trip much better then it started. Minor League Report LHP Ray Wilcox (A Lincoln Legislators): After allowing 7 runs in a loss on the 3rd, Ray Wilcox allowed just 7 hits in a complete game shutout against the same team that beat him. He struck out 8 in a 7-0 win over Cedar Rapids as the Legislators improved to an impressive 33-9. The 23-year-old was acquired from the Gothams in the offseason, and is 5-2 with a 4.68 ERA (107 ERA+), 1.46 WHIP, 14 walks, and 37 strikeouts in 42.1 decent innings. An interesting finesse pitcher with a name that brings back memories, the lefty leans heavily on his cutter that tops out at 90. He has a fastball, change, and splitter as well, and the pitches are good enough to start games in the big leagues. Wilcox is able to go deep into games, 90 or more pitches in each start so far. OSA thinks he has electric stuff with average control and movement, but I think that may be a little too kind. He checks in at 28th in our system and 369th in the league, but he'll turn 24 on the 24th, and isn't ready for Mobile. I'm okay to take my time with him, but the longer it takes for him to reach Milwaukee, the harder it will be for him to have a nice career. C Steve Mountain (A Lincoln Legislators): Despite never hitting over .250 in a minor league level so far, Steve Mountain has exploded this season. 22 in July, the 1935 9th Rounder is hitting .341/.449/.594 (159 OPS+) with 5 doubles, 10 homers, and 39 RBIs. Mountain has always had a strong eye, but he's actually struck out (26) more and walked (29) less this season, but before this year he had only 11 minor league homers in almost 400 games. I can never see him hitting for an average early this high, and he'll likely fall below .300 in a month or so, but Weinstock thinks he should be a future regular with roughly average talent. He is a good catcher with a strong arm, and since he's a lefty, he could fill the Mike Taylor role in a couple of seasons. The kid has a good head on his shoulders and pitchers love throwing to him, and I'm excited to see what he will develop into. Skidmore is obviously the top catcher in the system, but I think Mountain is much better then the prospect rankers believe. RHP Johnny Godfrey (B San Jose Cougars): This year has been anything but pleasant for 1935 8th Rounder Johnny Godfrey, making four starts and failing to reach the seventh in any of them. Hamstring soreness then cost him a week, but his first start back could not have been further from the rest. Godfrey allowed just 3 hits and struck out 6 in a 5-0 shutout win over the Fresno Falcons. That was his first win, now 1-1, but his ERA is still an unkindly 6.84 (82 ERA+) with a 1.56 WHIP, 7 walks, and 16 strikeouts. The 22-year-old has had issues staying healthy and securing playing time, as the 101.1 innings split between San Jose and Lincoln was the first season he surpassed 50. Just 5'10'' 155, Godfrey manages to throw his cutter and fastball in the 93-95 range, with a slider, change, and forkball mixed in. He does have a tendency to nibble on the corners, but that could lead to unnecessarily high pitch counts. Tom and OSA aren't big fans of his, and I don't think he's motivated enough to reach the big leagues, but anything can happen with young pitchers and a string of good starts can open a lot of doors. LHP Oliver Allen (C La Crosse Lions): He did it again! Another shutout for Oliver Allen, who improved to 5-0 with a 5-hit, 10 strikeout shutout. He walked just 3 in the 4-0 win over Rock Island, and lowered his ERA to 3.32 (198 ERA+) on the season. His WHIP is also down to 1.16 and he's walked just 11 while striking out 30 in 40.2 innings pitched. I'm debating on giving him a promotion to San Jose, but there isn't really anyone there I want to demote or promote to make room for him in their rotation. The draft finishes during Thursday's sim, so by then things may change a bit, and Allen could see himself moving up to make room in the Lions rotation. I'm sending my scout to take another look at him, and hopefully he sees a better future for him then just a regular old spot starter. Last edited by ayaghmour2; 10-26-2021 at 03:45 PM.

10-27-2021, 05:57 PM	#639
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 8: June 12th-June 18th Weekly Record: 4-3 Seasonal Record: 25-27 (7th, 4.5 GB) Stars of the Week Leo Mitchell : 33 AB, 12 H, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .364 AVG, .818 OPS Rich Langton : 27 AB, 9 H, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .333 AVG, 1.120 OPS Lou Kelly : 8 AB, 4 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI, .500 AVG, 1.819 OPS Schedule 6-12: Loss at Stars (2-11) 6-13: Loss at Stars (6-13) 6-14: Win at Saints (9-6) 6-15: Loss at Saints (3-6) 6-16: Win at Saints (6-2) 6-17: Win at Cannons (3-1) 6-18: Win at Cannons (4-0) Recap It really wasn't a good week, just 4-3, but we managed to makeup two games in the standings. The Stars dismantled us in the first two, another sweep, but we took two out of three from the Saints, and the first two in Baltimore. Thankfully, just one more road game before a day off and return back home. Ollie Page will miss a few days with a hip flexor strain, but he won't hit the DL. With the off day, I won't give any days off to Hunter and Jones, but assuming no setback with Page, he'll get starts next week again. Page has a nice .288/.377/.424 (111 OPS+) batting line with 4 doubles, 2 triples, and 5 RBIs in 71 plate appearances. Ray Ford won't return, so more starts for Kelly and Mills. His diagnosis timeframe is still unknown, but I hope he's back next week as his bat is important for our success. We also get our draftees in tomorrow's sim, which should make things very exciting. The best our road trip can end would be 6-8. Including the next game, we've played 33 road games compared to just 21 home games. Our home win percentage (.571) would be good enough for first, while the road (.406) would still have us 7th, just a few games further back. We didn't hit much at all, part of the reason we couldn't beat the Stars, but Carlos Montes looked really good. He was 6-for-21 with 2 doubles, 2 homers, 4 runs, and 5 RBIs. Orlin Yates looked good in his 10 PAs, 4-for-9 with a pair of RBIs. Rich Langton was very effective, a rarity this season, 9-for-27 with 2 doubles, 3 triples, a homer, steal, RBI, and 4 runs scored. Lou Kelly was a beast in his two starts, 4-for-8 with a double, two homers, and 5 RBIs. Same goes for Johnny McDowell, 3-for-8 with a double, triple, two runs, and three RBIs. Leo Mitchell was decent, 12-for-33 with a homer, two RBIs, and four runs scored. Freddie Jones had a rough week, just 4-for-26 with a double, two RBIs, and three runs scored. Bobby Mills had a tough first week, 3-for-14 with a homer and four driven in. Pete finally got a win, but man, he just forgot how to pitch. He made two starts, 12.1 innings with 11 hits, 9 runs, 13 walks, and 14 strikeouts with a win and a loss. I do have a little more hope for Peter the Heater, as Weinstock finally gave me a more favorable and likely accurate report; "Papenfus has the potential to be one of the top pitchers in the league, but he will likely experience growing pains as he eases into the rotation." Yeah, that makes a lot more sense then spot starter, and I definitely agree more with this one. It was also a tale of two starts for Harry Parker, who did the same as Papenfus and split his starts. The first was terrible, 10 hits and 9 runs (8 earned) with 2 walks and a strikeout in just 3 innings. Even more impressive, he somehow allowed Bill Barrett to hit three homers off Parker. That must have shaken Parker up badly, and he bounced back with a dominant 5-hit shutout against Baltimore. He did walk (4) twice as many as he struck out (2), but I'm hoping he has more of these up his sleeves. His biggest weakness is the quite obviously the longball, 14 homers already. Considering he's allowed just 38 earned runs, it's pretty clear that the only way to score on Parker is to hit it out of the park. This is the biggest roadblock to his future success, although he's also seen his B/9 jump from 2.0 to 3.1. Parker is loaded with talent, with the upside to be an ace and the floor of a back of the rotation arm. Like with Papenfus, I can't panic, and I have to ride out the lumps before their light shines through. Luckily, we have one superstar in the form of the now 39-year-old Dick Lyons, a complete game win with 7 hits, 2 runs, a walk, and a strikeout. Cy Sullivan got a complete game win, but like Pete and Parker, he also struggled, allowing 14 hits and 6 runs with 2 walks and 2 strikeouts. Milt Fritz was roughed up and charged with a loss, 8 innings with 7 hits, 6 runs (5 earned), and 2 strikeouts. I'm starting to look for outside options for the bullpen, and while there are a few options in AAA, they aren't all that exciting. I know next week there will be a change, with likely Brown and/or Pug going down to Milwaukee, and if I stay with internal options, I can see Jim Miller coming up. He's made 9 starts, 2-3 with a 4.04 ERA (133 ERA+), 1.30 WHIP, 12 walks, and 17 strikeouts in 42.1 innings pitched. Not the greatest numbers by any means, but I can't imagine he would do any worse then what we've gone through. Looking Ahead One more with the Cannons who we dropped to 20-34 and it could be a nice sweep for us. We would face Rufus Barrell, but he's out with forearm stiffness. Deuce is 6-4 with a 4.24 ERA (101 ERA+), 1.32 WHIP, 25 walks, and 44 strikeouts in a much improved season compared to his rookie year. Instead, we'll likely see Long Lou Barker, who is now 2-3 with a 5.19 ERA (82 ERA+), 1.45 WHIP, 8 walks, and 6 strikeouts. Ken Mayhugh hasn't had the season he expected, batting just .287/.351/.391 (94 OPS+) with 12 doubles, 3 homers, and 29 RBIs, although he does have six times the walks (18) as strikeouts (3). Also struggling is Charley McCullough, who's season line has dropped to .265/.409/.275 (82 OPS+) with a double, three steals, and six RBIs. He also has a nice walk-to-strikeout ratio, 24-to-6. It's been a rough season for Baltimore, and I hope we can make it a little more difficult. Finally, we'll head back to Chicago, and host the Saints for three. Montreal is still over .500 at 28-26, but we actually did well against them last week and I do like our chances against anyone at home. Montreal has not had much success from their pitching, but Bud Robbins has looked good in his 49 innings pitched. Acquired from the Miners in the Pablo Reyes trade, he's 3-4 with a save, 3.67 ERA (120 ERA+), 1.55 WHIP, 18 walks, and 23 strikeouts in 6 starts and 5 relief outings. He's been similar both in both situations, a 3.83 ERA as a starter and 3.00 as a reliever. He's taken Karl Wallace's rotation spot, but now even Jake DeYoung has started to struggle. He's now 7-3, but with a 4.91 ERA (89 ERA+), 1.55 WHIP, 20 walks, and 42 strikeouts in 88 frames. But despite not having a single starter with 7 or more starts and an above average ERA+, Montreal wins games by scoring more runs then any other CA team. Frank Davis is third in the batting race, leading the lineup with a .372/.416/.452 (121 OPS+) batting line. Adam Mullins is right behind him, but with a more impressive .368/.445/.505 (141 OPS+) line with 12 doubles, a triple, 4 homers, and 45 RBIs. They do have a new face in the lineup, 24-year-old rookie center fielder Bob Kaye. The former 17th Rounder is off to decent start, hitting .333/.351/.444 (101 OPS+) with two doubles, a triple, two steals, and two RBIs in his first 10 games. Then it is three in Brooklyn with the now over .500 Kings. At 27-26, they are now just two and a half out of first. With John Langille's struggles, they brought up their third Lightbody, Jim to play second and hit leadoff. He's got a strong .371/.421/.543 (144 OPS+) line with 3 doubles, a homer, steal, and 5 RBIs in 38 trips to the plate. Alf Pestilli is continuing his breakout year, hitting .306/.355/.600 (139 OPS+) with 14 doubles, 13 homers, and 39 RBIs. The only other hitter with 13 or more homers in either league shares his last name, and it would be cool to see them both finish #1 in the league. Al Wheeler has started to pick things up, hitting .259/.338/.443 (98 OPS+) with 5 doubles, a triple, 10 homers, and 37 RBIs in 227 plate appearances. Frank Vance is hitting a similar .281/.304/.408 (97 OPS+) with 11 doubles, a triple, 4 homers, 9 steals, and 31 RBIs. Neither are hitting like they generally do, and it may be very scary if they start to heat back up. The Kings moved the struggling Sergio Vergara back to the pen to add Bob Cummings back to the rotation. In 4 starts and 9 relief outings he is 6-2 with a 2.42 ERA (181 ERA+), 1.24 WHIP, 12 walks, and 22 strikeouts. Joe Shaffner has been effective as well, and despite being 5-6, he has a 3.69 ERA (118 ERA+), 1.37 WHIP, 22 walks, and 25 strikeouts in 85.1 solid innings. Him and Art White have picked up the slack for Barrell and Murphy, who have ERA's of 5.00 and 4.86. This will be a tough series, but could really push us upward in the standings. As mentioned, the draft comes around next sim, and I am very excited with Tom Weinstock's new first round list. Skipper checks in at 9, Bunny Hufford 15th, Goff 19th, McCarthy 24th, and Dambreville 32nd. Of course, Skipper and Goff were my first two picks, while Hufford a 4th, and McCarthy and Dambreville 5ths. Then on his pitcher list, Davis our other 4th, checks in at 5th. I'm very excited to see where these guys check in once I am able to sign them, and it's looking like our system may get a boost in the prospect ladder if Tom is right. Minor League Report 2B Hod Seagroves (B San Jose Cougars): It wasn't too long ago that Hod was in La Crosse, and in week two he already won a Player of the Week. The Chicagoan was 12-for-26 with 4 RBIs and 5 runs scored. It's just 55 total Class B plate appearances, but he's now hitting .404/.436/.615 (164 OPS+) with 8 doubles, a homer, and 11 RBIs already. This has really improved the former 3rd Rounders prospect stock, with Tom declaring him a frontrunner to a second base position, and OSA ranks him just outside the top 250. I'm hoping by the end of the season he cracks the top 200, and he's certainly on the right track. Not only has he looked good with the bat, he's fielded second very well, a 1.1 zone rating and 1.050 efficiency combined between San Jose and La Crosse. I've also give him some time at first, as there isn't' an obvious candidate there, but I know the 6'3'' righty won't have many issues. He has above average contact skills and a very smooth swings, which should help push him up the ladder. He has a nice eye with quality defensive skills, but with Freddie Jones, Ducky Jordan, and potentially Hal Wood or Billy Hunter ahead of him, he has a lot of work to do if he wants to be a full time Cougar. RHP Ron Sexton (C La Crosse Lions): The UMVA has seen a lot of offense this season, but somehow the Lions keep finding ways to shut teams out. No Allen this time, but Ron Sexton allowed 5 hits and a walk with 5 strikeouts in an 8-0 win over Rock Island. That's three consecutive complete games for Sexton with three or fewer runs, and he's now a perfect 5-0 in his 8 starts. Acquired from Pittsburgh in the offseason in the Roy Moore deal, the 18-year-old has worked to a 4.70 ERA (130 ERA+), 1.43 WHIP, 10 walks, and 25 strikeouts in his 53.2 innings pitched. In the offseason, Sexton bumped his fastball up to 89-91, and while his repertoire is very underdeveloped, but he projects to have at least average stuff, with a curve, slider, and change mixed in. The slider might be his best pitch, but OSA has started to really take a liking to Sexton. They think he might be able to pitch his way into a back end opportunity, and Ron's ascended up the prospect ladder a bit more. Now ranked 21st and 278th, I still believe he'll climb up even higher. I think I'm really going to have to take my time with him, but I think he's going to be well worth the wait. LHP John Johnson (C La Crosse Lions): Another shutout, another Lion! And again, not Allen! Back-to-back against Rock Island, and this time it was 20-year-old southpaw John Johnson, who allowed just 2 walks and 3 hits with 3 strikeouts in a 4-0 win. Johnson has split time between the pen and rotation this season, but he's actually been way better starting games. In total, he is 4-5 with 3 saves, a 4.43 ERA (138 ERA+), 1.31 WHIP, 17 walks, and 27 strikeouts across 61 innings, but his ERA starting games is an impressive 2.90 while it jumps to 11.12 out of the pen. I guess that bodes well for the Chicagoan, as I imagine he prefers to start games as opposed to ending them. A bit of a soft tosser, the former 9th Rounder has a mid 80s fastball, that isn't as good as his curve and change. Scouts don't really like Johnson, and to be fair, I'm not overly high on him either, as his control can really hurt him. This is his third season in La Crosse, but he has improved his BB/9 from 3.0 to 2.5 this year, and his 4.0 K/9 is the first time over 2.5. Still, he's had an above average ERA+ each time, and with the Johnny Godfrey injury this sim that earned Oliver Allen a promotion, Johnson may be the next guy up. Last edited by ayaghmour2; 10-27-2021 at 06:22 PM.

10-28-2021, 02:52 PM	#640
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Trade News! Spoiler, there will be a weekly recap where we were 5-1, but there are more important things to talk about! I kind of alluded to a deal for pitching, and this morning I made that happen! It cost an absolute favorite prospect of mine in Ducky Jordan, as well as a young arm in Art Courtney, to acquire a top veteran arm from our crosstown rivals. Not only is "The Hot Springs Hotshot" ranked the 22nd best prospect in baseball, but I've been a huge personal fan of the former 6th Rounder since I selected him back in 1932. Unfortunately for him, he has Freddie Jones, John Lawson, and Billy Hunter in his way, plus even if one got injured, Ollie Page and Johnny McDowell have hit really well in limited time. Ducky is more then capable of playing FABL baseball, and the Chiefs should be able to fit him on their big league roster. Courtney isn't as loved by the prospect people, but the former 9th Rounder throws a nice biting cutter and keeps the ball on the ground. Just 19, he has a lot of development ahead of him, but I think he has a future towards the back of a big league rotation. That pitcher we acquired would be the 35-year-old veteran Jim Lonardo, someone I am still angry that I missed out on when the Gothams traded him. I know I would have been able to offer much more, and when Lonardo was available again, I could not let him slip away. Like out vet Dick Lyons, Lonardo led the Fed with a 2.68 ERA (158 ERA+) last season, while finishing 25-7 with a 1.17 WHIP, 49 walks, and 81 strikeouts in his first and only full season in Chicago. That was his third career 7 WAR season, and with 10 more wins, Lonardo will reach 200 for his career. This season he's just 3-5, but that's more because of the shocking Chiefs struggle and less because of his subpar stuff. His 3.42 ERA (124 ERA+) and 1.39 WHIP are very nice, but his walks are up to 28 (2.6) and he's struck out 31. Lonardo has a career 1.9 BB/9, led the Fed in BB/9 his last four seasons in New York, and hasn't had a BB/9 above 1.8 since he was 24 in 1929. I've scouted Lonardo a ton, but with each report, he continues to comment on his elite command and thinks he's comfortably a mid rotation arm. He also rarely allows home runs, very helpful for us, and he will take some of the pressure of Cy and Pete. Lonardo currently ranks as the 13th best pitcher in baseball, a spot behind Lyons, and in a very tight Continental Association, this trade could be exactly what we need.