Chicago Cougars (FABL)

[ayaghmour2]

With the Attack on Pearl Harbor occurring in our universe, we got hit with our first batch of military enlistees and callups. Of course, we already knew reigning Allen Winner Pete Papenfus was enlisting, and he will serve in the Navy for the next two years. His combined no hitter buddy Harl Haines will be joining him, as will veteran outfielder Alex Ingraham. Ironically, I thought the war would help Haines earn a rotation spot, but now he'll be serving his country instead. This is just the beginning, as we'll have a lot more players either drafted or enlisted, but FABL rosters are going to look a lot different next year.

[ayaghmour2]

I don't want to do a new post every time someone enlists, so I'll keep track of all players in our organization who enlist or are drafted here:

Army
LHP Rusty Watts (March 31st, 1941-March 31st, 1942)
RHP Ray McNeill (December 22nd, 1941-December 22nd, 1943)
SS Jimmy Bach (December 22nd, 1941-December 22nd, 1943)
2B Harry Avery (December 22nd, 1941-December 22nd, 1943)
CF Max Rucker (December 22nd, 1941-December 23rd, 1943)
RF Sammy Dillon (December 22nd, 1941-December 23rd, 1943)
RHP Bob Leonard (December 25th, 1941-December 25th, 1943)
RF Harry Harris (January 5th, 1942-January 5th, 1944)
RHP Charlie Everett (January 5th, 1942-January 5th, 1944)
RHP Pat Rhodes (January 5th, 1942-January 5th, 1944)
2B Stu Stasny (January 5th, 1942-January 5th, 1944)
CF Glenn Shepperd (January 6th, 1942-January 6th, 1944)

Navy
RHP Pete Papenfus (December 8th, 1941-December 8th, 1943)
RHP Harl Haines (December 8th, 1941-December 8th, 1943)
RF Alex Ingraham (December 8th, 1941-December 8th, 1943)
C Diego Bernal (December 22nd, 1941-December 22nd, 1943)
SS Connie Wright (December 27th, 1941-December 27th, 1943)
LHP Art Ramsey (December 31st, 1941-December 31st, 1943)
RHP Walt Leonard (December 31st, 1941-December 31st, 1943)

Air Force
RF Fred Vargas (December 8th, 1941-December 8th, 1943)
RHP Tommy Wilcox (December 25th, 1941-December 25th, 1943)
RHP Harry Stewart (December 31st, 1941-December 31st, 1943)
3B Wally Burnett (December 31st, 1941-December 31st, 1943)
LHP Leo Hayden (January 7th, 1942-January 7th, 1944)

Marines Corp
RHP Duke Bybee (December 31st, 1941-December 31st, 1943)
1B Joe Powers (December 31st, 1941-December 31st, 1943)

Coast Guard
LHP Joe Bement (December 31st, 1941-Decmeber 31st, 1943)

It was also rumored Skipper Schneider will be enlisting. We have depth to cover these losses, but we're getting hit the hardest in terms of the quality of players to leave. Papenfus is the only top 20 player (and he's #1) to enlist so far, but both Skipper and brother Buddy are both top 20 hitters. Lucky for us, it was later announced that the brothers would not enlist, but the cause many not be the best for us. Skipper had an undiagnosed hernia, which we hope won't cause him many issues down the line.

[ayaghmour2]

With FABL teams still dealing with the draft and enlistments (just Class B and C players left, although big leaguers can leave at any time), this was one of the more active Rule-5 Drafts. We've been rather lucky so far, with the only big loss Pete Papenfus, as well as a few less crippling with Harl Haines and Fred Vargas, and very few minor leaguers leaving. I have a lot of guys in the lower minors, so I expect to get hit hard in the coming days, but we won't have to worry about losing guys like Bunny Hufford, Solly Skidmore, Mel Haynes, and Danny Goff Jr.

In the Rule-5 Draft, we lost just one guy; Bob Worley. I totally forgot he was even in our organization, which makes sense because I added him to a minor league deal in September. Way back in 1926 he was actually our 12th Round selection, but the following offseason I sent him to the Stars with Phil English and Bert Houston for Bob McCarty and Pat Schuring. He debuted in 1930, and has made appearances for the Stars, Saints, Chiefs, and Kings. He's always shown power, but his .237/.305/.342 (76 OPS+) career line isn't all that impressive. He'll now return to the Chiefs, who hope he can be this year's Jim Watson.

We added two arms, picking up a pair of young righties. The first was Ken Matson, who comes over from Brooklyn. The Kings took him with the last pick of the human portion of the draft back in 1936, and he's had a decent minor league career with them. He split his time last year between AA Knoxville and AAA Jersey City, and as you'd expect, he was much better in AA. Matson went 9-5 with a 4.05 ERA (111 ERA+), 1.42 WHIP, 32 walks, and 78 strikeouts in 17 starts. He made 11 more with the Uniforms, where he was a below average 5-6 with a 3.48 ERA (83 ERA+), 1.33 WHIP, 28 walks, and 62 strikeouts. I love the soon-to-be 24-year-olds stuff, as he's always struck out a ton of hitters, with K/9s of 5.3 and 6.2 in Knoxville and Jersey City this year. OSA and Tom Weinstock think he'll end up a spot starter, but I really like his profile out of the pen. He's a hard thrower with a 95-97 cutter, and batters have to respect his curve and change. At times he walks too many hitters, but he gets good movement on his pitches and is good at missing bats. As of now, he has the inside track to securing a pen spot, and I'd like to keep him on the roster all season. Matson is also interestingly a sparkplug, something you usually see in hitters and not pitchers. He does rank in the top 500, sitting at 357th and 36th in our organization.

The other was a former Eagle 19th Rounder with an awesome baseball name; Hooks Camp. The 24-year-old has a fittingly sharp curve, the best of a decent four pitch mix. Camp spent all of last season in AA Atlanta, and he did an okay job there. He was 11-15 with a 4.21 ERA (103 ERA+) and 1.57 WHIP with 100 walks and 88 strikeouts across 213.2 innings. Yes, the walks are an obvious concern, but he has a ton of stamina and can eat innings. Tom thinks Hooks can also be a spot starter, and is a big fan of how he always puts the team first. He's not the hardest thrower, sitting in the low 90s, but he does a good job keeping the ball in the park, while erasing some of his free passes with double plays. With some polishing of his control, he can be a Harry Parker type complete game machine, and he managed to throw 267 pitches in a 15.1 inning loss against Knoxville and 175 in a game where our Commodores walked him off in the 9th. It will be hard to keep both guys, but I really like them both. Injuries and the military could make things easier, but I may have to work out a trade to keep them in the organization.

[ayaghmour2]

We've started the Winter portion of the 1942 draft, and while there was a standout top 2, the rest of the pool seemed a little less exciting. With really no standout players, I decided to move my pick, leaving me with the last pick in the second round and my regional selection. There were a few enquiries for my selection, and I eventually sent it to our runner ups, the New York Stars. We will be receiving a 4th and 7th Round Pick, as well as middle infielder Clark Car in exchange for the 16th Pick in the 1942 Draft.

Car, almost 28, was a 2nd Round selection back in 1932 by the Baltimore Cannons, and always a guy I've been fond of. He hasn't had the best FABL career, but he debuted at 22 back in 1936, where he had an excellent 51 game sample for Baltimore. He hit .355/.397/.495 (133 OPS+) with 19 doubles, 4 triples, a homer, 7 steals, and 23 RBIs through 231 plate appearances. He has yet to match that production, or even have another above average season with the bat, but he can cover both second and short well, and he gives us much needed depth as we try to maneuver the war overseas. This is the second trade for Car, who joined the Stars in 1939, and the lefty swinging, righty thrower owns a career .271/.313/.399 (92 OPS+) line with 166 doubles, 51 triples, 18 homers, 30 steals, and 318 RBIs. He got into 324 games with the Cannons and 350 with the Stars, and will now begin his Cougar career. We do have a lot of infield depth with Freddie Jones, Ollie Page, Billy Hunter, and Skipper Schneider, but the first three enjoy getting injured and Hunter will not be ready for Opening Day. Car has an almost guaranteed roster spot, and looks set to platoon with Freddie Jones until Hunter comes is healthy and completes a rehab assignment. When Billy returns, he'll still get the occasional game as I won't rush Hunter back into the lineup, plus there is a high likelihood that him or Jones will get hurt again. Car has a lot of speed and really bolsters our depth, and adding a pair of picks is the icing on the cake. The few guys I would have wanted with my pick are gone, and I really don't see much difference between the guys left and what will be available in June.

[ayaghmour2]

2nd Round, 32nd Overall: CF Henry Deveaux
School: Mississippi A&M
1941: .278/.354/.357, 275 PA, 8 2B, 4 3B, HR, 44 RBI, 35 SB
Career: .281/.357/.362, 482 PA, 15 2B, 8 3B, HR, 73 RBI, 66 SB

I don't love this pick, but as I mentioned in my trade post, I'm not the biggest fan of this pool. The player I really wanted here went two picks earlier, and while there was a decent enough pitcher available, I didn't really think he was worth grabbing. So instead, I went with a safer pick, picking up a college outfielder from Outfield A&M. He doesn't have the highest upside, but Henry Deveaux seems to have a relatively low floor, and he should be able to rise up our system rather quickly. He's got excellent speed which translates to great range in center, as well as a ton of stolen bases, and his speed is one of his best assets. Deveaux doesn't show any power, but he'll hit his share of extra base hits, and he's always looking to take the next base. His bat isn't bad, he'll hit for a decent average. He has a nice approach at the plate, staying inside the ball and working it up the middle. We do have a handful of talented young outfielders, so it's not the easiest trip up for Deveaux, but there aren't too many exciting shortstops left, and Deveaux is arguably best available. He could work force his way into a big league lineup, but with his glove and speed, he at least can end up a strong 4th outfielder.

Just the regional round left, as the the first two rounds are over. We're getting closer to the Spring, and I can't wait to defend the pennant as we look for the elusive championship win.

[ayaghmour2]

3rd Round, 48th Overall: LHP Bill Chapman
School: Edina
1941: 4-1, 59.2 IP, 1.51 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 13 BB, 78 K
Career: 13-2, 182.2 IP, 1.63 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 43 BB, 224 K

I wasn't a big fan of the regional options available, so I decided to take a risk on a young pitcher. Southpaw Bill Chapman is a native of Edina, Missouri, and stands 6'1'' while weighing just 165 pounds. Chapman has pitched for the Eagles since he was a freshman, but his 10 starts as a sophomore are his career high, with 14 of his 38 appearances coming out of the pen. That does cause a little concern, as his innings totals are low, but when he is on the mound, Chapman is very effective. The 18-year-old has had an ERA below 1.50 and WHIP below 1 in each of the last two seasons, and his career K/9 and BB/9 of 11 and 2.1 are strong. He has a six pitch mix, the best an average fastball that sits in the upper 80s and low 90s, and he has the overall stuff to start in the big leagues. He has a curve, slider, change, forkball, and circle change, with the circle change his projected strikeout pitch. If he can work in the curve and slider effectively he can cut through batters efficiently, but his pitches have a lot of work to go before being reliable offerings. Bill has a good approach on the mound, cool and collected with runners on, and he approaches each batter slowly and methodically. His stuff won't overwhelm, but his control is reliable. Tom isn't the biggest fan, but OSA thinks he can pitch into a back end role, and I think he has a foundation we can build on to mold him into a useful FABL arm.

[ayaghmour2]

Baseball is back! Sure, the Spring games are meaningless, but after a long offseason filled with a lot of stress for FABL GMs, the start of Spring always brings excitement and fresh optimism in the baseball world. After coming a game away from a championship, the Cougars feel like there is a lot of unfinished business, and they want to return to the finals. Even without Pete Papenfus, the Cougars are the odds on favorite to win the Continental Association, and if the rumors are true on Bill Barrett's enlistment, there may not be a very exciting pennant race in store. As always, the Cougars invite a lot of non-roster players (listed below), and unlike last season, there will be a few interesting roster battles; most notably in the rotation.

RHP Bill Anderson
RHP Augie Bertrand
RHP Joe Brown*
RHP Pug Bryan
RHP Hooks Camp
RHP Joe Crosby
RHP Ben Curtin*
RHP George DeForest
RHP Grover Donahue
LHP Joe Ferrara
RHP Milt Fritz*
RHP Ira Hawker
RHP Donnie Jones
LHP Johnnie Jones
LHP Cal Knight
RHP John Little
RHP Jim Lonardo*
LHP Dick Lyons*
RHP Ken Matson
RHP Harry Parker*
RHP Allen Purvis
RHP Eddie Quinn
LHP Ed Wilkinson
C Harry Mead*
C Steve Mountain
C Mike Taylor*
1B Ray Ford*
1B Cuno Myer
1B Dick Walker*
2B John Banks
2B Clark Car*
2B Larry Colaianni
2B Ossie Grogan
2B Freddie Jones*
2B Ollie Page*
3B Bill Dickens
3B Bill Graham
3B John Lawson*
3B Johnny McDowell
3B Jocko Pollard
SS Eddie Curtis
SS Tip Harrison
SS Skipper Schneider*
LF Al Heard
LF Leo Mitchell*
LF Oscar Panduro
CF Doug Bennett
CF Bunny Hufford
CF Aart MacDonald
CF Jim Madsen
CF Carlos Montes*
CF Orlin Yates
RF Chick Browning
RF Rich Langton*
RF Cliff Moss*

* Denotes guaranteed roster spot

Camp Battles
Rotation Spots: 2
Inside Edge: Joe Brown
50/50: Milt Fritz, Donnie Jones
Outside Looking In: Eddie Quinn, Bill Anderson, Johnnie Jones

Even with the enlistment of Pete Papenfus and then the drafting of Harl Haines, Chicago has a lot of depth in the rotation. Late inning arm Joe Brown has made just 4 starts in the past two seasons and 8 since debuting in 1937, but he's always shown the ability to start games, and it can be argued that on most teams he'd fit comfortably in the middle of their rotation. Tom Weinstock is a huge fan, declaring him to be a solid #2, and manager Clyde Meyer has Brown slotted behind Jim Lonardo and Harry Parker in his rotation. Barring injury, the 28-year-old will close out our opening series in Montreal, and the rotation spot will be his to lose during the season.

The bigger question is who will be our 5; veteran Milt Fritz or top prospect Donnie Jones. Back in August of 1940, Milt Fritz was just two wins away from his second 20 win season, while surpassing the 200 inning mark for the 11th time. But then on the final day of the month, he tore his rotator cuff, the first injury of more then three weeks in his career. Fritz was just a shell of his former self last year, with his ERA and WHIP rising from 2.84 (139 ERA+) and 1.33 to 4.01 (98 ERA+) and 1.60, while his BB/9 nearly doubled from 3.7 to 6.5. His control was erratic at best, walking more then four times as many hitters as he struck out, and his velocity was down a full 5 miles per hour in his return. He went from a potential 300 win pitcher to lucky if he can get 200, and "Big Cat" will have to hold off the "Mole Killer" in Spring to secure our final spot. He's in no jeopardy of losing a roster spot, and would transition into a long man/spot starter, but Frtiz's best days may be behind them. Jones, however, is a decade younger and currently ranked as the FABL's 6th best prospect. Clyde Meyer is giving the youngster the edge, and neutrals around the league would love to see the talented youngster start the season in the Cougars rotation. I want him getting regular starts, so he won't be an option out of the pen, and with his leadership and upside, he could be exactly what we need to replace Peter the Heater. Jones did debut last season, and while it wasn't pretty, our staff has noted he's made huge strides in the offseason, raving about his elite stuff and top of the rotation talent, with manager Clyde Meyer giving him the 5 spot in the rotation. If Jones can pitch effectively in the Spring, he'll look to take the ball every 5 games, while potentially moving to a closer role when we don't need a full rotation.

Injuries can throw a wrench into any teams plan, especially with pitching, so we may need to dig a little deeper. I think Donnie's older brother Johnnie still needs more polishing before starting every five games, but he may get a start in the Spring. He had huge control issues last year, walking 22 in just 13.1 innings, and he has too much future potential to waste away in our pen. Veteran Eddie Quinn's best days may be behind him, but he's a veteran with a lot of experience who could take advantage of some of these younger and inexperienced guys FABL teams will be force to call upon. The real dark horse is former Toronto ace Bill Anderson, who Tom Weinstock is a big fan of and pitched out of the Commodores pen a bit last year. The 33-year-old won 22 games for the Eagles back in 1936 and has made 195 big league starts with a 84-101 record. He's not on the 40, which may hurt his chances, but Anderson will be a useful depth arm to hang on to.

Bullpen Spots: 2-3
Inside Edge: Eddie Quinn
50/50: Hooks Camp, Ken Matson
Outside Looking In: Pug Bryan, Bill Anderson, Allen Purvis, Grover Donahue, Cal Knight

The only pen arm with a guaranteed spot is Ben Curtin, but if Milt Fritz doesn't crack the rotation, one of the three potential spots will go to him. I debated giving Eddie Quinn a guaranteed spot, but I'm worried that we have better options. The 35-year-old is coming off the worst season of his career, with a 4.91 ERA (80 ERA+) and 1.59 WHIP to go with 40 walks and 17 strikeouts. Still, his veteran presence could be very helpful, and while he has all three options left, I can't see him accepting an assignment.

We have a pair of Rule-5 picks in camp, and I'd love to find a way to keep both. Ken Matson came over from Brooklyn, and checks in at 32nd in our system and 301st overall. Hooks Camp isn't rated, but Tom Weinstock thinks both of them could end up filling the back of a big league rotation. I'm not sure I want a pennant contending team relying on a pair of unproven youngsters, but the duo were effective in AA and could pitch well in low leverage situations. But keeping them both would likely spell the end to Pug Bryan's Cougar career. A 2nd Rounder back in 1934, Pug burst on to the scene as a rookie in 1937, going 8-9 with a 3.69 ERA (108 ERA+), 1.33 WHIP, 64 walks, and 68 strikeouts in 23 starts. The then 24-year-old seemed like a long term rotation fixture, but he had a huge sophomore slump, moving to the pen after 11 starts, and he hasn't made another one since. He's allowed 52 runs in just under 70 innings since, and has career ERA and WHIP have rose to 4.75 (84 ERA+) and 1.54. I've always been a huge Pug fan, but even with the need for players around the league, he may go unclaimed if waived.

Other options further down the line include the previously mentioned Bill Anderson, fellow non-roster invitee and former Cougar pen man Allen Purvis, as well as 40-man options in Grover Donahue and Cal Knight. Donahue is the only one without past big league success, but all four can be sent down to Milwaukee without issue. Unless injuries really put a damper on our Spring, these guys won't see much time.

Bench: 2
Inside Edge: Johnny McDowell
50/50: Orlin Yates, Aart MacDonald
Outside Looking In: Ossie Grogan, Eddie Curtis, Tip Harrison

Just a pair of bench spots up for grabs, and due to Orlin Yates' option, I think Johnny McDowell and Aart MacDonald will grab the last two spots. Aart got lucky that Fred Vargas was called away to service, or he'd be almost guaranteed to be designated for assignment. Aart is a great gloveman who has never hit much, and last year was about as bad of a season as you can expect. The soon-to-be 30-year-old from Aruba hit a paltry .176/.234/.200 (23 OPS+) in just shy of 100 PAs, while striking out (17) more frequently then he reached with a base hit (15). He's outstanding defensively, the only reason he's still with us, but I have to imagine his bat will eventually come around. In AAA he's a career .263/.377/.493 (137 OPS+) hitter and my scouts have always liked him. McDowell played a little less last year, but he hit a career best .379/.397/.439 (135 OPS+). Sure, the speedster hasn't stolen a base in the past two seasons (granted, just 132 PAs), but he's a reliable pinch runner late in game and his teammates love him. I debated making him a roster lock, but at least until Billy Hunter is healthy, he should be able to keep a spot on the club.

Orlin Yates could probably start for a few teams in center or right, but for now, he'll be either starting in AAA or spending most of his time on the bench. Of course, Carlos Montes hasn't been able to stay healthy over a full season, so Yates could be up when he inevitably takes his in-season vacation. He's a quality defender with a decent left handed bat, but it may be tough for him to find a lot of playing time. Ossie Grogan has tore the cover off the ball in the minors, and while he has struggled a bit in the big leagues, he could develop into a reliable second basemen. Like Yates, he's a bit lazy, and with the addition of Clark Car, he may struggle to break his way through. Tip Harrison and Eddie Curtis are both very versatile, which could help them steal a spot if an injury arises, and Tip is out of options. I don't want to waive him, but it may be tough to carry him without some roster shenanigans. Of course, Freddie Jones loves getting injured, so that make solve the bench situation for us, but I will have a few tough decisions to make.

[ayaghmour2]

It was an even 3-3 week for the Cougars as we opened the Spring .500. The wins and losses don't matter, as we're looking more for production from guys we want playing every day. Staying healthy is important as well, and since I don't anticipate using many filer players, we may perform pretty well while other teams do more experimenting.

Who's Hot
RHP Joe Brown: Excellent first spring start for Brown, who allowed just 2 hits, a run, and a walk with 3 strikeouts in a 4 inning win
RHP Donnie Jones: Brilliant start for our potential #5, picking up a win in 4 scoreless with 2 hits, walks, and strikeouts
2B Freddie Jones: The only Cougar to homer this week, Jones was 4-for-7 with 4 runs, 2 walks, and 2 RBIs
LHP Cal Knight: One of the longshot options for the pen, Knight allowed just 2 hits and 2 walks with 2 strikeouts in 5 scoreless innings
RHP Jim Lonardo: Our Opening Day starter doesn't look 37; 4 scoreless with 2 hits, a walk, and 2 strikeouts
3B John Lawson: And our cleanup hitter doesn't look 39; an even 5-for-10 with 2 doubles, 2 runs, 3 walks, and 4 RBIs
LF Leo Mitchell: The expert at finding holes in the defense could not have started much better, 10-for-18 with 3 doubles, 3 runs, and 4 RBIs. Of course, half his outs were strikeouts
RHP Harry Parker: Seems to be a trend with our starters; four shutout for Parker with 3 hits, a walk, and a strikeout in a victory
SS Ollie Page: Nice start for the backup infielder who is getting some time at third base to boost his versatility. He was 4-for-9 with a double and RBI
1B Dick Walker: Very similar start to Page, 4-for-9 with a double and RBI, but Walker also walked twice and scored three times

Who's Not
RHP Pug Bryan: Rough start for the out of options Pug Bryan, allowing 5 hits, 3 runs, and a walk with 2 strikeouts in a pair of innings.
RHP Hooks Camp: Same goes for one of our Rule-5 selection Hooks Camp, who allowed 3 hits, 2 runs, and a walk with a punch-out in 2.
2B Clark Car: Early jitters with his new team? Car was just 1-for-7 with a run scored and driven in
RHP Ben Curtin: His spot really isn't in any jeopardy, but 6 hits, 6 runs, and 4 walks in 4 innings leaves a lot to be desired
2B Ossie Grogan: Grogan isn't helping his case for a roster spot, just 2-for-12 with a run scored and driven in
RHP John Little: Tough pair of innings for the non-roster invitee, allowing 3 hits with 2 runs and walks.
CF Carlos Montes: Montes was just 1-for-11 with 3 strikeouts and 0-for-1 on steal attempts
SS Skipper Schneider: Hernia issues? Our cornerstone shortstop was just 2-for-12, but with a double, walk, 2 runs, and 2 RBIs.

Injuries
C Mike Taylor: The veteran backstop will miss the next two weeks with an oblique strain, but should be back for Opening Day. He was 1-for-2 with a double in his only spring game. This dropped us to two catchers, so I brought up the #25 prospect in baseball Solly Skidmore. I don't expect him to take a roster spot, but it will be a nice test for the talented 21-year-old. 1942 seems like it could be a debut season for Skidmore, and if Harry Mead misses significant time this year, I may let Skidmore take a majority of the reps behind the plate. Cougars camp now has three of the eight top 25 prospects participating in Spring games. The other two are Donnie (6th) and Johnnie (12th) Jones.

[ayaghmour2]

A near perfect week for the Cougars saw them finish 5-1. Chicago leads the CA with Cincinnati, as both teams sit at 8-4 and a game above the Philadelphia Sailors.

Who's Hot
RHP Joe Brown: He ran it back, 4 frames with 2 hits, a run, walk, and strikeout
RHP Hooks Camp: His outing this week was much better then last, 5 shutout frames with 5 hits, a walk, and 5 strikeouts
2B Clark Car: After a rough first week, the Cougars new second basemen was 6-for-15 with a double, homer, 4 runs, and 4 RBIs
2B Ossie Grogan: Same for Grogan, who this time was 5-for-11 with a double and steal
RHP Milt Fritz: Another start with no earned runs from Fritz, as he looks to earn the fifth spot. He went 4 with 5 hits and a walk, and has now allowed 10 hits and 2 walks in 8 spring innings
LHP Johnnie Jones: Sure, he walked 4, but he didn't allow a hit and struck out 2 in a 4 inning relief outing
LHP Dick Lyons: The 41-year-old allowed just 3 hits in 4 shutout innings
CF Aart MacDonald: He was awful last week, but the out of options outfielder went 5-for-10 with a double, 2 RBIs, and 3 walks
RF Cliff Moss: Hard to have a better week then the veteran Cliff Moss had; 7-for-10 with a double, RBI, 2 runs, and 2 walks
2B Ollie Page: Back-to-back good weeks for middle infielder Ollie Page. The now 32-year-old was 0-for-2 with a walk and run on his birthday, ending his 5-for-12 week with a double and triple. Page is hitting an impressive .429/.478/.619 in 24 Spring PAs
C Solly Skidmore: Big first Spring week for our top position prospect, as Solly Skidmore was 5-for-12 with a double, 2 runs, and 4 RBIs.
1B Dick Walker: Walker somehow matched Moss, 7-for-10, but with a steal and 3 RBIs, to go with his pair of runs scored

Who's Not
3B Bill Graham: The non-roster infielder was just 1-for-8 with 3 strikeouts
RHP Jim Lonardo: A non-ace like performance from Jim Lonardo, who was tagged with 9 hits and 5 runs with 2 walks and a strikeout in 4 frames, while picking up the only loss of the week
RHP John Little: The spring has not gone well for the 26-year-old, who allowed 9 hits and 7 runs (2 earned) with 2 walks and 3 strikeouts. He went 3.2 innings, his second outing of the spring. He now has 5.2 innings with 12 hits, 4 walks, and 4 earned runs
C Steve Mountain: Definitely overshadowed by Solly, Mountain was 0-for-8, but he did walk three times

[ayaghmour2]

Despite going just 3-4, we still hold a share of the Spring lead in the CA. Instead of Cincinnati, who is now a game behind us, we are tied with the 12-7 New York Stars. Mike Taylor is back and healthy, returning to the roster. We now have four catchers as I'm letting Solly stick around. Just five more games left, and each starter except Lonardo (who already made his) will get a fourth start. None of our starters have ERAs above 3 in this very small sample.

Who's Hot
RHP Joe Brown: One more start for Joe Brown, who has allowed a single run in all three of his four inning starts. This one he allowed his most hits (3), but with his fewest walks (0) and most strikeouts (5)
RHP Ben Curtin: Our stopper goes 9.1 in five games, finishing 1-0 with 7 hits, 2 walks, and an unearned run
RHP Ira Hawker: The young righty made two pen appearances, picking up a save in 10.2 innings with 6 hits, 3 runs, 4 walks, and 2 strikeouts
CF Bunny Hufford: Just 6 PAs for one of our top prospects, but the talented outfielder reached base in all but one of them. He was 4-for-5 with 2 doubles, 2 runs, a walk, and RBI
RHP Donnie Jones: If Milt Fritz wasn't also throwing gems, Donnie Jones would be guaranteed a roster spot. The talented youngster allowed 4 hits in 4 shutout innings. He is still 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA and 1.08 WHIP
LHP Cal Knight: The southpaw allowed his first run in 10 Spring innings. Knight has allowed just 4 hits with 4 strikeouts and 6 walks
RHP Jim Lonardo: His second start of the Spring last week was rough, but Lonardo threw back-to-back 4 inning shutouts this week. Discounting his one poor start, our ace has 12 scoreless with 7 hits, 2 walks, and 3 strikeouts. He finishes his Spring with a 2.81 ERA and 1.25 WHIP
LHP Dick Lyons: Another great start for Dick Lyons, 4 more innings with just 3 hits and a run
RHP Harry Parker: Same for Parker, 3 hits, a run, 3 walks, and 2 strikeouts to maintain his 2.25 ERA
1B Dick Walker: Is there a Spring MVP? If so, it should go to Dick Walker. The veteran first basemen was 6-for-15 with a double, which actually dropped his Spring line to .500/.553/.559

Who's Not
3B Bill Graham: He'll get a few more starts this week despite an 0-for-7 week
2B Freddie Jones: He homered again, but was just 1-for-9 on the week
RF Rich Langton: Tough week for the veteran outfielder, going just 1-for-13 with a walk
3B John Lawson: Same goes for John Lawson, just 2-for-12, although he is still hitting .344/.421/.531 so there is really nothing to worry about
SS Skipper Schneider: The young shortstop has not gotten off to a great start, 3-for-14 this week as he's hitting .216/.268/.351 in 41 PAs
LHP Ed Wilkinson: The former 4th Rounder had a scoreless frame in his debut last year, but has now allowed a run in three of his four appearances this Spring. He has allowed 6 hits and 3 solo homers in 2.1 innings pitched
CF Orlin Yates: Looks like AAA for Yates, going 0-for-11 in a rough showing

[ayaghmour2]

Finished up the Spring 2-3 to drop to second and 14-10. We finished two games behind the Stars, something I hope does not continue into the regular season. Most cuts will be made today, but I won't have a finalized roster until tomorrow.

Who's Hot
RHP Pug Bryan: Pug Bryan didn't start the spring well, but his last outing was impressive. He went 4 with 2 hits, a walk, and 4 strikeouts. He allowed 5 hits and 3 runs in his first start, and finished with 9 hits, 3 runs, 5 walks, and 8 strikeouts in 8 innings. I haven't decided if he's breaking camp with us, but he finished on the right side
2B Clark Car: Nice week for Car, who went 4-for-11 with a pair of doubles and 3 runs scored
RHP Donnie Jones: A strong final start for the Mole Killer, who allowed 5 hits, a run, and a walk with 6 strikeouts in 4 solid frames. Donnie finished the Spring 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 4 walks, and 9 strikeouts
LHP Dick Lyons: Dick Lyons matched Donnie Jones' 1.69 ERA with a 4 inning shutout in his final start. It was his second this spring, allowing 4 hits and 3 walks with a strikeout
CF Orlin Yates: Just 8 trips to the plate for Yates, but he doubled, singled twice, scored twice, and picked up a walk

Who's Not
RHP Milt Fritz: Fritz finally caved, allowing 6 hits, 5 runs, and 4 walks in his fourth four inning start. He did strike out 3, one more then the combined total of his first three starts, but it's looking like Donnie Jones will take the five spot
3B John Lawson: Our star slugger made just one start, going just 1-for-6. Still, he doubled, walked twice, and was hit
CF Aart MacDonald: No hits for Aart in an 0-for-7 week with a walk and run
2B Ollie Page: After a hot start for Page, he really cooled off, going just 1-for-13 with a pair of walks. He's actually heading to AAA as he would accept a minor league option while Johnny McDowell would not. I didn't want to DFA Tip Harrison, so Page was an unexpected casualty

[StLee]

I meant to ask before but forgot: for the WWII-bound players, are they all coming back? Or has your commissioner designated a certain percentage being "retired" from the league? It is interesting that you guys have designated war leave. Is it listed in the injury section to stop the players from playing?

[ayaghmour2]

Originally Posted by StLee

I meant to ask before but forgot: for the WWII-bound players, are they all coming back? Or has your commissioner designated a certain percentage being "retired" from the league? It is interesting that you guys have designated war leave. Is it listed in the injury section to stop the players from playing?

Good question! It is listed as an injury, so we're able to stash them on the 60-Day IL/minor league IL so they don't take up a roster spot. Most big leaguers will come back without a scratch, but for the minor leaguers, our commish is actually planning on putting some of them in a simulated war game, so we may have a few casualties. There are a few players linked with storylines from real life (like Papenfus and Bob Feller), so I don't have to worry about him not coming back, but there is a chance one (or more) of our enlistees get an injury/death and aren't able to play again. It's been an exciting process for us to undergo with all the uncertainty.

[ayaghmour2]

Before Opening Day, I did make a small trade, sending Willie Gonzalez Jr. to the Kings for Rule-5 Pick Ken Matson. I didn't want to lose him or Hooks Camp, and with a lot of guys who could not be sent down in the pen, I knew it would be hard to keep two Rule-5 pitchers. Instead, Matson will now be optionable, and will report to AAA where he can make consistent starts. The 1942 season starts tomorrow, and we'll hope to defend our pennant. The folks at BNN don't think that will happen, giving the Stars the pennant, but with us, the Wolves, and Cannons all within three games of first. I still think we're the best of the bunch, but a pennant race like that would be very exciting. Despite a tied for third place finish, we do have three projected top pitchers; Jim Lonardo (1st, 23-16, 2.79, 75), Joe Brown (5th, 19-12, 2.48, 103), and Harry Parker (6th, 19-18, 3.26, 136). Our farm system is also one of the strongest, ranked 3rd with 170 points. Our top prospect, Donnie Jones (6th) will graduate this season, and we have three others in the top 25, 8 in the top 100, 20 in the top 250, and 46 in the top 500.

Below is our roster for the coming season:
RHP Joe Brown
RHP Pug Bryan
RHP Hooks Camp
RHP Ben Curtin
RHP Milt Fritz
RHP Donnie Jones
LHP Dick Lyons
RHP Harry Parker
C Harry Mead
C Mike Taylor
1B Ray Ford
1B Dick Walker
2B Clark Car
2B Freddie Jones
3B John Lawson
3B Johnny McDowell
SS Tip Harrison
SS Skipper Schneider
LF Leo Mitchell
CF Aart MacDonald
CF Carlos Montes
RF Rich Langton
RF Cliff Moss

Eddie Quinn ended up accepting an optional assignment, so Pug Bryan will remain a Cougar. Both him and Ollie Page shocked me, but I won't complain here! Having them on hand in AAA for depth will be huge, as injuries or even more enlistments are sure to effect the roster as we move through the season. We start the season with three in Montreal, before our home opener on the 17th against the Stars. That will be a three game series as well.

Opening Day Lineup at Montreal:
CF Carlos Montes
RF Rich Langton
3B John Lawson
1B Ray Ford
LF Leo Mitchell
C Harry Mead
SS Skipper Schneider
2B Freddie Jones
RHP Jim Lonardo

Montreal starts with a lefty, young ace Wally Doyle, so there is no Clark Car, Dick Walker, or Cliff Moss in the starting lineup. Those three lefties play against righty pitchers, while Jones, Langton, and Ford start against southpaws. Of course, Ford, Langton, Moss, and Walker will likely get playing time against same sided pitchers at time as I look to keep guys fresh. Our righty lineup has six lefties, with the lone righties Montes and Mead. Mike Taylor will get a share of starts against righties as well, so at times (including this week) we will have seven lefties in the lineup, and since there could be an 8th if Dick Lyons pitches in games Taylor catches.

[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 3-3
Seasonal Record: 3-3 (t-2nd, 1 GB)
Stars of the Week
Jim Lonardo : 2 Wins, 18.0 IP, 6 BB, 3 K, 0.50 ERA
Leo Mitchell : 24 AB, 8 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .333 AVG, .818 OPS
Carlos Montes : 20 AB, 7 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .350 AVG, .940 OPS

Schedule
4-14: Win at Saints (6-1)
4-15: Win at Saints (6-3)
4-16: Loss at Saints (1-2)
4-17: Loss vs Stars (6-3)
4-18: Loss vs Stars (8-4)
4-19: Win vs Stars (0-6)

Recap
It wasn't the ideal opening week for the Cougars, who took two out of three in Montreal before dropping two out of three at home against the Stars, but considering every team except the Kings (4-2) and Saints (2-4) went 3-3, it's hard to complain about the results. The Cougars did get elite innings from ace Jim Lonardo, who won both his starts and allowed just a single run in a pair of complete games. The 37-year-old vet allowed 3 hits, a run, and 4 walks with 2 strikeout's against the Saints, and then tossed a 4-hit shutout to avoid a sweep at the hands of the popular projected CA pennant winning Stars. For someone who usually starts off slow, this is huge for Lonardo, and he was named the initial Player of the Week for 1942.

The rest of the staff did well, with all five starters allowing 3 or less earned runs. Donnie Jones was crippled by errors, as the young starter allowed 8 total runs, with just 3 earned, as we lost to the Stars 8-4. Clark Car made two errors against his former team, and the Stars piled on 5 in the ninth for the win. Jones allowed just 8 hits with 3 walks and 4 strikeouts in his first start of the season. Harry Parker picked up a complete game win, 5 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, and 6 strikeouts in Montreal. Joe Brown looked good in a loss, 7 innings with 6 hits, 2 runs, 3 walks, and 4 strikeouts. A Freddie Jones error hurt Dick Lyons, who went 8 with 7 hits, 3 runs (1 earned), 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts in a no decision. Milt Fritz then lost that game, allowing 2 hits, 3 runs, and 2 walks with a strikeout in an inning, and then in outing two walked two and got just one out. Ben Curtin was much better in his two pen outings, four shutout with 2 walks and a strikeout.

We hit pretty well as a team, but the newest Cougar Clark Car had a nightmarish first week. Known as a solid defender at second, Car made 5 errors (three against his old team) in just three games, and was 0-for-11 at the plate. Early season samples give you fun projected numbers, and he's on pace for a -10.5 WAR in a 77 game 0-for-282 season and -75 OPS+. His righty counterpart Freddie Jones isn't any better on defense, but the 5-Time All Star was 3-for-12 with a triple, RBI, 2 walks, and 3 runs. Ray Ford showed off his pop, 2 homers in a 4-for-15 week. He added a double with three runs scored and driven in. Carlos Montes got off to a fast start, 7-for-20 with a double, triple, 3 runs, 3 RBIs, and 4 walks. Cliff Moss did well when on the field, 4-for-12 with 2 doubles and 4 RBIs. Leo Mitchell struck out just 3 times and went 8-for-24 with a homer, 3 runs, and 5 RBIs. We'll need a better week from star third basemen John Lawson, who was just 8-for-24 with a double and 2 RBIs. For most this is a good week, but Lawson also struck out 6 times without walking. Of course, Lawson has had a season OPS+ above 130 in each season as a Cougar as well as his career, while never striking out more then his 78 last season. I expect much better weeks from Jack the Ripper, and he's going to be one of our top performers week in and week out.

Looking Ahead
This week starts with a home-and-home series with the Kings; the first two games in Chicago before two more in Brooklyn. The Kings are the lone 4-2 team in the Continental Association, leading the next six teams by a single game. Brooklyn hasn't scored many runs, but their top four in the rotation have been near perfect the first time through. Art White (14-16, 3.80, 67) tried to match Jim Lonardo's week, a 4-hit, 8 inning outing a 1-0 loss followed by a 4-hit shutout in a 1-0 victory of his own. Bob Cummings (14-9, 4.07, 104) threw seven shutout while former Cougars Jim Crawford (12-11, 3.94, 43) and Stumpy Beaman (16-9, 3.87, 47) allowed 2 and 1 run in 8 and 7 innings. The Cougar offense will have to be at their best to get runs off this staff, but the offense hasn't given them much support. They've scored 1 more then their league low 14 runs allowed, and out staff should be able to keep them off the board. Al Wheeler (.291, 24, 77) and Joe Herman (.318, 7, 77, 7) are hitting just .053 and .056 respectively and Harry Barrell (.307, 3, 66, 15) is their only hitter above .300. Herman and Wheeler should both turn things around, and Rats McGonigle (.301, 8, 53, 10) is one of the best center fielders in the game. The trio will be tough for CA pitchers all season long, but let's hope they wait until after our series.

We'll stay in New York, starting a four game series in three days with the Stars. Two of their three wins are against us, and we'll need to give them a much better showing in the Big Apple. 43-year-old Dave Trowbridge (.319, 8, 84) continues to defy age, going 7-for-22 with 2 homers, 4 runs, and 4 RBIs. Both longballs came off youngster Donnie Jones, who is almost half Trowbridge's age. A lot of the Stars lineup has gotten off to a slow start, with Chink Stickels (.268, 9, 68, 11), Lew Seals (.258, 18, 98), Cliff Ray (.220, 6, 55), Ray Cochran (.300, 4, 80, 16), and Mel Hancock Jr. (.172, 10) all hitting below .200. I expect Stickels (.192) and Seals (.040) to get on the right track, but Ray (.176) and Hancock (.053) aren't the greatest hitters and Cochran (.115) is getting up their in age. Chicago's staff should handle their bats, but Trowbridge continues to be a thorn in the side of the Cougars. The pitching hasn't been perfect, but Lou Robertson (6-9, 3, 4.26, 42) and Jack Wood (12-10, 4.26, 88) kept us off the board. We got the best of ace Chuck Cole (12-4, 2.30, 61), 11 hits and 6 runs while knocking him out before finishing the 8th, but he's one of the better pitchers in the league. This is a crucial early series for the Cougars, as they can't afford to drop many games to the runner ups.

[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 5-3
Seasonal Record: 8-6 (t-2nd, 0.5 GB)
Stars of the Week
Carlos Montes : 33 AB, 10 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .303 AVG, .803 OPS
Leo Mitchell : 26 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .346 AVG, .895 OPS
Skipper Schneider : 31 AB, 10 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .323 AVG, .686 OPS

Schedule
4-20: Win vs Kings (0-1)
4-21: Loss vs Kings (6-5): 10 innings
4-22: Win at Kings (8-6)
4-23: Win at Kings (2-1): 10 innings
4-24: Win at Stars (5-1)
4-25: Loss at Stars (2-10)
4-26: Loss at Stars (4-5): 11 innings
4-26: Win at Stars (3-0)

Recap
Another three loss week, but with eight games being played, three losses is nothing to complain about. Especially with how congested the CA has been to start the season. We're half a game behind the Wolves, and tied with New York, Philly, and Brooklyn, so the top five teams in our league all have eight wins. Playing half our games against the Stars had made things difficult, but being 8-6 is a solid start. Sure we had one series against the Saints, but 11 of our 14 games have been against teams with 85 or more wins last year.

The pitching has been inconsistent, but we got three dominant outings this week. The first was Harry Parker's start to start the week, as he helped us escape the Kings 1-0. He allowed 7 hits and a walk with 4 strikeouts in his first of likely many shutouts this season. Start two wasn't nearly as effective, as he allowed 14 hits and 7 runs against the Stars, but with two runs in that game it likely wouldn't have mattered how well he pitched. We got another shutout from Joe Brown to end the week, 6 hits, a walk, and 2 strikeouts in our 3-0 win over the Stars. It was his first win of the season, and like Parker, his other start left a lot to be desired. He went nine plus an out, allowing 11 hits, 6 runs, and 2 walks with 2 strikeouts in our 10 inning loss to the Kings. Brown allowed three homers in that game, including a game tieing one in the 8th to Al Wheeler, which will be immortalized in FABL history. It was Wheeler's 400th, as he became just the third to reach that mark (or even 300). The third start wasn't a shutout, but Donnie Jones was excellent in our 2-1 extra inning win over the Kings. Jones needed help with the final out, with Ben Curtin getting Lee Shapiro to ground out and end the game, but he allowed just 4 hits, 5 walks, and a run with 3 strikeouts to take home the victory. It's early, but our young star has managed to throw 139 or more pitches in each of his two starts, and owns a beautiful 1.96 ERA (174 ERA+) and 1.09 WHIP in 18.1 innings pitched.

Jim Lonardo continued to keep runs off the board, but an elevated pitch count caused him to pitch just 7 in our 5-1 win over the Stars. Lonardo left after 139 pitches, despite just 5 hits, a run, and 3 walks. Our temporary ace leads the entire FABL in ERA, 0.72 (475 ERA+), and is a perfect 3-0 with a 0.84 WHIP, 9 walks, and 3 strikeouts. The lack of strikeouts is a little concerning, especially considering a slight drop in velocity, but Lonardo has picked up right where he left off last year. Dick Lyons didn't have a great week, picking up a pair of no decisions. The game we won he pitched worse, 7 innings with 11 hits, 5 runs, a walk and a strikeout. The game we lost he was on short rest in the double header, but still managed to go 8 with 8 hits, 3 runs, and a walk. Lyons has been average to start the year, and I'm not too concerned with his performances, but we may see Donnie jump him in the rotation to keep him as fresh as possible. Looking to the pen, Ben Curtin had a bit of a rough week, allowing 7 hits and 3 runs with a pair of walks. He won a game, lost a game, and saved a game. Hooks Camp had a rough big league debut, allowing 4 hits, 3 runs, and a walk with a punchout in a rough inning against the Stars. Milt Fritz looked much better, 2 hitless frames with just a walk to his name.

Clark Car had a much better week two as a Cougar, and while he did make another error, he was an extra base machine. Car was 6-for-19 with a walk, 2 doubles, 2 triples, 3 runs, and 3 RBIs. He didn't get much support, but the surprising CA WAR leader Carlos Montes continued his hot start. He went 10-for-33 with a double, homer, 6 runs, 4 walks, and 4 RBIs. Leo Mitchell got into the fun, 9-for-26 with a double, triple, 3 walks, 3 RBIs, and 4 runs scored. Beyond that trio, we didn't get too much done. Freddie Jones was decent, 4-for-11 with a run and RBI, and John Lawson (8-29, HR, RBI) and Skipper Schneider (10-31, 3 RBI, 5 R) were just average. We'll need more from Lawson and Skipper, two of the better players in the league, but Skipper has been elite yet again at short and Lawson is still doing fine for a player you aren't expecting star production from. We have managed to score more runs then we allow, but early on we're in the middle of pack when we should be one of the top two teams offensively.

Looking Ahead
Off to start the week, before three in the Foresters in Cleveland. Last season they finished well below .500, but they're off to a nice 6-6 start early on. Cleveland hasn't been scoring a lot, but they've gotten solid production from one of their corner infielders. Former Cougar draftee Hank Stratton is off to a quick start, hitting a productive .340/.365/.400 (111 OPS+) with a double, triple, and 7 RBIs. Him and the frequently quick starter Dan Fowler (.250, 1, 6) are the only Foresters in the early goings with an OPS+ above 110, but corner outfielders Cal Howe (.319, 1) and Eli Harkless (.283, 6) have both been solid at the plate. With no Dean Astle in the rotation, Dave Rankin (0-0, 2.38, 6) has stepped into the 1 spot and they brought the #30 prospect Dick Lamb on the Opening Day roster. He's off to a nice start despite his 1-2 record, with a strong 3.16 ERA (116 ERA+) and 1.21 WHIP, although he has yet to strike out a hitter and has walked five. He's just 22, and far from a finished product, but he projects to be a reliable middle of the rotation arm. His stuff needs some polishing, as his pitches aren't quite big league quality, but his command is outstanding and if he can keep the ball in the part, the Foresters should have a nice long term piece. Still, I think we are the far better team, and I'd love for us to pick up our first sweep.

Next stop is Philly, for two with the hard hitting Sailors. Despite having a really rough 1941 season, the Sailors are leading the CA in runs, average, OBP, slugging, OPS, wOBA, hits, steals, and extra base hits. It's a little surprising, as the Sailors don't really have many star quality players in their lineup. Bob Smith (.278, 8, 2) is there best position player, but he's been outperformed by Lou Williams (.358, 7), Marion Boismenu (.356, 5), and Harvey Brown (.368, 11, 1). Boismenu may be able to keep it up, as he's trying to replace Smith as the leader of the offense, but I don't think the two corner outfielders will be able to sustain this production for very long. Illinois native Woody Stone (.275, 2, 16) is already just a homer away from his season total last year, and a rebound season for him could help push the Sailors back into the first division. The pitching is weaker then usual, and while they will get Dutch Sheldon back in about three weeks, there is no way of knowing if he's going to be the same pitcher he was pre-UCL tear. Chuck Murphy (2-1, 3.03, 4) and Doc Newell (2-1, 3.12, 11) are off to a nice start, but there are a lot of question marks behind them. Herb Flynn (2-1, 4.30, 2) is off to a tough start despite his record, and he hasn't had an above average season since 1939, while Tom Cipolla (0-1, 5.40, 7) and Johnny Cook (1-1, 6.43, 2) aren't guys you want starting many games. Their is hope in the pen in the form of young top prospects David Molina and Al Duster, who both came from Detroit and could develop into reliable big league arms. I'd love to draw Cipolla and Cook when we see them, but I like our chance in Philly, and I think we can slow their hot start a bit.

Last stop for the week is Toronto, where we have two on Sunday before an off day and the finale on Tuesday. At 8-5, the Wolves are the only CA team with a record better then ours, and their pitching has been tremendous. Part of that has been former Cougar prospect Juan Pomales, who is off to a nice start at the plate and on the mound. Pomales is 2-1 with a 2.78 ERA (128 ERA+), 1.01 WHIP, 4 walks, and 3 strikeouts, while hitting .308/.379/.385 (112 OPS+) with a triple and 2 RBIs. He's filled in as Bernie Johnson is on the IL with a ruptured finger tendon, but Chick Wirtz (1-0, 2.35, 3) is doing his best Johnson impersonation while Joe Hancock (1-2, 2.62, 8) and George Garrison (3-0, 1.44, 16) have been dominant. It's going to be hard to score off them, and while their top four of Frederick, Artuso, Pack, and Holliday have really struggled, the back of the order has been outstanding. Reginald Westfall, Mike Rollinson, Gus Hull, and Clarence Howerton are all hitting above .300 while Rollinson is sharing the WAR lead with Montes and leading the CA in batting average. The 27-year-old had a great Spring, and has carried that into a .373/.396/.490 (144 OPS+) line. This will be tough, but I'm hoping we can at least split the double header, and find ourselves atop the standings when the series finishes.

Minor League Report
RHP George Oddo (C La Cross Lions): Few Cougar prospects have had larger rises in the top prospect list then George Oddo, who at current time is all the way up to 123rd in the league. He's doing his best to back up that faith, tossing a gem in his first start of the year. Oddo allowed just 5 hits and 2 walks with 4 strikeouts as the Lions crushed the Marshalltown Maples 10-0. Oddo's worked out hard in the offseason, upping his fastball velocity to the high 80s, and he's show great improvement in his stuff. OSA grades his curve as elite, and both them and Tom Weinstock thinks his change is great too. His fastball is reliable with great life, and when your worst pitch is your fastball, you usually have a good repertoire. He's just 19, and has a lot of room to grow, but he's an intimidating, 6'4'' arm and I expect him to continue to improve his velocity, as he's already done a great job polishing his stuff. He's one of the prospects in our system I really have my eye on, and if he continues on his ascent, he could be our next top 100 prospect.

[StLee]

Originally Posted by ayaghmour2

Weekly Record: 5-3
Seasonal Record: 8-3 (t-2nd, 0.5 GB)
Stars of the Week
Carlos Montes : 33 AB, 10 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .303 AVG, .803 OPS
Leo Mitchell : 26 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .346 AVG, .895 OPS
Skipper Schneider : 31 AB, 10 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .323 AVG, .686 OPS

Schedule
4-20: Win vs Kings (0-1)
4-21: Loss vs Kings (6-5): 10 innings
4-22: Win at Kings (8-6)
4-23: Win at Kings (2-1): 10 innings
4-24: Win at Stars (5-1)
4-25: Loss at Stars (2-10)
4-26: Loss at Stars (4-5): 11 innings
4-26: Win at Stars (3-0)

Recap
Another three loss week, but with eight games being played, three losses is nothing to complain about. Especially with how congested the CA has been to start the season. We're half a game behind the Wolves, and tied with New York, Philly, and Brooklyn, so the top five teams in our league all have eight wins. Playing half our games against the Stars had made things difficult, but being 8-6 is a solid start. Sure we had one series against the Saints, but 11 of our 14 games have been against teams with 85 or more wins last year.

Not only a three-loss week, but two of the three were in extra innings. I would say the Cougars played well for the week. Go 5-3 in every 8-game stretch, and you're probably winning the pennant.

[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 3-4
Seasonal Record: 11-10 (4th, 3 GB)
Stars of the Week
Carlos Montes : 32 AB, 11 H, 0 HR, 6 RBI, .344 AVG, .832 OPS
Clark Car : 16 AB, 7 H, 0 HR, 6 RBI, .438 AVG, 1.026 OPS
Harry Mead : 24 AB, 8 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .333 AVG, .792 OPS

Schedule
4-28: Loss at Foresters (3-5)
4-29: Win at Foresters (8-1)
4-30: Loss at Foresters (1-3)
5-1: Win at Sailors (14-4)
5-2: Loss at Sailors (1-2)
5-3: Win at Wolves (4-3)
5-3: Loss at Wolves (5-7)

Recap
Rough week for the Cougs, as we slipped in the standings and scuffled against the Foresters. A team we had no trouble with last year, the Foresters took two out of three from us despite being outscored in the series 12 to 9. We then split with the Sailors and Wolves, finishing the week just 3-4 while the Kings and now first place Stars moved ahead of us in the standings. We keep losing close games, with 7 of our 10 losses by two or less runs. To make matters worse, WAR leader and Player of the Month Carlos Montes decided to do what he does best; get injured. This time it's more impressive, as he has a pair of two week day-to-day injuries, suffering a finger blister on the 30th before a strained forearm on the 3rd. Montes was red hot, 11-for-32 on the week with 2 doubles, a triple, 2 steals, 4 runs, and 6 RBIs. The 26-year-old center fielder is off to a blistering start overall, slashing an impressive .329/.389/.459 (147 OPS+) with 4 doubles, 2 triples, a homer, 2 steals, and 13 RBIs. Replacing him on the roster and in the lineup will be Orlin Yates, who has hit .341/.408/.23 (153 OPS+) in 49 PAs for the Blues. Cliff Moss will also get the occasional game in center, as will Aart MacDonald, but we're hoping Montes isn't out for too long.

Still, we hit pretty well, despite another rough week form John Lawson. This time it was bad by any standards, just 6-for-29 with a double, 4 runs, and 3 RBIs. We got big weeks from part time players Rich Langton and Clark Car, both who hit over .400 on the week. Langton was 6-for-11 with a pair of RBIs while Car was 7-for-16 with a double, 3 runs, and 6 RBIs. Harry Mead had a nice week too, 8-for-24 with a homer and 4 RBIs while fellow backstop Mike Taylor was 3-for-9 with a double, run, and RBI. Leo and Skipper helped out as well, with Michell 9-for-28 with a double, steal, 2 RBIs, and 3 runs while Schneider was 9-for-27 with 2 doubles, a steal, 3 RBIs, and 7 runs scored. The offense is starting to heat up a bit, but as Lawson's bat stays cold, Johnny McDowell may take a couple starts against tough lefties to get the vet back on track.

The pitching could have been better, but are losing pitchers were arguably better then our winners. A Ray Ford error cost Dick Lyons a win, as both of his two runs were unearned in our 2-1 loss to the Sailors. He went 8 with 12 hits and 2 walks. Errors didn't cost Harry Parker, but we couldn't score for him yet again. He also went 8 with 10 hits, 3 runs, and 2 strikeouts in our 3-1 loss to the Foresters. Joe Brown picked up a win, but he allowed 9 hits, 4 runs, and 3 walks with 4 strikeouts in 7.2 innings. Hooks Camp finished the game and was much better in big league outing #2, not allowing a run with a hit, walk, and strikeout as he recorded the final four outs of the game.

Jim Lonardo made a pair of starts, while his win was much better then his loss. He allowed just 7 hits, a run, and walk with 2 strikeouts in a complete game win over the Foresters. He then lasted just 7.2 against the Wolves, charged with 14 hits, 7 runs (5 earned), and a walk where former Cougar draftees Reginald Westfall and Hal Wood combined to go 5-for-8 with 4 runs and 2 RBIs. Lonardo was also named Pitcher of the Month, as he was a perfect 4-0 in April with a 0.79 ERA and 0.85 WHIP. Our other two start starter was the young Donnie Jones, who split his two decisions. He lost to the Foresters despite just 3 hits and 2 walks with 4 strikeouts in 7 innings. He allowed 4 in the 5-3 loss. He then beat the team that drafted him, Toronto, going all nine with 8 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, and 5 strikeouts. The Minnesota native hasn't looked like a rookie in the early goings, now 2-2 with a 2.88 ERA (117 ERA+), 1.02 WHIP, 12 walks, and 16 strikeouts in 4 starts. Not quite Peter the Heater numbers, but nothing to complain about. I thought Jones deserved Rookie of the Month to sweep the awards, but that went to Dick Lamb, largely due to his 10-hit, 1-run performance against us to finish up the Month. He was 2-2 with a 2.60 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 6 walks, and 2 strikeouts while Jones was 1-2 with a 2.84 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 10 walks, and 11 strikeouts. The extra start helped Lamb while the record hurt Jones, but Donnie actually struck hitters out and had a sub 1 WHIP. But if we are betting on a better career, I think you have to side with Donnie.

Looking Ahead
Off again to start the week, before our finale in Toronto. The Wolves also had a tough week, dropping out of first to 3rd. They are now 12-8, a game and a half behind the Stars and a game and a half ahead of us. Not sure who we'll see, as Bob Walls (1-2, 5.59) is fully rested, but they could go to George Garrison (3-1, 1.32, 20) on four days rest. I'd much rather see Walls, who has struggled to start the year, but I'll take anyone over Garrison, who is the best pitcher not at war and arguably the best pitcher in the FABL. Obviously I'm biased in that debate, but Garrison is as good as it gets. Regardless of who starts, the Wolves will put runs on the board, despite the struggles of cleanup hitter Ockie Holliday. He's hitting just .185/.250/.185 (23 OPS+) with 5 walks and RBIs. Him and Walt Pack (.254, 1, 10) were supposed to lead the offense in Fred McCormick's absence, but the lineup has been carried by Westfall (.314, 12, 1) and Mike Rollinson (.352, 1, 9), who hasn't struck out all season. Rollinson doesn't have a direct connection to the Cougars, but the 27-year-old rookie was acquired from the Chiefs back in 1937 for a name familiar to some Cougar fans; Vince York. He's done a great job with the bat early on, and if the Wolves want to compete, they are hoping he can maintain this production as the season continues. This is a must win game for us, and with Harry Parker on the mound, I really like our chances, especially if he's going against Walls and not Garrison.

Our road trip then ends with two in Cincinnati. Everything has gone wrong for the Cannons, who are 7-14 and shockingly last in the Continental Association. The losses of Charley McCullough and Mike Taylor to the war effort have left the Cannons lineup weaker, and All Stars Moxie Pidgeon (.244, 6, 2) and Butch Smith (0-5, 5.94, 18) have been off to dreadful starts. At least Rufus Barrell has shown no signs of permanent damage after last season ended with injury, as the talented young ace is 4-1 with a 2.62 ERA (131 ERA+) and 0.85 WHIP with an absurd 33-to-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The rest of the rotation will have to pick up the slack to back him up, as Roger Perry (1-0, 3.38, 14) is the only other average arm so far. The offense needs some work too, as behind Fred Galloway (.362, 1, 9) and Adam Mullins (.333, 7), they haven't been able to get much done. Denny Andrews (.267, 2, 13) has shown good pop and he's getting on base at a .364 clip, but other then recent callup Andy Carter (who has just 8 games), their top three are the only hitters with above average OPS+. We need to continue the Cannons slide, but they are far too good to keep playing like this.

We then return home for the first time since the 21st of April, hosting the Saints for three to finish off the week. Montreal is only better then the Cannons, 7-13 and 6.5 games out of first. Their expected two best hitters Red Bond and Bill Greene have been ice cold, which has really held back the young Saints. Bond is hitting a pathetic .183/.230/.256 (36 OPS+) while Greene is about twice as good at .187/.282/.293. Both are worth -0.3 WAR, with Bond at least adding two homers and Greene walking (10) more then he strikes out (7). Greene is coming off a tremendous season where he slashed .334/.424/.534 (158 OPS+) while Bond hit 18 homers and 90 RBIs in a slightly above average (107 OPS+) campaign after he contented for the Whitney in 1940. Both should turn things around, but the Saints don't have much to support them. Charlie Woodbury (.364, 3, 8) is off to a hot start, a homer away from his season total last year in over 350 PAs, but Bert Lass (.287, 1, 12) has seen a drop in production. Vic Crawford (.273, 1, 3) and Jake Hughes (.288, 1, 4) have hit well, but both are awful defenders which nearly neutralizes their bats. The pitching isn't much better, as Wally Doyle (2-3, 4.82, 24) is off to a really rough start. Ed Baker, however, has looked much better post-injury, and has yet to been relieved in any of his 5 starts. Only one wasn't 9 innings, as the Saints dropped a 1-0 game in Brooklyn, and he's 3-2 with a 2.25 ERA (155 ERA+), 1.07 WHIP, 9 walks, and 14 strikeouts. He could be a nice trade chip for them, which would make room for a top prospect like Pat Weakley or Wally Reif, both in the top 25 and hanging out in AAA Minneapolis. Both could front a rotation, and should be excellent long term pieces for a team in need of fresh new young arms. I'm hoping the home cooking is just what the boys need, as we can't afford to drop too far early in the season.

Minor League Report
LF Huck Hanes (AA Mobile Commodores): April 30th was a huge day for last year's 4th Rounder Huck Hanes, who was instrumental in our 6-5 win over the Atlanta Peaches. Huck was 5-for-6 with a run and RBI, which briefly pushed his season average above .500. The 23-year-old has gotten off to an excellent start in his first 11 games with the Commodores, slashing a robust .444/.510/.600 (196 OPS+) with 7 doubles, 7 RBIs, and three times as many walks (6) as strikeouts (2). I'd imagine hitting above Solly Skidmore helps, but Hanes has been tearing the cover off the ball so far. Despite the obvious talent with the bat, Huck is not listed as one of the games top 500 prospects, but I find it hard to believe that he's not a big league quality hitter. Even discounting the fact that he was ranked 2nd in the Mock Draft last season, he hit .304/.389/.480 (142 OPS+) in his first 39 affiliated games with Lincoln last season, and OSA thinks he's going to be a frontrunner for an audition out in left. He projects to have above average contact potential and a nice swing, with the ability to make adjustments based on the pitcher. He has a nice eye and shouldn't strike out too much, and he looks to be very well advanced for someone who's been in our system for less then a year. He doesn't have the greatest power, but Tom Weinstock thinks he's one of our closest prospects to the majors, and he could probably debut this season if needed. Our corner outfield situation is a little less crowded then last season, as Fred Vargas is off to war, but he has Leo Mitchell blocking left field with the platoon of Langton and Moss in right. AAA hosts Chick Browning, who is on the 40-man roster, and talented center fielder Bunny Hufford, who may end up moving to a corner. Still, with all the uncertainty around the league now, we may give Huck a chance to stick in the big leagues, and I think he's got the bat to do it.

LF Bill Rich (A Lincoln Legislators): A big week for Bill Rich, who took home Heartland Player of the Week, and was the first (well, tied) Cougar farmhand (surprised Huck didn't win one) to win one. The Illinois native and former regional selection hit an even .500 with 2 homers, 6 runs, and 9 RBIs in the best week of his young career. As you might expect, his season line is pretty impressive as well, as the recently turned 23-year-old is hitting .413/.460/.761 (240 OPS+) with 4 doubles, 4 homers, and 15 RBIs. Rich has flashed a lot of power this season, and he does this not by hitting the ball far, but by hitting it hard. He has a nice swing that generates a ton of hard contact, leading to a lot of extra base hits. He showed flashes of a strong contact tool as well in his draft year, but last season his average hovered around .250 split between San Jose and Lincoln. Tom thinks he can be a .290 hitter, more then acceptable for a big league player, and if he adds in double digit homers, you have the makings of a nice young talent. Originally a center fielder, I don't think Rich has the range to stick in center, and he hasn't looked good in either corner yet. He's got a lot of time to get comfortable in the field, but his bat alone is not enough to earn him a call to the big leagues. Rich is one of those guys who's cool under pressure and loves the big game, but I'm not sure he has the tools to be used very frequently in meaningful games. He's dropped way down in the prospect rankings, falling out of the top 400, but guys have been bouncing up and down a lot this season, and I care more about the on field performance then his prospect rank.

3B Otto Christian (C La Crosse Lions): The other Player of the Week, the Lions got a huge week from slugging third basemen Otto Christian. The 19-year-old went 11-for-28 with 4 homers and 13 RBIs, which actually lowered his early season triple slash to .420/.516/.800 (237 OPS+). Arguably the player with the most raw power in the entire FABL, Christian is on pace for 58 homers, 280 RBIs, and 140 walks with a 14.8 WAR in 140 games. Very unlikely, I know, and I don't expect the Walla Walla Walloper to even play 140 games in La Crosse this season. I'm on the fence with promoting him, as we have a full infield at each level already, and it's only a matter of time before one of our minor league infielders (or Freddie Jones) gets hurt. Unless one of his teammates goes down, Otto will be the first injury replacement, and I can't wait to see how many longballs he totals this year. In just 45 games last year, he hit 13 homers, which would have been good for 40 in an 140 game season. He obviously has tremendous power, but Weinstock is becoming more fond of his hit tool and defense. He thinks Christian could hit around .300 while fielding his position well, and him and OSA rave about his future potential as an everyday regular. He's young and got way to go, but it's extremely competitive and hates to lose. The prospect pickers are starting to take more notice of him as well, now up to 6th in our system and 28th overall, and if everything goes right, we'll be going from one Hall of Famer to another once Lawson passes him the torch at the hot corner.

[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 3-3
Seasonal Record: 14-13 (4th, 5.5 GB)
Stars of the Week
Leo Mitchell : 21 AB, 8 H, 4 HR, 8 RBI, .381 AVG, 1.348 OPS
Harry Parker : 2 Wins, 18.0 IP, 0 BB, 4 K, 2.50 ERA
Ray Ford : 20 AB, 8 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .400 AVG, .829 OPS

Schedule
5-5: Win at Wolves (6-5)
5-6: Loss at Cannons (0-7)
5-7: Win at Cannons (8-5)
5-8: Loss vs Saints (8-4)
5-9: Loss vs Saints (6-5)
5-10: Win vs Saints (0-3)

Recap
Another not-so-great week for the Cougars, as we were just 3-3 and dropped to five and a half behind the surging Stars, who have reeled off 11 consecutive victories. We did start the week winning the Wolves series, but then we split with the Cannons before we allowed the struggling Saints to take two of three. This should have been a good week for us, but we couldn't take advantage of the two bottom teams in the standings.

With the exception of Dick Walker and John Lawson, our offense was well above average. Lawson's struggles have really taken a toll on our overall record, and I'm hoping moving him down in the lineup should help. Lawson went just 4-for-26 with 6 strikeouts, dropping his season line to a surprisingly poor .248/.277/.295 (67 OPS+) on the season. Of the thirteen Cougars hitters with 20 or more PAs, Lawson's OPS+ is worst on the team, after leading the team in that mark each season he was a Cougar. Lucky for us, Leo Mitchell has really taken charge, and he's the only Continental Association player to rank in the top three for batting average, home runs, and RBIs. This week was one of the bests I have seen in a while, as Mitchell was 8-for-21 with a double, 4 homers, 4 runs, and 8 RBIs. He's now hitting .343/.374/.545 (167 OPS+) with 5 homers and 18 RBIs. His average is third, his homer total tied for first with Lew Seals, and third in RBIs. Mitchell remains one of the most talented and interesting players in game, hitting well over .300 despite 21 strikeouts in 99 at bats, while his .387 BABIP is actually the lowest since 1938. This kid has top tier tools, and I can only imagine how good he'd be if he didn't strike out more then nearly every hitter in the game. I think it's a shame Mitchell wasn't named Player of the Week, but more weeks like this and it's only a matter of time before he picks up his 8th.

Mitchell wasn't the only Cougar to succeed with the bat, as our right field duo of Rich Langton and Cliff Moss were extremely effective. The righty Langton was 5-for-17 with a pair of doubles, a homer, 3 RBIs, 3 walks, and 2 runs scored while the lefty Moss was 4-for-12 with a pair of solo homers. We got a nice week from the new promotion Orlin Yates, going 7-for-20 with 2 doubles, 2 walks, 3 RBIs, and 5 runs scored. Ray Ford went 8-for-20 with a walk, RBI, and pair of runs scored. Freddie Jones looked good too, 5-for-17 with a homer, 2 runs, and 2 RBIs while his counterpart Clark Car was 3-for-4 with a run, RBI, steal, and a pair of doubles. Harry Mead showed discipline and extra base pop, 4-for-16 with a double, homer, 2 runs, 2 RBIs, and 4 walks. The offense has really started to turn things around, as we now sit 2nd in average, OBP, hits, and base running while 1st in slugging, OPS, wOBA, WAR, extra base hits, and homers.

The pitching let us down a bit, but definitely not Harry Parker. Chock up another shutout for the imposing righty, tossing a 7-hit, 3-strikeout shutout of the Saints to avoid the sweep in Chicago. He was our only two start starter, and picked up a win against the Wolves as well. He wasn't as sharp, but he allowed 13 hits and 5 runs with just a single strikeout in another complete game. Parker has really cut down on the free passes, not allowing a single one in his last three starts, with just 5 in 51 innings, slightly less then a 1.0 BB/9. None of the other arms had as much success in their single starts, with 5 or more runs allowed in each outing. Dick Lyons pitched the best, if you can say that, 5 runs (4 earned), 10 hits, and a walk in 8.1 innings. He picked up the win in Cincinnati, his first of the season despite his impressive 2.97 ERA (113 ERA+). Joe Brown had the toughest time, 8 hits, 7 runs, a walk, and strikeout in just 3.1 innings. Brown hasn't had the best time in the rotation, now 2-3 with a 4.71 ERA (71 ERA+), 1.38 WHIP, 10 walks, and 13 strikeouts. He was replaced by Hooks Camp, who tossed 4.2 scoreless with 5 hits, a walk, and a strikeout. I'm not ready to take him out of the rotation, but a few more tough starts and Milt Fritz may replace him. Jones and Lonardo had struggles, 10 hits and 6 runs a piece. Lonardo's came in 8 with 5 walks while Jones lasted just 6 with a pair of walks and strikeouts. We'll need better outings from the rotation, as it seems like we can't hit and pitch well at the same time.

Looking Ahead
Another off day to start the week, before we welcome the Foresters in for two. We struggled last time we faced them, and we can't afford to drop any more games to them. At 12-15, they are just two games behind us and three and a half clear of last. One of the biggest surprise for Cleveland is the resurgence of Dave Rankin. He hasn't been bad for the Foresters, just slightly below average the past two years, but the now 36-year-old veteran has managed an ERA+ of at least 90 in each season since 1932, his first season with 20 or more starts. Rankin always has bad luck, this season just 2-2, but with an elite 1.86 ERA (192 ERA+). Ranking has walked 19 and struck out just 10 with a 1.23 WHIP, but he's off to an excellent start, and could end up a key trade piece for the Foresters if they decide to sell. They don't have much pitching depth, but 22-year-old Dick Lamb (3-3, 2.92, 4) is having an excellent rookie season while Earle Robinson (1-1, 2.70, 6) has looked good, the only issue with him is he never stays healthy. Still, they have a lot of work with the roster, and their offense has really struggled. Dan Fowler (.206, 1, 8) has already started his slump. Leon Blackridge (.259, 1, 6) is healthy and hitting well while Hank Stratton (.327, 10) is the only other hitter with an OPS+ above 105. We really need to capitalize off this series, and I'm hoping we can prove to the home fans who the better team is.

Our next guest is the Sailors, who will be in town for three. They're off to a nice start, sitting at 16-13 and tied for second place with the Kings. They have a game lead above us, but are 4.5 behind the Stars. The Sailors staff got an upgrade in waiver claim and former Cougar prospect Karl Wallace, who has been excellent in his four starts with Philly. Wallace is 3-1 with a 2.25 ERA (155 ERA+), 1.08 WHIP, 15 walks, and 10 strikeouts through his first 36 innings. I'm happy to see him doing well, but I'd love to hit him like we did when he was in Montreal. Chuck Murphy (4-1, 2.29, 11) has looked like an ace and Herb Flynn (4-1, 3.15, 6) is a reliable three, but the Sailors staff has allowed more runs then everyone except the Cannons. They've been winning because of their high scoring offense, with a league high 126 runs scored. Marion Boismenu is one of two CA hitters with a better average then Leo Mitchell, slashing an elite .374/.429/.513 (163 OPS+) with 9 doubles, 2 triples, a homer, steal, and 8 RBIs. Just like Mitchell, he likes striking out, already 16 times in 29 games, and he led the CA last year with 128. They did lose Harvey Brown (.337, 14, 2) who was off to a fast start, as he'll miss the next six weeks with a sprained thumb. They still have enough offense without him, as former Cougar Oscar King (.291, 10, 1) decided he knows how to hit now, and star catcher Woody Stone (.292, 2, 21) is off to a nice start, striking out just once in 106 trips to the plate. The Sailors have looked good early on, but I really think we should be winning at least two, if not all three of these games.

Our week ends with a double header against the Cannons. It will be a four game series in Chicago with the struggling 9-19 team from Cincinnati. Rufus Barrell dominated us, tossing a 5-hit, 1-walk, and 5-strikeout shutout against us before a 1-run victory against the Sailors to improve to 6-1. The young star did walk five hitters this week, but he owns a 2.01 ERA (170 ERA+) and 0.88 WHIP with 44 strikeouts. With no Papenfus, Barrell may be the front runner for the Allen this year, and he'll be one of the game's best pitchers for a while. The Cannons have recently brought up one of their top prospects, bringing up their #2 prospect and a top 50 in the league Charlie Griffith, who just recently turned 23. He was a bit shaky in his debut, 6 hits, 3 runs, 9 walks, and 6 strikeouts in a complete game loss, but he's got an elite change and great stuff with the potential to be a #2. Another new face is the Tijuana Cannon Ruben Sanchez, who is trying to secure the spot Mike Taylor vacated. The 26-year-old native of Mexico has a real nice arm, and is hitting a nice .308/.341/.385 (107 OPS+) early on. Production like that should help them win more games, as Chuck Adams (.258, 3, 10) has started to heat up while the three hitters ahead of him Fred Galloway (.333, 1, 13), Denny Andrews (.270, 3, 16), and Adam Mullins (.312, 10) make up a lethal 1-2-3. It's only a matter of time before the Cannons figure things out, but again, I hope they can wait until they are done with us.

Minor League Report
RHP Ken Matson (AA Mobile Commodores): One of our Rule-5 Picks this offseason, I ended up sending Willie Gonzalez Jr. to the Kings to gain the ability to move Ken Matson to the minors. He's off to a great start with the Commodores, tossing a 2-hit, 1-walk, 3-strikeout shutout right after a 3-hitter with a walk and unearned run. Matson has thrown a complete game each time out, working to a 1.00 ERA (445 ERA+) and 0.78 WHIP with 5 walks and 10 strikeouts. It's a great start for the hardworking 24-year-older, and it looks like I made the right decision for his development by allowing him start games in the minors instead of spend time in the pen. Weinstock is a big fan of the hard thrower, who gets a ton of swings and misses with his mid-to-upper 90s cutter. His curve and change are reliable as well, and his stuff would play really well in the bullpen if we don't have room for him in our rotation. When he has command of his pitches, Matson can be unhittable, and OSA thinks he can fill the back end of an FABL rotation in a year or two. I like how advanced Matson's stuff is, and if we need arms in Milwaukee, Matson may be one of the first ones up.

RHP Joe Swank (C La Crosse Lions): With a lot of teams losing depth in their minor league system, I think La Crosse will be able to pick up a lot of wins before the draft rejuvenates the league. Now I'm not saying this will be the norm, but I do expect a few more double digit victories like Joe Swank's shutout. The 19-year-old got a lot of help from his lineup, and with 18 runs behind him he tossed a 3-hit, 1-walk shutout against the Waterloo Chiefs. This improved Swank to 2-0 on the season with a 3.00 ERA (177 ERA+), 1.08 WHIP, 5 walks, and 5 strikeouts in his first 24 innings. A 7th Rounder last season, Swank is coming off a nice 8 start run in La Crosse, a perfect 5-0 with a 2.53 ERA (164 ERA+) despite a 1.48 WHIP and 30-to-5 walk-to-strikeout ratio. Of course, he's already matched his strikeout total in 40 less frames, and his BB/9 has dropped over 2 full points. One of our more exciting prospects, Swank ranks just outside our top 30 and sits at 320th in the league. Not much of a hard thrower, Swank sits in the lower 80s, leaning more on his curve and circle change then his fastball. He's still able to get outs, and if he adds some velocity, he's going to be a much more effective starter. For now his stuff is below average, and if he maintains his command like he has so far this year, he could end up a decent spot starter. He has a lot of upside, and if he can sit in the 90s consistently, he may force his way into our rotation.

SS Steve Rosko (C La Crosse Lions): One of the productive bats in our 18-0 win, Steve Rosko recorded two or more hits in each game this week, and was named UMVA Player of the Week. He went 14-for-26 with a homer, 2 doubles, 4 walks, and 6 RBIs. With a lot of bats ahead of him, Rosko started the season in C ball, but the 23-year-old will likely be on his way up when the new draft class can help restock our roster. I gave him a lot of time in left last year and he even spent a little time in San Jose, but he hit just .161/.198/.184 (5 OPS+) in 91 trips to the plate. This season has gone much different, as back in La Crosse he's hit a robust .389/.464/.500 (139 OPS+) with 3 doubles, a triple, homer, 2 steals, 10 walks, and 10 RBIs. To make things better, he's been great back at short, with a 3.1 zone rating and 1.116 efficiency. Rosko isn't one of the most exciting members on our farm, but his versatility makes him valuable and that could eventually win him a big league roster spot.

[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 5-2
Seasonal Record: 19-15 (t-2nd, 6 GB)
Stars of the Week
Leo Mitchell : 29 AB, 10 H, 3 HR, 4 RBI, .345 AVG, 1.077 OPS
Joe Brown : 2 Wins, 18.0 IP, 4 BB, 8 K, 0.50 ERA
John Lawson : 21 AB, 9 H, 1 HR, 7 RBI, .429 AVG, 1.173 OPS

Schedule
5-12: Win vs Foresters (0-4)
5-13: Win vs Foresters (2-8)
5-14: Loss vs Sailors (9-2)
5-15: Win vs Sailors (1-6)
5-16: Loss vs Sailors (4-0)
5-17: Win vs Cannons (1-10)
5-17: Win vs Cannons (2-4)

Recap
Great week for the Cougars, winning five of seven, and while we jumped up to second, we actually lost a game on the Stars who won six in eight. We only lost to the Sailors this week, who took two of three from us, as we really struggled with Philly's pitching. We did win the games we needed to against the Ohio teams, and I'm hoping we can build off this momentum. Best part of the week might be that I can trash the "Is it Time to Worry about John Lawson" article I was brainstorming (of course, the end conclusion was no), as he had a classic John Lawson week. The future Hall-of-Famer went 9-for-21 with 3 doubles, a homer, 2 walks, 2 runs, and 7 RBIs. Lawson, who has yet to have a full season with an OPS+ below 130, is hitting a bit below average .278/.309/.365 (95 OPS+) with just 5 doubles, 2 homers, and 18 RBIs. It's no coincidence a good week from our star meant a week filled with wins, and I'm ready for Lawson to lead us to many more wins.

Lawson may have been the best performer of the week, but Leo Mitchell gave him a run for his money. The now super slugger went 10-for-29 with a double, 3 homers, 8 runs, and 4 RBIs. Mitchell now has 8 homers, good for the lead in the CA and tied overall with Bobby Barrell and Walt Messer, and still ranks top three for batting average and RBIs. His 184 WRC+ is best in the CA, and he's hitting an elite .343/.377/.578 (175 OPS+) with 4 doubles and 22 RBIs. In just 34 games he's three homers away from his total last season, and he's already half way to his previous career high of 15 in 1940. Since becoming a full time starter in 1937, Mitchell has been one of the most consistent hitters in the game, with five consecutive seasons with an OPS+ between 133 and 139. Of course, he's taken the next step this season, with the only real difference the increase in home runs. He's still on track for about 100 strikeouts while his .346 average is actually lower then it was in the '39 and '41 season, while just six points above his career measure. His OBP is higher then just the 1940 season in his full seasons, but his slugging percentage this year is over 100 points better then his previous career high of .466. Looking behind the hood a bit, his BABIP is actually it's lowest as a starter (due in part to the homers) and he's on pace for his lowest walk% and double totals. Will the power stay? Who knows! But Mitchell has always been a well above average hitter, and while he's likely to cool down a bit, we're hoping he can maintain star level production as we look to return to the postseason.

Another guy who's been red hot is Clark Car, who after a nightmare of a first week, has done nothing but rake in a Cougar uniform. This week was no different, 5-for-15 with 2 walks, doubles, steals, and RBIs, with 4 runs scored. The 28-year-old is hitting a surprising .323/.397/.492 (157 OPS+) in 74 PAs with 7 doubles, 2 triples, 3 steals, and 12 RBIs. A very disciplined hitter, Car has walked 7 times and struck out just once, and he's made just a single error since week one. His efficiency is now an above average 1.051 with a 0.9 zone rating, and while Billy Hunter may be able to start rehab in a few weeks, Car has earned starts as we easy our star middle infielder back into things. Freddie Jones did well on the other side of the platoon, 2-for-5 with 2 walks, a run, and RBI. Ray Ford has gotten some time at second, and while he hasn't hit well to start the year, he had a nice 6-for-19 week with 2 doubles, a homer, 3 RBIs, 5 runs, and 2 walks. Harry Mead had another nice week, 6-for-18 with 2 doubles, 3 runs, and 3 RBIs. We're starting to score more runs, which is always good, and we now rank either 1st or 2nd in all offensive categories except walks (4th) and strikeouts (8th). The lineup has kept us in games, and since we pitched fairly well this week, we were able to win a lot. Things get better as Carlos Montes will return to his customary leadoff spot, and despite hitting above average, Orlin Yates will head down to AAA.

Joe Brown heard my doubts, and he took that as a personal challenge to preform. The Illinois native showed off to his home fans, picking up a pair of complete game victories against the Foresters and Cannons. Brown tossed his second shutout of the season against Cleveland, just 4 hits and 2 walks with 3 strikeouts in a 4-0 victory. He tried to follow that up with a second, but the Cannons got a single run off 5 hits and 2 walks with 5 strikeouts as we blew them out in the opener of the double header. He dropped his ERA way down to 3.31 (102 ERA+) with a 1.16 WHIP, 14 walks, and 21 strikeouts in 54.1 innings pitched. We also go a tremendous start from Harry Parker, who allowed just a single unearned run with 7 hits, a walk, and 5 strikeouts in a complete game win over the Sailors. Parker hasn't allowed an earned run in his last 18 innings, and he's done an excellent job keeping runners off base and the ball in the park. Jim Lonardo gave us two more quality starts, picking up a pair of 2-run complete games. He allowed 8 hits against Cleveland and 10 against Cincinnati, combining for 2 walks and 3 strikeouts to improve to 6-2 with a stellar 2.39 ERA (141 ERA+). Lonardo's been his dominant self since returning from an ankle injury last June, and he's stepped in well for our enlisted ace.

Dick Lyons, however, blew up against the Sailors, charged with 9 hits and 7 runs with 3 walks in just 3.2 innings. It moved his ERA up from 2.97 to 4.19 (81 ERA+), and while he is the highest rested pitcher due to the double header, I won't push him on short rest, poor start or not. This will give Milt Fritz, who didn't pitch this week will start our first game tomorrow against the Cannons, a chance to pitch his way into Lyons' spot. One bad outing isn't enough for me to give up on the longest tenured player in the league, but he'll be 42 in a month, and even the softest of tosses can't pitch forever. Lyons' start was the only one that required relief, as Hooks Camp did admirably in the blowout. He suffered through 5.1 innings of mop-up with 4 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts. Donnie Jones didn't have the best start, and picked up the other loss, charged with 6 hits and 4 runs (3 earned) with 5 strikeouts as the waiver pickup Scotty Thomas managed to shut us out. For the most part we kept runs off the board, and I'm hoping this week was the start of things getting back on track. Yes, we did take advantage of the 7th and 8th place teams, but the good teams beat the bad teams, and the Stars can only play .700+ ball for so long. So we hope...

Looking Ahead
Two more with the Cannons, who still sit in last at 10-25 and 15.5 games out of first place. The Cannons might have to mess with their rotation, as they have no 100% rested starters. The closes is Butch Smith (0-7, 4.76, 25), the struggling All-Star, who had to relieve youngster Clark Griffith in the third against the Stars. Other options include Glenn Payne (1-4, 4.38, 9) or Rule-5 Pick George Rotondi (0-0, 21.60) in the pen, or even an arm from AAA such as Jesse Bowen, Gordon Martin, Jack G. Thompson, or Dan Adams, who are all on the 40. Their pitching staff has a lot of question marks, and I fully expect our hitters to take advantage. Our pitching should also have a good time with their lineup, as they have a lot of struggling starters including Charlie Rivera (.195, 4), Moxie Pidgeon (.200, 9, 2), and Jim Hensley (.233, 1, 6), and while Pidgeon should turn things around, the other two are more useful with the glove then the bat. Of course, both Fred Galloway (.319, 1, 13) and Adam Mullins (.321, 12) are as good as it gets, but if we can keep those two in check, this may be a nice four game sweep for us.

Our homestand then ends with the Wolves, who enter the week 16-18. Toronto has been middle of the pack this year, but there is a lot of talent on this roster. Both Tom Frederick (.260, 1, 11, 2) and Charlie Artuso (.268, 2, 11) are reliable defenders, and each own an exactly adjusted league average batting line. If they can hit closer to their 1940 numbers then last year (although for Frederick it wasn't much worse), they could really set the lineup for the rest of the order. Walt Pack (.250, 1, 13) is off to a really slow start, but with Reginald Westfall (.339, 19, 1) and Mike Rollison (.331, 1, 13) now hitting around him, I imagine his production will start to rise. The pitching is more difficult to stifle, with the top two of Joe Hancock (4-4, 2.37, 26) and George Garrison (4-3, 2.53, 35) pitching a bit better then Jim Lonardo and Harry Parker. With a double header to end their week, their pitching also has a lot of uncertainty, so we may get the unlucky draw of facing both of the Wolves aces.

We then finish the week on the road with a three game series in Montreal. The Saints are tied for 5th with the Wolves despite the continued struggles of Red Bond (..217, 3, 13) and Bill Greene (.236, 13, 3). Bert Lass has started to heat up, picking up Player of the Week after going an even 15-for-30 with 2 doubles, a triple, and 4 RBIs. A .392/.410/.527 May has boosted his season line up to .350/.386/.450 (132 OPS+), his best triple slash since he put up a 150 OPS+ in 520 plate appearances as a rookie. Their top three of Jake Hughes (.343, 1, 11, 2), Heinie Billings (.341, 1, 10) and Lass have been very effective as of late, and then with Charlie Woodbury (.306, 3, 9) and improvements from Bond and Greene, their lineup could be one of the better ones. Of course, as it's been lately with the Saints, the pitching isn't up to par, but they've gotten a few surprising good starts from Karl Weiss (1-2, 1.93, 7) and Jake DeYoung (2-4, 2.78, 23) may finally be putting things together. If the Waco Kid Wally Doyle (3-4, 4.07, 34) can keep the ball in the park and cut down his hits allowed, the Saints may find themselves in the top four.

Minor League Report
LHP Ed Wilkinson (AAA Milwaukee Blues): Make it three wins in a row for 25-year-old southpaw Ed Wilkinson, who improved to 3-0 on the season with a 5-hit shutout as Milwaukee topped Indianapolis 4-0. He's walked a single batter in each of his four starts, and now owns a 2.45 ERA (164 ERA+) and 1.12 WHIP with 13 strikeouts in 33 effective innings pitched. A member of our 40-Man roster, Wilkinson will look to add to his 1 career FABL inning, and could be one of the first men up if we deal with an injury to our staff during the season. An intriguing five pitch pitcher, Wilkinson has a nice low 90s fastball and a changeup that was really working in his shutout. The change isn't a headliner pitch, same goes for the slider, curve, and forkball, but they're all reliable enough offerings and he's done good locating them. The former 4th Rounder is one of the few arms in our system who has never really dealt with control issues, keeping his BB/9 below 3 in each season since his debut year in '38, and it was an impressive 1.5 in 76 innings with the Blues last year. He doesn't have near the prospect shine as teammate Johnnie Jones, as Wilkinson ranks towards the back of our top 30, but he's gotten much better results so far and if the need in the majors is either short term or for the pen, I think I'd go with Wilkinson first. Tom Weinstock thinks he'd be a decent #5 due to his command, and I'd tend to agree with that assessment, but if he's starting games for us this season, we likely got hit hard with injuries and fell out of a pennant race.

SS Eddie Curtis (AAA Milwaukee Blues): Another member of our 40, I protected Eddie Curtis from the Rule-5 draft before last season, but the 24-year-old has yet to debut. He's doing his best to force his way up, hitting .404/.431/.431 (133 OPS+) in 118 trips to the plate. His batting line was helped immensely by a 6-for-7 game in the Blues' 17-10 slugfest win over Toledo. He scored three times and drove in a pair of runs, but all six hits were singles. In fact, Curtis has managed just two extra base hits, a double and triple, which is why his OBP is identical to his slugging. Curtis does have good speed, so I imagine he'll start to rack up some doubles and triples, but he's a more disciplined hitter (6 walks to 2 strikeouts) with a lot more grounders then liners, then an extra base guy. A hard working infielder, Curtis value lies most in his versatility, experienced at short, second, third, left, and right. Despite that, he's not the greatest defender, more solid with some missteps then above average. Weinstock has really started liking his bat, predicting him to be a .330 hitter in the big leagues, but this may just be wishful thinking. I think he's more of a utility guy who can offer some speed, but it may be hard for him to earn the playing time his hard work deserves.

RHP King Price (AA Mobile Commodores): After a rough start against the now second place New Orleans Showboats, King Price bounced back in a huge way. His offense made it so he didn't have to, but the 24-year-old Bluegrass State alum tossed a 4-hit shutout with 4 strikeouts and 2 walks as the Commodores annihilated the Chattanooga Reliables, who weren't too reliable in this one, 14-0. Price has looked much better in his four starts with Mobile this year as opposed to his first 14, where he was 7-4 with a 4.90 ERA (89 ERA+), 1.57 WHIP, 38 walks, and 47 strikeouts. His walk (3.2 to 3.7) and strikeout (3.9 to 3.7) rates are pretty similar in the 33.2 innings this year, but he has a much improved 3.48 ERA (132 ERA+) and 1.28 WHIP. My guess is that he's serving up less hard contact, as he's not allowing nearly as many hits. Yes, it's early, but his stuff is looking really good, and if he can take the next step and limit walks, he'll be an interesting option for a big league team. He has a great change and excellent knuckle curve, with a decent mid 80s cutter that has a lot of bite due to his sidearm delivery. He's not one of our higher ranked guys, just 34th in the system and 368th overall, and currently projects as more filler then anything. Of course, there are a lot of pitchers who may not be with their organization as we navigate the war, and someone with a high floor like Price may get a chance to fill in if he himself is not drafted.

3B Skippy Ellis (San Jose Cougars): Our 8th Rounder last year, Skippy Ellis started in San Jose, and returned their to start the season. He wasn't off to the best start, but Ellis had an outstanding week, taking home Player of the Week in the C-O-W League. Ellis went 14-for-32 with 2 triples, 4 runs, and an RBI to improve his season line to .324/.366/.371 (114 OPS+). Before this week, he had just a single extra base hit (a double), and on the 10th he was hitting just .274/.338/.288. A natural shortstop, Ellis has been getting a lot of time at the hot corner, starting all 24 of his games there. He hasn't looked great defensively, which is a little shocking considering his 1.107 efficiency at short last year, but I'm hoping it is inexperience and not a weak arm. He just celebrated his 23rd birthday on the 14th, and OSA thinks he could be a decent supplemental piece. He has a real nice contact tool, but he doesn't hit the ball very hard, and the chances he ever hits double digit homers in a year are very low. Still, his glove should be a big part of his game, and while his strike outs are up a bit this year, he did a really good job putting the ball in play last season. He's got a lot of work to do, but I think he can be a decent utility infielder who won't kill you at the plate.