Chicago Cougars (FABL)

[ayaghmour2]

What better way to start the No Trade Team post with a pair of trades! I was busy yesterday, working a few trades and finalizing two of them. The first was sending speedy outfielder Larry Robison to the Eagles for their 5th Round Pick. This frees up a 40-man spot, and now we'll have the Eagles first two picks in the June draft. We also sent a pair of pitchers to the Gothams for a pair of picks, picking up their 4th and 8th Round selections for pitchers Jim Miller and Doc Smith. Miller frees up a second 40-man spot and Smith was likely to get protected from the Rule-5 Draft. This makes room for Hal Wood and leaves a temporary open spot.

Catchers
Fred Barrell (BRK): 70 OPS+, 7 HR, 54 RBI, 1.5 WAR
Harry Mead (CHC): 86 OPS+, 2 HR, 27 RBI, 1.0 WAR

Infielders
Ed Reyes (NYG): 84 OPS+, 3 HR, 20 RBI, -0.1 WAR
Billy Hunter (CHC): 104 OPS+, 4 HR, 72 RBI, 2 SB, 2.9 WAR
Rabbit Forrest (PHI): 44 OPS+, 4 RBI, -0.2 WAR
Ducky Jordan (CHI): 46 OPS+, 2 HR, 16 RBI, 3 SB, 0.1 WAR
Mack Deal (PHS): 70 OPS+, 1 HR, 18 RBI, 5 SB, 0.3 WAR
Red Moore (MON): 127 OPS+, 2 RBI, 0.0 WAR
John Lawson (NYS): 131 OPS+, 21 HR, 103 RBI, 5.9 WAR

Outfielders
Leo Mitchell (CHC): 126 OPS+, 10 HR, 86 RBI, 4.2 WAR
Reginald Westfall (TOR): 116 OPS+, 5 HR, 67 RBI, 1.4 WAR
Dave Haight (NYG): 98 OPS+, 5 HR, 46 RBI, 1.6 WAR
Rich Langton (CHC): 113 OPS+, 10 HR, 100 RBI, 9 SB, 2.9 WAR
Chink Stickels (NYS): 99 OPS+, 7 HR, 72 RBI, 15 SB, 3.7 WAR
Carlos Montes (CHC): 94 OPS+, 11 HR, 48 RBI, 5 SB, 2.7 WAR

Pitchers
Dick Lyons (CHC): 13-14, 114 ERA+, 54 K, 5.0 WAR
Dean Astle (CLE): 16-14, 108 ERA+, 75 K, 6.3 WAR
Tom Barrell (BRK): 7-6, 87 ERA+, 49 K, 2.5 WAR
Mike Murphy (BRK/DET): 11-15, 95 ERA+, 56 K, 3.1 WAR
Pete Papenfus (CHC): 10-10, 7 SV, 91 ERA, 126 K, 2.0 WAR
Harry Parker (CHC): 14-11, 100 ERA+, 103 K, 1.2 WAR
Phil English (TOR): 1-6, 4 SV, 78 ERA+, 11 K, 0.2 WAR
Pug Bryan (CHC): 1-4, 3 SV, 69 ERA+, 14 K, -0.3 WAR

Totals
Offense: 27.9 WAR
Pitching: 20 WAR
Total: 47.9 WAR
Approximate Wins: 76

We finally outperformed the no-trade team! Our actual team was worth a bit more then this roster, but we definitely underperformed win wise, so I'm not at all surprised that our team this season was worth over 50 wins above replacement.

Offseason Moves for 1940
Replaced Mack Deal with Ducky Jordan

Notable Prospects/Picks Traded
October 1938: Traded Tommy Wilson, Henry Cox, Preacher Pietsch, Ivan Cameron, and Danny Hern to the Pioneers for Freddie Jones
July 1939: Traded Ducky Jordan and Art Courtney to the Chiefs for Jim Lonardo
July 1939: Traded Chubby Hall and Lee Scott to the Eagles for Johnnie Jones

[ayaghmour2]

The Bats
it's a bit hard to blame the offense that scored more runs then any other Continental Association team, but I think I'll find a way too. Sure, they led the league in slugging, OPS, WAR, wOBA, hits, extra base hits, and homers while second in average and OBP, but we just could not run the bases, last in the league for steals and base running. Still, the offense was really impressive, just take a look at the guy with the most plate appearances and how they performed:

C Mike Taylor: 399 PA, 93 OPS+, 2.3 WAR
1B Ray Ford: 640 PA, 129 OPS+, 4.2 WAR
2B Freddie Jones: 654 PA, 120 OPS+, 4.3 WAR
3B John Lawson: 702 PA, 131 OPS+, 5.9 WAR
SS Billy Hunter: 596 PA, 104 OPS+, 2.9 WAR
LF Leo Mitchell: 697 PA, 126 OPS+, 4.2 WAR
CF Carlos Montes: 335 PA, 94 OPS+, 2.7 WAR
RF Rich Langton: 680 PA, 113 OPS+, 2.9 WAR

You can't really find a weakness here, as our worst two hitters were still less then 10% below average, while the other six were all above average, with all but Hunter 10% or better. And if WAR is your thing, each player was worth more then two wins above replacement, and according to Fangraphs, 2-3 WAR players are solid starters, 4-5 are All Stars, and 5-6 are Superstars. So yeah, four regular starters, three All Stars, and a superstar, and we still found away to finish third.

Looking at the individuals versus the overall, John Lawson really led the offense. Yes, technically a 131 OPS+ is tied for his career low, but Lawson had yet another 200 hit season, his fourth 20 homer season, and third consecutive season with 100 or more RBIs. His 5.9 WAR was second highest in his Cougar career, and he set a career high in walks with 62. It was also his fifth 700 PA season, the most he's had as a Cougar and most since 1932. He turns 37 in late October, hasn't had an injury lasting a week or longer in his entire career, and ranks as the second best third basemen in the league while breaking back into the top 10 for all batters. Dave Trowbridge has shown that some hitters can hit forever, and I think Lawson is one of them, and part of the reason I was comfortable letting Ducky Jordan go. Billy Hunter or Hal Wood will eventually have to replace him at the hot corner, but I really don't think Lawson will be quick to give it up.

Freddie Jones managed to stay healthy all season and tallied 654 plate appearances. The oft injured Jones completed back-to-back seasons, and got back on track with an impressive .305/.388/.453 (120 OPS+) season with a career high in doubles (29) and homers (13) while tieing (I have no idea the spelling here) his career high for triples (8). I'd love to see him hit for a higher average next season, but his .453 slugging was his highest since 1935 when he hit an absurd .389/.511/.500. I was hoping his double play partner would have a breakout season, but the soon-to-be 25-year-old Billy Hunter had a bit of a down season. Yes, he had a great 61-to-19 walk-to-strikeout ratio, but his .294/.367/.408 (104 OPS+) batting line left a bit to be desired. Plus he only hit 4 homers despite 6 in 50 games as a rookie and 7 in about the same amount of games this season. His defense wasn't that great either, but I think with beyond elite shortstops like Harry Barrell, George Dawson, Charlie Artuso, and now Jack Bush, it's next to impossible for shortstops to put up solid efficiencies.

One thing that really could have cost us was Ray Ford's three week absence. When you come just a few games short, having an excellent hitter when the offense was struggling could really have made the difference. Ford was an offensive machine, slashing .324/.383/.496 (129 OPS+) with 37 doubles, 7 triples, 16 homers, and 107 RBIs in another outstanding season. He was worth a career best 4.2 wins above replacement and RBIs. Rich Langton put together his first 100 RBI season with a career high in doubles (40) and triples (17) with his fifth consecutive double digit homer season. Unfortunately for the 28-year-old, he's the one who I might end up replacing in the offseason, and is currently the only starter not ranked in the top 8 for positional rankings. Even without a trade, Juan Pomales has shown he is big league ready, and I'd love to give him big league at bats next season. I also can't forget about the 114 strikeouts known as Leo Mitchell, who still managed to hit .352/.397/.466 (126 OPS+) and tied for third in the CA batting race. Those strikeouts were the most in the league and nearly 40 more then his former career high from last season. His leadership was a big help in the clubhouse as well. It will be hard for the offense to replicate this top level production next season, but if they can just win some more one run games...

The Arms
Well if you can't blame the offense, you can blame the pitching, right? The staff that allowed the second fewest runs with best defensive efficiency? Yeah, they weren't really the problem... Sure, the staff wasn't perfect, they were 6th in homers, 6th in WAR, and 5th in hits allowed, and all of that came to bite us. I want to blame the pen, but our pen ERA ended up being second in the league and a very impressive 3.20. I think what really hurt is I gave too many starts to Papenfus and Sullivan, and I should have cut bait with Pug and Joe Brown earlier. Pete was excellent as a reliever, as were Cal Knight and Allen Purvis, with pen ERAs of 1.17, 2.20, and 2.80.

The vets on the wrong end of 34 really anchored the staff, with Dick Lyons and Jim Lonardo both pitching extremely well. even if last year's Allen Winners didn't put up Allen winning seasons in 1939. The 39-year-old Lyons was worth a clean five wins above replacement, but was a sub .500 13-14 with a 3.67 ERA (114 ERA+), 1.27 WHIP, 51 walks, and 54 strikeouts in a career high 257.1 innings pitched. He's now less then 40 innings away from 3,000 for his career, and he currently checks in at 17 in the top pitchers list. Lonardo ranks much higher, 6th and behind just Lefty Allen, Frank Crawford, Joe Hancock, Charlie Stedman, and Sergio Gonzales. Lonardo pitched very similar with both Chicago teams, finishing 15-13 with a 3.39 ERA (125 ERA+), 1.39 WHIP, 65 walks, and 90 strikeouts in 276.1 very effective innings pitched. It will be tough relying on two of the oldest pitchers in the game, but neither have shown signs of slowing down, and neither have had an injury of more then three days.

We'll have to hope for a better seasons from Harry Parker, who was an adjusted league average pitcher, going 14-11 with a 4.19 ERA (100 ERA+), 1.32 WHIP, 68 walks, and 103 strikeouts. He started all 30 games he pitched in and tallied 234 innings pitched in his first big league season. He did manage to lead the league in two categories, homers allowed (36) and BABIP (.258). Of course, we don't want to make a habit of the homers, and I would love if Parker didn't allow more homers then starts every again. Tom Weinstock says it best, he "has the upside to be an ace, but will likely be limited to the back of the rotation until he develops further." I have a lot of faith in the 6'6'' 24-year-old, and I am expecting big things from him. Just like I am from Pete Papenfus. Yes, overall the season was a disaster, but he's just 21! And discounting his one start in April, he managed to lower his ERA each month (7.50, 6.06, 3.48, 1.76, 1.46, 0.00). He finished the season 10-10 with 7 saves, a 4.57 ERA (91 ERA+), 1.56 WHIP, 92 walks, and 126 strikeouts. I'm stunned the walks didn't lead the league while his strikeouts were third, behind Joe Hancock's 131 in 277 innings and George Philips' (who led with 134 walks) 129 in a league high 309. He should fit right behind Parker in the rotation next season, but he'll need to have a nice Spring and will regardless be on a short leash.

A few guys have to worry about next season, including veteran Milt Fritz, who may have had his last 30 start season as a Cougar. He's had four, but this season was a bit tough as the now 30-year-old finished 13-11 with a 4.44 ERA (94 ERA+), 1.47 WHIP, 93 walks, and 49 strikeouts. His 235.1 innings were the least he's thrown as a Cougar, and his 49 strikeouts and 1.9 K/9 were the worst in a full season. Cy Sullivan will also have to fight for a rotation spot, as despite his 13-5 record, he did not pitch like a 13-5 pitcher. He had a poor 5.00 ERA (84 ERA+) and 1.56 WHIP with 51 walks and 37 strikeouts in 162 innings. Like Parker and Papenfus, he is a very highly touted youngster, and just 25, so I'm hoping it was just a little growing pains. Working against him is an option for next season (unlike Pug and Brown) and he continued to see himself miss out on starts due to poor performance.

The pen was pretty strong, especially later in the season, with 26-year-old Cal Knight really excelling in a limited relief role. He tossed just 41 innings, but had a sparkly 2.20 ERA (190 ERA+) despite a 1.90 WHIP, 35 walks, and 17 strikeouts. He's definitely due for regression, and with all three options remaining, he might be the unlucky odd man out starting the season in Milwaukee. Allen Purvis will also have to fight for a spot despite a solid season, but he's 37, out of options, and an important leader in the clubhouse. He has had a resurgence in the pen, as the former spot starter was 2-4 with a 2.80 ERA (149 ERA+), 1.69 WHIP, 23 walks, and 11 strikeouts in 45 innings of his own. Both were far more effective then Joe Brown and Pug Bryan who were both banished to Milwaukee. The exciting youngster from Illinois Joe Brown had a rough season at 25, 1-2 with a 5.46 ERA (76 ERA+), 1.68 WHIP, and 16 walks with just 4 strikeouts in 28 innings with us. Pug was even been worse, 1-4 with a 6.07 ERA (69 ERA+), 2.06 WHIP, 20 walks, and 14 strikeouts in 26.2 innings pitched. Both pitchers are much better then they showed, and Pug is only two seasons removed from 23 reliable starts in 1937. He was 8-9 with a 3.69 ERA (108 ERA+), 1.33 WHIP, 64 walks, and 68 strikeouts in 158.2 innings pitched. I know I won't cut either, but I can see Pug being traded, and potentially Brown if I decide to swing for the fences with a trade. If they remain Cougars, I can't see either of them pitching out of the rotation, but hopefully they can rebuild some value in the pen.

There is also the likely possibility that I look to add another arm to the mix, but it can be very difficult to trade for pitching, as everyone is looking for them. Best case would be packaging Brown and Sullivan for an Art White type arm, someone approaching 30 but not quite there yet, who still has a lot of good years ahead of him. I'm not sure if there really is a good fit with the players available, but whenever I think I'm not going to make a trade, I end up surprising myself.

The Farm
It's a rough ranking now, as we'll get the official top prospects list published tomorrow, but we currently sit 6th in the league with just one top 25 prospects. That would be the hopeful co-ace of the future and "Patron Saint of Groundballs" known more commonly as Johnnie Jones, who was unfortunately downright awful in 1939. He was bad with the Eagles AA team, 8-11 with a 5.21 ERA (89 ERA+) and 1.80 WHIP, but even worse with Mobile, 4-4 with a 6.60 ERA (70 ERA+) and 1.60 WHIP. Combined he had 107 walks and 74 strikeouts in 215 innings pitched, but the skinny 6'4'' southpaw still has shown some signs of encouragement. Weinstock believes he'll top a rotation, a huge plus there, but the OSA comment on his durability might be the crucial final piece of the puzzle. Knowing I can throw him out every four games without worries would be ideal, and he upped his velocity a bit in August to 91-93, a boost in each season since 1936. He has a lot of development left, OSA doesn't think he'll reach the big leagues until 1941, but with all the young pitchers we're stuck juggling in the big leagues, I'm comfortable waiting things out.

I talked a lot about our prospects in the minor league report, but what is nice is the sheer number of top prospects we have been able to accumulate. Sure the rankings are unreliable, but having 48 prospects in the top 500 is nearly one every 10 spots, and we've had a few guys leap up the ladder. Young arms Joe Crosby, Harl Haines, and Ed Wilkinson have all jumped into the top 200 while 12 of our draftees this season check in the top 500, including three in the top 75. The most interesting prospect to keep an eye on, however, may be Ira Hawker, an outfielder turned pitcher who sits inside the top 300. Cleveland took him in the 16th Round in 1937, I picked him up last season, but he only appeared in two games. This year he was used mainly out of the pen, but I'm ready to start giving him starts on a regular basis. His 4.94 ERA (125 ERA+) and 1.72 WHIP don't look all that exciting, but the UMVA had crazy inflated offensive numbers, and he was well above average on the mound.

The system is very deep and balanced, and we don't really have any weaknesses position wise. In our top 20, we can fill a starting lineup and ten man pitching staff. We have a top line catcher, five quality infielders, and four reliable outfielders. Add in Goff and Pomales who can play first and the outfield, and you can almost staff an entire roster without having 7 first basemen or 6 right fielders. Add in the fact that they are all in the top 250, and you have to imagine we'll be able to keep enough talent to replace any eventual big league need. The biggest thing might be how versatile our position players are, and we only have six non-catchers in the league top 500 (24 total, 26 if you count Goff and Pomales) who cannot play three or more positions. It does make things difficult for dealing with the 40-man roster and Rule-5 draft in the coming years, but at least from an organizational standpoint, the Cougars are very healthy. The only weakness is my knack for trading quality pitching prospects, as I have to watch a multitude of Cougar farmhands have success in the majors. Dean Astle, Tom Barrell, Mike Murphy, Bill Ross, Ben Turner, and Charlie Wheeler have all established themselves in the big leagues, and Dan Everett is off to the right start. Karl Wallace and Stumpy Beaman have looked good at times too, and I'm sure there are other guys I'm forgetting about. Sure Del Thomas was lit up in his first taste of the big leagues, but him and Danny Hern are both top 100 prospects and look like quality future big league arms.

Despite all of that, the future does look bright for the Cougars. I really thought the 1930s would be our decades, especially after it started, but the 30s have come and gone and we added just one title and two pennants to the historic franchise now tied with the Stars for most pennants won. The far too often mentioned Tommy Wilcox injury really put a dent in our plans, but I really thought 1939 was our year. Almost everything seemed to fall into place, a tight CA, a collapse of Brooklyn, and finishing top two in runs scored and allowed, but we could not capitalize when it mattered most. Lucky for us, we should only get better next season, and unless a crazy offseason transpires, I like our chances to start the 40s on the right foot!

[ayaghmour2]

Before getting started, I have to tough on our managerial situation. I debated long and hard, but I decided not to extend Walt Bailey. Originally a catcher for the Pioneers, Bailey spent a decade in the Kings organization, and managed for them from 1932-1936, where he was fired about a month and a half into the season after back to back 2nd place finishes with 95 or more wins. We picked him up late in the year, where he struggled and went just 5-12, but he was over .500 the next three seasons, winning 83, 79, and 82 games. In the end, I thought there was a better option (I actually offered them a contract, but I think the switch to the offseason withdrew the offer) available to pursue, because I really think Bailey is to blame for our failure this season. It's hard to blame the AI manager for a lot of things, but I really think I can blame him for us being awful in one run games. Sure I set the lineups (although I use his suggestions), but I cannot control the in game decision making, and perhaps he makes mistakes in late game management with choosing which relievers to select or which pinch hitters/defensive replacements to use. He has total control over the order of the depth charts, pinch hitters, and pinch runners, and the only thing I overrode him was with Mead starting against lefties. I'm hoping a new face will help, and after parting with Bailey, the Kings did win three straight pennants before the unlucky collapse this season. I'm hoping we'll have a little of that same luck with a new face, although if I can't get a free agent I want, I'm more then comfortable promoting Illinois native and current Bench Coach Pete Morris to the manager role.

Anyways, our top 30 prospects are listed below. Our system sits 6th in the league with 123 points, which is pretty good with all the trades and recent graduations. We have just one prospect in the top 25, but 8 in the top 100, 20 in the top 250, and 46 in the top 500. Only one other team has more then 40 top 500 prospects, and that would be the Sailors who lead the league with 48, and interesting enough, they also have 8 top 100 and 20 top 250 prospects. The system is very deep, although I would not be surprised if some of these guys get traded before I even give them a write up. And I still can't believe how many of our 1939 draftees crack the top 30, nine in total, as well as two more in the top 500. Usually we're lucky to have five guys, but we almost doubled that. Sure, it helped having 16 picks in the first 10 rounds, but we had that many in 1937 and more in 1935 and 1936, and we didn't have nearly as many (4 total with 1935 and 1936 and 5 in 1937) I'm working on a potential storyline trade that could shake some things up as well, so I might end up coming back to edit this list.

1. LHP Jonnie Jones (15th Overall): Acquired from Washington
2. C Solly Skidmore (27th Overall): 2nd/30th
3. SS Skipper Schneider (36th Overall): 7th Overall Pick
4. SS Hal Wood (38th Overall): 3rd/42nd
5. RHP/CF Juan Pomales (45th Overall): 6th/75th
6. RHP/CF Danny Goff Jr. (65th Overall): 23rd Overall Pick
7. RF Bunny Hufford (73rd Overall): 57th Overall Pick
8. RHP Del Burns (97th Overall): 7th/89th
9. CF Tony Mullis (106th Overall): 8th/111th
10. RHP Art Saunders (115th Overall): 9th/134th
11. SS Bill Graham (124th Overall): Acquired from Chicago
12. RHP Joe Crosby (132nd Overall): 11th/153rd
13. RHP Lou Eaker (152nd Overall): 73rd Overall Pick
14. LHP Harl Haines (157th Overall): 12th/175th
15. LHP Ed Wilkinson (193rd Overall): 20th/236th
16. 1B Hod Seagroves (222nd Overall): 23rd/301st
17. 1B Bill Dambreville (225th Overall): 71st Overall Pick
18. RF Harry Carr (245th Overall): 10th/149th
19. RHP Jimmy Ballard (246th Overall): 84th Overall Pick
20. 3B Jocko Pollard (249th Overall): 24th/302nd
21. CF Jasper Wright (261st Overall): Acquired from Pittsburgh
22. RHP Ira Hawker (262nd Overall): Not ranked
23. LF Harry Harris (263rd Overall): 108th Overall Pick
24. SS Connie Wright (267th Overall): 126th Overall Pick
25. RHP Billy Seawood (275th Overall): Not ranked
26. CF John Johnson (277th Overall): Not ranked
27. SS Arnie Scurlock (305th Overall): 87th Overall Pick
28. RHP George Sacchetti (306th Overall): 14th/185th
29. RF Sammy Dillon (308th Overall): 27th/364th
30. SS Steve Jones (341st Overall): Not ranked

[ayaghmour2]

LHP Jonnie Jones (15th Overall)
Acquired: Via Trade with Washington (1939)
Drafted: 1st Round, 4th Overall (1936)
Alma Mater: St. Paul Golden Bears

Taken two picks before former #1 Overall Prospect and current Cougar Pete Papenfus, I considered trading up and adding a top 5 pick to secure Jones, dreaming of a rotation containing Peter the Heater and the Patron Saint of Groundballs. It can now be a reality, as I moved former Cougar top prospect Chubby Hall to the Eagles at the Deadline with Lee Scott to pick up the lanky 21-year-old southpaw. It's been a whirlwind of a career for the highly touted prospect, traded twice in less then a year, I'm hoping to bring some stability to the youngster. I may or may not be working on an acquisition that could make him happy as well, but I know I'll have to take it slow with him. Excluding the 26 appearances with just 16 starts in his first pro season and a 17 game relief stint in 1938 with the Stars organization, he has put together many below average seasons in terms of ERA+. I have no worries about the past, Weinstock thinks he has higher upside then even the 4-Time Allen Winner Jim Lonardo, as well as every other non-Peter the Heater pitcher in our system. This year he made 30 starts between Atlanta and Mobile, finishing just 12-15 with a 5.61 ERA (83 ERA+), 1.74 WHIP, 107 walks, and 74 strikeouts in 215 innings pitched. Definitely not what you expect from an ace, but he did add more velocity to his excellent sinker, sitting in the 91-93 range. It's his go to for a double play, and when his money pitch is on, he can make up for walks and rack up the strikeouts. He has everything you look for in a frontline starter, excellent stuff, top notch movement to keep the ball in the park, and a very durable arm. His ceiling is sky high, but I don't think we'll see Jones in the big leagues next season, and as a high school draftee, we still have two more seasons before he has to be added to a 40-man roster. And while even though no prospects are sure things, I really think I have a generational talent in Jones, and a 1-2 of him and Papenfus could be one of the best of All-Time. Just maybe not quite yet...

C Solly Skidmore (30th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 12th Overall (1938)
Alma Mater: Monroe Hurricanes

I am very glad the lottery system is now gone, as we seemed to get everyone we didn't want from the pods. Luckily, one of the picks was salvaged, and while I would have much rather had Johnnie's better Donnie, Skidmore was actually a guy I would spend a first round pick on, and I would have had my eye on him in a regular draft. We lucked out, chances are he would not have slid to 12, and we were able to add an elite catching prospect to give Harry Mead and Mike Taylor motivation to succeed in the majors. It kind of worked, both were almost average hitters and strong defenders, and despite an injury, Skidmore looked good this season. He's not the greatest defender yet, he came without a positional rating and he threw out less then 30% of baserunners this season, but he has shown a lot of improvement behind the plate and both Tom and OSA think he'll be at least an average backstop defensively. He's young, just 19, but his bat is well above average, and his tools are very exciting at the plate. He should be able to maintain averages above .300 once he's fully developed, and his eye is top notch as well. He's one of those guys who could draw more walks then he strikes out, and he showed a decent amount of pop in his 395 PA's with the Lions. Offense was up, so his .342/.419/.484 (109 OPS+) line was just a little above average, but considering he doesn't turn 20 until next May, it's very encouraging. I also liked the 11 homers, as if he can continue to be a double digit power hitter, his offensive game will have no weakness. Skidmore's athleticism also works in his favor, hopefully allowing him to stay in shape longer then the average catcher, but he did have a pair of injuries this season and it is not a trend I would like to see continue. Mead is still developing, I don't think he's a finished product yet, but I do think Solly has much more upside then him and Taylor. I'm definitely comfortable waiting 4 or 5 seasons if I need to for him to reach his potential, but I'm sure he'll be knocking on the door much sooner then that.

SS Skipper Schneider (36th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 7th Overall (1939)
Alma Mater: Northwestern Colts

Despite just being 18 on draft day, the recently turned 19-year-old Skipper Schneider is already a big league quality shortstop. We do have Billy Hunter, who is much further along, but I did something I don't think I've ever done; debuted a teen in AA. He did get hurt almost a week in, a slight setback, but that didn't stop the versatile Schneider from starting his pro career red hot. He hit .349/.387/.409 (134 OPS+) with 14 doubles, 4 triples, 2 homers, 3 steals, and 31 RBIs in just shy of 200 PAs. The real masterpiece was his work in the field, an elite 18.8 zone rating and 1.140 efficiency in his first 370.2 innings out at short. An absolute marvelous defender, even though he'll be an elite shortstop, he has played a lot at third, second, left, and right in high school. I'm sure he could handle center as well, and even as early as next season I could work him into a Tip Harrison role in the big leagues. An outstanding young defender with a healthy bat and tremendous upside can make the difference down the line, and with his ability to play multiple positions, I don't really need to take anyone out of the lineup. Hunter and Jones aren't going anywhere any time soon, but ensuring they didn't start seven games in a week kept them healthy nearly all season, and I don't think a soon-to-be 37-year-old in John Lawson would mind a day off. Plus as a lefty, he can help Hunter and Jones with tough righties, and same goes for right fielder Rich Langton. I think Skipper will start next season in Mobile, but I'd be surprised if he stays down there very long. The tiny Detroit native already can handle most fastballs, and while he's still working on hitting the off-speed stuff, most 19-year-old would have no luck against guys in their early-to-mid 20s, while Skipper managed to dominate. Skipper will be a productive piece on any team looking to compete, and instead of struggling to find a position for him, it will a struggle to keep him off the field.

SS Hal Wood (38th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 8th Overall (1935)
Alma Mater: Smithfield College Bulldogs

An oft-mentioned name in trade talks, one thing is for sure; Hal Wood will be on a 40-man roster come January. Whether that is ours is yet to be determined, but the 25-year-old is more then ready to compete for a major league role. Wood joined our system in 1935, after I made numerous draft day trades as I held the fifth pick in a draft where I really liked four players, and had to watch all four of them (Rufus Barrell, Red Johnson, George Garrison, Mack Sutton) get selected before I could make a pick. All four have debuted, and despite the occasional struggles from the non-Red Johnson draftees, they all look like organizational building blocks. Wood isn't one of those by any means, but he's a captain on the field and he makes his team better. In each of his 50+ game stints, he's been an above average hitter and defender at short. I started giving him a little time at second and third, and while it shockingly didn't go well, I know he'll be able to master either of those positions. He is an above average fielder, but his range is probably more Billy Hunter then Freddie Bennett. He does have a strong hit tool at the plate, likely hitting for a high average, while also displaying a keen eye and patience. I can't ever see him hitting for much power, but he does have good speed and has 24 triples in the past two seasons. His steals fell off greatly, 40 last year to just 5 this season, but he's a very athletic player. If he remains a Cougar, I think he might be able to earn a roster spot, as we could use his leadership off the bench. He is a little underdeveloped, both Skipper and Freddie Bennett are currently better shortstops, but I don't think either has the upside of Wood. His age may work against him reaching his lofty potential, but I have a feeling he'll be a productive regular and make a few trips to the All-Star game.

RHP/CF Juan Pomales (45th Overall)
Acquired: Via Trade with Detroit (1937)
Alma Mater: St. Francis Bobcats

I surprised myself today! For the first time since I acquired him from the Dynamos, I actually considered trading Juan Pomales. Sure, it's just in one very specific trade, but the fact that I even considered it is really something. It's hard to find a weakness in "El Conejo", who will celebrate his 25th birthdays tomorrow. I do expect him to remain a Cougar, and I think Pomales could force himself on the big league roster next season. Being able to pitch and play plus defense in all three outfield positions gives him a ton of value, and it would allow me to be very creative with my roster configuration. Pomales has excelled all expectations so far, being an above average hitter, pitcher, and fielder in three consecutive seasons, with each season coming at a higher level. It would fit pattern for him to spend all of next season in Chicago, but I am on the hunt for an impact bat in the outfield. Pomales isn't one yet, but he has tremendous speed and Weinstock thinks he can hit .350 in the big leagues, potentially challenging for a few batting titles with Leo Mitchell. He's a great base runner and profiles as the prototypical leadoff man, and if he played a few more games, he may have reached double digit homers for the first time in his minor league career. I thought he was more raw on the mound, as his pitches aren't all that great, but his movement and command really carry him now. I'm disappointed his fastball and sinker sit in the mid 80s, but he was an impressive 15-6 with a 3.84 ERA (131 ERA+), 1.27 WHIP, 38 walks, and 99 strikeouts while being worth nearly five wins above replacement. The 5.2 K/9 ratio was a huge jump from the past two seasons, as his curveball was really working this year. His command is borderline elite, which as Dick Lyons knows, can make up for being a soft tosser, and Pomales dominates the bottom of the strike zone. It's hard to find a flaw in the Havana native, but you could say his stuff may never be more then average. Still, Pomales is arguably the most interesting player in the file, and while he's no Shohei Ohtani, Pomales can put up some crazy high WAR numbers of his own (7.9 WAR in 122 games). If he does end up in Chicago next season, I can see him getting four or five starts a week, as he can take a start from Mitchell, one or two from Montes and Langton, and perhaps another in left to use Mitchell to relieve Ford. I can't see him starting many games, as I'd prefer those extra starts going to Lonardo, Lyons, and Parker instead of an adjusted six man, but he's perfect for double headers and we can have an extra pen arm when he's on the bench.

[ayaghmour2]

There was a lot of big news in the FABL world, much bigger then top prospects, as the Baltimore Cannons are no longer located in Baltimore. The Cannons were sold and are moving to Cincinnati, and taking Brooklyn's general manager along with them. The Cannons will retain their name, but the team has really struggled in the past few seasons, finishing last in each season since 1934, and failing to finish over 4th since we topped them by two games in the 1931 season. This leaves Brooklyn without a General Manager, which could potentially mean a rebuild in Brooklyn depending on the new GM they hire. If so, I know there a lot of Kings I would want to bring to Chicago!

RHP/CF Danny Goff Jr. (57th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 23rd Overall (1939)
Alma Mater: Hempstead Hawks

Our second round selection in the most recent draft, Danny Goff Jr. started his season down in San Jose, and did well enough both as a hitter and pitcher to earn a late season promotion. With the Cougars, the son of the Kings bench coach and FABL managerial hopeful Danny Goff hit .338/.432/.461 (136 OPS+) with 11 doubles, a triple, 2 homers, 5 steals, 30 RBIs, and an impressive 27-to-7 walk-to-strikeout ratio in 184 trips to the plate. He was decent on the mound too, 5-1 with a 4.62 ERA (105 ERA+), 1.89 WHIP, 34 walks, and 19 strikeouts. His defense wasn't that great, but after his promotion, he tore the cover off the ball with the Legislators. Goff hit .415/449/.677 (173 OPS+), but really struggled on the mound, 0-3 with a 9.77 ERA (55 ERA+) and 1.91 WHIP in his three starts. I'm not too surprised the bat is better then his arm, he didn't pitch in college, but I think his future on the mound might be better then at the plate. He has a decent high 80s fastball with a nice curve and average change. His pitches are a little unpolished, and sometimes his command deserts him, but he shares a lot of similarities to the 250 game winner that raised him. OSA thinks he'll be a #3, I think he can be a reliable middle relief arm, but Tom isn't the biggest fan. He likes his bat more, expecting him to hit .350 and eventually develop into a reliable outfielder. I might have to take my time with the arm, potentially starting in the pen before starting games, but until there's an obvious role for him in the majors, I'd rather have him getting consistent starts to improve his pitching.

RF Bunny Hufford (73rd Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 57th Overall (1939)
Alma Mater: Chesapeake State Clippers

A strained hamstring cost him three weeks of his season, but when healthy, the Lions outfielder hit an outstanding .416/.523/.590 (158 OPS+) with 22 doubles, 4 triples, 11 steals, and 48 RBIs in 214 plate appearances. He spent most of his time out in center, putting up above average defense there and in each corner. I'm not sure he'll ever be a top defender, but he's one of those guys who plays right in a deep outfield and center in a shallow one. He just turned 22, and I expect him to start next season in San Jose, but he could easily end up higher at the end of the season if he overperforms his counterparts. He's a great influence in the clubhouse, one of the hardest workers on the team, and that's a huge plus for any youngster. It should help him reach closer to his potential, as he profiles as an above average contact hitter with a strong eye. He has quick hands, a smooth swing, and has good pitch recognition skills. That doesn't necessarily mean he won't strike out, and he doesn't have much power, but his speed is a huge asset and he'll stretch a lot of singles into doubles. He's no superstar, but with his work ethic and natural tools, he can make great strides as he matures.

RHP Del Burns (73rd Overall)
Acquired: Via Trade with Detroit (1937)
Drafted: 1st Round, 3rd Overall (1934)
Alma Mater: Houston Coyotes

He did it! The questionable 3rd Overall Pick is now an official FABL player! That means every 1937 first round pick has at least one FABL appearance! It took Burns a while to get his footing, but the skinny 23-year-old still looks to have a pleasant future. Weinstock thinks he'll be a #2, OSA more of a middle rotation arm, but there is a lot to like about the hard throwing righty. He features a hard cutter and fastball in his five pitch arsenal, that when fully developed, should also feature an excellent forkball, decent slider, and average change. His movement may be his best asset, and it helps him keep the ball on the ground and strike batters out. He had a great 25 start season in Milwaukee, going 11-3 with a 4.10 ERA (122 ERA+), 1.28 WHIP, 46 walks, and 126 strikeouts across 160.1 innings pitched. He had a personal best 7.1 K/9, extremely impressive at any level. I can see him striking out over 100 batters in a full big league season, just like Harry Parker did this season, but at least for us, there are a lot of other starting pitchers in our system a bit further along then him. He is one of the more developed prospects, but he's still behind guys like Papenfus, Brown, and Sullivan, who are looking to secure long term starting roles. His name has been floated around in some trade talks as well, but as of now, he's set to compete for a starting spot next season. I wouldn't mind having him on hand as depth, and he still has three options and he's more of a depth arm at this time. The future is bright for Burns, but I don't think he'll ever live up to the high draft selection.

CF Tony Mullis (106th Overall)
Acquired: Via Trade with Philadelphia (1937)
Drafted: 5th Round, 78th Overall (1936)
Alma Mater: Redford Trojans

It was another split season for Tony Mullis, who appeared in 63 games with Lincoln and 73 with Mobile. He flirted with .400 on the Legislators, slashing .387/.450/.512 (136 OPS+) with 20 doubles, 4 triples, a homer, 3 steals, and 41 RBIs. He didn't hit as good with the Commodores, but still a better then average .313/.365/.436 (110 OPS+) with 20 doubles, 8 triples, 5 steals, and 46 RBIs. The natural centerfielder didn't fair so well defensively, but was much better out in right. He had a nice 1.407 efficiency and 2.5 zone rating in 97 games out there, and I think right or maybe left may be his best spot for him. Of course, he'll never hit for much power, which isn't ideal for a right fielder, but he's an extremely gifted contact hitter who is adept at putting the ball in play. He has good speed on the bases, but he's not really a great base stealer. My scout and OSA are both big fans of him, but the 21-year-old still has a lot of developing to go before becoming a productive regular. He's the perfect fit to leadoff a deep order, but he's not a guy who can carry a team on his own. With good bats behind him, he'll always end up on base, and if you need a sac fly or to move a runner over, there aren't many better options. Think Leo Mitchell without the strikeouts, or a righty Doc Love, but in both cases, with negative power. Still, a ton of line drives is better then nothing, and power isn't the only way to win.

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

If only he didn't get injured... For the eleventh timed since I gave him a ton of money to not go college, Art Saunders suffered an injury. He tore his labrum with just a few weeks left in the season. This is the second major injury, as most were less then a month, but it's his second injury of longer then three months. We hope the 22-year-old will recover, as he was elite in both Lincoln and Mobile. It was just 7 starts for the Legislators, but he was 4-1 with a 2.41 ERA (222 ERA+), 1.29 WHIP, 8 walks, and 28 strikeouts. In double the starts in Mobile, he was an almost as impressive 10-2 with a 2.64 ERA (175 ERA+), 1.04 WHIP, 14 walks, and 59 strikeouts. He's always been an above average or better pitcher in the minors, but he was outstanding this year. His pitches were on point all season long, with a lively low 90s fastball, a knee-buckling curve, and a nice sinker and change. His stuff is very well developed although his command is still coming around. He can generate a ton of swings and misses as well, but if he continues to get hurt, it will really limit his effectiveness and could eventually cause him to flame out. Although that's what I thought about Tom Barrell...

[ayaghmour2]

We have a new manager! It took him awhile to accept our gracious overpay, but the manager of the 1940 Chicago Cougars will be 60-year-old Clyde Meyer. He has never managed in the big leagues, and was rather unsuccessful in his three seasons with the Sacramento Governors, but I have faith in the former journeyman pitcher. Meyer is very personable, nearly every Cougar has an average or better relationship with him, and none are poor. The four fair aren't instrumental members of the clubhouse either, so I expect to have a very happy clubhouse. I'm also a fan of his ratings, excellent or better at everything except in-game running, and he's outstanding at handling aging. Like Bench Coach Pete Morris, he also wants to start Ollie Page over Freddie Jones, and I'm still not sure if this is good for Page or bad for Jones. Of course, I'll be starting Freddie, but hopefully this boosts Ollie's trade value!

SS Bill Graham (124th Overall)
Acquired: Via Trade with Chicago (1938)
Drafted: 4th Round, 59th Overall (1938)
Alma Mater: Bluegrass State Mustangs

One of the more prestigious colleges baseball programs, Bluegrass State has produced many big leaguers, and Bill Graham will likely join that list. Just outside the top 100, the 22-year-old seemed a bit more raw then most prospects his age, struggling in Class A last season with the Chiefs. I sent out Elias Canady for him last offseason, and started him in San Jose, although he spent a little time in La Crosse when he got a red arrow. 100 if his 131 games came with the Cougars, hitting .246/.357/.366 (92 OPS+) with 25 doubles, 2 triples, 3 homers, 2 steals, and 58 RBIs. It wasn't the greatest showing, but Graham is known much more for his glove. A natural shortstop, I worked on his versatility this season, giving him a bit of time in the middle infield while most of his time was spent at the hot corner. He was very impressive, recording a 10.3 zone rating and 1.095 efficiency there in 687.2 innings on the field. His shortstop work was about as good if not better, but it came in far fewer innings. That will likely be his regular position, as he's an elite defender and organizational favorite because of his glove. He has good speed and range, allowing him to reach most balls hit on the ground, and his arm is very strong as well. He has a good eye at the plate, but if he can put the ball in play more frequently, he can really elevate his status in our system. I'd like to see more from his bat before he reaches Chicago, and expect him to take his time on the way up. He's a hard worker who spends hours preparing for each game, and that initiative should help him reach close to his potential.

RHP Joe Crosby (132nd Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 53rd Overall (1937)
Alma Mater: St. Peter's Spartans

A 4th Rounder back in 1937, there are very few players with a more fitting then the 140 pound righty Joe Crosby. "Boney Joe" did make three starts in his third season with the Lions, but earned a quick promotion to San Jose where he excelled. The 20-year-old was 8-5 with a nice 3.32 ERA (147 ERA+), 1.28 WHIP, 37 walks, and 55 strikeouts in 103 effective innings pitched. Crosby was working hard this offseason, and his throwing program boosted his fastball another mile up to 89-91, but the hard fastball isn't even his best pitches. That would be what should be a curve that can make most hitters miss, while his slider is pretty decent. Walks may be an issue, he had a 4.6 BB/9 last season and 3.2 with San Jose this season, but what he may need would be a fourth pitch. Sure, his slider is a passable pitch, but his fastball and curve are so much better, and a third pitch on that level could make him a really tough pitcher to face. He's one of those guys who doesn't let his teammates pass him up, and he wants to pitch to their level. I think he's got a good future in a big league rotation, but he's a very raw young arm with a lot of polishing left before he'll work his way into a rotation.

RHP Lou Eaker (152nd Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 5th Round, 73rd Overall (1939)
Alma Mater: Miami State Red Birds

Our 5th Rounder in the most recent draft, the soon-to-be 22-year-old didn't waste any time before being listed in the top 200 prospect list. Settling in the 140-160 range, Eaker was okay at La Crosse, 7-3 with a 6.43 ERA (96 ERA+), 1.69 WHIP, 49 walks, and 51 strikeouts in his first 92.1 professional innings. He made great strides as a junior, bumping his velocity from 83-85 to 85-87, and it dropped his ERA a full point. His control is still a little shaky as he walks more hitters then he should, but the imposing 6'5'' righty has impressive stuff and should be able to strike out more then his share of hitters. His splitter is his best pitch, and his fastball and cutter are average pitches too, but his change isn't really worth much. As a college arm, I'd like to see him move up the system faster, and I'm hoping he'll start the year in San Jose and finish in La Crosse. He currently profiles as a spot starter/back end guy, but if he gets his control under control, he could be a very reliable middle rotation arm.

LHP Harl Haines (157th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 10th Round, 149th Overall (1935)
Alma Mater: Niagara Falls Big Red

I thought 1939 was going to be a breakout season for the then 21-year-old, and the unique fireballing submariner did not disappoint. He started the season in Lincoln, but he only lasted seven starts there, a perfect 5-0 with a 3.35 ERA (160 ERA+), 1.14 WHIP, 12 walks, and 43 strikeouts. His 133 innings with the Mobile Commodores was arguably better, and while not perfect, he was a strong 11-5 with a 2.84 ERA (163 ERA+), 1.21 WHIP, 31 walks, and 68 strikeouts. Haines does a great job limiting walks and home runs, while striking out a ton of hitters. The 6'3'' lefty doesn't have the best stuff, but his control is outstanding. His secondary pitches are a work in progress, but he has a nice biting cutter, and I really hope his screwball continues to deliver. Haines has excellent tools, and the former 10th Rounder has already exceeded any expectations, passing over fellow 1935 draftees like Doc Smith, Grover Donahue, and Ralph Kendall, who were all taken in the first five rounds. Haines may not be Charlie Wheeler (our first rounder that year), but I think he's going to be one of those guys who you want to be your #4 or 5, but not someone stuck leading a poor rotation.

LHP Ed Wilkinson (193rd Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 55th Overall (1938)
Alma Mater: CC Los Angeles

It was a tale of two seasons for Ed Wilkinson, who got a dozen starts with both Lincoln and San Jose. He was great in San Jose, 8-2 with a 3.77 ERA (129 ERA+), 1.22 WHIP, 23 walks, and 59 strikeouts in 93 innings pitched. To most, the 90.2 innings with the Legislators was not as good, 5-7 with a 5.46 ERA (98 ERA+), 1.54 WHIP, 20 walks, and 35 strikeouts. But, if you look at some peoples favorite stat WAR, you would think he was better in Lincoln (1.8) then Mobile (1.5), despite the only advantages in Lincoln having one less homer and three less walks. Regardless, Wilkinson turns 23 the day before Christmas, and he's getting closer and closer to being a big league pitcher. He has an average five pitch mix, a bunch of average pitches where none really stand out, but he locates them all well and knowing he could beat you with a variety of things is almost more detrimental to hitters then the actual pitches. He sits comfortably in the low 90s with his fastball, and so far he's done a good job keeping the ball in the park. He projects as more spot starter then middle rotation arm, but the durable lefty will be able to soak up a lot of innings if his name is called.

[ayaghmour2]

1B Hod Seagroves (222nd Overall)
Acquired: Via Trade with Detroit (1937)
Drafted: 3rd Round, 45th Overall (1936)
Alma Mater: Lake Park Panthers

A Chicago kid who went to the suburbs for high school, Hod Seagroves was a guy I targeted in the draft, and when I was not able to select him, I went along and traded for him. A natural second basemen, he spent the first two seasons almost strictly at the keystone, but I've started to give the 6'3'' righty some more time at first. That seems to be his best position, he ranks higher in the prospect lists when listed there as opposed to second, and he bat started to show out this season. He started his year in La Crosse, as he has the past three seasons, but he lasted just 32 games there before a promotion. He hit a strong .373/.410/.563 (125 OPS+) with 13 doubles, a triple, a 3 homers, and 29 RBIs. He was arguably better in a less hitter friendly environment with San Jose, as he made 421 trips to the plate with the Cougars. Hod hit an impressive .334/.417/.454 (131 OPS+) with 23 doubles, 4 triples, 4 homers, 3 steals, and 62 RBIs. He finally showed his above average contact tool, after hitting just .226 and .289 in his first two pro seasons. His eye is improving and I hope his power does too, but Weinstock also thinks he'll be an above average defender. I love Chicago kids, so that should allow Hod to at least debut as a Cougar, but right now he doesn't look like anything much more then an average hitter.

1B Bill Dambreville (225th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 5th Round, 71st Overall (1939)
Alma Mater: Coastal State Eagles

Another first basemen, Bill Dambreville was listed in the first round of the mock draft, but it was rather clear he was not a first round talent. I decided to use one of my 5th on it, and sent the college first sacker up to Lincoln. He didn't hit that great, just .280/.359/.370 (80 OPS+) with 14 doubles, a triple, 2 homers, and 36 RBIs. He did walk (30) more then he struck out (21), and you really can't be upset with a first year player not tearing the cover off the ball in Class A. With not many natural first basemen in our system, Dambreville will be able to work his way up as long as he's hitting. He will have to deal with Seagroves, who may start next season in Lincoln, but as a lefty they can platoon and Hod can get time at second as well. The sturdy 21-year-old has a good swing coming from a strong frame, and I think he should be able to develop some power. He knows the strike zone well, which should also help him hit the ball harder and more frequently. Bill looks like a bench hitter, potentially a Johnny Waters type hitter, but I don't think Ray Ford is too worried about Dambreville's progression.

RF Harry Carr (245th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 10th Round, 156th Overall (1938)
Alma Mater: Buchtel Griffins

In terms of prospect rankings, it was a rough season for Harry Carr, who fell out of our top 10 despite having a decent enough season. The 19-year-old outfielder hit .335/.397/.478 (102 OPS+) with 14 doubles, 7 triples, 11 homers, 44 steals, and 58 RBIs in 476 PAs for the Lions. Speed may be Carr's best tool, but he's also a superb defensive right fielder who could more then handle himself in center. His bat is solid, although my guess is he may never hit double digit homers again, but he should rack up the doubles and triples due to his above average contact potential. When he puts the ball in play, he can always take the extra base, and he puts a lot of pressure on the opposing defense. He improved his plate discipline as well, and despite being a teen, showed great control with the strike zone. He'll be 20 in December, and while I'm not sure if he'll start the season in San Jose, I'd imagine he'll get some time up there as long as he continues to hit.

RHP Jimmy Ballard (246th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 6th Round, 84th Overall (1939)
Alma Mater: Donora Bombers

The on field performance wasn't very good for our 6th Rounder, but the 17-year-old is already trying to crack the top 200 prospect list. He was just 3-5 with a 7.59 ERA (82 ERA+), 1.85 WHIP, 42 walks, and 17 strikeouts in 74.2 innings pitched. That was across 12 starts, and while a lot were poor, he did show he could got the distance if needed. Plus, as a 17-year-old facing a lot of guys three or more years older then him, he did a great job holding his own. The walks were a little concerning, a 5.1 BB/9, but walk issues may cause him issues in the future. The lanky 6'4'' righty has been hard at work in the offseason, adding a mile to his fastball as he can now touch 90. The sidewinder also throws a slider and change, all three which should be big league quality pitches. He gets a ton of movement on his slider, and it should be his best pitch, and it's next to impossible for righties to lay off or even put it in the plate. The youngster has a ton of upside, already projecting to fill the back of a rotation, but he's got a ton of time to grow, and I'm excited to watch him bloom.

3B Jocko Pollard (249th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 6th Round, 95th Overall (1935)
Alma Mater: Grafton Indians

The 22-year-old may not have ae position, but this. Kid. Rakes! Pollard put together back-to-back 20 homer seasons, and discounting his first pro season, his lowest single season OPS+ was 132 this season. This year he got his first taste of Class A pitching, hitting a nice .330/.384/.571 with 25 doubles, 2 triples, 21 homers, and 102 RBIs. He's a free swinger, striking out far more frequently then he walks, but the power is unmatched. He may end up walking 50 or so times a season and he could hit close to .300, but the strikeouts will always be there. Leo Mitchell showed that you can still be a great hitter with a ton of strikeouts, and Mitchell doesn't have near the power of Pollard. He's just a bench bat, but one that can hit the ball 450 feet can really help in those one run games we are so good at losing...

[ayaghmour2]

I decided to go Black Friday shopping today, but unfortunately, FABL GM's do not offer any discounts! The first one was the inevitable upgrade over Rich Langton (who I do feel bad for), acquiring a player I have been after for years. We sent the lanky Cy Sullivan, prospect Tony Mullis, and our 4th Round Pick to the Detroit Dynamos for the soon-to-be 31-year-old Leon Drake. Ever since the Foresters grabbed Drake before me in the 1929 Rule-5 Draft, I've always been interested in the powerful outfielder. From 1934 to 1938, he had 20 or more home runs, and 100 or more RBIs except when he hit 96 in '38. For his career, Drake has hit .275/.348/.476 (116 OPS+) with 170 doubles, 125 triples, 139 homers, and 707 RBIs in 1,126 games with the Foresters and the Dynamos. A natural center fielder, he's best suited for the corners, with a nice 1.049 efficiency in left and 1.047 in right. He'll displace Langton out in right, but he has had a few injury issues, so Langton will not only be used in case any of our three outfielders get hurt (Drake can move to center in a pinch), and I expect to give Langton a start a week at all three spots, especially against tough lefties for Mitchell. He also may get an extra start in left to give Ray Ford a day off, with Mitchell moving on to the dirt. Drake came off a down season, hitting just .279/.351/.411 (97 OPS+) with 14 doubles, 11 triples, 6 homers, and 53 RBIs in 466 PAs, but it's his only below average offensive season since becoming an every day regular. Drake really boosts our lineup and defense, and he could be just what we need to finally claim another Continental Association pennant.

That wasn't the only deal, as I did something I never thought I would ever do; trade Juan Pomales. I shipped him and Hal Wood to Toronto for one of my absolute favorite pitchers and brother of a current Cougar. Just like his brother, before being acquired by the Cougars, he was angry with his current situation. Right now his brother is happy, and I'm sure Johnnie will go from good to ecstatic once he is reunited with Donnie!

Taken in the 1938 lottery by the Wolves, the recently turned 20-year-old Donnie "Mole Killer" Jones was one of the best high school pitchers ever, striking out 215 as a sophomore while finishing 12-0 with a 0.43 ERA and 0.67 WHIP. The four year starter was a superb 42-3 with a 0.93 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 83 walks, and 677 strikeouts in 463 beyond elite innings pitched. He hasn't been that elite in the minors, but he split this season between Class A Davenport and AA Chattanooga. With Davenport he was 7-3 with a 5.57 ERA (96 ERA+), 1.72 WHIP, 49 walks, and 65 strikeouts in 85.2 innings pitched. With Chattanooga, he was a similar 5-8 with a 5.14 ERA (90 ERA+), 1.74 WHIP, 64 walks, and 71 strikeouts in 122.2 innings pitched. The numbers don't look great, but for a 19-year-old who isn't Pete Papenfus? Sign me up!

Donnie will pair with Johnnie next season in Mobile, and my goal is to move the brothers up the ladder together, hopefully even debuting the same week once the duo is ready. I think Donnie is the better Jones, ranked 11th in the league to Johnnie's 15th, and the 6'2'' righty is going to be one of the most feared pitchers in the league. His sinker already sits in the 92-94 range, a bit harder then he was throwing during the regular season. It's hard to tell which pitch is better, that or his curve, but as you might expect, "Mole Killer" is able to roll up grounder after grounder. He has great raw stuff and his command is starting to come around, but even if it never is much better then average, he'll strike out enough batters and record enough double plays to keep the bases from getting clogged. I can't see Donnie becoming anything other then a bona fide ace, and both OSA and Tom agree with my assumption. There are very few players I would rather have in my organization, the only reason I was willing to part with Pomales (I took about a week to decide), and let's be honest; what's better then a 1-2-3 of "Peter the Heater," "The Patron Saint of Groundballs," and "Mole Killer" for the next decade an a half! I really can't think of anything!

[ayaghmour2]

CF Jasper Wright (261st Overall)
Acquired: Via Trade with Pittsburgh (1939)
Drafted: 20th Round, 314th Overall (1935)
Alma Mater: Minneapolis Auggies

A very late bloomer, Japer Wright played just 19 games and made 29 trips to the plate in his first pro season, but since then, he's managed to appear in 120 or more games. Most have came at the games lowest level, and he spent his first year as a Cougar farmhand in La Crosse. The versatile Wright had a smooth .320/.442/.467 (111 OPS+) batting line with 27 doubles, 12 triples, 7 homers, 37 steals, and 62 RBIs. The best thing might have been his show of discipline, 101 walks to just 33 strikeouts in just over 600 trips to the plate. Known for his versatility, I expected him to play all around the diamond, but a mix of outfielders being moved up and others being injured, he spent most of his time out in center. He did get time at second, short, left, and right, positions he's comfortable with, as well as his first and only game at third. I think the outfield, mainly center, will be his main position, but he actually looked really good in his 9 games at short. Sure the sample was small, but generally guys tend to do terrible when learning a new position, and he looked like he's been playing shortstop his whole career. A bit old, now 22, speed and defense are his greatest assets, but his pitch recognition skills really took a huge leap this season. I'm not sure he'll ever be a top notch contact hitter, but he reminds me a lot of the guys the Sailors like, who put the ball in play, get on base, and are a threat to run. If Jorge Nava was a better center fielder, it would be a perfect comparison, but worst case Wright is a very useful fourth outfielder.

RHP Ira Hawker (262nd Overall)
Acquired: Via Minor League Free Agent (1938)
Drafted: 16th Round, 252nd Overall (1937)
Alma Mater: Glasgow Greyhounds

I originally signed Ira Hawker because I was desperate for a backup outfielder down in La Crosse, and it turns out I got much more then I bargained for. After realizing last offseason that Sonny O'Callaghan, a player I traded to the Foresters, was not just a corner infielder but also a pitcher, I decided to scour my organization for hidden pitchers. Turns out Hawker was one of them, so this year I let him pitch out of the pen. It looked to be the right call, as he went 4-2 with 2 saves, a 4.94 ERA (125 ERA+), 1.72 WHIP, 24 walks, and 5 strikeouts in 54.2 innings pitched. At the end of the season, I even gave him a pair of starts, and I think Hawker will continue to make starts for the Lions next season. The 20-year-old shot up the prospect ladder, and while I'm no where near convinced on him, he is considered to be better then all but 21 of our prospects. Hawker does have an interesting four pitch mix, led with an average curve and mid 80s fastball, but his slider and change have a lot of work to go. His command isn't where it should be, but for now I can blame it on a lack of innings. He looks like a spot starter now, but he's made great strides already, and we'd love for that to continue.

LF Harry Harris (263rd Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 7th Round, 108th Overall (1939)
Alma Mater: DuPont Manual Crimsons

A natural third basemen, I still have faith in Danny Richardson (even if the prospect rankers don't), so I sent Harry Harris out to left to start his pro career. The switch hitter hit an adjusted league average .356/.426/.436 (100 OPS+) with 8 doubles, 16 RBIs, and a steal in 115 trips to the plate. He missed five weeks with a hamstring strain, hence the low amount of PAs, as for someone as versatile as him, he'll always find time to play. Even if doesn't have an easy lineup spot, he can play first, second, third, left, and right, and as a switch hitter, he can work on the opposite hand for any number of our starters. He projects to hit for a high average, hitting above .300 every so often, but he'll reach frequently via the walk. I'm not sure where his final position will be, although I'm not sure he can handle center of short, but he should be an above average defender at any of the other positions he lines up. He profiles as a very useful bench player now, but he's a raw and toolsy prospect who has a lot of time to mature

[BSS Connie Wright (267th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 8th Round, 126th Overall (1939)
Alma Mater: Petersburg Patriots[/B]

As versatile as it gets, the 22-year-old Connie Wright played a game at first, second, third, short, left, center, and right, although a majority of his time was spent at short. He looked pretty great at each position, and I was really impressed with his work at short for San Jose. He didn't hit much there, just .211/.364/.248 (63 OPS+) after a quick stint with the Lions, but he showed a keen eye at the plate and drew nearly a walk a game. He didn't show much power, a lot of singles and the occasional double, but the switch hitter is here for his glove, not his bat. He has great speed and is extremely athletic, allowing him to play anywhere on the diamond. The fact that he was able to reach base 36% of the time despite barely hitting over .200 really shows how good his eye is, and if he can hit just a little bit, I can see him maintaining .400 OBPs. The concern was the strikeout jump when he was promoted, as he went from 22 walks and 3 strikeouts to 32 walks and 30 strikeouts, but I think that was more him being overmatched by tougher pitchers then a lack of discipline. Wright looks like a powerless Tip Harrison, but being able to hit from both sides of the plate could really help boost his value. He's one of those guys that you can't really trade, but would never cut, as even if he's just a AAAA guy, he can benefit his organization as a team leader who can keep the clubhouse in check.

RHP Bill Seawood (275th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 12th Round, 181st Overall (1935)
Alma Mater: Florence Wildcats

It was a season full of travel for the 22-year-old righty, who started his year in San Jose before finishing with 3 starts in Mobile. Of course, he was best in San Jose, 5-0 with a 2.54 ERA (192 ERA+), 1.23 WHIP, 5 walks, and 33 strikeouts in his 7 starts there. Most of his time came in Lincoln, 11 starts in total, and he was a very effective 6-4 with a 3.60 ERA (149 ERA+), 1.29 WHIP, 24 walks, and 32 strikeouts across 85 innings. It has been a slow climb up the ladder until this season, as it looked like Seawood may be running out of chances to make starts, but he's done a good job getting back on track this year. He has a nice three pitch arsenal with a high 80s fastball, plus change, and hard biting slider, and his stuff may be his best attribute. His command is still getting there, as he'll occasionally leave pitches over the plate, but he's not had many walk issues. I'd love to see him take another step forward this season, as he can move from reliable depth arm to potential back end option, and a velo boost to the 90s could be the difference.

[ayaghmour2]

CF John Johnson (277th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 3rd Round, 37th Overall (1935)
Alma Mater: Grange College Mustangs

A bit on the older side for a prospect, having just celebrated his 26th birthday, John Johnson received the gift that any minor league player would want; a 40-man roster spot. A former 3rd Round selection of ours, Johnson took a slow climb up the ladder, with this season being the only season he split between two levels. He spent 45 games in Mobile and 85 in Milwaukee, but he was vastly better in Milwaukee. With the Commodores he hit .277/.378/.405 (106 OPS+) with 8 doubles, 4 triples, 2 homers, 8 steals, and 22 RBIs. Then with the Blues he hit an improved .285/.389/.452 (114 OPS+) with 9 doubles, 6 triples, 10 homers, 14 steals, and 46 RBIs. The home run jump was huge, but other then the 1938 season, he has hit 9 or more homers each year. The athletic lefty is very strong, so home runs are something he may hit a lot of in Chicago, but he also has a great sense of the strike zone. He's a reliable defender out in center, and he can fill in at either corner or first, but his speed and range will allow him to stay in center. He's a pretty solid base stealer, something we lack (especially after trading Larry Robison), and that could be the deciding factor when dealing with roster cuts. With Rich Langton now firmly in the 4th outfielders role, there is really only room for one or two more outfielders, so unless MacDonald or Yates are moved, Johnson will likely spend next year back in Milwaukee. OSA and Weinstock actually both think he could be a decent starter in center, but considering he is three years older then Carlos Montes, the only shot he has of starting for us might be his inevitable injury.

SS Arnie Scurlock (305th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 6th Round, 87th Overall (1935)
Alma Mater: Cumberland University Explorers

I remember on draft day debating between Connie Wright and Arnie Scurlock for my 6th Round Pick, and it was really hard to pick between them. Both were switch hitters, both were extremely versatile, and both were likely perfect utility players. In the end, being an Oak Park Native gave Scurlock the edge, and I was still able to grab Wright a few rounds later. The most recent prospect ranking even has these guys back-to-back (25 and 26), and I really like both of these guys due to their defense and versatility. Scurlock can play all around the diamond, but he spent most of his time with us in Lincoln and most of it at short, hitting .346/.414/.447 (112 OPS+) with 14 doubles, 4 triples, 4 steals, and 29 RBIs across 245 trips to the plate. A bit on the older side, he turns 23 in March, but he does look well developed for his age, and he can easily work his way up the system. With his ability to play pretty much anywhere on the diamond, it will be very easy to not only promote him, but find at bats for him no matter who else is on the roster. Just like Wright, he'll always have the platoon advantage, so even if I don't want to commit him to one position, I can have him fill in around the diamond to keep guys fresh. His speed and range really help on the field, but at most he's a fringe .300 hitter at the plate. He has little to no power, something that may limit his overall value, but he sets a good example in the clubhouse and checks all the boxes for a valuable bench piece.

RHP George Sacchetti (306th Overall)
Acquired: Via Trade with Cleveland (1938)
Draft: 4th Round, 58th Overall (1938)
Alma Mater: Redwood University Mammoths

No one in our system took as big of a nosedive as George Sacchetti, and I'm not sure why the prospect prognosticators soured on him. Acquired with a 4th Round Pick last summer for Dave Rankin, OSA still believes the 23-year-old is a back of the rotation arm, and I think that's a more fair assessment. Sacchetti features a high 80s low 90s fastball and a solid change, but his slider and curve aren't the best offerings right now. I do believe they will improve, as does Tom, and he could end up with a passable four pitch mix. He gets a lot of movements on his pitches and does a good job keeping the ball on the ground, limiting hard contact and rolling up double plays. His command helps with the longballs, but he did have some struggles with walks this season. He split his time between Lincoln and San Jose, and while he struck out more then he walked with the Cougars, the walks were a problem in Lincoln. He made 14 starts and was 5-6 with a 5.80 ERA (92 ERA+), 1.94 WHIP, 45 walks, and 26 strikeouts in 94.2 innings pitched. That 2.5 K/9 was his lowest at any level, and he doubled that (5.5) in his 57 innings with San Jose. The issue with Sacchetti is he is underdeveloped for his age, likely not big league ready for at least another two seasons, and that might hurt him as the Jones brothers will be settling in Chicago as he's reaching Milwaukee.

RF Sammy Dillon (308th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 63rd Overall (1938)
Alma Mater: Mississippi A&M Generals

A 4th Rounder of ours in the 1938 draft, what attracted me to the Indianapolis native was his power. He hit 32 homers in three seasons with the Generals, and I love corner bats with pop. He hasn't quite hit as many homers in the minors as I wanted, but he matched his junior year total of 11 this season, with 8 in San Jose and 3 in Lincoln. Unfortunately, he didn't hit a single homer in 20 games with Mobile, but it seems like most Commodore hitters tend to struggle with the longball. He didn't hit much at all in AA, but was very impressive in his first two stops. With San Jose he hit .272/.415/.462 (132 OPS+) and with Lincoln .316/.400/.544 (130 OPS+). Split between the three stops, he tallied 28 doubles, 3 triples, and 61 RBIs, but despite 85 college steals, he has yet to steal a base in our system. I thought we had a potential 20/20 player on our hands, but it looks like Dillon is more of a lumbering slugger then a powerful speedster. He is a very discipline hitter, which should help him hit a lot of homers, but my guess is he's a .270 hitter at best. He has tremendous raw power and excellent bat speed, but he will be prone to the strikeout as he takes huge cuts at the plate. Dillon needs more seasoning before he becomes a big league starter, but with the glut of corner outfielders in the league, it may be tough for him to get the chance his talent warrants.

SS Steve Jones (341st Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 5th Round, 76th Overall (1938)
Alma Mater: Topeka State Braves

Rounding out this year's top 30 is 22-year-old shortstop Steve Jones. A former 5th Round selection, Jones split time between Lincoln and San Jose, but he hit so poorly with the Legislators he ended up finishing his year down in Class B. He hit well with the Cougars, .276/.394/.384 (106 OPS+), but was awful in his 295 PAs with the Legislators. Jones hit a poor .254/.328/.348 (66 OPS+) and seemed rather overmatched throughout the year. His strikeouts jumped from 30 in 55 games to 54 in 78 games, while he managed to walk less (21) in Lincoln then he did in San Jose (26). HIs defense was good in both locations, and he started to get some time at second base as well, but he may have to start next season in San Jose as well. The glove is his best asset, but he has shown promise with his eye and he has the speed to stretch the occasional single into a double. Jones will need a big showing next season to work his way into the picture, potentially moving up a level or two, but for now I think he's more bench bat then big league regular.

[ayaghmour2]

This week is going to be a little slow, and there probably will not be too much to write about as we have to get our rosters set for tomorrow, then run the Rule-5 draft Wednesday with the Independent and Minor League drafts following to end the week. I do expect to at least attempt to get a player in the Rule-5 draft, but I'm not sure if I will make an attempt in the other two drafts. I had my roster set already, well, other then Leon Drake who I added due to the trade. Right now, not only does new manager Clyde Myer still have Ollie Page bat second, he has Leon Drake hitting eighth. I can't imagine there is a better eight hitter then Leon Drake. Drake spent almost all season batting either 5th or 6th in one of the games best offense. And while I can't see him staying in the 8th spot, I think that's a good sign for the rest of the offense. Plus, now that Donnie Jones is a Cougar prospect, his morale has already jumped to Good! Interesting enough, Johnnie isn't as happy as I thought, just feeling Normal, but I am super psyched to have them pitch together. Our system now ranks 6th in the league with 128 points, just seven above the Sailors. Donnie and Johnnie don't rank in the top 10 yet, 11th and 15th respectively, but we now have four prospects in the top 30 and they are the 4th and 6th ranked pitchers.

Since there may not be much to write about this week, I decided why not write an Amateur Report! This one will cover some of the eligible draftees with cool nicknames that I have not yet mentioned.

RHP Ray Bell
School: Whitney College
1939: 9-4, 117.2 IP, 2.98 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 38 BB, 82 K
Career (HS): 37-7, 448.2 IP, 1.34 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 100 BB, 509 K
Career (COL): 17-8, 228.1 IP, 3.39 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 94 BB, 159 K

A former 5th Round selection by the Wolves, he was a four year starter at Slayton in his home town of Slayton, Minnesota, and decided to get his degree at the prestigious baseball school Whitney College. A sidearm southpaw nicknamed "Box Car," Bell had a sub 1.60 ERA in all four of his prep seasons and had an impressive sophomore season for the Engineers. He set career bests in college for ERA, WHIP, WAR, BABIP, innings, and strikeouts. He also cut his walk rate from 4.6 to 2.9, which while not great, is still not too bad. His control needs to improve as he looks to become a big league starter. He has a nice splitter and a 88-90 fastball, but his change will determine if he can pitch in the big leagues. Bell is a quick learner, which should help him improve a lot as he develops, and I think he'll get selected in one of the first five rounds this year.

2B Gordon Carter
School: Carteret
1939: .457/.528/.804, 110 PA, 13 2B, 5 3B, 3 HR, 27 RBI, 18 SB
Career: .460/.530/.818, 333 PA, 40 2B, 17 3B, 8 HR, 79 RBI, 82 SB

I can see the headlines now, Gordon "Slap N Dash" Carter leading a lineup for an FABL team! He'll be looking for a fourth solid season for Carteret, as the Newark Native has had back to back .800 slugging seasons and he's had a .450 or better average in each of his three seasons. He has great bat speed, helping to earn his nickname of Slap N Dash, and he has a great eye at the plate. He takes advantage of poor defenses and will always look to take the extra base, but he's not really the best defender. That's not to say he can't improve, he's just 18, but I think his bat is going to be much better then the glove. I think his future is more as a table setter then run producer, but every lineup needs guys like Carter to provide the spark.

C Frank Gould
School: Frostburg
1939: .402/.457/.598, 116 PA, 7 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 25 RBI, 8 SB
Career: .399/.483/.614, 356 PA, 30 2B, 5 3B, 8 HR, 79 RBI, 24 SB

He may not have the best stats, but Frank "Fat Cat" Gould gives me some John Dibblee vibes, but Gould is not nearly as heavy as Dibblee, just 190 despite being 6'4''. The catcher is an extremely athletic catcher, but my scout and OSA aren't really a fan of him. He's not the best hitter, lacking a top contact tool and he hits a ton of groundballs for a big strong guy. I'd love to see some improvements, but perhaps Gould is just not much of a catcher and is better suited for another position. Since we are in stats only, we have no way to know if he has good infield or outfield ratings, but some team is probably going to get the AI to take him, and they could have a hidden gem on their team.

RHP Wally Hunter
School: Branford
1939: 8-2, 96.1 IP, 1.78 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 25 BB, 106 K
Career: 16-4, 197.1 IP, 1.46 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 45 BB, 232 K

Who is better to have on the mound in a big game then "Big Game" Wally Hunter! The 6'2'' righty didn't pitch varsity as a Freshman, but he broke out as a sophomore. Hunter went 8-2 with a 1.16 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 20 walks, and 126 strikeouts in 101 innings pitched. He isn't the hardest thrower yet, sitting in the 84-86 range with his cutter, but he also features a slider, change, and forkball. His change looks to be his best pitch, but the other three are more average then plus. He doesn't have the best control, and that should hold him back for now, but if he gets that sorted out, he may actually pitch in some big games. Another plus of Hunter is scouts think he can end up in the outfield or at first, potentially better as a hitter instead of pitcher. They think he can have a good eye with decent power and a strong contact tool. I wish he could get some at bats at Branford, but like Goff, I think they will just keep him on the mound. He's a hard worker, but not always the most focused, so a good clubhouse could be what he needs.

CF Johnny Jones
School: Roanoke
1939: .413/.446/.679, 124 PA, 9 2B, 4 3B, 4 HR, 31 RBI, 17 SB
Career: .422/.485/.680, 344 PA, 32 2B, 10 3B, 8 HR, 77 RBI, 58 SB

"Jumpy" Johnny Jones is nothing like Johnnie Jones, but I love the triple alliteration of the Illinois native! He could be a regional pick for us, there aren't usually many good Illinois players, so I may end up taking a risk on the soon-to-be four year starter. He has decent speed, so when he puts the ball in play he can make things happen, but he does have some issues with striking out. It was nice that he hit 4 homers this season, a decent number for a high schooler, but he also tends to hit groundballs instead of liners. I hope his walks return, 17 as a freshman, but less then 10 the past two seasons, but I think Jones will be available in the regional round, and if there aren't many other interesting options, he could be a Cougar after graduating from Roanoke.

[ayaghmour2]

As always, we were very active in the Rule-5 Draft, this time selecting three players and losing one. I was a little surprised to lose Art Black, who will now look to break the Cincinnati Cannons roster, but he was a former big leaguer and had been pitching very well in Milwaukee. The past two seasons he pitched strictly out of the pen, and was an impressive 15-1 with 16 saves, a 1.81 ERA (278 ERA+), 1.07 WHIP, 47 walks, and 76 strikeouts in 114.2 innings pitched. As good as that looks, he is 30 with an 8.1 BB/9 in 65.1 big league innings, so there is a reason I was comfortable leaving him unprotected. I doubt he'll crack the Cannons roster, but they do need arms and he could soak up some innings for them.

Of the three guys I got, of course, two play the same position, highlighting the imperfections of the list system, as I can't tell the game "please don't give me two second basemen," but instead, I got two second basemen! One won't last, Sam Barnes, who ironically goes back to the Cannons, because I claimed former Cougar first rounder John Barnard. Another Cannon, we sent him there in the Lou Kelly deal with Joe Rainbow and Jim Hatfield. Now 27, he has an option year left, and he debuted in 1937 for them and has gotten a PA in each of the past three seasons. He hasn't hit much, just .216/.325/.333 (85 OPS+) with 8 doubles, 4 triples, a homer, steal, and 19 RBIs in 191 PAs. He's a decent fielder at second, third, and short, and will look to re-establish himself.

Part of his competition will be 25-year-old Mickey Fulton, our first Rule-5 Pick. We selected him from Montreal, the only organization he's played for so far. He was on my draft list in 1935, when he was selected in the 3rd Round, but he doesn't quite have the same ceiling he once showed. He missed a little time with injury, and did well in his 210 PAs in AA Nashville. Fulton hit .315/.399/.427 (116 OPS+) with 13 doubles, 2 triples, a homer, and 27 RBIs. He also got a taste of AAA, but it was the first time he had a below average offensive stint. He's a very disciplined hitter and has an above average contact tool, while fielding his position very well. He has some experience at short and left, and while the outfield could be interesting, I think second is his best position. Tom thinks he can be a solid starter at second, but I think he'll be more of an effective bench bat. I also grabbed 23-year-old Luke Conway, a former 4th Rounder of Boston's. He was also a guy on my draft list back in 1934, and discounting his first pro season, he's always had an above average or better ERA+. He spent all season in AA Worcester, making 34 starts in 228.2 innings, the same exact number as last season in A ball. He was 8-16 with a 4.41 ERA (106 ERA+), 1.81 WHIP, 185 walks, and 92 strikeouts. Yes, the walks are concerning, but I can't see him every having a 7.3 BB/9 again. He's a groundballer with a high 80s sinker, which should be an above average pitch. Tom thinks he'll run into walk troubles, although I know he already has, but I am as big fan of his stuff. His curve and change are solid pitches, and if he can locate them, he should be an effective big league pitcher. Of course, he may never locate them, let alone make our roster out of camp, but it's worth the lottery ticket.

I'm almost positive I won't take any players in the next two drafts, so this may be the last post for a bit, but I might try to get an Amateur Report done before the January draft.

[ayaghmour2]

If you polled Figment GM's, and asked them what the two most controversial first round picks, you'd probably get Eddie Quinn and Del Burns. Now, the two pitchers will be linked together forever. Burns, along with Art Saunders and Arnie Scurlock, will pack their bags and head to Washington in exchange for "Caveman" Eddie Quinn. The 33-year-old was selected 2nd overall in the first ever human draft, as the then Toronto manager traded up to grab the Kings pick to select Quinn. This shocked most, as Quinn likely would have still been available at Toronto's pick, and they gave up a lot of assets to secure the pick. The drama may have gotten to him early, as he struggled as a minor leaguer, but it didn't stop him from debuting in 1930. His first two seasons in Toronto were almost entirely out of the pen, but he became a full time starter in 1932 and has made 30 or more in all but one subsequent season, and he won 20 games for the first time this season.

Quinn started in Toronto, then went to Cleveland, before three seasons in Washington. He was best with the Foresters, going 43-35 with a 3.47 ERA (130 ERA+), 1.35 WHIP, 243 walks, and 304 strikeouts in 783.1 impressive innings. In total, he has thrown 2,184 and started 253 of his 360 appearances. He's 119-122 with 14 saves, a 3.80 ERA (113 ERA+), 1.42 WHIP, 745 walks, and 838 strikeouts. Last year was one of his better ones, 20-10 in 35 starts before a torn labrum ended is season. It was the first injury of more then five days for the 33-year-old, but finished with 106 walks, 107 strikeouts, and a 3.31 ERA (127 ERA+) and 1.38 WHIP. This has got him ranked 13th in the current top 20 pitchers list, between Lonardo (6th) and Lyons (16th). We will slot Quinn in the three spot, and he really lengthens our rotation. I love Pete Papenfus, but his walks are still way too much of a problem, and he was elite as a stopper. He's just 21, and most 21-year-olds are not the best at starting games in the big leagues, plus Dick Lyons won't be getting any younger. Sure the 39-year-old is still great, but of course there will be a time where he will need to be replaced in the rotation. Adding Quinn gives us a more then capable option to start games, and he's been very durable up until his recent injury. Behind Quinn will be veteran Milt Fritz and young righty Harry Parker, giving us arguably the best rotation in the CA. Plus with the Jones brothers waiting in AA ready to replace Lonardo, Lyons, or Fritz when the time comes, and it made me a little more comfortable giving up two talented young pitchers. I think Burns and Saunders have the chance to be very good pitchers, but I think we have a chance to win now and I have to jump on this opportunity. Our pitching depth should help us survive injuries that occur, although our team has pretty durable pitchers who have stayed rather injury free. I think we won't be making any more major moves this offseason, but I can definitely see a few minor deals working themselves out as I construct my Opening Day roster.

The draft also starts today, and seven players have been picked. All ten were on my scouts top ten, which I'm not sure is a good or bad thing. I had by database updated to include the new draft class, including some players who will be picked before every playing a high school or college game. We pick 12th and 28th in the January Draft, and I don't really know who I will take, as most of the guys I wanted have been taken. I've focused more on the regional round, but since we had a better record then the Chiefs, we don't have priority in any area. Luckily there are two Illinois guys I like enough for this round, so if they survive the two rounds, I will be able to get at least one of them.

[ayaghmour2]

1st Round, 12th Overall: RHP Mel Haynes
School: Princeton
1939: 7-2, 90.2 IP, 1.19 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, 22 BB, 126 K
Career: 26-3, 294.2 IP, 1.34 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 64 BB, 354 K

When the 12th Overall Pick came, nine of Tom Weinstock's top ten had already been selected, so instead of grabbing one of those guys, I sided with a talented young pitcher instead. Set to be a four year starter at Princeton High School in New Jersey, Mel Haynes had a dominant season as a junior, breakout as a Freshman, going a perfect 11-0 with a 1.35 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, 19 walks, and 138 strikeouts in 113.2 impressive innings pitched. He had a similar season as a sophomore before setting career lows in ERA and WHIP with a career high 12.5 K/9 as a junior. His highest ERA so far has been 1.49 and his highest WHIP 0.97, both coming in year two. Sure, he lost an extra game each season, but Haynes has had an outstanding prep career. The big 6'2'' righty is an excellent groundball pitcher, and during the offseason, he upped his velocity to 86-88, his third boost in the past two years. We're hoping for a little more from the Garfield native, but he projects to be a top of the rotation arm. His repertoire is raw, but he features what could be an impressive four pitch arsenal, led by an outstanding change up and three other solid pitches. He uses his sinker a lot down in the zone to roll up groundballs, while his slider and forkball are used to keep hitters guessing. His command isn't great, but his movement makes it really hard to hit his pitches. Tom isn't nearly as big of a Haynes fan as OSA, but I love his raw tools, and as risky as a high school pitcher is, his upside more then makes up for it.

2nd Round, 28th Overall: CF Don Lee
School: Lincoln High School
1939: .461/.559/.725, 129 PA, 12 2B, 3 3B, 3 HR, 27 RBI, 34 SB
Career: .434/.522/.683, 249 PA, 25 2B, 7 3B, 4 HR, 52 RBI, 66 SB

After a mediocre sophomore season, fellow New Jersian Don Lee set career bests for average, slugging, OBP, WAR, homers, RBIs, and steals in a solid junior year. A little on the younger side, "Rap" is 17 until later in the month, and was actually the last remaining (ninth) player on Tom's list. I debated using my first on him, and it looks like I made the right decision waiting, as I'm sure Haynes would not have lasted another 16 picks. Lee isn't the most talented prospect available, but his work ethic already shows, as his high school coaches have reported him arriving early and leaving late, always willing to do whatever it takes to make himself a better baseball player. He's a strong runner which should correlate with great range in the outfield, and at the plate he has an impeccable eye. Lee has shown a knack for barreling up the ball, and the righty hits to all fields and hits the ball in the air. He has a nice combination of bat speed and barrel control as well, which should help him hit for high averages on a regular basis. He doesn't look to be an All-Star, more of a productive regular, but I have moved a few of our outfield prospects this offseason, and we only have one outfielder (Bunny Hufford) left in the top 200. Lee seems to be a little bit of a risky pick, but this pool doesn't look as strong as some have in the recent past, and at least at this point, there aren't too many super excited youngsters left.

All that is left for us is the regional draft, although the main Chicagoan I like has already been selected. Still, our region has a lot of interesting prospects available, and I won't have to search too much for another capable pick.

[ayaghmour2]

3rd Round, 44th Overall: CF Bill Rich
School: Grange College
1939: .289/.383/.434, 289 PA, 11 2B, 2 3B, 7 HR, 46 RBI, 34 SB
Career (HS): .448/.510/.646, 490 PA, 42 2B, 5 3B, 10 HR, 110 RBI, 69 SB
Career (COL): .290/.383/.439, 561 PA, 22 2B, 4 3B, 14 HR, 86 RBI, 67 SB

You may recognize the name Bill Rich for a few reasons. First, that is the name of longtime New York Stars shortstop and now current Chicago Chief Bill Rich, who has hit .263/.330/.365 (87 OPS+) across 5,222 FABL plate appearances. The other would be that the Quincy native was actually our 20th Round Pick back in 1937, one of the many impossibles I like to select towards the end of the draft. College really helped Rich polish his skills, as the light hitting outfielder gained a lot more power, hitting seven homers in each of his two seasons with the Grange College Mustangs. He's also upped his contact tool, hitting close to .300 in one of the toughest college conferences, while he continues to walk more then he strikes out. Tom is a big fan, ranking Rich in his top 25 position players, and he was one of two (the other being first rounder Richie Hughes) Illinois prospects I was hoping would fall. He does a good job putting the bat on the ball, but he's probably not going to be the best defender out in center. We didn't have many options, but Weinstock thinks he'll force his way into a lineup and I think Rich could at least be a passable bench bat, filling in at all three outfield spots when needed. I don't expect much out of the regional picks, but I do think he is much more valuable then the options we had last year in this round.

Not much more action this week, but the Hall of Fame did add Big George Johnson and manager Edward Wakeham. Spring Training will be next week, and then Opening Day starts the following Monday. Time for what should be a great season in Chicago!

[ayaghmour2]

Spring Training doesn't officially happen until Monday, but our most recent sim brought us to the start. The FSJ Preseason Predictions have the Cougars leading the CA, but the always inaccurate first batch of Spring Training predictions have us just 79-75, and if we finish that poorly, I won't be able to describe my anger in words. They think John Lawson will hit .326/.399/.482 with 18 homers and 93 RBIs while Dick Lyons will finish 15-15 with a 3.25 ERA, 67 walks, and 46 strikeouts. Looking back towards the Spring, we really don't have many roster battles to deal with, but I still plan on inviting a lot of NRI. Below are a list of guys in camp, with players denoted with a * are considered locks for the roster.

LHP Bob Bliss
RHP Joe Brown
RHP Pug Bryan
RHP Luke Conway
RHP Grover Donahue
RHP Milt Fritz*
LHP Cal Knight
RHP Billy LeBeau
RHP Dutch Leverett
RHP Jim Lonardo*
LHP Dick Lyons*
RHP Pete Papenfus*
RHP Harry Parker*
LHP Walker Pearce
RHP Allen Purvis*
RHP Joe Schell
RHP Dick Strunk
RHP Eddie Quinn*
LHP Rusty Watts
C Harry Mead*
C Steve Mountain
C Mike Taylor*
C Johnnie Williamson
1B Ray Ford*
1B Lou Kelly
1B Cuno Myer
2B Bill Dickens
2B Mickey Fulton
2B Stu Johnson
2B Freddie Jones*
2B Ollie Page*
3B John Lawson*
3B Johnny McDowell*
SS John Barnard
SS Freddie Bennett
SS Tip Harrison
SS Billy Hunter*
SS Oscar King
SS Skipper Schneider
LF Calvin Brown
LF Rich Langton*
LF Bobby Mills
LF Leo Mitchell*
LF Vince York
CF John Johnson
CF Aart MacDonald*
CF Carlos Montes*
CF Harry Schad
CF Orlin Yates
RF Leon Drake*
RF Tommy Sandstorm
RF Tom Taylor
RF Aaron Ward

The biggest battles this Spring will be in the bullpen, as the rotation and the lineups are already set. Joe Brown and Pug Bryan are out of options, so I'd prefer them to have a good Spring, but I can't really see myself waiving either one. Brown because of his obvious upside, and Pug, well, because I really like Pug. That makes things tougher for Rule-5 pick Luke Conway, last year waiver claim Dutch Leverett, and breakout lefty reliever Cal Knight, as I'm probably going to carry nine pitchers and they all can't make it. The lineup is pretty solid as, I know exactly which eight players are going to spend the most time in the lineup. Then, I plan to give Rich Langton and Ollie Page semi-regular at bats. Langton will give an off day to Leo Mitchell, Carlos Montes, Leon Drake, and Ray Ford, especially in the seven game weeks. This will give him three games in left and one in right, with Drake manning center for Montes and Mitchell moving to first for Ford. Page will give an off day to Freddie Jones and Billy Hunter again, as well as now John Lawson. When Lawson is off, Page will take short and Hunter will move to third, as Hunter has much more experience at the hot corner then Page. A few bench spots are taken, with Langton, Page, Harry Mead, and the out of options Aart MacDonald, so I really won't have much to deal with assuming we are able to stay healthy. To make things easier on myself, I'm turning off seven day lineups for the Spring, and I'll let rookie manager Clyde Meyer do his thing. Yes, that means Ollie Page starting for now, but at least that should keep Freddie healthy! Surprisingly, he also has Papenfus as the #2, a huge boost from the general stopper role that Walt and even Meyer used to have him in. I think Peter the Heater may finally be a good starter, even Tom thinks he's the second best starter in the organization now, but I don't think I'm ready to push Fritz or Parker out of the rotation. This is good news as if Lyons starts to slip a bit, I know Pete is ready to hop in, but unless his walks are nearly gone, I think he's going to start the season as the stopper, with the occasional start in a rough stretch of games.

We still have time before the Opening Day prospect lists are published, but a few of our guys have gotten a boost. The system now ranks tied for 5th with the Gothams, as our Jones' are now officially top ten prospects, back-to-back with Donnie 9th and Johnnie 10th. Lou Eaker snuck into the top 100 at 96, giving us 7 in the top 100. Even with the trades, we still have 21 in the top 250 and 47 in the top 500, but our 45 and 47 are our Rule-5 Picks, who aren't guaranteed to remain Cougars. Surprisingly, Ira Hawker snuck into the top 200 at 196, as he continues to shock me. He's definitely going to get more starts, and he could be a very lucky find.

[ayaghmour2]

It wasn't the most eventful week, just 3-3, but baseball is back yet again! It's been too long since the Cougars took the field, and I just cannot wait for the season to start! I am a lot of faith in the guys, I really think this is our season, although I do claim that a bit more frequently then I should. It's hard to draw too many conclusions from Spring play, but it's always interesting to look at the results.

John Lawson had a huge week, 6-for-14 with a double, 2 homers, and 5 RBIs with a beautiful 1.429 OPS. Mike Taylor matched the homers in half the time, 4-for-7 with 2 runs and 4 RBIs. Leon Drake had a rough opening week as a Cougar, just 1-for-13 with 3 walks, 2 runs, and an RBI. We did hit a ton of homers, with one a piece for Ford, MacDonald, Page, and Hunter, giving us eight in our six games. MacDonald was 4-for-13 with a triple, 2 RBIs, and 3 runs scored while fellow center fielder Carlos Montes was 4-for-10 with 4 walks, a steal, RBI, and 2 runs scored. Not many other big appearances, but 31 of our 35 position players got at least a single trip to the plate. One who didn't was Mickey Fulton, I'd prefer if our Rule-5 pick got some action, so I'll add him into the lineup to give him some more reps. The other three won't be considered for the active roster, so it's fine they didn't get time.

Dutch Leverett pitched the most innings for the team, a pair of 4 inning relief outings with 7 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts as he looks to secure a roster spot. NRI Joe Schnell went 6 innings with 6 hits, 2 runs, and 2 walks. Bob Bliss tossed five scoreless with 4 hits, a walk, and 3 strikeouts. All six potential starters made a single outing, all four inning starts, with just Harry Parker allowing more then two runs. He allowed 4 with 8 hits, but no walks or strikeouts. Eddie Quinn and Jim Lonardo looked the best, a run a piece, but Quinn had the strongest start. He allowed just 2 hits with a walk and a strikeout. Lonardo scattered 7 hits, but struck out three, and both picked up the win. Papenfus didn't walk 10, but he did walk three, allowing 4 hits with 3 strikeouts. Lyons allowed 6 hits and 2 runs with a walk. Fritz allowed 3 hits, 2 runs, and 3 walks. Pug Bryan went 4.1 out of the pen, allowing 5 hits, 2 runs, and 2 walks with 4 strikeouts. Like the hitters, all but four appeared, but we only have 19 pitchers in camp. Luke Conway was one who didn't pitch, and I'd like more looks at him, so I'll try to work him into things. There aren't many spots up for grab in the pen, so it could be an exciting battle.

[ayaghmour2]

All these 3-3 weeks are giving me not-so-pleasant flashbacks of last year's disappointing season... Good news is we are still healthy! Joe Brown did his best to cement his roster spot, four appearances across 6.1 innings with 4 hits, an earned run, and unearned run, 2 walks, and a strikeout. Pug did not, 4 hits, 2 runs, 4 walks, and 2 strikeouts in 3.1 innings pitched. Papenfus tossed a 1-hit "shutouts" with a hit, 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts. Fritz and Quinn would've done the same if it wasn't for unearned runs, with Milt allowing 2 hits, 4 walks, and an unearned run with a strikeout while Eddie was charged with a pair of unearned runs, a hit, 3 walks, and a strikeout. Harry Parker looked much better, 4 hits, a run, and a walk in his 4 innings. Dick Lyons was roughed up a bit, 5 hits, 3 runs, and a strikeout in 4 frames while Jim Lonardo allowed 4 hits and 2 runs in his 4 innings. Luke Conway still didn't get an innings, so I'm hoping moving him to the setup role will help. He's the only pitcher without an inning and we don't have a setup man listed. Everyone else has two or more frames.

Leon Drake quickly shook off his rust, 7-for-15 with a double, triple, RBI, and 3 runs scored in a much improved week. Billy Hunter hit two homers and drove in five while finishing 5-for-12 with a triple and five runs scored. Leo Mitchell was 5-for-13. Harry Mead was 4-for-10 with 2 doubles, a homer, and 4 RBIs. Freddie Jones was 4-for-7 with a double, homer, and 3 runs scored and driven in. Everyone but Tip Harrison got into a game this week, and all 35 players have at least one plate appearance in the Spring. I don't plan on sending anyone down until next sim, but the minor league season starts a day after the FABL season, so I don't have a need to clear the roster yet. I'm still debating on the bench, but I have a pretty good idea how the bullpen is going to end up. I know I will have to cut a lot of guys I'd prefer not cutting, and I haven't had much luck trading some of my guys who are too talented to waive, and I know will get claimed.

[ayaghmour2]

We couldn't go 3-3 this week, so we did the only thing better, 3-4! Now 9-10 for the Spring, we have just five games left, and I started sending a few bats down, keeping all the arms in camp to hopefully keep the pitchers rested, healthy, and happy. Steve Mountain, Cuno Myer, Bill Dickens, Stu Johnson, Calvin Brown, Vince York, Harry Schaad, Tom Taylor, and Aaron Ward all reported back to Milwaukee, leaving us with 44 players on the active roster. 20 more will leave before Opening Day, but we still have a little time before that happens.

Jim Lonardo made a pair of starts this week, both lasting 4 innings, while allowing 4 hits and 3 runs (2 earned) with 2 strikeouts. Joe Schnell was busy out of the pen, 7.2 innings with 6 hits, 3 runs, a walk, and a strikeout. Grover Donahue went 5 in his relief outing, 2 hits, a run, and 2 walks to his credit. Billy Lebeau went 4.2, allowing 5 hits with a walk and strikeout. Milt Fritz had a nice start, just a hit with 4 strikeouts in his 4 innings. Harry Parker looked good too, 4 hits and a run in his 4 innings. Peter the Heater finally had more strikeouts (3) then walks (2) and allowed just a single hit and run. Dick Lyons had a bit of a rough outing, 6 hits, 4 runs (2 earned), a walk, and a strikeout in his start. Eddie Quinn left his start after just one pitch due to back tightness, but he's fine for his next start. Walker Pearce went 4.1 innings with 3 hits, a walk, and an unearned run.

Leon Drake will miss a game with a back spasm, ending a tough week where he finished 3-for-17 with a homer and 2 RBIs. Leo Mitchell was 6-for-17 with a walk and solo homer. John Lawson was ice cold, 2-for-15 with an RBI, 2 runs, and 2 walks. Same for Ollie Page, who was 1-for-14 with a double and 2 RBIs. Freddie Jones also struggled, 2-for-13 with 3 RBIs, as did Aart MacDonald, who was 1-for-12. Billy Hunter was 4-for-11 with a double, Orlin Yates 4-for-10 with a triple, and Rich Langton 3-for-10, but a lot of the bats were not up to par in our losing week. Ray Ford did well, 3-for-7 with 3 runs and 4 walks, but no one else with 10 PAs really did much of anything. I think they are saving their hits for the regular season!

[ayaghmour2]

We didn't end the Spring well, dropping four of the last five to finish a rough 10-14. That made us tied with the Stars for 6th, but as long as we win games in the regular season, I think I'll be okay. Harry Parker, Milt Fritz, and Eddie Quinn each tossed a "shutout" with Parker allowing 6 hits and a walk with a strikeout while Quinn totaled 2 hits, walks, and strikeouts, and Fritz walks 2 and struck out one. Pete Papenfus had a rough start, 4 hits, 4 runs, and 4 walks with two strikeouts. Same goes for Dick Lyons, 7 hits, 5 runs (4 earned), 2 walks, and a strikeout. Cal Knight lost two games, 4 innings with 6 hits, 4 runs (3 earned), 3 walks, and a strikeout. Joe Brown went 4 with 2 hits, a run, 3 walks, and 5 strikeouts. Allen Purvis allowed 5 hits and 4 runs (2 earned) with a walk and strikeout. Rusty Watts exploded, 5 hits, 6 runs, 3 walks, and 2 strikeouts in 1.2 innings.

Leo Mitchell and Leon Drake had rough weeks, 1-for-13 and 1-for-12, with Mitchell at least hitting a two run homer. Billy Hunter and John Lawson were both 4-for-10 with, Hunter hitting a pair of doubles. Carlos Montes was hitless in his ten PAs. Oscar King and Freddie Jones were both 2-for-10. Rich Langton was 5-for-10 with a double, homer, and 3 RBIs. Ray Ford was 3-for-7 with 3 walks, a homer, and 4 RBIs. None of our bats had more then 15 at bats, but each guy left in camp had at least one trip to the plate. Our sim tomorrow brings us to Opening Day, but we don't have any regular season games until Monday.